Entry tags:

!status: complete, ^date: before october 30 2003, character: adrian pucey, character: cade warrington, character: cho chang, character: ernie macmillan, character: harry potter, character: percy weasley, character: roger davies

Rated PG
Who: DMLE Employees and Percy Weasley
What: Staff Meeting to bring the department up to speed
Where: Ministry DMLE Auditorium
When: October 25, 2003 - 9 a.m.

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Percy watched as the last stragglers entered the room, his quill tapping impatiently against a parchment nearby. It was a good, reliable quill - however his enchantment of it had made it so ever-ready for work that it appeared thus impatient during its every idle moment. It was accurate, however, and he wouldn't have relied on a person to make as detailed minutes as he'd spelled it to do.

He looked over the Aurors, Hit-wizards, and other DMLE employees that had become such familiar faces over the years. Minister Shacklebolt, having been a former Auror himself, had asked Percy from the start of the Ministry's rebuilding to take a special interest in the division. There had been far too much disrespect and miscommunication in the past between the DMLE's various divisions, as well as the department in general vis-a-vis the Minister's office. Percy had taken to overseeing general staff meetings once a month in order to facilitate communication, and it appeared to at least help things go smoothly. It probably helped that Percy tried to help them proceed quickly enough so that the employees weren't bored too stiffly.

That and the morning buffet table that held juice, tea, coffee, and various pastries for the DMLE's enjoyment. Meetings were always so much easier with food.

He stood up, his quill immediately perking up in attention.

"Good morning, everyone. Thank you again for coming. As usual, I'll try to make this short and simple, and we can all move on to more important business."

He conjured a sheaf of papers containing his notes for the meeting so that he could verify that he didn't miss anything.

"Firstly, I would like to remind you that, as of the first of November, the next bout of Azkaban parole sessions will begin for those indicted for actions in the last war. As usual, our first concern is less about recidivism, and more about the reactions of other witches and wizards to the prisoner's release. If the parole is broken, then of course we will have to worry about that - but there are still sensitivities around the issue of the paroles, as we all know, and the possibilities for retaliation remain. Please be alert."

He took a breath and flipped a page.

"Also, with the approach of Hallowe'en, there are two matters for your attention. The first will be the potential for fraudulent fire-calls for assistance - when in doubt, please call Ministry Records to verify your information. We do not wish to have another instance such as the ignorance of Mister Seemour Buttes' call for help because the employee on duty presumed it to be a crank call from a Muggle-born. Also, please be patient with genuine calls that turn out to be mistakes. There are still some older citizens who mistake Muggle Trick-or-Treaters for inferi, vampires, werewolves, and the like."

He reached down for his cup of tea and took a sip before continuing.

"Finally, we have the upcoming Ministry Hallowe'en party. For those of you who have been scheduled to work the party, please ensure you have a copy of the layout of Level 8, and what areas the revelry are not allowed to explore. Anyone who goes beyond the allowed bounds is to be given one chance to return to the festivities, and any further infractions will lead to expulsion for the duration of the party. A memo has passed through the various departments asking Ministry employees not attending the party to refrain from entering the premises to make it easier for DMLE personnel to control security."

Finally, his shoulders relaxed, and he looked up and around the room.

"Now, are there any questions about this, or anything else for the Minister's office?"