(1939-02-15) Strudwick Steps Forward
Details for Strudwick Steps Forward
Summary: Isobel runs into Perry Evans in the Ministry's atrium and volunteers for the mentorship program.
Date: 1939-02-15
Location: Ministry of Magic Atrium
Related: Mentoring Muggle-borns plot
Characters
ChaucerIsobel

Perry Evans was NPCed by BadEgg

Planning on meeting a friend for dinner, Perry seats himself at the edge of the fountain in the Ministry of Magic atrium, watching the crowds ebb and flow around him. It's evening, and quite a few witches and wizards were on their way home for the way. He nods to several that he recognizes, calling out a few friendly words. "How're the kids? Suzie still trying the violin? Oh that's wonderful!"

A woman on a mission, that's Isobel. She has heard about adult muggle-born witches and wizards being placed as mentors with student muggle-born witches and wizards. She's sure there are many muggle-born adults who wish they'd had a mentor of some kind when they were still students, considering how difficult it can be at times. She been directed as to what Perry looks like, and that he works in the Ministry, in the Office of Misinformation. She's kept her eyes open - and it appears as if tonight is her lucky night. "Are ya…are ya Perry Longbottom?" She asks of the man as she approaches the fountain.

"Perry, yes, Longbottom, no," the man replies, looking up at Isobel with curiosity and amusement. "Perry Evans, Miss," he supplies helpfully. "Anything I can help you with?"

Taking a note out of her pocket, Isobel reads it for a quick second. "OH! Aye. Evans. Right. Sorry. I was jus' talking ta a Longbottom. Been a long day, it has. Bu', tha's the life of a Ministry worker, I suppose." She chuckles. "I was wishing ta talk ta ya abou' the Muggle-Born mentorship."

Chaucer comes shuffling out of one of the lifts, making his way wearily towards the front door, two younger Hit Wizards flanking him.

"Oh, I know how that is," Perry agrees with a wry smile. "After a difficult day - well. I'm lucky if I can remember my way down here to the atrium."

As she mentions the mentorship 'program' he's trying to get started, the man's face lights up. "Great! Glad to have someone else involved. Miss…?"

A quick glance is given to the Hit Wizards and the man they have with them. While Isobel is curious, it's not an uncommon sight in the Ministry. She turns back to Perry and smiles. "Oh, Isobel Strudwick at yer service. O' the Wizardin' Examinations Authority." She holds out her hand in greeting. "Pleasure ta meetcha, Mr. Evans."

"Ms. Strudwick," Perry echoes, following her gaze to the elderly fellow with the Hitwizards, before taking her hand and giving it a warm squeeze. "Sit with me, if you like. Just waiting for a friend." He gestures to the edge of the fountain beside him with a casual gesture.

A nod is given to him as she takes her seat. Isobel smiles, "Ah, good, so I'm nae bein' too much o' an inconvenience." She gazes out to the atrium. "I heard o' the idea ya had ta have muggle-born witches an' wizards, those o' us who're out here in the world already, mentorin' those in Hogwarts. It sounds like a marvellous idea."

Chaucer nods to Perry as he walks by, looking quite tired indeed. Isobel gives a nod as well, and soon he was at the door, disappearing into the cold.

"Wish I could take the credit," Perry answers. "But it was my niece's idea. She's a first year at Hogwarts, now. She said she felt bad she had me to write to for help - when her other Muggle-born friends didn't have anyone to turn to who'd understand."

He nods to the passing gentleman, adding curiously, "Can I ask which house you were in, Ms. Strudwick?"

"Well, that was good o' your niece ta think o' them." Isobel speaks softly, offering a little nod to Chaucer as well. "I suppose, being muggle-born is a bit different, isnae it? We muggle-borns can always write our parents, but it's nae the same. Our parents can never quite understand what it's like in the magical world." She pauses for a moment before chuckling. "B'sides, I can only imagine tellin' my parents somethin' like: 'There was a dragon a few towns o'er, tha's what caused the pub there ta burn down!'" She shakes her head in amusement at the thought. "The house I was in? Aye, ya can certainly ask. I was in Hufflepuff."

