Ludicrous Patents Office
 

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This division is the Ludicrous Patents Office. Just like the other division, the office is split into two: Patents Enforcement and Patents Enforcement Lab. One part of this room, the left side, is reserved for the Patents Enforcement employees. The tables in here are packed with application forms and documents. Three stacks of applications are labeled 'Approved', 'Disapproved', and 'In Process'. On the other hand, the right side of the room is like a small laboratory where the Research Lab employees work in inspecting and evaluating new inventions.

Brooke hurried into the office, adjusting her high heel as she did so. She found her cubicle and went to sit down- finally relaxing. It had been stressful enough already just finding this place. She looked around and smiled to herself- she had an actual job in the Ministry. Her Dad was so proud of her and she couldn't be happier about that. Picking up a quill, she bit her lip absent mindedly as she looked at the different posters around the room, wondering when she'd meet her fellow employees.

Brooke sat at her desk before going to pick out the green folder, she opened it up and took out all of the 'Approved' applications. She sorted them out neatly and carried them over to the nearby filing cabinet for the said 'Approved' applications.

Smoothing out her high waisted skirt, she wandered over to pick up the yellow folder of new applications. She hummed a little happy tune as she wandered back over to her desk to sort through them. Making sure the ones that had not been filled out properly or correctly were placed into the black folder. She set the correct ones that would definately need some more testing and inspections carried out and put them into the nearby red folder.

She pulled the black folder back over and carefully got out the incorrect applications- pulling out some Ministry parchment so that she could inform the applicants that they had incorrectly filled them out, she attached the incorrect forms with the letters and then went to have them posted out.

After a long journey of turned down interviews and jobs, he had finally gotten one. And he actually enjoyed his department. I mean, Xavier LOVED Sports. So this was the perfect department for him. Although he wasn't use to it, he'd be doing a job that he loved to do. So he got started on sorting the applications.

For awhile he noticed people were already approved in a green folder, so he put the "approved" applications in the Approved File Cabinet, and moved on. He noticed that some of the applications were done wrong, so he placed those in the black folder. He then saw one application that was a little strange, so he placed in the red folder, for the applicant to get inspected and tested to be officially approved.

Anthony Walked Into The Office In Which He was Hired To Be In And He saw another Person " Hi " He said . Was this the guy He was working with ?

" I'm Anthony Kane But You can Call Me Ant " Walking Over To The desk He Started To Move The Approved Files To The " Approved " Files Cabinet . " So , What's Your Name ? " He Asked . Hopefully This Dude Wasn't Going to Be Annoying . Anthony thought to himself

"Hey Ant, how are you? My name is Xavier Malcolm. Looks like we'll be seeing each other here at work often. So, tell me, where ya from? I grew up here in London. Been here my whole life." Jordan replied hoping that he could make friends with his co-workers at the Ministry.

" Nice To Meet You Xavier . " Ant said . " Oh Well The same Fer Me I Grew up here With my family . " He Remembered His childhood And how his Parents Hated His Jokes But He didn't Mention That . " So Uh ... Xavier ? Yeah Xavier Are you a new employee also ? " He asked curiously while still Sorting The accepted Applications

"Yes sir. Just got accepted this week. Glad to have a job with the ministry. How about you? Been here long?" Xavier asked.

" Nah I Just Got Hired Also . " Ant Said . " Well I Think We Better Get to work Filing These patent forms . " He said . After all What did they get hired to do . After Reviewing a few forms , Ant filed them into there correct file cabinets and went to review a couple more Before He was thinking about going on A Little Game room Break .

While Chris was working he looked over to see Rex, the boss. "Hello Boss. And not many suspicious patents yet. Not on my hand at least." He hoped everything was alright, seeing that nobody hardly ever came in to where he was working.

"Actually now that I think about the past one's, I have noticed a couple dark wizardry in their applications. But only a few." Jordan said being guilty making sure he got the truth out to Mr Vindictus.

"Can you find those patents for me?" Rex asked and took a sip of his coffee.

"Yes sir. I'm on it." Jordan replied to Mr Vindictus while searching for the two applications that had Dark Magic in the application.

After a few minutes of searching, he found the two that he was looking for and handed it over to Mr Vindictus. "Here you go, Mr. Vindictus." Jordan said while looking at Mr. Vindictus's expression, hoping everything was ok.

Rex took the papers. "Thank you, Xavier," he replied and began reading the applications. Everything looked fine until . . . .

"These are extensions for already existing patents that were due to expire."

He didn't say another word and he flipped to the final page where there was a list of items that would use the patents.

Sigh.

And people say that working in Patents is a boring job.

"Everyone - put your work to one side. We need to find the original patents for these," he announced and held the papers in the air. "They were approved six years ago for seemingly harmless gadgety-type objects - you know, the kind of cheap trinkets that kids love to buy. From what is in these applications, it appears that hexes and jinxes are used."

