this is your dad's suit

[elliot-morrissey]

What is the new Head of the Auror Department like?

"Seren? Look, I have to give it to her; she rules the roost and gets the work done but... I'm not too familiar with her on a personal level."

[mitchellsbeca]

The Polo Neck Chronicles [1/?] (a.k.a Line of Duty Series 6)

[elliot-morrissey]

What's your ideal first date... asking for a friend... who is me... can I take you on a date? I'm free this Friday if you are also free this Friday, to go on your ideal date... which is what?

Just a pint, mate; no use in us dating if we have nothing in common or you’re as boring as sin.

[elliot-morrissey]

Who’s the oldest person you’ve dated?

"I'm not sure why, but this feels like a trap."

[elliot-morrissey]

myer-briggs personality type: esfj-a // the caregiver

“ESFJs value loyalty and tradition, and usually make their family and friends their top priority. They are generous with their time, effort, and emotions. They often take on the concerns of others as if they were their own, and will attempt to put their significant organizational talents to use to bring order to other people's lives.”

[elliot-morrissey]

tierney-smudgling​:

Found family? Tierney already had plenty of family that needed finding without going to the trouble of looking for more.

Misery loved company. I’ve lost a parent, too, Tierney wanted to say, as they followed the corridor in silence. She hadn’t, though. Instead she had Schrödinger‘s parent. Behold: a parental paradox of quantum superposition! And she wouldn’t lose Niamh, if Tierney was worth anything at all in the world.

And besides—as far as anyone was concerned, Niamh Smudgling-Gunne had been cloistered away with intractable Vanishing sickness for years now. So Tierney kept her mouth shut and her hands folded nice and tight behind her back. Her wrists ached oddly. They had to find something else to talk about.

“Sorry, are you—” she limped her wand arm at Elliot, shaking out one pained wrist. “The only ol—er, other people I’ve ever heard use ‘found family’ are queers. So?”

.

Elliot noted the distinct silence. “Sorry, didn’t intend to bring the mood down,” they started, offering a gentle smile and adding softly, “It were a long time ago, so is’alright. Maybe just be mindful who you say that sort of thing to, especially Wix my age.” It was still an odd sensation; realising that your youth was shaped by a war that was now old enough to not impact the new generations in such a traumatic way.

With a squint of her eyes, she slowed her pace and looked between Tierney and her wrist. Were they-...? Elliot tried to detect the tone of voice from the visitor, but failed, unsure if it was derogatory or genuine curiosity. “...so? Oh, am I...?” Elliot gestured to their hand.

“I mean, yeah — as queer as a pygmy puff who kept their birthname — but you-,” a thought flashed to the forefront of her head, analytical brain picking up on the finer details, “Wait, were you about to call me old?”

[elliot-morrissey]

vilcuks​:

“Please, you would save my day.” Taking the note back, Dylan flicked it between her fingers and it disappeared in a quiet puff, leaving a hint of cloves in the air. The sooner she could drop off this delivery the sooner she could clock out and get a drink. Instead of accepting the outstretched hand, Dylan looped her arm around Elliot’s elbow, ready to be led in the right direction. “I’m Dylan.”

“As silly as it sounds,” Dylan began, falling into step next to Elliot as they went to locate whoever was expecting a shiny little present on Level Four. “I think I would have remembered those eyes of yours. But I do work for the Landerwars, if you’re familiar…” She trailed off. As she used the well-known alias for the owners of Slick, Dylan scanned Elliot’s face for any signs of recognition. While Dylan believed in her ability to make an impression she was also a little humble. Maybe. It was more likely that Elliot was a regular. And regulars knew. “Might be where you’ve seen me.”

One hand remaining firmly in their blazer pockets, Elliot peeked the arm quickly tucked into hers and allowed it to stay there, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dylan.” She guided them towards the lift, the easiest way to the fourth floor, and pressed the call button.

As soon as the Landerwars were mentioned, Elliot nodded with deep understanding. “Right,” they dragged before smiling, feeling a quiet warmth flush their cheeks as she was reminded of Chaaya, “Yes, I know the Landerwars. Not incredibly well, but I’ve done business with them a few times over the years. That must be where I know you from, then.”

It was an awkward shyness that they pushed through, the heat at their cheeks disappearing as soon as it had arrived. “How is it, working for them? Do they look after you well?” she asked before leading them into the open lift as it arrived, and pressed for the appropriate floor.

[elliot-morrissey]

tierney-smudgling​:

The lift slowed to its final stop. “Because you were against using the Jarveys sure,” Tierney recalled now. Elliot was a bleeding heart sort. She’d just bet galleons on a muggle upbringing. “Even though that’d’ve been faster. Kind, aren’t you?”

