As one of the first spaces on level one to have been given a makeover, the Minister's Office (as currently occupied by Althea Scabior) is a well-appointed, purpose built space, very light and modern and airy. Being underground, it features windows which are bewitched to show whichever view is most pleasing, and an enchanted ceiling which provides ample light. There is a lounge area for those more casual discussions, featuring a particularly comfortable couch, and two seats facing the minister's desk. A large, full bookshelf stands along one wall near the door. There is a fireplace connected to the floo network -outgoing only due to security concerns- in one corner.

A constant stream of memos comes in and out through a purpose built hole high in the wall so that the door may remained closed. These memos file themselves appropriately so that Minister Scabior can easily and efficiently see to necessary business. She is big on organisation. The door itself is always closed. This is not an office that anyone can simply march into at a whim. Appointments must be made. An exception is, in exceptional circumstances only, the ministry department heads, the upper members of the Wizengamot, and the heads of specialty teams such as the Auror or Obliviator offices. However, Scabior's family are a (limited) exception to this, and may sometimes be seen here when Althea isn't too busy. Numerous photographs of those relatives are displayed around the office.

If you do have an appointment, or have been invited in, then you may take a seat, either in front of Thea's desk, or in the seating area, depending on the nature of your business. There is a waiting area at the entrance to the office, a private bathroom, a Minister's private archive room, and the entrance to the preparation room, which leads to both the Undersecretary's office and the Meeting and Conference rooms.

OOC: I welcome you to come RP here but please either assume that an appointment has been made prior to RPing, or nudge me via VM (or PM or whatever other communication access you have to me) so we can figure out how to make it work! Any posts here of unauthorized access (ie, breaking in, sneaking in, just casually popping by) may be deleted if ooc arrangements have not been made. For reference, the office colour and decor resembles this, excepting that the couch is much larger.

Althea had made time especially to speak with the head of security, a young man who was familiar to her and yet that wasn't the reason she had high expectations from him. She knew he'd undergone training with Evander Bole, and that he'd been one of the first to go through the YATI program when it had first been established, not so long before she had worked here on level 3. To Althea this meant several things: firstly that the young man had loyalty to the ministry (he had been here for quite some time after all), and secondly that his training had been in depth and was top notch. So it was little wonder that he was now head of security.

She stood at the knocks, walked over to her door, and let him in herself.

"Please. Come in. No mysterious boxes with you, I hope, Mr Bennett." Her eyebrow quirked up slightly and she gestured that he enter. "Take a seat where you please." At the more casual seating area, or in front of her desk. He could take his pick.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesian Feline

Simon stood in steady silence as he waited for a response to his knocks. The ever so faint sound of footsteps might have been heard from the other side of the door, confirmed as the door was soon opened and he was greeted by the former professor and department head turned minister he had come to meet with. He inclined his head in acceptance of her invitation inside, biting back a groan at the mention of mysterious boxes. Instead he played it cool as he moved into the room. “No…I come empty handed, Minister” he remarked, noting the eyebrow from the woman.

His eyes almost unconsciously flickered around the office on habit, the security man taking in his surroundings as she offered an option of seat. Glancing briefly between the two areas in debate and trying not to think too much on how his choice might be seen, Simon finally opted for the more casual. That didn’t stop him however from sitting fully upright and not totally relaxed against the back of the chair. It wasn’t as if he could forget that this was still a duty and not a friendly visit to congratulate Althea Scabior of her successful return to the ministry.

"Just as well." Althea said with a small smile and then moved over to join him at the casual seating area. She herself perfectly at ease as she sat down, one foot slightly behind the other, knees primly together, but otherwise quite relaxed.


"I'm pleased you had time to see me today. We need to touch base on how security issues will be addressed going forward in conjunction with my leadership. Naturally you'll be expected to liaise with your department head regarding what we establish today, and I will also send out a memo to the relevant people myself, sans any more sensitive information." As she spoke, a large leather compendium appeared on the table in front of her, opened itself, and began taking minutes down, the writing flaring silver and then seemingly disappearing.

She had a few of her own security measures.

"Before we go forward with the particulars of what I wish to discuss, would you mind summarizing the existing security measures we have? And telling me about your own observations about current or outdated protocols or lack thereof currently in place? This is your opportunity to make some recommendations if you have any."

She really wanted to empower him to do what was necessary, and recognise and defer to his skill set after all.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesian Feline

Simon quietly observed her join him in the more casual seating, awaiting where it was the woman wanted to begin with their discussion. There was the chance that what had transpired down on Level 2 during her visit would come up first and foremost and the auror-turned-security man was as ready as he could be in that case. Everything else was relatively straightforward and things he planned on sharing anyhow given the change of command of the ministry.

