The sudden end to the competition had been abrupt and upsetting. Ingrid had looked forward to working with the other divisions. But in the last couple of weeks she had had enough work on her plate to make her forget the competition all together. This early day Ingrid came into the cubicle area dusty, tired and with a huge stack of files under her arm. Unauthorized apparition was a right pain in the butt. The dark haired division head passed several employee on her way to her desk mumbling "Hello!" to each and everyone of them. When she reached her desk Ingrid dropped the files with a small thud as a result and gave off a loud sigh. Sometimes people were just weird.

Armen had to chuckle a bit at the abruptness of Laura's expression change when she noticed he was talking to her. He had that effect on people sometimes, he assumed it was his up-beat attitude but who knew. "Really, your first time with them? Well they look great on you." he nodded. He had almost needed glasses but couldn't find any that fit his face so he opted against them, vain? Oh well. His collegue didn't have that problem she looked pretty good with them.

How was his Division going? "Well Potkeys are about the same as they normally are. You would think since we are in a period of familiarity, what with no major reforms in the actual use of Portkeys, we would have less trouble but apparently not. Wizards seem to think they need a Portkey for everything." he said with a sigh gesturing to the rather large stack of request forms on his desk. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it's good for business but to request a Portkey for your son's first term to Hogwarts? Don't they know there is a train?" he said with a laugh and then took the 'DENIED' stamp and put it down on the parchment, scribbling a note on the side about the Hogwarts Express. "So how is broom regulatory, any wizards spotted flying down muggle streets?" he grinned.

Just as he had inquired about Luara's division, another one of the four Division Heads entered the work area, Ingrid from Apparation, his old place of work. She looked stressed, and he understood her about now. He gave her a tired little smile and then put his hand on her arm as she reached his and Laura's desks. "It will be ok I promise Ingrid, we're both in this too." he chuckled poking his work papers and eying Laura's. "So what's the news with Apparation?" Armen said with enthusiasm for he now had an excuse to stop working for a while.

Laura looked over from Armen to Ingrid and adjusted her glasses as her fellow female division head entered the room. Guhh. She looked, and sounded, preoccupied. And then, Laura noticed the familiarly large pile of paperwork that she had brought with her. She returned her greeting with a short, "Hello," and a sympathetic glance at the files she dropped onto her desk. Ah, paperwork. She and Armen knew the feeling well. "Got a lot to think about, Ingrid?" she half-asked with a tired smile.

Gosh. Laura could have never imagined herself wearing glasses a week ago. She had always had those peevish problems with her eyes, like not being able to read the signs on doors inside the Ministry. But it wasn't bad at all if Armen liked them. "Thanks," she said again with a grin. Besides, contacts were out of the question. How did people get on with those little things sitting on their eyeballs all day?

She nodded, recalling the particularly ridiculous Portkey requests she used to occasionally run into. "A Portkey to go to Hogwarts?" Laura said in disbelief. It was a little funny, enough to be able to be laughed at, but a bit of a waste of a request form, considering students were supposed to ride the train. "Well, I guess maybe the father was just concerned about his son's well-being," she reasoned aloud. Very concerned.

"Ah, things are going okay in broom regulatory. There're always wizards being spotted flying around in Muggle areas. Thankfully, they were all spotted by other wizards," Laura replied. She sifted through the files sprawled across her desk. "I've been seeing a lot of kids daring each other to see how close they can get to Muggles without getting caught. It's a bit upsetting." She shook her head sadly. Sometimes it made her wonder if these kids thought about the consequences if a Muggle happened to notice them, heaven forbid!

'Oh god im late! Late LATE LATE!' John half shouted to himself as he ran through the corridors, in and out of people, and most likely knocking a few things over all that mattered was he got to his job as soon as possible or Armen would have his head on a plate which when you look at Nearly Headless Nick, Does not look at all good. Finally zipping round the last corridor John sped up a bit and ran straight into the office but as soon as he entered there was something on the ground. Hitting it with the front of his foot at full speed.

Being Swept from his feel John flew through the air into the middle of the office were his bag also went flying and out of it came a small object, "Oh god it flies too" He whispered aloud as a small metal eagle flew around the office. Looking down at the bag John noticed a small Lion , A badger and a Snake also follow it out into the middle of the office.

