Edward had hoped he'd done well. Again, it was a challenge, not having done a complete building before. Edward heard Ms. Browne ask him to layer the spell. Yes, ma'am. He set about trying to add layers. He assumed the best place to begin was at any of the portals (doors, windows and vent openings). He noted the presence of a person standing outside a window. He nodded to the gentleman and waited until the person had been dealt with appropriately.

Then it struck him, Maybe I should have also tried the ceilings! He went to a corner of the room out of sight of the curious 'passerby' and pointed his wand at the center of the ceiling and spoke the incantation Muffliato! He heard Emily ask another woman to do the same.

The YATI internally cursed when the muggle crossed the street and back toward the restaurant. He didn't go back inside, which was a good thing, but still, what if he got all paranoid? Seemed like Emily had it handled, though.

Kennedy set to work, casting the place with the Muggle-Repelling Charm. He felt extra confident since charms was his area of strength, yet, still made sure to cast the spell several times and leave no place untouched. He even charmed the sidewalk so Muggles would cross to the opposite street and be on their merry way in case things didn't go as planned. Better safe than sorry.

Once again, the YATI nodded and had to remind himself no one would see the gesture. "The entire restaurant perimeter would be safest, I think," he volunteered in a hushed tone.

Genevieve felt as if she was performing a constant rotation of fools' errands. From hanging lights in subway tunnels to riding trains in those tunnels to get around to... running on foot to the restaurant, since apparition around the Ministry was still so fuzzy... well. It was stupid and annoying.

She was pleased with herself for being in good enough shape that she wasn't even out of breath as she approached the restaurant. It looked properly deserted, which she supposed was good. Good, right up to the point where she ran headlong into something invisible and warm and solid.

Hello, Disillusioned person. Fancy running into you here. "Ouch. I... ouch!" She rubbed her hair and her bum and her hair, not sure which hurt more. "Need a hand?" Genevieve spoke quietly, her eyes already searching the periphery for any Muggles that might be close enough to see her talking to herself. All clear.

It took close attention to sounds for Simon to keep aware of where his partners in crime were since they both blended well into the backgrounds around them. The quiet castings of the spell they were all casting as they moved and the slight impacts by the movements themselves. The auror paused as he sighted movement nearby but it wasn't Kennedy or Tasha or even more from their team. A muggle had gotten close to the restaurant despite the spells already in place.

Under normal circumstances he would have intercepted but he could hardly just appear to handle him or do so disillusioned. So he simple kept sight of him out of the corner of his eye while he moved to improve the muggle-repellant wards both where he himself was and where the muggle man had appeared. Relying on the others to stop him properly. Soon enough he had doubled back to the beginning, hearing the other two speak of moving their work around the other perimeters of the restaurant.

Simon was about to answer them with his own response when they were joined by Genevieve, the woman apparently bumping into something or rather someone. Yeah, they hadn't really thought on latecomers arriving to assist them and not being aware of things. "Nice...the use of disllusionment as a wizard and witch repellant," he mused quietly so only the other three could hear, the auror biting back an amused laugh.

He was going about his job, being innocent and all, when someone collided right into the middle of his back. It didn't hurt, maybe a bit, but it surprised him more than anything. Snapping out of it, he swirled around, wand pointed at whomever decided to assault him.

Genevieve Branxton attacked him! EMILYYY.

Seeing the witch though, Kennedy had to bite back a laugh. Seems she got the worst end of the accident. The amuse grin that made it to his face from Simon's comment, he didn't hide that. Not that anyone would see it anyway.

"You all right, there, Braxnton?" Kennedy whispered. "Stop messing up your hair and help us check that there aren't more muggles around, yeah?"

Emily was a firm believer in if you wanted something done right, you had to do it yourself. That being said, she was also a firm believer in if you want something done in a time-sensitive way, suck it up and do it yourself, and so, with so much inaction she stepped up and went to deal with the nosy muggle. If he lost half his mind, it would be of no consequence to her, so no matter what happened he'd be on his way, thoroughly confunded and they would be set to continue their handy work.

She offered Edward a nod of the head as he continued his work, good good good, and exited the front of the restaurant to then coax/drag the muggle inside the door. He was cooperative - not that he really had a choice, so getting him out of the street for her handy work was easy enough. And soon enough, she was done with him, booting him out - politely - and sent him on his way.

Convinced the others were done, or at least close enough to done, she gave the signal for them to return upon completion. Her head still out the door, she gave looks in directions and with a suggestive head tilt to follow, Emily strode back in, banishing tables out of the way as she went.

Confident that her disillusioned were on task and heading back, that Heather had helped with clearing space, that Edward was done with muffliatoing and... that Gidyun was... well making himself useful, she set herself up in front of the main wall, and eyed it and the floor space in front of it. Hhhhmmmm....

