As of June 1, the Muggle Affairs Office, a sub-agency within the Department of International Magical Cooperation, will be in full swing, with Dreogan Eleor, Jr. as its Head.  It is a new, controversial organization with ambitious goals.  This new branch of the Ministry of Magic cannot be possible without your input! Below are some ways you, your characters, your NPCs, or plot bunnies might get involved.  Please post below with any requests, thread ideas, or inspiration!

THE MUGGLE AFFAIRS OFFICE MISSION.

• To coordinate affairs in both worlds to uphold the Statute of Secrecy, while yet ensuring that Muggleborns have an equal opportunity to succeed in the Magical world.
  To protect Muggles from Magical aggressors, as well as Magical beings from Muggles and Muggle-induced dangers.
• To improve relations between both communities, acknowledging that some Muggles--being the immediate family of wizards or witches--are a part of the Magical community.
• To foster collaboration for the betterment of both societies in a way that upholds the Statute of Secrecy, including but not limited to facilitating investigations, dealing with catastrophes, and advances in medicine.

WHAT IT DOES.
The Muggle Affairs office--which should expand as funding and human other resources allow--will work with the Improper Use of Magic office, the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, and the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes. It will also undertake the following endeavors:

• Facilitate--rather than suppress--cross-Muggle/Magical crime investigations.
  Implement programs for Muggle parents on how to understand their child's world and become involved in their schooling. 
• Host cultural Magical classes (such as History of Magic) for squibs, so that they, too, can feel that they can connect to their world--and participate in ways that do not require carrying a wand or performing magic. 
• Find a better way to inform Muggle government  of threats, so that they are not easy, unsuspecting victims to any wizard who desires to exercise power.
• Interview and gather opinions from the Muggles, Muggleborns, and squibs in the Magical community (this term includes Muggle parents and direct relations), in order to assess what needs there are in the Magical community, and how to meet them.

NEEDED STAFF.
Dreogan has no staff, at present. He is looking for the following roles, as well as any others you might concoct!:


1. Muggle policy analyst(s)

• Will advise those in Muggle Affairs on what reforms and approaches would be tenable in the Muggle world.
• Must have an advanced familiarity with Muggle government.
• Must have real-world Muggle experience.
• Entry level (0-3 years experience) or Advanced (3-5 years experience) or Supervisory (5-20 years experience)

2. Magical policy analyst(s)

• Will advise those in Muggle Affairs on what reforms and approaches would be sustainable with the Magical world.
• Must have an advanced familiarity with and strong rapport with the Wizengamot.
• Level Two or Level Four experience preferred.
• Entry level (0-3 years experience) or Advanced (3-5 years experience) or Supervisory (5-20 years experience)

3.     Muggle legal consultant/legal counsel

• Will provide Muggle Affairs staff with legal support, ensuring that actions towards and to Muggles are wholly legal.
• Will assist in any cross-cultural legal investigation efforts.
• Must have advanced, working knowledge of Muggle law.
• Must have the willingness to learn Magical law.

4.     Muggle Public relations specialist(s)

• Will mediate the level of deceit and obliviating to deal with breaches of the Statute.
• Will work with communicating to non-Magical members of the Magical community (such as squibs and Muggle relatives) to ensure that their needs are met and they are appropriately incorporated into the Magical community.
• Will research to determine what “appropriately incorporated into the Magical community” might mean.
• Will work closely with Muggle-worthy Excuses Committee.
• Will work closely with Obliviators.
• Must have strong communication skills.
• Must be familiar with both cultures.
• Entry level (0-3 years experience) or Advanced (3-5 years experience) or Supervisory (5-20 years experience)

5.     Muggle Liason(s)

• Will primarily correspond with direct family of Muggleborns.
• Will help create and implement an orientation course for Muggles of the Magical world.
• Will work closely with Muggle-Worthy Excuses committee.
• Will work closely with Obliviators.
• Entry level (0-3 years experience) or Advanced (3-5 years experience) or Supervisory (5-20 years experience)

6.     Muggle Events Specialist(s)/Technician(s)

• Will help Dreogan lease space in the Muggle world for meetings with Muggles (because Dreogan has absolutely no clue).
• Will help equip all Muggle Affairs staff with mobile phones.
• Must have real-world Muggle experience.
• Will scour Muggle newspapers to keep informed on happenings in the Muggle world and provide briefings for Muggle Affairs staff informing them of any perceived connections.

                    i.     Crimes that could involve wizards.
                   ii.     Events that could impact or jeopardize the Statute (such as a reserve used for dragons being developed into a national forest, etc.)

