Continued from Getting a Head Start


16.04.08
0900 Hours


The door to her office was still left open.  She had a strict “No Knock” policy.  It was easier for her employees to see their new leader was more than willing to work with any problem they may have instead of brushing them off.  She didn’t want to come off too intimidating either… yet.

By now bunny slippers had been changed back into her work boots and her hair brushed back and put into a simple and tidier chignon, Department Head Covadonga Gertrudis sat over her desk flipping through files with quill in hand, occasionally taking a drink from her mug which had some kind of caffeinated liquid within. 

Every once in a while the feather would drop and scratch lightly on the pages before her or on the opened journal to her right.  Over many years the battered and beaten leather bound book acted as a planner, notebook, journal and other random doodles.  It had been by her side since she graduated Hogwarts and headed out to Africa.  To her it was like a friend, the only thing that really knew who she truly was, something no living person was privy too.

Sighing she put her chin on her left fist and tapped the tip of her quill on her nose.

Alex yawned as he got off the elevator and onto the forth level.  The RCMC floor and of course the department head Covadonga.  Having had a invintation extended to him he decided to do so.  As tired as he was though, he was going to need a rather strong dose of caffiene to get his blood moving.  Or an assassination attempt on him to really get it pumping.  But he wasn't so lucky, so he'd most likely just settle with whatever Covi had to offer.

He walked into the department and with a nod to a few of the lads working he moved in towards Covi's office.  He entered since the door was left wide open.  Not that Alex was a type to ever knock.  Though it irritated a lot of people.

"Good Morning, Ms. Gertudis," Alex smiled.  Man it was weird saying her last name.  Yeah, he would definately just stick with Covi.  Much more friendly and it wasn't like they were in bad terms.  "How are you this lovely, and in much need of caffiene, morning?"

Alex was glad that things were changing a little bit around here.  And someone like Covi was definately going to be of some help.  In that regard he needed to be someone she could rely on.  But she was a clever witch, and probably saw the benefits of a mutual friendship between them could gain.  Motives aside, he enjoyed having someone to converse with.

Her head snapped up at the sound of a voce she had heard earlier this morning.  Smiling, she waved Alex in with a, “A fair morning to you too, sir!” before asking, “Coffee or tea?”

As she spoke she opened up her beverage drawer hidden in her desk.  Since yesterday night when she had been speaking with Healer Marren the pots and the rest up the cups and mugs had been tipped upside down and were spick and span.  As soon as she turned the coffee pot over and placed the cap on a nice hot vapor began to steam from its spout.  Looking back up she put the file she had been working on in the Outbox.

“Have you succeeded in dodging paperwork all morning?” she inquired after sitting further into the back of her seat, she smile lessening to something like a smirk.  She still couldn’t totally approve of it herself… but, eh.  To each work ethic their own.

"Coffee or tea?"

"Oh the woe's of choice," he joked as he came a little more into her office.  "Coffee, if you would be so kind.  And black is fine, I seem to need a bit of an extra kick this morning."  He moved to a seat on the other side of her desk and sat down.  He rather liked her office, but maybe it was more because he just wasn't in his own.

“Have you succeeded in dodging paperwork all morning?”

"Nope, I'm doing rather horrible at it," Alex said as he pulled out a large stack of papers from the inside of his coat.  With the hearing for Kingstreet happening soon, he needed to stay on top of things better than usual.  "But there isn't anything saying I need to stay tied to my desk to look over paperwork."

He only planned to skim the papers and look over it all much more later.  But he didn't want to appear completely like he didn't care for his job.  He was good at it, he just didn't like to do it.  Alex would probably be happier to be back on the field.  But he had no place their anymore.  The most he could do was try and pave the way for the ones that would come after him.  At least thats what he kept telling himself.

Covadonga could not help but smile as she turned up two porcelain mugs on her desk and carefully poured in the fresh beany goodness.  She was happy for once that she didn’t have to take out the coffee service again.  After so many people had asked for sugar, cream and the like she had contemplated moving the wee platter in front of the pots.  It was nice to share a cup with one of her kind.  Covi hoped that he would be OK with the strength of it.

