Richard looked up, "Oh well I just think I arranged my notes in a rather inconvenient order. Great little spell, saves me having to write it all out again. Plus I dont waste as many pages. But these are all intruders, rioters and criminals that have been to the ministry. Some of them we were lucky to stop, others not so lucky" he explained.
"Yes I quite enjoy getting on with the job rather than just sitting at home. Good thing about this department really is you get to visit all the others".
Richard spotted his department head walking away from the throng for an intimate chat with Edward and Louisa, he looked over curiously, pocketed his notebook and put his hands in his pockets and walked over to his head.
"Umm, excuse me. Ms Carter, I dont wish to be rude at all but is it necessary to stay here much longer only I think it would be a good idea if I did get back to work? " he asked prudently.

Attica had finished her cup of tea by now and chose to take this time to size up the other occupants of the room. Most were far younger than her, including her department head. Attica sighed a bit, a small frown crinkling the features of her angular face. She hoped that these kids had good heads on their shoulders. The last thing she wanted was to work with a bunch of immature babes.

Attica was seriously dedicated to providing quality work, no matter what profession she was occupying, even if it was a lowly job as a member of the Magical Maintenance department. Sure, she had dreams like everyone else, and she didn't plan on being a maintenance engineer for the rest of her life, but a job was a job, and sadly, she had been a little lacking in the job front since graduating from Hogwarts. At first she had travelled the world for a bit, seeing famous places both magical and mundane. Eventually, her inheritance had ran out putting an end to further travels, at least for the time being. A frantic job search had begun, and now, after a couple years of disappointing failure, Attica found herself here, at the Ministry.

It was not that she regretted having spent all of her funds, but she had been a tad young and foolish herself at that time, and had had no thoughts of saving for the future. A few gallons and a small, yet cheerful apartment was all that remained of Attica's once substantial fortune.

Lost in her thoughts, Attica merely stared blankly out of the window at the enchanted scenery projected there. She took a futile sip at her empty cup, and started back to reality.

Edward listened and then with just a hint of trepidation, he followed. It was sometimes nerve racking when your boss asked to speak to you away from others. He took comfort from the fact that he wasn't going to be alone. It couldn't be too bad.

He sipped at his coffee as he waited for Delilah to tell them what she wanted to talk about. All sorts of horrible scenarios went through his head.

Louisa had a curious look on her face as she followed Delilah to a corner of the room. She wondered what she could want - it wasn't often that your boss would like to talk to one to one, unless it was for an appraisal.

As she got to the corner, she stood next to Edward, and waited for Delilah to tell them what was going on.

As Delilah Carter smiled at her employees, she wondered if they were aware of the looks on their faces. Both of them looked quite scared, but that wasn't necessary, for they were about to get promoted. "No need to worry," the Department Head said quietly. She knew that this kind of thing should probably take place in a office, but in almost a year of working at the Ministry, Delilah still hadn't managed to get her office organized. For the time being, she was doing most of her work at home, carrying it back and forth each day.

"I'm sure the two of you are aware that most of the Ministry's departments have Division Heads to help out the Head of the department." She paused, glancing at the faces of both Edward and Louisa to make sure they were following. "I've been thinking about this, and I would like to offer you both promotions." She smiled widely now. "You would be like an Assistant Head to me, helping out with your department." Delilah went on the explain some of the duties that would come with the job, as well as the pay raise that would come with the job.

Edward's jaw dropped as she spoke. "A promotion?" he thought to himself. Tentatively, he spoke. "Me? You want to give me a promotion?" He was beside himself. It was totally unexpected and he was shocked.

Recovering a bit as he had a moment to process it, he spoke. "I'm not sure I'm the best man for the job, but if you've got that level of faith in me, then I would be happy to accept." He beamed for the first time as she continued her explanation of what would be involved and a pay raise.

Louisa stood stunned. It was certainly not something she was expecting at all. Slowly she smiled, and waited for Edward to stop talking.

