Mafalda Hopkirk being out because of her "incident" was probably the best thing that had happened since Megan Jones started working at the Ministry. She didn't really have to report to anyone now. It was refreshing. She was so good at covering Hopkirk's job that Hopkirk need not return. She would, of course. Megan knew the woman had nothing else but her work. At least Megan had her hobbies.

Speaking of... she was swishing through the MLE Offices. She had some paperwork to pick up from Cormac McLaggen. Or that's what she was telling the man. Megan really wanted to size him up for herself. She'd heard the rumors, the feminine giggles. He was a pureblood with a good job though, a job that might benefit her in the future. Undersecretary to the Head of the MLE? She could deal with that.

His poor little secretary bristled when she saw Megan. Megan had to fight her smile.

"Is Mister McLaggen in?" Megan asked pleasantly, even sparing a bit of a smile for the girl. Megan waved the files in her arms. "I'm dropping off and picking up, covering for Madam Hopkirk."

How sweet she is, Hildi thought. I like it when Cormac has polite visitors. "He is in," Hildi said, checking Cormac's schedule. "He's not terribly busy, let me tell him you're here."

Rising from her desk with a smile on her face for Megan, she knocked on the door and stuck her head into Cormac's office. "Mister McLaggen? Megan Jones is here to see you."

Cormac nodded. "Send her on in, Hildi. Thanks."

While the woman had been gone, Megan had noted that her name was Hildi. The underlings liked it when you seemed to know their names.

"He'll see you now."

"Thank you, Hildi," Megan said pleasantly. "I like that color on you." You look less like a corpse than usual.

Megan walked quickly into McLaggen's office, not waiting for a response.

"Good day," she said pleasantly. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Megan Jones. I work for Mafalda Hopkirk. I'm usually the one bringing all those forms that need to be filled in triplicate for you to poor Hildi. I've unfortunately got some more for you. Though no triplicate needed. I know how to use a copy charm properly. Also, I'm missing the forms for the Rafferty-Hollis case. I was wondering if you had them. It also gives me a chance to introduce myself."

Rising, Cormac walked from his behind his desk, smiling at Megan. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Jones, and thank you for taking pity on my poor wrist." And for sparing me from having to look at your boss. "You know, I believe I do have that file you're looking for. Let me ask Hildi," he said. "Just give me a minute; please, have a seat," he said, and stepped out of his office to speak with Hildi.

Megan raised a brow when the office door shut behind him. Either he was stupid or just that arrogant. Megan was betting on arrogant.

His desk was full of files just begging to be nosed through. Megan didn't actually sit in his chair but she still started looking. It was nice being a Hufflepuff. People trusted you. Though she was thinking Cormac McLaggen had no clue she was a Huffle. Megan was quite careful to remember where everything was placed and what files were under which. About halfway through her digging, something interesting caught her eye.

She could be wrong, but what she was currently looking at, it looked like he might be taking down a Muggle-born in his office. Interesting, but as Megan started to read more closely, the dots didn't actually connect. It was mostly circumstantial. Still, it would be nice to be rid of the man. Filthy Mudblood. Perhaps... perhaps... what, Megan? Wouldn't it be nice if Mister McLaggen just happened to get the evidence he needed to solve this particular case?

She had a moment of sheer panic when the door opened behind her. Megan slid her wand from her sleeve, wondering if a hexing would be necessary.

"Thank you again, Hildi," Cormac said as he walked through the door.

Finding Megan standing behind his desk, he acted as he thought she was looking at an old framed snapshot of he and Katie from Hogwarts. "It's a good thing I grew into those teeth, don't you think?" he said in a self-deprecating manner.

Megan snatched the snap up and studied. Goddess above, those were some teeth. She flipped the file she'd been looking at closed, hoping he had not noticed.

"Then again, larger teeth means taking bigger bites of things, wouldn't it?" Megan let out her little fake laugh. "I won't even go into the things I used to be called before I gained some weight. My legs are taller than most people. And yes, your head caught up with those teeth just fine."

Those are some lovely legs... "Well, it looks like you had the last laugh, didn't you? I'd have to say there's nothing wrong and everything right with your legs now." He grinned and handed her a file. "Here's the Rafferty-Hollis file. I hope it didn't inconvenience Mafalda too much-my hanging onto it," he said with a wink.

Megan blinked. Was he... flirting with her? That was different. She sort of did not know what to do with it. No one honestly flirted with her. Ever. Not unless they wanted something. Megan could not think of a thing Mister Playboy here would want from her though.

She actually giggled at the inconveniencing Mafalda part as she took the file from him. "Madam Hopkirk is not in currently. She suffered an... episode. She'll be out for a bit. Myself and the rest of her staff are handling her office until she returns, and I won't tell her you called her Mafalda. Her eye would do that twitching thing it likes so much."

Nice smile. "She's not in? Really? I heard she's never missed a day, in what, twenty years? She must be really sick." He chuckled. "And how can I not call her Mafalda? Mafalda," he said again. "Sounds like it should be Greek for 'smelly foot fungus.'"

Megan actually snorted with laughter. Then her eyes widened in surprise. She clapped a hand over her mouth as if she could take the laughter back. There was something like-able in a conspiratorial way about him.

"She's fairly ill, yes. Digestive troubles. Had to be taken to St. Mungo's actually. Rather alarming and unfortunate." Megan made her way to the door. "Thank you for the forms." And the information.


{SUMMARY} Megan drops by the office of Cormac McLaggen. It's a learning experience for her.