"Exactly. And, for some strange reason, it seems to alarm them when you write that one of the bullies in your class cursed you so you were coughing slugs out of your mouth for over an hour," Perry agrees in a dry voice.

"Hufflepuff," he repeats. "And any clubs or favorite classes? I'm trying to see if I can match the students with an adult that was in their house - or at least shared some of their interests. Might help - can't hurt."

"If my parent'd heard I'd coughed up slugs for an hour, they'd've thought I'd gone ta a nut house and sent for me ta come home immediately, no doubt." Isobel nods a little. "Not ta mention if I'd been cursed, hexed, charmed, or transfigured in any other way, shape, or form." She smiles, though shakes her head at the thoughts. "Transfiguration was always a favourite class o' mine. An' one tha' I excelled in the most. I enjoyed Defence Against the Dark Arts an' Charms as well, bu' Transfiguration's the one I focused on. An'…well, I'm an examiner, I know of a few more o' the subjects, like Potions, Herbology, an' Ancient Runes as well.

Perry laughs at the mention of transfigurations, and pulls out his wallet, digging out a slightly creased black and white image of a young girl - blonde hair done up in a pair of braids, clutching a book that sports tiny antlers, with a pair of antlers rising up from her hair, as well. It's a wizarding photo, and shows the girl smiling, waving, and looking generally well-pleased. "Not too long after the Christmas holidays, she sent me and her parents each a copy of that, along with a rather excited letter. It did cause a bit of a stir, I'll admit, but she was just so pleased about the whole thing…"

Chuckling, Isobel gazes at the picture. "Ah, antler. I'd be remiss if I said I'd never attempted tha' particular transfiguration." She grins at him coyly. "An' ta have matchin' antlers on your book as well. It certainly makes for a good Christmas picture!" She nods. "Ah, an' b'fore I forget, I was on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as well. I was a Beater."

"A Hufflepuff Beater who excelled in Transfigurations," Perry repeats, as he tucks away the picture again, and puts his wallet back into his pocket. "Great. Madeline's having her friends fill out little surveys - so we should be able to match everyone up. I figure just having someone to write to will help them tremendously, but if they have permission to visit Hogsmeade - well. Might even be possible to meet them for a malt at Harkiss."

"Aye. I'd certainly be up ta meet 'em in Hogsmeade. It's nae much of a commute for me, as I live there m'self. An' 'tis easy enough ta send off an owl with letters. My little owl Arthur always likes ta be sent off with a letter. He's always so happy ta help. An' he's always, dare I say, a hoot!" She grins at her lame joke, but at least she knows it's a lame joke!

Perry smiles - he's perfectly fond of lame jokes. "Splendid!" he answers. "I really appreciate your willingness, Ms. Strudwick - and I'm sure the students will as well. I don't suppose you have a card with your address on it - so I can keep in touch with you, and pass it on to whichever student is the best match?"

"Oh, 'tis my pleasure, certainly it is!" Isobel chirps off, happily enough. "A card? Ah, yes, a card. O' course…I can get ya one…" She starts patting down her clothing. "I know I've got one somewhere." Her hands go into multiple different pockets before she finally pulls out a handful of cards. "Here, take two, jus' in case." She takes two off the top, handing them to him. The words on them seem to change every ten seconds or so, alternating between showing the Ministry of Magic symbol with the words 'Isobel Strudwick - Wizarding Examinations Authority - Examiner' and showing her desk number and that she works on level 1 of the Ministry of Magic.

Isobel adds, "Or, ya can always reach me at m'home in Hogsmeade."

"Wonderful, thank you," Perry answers. Taking them both and adding them to his wallet. He takes out one of his own and offers it over as well. "And you can get a hold of me anytime. Just expect it'll take me a couple of weeks to get everything sorted out."

