While perhaps Josephina SHOULD have been standing with the other candidates, the brunette candidate had very quickly migrated over to the food area. Because they had NACHOS, and clearly the way to anyone's hearts was around food so it was very necessary to be here and scoping out the voters.

And yes, Fina had made sure to pile chips with all the fixings - jalapeños included - onto her plate as well. Because as nervous as she was with running for minister, she still had an appetite and comfort food like cheese always helped things. Just hope no one would expect her to answer promptly after jamming a cheese laden chip into her mouth and she'd be good.

All MLE types, regardless of country, had one thing in common: food. Particularly, the love of it. Which is why it shouldn't surprise anyone to find one Roxanne Carter over at the nacho buffet trying to figure out what she wanted on her nachos. Besides, standing over by the wall waiting for people to come to her like a queen wasn't going to win her any votes.

Apparently she wasn't the only one to come to this conclusion either. She sent her fellow candidate a quick friendly wave before focusing back on the task at hand: toppings. On one hand, the queso blanco looked really good. But then, so did the spicy jalapeño. Both could also be an option, though. Hmm....

What a conundrum.

Nolan loved his wife, and that was why he had been eating healthy, organic, non processed food and all that jazz for the past few months while she had been pregnant. She'd been all about keeping up that trend after having Gemmie, but Nolan was a junk food junkie - and he was about to finally get his fill at the NACHO BAR!!

This election already had SO MANY fun perks.

Grabbing a plate of nachos and piling them high don't judge it's been ages since he's had nachos ok he noticed two of his...competitors? Was that the right word? Whatever, they were already there, and he happened to know both of them! Josephina and Nolan went way back to the Hufflepuff days and then taught at Hogwarts together, and he knew Roxanne from her days as a department head. As he continued to add condiments to his nachos to the point where they were more salsa than nacho, he grinned at the two ladies and gave them a wave.

"Roxanne, Josephina, or should I say fellow candidates," he greeted them with a chuckle. "How have you two been?! Ready to get this circus underway?" he asked. Because let's be real - that's what this whole thing was about to become. He'd been in an election before, and at one point during that whole debacle, he'd been DUNKED in a DUNK TANK. He could only imagine what challenges the run for the highest office in the British Wizarding Ministry would throw at them...

He couldn't WAIT.

Victoria was excited and nervous. She was glad she wasn't the one running this time. That was just too much, but being pregnant while you were running for minister was probably not the best, but no one was aware of that part. Everything had worked out in the end and she was very happy where she was in life, which of course was why she hadn't even thought about running. When her husband had come to her saying he was running she couldn't have been more proud.


Now she was here to support her husband and her friend. Jorge was a good friend and she found humor in the two men running against each other. This was going to be some fun dinner dates between the four of them at some point. She knew they were adults and would be fair towards each other. She noticed Roxanne the minute she walked into the food area and smiled. She wasn't surprised to see her running again. Turning her attention to the food she went over and filled a plate before looking at the rest of them.


"Hello everyone."

With their precocious son being looked after by their family, Addison was there to be supportive of his wife. Granted her idea to run for minister had come to the cursebreaker as a surprise, but he believed in her and what they had talked about after it had been brought up. So he would be the dutiful trophy husband as she came out to greet the people with her fellow candidates. With or without the act of actually bowling given the location chosen for the event.

A step or more behind Josephina due to a last minute top off at Gringotts down the street, he found his other half easy enough. By the food. With two repeat candida---no, only one was trying again he corrected himself and a man that might have gobe to school with them. The other had swapped places with her own husband. “Good evening,” he greeted those gathered while siding up beside his wife.

There was no better way to take an interest in her new job than to show up to meet her one-day future boss. Or that was what Carrigan's mother told her, and the young woman typically believed whatever her mother said. She'd never been wrong in Carrigan's memory.

But now she was here and it was nerve-wracking to engage with those chummy candidates, who all seemed to be on remarkably friendly terms already. Nope. Not gonna do it. She was gonna eat nachos until she felt sick, bowl a frame or two, and then run away.

That was how to be a responsible citizen.

Denny had arrived already ready to bowl. He had his own shoes, after all. But first, he needed to suss out the sustenance. Doing a little dance to the music in his head as he moved over, he nodded to the candidates and sidled right up next to the young lady who might as well have wavy stress lines radiating from her head.

"Uninspiring selection, isn't it," he said to her, but as if he were addressing the nachos themselves. "There should be more... confection." After all, that was what Denny was known for and would it have been so hard to have him cater? His magical morsels would liven up any party!

The older man looked to his left, finally, and addressed the woman directly. "You, my dear, look like you could use a confidence cookie."

If you stand still too long, someone will always strike up a conversation and try to make friends. Perhaps Carrigan had one of those faces that made people want to talk to her. Like she just begged to be friends or something.

