Don't presume (Asher)

[Deleted]

Heleen had been asked to talk to her boss regarding the accident that had happened a few months prior. It was something she was very nervous and apprehensive about because she was worried she'd somehow have to tell her boss about her newfound powers. She didn't really want to, because she knew so many in the department were curious by nature and would love to explore what exactly she was and was not capable of. That was quite the risk to her health, even if she'd participate willingly. Then there was the risk that they'd want to run experiments on her, which she understood from a scientific point of view but it wasn't without risk. Magic, she'd discovered, was unpredictable and didn't really like being meddled with.

There was the matter of the fact he was her boss and well, keeping secrets was second nature to people in their department but less so when it came to keeping secrets from each other. She hated meeting with any sort of boss as she knew she was good at her job and she didn't like conflict of any kind. With Dmitri gone she also felt a lot less secure and well, she knew there was always the option she'd cave under pressure. It scared her a little because it was impossible to predict what the condequences might be. Still she sighed and figured it best to at least try. What else was the option anyway?

She knocked on the door at the appointed time and stuck her head around the corner. "You asked for me?" She simply asked, figuring it better to get straight to the point. Still, she hoped she could keep her secret to herself longer, as the knowledge of what she could do being out in the world frightened her. She knew it could possibly be a valuable skill to people but she didn't really want to end up selling her health for something she couldn't really get behind. That was always the risk though, wasn't it?

asher rowan burke

[asher rowan burke]

And I watched a change in you

It's like you never had wings

March 2026
@seph

Asher sat in his chair, staring ahead at the wall in front of him. There was a small bookshelf lined with books that all had the same black binding and ominous appearance. And yet, there wasn’t a speck of dust on the shelves of these books he hardly touched, but they were a collection from his time in the Department of Mysteries. His face was stoic, void of any particular expression, and his hands were in front of his face with his fingertips touching as he pondered what it all meant. Typically, he saved his philosophical thoughts for Felix, his constant coworker since he’d started as an intern and someone he always felt he could have frank discussions with. It was rare to have such people in his life. His paranoia kept him guarded and knowing that his views were part of the minority in the Wizarding World.

But as a Department Head, it was his business to know his employee’s business. And unlike other Department Heads—not even the Minister interfered with the little world he’d created and cultivated in this part of the Ministry. Heleen was one of his newer employees, a transfer from out of the country but while he hadn’t been disappointed, this accident of hers had troubled him, for it was apparent something was different. One might think that the Aurors or Interpol agents would have the best power of observation, but really, you wanted an Unspeakable. The way their mind worked to crack the code of the forbidden or unknown required seeing detail where others might miss because that’s all it took. A speck of dust on his bookshelf could unravel the mystery of death, and they would be none the wiser.

There was a knock at his door, and Asher’s eyes looked to his immediate right as Heleen stuck her head in. ”Come in and close the door.” Asher spoke simply, his eyes their normal piercing blue. For a moment, he didn’t move, but then he moved his hands so he could gesture at the seat in front of his desk. ”Have a seat.” It wasn’t a request but more of a calm demand. Again he paused. He was still processing—still thinking. It wasn’t his style to be dramatic in his approach to his direct reports, and they would know that about him. ”How are you recovering after your accident?” Asher cared about his employees in terms of knowing their abilities and capabilities, and when one had good tools, it became such a pain to replace them.

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[Deleted]

Heleen had plenty of anxiety and insecurity so when one was asked by the department head to come in, it was her nature to presume it was bad. She'd been eating herself up for it for a while but now that it was actually time, she managed to keep her cool somewhat. Asher was a very guarded and stoic man that betrayed very little about what he was feeling or thinking, a very common trait amongst unspeakables. Heleen was a far more open book on that point, despite her skills as occlumens. She'd learned to hide an misdirect during mental attacks just as much as in conversation. People didn't quite expect it from a sweet and often bubbly individual but she was capable of more than she led on. More than she herself believed she was capable of, easily.

She stepped in and took the seat he motioned for and sat down, her concerns rising significantly as he mentioned the accident. All the secrets she'd been keeping ever since then. How desperately she wanted to lie and just claim nothing was different and she was fine, but she knew the lie would fall under the slightest bit of scrutiny because she had evidence against her. She'd been more quiet of late and far more introspective than she had been.. While her work hadn't suffered (it actually improved) she knew that people had noticed a change in her. She pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment, not sure what to tell and what to hide. Honesty was usually her perference but she knew she had to be very careful with the information she had this time around. One wrong word could change her life for the worse forever. "Recovery has been slow." She admitted, her words coming out slowly and more laboured than the usual bubbly nature of conversation she attempted to maintain. "I'm sure a few people might have noticed some changes in behavior." She said, hating the fact it was that obvious, even though that wasn't a strange thing at all.

