the_debt_of_time

A blond witch burst into her office. "Hide me!"
Mia looked up before shaking her head in exasperation. The other entertaining
interruption to her boring days had come in the form of Laurel Parkinson, a pureblood
witch hell-bent on not blindly following the standards and traditions she had been raised
with. Laurel had been a few years ahead of Mia in Hogwarts, and, despite having a slew of
suitors following her every move, she waited until her mid-twenties to get married. Not
only that, but she was a working witch. It was something rare for one from such a high-
profile, pureblood family.
The two had met shortly after Mia began at the Ministry when there was a Floo
Network malfunction. They both stumbled out of the Ministry fireplace together, only to
end up locked within the closed grate while repairs were being made. Despite their many
differences, they had become fast friends.
Laurel loved Mia's proud blood-traitor status and her take-no-crap attitude when it
came to the Ministry and society as a whole. Mia adored Laurel's sharp mind and even
sharper viewpoint. The witch had been sorted into Slytherin for good reasons, and Dorea's
passing had left a serpent-shaped need in Mia's life that Laurel was all too pleased to
attempt to fill.
"Good morning, Laurel." Mia grinned at her panicked friend. "I'm well, and how
are you?"
"Mia!" Laurel shrieked, her wide blue eyes pleading.
"Go ahead." Mia gestured to the broom cupboard in the corner of her office and
watched as the blonde rushed into it as quickly as possible.
Just as the door to the cupboard closed, Mia's office door opened again, and a
familiar, portly, little wizard stepped into the space, holding himself with an air of smug
confidence as though he were seven feet tall. He wore a pinstriped cloak to distinguish
himself from the sea of black and navy robes.
Mia was just pleased to note he had yet to start wearing that hideous bowler hat.
"Ah, Miss... Potter," Cornelius Fudge said, checking the nameplate on her desk as
he did every single time he stepped foot into her office.
Permanently forget my name, you imbecile, Mia thought harshly as she narrowed her eyes
at the future Minister for Magic.
"Good day to you!" he greeted cheerfully.