Blackstone glanced at the paper.

He looked up and noticed that they were still standing there. "Oh, yes, you can go now" he said, smiling. He leaned back in his chair. What were they standing there for?

That's right

"Thank you" Blackstone said. Mother had always taught him to say his 'Thank you's and 'Please's.

But they still stood there.

"Oh, would you like a cookie?" he asked, summoning a plate. That had to be what they were still waiting for.

hahaha. way to flip that one on us.
 

Ben was shocked and suprised when Blackstone looked up. What the- They were waiting on him to finally acknowledge them. "Um... No thanks." Ben said in regards to the cookie. Ben shook that awkward moment out and looked back at Blackstone. "Um, when will the interrogation take place?" Ben asked.

Haha, thanks.
 

Blackstone sat up in his chair. He picked up a cookie and pondered it. "Um... interrogation? When? I assume after the papers are served, right?" he offered. He knew it wouldn't suffice. "Um... Ok. Set a date, then. I'm keeping in contact with Covington. He's strangely cooperative, yet stubborn at the same time. He hasn't given an indication that he won't cooperate, but I'd keep an eye out."

Blackstone pulled out a quill and planner. "So... what days work for you?" he asked "You sure you don't want a cookie? Chunky chocolate chips." he asked again, raising an eyebrow. Suspicious. Who wouldn't want a cookie? Let alone a chunky chocolate chip cookie.

"Well, we could have the interrogation at any time. The sooner the better. With the warrant you could have him in right now in the holding cell." Ben watched Blackstone raise an eyebrow about the cookie. Obviously being suspicious about something. Ben raised one right back at him. "What days work for me? Every day. It's all about keeping the law, right?" Ben took a cookie. "Thanks." He said with a small smile. "The question is, when can your people get the guy in for an interrogation?"

Blackstone raised the other eyebrow. So now he took the cookie. Interesting. The chocolate chunks must have done it.

"I believe I can get him in at earliest convenience. I'm here to help you out in any way I can. He's already agreed to come along. But the trouble is, I'm not available every day. I have a pretty busy schedule this week. Are you available at 5:45 Tuesday morning?"

He took a cookie and observed it. This one only had 5 chocolate chunks. The one that.... Ben, that was it... the one that Ben took had 7. This was not fair. Blackstone sighed and pursed his lips. He fingered his pocket, and absentmindedly pulled out a small bottle.

"You believe that, Benjamin, that I'm here to help in any way I can?"

Alright, I'll play the cookie game. It's something Ben would do anyway.
 

Ben watched Blackstone make the connection between which cookie he took, and why he waited to take it. "We'll be at the interrogation," he said speaking for Aveira. It didn't matter whether or not she was free or not, she was going to be there.

"I believe you would help us out in one of our cases. But this is your case. We're here... To help you. Not the other way around." ben smirked and looked at Aveira who seemed to be watching. Ben quickly scanned the bottle Blackstone was holding. He couldn't tell what it was. Probably a medication of some sort.

The chocolate chunks.... this wasn't working. He could have all the interrogations he wanted, but how could he think straight if he knew that Benjamin got two more than him?

Blackstone absentmindedly squeezed a small amount of sanitizer from the bottle and paced it back in his pocket. He stared at the document, rubbing the his hands together, the faint scent of alcohol in the sanitizer barely distinguishable.

He let out a slow breath. "Of course you are, Benjamin. We're all in the ministry together, after all. You're with the MLES and Wizengamot, correct? I'm merely getting this case passed on to the courts."

"Now" he said, twirling his quill in his fingers, "The last thing I want to do is cause... Inconvenience, if you will. So if you and Ava- it's Ava, right? I must admit, I have a hard time remembering names. Particularly the names of people who nod and say 'Mhm' a lot. There are a lot of people like that in the world, they nod and don't speak up. Not very easy to get your opinion out there that way, is it? Of course you aren't one of those people, I hope." Blackstone paused, his voice cracking a little.

"If you and Ava would prefer another time, just let me know. Otherwise be there at 5:15 tomorrow morning. Actually, you had better make it 4:50. Just in case."

Varus walked in. He hated going in this office. But he had to enter in the paper by 5:00.
He nervously handed a paper to Blackstone, evidently interrupting some sort of meeting.
"Here you go, sir, I hope it's up to your standards."
The report, Varus knew, was a little insulting, but it was needed none the less.

Blackstone took the copy and set it down by the warrant. Resting his hand on top of them, he drummed his fingers on the desk. "Thank you, Mr. Armenius" Blackstone muttered. "I hope it is as well."

