Aurors

Just as the clock struck three, a couple of quiet knocks against the wooden door notified the owner of the office of Rhiannon’s arrival. It had been requested of her to deliver the reports regarding the auror’s weekly dealings to one Vincent Majere. And as there was no one to offer any commentary related to their work, she was tasked with providing him any answers in addition. A part of her would have wanted to claim that it was because of her tireless work as a law enforcer whilst the other, a more rational side, already knew that it was simply because no one else was willing to deal with extra paperwork and carry some more responsibilities on their shoulders. And, unfortunately, Rhiannon’s were quite broad and she was not entirely against running a few extra checks or miles just to keep the system flawlessly going. Again, not really her job, but something she was doing.

She allowed herself a moment to wait before she quietly let herself in, her tall frame slipping inside with practiced ease and uncharacteristic silence. Only then did she allow her blue eyes to scan the room briefly; both her training and her natural curiosity demanded that she’d establish all necessary points that could be used to her advantage at any given situation. Moreover, an overlay of the room could tell a lot about the owner – and merely moments later her eyes found the man she had been looking for.

“The reports, sir,” Rhiannon uttered instead of a greeting. She set a neatly arranged folder on his table and then took a step back. “Is there anything else you’d ask of me?” It was merely a courtesy to inquire, nothing more.

As often happened on a slow day, Vincent Majere was intently reading the daily prophet. Keeping abreast of current events was a crucial pursuit for a man who aspired to hold the esteemed position of Minister of Magic. However, after all that had happened the last few years, rumors of a small ring of dark wizards forming were a relatively mundane development.

He heard a knock on his door but didn’t bother to answer it. It was surely one of the aurors working under him, dutifully delivering their weekly reports. And sure, enough, a few moments later the door opened, and he saw from his peripheral vision a tall woman come to his desk to provide the reports.

It was the size of the weekly report that drew his attention. The young lady had not worked at the auror office for long, but he had noted how the majority of the pages within bore her name, and how she was often the one who would come into the office to answer his inquiries. He had chalked it up to rookie enthusiasm at first, but by now it was clear that the meticulous reports were a clear sign of dedication and unwavering diligence.

Ordinarily he would follow up her curt greeting and the report with some brief questions before concluding the meeting. But his newfound respect for her was making Vincent rapidly think of steering the conversation into a fresh direction. He was not a man to engage in idle chatter and give pleasantries, but his experiences had made one thing clear – to advance in power you needed the right people around you. The girl was talented, and young. She was the perfect candidate.

Besides, he reasoned that it was only proper to become acquainted with those who shared his workplace.

“Busy week? Anything urgent I should know about?” Vincent inquired, picking up the papers. “I do hope you are not exhausting yourself,” he added, feigning some mild concern. “You may not have seen much action in your time here, but rest assured, it lies on the horizon. And when that moment arrives, you must be fresh, and vigilant.”

Usually, when people were found doing things not related to work during their active hours, they attempted to conceal or offer half-assed apologies for their actions. It was a common occurrence even among higher positions. Rhiannon realized soon after being employed that she did not quite like such an attitude towards responsibility; everyone had work to do, and there were plenty of things that demanded attention. Being productive was what had the potential of changing the world. However, when she noted the lack of scattering and hiding away such mundane items as a newspaper. Then again, a man who worked in politics probably had to be aware of daily occurrences… not that it was avoidable: whether one wanted or not, the gossip sometimes traveled even faster than magically produced tabloids.

“No. The ongoing cases have been closed,” the auror reported dutifully. Rhiannon inclined her head at a more personal inquiry. What an odd way of formulating a bridge between them, but she’d take it. And as she thought of the possible response, she briefly scrutinized the Head Auror’s physique. Anyone with eyes and moderate observation skills could tell that something troubled him at times; not often, but perhaps a bit too frequently in a society where various diseases could be cured by potions, spells or good healers alone, Vincent Majere seemed in an inadequate condition to perform his duties well. It was not Rhiannon’s place to pry, nor her duty, but the Ravenclaw alumni could not help but feel curious regarding that. It was hard to dwell on the subject when she knew nothing about the matter, however.

