Ministry of Magic, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, Ghost Office.
The member of staff on duty stared eagerly at the flames rising in the fireplace. After quite a while, the office director's face slowly emerged, wearing an expression of displeasure at being called by a subordinate after working hours. Naturally so: today was the director's monthly day to enjoy his "soft, fluffy, fragrant, warm, puff-puff baa-baa marshmallow bath." Anyone tactless enough to disturb him at a time like this could expect to have life made difficult for them. They would be lucky not to go straight onto the pay-cut list.
Normally, the employee would have bowed his head and apologized before getting down to business, lest his career prospects grow ever narrower. Today was an exception. He spoke before the director could. "Boss, Minister Fudge has sent us an urgent assignment. We all need to mobilize today, bring our capture equipment, and hurry to Hogwarts to catch-catch a rather unusual ghost."
"Minister Fudge?" The director's fiery face flickered a few times and moved a little farther out of the fireplace-presumably he had stepped out of the bath. Somewhat baffled, he said, "Haven't the ghosts at Hogwarts always behaved themselves? Even if one of them were causing trouble, surely it wouldn't be our place to intervene?"
As far as he was concerned, the only ghost at Hogwarts who caused trouble was that damned Peeves. Strictly speaking, Peeves was not a ghost, but the Ministry would not set up a whole office just for him, so he came under their jurisdiction too.
But even if Peeves caused trouble, Hogwarts' current headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, could immediately bring him into line. There was no doubt about that. Back when the director had attended Hogwarts as a young man, he had