Rex gave the employees a stern look. "We don't have any time to waste - start looking. I'll be back in a moment to help you."

He quickly left the room.

Xavier was stunned by this news provided by Mr. Vindictus, his boss. Someone, in the Ludicrous Patents Office had approved two applications containning foolish childish rubbish in them, awhile back ago. This had Xavier worried, real worried. He began to feel his tummy rumble in anxiousness, he really needed to find and secure a way to calm down without overreacting or exploding. So he put all the applications that haven't been accepted nor denied, below his desk, under his chair by the lowest silver cabinet. He thought to himself, "I've got my work cut out for me, this time." Although, it really wasn't his fault, for accepting a patent including hexes and jinxes in the application. As Mr. Vindictus stated, they were approved six years ago, which meant, someone else in the Ministry had approved the patent.

While he was searching for the original patent form in the big stack of papers he had including other patents, he seemed as if time was going by very slow. He sighed, "Man, If only I could find this patent. Some slicky git, that is." He was looking and looking for a mere, thirty to thirty five minutes, maybe more, when he came to a stop. He had noticed something, rather lucky for him "Wait a minute......" He paused, and looked at the form. "This patent, has everything that was described in the previous patent application. Hexes, Jinxes and all." Xavier was relieved he had managed to find one of the original patents. Now all they had to do was find the other.

However, Mr. Vindictus had left the room for the time being. So he put the patent application, in a empty space. He managed to grab a sticky note and wrote, Wanted Patent. When Mr. Vindictus came back, he would report that he thinks he had found a direct match to the extension application that he found and discovered earlier. He was excited to see that he, had found one of them, the original patent forms. But, however, Xavier was still pretty anxious to find the other. But he knew if he didn't, surely someone would at the Ludicrous Patents Office would. As there were dozens of workers looking and trying to find the original patents.

A silvery golden retriver sprinted into the Patents Office from Armen Recard, the Department Head of Magical Transportation for whoever would be present.

"Hello Magical Games and Sports, I have an employee, Leo Black, who will be arriving shortly with a short list of new Broom features we need to be tested and then hopefully to recieve a patent for."

The dog evaporated.

Flicking through her notes Thalia looked up as she heard someone speaking, most likely to her. "Oh..." she was slightly startled but nevertheless quickly worked to recompose herself. "Yes, we just got that, Leo Black?" she asked, smiling. "Here for testing new features on brooms and then getting a patent for them right?" she continued, holding her hand out to shake his as she had the other crossed behind her back, hoping that she'd gotten all the details correct.

Leo nodded. "Yep, that's me." He shook her outstretched hand. She had him at a disadvantage. She knew his name, and he'd no idea of hers. He frowned slightly, but didn't bring it up. He was sure she would introduce herself in a moment. On the other hand, he sincerely hoped that he'd spoken to the proper person, because being redirected was always just a tad embarassing. Like the time he'd tried to speak to the person in charge at the Post Office, and had accidentally been speaking to the fill-in for that person being ill. "Am I in the right place?" There, avoid all confusion now, and make sure he was where he was supposed to be.

Thalia smiled at him, pretending not to notice the frown. "Yup, you're definitely in the right place. I'm Thalia Valdez by the way" she continued, grinning childishly. Perhaps it wasn't the best look when it was 'official business' but growing up the way she did she really couldn't have cared less, now that she'd definitely gotten the details right she wouldn't have to worry about anything so she immediately allowed herself to realax, had she mixed him up with someone else... well that would've been highly embarrassing!

"Great!" Thank Merlin he wasn't in the wrong place. That had the potential to be bad. Now what did she want him to do? Leo had never patented anything before, and wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do. Right now though, this silence was getting rather awkward. "What would you like me to do first?" He asked. "First" made it sound as if he did know what was going on, just not the order. It was much better than, "now what?"

Thalia was certain she saw a slight change in him, that he was slightly more relaxed but she left that thought in her mind, motioning for him to sit in the chair that was - at the moment - in front of her desk/cubical thing. Keeping herself from laughing she tried ignored the last thought, she didn't even know what they were. Sitting herself in her own chair, she moved ready to reach for an application. "Have you filled out one of the patent applications yet?"

Leo sat in the indicated chair, and waited for instructions. Then Thalia sat as well, and pulled out a paper. "Not yet," Leo replied, reaching for the paper, and pulling a black pen out of his jacket pocket. Thank Merlin she didn't seem to notice that he had no idea what he was doing.

Handing over the paper Thalia tried to remember everything, the sheet was straight forward enough wasn't it? Oh well... "Ok, basically just fill out all the questions, and if you're having problems..."she trailed off as she stood, walking over to one of the many posters that explained how to fill in the sheets she pulled it off, laying it on the table in front of him before sitting down again. "That will help you"