Quote:

Originally Posted by mathi

For their luck, Bella appeard through the opened door and greeted them to get inside the office room. "Thank you, Bella!" Sighing relievedly to himself, he smiled "Not very long for me but Becca.." he looked at Becca caringly, "Let's go..love" he put an arm around her waist as slowly walking inside with her and Cludian on the other side.

Smiling at his friend, he winked as noticed his ring finger. "You're radiating today mate.." Specifically. May I know why? A playfull smirk crossed on his face.

Claudian caught the smirk and found himself at a loss for what to say. He thought about blaming it on the new cosmetic potions he'd be trying, but maybe it was more than merely that. He stood there silent and looking mildly guilty.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

When the last of the visitors had come through the door, Bella gently shut the office door and headed back to the comfortable chair she'd previously been sitting in. Merlin, she didn't remember it being this hard with Anna... Perhaps it was because there were two now, instead of one. Still smiling and not missing a beat, she nodded in appreciation when Claudian suggested taking Brian and Becca's request first.

"Won't you have a seat?" she offered, looking toward everyone in the room on that note. She imagined all three were here to see Minister Taylor. Now-a-days, since she'd moved here from level six, it seemed there was rarely a visitor who came in to see her. Bella was happy in her new position, though, and she fully understood the need to speak with Taylor now and again. "Brian, Becca, what can I do for you today?" she asked.

Claudian took in the office space. It definitely had a different vibe to it from the days when Miss Rose occupied it. It was almost sort of...boutique. His brow raised when he heard there was a meeting. He was dying of boredom and he hadn't expected that. Things quieted down since he changed positions. Perhaps, though all of that would change now that a new school year was beginning. "Would either of you ladies care for a cushioning charm?" He asked, whipping out his wand, while they were waiting.

Watching Claudian, Becca smiled and giggled when he looked mildly guilty. Her gaze turned to Brian as Claudian fell silent. Upon hearing Claudian ask about a cushioning charm, Becca shook her head and sighed "Thanks, but no thanks." Her eyes locked onto Brian's and she swallowed, ignoring the feeling of sickness. They just had to wait a little longer, right?

Appreciative of the fact that Brian and Becca were willing to patiently wait, Bella nodded towards the expecting couple. "You're quite welcome," she said, replying to Becca's 'thank you'. She turned her head towards the Minister's door, but there was no sign that anyone would be coming out of it anytime soon.

When Claudian spoke up, Bella directed her attention towards him then shook her head. "Thank you, Claudian, but I'm quite comfortable. I've sort of gotten to used to being in this condition," she politely said. "Since Brian and Becca seemed to be delayed with seeing the Minister, though, is there something I can help you with in the meantime? Or were you here to see the Minister, as well?"

Giving a warm and thankful smile at Claudian for offering something to make the ladies get comfortable, Brian looked at Bella, smiled before looking down at his wife.

She was pale. He could see some sort of inconvenience in her face. Something is wrong. He knew her and her every moves very well. Bending down to her face, he looked into her eyes, "Are you okay, Becs? You look uncomfortable" he gently stroked her hair, both nervous and excited for some obvious reason as well.

When he looked at Bella, she looked away and said nothing. When he bent down to her face, she smiled warmly at him and looked back into his eyes. "I'm fine. Just feeling kinda sick, but I'm okay." she smiled more, trying to look like she was okay.

He sighed. She never accepted her sickness unless it goes beyond limit or unbearable. Silly. Shaking his head midly, he took her hand in his, "Becca, we can leave if you want. Dont make your self more difficult" he said softly, feeling her hands shaking a bit.

She looked at him as he sighed and smiled slightly, feeling kinda bad about feeling sick at such a bad time. She looked down at their hands and shook her head "But, what about seeing the minister?" she asked, looking into his eyes, her own wide. They needed to get this sorted out.

She was right. They have to see the Minister and discuss something important. That's why they were here. He can wait all through the day but not Becca. Shaking his head, he spoke up, "We'll take care of this later. Now, you need rest and/or medical attention" she was going through the last week of pregnancy, so no time to take risk. "Come on, I'll talk about this later to the Minister, I promise" he helped her to get up from the seat carefully.

She kept looking at him, but her gaze shifted to the Minister's door when he said they'd take care of it later. "Okay." she agreed quietly. He knew what was best, and she was going along with his judgement because it was usually very good. "Okay." she looked at him, sighed and then got to her feet with his help. "Sorry." she apologised to everyone, mostly Bella and Claudian, Becca knew Brian didn't mind as long as she was okay.