...

She knew many things about blowing stuff up, it had been her strength since her magic started manifesting in her youth. Explosions and fire? Yeah, she was all over this. Wand in hand, Emily engraved lines and circles in the floor forming a circle and pin-pointing what she was certain were the weakest spots in the floor structure. One good crack, and the rest would be childs play.

"Alright everyone, gather round," she stated to the room in general. All hands on deck yes? The fun was about to begin!

Edward finished the last attempt of layering with the silencing charm when he heard the lady in charge call them over to her. He headed in that direction and waited for further instructions. Seemed like with all that they were doing that he was about to have a little wizarding fun, which wasn't always possible when one lived in the vicinity of muggles.

It seemed their decision was actually being made for them.

There would be no more additional repelling of muggles around the rest of the restaurant beyond what they already had done. That which should certainly be enough for the task at hand given everyone else's work on top of it. But now they were being summoned back to meet up once more and Simon lead the forward group back into the main room of the restaurant to stand before Emily and awaited what came next. As in all right guys...recover and come after for its time to move on.

After a few moments of mental deliberation, the auror cancelled the disillusionment charm, slowly appearing once more before the group since they were all magical here. He prefered to see someone when he himself was speaking to them and allowed the department head that priviledge as well. Not saying aloud that he actually prefered to see who and what he was working with as well.

"Very funny," Genevieve scampered to her feet and casually dusted herself off like she hadn't just been collecting gravel a second before. No one seemed to have noticed her, other than the two sorta-shapes in front of her that she now recognized by voice as Simon and Kennedy. Her peers, basically, so that was just... awesome.

"Let me help. Where's Emily? Can I come?" She casually reached out and gave SOMEONE a hard shove in the general area of his stomach. Take that, you bully. One of the shapes started moving away from her, back toward the door of the restaurant, and Genevieve happily slipped in under his arm to join the group.

HI BOSS WE ARE HERE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward Penguin

Edward finished the last attempt of layering with the silencing charm when he heard the lady in charge call them over to her. He headed in that direction and waited for further instructions. Seemed like with all that they were doing that he was about to have a little wizarding fun, which wasn't always possible when one lived in the vicinity of muggles.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holmesian Feline

It seemed their decision was actually being made for them.

There would be no more additional repelling of muggles around the rest of the restaurant beyond what they already had done. That which should certainly be enough for the task at hand given everyone else's work on top of it. But now they were being summoned back to meet up once more and Simon lead the forward group back into the main room of the restaurant to stand before Emily and awaited what came next. As in all right guys...recover and come after for its time to move on.

After a few moments of mental deliberation, the auror cancelled the disillusionment charm, slowly appearing once more before the group since they were all magical here. He prefered to see someone when he himself was speaking to them and allowed the department head that priviledge as well. Not saying aloud that he actually prefered to see who and what he was working with as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cassirin

"Very funny," Genevieve scampered to her feet and casually dusted herself off like she hadn't just been collecting gravel a second before. No one seemed to have noticed her, other than the two sorta-shapes in front of her that she now recognized by voice as Simon and Kennedy. Her peers, basically, so that was just... awesome.

"Let me help. Where's Emily? Can I come?" She casually reached out and gave SOMEONE a hard shove in the general area of his stomach. Take that, you bully. One of the shapes started moving away from her, back toward the door of the restaurant, and Genevieve happily slipped in under his arm to join the group.

HI BOSS WE ARE HERE.

For those that flocked to her and her marked potential hole in the floor, Emily gave them an appreciative nod of the head. Oh look! A wild Branxton appeared. Now was as good a time as any to get things started, really, started. "Our objective is simple, we go underground, break through the walls back into the Ministry, bricks and mortar can always be repaired so if you have any objections to destruction, I suggest you go play look out," she gave them all a pointed look at this stage, because look-out was an option. Her pause was long enough for anyone to object or to move onto a supportive task, but not long enough to waste time.. so moving on.

"We need to go down, and slightly westward," she indicated, making gestures to the markings she'd put on the floor, "First thing we need to do it break through this buildings foundations, the we have a some feet to go before we hit the Ministry's walls," ceiling, same thing, bricks and mortar and reinforced and ladi dadi da. "I trust you're all familiar with the gouging charm defodio?" she asked rhetorically, "If not, learn as you go, we'll use it to cut through the foundations first, we don't to endanger our lives with flying concrete debris, blowing up can wait until we're ready to make our re-entry."

Another pause for any questions and such...

"Right, everyone take a side... and gouge till your hearts content... remove the debris to that corner of the room," she pointed with her wand, taking up position at her own section of the floor.

3..... 2...... 1..... GOUGE!

