Demelza'a ears pricked up at this. If it was something concerning the department that she was newly working in, then she wanted to be up to scratch on everything.

"Sorry," Demelza said, turning to Chad and moving a black streak of hair out of her face, "I couldn't help but over hear...the centaurs are unhappy? Any idea what is taking the wand wood?"

Centaurs...one of the many creatures that had always fascinated Demelza. She remembered sneaking off into the forest when she was at Hogwarts, at every oppertunity she got. She liked them. Yes, they could be very dangerous, but they were proud, stong and powerful. Something most intreguing. Centaurs were, of course, very protective of their forests. Obviously they wouldnt be happy if someone was taking too much wand wood.


"Oh!" said Demelza, reolising that she hadnt introduced herself to the department head yet. "Im Demelza, by the way," She beamed widly at him and held out a pale hand for him to shake. "I was at the meeting, but i dont think we've met officially yet. I started a few days ago."

The pretty blond woman was introducing herself now. Pandora noticed that she was possibly about 20 and even more attractive close up. She shook hands with the woman and said "It's very nice to meet you. Forgive me for asking, I haven't worked here for very long, but what does your job entail?" Pandora felt that it was always best to know exactly who she was talking to.

Oh!

My, my. Weren't they rather popular today? Usually, Sarah wasn't able to get any of these guys to even look at her. It was probably a Chad thing. His charming looks and the fact that he was the boss, attracted everyone towards their direction.

"Hello Katalin. I'm Sarah Lee. The liaison for the Minister's Office," she said, shaking the woman's hand with a smile on her face.

Before responding to the woman, Sarah glanced over at her empty mug of coffee. Oh... so sad. She looked back over at Pandora and smiled as she shook her head. "Nice to meet you too. And it's okay. I wasn't quite sure what it was either, at first," Sarah said, chuckling at first and rolling her eyes as she stared up at the ceiling.

Her eyes returned to Pandora as she answered the woman's question. "But pretty much what I do is convey messages and status reports from this department to the Minister's Office. I inform her of all the events and missions that happen, so she's up to date," she said, smiling.

"Well I am going to Mrs Katalin Starr soon, I am getting married to my fiance" she smiled at the woman.

The young woman seemed... annoyed? Perhaps she had a hang up about her job, she didn't really seem to belong to either department. Seeking to clairfy, Pandora asked, "So, can I take it you liase with all departments then? Either way it sounds like a job that would take quite a lot of diplomacy." She smiled in a friendly way, hoping that the woman would take the compliment as it had been intended.




After several moments of being ignored by both of her colleagues, Pandora felt quiet irritated. She cleared her throat and said "Well, I really must be getting on, I'll just get a cup of coffee." She moved away from them and started to prepare her favourite drink, slamming her mug on to the worktop a little bit harder than she had intended, breaking it. Fabulous she thought darkly. She took her out her wand and repaired the mug.

Chad walked into the Break Room just as one of his employees slammed her mug down and broke it. Mon gosh, he blinked. And to think, HE was upset. After that...stupid Daily Prophet article, he needed a LARGE cup of coffee. He was worried. What would Reagan think of him now? Would she take this article to heart and suggest they stop doing things together? Gah. Why couldn't people just keep their nose to themself?

"Did someone forget to make a new batch of coffee after finishing the last," he joked lightly. He wasn't entirely sure if she was in a joking mood. He reached out for his own mug and some coffeee.

Pandora jumped when Mr Stryker spoke to her, dropping the mug that she had just repaired. It tinkled into pieces at her feet again. She flushed, not with embarrassment but with anger at herself. When exactly did I become clumsy? "Something like that sir."she replied darkly. He had told her before that he was a work with, not for kind of boss but she didn't extended that as far as using his first name, not just yet anyway.

She bent down and repaired the cup again, but noticed now that some of the chips out of the rim were missing. Her irritation flared and she threw the mug in the bin. She whirled her wand and a new purple mug stood on the worktop. She reached for the jar of honey that she had stashed at the back of a cupboard, waiting for Mr Stryker to finish with the coffee pot.

