The impeccably groomed form of Edward Sean Moon paused outside the Daily Prophet offices to drain the last dregs of coffee from the cheap Styrofoam cup. Discarding it in a nearby bin, he popped a breath mint in his mouth, straightened his tie and took a breath to calm the first day nerves. He hid them well - to the onlooker he was a vision of tall, dark, smoldering calm.

He opened the door and walked in, taking a moment to look around at the plush surroundings and to glance at a map of the building on the wall.

James had a theory. If you weren't five minutes early, then you were late. Judging by this.. he was extremely early. Wearing a blazer jacket and navy sweater, looking his usual well-dressed self, James walked towards the entrance of his work place, head down and absorbed in a article of his.

He folded the paper, and was about to go up the steps towards the front door when he frowned. A large, beefy, masculine.. thing in his way. He frowned.
"Need some help there?" He asked politely, leaning against the handle.

Hearing the door open, Eddie looked to his side, his dark eyes landing on a skinny, runner bean of a boy man leaning against the door and looking pretty casual. With such an air of relaxation, he was undoubtedly an employee here.

A broad smile lit up the Irishman's features when asked if he needed assistance. “Eddie Moon.” He said in this thick brogue, sticking out his hand in greeting to the younger man. “I'm looking for the Layout Offices. I'm the new Section Editor.”

James watched the wall of fleshman turn and frowned. How come the Prophet always brought in such an odd variety of employee's? He glanced at the attire - and approved. The guy was obviously put together and wealthy.

When James had asked if he needed help, he hadn't expected the guy to give him his name. His eyes flashed with amusement not just at the answer but the accent. He was irish. . "Right. Pleasure.." He said, not meaning it really. He just wanted to find out what the guy was doing oggling a shoddily drawn map outside his workplace.
And bingo. He got his answer. THIS guy was an artsy type? More over this guy was SECTION editor? James frowned, but remained smooth. "Well then it really is a pleasure. It's right down the hall." But he was curious, why did the walking wall move to London? He obviously wasn't from London. And what had happened to sickly, wheedy dude? The one with the stunning wife? What was his name.. .? James didn't care much. The guy looked like he was off with the pixies anyway. "Layouts.. right. You wouldn't happen to know what happened to the old editor?" Curious. Just curious.

Eddie didn't notice the amusement in his acquaintance's eyes when he spoke, or if he did, he didn't allow it to register on his face. The man was a little offhand until he told him he was the new section Editor. Ah.. so this jock was a journalist? They were only your friend if they thought you had something they wanted.. or you were their superior. “A pleasure to meet you too.” He said politely to the smaller man.

No introduction in return? “What's your name?” He asked, dark eyes twinkling a little as he assessed the man.

The last Editor? “Haven't a clue.” He shook his head. "But no party for a leaving employee to me suggests that he was given the push." He winked at the fella, a smile flashing across his face. Nothing had been said in his interview - it was far more likely that the previous Editor had merely gone onto pastures a-new.

James nodded slightly. 'Course it was a pleasure to meet him. *smirk* So where were they? Oh yes, Irish!fella had been telling him his reason to be outside the HQ. Plausible. James smiled. "James Parker," He replied. The James Bond thing grated against people's nerves. James just thought it was funny.

He didn't like the way the guy was looking at him. It was analytical. Hm. He readjusted his collar and stood a little straighter. He wasn't going to get intimidated by this man. Superior or not, James was awesome and that meant more than the fact that this guy ran the whole layout area.

James grinned. "Not a loss.. hopefully his wife stuck around," He added with a smirk. She was gorgeous.
Fired? James looked surprised. "He was an alright bloke. Wonder why he went.." James really couldn't care less about the guy leaving. But his wife.. now if SHE left, James would've batt an eyelash.

The man's body language changed suddenly. Straighter, taller... nervous straightening of the collar. Eddie let his shoulders drop a bit. His intention was not to intimidate, but his height and build sometimes did that alone. He could be one hell of an intimidating son of a gun when he wanted to be, but they were all friends here, right? “Well James.” He said smiling.. “..Perhaps you'd like to show me around the place.”