After placing her pot back into the drawer on the magicked salamander-hide she stood and stretched to put the man’s mug at the end of her desk.  Sitting back in her seat she put her skinny hands around her coffee and blew over the top of it.

"Nope, I'm doing rather horrible at it,"

Well, before she could even take a sip he had surprised her!  Then again, it made a bit of sense after their talk in the library, “Miss Kingstreet, I take it?” she drew her lips away from the cup.  Covi thought she could afford a few more moments for the coffee to cool.  Her quirked eyebrow expressed interest in the situation.  What she had heard of the prisoner had intrigued her.

Taking the porcelain mug and took a small drink and man was it strong, but that was fine, he definately needeed it.  Just a whif of the smell and the drink had already put it to work.  With everything that had been going on, and the meeting he had with Tamis just two days earlier still fresh in his mind.  Yeah too much going on.  More importantly, he was worried.  His department was becoming nervous.  His order to double security for Kingstreets hearing and with increasing activities in crime, it put a lot of the veterans on edge.  And the new recruits a bit too energetic.

Tamis was no doubt going to kill Alex before the next two weeks ended.  That didn't bother him at all, especially when he wanted to break her from that all buisness look.  Perhaps a bit too counter productive to make her angry at him, but he perferred anything over the seasoned stoic Auror look.  Of course, he had himself convinced that if anyone was going to be like that it would be him.

“Miss Kingstreet, I take it?”

"Among other things," he said as he took another drink from his cup and put it down.   He thumbed through some more pages.  "I have a number of reports of increasing concerns from other departments as well.  But nothing major."

He had finished his research too.  Saving Akiva a headache he had quickly read the contents he needed before leaving the library.  After which he had stopped by his office and quickly disappeared again before being spotted.  Though, when Tamis would check his office she would find his paperwork mysteriously gone.  He sighed, he really needed to stop being such a pain to Tamis.  Then again he loved her reactions to it way too much.

There was an odd moment when the wee Department Head wriggled her nose.  It seemed like he was rather busy with the other Departments as well.  Thus far she had not sent anything to the MLE about the runespoors Healer Marren had discussed with her yesterday, but her mind was struggling with how important it was.  Granted, it seemed important for her but besides that the only big things on her plate right now was finalizing all the paperwork her predecessor left behind and the quintaped running around the Forbidden Forest.

The poor man seemed overloaded as is.  Would her case be “major” to him?  Maybe after the Kingstreet hearing was over she would bring it up.

She pondered over a sip as to what else could be keeping him busy, and then it struck her.  “I hoping the plans for Remembering Day are going smoothly at least.”

For the most part Alex was typically never seen until later in the afternoon.  He had never been much of a morning person.  But with recent reports being what they were.  Well he had to step up his job.  And that meant showing up at the same time as everyone else.  However, he still refused to play the same as everyone else did.  It was something he had always hated about being in the office.  Everything was done a certain way, and while he understood the reason for uniform.  Something things didn't make much sense to him.

The amount of paperwork was often too staggering.  Such as request to move a prisoner to a new cell...request for a new lunch item for prisoners...request for time off...request for an assignment or investigation...the amount of request he saw on any given day was enough to make him go crazy.  Often time he would just deny them.  Some he had to delay and do some research before finally denying it.  But he almost always gave his hitwizards and Auror's time off when they asked.  As if any of them ever did.  Most were so starved for any action that they were requesting more patrolling.  And he always approved that.

At the same time he had to make sure to justify the budget he was allowed.  Which was quite sizeable in comparison to other departments.  And lately there has been a lot of pushing for his department to get budget cuts.  He could cut some things but not much.  At least not before he started cutting away at his departments efficiency.

“I hoping the plans for Remembering Day are going smoothly at least.”

"All taken care of, mostly.  My Hitwitch and Hitwizards are doing the majority of the security.  While Tamis...I mean Ms. Raynor shall have her Auror's protecting our big wigs," Alex said with a chuckle.  "Which is absolutely funny in a way considering the Minister can probably out do all of my Auror's."

Alex would know...he still trained with Marcus twice a month.  And even though both of them were in positions of power, they never allowed themselves to get lazy.  They were determined to stay on the top of their game, to prevent the Ministry from every being vulnerable again.