“It is as exhausting as any work,” she responded, voice even and polite. Be it her naivete or her still present desire to make a change in society, she did not know, but duty related fatigue had not yet reached Rhiannon. “The Auror’s training has prepared me for such.” She gave a solemn nod once she delivered the practiced answer. Then, she made an attempt at curling her lips in a small smile but she gave up moments later; instead, she attempted to appease the dull small talk with some humour:”Part of the job description, really. I recall someone mentioning some interesting health hazards when reviewing my application form too… the necessity of getting our hands dirty when it comes to it. Luckily, we are provided with enough tools to serve as detergent in that regard.”

She paused before making eye contact with Vincent. But no statement with words that carried weight such as this should be taken lightly. He had been reading the Daily Prophet prior to her visit, hadn’t he? Perhaps she’ll need to take a look at the articles herself and analyse the news herself. Rhiannon decided to latch onto it and voice her suspicions:”Are you expecting something to happen, sir?”

Vincent smirked at her pun. Mis had asked him on discord It was somewhat funny, and Vincent was glad to see that she was feeling at least comfortable enough to make attempts at humour with him.

He contemplated her question. "Well, regardless of what they call it, the paper is far from prophetic. But look closely, and you can find important information. The seeds of war are planted during peace," Vincent said, cryptically. "And one must be more vigilant than ever during these times, for our enemies are not out in the open, but in the dark."

Of course, the enemies Vincent was concerned with weren't the dark wizards they were trained to fight, but the people standing between him and the big job of Minister of Magic - most particularly Robert Lupin.

Vincent stood up suddenly. he was a somewhat tall man. Although he slouched slightly, it wasn't common for Vincent to be looking up at a woman. Though somewhat disconcerted, he continued his plan. "Your dedication and hard work have not gone unnoticed, Ms Morgan. I trust that you will continue to excel in your role and that, should the need arise, you will be a strong presence in the field. I am confident in your abilities and your potential to make a significant impact in our department."

Indeed, her work had been useful, and crime was down for the month. But Vincent was not interested in a slow climb to the top by good statistics. He couldn't wait for old codgers like the Minister of Magic and Robert Lupin to retire or die.

"Being an auror once meant that you were the best of the best. It used to be a much more dangerous job, and naturally we only let in the most skilled applicants," Vincent continued. "That is not necessarily the case anymore. I must say of all our new recruits, you are by far the most promising." This was not a lie, although Vincent would ordinarily not provide compliments if he was not trying to recruit her to his side.

"Therefore, I wish to provide you with an important new assignment. Though, it must remain strictly confidential. And I don't want any written reports on this assignment." Vincent definitely did not want a paper record of this.

Rhiannon’s brows furrowed at the cryptic implication of potential danger hailing from the shadows. But peace was never an option, was it? Their life was a constant maze of conflicts after conflicts; the scale was not even important for human lives would be affected either way. But if the Head of Magical Law Enforcement gave away hints regarding a potential threat towards their community, who was she to disregard such a statement? Even if it could be a mere paranoid suggestion.

It was hard to live without watching over one’s shoulder after what the Dark Lord had done.

“Noted, sir.”

Vesper’s eyes followed Vincent’s movement; as there was a brief delay in their dialogue, she scanned his stance once again. He was slouching. Was it too late to take a seat? After a brief consideration, Rhiannon remained standing, her back and shoulders straight; ‘at attention’, as her previous tutors loved to command. And as Majere opened his mouth once more, Rhiannon listened to him in silence though instead of smiling and blushing, when he complimented the range of her abilities and skills, the crease between her brows grew when she began giving it a thought. “Thank you kindly, sir.”

But it took an interesting turn instead. Vesper inclined her head slightly as she mulled over the vague offer. “You have my complete and undivided attention, sir.” Climbing the ladder had been on her personal horizon for a while now; it was not to say that she considered herself to be better than anyone she worked with, but she could see the unfair distribution of duties and responsibilities among people. Not long after she’d been employed, she’d taken it up for herself to complete several unattended matters and not in order to make a name for herself, but simply because some things demanded attention and competence. So, when an olive branch was offered, she decided to take it. The only question was what was requested of her. The lack of documentation could imply a several things that could range from infiltration and manslaughter up to having them retrieve an ancient relic or babysit someone’s child for a week. “How can I be of service?”