"I'd love to accept the position. Thank you so much for considering me. Thanks. I promise I'll do the best I can. Anything you need me to do, I'll do it..." She rambled before stopping herself, realising what she was doing. Smiling apologetically Louisa looked at both Edward and Delilah. "I have a tendancy to babble on when I'm nervous. Sorry.." She mentally smacked herself in the head for acting like such an idiot when she had been offered a promotion to a much better job than she's ever had before.

ooc: another time frame

Edward walked into the breakroom with Brian and headed for his cubby with the coffee and put on a new pot.

"So, Brian. Tell me what is going on with you, outside of being a wedding gopher?"

Brian shook his head, "Nothing ..particular.." he trailed off but thinking of Sasha. "But..there's something in it" he chuckled.

Edward smiled at his friend. "What do you mean?" He asked curiously, though with the way Brian had said it, it seemed that there was someone involved.

He chuckled and turned away from him a bit to hide his blushing. Was he blushed? OMG!! Something new to him!

He turned to him now and said, "Yeah, I've met a girl in the Cafeteria a few days ago.." he smiled as he drummed his fingers on the table slightly.
"Seems..we both have something.." he chuckled and looked up.

Edward smiled a great smile and slapped his mate on the shoulder. "You old dog. Well....tell me about her. You must think her kind of special since you turned that great tomato shade of red."

He laughed nervously this time, "yeah" he cleared his throat, "Well..she's in the Games Department and we met recently" he looked at him, "So sweet and nice, kinda shy too" he chuckled again. "Her name is Sasha..and I think she too feels the same as I do" he nodded.

"I dont know what it's Ed. Is it...is it just an infatuation or..something else?" he asked curiously.

"Of course," Delilah said to Louisa and Edward. "I've considered this for quite a while, and I chose the two of you." She smiled. "Soon, I should get our office set up. I haven't really felt the need for one yet... that, or I just never got around to setting mine up. But now that the three of us will be working together, I think it's time for a private office. I'll let you know when I get that done."

After one last smile, the woman turned and walked towards the breakroom door. She'd been in the breakroom for too long; Delilah needed to get back to work.

Edward smiled and nodded. "Yes, Ma'am. If you need my help in getting in set up, please let me know." He smiled as Delilah walked out and turned to congratulate Loiusa.

ooc: and to the other time
Edward listened as Brian filled him in. "Well. I'm glad for you Brian. It's good that you've met someone. It will make you happier, I think."

As Brian asked the deeper questions, he thought for a moment before answering. "Good question. When you find out, you want to let me know."

Edward smiled and then laughed as Brian ruffled his hair. "Hey there, mate! We've got to act like the professionals we are." As he finished this statement, he executed a proper tackle into one of the couches.

"Act like a professional?" he laughed again. "Ed, I feel like a kindergarten student here about this issue.." he scrtached his forhead thoughtfully.

"Do you have any previous experience?" asked and remembered, "Hey, where's my coffee?"

"well, you have to start somewhere, mate." Edward told him. "why don't you ask your mum? I 'm sure she'll tell you bunches about this." Edward laughed as he thought of Brian trying to tell his mum about a lady friend.

"Nope. Not a bit." Smiling, Edward got up, went to the pot and got 2 cups for them.

"Yes Indeed.." he nodded, "I dont want to lose her too.." he ruffled his hair again in both nervous and confusion about the whole issue. Whew!! He could handle the Minister so easily instead of this, he thought. What a situation!!

"what?? mom??" he laughed and patted Ed's hands, "Come on, How can I tell this to my mom" he went slight red , "No way" titlting his head slightly as he excalimed, "Really? I thought you could have known something about this"

"well. I'm sure you will figure things out with her." He smiled at Brian and when he began to speak of his mother he chuckled.

"I was only joking mate. I know that it's too early for you to tell her." He sipped his coffee as he listened to his buddy troubled by these thoughts. "I say just relax and enjoy."

"I hope so..If so you'll be the first person to know apart from two of us" he winked and bit relieved as he got a good company to discuss about this delicate issue.

""Oh! I thought you suggested that acutally" grinned again but admitted his out of mind. "Sorry..I'm acting bit insane..Brian is not the usual right now.." he laughed and enjoying the coffee.

Edward could only laugh as Brian spoke. He was glad he wasn't in the same sort of situation.

He glanced out the door to make sure the security desk was ok.