Vindictus didn't hear the knocking at first - he was wearing a pair of earplugs and was stretched out on his couch while reading the sports section of the Daily Prophet. Scandals, gossip, trade rumours, and disaster at the European Cup kept him entertained, and he could be heard laughing.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Now that he was finished reading the paper, he stretched and glanced at the clock in his office. Whatt????? I was reading for that long! He sat up and pulled the earplugs out of his ear.

There was definitely the sound of knocking and voices coming from the other side of his closed and locked office door. The earplugs were quickly thrown into his office desk drawer and he folded the newspaper neatly on his desk.

He walked over to the door and unlocked it. It creaked open and he stood there.

"Jacob, Ivory, Aaron and, uh, the Gryffindor girl - come on in!" Vindictus greeted them and held the door open.