• Must have a degree from Hogwarts or a comparable Magical institution. 0-3 years experience.

7.     Squib Liason(s)

• Will gather opinions from squibs in the Magical community to assess Squib needs.
• Will devise a plan and programs—such as after school Magical courses—to provide squibs with a working knowledge of their magical community they might not otherwise receive, being barred from Hogwarts.
• Will push to have these courses held on Hogwarts campus.
• Must have a proven cultural sensitivity to Squibs.
• 0-3 years experience.

8.     Intern(s)

• Will help with the execution of all Muggle Affairs proceedings, such as writing initial drafts of correspondence, coordinating meetings, taking meeting minutes and notes
• Will be a key role in researching Muggle and Magical policy
• Will look into historical wizengamot cases both in Britain and internationally of Muggle-Magical disputes
• Will work closely with members of the Wizengamot, Muggle-Worthy Excuses committee, and all Muggle Affairs staff.
• May be a magical student or recent graduate.

9.     A welcome witch/wizard

• Will be in charge of administrative duties
• Will help to train staff, particularly interns
• Will assist in research, preliminary drafts
• Must have a degree from Hogwarts or comparable Magical institution. 0-3 years experience.

10.  Various external consultants

• Will provide outside knowledge and expertise based upon experience

11.  You pitch it, Dree’ll listen.



 
COVERAGE.

Dreogan’s new branch of the Ministry is bound to increase interest in a topic that’s gaining increasing press coverage.  Possible ideas:

• News/magazine articles
• Interviews
• Letters to the DP
• Anything!

ALLIES.

Dreogan’s efforts, if successful, will touch every level of the Ministry and every aspect of Magical culture.  For this to be possible, he will need cooperation and supporters from the Ministry, Hogwarts, Diagon, Knockturn, businesses—you name it.

ENEMIES.

Dreogan’s ideas have been met with mixed reception and already have caused some upset.  Enemies may manifest themselves through:

• Hatemail and other threats to staff
• Attempts at stonewalling Muggle Affairs efforts either within the Ministry or turning popular sentiment
• Muggle baiting and other Nefarious Doings
• Anything!

I'm excited to see how the Muggle Affairs Office can make an impact in the Magical Community--and more particularly, your characters' lives. Please post below with ideas!

 
 

Tapendra would certainly be an Ally, if nothing else. He'd also definitely like to be an consultant, though exactly on what, I'm not sure, haha.

Well we’ve discussed my involvement in this. Nicola is no doubt going to take quite a dislike to this muggle affairs office. According to her, muggles are not people and do not need to be protected or involved in the wizarding world and they certainly do not have affairs. She is a muggle baiter and will continue to be regardless of Eleor’s plans with this office. We’ve briefly discussed the rest

1) I know that Candice has her bakery, but she would love to help. She has experience from being the psychiatrist for Level 2 and training at Mungo's in doing counseling/therapy type stuff. I can see her definitely wanting to help counsel the muggle families through the tough time, and would be more than willing to help them get accustomed to that sort of thing.

2) Griffon wants to help in some way. He was raised entirely muggle up until he entered Hogwarts, at which point his father became a part of his life and he learned about the magical world. If nothing else he can be a voice of support. He had to obliviate muggles a lot when he was in Tibet working with Yetis and thinks it's an awful thing to do and not in support of it & etc.

3) I know you aren't looking for NPC staff really, but Winifred's mother has always worked in the muggle areas of the ministry and I can see her loving what Dree is doing and helping in anyway she can to help facilitate the change and lend her services. Her name is Ivy Oliver and she was a a part of the Muggle Worthy Excuse committee.

Well, wifey here can help out! 

I know she'd be willing to, considering her muggleborn status, and whatnot.  Plus, you know, being a supportive spouse and whatnot, Kiv would be happy to give anything she could (even potentially leaving the library for this new office, if Dree would be okay with that, haha). 

