"It matters to me because I wanted to know why. Why did I wake up in the morning with no one there. Why I had to go to the Ministry to answer questions about a man I hadn't even heard of. Why one night I was followed home. Why at the crack of dawn two UK Ministry Officials told me I had to go home." There. She'd said it, the reason why she wanted to know.

"No Warren, I wanted to know why you left. I couldn't care less about anything else. I loved you at the time, you were my whole world." She swallowed pushing back memories.
"Followed you? I spent months thinking the same thing. Thinking you'd woken up early for work. I spent 2 months in that blasted country waiting for you. Answering questions about things I didn't even understand." She sighed, all anger gone. She was helpless. She'd told him everything. She didn't even have excuses now, everything was out in the cold.

Warren sighed, he hadn't realized that she had been that affected by it. He had been so obsessed with protecting her from the people that were coming after him that he didn't realize that the ministry would have asked her questions. "I already told you. I left because bad people were after me. I didn't want you to know where I was in case they came asking questions. I'll admit that I was the one who followed you that night. I came back to make sure you were okay. I'll even admit that I was the one who told the U.K. Ministry what was going on. I did it all to protect you."

He felt horrible at what she had to go through, but how was he supposed to know. She never wrote. He didn't dare admit that he had stayed in Germany to give her space and time to get over him, lest the people were still after him. He also didn't admit that he had always been hopelessly in love with her since the after she saved him the second time in England.

The emotions were welling up in her eyes. She swallowed.
"You...you followed me that night?" She clasped her hand to her mouth.
"You told the ministry?" She blinked trying to understand, she hated politics.

"But Germany? England?" She said trying to understand.
"Thank you" She said finally. That was all she wanted, answers.
"So now what?" She said trying to find any recognition in his eyes.

Warren looked down at the ground, "Yes...I followed you that night and told the ministry. It wasn't safe for you there." Warren listened as she tried to make sense of it all and decided to come completely clean. "I...I wanted you to be happy. While I was in Germany I was trying to figure out who I had become. That was where I met Susan who kept me up to date on what was happening with you. You wouldn't have been happy with me...I wasn't the same person." He sighed and looked into her eyes. What now...? He thought hard and realized the best way to forget the past was to put it behind you. "How about we start over? You and me?" He swallowed as his heart beat rapidly waiting for her answer. He didn't know what he would do if she said no but he did know that things couldn't ever be 'normal' between them.

"That was you?" She said breathlessly, vivid feelings arose from the depths of her memory but she ploughed on.
"I was happy....with you. Susan kept you up to date?" Alexa remembered her long time friend.
He swallowed and said "How about we start over" and she had to think. She didn't think he loved her. But herself that was a different story.
"Yeah, I think we can be friends" She said expecting him to look happy that she hadn't wanted more. She was pretty sure that what had happened in Russia was behind them so why try and change the past. They were happy memories. Smiling she looked up at him.

OoC: So Susan finally comes into the story...

A large phoenix patronus flew towards Alexa and Warren.
"Meet me both of you in my office straight away!!!" Forrester voice said before the phoenix patronus disappeared.

Ooc: if ur going to go up to HQ u have to post first i posted last.

Grabbing Warren's hand, Alexa felt relief but a little disappointment. Taking the lift up she smiled at him and waited for Level 2.

Warren almost kicked himself when she said she had been happy with him. It's in the past now...get over it. "Yes, Susan told me everything that was happening." Well he hadn't really given her much of a choice on the matter at the time....

Warren's heart sank as she said that they could be friends. Though his disappointment didn't show on his face he knew it did in his eyes. He smiled rather forcefully and swallowed, "Umm...sure. Friends." He looked away at anything in sight except at her. He didn't think his will would stand up to her eyes.

Miley walked into the Atrium and sat down on the nearest bench.She pulled out her mirror and looked at herself.

James stepped off the lifts and crossed atrium withhis hands pushed intohis pockets. He grinned when he saw her looking at her self in a mirror. " that wont make you any prettier than you already are."

Miley looked up and saw James."Oh,hey James.What have you been up to?"She slid the mirror back into her pocket and smiled.

"Not much, it's still been kind of slow reallyi guess that means things are okay, or atlest no major problems that is." he said as he sat next to her.

"Ya,things have been going really really slow,"Miley said."So,did you enjoy the wedding?"