“Well there are the more obvious measures,” he started first, most of them long-standing in the history of the ministry. “These include but aren’t limited to the wand weighing and scanning…the random periodic patrols around the various areas of the ministry. Mostly performed by security though other members of the MLE have been helpful at times.” And not helpful at others, the years that a certain department head that had taken over from Emily came to mind. Simon had had to smooth over more than enough feathers and put out enough fires for something that was supposed to HELP his division.

“Then there are the more exterior measures, securing against any vulnerabilities such as the ways we used or considered using when locked out of the Ministry a few years back.” Including the one concerning the very office they were seated in this very moment. If they could use it to get it, it could have been used by others if charms and protocols weren’t added. Discreetly of course given the muggle world that surrounded them.

As for observations and recommendations…

“I wonder if perhaps something could be put in place between levels to individually contain them if necessary.” Level 9 and 10 had a bit more security than the rest due to the nature of what they did but the rest were pretty open. “That way if something goes wrong with creatures from Level four, brooms from Level 6, suspects coming from Level 2 or anything else for that matter, they could be cut off from escape with more efficiency. “

Althea listened attentively, not being one to ask questions if she didn't truly seek the answers. And too, it was a good measure of how suitable the young man in front of her would be for her needs too, and those of the Ministry itself of course. She required more than simple adequacy, which she was wholly aware was often the state of things in the past. So far though, she was pleased.

"I would like a full, detailed report on my desk as soon as you are able regarding all measures currently in place, as well as your personal assessment of the effectiveness of each, and your recommendations such as this individual containment concept - which I absolutely agree with. If something of this nature is implemented, then lockdown drills will need to be run so that employees will know how to respond. If you require time or manpower to make up to date assessments, please take what is necessary, there is room in the budget for this, so if you need to have Gideon excuse others from their regular duties to help out, this can be arranged, but speak to him directly if you find the workload is too much or if you need to put together an action team to work on this." She said, pausing to see if he had all of that.

It would be excellent preparation for the upcoming, yet-to-be-officially-announced summit. Gideon would have to have Simon put a team together for that too, with appropriate employees from Accidents and Catastrophes working alongside. Interdepartmental cooperation was so important, after all.

"And on a smaller scale, you're aware of the construction here on level one I'm sure. I'll send you a report of the layout and structural changes for your perusal, as well as the charmed measures I myself am putting in place for security purposes."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becky

Maybe her performance at the Law Enforcement trainings had caught someone's attention, or maybe it was her CV and experience, but either way, Becca had been promoted and asked to come to the Minister's office. The red-head wasn't worried about the meeting, nor was she expecting anything major to come out of it. Unless they wanted to raise her pay, because that would be totally okay with her. She'd never turn down more money, what with four kids. The boys went through trousers at an alarming rate - probably from climbing all those trees - and the girls just wanted all sorts of things. While they got what they wanted generally, they weren't spoilt and had to earn treats by doing chores or learning new things and presenting them to her and Gid. It had been something Becca had thought up when the boys came home wanting to tell them everything they had learnt and the girls wanted to learn it too. It was the perfect way to get the boys to speak and the girls to listen and learn!

Either way, Becca had brought some bits of paperwork with her and a self-inking quill just for notes. Her ankles crossed as she leant back against the wall, waiting for Althea to open the door after she'd knocked. It was a habit of hers, being early. It would be nice if everyone could develop that habit.

It had been a trying time for Althea lately, mostly because there were seemingly roadblocks every which way she turned when it came to organizing the WERPS summit. All the international permitting had been arranged, but the dates had been pushed back twice thusfar thanks to delays from a petition that had been submitted to the International Confederation of Wizards. It was ridiculous. That and the department head who had formerly, and erroneously in her opinion but then it had predated her own appointment, been in charge of the entirety of level four, had suddenly disappeared. Just... gone. Resigned effective immediately, many projects and the like just abandoned, the entire Environment and Creatures departments left without direction.... Althea had needed to move fast, and had hired two replacement heads. One per department as it should be.

One of which she was going to speak with today. She knew it was what some might call a controversial appointment, but she was always one to give the chance to prove themselves to those who fought for it. And to be perfectly fair, Becca Yenorin had in fact proved herself in the past, her history and experience was exactly what was needed, even if specifically the department in question wasn't one that precisely matched her background. But a department head was an administrative position anyway, she had a huge team at her disposal. It shouldn't be an issue.

What might be an issue though was reports she'd had of the other women being.... difficult. Althea herself was known, or had been known, as a difficult woman, so she wasn't inclined to consider such things as negative, but it would be remiss of her not to speak with the new Department Head and lay all the concerns out on the table. Then they would understand one another, and a positive and honest working relationship could be established from the get go.

Althea heard the knock and she stood up, crossing the room to open it herself, memos flying around overhead.

"Mrs Yenorin. Please, come in. Do you mind if I call you Becca?" No need for formalities behind closed doors.