[TTD] A Particular Holiday Package [Joanna]

It was nearly Christmas, and where am I? Lost in some unknown corridor of the British Ministry of Magic of course... If I miss my port key I will be stuck here in London for God knows how long. Stuck here, when my mother expected me home for Christmas Eve dinner in .., shoot do I lose or gain 7 hours going back? Gain, that is right… okay, good. I still have time.

In order for Vincent to get off the highly coveted days off, he had to do a very strange task for his boss. Apparently, he needed Vincent to pick up a very particular ‘package’ from the Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures personally. Then he was instructed to bring it straight back to America and hand it over to his boss... If it was not strange enough, he was under strict instructions not to open it. Well, Vincent did not like the sound of it. He was sure it had to mean that whatever he was retrieving from Britain HAD TO BE a dangerous beast. One that the British Wizards likely confiscated and needed to return to America to be re released. At least he hoped so. He hated to think that the beast was only to be returned to America to be executed. It that was the case, then Vincent would have a problem with it.

He was trying to devise a plan to find out just what was in the case... when he exited the elevator. Now he has been roaming the same corridor for five minutes and he had yet to find any sign for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Instead he was passing signs that said Wizengamot Administration Services. Vincent decided to tried to check the other similar looking corridor, now the signs read Improper Use of Magic Office and Auror Headquarters.

Humm….

At this point the Thunderbird would normally stop exploring and actually ask someone for directions. Yet it was just the day before the holiday, and  he he had made the mistake of going near the office lunch hour, so every office was nearly empty. Still, he figured they would just have told him that he had got off on the wrong floor anyways. So, he was about to doubled back trying to retrace his track back to the elevators when he thought he caught a familiar shape, out of the corner of his eyes. The hair raised up on his neck and he did a double take and pulled out his wand.

When he looked back all he saw was an immaculate office, the outline of the shadowy form he saw a second ago was not there. Which was even more disturbing to the MACUSA employee. If he had not had so much timeout in the wilds of North America he would have just thought it a chameleon ghoul. Yet Vincent was one of the few wizards to have seen this beasts true form and lived to tell about it. WHY was an deadly American beast in London, Britain...let alone in a Ministry Office? God knows.

The assistant to Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, walked over passed the empty reception desk and opened the glass door to the office slowly. He peeked in examining the room for any movement or unusual or uncountable shadows. He didn't see any but still he hesitated, he was not sure if he should try to find the Beast or inform someone. The problem if the owner of the office return while he was trying to track down the ”right” people, their life could be in danger.

A clicking sound of dress shoes on tile let him know that he had company. He pulled his head out of the office and shut the door to turn to find a brunette witch facing him.

“Hi. Is this your office? Because I am afraid you can't go in there.”

@Joanna Hennings

Oh. Yay. Christmas. Joanna thought sarcastically as she walked along the corridor avoiding the enchanted mistletoe and tinsel that someone who clearly had too much time on their hands had hung. If she worked out who it was…

It was Christmas Eve, not that that made a single bit of difference to the Lead Hit Witch. Why did people act as though this was the most wonderful time of the year? The weather was awful. The wizards were drunk. And the amount of obligatory social engagements were ridiculous and time consuming. As usual, while everyone packed up to go home and celebrate (and act like the world was shutting down for several days), Joanna was not. She would be working over the festive period, burying herself in work so that those with families could have the time off. She certainly felt better to be working rather than watching TV and the Queen’s speech with her gran.

It would be the usual message of unity, peace and goodwill.

Joanna was feeling none of those things at the current moment of time. She would certainly feel more peaceful when she could close her office door and block out the irritating singing that was coming from one of the cubicles. Had they never heard of a silencing charm? She would feel even more peaceful when she was the only one left and she could take down all the stupid decorations without being called a bah humbug. It was a workplace, not a blinking children’s party.

And there was someone in her office? What? It was usual for departmental memos to dash in and out, but an actual person? “How can I help-” Joanna began before the man started talking. Excuse me. What? First of all, an American. Blinking Merlin. Could her Christmas present please be that she did not have to deal with him? Secondly, it was her office. Her department. She could go where she liked!

“And why not?” Joanna asked, slightly testily as she folded her arms in annoyance. “Pray tell me what would give you the authority to block me from completing my work? My important work.” Okay, well, that was actually a lie. In all honestly, Joanna had been planning on entering, closing the door so she couldn’t be disturbed and then opening a box of chocolates that she had received as a Christmas present.

“Are you Magical Maintenance?” She finally asked, staring the man down. Although, why was there now an American in Magical Maintenance. Unless he had eaten one of those stupid joke accent sweets. Personally Joanna just found them offensive. “Good. There’s been weird noises coming from the pipes since earlier. I trust you can fix it.” Ever since the box of chocolates had arrived that morning actually. It had been driving her demented, hence the reason Joanna had left her office in the first place. But, as she had discovered, she would take weird pipes over holiday merriment any day.

Great he thought dripping with internal sarcasm. Why couldn't I get some cute little British or Scottish secretary that would just take my word for that the office was dangerous. They could simply go get help as I guard the door and later thank him profusely for possibly preventing their death.  No he got some head of some department whatever H.I.T. stood for…

Home Intelligence Tactics? Did the British Ministry had a version of F. B. I.?

Well whatever HIT department was, she certainly did not act like she was someone that Vincent should be pissing off. So he tried to politely start, “I am so sorry Mrs….” he glances at the name on the door. “Joanna Hennings. I had no attention of inconveniencing you. I am pretty sure that I…” He started to say before getting interrupted.

He blinked. What department did she ask I worked for? “Maintenance.” He said repeating the word making sure that he heard her correctly. Did she think that he was with the British version of the Magical  Cleaning Department? He tried to correct her by stating to explain that he was hear from MACUSA, American Ministry to pickup a package, but all he got out was , “Well I um… I am…”

Then he was interrupted again. This time Vincent thought it more prudent to keep silent and listen to the witch. She talked about weird noises from the pipes. Vincent looked at the wall behind the office. There was a bookcase and a filing cabinet there that might have been the creatures hiding place. It was a good enough place to start looking, although he thought he saw the beast facing the opposite direction. Which means it might have found some where else to hide, likely where it could strike unnoticed. He turned back to the British woman in front of him, hoping that he now had a chance to explain.

“So, you don't know you have a Hidebehind in your office? It is like a Murderous chameleon ghoul, but known to kill a lot more humans ... and wizards." he added incase she  was one  of those wizards that don't think they were part of the human race. He looked at the room opening the door slowly. "It is very strange that a America forest beast is here in your office. You have not had a portkey from America show up in your office, did you?"

Unlike the FBI witch, Vincent waited for the woman to respond. "It is better we deal with it before it learns how to get out. Shut and guard the door, while I go in. They are only a four x classification, so stun spells will work. Stun it if you get a clear shot, if not keep the door close. Just don't let it get out or you are going to have to evacuate the whole floor."