Head Above Water (Berenice)

[Deleted]

Feb. 20, 2025

Jess wasn't excited for today. In all honesty, the ministry of magic kind of creeped her out. Sure, she knew that this was where order came into the magical world, but it was so businesslike and everyone was so serious. She always felt like she did something wrong when she came here. Still, she was trying to check up on some records. She was working on her first job on her own and the thing was, part of investigative reporting was looking into paperwork. Not her favorite thing, but at least she was allowed access to most things. Especially since she wasn't well-known yet, no one found her intimidating or anything. 

So she walked through the place, offering a smile and nod to anyone who paid her attention, though most people didn't even look at her. Naturally. She turned a corner and jumped when she almost ran into someone. "Oh, I'm sorry," Jess said, shuffling to the side a little more. Then her eyebrows furrowed. "Wait ... you look really familiar. Do I know you?" she asked, smiling a little more sincerely now. 

@berenice

[Deleted]

Believe it, I see it I know that you can feel it
No secrets worth keeping So fool me like I'm dreaming

She had woken up that morning to a screaming two-year-old. Why? He had a nightmare and wanted his mama. Of course, Berenice had spent her early rising feeding him and getting him ready for daycare, as well as waking up her young daughter to do the same. Her children were well behaved, something she prided herself in, they were sweet little angels in comparison to other children she had the 'pleasure' of meeting. With each of them ready, she turned to fix herself for the day, dressing in her professional attire and applying her makeup and doing her hair. She had important meetings that day, and she had to look her best. With one last look in the mirror, she kissed her husband on the cheek as she headed out the door with the kids. Luckily, the little daycare center wasn't far away, one that was filled with other magical children and quickly dropped them off, kissing their little heads before leaving them behind. They didn't cry nor scream; they enjoyed their time there with the other kids and teachers.

She moved with haste, her heels clicking against the ground as she walked through the crowded streets of London for the public loo, a portkey that she disliked, but it was the only way for now. Usually, when Harrison dropped the kids off, she used the fireplace, but today was her turn to leave them at the daycare. She slowly stepped into the toilet bowl, after waiting her turn, and flushed, her body spinning before she appeared within the lobby of the Ministry of Magic. And then, she began walking, her department not far from the lobby, and she looked down at her watch, only looking up with enough time before being run into by a younger girl. She hissed, moving out of the way, and watching as she seemed to jump back.

'Oh, I'm sorry. Wait...you look really familiar. Do I know you?' Berenice moved her fingers to fix her hair and looked at the girl for a moment, "Perhaps from Hogwarts? I was there until 2017. You're young enough to be Pricilla's age though...perhaps you knew her? Pricilla Rosier, some say we do look somewhat alike."

@jessavette

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[Deleted]

The woman seemed annoyed at their almost-collision was a little surprising to Jess. Sure, she could have paid a little more attention, but if the woman was so touchy then why didn't she pay attention to where she was going? It didn't really matter though, Jess wasn't one to make a big deal out of nothing. They didn't actually hit one another, and if the other woman was busy enough that she just had to run off that would be fine. It just reaffirmed the fact that Jess hated this place. The Daily Prophet was way better. At least most of the people there weren't super touchy. 

Jess nodded when the woman said maybe they knew one another from Hogwarts. She smiled, "I doubt we know one another from there then. I was five years behind you."Her eyebrows furrowed as the woman mentioned Priscilla Rosier and she tried to place a fact to the name. "No, I don't think I do know her. Are the two of you related?" Jess couldn't help but be curious. Maybe that's why she went into reporting. 

@berenice

[Deleted]

Believe it, I see it I know that you can feel it
No secrets worth keeping So fool me like I'm dreaming

Berenice was never always a rude person, and at that moment, she hadn't meant to be. But almost being bumped into was another thing, it would annoy anyone. But she should have handled it with a little more grace than she did. She was better with her children than with actual people with her graceful comebacks. You would think to have two young children would result in her being more composed with little things like this.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she frowned as the woman concluded that she was five years behind her and doubted they knew one another. But she also didn't know Prissy. She wanted to shrug her shoulders and tell her that maybe she had one of those faces, but she smiled. "She's my younger sister. I am a member of the Public Information here at the Ministry...and if you are a reporter or journalist, you may have dealt with me or someone else?" she questioned. Either the girl was here for a trial or was someone from the Prophet, she didn't recognize her as a daily ministry person.

@jessavette

template by punki of adoxography

[Deleted]

Jess was not a fan of confrontation. She didn't like getting into arguments with people, or even have someone frown at her. Granted, she knew expecting people to always be happy with her wasn't a real way to go through life, but that didn't mean she felt comfortable around people who were upset. 

The woman started to explain that Priscilla was her younger sister. Okay, that made sense, though Jess still found it a little odd that the woman introduced her sister instead of herself. She was a Rosier though ... that made sense. She smiled, "I used to do most of my work with Isolde, but I understand she moved away." Which happened to be what Jess was looking into. She thought the details of the woman's disappearance were strange, but she wasn't going to tell this stranger that. "I might work with you in the future though. I just came here to look through some paperwork." Boring, but important work. Then Jess remembered her manners. "Oh, I'm Jess Dupont, by the way,"she introduced herself.

@berenice

[Deleted]

Believe it, I see it I know that you can feel it
No secrets worth keeping So fool me like I'm dreaming

Berenice wasn't exactly a people person, but she always put on a face. A front if you will that made people like her instantly. But after the night she had with her children running around and not wanting to follow her orders, not even the house-elf could help. She wanted to swallow her pride, but really, she just wanted to go back to bed and never return.

She smiled as the girl mentioned Isolde and nodded her head. "Yes, it was rather sudden really. One minute she was here and the next she was gone. I heard her mother became sick, and she returned to care for her." Did Berenice believe it? Not really, Isolde was one of those people that worked hard and cared about personal life after. But who knew what would happen when it came to family.

The girl mentioned probably working with her next, and that she had come to look at some paperwork. She nodded her head, smiling as the girl introduced herself, and she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh dear...here I am talking all about my sister and I never even gave you my name. My mother would be appalled. I'm Berenice - Berenice Snyde," she said in introduction. "Do you need me to accompany you to your paperwork, Miss Dupont?"

@jessavette

template by punki of adoxography

[Deleted]

Well, the woman seemed to be in a much better mood now than she had been initially, which Jess definitely considered a good thing. She was not a big fan of conflict, so any reason to avoid it was a good one in her books. Jess listened with interest as she explained that Isolde left because of her mother. "Oh, I hadn't heard that about her leaving," Jess answered, a little surprised. How had she not heard that. Hmmm ... maybe it would be a good idea to casually mention Isolde to other people here working in the same department. If they all had different ideas of where she'd gone, that would be another red flag to the young reporter. 

The woman smiled when Jess mentioned that they might end up working together, then introduced herself. "It's nice to meet you Berenice," Jess answered with a smile. At the woman's question she shrugged, "I know my way around pretty well, but if you're not busy I don't mind." She definitely didn't want Berenice to feel like she had to accompany her, but at the same time Jess never minded company. She was very much a people person and enjoyed talking with anyone and everyone that was around her. 

@berenice