I was about to get ready and take a bath, when Dilly popped into my bedroom. She looked pissed off and frustrated. I ask,"Dilly, what's wrong?"
"Cooks are mean to house elves. Won't do it like Mistress wants. Won't listen to Dilly." She stomps her foot.
"Well, you come with me and I will set them straight on who's the boss and who's in charge." I took her by the hand and we matched into the kitchen together.
"Hey!", I yelled. I got everyone's attention. "I set up specific and through instructions on how this cooking and catering is to be done. My house elf Dilly is in charge over everything to make sure it's all done the exact way I want it. I do not give a damn how you want things done. I hired all of you to do a very specific job and you all agreed under contract. If you can't work with my house elves in a respectful manner, then you are in breach of contract and you will not be paid and I will be refunded in full. It's in the contract for both of your companies. So start listening when Dilly tells you what to do. This is my party not yours or like others you may have worked for. If you have a problem, there's the door. I am paying all of you top dollar not to screw this up. So it's up to you. If I hear you complain or do anything again, not my way, you will be sent home and I will file a serious complaint against unprofessional behavior. Do I make myself clear?" They looked at me and said yes, all of them. I saw one cook look ticked off. I guess the trouble maker. I walked out of the kitchen and went around the corner to listen.
"Well us caterer's don't have a problem. Let's get busy." One person said.
"Well I never did a layout of my cooking like that before, the Malfoy's and Rookwood's always had it done in a pan with garnishment. I have never had to lay it out in a pattern on a platter. It's ridiculous!" I guess the cook said.
"Nettie, whether you think it's ridiculous or not, that's how we are doing it, so stop your whining and just do it. I, for one, want the money for this job. It's good money. It is better than Malfoy or Rookwood ever paid us." The other cook said. The prep cook agreed with her.
"Fine." The obstinate cook said.
Dilly said,"Good! Dining room laid out first. Then, other area for snacks by bars. Tables and cloths all there. Come, bring ready snacks fill tables. Cold snacks wait. 2 hours left only."
"Damn bossy rodent." The cook muttered.
I came around the corner and said,"Say that again! I want to hear what you just said about my house elf! How dare you!" I looked at the other cook and the prep cook. "Can you two handle this alone?" They looked at Nettie.
"Yes, we can do it. We won't let you down." I looked at Nettie.
"You're fired, get your personal belongings. I am walking you out the gate, right now. Your coworkers will be getting bonuses by splitting your pay for the night between them. Come on, I don't have all damn day!" I shouted at the end to make her move. She was pissed. I walked her straight to the gate.
She turned and said,"You're a bitch and you're elves are not to be treated above their station and talk to people like that. You freak!"
"You will be getting a complaint filed against you, you hateful bitch. You're uncooperative, unprofessional and your a bigoted asshat. Now leave my property or you will be charged with trespassing." I set the Ward to repel her. By the time I went to the door and her shouting obscenities, I saw her apparate away. Bitch.
I went back in and went to my bedroom and took a bath. I got dressed and did my hair. I left my makeup for last. I went to check on Gen. Severus came out of the lab and asked me about all the shouting. I told him I fired a cook for treating Dilly mean and not doing things my way. I said I am splitting her pay as bonuses between the two other cooks. He laughed,"You always find a way to even it out. I hope you said that in front of her before you kicked her out?"
"You know it." I grinned and rubbed my nose against his. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me.
I broke the kiss and said,"I have to check on Gen. You need to dress Harry for me, please honey?" He let go and said ok.
He started down the hall, stopped and turned to say,"You look beautiful in that dress, my love."
I curtseyed and said in a southern accent,"Why thank you, kind sir. Y'all are too sugar sweet, ta little ol' me." I fluttered my lashes at him. He started laughing down the hall to Harry's room.
I knocked on Gen's door. She opened the door and let me in. She was in a slip and said,"I don't know what to do with my hair."
"Let's get your dress and jewelry on and I can help you with the rest, baby." I hugged her.