Ok this was not happening...was it?! Armen pinched his arm through his suit and with a large smile realized that he was in fact awake. So it had really happened! Armen had been this way the whole ride back from the Minister's Office where he had learned his application was accepted and he was now the Department Head for Level Six, Magical Transportation! He couldn't believe it. He had been working towards this day since he started in the Ministry.

He had seen four Heads leave before him and he had moved his way from Apparation to Portkey Division Head. Now he was at the top. Walking into the office for the first time was as surreal as it got. "Good morning everyone!" he said with a large grin and wave to this employees.

Just then he noticed John and his....'figurines' making a racket, and he shot the man a look. He hated those things alright. But nothing was going to rain on his parade today.

Ahhh, so this was the new Department Head huh? Well Lucas had seen this bloke before. Here of course. Obviously he worked here before he was the Department Head now. That was cool and he had an interest to see what he was going to do as Department Head, because it was interesting to him. The whole power in charge kinda thing. It was awesome too and so was the whole formal kinda thing. But he was at the bottom and he will hopefully make his way to the top. If that will ever happen but he can only wish.

So right now he wanted to make an good impression right? Obviously, having a bad impression was...well bad and totally not good for him. Yes good impressions. Formal and other stuff. He would just be normal alright. Nod. Ooh now he was speaking, well just saying good morning and obviously Lucas was going to speak back and introduce himself right. Well he could do that in a minute. It was best just to say good morning back. "Good morning," he spoke with a slight small nod of the head and a small smile.

There, now what was his name? That he didn't know yet but he would. Obviously because it wasn't good not knowing his name when he was is boss.

Hearing a big Hello come from behind him John turned around in utter terror, Armen, His boss , Had already had a run in with these figurines before and lets just say it did not end well but no matter what John was going to calm these guys down a bit and keep them on his table so running over to were the Eagle was he jumped as high as he could and grabbed the eagle by both wings. Turning round the other 3 hadnt got very far so he grabbed each of them one by one before takng them over to his desk and telling them to stay. Once they were all on his desk he reminded them to stay which by some sheer luck, they did.

"Oh Hey...Armen...Funny seeing you here" John said innocently as he sat down and pretended to do his work.

So her former Division Head was her new Department Head? Well that was brilliant, she thought with a smile to herself. He seemed nice and awesome. Briony didn't exactly know him that well. It was mainly her doing her own thing but sometimes she engaged in conversation. Not lately though. She fiddled with papers on her desk and looked up, flashing Lucas a smile, then waited patiently for whatever was to come. Then some guy she didn't know ran in and shouted he was late and she just sighed.

It's not as if she was ever late.

Sometimes it was hard to understand where everything went wrong. She used to be so punctual and now she sort of lazed around. But she was working on getting back into the habit of being on time. "Good morning sir," she replied to her new boss. Or one she had always been under.

Armen was already excited to be at work this morning and the fact that the first few employees to greet him were some of his from when he was in Portkeys made him glow with pride. "Hey guys I'm doing well. How are you all today, Briony, Lucas?" he asked the two of them as he stopped by their desks.

He then raised an eyebrow. "You kow that even though I have been promoted and am not your Division Head anymore, we will still be working together alot and if you ever want to come talk or hang out come by my office anytime you'd like, ok?" he grinned. Now that he had a seperate office from everyone he didn't want it to be lonely or quiet. No way.
Armen stared at John as he hurridly picked up his things. With a last look at the man as he turned to do his work Armen rubbed his hand nervously. It had been awfully close to biting his hand for sure. "John how are you this moring?" he asked, all previous emotions out of the way.

Ooooh. Armen was the new Head? Sounded good!
'Morning, Mr. Head, Sir' Lilianna said jokily, smiling at the man. She gave a little wave to Lucas as well, and then turned back to Armen 'Congratulations. You'll make a great Department Head!'

Pierre looked up as someone started to talk. Must be the new Department Head. He looked at the man. He'd recognized him from around the office, but he didn't really know him. He couldn't even remember this guy's name. Pierre was going to have to fix that if this guy was going to be his boss. "Morning," Pierre returned in his slight French accent. It was slowly starting to get easier to understand. Well, that's what Pierre thought.

Now seriously. What was his name. Lucas HAD heard it before and he did look familiar but his brain wasn't remembering it! Stupid brain. Well he would just cover it, it was kinda embarrassing not knowing his former Division Heads name and he wouldn't speak anything about it or ask what his name was. He might just head to his office and look at the door before walking off like nothing happened. Then he would know and hopefully remember. He had a bad memory with names. Plus he didn't want to look stupid. In fact he never wanted to look stupid. In front of anyone really.