"O' course. Somethin' akin ta this is nae bound ta happen o'er night." Isobel responds, accepting the card and placing it into another pocket. "I look forward ta hearin' from ya, though. An' I look forward ta helpin' in any way I can!"

"I am, as well. I figure I'll probably starting writing to one of the Ravenclaws - in addition to Maddie. And my mind's already thinking ahead to future years - seeing if we can get the kids who graduate to write to their younger classmates, or the new, incoming first years. They'll have the real inside scoop - which students to avoid, how to handle the teachers… all those things," Perry rattles on idly.

"Aye, I wish I could help with tellin' how to deal with the teachers…bu' some o' them I've not dealth with as a student. Some o' them, mind, I had as teachers." Isobel shrugs. "But I catch your meanin'. Those who've jus' graduated would know best of all." She smiles. "In addition ta everythin' else, tha' is." She tilts her head. "It'll be good ta get this goin'. I'm sure there are a few who need help."

"Especially in the current climate," Perry agrees, his tone and expression growing more solemn. It lightens a moment later, as he adds, "Though Maddie insists things aren't as grim now as they were a month ago."

"Well, tha's certainly good news. Especially with the current headmaster. I'd nae imagine he's helpin' things along at all." Isobel states, though she does smile. "Ya know, as bad as it could sometimes be, Hogwarts was always a good place ta be. Friends could seemingly be always found there. Though…if they couldnae be found immediately, the kitchens were always a good place ta go ta. Them houselves were always ready ta make me the most delicious of desserts."

"I can't say I ever tried that," Perry responds with a laugh. "Oh, I /screamed/ the first time I saw a house-elf. Not that I'd admit to that at the time."

"I'll admit, I found 'em jus' as strange as I found the goblins at Gringotts when my parents an' me went ta exchange our muggle money for wizardin' money. I was completely baffled! Growin

"I'll admit, I found 'em jus' as strange as I found the goblins at Gringotts when my parents an' me went ta exchange our muggle money for wizardin' money. I was completely baffled! Growin' up in a small village in the Isle o' Skye, I often heart folk tales an' such o' gremlins an' beasts o' various kinds, but it never prepared me ta actually see 'em with m'own two eyes!"

"Me either," Perry agrees. "I've gotten used them now but- well. Of course it was a shock to all of us. Now I'm wishing I'd known I could have gone to the house elves for treats…"

"Were ya nae in Hufflepuff? Hufflepuff common room's close ta the kitchens, ya see. An' as I say, there were always willin' ta help!" Isobel chuckles. "Oh! Another thing I meant ta mention b'fore. I donnae know why it didnae cross m'mind b'fore. Bu'…I speak Scottish Gaelic. I donnae know how helpful that'll be, bu'…if it's helpful at all, I am fluent in it. Both the spoken an' written version o' it. Grew up speakin' an' writin' it, as well as English. If, in the off chance, ya got a muggle-born who is a bit more comfortable with Scottish Gaelic than they are with English, feel free ta send 'em my way."

"Nah, I was Ravenclaw," Perry answers. "I was dead determined to learn everything I could about the wizarding world - every last thing.

"Scottish Gaelic, huh? That could be useful - really set them more at ease, even if their English is good," he muses.

Isobel says, "Ah, Ravenclaw. I was rather too rambunctious ta be a Ravenclaw. I dare say I'd never've fit in there, quite." Isobel grins, giving Perry a wink. "As I say, I donnae know if the Scottish Gaelic'd come in handy, but if it does…well, I'm your lass." Checking her watch, she looks up. "Ah, I really must be goin', unfortunately. Got a few chores ta get done this evenin' b'fore I head back home.""

"Of course. We'll be in touch Ms. Strudwick. Have a lovely evening," Perry answers her. He'd rise when she does - then settle back in on the edge of the fountain. Where /was/ John, anyways?

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