A trundling cart of books squeaked backward to allow them room to exit, then impatiently hustled in to take their place. As the lift doors closed, Tierney fell into step beside Elliot once more. “People always ask me that,” she said, aiming for worldly. “Especially muggleborns. Old wizarding families can be like that, and with a business as old as ours to boot. Family is everything,” Tierney boasted.

Only her mother burned with the same need to restore the Smudgling house, to make the family whole again, to restore their name to a bastion of safety. To lament the harm done. To have home again. “I feel sorry for people who don’t have that. We trust each other on everything.”

Speaking of coming through for family. “How much further now?”

“Yeah, guess you could say that... I’ll be honest though, I’d sort’ve forgotten they existed. I stepped away from the Wix community for a few years before I became an Auror, and first few weeks back it were kind of like learning everything again, you know?” she replied, allowing Tierney out the lift first and catching up with her.

Elliot couldn’t help but huff out a snuff of laughter as she looked at the floor, shaking her head and quietly assessed how there was a cockiness about Tierney that Elliot knew she had herself as a kid, opting to let her down fairly gently. The kid wasn’t wrong; family really was everything, just sometimes it ended up being the family you found in place of the one you lost. If Elliot had been anyone else, she might have been offended, but time healed wounds and her heart had always been a little soft.

“Ah, that’s a shame then... Would prefer it if you didn’t feel sorry for us lot with no parents, but it’s proper sweet that you do. But we get by; found family’n all that. Even works out better for some people. Me aunt and uncle were good’ns as well, so it’s not all bad,” they added with a light tip of their head, heading them both towards the corridor for the main staff room. Elliot pointed, “Just down here.”

[elliot-morrissey]

poppys-patch​:

Poppy watched Elliot as they sat down, she glanced around the room having felt more than one pair of eyes on her but couldn’t discern the direction.

She sat back in her chair and held her arms around herself and thought over their question, there was a moment before she replied, “I think so yes, or I assume so anyway.”

She paused, “Am I a monster?” She asked, and there it was, the barrier broke and tears rolled down her cheeks only to be quickly wiped away.

“Sorry I just, I don’t know what’s happening to me.” She said and tried to regain her composure, she felt awfully foolish crying in-front of Elliot.

.

Reaching into their inner blazer pocket, Elliot pulled out the small packet of tissues they kept in there for emergencies like this, and handed one over, trying their hardest not to sigh so audibly at how the question winded them. “No, Poppy, you’re not a monster,” she said softly, suddenly feeling very out of her depth. How on earth was she going to explain such a thing? It was bad enough breaking the news to a wix, but to a muggle? Elliot didn’t know how to approach it.

“That’s understandable,” they nodded before commenting lightly, “and I’m sure you have a lot of questions, all which might sound absolutely bonkers, but I can promise you definitely I’ve heard weirder, alright? Trust me, my line of work kind of deals in that sort of thing.” Elliot offered a small, sympathetic smile in an effort to ease the mood; if there was one thing she knew helped lighten the heaviness of such tough topics, it was humor.

“I can be totally honest with you and tell you the straight facts, or get you there gently; it’s up to you. It seems like you already sort of have an idea on what’s happened, but it’s still a hard truth to hear. What I can tell you from the off is that I’m going to get you sorted, alright? I’m gonna help you however I can; you’re not gonna be on your own,” they promised. Elliot already had half an idea on where Poppy could get shacked up for the meanwhile, but didn’t want to risk anyone from the Ministry catching wind of it.

[elliot-morrissey]

tierney-smudgling​:

“God, same!” Tierney laughed, devastating all permissible decibel levels for a lift. Here was someone who understood. She hadn’t been emotionally attached to the bedraggled dark mane she’d carted around until fourth year. Most of it had grown while she’d been sleeping, anyway.

“Too high maintenance. Mum was sending me all these Sleekeazy products, but I just looked like a Kelpie got electrocuted right up–” The lift’s third passenger cleared her throat in alarm. Tierney remembered who she was trying to be right at that moment. She remembered Elliot saying, solid grip. “Up the arse,” she finished, pointedly, right as the third passenger existed the lift.

She openly side-eyed Elliot to gauge her reaction. “Róisín is also my mum. Did you work with her before? On what? Maybe I’ve heard a story.”

Watching as the passenger eyed them as they left, Elliot offered them a quiet and tight-lipped smile that failed miserably as hiding her amusement, bouncing her brows in acknowledgement and farewell as they exited. 

