'Hi, Ministry Woman!'

[Nick Taylor]

Judging time was never an ability Nick had. There was no instance in recent memory that the wand maker could recall beginning on time. Fortunately, he was almost always very early as opposed to being late. This situation was no different: Nick now sat in the pub a full twenty minutes before he expected the woman he was meeting.

Flashing back to earlier in the week, he was reminded of exactly what the Ministry woman said before leaving his store, a
three-headed snake under her arms: "Do not be late." Perhaps it was the angry snake staring at Nick from under her, or maybe it was just her nature, but it was somewhat intimidating to Nick.

Naturally, he could not be late. After quickly glancing at the clock, Nick looked down his chest at himself. Dressed in his best outfit, he looked quite a bit more formal than he did in his everyday clothes. After all, he didn't even know the woman's name; how inappropriate would it have been to show up in casual wear?

After explaining to a third waitress that he was waiting for someone and did not want to place an order yet, the man glanced at the clock again. It was ten minutes until eight o'clock, ten minutes until he was expecting the Ministry woman, whatever her name was. What do I say when she gets here? 'Hi, Ministry woman?'

[lizareese]

The thought had occurred to Liza that names had not been exchanged, though she knew before leaving his shop what she had done. After all, she was insinuating that he had asked of her plans for the evening, which she had merely been making casual humor of, and it had turned to him teasing her in return and acting as though he really had meant to ask about her plans, which in turn led her to make a time and date, without much thought otherwise. Truthfully, she doubted he would humor her further by really taking her up on it.

No, he did not know her name that she knew of, but he very well could have contacted the Ministry and inquired, but she had received no note of someone looking for her. And another thought occurred to her that he would not be there, but she could not at least give up that small glimmer of hope that he had not been entirely joking with her, and therefore found herself in her still unpacked apartment getting dressed for something that could very well have been a fluke.

Standing in front of her Badezimmer mirror at quarter to eight, Liza stared at herself. It had taken all day for her to decided to actually go, wondering if perhaps he would actually be there. Part of her found the whole thing embarrassing, part of her found it intriguing, part of her found it humorous, and part of her found it frightening. A date? What in the world was she thinking? Her on a date with a man she did not know?

Only two hour before she had decided it was a now or never kind of situation. Arriving would show the attempt was at least made, if he was not there she could dine alone, how many times has she done this before? And if he was there, then it would prove to be an interesting night.

Showering, primping, the addition of subtle enhancements with make-up, curling. It was all a check, and when it came time to have to find the correct clothing, it took nearly close to half an hour to dig her 'dating' clothes out. It was sad to know she had not had a date in a long time, there just was not time enough for such things, not when other things held priority for her. And by the time she had found clothing, she had about a half an hour left before she had to leave, otherwise she would be considered late, if he actually showed.

Settling on a just-below-the-knee length cream-colored accordion skirt; a fitted French-Cuff, bone-colored cotton button-down, open to the third button down; with brown Scrunch-Top Boots, she took one last look in the mirror, dabbed a bit of perfume behind her ears and gave herself a smile of encouragement. If he was not there, then she looked nice for dinner by herself.

Checking the time, with ten minutes to go, Elizabeth grabbed her fitted short-length trench coat and matching crescent handbag, she stepped out of her apartment and hurried on her way. After all, she had told him not to be late, how would it look if on a first dinner she already set a double-standard?

Arriving and immediately forcing herself to breathe, she inquired whether the waitress she spoke with had seen a man of the description she gave. Short hair, brunette in color, blue eyes, cute, and a nice smile. The woman looked at her and laughed and jokingly said if only she could find one of those and walked away, leaving the Ministry woman feeling rather unamused. However, with the next person she inquired, she was pointed in the general direction of where she had seen a man sitting alone.

Pursuing that route, her bright blue eyes laid on a man sitting at a table, but was a little disappointed it was not the man she had been looking for. Quite possible he had taken actually been joking. Though, turning around, her eyes caught sight of yet one more person. And from the back of his head, he had one up on the other man, he had hair.

Walking toward the table, she casually glanced down at the person as she passed, but not too close. It was definitely the shop owner this time.

"Guten Tag," she greeted him with a wide smile, hoping she hadn't kept him waiting too long.

((Bathroom. Good day.))

[Nick Taylor]

(This post is awful. Sorry.)