She could help most effectively in Muggle Liason(s), having her own muggle family, it makes sense that she could talk to them appropriately and in an understandable way. 

Archer thinks all of this is ambitious and maybe even impractical, but he's willing to listen, and not be a nay-sayer, at least.

We can talk about it more, but Kiv wants to help!

You know Jonas is in!  Definitely as an ally (well, an ally when they're not in a stand off over Dreogan's brother, LOL) and possibly as an eventual liaison to Muggle Law Enforcement if it's needed in a plot.  It hasn't really come up in the game yet, but he has a few contacts scattered through the Met and other various police organizations. 

Granted, at this point, Jonas would probably see any requests to work with Muggle law enforcement as Dree trying to butt into Level Two affairs again, but if Dreogan can put together a real working organization with advantages that the Aurors don't have, he'll eventually buy in.  I hope.   

Anna Nguyen-Trevelyan is a Muggle so she can't work for the Ministry, but she might be a good outside legal consultant if there's any way to set that up.  She's got a decade's worth of experience as a Muggle lawyer, and if nothing else, she'd keep her husband in line when it comes to 'cross-cultural legal investigation efforts.'  Jonas might argue with Dreogan, but he won't argue with her, hahaha.

---

Would Tappy work as a point person at Hogwarts?    I bet the first-year Muggleborn students there would appreciate someone to go to, and he seems like a really good fit for that.

Geoff would definitely be an ally at the very least. Since he'll be teaching at Hogwarts in the fall, he can't really be too involved in the Ministry aspect, but I could certainly see him getting involved in the cultural classes for squibs. If not as an actual teacher, then at least helping that in some way.

When/if any controversy starts up, he'd also be pretty likely to write letters to the Prophet in support, too.

Well, as discussed via PM, Isaac is currently seeking new employment.

I could see him fitting in either in Public Relations or as a Liason.  Given his experience he would likely also fit in a supervisor role (again as we sort of talked about).  I'm open to either one.  If you want we can bounce ideas around here or via PM.

Sounds like this is coming along just at the right time too. 

Sissel could easily be written down as an Ally/Consultant. He worked with Muggle Relations before he was accepted to TTIRB, so he's had years of experience turning 'spin' and working on a muggle-wizard interface. He's not going to transfer careers to help but is available when his job isn't particularly demanding. He and Dreogan are connected by friendships with Cillian.

And the only other offering I have is a name you could toss about, Frederick Falkin, Philo's dad. He's a muggleborn wizard and works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office and while boisterous in dealing with enchanted muggle technology he would consider this department a promotion.

Ooh, so exciting!

You can definitely count on Aberdeen and Luke as allies if nothing else. Being friends with Akiva probably makes them friends with Dree also, yes? (Can't remember if we ever discussed that before, heh.) Not to mention that being a muggleborn and a muggle respectively, they will wholeheartedly support this endeavour. Luke, like Anna, being a muggle, can't help in an official capacity, but hey, if Dree needs graphic design done, Luke's your man!

I'm a little uncertain about where Deen's career is headed (so much of what'll happen to her is dependent on how the RRU plot plays out) but I can see her starting to want to have something to occupy her time outside of looking for Robin. She'll keep doing that, obviously, but realistically speaking she can't do it all day every day, apart from anything else the lack of leads will drive her 'round the bend. And I still can't see her going back to Level Two anytime soon. So maybe she could be of help to the Muggle Affairs Office in its early days? It would really depend on if Dree would be willing to take her on given her history.

If that were a possibility, I could most readily see her as a Muggle Events Specialist (heh, I suspect scouring muggle newspapers is something she already does in relation to trying to find Robin), though Muggle Public Relations Specialist and Muggle Liaison could work too. Incidentally, like Griffon, Aberdeen is not big on obliviating muggles. (This was even before her own obliviation, and Akiva's.) She sees it as a last resort that won't need to be used if they're organised enough.

(Why am I reminded of that scene from 30 Rock where Jack is working at some government division and they don't even have the funding and support to have pens.  They write with blood and ketchup and water leaking from the ceiling...!)


