It was later than usual. Not that Mysteries had a usual. But later than the other levels stayed on a Friday. Hyperion Gamp adjusted his cuffs. Waiting for the lift. One could leave Mysteries in many manners but Perry wanted a copy of the Evening Prophet from the seller in the atrium upstairs. He had neglected to read before work as he had an experiment to attend to.

You never felt alone in this room. Not really. The light played tricks. You saw shadows out the corner of your eye. Heard voices speaking languages nobody recognised. It was always cold as a cave. Whatever the weather outside. Pipes rattled. If they were pipes at all. Something other than the lift rhythmically clunked to his left.

Then as he contemplated his not so alone status a living human being joined him. Petite brunette with attractive smile and sharp mind.

"Good evening." Hyperion greeted Theta Pepper. "Late for you? Or is it always relative?"

“Good question,” Theta smiled on approaching the lift. She stood to Hyperion’s right, in a pale blue silk shirt and navy leggings, her tweed blazer folded over her arm. She looked altogether much more muggle than many of her Mysteries colleagues, just missing a handbag due to expanding pockets. Despite being brought up in a wizarding household, her mother was Muggle and Theta did enjoy spending time in the Muggle world. She had plenty of wizarding robes, but preferred the simplicity and the ease at which she could slip back into London proper without changing her outfit.

Hyperion Gamp was impeccably dressed even for the end of a Friday workday. His tie was still tight, his sleeves showed no signs that they had rolled, and he still wore his jacket. The last month she had noticed him more, not only for the mischief of the voice swapping potion at the party celebrating the confirmation of Virgil and the other ex-trainees. She understood he’d been away and had only recently become established back on the floor, which made her ever so slightly more curious.

“I got lost in my work, truth be told.” She admitted, and shrugged. “What’s your excuse?”

"Sense of duty." Said Hyperion. But there was mischief. "I cannot put something down before it is settled. The hands of the clock are not my masters. The pursuit of knowledge is." If Pepper were not a former Ravenclaw and fellow unspeakable she might scoff. He was sure. But she was kindred spirit. Lost in her work.

"Have you plans?" Directly asked the wizard. "Only I was contemplating dinner."

Theta was taken by surprise. Perry had been somewhat forthcoming at Virgil’s graduation, but this was direct. Not just out of politeness.

“Dinner sounds good,” she heard herself say, in a self-assured, fake-it-til-you-make-it way. She turned her smile on Gamp. “Thanks.”

Some time later…

Calaveras had changed since Theta had last been in. With company she had quite forgotten Zeta’s disgust in the summer holidays about the new owner running full moon promotions. The walls were adorned with art, and a magical skylight showed a bewitched night sky above indoor trees. A live band was easing out a tune with a dance rhythm. It was busy, but not so busy that a table couldn’t be made available on a Friday evening for two.

They were shown through heavy red curtains to perch at a bar for cocktails while they waited for the table.
“Surprised they could fit us in, seems the sort of place you have to book these days,” Theta remarked, wondering if she should have transfigured her outfit. “I don’t think I’ve been in since the new owners. How about you?”

"I haunt the place on occasion." Said Perry. "I know the owner." He looked about the place in an unhurried way. "He has a reputation that is often misunderstood." Salvador Falcón was ever so understood in ELF circles. This was a safe space without werewolves on a full moon night.

The bartender was showing off. Tossing bottles and shaking ice with spells. Or perhaps it was all non-magical. Perry was only looking closely at Theta if he looked closely at all. A pretty witch with a good mind. Their cocktails were presented with a flourish.

"Ahh! Thank you." Perry responded politely. Showing gratitude and just the appropriate amount of admiration for the show. "Cheers." He handed Theta her glass. Toasted. "To working late."

"Señor?"

Their table was ready. Perry insisted ladies first. Enjoyed the sway of her hips. Recommended a few favorite dishes after they were left alone.

"I thought I saw you twice the other day." Remarked Perry. "Is that a regular perk to the time job?"

The comment about the reputation of the owner hung in the air between them for a moment. Theta wishing she could recall more about the wizard in question to reply with something intelligent. She blinked at Perry, trying but failing to conjure anything, and turned her attention to the tricks behind the bar, letting the topic slide.