The wand maker was still unable to come up with any smart or witty greetings to use. Nick had considered several, but most were pretty corny. Even the ones that weren't completely laughable weren't all that great either. Considering that "Hi, Jane!" wouldn't even work, Nick was actually somewhat worried that he was going to make a fool of himself.

Completely lost in his thoughts, Nick didn't notice when the woman he now knew as the "Ministry woman" walked up beside him and stood across the table. As if he wasn't taken aback enough already, the German woman greeted him using German words. Using the palms of his hands, Nick quickly straightened out his trousers before standing up and smiling. Apparently words were no longer going through the part of his brain that filtered out inappropriate things, because he said, "Bonjour."

You ass, the wand maker scolded himself. In an attempt to smooth over the situation as quickly as possible, Nick immediately began speaking again. "I... er... hi. Sorry. Hello. How are you? You look great."

[lizareese]

"Bonjour?" she repeated, unable to contain the light laughter that filtered through with her voice. Was it a French-themed night? The general greeting was about all the French she knew, of course, she could say goodbye, but nothing more. Really, she had not realized she spoke in her native tongue, something that still slipped in occasionally and without warning. Elizabeth's response was somewhat confused, as she was unsure as to the reason he greeted her in a language other than English.

The smile never left her lips, but changed slightly as he stuttered, obviously having realized how she was greeted. It did not bother her, especially as she was used to some English sounding unfamiliar at times, thought it was interesting. Actually, it made her wonder if he was French.

"Hello," she answered his newest attempt. Glancing over his now standing figure, she was finding it rather charming that he had spiffied up. However, she did note that there was not much time between words to answer his him accordingly and waited for his finished with an amused smile.

"I am doing well, thank you for asking," she started, playing the English through her mind slowly so she would not be tempted to slip into her own language, unknowing if he could speak it. "And I am flattered you think so." The compliment was nice, and it really did not hurt that he added it in, not even knowing her name or anything about her other than what he may have observed a few days before.

"You also look..." handsome? It almost seemed too early to say something of the like? After all, she did not know his name. Lovely? Too feminine. Cute? Sounded much too young coming from her towards him at the moment. Enticing? No, best not to go in that particular direction. "Nice, yourself."

Nothing really seemed to fit more than nice. And thankfully, it was a good word, meant many things, all of which were covered.

Carefully undoing her jacket, she slipped it off, not sure what to say. I still do not know your name? It was almost exciting not knowing. "How are you this evening, shop owner?" So, she decided to have a little fun.

[Nick Taylor]

Smiling sheepishly, Nick's face was still burning over his initial greeting when the Ministry woman returned his compliment, resulting in an even redder face. Stepping around the table, the wand maker pulled out the empty chair and gestured for his date to sit down, just as she was pulling her jacket off her shoulders. As a result of standing directly beside her, he was able to smell whatever perfume she was wearing and realized just how good she smelled.

"How are you this evening, shop owner?"

A smirk quickly crossed the man's face, but it was quickly replaced by a smile. It was actually quite a relief to Nick that she obviously thought about the unique situation they were in, having dinner without even exchanging names. It was good to know that he wasn't the only person who was unsure of the best way to address his dinner partner.

"Much better, now that you've arrived," Nick responded, speaking slowly. "Truthfully, I wasn't entirely convinced that you weren't just having a laugh earlier this week when you accepted my dinner date."

[lizareese]

Fiddling with her coat, Elizabeth missed the changing color of the man's face, but she did not miss the gentlemanly gesture of the pulling out of her chair. Not many people pulled chairs out in this particular day and age, or so she had found, and therefore this small act did not go unappreciated, but was instead answered with a bright smile.

"Thank you," she told him, taking the offered chair and smoothing her skirt out beneath her legs as she took a seat. It was just before her own offering of what she hoped to be a charming smile that she noticed how incredibly close he was. No, he was not on top of her close, but he was closer than either had gotten to the other in his wand shop mere days before. It was then the German woman also noticed how nice his eyes were when he smiled.

However, the faintest of tinges surfaced her cheeks when he answered her simple question. He did not know her name, nothing about her other than her occupation, and yet he gave such a kind and sweet reply. The feelings taking over in her stomach were interesting, as well as all thoughts in her mind.

"Truthfully, I was not entirely convinced that you were not just having a laugh by inviting me," she told him in turn. His own words, turned by her. Honesty was never hurtful in things, as long as one was not too honest. Being too honest could lead down a disasterous road, but this honesty was all in fun, still. And she had been the one to initiate the idea, though it had led off of what he had said. "However, I finished my paperwork and could find no other reason for not at least arriving to see."

