20th September, 10 am. Prison cell.

[therealpm]

*Peter sits at his desk and stares at the courtyard outside, drumming his heels against the chair legs in a way that he hasn't really been bored enough to do since secondary school.  He's finished the paperwork along with his breakfast, drunk the potion, read and reread all the books and is now waiting for Dawn's shift to end so that he can investigate the wards again (she has a nasty habit of checking that he isn't doing anything he shouldn't, something that Lindsay is too trusting and the Tory too terrified to do).

He considers shape shifting again, but although with practice it's got easier, it's still very tiring and he doesn't like having the collar on display for anyone passing by the cell to see, so instead he sits at his desk, drumming his heels, and waiting.*

Comments

Re: 11 a.m.

[lord-fowler.livejournal.com]

*John's diagnostic spell is astoundingly... not good. It's the sort of thing Norman might have cast as a schoolboy- no proper localisation, no isolation of the separate magical traces, and of course no identification of casters. This sort of analysis is Norman's strong suit, so perhaps he's being uncharitable, but really, Michael could have done better and Michael's specialties are hair care and shooting fireballs at things until they explode.*

*John's always been a bit of lightweight- Norman remembers when he first came to the Commons; he used to bob up and down on the benches like a helium balloon- but he would have expected his elevation to his current office to settle him a little. This is an area of magecraft the Speaker really needs to master, and it's clear John has not been applying himself to it with the necessary rigour. Norman may have to have a word with Betty about her successor. If she'd been this inept Mandelson would have have run rings around her back in the 90s.*

*Norman could cast a better tracer right now, but there's no point in humiliating John in front of his prisoner. That's hardly going to enhance his authority, and if they can't rely on the wards to keep Mandelson in they'll have to rely on his fear of his gaolers. Maybe he should suggest Ashdown take another shift.*

Very well. I'll go see what I can find.

*He's going to come back with textbooks. Lots of textbooks. John obviously needs them.*

Re: 11 a.m.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

*John waits until he is sure that Norman has gone before he turns back to Peter. John crosses his arms and waits for Peter to say something to him - or at least acknowledge that Fowler has gone. Peter doesn't even look up from his book. John sighs.*

Peter?

*John waits until Peter gives some indication that he's listening.*

Have you been tampering with the wards to pass the time?

Re: 11 a.m.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter lets the book fall into his lap.*

I was bored!

*He realises how petulant that sounded and hastily adds.*

The BIS work is hardly taxing, I've read all the books Dawn so kindly provided and have been allowed outside of these four walls precisely three times since coming here, and two of those were on the same day.

*He looks away and figets a little.*

...besides. The detail of the spellwork by the Mace is very interesting. Quite unique. If you look at it closely. I didn't mean to unravel the wards, just... investigate them a bit.

*Peter drops his eyes, hoping he looks sufficiently penitent for John to find the story plausible.*

Re: 11 a.m.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Peter, the DEFRA inspectors are due back any day now - what in Merlin's name are they going to say about this?! If you are bored say something to whoever is on duty rather than trying to break out of your cell! How difficult is that concept for you to grasp?!

*John tries to calm himself. After a while, and a few breathing exercises, he just about manages to get his temper under some sort of control.*

Perhaps you're right - in part. I will review the guard duty rota, put regular exercise blocks into the timetable and get you out of the cell. Maybe then you won't be bored enough to try escaping again.

Re: 11 a.m.

[therealpm.livejournal.com]

*Peter continues to keep his eyes downcast*

...sorry.

*He keeps staring at his hands whilst John attempts to calm down, but after hearing John's decision, allows a grateful smile to spread across his face before looking up.*

Thank you.

Re: 11 a.m.

[bamfbercow.livejournal.com]

Just make sure this doesn't happen again, Peter.

*John storms off through the fireplace, once again leaving Peter unguarded with holes in the wards. John is far too busy plotting to give it a second thought.*

*When John's back in his flat, he gets out his phone. He scrolls though the contacts until he finds Paddy.*

*If Peter wants to be let out of his cell to exercise in the great outdoors two, or maybe even three times a week, then that's exactly what he'll get...*