| Details for Apples and Pleasantries |
| Summary: | Constable Worthington and Barrister Preves enjoy a quiet conversation while waiting for trial to begin. |
| Date: | Monday, 10 June, 1938 |
| Location: | Ministry of Magic |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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The lobby area outside the courtroom number 3 is relatively clear at the moment. The first trial after lunch rarely brings an early waiting line, as people are more interested in eating and making their mid day break last as long as possible. There are, of course, exceptions, and one of them is already stting comfortably at the poshest of chairs sipping her tea as she goes over a dossier that floats in the air at a comfortable reading height in front of her. Her business robes are of a light, neutral gray hue, well tailored and expensive material, but shying away from elaborate embellishment. Pale blonde hair is smoothly pulled back, and nothing is out of place in this picture of perfection.
On the other hand, the pupil that approaches is rumpled, hair tucked hastily behind her ears, and she struggles to put the large pile of folders she carries back in order. She glances around as she approaches the well groomed woman. "I don't see the witness, yet, Miss Preves. Didn't they promise to bring the witness early for you to discuss final details?"
The seated woman doesn't look up, although the tea is set aside. "Decorum, Thissel," she reminds the clerk. "The witness will be here soon, or I will have some words for Worthington."
Speak of the devil and he shall… wait a moment. Well some girls would call Carter a handsome devil, so it can apply. Carter walks into the lobby wearing his robes and suit. They were of a stylish cut and color and well made but they were very much the robes of middle class wizard. He's got a newspaper tucked under one arm and is eating an apple. Behind him walks a little man of middle age, balding on top thick glasses. He looks around nervously. Carter looks back to the small man, "Relax, Mr. Dandylion. You've made it this far." He smiles an easy smile, "Barrister Thissel and Barrister Preves. We've arrived."
Finally looking up as Worthington and Dandylion arrive, Aldercy gives a wave of her wand that closes the dossier she was reading, and adds it to the pile Thissel carries. "Don't give her ideas of grandeur," the blonde says coldly as she stands. "She has another six to go before she's a barrister. Good of you to show at least close to the appointed time," she adds in a drawl as she looks over Carter, the frigid glance showing no chance of thawing as she nods to her companion, indicating that the slightly younger woman should take charge of prepping the newly arrived witness.
Carter shrugs easily and shifts his apple to his other hand he reaches down to pull out his pocket watch. "Right, as my father always said, if your early your on time, if your on time your late. Thank you for noticing my promptness Barrister and here I figured you wouldn't be civil to me." He shrug and takes a bite of his apple creating a loud crunch.
Thissel glances up at Carter's recitation of his father's homily. "Miss Preves is always saying that," she mutters darkly, before opening a folder that she hands to Dandylion and discusses the content.
"I notice everything that pertains to my cases, Constable," Aldercy replies. "I appreciate cooperation, that makes my task a bit easier. Are you having to babysit the witness? I wouldn't want to keep you overlong from whatever else you are required to do this afternoon." Her eyebrows raise not so much in curiosity, but perhaps hopeful suggestion from her part.
Carter smiles a bit evilly at Aldercy, "You're looking at it, dear Barrister. The department is concerned that somebody will try to tamper with Mr. Dandylion's memory. So I got the task of making sure he made it to the stand just fine." He says as he moves over to the bench across from her and sits down. He takes another bite of his apple. "Give me a bit to catch up with an old class mate anyway."
It could be Aldercy's imagination, but in the relative quiet of the lobby area, the crunch into the apple echoes uncomfortably, causing a slight narrowing of the eyes as the man takes the audacity to sit before the pureblood woman does so. Her manner even frostier, if at all possible, she resumes her seat in her chair. "The idea of you ever being able to catch up with me in any manner is laughable," she informs Carter tartly. Slender fingers raise her teacup to her lips, over which an eyebrow lifts a challenge.
Carter opens up the newspaper and starts to read it. The witchs and wizards on the front page looking aghast at what they hear. Same for Mr.Dandylion. Miss Thissel probably is use to this. Dandylion asks, "M-M-miss ar-r-re they al-al-always lik-k-ke this? Ar-r-re w-w-we safe?"
There comes a couple of crunch of apple. He's got to be doing to annoy her usually his barbs don't take this long. "Catchup? It was you that had to catch-up, had to get Jimmy's help to beat me in dualing club the first time. Don't think I didn't recognize my own brother's curse."
Miss Thissel is so used to it that she rolls her eyes to Dandylion and just waves her hand to bring his attention back to the task at hand. "Yes, yes, we're safe. Their bark is worse than their bite," she assures in a bored tone. "Now then, you said that in the evening you were walking along Leicester Gardens…" she prompts.
"James didn't help me. He was as transparent as his little half blood brother. All I had to do was watch him showing off in the Common Room." She wrinkles her nose as she sets the tea cup back in the saucer. "It was painful to stoop to such a level, but I was correct in my deduction that you wouldn't be expecting a curse so familiar."
Mr.Dandylion blinks, "Oh yes, yes. I was walking along Leicester Gardens. That's when I saw one Thomas Chimney trying sell objects of a magical nature to some muggles down an alley."