Finally, Elliot let out a laugh, “That’s better than looking like some kind of over-enthusiastic manticore, trust me. I could never be bothered to do anything with it so it were always a mess; just easier to keep it short.”

“Your boss and your mum? How d’you find that dynamic? I mean it’s clear she trusts you to make a good impression if she’s sending you here,” they commented. “Uh, yeah; just for a little bit, you know. Left not too long after I started, but helped show me the ropes. If you’ve heard the one about the absolute twat chasing a pack of gnomes around Hyde Park in their first week after the gits started causing havoc with some Muggle tourists...” Elliot pointed a finger towards their face and feigned minor embarrassment, “That was me.” 

[elliot-morrissey]

poppys-patch​:

Poppy looked up, protective custody?

Who were they protecting her from, she was the…monster. She shuddered at the thought of what happened when she had been broken, stretched; every bone shattered and ligament torn when she turned. Beyond the pain, the blinding seemingly never ending pain there had been a darkness, a lapse in memory and when she awoke she had been naked and afraid.

She looked down at her clothes, all too aware of what she must look like let alone smell like sitting here. This person seemed to want to help though, all others had ran, as had she.

Poppy looked up at Elliot when they asked the question and she nodded, “Yes, that does sound good.” and folded her arms around herself, “M-may I have some water, please?” She asked, not sure of how much she could ask for.

Those that had found her seemed eager to bundle her into their car, and she hadn’t been able to retrieve her backpack of supplies from a hiding spot she’d found under the bridge.

She’d not eaten or drank anything for hours.

Originally posted by emilylkinney

“Sure, we can get you some water too,” Elliot nodded, knowing it wouldn’t take too long to get everything Poppy needed. Ideally, Elliot wanted her out of this room as fast as possible, somewhere more comfortable and familiar, but for the moment this would have to do.

“Now,” Elliot started, settling into their seat and resting their arms against the table, “This is not a strictly formal interview, okay? You’re not being charged with anything, so I want to make it clear to you that should you want to be formally released at any point, you can do so. You just have to say the word and you can leave. With that in mind, protective custody is for your best interest, above anything else.”

They waited patiently for a response, allowing Poppy as much time as she might need to be on the same page. When everything feels so wildly out of place, it can take a while to get your bearings. “Do you know why you’re here?” she asked plainly.

[elliot-morrissey]

tierney-smudgling​:

“I’m Executive Assistant to Róisín Smudgling-Gunne.” Tierney paused, not out of hesitation. Savoring the fucking moment. She’d get used to introducing herself this way, but right then it was still new and glorious. “Tierney Smudgling-Gunne. Meeting with Atlas Rath, Strategy & Intelligence Branch.” 

She fell into step just behind Elliot. “Yes, we’re—” Tierney began to explain, before remembering—oh, shit. Classified shit. “It’s a new joint venture.” Tierney thrilled at knowing something this Auror did not, and couldn’t help herself. “Not even being discussed externally yet.”

As the lift carried them deeper into the Ministry, she eyed Elliot askance. Her chest flooded with a strange feeling: chaotic, instinctual, unsupported by facts. Tierney’s mouth worked, as if chewing over what she saw. “I like your haircut,” Tierney blurted, just as the lift opened to admit another passenger.

Elliot allowed herself to look impressed, smiling at the mention Róisín. The surprise of it all almost made her laugh, but they let it linger in their expression; of course they would be the one of offer help to one of their old colleagues’ employees. “How is Róisín? I’ve not seen her in a while. And how are you related, if you don’t mind me asking? I know she had some kids,” Elliot offered.

Moving next to Tierney to give them both space from the latest passenger, Elliot chuckled. “Thanks, I grew it meself,” she said, flattening the back of her hair with her palm on instinct, “I tried the long hair thing for a while but couldn’t get on with it, too much to manage. I’ve always had it short, so I’m used to it. Yours is a good length, it suits you well.”

[elliot-morrissey]

poppys-patch​:

Poppy gently took the police badge from the Inspector and looked at, turning it over in her hands before setting it down in front of her.

“Poppy will be fine.” she said and looked at the person before her. She hoped she wasn’t in trouble, and if she was then not too much, she couldn’t bear the thought of having to ring her mother and explain well….everything. Poppy looked down at her hands and picked at her nails, dirt was set deep under them. The back of her hands were scarred from foraging and general survival and her clothes, well they weren’t hers, not anymore. It had been tough outside and on her own and after passing through one lunar cycle she’d had to find whatever she could to wear; which currently consisted of a pair of brown cord trousers with holes at the knees and an oversized baggy t-shirt of a band she’d never heard of. Her feet however were bare, shoes were hard to come by, and the soles of her feet were blackened like soot.

