Antigone listened to J.J. as he spoke and nodded her head thoughtfully. "Well, J.J you are not in fact the oldest employee here considering that I am 32 and I am fairly certain Ethan and few others are older. But that is not an issue here. I am sorry that you feel wronged in any way, sir. I can only suggest that you step in a take your place. Do the work whether you are directed to or not. I personally rely on my Division Heads to do what I tell them to right away, I rarely will dispense work directly to the other employees. So if that made you feel unwanted or overlooked, I do apologize. The Division Heads are there to tell you all what I tell them. They direct the work so that things run more efficiently," Antigone said to him with a furrowed brow. She hated that he felt overlooked. "On a lighter note, congratulations on your marriage and the birth of your child. I was not aware of these things, seeing as I just recently started. Look, J.J. if there is ever a moment when you feel that you need to speak to me, feel free to come to call. But the only advice I can give you right now is just jump in there and get going. I will speak with the Division Heads about including you all in the work," she said with a smile. She was fairly certain that they had not intentionally done anything to exclude him or anyone else for that matter, but she would speak to them anyway.

" Ok. so I am not older in age, but in being a tenured employee in this department" J.J. Starr told Antigone. " Oh no, the Division heads and you are cool with me" Joe Jon Montcenaggio said to Antigone. " I meant it is the other employees from the Magical Department that make me feel different" J.J. explained to Antigone.
" I had been working with Samantha Rose and Jake Rider forever and I seemed to get really important assignments from them" J.J. Starr told Antigone. " Thank you for saying nice things about my marriage and my new child" Joe Jon Montcenaggio told Antigone. " I always do my work and do it hard" J.J. reminded Antigone. " Thanks for the talk" he told Antigone. J.J. Starr knew he should be one of the bosses but he kept getting turned down without any good reasons.

Antigone kept all emotion from her face as J.J. spoke again. She nodded her head and said, "Well, I am not sure what you are trying to say, J.J. but you all are getting the same assignments from here on in. You all are working on the same projects, I will not show any special treatment... Sorry." She began to tap her fingers on her desk in rapid motion. "I do apologize for any bad feelings that you may have toward the other employees and if you give me names of those who are being rude or disrespectful to you in any way I would be more than happy to have a word with them. We all have to work together here, J.J. I will not tolerate anyone not being a team player." she said to him with a soft tone. "Now, if that is all you wanted to speak to me about..." she trailed off waiting to see if he had anything else to discuss.

"Well it is not a particular employee not listening to me" J.J. Starr told Antigone. " Just the younger ones are the ones who seem not to respect me" Joe Jon Montcenaggio said to Antigone. "Well, I will do my assignments" J.J. [romised Antigone. Well at least she talked to him. Antigone really did not understand J.J. Starr. The only one that ever did was Samantha Rose.

"Well thank you for coming to speak to me, J.J. Now if you will excuse me I have some work I need to attend to," she said sweetly motioning to the stack of files on her desk. Gah! All that paperwork was fail!

Lemuel, a powerful and beautiful Peregrine Falcon flew almost silently into the office of Antigone McArdle. How he managed to get into the ministry at all, I do not know for I am merely the disembodied narrator. He landed on the desk of the beautiful woman, recognising her as the person that the letter attached to his leg was for. He held his leg out for the woman to take the letter and looked around the room for a suitable place to perch.

In the envelope attached to his leg was a letter and a photograph:

Antigone gasped as a falcon swooped into her office and landed on her desk. RUH ROH... She knew that bird... she knew what it was doing there. She closed her eyes for a moment before reaching out and stroking the bird's head lightly. Dear Merlin... why her... why now....

She opened her eyes and untied the letter from the bird's leg shakily. She opened the envelope and gasped as she saw the photo. She ran her fingers across it, letting memories flood her mind as she did. Those had been very different times... She then took both the letter and photo out and uneasily stood from her desk, pacing as she read. She read and reread the letter... Yep, he was lying. Cain would never have been so low, so treacherous. She didn't believe a word of it.

She tossed the letter onto the desk, leaving it open and in plain sight as she held the picture in her hands. A single tear dropped her eye and she conjured a frame and placed the photo inside of it and set it on the desk and walked away, not caring who was in her office or if Lemuel left or not... she needed to get away.

Ethan made his rounds, still not able to turn in his report of Professor Vindictus. That was something he needed to speak to Antigone as a boss and not as...well...what exactly where they? The very thought of actually being together as exclusive frightened him, but yet it was nice to have her around from time to time as the moments they shared together were...fun.

When he arrived at her office, the door was opened. Strange. She was not one to leave her life so opened and available to everyone which was the one thing he adored about her. He tapped his knuckles on the door waiting for her to respond as he slowing made his entrance into her office.

She wasn't there.