She gave a polite little hand clap in appreciation for the elaborate display of cocktail shaking. She hoped the drink tasted better for being elaborately thrown around. It reminded her of the odd house party where friends would try to do something similar and just end up having to evanesco the lot off the kitchen ceiling.

“To working late.”
“To working late,” Theta agreed, because if she hadn’t run into him she would have headed home to pyjamas, a good book and hoping Penny’s dog hadn’t piddled in her slippers during the day. Living with housemates was fun most of the time, once you got over sharing vegan cuisine, alliteration and such. The temperamental kitchen could even be tamed if you spoke nicely to it.

Perry was gracious enough to recommend a few of the dishes, further reinforcing that he must be somewhat regular in coming since the place changed hands.

“I thought I saw you twice the other day, is that a regular perk to the time job?”

“You did…?” Theta looked a little concerned. “One is meant to avoid paradoxes, but it’s hard to test a time turner without an actual test once a repair or craft is complete.” There were ways to test the mechanisms, of course, but sending a person back in time, that had to be tested too. “I have to do my best to avoid my past self otherwise I might cause one for other people. Normally I only turn back an hour and use it for lunch if I’m honest.” She smiled, a little known fact shared.

“Can you say much about what you do?” She asked, “Other than those voice changing potions, I know very little about you.”

Perry smiled. That had been a very memorable evening. Swapping voices and stories. He did not get to brew silly potions often. Unspeakables were very serious people. Prim and proper. Dedicated researchers. He was happy Theta Pepper had taken a sip of potion with him.

"I work in potion research." Confirmed Perry. "I have always specialized in potions. I considered analysis. They give you an unidentified potion and you analyze it. But I have always been more interested in the reverse. Refining and engineering potions. A little better. A little stronger. A little quicker..." A waitress came to take their order. Perry checked Theta's decision. Ordered for them both. Requested a wine he knew Sal recommended from the place's cellar. "Is it not more fun to guess?" Asked Perry. "I know you work with Francis who is your uncle. I now you Peppers are a big family. I am guessing... Ravenclaw. Charms, transfiguration for sure."

“I work in potion research.” Hyperion confirmed, and Theta smiled politely, knowing this or being able to guess it from his clever potion. It seemed better than a hobbyist, and her colleagues had been trusting enough to drink it.

It was charming to have a wizard order. He had good manners, she supposed that came from his background. The Gamps were pureblooded and a very old wizarding family. Their ancestors had named Laws of Transfiguration. Manners were attractive.

“Is it not more fun to guess?” He asked, and Theta tilted her head curiously.

“Guess?” She asked softly, “Not really the done thing for an unspeakable researcher?” She meant it in a light tease. “Go on then.”

“I know you work with Francis who is your uncle,” Perry began and Theta nodded, that was correct and not a secret. “I know you Peppers are a big family. I am guessing… Ravenclaw. Charms, transfiguration for sure.”

“You’ve been reading my personal file,” Theta grinned. “I was an eagle, and outstanding NEWTs in charms and transfiguration, spot on. Not to mention Runes and Arithmancy. The exceeds expectations for History and Astronomy are the smudge on my results.” She shrugged and smiled.

“Hm, my turn. I’d have said Ravenclaw too, but there’s something extra about you.” She ran the tip of her tongue over her lips in contemplation. “Old family, bit of a devious sense of humour. Slytherin?” She plumped for. He just seemed to fit the mould. “You must have excelled at potions, naturally. I’m guessing you took pretty much the same exams.” She tilted her head again, looking him up and down above the table top. “Your family’s big. Lots of cousins, and you’ve got a sister, Ascella. She’s the same age as my youngest sister, Eta. Ravenclaw. Ooh, maybe I am wrong about the house.” She narrowed her eyes.

"No very right about the house." Admitted Perry nodding. She was right about him. "Ascella is my sister. We are the only two children of our line. I would have been happy in Ravenclaw but the hat saw something else in me."