The silly grin on James' face said it all. “Bit of a looker is she?” Would this paddy go there with a married woman? He shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps his lovely wife could give you more information.” Wink.

James did not intend on showing random stranger anywhere. It wasn't in his job description to take some fancy shmancy Irishman around a perfectly navigatable area. Merlin.. there were only like four different rooms but he was afraid the jock might pummel him and James didn't really do so well in muggle fighting. "Of course." Maybe he could get on this guys good side.

But he never rejected a guy with women on his mind. He smirked. "Quite." She was also a motherly figure and that stuffed it all up for the man. She washed his mouth out with soap. His OWN Mum hadn't done that.
"Doesn't really matter. What about you? What inspired you to join the ranks of the Daily Prophet?" Poor man. Didn't know the type of slave labour he was in for.

A guided tour. Maybe Eddie could make some more acquaintances in the process. London was a dreary place to live when you knew no one.

This man was an odd combination of eagerness and offhandedness. Eddie could already tell that you would only be able to hold his attention if the topic was something that suited him. “If she's that much of a looker, I might ask 'er meself.” He smiled mischievously. Good way in.

Swift change of topic...

“I fancied a change. Snappin' aspirin' actresses at a bad angle for a tacky tabloid wus not where I saw me future. I needed a change.” No need to mention that the considerable pay rise was what appealed the most.

“So what about you, lad? You a journalist?”

James stuffed the paper under his arm, and watched the man curiously. He looked different. Groomed - perhaps wealthy? He just seemed very put together but the way he was talking to him, almost talking down to him, meant that he felt at least ten years older than James. Late thirties? Man, he was old. He probably had children and wore loafers. *shudder*

While the journalist was internally cringing at the poor language. Looker? Merlin.. He smiled though. Egypt was a looker. "It'd be best. The managing editor is a little.. strange." Sienna was confusing. He STILL had no idea who the Rico guy she'd been babbling about was. Wth..

It sort of lilted - the way he spoke. It wasn't really speech it was more melodic than that. Had a sort of beat..
Huh? Oh. Wait.. he was a photographer? Maybe he knew his parents. "Yeah.. " He knew what the tabloids were like. Man.. he'd been there and done that..
He smirked slightly. Journalist. That was the day job. "Yeah. You do what you're good at. I just happen to write a neat column." More than neat. James was awesome. Period.

Eddie's eyebrows raised incredulously, his dark eyes twinkling with mirth. “The Managin' Editor? Aren't day all dough?” From Eddie's experience of employment, managers were always the most curious of species. They either wanted to be your friend... or they treated you like the lowest of the low. Thankfully, Eddie's charisma had always been beneficial to him in past employment. People respected him. “'Trange? How?” He asked interested.

He really wasn't sure what to make of this man. He was friendly, and yet there was no warmth there. No connection? Maybe it was the Irishman's fault – the first day nerves were quashing his natural warmth. Maybe a drink after work would help the conversation flow more naturally. “I could tell you were a writer.” He winked. “Which section y'write for?”

...And the guided tour? Perhaps they could talk while they walked. Eddie wanted to meet the rest of the staff. He began to move towards the door. “First stop, coffee room I tink.”

James grinned. Beside the fact that the guy sounded like he had a head cold, he was funny in that down to earth kind of way. "Seems to be. Though, she's all pining over some guy." Rico, whoever he was, had better been some catch for her to be so sappy.

It was curiosity. James laughed. "I don't really know.. she's rather vague." It'd taken him half an hour to get her to answer his question. Strange woman.

The reporter frowned. He could? Maybe it was because he was holding an article in his hand? "Do I come across as harassed, underpaid and uninspired?"
That usually signalled a journo. Especially one from the Prophet. Man, he whinged and moaned but he sort of liked his job.
"News. But it's not constraining. They're pretty allowing with what you write." Sometimes..

Oh! Yeah.. he had offered to take him around hadn't he. "Right.. you probably want to see the place?" He gestured for him to walk in ahead. Best get it over and done with..

