Upper Levels Lifts

It’s true, the rattle and clang of the lift as it goes frontways, backways, sideways, and the good old fashioned up and down may be annoying. It may make you grind your teeth in a way that will make your dentist recommend you wear a retainer at night. Just be glad that the lift music charm has finally worn off. Nobody wants it back again.

Those traveling though the Ministry of Magic via the lifts have now found themselves somewhere in the midst of the upper levels. Choose a number--one, two, or three, and you'll be dropped off on the level of your choice!

As Alexander stepped into place on the left side of the lift, he regarded the man with a split-second look. "America, hmm?" he asked, pushing the button to indicate where he'd like to go. "...and what was your business there if you don't mind me asking?" Hearing the man wanted to see level ten, he also pushed the button for that level and then watched as the doors to the lifts closed.

"Alexander Greingoth," he said, introducing himself as well, "but it sounds as if you already know that." He reached out and returned the man's handshake. He supposed it was easier to figure out the name of the Senior Undersecretary than it was the Counterfeit Magic Identification Specialist. "Well, welcome to the Ministry, Mr. Dubois."

Stepping in he leaned against the wall on the right side of the lift and crossed his arms. "I just graduated from SMU (Salem Magical University). I'm back home and working here. He smiled. The guy seemed nice, just like he'd remembered. This guy was the same one that used to run The Leaky Cauldron.

"I remember you from The Leaky Cauldron, you used to run that place of memory serves. My first stop when I got home from Drumstrang every year was to go by your place for a butterbeer." He smiled letting the man's hand go. ""Thank you for the welcome Mr. Undersecretary. I hope I don't let you down." He bowed respectfully.

Alexander eyed the man out of the corner of his eyes. Just graduated, hmm? A young one then. In that case, he hoped the man was adequate for the job he'd been hired in. Bole knew what he was doing, though, and he doubted the head of Law Enforcement had made the wrong decision. "Mmm," Alexander said, nodding in reply. He wasn't much for small talk. He was one of those 'say what needed to be said and then move on' kind of people.

"I did," Alexander remarked, looking over at Dubois. "Hated it, though. It was beneath my qualifications and something I only involved myself with in order to--..." He paused and gave the man a slight smile but otherwise didn't finish his sentence. The line seemed a little too friendly for someone he'd just met. "I hope you don't either," Alexander remarked, then he raised an eyebrow and added, "just do your work, be on time, and stay out of trouble, and I'm sure things will be just fine."

"Thank you Sir." He replied softly. "The thing is that I want to do more than just be fine. I want to succeed. " He had that hunger, that desire to move forward. He watched as they went down level by level. He was one of the quiet, easy to get along with types, but a bit intense and eager to robe himself.

"Good thinking, Dubois," Alexander said, eying the young man out of the corner of his eye. "Ambition, that's what'll get you where you need to go in life." That and knowing the right sort of people in the right sort of positions. A noise sounded from the lift, indicating that it had reached the level Alexander had directed it to, and then the doors opened wide. "Well, this is my stop," he said, stepping out. "Have a good day, Dubois." He nodded once then headed off down the corridor.

"Thank you sir. I appreciate the advice. It's been nice speaking with you sir." He watched as The Senior Undersecretary got off the lift. He continued down to Level 10 and stepped off to take care of his business.

First day on the job... she was in no way NERVOUS, but she was questioning whether she had taken Dale to her father's that morning. Heh. Okay so perhaps she had the jitters a bit.

Looking around she adjusted her pink blazer to show a very MINIMAL amount of cleavage. She was NOT trying to find a man in the Ministry. Not today anyway. She was business minded and wanted her coworkers to respect her... until they learned to hate her. Hehe.

Four Gryffindors. FOUR?! Sabel was still trying to wrap his head around that number. Around the number of new YATI that were present in the MLE now. It had been nice and quiet with just Emily and Legend and himself, so he wasn't too sure what the new additions would bring. At least it was his last year. One more year and he would become an Auror.