He was going to say 'greater things' but that might insult Theta. Ravenclaws were amazing people. His sister was one. The hat was wise and ancient. Why it would not speak now was a mystery to the public. Many speculated over the missing sword. Perry was in agreement it was linked.

Their wine arrived and a sample poured for Perry to approve. He gave a nod and it poured for both.

"I studied alchemy too." He told Theta once they were alone again. "Originally worked on potions to reverse obliviation but changed to wolfsbane last year."

With the arrival of their wine, Theta’s stomach rumbled audibly. She gave an embarrassed apology to Perry, but didn’t seem to have noticed or perhaps he was being polite. She reached for her wine to sate it for now, and was enamoured with his choice. She didn’t drink wine so often, but perhaps she should.

“Wolfsbane?” Theta repeated, “That’s the potion werewolves take before full moon, right? Tempers their transformation?” She was not ultimately familiar with it all, but the Daily Prophet mentioned it enough times in articles featuring werewolves. “What are you looking into? Can you say?”

Perry smiled. Happy she was enjoying her dinner. He hoped she enjoyed the company just as much. He was.

"With any invention. There is always someone ready to abuse it. Use it for nefarious means." Said Perry. There were two sides to every coin. Like the ELF voices that wanted his potions to sterilize the drinker. End those bloodlines. Not that werewolves could pass it on to children without a bite. Just sterilize as in end the drinker before they had a chance with poison. That did not seem to be the answer. There would always be werewolves somewhere.

"I will do it. I have the skill and the drive." Perry knew his confidence could be seen as arrogance but he was sure of himself. "When my sister comes of age I hope she will join me. The Ministry funds us now but with success I will take my knowledge."

Something that prevented werewolf transformation altogether? Theta was surprised, and then her response delayed by the arrival of their delicious food. Theta’s stomach gave another even louder grumble, as if it were tying a napkin round its metaphorical neck and clasping knife and fork in its little stomach hands.

“That would be revolutionary! A life’s work perhaps.” She expressed her approval of his mission, grasping her cutlery and finally appeasing her stomach with dinner. “You really think you can do it?”

The Pepper time turner knowledge was generations passed down. Wolfsbane was a complicated potion to her knowledge. The invention - or was it discovery - was a landmark in history, that she knew having studied wizarding history.

“I want to just indulge and be the most knowledgeable,” she compared her aspirations, “Not necessarily an inventor of something new.” Theta mused, chewing her food. “The trouble with time is that if you do invent another type of turner someone will misuse it.” She smiled. “This is absolutely divine by the way.”

Theta was keen to serve her Ministry. Perry understood. The Gamps were a long line of unspeakables and researchers. The Peppers were a long line of time turner engineers.

"My research is distinctly split between my objectives at work and those I pursue privately. My target is pursued privately Theta." He sipped wine. Watching her reaction. "Unfortunately one cannot research on air. One needs money and our Unspeakable wages are hard to beat. Though I have got funding from a private backer..." Not even Perry knew exactly who. It was some anonymous shell company.

Theta’s mind swam with the possibilities open to pureblood male wizards with old families. It was almost frustrating to hear him explain, but her fascination with how it worked and his enthusiasm for it to be successful was infectious.

A late night in the office turned dinner turned to a long discussion. It was remarkably easy to talk to him. She was surprised at how easy. In a group it had been different to get a handle on him but one on one he was a perfect gentleman. Theta was thoroughly enjoying herself. She’d forgotten all about the problematic advertising of the owner of the establishment, overlooked that Perry was regular enough there, and that ELF could have motivations darker than wanting to release werewolves from their terrible curse.

“Well, this has been an unexpectedly lovely evening,” Theta admitted as they walked the evening air in Diagon Alley. “Let’s do this again,” she suggested boldly, perhaps fuelled by fine wine and delicious food.

"Let’s." Agreed Perry. He clasped her hand. Not to shake it. Just good manners. Testing the waters for anything more. They were colleagues. Professional. He had not done anything more than that for over a year now. But he liked her. Liked her a lot.

"Goodnight, Theta." He kissed her hand like an old fairy tale. Stepped away to let her apparate away home.

END