My assistant's special meeting

Zoe sat in her office, scanning papers. Jack was doing a fine job, and Zoe had to admit, she had spunk, for being a lot younger then a lot of people in the department, she sure stood up for what she knew was right. From taking beasts under her wings, to saving them from execution, to telling off people, and pushing her weight around the office, she had guts. Zoe just needed a quick update on how things were running, and anything she had missed hearing from Jack during all of the conferences she had already been to that day. This meeting was last on her list, and Zoe was sipping another cup of tea, as she stared at a file, pouring over the words with a practiced eye, searching for keywords to keep from boring her mind into insanity.

Sure the Ministry's policies had changed somewhat, but her department had been left almost completely untouched, except for a few new protocols in the Beings division, everything was just as relaxed, just as sane as before. Everything was lined up, and things were completely unchanged, except that everyone knew that Zoe supported Grindelwald, and he could be seen walking through the Ministry now, along with a few other well known Criminals who glowered at everyone they passed, the atmosphere changed little in Zoe's Department, and she planned to keep it that way. She may be up for more power in this new regime, but she didn't want that affecting the work space of her workers, if they got nervous, the whole system might collapse, and then beasts would be set loose and they would all die. That's how Zoe saw it anyway.

So Zoe waited, her Secretary had been sent to find Jack after the conferences and Zoe was waiting for the moment when Jack would barge in, like she always did, and sit down, sipping something that didn't smell like coffee from her canister, and wearing something that didn't fit uniform, but she got away with it for the simple purpose that Zoe wanted her to be happy in the department, and by getting to do as she wished, Zoe guaranteed her full cooperation.

From inside the boss lady's office, a distant protest could be heard, arguing. Someone insisting they would not do something, another person insisting they would shove a puffskein somehwere the sun did not shine if they did not and that they really had no choice. There was silence, and then a sort of clomping... Getting louder and louder. Convincing mimcking of a horse really, but obviously made my someone.

And then Jack burst into the office, perched piggyback on the back of the secretary, a boy Jack had gone to school with, one that she had remembered owed her a big favor when she helped him escape detention third year. "Whooooa, boy!" Jack shouted. She slid off of the boy, and reached up to pet his hair. "Good, boy. Easy, easy." She took her thermos from him and reaching into her pocket, pulling out a sugar cube and shoving it into his protesting mouth, turning him around and pushing him out.

She closed the door and turned around, saying, "Sorry, boss lady, he owes me though." She procured her files that she had held clamped under one arm and collapsed into a chair in front of Zoe. "Back to brass tacks and big business."

Zoe frowned and turned her face up to stare at the door. There was loud arguing going on outside, and immediately Zoe was afraid someone from outside of the department had gotten into a row with someone in her office. But the commotion was suddenly revealed when the door to her office quite literally burst open, and Jack Dyllan came in, riding on the back of her Secretary, who was looking thoroughly disgruntled. Zoe couldn't help but smirk, and watch as she shoved a sugar cube in his mouth and shoved him out the door, closing it before sitting down in front of Zoe's desk. A soft chuckle escaped her lips and she shook her head. "If anyone else in that department were to come in like that, they would have been fired on the spot.. but luckily for you, I like you, and intend to keep you." She said simply, making sure it was obvious that while funny, it was a bit serious. Zoe leaned forward and looked at the young girl in front of her.

"I hear you've been quite busy lately.. gotten quite a few complaints about a redheaded demon who appears on the spur of the moment and ruins everyone's plans, does this sound familiar?" She asked, raising an eyebrow to Jack, but her smirk showing that she wasn't actually being to serious about that one. "Stopping executions.. running interns in and out of this place like it's a pub, More then once I've gotten an angry daddy in my office complaining that the person I assigned their star child to, has gone and made their darling cry, or thrown them in with a dragon, or anything along those lines." She said sounding thoroughly amused now. "I half expect sometime for someone to come in here and tell me you burned down the library next..." She said and shook her head, unable to keep from laughing.