"But I'm curious, Covi.  Is there anything more you can tell me about the problems you've been having?  I hope you realize that inner department problems is part of my top priorities.  Considering the past," Alex smiled hoping to ease into it.  It was in truth the main reason he was here.  The thought of someone taking advantage of the young Department Head was enough for him to tear the whole department down to stop it.  But that wouldn't exactly be helping Covi in any way.  He'd just be interfering.  So he had a more subtle way of dealing with a problem like this.

It was good to hear that the security for the coming festivities would soon be in order.  She took gentle sips, hiding the grin and nose wiggle she could not suppress as he corrected himself on naming the Head of the Auror Office formally instead of the reverse.

As for the holiday, as always she was a bit stressed like any other year.  If she had the choice, the witch would skip it.  True… she really did have the final say in the matter, but she knew her brother – in his own quiet distant way – not approve.  Her smirk dimmed as she reflected on the years past, silently pushing Robbie along in his wheelchair or wrapping her arm around his during one of his better days on his feet.  Her brother, his wife, and nearly her second brother lost their lives that day.  Covi wondered if Robbie had regarded May the 2nd the day he had died.  Covadonga’s eyes went blank and her face fell fully with her back dipping into a slouch as she considered if Roberto could even think on that level.  It seemed sometimes he knew something great was lost that day, but not what.  He hardly spoke at all, but that was on the to-do list.

A very, very long to-do list.

Sighing she took another sip, slowly but surly dragging herself kicking and screaming from her memories when:

”… I hope you realize that inner department problems is part of my top priorities.  Considering the past.”

Her eyebrows perked up as she said, “Hmm?” allowing her some time for her ears to hit rewind on her brain and spin back the tape for a quick replay.

“Ah!” she exclaimed before sitting up and putting her elbows on her desk.  “No problems within the department itself to speak of,” except the potential for some angry mumblings to occur once she debuts her new plans for the Werewolf Registry and Support sector.  But that was in the future, why bother now?  Heck, it may not even happen. 

“However, there is something which may require some investigation,” she smiled wickedly as if what she had was some deliciously seductive temptation.

Well, the possibility of some good excitement on her hands involving her field was a seductive temptation, one she definitely wanted to get her hands on.  Putting down her coffee she opened up yet another drawer from under her desk, revealing a compartment which stretched far beyond what it would be expected of it.  Fingering through the letters her blue eyes brightened as she found the file.  Slowly she placed the folder (now much thicker than when Jason gave it to her), opened it up to the first page and slid it forward.

“This was brought forward by a Healer-In-Charge from Mungo’s, a Mr. Jason Zachary Marren,” the only way she knew his full name was because of the paperwork.  “Originally he gave it to me because he wanted a squad from Pest-Control to eradicate some of what he considered, well… pests,” the Department Head resisted rolling her eyes.  “The bite was from a runespoor and so bad that he said they expected eggs to form.  I asked them to be delivered here for research purposes amongst other things.”

She flipped to the second page with the Patient’s Testimony and continued, “The witch (who I promised to the Healer shall remained unnamed) declared that her garden was infested with the reptiles.”  At the last she paused, looking up to Mr. Belisario, hoping he would begin to catch on.

“As you may or may not know this animal is native ONLY to West Africa, not any part of Europe, Asia, or otherwise,” she sat back before adding, “usually they only appear in our parts in parts for potions and the like.  Except…” now here she was really leading on, “there not only a huge increase of the numbers of these items on the black market but there were also a few runespoors found to be illegally smuggled and kept as pets during the 70s and the 90s.”  She hoped now the Department Head of Magical Law Enforcement would be able to see the correlation between those dates from this information to some he already knew about those times.  The snakes were a favorite piece of Dark Art that an artist would be remiss to keep in their collection.  The animals were known for their aggression and there was that lovely association with Parseltongue too.

Outfit

Kia was rarely late. If there were any points of pride in her young life it was 1. She always looked neat and put together, and 2. She was always on time. Regrettably, this particular day, number 1 interfered with number 2. She hadn't realized all her field work clothes were dirty until that morning. Since she refused to wear her hard earned nice clothes out to muck through Dragon dung, Kia had to do a load of laundry. Though she looked great, she was about an hour late and had wasted even more time dropping by a local donut shop to make up for it.

