And here's the surprise I've been working on for ages. It's actually written and just will need minor editing for updates (those fans that read my stuff and know my notorious updating problem/writers block). I've had this idea since forever, and I just really love this couple. So, here goes. I hope you review because it will motivate me to post more often and also work on my other stuff. Also, know that at least parts of the plot can be accredited to the amazing author Sophie Kinsella and her novel The Undomestic Goddess. But, I have a few things up my sleeve- as always. So please read, enjoy, and review.
"Are you okay?" comes a voice from my left. I look up, it's that new intern. She obviously hasn't learned not to ask me stupid questions yet.
"I'm fine," I snap, looking up at her with a glare. Her look of dejection actually pricks my conscience, and I quickly amend it with a look of remorse. "I'm just a bit stressed."
"Well you're a bit pale, and I know how much I've seen you in the office these past weeks. I just wondered if there was anything I could do to help. You seem like you need a break," she says with a look of sympathy. And she's right. I'm fairly sure I have reached a whole new level of wretched pitifullness. Hell, I even slept in my office twice last week. I didn't even go home, I just washed up a bit in the loo and smoothed out my robes. No one even noticed. "Maybe you should take a vacation."
When I first started working at Greengrass La'Blanc, I never pictured myself as the workaholic, addicted to my watch, never leave the office type. However, I've gradually come to realize that yes, I have turned into my father. Because when you're a lawyer at Greengrass La'Blanc, you don't sit around. Not even if your father owns half the company. Let's just say when ten minutes of your time is worth 50 galleons, you don't barely go to the loo. And when twenty minutes is 100 galleons. You don't eat lunch. Merlin, you don't even make it back to your flat to sleep. I don't have time for a BREAK, let alone a vacation! Not if I want to prove to my father that yes, witches can work, yes, I am qualified to be a top lawyer, and no, I will not be satisfied with some ridiculous marriage of my mother's contriving.
I'm about to explain all of this to the wonderful Miss Delacour, but before I can, a red airplane lands on my desk. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU! THE FALCON'S ACCOUNT IS BACK ON!" booms my father's voice, and I wince. Getting up, I spill some steaming tea on myself, causing me to curse as it burns through my thick black robes. Grabbing the necessary files, I rush out of my office, leaving a frowning intern in my wake. Running down the hall, I whip out my wand, unsuccessfully trying to get out the stain. Hell… At least my robes are black. A man surely won't notice.
"Ahh, Lady Astoria," says Monsieur La'Blanc as I rush into the conference room. "I see you've brought the contracts, if you could put them on the table…"
"Yes, I've got the draft documentation right here…" I whip out the file and hastily put it on the table.
"You're nearly five minutes late, young Lady Greengrass," points out my father sternly from across the table. Honestly, he's my father, you would think he would address me a little warmer.
"I'm sorry Lord Greengrass, I didn't know this meeting was back on," I reply, hastily sitting down and smoothing my robes, discretely hiding the tea stain.
"Would you mind serving the refreshments?" asks Monsieur La'Blanc. I hide my frown and do as he bids while my father turns slightly purple.
"I sent that intern to get you. It should have taken less than a minute for you to get here." I frown, knowing that Mademoiselle Delacour most likely got distracted, and I don't really want to get her into trouble. She is after all the only other female even working at this firm.
"I'm sorry, I came as soon as I got the message," I say, bowing my head as I pour the tea for the various managers and owners of the esteemed quidditch team sitting in front of me. I was a Cannon's fan myself, back when I had the time for such frivolities, back when I had a life. But that's all in the past, practically forgotten.
We sit down, and the conference convenes. I'm very proud of the contracts I've drawn up, and everything goes smoothly from there. After all, I was well prepared for this meeting before it got canceled, and so when unexpectedly, it is back on… nothing can faze me… not even when after all the work I did on the account to obtain it, my father hands it to Helios, my glory stealing brother… nothing can faze me… I can't let it.
I storm out of the meeting, unexpectedly running into that stupid intern. "Astoria?" I glare at her. "You had a message while you were in the meeting. From Raquel?"
"Raquel from Vertigon Visalli?" she has my attention. "Tell her I got the owl about clause four, and I'll floo her after lunch-"
"Not that Raquel, your house elf. She wanted you to know that your rubbish repository contract needs renewed, in the meantime, she cannot vanish your household… er… rubbish…"
"My what?" I must look like an idiot, but I have no idea what she's talking about.
"Your rubbish repository?"
"Can't she just vanish it?" Gabriella looks at me as if I've grown an extra head. "Oh… err.. I guess I'll get right on that." As I walk away, I shake my head and frown. Honestly, I can picture people vanishing things around the house with a snap of their fingers- the dust build up on the mantel, my half eaten breakfast, the robes I ruined when I was six. But I have never once, in the past year I have been living on my own, given a single thought as to where it all goes. It just… goes, like anything else anyone vanishes. You need a contract for that? No wonder firms like mine make so bloody much. Wait a tick! I don't HAVE a house elf!