I'd love to work with you to concoct a Daily Prophet article! I'm happy to work via PM, or Niobe Thursby can have a thread with someone. Dreogan himself or someone of some prominence.

Knox Greyfriar is a Wizengamot Elder and part of his job is to provide magical legal counsel and decisions to different Departments.  As kind as he is towards muggleborns, he can be a tough stubborn about change - I can see him being slow to warm up.  Maybe hard to convince - not in the ideals, but in the ability of the new department to do much.

Persepolis Zephyr, a Minister of Magic hopeful, will try and posture herself on the right side of it.  Could be an ally or an enemy, depending how things start to turn.

Theodora Kingstreet will be pissed.  Zora Roh will be scoffing at the silliness. 

Maybe Ananke Cosmos could help in some way, by exposing general wizard/muggle conflicts in terms of how they treat and occupy the planet, and the resulting effects of it? I don't think she's delved into muggles' realm to much, but I'm sure she could be persuaded somehow. She could use something to do over the summer (:

Azize wouldn't be in grand support of it and will probably be concerned about Dreogan through all of this. Nathan, while he sort of sees potential would feel fairly uncomfortable with it.

Delilah and Torquil, as we discussed over aim, would be for the educating and incorporating squibs, but only for educating the immediate muggle family of muggleborns and against any incorporating them into the magical world. They'd also probably be the ones who believe in suppressing muggle/wizard relations as far as crime goes, because they'd think it would be dangerous. So they'd definitely not be on the staff, but may have limited involvement.

Delilah would be open for discussion and would probably be a double-edged sword in terms of any involvement, and could end up representing the Board of Warlocks at St. Mungo's for Dreogan. She's harsh but is always realistic and makes a point. Torquil would be conflicted, of course, and wouldn't be so ready to involve himself, but he's a huge sympathizer of squibs, because of his mother, so he'd be willing to help whenever it came to squibs.

Goodness! Such an outpouring of brilliance, here! I'm chuffed!

Giddiness aside, let's get down to the specifics, yes?  From what you've said, here are my thoughts and what I propose?  To clarify: these are not job assignments! Unless you want them to be. : ) Just a starting-point for conversation—if there are any issues, please please speak up or PM me and we can solidify/resolve/brainstorm for the future.

Employees

Candice Stevenson--Part-time Muggle Liason: Parental Support

Dreogan would most likely think her skills (Dreogan is trying to avoid any phrase that uses the term "motherly") would be most beneficial in orienting Muggle parents of Muggleborns.  She could lead them through Diagon on their first visit, if they would like, and she could be a point of contact for any questions/concerns they might have as the children go off to school and are at their first year? It would be a part-time position, hourly pay based on services rendered as requested.

Akiva Katz--Muggle Affairs Office Researcher

Absolutely.  Especially as Dreogan's trying to reinforce that they're a team.  He'd want Akiva where she's strongest--which is utilizing that filing cabinet she has as a brain.  He knows Akiva's able to recall many different subjects from events, to public laws, to theorems.  He'd want to have her guide the Muggle and Magical analysts, and probably teach the interns how to research as well. She'd probably be their supervisor? Let me know if you'd rather her do something else! I think Dreogan trusts her completely.

Geoffrey Scrimshander--Instructor--Magical Culture Courses

Heck. yes.  Glad you proposed this. Dreogan would definitely want an instructor over the summer to teach courses on Magical history, Magical theory, and even perhaps some Muggle-Mage relation courses. (Depends on how ambitious we want this to be.) As a warning: Dreogan was an instructor in this field as well, so he's likely to want to be pretty involved and also likely to get far too excited over this, but that could be a good thing.
I think Dreogan would also like to see Geoff's curriculum development and lesson plans for the upcoming year--again, only if Geoff wants to show. But he'd want to see if--and he'd hope that--the Muggle Studies class aligns with MAO's views and proposes that Muggles are less of a fascinating, indigenous culture akin to an anthropological study, and much more a foreign affairs/international relations angle: in that they're another community that the Magical community needs to be aware of and learn to deal with--in various ways, even if that way is to keep information from them and uphold the Statute. (Dreogan hopes for lessons to be less of "this is a toaster" and more "why do you think the Witch Hunts happened? Do you think there was anything to be done? Do you think this is something we deal with still today?")
If Magical professorships are at all like Muggle ones (which I'm all too familiar with, lol) it's likely that Geoff needs to find some extra jobs for a little money--which could mean a summer job or even a once-a-week evening course, once the school year kicks in. Again, this is entirely dependent upon how much Geoff wants to be involved and how ambitious he's feeling. And you, by extension.  I think you may already have a student or two lined up. Eep. That was a novel. Perhaps I should PM.

