Order Only: Something's up

[alt_bill]

Something's up in the department. I don't know what it is. And that worries me.

Plympton and Massopust have been closeted in meetings the past few days, some with Selwyn--there was that lunch, too--and Massopust went to Court last Friday. I snuck a peek at his calendar, but it didn't indicate what it was about.

All my instincts are itching. I hate being out of the loop.

Comments

[alt_sirius]

Yes, there's your answer. And a rather transparent one at that.

Do they really think people will trust these messages are private?

[alt_bill]

Bleeding hell--how could those bastards BLINDSIDE me like this?!

Am going into the office. Immediately.

[alt_arthur]

Is it any cause for concern? Besides the mere fact that it's a surprise, I mean?

[alt_bill]

The mere fact? The mere fact that the Ministry is doing something with the underlying architecture of the journal spells and I didn't even fucking know?!

[alt_arthur]

Oh, dear.

[alt_bill]

Yeah, you said it.

I'll give a report as soon as I find out more.

[alt_kingsley]

Keep your cool if you go in there, Bill. If you arrive tonight breathing fire because you didn't know, they may very well suspect something's up.

[alt_bill]

I'm not an idiot.

Even if they're treating me like one.

[alt_molly]

Oh, my.

Bill--do be careful.

[alt_sirius]

Kingsley's right, Bill - steady on. If they did cut you out of the loop deliberately, it may be because they want you to throw a wobbly.

[alt_frank]

that's black luck, man.

are the people that were told about it higher up on the pecking order?

older than you?

could be they're shutting you out because of the recent talk they had with your little brother. not that he'd have anything to say about you, but could be they put the whole family on watch. I'd walk careful the next few weeks, make sure that you aren't on any lists, and assume you are on them just in case.

arthur, you get any snubs lately?

[alt_arthur]

Oh, I get snubs all the time, because I work with muggleborn. But not any more than usual.

There have been one or two joshing comments about Ron, but more in the nature of 'boys will be boys, won't they?' than any firm disapproval.

Bill, you were considered for the post that Massopust ended up getting, weren't you?

[alt_bill]

Maybe. Plympton's hinted it, a time or two. I would have been really surprised to get it. I haven't been in the department long enough, and yeah, I'm quite a bit younger.

[alt_kingsley]

He may be threatened by you, then. And more than that, Frank might be right, too.

I'm sure you already watch your back, my friend. But yeah, for the next few weeks you might consider growing eyes in the back of your head.

[alt_bill]

Bugger.

[alt_molly]

I don't know what the Ministry thinks. But I do suspect what ordinary people will think. They'll love this new feature, I imagine. They'll fall all over themselves to use it, especially those who can't afford owls. And that's more and more people these days.