Of course, this Spirit Division interviewer had used a spell. She missed casting spells. The news that Mr. Humphreys was out on business brought a smile to her face. Of the various people assigned to her case over the years she didn’t care for him very much. Thus the little outburst she began the meeting with. He wasn’t exactly mean, but unsympathetic to her plight. During the last check-up he had rather firmly stated she would not be allowed to go to Koldovstoretz and mess with their potions for a change. At least for the moment, this Mr. Greengrass was much better.
Theodosia approached the desk and looked at the dust-coated chair sitting on her side of it. She had no doubt it had already been there in the office, although she couldn’t resist giving Mr. Greengrass an exasperated look as if he had forgotten that ghosts were incapable of using chairs. With a bit of maneuvering she pantomimed sitting down before coming to hover about an inch above the seat of the chair. “That is more than alright with me, Mr. Greengrass. I’m Theodosia Bartlett, an apparent problem spirit.” For the last few words her otherwise chipper tone dropped suddenly, as if discussion had turned to something highly unpleasant. Eighty-six years did little to make her feel less insulted that the Ministry felt she needed to be regularly checked on.
“Before we start, do you mind if I-” her sentence trailed off and she pointed down to the roast attracting flies on the desk. Not that she needed to finish the sentence as she didn’t much care what Mr. Greengrass’s answer would be. The temptation was too great and she wasn’t about to wait another moment. She leaned forward and submerged her face into the roast without waiting for a response. It was far from good table manners, but if the good Lord had intended ghosts to “eat” with dignity he would have let them hold utensils.
When her face intersected with the rotten cut of meat the smell and taste teased her used-to-be senses for but a fraction of a second. In that instant it was as if she’d eaten a big spoonful of ash while inhaling the aroma of a dead animal in the Forbidden Forest. She tried to hold onto the sensation for as long as she could, but it faded quickly like a flickering candle snuffed out by the breeze. Still, it was a blessing to feel something. Theodosia straightened back up, the longing for more written across her face. Meanwhile the roast sat unchanged, only made cold to the touch by her presence.
She gazed down at the floor and buried the disappointment before looking Mr. Greengrass in the eye once more. “Thank you.” she whispered before raising her voice back to normal. “Anyway, I’m sure you have questions for me.”
Theodosia approached the desk and looked at the dust-coated chair sitting on her side of it. She had no doubt it had already been there in the office, although she couldn’t resist giving Mr. Greengrass an exasperated look as if he had forgotten that ghosts were incapable of using chairs. With a bit of maneuvering she pantomimed sitting down before coming to hover about an inch above the seat of the chair. “That is more than alright with me, Mr. Greengrass. I’m Theodosia Bartlett, an apparent problem spirit.” For the last few words her otherwise chipper tone dropped suddenly, as if discussion had turned to something highly unpleasant. Eighty-six years did little to make her feel less insulted that the Ministry felt she needed to be regularly checked on.
“Before we start, do you mind if I-” her sentence trailed off and she pointed down to the roast attracting flies on the desk. Not that she needed to finish the sentence as she didn’t much care what Mr. Greengrass’s answer would be. The temptation was too great and she wasn’t about to wait another moment. She leaned forward and submerged her face into the roast without waiting for a response. It was far from good table manners, but if the good Lord had intended ghosts to “eat” with dignity he would have let them hold utensils.
When her face intersected with the rotten cut of meat the smell and taste teased her used-to-be senses for but a fraction of a second. In that instant it was as if she’d eaten a big spoonful of ash while inhaling the aroma of a dead animal in the Forbidden Forest. She tried to hold onto the sensation for as long as she could, but it faded quickly like a flickering candle snuffed out by the breeze. Still, it was a blessing to feel something. Theodosia straightened back up, the longing for more written across her face. Meanwhile the roast sat unchanged, only made cold to the touch by her presence.
She gazed down at the floor and buried the disappointment before looking Mr. Greengrass in the eye once more. “Thank you.” she whispered before raising her voice back to normal. “Anyway, I’m sure you have questions for me.”
![[Image: 85h4kTf.png]](https://i.imgur.com/85h4kTf.png)