[Nick Taylor]

It was only after the Ministry woman was completely seated and situated that Nick returned to his own seat on the other side of the table. Sitting down, he smiled as he listened to the woman with the German accent explain her similar expectations of being the end of a joke.

"However, I finished my paperwork and could find no other reason for not at least arriving to see."

Chuckling quietly, Nick grinned and responded: "Well, I'm glad my little visitor didn't create so much paperwork that you couldn't come." The wand maker almost asked what happened to the three-headed snake, but decided better of it. After all, Nick had so many more important questions he wanted to ask her before the evening was over. 'What is your name?' was towards the top of his list.

He was about to attempt conversation when a waitress approached the table and asked what they'd like to drink. When neither responded, Nick grinned and said, "Ladies first, Ministry woman." The waitress now probably thought that the man was either crazy or rude, but the wand maker wasn't able to resist. Besides, what did he care what the waitress thought, anyways?

[lizareese]

"As am I," she responded. Had the 'little visitor', as he called it, created too much paperwork for her, she might actually have gone anyway. The man's greeting had been enough of an insight to how interesting the rest of the night was going to be, and just the thought of it again made her smile. Bonjour. Nothing wrong with a greeting of the sort, no different than her using her native language more often than not, but it had been a wonderful kick-off to the night. Truthfully, she had finished the paperwork the day before, had really been in a small rush to complete it so the option of going tonight would be more free.

When the waitress arrived and requested their drink of choice, she did not answer, undecided of what she wanted. Normally, she had quite a thirst at times, but this was a different situation. Alone, she could enjoy a glass of something stong, at least when she was not working the next day. Thankfully, she had the next day off, but it was not a time to request something heavy, it was dinner after all, they were not painting the town red that night.

Laughing softly at his choice of title for her, she found it amusing. And it also showed he did not mind her calling him shop owner. With a big grin, she turned her blue eyes to the waitress. "A Butterbeer will suit me just fine."

It was not heavy and it was quite suitable for a wizarding dinner in London. However, she too had a number of questions she wanted to inquire of the man across from her. It was hard to believe with as sweet as he had been so far he was seemingly single.

[Nick Taylor]

Now turning to the waitress, who was waiting for his own drink order, Nick smiled kindly. "I'll have a butterbeer, too, thanks." Nodding as she turned, the waitress returned to the bar and left Nick and the Ministry woman alone again. He briefly considered taking the opportunity to exchange names, but decided against it. For some reason, the entire dinner was more exciting as a result of not knowing the woman's name. I'll wait until she brings it up...

"So, Ministry woman," Nick said, grinning, "how long have you been a Ministry woman?"

[lizareese]

The waitress left and her attention was back on the shop owner, immediately. Again, he called her the name he'd deemed was hers, at least for the time, and it only made Elizabeth return his grin. It was childish, yet fancy-free like. Interesting and intriguing all at the same time. Definitely a story to give away to someone.

"Near on two years. One in Germany, and almost a full one here in London," she explained. "Though, I think I do enjoy the Ministry here more than at home." Home would always be Germany to the young woman, it was where she had attended schooling, and while many summers had been spent with her father in Ireland, she rather liked Germany. It was the Ministry there that was not so pleasant.

"I took a break between years, deciding I was not too much intrigued with how the operation was run in Germany and moved to Ireland for a while to stay with my father. I have a cousin from his side here in London who pointed me in the direction of the opening."

So, she was babbling a bit, but it was just nervous chatter. Just then, the waitress reappeared with their drinks, and having thanked her, the woman discretely shuffled off for a few more moments, apparently finding an empty table quite interesting.

"And what about you shop owner?" she inquired, just as curious about him. "How long have you owned said shop?"

[Nick Taylor]

The shop owner was relieved that the Ministry woman had no problem opening up to him. As she described her history with both the English and German ministries, the wand maker found himself glad she was so at ease and willing to open up. Generally, the first date was always so awkward because nobody was really willing to talk. If anything, this situation should be even more awkward than usually - they didn't even know each other's names.

When the Ministry woman inquired about his history as a shop owner, he grinned. "Well, I sort of became an apprentice to Ollivander in 2005, then I took over for him in 2007 when he retired. So not long at all."

