This is the office of Department Head Antigone C. McArdle. Have a question about a current mission? Need some advice on how to complete a task? Just want to chit chat with her for a bit? Then knock on the door and wait to be let in.

Antigone keeps things simple and clean in her work space. You will only find a few keepsakes and her plants scattered about. Antigone likes things neat and precise.

If you need to see Ms. McArdle then knock on the door and she will see you momentarily.


OOC: Do not post entering the office without permission or clearing it with me OOC first. Thank you.

Chloe had heard there was a new department head in town and felt that introducing yourself to the people in charge was always the best thing you could do. She walked up to the office door, her heels click-clacking. Smoothing down her robes and fluffing her hair, she wondered what the new department head was like. She hadn't really been here long enough to know the old one. Chloe, however, was very good at first impressions and wasn't worried in the slightest about this new boss. She knocked on the door and then waited patiently to be permitted entrance with her hands folded primly in front of her.

Hearing a knock on her office door Antigone smiled to herself and called out, "Come in, please." She flicked her wand at the door, sending it swinging open. She stood up, walked around her desk and waited with a smile on her face. First visitor ... YAY!!

Chloe walked into the office with her usual confident, self-assured air. She smiled at the woman who was vacating her desk. Extending a hand, she said, "Hello! My name is Chloe Everhart, and I just wanted to stop by and introduce myself." The office was very organized and tidy. There was not a hint of clutter anywhere, much like Chloe's cubicle. A few pictures hung here and there, but there wasn't overabundance of decoration. It was just... tasteful. Chloe had a feeling she was going to get along with this woman very well.

Antigone shook the woman's hand, gripping it firmly and smiled tightly. After looking the girl over once her smile softened. "Hello, Chloe. I am Antigone McArdle. It was very good of you to come introduce yourself, it shows initiative. I like that in an employee," Antigone said and gave a stiff nod. Motioning to a chair behind another desk Antigone said, "Well, if you'd like to, pull up that chair and we can talk for a bit." She smiled and made her way back around her own desk and took a seat in front of her enchanted window.

Chloe smiled politely at Antigone's statement about initiative. That was something that Chloe had been taught by her parents her whole life; always be proactive. "I would love to join you!" Chloe said as she walked to the chair Antigone indicated. She sat down in the chair, crossing her legs at the ankles and folding her hands in her lap. She sat up straight, with perfect posture. Perfect posture made you look confident, educated, and respectable. At least that was what she had learned in France when she had spent her first years out of Hogwarts traveling. Seeing the world could teach a young woman a lot, and Chloe had come back mature beyond her years and ready to take on whatever challenges life through at her. Chloe just waited for Antigone to start the conversation as she was the on in the position in authority and had the most right to ask questions.

With a few flicks of her wand Antigone summoned Chloe's file from the cabinet and started to flip through it, reading up on the employee in front of her. She smiled as she read. Looking up at the woman she was pleased to see she was a proper lady. She asked her, "Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?"

Closing the file she appraised the woman and said, "So, I see that you are with the Examinations Authority. Very nice. How long have you been within the Ministry now?" She could flip back through the file and see for herself, but she would rather engage in conversation than flip through a file all day.

As Antigone flipped through Chloe's file, there wasn't a hint of unease in Chloe's brain. She knew there was nothing incriminating in those pages. She smiled and bowed her head slightly at Antigone's offer of refreshment. "Thank you, but no. I don't drink caffeinated beverages," Chloe explained. She was currently on this kick of believing that the human body was perfectly capable of providing its own energy if you eat the right food, exercise, and get enough sleep. Drinking caffeine, she had decided, made one's body dependent on outside sources for energy, and Chloe didn't want to depend on anything or anyone.

When Antigone looked back up and began the conversation, Chloe nodded politely. "Yes, the examinations authority, that's correct. I've just been here a couple of months." Though it feels like I have been here for much longer because I mostly sit at my desk with nothing to do.

Antigone simply smiled and nodded her head thoughtfully. She could dig that... no caffeine, no problem. "How about a bottle of water then," she suggested as she reached down and grabbed one from the mini fridge she had behind her desk. See, she gets in a zone sometimes and doesn't want to be bothered with getting up.

"Well, how are you liking it so far? Is there anything I can be of assistance with?" Antigone asked with a sincere curiosity. She was like SUPER new to the British Ministry herself. Having been employeed by Muggle schools and working briefly on Diagon Alley and within the Romanian Ministry she was equipped for the job, but every place was different and took some getting used to. It didn't hurt to have some friends to help you through it.

"A bottle of water would be lovely, thank you!" Chloe said, politely accepting the water she was being offered. It was pretty nifty that the boss had a minifridge under her desk. That must be incredible convenient! Chloe opened the bottle and took a sip before answering her boss's question. Surely anything she said wouldn't offend her as the way the office was currently run had nothing to do with her. "Well, if I'm honest, I feel like things run a bit... inefficiently. For instance, there's a man down the aisle from me who always seems to have a very heavy work load, but I spend most of my time struggling to find a way to continually contribute to the department." Chloe admitted truthfully. The work definitely needed to be redistributed in this department.

