Indigo loved his job. And he loved this chamber. It made him feel so at peace. It was generally quiet, with only other cryptographers doing their work and the occasional visitor using the archive. He hadn't been working there for long, but it was already so familiar.

Indigo had been working on deciphering a relic, hyperfocusing until he realized that his neck was stiff and his back was sore. Which meant he should probably take a little break. He stretched and then stood to take a little walk around the archive. There were so many things that he hadn't managed to see all of it yet, and he always enjoyed just wandering the chamber and checking things out.

It was always something. Always.

Sometimes Airey found himself wondering if he was getting to old for all of this, but it was a moment that passed quickly enough and a sentiment only brought on by the fact that there were now two beings in this world that referred to him as grandpa. Was he touched? Absolutely. Did he feel his heart strings tugged constantly. Certainly. Had he had a mild meltdown in the mirror the other day as evidence of his red giant status displayed itself prominently in his continuously receding hairline and lightened streaks? That was confidential.

Today, with all this plaguing his subconscious thoughts, the department head had other pressing matters to handle. It seemed that cleanliness in the department had laxed a bit too much over the years. Either that or, perhaps, there were simply too many magical artefacts coming into the department these days. Artefacts like the trident he carried in his hand now. Having sent notifications to all the chambers, anyone with a hand to spare, to come and assist with the reorganization effort...which would make for a GREAT effort seeing as the Chamber of Codes currently resembled the Room of Hidden Things at Hogwarts, the clutter causing the astronomer's skin to feel like it just wanted to crawl right off his bones and out the door back to his office where everything was immaculately arranged or structured in a systematic way.

His lips smacked together, feeling unusually parched despite the liter of water he had had with breakfast. He also swore he heard a voice of some sort...but that he simply attested to the plethora of magical objects currently surrounding him - nothing to out of the ordinary there.

"Well then...clearly the Chamber was not a particular fan of cataloguing artefacts by region first," he announced to the paid volunteers for this herculean effort. "So, with everything regurgitated out as you very well can see, we'll begin cataloging by type of material. I'd like a team of five to focus on the collection of all books and tomes into that corner. It will be the bulk of many of these towers I imagine ...the rest of you may begin with a tower and separate its contents as appropriate."

Cleaning up and reorganising? Not Anya's favourite thing to do. Except she didn't have a reason not to be here at the Chamber of Codes. She had finished up her recent observation report and it would be a while before she looked through the telescopes again to gather data for another report. So really, she had some time in her hands. Also, she was getting paid to work and if that wasn't enough motivation to lift her butt off a bouncy floor of the Decompression Chamber, then there really would be no hope for her getting her job done.

So yes, ladies and gents, Anya Gonzales was here, giving the closest tower of thingamajigs a once-over. She could already tell she wouldn't enjoy going through that. "Do we know what happened, sir?" She asked. The Chamber of Codes couldn't possible have decided, one day, to turn into an entire wreck on its own, could it? (Don't answer that. She knew.) Anya took a step forward and picked the topmost object off the tower. It was a photo. A very old one, from the looks of it. Sheesh. There must be centuries worth of items to go through. She was not looking forward to all that.

How long would they be stuck rearranging here? A lady needed her sleep and maybe a couple of drinks too.

When he arrived at work this morning Indigo had not expected to find that his workspace had regurgitated itself, spewing artifacts all over the place. If it was him, he would have shrugged, gotten another cup of coffee, and gone about his day. But Mr. Flamsteed had a different feeling about the mess, so it seemed that it was time to clean. Indigo didn't particularly like cleaning, but it wasn't like he could pretend he was busy with something else because, well, his entire job literally took place in this room. So, here he was.

Indigo gave a polite nod to the other employee, Anya, who was already there, and quietly set about organizing the books. He was perfectly content not to engage in small talk while he worked.

Jane was now running late after her encounter at the Fountain of Magic Brethren in the Atrium. It had taken her a little time to dry off and pin her hair back up, straighten her robes, and recover her stack of ancient books. It had also taken a little time to deal with her colleague, Adam Gerulf. But now at last she hurried in, her books wobbling as she came. She looked anxiously around for their Dept. Head and finally spotted him, holding a....was that a trident? Had everyone in the Department gone mad today?

Jane walked over to Airey Flamsteed and murmured to him quietly, "Sir? I know you're busy here, but could I just speak to you a minute? It's about Adam. He's acting strangely--more strangely than usual, I mean. I found him just now splashing around in the Fountain of Brethren."

