RP: Pleasant Surprises
Date: 28 February 1999
Characters: Neville Longbottom, Pansy Parkinson
Location: Ministry of Magic, Italian Kitchen
Status: Semi-Private
Summary: After finishing his business at the Ministry, Neville decides to surprise Pansy.
Completion: Complete
Neville was glad he'd left himself an entire afternoon free for his visit to the Ministry. It had taken time for the clerk to go through his application point by point, asking questions along the way. Once the application had been reviewed for completeness, it was stamped. Why, he had no idea, but the clerk had made a big show of it, so apparently it was important. The clerk informed him that they did not often get requests for house elves who knew or were willing to learn a particular trade. According to the clerk, one elf was pretty much the same as the next and he seemed to look down on Neville for thinking otherwise. Neville supposed that was why he'd questioned so many of the responses on his application. It was important to Neville that if he were to employ -- another term the clerk sneered at -- house elves, then they should be ones happy to do the kind of work he wanted them to do.
After wasting more time, where Neville had to struggle to stay polite, the clerk finally disappeared with his application to find out when the head of the office might have time to meet with him. The tone of his voice led Neville to believe that if he had his way, it would be a cold day in hell but like the stamping, the clerk had made a big show it.
The Head of the Office of House Elf Relocation did not share his subordinate's view. A jolly man bustled out from the office behind the counter where the clerk had disappeared only a moment ago. "Mr. Longbottom! A pleasure, sir. A pleasure. Why haven't you been seated? My, my." He offered his hand and shook Neville's vigorously before turning on the clerk. "Why haven't you offered Mr. Longbottom tea or shown him in. We don't keep heroes waiting, young man!" The clerk turned pale and scampered off. Neville was all for scampering off himself at that point. "My good friend, Horace Slughorn, speaks very highly of you. Come inside, come inside. Let's see what we can do for you today."
Half a pot of tea and another hour and a half of conversation later, Neville left assured that something could be done for him. That Neville was willing to provide wages or a more traditional arrangement, whichever the elf preferred, had surprised the man. He did say that it meant that there was a good chance one or two of the free house elves they had on record might be interested. Free elves that wanted to be paid were less common than those who wanted a traditional home but they were much harder to place. Neville could understand that, he also hoped it worked in his favor.
It was after four o'clock by the time he'd gotten out of the meeting. He'd had planned to stop by and surprise Pansy but things had run so late, he had an even better idea. Neville took the lift to Magical Law and after stopping a few people to ask directions, he ran across someone who knew exactly where Pansy Parkinson might be. It turned out, she wasn't there, but the helpful young woman said she would definitely return for her cloak and things before too long since it was almost the end of her shift. Neville smiled and thanked her, asking if it would be all right to leave a note and a little something for her. The witch smiled when Neville removed the stem of spray orchids he'd tucked into his business case. He removed the charm he'd placed on the delicate flowers to keep them from harm and keep them fresh and sat it where she'd see it along with a note.
Pansy,
If you're free, I'd like to take you to dinner. I'll be waiting in the atrium at five o'clock. You can give me your answer in person.
Yours,
Neville
Characters: Neville Longbottom, Pansy Parkinson
Location: Ministry of Magic, Italian Kitchen
Status: Semi-Private
Summary: After finishing his business at the Ministry, Neville decides to surprise Pansy.
Completion: Complete
Neville was glad he'd left himself an entire afternoon free for his visit to the Ministry. It had taken time for the clerk to go through his application point by point, asking questions along the way. Once the application had been reviewed for completeness, it was stamped. Why, he had no idea, but the clerk had made a big show of it, so apparently it was important. The clerk informed him that they did not often get requests for house elves who knew or were willing to learn a particular trade. According to the clerk, one elf was pretty much the same as the next and he seemed to look down on Neville for thinking otherwise. Neville supposed that was why he'd questioned so many of the responses on his application. It was important to Neville that if he were to employ -- another term the clerk sneered at -- house elves, then they should be ones happy to do the kind of work he wanted them to do.
After wasting more time, where Neville had to struggle to stay polite, the clerk finally disappeared with his application to find out when the head of the office might have time to meet with him. The tone of his voice led Neville to believe that if he had his way, it would be a cold day in hell but like the stamping, the clerk had made a big show it.
The Head of the Office of House Elf Relocation did not share his subordinate's view. A jolly man bustled out from the office behind the counter where the clerk had disappeared only a moment ago. "Mr. Longbottom! A pleasure, sir. A pleasure. Why haven't you been seated? My, my." He offered his hand and shook Neville's vigorously before turning on the clerk. "Why haven't you offered Mr. Longbottom tea or shown him in. We don't keep heroes waiting, young man!" The clerk turned pale and scampered off. Neville was all for scampering off himself at that point. "My good friend, Horace Slughorn, speaks very highly of you. Come inside, come inside. Let's see what we can do for you today."
Half a pot of tea and another hour and a half of conversation later, Neville left assured that something could be done for him. That Neville was willing to provide wages or a more traditional arrangement, whichever the elf preferred, had surprised the man. He did say that it meant that there was a good chance one or two of the free house elves they had on record might be interested. Free elves that wanted to be paid were less common than those who wanted a traditional home but they were much harder to place. Neville could understand that, he also hoped it worked in his favor.
It was after four o'clock by the time he'd gotten out of the meeting. He'd had planned to stop by and surprise Pansy but things had run so late, he had an even better idea. Neville took the lift to Magical Law and after stopping a few people to ask directions, he ran across someone who knew exactly where Pansy Parkinson might be. It turned out, she wasn't there, but the helpful young woman said she would definitely return for her cloak and things before too long since it was almost the end of her shift. Neville smiled and thanked her, asking if it would be all right to leave a note and a little something for her. The witch smiled when Neville removed the stem of spray orchids he'd tucked into his business case. He removed the charm he'd placed on the delicate flowers to keep them from harm and keep them fresh and sat it where she'd see it along with a note.
Pansy,
If you're free, I'd like to take you to dinner. I'll be waiting in the atrium at five o'clock. You can give me your answer in person.
Yours,
Neville