Muggle versus Level One W.O.M.B.A.T: Day of Reckoning

Marty was nothing if not prompt for his six in the morning testing time. Once he received his specific appointment time, in spite of the less than encouraging reminder that he was a Muggle, 'yes I know thank you very much', he made sure his work was caught up, Vincent/Victor had something to work on should McQueen stick her head in the office/lab before he got back from the Ministry of Magic that morning and hibernated in his loft to study one last round before taking the test. He'd even done a practice test he found on line through Woozle.com.wiz.mgc. No, there was a good chance none of those questions would be on it but having gone through it with a timer running actually helped him feel less nervous about the whole thing.

Upon arriving, he checked in at the visitor desk and obtained a badge that must be worn while in there. Apparently the young clerk recognized him from the night of the rally and could not help becoming a bit tongue tied as she tried to assist him with signing in.

"Good morning, Sir.........." she simply stared for a moment. "Oh uhm can I help you?"

"Yes, I have an appointment for the W.O.M.B.A.T. Level I at 6:00 a.m. with Minister Hämäläinen."

She stared.

"Test? Soon? Sign in?" he tried to reminder her.

"Oh uhm, yes, sorry," she apologized passing him the visitor book. "You need to check ... Oh no, no wand. Yes... sorry..." she stared again.

"Pass? Something?" he asked, keeping his calm and hoping he did not end up late thanks to her staring.

"Yes, pass... badge... wear.. all times...."

"Thanks you."

With that, he made his way toward the elevator and took it to the 12 1/2 floor though he wondered as the lift made its way upward if testing by mail might not be an option after that reception. Good thing he had no way of knowing that the young blonde was still staring at the closed doors of the elevator he had boarded. As the doors opened, he could see the duck pond mentioned in the letter. Marty had been intrigued by that and looked up information on it. It seems the fountain had always been there. However, some wizards had gone out for a friend's bachelor party at the turn of the century and gotten quite inebriated. One thing led to another and various spell challenges were issued. Turned out, the winner was the one who remembered that once you transfigure into an animal, unlike an animagus, you cannot transfigure back without having human mentality. The Ministry gave the young men... Err.. Ducks a home in the fountain and they've happily swam there ever since and passed it, finding room 32^3, finding the door opened, he stepped in and introduced himself.

"Sir, I'm Martin Harper. I'm to take the W.O.M.B.A.T. Level 1 this morning."

There was a comfortable routine to the life of Yrjö Hämäläinen, he had, as always arrived at his office in the Department of Education promptly at nine o'clock, read over the stack of jobs palmed off to him from others in the department and spent the first two hours of his morning reading over the final printing of the 2012 Course Guide to be sent out to students in the coming days. The rest of the time he had adjusted his watch, had a cup of tea and checked over the listing and schedule for him to travel to oversee the final NEWT exams to be held over the coming months. Sometimes it did feel to Yrjö that everything in the Education department did at some point fall across his desk, no matter what part of the world there was always someone who said 'Just get Nigel to do it' and thus he was dispatched, briefcase in hand to do well.. whatever it is that needed doing.

So it was that at precisely 10.45 Yrjö put aside his work, adjusted his suit and picked up his briefcase which of course he had already prepared with the items required for the day. He had decided on the cusp of the moment to leave his umbrella for it was only the American Ministry that he was visiting today, hardly worth the effort at all really as he rode the elevator up to the Department of Magical Transportation where his floo connection was waiting. For such a feat of magic it was all rather dull as Yrjö stepped into the fireplace, took a handful of floo powder, clearly enunciated "American Ministry of Magic, New York, United States of America" and tossing the powder was quickly whisked away though the countless dark passages, the entire cross-continental trip taking a whole two minutes to complete what would have been a twelve hour flight had he been traveling by Muggle means.

So it was that precisely two minutes later Yrjö Hämäläinen arrived in the lobby of the American Ministry of Magic, it of course was not his first trip and so he had long grown immune to the 'awe' of the decor nor wonder at it's size nor splendor. In fact he found it rather garish and poorly designed when compared to the recently refurbished Finnish Ministry, if only the Britons had taken the idea of clean white lines and stark lighting to heart rather then clinging to the past when they had rebuilt the Atrium after the war Yrjö would have been a much happier wizard.

He was running a minute behind as he passed the pond with it's ducks, no time to read the small sign advising visitors to not feed the ducks and to most certainly not feed ON the ducks and instead went right on though to the small room that had been set up with tables and chairs ready for the days testing. In many ways it had become the standard that any tests that needed to be done would be pushed onto the Education Department and so it was with luck that not only would there be a Muggle wishing to do W.O.M.B.A.Ts but others here to do the theory part of their Animagus exams, one wishing to qualify for dragon ownership and rest doing the Wizarding University Level Foundation Exams. Yes it was a very busy day in the Ministry of Magic.