He was looking around and out the windows and saw the face at the window just as Emily spoke and nodded moving quickly. Out of the restaurant he went and to try and take care of the muggle who was still snooping around and likely trying to find out what they were doing. It took some doing and he needed to obliviate but hopefully now the muggle would stay away and was on his way home. Checking around him again he kept an eye out to see if there were any more stragglers wandering around before heading back inside.

He walked back in just as Emily started explaining about what they were going to be doing, and nodded in agreement. Wow, even more people had joined them! Good team to work with, he was quite pleased with the outcome of people who'd come to join them. He stood back to the side to make sure if anyone needed help or got injured, but was going to help as well in any way they needed it. He wanted this to work, or if not their team, one of the others, to actually succeed in getting into the ministry!

Now he was being shoved by the small blonde. Had he been visible Kennedy would have thought she just wanted to touch his body. She could just ask--Merlin. He was starting to sound like Johnathan. Ruffling his hair, Kennedy re-entered the restaurant, going to stand where Emily was.

Time to focus.

Seeing as the coast was clear he lifted the charm. It was nice being able to see himself again. He nodded along to what Boss was saying; get through the building's foundation, reach the Ministry's walls, and retake it. Sounded like a plan, there was absolutely no way he was going to miss something like this. What he was looking forward to the most was: What inhabited the Ministry? Or who or what was keeping them out?

Kennedy made sure no one was too close to where he was going to cast (no need for lost limbs) and set on gouging. He was curious for answers.

"Defodio!"

There was a sort of acknowledgement from Emily when she spotted Genevieve, and the young woman saluted her boss but wisely decided not to comment. Commenting only ever got her in trouble, or got her more work, or got her a stinging insult from someone in charge, so she was just going to shut up.

Excepting, of course, if Kennedy or Simon required harrassment. It had always been easier for Genevieve to get along with her male peers than her female ones (although Aspen was an exception, obviously), and she was growing almost fond of Bossy Simon and Pretty Kennedy. Almost. Not quite to the point where she'd trust them not to let her die, but they were getting there.

She took up a position near Emily and a few feet from where Kennedy was already attacking the wall with gusto, and Genevieve joined the fray. "Defodio." She was a sick person, because she really liked breaking things like this.

Simon listened intently as Emily laid out the plan for excavation before them. Down and out starting with the markings that had appeared upon the floor of the restaurant undoubtedly from her own hand or wand. It seemed simple enough and he was indeed familiar with the spell in question even if he had no recollection of the reason for learning it. Not that it mattered at all...what mattered was actually using it properly to avoid injury and eventually the possibility of cave-ins once they were down below and gouging horizontally.

Now to get to work. With the added benefit of seeing everyone he was working with, it was easy to pick a spot not covered by another, the auror moving in place somewhere between Emily and the two YATI. Simon took his wand out this time for the more focused work and began casting and digging.

"Defodio."

The elbow grease expended by the modest team was paying off as large chunks of the thick concrete slab started to crumble and break away into shards - some larger than others. The carpet, or what was left of it, still clung to some parts of the floor as it was slowly broken up.

But the pile of debris wasn't going to move itself. Progress was only limited by it hindrance.

Charming the restaurants exterior had gone smoothly and quickly when Tasha combined forces with Simon, Kennedy and Genevive who had joined them during the work. When Emily called them back inside Tasha negated her disillusion spell. Because if they were going to be blasting stuff up she wanted to be visible so that nobody hurt her by accident. And if something were to fall down from the ceiling and she got injured while disillusioned nobody would notice.

Following Emily’s lead Tasha walked over to an empty spot with her wand out and aimed it at the floor at her feet. "Defodio." She worked in silence for several minutes. When she stopped to admire her work as the floor crumbled Tasha called to nobody in particular. "If we succeed in breaking in to the ministry this way, where would we end up, in the atrium?" Meaning where does this entrance usually lead?

Edward watched his comrades taking large chunks from the floor, but there was indeed some debris laying about. He decided to take some initiative and help get it out of the way as it was brought up. He walked on the side of the group, opposite the area he was looking at. He didn't want to block the door, so he chose and area adjacent. He pointed his wand at the debris pile and spoke the words Depulso! and watched as a pile of debris began to move away from the group. When it had gotten close to the wall, he went back and did some more, to clear the debris and make way for more. He had considered just causing it to be banished, but he didn't know if it would be used again to fill in the space and he didn't know where it would end up.

Emily too worked away at her section of floor, caaarrrrvvvviiiinngggggggg it up like a boss. But she did pause as she worked to banish the debris to the far corner of the room. Cleaning up wasn't a priority right now, but making a mess and forcing their entrance was. She gave Edward a look to communicate her appreciation of him being smart about things and helping with moving the debris, the others seemed to be ... enjoying things perhaps too much? Like Branxton, the girl had spunk, she liked it.

