Beastly Burnout

"Good choice," he told her. "It will keep you flexible." He reached in the box and picked out a ladies' ring and put it in front of her. "Might well need resizing," he said. "The alchemist makes them all in a size 5." He hadn't ignored her question about Jack and Michael. It was a fair question. "Jack has many talents, and she can do just about any assignment give to her. Michael works in reconnaissance and recovery these days, for the most part. If we have someone who has gone to investigate or research something and has a sticky time getting out, Michael is usually the one who goes and extricates them. Or, if something comes up missing that we need back, Michael typically goes and recovers those items. He has some...well, advanced skills in those areas. Young Mr. Diamond has some of the same gifts as Michael, so I am leaving Michael to help Andrew polish his abilities in such skills, since I do not possess Michael's talents whatsoever.

"As for Marcus, he originally worked here in the Ministry doing classified under cover assignments." Okay, so he hadn't come out and said these were his spies, but Bishop wasn't stupid and would read between the lines, surely. "He was sent, on loan, to Bulgaria protecting their Minister of Magic and was still on assignment there when I offered him a private post on my own personal staff--and he still works on retainer for the Ministry whenever I need someone who is experienced in infiltrating difficult place or in touchy situations."

Okay, so that wasn't a news flash either. There had been countless photos of Khaat since Robert had brought Marcus on board, and Marcus had been right alongside Khaat in every one of them, clearly bodyguarding her. Not the norm for wizards to need their own bodyguards, but neither was it the norm to have some obsessed mass murderer like James Blood following them at every turn. When the need to protect his family had come up, Robert had searched for the most skilled he could find at the time. Michael, no doubt would clarify with Bishop what abilities he brought to the proverbial table whenever his first meeting with Bishop was.

"My job, as I see it, when it comes to this department, is to help make sure that I've put the best people in each situation," Robert said, "and provided them with whatever support they need to get their assignments completed and in as safe a manner as we can. As you start your new assignments, I'm sure you'll be meeting some of the allies that you will, no doubt, prove helpful to you." And there is was one last time, technically appropriate wording that substituted for vernacular. Robert was, for all practical purposes, the Ministry's spymaster, he was recruiting her onto the team and offering her names and details so she could get as well rounded an orientation as he could provide for her.

"I have no idea where Jack is today, I'm afraid," he said. "However, if you want to catch up with the rest of the lot I mentioned, a change of clothes will be in order for you. They took their climbing gear and went to polish their rock climbing skills. I don't know if that's your speed, but it certainly beats paperwork, I'm sure. I can help you reach them if you like. Knowing them, there is an excellent chance that they'll do a bit of autumn camping tonight and that I won't see them at all today."

Avery still wasn't sure that she understood what her job actually would be, but it sounded like assignment-based investigation and that was kind of interesting. It would take some time for her to really understand it or to feel confident that she had made the right choice. That much was a given. She was no Jack Dyllan, after all. But she took in as much information as she could, figuring she'd still end up asking questions later when she met each of the people Robert was listing off. No matter how much she wanted to retain, it was all so sudden and surprising.

But then he mentioned rock climbing and overnight training and she frowned a little. "I would need to make arrangements," she began slowly. It sounded interesting, to be sure, but there were things to consider. "My sister Claire - you know her, of course, from the Auror division -- she's the only one who can watch my daughter if I go. Or my mother, perhaps. If I had an hour or so I could take care of that and go meet them afterwards. Would that work?" May as well dive in head first, no?

"Certainly," Robert said, understanding. He certainly knew what this work sometimes meant for parents. It meant sometimes leaving their children for a night or two, but he tried to make sure that, if there were a risk the assignment would be longer, he was as up front with the agents as he could be. He remembered Rick Cooper's maltreatment by the Ministry, and although Rick was grateful to be back with his family, the whole nasty business had left an indelible mark on Robert that make sure they left no one behind ever again.

