"Mrs. Malfoy, your home is absolutely beautiful!" Dani exclaimed as she walked back into the opulent sitting room. Narcissa Malfoy sat on the small love seat sipping from a delicate tea cup.
"Thank you, dear. And please, Danika, you must call me Narcissa. I won't tell you again." she chided with a smile on her aristocratic face.
"Okay, Narcissa. Please just call me Dani, everyone else always has." Dani said as she sat down on one of the high backed victorian chairs across from the love seat.
Narcissa placed her tea cup on the coffee table between them and cleared her throat. She looked into Dani's eyes and said, "Dani, I wanted to speak with you in person about the job offer because I believe one can tell far more about a person's character face-to-face than in a letter. You see, my family, and my late husband's family, have a history that is marred with darkness. Often, my son and I encounter people who will say, and do, anything to insinuate themselves into our lives for many nefarious reasons. Money, notariety, gossip, and even information about our family members, past and present, and their exploits are just some of the reasons people have found their way into our lives. My husband was involved with Voldemort and was a convicted Death Eater, my sister and her husband were as well. Both of our families were prejudiced against anyone that was not of pure blood descent. I make no excuses for their actions, I never have. They were wrong. It is as simple as that. I do not excuse them, nor do I follow by their examples now that I have a choice in the matter. Since I began taking applications for this position, I have encountered several individuals that thought that I would appreciate their horrid ideals as my husband would have. So I must ask you now, before we go any further, why you want this job and what your personal feelings are on a few topics. Is this agreeable?"
"Of course you may ask me anything. I'm an open book." Dani said with a smile. She had done research on Narcissa Malfoy before she wrote to her to ask about the job in the first place. Dani didn't want to jump in blindly without any idea of who she would be living and working with. "I want this job because I've always wanted to see what the wizard world was like here. It seems far different from our lives in America. I love history and writing, as I told you in my letters, which would come in handy when, if chosen, I begin to help you write your biography and that of you family. Also..." Dani took a deep, calming breath to gather her courage before disclosing the main reason for her wanting this job so far from home. "I recently dealt with a very harsh personal issue. I found out that my sister was having an affair with my boyfriend of seven years. We were planning to get engaged, but he seemed like he was putting it off, and she kept telling me to be patient and wait for him to be ready to settle down. One night, I came home early from visiting my brother and his wife to find Brian and Diana... "
Dani had to stop. The pain was still there, not as sharp as it had been three months before, but there. To make matters worse, now Brian and Diana were engaged! And not only that, but Diana had somehow found the nerve to ask Danika to be her maid of honor! Seven years she spent with him, nursing him through illnesses, supporting him when he left job after job, allowing him to run her life, destroy her friendships, ruin her chances at more fantastic jobs than she cared to remember through his rudeness and bad behavior toward her would be employers, and for what? For him to shack up with her twin sister, in Dani's house no less! It infuriated her to to end. Just thinking about him, them, and the whole situation made her see red.
"Oh dear!" Narcissa exclaimed.
"They became engaged about a month after I threw him out of my house, and then my sister had the nerve to come to me wanting advice about how to deal with him and asking me to stand beside her during their wedding." Dani looked the woman squarely in the eye and said, "I just couldn't stay there. Not out of jealousy, honestly I'm pleased as punch to finally be done with the controlling jerk, but because my own sister, my twin, betrayed me in such a way. It was just too much for me. I had to get away and England seems plenty far enough. Even if you decide not to give me the job, I won't be returning to America any time soon."
Narcissa seemed to be thinking everything Dani had told her over. She picked up her tea cup and took a few thoughtful sips before giving Dani a sad smile.
"I can honestly say my heart breaks for you, dear Dani. I can only imagine how their betrayal felt for you. Sometimes, it is one's family that can cut one the deepest." her eyes seemed to hold shadows within their depths. Dani knew that this woman had been hurt by her family in some way. Dani's research had not turned up much beyond the basic facts about the Malfoy and Black families, so she had no idea as to what wounds the woman had endured in her past.
"Thank you for your sympathy, ma'am. But I don't want to be considered for the postion because of my sad life story, I just wanted you to understand why I'm here in the first place. The simple answer is: to get away and start a new, simpler life."
"Oh I understand that perfectly, dear. Now, on with the interogation." Narcissa said with a smile. Dani was glad to be moving away from the topic. "What are you feelings toward equality?"