She looked at him then, her hands fidgetting as they so often did when something had her nervous or apprehensive. She could have sat still, but she saw no reason to hide that something was concerning her. When it come to situations like this she found a chess like game was far more efficient if she didn't seem to be trying to hide things. It wouldn't make sense for her to be unaffected so there was no reason to hide it did affect her. Strategy in what to show was part of the more emotionally free practitioners of the art of occlumency. She didn't want to be a stoic wall, so she played a different type of game in stead. "There have been a few unexpected complications that seem to slow the process of my recovery, although I've tried to make sure it hasn't affected my work. I hope there haven't been any complaints?" She asked, both worried that there had been and concerned about the course of the conversation. If her work had suffered she'd have far more to answer for and she likely would need to work harder to compensate for her newfound disability. It wasn't impossible by far, but it certainly complicated matters.

asher rowan burke

[asher rowan burke]

And I watched a change in you

It's like you never had wings

March 2026
@seph

Asher was an observant man. The Ministry was an easy place to watch and learn. Habits picked up from his upbringing and also his side-business. Missing details could make one look weak, and he wasn’t about to let that happen. Ever since Heleen’s accident, she had been behaving differently. However subtle she had tried to be, it hadn't worked. Maybe to her fellow Unspeakables, but Asher was in charge for a reason. Fortunately, she didn’t lie to him—not yet, anyway. Still, this was the part about his job that he disliked. Being in charge meant that one couldn’t exactly demand answers. Things weren’t done like that around here.

”There have not been any complaints. But tell me more about these complications.” An accident to an Auror or a Hit-Wizard typically meant the end of their career and a forced retirement into a desk job. For Unspeakables, it could mean any manner of things. The magic they toyed with and studied had unlimited unknown consequences. And it wasn’t some curse that could be cured or lifted or a potions’ effects to be reversed, so Asher took a great interest in any accident that happened under his watch. Theoretically, one might think he was seeing if her magic was altered in any way, it could be used to further research, but in the back of his mind, he had other ideas as well. ”Experimental Charms is a dangerous department to work in. I am merely assessing if I will keep you there.” Asher added. A second accident would only bring questions from the upper echelon of leadership, and he didn’t need extra eyes looking at his department.

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[Deleted]

A sense of relief washed over her as Asher said there had not been any complaints. That was good, as she loved her job and would hate to be forced to find a new career path at this point. While she knew it was hardly impossible it wasn't something that she wanted to be thinking about. She had plenty on her mind without thinking of another way to apply her skill set. Experimental charms and research was far more her thing, although she was willing to consider switching rooms if so required. So as he asked her to tell more and told her it was mostly to see if she needed to be transferred within the deparment itself she felt a great deal more at ease. She nodded after a moment and fidgetted, biting her lip for a moment.

"I just... I need your promise that you're not going to be using me as a guinnea pig of some kind. I know the people in our deparment probably are more curious than is good for us, myself included, but I prefer this to be kept between us two for that reason. I don't want others to know because they'd likely treat me differently, and I don't want to be the center of something. I just want to do my job." She said and ran a hand through her hair, absently pulling on it for a second in frustration. How on earth was she supposed to explain this anyway? She definitively didn't want to show him and still had every intention of hiding a few of the details about her abilities and knowing she was an occlumens made that a lot easier. If needed she was a skilled liar, although she rarely actually opted to use those skills.

She sighed deeply, muttered a few words in her native tongue as a way of encouraging herself and then looked Asher straight in the eyes as she explained the parts she was willing to explain. "Ever since the accident it's like I've developped a sixth sense of sorts. I can sense if something is magical and usually figure out a kind of baseline in terms of what kind of magic is used on an object or what type of enchantments are on it. The problem is that using this... ability, for lack of a better word, tends to impact my health. I start coughing or feel ill or sometimes I just get so incredibly tired it's near impossible to stay awake. It's nothing overly specific, mostly if it's meant to protect or if it's more of a curse or if it just alters the properties like levitation charms. It's unreliable at best because it's impossible to predict the side effects, so I've just been working around the problem. I haven't told the healers because goodness knows what kind of tests they'd want to do. Whatever it is, I don't want to mess with it. I don't want to try to remove it or alter it. I just want it to be left alone." She said, which was also mostly true. Any experimentation with her abilities she wanted to keep secret, even from the ministry itself. She didn't need their scrutiny or worse, experiments to see if they could somehow use it to amplify their soldiers. Heleen had a natural distrust of the government and institutions in general, even if she worked for them. There was too much they did to influence lives after all.

asher rowan burke

[asher rowan burke]

And I watched a change in you

It's like you never had wings

March 2026
@seph

Asher would admit that he didn’t have an issue with any of the Unspeakables in his Department. They were capable, and that was the minimum he asked for in terms of standard of work. He could care less about their personality or even where they came from. Unfortunately, the Ministry leadership didn’t bother him or ask questions they might if he started selecting Unspeakables from the same background. Asher’s expression shifted as Heleen prefaced her answer with a request. He paused briefly to consider it before nodding simply. ”You have my word.” But now she had his full attention and his curiosity. How had this accident affected her in such a way that frightened her?