With a consolation tall black coffee and chocolate donut in hand (strawberry cream and vanilla latte for herself), Kia strode through the atrium with her head held high and her eyes front, straying every now and then to greet a familiar face with a slight smile and curt nod. Her usual greeting to coworkers and casual acquaintances. Making her way to the fourth floor, Kia made little time getting to Covi's office. Without knocking, since she rarely did and her hands were full with the two cups of coffee and the bag of donuts, Kia entered the office.

"Hey Covi... I brought break--" She paused when she saw a tall dark haired older man she recognized as the head of the Magical Law Enforcement department. An embarrassed flush spread across her tan cheeks as it dawned on her that she had interrupted something very important and private "... I'm sorry Ms. Gertrudis...I will leave..."

There was a lot to take into consideration when dealing with a situation as complex as this.  Well it wasn't that complex but it was certainly something that he couldn't take at face value.  But if there was such a problem with runespoor, then this was something that had developed over time.  "Yes I distinctly remember them being part of the main trade in the Black Market back in 1994.  It was part of a report after one of the Aurors managed to put a stop to it."

That Auror had been Tait Aldridge.  One that Alex had trained himself.  It was his big bust, but he had been killed by members of the Black Market ring as a means of revenge.  And more than that, Tamis Raynor had been there and had been engaged to Tait.  After that incident Tamis became a Auror.  The crime had been listed unsolved.  And so the killers were supposedly at large still.  Only Alex and one other person knew the truth of that.

"It does merit some investigation, especially if it means the Black Market is once again moving a large number of runespoor.  Logic dictates that much more is being shipped as well," Alex said more to himself than to Covi.  Before he could continue he heard another voice.

"Hey Covi... I brought break--"

This younger girl noticed him and he couldn't help but allow himself a small smile.  It was rare to be in a situation like this.

"... I'm sorry Ms. Gertrudis...I will leave..."

Alex noticed that the girl had switched to a more formal way of addressing Covi.  No, doubt because of his presence.  Still it was hardly anything that couldn't be talked about later, "Don't mind me. Covi just invited me for some coffee."  He looked at Covi, as if to tell her it was up to her to continue to discuss it or not.  He was unsure of how Covi handled matters, or who she trusted in her office.  So the decision to continue that discussion would be left to her.

After another sip she put the mug down, put her elbows on her desk and tapped her fingers against each other in thought, taking in what Alex had said.  It was good to hear that there was specific documentation regarding a bust and that the Department Head could so readily recall it.  Plus it was nice to hear from the man that it --

Her thoughts were suddenly disturbed by the lovely smell of donuts wafted its way over to her nose.  Her head snapped up like a bloodhound victoriously capturing a trace it had just lost and prayed to whatever gods that existed that it was coming her way.

A great gleaming smile spread wide over her face when Kia, one of her favorite Magizoologists and sometime protégé sauntered in with hot coffee and the pastries.  Goodness!  She was trying to get AWAY?! 

“Oh no!” she took her wand from its holster and with a flick one of the plush chairs she had against the wall slid so fast next to Alex that smoke nearly came off the floor.  “Tush!  Seat!  Now!” she commanded, losing all propriety just like she had earlier that morning when she dove into the books shelves to get her Papyrus book, pointing to each as she said it... except for Kia's tush, because that would be weird.

“I need to run something by you, anyhow.”  Yes, there was one project she would definitely need Ms. Ferris’ input and help on.  Putting her wand back into her holster she then used her free hand to gesture from one person to the other.  “I have no idea if you two have already met each other formally, so I will do the proper introducing,” ah, yes, the propriety had suddenly returned.  The Ashwin Elders would have been proud to see that she did remember some of the old-fashion manners.

“Ms. Ferris may I present to you to Department Head Belisario?” the word present is preferable to introduce and while the younger person was usually presented to the elder first this was not the case when a young woman was involved, “and Mr. Belisario may I present to you  Ms. Ferris?  She is one of my Magizoologists.”

"Don't mind me. Covi just invited me for some coffee."

He may have been laid back and relaxed, but the look he gave Covi after he said this told Kia that he had indeed been talking about something that was none of her business. Her flush intensified and she started to back out "I would rather not intrude--"

“Oh no! Tush!  Seat!  Now!”

