Ministry of Magic: Auror Department (March 2042)

Jessy Nightwood walked back down the long hall of the Auror department to her new Squad.. Commanded by Tavish McConn she believed. Today was her first day back form her two month suspension for disobaying orders, and her first day back as a rank lower then when she left.. She had suspected she be punished but really she had good reason for doing what she did... she made the mission a suscess and that was what mattered right? Granted it cost her two weeks in St. Mungos and a perminate scar going down her back... but what Auror didn't get hurt on the job to make it right? No she was simply punished because she refused an order.. She crossed her fingers hoping this time would go better.

"Here goes nothing.." she muttered smirking and knocked on door in a fast 3 knock pattern. Eger to put to test her new captain, hoping he didn't hate her already just becasue she wasn't a model auror..

Tavish McConn cursed under his breath as he settled his burnt finger against his mouth. As usual, his coffee was much too hot and in his latest reverie he'd forgotten to cast the nearly habitual cooling charm. Kay would hide a chuckle at his forgetfulness; then move quickly to soothe him with some ice and a towel. He smiled, the pain vanishing at the image of his beautiful wife coming to his aid. The knock on the door broke through his thoughts and he rose, quickly heading to it.

He couldn't remember exactly who he was suppose to be meeting, thanks to entirely too long of a time spent on reports the night before, but he did remember he had been looking forward to it. Then again, he always liked meeting new people. Ah, yes, now he remembered, Nightwood. Something about St. Mungos came to mind and he knew he should have not just skimmed her file. Oh well, he waved the thought aside in true McConn fashion.

He opened the door, giving the young woman a polite nod as he did. Despite the throbbing in his finger and the tired smudges under his eyes, he was as turned out as ever, red hair neatly combed back and his cultivated beard well trimmed. Robes were without crease, thanks to Kay's impeccable care in laundry and several well placed charms and his boots shone showing that proper care was given them.

"Come in, please." he smiled, taking in his newest colleague's appearance. Motioning her to the comfortable chair, he waited till she sat before he did the same. "I'm Tavish McConn, but I go by Tav. If you feel a need for a title to make you more comfortable, Captain Tav is fine, but otherwise... Welcome to the Conifers."

Jessy smiled as she greeted Tav she sat int he chair offered , he seemed nice, more easy going then her old captain was.

Jessy had loose robes on and were opened showing black muggle jeans and red muggle blouse underneath. Her dark hair was short and spikey frameing her face nicely. Though she looked unprofesional, one could still see her wand holstered on her wrist for easy access. Inside her robes also held many differnet potions.. one could say she looked prepared at least.

"Thank ya Captain, I am Ensign Jessica Nightwood, but I go by Jessy, or Ensign Jessy if you prefer" she said with a chuckle the feeling slightly odd by calling her self Ensign again...

"The Conifers eh? Strong name..." she paused looking as if she was thinking it over if she like it or not..

"I like it, my last Captain didn't have a name for his team, we were Squad 3 to him" she said with a smirk.

"A pleasure, Jessy." Tav summoned the nearest bottle and two tumblers. As some stroke of genius, Esis kept his office and house well stocked with presents of cognac. "I hope I can offer you some?" She looked young, reminding him of his sweet daughter, Rose. But appearances were deceiving and by the spark in her eyes, he knew she probably packed as good a punch as any other in his squad. "If not, I've got some tea somewhere."
He kept it on hand should his mother visit.

"Well, you might be thinkin different if I told you how it got that name." he chuckled. "Ya see my first day as captain led us on a wild goose chase after some wizard. We chased him from here straight to Delaware state. And there's where we lost him; tangled in the woods out there. So, we're the Conifers; cause that's also where we became a real team." Realizing he'd gotten off track, he blushed slightly.
"Sorry, got carried away. Now why don't you tell me about yourself."

If Jessy liked Tav before she really like him now.

"Are you kidding? Would I ever! Wow your the coolest Captian ever. Team name, cognac, wow just wow.. My old Captian would have a burst a blood vessle if he knew about this" She said with a snicker and she accepted her share of the Drink.

She laughed at the explaintion on how they got the name, but shrugged "Ah well Still a good name" she said.

Jessy smiled and took a drink when he asked her to tell him about her self... "Hmmm, lets see the basic bits or the juicy bits first?" she mused to her self moreless out loud.

"How about a bit of both?... I am 19 years old former Lieutenant of squad 3 after 2 suspesion of duty and demotion. I am muggleborn, born in Austrailia, rasied by foster parents and children's homes in england. Went to Hogwarts school, was in Gryffindor house. Graduated and decided to become an Auror since it seemed like a challange.. So here I am now starting anew with you as Ensign" she said with a smirk hoping he had fun making sense if her life story in a nut shell.

Sincerely doubting he'd be the 'coolest captain ever', but flattered nonetheless, Tav chuckled and tipped back a gulp of his drink. It burnt slightly, but he was used to it and didn't grimace. He didn't remember from her file who her former captain had been; but he knew enough fellow aurors to know most were harder stones than he. He was a firm believer in living life to its fullest; even when that life was on the line. His people worked better and harder when they thought as friends and partners instead of bodies to be ordered around. Plenty of arguments had taken place between he and other captains over that very ideal. So far, he had always won.

"Well, that sounded very nice, Jessy." Tav nodded, taking in all she'd said. He'd been to Australia for a third honeymoon with his dear wife a few years ago and had enjoyed the climate and landscape. Still, he was saddened to hear that she was an orphan. He knew just enough of most foster homes to think they may not have been that nice. He hoped he was wrong.
"Same house as me." he winked. "I'm starting to really like you, Ensign. Hope you don't mind that I do have one question for you though." He set the cup aside and cleared his throat. "What'd you do, Jessy?" It was obvious that he was curious and not about to do anything but listen to the story.

