The Ministry of Magic

[G. Novella]

Veronica nodded grimly. "I had told him to pair her with Brayden and be done with it, but this development on their part suggests it won't work. He needs to be reminded to just use her. Maybe if he beds her his infatuation will fade and he'll be able to string her along? It worked for me with an old boss of mine."

[kumainpink]

Octavius considered it for a moment, then frowned. "I don't know if that's the best course. He bedded Olivia and it only made him love her more. What if Alice gets pregnant? He'd be all over her." he shook his head. "It would probably be best if you reminded Maxwell of his goals. I know this sounds...shady, but if we keep him focused, he won't have time to concern himself with her."

[G. Novella]

"Yes, we'll encourage him to focus on the goals," said Veronica, "I think I read something about heliopaths, I'll suggest he check that out first. I hope Cassie doesn't get too involved with Alice either. You know how she is when she gets a project."

[kumainpink]

"Yeah, I know. I love Cass, really, but she allows herself to get too close too soon." Octavius agreed grimly. "And as for the heliopaths, are you sure we're ready? I know it's the next part of his plan, but they're some of the most dangerous creatures out there."

[G. Novella]

"I don't know, he's still grieving. However, he tends to absorb himself with a task and forget everything else. I'm hoping that if we put him to it after the funeral he'll be so busy he won't have time for, extracurriculars," said Veronica with a frown.

[kumainpink]

It didn't sound like the perfect solution, but Octavius could see its merits. "Alright, we'll go for it. At the very least, we'll do our best to protect him. So...is there something else that is on your mind?"

[G. Novella]

"Good," said Veronica, "And I don't really have anything else on my mind but chocolate."

With a devilish smirk, she stood up to leave.

[kumainpink]

Octavius sputtered at that. He'd almost forgotten about that stupid dare of Maxwell's! Good thing it hadn't been used when it was still valid! "You're a bitch, you know that?"

[G. Novella]

"Don't worry Darling, I remember you thinking of me as the glue of the group, wasn't it? Oh I had fun last night," said Veronica with a smirk, "Next time, I may take up the dare."

[kumainpink]

Octavius groaned. Damn, she's never going to let me live that down! "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Now would you mind leaving? Some of us have to work today."

[G. Novella]

"Fine," said Veronica, "Don't miss me too much, dearie, I'm not cut out for your bedroom."

And with that, she twirled out of the room, her heels clicking on the floor.

[kumainpink]

Bloody Hell! That woman is going to be the death of me one day, I swear! He then looked at the huge pile of paperwork on his desk and moaned. Some days, it just didn't pay to get out of bed.

[G. Novella]

Chris sat at his desk. A mountain of paperwork sat beside him. Who knew war required so much paper work? Papers on the deaths, papers over-looking the supplies, who was required where, strategy planning, recruitment sheets, and more. He hated evry minute of it. He had to release a statement to the paper tonight. What was he supposed to write?

All he could see was Rosemarie and Ellen. Ellen, his sweet little girl. Her strawberry blonde hair as she called out to him. Daddy, you'll always protect me, right? He clenched his fist. It wasn't fair. When that bitch had walked away and taken Ellen, he'd let her. And he'd never seen Ellen again. They were somewhere in France now. But Rosemarie had been so like his Ellen.

He sighed and poured himself a glass of scotch. He wasn't going to be able to work until he figured out how to help that girl. She was like a reminder of his own failure to Ellen. He had to help her. Sighing he drank the scotch down, and stared at the ceiling.

Hopefully Eleazar and Marigold had better news for him.

[kumainpink]

((I'm going to have Marigold harass Veronica and Octavius ))

Marigold felt old and world-weary, which was a huge contrast to yesterday. The thrill of battle and her victory over that centaur had made her positively radiant. Today's incident had left her feeling empty and cold. Fucking goblins! Those insane little bastards should be killed on the spot! Glowering, she used an Insta-report to Chris, and made her way from Eleazar. She needed to find the others and report this to them!

And ask why the hell she had been ignored. Maxwell better of had a good reason, or he was going to be sorry!

[G. Novella]

"So, remember, these flyers on the dangers of werewolves, and we need these launched in all public areas," instructed Veronica to her secretary before dismissing her.

She couldn't help but wonder why she felt a foreboding sense of dread.

[kumainpink]

Marigold searched the Ministry a good hour before she realized that Maxwell hadn't shown up today. Irritated, she decided the best course of action would be to find Veronica or Octavius - surely one of them knew where he was. Determined, angry and wanting to be of some use to him still, Marigold headed straight for Veronica's office first - she took matters more seriously than Octavius tended to.

"What the hell is going on here?" she demanded angrily, storming in, not caring who saw her. Marigold was angry and her anger was important, damn it!

[G. Novella]

"It's you, that's what it is," replied an irritated Veronica. So it had been her Marigold sensors tingling. "Shut the damn door and sit down. And can you please shut up already?"