Carter continues to read his paper, " Oh you mean you didn't bewitch him to tell you like you did his little brother two duels later. That wasn't Qudditch you know." He takes a bite of his apple, "Stanging there slacked jawed."
Aldercy lifts her nose. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I have never had to bewitch anyone for what I need," she tells him loftily. "That was slander, and never proved. Anyways, I grew tired of dueling after that. I didn't need dueling to be a barrister, and it was a waste of time for anyone not intending to be a thug for the MLE."
"And did you get close enough to see what sort of magic objects Mr. Chimney was selling?" Thissel continues to prompt, somehow able to completely ignore the carping going back and forth mere yards away from her.
"Thug! You do realize, I and my fellow MLE is the whole reason you have a job to perform right, Miss Priss? If we didn't catch the crooks. You'd have to find a job that might actually require you to work." He hasn't looked over the paper yet but turns a page and another apple crunch. Then he pulls his wand out with flick of the wand and a move as he says, "Levioso!" The apple core goes shooting acroos the room narrowly missing her before landing in the trash can. "Oops, My clumsy mud blood fingers. You okay? Got to remember it lift and then flick." It was a first year charm, he could do in his sleep with both hands tied behind his back and she would know that.
Dandylion looks up, "Odd stuff like levitating ropes, keys that would open any muggle locks, and potions that would let people climb up walls like spiders."
"And you are sure that these keys were not just mundane lock picks that Mr. Chimney was claiming had magical properties?" Thissel continues, this time having a bit of a smirk at the 'Miss Priss' appelation.
"I didn't say thugs don't have their place," Aldercy replies complacently, not even flinching by the flicker of an eyelash as the apple core is sent to the bin. "Don't flatter yourself, your mother was the mudblood if I'm not mistaken. You can't even claim to be full one thing or the other."
Carter clears his throat, "Well I'm a full wizard. Got the NEWTS to prove it. That and well that delicious apple was rather filling, so I'm got a full stomach." He shrugs, "It was actually my grandfather. But I'm touched you looked into my family lineage. It shows you care and it's the little things that let me know it."
"Again, you flatter yourself. Your father's family is known to be pureblood, so it was a simple matter of deduction that your mother's side muddying the waters, as it were." Aldercy's tea is finished and set aside permanently, her hands now folding primly in her lap. "Pity to have such a pure line interrupted." Her eyes darken a bit, becoming harder, more unreadable. "Sadly, it seems to be happening more frequently these days."
Dandylion blinks several times, "No no… I'm sorry, It was tiny keys made of bones. I don't know much about muggles but my cousin was a squi.. was well not a wizard…" He was uncomfortable with this coversation, "His keys were made of metal." He blinks at Thissle,
Carter drops the paper, "Really, well it's not like I'm part giant or part Veela." He thumps his chest, "100% percent human, no vampire in there. Not that it would matter if I was part giant or Veela. They're all just people too." He though admits, "Same for the Vampire. But that would just be weird."
"Merlin's sake, squib," Aldercy's attention turns to the two other occupants of the foyer, almost drowning out anything Carter says after the word 'veela'. "Repeat after me, squib. You have to be comfortable saying it, or you will undermine the fact that /you/ know muggle keys are made of metal." Her cold eyes now bore into the hapless witnes rather than the Constable across from her. "Squib," she repeats firmly.
Mr. Dandylion nods, "Squib." He says it half heartily but he does say it. Carter shakes his head and finds that he'd said something that frustrated Aldercy that she turned her ire onto somebody else a win for him. Though he felt bad about her attacking Dandylion.
The Barrister gives a nod as Dandylion says the word, and subsides back in her chair. As other witches and wizards start to filter in, Aldercy's gaze returns to Carter, settling on him icily. Although her head doesn't move, the gray eyes rove downwards, taking in the details of his person, searching for some flaw to point out.
The hit wizard looks over to notice a stray string on his shoulder of his robe. He reaches over and removes it not realizing what Aldercy is doing. But other than that he looks professional and stylish. His clothes weren't as expensive as her and weren't cared for by House Elves. But Carter made sure he looked good.
Aldercy watches him take the piece of string from his shoulder, her mouth pursing slightly. Her ankles recross and she glances over to Thissel and Dandylion. Her chin lifts as she notes opposing counsel approaching with his little entourage. There's little change in her posture, although some might be able to note that her stillness now more resembles a predator studying prey for weaknesses and guaging time to pounce. They gather in a little knot near the doorway, waiting for the call.
Carter own stance chance. His game face on and he turns into the protector, might even hazard the thug that Aldercy accused him of. But he'd been a beater on the Gryffindor team. He was good at it still. He sits forward. "Mr. Dandylion. If you would." He pats the seat next to him.
Thissel looks up as Dandylion is called to heel, then to her Barrister. Obeying the slight nod, she puts away her papers, straightens up the folders she carries, and then, after a pause, actually tries to straighten up herself. Aldercy sighs, and pulls out her wand, waving an anti-wrinkle charm over the younger woman's robes. The hair she can do nothing for, so she leaves off. She's composed in her waiting, her gaze lighting once more on Carter, his person rather than his face or eyes. Finally, the call comes for the assembled to enter, and she stands, letting her robes swirl around her form as she turns to the door.