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#1
27th June, 1889 — Department of International Magical Co-Operation Office
Aldous Crouch
After so many months the note that appeared in her perpetually organised in-tray came as quite the surprise to Marlena and she stared at it with deep suspicion for a long moment, her mind conjuring up possibilities ranging from the note being sent in error to some kind of inter-departmental disciplinary over her surreptitious investigations into the dig site. On the other hand she had not forgotten about her request - quite the contrary in fact - but she had been quite sure that Mr Crouch had.

Her eyes ran rapidly over his neat handwriting twice to make sure she was not mistaken and though Marlena read Mr Crouch's instruction regarding communication as clearly as his other words she quickly compartmentalised them as Not Being Important and was in the lift before anybody could stop her. People seldom did stop her. Not her parents when she had insisted upon the Ministry, not her potions Professor who had insisted that certain ingredients oughtn't be mixed together, no-not-even-for-research-Miss-Scamander, and certainly not the department's secretary who she breezed past without so much as a greeting.

She knocked rapidly on his door and barely waited a moment before throwing it open, the note still in her hand, her eyes wide with rapturous expectation that she had misjudged this man and might get her way after all.

"What did they say?"



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#2
Aldous looked up from his paperwork with a start, having not at all anticipated an intrusion—in fact, his secretary had been specifically informed to ensure he was not interrupted, though a quick glance at the Unspeakable's face suggested to him that his secretary was ill-equipped to restrain her.

"Miss Scamander," he offered by way of greeting, more courtesy than she had afforded him. "I was not expecting you until next week."

Like most of his colleagues, Aldous Crouch was altogether in the dark about how they did things down in the Department of Mysteries. He, however, was a man of schedules, appointments, with a diary as thick as a maiden aunt's thigh. The witch before him, though, clearly did not play by the same rules; he had suspected as much at their last meeting, some months ago, but supposed now he could add 'general disregard for order' to her list of traits.


The following 1 user Likes Aldous Crouch's post:
   Elladora Black

— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —
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#3
He didn’t seem especially thrilled to see her and Marlena resisted the urge to sigh. She had always believed one of the finest things about being in the basement was that long periods of being left alone meant that when she and her colleagues did need to communicate with each other they were always to the point. She had very little time of the flim-flammery that seemed to make up the majority of Ministerial conversation but, she supposed, it did need to be deployed sometimes.

Merlin, she hated working with others. But he had sent her a note, clearly remembered her plea, so the very least she could afford him was some polite formality, however forced.

“My apologies Mr Crouch,” she replied by way of recompense for bursting through his door. “I know I’m not expected but I couldn’t bring myself to wait.” She smiled, genuine excitement shining through her eyes. “Can you spare a moment?”



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MJ: still raising the graphics bar as of 2022
#4
"Not expected," he thought, was something of an understatement, but Aldous had the good manners—and good sense—not to indicate as much in tone or in deed. For a moment, he wondered if she would accept it if he said no, he didn't have time at the moment (a perfectly reasonable response, given his position within the Ministry of Magic!) but thought better of it. Better to have it over and done with swiftly, or Aldous would likely have her outside his office perpetually until he relented.

Aldous retrieved the letter from his desk drawer, the crisp parchment having been neatly refolded and tucked back inside its original envelope.

"See for yourself," he answered as he stood to pass it to her. "It is all quite official, don't worry—nothing that you should not be reading," Aldous added with a small smile.



— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —
[Image: TrSGeWR.jpg]
— graphics by lady ❤ —
#5
Stifling a snort at the very thought of him telling her some things were confidential Marlena took the letter and unfolded it with excitement simmering under her cool exterior. The Egyptian official had an excellent command of English – or else this epistle had been translated upon arrival – but Marlena’s eyes had to scan through the words twice before their meaning dawned on her.

“They’re refusing the request.” She deadpanned, the letter falling into her lap as disappointment mingled with irritation in her heart. “They’re fools.”



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#6
Given her intensity when she had made the request, Aldous had expected Miss Scamander to show a more...animated reaction to the news. Comparatively, he thought, she was taking it rather well.

"I did suggest, Miss Scamander, that it was not particularly likely for them to agree," Aldous reminded her gently. "No doubt they have their own trusted specialists to call upon."

For himself, Aldous was not at all heartbroken. After the chaos that had ravaged Irvingly, the department head was quite happy to have the artifacts as far from his office—physically and metaphorically—as humanly possible.

"Besides," he added helpfully, "I am sure you have plenty of projects upon which to work!"

He was sure of no such thing, given the secrecy inherent in the Department of Mysteries, but given his own workload, thought it a safe bet to suggest.



— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —
[Image: TrSGeWR.jpg]
— graphics by lady ❤ —
#7
The vexing thing was that he was quite right. With the discovery of the dig site a month before her days were certainly full at the moment, and with a veritable plethora of curiosities that were being passed around the department like they were children with toys. Still, it was a shame. She had been so sure there was a secret in the depths of that artefact that could change how they manipulated time for good and the Egyptian government, she suspected, were quite aware of that fact and intended to keep their secrets to themselves.

Short-sighted, but Marlena knew she would be a terrible hypocrite to deride anyone keeping secrets.

“It was more the thought of how much could have been achieved, how many people helped,” she admittedly candidly, her ire deflating into regret rapidly. Sometimes her work was nothing more than a series of disappointments that was only occasionally interrupted with a triumph and she had been hoping very much that this might be one of the brighter moments. “The manipulation of time has only been used for trivial things so far but if we could harness it properly there’s so much more we could be doing. Surely you’d agree that making the world a better place is part of our job here?”


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   Aldous Crouch

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#8
"Uh, well, I..." Aldous trailed off, not altogether certain how to answer her.

Absolutley, he felt, the well-being of magical society was (as should be the case) of paramount importance to the Ministry of Magic. That was their role. But to the wizard, Miss Scamander's question seemed rather too weighty, as though should he agree to that sentiment, he would be agreeing to the joys of time manipulation, a prospect that set his hairs standing on end when he thought of it. Aldous Crouch was far too conservative to consent to that.

"I trust that if there was to be any such insight garnered, the Egyptians will certainly find it," he finished lamely.



— Aldous walks with a cane and pronounced limp as the result of a splinching accident. —
[Image: TrSGeWR.jpg]
— graphics by lady ❤ —
#9
Having low expectations of the world did have the benefit of managing one’s disappointments rather well. Marlena would never entertain being so optimistic as to think that any government in the civilised world would do something as generous as share whatever they found – certainly she rarely knew what the colleague that sat at the nearest desk to hers was doing, let alone what her opposite number in the Egyptian government might be up to – but there was a chance that Mr Crouch was right. He had, after all, been a Ministry man for quite a bit longer than she had and his insights were not to be ignored.

“I hope so,” she said emphatically, offering him a small, wan smile. “You know better than I do how less-than-cooperative some people can be.”

Getting to her feet she brushed down her robes awkwardly and registered, finally, that he might not have been too thrilled by her impromptu interruption.

“Thank you for your time Mr Crouch. I realise you’re extremely busy so I really do appreciate it.”



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