Written for Hogwarts: Arithmancy - Task 10.
Write about: a leader… minister of magic.
Optional prompts used: stress.
Word Count: 535.
The minister for magic, Cornelius Fudge, sometimes needs a personal day.
"Nancy," he yelled, his hands running through thinning hair. The door remained closed, but still the man waited. Seconds passed and he became impatient. "Nancy!" Still no reply. As he stood, muttering 'incompetent help', the door swung open and a red-faced woman rushed in. Her arms were filled with more paperwork than the man had ever seen, and he prayed that the cream-devil-sheets were not for him.
"I'm so sorry, Sir," she panted, her hair out of place and her jacket askew. "I was only five minutes late and this has already piled up for you…" she continued to talk as she moved around the room. She placed files in folders and on his desk. She moved almost everything round until her arms were finally free enough to retrieve her wand and continue these tasks with magic. "…and I didn't realise until I got 'ere, but I've accidentally scheduled three meetings for the same time, and now the Deputy, Mr Shaklebolt, and Mr Weasley are impatiently waiting outside to all meet with you separately – at the same time," she rambled until he held up his hand and both her chatter and her feet stilled.
Cornelius could see the stress was wearing her down. Lines were forming on her forehead and bags fell under her eyes. The Minister felt suddenly sorry for his secretary. He had been so caught up in own life, and the problems with Harry Potter, that he had not taken time to see how his treatment of her had been weighing her down. He never took any time out of his day to ask her how she was.
"Nancy," she stopped to look at him, "tell the Deputy we can talk over tea this afternoon, tell Arthur that I have no interest in what he is going to say anyway, and tell Shaklebolt that he can write me. I am officially taking a personal day." He stood, swishing is cloak across his shoulders, and packing up his brief-case. "Oh, and Nancy…" She was staring at him as he turned to leave, "…take the rest of the day off. There is no point you being here if I am not." He walked out of his office, giving a polite nod to those outside as he walked to the elevators.
As she watched him go, the red-faced witch leaned against the file-ridden desk and let out a deep breath. The files that hung in the air fell to the ground around her. The magic holding them up fading as the witch relaxed. Nancy slowly cleaned up as made her way to the door.
"Thank you, Sir," she said to the empty door-frame. She walked through it and was assaulted by a bombardment of questions from various parties. She delivered the Ministers messages and just told the rest that: "The Minister is taking a personal day, if you urgently need him, his only contact is through owl, or you must wait 'til Monday." With that, she draped her cloak over her arm and retrieved her bag. She was very ready for a long, relaxing weekend.
The minister for magic, Cornelius Fudge, sometimes needs a personal day. But it's not always for him.