Poppy’s blonde hair hung loosely over her shoulders and slightly over her face as she looked down, “Elliot, am I…going to prison?” she asked nervously.

Originally posted by ghorbanis

Elliot’s heart sank at the question, quiet devastation pressing at their chest. They recognised the young woman’s fear, the same one they had endured themselves at a young age when your whole understanding of the world gets thrown into oblivion. Leaning forward, Elliot took her badge back and rested her arms against the table.

“No, Poppy, you’re not. I’m sorry if it’s not been explained to you clearly, so I can understand it might all be a bit confusing, but you’re being held in protective custody as a precaution,” they said, watching to gauge a reaction. It was bloody typical that the other aurors had done a half-arsed job with making an effort to explain to her what was going on. “We’re going to get you sorted with a change of clothes,” she said, gesturing to the side of the room her colleague was silently watching from behind the charmed wall, knowing they’d have to follow up on her instruction as the superior officer, “and we’ll have a chat about why you’re here. Does that sound good to you?”

[elliot-morrissey]

the wolves are out // poppy & elliot

“She’s been here about an hour. We did our best to calm her down—”

“And keeping them in a holding room was supposed to help? Great idea, that,” she interrupted, gaze settling on the generally miserable state of the room ahead of them, the wall charmed in a similar fashion to a two-way mirror. It was a familiar set-up to a typical interview room — a table with chairs — and the gentle frame that occupied one of the seats seemed anything but than dangerous.

“It’s protective custody, Morrissey, it’s not supposed to be nice.”

She shot a glance to her colleague, offended and irritated, before gesturing to the papers they were holding and taking them to hand, “Is that everything we know?”

“Yes. Her name showed up on the registry yesterday, but Merlin only knows how long she’s been turned; just not more than a lunar cycle. We’ve only just managed to track her down, since she wasn’t staying at her home address,” they added.

Flicking through the notes, Elliot sighed — the kid wasn’t even in her twenties yet, barely lived through that abundant youth, let alone a non-wix — and now they had been pulled from their blissful existence and dragged into their world by some reckless idiot. An idiot who had yet to be caught. They ran a hand through their hair in exasperation, rubbing at the back of their neck in an effort to settle their thoughts. There was a grumble of dissatisfaction before they nodded to themselves, preparing to make their way inside by pressing at their clothes and flattening the dark black POLICE lanyard around their neck. Something familiar, they thought, that might help.

Without much delay, Elliot knocked on the door out of politeness more than anything before heading inside, offering a gentle smile to the other person in the room. “Hi,” she said gently, making her way to the chair opposite and pulling out her badge to offer across the table, “I’m Detective Chief Inspector Morrissey — I’m the one handling your case — but you can just call me Elliot. You must be Poppy. Or would you prefer Ms. McGowan?”

@poppys-patch​

[elliot-morrissey]

( rose-tinted )

talk about a childhood memory they used to view as positive, but now see as negative

Towards the end of the summer holidays after my first year of Hogwarts, me mam and dad took me on a picnic. It was nothing special, just to a park down the road where there was this huge playground and long tree line. The weather were gorgeous — we were in our sunnies and everything — and we spent the whole day there, having a kick about and playing on the swings. It was the last proper day we spent together before they died; a good day, but bittersweet to look back on now.

[elliot-morrissey]

aurormax​:

The best Max could manage was a grimace, folding her arms. “Malachi,” She shook her head, throwing her arms in the air, “I’ve lost track at this point. He left his feet with a cell of pedomancer hedge witches in Norwich, so he can kiss them goodbye.” 

She nodded stiffly, and gestured for Elliot to lead the way. She caught stride with them and sighed. “All I’ve done is complain. How’ve you been? I bet the Muggle Liaison Office are begging to have you back by now.”

Elliot nodded slowly in defeat, lips pressed together as they sighed through her nose. “Guess that means coffee is on me, then. And here I was thinking Malachi was the safe bet,” she laughed, shaking at her own poor judgement, “I don’t mind buying terrible Ministry coffee but if you want to properly rinse me then we can go to that Muggle spot down the road, the expensive one?”

Making their way past the fountain and its aged statues, Elliot guided their steps towards the street-level exit, an inkling wriggling in their stomach that Max needed the break as much as they did. “No skin off my back. Would rather you complain than let it fester unspoken, you know?” she said with a gentle shrug to show it was really no bother before continuing, “I’ve been alright. They’ll always have work for me to do but I love the front-line work too much; wouldn’t be caught dead between stacks of Memory Modification Memos. Besides, work’s been a bit messy recently, dunno if it’s been the same for you?”

[mitchellsbeca]