She got on all her clothes and jewelry. I told her to leave shoes for later like me, her feet will thank me. I curled and pinned her hair in a curly piled up doo with a few little curled tendril hanging down. I did her makeup and she looked lovely. When she looked in the full length mirror in her room she started to cry.
I said,"No, no baby, you'll wreck your makeup I did. No crying, got it?" I grinned at her. She nodded and smiled.
"Look grown up. I never felt so pretty before. Thank you mum. I love you." She hugged and kissed me.
"Ok sugar, I have to go do my makeup now, see ya in a few minutes." I went to my room and did my makeup.
A little while later after I ran my ass off making sure everything was good and done up nice, I got my shoes on before the guests were to arrive. The coatcheckers we're ready and had everything set up.
I was greeting everyone coming in with Severus by my side. After a while, everyone got here and we got drinks and talked to everyone. Everyone complimented the house, the food, our clothes, ect. You know, politeness. The staff really pulled it all off without a hitch in the plan. I was impressed. We ate and danced. We drank and laughed. Even our kids had fun. I got everyone a personalized gift or general gift. I labeled them all under a tree in the ballroom. It was so much fun. We got host gifts too from a few people. Clive and Amelia danced all evening. Devon danced with a few women. Even Sid had fun laughing and playing around. It was a great success.
One of the caterer's said they knew of a muggle homeless shelter that could take the extra food off our hands. She said she could come tomorrow and pick it up. I was very impressed with her and told her she was a truly good person. I asked if I could give them a cash donation to the shelter too. She said that it was kind and she would do it for me. I told her it's anonymous and I don't want any credit. She smiled and said,"You're a nice lady mam. Nobody else in the wizard community would care about muggles."
I said,"I know, but I am not like any of those snooty people. I have made friends with people who come from every walk of life and love them all. You can come by around 1 or 2pm if it's convenient?" I was walking her out to the gate with my cloak on.
She laughed,"I bet you have. I can see that in how you treated your house elves to your variety of house guests. I'll see you tomorrow at 2pm, mam. Merry Christmas."
I went down to my lab and got an envelope, a couple pieces of paper and went to my bedroom and took £10k out of my purse. I wrapped it up in paper and taped it, before sticking it in the big envelope. I wrote a note telling them Merry Christmas and to use it well to save lives. I put it back in my purse for tomorrow. Severus and I took all the presents out to the tree and put them under and around the Christmas tree. It was loaded. He ran and got all his after I unloaded the warded room. It was time for bed. I was beat.
--
Christmas morning I am snuggled and warm wrapped up in Severus' arms sleeping away. Then at 7am,"Mummy! Mummy! Daddy! Daddy! Wake up!"
Then I hear down the hall,"Gen! Gen! Wake up! Dare aw pwesents eveywhewe! Come on!" He sings,"If you don't wake up Gen…. I'm going to get all you presents." Severus and I start laughing.
"You little rugrat you better not." Gen laughs. She starts chasing him around the place. He flies into the room and takes a dive into our bed giggling like a little maniac. Gen stops at the door. I wave her in. I start tickling Harry, as she sits on the bed laughing at Harry.
"Mummy, don't I'll pee." He says. I stop. He says,"I knew dat would make you stop." I laugh and give him kisses instead.
I said,"Ok, everybody pee and get ready for breakfast. No presents until after breakfast, Harry bear." I tickle him and he runs away. I laugh at him. "What an excited little monkey." I shake my head. I look at Gen. She is smiling but looking at the floor. "Come here little girl." Hold my arms open for her. She looks up and dive into my arms. I kiss and rock her, while Severus pets and pats her hair. I say,"Merry Christmas, sweetie." She looks up at me and kisses my cheek and reaches over and kisses Severus on the cheek too.
"I love you both so much. Merry Christmas." She gets up and goes back to her bedroom to get ready for breakfast.
I look at Severus and kiss him. "I'm glad we all found each other, all of us. It makes everything so much more like home." He smiles at me.
"That's because you create joy, my love." He kissed me again.
"We better get up or get tackled by Harry again." I chuckle. I get up, pee, get my robe on and go find the kids. Of course, they're in the sitting room looking at the tree and presents. Harry is on his knees in front of it all trying to count them all. I look at Gen and smile.