"You are quite a bundle Jack, and it's lucky you do such a fine job working, or you wouldn't have lasted two seconds here... and it's also lucky you're in my department, or better yet, that I'm the head of this department, or else you'd have been sacked a long time ago." She said and smiled at Jack, trying to let her know that she had nothing to fear from Zoe. "However, there are other things we must discuss, besides angry fathers, and interns.. though they will undoubtedly come up later... What have you been up to Jack? I get my reports, but those are so dreary to read, I do love to hear a good story." She said leaning back in her chair expectantly, waiting for Jack to speak.

Jack grinned at Zoe's words, not looking boastful at her words, just simply recognizing the fact that she was glad she and Zoe had some sort of understanding. That was the thing about Zoe- she did not take bullshit but she paid attention to each person individually and dealt with them LIKE individuals. It was quite a good strategy in Jack's opinion.

Zoe asked if the allegations against her sounded at all familair and Jack grinned guiltily. "A tad familiar, I suppose." She mentioned stopping executions and Jack's face got a little serious. "Actually, I was completely in the right there, Benton is doing illegal stuff. He's sadistic, that one." She continued on, bringing up the interns and Jack rolled her eyes. "But they're all so stupid!" Zoe continued on, the look of amusement only deepening on her face. At the mention of the library, Jack's face got serious. "Actually... well..." She paused and then grinned. "Kidding. Nothing's wrong with the library."

She supposed she would not tell her about the prank she had set up there.

Zoe continued on and Jack nodded, getting a little more serious. She was serious about this job, even if she liked to have a fun attitude. She took the job home, literally at times, and it consumed her thoughts when she had time to think. Zoe asked what she had been doing and Jack said, "Well.. I've been helping a lot with the beasts, simply since there's a lot to be done there. As far as Vito, I've compiled a list of casualties that I'm looking in to. He's calm lately, but I have a feeling I'll be meeting with him soon. I'm not sure he knows I'm in charge of his case or... whatever. I've hit a bit of a bump in the road for werewolves though.. I have a list of possible interviewees. But I really need to team up with someone in the deparment on this for awhile if anything is going to get done, I think."

Zoe smiled at the girl when she spoke up about the interns, and nodded. "I know how you feel, but everyone was stupid at some time in their lives.. it just so happens that most of the interns we get are... more stupid then I would like to admit." she said smirking again, and looking down at her folder. "I see you've favored one of interns however, One.. Theodore Ellerman." She said squinting at the paper and looking up at Jack. "You've kept him longer then any of the others, what's the difference? Just smarter? Or do you like him more then that?" she asked eyebrows raising towards Jack, before brushing it off, continuing before Jack had the chance to answer.

"And about Benton, I will speak to him, don't worry.." She said nodding and writing his name in her planner, before turning back to Jack as she spoke about what she had been doing recently. She nodded and wrote a few things down on a piece of parchment, before looking up at Jack. "The beasts room I can tell you've been in quite a lot, your log hours are constant, and although I've heard you don't always log in, I do suggest you start doing that, the more you log in, the more I can pay you, and I do like knowing that you get paid for your time well spent." She said nodding at Jack. "Vito is a different matter, I understand you wish to do any dealings with him alone, but just so you know, there are people who are set up inside of his bar, they will not act out unless you give them a reason too, if your life is in immediate danger, then they will act, I will not have you killed Jack." Zoe said seriously, staring at her for a long moment. "Other then that the are any other party goer, do not even think about them, they are well trained in blending in with that crowd." Zoe said, smirking. She knew quite well what that group of people got up to, and knew that Jack need fear no interruption from them.

"You need someone to team up with?" She asked, and then stopped and pulled out another folder, and leafed through it quickly. Before pulling out a single sheet of paper. "This person may help, a One... Ariel Greyback, experienced with werewolves seeing as he is one, I hired him for that sole purpose, I feel you two should work fine together, and he may be able to help you find other packs that are working in the dark besides the Naomi one, a pack I'm sure he's well acquainted with." Zoe said handing the page that described Ariel to Jack, and studying her face for a moment, before pulling out another sheet.