Brian put his arm around her waist for safety, and looked at Bella and Claudian "Sorry guys, Becca seems not feeling good. I'll see you later" he said, "Sorry for taking your prescious time Bella." he apologized truely before leading Becca towards the door and holding it for her to get through.

She smiled at him apologetically and looked at Bella and Claudian as Brian paused to say sorry. Feeling kind of stupid for feeling ill at such an important time, she turned towards the door and walked out as Brian held it for her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mathi

Brian put his arm around her waist for safety, and looked at Bella and Claudian "Sorry guys, Becca seems not feeling good. I'll see you later" he said, "Sorry for taking your prescious time Bella." he apologized truely before leading Becca towards the door and holding it for her to get through.

"Don't mention it at all. It's quite understandable given the ...well, the circumstances." He said to both, though more to Brian as Becca seemed to be in some deal of discomfort. He found himself almost relieved that Brian decided to take her out of the office. Adored her though he did, Becca was making him a little nervous as he was certain he wouldn't know what to do had she gone into labour. If one had to be excused from seeing the Minister, they definitely had a good reason. He managed to admit a not-quite-subdued sigh at the thoughts of Xana the situation conjured.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anna Banana

Appreciative of the fact that Brian and Becca were willing to patiently wait, Bella nodded towards the expecting couple. "You're quite welcome," she said, replying to Becca's 'thank you'. She turned her head towards the Minister's door, but there was no sign that anyone would be coming out of it anytime soon.

When Claudian spoke up, Bella directed her attention towards him then shook her head. "Thank you, Claudian, but I'm quite comfortable. I've sort of gotten to used to being in this condition," she politely said. "Since Brian and Becca seemed to be delayed with seeing the Minister, though, is there something I can help you with in the meantime? Or were you here to see the Minister, as well?"

Almost disappointedly he tucked away his white wand stood again as the Lee family exited the office. "Actually, Miss Greingoth I just came by to welcome you and introduce myself to you and to let you know that I am also at your disposal should you need an additional assistance." He said skooting his chair a bit closer to Miss Greingoths desk so that he could speak more comfortably and noticing a familiar face in a photograph. Greingoth was of course, not an unfamiliar name to him. The family was well-known enough in the community, but it took Claudian a minute to remember the little Gryffindor girl who he'd shared more than a few classes with during his Hogwarts days. "Is that your daughter?" He said indicating the picture of Anna. Wow! She looked so different from when she was a first year, if that indeed was her.

Bella remained silent as Brian and Becca discussed how Becca really wasn't feeling all that well. This sort of sickness was one Bella could relate to, so she gave Becca a sympathetic look. Here eyes flickered towards Brian, and upon hearing his apologies, she waved her hand as if to say their visit was no inconvenience at all.

"Nonsense, I enjoyed the company. It does tend to get rather lonely in here, you know," she said. After the transfer from level six to level one, Bella had found that visitors actually coming into the office to see her were few and far between. "I do understand that you need to go, though. Really, though, you weren't taking up time that I would have been using for anything else. Have a good day, and I hope you get to feeling better, Becca! Best wishes to you two and the little one."

Once the Lee's were out of the office, Bella turned her attention back to Claudian. A smile widened across her face when she found he was actually here to welcome her. "Oh, Claudian, thank you! It's so nice of you to come by and welcome me in," she said. "I'm happy to be here. It's not quite as busy as I thought it'd be, but it's interesting all the same."

Her gaze traveled to the photograph Claudian was indicating. Nodding her head, she said, "Oh, yes...yes, this is my daughter. Her name is Anna, and she's actually a Newell now---Anna Newell." She picked up the photograph and slid it closer to Claudian. "She and I are currently on common ground in that we're both expecting two babies at once." Clearly, multiples ran in the family.

"Get out of towne!" He said getting more comfortable with Mrs. Greingoths warm demeanour. "She married Cale Newell?" With the photo slid closer to him, Claudian could see a tighter resemblance between mother and daughter. Anna's round face had thinned out and her hair was no longer worn in curls, but sleek and straightened. "I went to school with Anna. She was a hard working student. I remember her always getting the answers in class and she was absolutely terrifying on the pitch." He hid his genuine fear of lil Anna nee Greingoth on a broom quite well behind a joking expression. "Hardest match I ever played was my seventh year. Slytherin vs. Gryffindor." He said through a little warm smile remembering the challenge it had been.

"Twins? That is almost unbelievable luck, Mrs. Greingoth. Congratulations to you both!" He'd have to make the effort to leave this part out of 'Honey, how was your day?' conversation with Xana. With all of their friends seemingly expanding on their families, it was something of a hard time for he and the Mrs. "I love what you've done with the office, by the way. This is very comfortable and stylish. Mrs. Rose had that touch as well, albeit in a style all her own. Samantha, as she insisted I call her."

