Paper Trails

16th October 2000

 A mass of parchment expanding from an incoming memo spilled off the desk over the thin carpet of the floor causing Theodore Nott to curse, bend down to pick up the mess and place it back into his inbox. The department had been overworked and understaffed for years, and it was the new recruits like Theo who were taking the brunt of it.

The slight creek of the office door opening made Theo look up to see Potter slinking in quietly. Glancing at the clock he saw that his co-worker was only ten minutes late this morning. He said nothing, used to Potter's tardiness. When the chosen one first started in the archives of the Department of Mysteries a six months ago, he had been disciplined by their superiors, docking his pay to compensate for the lost hours, but eventually they realised that he wasn't going to change, and as he apparently completed all his work on time and to the expected standards they let the offences slide.

Blatant favouritism. Who would expect less for the saviour of the wizarding world.

Theo watched out of the corner of his eye as Potter hung up his coat and scarf before slumping at his desk, picking through his inbox tray half heartedly.

Potter had been an acquisition from the aurors and the DMLE. The new recruits were tested during their six month review to see whether they had any latent abilities that may assist in their new profession. Occasionally abilities were found that meant they were better suited to other departments, though they were still held in reserve if the aurors ever needed extra numbers. Theo still wasn't sure what ability Potter possessed that caused him to be sent down to the Department of Mysteries. Even though they had shared an office for over four months, Potter barely spoke to him, and even then it was solely for work purposes.

He assumed it was because he was a Slytherin, Potter never hid his disgust for their house at Hogwarts, and Theo didn't see why it would change now.

Not when the world worshipped Potter's very existence.

Theo sighed to himself and rose from his desk, ignoring Potter who was slowly sifting through his paperwork. He made his way out of the office and into the stacks, the affectionate name for the endless corridors of files and artefacts that made up the bulk of the archives. The towering shelves teetered, never quite falling over despite the impossible array of boxes and objects that cluttered them.

The department of the Control of Magical Creatures was after information on house elves. Unfortunately, it was information that did not exist. Granger had gotten her claws well and truly into the department and was once again pushing her insipid S.P.E.W campaign. Theo didn't mind about them not being abused, it was never wise to beat the hand that feeds you after all, but the ignorant muggleborn would not stop pushing for their freedom. She refused to believe their magic and life-force was connected to the wizards that bound them and once again had sent him on a fools errand.

Next time he would just write her a pass to go and see for herself.

When he returned to the office, he saw Potter still sat in the same position as before. If it wasn't for the now empty inbox tray, he would have assumed that the man had done nothing but sit there in a haze for the past four hours.

"You okay there Potter?" He asked, more out of a desire to not have the saviour of the wizarding world found dead in his office than any actual care.

"What? Yeah." Potter replied looking up startled as if he didn't realised there was another person in the room.

Probably didn't, Theo thought to himself. Bastard probably thinks it's solely his office.

He watched as Potter clattered about, pulling on his outer robe before shambling to the door, not even acknowledging Theo as he left.

Five galleons says I don't see him again today Theo thought bitterly. Potter had a habit of going to lunch and then not returning until the next day. When he had questioned his boss about it he was told to mind his own business.

Fucking Scar-headed prick.