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NPC Journal (sw_npc_1) wrote in strugglewithin,
@ 2008-11-26 14:58:00

Entry tags:

*complete, august 1997, cho chang, graylin savage, melinda bobbin, npc, nymphadora lupin, penelope clearwater, xavier selwyn

RP: A Fowl Little Problem
Date: 26 August 1997
Characters: Gilbert Whimple (NPC), Ministry workers (add your tag as you come in!)
Location: The Ministry of Magic, The Atrium
Status: Public
Summary: Gilbert Whimple of Experimental Charms discovers that one of the experiments has flown the coop (so to speak) and asks everyone to flock to the Atrium.
Completion: Complete
Note: All puns are my fault, though I think we should all strive to include as many duck/animal related puns in because ... well, it's fun. And I think we should all thank JKR for adding in the line about the duck into DH. Because we wouldn't have this scene if it wasn't for her.

Gilbert looked at the empty cage with a frown. "But he was just here," he insisted to his assistant.

"Yes, sir, but it appears that Darkwing has disappeared and he's not in our office, sir," the witch replied, entirely serious. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and looked at her boss. "We'll have to tell the Minister."

Wringing his hands, he began to pace. "Oh, do you really think so?"

The assistant nodded. "Yes, sir. With Darkwing's ... modifications, things could get rather messy if he's left to his own devices. There's no telling where he's gone to, but I think it'd be best if we assemble everyone in one place."

Reaching underneath the cage, she handed Gilbert a pair of pink, fuzzy earmuffs. "Here are your muffs, sir. We'll need them when we go looking for him, after all."

Gilbert nodded. "Yes, and I'll go inform the Minister," he said, sighing as he headed for the lift, pink earmuffs in hand.

Ten minutes later, the assistant jumped as she heard Gilbert's voice echoing throughout the Ministry. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to do this, sir? I think - oh, right, the announcement. Yes, well, hello everyone. This is Gilbert Whimple, of Experimental Charms. We seem to have misplaced one of our experiments, and in order to assure everyone's safety, all Ministry employees are required to go immediately to the Atrium until further notice."

There was a pause, where everyone could hear frantic whispering before Gilbert's voice echoed again. "Oh, yes, and should anyone see a medium-sized yellow duck waddling through the building, do not - I repeat, do not approach it and cover your ears with your hands. Contact of any kind with the animal is discouraged, as he both his body and his quck is highly poisonous. Contact a department head immediately should you see the duck."

The assistant sighed and picked up her black earmuffs and heavy dragonhide gloves. Right. Time to go to work.

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tough_tonks
2008-11-28 03:17 pm UTC (link)

In truth, Tonks was welcoming the break frmo the day to day drag which had become the MLE department. It was getting harder and harder to look like she was doing her job well when she was doing it entirely incompetantly and searching every last place that anyone could actually find Harry Potter. So, being swiftly evacuated to the Atrium was a strangely nice departure from her office. Nice never lasted, however, especially not these days.

She blinked as an only vaguely familiar voice spoke in her direction. Her head turned, ice blue eyes casting across Xavier Selwyn as he began to address her. In fact, he stepped right -in front- of her. That simple affront raised her hackles a touch and it was all she could do swallow a smart remark down her throat. These were not wise days to become smart with anyone in the ministry.

"Mr. Selwyn, it has been some time. And do not worry about the lapse. I still go by Tonks to my friends." She paused, a cool little smile turning at her full mouth, "So yes, I supposed Auror Lupin would be the proper address for you to use." She paused as he remained in her way, not that there was really anywhere for them to go until they could return to their offices.

"May I help you?" She finally asked in as innocent and cool a voice as possible.

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xavierselwyn
2008-11-28 08:45 pm UTC (link)

He watched the play of emotions across her face - mostly irritation and suspicion, actually, though that cool little smile was reminiscent of her aunt. He wondered what she'd say if he told her that. Well, there was plenty of time for that later if he got the urge.

"I was simply intersted in congratulating you on your wedding. I went to school with your husband," he said, smirking a little. He'd always thought the other wizard (to use the term loosely) was odd, so it'd been no surprise when he'd been outed as werewolf a few years ago. It made quite a bit of sense, actually.