Surprised to find that the man seated across from her knew her daughter so well, Bella smiled and nodded in reply to his question. "Yes, she married Cale Newell---two weeks after her Hogwarts graduation, at that. I can't complain, though. I have her beat by three days," she said, blushing a little as she laughed. Apparently, marrying at the age of eighteen was starting to be a trend amongst the Greingoth women.

"Ahh, I see. Yes, she was hardworking and made excellent marks, but I'm afraid she's a bit like her father at times," she said. Leaning in a bit closer, Bella sort of whispered, "She didn't get her high level of bossiness from me." She leaned back again and stared down at the picture for a few seconds before talking again. "Alexander was a Slytherin, and I was a Gryffindor. We were almost certain Anna Bella would be a Slytherin, as well. She's very ambitious, but...I suppose the sorting hat had other plans for her."

She slowly nodded when Claudian congratulated her on the two sets of twins that were about to make their grand entrance into the Greingoth family. "Well, thank you, Claudian. Alexander and I are handling it a bit better than Cale and Anna, but I'm sure they'll come around in time," she replied. She glanced around her office, smiling at the comment Claudian had given her regarding its decoration. "Well you're just full of compliments, aren't you?" she asked. "What about your family? I do hope everyone is doing well."

Claudian chuckled at what Mrs. Greingoth whispered in. He recalled hearing something about lil Anna standing up to another student who'd been rude to her fellow classmates. Was that bossy? He kind of thought of it as more brave than anything. He himself probably would've settled for the passive 'plot and get the student expelled' thing.

"Three days? You mean you married your husband before Anna married her Cale?" Hearing this made him feel a twinge of badness for the length of time for which he'd made Xana wait. Five years was a long time to not be married in light of this. "Slytherin???" A look of mock-appall on his face as he shook his head and tsk'ed once or twice. "Mrs. Greingoth, don't you know those Slytherin gents are generally up to no good." He rhetorically asked, unsure if she would find it funny, but willing to chance that she would as she seemed like a spirited lady.

He gave a slow single nod. The young Newell couple would likely come around in due time. He found that remark curious and wanted to ask more about it, but found himself trying to curb his habit of direct mind to mouth commentary as he thought about her next question. "My family? Well, my wife is doing alright. We just bought a business. Slug 'N Jiggers on Diagon Alley, in fact. You should stop in, I can see about honouring a family discount for you and yours for your first visit." Hadn't Xana mentioned something about Anna going into potions? He thought he recalled.

The loose poltergist found her way to the undersecratary's office as she wandered about the ministry. She shrieked upon entering and looked around. She cackled when she saw quite a few good things to be thrown. She whooshed about the room sending loose papers flying and ripped up some random fashion magazines, throwing the shreds about like confetti. She knocked the puffapods out of the window throwing them around and cackling harder. She found beauty items and opened them before throwing the contents all around the room but stopped and squealed when she found a cosmetics bag . She immediately opened it and began playing with the lipstick , then started drawing on the walls. She tried every shade of lipstick and drew lines with some eyeliner. The eyeshadow and blush seemed to make nice paints too. She was quite happily doodling on the walls with the makeup like a child with fingerpaints.

Before replying to Claudian's first question, Bella reclined in her seat and studied a picture of her family. My how things had changed in the past few years. Her little girl was a married woman and a mother-to-be. There would be no empty nest for she and Alexander, though. The two little ones would be here before either knew it!

"Yes, three days. Alexander and I were married exactly one week and four days after our Hogwarts graduation. Cale and Anna were married two weeks after her Hogwarts graduation," she explained. Apparently, things of this sort ran in the family. She couldn't help but laugh out loud at the whole 'Slytherin gent' comment. "That's apparently another Greingoth tradition. My little girl just knew she'd grow up and marry a Slytherin. Cale threw her for a loop, though."

A smile widened across Bella's face as she listened to Claudian tell of his family and how they were doing. "Oh, that's great, Claudian! I'm happy to hear how well you and your wife are doing. A discount, you say? We'd been more than happy to take you up on---..." The thought was stopped short, though, when a sudden shriek startled the Senior Undersecretary, nearly causing her to fall from her chair.

"Merlin, Claudian!" she exclaimed, watching wide-eyed as the place was destroyed. She fumbled for her wand, but it was no use. By the time she could get her hands on it, she was a few lipsticks short of a make-up bag. "W---wait! That was my favorite shade! Oh---!" she called out, her face growing red with anger.