Practically running into the chamber to see how bad it was, Dottie let a huge sight ....."Chamber of codes why have you forsaken me." Dottie wasn't sure if she had said that last part out loud or not ... and she flushed a little because she was pretty sure she did. As a cryptographer, Dottie worked with codes ... like a lot. So the fact that her chamber of codes was a disaster bothered ... like a lot.

But none the less it needed to be done .. it needed to get back into proper order, so Dottie latched on to the nearest stack and began to see what she had in her hands.

Feeling as though he had already covered the reasoning, Airey was disinclined to repeat himself. However, when one considered the dangers of this particular department and how those dangers amplified when one did not know what was going on...the department head smacked his lips together, still feeling entirely too parched, and accepted reality. "As is with the majority of this department, an oversaturation of magic has its repercussions ...a couple of years ago, if you all recall, the rock pillows became sentient and formed a golem that wrecked havoc." Thankfully said havoc had mostly been isolated to the Hall of Prophecy. "The drawers, cabinets, and such..." he continued, gesturing around. "Have likewise done so over the years. While this does have a certain benefit of additional security and protection...there is also a certain...perfectionism that comes with it as well. Thus, seeing as the Chamber of Codes itself has decided that the organizational method was no longer efficient or best suited to its needs...well..." He clapped his hands together and then held them out in a sort of defeat. "Up to us to complete the manual labor."

Yes, manual. Too many objects in this chamber had undesirable responses to magic.

While Anya and Indigo got straight to it, he turned his head towards Dottie and couldn't help the dry sarcasm that escaped his mouth in a breathy laugh. "The Chamber may say that it is you...well...all of us...have forsaken it. Though we all could have done without it being so haughty about it."

Still holding the trident, though now a bit awkwardly as he had had it leaning against his chest, tucked under his arm and sandwiched in his arm bit, and generally anywhere on his person to keep it from clunking against the floor, Airey's attention turned to Jane and found himself entirely too distracted by the mention of a fountain.

Fountain. Water. Singing?

"Pardon me," he said rather abruptly, seemingly not even acknowledging the Unspeakable and what she had just reported to him. "Take this." And he proceeded to offer her the trident. "Perhaps you and Dottie...or everyone, can examine it and sort out how best to store it. Carefully. It is very important. I will...just be a moment..."

Every chamber in the department had its own atmosphere. To Damian, Codes was rather musty. He had not been here since the nasty business with the cursed puzzle box.

"I thought of taking residence here someday, when I was no longer capable of daredevilry, and death-defying deeds of derring-do." Though mercurial in nature, he was surprisingly organized. In his right hand, he held a wand that was not his own. Taken from the defeated vampire Bain Goldwasser, Damian had turned a wicked weapon into a tool to perform mundane tasks, such as doing the dishes, or organizing books.

With his eyes wandering at the sight of countless wonders, his ears stayed amongst the other unspeakables.

Jane did not need to be reminded about the rock golems in the Hall of Prophecy; that incident had happened on her very first day at work when she was on her way to report to Airey Flamsteed. Though at the time she hadn't quite realized that chaotic happenings were the norm rather than the exception here.

What?! "If you could wait just a minute sir, while I put these down," Jane replied, turning aside for a moment to set down her stack of books, next to several other stacks of books on the floor. This day was just getting odder and odder. "Now then," she went on, taking the trident from her boss, "you want this examined and then stored, right?" Jane looked curiously at the trident's handle to see if there were any magical markings on it.

Davie breezed in but paused when he saw the Admiral handling something, something like an artifact. Just for a moment he had a glimpse of... of... a flashback? A memory? Of his wearing gloves and handling things too? It was crackling, fading, fuzzy like a bit of radio when one is caught trying to tune-in between two stations.

He shook the nargles out of his head and came a little closer as the Admiral droned on and on about manual labor. Ugh. Could he unsubscribe from this?

Maybe if he slowwwwwly edged toward the door no one would notice him. He had been doing a remarkably amazing job at keeping a low profile these past few years.

"A trident how marvelous! Can I take a look" Dottie asked smiling holding her hands out for it. She really wanted to hold it .. why .. because who wouldn't want to hold a trident!

And then she saw something out of the corner of her eye. "David! Welcome to this mess! We are happy for all the help we can get." She motioned toward the mess behind her ... still keeping her eyes on the trident ... which she really really really really wanted to hold.

Though usually very logical and cool-tempered, Jane felt a sudden burst of possessiveness when her co-worker reached toward the trident. Airey had given it to her to examine! Protectively she moved the trident over to one side, away from Dottie. "I think, before a lot of people start handling it, that I should carefully examine and evaluate this object, to make sure it's...safe."