Having lined up the quills, spare parchment and of course the clock charmed to hoot at regular twenty-five minute intervals. Yrjö checked over his list and papers ensuring that each matched and handing them to each person as the Wizards came forward to give their name, pay their galleons and take their seats. Of course not all where Wizards and so Nigel did have to allow the slightest show of expression as a man walked in stating that he was the Mr Harper, yes Yrjö had managed to slip him in at the last minute. "Ten Galleons, Quill and Paper are provided on the desk and you will have until the first hoot" It was obvious that Yrjö was running on autopilot as he offered Marty a sealed scroll with his Martin Harper written on it. "You may have reading time until we are ready to begin.." Yrjö just stated as he waited for the last couple of stragglers to come in.

The sight of Yrjö Hämäläinen was actually comforting to Marty as he reached into his pocket and took out the ten galleons fee for the exam. Thankfully, Vincent had been there when Marty's reply came and offered to head to the Mage Manhattan Wizarding Bank and exchange the Muggle equivalent into galleons for Marty. Yrjö Hämäläinen was very much like the professors Marty had back when he attended CUNY. Sure there were your more outgoing professors but there was always those academic types who were more concerned with their work then being flashy or in fashion. It seemed as if Mr. Hämäläinen was a no nonsense man and that was fine with Marty for now. He was here to test and succeed, if not for his own sake and abilities but for Dominic and Victor and Vincent who had willing helped tutor him from that night till now in the wizarding world. He was determined to pass this and all the following exams he had to take.

Marty took a seat at the desk indicated and gave a quick glance at the questions. No, just as he thought, not the same as the practice one but that was fine. The signal to begin was given and Marty returned to the same 'form' as his college days, focused on his exam and nothing but. The noise of the others did not provide a distraction as he set quill and ink to parchment and proceeded to work his way through the exam. The first few questions were simple enough though he took a moment to consider 6. Which of the following should be most SEVERELY punished by the Wizengamot? Funny how your own experience with an unforgivable can give you such clarity on the direction to go was the fleeting thought that ran through his mind as he made his choice.

He found everyday magic section the easiest to some extent as it was completely a logic related answering system for it once he had studied various spells and items. The one question he spent the most time on was the one regarding more work by the Ministry, after he shoved the 'more instruction to drunk radio show hosts on checking information' option out of his thoughts.

He set down his quill just as the first hoot sounded, picked up his parchment and took it directly to Mr. Hämäläinen.

Taking the gold Yrjö placed it in a envelope which when sealed spat out a receipt which was handed over to the man alongside his test paper. It was all a wonder of quiet efficiency as Yrjö waited until the clock struck six am. He of course was indifferent to the hour, the exams where scheduled for his own comfort and not those of the poor witches and wizards who found themselves forced to attend exams in the middle of the night or early in the morning so as to fit into Yrjö's 9 to 5 scheduled. At six am precisely Nigel spoke up "Good morning my name is Yrjö Hämäläinen and I will be your examiner for today. Please remember that any use of auto-answer quills, rememberalls, detachable cribbing cuffs, self correcting ink and.. " a pause as a distastful expression came over Yrjö's face "mobile.. telephones.. are all banned and will result in a immediate failure" his eyes seemed to be rather focused on Marty, after all the man was a Muggle and not to be trusted. "Those of you who are choosing to do the Wizards' Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test will have until the first hoot, the rest I will call your names when your time is up".

"You may begin writing" Yrjö said as he tapped the Owl clock with his wand to start counting. It was all very run of the mill as Yrjö signed off the names who had attended and put a mark against one witch who had not. Opening up his briefcase Yrjö took a carefully folded copy of the days Global Voice to read to pass the time, occasionally peeking over it to watch the wizards and Muggle working hard at their tests. This was looking to be a good day for Yrjö where everything went to plan. Indeed twenty-five minutes after he had set the clock going there was a reassuring 'Hoot' and Yrjö put aside his sandwich to take the paper from Mr Harper. "Very good, you may go" Yrjö stated as he took the papers and pushed them into his briefcase where they would languish until later when he put his mind to grading them. It wasn't the most enjoyable job but someone had to do it and so one by one the owl Hooted the end of another interval of time and Yrjö collected the rest of the papers before sending each on their way. Another job for Yrjö Hämäläinen done with the dry efficiency as only the best could manage. That was deserving a cup of tea no doubt before his return to the British Ministry of Magic after dropping off some forms and doing a few other odds and ends to fill out his day.