Instead there was an opened letter on the desk, one that might explain where she was and why she left her office opened. He kept the letter on the desk as his fingers nicely positioned it to where his eyes could view and read. He found his answer. Ahhh! It was like a breath of fresh air and a commitment he didn't need to pursue any further. Now he knew where they stood, or more or less, he knew where she stood. His lips curved to one side as his thoughts became to cave in to the slyness of his brainwaves. This was more than acceptable. This deserved...a celebration.

Ethan turned quickly and headed out of the office. He needed to have a drink with Millo, his dear friend, in celebration of having your cake and eating it too, being single and being allowed to mingle.

Lemuel had found an acceptable shelf to roost on. He watched as the beautiful woman read the letter. He watched her become upset and frame the photograph. He watched her leave.

When a man entered the room and read the letter, Lemuel ruffled his feathers. That letter was not for you! he thought indignantly.

When the man slipped out of the room, Lemuel swooped across to the desk and landed on the letter, determined to guard it.

Finally reaching her office, Ethan walked through the opened door as it was never closed from before. Still in the same spot was the letter that he read from before and that damn bloody, evil looking bird was still in the room. He walked her over and gently placed Antigone in the chair, sighed and stepped back.

And yet, what just came from her lips was the very thing that he was going through just in different terms. "Confusion, I can understand...somewhat," he began as he stepped away from her, finally feeling the teary wet stain that was left from her. He was terrible in the worst way. "And...you have every right to take your anger out on me." His eyes looked towards the floor as he nibbled slightly on his upper lip.

"I shall be here early every morning, just as you have asked," he nodded his head as his eyes fell slightly towards her and then back to the floor. He then turned to walk towards the door and back to his cubical.

"Ethan, wait..." she called out to him gently. She pushed her stubborn self up from her seat and hopped around her desk. As she did so her eyes fell on the letter, the bloody letter. She ignored it. Still hopping and panting she stopped on the other side of her desk and said, "It wasn't fair of me to try and push more work on you when it's my fault you are behind in the first place. Nevermind that. I do however hope that you can forgive me... I have been intentionally trying to hurt your feelings tonight, but I am not really sure you have any feeling to begin with." Oh crikey... that came out wrong. "What I mean to say is, no feelings toward me, you don't care. I got a bit attached and oh for the love of Merlin..." she trailed off. "Do you get what I am trying to say?" she asked stupidly.

Lemuel snapped his beak when he saw the nosy man enter the room, carrying Antigone. My master won't like that, oh no!

When the nosy man glared at Lemuel, the falcon let out a disgruntled CAW!

If he were able to speak, he would have asked, Who d'you think you're looking at?

Ethan turned his head slowly as Antigone began to speak but then turned her words around. Either way, it wasn't good...for the most part. His eyes looked up to the bird that was now glaring at him. A part of himself wondered what was going on as if the bird knew who he was or something, but it was just a silly bird, nothing more.

Enough of the crazy thoughts because the lady just told him what he wanted to hear. He leaned in on the desk with a smirk on his face and in his best voice. "I...understand," he stated as his eyes watched over her for a bit then he looked towards the bird. Change of topic. That would be a good one.

"And since when did you own something with...feathers?"

Antigone hopped back around her desk and plopped into her chair. Pulling out her wand she cast a few charms on her ankle and healed it right on up. Then looking back over the desk at Ethan she said, "Well, this isn't my bloody bird. His name is Lemuel and he belongs to an old friend of mine. Now why he has yet to vacate my office, I have no clue. But I do have an owl, Ethan. A lovely snowy named Maximus." THen something clicked and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"So is this your way of breaking the news to me? Am I right in saying you don't care. Even in the slightest, because Mr. Matteo, I have to tell you that I am not the kind of woman I think that you think I am," she said in a haughty tone. Oh he had better say yes or he is getting attacked... either by the bird or me, she thought.

Lily walked to the door, almost a bit anxious to meet the new head. But as she held up her hand to knock, she didn't falter. Knocking a bit she waited, hoping for what she considered a good first impression.

With his frown still plastered on his face he stalked down the hall toward the Education Department Head's office and banged on the door. Was the man an idiot? If he had sent that fellow down there he must have been. No authorization to access files...working with a bunch of bloody amateurs. The man was lucky he hadn't crossed paths with him when Alexa was gone...he would have probably just knocked him out cold.

As the door didn't budge he banged on it again, "Hello!"

Turning her attention away from Ethan she looked toward the door and frowned. Why was it everytime she was in her office with that man she got interrupted? Yeesh!

"One moment, please!" she shouted at the door.

Then the banging commenced. OH NO THEY DIDN'T! Stalking around her desk, still barefoot and tear stained she swung her door open and came face to face with two people. THe man looked rather displeased. "Can I ask you why you have decided to POUND on a Department Head's door? I am going to close this door and I need you to try again, sir. I will not deal with rude people," she said in an angry voice as she pushed her door shut in his face and tapped her foot, waiting for the man to try and be polite about his knocking.