" james smiled. " I had a good time." he said what about you... did you have a good time with that... guy?" he honestly couldnt remember the guy's name.

"Jacob?Yes I did have a good time with him,but he's only a friend,"Miley said.

Richard span out of the fireplace and walked along the atrium with his brief case in his hand and brushing the soot off of his clothes with his other hand. He decided to get a daily prophet as he had missed the owl with his paper back home. It would be there when he got home but he needed a paper to pass some of the time at work.

" Oh I thought the two of you might have, been more." He said with a smile.

"Nope,"Miley said."Now,Cassie probably thinks we like each other."She shook her head."We're just friends and that's all we'll ever be."She looked down at her hands and then back at James."So,what have you been up to lately?"

" outside of work nothing really. I just got back into into town right before the wedding.

"I've been doing nothing either,"Miley said."Well,I have been getting ready for my brother's wedding,but that's about it."

" Congradulations to your brother." James said with a smile she really was pretty but so was her sister....

"Do you have any sibilings,James?"Miley asked.

" I do... talen he graduated hogwarts last year." james said.

"He must miss Hogwarts,"Miley said."I miss Hogwarts."She smiled.

James nodded " yeah I think he does I know I did." james said,

"I think everybody misses Hogwarts once they graduate,"Miley said.

Yeah. " Im sure there isalotmore thn just new graduatesmissing hogwarts this year though." james said.

"Oh,yeah.I heard about the Minister and his wife making two different school.A boy's and a girl's school.That's just not right,"Miley said.

Walking from the security section, Si and Edward headed toward the elevators. the peck on the cheek caught him off guard, but he grinned.

ooc: :( I've got to go.

ooc: bye :wave: :(

"Shall we go get some food then?" she suggested with a smile as they had reached the Atrium.

He looked down and smiled. "How about we head to the market? That way we can pick something out together."

"Sounds like a good plan." Siobhan replied excitedly as they went out of the Ministry of Magic.

And off they went into the cool evening air.

Miley walked into the atrium and took a seat on the nearest bench.The Atrium usually isn't this...empty.It was actually quiet...and peaceful.

Constantine stepped into the Atrium of the ministry. Oh heavens, this place is huge. It'll take me forever to find her! Oh man, he was so in over his head...where did Caleum say she worked again? He racked his brain for the answer as he pretended to fit in. He had a feeling if someone found out he was here instead of the school, then things wouldn't go over well.

"Magical Transportation," he mumbled to himself, silently as he suddenly remembered. "Alright...now what floor is that?" Oh man, this was going to be fun. Complete and total fun! He shook his head and headed towards the lifts that would take him to the floor.

Miley watched the man pass by her.He looked in a rush.Well,in the ministry everybody was in a rush.She pulled out a notepad from her pocket and started to doodle on it.She was in no rush to get back to work.Nope.No rush at all.

Jacob apparated into the Atrium as quietly and inconspicuously as was possible given that a loud pop accompanied his sudden appearance. A bit of his Earl Grey slopped out of its mug onto the floor. Jacob groaned. This was not what he needed right now; when he was running late an obstacle was not welcome. He sopped up the liquid with his wand before shoving it back in his upper robe pocket.

Hurried and a bit stressed, Jacob rushed from the Atrium over to the lifts. He had too much on his plate right now, between work, not having a Division head, and his niece in St. Mungos for an unidentified illness.

Miley almost fell off the bench when a loud pop! came out of nowhere.Gesh.It was so quiet.She looked around to see what it was.It was Jacob.He walked right past her.He seemed in a hurry,so she didn't go after him.

Warren walked down to the Atrium and sat on a bench looking out at the people who were in it. He sighed and put his head in his hands. What is going on? I never used to feel like this. He sat there thinking about what was going on between Alexa and him and sighed. Just admit it you git, you love her. Warren frowned thoughtfully, What's the point? She doesn't feel that way. You saw how she acted. He growled in frustration and stood up. He couldn't stay seated, and began pacing. Hoping a distraction would occur and take his mind off of this for awhile.

Miley pulled out a pad and a pen.She started drawing hearts on the paper.She still despised James for cheating on her with her twin.How could he?She heard somebody pacing and looked up to see a man walking back and forth."Um.Hello,"she said.