Lucas had a small glance around the Work Area and saw that Briony flashed him a smile, which of course he did the same back. He also noticed a man who was errmm...well he had figurines. Alright. Strange but alright. They looked like Hogwarts figurines, well they were animals but to represent the houses. He really didn't want to think of Hogwarts, well when he went there anyway.

So he turned back to his Department Head, whom he had caught his name been spoken from that man. Armen it was. Hopefully he would remember. Yeah, hopefully. He was just going to pretend that he didn't forgot his name. Then no one will know about that. See he had a brain. "Well that's good then," hmm, now to be formal or informal. Armen was now his boss. Yep boss, not to mention he was at work. "I'm good thanks Armen," he replied with a small smile, looking up to him.

Lucas chuckled slightly at him. Haha. Actually that was cool. "Yeah I'd like that," he actually wondered what his office would look like. It would be cool though, for sure. But what would there be in there. Just paperwork? Pfftt. Well hopefully not because it would be pretty boring for Lucas in there.


--------
Lucas could of sworn he had met that woman before. But yet again his mind was forgetting and he forgot her name. Well good thing she didn't speak to him, or did she forget his name too? That would be alright then because they wouldn't remember each other's names so he wouldn't be the only one. Although he normally did forgot people's names when they hadn't spoken to him in a long time. They would look familiar but their name he just wouldn't be able to remember.

Anyway, he gave her a brief smile and not a wave because he was in his desk and seriously didn't want to feel stupid. Not like waving was stupid, it just felt like anything he was about to do was going to be stupid.

Oh god he really did hate these little guys, John thought to himself as he looked at the Badger that had now curled up beside a tub of ink. They were odd to look at but it was oddly comforting in a sense. No matter what happened though, Nobody was taking away his little guys. "Im Ok Armen" John said as the four figurines all sat in a corner of the desk, most likely hiding from him "Got any work for me to do just now?".

"I'm good thanks," she replied to him, rearranging the papers on her desk. "Congrats on Department Head by the way," Briony added with another smile. She knew how it feel to move higher in a department. She had experienced it once then fell back down. Hmm...she wished that she had a really good friend who was a girl. Ever since Lucy left she was sort of lonely. Maybe she would need to invest in that.

"Okay sounds good," the woman added to his offer. She could only imagine the quietness in an empty office. It wasn't right that was for sure. Sighing she looked back up at Lucas as he smiled back and felt a little better about the day. He was there at least.

Hey, new department head!
"Good Morning Mr.Recard." Nina said as she entered. She's seen him before of course.

Laura scurried down the corridor toward the office, one hand gripping her work bag and the other securing her gray knitted hat in place on her head. Her stilettos clicked lightly on the floor as she went along. Not very practical for rushing, which was why she was limited to scurrying, but they were pretty cute.

Entering the office, she looked inside to find that a good number of people were already interacting with their new boss! This, she had learned about quite recently. She adjusted her glasses and made her way over to Mr. Armen Department Head Recard, her grin betraying her excitedness.

"Armennnn! Congratulations!" Laura gushed. "You must be so proud!" She was very happy for him. They had grown to be pretty great friends since they first met. He used to be her boss and, well, now he was again! She wanted to give him a big hug. How nostalgic, it all was. She ended up doing so. It wasn't against the rules to hug the department head, was it?

She dragged herself into work not looking her usual self. She had had a rough night and it was showing and she just didn't care. She blinked at the harsh light of the office looking around at everyone and wondering why they were all smiles. She leaned over and whispered, "What's going on?" her voice raspy. She was sick and she knew it but she was going to get up and go to work every single day.

Armen was probably a bright shade of pink at the moment, but he really didn't care. His employees were undoubtly the nicest in the Ministry. "Aww thank you soo much Lilianna! You are too kind." he grinned and patted her on the arm. "So have you been? Home life good?" Armen asked her with genuine care, he didn't really see much of employees outside of work nd wanted to see if she was doing good.

