Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomasina Riddle

She looked at Nathan, she didn't mean to upset him. "I'm sorry Nathan." She gave him a smile. She shook all of the mud out of her hair. Her blue sundress was soaking wet as well, but it wasn't as oppressive as her wet robes had been. "Ok we should split up and search all the levels." She announced since they weren't going to get any help anytime soon.

“That’s alright love.” He replied and returned her smile. “Oh, no. You’re not going anywhere on your own.” He told her. “Who knows what those elves have got up their sleeve.” Or lack of sleeves, being elves and all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomasina Riddle

Egypt pulled herself up to her full height, which wasn't much seeing as how she was barely 5 feet tall. Boy did she need to work that stretching charm. She rarely got upset but she was really mad right now. This witch was yelling at her. She glared daggers at the witch, but she bite back a retort. It wasn't about her righteous anger right now. They needed to find the children and get this thing under wraps.

Nathan gulped. Egypt could be scary when she wanted to be and, frankly, there was nothing worse than two bickering women. He would rather be locked alone in a room with these michevious elves… or worse, Angelina, than be anywhere near these two if a fight broke out. He took another step backwards just in case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomasina Riddle

"I sent a patronous to level two." Egypt looked around and no one was coming to help she wasn't sure what else she could do at this point.

He frowned. The Law department may be rushed off their feet, but there was no excuse for not responding immediately over this. “Perhaps we should alert security too.” He suggested.

Lola ran her hands through her hair and shook her hair out. "That's a great idea, Egypt." she smiled, trying to be friendly. Now was not the time to pick a fight, might as well make nice. "I'm sorry if I was rude before, I meant no ill will," she apologized, extending her hand.

Reaching into her robes, she found a spare piece of parchment and a small pencil, a muggle writing tool her mother gave her after a trip overseas. She began to write down all the levels in the ministry. "There are ten levels, but since we've already covered Level 8, we've got nine levels left. So, that's three each." she explained, dusting off space on the edge of the fountain, then laying the parchment and pencil there. "Any preferences?" she asked.

Lola felt badly that Nathan was in the middle of her minor dispute. She laughed off his reaction. "You don't have to back away, we don't bite... Well at least I don't," she chuckled, smiling.

She wiped off another area on the edge of the fountain, sitting down. Her high heels were much more painful than she originally thought. She slipped her feet out of the shoes, and nervously nudged the heels. "I think it's a good idea to alert security, all this happened on their watch, or lack thereof," she said, bitter that this could happen. Then, realizing her irritable tone, added, "But I don't know what could have been done anyway."

"Why Lord Greenwood is that chivalry I hear in your voice?" She asked him with amusement in her voice. "Nathan I am more than capable of protecting myself. Need I remind you of the Raven's Claw." she said giving him a small smile. "But I love you for caring." She looked over at the Security desk and no one was there.

"Where in the bloody hell is everyone?" She said aloud looking at Nathan and Lola. No one was doing anything but the three of them. "Are we the only ones at work today?"

She shook the girl's hand and her face relaxed. She hadn't meant to get upset. "I am sorry too, please forgive me." This was not the time of the place to start arguing for elf rights. She looked down at the crude drawing that Lola did. She looked at the funny thing she wrote the note down on. She wanted to ask her about it, but that could wait till later. "Oh um I can take the upper levels. I don't fancy being down in the lower levels." The Department of Mysteries scared her to no end and so did the creep witches and wizards that worked down there. "One, two and three." She said making sure that was ok with Lola and Nathan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by maritoy

Lola felt badly that Nathan was in the middle of her minor dispute. She laughed off his reaction. "You don't have to back away, we don't bite... Well at least I don't," she chuckled, smiling.

She wiped off another area on the edge of the fountain, sitting down. Her high heels were much more painful than she originally thought. She slipped her feet out of the shoes, and nervously nudged the heels. "I think it's a good idea to alert security, all this happened on their watch, or lack thereof," she said, bitter that this could happen. Then, realizing her irritable tone, added, "But I don't know what could have been done anyway."

Nathan smiled sheepishly. He thought his little getaway had been subtle. “That’s good to hear.” He replied. “But Egypt here has a good of teeth on her.” He smirked at Egypt… and then backed away a little further. She may very well, bite.

“I’ll go and have a word with security.” He said. “Really you would think they would have more security on this level than any other.” He shook his head – this was the main entrance to all levels within the Ministry and security were based here! He was beginning to think that the rumour was true that they spent their days sleeping and eating doughnuts. “Unbelievable.” He said under his breath.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomasina Riddle

"Why Lord Greenwood is that chivalry I hear in your voice?" She asked him with amusement in her voice. "Nathan I am more than capable of protecting myself. Need I remind you of the Raven's Claw." she said giving him a small smile. "But I love you for caring." She looked over at the Security desk and no one was there.

"Where in the bloody hell is everyone?" She said aloud looking at Nathan and Lola. No one was doing anything but the three of them. "Are we the only ones at work today?"