Warren made another turn and stopped as someone was talking to him. He turned around and saw a girl looking at him. He looked around just to make sure she was talking to him and turned back. "Uh...Hi." Not quite the distraction I thought. But it works. He smiled at the girl and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"Um.I don't think we've met.I'm Miley Carter,"Miley said."You can call me Miles."She smiled.

"I don't think we have either. I'm Warren Rodemiere," He said as he walked over to her. He took his hand from his pocket and held it out to her, "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you,too,"Miley said.she laid her notepad door and shook his hand."So,what division do you work at?Magical Education for me."

"I'm an Auror, well an Advanced Auror as of today," he said with a smile. "Magical Education, eh. What do you do there?"

ooc: I'll be back later tonight, sorry.

OOC-okay

"Auror?My identical twin is an auror.Do you know Cassie?"Miley said."All we do in Magical Education is work with the OWLs and NEWTs...it's sooooo boring."She smiled.

Warren looked at Miley, "Cassie? Oh, Cassandra. That's why you look familiar. I just left her upstairs actually. I was her intern." He stopped himself from saying anything else about his internship since he had disliked it so much. All those years of experience and I start as an intern! Warren smiled hiding his thoughts, "Sounds...boring." He laughed and gestured to the bench, "Do you mind if I sit down?"

Miley smiled and scooted over and put her notepad on her lap."Sure,you can sit down.I should have asked you if you wanted to sit earlier.How stupid of me.So,do you mid me asking why you were pacing a little bit ago?"

Warren smiled and sat down beside Miley. "It's alright. I usually stand for awhile so I barely notice anymore." He looked at her and swallowed and shook his head, "Thinking. Relationship issues...well lack of relationship issues." He laughed hollowly as his thoughts turned back toward Alexa. He pushed the thoughts out of his head, "Why are you sitting here alone..." he glanced at the notebook, "..doodling?"

"Relationship issues?"Miley said.She rolled her eyes."I had a relationship,but....nevermind."She looked down at her notebook and smiled."Yes,I'm doodling.Just little hearts."She opened her book to show him.

Warren grimaced, "Yea..so did I. Now I'm not sure if...well never mind." He glanced down at her notebook and smiled, "Not too bad. But why are you down here all alone?" He looked at her fully for the first time. She may have looked like Cassie but there was a distinct difference about her. "You know, usually I don't talk to people I don't know this much." He laughed and turned away, "Must be coming out of my shell."

"I just wanted to relax and the atrium was the only place I could think of.I really don't mind being alone.I like how it's quiet,"Miley said.She smiled."I talk to everybody that wants to talk to me."She looked at him."It's good that your coming out of your shell."

"Yea quiet..." Warren looked back at Miley, "Maybe that's my issue, no one usually wants to talk to me. Something about me looking intimidating." He pushed his blonde hair out of his eyes, I really need to get a haircut. "Yea, well I needed to get out of the office, was starting to feel claustrophobic with everyone in there." And Alexa... He sighed and looked around.

"You don't look intimidating.And,anyways,that's not an excuse for nobody to talk to you,"Miley said."Seriously,you are a really nice guy."She smiled.

Warren smiled at her, "Thanks." That was the first time in a long time that someone had said that, even Alexa didn't say that. He smiled at her again, "You're really nice too. Though, I don't usually mind it much, prefer the quiet you know. I can get work done that way and nobody tends to bother me if I'm working." He shifted in his seat, if there was one thing he liked about coming back to England it was the fact that the time that had passed seemed to help everyone forget who is father had been and who he had been. He was tired of people stopping him and saying, Oh there goes Warren Rodemiere the almost famous Quidditch player who's minister father disappeared. Warren sighed and fingered his scar along his eye unconsciously, what if I hadn't been attacked by that blighted bludger...

Miley noticed him touch a scar on his face."What happened?If you don't mind me asking."

Warren pulled himself from his thoughts before he lost himself in them. He looked at Miley and put down his hand self-consciously, "Oh." He cleared his throat, "Umm...I used to play Quidditch in my younger days. A...rogue...bludger hit me in the temple and made me fall off my broom. I never played again." Well that's the story in a nutshell at least. Never mind the fact that it was my father that had sent the bludger at me. He hoped that she didn't catch his slight hesitation there and smiled forcefully at her. "It's all in the past now." At least I hope.