Antigone nodded politely as Chloe took the bottle of water and thanked her. Ah... now down to business! Antigone scooted up, placed her elbows on her desk and propped her chin up in her hands, waiting... Hmmm... "Well, I am always open to any ideas you all have. Do you think there is anything that could be done to fix this problem?" Antigone asked with a quirked eyebrow. She was tossing around some ideas but she was SUPER interested in what her employees had to say.

Chloe pondered this question for awhile, unsure of how she felt about the boss wanting her opinion on things. She didn't want to impose upon Antigone's authority, but the boss had asked for suggestions, so Chloe would oblige. If someone asks for your opinion, then they should be prepared for it. "Well, I think that if people were given specific tasks and areas to focus on, the work would be distributed much more efficiently. Right now, it's just whomever gets to it first is the one who does it. As hard as I try, I'm pretty low in the hierarchy here because I'm new, and because of that I'm not given very many opportunities." That was Chloe's honest answer. She was here to work and make a difference, and she wanted to be given an opportunity to do just that.

Antigone nodded thoughfully and rolled her head from one side to the other, pondering what her employee had just said. Stopping the neck rolling she looked right at her and said, "You are absolutely right. THings should be more orderly and efficient. As you can see from this office I am a no nonsense type of person. I will definitely look into this...erm... issue and get to work on it. Just bear with me, I just got here today" She threw in a dry laugh at the end to show her that she wasn't at all offended.

"I am very open to employee opinions, Chloe. Never be afraid to voice your opinion to me. If we all lack communication we will never work well together. I am going to be making a suggestion box, I believe. THat way if anyone is afraid to come to me themsleves, which they shouldn't be... but in case they are it will be there," Antigone said in a stern voice. She really did need to get her employees together for a bit of a chat and to tell them about their regime change in person. "Well, Chloe, it has been very lovely chatting with you, but I must get back to work. I will be seeing you soon though, I am sure. I will be making a point to come to each division and have a look around," she told her with a tight smile. Rising from her chair she walked around to the opposite side of the desk and toward the door.

Chloe felt relieved by everything the new boss had to see. She felt completely confident in Antigone's ability to run this department and ensure that it was working in tip-top shape. Recognizing that she was being dismissed, Chloe stood up and followed Antigone to the door. "Of course, of course. Wouldn't want to keep you from your work! Thank you for taking the time t see me!" she said with a smile, and with that, she left the office to return to her cubicle.

Erik knocked on the new department head's door. Maybe she'll have some work that needs to be done.

Antigone smiled warmly at Chloe and nodded her head. "Anytime dear, just come and see me," she told the woman with a wink. "And I will work on the things we discussed as well," she added as she made her way back to her desk.

Antigone let out a huff of air she didn't realize she had been holding as she plopped down in her chair. Ah! Another visitor! "Come in, please," Antigone called out as she put on her best smile for this new employee.

Erik walked into the office of the department head, and noticed someone else there. He gave her slight wave, and turned to the director.
"Hi, I'm Erik Depown," Erik said. "I have a small question to ask you."

Antigone smiled slightly and nodded her head. "Well, Eric Depown, I am Antigone McArdle," she said as she rose from her seat and extended a hand for him to shake, "What can I do for you today?" she continued.

Erik took the hand and gave a strong and promising hand shake. He released Antigone's hand and sat down in the chair in front of her desk. [B]"I work down in the Inspection office,"[B] he started, "and I was wondering what work do you have for us down there? It's very quiet and we really have nothing to do. And I'm lost on what the division does to benefit the overall department."

Oh my, she was barely settled in and had yet to make her rounds and this one was already asking for work... Yeesh... they MUST be bored around here. Returning his hearty handshake Antigone raised an eyebrow as the man took a seat before she was seated. Tisk, tisk.

After having made her way back around to her side of the desk, Antigone sat down and turned her gaze on the man. "Well, as you know, Mr. Depown, I just got in the office today and have not had much time to look into the workload. I will say that you can expect a change int eh way things are done around here. I will be delegating tasks to each of you, that way no one is left without work while others are overloaded. I will be making rounds this afternoon to assign workloads and introduce myself to all of the employees," she explained to the man. Folding her hands in her lap she tilted her head to one side and said, "Now to address your other question... The Inspection Office is responsible for seeing that our young witches and wizards are receiving the best education possible. I am thinking that we may need to take a trip to Hogwarts eventually and actually do some inspections. In light of the current events at the school I think it is necessary."

J.J. Starr knocked on the new deptartment heads door.

Erik listened to what Antigone was saying. She seemed like a good leader, and was glad that she was going to inforce some new rules and regulations. "That sounds great! I'll be sure to be patient."

Hearing another knock on her door Antigone smiled tightly and flicked her wand so as to open the door. "Come in, " she called to the man on the other side.

Antigone smiled at Erik and said, "Yes, please do be patient with me. I will be in contact with workloads as soon as I get the ball rolling today. So, you can look forward to a change in pace around here. Is there anything else I can help you with?" She rose from her desk and made her way back around, leaning on the desk and smiling.

"Uh, no.Thanks a lot!" As Erik was about to leave, he saw his boss coming in. "Hey, JJ."

" Hello, my name is Joe Jon montcenaggio, but everyone calls me J.J. Starr because of my extensive sports background" He introduced himself to the new department head. " I am the longest tenure you worker here" J.J. Starr told her. " You can count on me for anything" J.J. said to her. He managed a smile even though he thought he should nave been the dpartment head but he had been passed over again and again.