“I swear these places jist take sum random bloke av the street an' tell dem to run the show.” Eddie obviously wasn't including himself in this sweeping generalisation of management.

Wait.. she? He had been expecting this S. Knoll to be a 'he'. But this was good. Women, as long as they weren't the highly strung or emotionally frazzled were much nicer to work with than men... just as long as you had a couple blokes thrown in there to balance out that terrible cattiness that went on when they were in packs. “Bummer.” The Irishman shook his head mock sadly at James' explanation of Ms Knoll. “Dat's no good ay' all.” He smiled wryly. “Hafta see what we can do to cheer the broad up den wont we?” A flash of pearly white teeth as Eddie grinned at this thought. Turn on the ol' Oirish charm... just as long as she wasn't some middle aged munter, right? Although some older women could be incredibly attractive.

He laughed at the kid's joke. This bloke had a sense of humour at least. “Naw. Are yer? You're makin' me wish I'd stayed in me cushy job in Irelan'.” He cast his eye over the man, thinking. “I'd say 'tis more that you have a certain sneaky quality aboyt yer. An' yeh seem fairly on the ball.” Was he a Snake at school? Would have been way after Eddie left though. The kid looked young to the older man.

News, eh? “News alwus struck me as the most interestin' area of journalism. You must 'af met some pretty interesting people in yer time.” In his time? He looked about 20. His time was probably only a couple of years.

He nodded. “As much as I'd luv to stand 'ere chattin' all day with you, sunshine, I tink it's time to make a move.” He opened the door, and wandered into the main offices, holding the door open for his new acquaintance behind him.

James laughed. Was that what they'd done with this guy? Randomnly found a half decent photographer who could manage a bunch of unmotivated apes? He didn't comment. He didn't want one of the bosses on his bad side.

Suprise. Hm. Had Eddie not expected a woman? But he recognised that look. Perhaps he wasn't the only good-looking man around here. Competition? PFT. James didn't believe in competition because that sort of entitled the opposition to some sort of contest. Women were James Parkers special department. He would not be beaten at his own forte. And certainly not by this guy.

But he couldn't really begrudge him. The guy was obviously trying to age gracefully. He would've been sympathetic to his cause but he wasn't in a charitable mood.
James suddenly had a GREAT idea. "Yes, you should. Perhaps lighten up the mood abit." He winked. There was a certain ladycrazy mare that James wanted Eddie to meet. Perhaps just for the laughs.

The man laughed. This guy was uh.. 'oreight?' Yeah. Not too bad. "Least you wouldn't have to deal with hormonal women all day.." And he said like in that sort of friendly way. Like man to man. Yeah. But it was true. The Daily Prophet women were so highly strung you could play the harp. It was crazy. Perhaps it was the workload..

Sneaky quality? James snickered. That was a lovely compliment. "Mate, you've got to be. People don't like telling reporters anything of interest these days.." Sometimes you had to physically PRY the information from them. . whatever that meant..
"You, on the otherhand, don't look like a photographer. Is that some sort of disguise you guys have now? Don't look like the part?" Obviously the whole 'khaki/sahari/national geographic wasn't appealing anymore..

James had to resist rolling his eyes. News? Now the guy was just being flattering. News was a load of crap. None of it was true and most of the times it was just self-indulged starlets moaning about how they ONLY earnt enough to feed a small city in a year.
Pft. He'd had enough of tabloid magazines. "Interesting? Mate.. models are the most uninteresting people. They're only good for one thing." And he left it at that.

James felt like the guy was purposefully trying to make him feel younger. Er? Sunshine? Parker laughed. "Seriously? Did you just call me sunshine?" Oh man.. that was priceless.
"Come on.. I'll show you round.." This guy was a lark.

Would this Miss Knoll be won over with just a few carefully placed smiles and charming words? Eddie had a feeling it wouldn't be as simple as that.. especially given James's response. Lighten the mood a bit? That statement could be taken in two ways. That, 1, a bit of attention would cheer the woman up, or, 2, she wouldn't be a happy chappy which would probably amuse this kid. Well... Eddie would just have to wait and see what she was like first, eh?