"I think everyone is equal, no matter what. And everyone deserves to be treated with respect: regardless of skin, heritage, preferences, gender, religious affiliation, or anything else. My only issues are with ignorant people, those who choose to not know something; and people who refuse to give someone else equal rights for one of the idiotic reasons I mentioned before." Dani told her. With a smile she added, "I also don't particularly enjoy the company of people that dislike books and reading."
"Good. I agree completely. With everything you said. Especially the book comment." Narcissa gave a hearty laugh as she chose a small cookie from the plate on the table. "And what are your feelings on gossip?"
"Well I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy listening to a bit of gossip about someone I dislike, but I do hate to hear someone telling lies about another person. I detest lies. And when I hear gossip about someone I know I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut. I tend to correct people when they are misinformed, if you know what I mean." It was true, Dani was known for putting liars in their place and making sure that any misinformation the gossips were spreading was corrected before shutting them down completely. She saw nothing wrong with harmless gossip, Who's dating who? or Did you hear about so-and-so's little accident at work yesterday?, but Dani hated for it to get out of hand.
"Well I certainly cannot fault you there." Narcissa laughed again, "I'm a horrible gossip at times, but I know where to draw the line between harmless and hurtful, as I'm sure you do."
"Oh, yes ma'am. Having been on the wrong side of that line myself, I can tell you it makes it very easy to stay on the safe side of a good gossipy chat."
"I had a few other questions, but I think I can guess what your answers would be from out conversation so far," she took a final sip before sitting her cup down and waving her wand to make it disappear. "Although I do find it odd that you don't like drinking tea," she grinned at Dani again, "I feel that you are an upstanding young woman. And from my perspective, you may fit in nicely here with us at the manor."
"Thank you for the compliment, Narcissa. You seem to be a wonderful woman, and I would be honored to be given the opportunity to work with you on this project and stay here in your lovely home for the duration of my employment." The job came with room and board, and since Dani had no where to go other than a hotel room, that made the job even more enticing. Hell, just getting paid to help the woman research her family history and write a biography about herself and her family was more than Dani could hope for. She enjoyed writting, research, and geneology. This job was perfect for her, and it would keep her away from home for at least a year, which just added a cherry on top as far as she was concerened.
"Well then, if you still want the job, it's yours." Narcissa said simply.
"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy... Narcissa. I promise I will be as helpful as possible and do my level best to ensure that your book is finished on time. You won't regret this, I swear." Dani said excitedly as she stood to shake the woman's hand. Now she had a chance to finally make a name for herself in the wizarding world. Danika Jones, author. It had a lovely ring to it. Now nothing could go wrong. She had a job doing what she loved, she seemed to have made a new friend in Narcissa, and she was far away from any male distractions. Everything was working out perfectly.
"You are more than welcome, Dani. Now, just let me double check with the house elves about your room and I will escort you upstairs. I do hope you like the room I've chosen for you, but if not, there are a number of other rooms to chose from. You can pick any one you wish."
"Whatever room you chose will be fine, I don't want to inconvenience you by having to have another room made ready. After all, all I really need is a bed, a pillow, and my book collection and I'm basically at home anywhere." And it was true, Dani wasn't one for worrying about material things. She was a simple woman, and far less picky than either of her sisters when it can to her choices.
"Nonsense! You can pick any one. I just felt the need to have one readied near the library. If you want another room for your stay we can always use this one as a smaller working area." Narcissa called to her as she made her way out into the hallway. "I'll be back shortly, dear. Help yourself to a few cookies while you wait." And with that she was gone.
Dani sat down again, chose a cookie from the plate, and began to nibble on it as she thought about the events of the day and the events that had lead her to this job in the first place. She was so lost in thought that she almost missed the roar coming from the fireplace at the end of the room. The green flames of the Floo system died abruptly and and a tall man stepped into the room.
He was strikingly beautiful, pale with white-blonde hair. An angular face with gray eyes turned to face her. He seemed to be surprised by her. Dani's heart stopped for a moment and she forgot to breath when he cocked his head to the side as if considering her. This must be her son. What was his name? Dani searched her memory for the man's name. She knew it. She just couldn't seem to think with him looking at her like he was. God he's gorgeous! Dani felt her cheeks begin to turn red and that spurred her into aciton. She stood and took a step towards him with her hand out in front of her. She stopped when she noticed that the man had removed his want from his pants pocket and was pointing it at her.
"Who the fuck are you and what in the bloody hell are you doing in my house?"he shouted at her.