Now, his actions weren’t selfless by any means. Asher’s sisters were heavily in a world of research and experimentation. He was in the habit of sharing information when he could, even if Hazel would spend half of any conversation trying to convince him to wear brighter colors. But, what did Heleen fear about the aftermath of this accident in that she didn’t want to be some kind of test subject? The options were endless in Asher’s mind. They did work in the Department of Mysteries, after all.

Finally, she began to explain, and Asher listened intently though his face looked about as stoic as it always was, especially with his employees. Still, he had to admit that he could understand her fear. It was a shame he’d given his word. Her ability would have come in handy for their Department and whatever knowledge they could unlock. But it didn’t sound like something extensive, either. Asher paused before responding, his eyes watching the surface of his desk for a few moments. ”What have you tested this ability on?” He asked simply. Mentally he was taking notes for Hazel, but perhaps Ivy could dig up something in her extensive knowledge of Magical Theory. ”I am going to have to request you get a full follow-up at St. Mungo’s. Your disclosure of this…ability is up to you.” The hospital visit wasn’t entirely necessary, but Asher knew there were protocols in place at the Ministry. If he didn’t dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s he’d have the Minister looking in.

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[Deleted]

Heleen felt some relief as he gave his word that what she told him was not to be shared with her coworkers. Then again, since this was definitly work related it was not to leave the walls of this department, or if it would she knew her own job could likely be on the line. Nobody was to know what went on in their rather top secret branch of the government. They were keepers of many secrets, both dark and light and she knew she needed to trust the people around her as much as she was able.

Naturally he asked to what extent she'd tested the ability and she considered for a brief moment. He was the head of the department, so she needed to share at least a little. Or well, as much as she dared give away. "Mostly simple things. At first charms and spells that I cast myself so I could identify them when cast by others. The most extensive use so far was to see if somebody had meddled with the memories of a friend. I managed to locate some form of spell, although I never told her how of course. I sometimes use it when working on new devices to see how spells and enchantments on various parts interlock but I try not to be too careless, as I'm not fully sure to what extent I can take it." She admitted, having shared more than she initially intended. Considering the fact that he'd given his word about keeping it silent she felt it was better to take a risk and tell him a bit more. Maybe he had some idea of what was going on, or how better to control it. He had worked here quite a bit longer after all.

She nodded briefly. "I've had regular check up since the accident. I'm due for another appointment next week. I'll mention a full check up has been ordered by the department." It was the easiest way to deal with it all, as too many questions were not possible from anybody outside their department. It was one of the few things she did like about her job, she could always refuse to answer anything related to her work based on not being allowed to mention it. "I think it's unwise to disclose it to anybody outside the department to begin with. It would likely come to question we can't answer within the boundaries of confidentiality. Or well, ones that I can't. Besides, if anybody outside the department hears there is a chance it travels and ends up within our walls from an outside source. I'd hate to see that happen." She knew it would only make her coworkers more likely to be annoyed they hadn't been told by her and open her up to exactly the same things she hoped to avoid by being silent. She didn't want to risk any of it.

asher rowan burke

[asher rowan burke]

And I watched a change in you

It's like you never had wings

March 2026
@seph

While the Burke siblings got along and any set of Pureblood children, in a way, they were a team. Three great minds but focused on different areas. Ivy studied theory and the nature of magic, while Hazel focused on Alchemy and experiments. Asher also focused on magical experiments and strengthing his mind, though his time in the Death Chamber had been quite insightful as well. So when he learned that one of his Unspeakables had been injured in experimental Charms, he wasn’t surprised. Honestly, it hadn’t worried him, if only because he was worried about the autonomy of his department. But Heleen had survived, and it saved him the hassle of replacing her as she did fairly good work.

There was a temptation to probe her mind, pass it off as a side effect of her accident, but Asher stopped himself. He didn’t make a habit of using Legilimency outside of his business at the club. For now, Asher listened intently as she explained what she had tried it on. Nothing complex or challenging, in his mind, and he wanted her to try it on further things but stopped. ”I see.” Asher paused, contemplating how to use this newfound skill. Naturally, he drew up mental notes to tell his sisters and perhaps Elaine since she was always interested in useful individuals. Though Heleen seemed skittish, much like Diana was, but she still obeyed every order.

”A full work up as well.” Bloodwork, labs—all those fun things. An idea came to mind, but he’d need to speak to Hazel first. There was a way they could all win here. His face remained stoic. ”I’m well aware of what the consequences may be, Ms. Oppedyk.” Asher responded flatly, though not sharp. Their last department head had been an upstart who cared more about the title than the work. Likely had friends in high places, but Asher had different dreams. ”And your family, do they know?” Her file had mentioned a brother, but Asher had read no further, not particularly caring but knowing who also had this knowledge was important to him.

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