Hormonal women? Didn't sound all that great... but James was smiling, his tone jovial, so Eddie smiled. “It's probably stress, James. Do you lot get oyt much? Dat pub along the road looks invitin'” Full of kids right now nursing butterbeer but that would change in the next few days and Diagon Alley would be bearable again.

He smirked a little. Bloke was amusing. “Probably because you lot harass the poor celebs somethin' ahwful. I know. I used ter do the same ting.” You got accused off all sorts trying to get that perfect shot.. and bodily damage was a given.

He didn't look like a photographer? He looked down at his attire, deciding to take that as a compliment because, lets face it, he looked damn good. “It's usually jeans an' a t-shirt for me, but as it's me first day.. I wanted ter try an' make an impression.” And he was management now, he couldn't go around looking like some hobo tramp.

Ah now.. a man after his own heart. But he had to agree that models were boring as hell.. and most of them were far too skinny and ill looking for Eddie's tastes. But as a tabloid photographer, it did get you into the right places and you had to at least pretend to be charmed by them and interested and hang onto their every word. “Isn't that more gossip column material dough?” He asked puzzled. “My idea av news is reporting on politics, natural disasters, wars.” You know, the interesting stuff that allowed you to travel.

Sunshine – it was very Irish. “It's jist an Oirish term.” He replied. No offence was intended. Culture clash – was that even possible with a country so close to your own?

“Tanks.” He patted the the fella on the back and followed him through to the main area of the offices...

It all looked very bland. Nowt special at all...

He seemed to calculate James' response and he smirked. Sienna was perfectly nice. It was the 'other' women of the office. Namely one Lyric that is so utterly scary. Parker liked women who you could converse with, not ones that threatened to render you a vegetable and poured hot coffee on your freshly laundered clothes.

He laughed. "Probably. I mean, they're all so highly strung.." Man.. if they were all single and blonde he wouldn't have a problem. But no. Pft. Monogamy. What WAS that?

Harass? Most of the time he steered clear of them, but then they came and offered you wedding photo's and an exclusive. It was pathetic. Still, the cash was good.
James had almost started to like this guy. He was a suit guy. Suits were obviously the best kind of clothing there was. Because heh. He wore a suit.
"Teeshirts are nice.." *cue collar tug* Eh. Not.

Oh.. gossip columns. The bane of James' life. "I was one. For five bloody long years." What a way to waste his life. News section of the Prophet wasn't too bad - despite how much James complained. He got to write about whatever he wanted.
"At the Prophet yeah.. but that's not always where I've been." What about this guy? Photographer from nowhere. "What were you doing for this place?" It sounded like he'd been in tabloid photography. Ergh. James actually felt sorry for him.

The accent was growing on him too. It still look a little more thought to try and figure out what he was saying, but all in good time. "Yeah.. I reckon you should.. keep the 'sunshine' to the ladies. Wouldn't want people thinking.." You know what? Best not to tell one of the people higher than you THAT on their first day. Ahem.

Tanks? "So-" OH. Thanks. He frowned slightly as he pet him. The irish were overly touchy feely. James cast him a smile and looked around at the dull colour scheme. "And welcome to the foyer. The creams and beiges are meant to dull your brain function so you can't even contemplate quitting." Ha. "The trashy magazines are meant to inspire you to write better, but end up depressing you even more by their utter rubbish syntax and.. don't sit down - anywhere. These chairs are older than y-.." You? Was that he was going to say? Erm.. "*cough* Sorry.. they're very old," He corrected and averted his eyes. Bad James.

*giggle*

Feeling as if she were walking on air, Mackenzie walks through the entrance of the Daily Prophet. She'd never been happier then she had at that moment, she really wished she hadn't had to work that day, but had the entire weekend to spend with her FIANCE! She still couldn't believe it, it still was too awesome.

Her face completely lit up with the smile that filled her face, she walks through the entrance to start her day.

Wonderful. An office full of highly strung, stressed out hormonal women. James was already doing rather well at putting Eddie off the Daily Prophet as a place to work, although he would never voice this to the younger man. Even if they were buds, which they weren't, that would be highly unprofessional.