Not that she was at full capacity for friends.

"It looks delicious. The kind of delicious that will make me regret it later, but... I'm inspired." She added cheese, chicken, and jalapenos to her base of chips. More jalapenos. She'd regret not having enough more than she'd regret how awful it would make her feel later.

"What... is a confidence cookie?"

Denny couldn't help it, the side-eye. This was partially because he had turned his attention back to the table and so shifting his eyes to the side was the way to look at her. But also, delicious? REGRET?

And sweet merciful muffins, that was a lot of jalapeños.

"Regret of a food choice is perhaps the saddest kind," he sad with a weird head bob as he, too, made up a plate. Chicken and olives and sour cream and tomatoes for him, please.

As he scooped, he considered her question, slightly alarmed. He really needed to get some of his own recipes in the cafeteria! "My dear, a confidence cookie will put a little pep in your step! A little sparkle in your eye!" The baker/chef/food service employee had not really answered her question, but turned and beamed at her, all the same.

"Not if it was worth it. I can deal with heartburn and tummy rumbles if the spicy dish was delicious." Carrigan added a healthy spoonful of sour cream to the top and decided that her nachos were now perfect. If she added anything else, it would be overkill. Too much goodness on one tiny plate.

Oh, but tomatoes!

She went for restraint. "Confidence cookies sound amazing... but you left out one very important detail." Carrigan fished a chip out of her pile and sniffed it. "Do they have any chocolate? That's vital."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bazinga

Victoria was excited and nervous. She was glad she wasn't the one running this time. That was just too much, but being pregnant while you were running for minister was probably not the best, but no one was aware of that part. Everything had worked out in the end and she was very happy where she was in life, which of course was why she hadn't even thought about running. When her husband had come to her saying he was running she couldn't have been more proud.


Now she was here to support her husband and her friend. Jorge was a good friend and she found humor in the two men running against each other. This was going to be some fun dinner dates between the four of them at some point. She knew they were adults and would be fair towards each other. She noticed Roxanne the minute she walked into the food area and smiled. She wasn't surprised to see her running again. Turning her attention to the food she went over and filled a plate before looking at the rest of them.


"Hello everyone."

Since Mercedes was a ministry employee she should be there right? Besides both Mariel and Victoria's husbands were both running so she was also there to support them both of them. She thought it was great that they could support each others husbands and still keep there friendship and work relationship in check. She really looked up to both women and there friendship.

Anyway... she was here, after speaking with Cam She headed over to food station. She grabbed a plate and looked around. She smiled and walked up to Vic. "Are you glad you're not doing this again?

Grabbing the nachos and finding a place to sit Vic was bout the start chowing down when a familiar face and voice caught her attention. "Oh goodness yes. Not that I didn't love it, I did and I still think I could have made a great minister, but I don't mind not being in the spot light. There is just too much going on in life. I'm proud of Cossy though. He will make a fine minister for us." She was positive her husband could win votes. He was a very successful man and a persuasive one at that.

Though she did think her friend's husband would do a fine job too. "There are quite a few good candidates running. It's going to be a tough one this time around. Another reason I'm glad I'm not involved first hand." She was more then happy to help Cosgrach though. "How are you? Enjoying the evening of... bowling?" Weird place to have this, but she didn't mind.

And as she feared, just as she shoved a chip dripping with cheesy awesomeness into her mouth, some people had found their way over to the food area. Chewing quickly as she can, she wiped her lips as she noted it was just a fellow candidate, one she recalled as having ran for election previously. Giving her a return wave, she returned back to finishing chewing as someone else came... another she recognized as a candidate and former colleague, even. "Nolan Reynolds! Why hello! How have you been?" Politely she reached forward toward him to awkwardly give him a half-hug while careful not to jostle the plates of nachos either were holding.

Because even if they were running against each other, they were colleagues and former housemates, even. So politeness between them was just understood and honestly, though she wanted the title for herself, she would be more than thrilled if she was beat by Nolan.

And another person entering, whom she recognized only because she knew her husband. "Hello, hello. Do you have questions or concerns for us candidates?" Fina asked of Victoria. Because even though she was by the food, she was still more than happy to answer questions.




Josephina turned around at hearing a familiar voice beside her and beamed at sight of her hubby. She wasn't sure he was going to be able to make it to her first event, but here he was!!! Supporting her as he said he would, as he always has done!

"You made it!" Fina grinned, as she took a chip from her plate and zoomed it towards his mouth. What could she say? She couldn't resist the urge to feed him and she was sure he totally approved of it; or at least was used to it by now! "Here. Hold this," she handed him her plate of nachos as she disappeared off to go mingle some more.