...Somehow four Gryffindor YATI's seemed less scary.

Letting out a slow breath, Sabel tucked the Daily Prophet under his arm as he switched his coffee to his good hand so he could punch the lift button with his other. He couldn't help but catch the streak of pink from the corner of his eye, and for a moment he almost opened his big mouth and welcomed Lexi to the ministry.

Except that the woman was not Lexi. His face fell slightly. Not Lexi at all.

Okay... this was awkward. Sighing slightly Tamara stopped groping herself and looked slightly bashfully at the young man that had just come up and punched the button on the lift.

"Dear! What happened to your hand? I have some salve in my purse that will probably fix that right up!" she said as she began to dig around without waiting for an answer. A mother NEVER waited for an answer. She pulled out a baggie of wipes... No. Then a phial of... something purple. Noooo. AHA! There it was! "Here, you take this. Apply it twice a day for 4 days and I promise you whatever the problem is it will fix it. And I am so sorry... I seem to have lost my manners at the bottom of this bag. I am Tamara Scamander. One of the new Ministry Advisors." She eyed him for a moment and then took his coffee from his unbandaged hand and extended hers to him. Yes. Be a good lad and shake my hand, sonny boy.

If he had ever looked like a startled deer, now was the time. Wide eyed and figuratively bushy-tailed, Sabel sort of just stared at the woman. He tried to get a word in of reassurance that he was alright, but the woman seemed on a mission that could not be stopped by gestures or words.

And then, his coffee was gone. He blinked and nearly forgot to fight the frown that wanted so bad to twitch to life on his brow. What was with people and taking his drinks?

Wait. This was an introduction? Another blink. His green eyes flicked from the woman, to the pink blazer, to the coffee, to the vial, to his bandaged hand, to his good hand and then finally to her hand. Oh.

A little sheepishly, Sabel extended his hand, fighting the urge to swipe his coffee back, and gave the woman's a light shake. "Sabel Dakest. YATI trainee." Because that sounded so professional. He blinked a little again. He had never met a Ministry Advisor before. Unless one counted Recard, which he didn't.

Another blink before he jerked himself out of his staring thoughts and back to the present. Of course, if he had known that opening his mouth would produce a stumbling of words and phrases that attempted to politely decline her offer of the ointment and tell that it was almost healed anyways and there wasn't much to be done about it, he probably would have saved himself the embarrassment and kept his mouth shut.

Tamara smiled genially at the boy and held his coffee back out to him with one hand and the salve in the other. He was NOT going to decline a MOTHER was he? He had best not or she would find her way to his offices and hide it in his desk if she had to. Ha.

"My husband was in the ITF. I bet you haven't long been out of Hogwarts, no? That Casey Tate... he's an interesting one, he is," Tam said with a light chuckle. Yes, she was familiar with the Headmaster... from since before he was the HM and all. "You never told me what happened to your hand, dear," she said as she glanced at the bandages once more and pursed her lips slightly.

This woman had the look of one who got what she wanted, when she wanted it. And arguing seemed to be a dangerous proposition. So, somewhat timidly, Sabel reached out to retrieve the offerings.

There was however, a funny thing that happened to both his motor and mental functions when ITF was mentioned. Let alone Tate.

He froze. Everything froze. Hands extended and fingers almost touching the mug and vial, he blinked. "You knew....know Tate?" Another blink. "How do you know Tate?" Her husband. ITF. Tate. ITF. The pieces started to fit together slowly but surely even though they were right there in front of him.

Another blink and he slowly took the items from her. There was some sort of question about his hands, but it hardly registered. This woman suddenly didn't seem so much of a stranger anymore. Then again, he felt a bit of Damien-paranoia sneaking into the corners of his mind, straightening his back defensively. "What makes you think I attended Hogwarts?"

Oh dear... did she break him. Typically it took more than a conversation to do that... She was about to take out her wand and perhaps mend him when he suddenly started talking again. WHEW! The last thing she wanted was to break an Auror this early in her career with the Ministry. Heh.