Harry says,"I tink thewe awe a gajillion, mummy. Whatcha tink?" Gen starts laughing.
"I don't know, Harry, maybe a gajillion and one. That's an awful lot. Are you sure you counted them all?" He looked pensive.
"I'm not suwe, I can't count dat high." I giggle and cross my arms.
"At least you tried, baby. I bet it's more than twenty, whatcha think?" He looked at it like he was studying it.
"I think, whoevew, sneaked in and put all dis stuff hewe, fowgot to count it all. I'm not gonna count dem pwesents. I be all day long." He had his hands in the air and dropped them. I chuckled. I saw Severus standing in the doorway leaning and watching us smiling.
He says,"Breakfast is ready." We all go to the table.
After breakfast, we sat around the fire opening presents and drinking cocoa, tea and coffee. It was so relaxing.
I called Dilly and asked her to go get all the house elves. She brought them all back into the sitting room. I said,"I know that all house elves love serving their families. I realized that if clothes are given to you, you are released, right?" They all nodded their heads.
I said,"I don't want to upset you all, but I got all of you presents for Christmas because you're all part of this family too." They were getting nervous. "I didn't get clothes so don't panic ok?" They nodded. I gave them each their gifts. They looked like they didn't know what to do. "Rip open the paper and see what's inside."
They all cautiously opened their gift. Dilly squealed in delight. She had a shiny silver necklace with a large black onyx stone setting with a rose with thorns on it. I told her to come let me put it on her. She turned around and I fastened it. I kissed her forehead and hugged her. She cried all over me.
Bebe got a silver bracelet with little black onyx stones all around them and a rose charm. I put it on her and kissed her head. She kept looking at her arm in front of her.
Pippin got a silver pocket watch on a chain with an onyx black stone with a rose on the cover. I clipped it on his pillowcase he wears and told him to sew a pocket on his pillowcase so he can keep it safe. I showed him how to wind it up everyday. He smiled and I kissed his head. He kept opening and closing it.
Jiffy got a silver black onyx adjustable ring with a rose on top of the stone. He just loved it. I kissed his head. He kept wiggling his fingers.
Rinnie got a wristwatch made of black leather and a black face with a rose in the background. He kept looking at his wrist. I showed him how to wind it up everyday. I kissed his head.
Chippy takes care of the horses. He got a leather bolo necklace. I told him southwestern cowboys that ride horses wear them around their necks. His had a black onyx stone with a rose on it surrounded by silver filigree. I showed him how to take it on and off by sliding it up and down. I got it a little longer than normal for his head. I kissed his head.
They were all so happy. I told them that the black stone had a rose with thorns and made them all a Blackthorne elf. They stood up straight and proud. I told them to keep their clothes clean and if they wear out, I will throw away a pillowcase or two if needed. I said,"I like having the best looking elves in Great Britain and you all make me proud to have you as part of my family. Thank you for all you do for us." They were all smiles.
When 2pm rolled around Dilly and I had all the food wrapped in foil, plastic wrap or butcher paper or double plastic bags with twist ties for runnier items. I even labeled them and we stacked it in boxes. Loren the caterer shrank the boxes down and I got her the envelope to give to the manager of the shelter.
I asked her,"How did you get involved in helping with the shelter?" She smiled.
"They helped my brother who is a squib when my parents threw him out into the streets at 16. I'm surprised they waited that long being so ashamed. They couldn't keep him a secret anymore, I guess. It broke my heart and I would try to find a way to help him when my parents didn't know what I was doing." She is a good person.
"You come back anytime they need help financially. I would like to be of assistance. Here's my phone number." I grabbed a pen and wrote down my phone number. "I hooked up a muggle phone here and have an answering machine. You, be careful there is a large amount of cash in there, 10k. I hope it helps a lot of people. Be safe my dear. Merry Christmas." Her eyes bugged out.
"Wow, thank you, it really will help a lot. Merry Christmas to you also." She said putting the money in her inside coat pocket. I walked her out.
Christmas was fantastic.