As he heard the door open he blinked at the woman's appearance. Had she been...crying? Swallowing he was brought back to Alexa again and shook his head. And then the door was closed...right.... Running his hand over the back of his neck he sighed. He'd become a sap. His anger gone at the sight of the sad woman he raised his hand and knocked lightly. "I need to speak with you about your division head," he said in his deep baritone as he looked down at the handle to see if it would turn. He'll ask her if she was alright after she let him in.

Antigone let the corners of her mouth turn up in a bit of sad little smile as she shot a look back at Ethan as if to tell him he was to stay where he was, they were NOT done with their conversation.

Opening the door she said to the man, "That is much better, thank you. My name is Antigone McArdle, the Education Department Head. Who are you and which Division Head might you speaking of?" she said to the man in a much nicer voice than she had spoken to him in at first meeting.

REalizing she must still look a mess she wiped her eyes with the already stained sleeve of her shirt and hoped that would come out. Ugh. She stepped back and motioned for the man to enter her office as she conjured a nice comfy chair for him to sit in, leaving Ethan standing as she glared at him. Once seated behind her desk in her tidy office she quirked an eyebrow and waited for the man to speak.

Warren looked up as he saw the handle turn and at the woman who answered. Was she alright? Oh dear lord...he was becoming such a.... Letting the thought go he looked around the room as he entered noting a man standing there and chose to stand as well. He never liked having the disadvantage. "My name is Warren Rodemiere, I am the Division Head of the MLES and Wizengamot and the Division Head I'm speaking of is a Mr. Ryan Chambers."

His eyes fell on the man in the corner and then back toward Antigone, shaking off the weirdness of it. "It seems he wishes to access our classified files of Hogwarts but can show no authorization as required. Not to mention he has antagonized my staff along with the Head of the Auror's, much to my amusement," he said the last part quietly to himself. "And then has threatened us with bad publicity for not releasing our files to him." His eyes went back and forth between the two again and back, "Are you alright?"

Antigone gritted her teeth when the man mentioned Ryan. She let her mouth drop open in shock as he explained what Ryan had done. "I told him that he would more than likely not get to see the files, since they are indeed classified. I had no idea that he would go to your office and cause trouble, Mr. Rodemiere. Please, let me apologize on behalf of my Department. I will be reprimanding him indeed. And I assure you that no bad publicity will come from my Department toward yours. Holy mother of Merlin that man is a pain in my... Oh goodness, I am so sorry," she said to the man. She was so ashamed of her Division Head that she could crawl under her desk because of this situation.

Then the man asked if she was alright. Tilting her head to one side she thought for a moment and then answered him honestly, "No, sir. I am not alright, to be honest with you. I have had the worst day since I have been back here. And this news about my Divison Head embarrassing me this way makes it even worse."

Lemuel, the falcon, did not leave his post guarding the letter, not with the nosy man in the room, but when someone hammered on the door he became agitated, making small cawing noises.

When Miss Antigone spoke angrily to the man on the other side of the door, Lemuel's agitation only increased. He cawed louder and flapped his considerable wings.

Nosy men, loud men... I don't like it! The bird thought to himself. I don't like it at all!

Warren found himself smirking slightly as she started cursing about Ryan and waved off her apology. "Don't worry about it. He should be back in his office now." He leaned against the couch casually, "It's not the fact he did it it was how he did it. Seems to be a smarmy little guy too. Too smart for his own good." At least I have the sense to not do that unless I know I'm going to get what I want.

His eyes went back to the man who was standing there and then back toward the woman, "I don't mean to pry but...you seem as if you were crying. Is there something I can help you with?" Yeah like what...well never hurt to offer. His eyes trailed up toward a noisy bird and he raised an eyebrow. Now why was he guarding a letter and then smirked as he noticed the type of bird. "Nice bird. My patronus is a falcon,"

Antigone shook her head in disbelief that one of her employees, a Division Head no less, would act so inappropriately inside of the Ministry. She would make him regret his actions, she indeed she would. "Yes, he has a LOT of ideas and refuses to take no for an answer sometimes. Both good and bad traits to have," she said in a disgusted tone.

Antigone sighed and sniffled a bit as the man pointed out that she seemed to have been crying. "I was indeed crying... but I don't think that there is anything you can do to help. Not unless you have a time turner that I could borrow so I could change a few decisions I made," she said and looked pointedly at Ethan Matteo in the corner of her office. Stupid meanie head, she thought to herself.

Then he mentioned Lemuel. "Yes, he is magnificent. I am not sure why he has decided to roost in my bloody office though. He belongs to a friend of mine and he delivered the letter there and now he won't leave. He seems to be rather upset about protecting that letter. As though someone has read it since I leeeeft... my... office... earlier," as she trailed off she looked back at Ethan with teary eyes.

Lemuel hopped from foot to foot, glaring first at the loud man for a while. Miss Antigone seemed to be talking to him nicely so Lemuel returned his attention to the nosy man.

He didn't like the nosy man one bit. He glared at the man, cawing loudly and flapping his wings.