"As long as we're assembling a standard gear set for you, I will have the Quartermaster put a gear bag together for you, if you like, so that you have some of your own climbing and camping gear. If they're packed for overnight, I am quite certain that Michael has packed better than average fare, so you won't need rations, unless you choose to take something. I trust you have sufficient outdoor wear? If not, I know you can ask the Quartermaster to fill in for anything you might still need. You'd be surprised what we need to keep on hand," he told her. "I've always liked those trips, but I haven't been able to go since the last winter survival training we had a couple of years ago. I try to go to those training exercises if I can because I like to keep my own skills as sharp as I can--when the desk work doesn't demand I do otherwise."

"Before I forget to tell you, you will have a desk in the Department of Mysteries because while there is some paperwork, it is generally minimal. Your paycheck will officially list your position as an Antiquities Researcher, and while there may be a few such assignments, those will, likely, be few and far between. You didn't ask about a pay raise, but, just so you know, it is a significant increase, and there is an automatic raise at the end of your training period. You also will have access to an expense account that will contain both wizarding and muggle funds. If you are ever expected to go abroad, the Quartermaster will supply you with appropriate accounts or funds or necessary travelling equipment. You should, at some point, give the Quartermaster a 'go bag' with a change of your own clothing so they can hold it for you, in case you need a sudden change of clothes. Most department workers find that, despite the clothes we have on hand, they prefer to have their own, and I can't blame them a bit for that. There is always, always someone in the Quartermasters' office. It never closes, so if you need something, they're often a good place to start."

He thought a minute, hoping he'd told her the essential bits, and then it occurred to him, there was one more thing. He reached back to his credenza behind the desk and got the leather messenger bag that served as the medical bag he carried between home and St. Mungo's, and he opened it. "It's in here somewhere," he muttered, rooting in the bag. "Ah. There." He retrieved a short black nylon cord that had a key shaped piece of steel and a flat piece of steel that was tethered to it along with key ring sized split ring, and he laid it on the desk in front of her.

"If you haven't seen one of those, that's a flint fire lighter and striker--not that I expect a wizard to need something so primative, but Michael has an odd taste in portkeys. This is the portkey that will take you to their climbing location in Scotland.  To use it as a portkey, slip your finger through the slip ring, as if you were putting on a ring, and gather the rest of it in your fist. That's all it takes to activate it. My understanding is that it will bring you back here to this building someplace if you need to return. Hard telling where he's decided this one should return to.

"Now--clear as mud?" he asked.

Avery was, predictably, surprised to learn about the pay raise that came with the new job, but tried not to show it. What actually came to mind was the fact that she would be able to give Sophie an incredible Christmas that year. So she took in everything Robert told her, memorizing it as best as she could before laughing a little at his last question. The whole idea seemed a little scary, but she felt certain that this change would be good in some way or another; it was just a matter of figuring out what that meant.

So she gathered her belongings and went upstairs to let them know that she would be transferring and would clear her office out in the coming days. Merlin, what a strange feeling. She'd had the same office for ten years and didn't fully register how much she would miss it. After moving things out, she would inevitably end up standing around, looking at the empty space that would hold no memory of her time there. But for the time being, she needed to take Sophie to her mother's and change so she could return for her first evening of training.

Following the instructions Robert had given her about the portkey, Avery gripped it tightly until she found herself just outside a campsite. Hair tied up and outdoor wear on as expected, she looked around before stepping towards what looked like a fire pit and trying to figure out who she was expected to meet there.

Marcus had reached the ground from the climbing exercise first and had stepped out of his climbing harness, but he heard clear sounds of panic on the rope he'd just come down on. Young Andrew Diamond, just 18, was panicking over something, and it drew Marcus's sudden attention, drawing his wand, in case he needed to try to catch the lad or something.

"I can't find my feet!" Diamond was fairly shrieking. He had been in the middle on the rope, with Michael the first one up to find the hand holds. Diamond had spent a good majority of his childhood climbing trees, so it seemed odd that that boy was having trouble today on this climb. Andrew was following a little too closely at times in Michael Tremaine's footsteps. Andrew had arrived into the lives of the Lupins when he was 9 or 10, Marcus couldn't remember just which, and he had already well enough polished at pickpocketing and grifting that he'd supported himself on his earnings for quite awhile when his father had become a virtual sponge for firewhiskey.

