Amelia Merlin

Part Ninety Three: a Meeting with the Ministry

Days turned to weeks as Amelia and Al worked together on their project. They went to countless meetings with government officials and to dozens of interviews with reporters. They spent hours in the parlour working on parchments covered in legal actions. Anytime Amelia's mother came in, she always said something nasty and Al would give her a small look. Whenever Mrs Merlin's back was turned, Al made an ugly face at her and Amelia had to contain her laughter. Soon she and Al had become good friends and the work they'd been doing together brought them close together. By the time two weeks was over, Amelia knew more than Al did about their charity and plan to fix things. She was even better during interviews than him and especially presentations. She excelled in all the work they were doing.

It was the day of their final meeting with the Department of International Cooperation and the objective was to get them to sign the agreement saying they would assist. Amelia and Al were in the parlour packing all of their necessary papers for the meeting.

"I've been thinking," Al said.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you take the lead on this?"

She nearly choked on her own tongue. "W-What?" She sputtered.

"Yeah why not? You know even more than I do at this point. You've been to all the meetings. You know how it's done. The people we're meeting with are idiots anyways. I swear they're all inbred. I think you can manage this." He closed up his briefcase and they headed towards the door. "What'd you think?"

"Yeah. Why not." Amelia smiled and took Al's arm. With a turn, she was simultaneously compressed and stretched as they apparated to the Ministry of Magic.

They made their way quickly towards the conference room where their meeting would occur. When they arrived, they sat and waited in heavy wooden chairs along a thick wooden table. The lights were bright and the room was just cool enough to make Amelia uncomfortable.

She drummed her fingers on the table. "When do they get here?"

"Whenever they want." Al replied simply. "They'll probably want to keep us waiting so we get frustrated sooner."

"Why do they want that?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Why don't you tell me."

Amelia half glared at him. Al was always getting her to explain things he already knew the answer to. The guy rarely just answered a question normally.

"Because if we're frustrated then we're more likely to give in?"

Al said nothing.

"Am I right?" She pressed.

He shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe."

"Okay. I'll take that as a yes."

"Take it however you want."

"I hope they get here soon."

"They will."

"You don't know that."

"Why do you say so?" A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Because you don't know where they are right now. They could be in the middle of a huge shit and they won't be here for ages." She folded her arms.

Al snorted. "Alright," he conceded. "You got me there."

"I know." Amelia said triumphantly.

The door rushed open and five old men with long white beards walked in the room and sat across the table from them. Amelia stood up and shook their hands.

"Good morning!" She smiled. "I'm Amelia Merlin. This is my partner Al."

"Yes yes!" The shortest one grumbled. "We know who you are and why you are here. What we need to know is why the Department of International Affairs should be involved!"

Amelia opened her mouth to begin her presentation but was quickly interrupted.

"Madame?" A tall spindly one inquired with one hand raised slightly.

"Yes?" She said politely.

"My dear," his voice was weak and trembled with every word. "How old are you?"

"I'll be fourteen in a few days."

"How sweet. But as a young girl, how are you in any state to be presenting us with this information? This isn't a class project. It's real life. Why don't you let the adults handle it and we can hear from the nice young man sitting next to you?" He wheezed.

Amelia felt blood rush to her face and knew she was blushing. Everyone was staring at her, the old men all looked thoroughly unimpressed and a little pitiful. Al's face was unreadable and he just offered a small shrug. Looks like she was on her own for this one.

"I know it may look like I'm some naive little girl up here, but I assure you, I have done countless days of research and meeting with press and other government officials such as yourselves." As she started talking, the confidence rushed through her and words flowed more easily. "I know what I'm talking about and I know what needs to be done. I am perfectly capable of delivering this information to you and quite frankly I can do a better job than the nice young man sitting next to me." 

"Forgive me, sweetheart. But this is an adult topic. And it's the men who should be discussing it." The grumbling short one said. "And we will not sit here while some little girl lectures us on how to do our jobs!"

"Is that all you have to say?" Amelia said in a dangerously low voice.

"Yes I believe I've said my part." The man looked haughty and annoyed.

She narrowed her eyes slightly. "Very well then. Here is what I have to say. I am the most knowledgable, most coherent person on this subject in all of Britain. I know this because I've studied it from every angle, read every paper and spoken with every person who is associated. If you care at all about this than you will listen to me. And if you don't, than I still deserve your respect because I have not worked my ass off just to have a room full of old men tell me I am not worthy of their attention. I am the best person for what you need to hear right now. So please, listen to what I have to say."

Nobody moved.

"Glad that's sorted." She said and stuck out her chin defiantly. "So know if you'll direct your attention to the parchment in front of you-"

Amelia carried out the meeting flawlessly and the old men said they would get back to her within the week. She and Al were back home when they finally started to discuss what happened.

"So," he began. "How did that feel?"

"Amazing!" She beamed. "I felt powerful and awesome!"

"Yeah you definitely showed those guys who was the boss." He smirked.

"It was so great right! And just the knowledge that I have the power to help people! Like I helped so many people today by making those assholes listen to me and respect me! And that was all me! If this paper gets signed it's gonna be because I was epic in there." She laughed.

Al laughed with her. "When they write stories about you this will be the day they say your leadership began. When you ended slavery surrounding the treasure business."

"Sounds like a good story to me."

"I bet it will be." He put his hand in his pocket and drew out a cigarette which he lit and a cloud of grey smoke blew out.