7:45 am, 9th of November 2011
Department of Magical Law Enforcement

"Zelda! Z- shit. Zelda!"

Talisha Crowe[1] was a stumbling mess and had just rolled her ankle on a broken high heel. The middle-aged lawyer with the false eye was struggling to keep up with Zelda Sellaphix.

The Ministry owl had found Zelda at the house about thirty minutes ago, and Zelda's owl had found Talisha fifteen minutes after that.

9 Nov 2011

Sir or Madam:

This is a courtesy owl to inform you that FIGARO SELLAFIX is being held with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Then we have a great deal of very fine print about visiting hours and somesuch and nonsense legalese which no one actually reads and its put in by lawyers and hasn't been updated in ages and has some blah blah Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras interdum accumsan volutpat. Maecenas sed consequat enim. Morbi nec nulla libero. Mauris quis eleifend orci. Nulla facilisi. Morbi a augue elementum, gravida nibh lacinia, cursus sem. Quisque suscipit elit sed nibh semper cursus. Curabitur bibendum congue nulla id feugiat. Ut in metus blandit, blandit odio id, posuere nisi. Vivamus luctus sapien et sem porta lacinia.

"Zelda! Wait!" On her way over to Zelda's place Talisha was able to get in touch an old friend in the Wizengamot who looked up the arrest record. And saw that her client's son had actually been arrested the previous afternoon, and had been held overnight. Zelda had not taken the news well.

Down the hall on Level Two, Zelda moved swiftly with a deadly calm and dark frown. If she weren't striding so purposefully she'd be shaking. Her steely gaze hid a panic behind her eyes, a trembling dread that everything had completely fallen apart. She wasn't terribly surprised this was coming; she'd warned Figaro it could happen and then she'd told him exactly what to do if it did. There were a few possibilities to why he'd been alone with Magical Law Patrol for nearly twenty-four hours and the most likely was that he'd panicked.

She really hadn't decided who she was going to kill first. Her son or whoever had let him run his mouth (for probably hours) without a lawyer present.

"Where is he!" she demanded to the foyer. Talisha managed to hook her arm around Zelda and ply her back towards the reception desk. Talisha thumped her briefcase on the counter and said quickly.

"Talisha Crowe, I'm Figaro Sellaphix's lawyer and I'll be seeing him now. Please. And thank you."

Zelda, barely contained, crossed her arms and glowered for anyone who'd dare recognize her. The last time she'd been here was to be questioned regarding the Runespoor business three years ago. The last time her son was here, well, that was more recent, wasn't it?

1.	Talisha Crowe

Raine yawned as she adjusted her MLE badge on the front of her black robes, double-checking her appearance in the lavatory mirror. It was an early morning shift - the kind that guaranteed you getting off before the usual rush hour. She was an early riser so this was one of her favourite times to be in, when last night's roster was winding down and you got to catch up the evening's events.

Tying her curls back, the young witch left the bathrooms and headed towards the entrance foyer so that she could slip into Carstairs' waiting room to see if Abby was in yet.

An unexpected sight interrupted her original intention. Oh, Godric. It was Zelda Sellaphix. Mrs Doom-and-Thunder in the flesh, probably here to see her much less intimidating son. Raine wondered if Fig was a disappointment to his mother. But at least he'd written to her in the end.

            "Talisha Crowe, I'm Figaro Sellaphix's lawyer and I'll be seeing him now. Please. And thank you."

A disorganised looking attorney was badgering the floor's welcome witch. Raine sighed to herself and decided that she might as well do this - the department was still waking up, nobody coming off the night shift deserved to be saddled with Zelda.

"Mrs Sellaphix!" she greeted in a smiling auctioneer's voice, walking up to the reception table with a decisive click in the heel of her boots. "Good morning. And... Ms Crowe. I'm not sure if Fig is awake yet but I can take you to get registered[1] to see him," a glance at the welcome witch: "I have this."

Anyone held for questioning had a right to legal recourse so she knew what to do, step-by-step. Falling back on standard procedure was a Merlinsend for Raine, who hadn't consumed her morning coffee yet.

1.	Off the foyer, there are two offices to access before the detention cells.

"'Mrs Sellaphix,'" Zelda echoed in a scoffing breath.

Talisha put a hand on her shoulder to stop Zelda stepping forward on the wicked little witch who held  cheery professionalism like a weapon. She'd called him 'Fig' like they were friends.

"Yes, thank you. And your name is?" Talisha took a step to get a better look at a name badge but Zelda supplied the answer.

"This is Raine Almasy. She's in training," Zelda said, her voice level.

'Awake yet,' Raine had said. Zelda knew Figaro was fine and had no reason to think he'd been anything other than well kept, but the picture of her oldest spending the night behind a locked door was something that twisted her stomach.