Often too drunk to care for his son, Dennis Diamond was a nasty man and an even nastier drunkard who did not come up for air very often once he could sink into a bottle. Andrew had grown up, basically, on his own, often left to fend for himself nightly when his father dragged him along to a less than savory pub.Even so, nastiness did not protect him Dennis from being killed in a pub fight, and Andrew's mother had died when Andrew was still a baby. In the time Marcus had known Andrew, he knew him as a quiet, introverted lad who was more comfortable conversing with the little green frog he carried in his shirt pocket than he was conversing with people.

Michael had taken him underwing after determining that if he were going to make a living by stealing, Andrew needed to learn how to do it right, and Robert and Kate had given him a home shortly after the boy had, basically, committed fraud by forging his father's signature on the Hogwarts enrollment paperwork in order to get himself into Hogwarts so that he would have a roof over his head and not have anyone discover his father was gone. The fact that Robert had been Andrew's guardian since about age 12 was one of the best kept secrets in the Lupin family in order to keep Andrew safe from being exploited because of Robert's position.

"Your feet are still attached," Michael shouted back to Andrew. "Don't worry about your feet--its not a tree. You're just rappelling--watch your hold on the line, like I told you, and you'll be fine."

Marcus was momentarily distracted by some sort of sound, and he turned from the scene on the rock face to see a blonde woman standing at the camp site. He thought perhaps he'd seen her face before but he couldn't place where. More importantly, here they were out in the middle of Scottish nowhere, and she just had showed up with no forewarning. Magical? Probably. Foe? Unlikely. She could have avada kedavra'd them before they'd known what hit them. And, since Robert was the only one who knew specifically where they'd gone, it was unlikely that she'd gotten there from any other means than by Robert.

"You need me, Michael?" Marcus shouted.

"No," Michael said. "He's going to be fine. Hiss'll grab him if he slips." If Diamond didn't fall and break something, sure--he'd be fine." Marcus turned back towards the blonde and walked over to the campsite, tossing his gear near Michael's backpack of climbing supplies.

"Hi," he smile at her. "We've had smoother climbs. I'm Marcus. Can I help you?"

A bit of bemusement worked its way onto Avery's face as she watched the guys work, until one finally turned and crossed towards her. She knew better than to count herself out immediately, but it did feel rather like she was already in over her head. This? This was not at all what she was accustomed to or expecting when she walked into the Minister's office. Somehow she'd expected him to suggest she stick it out, or change her job description within the Beasts division. But Antiquities research? That sounded like finding or researching old things. Not climbing walls.

Still. This would give her a chance to grow, and to provide more for her daughter -- and Merlin if it wouldn't get her mind off of Teddy. How could she think about her heartbreak when she was concerned with not falling off of a literal cliff?

While she was sure that part of his greeting was a joke, she could only manage a half-smile in return. "Hi, my name's Avery. I worked in the Beasts department up until about an hour ago. Robert wants me to train with you so I can transfer into the Department of Mysteries."

She shrugged a little, eyeing the rock climb once more. "I'm... still a little unsure about all of this, but I think maybe the change will be good for me. Although, I still don't really understand what exactly I'm supposed to be doing. I guess it depends on the assignment?"

"Welcome aboard, then," Marcus smiled. "They're with the Ministry, and I used to be. If Robert sent you here, he doesn't expect you to be a researcher, then, and he might have talked a bit around what we really do and what he has to do with all of it. Come put down your gear, and I'll see if I can explain while Michael tries to get young Mr. Diamond down the cliff face in one piece. I just put a kettle of tea on the fire, so it should be ready in a minute if you'd like some." He motioned to her to come make herself at home at the campsite.

When they got nearer to the fire, Marcus set the tea pot off on a rock to stay hot and got some tea mugs out of one of Michael's packs and then he looked at her. "We come out to places like this periodically, mostly on our own, to keep our physical skills sharp because, with the tasks we sometimes find ourselves doing, we can't always count on having our wands. Crap happens, and I hate being surprised by it. The reason nobody knows what happens in the Department of Mysteries is because not only do we have a mountain of classified paperwork, but we also do the classified missions that go along with it. I know this might well not be what you expected, but Robert doesn't recruit for this team unless he's very sure someone is cut out for it. Very few people are, and I presume he sent you here because Michael and I have been known to do some unusual assignments.

