Walking the edge ~ Ministry of Magic ~ England

Minister Liara Lightle glared intently at a number of papers on her desk, they were all proposed solutions to the current crisis the world was in and unfortunately all of the led to war somehow. So she was damned no matter what she did.

Sighing she brushed the suggestions away and denied them all. She would not condon a course of action that would lead them to war.

Rising from her desk she looked out her window, which was shimmering with enchanments to protect her from any would be assasines. It figured her term in office would be plauged by the looming threat of war. wars were never good unless there was no other choice and she was certain there was another choice they just hadn't found it yet.

Sighing she waved her wand to reveal a picture of her and Gage smiling.. well in Gages case smirking.

"I hope your pupils aren't giving you the same headache mine are giving me" she whispered as she pulled the portrait back to reveal her own private potions cabnet and there she pulled out a headache relief potion, and with one go she swallowed it down and got back to work.

Berlynn made her way through the halls that lead to the Minister's office with a calm yet authoritative presence. One of her arms were filled with various papers addressed to the Minister that had been cleared by the mail security while the other held a container bearing two cups of coffee she had picked up. Technically she was late and her superiors would have her head if they knew that the Minister had been without all of her guards for half an hour, but the Auror brushed it off. Contrary to most of her colleagues, she didn't feel the need to be with the Minister every waking moment. An auror's job, Berlynn felt, was to protect, not hover, and personal bubbles were rather important, she felt.

Approaching the door she knocked three times before sliding her access card through the door to enter. "Guten morgen, Ministress." she greeted Liara with a smile, including the nickname she had dubbed Liara with upon working for her.

"I bring you a gift!" she exclaimed in mock-drama, her German accent cadencing through her words as she handed the pile of additional letters to Liara, along with the coffee cup she had picked up for her at the cafe. "Not sure what it is but bit of a heads up, apparently there was a howler or two in the pile so careful. If it gets too bad, I still have my secret stash of Jaggermeister here." she added with a playful wink as she leaned against the desk, facing her boss.

Liara looked up from her gloomier then thou paper work when Berlynn Stabler entered and she smiled "Good morning Berlynn".

She never knew what time her bodyguard was supposed to start her shift or when it ended. While she was in her office se felt the was little need for Berlynn to be with her every minute, only while out in political speaches and campains, did she requier anyone, and that was only because other's opinions tended to get rather heated now a days.

"Ah... you shouldn't have" she said as she spotted the letters with a sheepish amusement at Berlynn's declaration, not looking forward to finding a howler in her mail. Howlers were not uncommon her line of work and she had recieved more then her fair share of them. Generaly they were harmless, she listen to the rant and dismisse it once it was done, unless it made a real valid point in that case she would take action. Though it had to be a big point reguardless, she would go looney if she worried about every howler people sent her.

'No need to worry about them really though, if someone wishes to yell at me, so be it" she said with a chuckle. "Thank you for bringing them" she said with a nod, though she was more greatful for the hot coffee then anything. She flipped through the mail, some letters from the Daily Prophet, one report from Hogwarts School, Reports on the Muggle world, to ensure the their would was still unknown to the world. And Of course one red howler.

"I'll listen to you later" she muttered putting it at the bottom of the pile and putting them neatly on her desk, though there was a slight smoke coming from the howler.

She looked up at Berlynn slipping into business mode, "Will likely be going out to press interview later with the Daily Prophet" she said, there were times she wondered if Berlynn ever became bored out of her mind when she was stuck in her office doing paper work. Daily Prophet interviews were chaos she'd imagine, people everywhere camera's flashing, she couldn't imagine how the Aurors did it.

Berlynn nodded at the thanks with a smile, taking a sip out of her own cup as she watched Liara sort thorough the mail. Personally, Berlynn couldn't quite fathom why someone would choose to accept this huge boulder of responsibility that was caring for the Magical World and handling all the problems, but the fact that Liara had chosen to do so and did with what Berlynn could seen as pure, good-hearted intentions gave her more than enough reason to respect the younger witch. 

