Act I: I Can't Believe I'm Doing This

Part 5

I've never been a huge fan of paperwork. There's a distinct difference between filling out seven hundred of the same form and writing a five thousand word essay. It's brilliant, then, that my job is nothing but paperwork - and very rarely, some negotiation between magical creatures and humans.

I can feel my eyes going fuzzy as I reread the same line on this contract for the fifth time. The European Union of Magical...

I sit back in my chair with a silent groan and rub my eyes vigorously. A change of scenery, that will help. Surely. I stand and bring the pile of documents with me, walking over to one of the many charmed silent rooms in the department. They're really intended for people who need to handle complaints privately, but using one to help block out the din of the office isn't unheard of. Two more weeks until I'm done, and can go back to researching curses.

By the time I get home, the last thing I want to do is pick up another quill, but I can't fight the feeling that leaving Ms. Black in the dark about my status will send the wrong message. I do want to go back, regardless of how my last visit ended. Knowing that Bellatrix might be out there somewhere has put me on edge. To the end of continuing to help Ms. Black, I sit down to draft a letter.

Ms. Black,

I regret to inform you that, despite our lack of progress, I'll have to take some time away from the search. I simply have too much to do at work, as I'm in charge of mediating the negotiations on a contract between a herd of centaurs and an apothecary wishing to gather materials from their land.

Regardless, I'm still interested in attempting to help in whatever ways I can offer. If you wouldn't mind sending any existing theories you have, I can at least let you know my thoughts on them. Unfortunately, that's all I can really offer for the foreseeable future.

Regards,

Hermione Granger

I consider trying to dig through my library for something to read that might help our investigation, but I'm confident now that nothing in my library is going to help. Just the little bit of information I've gotten from the Malfoy library was more helpful than an entire book from my own collection. Only two weeks.

It doesn't strike me until the next day that I'm actually looking forward to going back to researching curses. Yes, conversation with Ms. Black is tinged with bad memories, but it was actually rather pleasant to share space with her up until that mention of her sister. And besides, anything would be more intellectually stimulating than reading and rereading a contract that only ever gets more complicated as addendums and amendments are made.

The Ministry's team sends over a version they like, the centaur's representative sends back a much more reasonable version. Over and over again, and really, I'm considering putting my foot down and resolving this heavily in favor of the centaurs. But that won't achieve anything but stepping on everyone's toes. I have to go at least three months before my name shows up in a scandalous news article again.

I take a deep breath and dive back into the contract. Hopefully this will be over sooner than expected.

Just minutes after I arrive home, Apollo comes knocking on my window. He doesn't wait for me to get the window completely open, darting in to land directly on top of my head. "Hey! Look, I know it's a lot right now but I don't appreciate my hair being used as a literal bird's nest." Despite myself, there's no heat to my words. Apollo flies down to my hand when I hold it out for him and leans into my touch as I gently pet his head.

He's carrying a small metallic tube tied around one ankle. When I lift it, I feel a wash of magic over me before it settles and dissipates as the tube pops open with a click . An enchantment that will only unlock for the recipient... to make sure I'm the only one that sees it?