Tee-shirts are nice? This James character was an odd bloke indeed.

The guy used to be a gossip columnist? Urgh.. what a waste of his writing talent. But it was where a lot of these young journos started off in Eddie's experience. “Foive yeers?” He asked incredulously. “I feel sorry for you. Must've been loike some sort of jail sentence.” He said with a pearly smile. “I was a tabloid photographer. But I don't have the stayin' power of you. I only lasted two an' a half years."

An eyebrow cocked. “Believe me, they would be far off the mark.” He laughed a little. Eddie had two previous marriages and two sons to prove that little point but again, that was his own business so he kept schtum.

Eddie grinned as he took in the surroundings of the oh so dull foyer. James was certainly witty if nothing else. He picked up one the 'trashy' magazines and eyed the cover before placing it back down again. He heard the small 'slip' of James's and eyed him for a moment. “I'm only terty foive.” Thirty-five and VERY Oirish too (). He smiled broadly at the kid. And he'd bet his designer suit that he had experienced far more of what life had to offer in that time than James had in his short life so far.

“C'mon.” He said, opening the door to the next room and held it open for James. “I think I've seen quite enough the entrance foyer.”




And the door opened an in walked a young woman. Was this one the highly strung stressed out ladies James had been talking about?

“Good mornin'.” He greeted her with a smile and held the door open for her also.

Looking up as someone said hello, her smile brightens even more, if that were even possible. Her eyes sparkling with happiness, "Good morning! Thank you!" she adds, as he held the door for her.

Her skirt sweeping into the office behind her, she heads for her work area.

Elnesiel walked into the entrance, looking around, and then went back out. She had only come in here because she was trying to go in every place in Diagon Alley; and this was one of the last places in the middle of the street.

Having stuck the fliers in his robe pocket to make carrying them along the way easier, Gavin had to his credit been handing a few out as he walked but not really to EVERY one he saw. The charms worker was pretty sure not many cared much for the event that the posters were advertising after all. Reaching the middle of Diagon Alley and the appropriate building, he entered the front doors to be greeted by the waiting room of the Daily Prophet....a place he wouldn't normally be anywhere near.

Charlotte walked into the Daily Prophet a large smile on her face, her new tag attached to her jacket. It was her first day of work and her heels made a slight clicking sound with each step. She was going to be so excited telling her family about her first day that is when they were back from school and wherever they were really. She was happy and she just wanted to be in there already.

Cedric couldn't help but stretch his arms into the air whilst yawning as he entered the Daily Prophet Headquarters. Yes, he had only just got this job so you could say, a little more enthusiasm was required. But Cedric was not used to getting up so early. Was it worth it for a little bit of cash in his pocket? ... No, not particularly. Nah, he was fooling himself. He was secretly very proud of his little Daily Prophet success.

The twenty two year old apprehensively stepped through the doors and absorbed his surroundings. His new workplace, his only workplace. This was the first proper job that Cedric had ever had. Adjusting his jeans by pulling them up a bit, he attempted a first step then stopped. Where the heck was he supposed to go now? Instead, he just stood there, looking rather like a lost puppy sort. Bless.

So there she was. Stella was going to enter the Daily Prophet for the first time as a hired woman. Man, was she proud. Inside she was bubbly, she wanted to run around and give all the employees at the Daily Prophet a kiss on the cheek but she was worried that wouldn't be appreciated. Which was why she kept her poker face intact and just entered. Although when she was inside she was amazed and just looked around her with a wide smile, she continued walking like that when suddenly she walked straight into a wall. Except it wasn't a wall. It was a person. Who was clearly in her way.

She let out a little squeal when she bumped into him and she dropped her bag so her things were thrown out on the floor. At least she managed to stay on her feet. With a shocked expression she looked aroun them to see if anyone else had spotted the big human wall that had almost pushed her over. Because it was allll his fault. Uh-huh. Quickly she crouched down so she could start picking up her things and put them back in her bag.

"What was that good for?" she snapped. Now, where was her keys...?