"Astoria."
"What? What is it now!" I say spinning on my heel. Great. My brother is standing practically nose to nose with me now. Why can't I just ESCAPE! Helios is my best friend and twin. He's six foot six with the warm tanned skin, wavy dark auburn hair, and brilliant green eyes everyone else in my family proudly possesses. Everyone but me. The white sheep of the family. The ODD one. With the pin straight pale blond hair, and pasty skin that refuses to tan, even in France. The only things that makes me remotely Greengrass-like are my eyes, which instead of being grass green, as they should be, are instead a pale celery color. If one is imaginative, poetic, or especially nice, they might be termed sea foam. And everyone wonders why I want to make a career rather than vie for a husband on the marriage mart with my gloriously beautiful sister Daphne, who in all likelihood will eventually settle down with Antares La'Blanc. The most eligible bachelor in the history of wizard kind. If you ask Daphne. Or anyone at Sorcière Semaine, the French equivalent of witch weekly. Or most importantly, my mother.
"You seriously need to relax, it's just me. Sorry 'bout the meeting," he says.
"It's fine," I reply. But we both know it isn't. That was supposed to be my case. And it was passed to him for one reason, and one reason only. He's a boy. And he's father's heir. And I'm a daughter. Actually that's three reasons, but really they make up the same reason. It's the same reason I won't make partner.
"You deserve it you know," he confides referring to the announcement that will be made tomorrow. That he will be the youngest partner ever at our firm, and it really isn't just because he's daddy's little heir. That's only half of it. The other half being that they give him credit for twice as much work as he actually does, even when he tries to refuse to accept it as his own. Sometimes I hate how people treat twins as single entities.
"Don't say that. You know I would never be made partner. I'm just a stupid girl remember?"
"What's 124 times 75?" he asks.
"Nine thousand, three hundred," I say with a glare.
"What are the properties of dragon's blood?"
I also manage to rattle these off while rolling my eyes.
"And what are the ingredients to a shrinking solution?"
"Why do I need to tell you all this?" I say, finally done with his little trivia game.
"Just pointing out you're the brightest witch I know, and deserve partner over me, even if dad won't give it to you." He gives me a hug. "You're far from stupid Tori. I should know, I used to cheat off your potions homework."
"Helios!" I start to protest. He is awful smart too.
"How many NEWTs did take again?" he says cocking an eyebrow.
"Eight…" I scowl. Arithmancy, Astronomy, Muggle Studies, History, Herbology, Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"And how many O's did you get?" he says with an even bigger smile.
"Eight… but don't forget I still managed to fail my…"
"And we both know charms doesn't count because you were hopeless to even try anyway. Even if you did fail the OWL… twice…" I glare at him for bringing it up. "You're brilliant."
"Anyways, don't we have a meeting, dearest brother?" I say switching the topic from my abysmal charms marks.
"Dearest sister, I do believe we do," he says taking my arm and leading me to our next meeting.
Nine hours later the meeting finally gets out. I'm drained, as are my brother and father, but that doesn't mean anything to my mother who is expecting us for dinner. I sigh, looking at my watch, realizing I won't have time to change from my robes, which are still stained with tea from this morning, but now also have a bit of jam on them. She'll notice.
I know we're already going to be late, so I hurriedly free my hair and try and use a quick curling charm. Inevitably, my hair frizzes out and turns into a bigger mess than before. I should know better than to use charms on it. My hair has never exactly been my pride and joy. Unlike Daphne's beautiful mass of curls and beauty, it's a bit limp, and certainly not as pretty as hers. Most of the time I try to hide it in a bun of some kind. As if that will disguise the fact that it's blonde… the color of stupidity. Really, Daphne is the stupid one. She got one Outstanding- in charms. And my mother never let me forget it.
Arriving home, to our Parisian townhouse, I wince at the sound of my mother's voice. She isn't happy.
"Astoria! You look a positive mess! Honestly, working so much I barely ever see you. And I stopped by your flat today. I had my house elf Raquel go clean up a bit. It was a positive disaster!" That's my mother, forever interfering into my life. She strongly disapproves of my living on my own, and the way I keep my apartment. She also disapproves of my job, and the fact that I'm not currently seeing anyone. In fact, the only way she would ever approve of me would be if I miraculously morphed into Daphne. That'll happen. As if I want to chase around inbred pureblood men with one thing on their minds and spend the rest of my time shopping, primping, and ordering around house elves. HAH!
One can see why I was never sorted into Slytherin. I was ambitious all right, but not dead set on nabbing the first rich husband I could find. I just want to prove myself to my father, and her, that I can be successful.
"Daddy! Helios! Astoria!" says Daphne, gliding into the parlor as mum frets with the ash on our robes from flooing. She gives us each a kiss on the cheek, helping mum with soot removing charms. I smile at her as she does a quick stain removal on mine, not that mother hasn't already seen the stains. Maybe if I'm extra nice, she'll fix my hair. I really do love my sister. I'm just a little jealous. I mean, if she wasn't already so perfect at being a daughter, I could be the best daughter possible. But there's no competing with Daphne. So I guess I'm trying to be a son? No, that's not right, dad has Helios. Nevermind, I'm not psychoanalyzing myself, I could pay a shrink to do that.
