RP: First Day at Obscurus

[rar_anthony]

Date: April 3, 1999
Characters: Anthony Goldstein, Mandy Brocklehurst, Ambrose Binder (NPC)
Location: Obscurus Books, Diagon Alley
Status: Private
Summary: Anthony's and Mandy's first day of work.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[rar_mandy]

Mandy felt overdressed in her robes as Mr Binder led her and Anthony through the office. As they entered his own office, it was as if they'd walked into a library, but one that had been ransacked and turned inside out and flipped bottom-up and shaken about and set back down and left about an age and a half. There was dust everywhere and Mandy could tell if there weren't doxies in his curtains yet, there surely would be if she didn't set to cleaning them out soon.

But no sooner than she had the idea in her head, then Mr Binder forbade them touch anything. She glanced at Anthony, whom she saw out of the corner of her eye, push the glasses up on the bridge of his nose and give her an equally quizzical look.

When Mr Binder showed them where they would be working, Mandy nodded politely and nodded at the two empty desks in the corner pushed face to face. Apparently, they would be working in close, and very disorganized, quarters. Already Mandy wanted to rearrange the entire office, but she held her tongue and stared at her new boss.

"Now we've had the tour, is there anything else we should know before diving into our work, sir?" she asked.

[rar_anthony]

Anthony could have sworn Mandy was almost twitching as they surveyed the chaos of the editors' room. When she nodded at the two empty desks together in the corner, he felt a bit relieved, glad that he'd have someone nearby whom he knew and that they weren't to be spearated by a room full of strangers.

Mandy asked Binder what they should do before beginning work, and Anthony turned, listening.

"I showed you the supply room," Binder said in his black-coffee-and-pipe-tobacco voice, "Anything you need--quills, parchments, inkpots--you can get from there. Be certain to fill out the proper forms for what you take, though." He stroked the stubble on his chin. "You, girl--young lady--Junior Editor--you'll be working on the Marriment series for now. Books for kids. Start you off easy. You, Hebrew boy, you're to go through whatever lands on your desk, no questions. Are we clear? Yes? All right, then. You know where to find me if you have questions. Don't bother me if the door's closed." And without waiting for a response, Mr Binder turned on his heel and strode from the editors' room.

Anthony stood still for a moment, his brow furrowed, then turned to Mandy. "I suppose it would be too much to ask that he learn our names," he said petulantly.