He eyed all three of them, standing expectantly, as if waiting for some other news, or a resolution. Blackstone wasn't just going to swish his wand and finish all the business right then and there. Did they think he'd solve their problems? That all the work would be finished, so they could go out and celebrate with a round of gillywaters? Or that he would conduct this whole thing on his own? Did Varus want a cookie, too? No, Blackstone wasn't going to make that mistake again. At least not without counting the chocolate chips. He already said 'Thank you' .... what did they want, a card? And what did Ava want? You can't nod your way out of everything, you know.... Blackstone sat, eyes darting from person to person.... why were they staring at him?

"No 'Thank You' cards" he muttered under his breath. Blackstone never liked them anyway. What next, the 'Your welcome' card?. "Is that all?" he asked, collectively. Not hostile, but rather suspicious.

Blackstone continued to let his fingers tap across the table, keeping in perfect rhythm with the song that was stuck in his head, 'All That Jazz'. He stopped abruptly, right before the finale. Was that an ink smudge on his finger. A trace of a frown could be seen lining his face.

Blackstone looked at his thumb intently, almost ignoring what the other people were saying. Ink... not even dry? Ava's voice, or 'Aveira's, that is, broke through.


Blackstone took a deep breath. "4:50? Or earlier? Hm.... I have some things to do... How about 3:30. 3:30 tomorrow morning is suitable, isn't it, Benjamin? We're all awake by then, eh? Don't you say so, Varus? And..."

"Aveira, then. A-v-e-i-r-a?" he asked. "Farewell to anger. If you break it up. Latin, that is" he continued. "Do you happen to speak Latin? Dead language, some say. Rident stolidi verba latinae. Lots of magicians spoke it... we still do today." He trailed off. Something about this person sounded irritated. What could it be? Cookies were seeming like an answer for everything... But to the business at hand.

"So. No objections? We'll get this moving along? If I don't mind, which I don't at the moment. You know, Aviera, I don't doubt your... speaking abilities, shall we say. Maybe if you didn't grit your teeth it'd be easier to understand. That's probably it."

He ceased his very helpful suggestion and returned his attention to the smudge. He took out the hand sanitizer again and rubbed a little more into his hand, frowning a little more slightly.

Warren walked into Blackstone's office with a frown. Why was it the man couldn't get anything done on his own? Why were his own employees telling him that he was putting things off? Seeing his employees in the room he nodded or them to get behind him or else leave and looked at Blackstone. "Now tell me...Blackstone..." he grabbed something on his desk and fiddled with it for a moment before looking at the man. "How hard is it to get off your cushy little chair and go get this man now? Or I send my more capable people for you..."

He was tired of how slow they were dragging their feet here. "You have your warrant...and I've heard you have told him so yes why not just let us give him time to get a move on and leave the country and out jurisdiction...bloody brilliant." He glared at the man and set the trinket back down on the desk. "I want it done today. Not tomorrow...and not the day after. If you don't want to sit in on the questioning because you have 'other things to do' then I'll have someone else do it. Today."

Turning around he looked at Aveira and Ben, "You two...with me. We need to discuss some things and put the bloody cookie down Mr. Amsten. This isn't tea time."

Hebrew, was it? Was she Jewish? Blackstone averted his attention from the ink stain on his thumb momentarily. "I'm sure you do, Ava-...iera, Aviera." he replied. "Other languages- always good. Too many people seem to use magic as a crutch so they don't have to learn other skills. Languages are good. But Latin... well, it's esoteric." he smiled. "Now see what I mean about those gritted teeth?" he continued, bringing the sanitizer out again. "Much easier to understand that way. And if you can be understood, you can assert yourself. Of course, unless you are so asserted that you are simply above everyone else. In that case you have done so well that no one can understand you again. Quite the conundrum, isn't it?" he continued.

"Sin, is it? Of course, I only took a guess from the Latin roots 'Ave' and 'Ira'. But Hebrew, now? Hmm. Now there's theology for you. Interesting stuff that isn't allowed to be talked about around the office, however. Rules and all. Pity, but so it is. Human nature is quite intriguing."

Was it Blackstone's imagination, or did Warren just appear at the sound of the sound of the word 'rules'? He leaned back as a fourth person joined his audience. Blackstone pulled the cookie plate closer to him, out of reach of the visitors.

Blackstone grabbed the trinket and took out the bottle of sanitizer. "If your people were so capable they wouldn't eat too many chocolate chunks... or not know how to speak Latin... or" he mumbled under his breath. He took out a cloth and wiped the trinket with sanitizer.