“You sound surprised.” He said raising an eyebrow. “A Lord will always defend his Lady.” He smirked. “The Raven's Claw? How could I forget.” He said bittely. Being beaten unconscious by a group of muggles was not likely to be forgotten easily. But it was a good job Egypt had been there to save him... Or was it? It would never have happened in the first place if it hadn't been for Egypt and her obvious charms. “But that was different. These aren’t muggles we’re dealing with here."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomasina Riddle

She shook the girl's hand and her face relaxed. She hadn't meant to get upset. "I am sorry too, please forgive me." This was not the time of the place to start arguing for elf rights. She looked down at the crude drawing that Lola did. She looked at the funny thing she wrote the note down on. She wanted to ask her about it, but that could wait till later. "Oh um I can take the upper levels. I don't fancy being down in the lower levels." The Department of Mysteries scared her to no end and so did the creep witches and wizards that worked down there. "One, two and three." She said making sure that was ok with Lola and Nathan.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the women’s little tiff didn’t develop into anything bigger. They shook hands and he smiled. “Good.” He said out loud.

“Alright.” He agreed to Egypt taking the upper levels. They seemed the safest. “I’ll take seven, nine and ten.” He told the women. “And I’ll speak to security while I’m at it. Could you give the Law department a kick up the bum while you’re on level two please, love?” he asked Egypt. He looked over at Lola. “You happy to take the other three levels?” he asked her. “If either one of you needs assistance. Send a patronus.” He told them. “And I’ll be there immediately.” He hated letting these two go off on their own, but it seemed they had no choice what with being the only people in the Ministry doing anything.

He brushed his wet hair out of his face again and dried his hand on his jeans. He pointed his wand at himself and dried himself off. He looked over at Angelina. Was the young woman in shock? She was being completley silent - that had to be a first. "You can come with me if you want, love." he offered... not likely that she would want to. She may just want to get back to the safety of the Minister's office.

She smirked at his teeth remark, her bark was a lot worse than her bite she was sure. She had never been in a fight a day in her life. But she was sure she could stand her ground if the time every came to it. "I know love I will be careful. I promise" She looked at him, she had embarrassed him about the whole Raven's Claw thing. She didn't mean to do that.

She was glad that he offered to take the lower levels. "Yes I will have a word with someone on Level two," she said darkly drying herself off with her wand also. She didn't want to drip all over the place searching for those elves. "Ok, lets get going." She had a determined look on her face and headed off toward the lifts. "Coming?" she looked back with a smirk on her face.

“You better be.” He said kissing the top of her head.

“Thanks, love.” He replied. “I’ll follow. I’m going to have a word with security first. See if we can get some assistance with our search. Good luck.” He said to the two women before heading in the direction of the security desk.

"Ok, I will." She said smiling at the gently kiss, and stepping into the lifts heading up to level three. "You be careful too!" She shouted before the lifts doors closed.

Lola looked around, the area was deserted, save for the three of them. "It's weird, you would think that this place would be crawling with Aurors. This is a huge security breach!" Lola said. And really, where are the elves to clean this place. she thought to herself. She prevented herself from saying it aloud, knowing that Egypt would go berserk. Egypt indicated she would take Levels 1, 2, and 3. Lola nodded her head in agreement, she had no problems with that. "That's fine, I'm not too keen on the lower levels either, but whatever Nathan chooses, I'll do the rest."

Lola looked around again. "At the least security should be here. This is ridiculous!" she said, exasperated. The three of them were left to deal with this on their own. Nathan looked much more relaxed now that Egypt and her had settled their differences. It really wasn't the time to pick a fight at all.

She let out a sigh of relief when Nathan picked the lowest levels. She, like Egypt, did not want to head down there alone. "So I'll take 4, 5, and 6 then. Perfect" Lola pulled her wand out. "Patronus if I need you, got it. But I can handle myself well enough. "

She stood up from her seat on the fountain and put on her shoes, which were filthy inside and out. When she got in the lift she must clean them a bit. She carefully stepping through the muck on the ground and walked with Egypt towards the lifts. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she walked faster to catch up with Egypt. She was a little afraid, but she kept reminding herself, They're just elves. They are just mad, little House-elves.

Lola turned back towards Nathan. "That's a brilliant idea, Nathan. Get help!" she said loudly, then proceeded to the lifts.

In the distance, three new house elves suddenly apparated into the atrium. They looked around, surveying the damage with wide eyes. One of them-- a female house elf dressed in the same Ministry tea towels that all house elves at the Ministry wore-- giggled.

She stepped forward and clapped his hands. In an instant, she cast a spell to start filling the atrium up with soap foam; happy that her elf magic would not be easy for wizards to stop! It bubbled up from the basin of the Magic is Might fountain, covering the slippery marble floors and the mud with soap foam as much as four feet deep. "House elves is expected to be keeping our masters tidy. Moily is making them sooooooo clean." She giggled, nodding at the wizards in the distance. The house elves looked at each other and laughed.

Egypt saw the house elves and what they were doing. She pushed open the doors to the lifts and started to run across the Atrium. They didn't have the children, but she had to do her job as a Ministry witch.