Victoria was a little caught off guard when Hadley had come over and started to talk to her. She of course knew Nolan and Hadley were running. She knew all the candidates names even if she personally didn't know them. Working for the ministry as well as having a husband running she had to keep up on that sort of thing.

"Well hello, good luck to you both this election season. Questions?" Did she really have any questions for them? She knew who she was going to vote for of course, but saying how do you think you will beat my husband wasn't really nice. "I do have a few questions actually. What is your thoughts and stance on Squibs in our community? Do you feel we have enough programs and support groups to transition and help families with squibs? What are your views on keeping them in our community and not out casting them to the muggle world? " So maybe she had become a little more passionate about this topic recently.

"Also, what are your thoughts on the ministry's involvement at Hogwarts and the other private educations in Britain? When my son was a third year at Hogwarts they dismissed Qudditch over a threat. My son is now almost twenty and quidditch is still not back yet. This personally effect my job as the Quidditch manager in our Games and Sports Department. It is hurting our scouting for talent as well as helping these young players have the best opportunities possible. Do you feel we should step in to force Quidditch back? " An odd question, but a valid one at that, she at least felt.

Bowling was certainly not her venue of choice, but Mariel would do her part to support her husband and to make an appearance on the Ministry's behalf. It was her responsibility to be a good wife and a good department head after all.

She left Jorge to mingle on his own so he could talk to some of the constituents himself. She thought she'd talk to a few herself, though she was more interested in talking to some of the other candidates. Mariel was interested in not only knowing their individual stances on the issues but how it might affect her husband's campaign.

Nachos. She had thought it an interesting choice of refreshment for this meet and greet, though really she knew it was rather appropriate for this choice of venue. And surprisingly enough she did like nachos, given that she loved a lot of Spanish foods. So she made a plate for herself loaded with toppings and made her way over to the group.

She noted Victoria and Mercedes there already in conversation, and she gave them a jovial nod and smile. She could engage in some small talk with them as well, but she was mostly here to talk to the candidates, three of which were already here, and she approached them.

"Hello, Mrs. Nairne.. Mr. Reynolds.. Ms. Carter.. nice to see you all out tonight." Or most of them at least, but she kept her expression impassive and she knew how to remain civil. "I'm certainly interested in hearing what everyone's most important platform is." Bigger smile. Of course, she would expect all the candidates to think of more than one issue to be important, but there would always be one issue most important to each of them, and that was what she was interested in right now.

Finally deciding on both types of cheeses, as well as some ground beef and diced tomatoes, Roxanne was loading up her plate when she was approached by a fellow candidate. "Hello, Nolan," she replied pleasantly. "Oh, I've been good, but I'm glad to be back in Britain, even if it is just for a few hours." Her son was here, after all, and even though Ronan was currently at Hogwarts it was nice knowing she was close by if anything should happen.


A quick nod was sent Victoria's direction, as Roxanne had just taken a bite of nacho and she wasn't one to talk with her mouth full. It was a kind of pet peeve of hers, and she liked to keep her own food in her mouth as well.

And there went continuing her nachos, at least for the short-term. But, answering voter questions was why they were here. Why, oh why did it have to be this particular voter first? Though, she was remaining civil, so that was good.

"Honestly, I'd have to say that providing better options for mental health care is the most important to me. As it is, those with mental health issues are currently either thrown in St. Mungo's and forgotten about, are expected to 'tough it out' or have to go abroad to get help, options that cause Britain to loose some of our best and brightest. Providing access to therapy, for one, would prevent some of this." It was certainly something that was personal to her. Though, that was something Roxanne was going to keep to herself as long as possible. Just because she was a candidate, it didn't mean that everyone had to know her business. Besides, people would be less likely to vote for someone who had mental health issues.

She was sooo glad the Daily Prophet hadn't seemed to recover from the fire.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixRising

SPOILER!!: The Hubby

Josephina turned around at hearing a familiar voice beside her and beamed at sight of her hubby. She wasn't sure he was going to be able to make it to her first event, but here he was!!! Supporting her as he said he would, as he always has done!

"You made it!" Fina grinned, as she took a chip from her plate and zoomed it towards his mouth. What could she say? She couldn't resist the urge to feed him and she was sure he totally approved of it; or at least was used to it by now! "Here. Hold this," she handed him her plate of nachos as she disappeared off to go mingle some more.

“Mhmm… I said I was trying my be—“ Addison broke off as he found a topping-covered nacho zooming his way. Why should he expect her to be any different in public like now? The cursebreaker obeying the silent order to open his mouth to avoid being hit in the face with it, chewing the tasty treat. “...that I would be trying my best to be here,” he finished once he had swallowed the morsel. Where else was he supposed to be when supporting his wife anyway.

“Um…okay,” he remarked, accepting the plate, watching her move up before following in case Fina still wanted him, and the nachos, still.