"No... no, that won't do. I have another appointment tonight. And a squash match. And tomorrow I fancy that I'll be calling in sick. I know little of divination, but the way you make yourself welcome to my things makes me wonder if I won't catch some ailment soon. Not unlikely considering.... things." he said, applying more sanitizer. "I can put it at 2:00. That's practically today. Just two hours into tomorrow. Of course I could cancel my appointment. It's really hard prioritizing, though. If you will... I suppose I could." he continued. Blackstone furrowed his brow. "Squash of course, cannot be missed" he noted to himself. "I'll be there"

"I don't think Covington will run. Or do anything to make it plain he's guilty. He'll try to beat the system, and judging by it's people, I can hardly blame him. Well, if that's it, then, off you go" he said, leaning back in his chair. He eyed each one of his spectators. The ink smudge... that could wait. Aviera... rather bitter... Benjamin... at least sensible enough to sit there and eat his cookie. Warren... well wasn't it just perfect of him to come in like this? He reclined in his chair, making more mental notes about these people. He could hardly wait to file his observations. He sighed.

"Oh, except you, Warren. One more thing" he said, pausing.

"You have to ask me nicely"

Blackstone grinned and continued. "You see, Warren, I can handle the hexes and the curses. I don't want money. Well, perhaps money. What I do want is for you to stand there and extend me some courtesy."

Did any of them watch muggle films?

Blackstone leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"You have to ask me nicely... Now I'll be there, within the hour."

He leaned back in his chair, turning a quill through his hand. He absentmindedly reached for his sanitizer.

Ben decided to let Aveira speak up for herself. He looked down at his cookie. He wasn't going to eat. Just not let Blackstone have it. When Warren came in Ben stood behind him... Mor like next to him. he put a smile on his face that said, These are things I just told you to Blackstone. After wat Blackstone said, Ben realized he would probably be a better choice as Division head than Blackstone. He looked at Warren to see what he would say before spinning Blackstone's cookie like a coin on Blackstone's desk in front of him.

Warren stopped mid footstep toward the door and spun around. Did he just...? His eyes boaring a hole into Blackstone he clenched his jaw and moved toward the desk again. "My people...don't need to know how to speak latin. I don't care what their diet is as long as they can stay with me if we were to run. And I doubt you could take my curses so no...I do not have to ask you NICELY to do your bloody job!"

He grabbed the mans sanitizer and pulled it out of reach so he would focus, "And for the record I'm fluent in German, Russian, Italian and French and I know I could run circles around you. So...today. Bring Covington in here today or you won't be sitting in this office tomorrow since squash is more important during work hours. And no...not at 2am...if I'm not home again tonight I'm going to send Alexa after you as the reason for breaking my promise."

Tossing the stupid bottle back to him, "One hour Blackstone. I'll be in the interrogation room in one hour. That's how long you have to bring him up here." Turning around he glanced at Ben before leaving the office, "You two...my office." He still couldn't believe the way Blackstone had spoken to him. He was nearly a foot taller and definitely bigger. And with his training....yeah well no one said the man was smart. He left the room and headed back toward his office. Bloody idiot.

Mental laugh.

That was awesome. Ben walked over to Warren who was by the door before turning to Blackstone and saluting him with two fingers. With a pivot, Ben turned and walked out the door, making sure Aveira was with him.

Blackstone's reactions were initially minimal. He sat back and smiled. "Languages... Diet? Did I say those things to you?" he asked. The smile vanished from his face when Warren took the bottle of sanitizer. This would not do. That was his personal bottle. He snatched it back as Warren set it down. How do you disinfect a disinfectant?

Blackstone tried to maintain his composure. "Well... well. It sounds like something is troubling you, Warren. Why are you so high-strung? It sounds like you're having marital troubles. Is something bothering you? Or perhaps you are naturally so.... irritable."

Blackstone took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He leaned back in his chair and resumed the smirk on his face. "I'm sure you are quite... talented. No need to assert that, eh? I'll be there. But don't you think for a moment you can come down here, flash a badge... and make me nervous."

Apparently they didn't watch muggle movies. Having had the last word, or so he though, Blackstone returned his attention to the sanitizer, putting a somewhat copious amount of it on his hands. Can't be too careful... especially with those types. Blackstone summoned up a host of lectures, rebuttals and other things he would have liked to say... But there was no need. Why explain his busy life... or the fact that they spoke latin every time they cast a spell? But much, it seems, was unspoken. By all four of them. Excepting Varus, whatever he was standing around for.

Herod, after visiting three other floors for advise, finally came into the second floor and over to the improper use of magic office. "Excuse me" he said, not caring about manners any longer. "I've been to three floors already. Is this the place where I can register to become an animargus?????" he asked, pleading for an answer, almost insane with frustration and exaustion.