The shop owner quickly came to the conclusion that, as for working in London for less than a year, the Ministry woman could very well not even know who Ollivander was. While there was a very good chance that the woman had already heard of him or dealt with him before he retired, the wand maker decided he would ask anyways. "Have you ever met Mr. Ollivander?"

[lizareese]

Perhaps it should have been more awkward, or maybe it was less because they did not know one another's name. True, it was exciting knowing that one person's name, no matter your age, but perhaps because of this situation, it made opening up easier. Without the attachment of the name, it made things mysterious. And then, there was always the chance that someone you knew knew the other person and had told you things. And while you tried to keep an open mind, it just did not work because of that tainted shadow; and because there were no names yet, their minds could remain open.

Two years in London at the very least. And while Elizabeth had passed that shop many times over the course of her time in the Ministry, she had never thought to stop in, for she had no reason. Though, her half-brother was getting to be the age to need a wand at, and depending on her father, he might very well take him into Diagon Alley for it, perhaps she could even persuade him to do so.

"No, I am afraid I have not," she answered. Her wand had been purchased in Germany, and her father hardly had half a chance to inquire if she would prefer one from the U.K. before her mother had taken her to a small shop not far from where they lived. And having spent most of her time in Germany, other than a few weeks spotted here and there during breaks to see her father and his wife. "I do belive I have heard of him though. It has been said he was one of the best at what he did, correct?"

People in the Ministry held conversations with one another, which had at times been about their wands, and where they had been purchased.

[Nick Taylor]

Nodding, the shop owner grinned as he said, "If you ask me, Mr. Ollivander was the best wand maker there is. Even if I was the one to take over for him, I still think it's a shame that he decided to retire." The man had spend so many years of his life learning under so many different experts on wandlore and wand making. In his experience, Ollivander was the most knowledgeable and had made the best wands. To Nick, there was absolutely no doubt about it.

"Ministry woman," Nick continued, smiling. "What made you decide to get into the government?" The wand maker was glad he was in the private sector: he didn't think he would be able to handle "working for the public." Besides, working for himself meant that the wand maker had no boss or supervisor. If he felt like leaving an hour early, he left an hour early - there was no one else to answer too.

[lizareese]

Smiling, she understood what he meant. Elizabeth herself did not study wands, but she would probably defend the old lady who sold her her wand as well. It was all a matter of where one came from, as well as how proud they were of what they had. In fact, she was sure anyone was that way, but she found it almost (was cute too wrong of a word? No) cute, that he defended the man eagerly. Truthfully, it would be about the same way she would defend Shaw. He was an interesting man himself, intrigued Liza more than on one occasion, and allowed her curiousity to grow under him. His ideals were not wrong, perhaps some of those who followed him did not follow the way she could see him planning for things to go, but he was not wrong for believing in what he did.

"Why was I intrigued by the Ministry?" she repeated the question in her own form of words, with a playful smile. "Truthfully, I was more interested in the array of creatures I would encounter. I have always had a fondness for creatures, and I scored well on my O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s and was recommended and pushed by my Professor to go into a profession that dealt with magical creatures." Taking a small sip of her drink, she thought a moment longer on why. "I traveled a good deal of my childhood and I prefer finding a place that I can settle in for long-term, with spotted vacations and trips at my leisure," she continued. "When I was younger my parents moved back and forth between places, and then I was shipped between them after their divorce during different times until I started school. That was about the only time I really felt at home somewhere.

"I figured the Ministry could provide stability. As many young adolescents, I dreamed about working with Dragons, or traveling the world over in search of creatures and documenting them or something of the like, but I preferred finding a place that I could call my own without having to move from spot to spot." And the Ministry had done just that. In Germany, she had maintained her own place, and now being located in London, she had her own apartment again. Though, she still had not fully unpacked it.

"What about you, shop owner? Have you traveled much?"

[Nick Taylor]

Smiling as he did so, Nick listened and nodded when appropriate. He personally could not relate to what the Ministry woman was saying, as the man had only lived two places when he was a boy: home and at Hogwarts. On the other hand, he could completely imagine how annoying moving from place to place would be as a young child.

Then, the Ministry woman asked, "What about you, shop owner? Have you traveled much?"

Nodding, the shop owner responded. "Not until I graduated from Hogwarts. After that, I moved from country to country, studying under many different wandlore experts. Europe, Asia, Africa... I went all over the place. I traveled around for around ten years until I moved back to London."