[kumainpink]

Marigold slammed the door. "Don't you dare tell me to shut up! Where the fuck have you guys been? We were supposed to meet in Garrison's office after the battle! But noooo you leave me to deal with that old lech by myself!" She wasn't in the mood to put up with Veronica's high and mighty attitude today! I waited for hours before giving him the slip!"

[G. Novella]

"Brayden passed away. And if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut about your suffering because nobody needs that when we have to bury a seventeen year old boy and plan our next strike while his father mourns!" snapped Veronica back. "You think we don't know how much of an ass Garrison is, or that we'd shirk our responsabilities!?"

[kumainpink]

Whatever answer Marigold had been expecting, it wasn't that. At once, her anger abated. "Sweet Merlin." she gasped, horrified at her own selfishness. "I - I'm so sorry." she looked away. "I should have known there was a good reason, but I just..." she shook her head, unsure of how to phrase what she wanted to say. Even though she had joined the Purists a while back, there were times when she felt as though they didn't want her around.

Last night, she'd gotten really drunk and convinced herself that Maxwell and the others were avoiding her. But this...this was completely different.

[G. Novella]

"You didn't know," said Veronica stiffly, "And I shouldn't have attacked you. Anyways, we have to deal with larger issues. Use the Floo to call Octavius here."

[kumainpink]

Nodding, Marigold went over to the fire place and fire-called Octavius. "Octavius, are you there?"

"Oh! Hey there, Marigold. What do you want?" Octavius said, sounding a little sleepy. Had he dozed off?

"Wake up and get down here! Veronica says she wants to talk to us about something."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming." he muttered. Marigold ended the call and went back to her seat, just as Octavius came out.

"You want something, V?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

[G. Novella]

"We need to issue a watch on the Alice girl, and I was thinking it should be one of us, but I need a second opinion," explained Veronica, wincing slightly. Marigold was a trained Auror, and even Maxwell had explained she'd gotten past him. That was what impressed him. She was just so, jealous.

[kumainpink]

"You mean our resident little saint?" Marigold asked with disdain. She had seen the girl around, and had an inkling that Maxwell had interest in her.

"Yes." Octavius said coolly, not sounding anything like his usual relaxed self. "She has gotten too close too soon, and that can't be good."

Marigold sneered. "You think she's taking advantage of him?"

[G. Novella]

"Perhaps too soon, and at quite an opportune moment. He's mooning over her far too quickly for my liking, or Octavius's liking. Would you want to keep an eye on her? I feel her motives need to be questioned. She did have a large debt, and it is rather unnerving how quickly she became so involved with our group. Not to mention it's no secret of the Rosebane family's fortune and connections," sneered Veronia. "The question now is that we need a person to keep an eye on her. If not for her motives, than for whoever can use her. She's a liability at the same time."

[kumainpink]

"My vacation starts tomorrow. I wouldn't mind watching her." Marigold said, disgusted by this new piece of information. She never liked that good-two-shoes Alice - she seemed to innocent to be believed. And the fact she had major debts made things a bit to fishy.

"Are you sure?" Octavius asked.

"Of course I am. There's no way in hell that I'm letting anyone take advantage of him like that!" she said angrily. "He's our leader, and without him, our cause is gone!" And I'm not allowed to let that little she-bitch win his heart!

[G. Novella]

"Are you sure Marigold? She's something special to him already, if he catches you, he'll never forgive you," warned Veronica, pleased with the way the conversation was headed. "Do you think you can watch her and be objective? Do you think you can handle knowing she was with him the night his son died and you weren't? Can you handle knowing he thought she was good enough to marry into his house? That she managed to get that close to him? That he has employed her in a job none of us but Cassie knows the full details of?"

Veronica winced inwardly. Throwing those bits of information was cruel, but necessary. If Marigold was angry, she'd work harder to bring Alice to light.

[kumainpink]

Veronica's questions made her even more angry. They hurt, too. Why hadn't Maxwell called for her? Marigold would have been more than happy to soothe him in his time of need. She would have given all of herself to him - body and soul - just to make him feel better. Why turn to some silly little stranger? "If it is for Maxwell, I can manage." she answered honestly. "He's too important to m- to us."

[G. Novella]

"Well, the first job is easy. Figure out her job with Maxwell. Cassie told me it was on a need to know basis and highly important. She said it could compromise Alice's life it was generally known, and that Maxwell wanted to test her on his own first. Octavius, you've been rather quiet, what do you think?" asked Veronica, wanting his opinion on the matter.

[kumainpink]

Octavius sneered, speaking the thoughts that had been bothering him for a while now. "I don't trust it, not one little bit. The fact is, this little 'Alice bomb' has come at the worst possible time. I'm starting to wonder if she was sent by a certain someone that would love to destroy him."