She pointed her wand at the female that was giggling. "Stupfy!" She shouted, she didn't want to do it, but they had to stop this before if got too out of hand.

Lola had made it all the way to the lifts when she heard a *crack*, and several House-elves appeared. At first she assumed they were here to clean up the mess, one of them wore Ministry scraps, but then the entire fountain and floors became covered in soapy foam. Lola slipped off her shoes and ran to the fountain. Egypt shot a stunning spell at the elves, and she decided to follow suit. "Stupefy! Stupefy" she shouted, red beams shooting out of her wand.

The elves saw the wizards drawing their wands and glanced at each other; they had been around wizards long enough to know what was coming. The tallest waggled his fingers, waving goodbye. Red sparks bounced off the wall that was behind them, as the spells missed them. In unison, they had disapparated from the room.

Egypt gritted her teeth. Elves were a lot tricker than she gave them credit for. She watched the spells bounce off the wall. She had no idea where they had went. They were going to get themselves killed by someone who wouldn't hesitate to use deadly force. Egypt just wanted to stop it from getting to that point.

"Oh for Merlin's sake!" She shouted at the bubbles and suds she had slipped in and all most lost her balance.

Her eyes widened with horror. "Did you see that?!" she shouted to Egypt. "They're toying with us!". She felt herself getting very angry. "I didn't see any children, did you?" Lola waded through the mess, back and forth. "I think we should go back to our plan. It doesn't appear like the elves will bring the kids back here, anyway. You can stay here if you want."

She raised her wand and headed back to the lifts. She tripped over something on the floor, under the meters of suds. She picked herself up and the mysterious object. It was one of her heels she kicked off to race back to the fountain. She tossed it off to the side and continued. She couldn't believe all this was happening.

"They aren't taking this serious." She said. "That is not a good sign, we have don't know what they are going to do when they start taking this serious." She bent down and wiped a clump of dirt off her leg, which sent a shower of bubbles into the air. This was a complete mess, and no one seemed to doing anything about it. She headed back over to the lifts to go ahead with their plan.

"Only stun them for right now. They are only creating mischief, if they push you restrain them and call for me or Nathan." she told Lola.

She turned around and solemnly nodded. She was a little intimidated to take on these elves by herself. She always knew that elf magic was somewhat powerful, but they had always used it to serve wizards, she was never threatened by it before. This was new, and she didn't like it.

Egypt looked over at Lola, she was scared and Egypt was too. This magic they were about to go up against was foreign and there was no telling how far the elves were prepared to go. "Chin up Lola." She told the witch. "Lets go."

Lorraine heard Theo thundering after her, but didn't bother to look back. Not until she reached the fountain anyway. Finally standing in front of the infamous and majestic "Magic is Might" fountain, she turned to address him, her face was fuming.

"My work gives me more happiness than I've ever had," she corrected him. "Besides, if it is your homelife that gives you such happiness, then why is this an issue? Go back to your wife and kids; you're better off."

She rolled her eyes at him, pressing her hand into the ledge on the fountain. "Please Theo."

Theo finally caught up to her. "Why did you kiss me back? Why did you do it Lorraine?" he enquired. He had wanted to know ever since it had happened. He knew she wasn't the relationship type.

"Please?" he frowned, "You are begging me?"

Lorraine sighed as he caught up to her and started pressing on immediately with those questions. Questions that she had avoided for so long; ones that she didn't know the answer to herself. "I don't know!" she pleaded with him. "It just happened. But why did you kiss me to begin with?" She inquired, knowing he hadn't fully answered her before.

"I don't beg," she told him simply, before turning away and looking up at the fountain, both hands now leaned on the edge.

"You tell me why you kissed me back, and then I will tell you why I kissed you in the first place," Theo said. He kept calm. He wasn't going to get worked up about this.

"Then don't." He saw her turn her back on him. Women!

Lorraine kept her back to Theo, as she listened to him talk. How was he able to remain so calm in a situation like this? "I don't know. It just happened; it seemed like the right thing to do," she repeated again. Why couldn't he just accept that? "I wasn't in the right state of mind. Now you tell me?" Her eyes were focused on the water.

"Wasn't in the right state of mind?" This woman was rushing off a load of rubbish, but he didn't know what was truth and what wasn't.

"You want to know why I kissed you? Because I like you. And the mood and music. So I kissed you," Theo sighed, talking to her back. It wasn't the best thing to proclaim to.

"Yes. The music, the butterbeer. My head wasn't completely there," Lorraine explained more. "It was the whole atmosphere."

She then blinked a few times, as Theo said why he kissed her. Looking over her shoulder, she wasn't sure if she believed him, but that was weird. For some reason, she felt those stomach pains again. "But. Your wife. Your kids," she started, but couldn't go on. She felt weak and needed to sit down. Turning around, she sat down slowly on the ledge. "You're wasting your time."

"What about my wife and kids?" Theo asked. Finally she had turned herself around.

"If I was wasting my time I wouldn't be talking to you. I wouldn't have bought you a muffin and such, well I would've done. But that isn't the point," he sighed.