And dear again... was he slow or something. Her husband was in ITF... "My husband trained with Casey, dear. And we went to school together at Hogwarts as well," she said with a slow nod. Did he understand her? Did they need an interpreter?

And then the last question... SIGHS. She had no patience for stupidity. "The YATI program is only offered to Hogwarts graduates, dear. I know a little bit about Magical Law." She was a Magical Law widow... or no. Not a widow. A BLACK widow. Perhaps one day she would kill Jonah anyway. Hmmm. It was always an enticing thought. Heh.

As usual, he should have kept his mouth shut. Any hopes of appearing intelligent in this woman's eyes, in the eyes of a Ministry Advisor who if friends with could always prove useful, seemed to go out the window. Or, down the hall, through the front doors and out into the gutter.

A wince and frustrated sigh left him at the same time, bearing a set of conflicting emotions. "Apologies." He gave his coffee a little heft up as he took it from her hand. "I'm apparently not all together this morning." Could he slink away and retain any part of his dignity before his big mouth walked over what little was left?

Awww he looked mad at himself for being a noob. He could have a cookie. Tamara began to dig in her bag once more for the little bag of cookies that Dale had given her that morning. She wasn't sure they were exactly edible, but he looked like he needed something nice. "Have a cookie," she said with a tone of finality.

"And no apologies needed, dear. Now. How old are you? How much longer do you have in training before you hit the big leagues, and why MLE and not ITF?" she asked him sweetly. Yep. She was sizing him up. If he was at least as old as Lucian she would take him on a date.

Sabel not only wanted to squeeze between the bars of the lift, but he wouldn't have particularly minding slipping down the cracks between the lift floor and the corridor floor. A cookie? Did she think he was twelve?

Hesitantly, he took the cookie. Best not to poke the flaming dragon. She did seem like a dragon, albeit tame at the moment. "Twenty, ma'am." He shifted his weight a little, his back straightening more at the feeling of somehow being weighed. "I'm in my last year with the YATI training initiative."

Although they were all worded kindly, the last question had him wincing internally a little. It was one of those 'what if' questions he loathed. "It's complicated, but my priorities were with staying in Britain." She didn't need to know more than that.

Tamara smiled sweetly at the boy as he took the cookie. Dear goodness... she felt like an old pervert sizing the boy up and giving him cookies. Kicking herself mentally she stuck the bag of cookies back in her handbag and nodded her head.

"You have wonderful manners. Could you teach my son some? He is about your age. Well he's a few years older than you are. Twenty. That's a good age. Lots of time ahead of you to have adventures and whatnot," she said with a chuckle. Too bad twenty was too young for her. He was VERY handsome. "Well you look as though you will make a fantastic Auror... aside from telling random strangers personal information about yourself. Tsk, tsk." He got a finger waggle at that. She winked at him, though.

"Twenty is the time for fun, not priorities." Just her two cents worth. She gave him another once over, her eyes sweeping over him. REALLY too bad he was too young.

Even more unnerving than his lack of guile with revealing personal information, was the way her eyes kept sweeping over him. Why was she looking at him like that? It made his hairs stand on end a little and his feet shift.

"It's information anyone could discover if they checked my file." He gave a slight shoulder shrug, trying to dislodge the lack of ease he felt and his slip-up. He wasn't too sure what to say about teaching her son manners; if the guy was his age and had no manners, there was probably very little he could do. So he let it slide and gave another shoulder shrug.

"Ambitions require priorities I'm afraid." So did dedication and commitment, but that would be telling her too much. "No time like the present to chase those ambitions." The last few words seemed like they were worthy of a nervous chuckle and grin, but he could only hazard another shift of his weight.

"Only someone from magical law would think that was a sufficient enough answer. Why would a civilian check your file? I never understood that," she said with a laugh, not expecting an answer.

And dangit she had made him uncomfortable. SIGHS. She had not meant to do that. Not on her FIRST day anyway. Frowning slightly she averted her eyes and stepped back away from him a bit.