Vincent observed Rhiannon's body language and could sense that she was intrigued by the offer. Her willingness to hear him out and take on additional responsibilities was exactly what he had been hoping for. Was she ambitious too? Careerists with ambition were the best people to have on your side, Vincent thought, for it was easy to know what they wanted. He also approved of the way she was addressing him, clearly she was someone who respected people of a higher office. That was both a good and bad thing for Vincent's plans.

"I appreciate your willingness to take on this assignment, Ms. Morgan. As you know, one of the main roles of an auror is to protect the minister and the deputy minister of magic," Vincent began. "Dawlish was doing this, but he is now retiring. Of all the other aurors under me, I believe you are the most suited." That was not entirely a lie. She may be young, but she was clearly more methodical and disciplined than many of the other aurors, albeit far less experienced.

"This is perhaps not as exciting of a role as you are normally used to. I do not suspect you will be hunting down criminals and dark wizards often in this capacity. But this role does require vigilance."

"There is more though..." This would be the difficult part. Vincent would have to tread carefully. He started to pace a bit before continuing. "You asked me if I was expecting something. As I mentioned, in times of peace, enemies lurk in shadows. As of now, I have my suspicions of several people in the ministry who are working against the interests of the Minister of Magic, and his government. These suspicions I have gathered by reading all the reports and news coming in, including yours." Vincent tipped his head slightly in her direction, once again establishing his respect and praise for her work.

"One of those people happens to be the deputy minister, Robert Lupin. Now, I am not saying that he is necessarily a criminal, but he is under suspicion and has been for a long time," Vincent said, his mouth almost curling slightly as he mentioned the mans name. But his tone remained relatively indifferent and professional. "He has been in this role for a long time, he has been involved in vigilante groups in the past, and I believe he could be involved in crime rings and could be either seeking the role of the Minister of Magic or playing puppet master."

"Now, you will of course be protecting him as well. That is your main role." It wasn't, of course, Vincent didn't give a damn if the man would perish terribly tomorrow morning. "But your secondary role is to get close to him, and gather information."

Vincent paused for a moment to let the implications of the task sink in before he continued. "If you choose to accept this assignment, you will be acting on my personal authority. It's an opportunity to make a real difference and help ensure the safety and stability of our community. However, I must emphasize the importance of confidentiality in this matter. I trust that I can rely on your discretion, Ms. Morgan?"

He looked at her intently, gauging her reaction to the covert nature of the assignment and waiting for her response. Vincent knew that if Rhiannon agreed to take on this task, she would be a valuable asset in his quest for the Minister of Magic position.

If she was to tell anyone, he would be in trouble, but Vincent had already gauged that she was probably not the type of person to do so.

Robert Lupin was a suspect.
Rhiannon did not know why it hit her like a bucketful of cold water, however. She and the higher ups were not particularly close; the two sides dealt only as much as their orders demanded of them and those things often came via letters or another messenger. She’d hardly ever dealt even with the secretaries that obeyed the minister directly. But perhaps it was because Vincent’s words crushed the little ideal world she built for herself in her brain: the Ministry of Magic worked to uphold the values of their nation, but it would seem that the corruption ran a lot deeper.

She had to agree with Majere: pestilence had to be eradicated, rooted out completely by any means necessary. And she was in favour of investigating first before striking at the very core of the problem, but it still left such a bitter taste in her mouth.

Her face remained an impassive mask, albeit a more observant person (such as the Head of Aurors) could easily tell that the gears were working at full speed in her head. If Vincent suspected the higher ups, did that mean that several others (possibly witches and wizards serving under his tutelage) were to be investigated as well? And if that was the case, who else was being tasked with running such an important mission and was Rhiannon also being under scrutiny as well or would every suspicion regarding her get wiped out should she accept?
She had many questions, but something told her she’d be pondering about those things on her own.

“This is concerning,” Rhiannon muttered between the pauses Vincent kept. Truly. If Robert Lupin was connected to any criminal rings, that would imply that he had other connections; it could also be that some workers in the Ministry could serve as his personal spies. She tried to think of any recent ‘accidents’ or ‘disappearances’ related to her colleagues, but none came up immediately. Rhiannon did not speak for a long time, her eyes focusing now on a wall on the opposite end of the room instead of her superior; she also had to consider his own past in that regard.