Turning at the sound of a familiar sounding voice, Armen was a bit suprised when the face attached to it wasn't that familiar. Sure he had seen the man around the office, but he hadn't really met him. The Department Head would just have to change that wouldn't he? "Oh thank you very much ...." he said holding his hand out to shake the man's hand. He wasn't sure of his name and he wasn't about to call the guy Mr. or sir. Armen liked to go by first names unless the person wanted to be called that or they were higher in position here at the Ministry.

He couldn't think why the voice sounded familiar and then it hit him, the accent. "Are you by any chance French?" If he had been Department Head before he would have known that, for he could have seen who was in the department via files but back then when the man in front of him was hired that wasn't a possibilty. But back to the point, Armen's mother was french and he moved from France when he was a child.


Armen nodded happily. "Good well my door is always there if you want to come hang out." he grinned pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. His office was just down that hall back there. He spun his head around quickly to make sure he was pointing the right direction. It would have been embarrassing if he was pointing in the wrong direction.

Armen wanted to make conversation with this man. "Well Lucas, you like it here at the Ministry?" the man new he was still recently added to this Department, but was he new to the Ministry aswell or was he a transfer?

Armen looked around the man's desk suspicously. Those figurines seemed like they may be trouble, but they were pushed to the back of his mind for now. Right now they were all getting aquainted. "Well that's good John." he grinned and then clapped the guy on the shoulder.

"Work can wait for the afternoon John, right now we are all going to make sure we are all aquainted, because a team that knows each other can work better together!" he smiled and looked around the small pool of faces surrounding the center of the room.
This woman was definately a good person, very nice, although quiet. "Thanks Briony, that means a lot, it really does." he grinned brightly. Looking aorund for a second to think of what else to say, Armen finally got something. "So how has work treated you lately." Yeah ok it wasn't the best of conversation starters but hopefully it would lead to something.

"Ahh Nina, Good morning to you aswell. You doing well?" he asked as she swept in the office beside him with a grin. He smiled at back at her, he loved his employees.


What was that sound? 'click click clack!' Armen turned around to try and find the cause of the cound but realized quickly it wasn't a something it was a someone. Luara came panting around the corner dressed fashionably as usual (glasses and all), complete with her high heels. The source of the noise. "Awww Laura I am!" he said with a large grin and was happy that she hugged him. It was only appropriate for such good friends to be that supportive and happy for each other. "Thanks Laura!! And you keep up the good work. It hasn't gone unnoticed you know." he nodded with a wink. He really was excited that he would still get to work with her.

And another person came into the office, this time the person's entrance was much less flamboyant. It was one of the people in the office that he had gotten close to though. "Ahh good morning Royce, you feeling ok today?" he said caringly as he walked towards the woman.


OCC: We are going to continue this meet and greet type meeting until I can start our first mini-plot at the beginning of the next month. You all are doing so good helping me bring our level back to being active! I promise the plot we have coming up with be fun so be sure to stick around ok?

Pierre could tell that the guy didn't recognize him. It made sense. Pierre didn't know the man's name either. He really didn't know many people within the department. Which probably was a bad thing when it came to work. Pierre took a hold of the man's hand and shook it. "Pierre Devereux." He released his boss's hand and grinned. He really didn't meet his last boss.

Pierre smiled at the recognition of the accent. "Yes. I only moved to London a couple of years ago." Pierre loved London, but everynow and then he missed his home in France. He still had family there of course.

Royce sniffled and looked over at Armen. He had always been so nice to her. "Oh just a bit under the weather," she told him as she tried to give him a small smile. She felt like utter hippogriff poo, but she was going to be at work. She just hadn't had a chance to stop off and get a potion for the flu and she wasn't the best potioneer in the world so it was better for her to buy it instead of trying to brew it herself. "Why all the smiles?" she asked him when he walked over to stand next to her.

Lily smiled back happily. It was great that Armn was going to b te new Head, and she really had meant it when she said she thought he'd do a great job.
'I mean it, though' she told him sincerely, smiling again and blushing a little bit. 'I've been fine, thanks' she said in answer to his question 'The twins have just broken up from their muggle school for the summer holidays, so it's a bit crazy! But it's fine. How about yourself?'

Hang out? Well that sounded cool. Lucas would do that, sometime. Or maybe soon. He nodded at Armen and looked over to where he was pointing with his thumb, behind him. Well he now knew where to go to find Armen's office, although he could have probably found it by himself, but he didn't have to now. He laughed at Armen when he spun his head around to see if he actually was pointing in the right direction and he was. Thankfully. Otherwise Lucas would have known that it would be embarrassing if he was pointing in the wrong direction. "Are you alright or are you just checking if you pointed in the right direction?" He had to admit, it looked pretty funny.