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tough_tonks
2008-11-28 09:07 pm UTC (link)

Tonks kept her smile there, cool but present, not wishing to betray any other feelings to the unfamiliar man. She bowed her head gently, allowing a hint of unfelt gratitude to leak into her pale eyes as she responded almost gently, "Well, thank you for the congratulations. I was quite happy to finalize the wedding. My husband is a very good man." Even if every word she spoke sent small stabs into her heart. She could not let a man like this know they were seperated. She forced herself to look as if everything was perfect.

"I didn't realize you were in school together, he never mentioned anything. Well, then, you were quite lucky. He was a brilliant student." Tonks, pained or not, still quite clearly loved Remus. She could feign all emotions but that.

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	xavierselwyn 2008-11-28 09:22 pm UTC (link)
	"Oh yes, lucky," Xavier echoed, smirking a little. "I haven't seen your husband in quite some time. I would love to have him over for drinks - you both, actually." Be good to keep an eye on them both, though he doubted they'd accept. Be amusing if they did, though. And convenient, of course. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

tough_tonks
2008-11-28 09:51 pm UTC (link)

Her smile faltered, but only for a second. She nodded simply, "Perhaps. These are busy times, I'm working a lot, we don't necessarily get much time together, but if we have an evening perhaps I shall send you an owl." It was the best she could do to give the polite brush off. It'd be too obvious to turn him straight down, but she definitely didn't want to bring Remus into that sort of environment.

Not to mention she had no clue where her husband actually was or even if he considered them still married. But she certainly wasn't going to say that. So she forced her smile back onto her lips and looked across the Atrium. "Strange about this evacuation. Do you know what the exact problem is?" Best to change the subject, it was safer that way.

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xavierselwyn
2008-11-28 10:00 pm UTC (link)

A neat enough no. Good thing he'd ordered their Floo tagged and had the boys in the Department of Mysteries working on something for tagging Apparation. That'd be a neat trick.

"Poisonous duck - it's exactly what that twit Whimple announced," he said, rolling his eyes. "How the idiot could let a poisonous duck escape from a locked cage in a locked room is beyond me."

His eyes darted around the room, though there didn't appear to be anything out of place.

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tough_tonks
2008-11-29 12:28 am UTC (link)

Tonks' eyes rolled as he affirmed that it was actually a poisonous duck set free in the Ministry and that just wasn't some absurd excuse for a reason that they would gather out here. She stifled a touch of a laugh and looked across the room, relaxed now that the subject was changed.

"Bloody hell. And I thought that was just a ruse or something. Bloody ridiculous, a poisonous duck. They should let us go for the day, would be more productive than just standing here." She announced quietly, that being the only discomfort with the ministry she felt alright with expressing in public.

And she did want to go home. A long afternoon nap sounded wonderful at the moment.

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xavierselwyn
2008-11-29 08:17 am UTC (link)

She was relaxing a bit, he noted. That was interesting.

"The duck might be located at any moment. That'd hardly be productive to send this many people home when there's a possibility of work in a few minutes." And if the damned duck wasn't located soon, well, it kept the troublemakers from going out and doing something.

"I heard that you were in charge of the Potter investigation," he drawled then, catching Umbridge's eye. She gestured peremptorily for him, so of course, he ignored her for another minute or two. "I do hope you're making progress."

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tough_tonks
2008-11-29 07:04 pm UTC (link)

Tonks nodded in immediate agreement, "Indeed, I am. Well, we are at least narrowing down the possibilities of where he -could- be. He cannot hide forever, but his running from the Ministry is certainly... Informing of certain matters." Tonks did her best to keep her voice neutral, her words honest, just in a far different way that they would probably be interpreted. Still, it was best to keep herself in a good light at her job -- to lose it would lose the Order a valuable foot in the door at the Ministry.

She finally walked over, sinking down to sit upon the edge of the fountain, her back towards the massive statue. She hated looking at the thing. "Yes, you are right. Still, most of my work is out of the office these days either way. Possibly I should get to it and I will finish writing the reports tomorrow."

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xavierselwyn
2008-11-29 07:09 pm UTC (link)

Xavier raised both brows. "Informing? How so?" he asked, curious what excuse she's come up with. If she was really looking for Potter, then he was a monkey's bloody uncle - and he might have a word with Yaxley about that, too.

He nodded. "Reports do have a tendency to be put off," he admitted. They were hardly his favorite activity either.

Umbridge caught his eyes again and he sighed, raising a hand to acknowledge her. Bloody daft woman. "Excuse me, will you?"

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