"Well it is nice to see a young man with his head on straight. Truly it is. I do wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors, but truthfully I find that luck often has very little to do with success. Hard work and determination... a little sweat on the brow. That's what success looks like," she said with a nod. She would know.

Extending her hand once more she smiled slightly and looked at him full on this time. "It has certainly been a pleasure Mr. Dakest."

A civilian that was looking to do harm would find a way to check files. At least that was his reasoning, but he kept those thoughts to himself, deprioritizing them for notice of how the woman seemed suddenly....less sure of herself.

He blinked. Had he said something wrong?

Another blink before her words had him chuckling a little bit. "You'd be the first to say that, ma'am. Most people I meet find my head screwed on backwards or sideways." Shaking his head a little he gave the woman a wondrous look of consideration. She really did sound like Tate.

Although he extended his hand to return the shake, he couldn't quite dislodge the feeling that somehow he had knocked her confidence, or at least her mood, down a peg or two. And it was a rather icky feeling. "It was a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. Scamander."

He gave a moments pause as he retracted his hand, glancing down the hallway. "I don't suppose you would know if there's a library or archive room in the Ministry?" His eyes returned to hers, pulling off the best sheepish expression he could manage. He knew very well what was where in the Ministry, but perhaps this would give her a small boost of confidence, or directive nature that she had taken towards him what with the ointment and the coffee and the cookie.

"Well I think it has been proven time and again that most people are morons, Mister Dakest. So other's opinions should matter little to none," she said loftily. It was true. MOST people's opinions were rubbish. HERS, however were like GOLD. And she approved of Sabel Dakest. Heh.

Oh. He called her MRS. SCAMANDER. How lovely. Hehehe. "You may call me Tamara, honey. I am sure our paths will cross again," she said with a smile.

Then he asked a question about the Ministry. Cocking her head to the side she said, "Nope. Dunno. Sure you do though. Thanks for being lovely and all. I must get to the Minister's office, though. It really was a pleasure. Oh... I really wish my children were more like you." She wanted to eat that kid up.

Well....that didn't really work.

Sabel could, however, feel his cheeks heat a little at the 'Mister Dakest' and being caught in his attempt at being falsely ignorant. "Mister Dakest was what my mother called my father's, father .... Tamara." It was an effort to remember to use her first name. "Just, Sabel please. Or Dakest." Though the later made him feel like he was under some Professor's disapproving glare. "Mister Dakest sounds...old." He didn't want to feel old just yet.

He managed a small smile and a slight bow of his head to her. "I'll keep those wise words in mind." If there was a door, he would have gotten it for her, but really all he could do was step to the side to let her pass.

Althea wasn't late for work. She wasn't. As the boss she could show up when she damned well pleased. Who cared if it was almost lunchtime? She'd been busy. Nobody needed to know why, even if there was a smile on her face, one that had been more frequent in recent months and still appeared just a little bit alarming, as if she were planning a sudden and untimely demise of someone who'd got on her bad side.

She smoothed her skirt down, pleased that it was warmer inside than out. With the weather changing it meant the air was starting to chill, the leaves were falling and painting the world in autumn and it was an excuse to wear warm and snuggly clothes. One she didn't really mind since you could ultimately still be stylish even as you sought comfort.

She pressed the lift button and waited for the doors to close.

Kensi thought that going home for lunch, changing, and cleaning up a bit would make her feel better.

But she felt ten times worse. The drooling...she had a handkerchief held up to her mouth...and she was trying her hardest not to lose focus...but she couldn't help it...and her stomach was really churling...baaad. She looked a little green, too, in the mirror.

Sick.

When she got onto the lifts, there was a woman there..Merlin..Kensi tried to smile, being all friendly, but sadly she only coughed and gagged and sputtered...oh nooo. She didn't...she didn't want to throw up here on the lifts! "S-s-sorry..." she muttered, her green eyes suddenly losing focus.

And she knew it, this time. She knew it.