Did he like it at the Ministry? Of course he did! Plus it was good to work in England and not America this time. "Yeah, of course I do. It's nice to be back in England and work here for a change," and he was enjoying it too, well when he did work. Also now that Armen was the Department Head, work will probably be more enjoyable and he never knew that was possible! "Oh and Armen, any news on the new Portkey Division Head?" He wondered who that would be. Maybe it was someone transferred from an another Department.


Hmmm. Lucas didn't like this. "Are you alright?" Yes, he had to ask. That sigh didn't sound good. He couldn't help but ask though. Although Briony didn't look like she was alright and like something was up. That wasn't good.

Looking up at the door John watched as more people walked into work which was weird as he was almost positive that he himself was late, but there was no way that almost everyone was late because that almost never happened. Never the less almost everyone was in and Armen was now talking to other people in the Division, so taking some of the Portkey applications that were scattered over the desk John wrestled the quil out of the badgers mouth and began filling them out and signing ones that would be approved.

Every now and again John would get the odd request , like ones wanting a portkey that would transport their breakfast to their bedroom every morning. Ok so he knew people were lazy but what would be the point in that because if you wanted to have it delivered the next morning you would have to take it downstairs anyway...either way it was declined and he moved onto the next one.

After a few minutes it was time for a break in which John picked up the Snake and let it slither around his hands, it felt odd having the metal framework slither along his hand just like a snake. "Aww you wouldnt hurt anybody" John Said as he continued to let him sliver from one hand to the next, and back again.

Setting down her bag she smiled.
"Yes I am. In fact I believe it's going to be a great day today." she said as she sat down.
"So how's your first day as head?" she asked.

Armen was pretty excited to meet another French born peson in his office. "Very nice to meet you too Pierre." he said shaking the man's hand rigorously. "I too moved to London from France, but much earlier than you. My mother married a Brit and we moved back here when I was 14. I had been attending Hogwarts before we moved but my father convince my mother to move here so they weren't so far from me." he chuckled slightlly. "My mother always was a worry-wart."

The Department Head nodded. "Yeah I live here in the city aswell, only about a half-an-hour from here actually. Do you like London?" he asked curiously.

Armen nodded and thought to himself. 'Well I guessed that alright.' He patted her on the shoulder and then stepped back one or two steps from her. You know to give her room to come in. Avoid the sickness! "Oh I sure hope you get better soon."

He liked Royce, she was always pretty cheerful and very excited about her work, Armen was glad that he would be able to work with her more now that he wasn't just restricted to one Division. Why all the smiles? "Oh Royce it just happened this morning, I've been promoted to Department Head for our Level!" he said with an excited grin.

Still with a smile stuck on his face, Armen took in her well wishes. They were all so nice and proud of him and he was so happy that he got to work with them still.

Armen raised an eyebrow curiously and began to talk excitedly. "Oh you have twins? How old are they? I am a twin you know, me and my brother Evan where inseperable when we were younger." he smiled thinking of the time when Evan even wanted to ride on his broom when they played quiddtich at home.
Blushing slightly Armen joined in Lucas's laughing. It was ok to laugh at yourself sometimes. "Oh yeah I was just making sure, didn't want to send you to a broomcloset or anything." he grinned and listeded as Lucas went on about his views on his own Ministry employement.

Back in England, did that mean he was from another country too?! Armen didn't detect a french accent so maybe it was from somewhere else. 'Oh you work at a different Minsitry, which one?" the Department Head as curiously, his eyebrows raised in thought. And then the next big question. "I actually haven't met him yet." Yes it was a he. "I do know his name though. Nathanel Callingham." he nodded as he tried to remember it right.

OCC: I am currently rping meeting him in my Office Thread now.


That was awesome! Who didn't enjoy happy, and optomistic people in their office? "Well I hope you are right!" he replied to the woman with a smile.

No one had asked him that yet, "Well my first day has been exciting so far. I arrived her today and was immediately called to the Minister's Office where I recieved the good news. Now I am here and getting the wonderful support and socializing with my awesome employees." he nodded pointing a finger at her. "Which includes you! Thanks for making me feel so welcome."