"Oh,that must have hurt,"Miley said."The worst that has ever happened to me,is that I fell out of a tree."She laughed."But,it is all in the past.So,is there a lucky lady in your life?"

"Yea, I don't remember a lot of it though. I've got a lot more scars though." He pointed to his chest, "There is one here that I acquired after a delightful incident in Russia." At the mention of Russia Warren clenched his jaw slightly, When I left Alexa the second time... He looked at Miley and laughed, "Well my job does tend to lend itself to danger and since I've been doing it awhile it's not uncommon. I've got a few other scars from duels but those two are the more serious of them."

Warren thought her question over and swallowed. "Well...there was. It's, complicated, but it's over. She doesn't feel the same way." He swallowed and looked away the unfamiliar pain that he had felt earlier building in his chest. "I'm...I'm sorry. Can we talk about something else?"

"Wow,you do get hurt a lot.But,like you said,you job does involve dark magic,"Miley said.She listened to him talk about his love life."Sure,we can talk about something else.What would you like to talk about?"

Warren laughed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to come out that way. It's just...I'd rather not think about it right now if that's all right." He thought it over, "Is there anyone special in you're life?"

"There was.He's name was James Randall,but....he's was cheating on me with...with Cassie,"Miley said.She looked down at the floor and then back at Warren."He got what he deserved and I moved on.So,as of now,there isn't anybody special."

Warren's eyes widened, Cassie? She didn't seem the type... Then Warren frowned he couldn't stand guys who cheated on their girlfriends, "Well, it looks like we're in a similar boat, albeit with different circumstances." He swallowed and looked at the floor, "Mine was Alexa Black, she's an Auror as well. And I was just given a huge reality check in the office, it's why I came down here." He glanced at Miley, "I'm real sorry about your ex. I hate guys like that."

"Alexa Black?Hm.Never heard that name before,"Miley said."I'm sorry.I guess we are on the same boat."She gave him a slight smile."So,how long have you been working here?"

Warren mentally relaxed as the conversation turned toward work. "Well, I started back here a few months ago. I've actually worked here before and then some..issues arose and I went to work in Russia and Germany. It's been...oh twenty years since I first became an Auror." Warren laughed, "I look young for my age. Or so I've been told."

"Twenty years?Wow.That's a long time,"Miley said."I've been working here since I finished school.Seems just like eysterday since I finished Hogwarts."

Warren smiled, "Yea, it's a long time. Seems like too long at times." He looked at Miley and smiled, "Do you...would you like to grab a cup of coffee?"

"Coffee?I'd love to grab a cup of coffee,"Miley said.

"Great." Warren stood up and held his arm out to her. "Well shall we? I hear this cafeteria makes...well, decent coffee."

"Sure,"Miley said.She took Warren's hand and stood up."To the Cafeteria it is."

Clay Killian entered the Atrium and looked around, wincing. So this was the Ministry of Magic. He sighed. Looked like an overstuffed toybox that had the Minister's face everywhere. He made a disgusted face, but headed to wherever it was that he had to go.

He looked at his slip of paper. Where was that again? Oh. That's right, Level 1, the Conference room. Clay sighed and headed to that place. He kept looking at the paper, wondering how on earth he was supposed to get around in this place. Wasn't there a place where he could just Floo to his floor? Ugh.

Sighing, Clay headed to the lifts and boarded one of them, heading straight for the Conference room on Level One.

Annamaria now walked through the Atrium, watching all the others bustling about her, all busy with their own work. She smiled widely; Soon she would be like them, someone with an important role to play that would make a difference in the wizarding world. She readjusted her lovingly worn brown satchel on her shoulder and moved on, taking out the note she had been given. " Level one it is, " She said to herself, folding the note into quarters before slipping it back into the outer pocket on her bag.

Adam calmly made his way through the almost empty Atrium, reading the Quibbler as he went. Adam might be a rational man, but, that didn't mean he didn't enjoy reading the Quibbler. Infact that was the only paper Adam read aside from a few music magazines he subsribed to.

As the former Ravenclaw walked he stopped for a moment and looked up from his paper to view his surroundings. Adam quickly held back a small gasp that had attempted to escape his lips, The Atrium was much bigger and grander then he had imagined it would be. for half of a second Adam felt cowed by his new job, strangely it was the job Adam had always hoped for.

