'That was both annoying and exhausting' she thought 'or maybe it was exhausting because it was so annoying'. Either way she was exhausted.

Emily had just been received a Patronus message from the head of the Auror Office, a Horse, from one Mrs Gelinda Greengrass and she was walking down the halls of the Ministry of Magic towards her superiors door. Patronus messages were urgent and important so it was with both trepidation and excitement that she made her way to the door, excitement at finally getting a detail with some danger and trepidation at getting one with too much danger: only fools and Gryffindors didn't fear danger. She knew she had been sidelined lately with her detail guarding Azkaban prisoner, largely for reasons beyond her control but still it frustrated her. She wouldn't have minded so much but guarding Azkaban was both tedious and a mental drain. She didn't so much have to stop the prisoners getting out but stop Dementors getting in, they were drawn to the place and were always likely to turn up when you least expected. They weren't difficult to deal with but doing your rounds and coming across that cold felling then finding them sucking the emotions out of a prisoner, in a desperate attempt to rekindle a time lost, was always harrowing. The act wasn't so harrowing, you grew used to it after a while, it was the way it made her feel; she didn't feel disgust at the Dementor or compassion for the prisoner, she felt righteousness, that they deserved this, and if she wouldn't get in so much trouble she'd turn around and allow the Dementor to suck its soul out: that thought scared her yet she still felt the impulse every time.

She hadn't come across that in this round but still had to endure the inane diatribe of the fallen Death Eaters and the assortment of muggle hater and petty crooks. Keeping the Dementors shut out was easy; getting the prisoners to shut up was the tough part. She bet the Dementors never had to deal with this considering all the prisoners were wallowing in self despair; one could grow use to hearing the insult 'mudblood' and the constant lectures of how she was inferior to them because of her parentage but on an eight hour shift it still wore her down. That's why she was relieved to receive the summons after only two hours of hearing she was 'filth' who didn't her place.

Oak black the door. She knocked and waited to be told to come in. The summons came after a contentious wait. Emily knew Greengrass did that on purpose, she supposed it was to make the persons waiting feel they weren't the most important things she had to do at that moment or to create an ominous atmosphere. She wasn't sure exactly but she knew it was all show.

'Good afternoon, Auror Birch' she intoned politely looking at her over her papers. Gelinda was a pureblood and Emily always felt she carried herself with the assurity that she found all pureblood did, the assurity they belonged. However Gelinda was the pureblood of all purebloods, even though her lineage wasn't as pure as some, her every movement had a purpose of being that screamed this was her rightful place. Everything from her mannered speech, quiet with an authoritive tone that could carry over others shouting, her slow and deliberate movement and piercing judgemental stare, all stated she belonged and brooked no question to it. She was both privileged and ignorant of it. Emily loathed her even as she admired her composed attitude.

'Head Greengrass', she returned slightly inclining her head, 'you summoned me here'

'Indeed I did, and I believe you are the only Auror fit for this job'

'Thank you'

Emily noticed that Gelinda let herself smile slightly. Emily didn't see the joke but she was sure she was about to. Gelinda never let a gesture escape her face unless her wanted you to see it.

"I have received a very sensitive case and it would only be proper if someone of your heritage was to investigate'

' You mean you need the Mudblood to be seen in charge to counter allegations of prejudice'

Gelinda flinched at the word 'Mudblood', purebloods always did which was why she used it.

'However vulgar your language' she said in her most composed voice, soft and mellifluous as always, ' you sum up the situation correctly. The case could be a very sensitive one given the current climate and the Auror office needs to be seen investigating the situation correctly. A muggle-born (she enunciated the word) heading the investigation will help that'

'And I'm the only Mudblood on the team'

This time she didn't flinch but a look of anger did pass her face, more show Emily thought.

'That is hardly my fault. Grey was killed in the line of duty and Harold is no longer fit for work after the curse he was struck with. Any muggleborns in Auror training are at least two years from graduating. So yes you are the only muggle-born Auror we have left."

Emily remained silent, both Peter and Selena had been her colleges. She felt ashamed bringing them up like that.

"The case involves a Muggle-born student at Hogwarts,' Gelinda continued as if she had not just told Emily off, 'the student seems to have become demented in some way and many talk of foul play, that the attack could be related to her blood status. There have been recent rumours of a new Death Eater gang secretly forming inside Hogwarts that may be behind the attack. As to the validity of these rumours I cannot say, that is your job. There are no restrictions on where you take the investigation or the judgement you reach. There is but one cravat; your partner in the investigation is to be Caucasus Rosier'

'Rosier, but Phillips is usually my partner. I work well with Phillips. We have a good relationship. Rosier is barely out of his diapers'

'This point is not up for debate. Rosier needs to get experience and important as it is to have a muggle-born on this case it is just as important to have a pure-blood be seen on it as well. You know the directive from the Minister is unity between the muggle-born and the purebloods; this case may hit at the heart of that tension and we need unity to be seen combating it. In this instance there is no argument, the request comes from the Minister himself.'

'Am I at least the lead on the case?'

'You are the senior Auror, so yes you have the lead. You are to read the case file then converse with Rosier, after which precede how you think best, good day'

With that the meeting was over, already Gelinda had returned to reading her files. Emily felt slightly on the back foot, she usually felt that way at the end of any meeting with the Head of her office. Again she felt the abrupt endings were another technique designed to off put her.