11th April, 1888 — Basement Level Four
Elinor Goyle

Slap bang in the middle of the month was precisely when Morwenna was at her best these days and, fortunately, the stars had aligned and the students of Hogwarts were descending upon them today when she was more than ready for them. Unfortunately though the stars and the moon were cooperating with her at the moment the magically enhanced weather was not and, along with everybody else who'd had the misfortune to be in the fourth level basement corridors waiting for the lifts, Morwenna found herself being pelted with snow as it came bursting through the malfunctioning windows that should have been showing them a mild, spring morning.

She couldn't help but think her sharp word with magical maintenance about the state of the lifts had perhaps not being as magnanimous as she had hoped but now was not the time to dwell. Now was the time to get to her office and pray that her laziness in opening her curtains this morning meant it was dry inside.

Struggling to stay upright and with her cane slipping perilously on the ground as the stone became more treacherous Morwenna used her free hand to wipe the initial blast of snow from her face and flicked it to the ground with intense irritation, only to be hit in the back of the head a moment later. Grumbling she turned, half expecting to find one of her subordinates looking pleased with himself and instead found herself face to face with Miss Goyle, the only other person who wasn't either making a racket or a total show of themselves.

"Come with me," she said brusquely as she took the younger woman's arm, urging her forwards and through the office door, only leaning on her as was entirely necessary. "What a shambles," she said sharply, closing the door behind them. "The students will think us utterly ridiculous!"

  

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MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat

Nora felt quite strongly that whoever had agreed to let a plague of children descend upon them deserved to die. This was a place of business, of import, not a daycare for would-be ‘employees’ who were here more likely as an excuse to miss a day of classes. Then again, perhaps the witch had just woken up on the wrong side of the bed. This possibility in mind, she did her best to hide her distaste as she went about her day.

Until it started snowing. Indoors. Underground.

“Where is maintenance?” she demanded, teeth chattering from the cold, once she and Morwenna were safely tucked away in the office. “One would think they would be on high alert, with the children coming today!”

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— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —

It was almost imperceptible to the human ear but Morwenna detected the slight hint of dislike when the younger woman uttered the word children and her lips twitched despite the circumstances. Elinor had been perfectly professional about the visit from Hogwarts, and Morwenna would have anticipated no less from her, but she had not exactly been enthusiastic. It was quite understandable.

Perhaps this nonsense was a blessing in disguise?

“I expect it’s my fault again,” she admitted, flicking her wand towards the fireplace and transfiguring one of her guest chairs, usually a monstrosity of hard wood at a purposefully uncomfortable angle to ensure short meetings, into something suitable for a guest she liked. “I may have called them incompetent,” she elaborated as she took her own seat behind the desk. “The words ‘shambolic’ and ‘imbecilic’ might have been used.”

  

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MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat

Elinor was able to conceal a snort, but not the wry smile that accompanied it. That was one reason that she and Mrs. Skeeter got along so well: neither had any patience for imperfection. It made it almost a miracle that they did get on—for Nora was as far from perfect as it was possible to be.

“To hold your actions against an entire department is the height of unprofessionalism, though,” Nora pointed out sensibly as she worked to rub warmth back into her arms. The witch took the offered seat, once again stifling a snort at the pains taken to procure it.

“It will be trouble for recruitment, to happen today of all days.”

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— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —

“It does make it all seem rather deliberate,” she commented blandly, not especially concerned with the attitude of the maintenance staff: it was only their own time they would be wasting when they inevitably had to see it all to rights later on. But she didn’t care to dwell on their grievance. If it meant not having to field questions from youths then Morwenna was rather pleased with her own unexpected efficaciousness in creating an excuse for being absent.

It wasn’t that she disliked the young per say, but she had a horrible feeling they would ask questions about the half-breed ban and Miss Urquart that she wasn’t prepared to answer.

“Perhaps it’s for the best?” She suggested drily. “The department has hardly had a banner year.”

Even if the two of them had come out of it rather well professionally.

  

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MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat

That much was true—Beast Division in particular had been hindered by the former Minister's daughter's transformation into a werewolf. Still, how could they be expected to 'recover' if they were unable to unload the dead weight and replace it with fresh young minds?

And then she heard something startling.

"Did you just hear a roar?" she asked her boss, friend, and mentor.

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— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —

Hearing odd noises in their department was far from being the most uncommon thing in the world but at the moment, when one might expect shouts and screams, the startling sound stood out. Morwenna gripped her wand a little tighter, feeling tense in her seat as she flicked open the blinds one by one, not sure whether to expect an employee having a bit of a moment as a result of the snow or, well no, her other thoughts were simply too ludicrous to contemplate!

“I can’t see much.”

  

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MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat

Nora gave a heavy sigh, the sigh of a woman resigned to her fate but decidedly disinterested in it coming to pass nonetheless. They were two women of importance, at least within their division (though one far more so than the other) and so could not simply ignore chaos, however more tempting it might have been to remain in the relative warmth of the office and wait out the literal blizzard outside.

"I suppose I'd best go take a look, then," the witch said dispassionately, rising to her feet.

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— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —

Weighing up the potential damage to the department should one of its leading member become injured Morwenna consulted her mental ranking of usefulness and came to the immediate conclusion that it was not worth Elinor risking going out there. Even if half the others were turned to snowmen she would rely upon the efficiency of the younger woman over the men any day of the week.

“You will do no such thing,” she insisted, waving the young woman back into her seat. “They’re more than capable and I will not risk your safety for theirs.” It was perhaps a little too candid but Morwenna was in no mood to be coy. “Although if you tell them I said that I will have no compunction about throwing you to the wolves,” she added with a twitch of her lips.

  

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MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat

She arched her eyebrows in surprise, though obediently reclaimed her seat—on another matter, Nora might have thought to argue, but her disinterest in engaging in this particular disaster did not make her particularly keen to fight to do so.

"Though I am flattered," she teased lightly, "I confess that I worry it simply won't get done without someone competent taking the helm."

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— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —

There was a depressing amount of veracity in the concern but still Morwenna hesitated to allow her best employee to potentially become injured. She couldn’t move much herself so helping her was out of the question: her walking stick would impede any good intentions she might have and Nora would be on her own.

“This is as good an opportunity as any for them to prove themselves,” she replied airily, waving her hand in the general vicinity of the window. “Besides, what’s the worst that could happen to them?”

  

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MJ knows my soul rings to the rune of this iconic hat

Nora's response was to chuckle wryly as she leaned back in her seat. Morwenna did, indeed, have a point, and at least they were tucked up, snug and warm, in the office. While the witch still doubted that the matter would be appropriately seen to, she resigned herself to her mentor's mentality, at least this time. What was the worst that could happen?

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— MJ never ceases to impress ♡ —