A Game of Discourse

[Astrid Parkinson]

• Astrid pursed her lips; she had hoped more of the ladies might chime in. Resolving to give the schoolgirls the benefit of the doubt, the witch chalked the other girls’ silence up to nerves—after all, it was not an ordinary conversation by any measure.
  
  Miss Tinker, she thought, was perhaps being a bit melodramatic, but Astrid supposed she herself would have been livid had she been forced into a secretarial position instead of one of importance. The farmer aside, Astrid was either not surprised or decidedly pleased with the responses she did receive: plainly, these were all capable girls.
  
  “Suitability for women,” Astrid offered to Miss Beauregard, “is rather subjective; I am not overly keen on women in law enforcement—lawyers excepted,” she gave a nod to Miss Baker “—but I daresay a case could be made for any other occupation in the institution.”
  
  With a bright smile of reassurance, she asked “Did any of you have questions for me?”

  

[Gertrude Baker]

Gertrude responded first. She was quite glad to ask a question first and jumped at the opportunity, she only hoped she didn't across too eager. "Perhaps not the kind of question you were expecting," Gertrude admitted "But I was just curious about what prompted you to start this scheme? I know you said in the paper last week that you think education is very important, but why this in particular?"

It was a strange question, and maybe not particularly appropriate, but as she had said - she was curious and she had never been one to ignore her curiosity.

  

[Lavender Tinker]

Lavender wondered what to ask Mrs. Parkinson, something that would be proper and seem intellectual. She really wanted to get that scholarship. She didn’t want to drop out after her fifth year and if she didn’t get it that would be the case. She would never be able to do what she wants after it.

"It is very hard for women to make it in the ministry… Have you met with any setbacks because of your gender? How have you learned to deal with them?”

  

[Tamsin Skeeter xx]

It did not seem like the whole thing was going in Tamsin’s favour. She missed her opportunity to tell what her family thinks about this – probably because she never asked. Truth be told she never cared for an occupation, she didn’t even care that much about the school. She cared about prestige and she wanted to be the best so she could someday marry an heir. Preferably upper class one. She needed to think of something so that Mrs. Parkinson doesn’t see her through. She needed to ask something that will be appropriate, but will not seem like she is sucking up.

”How did you manage to successfully combine being a dutiful mother and wife with a career in ministry? Do you have any advice regarding this?”

  

[Zelda Fisk]

Zelda Ophelia Fisk

"Did you ever have any trouble convincing the men to take you seriously?" Zelda asked. Percy and Frank and Jack and Oliver - and maybe their shadow, she supposed - took her seriously, (well, as seriously as she could be taken,) but they were her friends, not her underlings. Or worse; her superiors.

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tag: ladiesssss outfit: clothes notes: yes

  

[Effie McLeod]

When Mrs Parkinson asked about what the girl’s parents thought of their future goals. Effie lowered her head toward her chest, and started to fiddle with the hem of her borrowed dress. For the young ravenclaw her parents were a touchy subject, especially when it came to her father. When he passed on Effie was just a child, and barely remembered what the man looked like. What she did remember of him was that he was a respectable man, an honest and hard working man. He cared about his family, deeply, and he was proud of his work. Effie remembered how highly he used to speck of the MacFusty's, and how honoured and thankful he was to them that they had taken care of his family as much as they had done.

Any other family would have most likely treated their lower class servants much poorly. But the MacFusty's were better than all the rest, and treated the McLeod's with respect and kindness. Even after Effie's father's death at the hands of a dragon. The family allowed the remaining family members to stay in their house, and they even offered to pay for the children's schooling. But Effie's mother wouldn't have it, and she insisted that her family's education was something she'd try and take care of. It was one of the many reasons why Effie pushed herself much harder than anyone else in her year.

As the subject was moved on to something else. Effie gave a slight sigh of relief, and took a sip from her water to fix her dried lips. While the other girls started to ask their questions for Mrs Parkinson. Effie placed her drink back on the table, and looked around at everyone while she tried to think of a decent question. Most of the questions she thought of had been asked already, and there was very little that Effie could think of that she could ask that would set her apart from all the rest. But after a moment of quiet contemplation. Effie bit the corner of her mouth, exhaled a soft breath, and looked down the table at Mrs Parkinson.

"Why did you decide to run for the minister position? Is it to honour the former minister within your family?" Before coming here today. Effie buffed up on her history, and noted that there was a minister by the name of Parkinson that was in office a few years ago. That Parkinson was also a female minister, one of the first if Effie remembered correctly. The young ravenclaw couldn't help but wonder if this whole campaign was some kind of way for Mrs Parkinson to respect her heritage, and carry on a family tradition of some kind.

  

[Astrid Parkinson]

• So many questions! Astrid was glad to see that, even if they had not necessarily all thought through their plans, the young ladies were at least curious. It boded well for them, and helped showcase their intellect: as long as a question was not stupid, it was evidence of a curious mind, and curious minds tended to learn more readily. One by one, Astrid nodded at each young lady as she responded to their questions, though she addressed the group as a whole when she spoke.
  
  “As you have all acknowledged,” she began to Miss Baker, “it is difficult to see a woman excel professionally. I simply hope that, in cementing the education of one or more of you, you will use that education to break out of that cycle. And Miss Fisk,” she added wryly, “not a day goes by that some fool doesn’t think I ought to be planning a tea party instead!”
  
  Miss Tinker’s question was much more apt, she thought, and so Astrid answered it with a bit more conviction. “There are always men who think that a woman in the workplace is good as no more than a secretary. Each woman counters this belief in different ways, but we must all do so with dignity: if you are going to be a woman in the Ministry, be a woman in the Ministry. Do not try to associate with the men as their peer, because you are not. Men have liberties that we do not, and we must always remember this.”
  
  “And Miss Skeeter,” she turned next to the Hufflepuff, “I was never a wife whilst I was employed. I believed—and I cannot yet judge if this belief was right or wrong—that to be a proper wife, a woman must remain in the home. It was not until after my dear husband passed that I returned to the Ministry. Motherhood, though, was a challenge, and I believe strongly that the arrangement can be made or broken by the support one has, be it by staff in my case or by family in some of yours, to care for the children when you cannot.
  
  Astrid paused for a moment, thinking, before answering Miss McLeod’s question.
  
  “My mother’s position as Minister of Magic is the reason I sought to work at all, but it is not the reason I chose to ran. I believe that I am the right woman for the job, and as someone who has dedicated so many years to the Ministry, I would have thought it selfish not to run. I am very aware of the uphill battle that I face, but I do it with the belief that any victory I obtain would be to the betterment of our society.”
  
  The witch rose to her feet.
  
  “I thank you all for coming, and I am happy to have met each of you. You will be informed by owl before long if you have received the scholarship, though I wish each and every one of you the best of luck in the future. Please do not hasten to leave—do so at your leisure; I simply must return to work.”
  
  With one last look at each of her candidates, the witch disapparated with a sharp pop!, mind full of much to consider.

You can continue to post if you like. Once two weeks have gone by with no replies, I’ll archive this!

  

[Lavender Tinker]

This whole thing was like a dream to Lavender and Mrs. Parkinson seemed such a nice woman. She hoped one day she might become respectable as well. She’d need help from somebody of course and so she really hoped Mrs. Parkinson will choose her.
As the lady decided to leave Lav got a bit sad, but understood it – work above everything.
”It was a pleasure and honor to meet you, Mrs. Parkinson.” She said trying to muster up as much confidence as possible.