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Tweak says, "G is for Grater"

Dennis Finnigan Creevey (dennisthebrave) wrote in finnigans_rpg,
@ 2014-09-16 19:38:00

Entry tags:

character: dennis creevey, character: zacharias smith

RP: Getting Quotes
Who: Dennis and Zacharias, Open

What: Dennis fishing for unofficial opinions on a spate of attacks on Muggles in Lewisham.

Where: Ministry of Magic

When: Monday afternoon

Rating: SFW

"Go and get some unofficial quotes, she says," Dennis muttered crossly to himself as he entered the atrium of the Ministry. "It'll be fine, she says. Just flash those cheekbones and those baby blue eyes and they'll be putty in your hand." He snorted contemptuously to himself, finding another reason to dislike the Crime and Justice desk editor.

He was writing a story on the Ministry's response to a number of disturbing magical attacks on Muggles in South London, and everything had been going perfectly until his editor had used his least favourite phrase: 'why don't you sex it up a bit.' Because really, nothing was sexier than a woman escaping serious injury after her husband smacked her would-be attacker over the head with a cricket bat. Nevertheless, here he was, ready to try and find someone, anyone he vaguely knew to get an 'Unofficial Official Quote' from. It sucked, because he didn't really know anyone at the Ministry, except maybe Susan. Glumly, he looked around and suddenly saw a vaguely familiar face.

"Hi," he said, approaching the figure. "You're Zacharias Smith, right? I'm Finn Collins with the Prophet, could I have a word?"

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unspeakableness
2014-09-16 03:11 pm UTC (link)

To say his job was stressful would be, at times, an understatement. However, to say it didn't have its own rewards and wasn't at all interesting would be a lie. Still, that didn't mean Zacharias didn't enjoy the downtime his lunch break provided. He didn't often go too far from the Ministry, to keep himself from being unintentionally late in returning to work, and today was no different. He'd gone to a restaurant a few blocks over, one that seemed to know him if not by name than by sight and order. That helped for efficiency purposes, and it allotted Zacharias a few extra minutes to return to work. He much preferred not feeling rushed, especially on a full stomach.

At the sound of his name, Zacharias focused on the approaching figure. He narrowed his eyes slightly in thought, trying to match the face to the name in case he knew him. But no, he didn't personally know anyone by the name of Finn Collins, and he certainly didn't know anyone of that Prophet. But the name and face tugged at the back of his mind, and he studied the young man's face as he said, "I suppose that would depend on the word." For the moment, the nagging sensation to make the connection between face and name kept him from being annoyed at the possibility of yet another person trying to play the game of Get the Unspeakable to Speak.

Finn Collins, he repeated in his mind, with the Prophet... Finn--Oh. Dennis Creevey.

Dennis had posted something, hadn't he? Something about his article and his editor, and the name Finn Collins had been attached to it, if Zacharias were remembering correctly. And he supposed he could see the kid he knew from the Defence Association (he refused to call it Dumbledore's Army. He hadn't signed up to be part of a bloody army, after all), but, to be honest, he didn't pay him too much attention outside of those meetings. Still, he had a few memories of him, enough to know why he looked familiar, so he decided to see what word it was that a reporter would want from him.

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dennisthebrave
2014-09-17 02:19 am UTC (link)

Dennis gave the man his most winning smile, deciding to conveniently ignore the fact that he was going to use his baby blue eyes and cheekbones to get a quote. "I was wondering if you had any thoughts of the magical attacks on Muggles in Lewisham, and the possibly connected one in Elephant and Castle?" He tilted his head, still grinning winningly, "Not officially of course, there's an official statement from Law Enforcement. I'm just trying to get a feel for what the actual workers on the ground in the Ministry think?"

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unspeakableness
2014-09-17 02:55 am UTC (link)

Zacharias just kind of stared at Dennis -- for Finn. Whatever he wanted to call himself. He wanted an unofficial opinion about something that had nothing to do with his department? Why? He already had an official statement, he said. And wasn't such a thing as getting an unofficial opinion or thought about such things something to ask the public about? Although he supposed he could see, to an extent, why asking Ministry employees might be asked. Still. He didn't work with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He was a horrible person to ask.

"I'm an Unspeakable," he said, thinking maybe he could get out of this and keep himself from accidentally getting in trouble. Even if the statement was unofficial, they were in the middle of the Ministry's atrium, and it wasn't exactly completely and totally empty. He didn't want to give any kind of statement that could come back to bite him. Personally, he thought it was horrible Muggles were being attacked, and he didn't support it or those who did it. But that didn't mean he was going to risk his job just to express that opinion.

"I'm sorry. I don't think I can help you," he added, his facial features losing some of their intensity from his previous thoughts. He didn't know what an apologetic look might look or feel like on his own features, but he could at least relax the muscles in his face and body enough to hopefully come across as not upset or in a bad mood.

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dennisthebrave
2014-09-17 10:45 am UTC (link)

Dennis waggled his brows roguishly as the other man stared at him blankly for several moments.

"Okay," he said, still smiling. "Congratulations by the way, good job you've landed yourself. But I don't need an official comment by which I would say something like 'Zacharias Smith of the Department of Mysteries commented that...' it'd be more along the lines of 'a source that wished to remain anonymous commented that...' which is far better for everyone involved. A lot of journos under the old regime used to just make stuff up, but I'd really prefer not to, and the editors like the truth these days as well."

He frowned and lifted an eyebrow quizzically at the grimace the other man made. "Um, well thanks anyway," he said, taking a small step back. "No need to uh, get upset about it? I'll just go find another source." He looked around the atrium thinking vaguely of a lad in Transportation he'd slept with, as well as the Aurors he knew. "Thanks anyway," he called over his shoulder. "See you around."

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unspeakableness
2014-09-17 12:21 pm UTC (link)

"I'm not upset," Zacharias said, confused, wondering how relaxed features equated to being upset. So much for not coming across as upset with a relaxed look on his face and in his posture. Or maybe the kid just didn't know how to read facial expression? Who knew. He shrugged, nowhere near upset about anything as he momentarily watched Dennis walk away. On the positive side, it meant he didn't have to keep telling him no comment. And if he had made a comment, given his apparent inability to understand a relaxed look, he'd probably be misrepresented anyway, even if his name wouldn't have been attached to his statement. But his department would have been, and that he didn't want. Sometimes it was better not to draw attention to yourself.

He shook his head and turned toward the lifts, deciding to put the whole thing out of his mind. He had too much work ahead of him to worry about it anyway.

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