| Details for Appeal to the Bureaucratic Lordlings |
| Summary: | Kat appeals to one R. Snively on behalf of Randy, trying to get himn to reconsider her Auror Apprenticeship application. |
| Date: | 1938-06-10 |
| Location: | Ministry of Magic, Law Enforcement |
| Related: | So You Want To Be An Auror (Apprentice)? |
| Characters |
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London, Ministry Of Magic - Law Enforcement
Mon Jun 10, 1938
It is a summer day. The weather is hot and drizzling.
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is the wizarding world's equivalent of the Department of Justice. The first thing to see upon arriving on this level of the Ministry is a waiting area with a few comfortable chairs lined up against the wall and some tables with old magazines on them and a small potted plant. All of it facing the duty desk. Behind the duty desk one of the officers of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol sits the watch, doubling as receptionist and bouncer. Behind him is a large open space with desks full of paperwork where other officers of the M.L.E.S. discharge their duties. Along the walls of the larger room are large bulletin board full of maps, pictures of dark wizards and witches, clipping from the Daily Prophet, and other miscellaneous items. Within a corridor leading deeper into this level of the Ministry doors open to the Auror Office, the Hit Wizards office, the Improper Use of Magic Office, the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, and the Wizengamot Administration Services.
Randolph Snively, Personnel Officer. That's what the letters on the door say, and that's how he introduces himself. A short, balding man who takes every opportunity to remind those overblown glory-hounds they call Hit Wizards and Aurors just how essential he is to keeping the Department of Magical Law Enforcement running smoothly. "A spell-oiled machine" is his favorite little joke, and he laughs at it. Every. Time. His office is arranged just as one would expect. Everything perfect in its place, meticulously arranged at right angles, and free of even the slightest speck of dust.
Katherine walks up to R. Snively's door dressed in a dove gray dress suit, demure but attractive. Taking a moment to straighten her skirt and make sure she doesn't have stray specks of dust on her jacket she then knocks on the door and puts on her brightest smile.
Snively quickly checks his appointment book before lifting his nasally voice. "Come in," he commands, not looking up until he's finished noting the visit on his schedule. "Auror Sykes. You're two minutes early," he admonishes.
Katherine opens the door and walks in, standing with her hands clasped in front of her and tones down her smile a bit as she says,"My apologies Mr. Snively. I was just following my father's advise. Early is on time and on time is late he always says. How are you doing today?" As for sitting down, she's clearly waiting until invited to do so.
Snively scoffs, "If people would focus on arriving at their scheduled times, they wouldn't need to worry so much about being late. Schedules keep things running smoothly, Sykes. A spell-oiled machine, I like to say." He chuckles at himself. "That's how I keep this department efficient. Now, let's set aside the pleasantries. You requested this appointment. What do you want?" He asks the question in almost accusatory tone, as if expecting her demands to throw his clockwork management of personnel into disarray.
Katherine shifts the clasp of her hands from in front of her hips to behind them. She chuckles along with Snively's joke. She might have not had to deal with the man this directly before but everyone's probably heard about his joke by now. Taking her cue off of him she answers as directly as he asks, "I was wondering if you would reconsider allowing Ms. Randy Macmillan to join the Auror Apprenticeship program. I am aware Auror Sloan recommended her and I would happily add my recommendation as well. I had the opportunity to see her dueling a few weeks back and she shows so very promising traits for field work. She sent me a copy of her application letter when I asked her why she was refused I can see she /definitely/ need to learn the importance of proper documentation and record keeping in law enforcement but that is what the apprenticeship program is all about, isn't it? To teach the younger generation about the important parts of the job?"
Snively leans back in his chair, adopting a smug smile. "Ah yes. Young Miss Macmillan. The girl who doesn't want to do paperwork. Do you really think that is the sort of young person we want to encourage to pursue the Auror Office? Of course, Auror MacDubsithe's recommendation swayed my decision as well. Certainly, a man with his brutish and headstrong reputation is the perfect judge of character for our future generation of Aurors." His tone simmers with sarcasm.
Katherine pauses to think for a moment since Snively's opinion of Sloan catches her a bit by surprise. Not that she allows it to show on her face. Instead she rocks very slightly on her feet and let the smile slowly fade from her lips as she very earnestly says, "I understand you concerns. But if we don't give her the opportunity, she will never learn. And because of the nature of our job we need people that are as efficient in the office as they are out of it…" She lets her voice trail off as an idea strikes her. Her smile returns as she quickly adds,"With that in mind I have the perfect idea. Who better to show Ms. Macmillan the value and importance of documentation than yourself. Why don't we arrange her apprenticeship so that part of her time is spent here, helping you directly?"
Snively blinks disbelievingly at Katherine. "You can't be serious. Even if I had the time to take on an apprentice — which I do not — she applied for the Auror Office, not Personnel. There are procedures, Sykes. Procedures. We can't go about willy-nilly ignoring the process as it pleases us. That road leads to chaos." To hear him speak, one might think he was talking about international warfare, rather than apprenticeship applications. "Look, if she wants to reapply, she has the right to do so. But I won't have her solely mentored by MacDubsithe. If you're so keen on her, you'd better take responsibility for her as well. I won't be the Personnel Officer that approved an application for our next loose cannon."
Katherine tilts her head to the side for a moment as she takes that into consideration then finally nods, "Very well. I am willing to take responsibility for her as well. I admit I don't know how the reapplication process should work. What instructions would you like me to give her?"
Snively lets out a long-suffering sigh. "Honestly, doesn't anyone read the pamphlets I send out?" No, they really don't. "She just needs to submit a new letter, preferably this time with more about her actual qualifications, and less about her laziness. But you tell her it had better be sparkling."
Katherine nods, "I sure will. Thank you very much for your time Mr. Snively."
The little man checks his clock, nodding curtly. "You have three more minutes. But then again, you were early." Another sigh, "That's an extra minute I need to fill. So be it, I'll manage somehow. Good day, Auror Sykes."
Katherine curtsies slightly to Snively before making her way out of the office with a chipper, "And I hope you have a great day as well Mr. Snively."