A slight scowl lined the Auror's face at the mention of a press interview on the day's agenda. While she was well aware that press conferences were to be a regular occurrence when she had accepted the post as one of the Minister's bodyguards, that didn't mean she particularly enjoyed it. Crowds in general could be quite irksome to control, but reporters? Those were the worst. Most Aurors, Berlynn included, would rather take a dozen stinging hexed straight to the ribs. With all their pushing, shoving, shouted questions, and invasive cameras it was utter chaos and more reminiscent of something one would see in a safari rather than a room filled with adults. But alas, a job was a job and Berlynn had ever intention of carrying out all she had promised to do, to the best of her ability. 

"Ah, lovely." she nodded dryly, already dreading the shoving crowds and bright, blinding camera flashes. Wistfully, though with a light, teasing air typical of her nature, she looked at the two coffee cups. "Perhaps I should have made these double-shots..."

"Is it business-related or one of those interviews concerning what the Press seems to believe is there business?" Berlynn asked, referring to the press's habit of dipping into personal questions, "Because you know, if it's the latter, a firecracker could "somehow" find it's way underneath one of the nosey reporter's chairs..." she trailed off with a suggestive raised eyebrow that was half joking, yet also half serious if the Minister so wished it. This sort of stunt was pulled fairly often when needed in Berlynn's place of previous employment. Not to mention she still had a stash of pranks supplies that she had used to entertain her previous employer's children when needed. 

"Picture it: That way she'll go ba-boom, we'll go bye-bye, and there'll be enough time to crash a few bars and have a great night, ja?" Berlynn added with a smile, getting rather excited with the thought, especially with the mentions of drinks and clubbing. Oh how this witch loved to party!

Although Edward seldom got involed with poltics, today was an unique occation. A friend need to meet with the Minister but only Edward knew of this meeting currently. Not even the Minister knew. The Royale manor was not connected to the flu network so he had to take the street entrence. Giving the reason of information collection on forgien affairs the front desk told him how to get to the Department of International Magical Cooperation, however after getting sufficently "lost" he found a broom closet to meet with his friend. Once inside he took his hands out of his pockets and a black flame rose from his feet and started to cover his body. When the flames disappated a man in a black cloak and white mask remained. He was able to manipulate the light to bend around him much the same way an invisability cloak would, eventully he arrived before the door to the Minister's office and knocked.

Liara signed afew of the forms from her mail and flicked her wand at them, turning them to paper air planes and sending them to the poeple who also need to review it.

Liara chuckled at Berlynn's reaction the press meeting, "I'll try to make it as breif as possible, promise, supposed to be a buisness related, but there are always a few sneaky ones who put out a personal question or two. Anything for the story I guess.." she said with almost a shrug.

"Reporter are almost as bad as Politicens when it comes to that" she said with a joking smirk as a after thought fully knowing she had just insulted her self, but it was ture. Both were willing to be underhanded and sneaky to get what they wanted.

Liara couldn't laugh in amusment at Berlynn's escape plan, "Oh that'd make quite a headline in the Daily prophet alright" she said with a smirk.

"Sounds like a great night Berlynn" she said with a chuckle though she had not been clubing in years not since having the minister position. Somehow the minister of magic danceing and drinking the night away likely wouldn't set well with the governors of the wizengmot.

Liara then blinked at the knock on the door, her assistant had not mentioned someone was coming.

Not a paroinid person in the least, but yet not dumb either, she cast Berlynn a glance, though she likely didn't need one, to be on guard.

"Who is it?" she asked. Her door was unlocked, but she wasn't about to open the door until an introduction was made.

"You can call me a concerned citizen." The man in black replied. "I wish only to discuus the state of the ministry, a popular but delicate topic I would presume."

The smile on the Auror's face widened, glad that she was able to make her boss laugh. One of the negatives she found to her line of work was the intense seriousness that often accompanied it. Ys, she realized that it was serious business she was dealing with but Berlynn still felt that there was no need to be so grave (no pun intended) all the time. Though, naturally, this philosophy of the witches wasn't too well received by her colleagues and Berlynn had learned first hand that when a Captain yells repeatedly into your ear "Constant Vigilance!" during a mission, the answer is most definitely not "Hey, if it's your time, it's your time." Otherwise the only thing you'll be getting is glares, a smack on the head, and the command to run miles for long periods of time until you nearly drop dead from exhaustion.

