Minerva stared over the tops of her spectacles at her visitor. The elegant form of Narcissa Malfoy was a vision in pale lilac and silver. Her hair upswept in a carefully messy coif of trailing curls. The robes Mrs. Malfoy was wearing were worth more then Minerva had made in her first year of teaching. She added a visit to her tailor onto her mental to do list.

"Thank you for responding so promptly to my invitation. Mrs. Malfoy. Do sit down , would you care for some tea while I discuss the reason for this visit?" Minerva sighed mentally as she wondered how many of the seventh year boys would develop infatuation for this young woman merely by seeing her.

" I was eager for the chance to see my husband again, it is a few weeks until his leave." Narcissa was quite sincere, this was her chance to see her family one last time. She had determined to exit this realm before there was even a whisper of the illness attached to her family.

" I would like to offer you the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts position. I know you are aware of the curse on the position, even thought the likelihood of it still being attached to the post is slim . This would only be for this year, the current roister of teachers are having to work long hours trying to cover the classes left vacant by the Carrows. I really need to obtain a Muggle studies teacher as well." Minerva sipped her Earl Gray tea as she peeked at her guest's reaction.

" I am, well I…pardon me Headmistress, this is such a surprise. I would need to consult with my husband on this matter before I can consider this offer." Narcissa replied quietly.

"Besides I have no prior experience in teaching, other then preparing Draco for Hogwarts." It was considered the duty of the family to prepare the children for the hexes and curses they might encounter from their schoolmates. Some families hired it done, but the elite had a unique approach. They would tutor their children their selves as a mark of status and power. Family curses and obscure hexes were guarded and passed to the children like treasures. The Black family was renowned for their inventive curses and well of power. Each purebred family passed down their own set of curses and hexes to their heirs. The Weasley family was known to have passed a Bat Bogey hex for seven generations, and it had not as yet been circumvented with a counter yet. The Black family had some ultra secret hexes in their repertoire as well.

Minerva set her tea aside. " There is a standard set of curses and hexes in the current curriculum. I would not expect family hexes to become widely known. Just some straightforward counters, shields, and remedies to be communicated to the students. With few exceptions this position has also been cursed with incompetence as well as the single year of teaching. I know what type of marks you had in school, as well as the level of preparation which Draco arrived at school with. I also know how thinly stretched the staff is currently. This may be the only chance you have of seeing you family in the near future."

" Is that a threat Headmistress? " Narcissa's chin lifted and her eyes narrowed. She was determined to see her husband and son, she was so close.

" No lass, it is merely the simple truth. I canna let staff members gallivant about the country and leave the school exposed." Minerva sighed her brogue heavy in her words. " Your husband requested last night that he needed to see you on some matter of urgency." There were still hostile elements which made threats even after the death of Voldemort. Lucius received a huge amount of howlers from both sides of the war. Minerva was afraid if he left the confines of the school before some were rounded up that she would then be hunting for another potions professor as well. The staffroom was well warded so that the students did not hear the language some of the howlers contained.

" Is Draco …what…may I speak to him now please?" Narcissa pleaded.

" Please consider the offer Mrs. Malfoy, I do believe we would all benefit from your presence here."

Minerva once again reiterated. " I also think that even though you were neutral that it will go far to showing the commitment you all have to making things right in our society."

Narcissa only nodded the only sign of any stress was the thinning of her lips as she gracefully left the room.

The Former Headmaster Phineas Black watched his descendant leave . " The girl has steel in her, she was a flighty thing in her youth but the war has changed her into a true Black."

" Hush, it is not her Black lineage we need to play up now Phineas, but her ties to Andromeda and her society position." Albus Dumbledore chortled.

" Why do I feel as if you both have manipulated me into offering this appointment? When I asked for suggestions there were no other candidates suggested." Minerva frowned.

" This is what we need to have happen now, my dear. There are several good things which will happen if you allow things to unfold naturally." Dumbledore twinkled from the painting.

" Well then ladies and gentlemen, perhaps you can suggest a new muggle studies professor as well?"

Minerva smirked as the majority of the paintings groaned in their frames. Muggle studies was always the hardest one to fill. " We may need to advertise for this one…."

I wanted to thank all my readers, and I am curious about where everyone lives and the age group reading it. You don't have to sign a review but I would really like it if you put your age and general location down. I am in awe of all the UK traffic on my stats page. I know I have made some language gaffs....LOL

This will be replaced with a beta read version, we she catches up with real life.