To be an Unspeakable, working in the Department of Mysteries... In Adam's mind it was the greatest of honors, to be trusted to keep his word and to unravel such tantalising secrets.

But, suddenly Adam felt unsure of himself, did he have it in him to do what needed to be done? He shook his head and decided that those thoughts were best left alone. Adam strightened out his posture and confidently walked to the lifts.

As dan arjay was to start the day, sort of, he walked outside the offices and went thru to the atrium. He had been here several times now but this is the first time he admired the beauty of it. he looked up and circled around as if a child on his first trip to the Ministry.

He held from his back a copy of a muggle newspaper he grabbed from home as he looked for some place to continue scribling letter on the crossword. He sat near the fountain and looked around to see if there is someone he knew around.

Miko walked into the atrium, his dark eyes lit up as he saw it. "Woah," he muttered under his breath. Walking over to the fountain, he sat down and pulled out the Daily Prophet of his briefcase. He raised a hand to the guy he was sitting next to, then he opened it up and began to read.

"hey, how was everyday living?" Dan asked miko still scribbling on his muggle newspaper. "Where were you assigned here?" He added and he looked to Miko as if waiting for a very long answer.

"S'good," Miko said, with a small smile. "I was assigned to the Magical Games and Sports department, in the Gobstones Division," he said, turning a page. "I'm Miko, by the way," he said, looking up. "And what about you? Where were you assigned?"

"I am assigned to the Magical Maintenance Department. I am Jay. So what's new from the Prophet?" Asked Dan starting to get annoyed with the Muggle paper.

"Nice to meet you Jay," Miko said, looking back at his newspaper. "Not much, I'm afraid, apart from it was the famous Hermione Granger's birthday a couple of days ago," Miko said, examining the newspaper. "What about in the muggle world? Any exciting news in there?"

"Nothing much either. I only got the entertainment section to fill in this crossword from our neighbor." Dan said. "But it is irritatingly hard to say the least." "So what can we expect from the Games this year?"

"Well, i'm helping in the organisation of the next Gobstones Tournament. I have to find out what went well in last years tournement then tell, Liam, my head of Division,"

"what can i say, i hope this year will be muchbetter than the last... If there's anything we can do, dont hesitate to ask..." said dan with a smile in his face

Jake stepped out of the fireplace in the Ministry Atrium. "Wow," he breathed. He couldn't believe he would be working here! All those times his father had taken him here, he was never very excited, but now... Jake looked up at the fountain, searching his pocket for any loose change he might toss in, wondering how his first day would go in his new job.

Jessica enters the atrium, where she was about to do her first job. She knew that she was [paid to clean up but these people made too much mess. She walks over to the walls, and sees a kind of brown gooey stuff at some corners of the walls. She walks over to them and uses a strong solution to get rid of it. Later, she walks over to the fountain and polishes it from top to bottom. When she was satisfied enough with the job she had done she goes to the store room: puts everything away and walks to the visitor's entrance.

for my stalker/stalkee *shifty*
 

Where a tired expression had previously been, a cheerful and bright one was soon replaced on the mug of Teal Andrus. Lorraine had finally made her way out of the lifts and Teal grinned; she was looking exceptional tonight. His dark red robes seemed to look nice next to her mahogany ones, and she had obviously had a long day as well.

Right as she walked up, she asked about the new fatherhood thing: something that was still pretty scary to Teal. Giving her a wry smile, Teal almost shrugged. “Am I ready?” He repeated, with a grin. “I don’t think so, but I’m dealing with it.” He said with a confident nod. “I just don’t know what his reaction is going to be, he refused to talk to me when I called into his Grandparents last week. Not a good sign.” Teal finished with a wink, but that was something that they didn’t have to worry about for at least another two hours. Right now, the only thing he wanted on his mind was Lorraine, and buying her a drink because she WASN’T going to get away with buying her own like she ALWAYS did.

Keen to change the subject, Teal looked to her robes and back to her. “You look nice.” He said with definite nod, then taking a quick look at his watch. “You ready to head out?” he asked with a smile, he was more than ready to apparate over to the Leaky.

