Blood of the Moon {Remus Lupin}

Chapter 28

Ooh it's getting good, folks! :)

Auriga knocked on Crouch's office door with a stack of papers in hand. She needed to get this trade report approved before she could send it off to Egypt. Gringotts wanted to send a large shipment through.

"Mr Crouch is off sick," said Weasley. "I can take any queries you have." Auriga resisted the urge to roll her eyes. As if Weasley had any jurisdiction at all.

"I'll just owl him," Auriga said, "Do you know when he'll be back."

"I'm afraid not," said Weasley, "he's been off for a few weeks now."

"What?" asked Auriga, astounded. "How's the office even been functioning?"

"Oh, he sends me a list of tasks to get done each day," explained Weasley. "I've practically been doing his job." Auriga scowled venomously.

"Well," she said, her voice higher than usual. "If you need any help or guidance, let me or one of the other office Heads know. We wouldn't want you to be too out of you depth." Now it was Weasley's turn to scowl. Auriga smiled, before heading back to her office and sending off the report with a note wishing good health.

The next morning, Auriga found the report with a fresh note in her inbox.

Thank you, Malfoy, the report's fine. Thank you for your concern. Please do not owl me again regarding approvals. You may do it yourself and use this as evidence.

Bartemius Crouch Snr.

Head of the Department for International Magical Cooperation

*****

Auriga was absolutely furious. She was spending Boxing Day with her parents, and they'd just received a letter from Draco, telling them all about the Yule Ball. Which was part of the tournament that she'd helped to set up. No - she'd set it up. And when Crouch was too ill to attend, did he send her - his second in command and most promising employee? No. He sent Weasley, the newest and most pathetic member of the department. Well, maybe she was being a little harsh, but she deserved that spot far more than he did.

Her mother and father - who had read the letter before she had - were looking at her with concern. "A Weasley?" her mother finally said. "Are you sure it isn't some sort of outreach scheme?"

"I'm sure, Mother," spat Auriga, slumping haughtily into a chair. "Crouch has been sending him instructions everyday on how to run the department - a job I could manage perfectly by myself."

"But, I thought you said you'd help with her career?" asked her mother, now turning to her father.

"I have been!" protested Lucius, who looked more baffled than anything. "We even had the Minister round for dinner - you remember?" Auriga nodded - she'd had a wide variety of conversations with various other heads of departments, all who seemed very impressed by her.

"I just don't understand," said her mother, shaking her head and sitting down. "He must be very ill."

"Yes," said Auriga. "He must."

*****

There was a knock at Auriga's office door, and she looked up from the report she was looking over for Goblin Liaison. Weasley was stood at the door in robes that were clearly his best, and looking very...pompous. "I do hope you don't mind, Auriga-"

"Miss Malfoy," she corrected, looking back down at the report. This conversation would have no value to her.

"Yes," said Weasley. "Well I'm just going to Hogwarts...to judge the final task. And I've written this report on the new safety procedures for the TransFloo network and carrying livestock for Mr Crouch. But he said not to send him things. So I was hoping you could look it over and approve it? Please?"