"So formal," he chuckled, pouring coffee into the mug. He couldn't figure out what it was, but there was something about people regarding him in such a formal fashion, that it bothered him. It could be the fact that maybe he just wasn't used to it.

"There you go," he smiled, stepping out of her way while he then proceeded to bring the cup up to his lips and take a deeep sip. Mmmm...he could feel his nerves being soothed instantly.

Pandora's brows contracted slightly. "I'm sorry, would you prefer me to address you differently?" Pandora had never been used to showing anything but deference to those who had responsibility or power over her, it felt unnatural to do anything else. Still, it seemed to bother him and the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel uncomfortable. She swept her long wavy hair over her shoulder.

She stepped towards the counter and poured a cup of coffee out for herself, reflecting that the gentlemanly thing would have been for him to at least offer to make it for her. She dismissed this thought, he was French and they clearly did things differently. She reached for a teaspoon and stirred a generous amount of honey into the black coffee. She took a sip. Ohh, that's good. "Did you change the type of coffee in here? This is better than it used to be." She gave him the smallest of smiles.

She looked across at her Department Head, chewing her lip. She wanted to go on the next mission to the Forbidden Forest. She felt like she had something to prove, both to herself and her colleagues. She was not some seventeen year old who was wet behind the ears, she was twenty nine years old. She had cared for an unstable werewolf for almost twenty of those years. She would not be defeated by a few broken ribs. She wanted to volunteer. There was quite a lot that she would like to say to her new Department Head but she suppressed the urge to just start talking and focused on her coffee.

Chad shrugged while an "I dunno," echoed into his already half-drunk cup of coffee. (Hey, it was GOOD coffee. Chad only had the best, of course.)

Finally pulling the mug away from his mouth he chuckled and had a look that clearly said GUILTY when she inquired about the coffee. "I did," he continued to chuckle, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. "My employees should only get the best coffee there is." With a small wink, he lifted the mug up to his lips and took another sip, watching her gently over the rim of his mug.

"Something on your mind," he asked, finally pulling it away again. "I am a really good listenerrr," he tempted.

I dunno? Hmm, he doesn't exactly sound comfortable. The corners of her mouth twitched mischievously. "How about Mr Stryker? Or Chad? My liege perhaps?" Her sense of humour would get her into trouble one day, but she doubted that this was it.

Pandora took another sip of coffee. "Well I have to say that it is a vast improvement on the coffee we used to have, so thanks." Had he just winked at her? Informal really was his style. That would take some getting used to.

A good listener? The last time a man had said that to Pandora, he had been flirting with her. Dismissing that thought, Pandora surveyed Mr Stryker over the rim of her mug. She chose her words carefully. "Lately I've felt invisible in the department. I would like to take a more active role but to be honest I might as well have applied for a job at the Daily Prophet for all the difference I feel like I'm making around here. I was attacked by the werewolf on the mission but I wasn't bitten, it just knocked me to the ground. I'm not infected. Maybe people know about my father. Not everyone likes werewolves, but he's gone now." Don't tell him that! She had said too much, she knew it.

"I'm sorry. You didn't really need to know that, although it is on my records." She took a deep breath. "I just want the prove that I'm capable of going on a mission without needing medical attention." She tried to smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace.

Chad laughed. "I like the my liege," he chuckled, clearly very amused by the statement. Usually, it was him making those kind of jokes, but not it appeared that the tables had turned. "No no, Chad will do," he finally smiled, finishing off his cup of coffee, then pouring himself another one. Oh yeah, it was THAT good.

Chad paused in his coffee consuming to listen to Pandora's story. Granted, she was right, it was a lot of stuff she didn't need to say (and it most likely WAS recorded in her file, he just hadn't gotten around to reading it), but regardless, he was impressed.

"If you want to come on the next mission, all you had to do was say," he smiled, resuming the coffee drinking. "I never believed you were incapable. In fact, I've heard nothing but good things about you," he smiled.

When her boss chuckled at her joke, Pandora actually cracked a smile. "Chad it is then." She said and raised her coffee cup as if to toast him. "So long as you call me Pandora. Miss Fortunea sounds like my maiden aunt."