Isaac Frasier—Muggle Liason—Supervisor

If it’s alright by you, I’d love to have Isaac on as a Muggle Liason. Not only has he proven to have a level of sensitivity to Muggles and Muggleborns, he also has a background in education. This means that he’d be ideal for helping develop a curriculum for Squibs and for Muggleborns (and possibly Muggles?) on cultural matters.
This would likely mean that Candice—and perhaps even Geoff—would report to Isaac. 
Dreogan would also want Isaac to work on making sure that policy—such as Obliviating and protective measures against things like rogue dragons and on-the-loose dark wizards—were intended to protect the Muggle community, when possible, in addition to the obvious priority of keeping the Magical community safe.
This is also getting a bit long. Maybe you should PM me your thoughts on this. And if you’d want to go forward with it.

Aberdeen Spencer—Muggle Events Specialist—Manager

It would be a real relief for Dreogan to have someone else keep tabs and coordinate all that is going on in the Muggle world. I know that Dreogan would be impressed by little things such as Deen’s method of communicating with Luke through a magical journal—things like that would show that Deen is good at crossing the cultural divide and keep both sides informed.  I think that for the job, Dreogan would want her to hone in on certain cases and situations of interest in both the Magical and Muggle worlds.  I hadn’t thought about it before, but an investigator’s background of tracking patterns and finding significant correlations in seemingly insignificant chains of events would be really useful.  And it has the benefit of probably working very closely with the MAO researcher, who I hear she gets along with pretty well. If she wants the position, she’s hired! (And if you want a temporary or part-time position for her, instead, PM me and we can discuss!:) )

Ivy Oliver--Happy to take any employees, even NPCs! Let me know what position you'd want to put her down as!

Frederick Falkin--Same as Ivy--name the position and why they'd be good for it!

Anna Nguyen-Trevelyan-i]--Consultant/Muggle Legal Counsel

At the very least, this is a placeholder until we can work things out logistically. However, I'd propose the following.  Dreogan can take her on not as a Ministry employee, but as an outside contractor under his personal payroll.  The Ministry wouldn't be paying for her services--but Dreogan's saved up for things such as this, and is planning on incorporating Muggles.  It might be a bit much to negotiate, and she might need to telework from her own home, rather than do anything on the Muggle premises, but we can see.  Again, we'll have to make sure it's feasible and can go through the right avenues.

Points of Contact

You've all brought up some very valid points, which has brought me to think of people who aren't necessarily on MAO payroll, but deal with MAO and help do MAO's work professionally.  Dreogan's hoping the MAO will facilitate the various departments in the work they do, so he'd like to have a point of contact in each Department, as well as other spheres of the Magical world. Ideally, with these jobs, the points of contact would not report all activities to Dreogan (he is not their supervisor), but would certainly let Dreogan know if there was something of interest to MAO's core values, or if there was something MAO could assist with their day-to-day functions. Perhaps they would be required to fill out a quarterly report of activites and have occasional (and probably regular) meetings to inform of statuses and issues that come up.  It is not realistic that the heads of every organization (like Hogwarts and the Departments) have time for these meetings, so it's plausible that this task would be delegated to someone else, if desired? (Heads and Headmistress, correct me if I'm wrong!)

So, that being said, here are some roles I think we could run with:

Jonas Trevelyan--Point of Contact on Level Two/Liason to Law Enforcement/

Valid points--I'm sure Dreogan would like to utilize Jonas' contacts in both worlds, and his ability to move between the worlds.  Because Jonas and Dreogan have a history of conflicted interactions, in order for us to get a beat on how that arrangement could be made, perhaps best to play it out.