Talisha knew where temporary detention was and as she began to make progress, Zelda made her way more quickly outpacing their lawyer in a few steps.

            "This is Raine Almasy. She's in training," Zelda answered for her.

Raine lifted her chin slightly, deciding on the spur of the moment that she wasn't going to let her surname get in the way like it had when she surveyed the Sellaphix Apothecary. The name wasn't going anywhere and if she didn't own it now then the next few years were going to be painful. She turned around, keeping pace with the lawyer while Figaro's mother strode on ahead.

"Don't worry," she muttered at her as they passed through into the entrance office where a surly Hitwizard was sat behind the desk. "There's no rush. He isn't going anywhere, is he?"

           "Mornin' luv," the Hitwizard interjected, overlapping with Raine's remark as he slid over a large, leatherbound registry. "Who is it?"

"Figaro Sellaphix. His mummy has come to visit," she quipped back sweetly, in her most aristocratic English drawl. "And legal counsel, of course."

Talisha Crowe was not a bad lawyer; she was effective but came off as disorganized. She nudged past Zelda and the Auror Trainee, re-oriented her wandering glass eye, and traded documents and forms with the Hitwizard.

With Talisha handling the paperwork, Zelda had a quick moment with Raine. With a practiced hand on Raine's elbow, she pivoted them both a step to the side. She took a slow breath and looked Raine up and down, like she had that evening in the shop.

"It takes nothing to stand in that uniform, here, and be a nasty girl," she said quietly with a tilt of her head. "But it will take a little bit more to swerve me."

Snatches of conversation between Talisha and the Hitwizard found Zelda's ear, but she kept her eye on Raine.

"No, that won't do. I need to speak with my client. We'll need a proper room. Chairs. My clients sit." Talisha insisted.

The Hitwizard lifted his voice to speak to Raine. "You wanna take them? I'll get the kid. Or, you want th' other way round?"

After working all of yesterday, Fauna had dreamed about work when she'd finally gotten home. She dreamed of Pratt just outside the bookstore, yelling at her for failing to register Fig's wand before questioning. But she had! She protested, then watched him drop his ham sandwich in surprise. "That was my only-" Figaro put a hand to his mouth. "My only-" he burped, and Fauna frowned up at him, worried he was going to fall from the top shelf of the bookcase he was sitting on. He teetered, then burped out a dozen slugs. Fauna covered her head, but the slugs just arranged themselves into a new coat and hat for Fig. "How nice for you!" She shouted. She dreamed of Abby in the office, cheerfully delivering moldy apples to all the trainees. "They're safe because they've already been poisoned!" Raine and Cavanaugh took turns hexing the apples into a million pieces. Most worryingly, she dreamed of Carstairs walking around with toilet paper stuck to his shoe, but she couldn't tell him, and Roh laughed and pointed at Carstairs from her cubicle, and then she woke up.

Fauna yawned as she walked onto Level Two that morning, blinking at Sandra the desk witch who said, "Good morning, Fauna!"

While puzzling over Sandra's unnatural cheer, she bumped into Bailey in the hall. The last time she'd seen him, he was griping about goblins and sensitivity training, and she was surprised to see him grinning now.

"Good morning! Or should I say good night?"

"What?" Fauna stopped short and stared after him, utterly confused. Merlin, what time was it? Was she late for something? She hurried to her cubicle and set down her bag and took off her coat.

Several Aurors popped their heads up and smiled at her. She froze.

"Good night, Flora!" They chorused.

Fauna threw up her hands. "What is happening? It's the morning! I saw the sun outside!"

One of them chuckled. "Nevermind that. Your burglar's mum came round earlier, looking vexed. Brought a lawyer, too. Almasy is handling it, but thought you might want to know."

"Raine," Fauna's eyes widened. An image of her blasting apples into applesauce came to mind. "With Fig's mum?"

Uh oh.

"They should be heading to the visitation room right about now if you want to wish them all a good morning," the Auror continued with a straight face, which Fauna barely processed as she whirled away from her cubicle, rounded back to grab her notebook, and rounded back a second time for her coffee cup.

Fauna shuffle-ran through the halls, echoing all the strange greetings with, "Yeah, okay, might want to get your watch checked, good morning to you too," until she reached the visitation room and came face to face with Zelda Sellaphix.

            "But it will take a little bit more to swerve me."

Raine pulled her elbow away from the woman, sharp gaze taking in the sight that was Zelda Sellaphix. And she felt ridiculous for ever feeling put out at the apothecary that evening. All she could see was a mean old witch worried sick about her son and trying to hold on to some vestige of parental influence. Hardly worth her time. Also, 'swerve'? Who spoke like that? Was that 80's slang??

"I haven't the least what it is you mean," she shrugged indifferently. "Must be all that nastiness plugging up my ears."