"Michael specializes in extractions these days. He rescues people and things because he specializes in getting into and out of place people are supposed to be unable to go. He gets things the rest of us would have trouble getting, and when team members' missions go sour, it's Michael's job to extract them immediately. Sometimes he goes in and gets back those things that have been stolen from us before the wizarding world can be compromised. I go where I'm needed, but for the most part, that's protecting Khaat from idiots like James Blood these days. It's a steadier gig--lets me spend more time with my kids. He puts me on as a consultant if he needs me to do field work again for some reason. And I presume you'll have a bit of a steadier gig at least for awhile so you can get your feet wet a bit without being flung into the deep end of things too quickly. Did he at least try to minimally hint at telling you he's recruited you to the espionage part of the Ministry? How deep you go into the actual field assignments varies, to some given extent on you and the arrangement you make with Robert. But, the fact that you're here tells me clearly that's your situation. You're here because he believes you bring something to the team."

Avery carried her things along until they reached the area Marcus indicated. But her gaze lifted to the two climbing the rock wall and she had to admit that her expression was definitely one of concern. Perhaps he noticed, because he started getting into the explanation of their presence there. It did shock her a little to know that Robert thought her so capable that she could participate in something like this. She'd never done any sort of real physical work; she'd just found dragons fascinating and stuck with that interest despite any other skills she could have built and honed over time. But if he was that hopeful, then maybe she really did have a chance at this.

Getting into shape, however, would be the first thing on her to-do list, apparently.

"Well, yes," she confirmed when the question was raised, though her mind was still traipsing over the whole protecting the wizarding world from exposure thing. That was pretty interesting. "It's just strange to go from a decade at a desk job to..." She gestured towards the rock wall, "...this. I daresay it'll take me some time to get used to the training, much less the actual job."

She couldn't even begin to imagine the look Keiran would've given her. And Claire? Oh, Merlin's sake. As far as bringing something to the team, she certainly hoped she could. Figuring out what, though, would likely take a little time. Did desperation count? Because she had that in spades. Still, she shifted her weight a little, sizing up the wall. No way would she make it far up that thing the first go, but that wasn't her goal. If she could manage to not make a colossal fool of herself on the first day, then perhaps she had a shot.

"Where should I start, then?" She asked, reaching up to tighten her ponytail.

"Let's start with some equipment," Marcus said, reaching into Michael's pack for more gear. He found her a harness and a chalk pouch, and as he did, he heard Andrew starting to bicker at Michael, swearing he was never going mountain climbing again.

"Yeah, yeah," Michael said, letting Andrew blow off steam. He'd give the lad a bit and then run him up the rope again.

"Done playing around up there, are you?" Marcus called.

"For now," Michael said, coming over. He seemed surprised when he saw Avery. "My apologies. Didn't know we had a newcomer to the party. Hello. I'm Michael."

"It seems Robert sent her," Marcus said, beginning to adjust the harness for Avery.

"Of course he did. Who else could begin to find us?" He looked at Marcus. "Do you know what you're doing?"

"I'll figure it out," Marcus said dryly. It wasn't his first climb. "This should fit now, Avery. Step into it, like a pair of trousers, and then tighten it around your legs and your waist." Michael got out a second length of line and began attaching carabiners, belaying devices and other necessities. Taking a new person up a rock face and not a climbing wall wasn't the best way to break someone into climbing, but Robert evidently had high confidence in this woman if he were sending her out here. Marcus was prepared to take his word for it.

"Let's do some top roping," Michael said. He looked at Avery. "Top roping uses two lines. I've laid one up the rock face already, so that part of the work is done. You'll use the line already there for that. The second line is one that will attach to your harnesses and I'll serve as the anchor for it. It helps to insure the safety of the climbers. You both make it up and back, and I'll cook today."

"Don't let him fool you. He was going to cook anyway," Marcus told her.