 

Tapendra Trishna--Point of Contact at Hogwarts/Muggleborn Mentor

Tapendra would be a great point of contact as an on-campus mentor at Hogwarts for Muggleborns. (Thanks for your suggestion, Sparky!) He's already done a bit of that with Sasha, which I think Dreogan would note and remember.

Griffon Manley--Point of Contact on Level Four

Who better for a point of contact than the Head himself! Dreogan would be thrilled to have Griffon on board as a listed point of contact.  It's likely that the main interaction that Level Four has is obliviating, so it would make sense that this is something that Griffon feels most strongly about and that Dreogan would like to brainstorm and assist with.

Sissel Jowd--Point of Contact on Level Nine

Sissel would be a great contact from his past experience on Level Three and Level Nine. He'd have an interesting outlook in terms of secrecy (how much to share), for this reason, and could be a good person to go to when dealing with sensitive issues.  If ever an event that involved Level Nine needed to go to the Muggle public (akin to the Sirius Black escape--though more Mysteries-related), Dree could go to Sissel.

Delilah Foley--Point of Contact for St. Mungo's

Healing and healthcare also has Muggle-Magical rammifications that could require a point of contact and someone to advocate or reason with.  Such as: if a magical epidemic such as dragonpox were to break out in the Muggle population, would the Magical community simply watch it happen? Take steps to intervene? And if so, how? Delilah would be fantastic at this, particularly because she's not only in a position of authority, but she's well-reasoned and more objective than most.

Enemies

Nicola Randall
   

An excellent choice. Already a known Muggle baiter, who has something against Dreogan and some of MAO’s contacts.  It will be interesting to see how it unfolds!

Allies and Other

Niobe Thursby

Dreogan’d love to do an interview with her.  He’s a bit wary of the Prophet, as they seem to sometimes have a sensationalist spin on things, but he’d vastly prefer it be covered by someone like Niobe than Rita Skeeter.

And, of course, Dreogan is happy to have Torquil Foley, Ananke Cosmos, and potentially Persepolis and Knox on board.  If you can think of scenes you’d like to do with Dreogan or his staff (warning: my posting is a bit slow just now), please PM!

I will send you a PM with thoughts today...it all sounds good to me. 

Geoffrey Scrimshander--Instructor--Magical Culture Courses

Heck. yes.  Glad you proposed this. Dreogan would definitely want an instructor over the summer to teach courses on Magical history, Magical theory, and even perhaps some Muggle-Mage relation courses. (Depends on how ambitious we want this to be.) As a warning: Dreogan was an instructor in this field as well, so he's likely to want to be pretty involved and also likely to get far too excited over this, but that could be a good thing.
I think Dreogan would also like to see Geoff's curriculum development and lesson plans for the upcoming year--again, only if Geoff wants to show. But he'd want to see if--and he'd hope that--the Muggle Studies class aligns with MAO's views and proposes that Muggles are less of a fascinating, indigenous culture akin to an anthropological study, and much more a foreign affairs/international relations angle: in that they're another community that the Magical community needs to be aware of and learn to deal with--in various ways, even if that way is to keep information from them and uphold the Statute. (Dreogan hopes for lessons to be less of "this is a toaster" and more "why do you think the Witch Hunts happened? Do you think there was anything to be done? Do you think this is something we deal with still today?")
If Magical professorships are at all like Muggle ones (which I'm all too familiar with, lol) it's likely that Geoff needs to find some extra jobs for a little money--which could mean a summer job or even a once-a-week evening course, once the school year kicks in. Again, this is entirely dependent upon how much Geoff wants to be involved and how ambitious he's feeling. And you, by extension.  I think you may already have a student or two lined up. Eep. That was a novel. Perhaps I should PM.

This all sounds like it will work very well. Geoff is not very much in the "this is a toaster" style of Muggle Studies teacher. If he could make all his students live with Muggles for a month, he probably would.

If students are already interested, we could see about setting up a few class sessions over the school year in addition to some summer classes. We can definitely hammer out more of this in PMs if need be, along with Networking stuff if you like.

Also, it doesn't have to be in any way official, but I'm certain that Geoff will try to make himself available as a mentor to Muggleborn students, and is going to try to be very heavily involved in the Muggle Appreciation Society if he can. (And now both of us are hoping we're not piling too much on our plates. Ha.)