The reassurance was nice coming from Lorraine. If he truly wasn’t ready for this whole parenthood, then she wouldn’t blatantly lie to his face that he would be great. “We’ll see.” He said as a small grin creeped to the side of his mouth. Teal nodded as she reminded him that she wanted to stay with him to meet little Cy. “If you insist.” He said cheerily, “And a miniature Teal? I don’t know how I would handle that.” He said laughing, he remembered good and well that he was quite the little troublemaker when he was a kid.

Teal warmed up as he saw her flush, and warmed up that much more when she returned the compliment. “Thanks.” He said with a small nod of the head and a charming smile. It looked like it was finally time to head out the Ministry, so right as Lorraine said ‘after you’ Teal nodded. “Alright then.” He explained, perking his eyebrows and smiling wryly as he turned on his heel, apparating to the Leaky Cauldron.

Nathan got out the lifts on level eight, resisting the urge to start fidgeting and pulling at his robes. He was supposed to be looking professional here. What if one of the foreign Minister's wandered along here and found Nathan scratching away at himself? Even Nate had enough dignity to know that that would be embarrassing.

He looked behind him to make sure Apha was following and glanced around. Everything seemed to look fine on first impressions. Egypt must have had the maintenance team working round the clock by the looks of how spotless things were. Not a thing was out of place. The floor was so shiny he could see his reflection in it, giving him an unwanted glimpse of the robes Nicoli had made them wear. He winced slightly and looked away. At least his hair looked good. That was one thing to be thankful for.

He walked casually along the corridor to the atrium to have a scout around there and then on to the other public areas on level eight. He then did a quick sweep of the offices and private areas... you just couldn't be too careful. After the disaster outside Gringotts he wanted to get this right.

Eventually he was completely satisfied that the coast was clear and nothing seemed to be suspicious in any way shape or form. He looked at Apha. “I reckon that's it then” he said with a shrug.

He summoned some parchment and a quill and started to write a quick note in his scratchy spidery scrawl to the contact Nicoli had given them. He waved his wand and watched his memo fly towards the lifts hopefully on it's way to level Ten to this Cambell woman. They could relax now until they received further instructions from the boss.

It is DAn's break so he decide to go around the atrium... it is a typical day at the Ministry many witches and wizards are hurriedly walking past him. The fireplaces are busy with wizards and witches transporting via the Floo network. He sigh and headed toward the cafeteria.

As Apha stepped out of the lifts just a few steps behind Nathan, she cast a quick glance around her, one hand in the pocket of her robes clutched tightly at her wand just in case. The fabric bothered her ever so slightly - she was much more used to blouses and jeans - but she managed to keep herself from showing her irritation.

Her second glance was much slower, taking in much more detail. As much as she was tempted to admire the cleaning staff's work, she ignored it in favour of checking for anything out of place. Her second inspection revealed nothing she could easily spot.

From the corner of her eye she noted Nathan wander around to inspect the other nearby areas as she bit her tongue, casting a quick, small-area proximity spell. She didn't think anyone other than Nathan and herself was around, but it never hurt to make sure. She couldn't try it in the offices; who knew how many employees she'd pick up if she tried?

Satisfied with the results, she relaxed and nodded as Nathan returned from his scouting. Brushing a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear, she watched as the memo that had been written made its way - hopefully - towards Cambell.

Yoshi Ishikawa, Minister of Magic for Japan followed the tour guide from the lift and smiled at her briefly before glancing around curiously. Finally things were underway. He had made up his mind to look ultra closely since he was sure they'd have hidden away the things he really wanted to see. He smiled at the tour guide again and waited patiently for her to begin.

Rebecca stayed closely behind the Chinese minister and searched the floors and walls for any marks or things

Kaylee stepped off the lifts and followed the rest into the Atrium and she looked around with a bored expression on her face. Well what was so good about this place? Weren't they here for business? She wanted to get the Australian affairs sorted quickly and then return home she had a BBQ she wanted to finish.

As the lift door opened, Alexa stepped out waiting for the Minister to follow. She smiled politely, holding the door while he moved out. She scanned the hall, the crowded atrium filled with many ministers as well as officials. She bit her lip, wondering silently if this would be a long affair, it seemed the actual meeting hadn't even started. She smirked and rolled her eyes inwardly. Typical... She looked back at her shoes, sighing as she realised they weren't the most comfortable things. Looking up, she smiled at the Minister of Magic, "Would you like a refreshment?" She asked apologetically, realising she hadn't been a great host.