Before Kia could escape, Covi barked this at her as she summoned a plush chair. Kia ran her tongue over her teeth, pondering her options, before quickly making her way to the proffered chair. As uncomfortable as she was with the idea that she was somehow eavesdropping on a private conversation, she would never refuse an order from her boss and mentor. She settled rather stiffly into the chair and crossed her long legs before setting the coffees and donuts on the large desk.

“I need to run something by you, anyhow. I have no idea if you two have already met each other formally, so I will do the proper introducing,”

Kia opened her mouth to say that she knew very well who Head Belisario was, but Covi went on full steam ahead. Kia shut her mouth and offered the dark haired man a thin smile.

“Ms. Ferris may I present to you to Department Head Belisario? and Mr. Belisario may I present to you  Ms. Ferris?  She is one of my Magizoologists.”

"Mr. Belisario... " Kia said softly, extending her hand in a customary greeting. She just wanted to get these stupid introductions over with so that she could fade into the background and stop blushing. She was a bit hurt that she was just introduced as one of the Magizoologists. Her competitive spirit urged her to add that she was the 'best' one, but she managed to squelch it and say instead "... It's a pleasure. I have heard a lot about you..."

"... It's a pleasure. I have heard a lot about you..."

Alex shook Kia's hand, "I suppose it would be hard not too.  I've been in the daily prophet quite a lot as of late."  That last bit was certainly not a happy thought to him.  But everything Law Enforcement came back to him.  And that also included any kind of blame that could be placed on his department went to him as well.  He wondered if anyone even remembered what he had done for the whole community during the 2nd Rise of Voldemort.  But he was beyond caring about that.

"I've heard about you as well, Ms. Ferris.  Probably the most talented Magizoologist that the Ministry has seen in some time if I remember whats being said around the Departments correctly," he gave her a smile before taking another drink of his coffee.  It was nice in a way to be able to see the workings of a different department other than his own.  Mostly because he stayed out of the way typically.  He wasn't a big fan of the Department politics but as of late he knew that he needed to.

Typically he was known around the Ministry as a man hard to get in contact with, and didn't keep the same hours as everyone else.  It was true as he rarely ever came in to his office until early in the afternoon.  After everyone else had been working for considerably longer.  Alex had never been good at keeping the same schedule so on occasion he would change things around.  Like today, he was hear immensly early.  It had been rather important, as he had reminded himself of the Dark Wizard known as Argent Denora.  A man that Alex had personally stopped twice before.  It was rumored he had been spotted.  And it was certainly possible, since Alex had failed to capture the man despite beating him to an inch of his life.

Right now, he was waist deep in his paperwork over Kingstreet's hearing for her release.  Plus everything he had to do to prepare for that hearing on top of that.  Yeah he had a lot of work in front of him.  He missed the field work but you have to leave that behind some day.  Alex just wish it hadn't been him that had too.

After considering to do an Olympic-esque dive for the donuts Covi was able to regain some composure as she oversaw Kia and Alex become acquainted.  Well, mission number one had been completed: getting her young protégé on casual speaking terms with another department. 

Tearing off a bit of parchment from the scrap heap she placed her donut on it after taking a nibble.  She could not help but grin as the other Department Head complimented Ms. Ferris.  It was well deserved praise.  Covadonga had a lot of hope for the young lady, and while she didn’t know if she was interested in taking over a position such as hers one day, she was teaching the Magizoologist all that she needed to know if it was called for.

Once the chit-chat had settled Gertrudis stated as if it were obvious, “By-the-by, anything you may want to mention about the runespoor case can be said here.  Ms. Ferris will probably be helping me anyhow.”  She nodded to the young lady in question, “I will fill you in on the background later.”

Grabbing the hot cup of java as she put the mug of the old stuff back in the drawer she continued just where they had left off, “I have another theory that instead of shipping over a large number at once they are allowing them to breed on their own.  That is usually the only way the witch who was bitten would find so many in such close quarters, they must have hatched about a week or two before she came upon them,” she took a sip, “It would be a rather smart way for the smugglers to try and shoot for a lower sentence if caught and the records show they only brought over a small number of the creatures.”