The Hitwizard was speaking up and she glanced over, about to reply when the trainee-in-charge finally made an appearance at the doorway. Fauna! Raine felt a smile creep into her expression. They'd all heard about her wishing Fig good night and it took a lot of self control not to chirpily wish her good morning.

"Auror Blake," she opted instead, choosing to present a professional face. "I was just about to escort Mrs Sellaphix and Ms Crowe to a conference room. Would you prefer to...? And I'll bring Figaro along presently."

They were all clustered near the desk: one harried Hitwizard, one witch with a glass eye tapping her foot, another witch with a silver streak in her hair that Fauna hoped hadn't happened because of Figaro, and a smug Raine.

Aw shite, what was that look between Silver and Red? Already? Fauna's stomach made an uneasy flip.

Fauna smiled at the witches politely.

"I'd be happy to," she nodded, worried about whatever exchange had just happened. Could she trust Raine to fetch Figaro? She widened her eyes at the trainee in silent caution. "I'll see if room three is open, if you could bring him there. Thanks, Raine."

As she turned to lead the two older witches through the maze of corridors, Fauna introduced herself. "I'm Fauna Blake, one of the Auror trainees assigned to the case." She glanced at them sympathetically. "I'm sure it was, er, a surprise getting Figaro's owl this morning."

He had finally sent an owl! Thank Merlin!

"Morning, Blake!" A hitwizard passed by.

Fauna held back a sigh. She opened the door to the same conference room that Figaro had napped in yesterday, and made a beeline for the coffee pot.

"Please take a seat. Would either of you like coffee? Or tea?" Fauna asked as she filled her own cup.

Zelda and Talisha had very similar feelings watching the two young witches, Merlin they were both practically teenagers, flit and flurry about trying to look official. Zelda and her lawyer both knew well enough that the stakes in this particular case weren't very high; Talisha had skimmed some information on the way and saw that the kid wouldn't end up in Azkaban, and Zelda knew her son well enough that he couldn't pull it off even if he wanted to. And he wouldn't want to. And that was the point.

When things finally began moving, Zelda kept a long eye on Raine Almasy. When they arrived in the conference room, neither witch sat. Talisha  made herself busy with what papers she had. Zelda kept her feet and gazed flatly at Fauna Blake. Was she stupid? A surprise?

"Tea, thanks, lovely," Talisha replied. "Also, transcript of the questioning? I've got the arrest record, already so, please and thanks."

"Blake. Right. The surprise was that it came today rather than yesterday." It wasn't an accusation.

"Which one of you talked to him this time? You or that other intern?"

Zelda knew perfectly well her name and that they weren't interns. But she didn't much like her son being used as a Teaching Moment.

Oh, Raine knew that look. It was the please-don't-unnecessarily-hex-anyone look.

As soon as her colleague disappeared with the two older women - not without a final stare from Zelda - she turned to the Hitwizard and sighed a little. He grinned at her. "Don't f'get to wish him a good morning," he said as she made her way through to the next room (where another Hitwizard was sat behind a smaller desk) and finally the corridor of detention cells past that. Time to take out the garbage.

"Figaro!" Raine banged callously against his door with her fist, a warning knock for him to get his knickers on or whatever. "Your mummy's here to see you, get up and get dressed. We're taking you to a conference room."

A couple of blokes from the other cells echoed mocking cries of "Mummy!" or "Mother's boy!" but the Hitwizard on duty made a rude sound, putting an end to that. She waited for a few seconds, giving a final knock before opening the cell door and glancing inside the dismal room. Her lips were set in a very slight but superior smile and her arms were crossed over her chest.

"Good morning, sunshine." Raine leaned against the frame, eyes laughing.

Fig had been awake for almost two hours, the most recent quarter hour or so spent picking at a scab on his heel. He'd been trying not to dread whatever the day would bring. He'd summoned his mother, so he had that to look forward to. He'd had all morning to rehearse how he was going to explain himself, and not a few moments spared to worrying about her straight-up murdering someone.

Fig grimly imagined he'd know she had arrived from the disaster alarm bells. 

Bang! Figaro swore at the sudden clamor on the door.  Every time! Earsplitting. He didn't immediately recognize the voice muffled through the barrier, but it surely wasn't Fauna or the cheery witch who'd brought him breakfast.

He had finished putting his socks and shoes back on when the door open. He was not prepared to see Raine Almasy and it showed on his face. He got up from the bed quickly, keeping a bit of distance from the door.

"You're very subtle."

He was clearly much calmer than the day before, but Raine put him on edge. Figaro shrugged impatiently.

"Where's Fauna? Is she here?"

More to the point, why was Raine here?

There was something intensely satisfying about Fig keeping his distance. Troubling too, but she was going to examine that feeling much later. Better to just enjoy the dominant one now.