Jane turned to see who Dottie was looking at. "David? I haven't seen you around the Department for ages. What have you been up to?" Jane was genuinely curious (and concerned) about her colleague's activities, but she was also glad to turn the subject of conversation away from the trident.

Herrmmm........ it did not go amiss from Dottie that Jane moved the trident further away. It's not like Dottie would have stolen right out of her hands ... though ... now she kind of wanted to after that show of possessiveness, but that was after all a rather childish thing to do.

"No worries Jane, I won't steal it from you, I just wanted a quick look." There was was very non threatening right??????????? Right. Grabbing another book to examine the title and determine it's contents, Dottie took on step toward the side of the trident ... maybe if she couldn't hold it just yet, she could get a better look at it.

Wellllp, so much for not attracting any attention here. Davie sighed. Audibly. "I've been around," was all he replied to Jane, really. "What did I miss?" Was the trident, for example, a new artifact or one they had acquired previously?

Oh sweet solstice.

"The Department of Mysteries, as a whole, is not a place one can take up residence," he informed Damien with a firm rub to his forehead. It was also fortunate for the Unspeakable at the moment that Airey was so preoccupied with the dryness in his throat and this incessant desire to plunge his head into a toilet that he did not notice the artefact the man was wielding. Everything to do with Bain should be filed away and kept under tight bindrune and protective charms or else face termination from their position in the Ministry. It had not gone unnoticed that this wand was missing...and it would be in everyone's best interest that it return to its proper box. Soon.

Airey really did not enjoying firing people.

But, back to Jane.

"Yes yes, if you would please," he nodded hurriedly. "No need to fret so much, the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes as well as Ecological Regulation and Protection have already given the trident a thorough examination and have rendered it safe. It is our task to examine the magical energy it is emitting, benign in nature, though with unknown parameters." He had suggested that her and Dottie take a look at it and, oh! Mr. Truebridge was here as well. How charming.

"Now, if you please," he continued, clearing his throat as though he were coughing up sand and loosened his tie entirely while also unbuttoning his shirt just a bit. He was feeling terribly dry and parched, you see. "I will be back in a little. Please carry on with your efforts here and I expect to return to see a substantial amount of progress accomplished."

Offering Mr. Truebridge an awkward little pat pat on the shoulder - no mentioned of their hug from last year, please - the department head swiftly made his way of the chamber and took off towards the lifts.

Jane did not miss Airey's subtle-notsosubtle comment to Damien and she gave her colleague a warning look behind their boss's back. It would not do if Damien got himself fired--Jane did not particularly want to have to break in yet another new co-worker. And then Jane stifled a smile at Airey's attitude to seeing David. Airey almost seemed annoyed that so many people were here, when it was he himself who issued the memo for them all to come. In fact, her superior seemed to be acting a bit...strangely...today. Not that it was easy to tell new strangeness from Airey's everyday strangeness.

But anyway, back to work. Jane tried to repress her strange and illogical desire to keep the trident for herself, and no one else, to examine and reluctantly held it out (very slightly) toward Dottie. "It seems to have some sort of symbols or inscription on it," Jane commented, clearing her throat, which seemed suddenly rather dry. Jane loosened the collar of her robes with her other hand; they suddenly seemed very restrictive and tight. She regretted now drying off all that lovely water that had gotten all over her up by the fountain.

Indigo liked his job partly because it meant he got to sit in relative quiet, working on whatever translation or codes he was at the time, and be unbothered by others. This, was definitely a change of pace and not really a welcome one. He did have a smile for Dottie. She was a fellow cryptographer so he knew her better than the rest. Indigo shot a bit of a look at Pendragon. He did not appreciate the insinuation that the chamber of codes was lesser work than whatever "daring do" he got up to. Indigo knew it wasn't fair to form opinions when he really didn't know him very well, but something about the man just rubbed him the wrong way.

Indigo had a nice stack of books going when Mr. Flamsteed left. He glanced at the pair with the trident, but they seemed to have it under control so he left them to it. Nobody seemed to really want to engage with him in conversation, which was fine with him. He was fine with quiet. In fact, he would like to get this over with so the rest of them would leave the chamber and it could go back to its usual peace and quiet thank you very much.

Jane narrowed her eyes as she tried to make out what looked like some kind of engraving or inscription on the handle of the trident, but the symbols (if there indeed were any) swam before her eyes. She pulled again at her collar--why did everything feel so tight? "Does it seem hot in here to you?" she asked aloud to no one in particular. Suddenly it seemed impossible for her to work in here one moment longer, without a break for...a drink of water! Yes, that was what she needed. "Here," she suddenly said to Dottie, thrusting the trident into the other woman's hands. "See what you can make of this. I'll...I'll be back in a moment." And with that, the usually cool and collected Miss Howard practically sprinted from the Chamber of Codes.