“What if he is innocent?” she could not help to wonder loudly. And, more importantly:”What will be your course of action should I be discovered and my position compromised, sir?” Rhiannon’s way of settling task implied well enough that she cared about her job and title. It was not worth the risk if she’d be forced to sign her resignation or be dishonorably discharged because of poorly planned things. Did she suspect that Vincent would get her intentionally fired? No, she was not particularly important and her voice did not matter outside of certain groups.

It was the heavy weight of her vows and the responsibility to fulfil her duties that made her truly consider this task. “Permission to request a few days’ time to consider your offer, sir?”

Vincent nodded at Rhiannon's question about Lupin's innocence. "That is a possibility. However, my suspicions are not unfounded. I have been gathering evidence for some time now, and I believe that there is a strong case against him. But that does not mean we jump to conclusions. That is why we need someone like you, someone who can gather information and discern the truth."

Vincent hoped that his compliments were having an impact. He wasn't exactly lying, but Vincent rarely paid compliments if he didn't gain something from doing so.

"As for if you are compromised..." Vincent shrugged. "Should Lupin personally want payback, he would likely target me, not you. But there is nothing illegal in any of this. This is the department of law enforcement. We are allowed to investigate anyone under suspicion of breaking the law, including the deputy minister. Of course, it is not a common function, hence my insistence on the lack of a paper trail. But should there be any repercussions, it would be me facing those, as your superior."

When Rhiannon asked for time to consider the offer, Vincent nodded. "Of course, Ms. Morgan. Take all the time you need. This is a significant decision, and I want you to be sure of your commitment to this assignment."

He felt that he owed her that, and forcing her to accept or reject it immediately was hardly the right move if he wanted her on his side. But it was better if he provided her some additional impetus to accept. "You should know what this means for your career. Generally, the most experienced auror gets this job. If you take this role, you would instantly receive considerable recognition and respect. By everyone at the ministry. And by me."

Vincent emphasized the last part, making it clear that he would provide a promotion. If he became deputy minister once Robert was removed, he would have no issue with making Rhiannon the next head of the office. She was very young, but Vincent always thought that people needlessly made age an important consideration for positions.

Vincent's words carried a heavy weight and, just this once, Rhiannon felt how the number of her doubts increased at least tenfold. He held her in high regard, that much was obvious, but the more she listened, the less and less she felt like she was competent enough to complete a mission that carried this much importance.

His estimation did not really ease Vesper's concerns regarding the potential of her being found out and how Robert Lupin would retaliate. She could agree that the Minister would probably target Vincent for he was the one that brewed the plan and was leading the investigation, but a smart man would most likely want to eliminate any threads that would lead to him. No loose ends. Especially among people that dared to doubt Lupin of criminal activity.
Rhiannon gave a quick nod in agreement. "The lack of background checks is, indeed, unforgivable." People tended to forget each other's crimes easily when the relationships had something to give. Pity, but such was the state of their realm.

However, she would be lying to herself if she were to say that she was not intrigued by this conundrum. Just as any detective, Rhiannon was immediately drawn by the prospect of investigating something or someone, no matter how challenging her target was. Robert Lupin was an incredibly difficult puzzle to solve, with layers coating layers; she could not neglect the legendary name attached to him in addition to the seemingly endless contacts he possessed. He was a complex figure.

But then again, similar characteristics could be applied to Vincent Majere.

Rhiannon narrowed her eyes. "Three days," was the response she broke her contemplative silence with. She'd need approximately seventy two hours to come to a conclusion as to whether or not this case was fitting her. Three days she'd lay low and observe her coworkers, her potential target and the man that offered her this opportunity.
"Your kindness has been noted, sir." She lowered her head in a humble nod. Being recognized had never been her true desire; if she would have wanted to establish herself as a prominent figure, Rhiannon could've easily achieved as much either by following her mother's footsteps and claiming a throne in the dancing industry or elsewhere. As of now, she was willing to work from the shadows all things considered; all she cared about was seeing the deeds done and making sure people knew better than to overstep the boundaries of law. Regardless, if this was the path she had to take... then so be it.

New ties would make it a lot easier to establish control and safety. "Is there anything else we need to discuss, sir?"