"As you know Jack, we've had a change in leaders recently, and you should also know that I support him fully." She said giving Jack a look. "I have not let his influence change anything in our department, and I hope you know that I won't let anything happen to my employees either... but there are things that have changed that I am not to happy with, one being our Beings Division, I would like you to spend a bit more time there as well... help them out where you can, the new protocols on how to handle underage magic have become.. severe, and in my opinion completely unnecessary, and we may even require some of you to go to Hogwarts on official business, possibly just to Hogsmeade if need be on their weekend there, to interview some students for surveys... they need your help now Jack... While he has control, no one knows where our future lays, I'm afraid I have not exactly been given what I was promised, and I may be gone for a few days soon while I work out some... peculiers, I would hope you can handle the office in my absence." She said raising an eyebrow, hoping Jack understood what she meant.

Jack grinned at the mention of her intern. The kid reminded her of a cross between herself and James Wake. He had her rude, clever humor mixed with the professionalism of James. He would often be working diligently, ignoring Jack throwing stuff into his hair and when he finally reacted and she pointed it out, he would close his eyes and continue working. It entertained her greatly.

Zoe's comment, however, did not entertain Jack. Jack dropped her expression into a near-scowl, one that said 'really, now?' That was not the case, at all. Jack had never been a person to like people in general, let alone romantically, if that was what Zoe was implicating anyway. Jack would never allow herself to be swayed in such a petty, juvenile way. Besides, Jack had her supsicions that Teddy was gay.

Before she could argue, Zoe continued on.

Jack nodded. "I forget to sign in. I guess I can put the interns to use and sign me in everytime. They're all brilliant enough to write their own names, let's see if I could get them to learn to write mine." She continued on, talking about Vito. What Zoe did not know, by no one's fault but Jack's, was that Vito would never severely harm Jack. Not again. He was too selfish, too vain to risk that. Jack nodded, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable being spied on, but knowing she would manage. "I feel the need to assure you, I will not be killed by Vito. And I'm not speaking from a guess- I swear it. But I will manage with the surveilance."

Zoe continued on and Jack perked- wait, was she actually going to be able to team up with someone? And then she said the name and Jack oddly felt.. let down. Ari... The boy who had raised her expectations only to crush them spectacularily. Then again.. it might force Ari to acknowledge her existence. That would be nice, honestly. Jack kept a straight face and took the paper, reading it over- all information she knew. She said, "That could work, I suppose."

Zoe continued on and Jack looked up. So that was where they differed. Jack had been the only one at Grindelwald's revelation announcement to verbally oppose him, to state her blatant opposition. But Jack did not let the fact that Vito had tried to kill her stand between dealing with him- she would not let it stop her from dealing with her boss. Zoe continued on though, and Jack nodded. So she did doubt the leader, enough to want to handle things on her own. Jack nodded. "I understand, Miss Boss Lady."

"A good task for them.. put them on paperwork, or the things you don't wish to do.. that is what they are there for anyway... and I've been forced to reassign many of them, a chore let me tell you." She smirked slightly and shook her head. "When you get an intern, put them on your dirty work, get them to work for you, it's what they expect, otherwise, show them little bits at a time, show them what you are doing, explain why you are doing it, it's the work of an intern, not to completely understand everything you are doing." Zoe smirked, and then glanced down at her paper. "I was thinking of getting an intern myself, they can be quite good company, and when you are cooped up in this office all day.. company is something you wish you had." She smiled at Jack, trying to make herself appear a bit more.. human, and less robotic.

"As long as you are not killed.. I am fine with that.. do what you must... I've already had to sweep some stuff under the rug when it comes to Mr. Symons... he has killed people in the past, and some of them have had to go... off the radar.. I do feel sorry for the families lost by his ruthlessness." Zoe frowned and then shook her head. "Many people have been hurt by him Ms. Dyllan, I do hope you understand that, some of them even work in this department..." Zoe sighed and looked at Jack. "We have had reports of him getting a bit more.. violent, a woman who appeared to be a petty pick pocket was tortured by him not to long ago... A woman named.. "Zoe picked up a piece of paper and looked at it. "Zara Ellis." She glanced up at Jack. "Name ring a bell?"