Red hair shifted to the side as the witch tilted her head in curiosity. "Do you miss it?" she asked gently, as to not appear nosey. "Being able to, you know, go out like everyone else? I mean, ja, you go out, but... It can't be much fun when you have to think of all these problems. Do you ever get a moment to yourself where 'so and so' doesn't have this problem, and 'this and that' isn't bothering you? How do you handle it all?" Personally, Berlynn couldn't imagine how Liara handled it all, though admired and respected her all the more for it, more than she could express. 

The knock on the door immediately put Berlynn on her guard as sapphire orbs scanned it, awaiting what was there. The left middle finger gently reached for the earpiece within her left ear that allowed her communication with the other Aurors. She wondered perhaps if one of them had failed to inform her of this visitor, but when no other correspondence arrived into her earpiece, she assumed that the visit was likely an unexpected one, which gave her cause to worry and be put on her guard.

At the sound of a male's voice replying to the Minister's question, Berlynn uttered into her earpiece, communicating to the other Aurors in the building, "Be on your guard." as she awaited to see if Liara would grant the visitor entrance.

Liara titled her head at Berlyann, thinking of her anwser to the question for a breif moment. "There are times I miss it to be honest" she said, one of those times when she almost married her Fiance Gage Hall only to back out when her marriage was being seen as a political stand rather then a personal one. " But this is the life I choose, it is what I do best. I could as you the same question, I have no idea how you, put your life on the line every day with out going crazy, yet you do it..."

" And just between you and me, there are moments when I am free" she said honestly.

At the voices anwer she rose from her desk and sighed, really did this man not know how suspious that sounded did he really expect to be allowed in with her guard standing right beside her.

"Yes and I am sure you understand that because the world is such delicate postion, someone showing up unanounced in at my door is quite a feet, you got here undetected.. Prove to me your are not a threat to the lives of the people in this room and I will open the door for you' she replied, even though the stranger could walk in anytime he pleased with the door unlocked.. though if he wanted to force his way she was sure he would have done so already.

"You understand, my security thinks your behavior suspious" she said sending a glance to Berlynn noting her quick shift to Auror mode.

"And I would call her a fool if she didn't. If you wish me to tell you that letting me isn't dangerous, well, it isn't something you should do given what the situation appears to be. However, if I am a danger as you should think, I surrended any advantage of surpirse. You outnumber me. It is your stronghold, there is no chance of escape. I simply want this to be an exchange of information, nothen more." The man gave his agruement. "I hate politics." He thought to himself. "What's that?" he mumbled after hearing something. "Footsteps, they're fortifiying their postion." He concluded. "We're not going to get anywhere talking through a door, Minister.

He stood back to the door, ready to fight or retreat and take a hostage. "I would call you a fool if you don't wish to hear what I have to say, however. If I am an assassin, you should try to capture me and get me to say who I''m working for. And if I'm not, I could offer something that could end a war before it even starts. I hope it does not surpise you that I did not come for blood this day." At this point he was using a bit of his magic to create waves to the air to create a voice that sounded as if his position didn't change.

Berlynn dropped her eyes humbly at the compliment, her light-hearted nature causing her to shrug lightly. "Are you kidding, I have the easiest job ever! All I have to do is hang out with you or some other important political figure for the day and catch any spell that comes at you. Very very simple." she explained, demonstrating her free-spirited interpretation of her job.

"Well, if you ever need an extra if this moments, just holler. I could always use a clubbing partner," she offered with a wink, though with complete sincerity.

Sapphire orbs narrowed with suspicion at the response that followed from the stranger on the other side of the door. She wasn't entirely sure what to make of him and found him to be quite strange. Most people would stick to writing letters, or even howlers, if they were concerned citizens wanting to speak to the Minister. Rarely did anyone drop by, or even manage to, enter without detection.

