WHO: Becca Dunstan & Dolores Umbridge WHAT: A development meeting WHEN: Today! WHERE: Umbridge's office! WARNINGS: None!
The sound of a notification chiming brought Dolores’ attention from her paperwork. Her brow furrowed in annoyance that something was pulling her from finishing this important report. When she looked at her calendar her face softened. She was looking forward to this meeting, Miss. Dunstan’s performance meeting. Miss. Dunstan could show such potential and promise, if she just tried a little harder.
With her short wand Dolores set the kettle to boil and the tea started setting itself up. With a few more scratches of the quill her report was finished, and she sent it whizzing out the door of her office to be delivered. Dolores returned to clearing off her desk and as the water was brought to a boil it poured itself into the teapot to brew.
A plate of biscuits placed in the center of her desk, with the a teacup and saucer for each of them. The teapot was placed on her desk as she took her seat, cross her hands in her lap and waited for Miss. Dunstan to arrive. Dolores’ eyes were trained on her office door, with frequent glances to her ticking clock. The girl better arrive on time.
Arrive on time she did, although there was a part of Becca that wanted to run far, far away from this meeting. The last thing she wanted to do was be alone with Madam Umbridge for any period of time at all, especially when she didn’t know why she was being called in. But she didn’t have a choice. She never felt like she really had much of a choice.
The weight of her secret twisted nervously in the pit of her stomach as she knocked on the door and entered the office, eying the tea and feigning a relaxed smile. If Umbridge knew, would she poison the tea??? Becca wasn’t really sure if she thought so, but she wasn’t sure she was going to drink any if it were offered, just to be safe.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Hem-Hem,” Dolores cleared her throat first. “Yes,” she gestured to the seat across from her. “Please have a seat.” Dolores with a flick of her wand had the tea pour. She smiled a forced pleasant smile. “I wished to discuss your performance in your job.” Dolores spoke as she leaned forward to put some milk into her tea, as she did so she continued to speak. “Are you happy in your role here? Do you enjoy your job?”
“Oh!” Becca said as she took the seat across from Umbridge. She eyed the tea a bit nervously but tried to offer up a smile anyway. It sort of worked, but it wasn’t really enough to stall for time. Unfortunately, she really needed to. She didn’t know how to answer those questions at all.
“I try to do a good job,” she started slowly as her mind raced through possible options. None of them seemed acceptable. “But I’m not sure that opening the mail is the most exciting job in the world, I guess. Respectfully!”
Dolores listened intently, nodding her head as she stirred her tea. Her lips pursed as she placed to the spoon to the side and lifted the cup to her lips to take a small sip. “Hem-hem,” she cleared her throat once more after she swallowed. “You work has been acceptable in opening the mail,” Dolores vaguely complimented her as she leaned forward holding her teacup on her other hand. “You sound as if you would like to be more involved,” Dolores questioned.
Becca knew, somewhere, that this was the moment when she should suggest that she go back to the Wizengamot. She’d just say that while she appreciated her time with the MRC, she was a lot more interested in the things the Wizengamot did. Would Umbridge really hold that against her? Could she?
One look at the other woman convinced Becca that Umbridge not only could but absolutely would hold it against her. If she were a pureblood or even a halfblood, she’d try to get away with it anyway.
But being a muggleborn who desperately wanted to stay out of Azkaban made the whole situation a lot more nuanced than that.
“I wouldn’t mind a change,” she said finally.
A pleased smile appeared on Dolores’ face. She took this as a positive, like Miss. Dunstan was looking for a change within the department, a change in her role, and that meant upward progress in Dolores’ mind. Of course, she couldn’t give her too much responsibility, she could not detract from her own notable success. No, she would never boost someone to take the glory but she could at least offload some of the things she disliked handling. Delegate, the word was delegate.
“I am pleased to hear that,” Dolores started before taking a sip of tea. “I was thinking in addition to your mail opening duties that you could take on more of a role in assisting with the Snatchers.” She took pause, as if she was going to let Miss. Dunstan speak or wished to gauge her reaction. The pause was short lived before she carried on. “Handle their expense requests, handle some of their questions, promote the importance of the work, and encourage further results.” She look disappointed as she moved onto her next thought, “Our stats of muggleborn captures are too low, far too many of them out there. We have some successful snatchers, but then we have the ones who have offered no results at all. I would like you to be more involved in the Snatcher coordination and business. Be my assistant in that regard.” Dolores paused once more and added as if an afterthought, “In addition of course to your current tasks.” Dolores was not going to be opening the mail, that was for sure.
Panic started in at the pit of her stomach, slowly winding its way up her chest and curling around her heart as it beat wildly in her chest. Becca did not want to be in charge of the snatchers. Becca did not want to have anything to do with the MRC. She didn’t want anything to do with Umbridge!
But she was afraid her story would start to break the second anyone looked too closely. At least, she thought bitterly, she’d be more aware of whether or not they were going to catch someone before they did. Alicia would be happy.
“Oh. I see,” she said simply.
Dolores was expecting more of a response and felt herself deflate a little as her lips pursed together in displeasure. “Hem-hem,” she placed her teacup down. Miss Dunstan did not seem pleased with this suggestion. “You do not seem enamored with the idea.” Dolores tone stiffened, not as saccharine sweet or enthusiastic. “I am attempting to offer you an opportunity for change,” she repeated the very word Becca had offered herself. “Make your mark, be more involved, in this important campaign.” Who wouldn’t want to be connected to the MRC and its success?
“Oh! No, I’m just surprised! That’s a big change in responsibility! But I appreciate the opportunity!” Becca said quickly, spotting the displeasure on Umbridge’s face and wanting it to go away as fast as possible.
Ah, there was the interest she was hoping for. “Wonderful,” Dolores said her tone returning to that sickly sweet. “I am so pleased,” she picked up the plate and held it out to Becca to take a biscuit. “I think it will offer good learning opportunities and something for your resume as you progress in the ministry.” She held back tooting her own horn saying how impressive it would look to have worked for her and held such important responsibility.
Becca forced a smile as she forced herself to take a biscuit, hating everything and hoping that none of it would convey on her face. “I’m glad you’re pleased,” she said. “I’ll do my best to make sure the office does as well as it deserves.”
It didn’t actually deserve to do very well at all.