"Anyway... Do you have anything you wish to explain to me? Any changes within the department, no matter how petty, I can get them changed, so just tell me... big, minor, or something you may not think applies to me.. if you can't think of them now, please, feel free to drop in at my office, as I said, I do get lonely... to the point where I tend to wander the department, seeing all of the fun things my employees get themselves into." She smiled and then closed a folder, putting it back in a drawer, before sighing. "What are your plans for the future Ms. Dyllan?"

Jack smirked, listening to Zoe's explanation and ideas on interns. Jack still did not warm to the idea of them being humans with feelings or brains- they were fun toys, and she would treat them as such until one proved they were more than toys, like Teddy. There was one she had noticed dealing expertly with a Crup, some chick with purple spiked hair- Jack would try to get her, test her out. She would figure it out.

Jack did not like being on the subject of Vito. It strayed dangerously close to some things she wanted no one else to know. She nodded, her expression the epitomy of somberness as she said, "Trust me, I understand very well. As I said, I have a list of those casualties. Even if legally, they are forgotten, be assured that I have not forgotten them, and I do not plan to soon. Be sure of that." Zoe began to talk about a new casualty. Jack's eyebrows knitted together and she quickly scrawled the information, circling the name. "No, it doesn't." Jack did not feel any anger lately... this had not been because of her. She would have felt that she thought. She was fairly sure Ellis was a Death Eater, had heard the name at an Order meeting or something to that effect. "I'll look into it."

Zoe continued on, talking about any changes that Jack could think of. Jack shrugged, raising her shoulders high and dropping them. "I can't think of any, but besides Benton, I can't think of any major changes." She had it out for that man now. She would do anything to make sure he got what he had coming- if it had to be done after hours.

Zoe asked about Jack's future and Jack turned her head so she was looking straight at her, and her eyebrows twitched together ever so slightly. What are your plans for the future Ms Gould. "This is my future plan, Ms Gould." And she meant it too.

Zoe couldn't help but raise her eyebrows at Jack. She didn't know of the latest casualty, and although Zoe knew exactly that Ellis was a Death Eater, and had done many things the 'law' didn't know about. But it was obvious to Zoe now that she saw her reaction, that Jack's feelings about Vito only extended to those who were innocent, not those who were ruthlessly tortured by the man. If the person was innocent, then Jack thought they were worth her time and energy, convicted of a crime, or a known Death Eater, and suddenly they were less then people? Zoe felt her brow wrinkle, as she looked at Jack, trying to figure out just what to think of her. She acted goodly, with good intentions, but her worth only extended as far as she could throw the person.. and if you couldn't touch them, you couldn't throw them.

Zoe couldn't help but stare at her paper, a bit disappointed in Jack, but trying not to show it to much, nodding as she spoke about not having any major changes. "I'll speak to Benton immediately Jack, don't worry about him any longer." She said nodding at her, and then her eyebrows went up in surprise at her last sentence. "Surely Ms Dyllan, there is something you wish to do besides this? Maybe... have your own little department section? Or... head up a team of some kind... I have the power to give you what you want in this department Jack, you aren't telling me that running about taking care of things that are below you is what you wish to do." She asked, urging her to take a bigger part in the department, like she needed to do, and maybe get a bit off of Zoe's shoulders at the same time.

Jack was incredibly glad to hear Benton would be dealt with. Jack considered the man a menace, a stupid misguided menace somehow still capable of being a threat. But Zoe had assured her she would take care of it and Zoe typically stuck by her words. Jack forced a grin as Zoe continued and said, "Have you noticed my preference for beasts that could eat me over beings who want to relate to me."

Perhaps Zoe was a little more like Jack as far as mindset. Jack had assumed she was asking about family, marriage and kids, retirement, dreams... Stuff Jack did not think about. She pondered over the ideas and said, "But I would like to do something a little more impacting. I don't know what but leading a team, of useful people of course, might be something I would do. What do you have in mind?"

(fail. Sorry)