A magical energy, hmm? "You don't say..." Davie murmured, wanting to move closer to the trident yet not because... because something just told him he shouldn't be touching this artifact. Not one but TWO people had suddenly needed to leave the chambers after handling this thing and Davie wasn't at all sure he should be the next one.

He received the shoulder pat pat with a stiff little nod and flicked his wand into his wrist. "Indigo," he quietly addressed the other chap, "would you be so kind as to help me inspect this while Dottie holds it?"

Using wands, of course, not by AcTuALLy touching it. Dottie herself should be wearing gloves. David's very strong intuition and a VERY strong memory was telling him so.

Silence swept the pristinely organized Chamber of Codes this fine afternoon. Such a pity that the peace was not meant to last.

"EEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEEE."

There were no rumblings nor shakings, nothing to indicate that the Chamber itself had come alive once again in its contempt for wizarding organization. No, this time it had all to do with the inhabitants of this particular space on level nine. Glowing within their confinements, the light appearing like ripples through the air, two objects rattled and continued to cry out.

"EEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEEE."

One thing that Indigo appreciated about his workplace was the quiet. He could settle down and focus on a translation and not have to interact with others for sometimes the whole day. So it was safe to say that he did not appreciate a sudden screeching that came from... somewhere. He jumped, startled, when it started. Instinctively he jumped to his feet, looking around in alarm. Nothing immediately stuck out to him as what was making the sound. To be fair, it could be any number of magical objects. This was not what he had signed up for, and he was not exactly enthused to have to deal with it. Should he tell someone? He should probably tell Mr. Flamsteed, right? Yes, that sounded like a good plan to him. Indigo strode toward the door, keeping an eye out as he did for any clue as to what the source of the noise might be.

REEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE REEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The shrill drone continued and almost seemed to become louder and louder in its urgency to be heard. The glow intensified as well, leaking out through the crack between the self and case itself to create an almost eclipse effect between wood and mysterious illumination. The draw began to rattle as well. Meanwhile, an elongated cabinet began to rattle as well, the glow from within seeping out through the tiny spaces between the wood and its runic lock.

The Chamber itself seemed to have had enough of this interruption as the door SLAMMED shut violently on its hinges before the Unspeakable to exit. It then began to open and close, creating a kind of breeze that was not strong enough to push the Unspeakable backwards, but certainly had the intention of turning them around.

Indigo was almost to the door when it slammed shut in front of him. Okay, that was a bit spooky. He was about to reach out and see if it was locked when it opened again, and then closed, and then continued opening and closing quickly and creating a breeze. That was definitely not normal. He probably should have been used to things like that happening, working in the Department of Mysteries and all. But Indigo preferred to keep his head down and stay out avoid the weird magical problems as best as he could. Unfortunately it didn't seem like he was going to be able to avoid whatever was happening here. He took out his wand, just in case, because that seemed like the best course of action. If he were capable he would have sent a patronus message to Mr. Flamsteed. But unfortunately he had never been capable of producing a patronus, let alone sending a message with one. He supposed he could still try to get out but that seemed inadvisable if he didn't want to be squished. Hopefully someone would notice that the door was acting strangely and come lend him some assistance.

In the meantime, he allowed the breeze to turn him and swept his gaze over the room apprehensively. He was trying to convince himself that this wasn't a big deal and everything would be fine, but Indigo was fundamentaly an anxious person and if there was ever a situation in which to feel anxiety, well, this was certainly one of them. Finding the source of the noise was difficult, because it was so loud that it seemed to be coming from the whole chamber at once. But now that he was actually looking, he saw a glow coming from shelf, accompanied by the rattling of a door. Okay, that was definitely not normal. He walked toward the glow and gave the drawer a tug to see what was inside it.

The Chamber, quite chaffed that the Unspeakable had taken its not-so-subtle hint, stilled the doors to more easily allow for others to enter and assist should they too realize the urgency of the situation.

The drawer in question took a bit of encouraging to open, but it did so eventually and the glow that burst from the object was blinding and would take a bit of adjusting to. Once the Unspeakable did, they would find themselves looking down at a beautiful conch shell, the glow coming from the aperture as well as the screeching sound.

One certainly would not be hearing the sound of the ocean under these conditions, perhaps there is something that could be done...