"The decision is in your hands, Minister..." Berlynn uttered to Liara, though still stood firmly on her guard.

Liara laughed at Berlynns discriptions of her job, "If you say so Berlynn, I don't know how you do it" she said as she looked through her desk for anwsers she was willing to tell the press..

She blinked at the offer, "Thank Berlynn, perhaps i will take you up on that one day" she said with a smirk..

Liara sighed, "If you simply wish to talk sir you could have made an appointment like everyone else" she said calmly. She wasn't one to hide behind he body guards, she trusted Berlynn to do her job. While she tried to make the situation for Berlynn to have no need to do her job.

"I will let him in, if he wishes to talk to me, then fine, if not you know what to do.." she concluded to Berlynn. "Making him impatiant behind the door won't help matters" she muttered as she flicked her wand opening her door, unaware there visitor had moved.

"Very well come and say your piece then, I am listening" she said to the stranger. Wondering what he could possibly have to say that would warrent this.

THe man turned around, "As I hope you can see, the Black Reaper can not simply make an appointment I'm afraid." He closed the door. "Just a percaustion, more people would like to see me dead then you." everything he said up until now had been calm and polite, the last statement however, had difficutly suprressed rage and was hiding something.

"To start with, you can call me Reaper." He quickly adjusted back to his calm demeanor. " I come bearing an offer. England is on the brink of war. Altough I am most famous for being an assassin, I am capable of other operatiions. This is the offer, one, you give me free passage out of here-" he held up one finger and gave his condition in the same calm demeanor, "-and two, I want to look at a murder file that occured five years." this time altough he stayed calm, it was obvious he was still hiding something. "In exchange, I will do one mission for free. Normally I would charge a King's Ransom for a a job. Don't take this the worng way, I'm not only offering an assassision, I'll do anything from a refill of you coffee to a hit-list of your political rivals. I will however, ask that you specify specific conditions for the contract, for example, killing a perticular person, guarding a peticuclar event, gathering intelligence for a specific purpose. Although there is one more rule for assassinations. I will not kill heads of states, the- I insituted this rule after the fall of Rome to prevent myself from gaining too much power." The Reaper gave his offer and awaited the Minister's response,

"Ah hell, I screwed up there. One little word "the!" How did I let that slip?" His thoughts chastised himself for the comprise he gave.

"Well, its a far more entertaining and rewarding job than any other job I could think of. Unless of course a job for Professional Clubbing is created. Then you may have to search for my replacement," Berlynn teased lightly, her smile widening at the Liara's response to her offer.

A shadow of concern crossed over the Auror's face as the Minister made the decision to allow him access. From an early age she had encountered potentially and truly dangerous folks so she had learned hard and well to never underestimate another. With that thought in mind, she stood her ground and watched carefully, bracing herself for anything.

Berlynn couldn't be sure exactly what to make of the strange man before her as she took in every word said, taking note to keep a neutral face as to not betray any of her thoughts. Growing up and witnessing the mechanisms of her Father's Mercenary business, assassins were nothing new to the witch, but she had yet to see one who advertised his services freely, as most of the one's she knew practiced underneath the table. Despite her wariness of the stranger, Berlynn couldn't help but be intrigued. Her curiosity was heightened at the mention of a case file, wondering what would be so important that someone would willingly kill another for a file's contents.

Keeping to the general code of a bodyguard meant to be seen and not heard unless their voice was needed or if they were addressed, Berlynn stayed silent. Her attention shifted back to the Minister, however, to await any instructions should she be given any.

Liara laughed, "I think they would be holding another election then as well" she said more joking then anything.

She blinked at the name, Reaper.. she heard of him. The Black Reaper some talked about and said they he was immortal. Been around for centuries, killing those in power wanted dead. He could be a very dangerous man indeed.

She tapped her desk calmly for a moment thinking over his proposal, what he was proposing wasn't much really. a murder file and to be let free. She worried what him letting go free would look like.. like someone breaking through and into the ministers office would go unpunished.. oh the press would have a field day with that.. But one thing at a time.. the file..