After doing a bit more banishing, Emily raised her arm and cried, "Ceasefire!" before squatting down to take a better look. Eeeehhh... still some way to go. "Still no blasting yet, but we're almost at the threshold, keep gouging for now... we don't want any unnecessary accidents." Like rubble flying around the room. Nope. And ahhhh, excellent question from Natasha. "The Minister's Office actually ... you'll find the Atrium is much further underground, and frankly we don't have time to dig a hole half way to China." Y'know... with the Atrium being sandwiched between seven and nine, among the lower levels.

But no point standing around, back to digginggouging. Emily lead by example.

"The Minister is going to be so annoyed," Genevieve grunted as she took out another huge piece of cement and rolled it back behind her. Imagine Kettleburn showing up in his office once they all got in and finding that he now had skylight access to the Muggle restaurant above him. Kettleburn didn't exactly give off a super flexible vibe, honestly.

She glanced back at the pile behind her and banished it all with a wave of her wand and a silent Evanesco, and then Genevieve once again attacked her spot with gusto. GUSTO! TAKE THAT!

Edward saw the look from Emily and nodded his acknowledgement. He kept at it and hoped that soon they'd be done, because he wasn't sure how much more debris he'd be able to fit in the dining area. He was going to have to start looking for more places to put it.

With such gusto, it came as no surprise that the initial dent in the floor soon became a cavity with extended deeper into the earth, deeper toward the target.

Not far to go now!

Simon continued to work with the others, the spells of the assembled seemingly making quick work of their target which was certainly a good thing. They didn't need to prolong it any longer then they had to. He lowered his wand at the ceasefire, wondering just what was the result. Unfortunately while it was progress, it wasn't a complete success to their first point of attention. Taking the break as a chance to switch spells, he levitated the stone and such he had been working on off to the side where Emily had directed. Their progress now even more visible with the cleaner area.

Minister's office...now that was an interesting turn of events. And Simon had to agree at Genevieve's words about the minister. "Well hopefully the fact that we've gotten us all back into the Ministry and out of the less then optimal replacements will overide the fact that the office has to be rebuilt." And if the Minister's temporary local was the same as most places he had already seen, the auror felt the man would deal with it.

With the others returning to their digging and gouging, and the ceasefire obviously abated, Simon resumed his own work. The auror restarting the gouging spell with a quiet yet focused "Defodio." The hole becoming deeper and larger before their very eyes.

HA! ... Emily couldn't help but smirk at Branxton's words, but it wasn't something she was all to concerned about, and Bennett could see the lighter side of things. For the greater good!... and that aside, it wasn't as if they'd be crashing his office literally. "Minister's office as in level one, Branxton, I doubt the Senior Undersecretary would give me the green light to let you all blow a hole through the actual Minister's office." It was laughable. "No, depending on how we go, we'll likely fall through the main work floor, or if anything the conference room." This wasn't a spur of the moment plan, there was some thought behind it.

"Ceasefire!" she called again, pausing the group to assess the damage they had done. They were making excellent progress, really. It was exciting stuff.

"Alright its deep enough to prevent much in the way of debris flying out way... with any luck it'll just blow the hole right through. So now we start bombarding, preferably together so that we maximise impact. We ready?" she asked, looking between the team. "On the count of three..." wand poised and aimed, "one.... two....... three! Bombarda Maxima"

Again a ceasefire was called and again Simon obediantly lowered his wand and cancelled the gouging spell. Having been managing to move stuff away as he worked this time around, he hadn't needed to clear to see what Emily was seeing. The progress was indeed better and the auror was relieved to hear that they were onto the next stage of their plan. The actual explosions that would hopefully get them into Level One, no matter what the actual location turned out to be.

Did it really matter if they were successful? His vocalized thoughts still stood...the pluses would overide the negatives.

The auror simply nodded as they were asked if they were ready, the man unconsciously tightening his grip on his wand in preparation. Digging was one thing...blowing stuff up was another. Paying close attention as Emily counted them down, Simon cast, his incantation echoing the department head's own. "Bombarda Maxima!"

Ceasefire……!

"Defodio."

Ceasefire!

Lowering her wand Tasha rocked back on her feet to survey the progress they had so far made with joined forces. The hole in the ground was definitely getting deeper. Pushing back a wet blond strand of hair from her face she listened to Emily’s new orders. It was time to get blasting!

When they finally broke in they’d end up somewhere in the ministers offices. Hopefully they wouldn't land in Minister’s Kettleburn’s fireplace since that would get crowded very fast considering that they then would be 7 people jammed into a small place.

No use worrying though. Raising her wand on Emily's count Tasha joined in the chorus. "Bombarda Maxima!"