            "Where's Fauna? Is she here?"

"For someone who never wants to answer questions, you ask a lot of them." Raine remarked acidly - the most annoying thing about yesterday, for her, had been watching poor Fauna trying to extract a sensible response from this rude dimwit. He could be out of here ages ago if he'd done the right thing. "Fauna's waiting with your mummy. I'm here to fetch you, like the good little bitch I am."

She gestured for him to promptly follow and made a start down the corridor.

"Come on," the redhead called over her shoulder. "It can't always be Blake handling you with kid gloves. Let's go before your mum pops a vessel and goes completely white in the hair."

"Damnit, Raine."

Figaro leaned to the side with a thorough scowl. He'd be impressed if her words didn't sting so much. How did she do that? She always knew the exact worse thing to say. He gave one second's consideration to shutting himself back in the cell rather than face the music; but he crossed his arms and followed. Far easier to leave then enter.

"Remember what I told you, mister!" sang the nice guard witch as they passed.

Time had stood still back in his little room, but out on the main floor everyone was awake, freshly laundered, and there was the hum of the growing day shift. He caught a glance at the clock. Nearly 8:30.

The door was open when they approached and he heard bits of both Fauna's voice and Talisha Crowe's. But he stopped short in the doorway upon seeing Zelda. She looked pissed.

Fauna took a gulp of coffee at the thought of that transcript, and winced as it burned her tongue.

When Fauna turned around from the coffee pot, both of the witches were still standing. Okay then. She blinked, and took a seat, with her mercifully full cup of coffee. She met Mrs. Sellaphix's stare with a mild raise of her eyebrows, then pulled a page from her notebook to pen a memo.

She wondered from which parent Fig had inherited his bumbling, cheerful nature. Probably not his mum! But she couldn't blame Mrs. Sellaphix. Fauna's own mum was protective and would be just as unhappy about something like this. From what Fauna could tell in these first few minutes of meeting her, she seemed to be doing well, recovered from the pentral possession. That at least gave Fauna hope for Abby, and made her feel like it was less likely that Fig had been involved in any kind of theft.

"That would be me. Um, the trainee," she added helpfully.

Abby - if you aren't busy - would you mind bringing...

She looked up at the witches as she finished the memo. Fauna resisted the urge to add a terrified smiley doodle at the end of it. She sent the memo zooming out the door.

"Tea and transcript are on their..."

Fauna trailed off as Fig appeared in the doorway.

Zelda had fully intended not to immediately smack Figaro when she saw him (for being foolish, irresponsible, so easily intimidated), but his little hestitation in the doorway was a little dagger in her liver. Really? She stayed where she was and crossed her arms, swallowing a frown. This was embarrassing, their family business paraded around.

Talisha made sure Figaro saw her encouraging smile. Yes, this was very uncomfortable but very solvable. Legal counsel had arrived! Things could move along, yes?

"Ah, there he is. Mr. Sellaphix, I am your lawyer Talisha Crowe. Been a few years, but you remember me."

Zelda looked at Talisha. He ought to. She'd been Rafe's lawyer, too.

Talisha bumped a table leg as she moved towards the door, and wiggled her fingers to gently suggest that Raine and Fauna give them their law-entitled privacy. 

"Knock when you've got that transcript, Auror Blake. I'll be counseling my client. Good work, alright? Yes, good. Come in, Mr. Sellaphix, there's coffee. "

With the Aurors effectively shuffled out, Zelda's face twisted up. At first, she looked as if she might unleash some wrathful diatribe, and then as if she would erupt into ugly tears, but instead she swallowed it all down. She wrapped her arms around Figaro gingerly, stiffly. 

He was a little to nervous to return the gesture, and just patted her elbows. "Mum, I'm really sorry."

"I don't doubt it," she said, standing back to check him over, move some of his hair around. "You alright?"

      "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"You eat?"

      "Yeah."

"Have a seat, Figaro," Talisha said from the table. "Let's sort through this and see if we can't get you home, okay? Okay. That's right."

Fig settled into a chair and Zelda sat beside them, both across from Talisha.

"Good news: you're not charged. If it stays that way, nothing on your record, okay? Okay. Bad news: well, I don't have a transcript yet, but it does appear you answered questions - well shit, Figaro - you answered questions for eight hours without legal counsel. Not good!" She suddenly laughed manically and reached up to fix her eye.

Figaro started to say something but Zelda stopped him by placing her hand in front of him on the table.

"Help me understand. Help me understand why you didn't owl Talisha right away. You had her card in your pocket, I thought I was very clear. All you had to do was contact someone and stay quiet. How..."

Zelda sighed and wrung her left hand in her right.  "I know you didn't let that Blake girl pretend she was your friend - are you still scared of Raine? Figaro she's -- "