"Which File do you want?" she asked, "Wouldn;t happen to be the Invictus file now would it? As I recall wasn't it you named their killer?" she asked testing the waters of what her guests intentions were. Nonetheless she raised her wand and flicked it at a file cabnet, and a file floated out.

"Why ask for it now Reaper? That case is shut" she said holding the file out. It mattered little to her if he read something that already happened. And he was going about this peacfully.

"And I will let you go.. " She gave Berlynn a look to let there guest go..

"Since you didn't kill anyone to get here.. and provided it stays that way on your way out. Clear? I have asked the Aurors to stand down, though they well ensure you leave. That fair Reaper?" she asked not wanting the arrangment to come back an bit her after.

The Reaper sighed "Never underestimate the intelligene of a politican." He thought to himself. "If you're worried about the press, I can get out unnoticed just as easily as I got in. I do do this kind of thing for a living. As for the file. Someone did kill the Invictus family five years ago but it wasn't I who did it." There was that anger again, and the sence he was hiding something. 'I need to make up something quick otherwise my cover is blown." He took the file and read it's contents, "Family murdered, no survivors, it has been determined that the assassin the Black Reaper is behind the murders." "Sorry father." He apologized to the memory. "How much do you know about the massacure, Minsiter?" Not only did he shift lanagues but tone as well, it was a complex mixture of anger sarrow and a bit of a defeated man but there was no mistaking the defiance in his voice.

((Sorry! Totally forgot about this thread >.< My bad!))


Berlynn continued to regard the scene and conversation still alert and ready for anything with a healthy dose of suspicion. She was quite uneasy about the idea of just letting an intruder who managed to sneak into the Ministry offices just waltz out as though nothing had happened. Not to mention give him a file that typically wasn’t one that was accessible for just anyone, considering it involved the murder of quite a prominent family.

Typically, Berlynn was an Auror who stuck to the action and heat of the battles, for she was a witch filled with energy who loved to be amidst it all. Office paperwork was definitely the kryptonite, so to speak, for this witch. Hence why she used any means necessary to avoid it. A drawback of that attitude was that she didn’t always know case details from back to back, such as now. She had heard a word or two from fellow Aurors who worked that case but it seemed something had spooked them into near silence so it wasn’t much that the witch personally knew. Curious, she listened onward though maintained her stance that allowed her to appear neutral, yet prepared for anything that may arise from this confrontation.

Liara rasied her eye brow at the young man in front of her, the murder of the family had taken place before her time as minister. As such it was a openned and shut case, she knew no more then what was in the file.

She shook her head, noting his change in language, if he was hoping her body guard couldn't speak french he would be sorely disapointed. She glance at Berlynn for a moment then looked back at the Reaper. She tappped her fingers on the arm rests of her chair shaking her head.

"No more then what the file says I am affraid, it was opened and shut before my time behind this desk" she said. Her gut feeling telling her there was more to this then met the eye.. she needed more information.

She sighed, this was one thing she was not so found of of being minister, espinaage.. at its finest. It came hand in hand she supposed with her job.. but really?

'Let me guess, your looking to find who really did it then? To clear your name?" she asked making sure to keep her voice from accusing. She wasn't making any assumtions..this was a wild card and there was something off about the Reaper.. there was more to this she was sure of it.

THe young man noted the glance to the minsiter's bodyguard. She spoke french. "Then it has truely come to this." He told himself.

He lifted his hands to his hood. "Clear my name? No." He put his hood down revealing his black hair. "I want to find out the murderer's identity-" He took of his mask showing his red eyes, filled a fire. "-so that I can kill the one who killed my family."

"I am Edward Invictus. The last of the Black Reapers. Edward declared his indentity with pride. "I was hoping that the file would contain information that wasn;t released to the public. There wasn't. If you want to know why I revealed myself. I hope that you'll extend any information you could about Vinzent Zolnerowich and...Gabriel Hall." He braced himself when he mentioned Liara's ex-fiance whom is still in a relasionship with (not that he would say he knows.)