We troop into the dining room, which is already laid out with the first course, and suddenly I'm ravenous. When was the last time I ate? I had some kind of scones that were served during the meeting, hence the jam on my robes, but… I had a cup of tea this morning, and last night I had… leftover take out? No, that was the night before.
I make it through the first three courses without attracting too much attention, most of it is focused on Helios and his promotion occurring tomorrow, and the party tomorrow night in his honor. However, by the end of the third course, the attention is turned to Daphne who has an announcement.
"I have an interesting bit of news," she says, drawing my mother's immediate attention. Knowing so, she takes a sip of wine to draw out the moment and create some suspense. I know all of Daph's tricks. "Antares," she pauses again. "Thinks that it's about time," she pauses again, and I swear mum is going to wet herself. "That we got married." She taps her left hand with her wand and shoves a giant diamond engagement ring under our noses with a huge grin.
Chaos ensues. By the time our dessert arrives, my mother has cried twice, kissed everyone at the table three times, and exclaimed over the ring, and how he proposed. Conversation has progressed from a possible engagement party, to its details, the details of the wedding, the reception, honeymoon, and where they are planning to build their manor, all the way to how many children they're planning and what they want to name them. Antlia Dione and Atlas Hesperus, in case you were wondering.
I hungrily spoon the chocolate mousse dessert into my mouth to avoid comment, hoping I can leave before conversation inevitably turns to me. Mum turns to me and I know I haven't escaped in time. "Astoria, I raised you better than that, you look like a chipmunk. Ladies do not shovel food into their mouths like barbarians. Really, you're behaving like a positive muggle!" I swallow apologetically and begin taking smaller bites and sit a little straighter. She's right you know. I was raised to behave like a perfect pureblood princess. I just forget sometimes.
"Now, when are you going to forget your positively ridiculous idea of being a lawyer, and settle down with a nice pureblood boy, like Daphne? I mean, it wouldn't be that hard, you could start wearing some nicer robes, like Daphne's, and start going to some of the parties, like Daphne does, and you could make some nice friends, like Daphne's. You really haven't been very social since we moved from England."
Did I mention we left England when I was a fifth year to escape the impending war? Father always worked in France, and with the threat of death eaters, and the pressure to choose a side, the cowardly (albeit Slytherin-like) Greengrass family moved away. On the pretense that Father was tired of international flooing twice a day. And so Daph, Lio, and I finished our schooling at Bauxabatons. And we stayed here after the war to avoid pureblood prejudice back in England when it was over.
"Yes," joins in father, this conversation obviously rehearsed. "I've been meaning to talk to you. You need to settle down, there are lots of very nice young men at the firm for you to settle down with. Speaking of the firm, I'd like to have a meeting tomorrow, my office, nine AM. Sharp."
"Yes father," I reply demurely, wondering what he could possibly want to talk to me about. Perhaps a small promotion is in order, and he has seen all of the things I've been doing lately. Across the table, it looks as if Helios is thinking the same thing, as he flashes me a smile and a wink.
"Really, all that work you do is ridiculous!" starts mother. "You look positively dead, it's obvious you aren't eating properly! If you want your figure to fill out nicely like Daphne's you should be eating regularly, not just drinking that caffeinated tea like you do. And spend a bit of time in the sunshine darling, you're paler than a boiled egg! And whatever did you do to your hair? You should go to the salon that Daphne has been going to. Yasmin is her new stylist."
"I uh… tried to charm it this afternoon, normally it doesn't look quite this bad, and really mum, I've been eating… and I was thinking about a… uhhh… weekend at the beach… with friends…. Soon." She doesn't look convinced.
"I just want what's best for you darling," she says looking at Daphne. What she means is she wishes I was Daphne. I sigh…. I'm never going to be the perfect daughter. "If you don't hurry up and find a nice man, your father and I might have to do it for you."
"I er, yes mum… May I be excused, I have a long day tomorrow, and it's getting late," I say to avoid further conversation. I was never part of the plan, a boy and a girl, just like Daphne wants. I was a tag along twin with Helios, and my mother will never be able to deal with me, especially since I'm not exactly what she thinks is ideal for a daughter. For all the praise and love that mum and dad pile on Daphne and Helios and their accomplishments, I'll never be enough. If I let them start a rant now, I'll be lectured until midnight on properness, and what I should be doing with my life. I hate being the youngest.
"See if you lived at home like Daphne you wouldn't have to worry about getting back to that dreadful apartment of yours. By the way, I've decided to give you your old elf Dotty to help you take care of it. I can't have you living like that and you obviously aren't eating well." I nod and hug everyone goodbye, congratulating Daphne again, and wishing Helios luck tomorrow at his promotion meeting.
Tell me what you thought please! ~Elaine