Jessy saved her drink for the question she was sure he would ask and bingo... there it was he wanted to know what she had done to be punished.

Swallowing her drink down, she took pleasure in the burn and the numb that came after it, before sighing and taking a breath to tell her captian what happened.

"I disobayed a direct order on my last mission, I was ordered to retreat, to abort everything... to give up..." she started. Though she knew Tav wanted the whole story.. she wanted the press that she hated giving up when she was so close to suceeding.. and she had been so very close.

"The mission was to track down take in a witch suspected in a few dissapearences over the last few months. We finally managed to cornor her in a abandaded biulding in knocturnally. We were so close... when she sent a spell through out the building to weaken supports and drop the roof on us... one beam almost fell on us when our captain to us to leave as the bulding was about to collapes. I was about to begungingly to so... But I saw the witch we were supposed to get got trapped by her own backfired spell. So I ignored my order to leave and went to get her anyway, save her sorry behind and make the mission a sucess.. However my plan was ruined when another wooden beam fell on me. I avoided it for the most part, if it weren't for the piece sticking out and slicing a gough through my back... not long after that the witch was planning on getting saved herself and got way. I was rescused by my captain who took me to St. Mungos where I was treated for my injuries" she said finisheing her tail.

"The rest you know" she said with a slight shrug.

Tav listened carefully, keeping his eyes on the young woman opposite him, but carefully keeping his gaze from boring into her. It was a trick he'd learnt from his father at a young age. Steady whilst listening, Tavish, his father had always said; never sweat em.
It was a fascinating story and oddly enough, something that reminded him strangely enough of his own younger days. Ah, would you listen to him, he chided himself, you sound like an old man, Tav. Shaking that thought aside, he nodded at the conclusion of Jessy's tale. She would be an interesting addition to the Conifers, that was for sure. But he knew quality when he saw it and she had it engraved into her.

"Sounds like you'll fit into our little band with ease enough." he chuckled. "Half of our records look like chicken tracks. All with good reason." he hastily assured her. Never best to make it appear that her fellow team members were unworthy of the title of auror. "By the sound of it, I'd say that you should have been commended for bravery, Jessy. Going back for a teammate, that's second nature. But... for the enemy." he paused. "That's beyond the call of duty." he refilled her cup.

Jessy nodded gladly taking her the refill, "Thanks, but that is how the cookie crumbles right?" she said with a chuckle, starting to think it was good thing she got transfered. Her new captain seemed to be more... human then her old captain who had a heart of stone. A welcome surprise if she was honestt, she half expected him to be... well all high and mighty.

"But Anyway, as long as I am still able to be on the feild of active duty I won't complain about the demotion. As for the transfer I am thankful for I think" she said with a smirk.

Then the action craving part of her kicked in, "So anything I need to get caught up to speed on Mon Capitain?" she asked in playful tone to counter the formality of the question.

Not a complainer... that was nice. He nodded; at least she took it as it came. It had taken him a few more years than her to figure that much. His poor father had endured a lot of heated discussions over his 'stupid' superiors.
"I hope you will be. No everyone likes the Conifers; no idea why." he chuckled. "But I'm sure you'll do fine. Come on." he stood, setting his cup aside. "Let's take a walk." No need to tell her he had a cramp in his left leg that was killing him. They'd walk and talk; oldest trick in the book.
"Can't think of anything off the top of my head, but I'll admit that doesn't mean much." he caught a folder up off his desk as he opened the door for her. It was habit, gentlemanly manners having been engraved into his brain from the first time he'd muttered 'yes'. "Conifers is mainly a ivy group; we cling to a few others but mainly take our orders straight from the top. I hate to sound snooty, but when a job needs doing without paperwork or signatures, they send us in. We're about two steps beneath Dementor, if you know what I mean."

Jessy nodded rose along with eager to keep stride with him, she listened with keen interest, she never knew that about Tav's group, and she was rather interested with the idea of going on the more, intense mission.. it sounded exciting and it intrigued the dare devil part of her.

"Wow, I never knew that, sounds exciting" she said hardly containing the spark in her eyes at this information.

" I like that, never like paper work much anyway, it never ends" she said with a chuckle.

"Never fear what ever the mission count me in" She said beaming.. then as a after thought she added, "As long as its not taking down a hill of paper work.. Its all your Captain Tav" she said with a laugh and giving him a thumbs up.

Tav nodded. It was exciting; being an auror was half excitement half blood-loss after all, or so his father had always said. As spunky as Jessy was, he had no doubt she'd appreciate the saying, but he held back on it for another time. No need rushing her into losing more blood, old boy.
"Aye, me neither. Oil and water with paperwork." he chuckled. "Probably why most of my records look like... damn..." his eyes narrowed as he spun back on his heel. "Uh, sorry, Jessy. I'll be right back." With that thrown over his shoulder, he dashed back into his office.
As awful as it sounded and was, he had just remembered he hadn't sent the last efficiency reports in.
Scrambling through the stack of papers, he fished out the right papers, cringing at the ink stains... ah yes, he remembered he'd knocked over a pot of ink. Vanishing it, he arranged them neatly and rolled them up, stamping his seal on the crease and burning his finger in the process.
Tucking the roll under his arm, he went back to Jessy.
"Care to check in with the owls with me?" he chuckled, rather sheepishly. "Forget to 'mail' these."