She noticed that while she was speaking, he had stopped drinking his coffee. He was giving her his undivided attention. Well, she thought, he really does seem to be a good listener.

She topped up her coffee and added another dollop of honey. She took a sip. Strong, black and sweet. Perfect. She smiled again, slightly intoxicated by the scent and taste of her drink.

He didn't think he was incapable. Well, he shouldn't, capable was one way in which to describe Pandora. What she was capable of was up for debate. He had heard good things? Keeping her face as inscrutable as ever, she addressed the point "Would it unprofessional of me to ask what you've heard? Or who you've heard it from?" She kept her tone light but she really was curious.

He had made no reference to her father. She tried not to over analyse this but it wasn't easy. Santana had been upfront with his views, which had reassured her. She found not knowing people's opinions on that subject difficult, she found it difficult to trust them without knowing. She surveyed her new boss, trying to work him out.

Katalin walked into the break room, she was getting married in 2 weeks and 4 days. She got a new cup of coffee and looked at who was in the room.

Chad smiled and put an amused 'I'm SOO not telling' look on his face. "I...have my sources," he mused, grinning as he lifted the coffee cup back up to his lips, taking another sip.

Oh look, a change of subject! "'Allo, Mademoiselle Trigwell," he smiled as another one of his employees walked into the break room. "I just caught wind of your engagement. Congratulations, Mademoiselle!"

He continued to smile brightly as he soon found himself drinking a rather large amount of coffee at once. He was 35. Still single. Hadn't had a date in years. He was not going to lie, those stats were pretty depressing.

Pandora watched him answer with his look of 'I'm not telling' on her face and made a mental note to ask Violet if she had said anything. "Sources eh? I'll have to bare that in mind." She gave him a small smile that said 'I'll find out you know'.

She noticed that Katalin had entered the room and she smiled at her. "Yes, congratulations Katalin." She had heard the young woman twittering about this wedding before, but had never felt compelled to join the conversation. She was happy for the girl, she was. She just wasn't one of those people who could be overly enthused about weddings and the temptation to be sarcastic would be too great. She didn't want to insult Katalin, she had to work with the girl after all.

She noticed that although Chad was smiling rather broadly, his eyes seemed... sad? She watched him gulp rather more coffee than was necessary for a person on their second cup. Hmm, there was something there. Perhaps he had sacrificed his love life for his career, just as she had sacrificed having any kind of life for the sake of her father's health. Her usual inscrutible mask of indifference slipped at this thought. She scooped her hair off her face, brushing it over her shoulder and took a long drink from her own coffee cup.

"Thank you sir!" she smiled at her boss and then turned to Pandora "Thank you Pandora!" she smiled and then sipped her coffee.

Pandora smiled at Katalin. She was a sweet girl really. "I know it's not much, but I've got some nice biscuits stashed somewhere, can I tempt either of you? They're from Honeydukes."

"I have a very sweet tooth!" she nlaughed, she was glad that she had made a new friend and her wedding was soon.

Pandora stood up and started to sort out the biscuits, extracting them from her hiding place. She spread them out and turned to Chad and Katalin. "Another coffee? Or maybe a cup of tea?" She smiled genially.

"Another coffee please" she smiled at Pandora, "It is my wedding in 2 weeks and 4 days, you are all invited".

Chad studied his cup of coffee for a second with a decisive face. Another cup...or no? "I am afraid...that if I have another cup, I will never get any work done today."

...

"Another cup it is," he decided reaching for the coffee pot again. Wait, what was he invited to?

"I am invited to the wedding, Mademoiselle Trigwell?" It never hurt to clarify; it would save him his dignity. Or...what was left it, at least.

"Yes, me and my fiance are inviting most of the ministry" she smiled at Chad,"Samantha Rose is performing the wedding".

"Hmmmm." Chad sipped his newly topped cup of coffee thoughtfully. Had...Reagan been invited? Now there was a million dollar question. "Have you...invited the Minister," he asked, pretending to look indifferent about the question by taking a completely casual sip of coffee out of his beloved mug.

"I think my fiance has invited the minister!" she smiled, she sipped her coffee and hoped that J.J. had invited the minister.