Chapter Eleven - New Beginnings
A tabby cat moved down the hall at a slow pace. Her paws touched the carpet with hardly a sound, but her motives were hardly what you would call inconspicuous. And then she saw him. Her prey. Her desire. An object, the object, of her idolatry. But he was an object and nothing more to her.
He was knocking softly on the door, his eyes focused on the ground, but his ears perked for the slightest sound. He didn't sense her. But how her eyes were locked on him! She hesitated and listened intently.
"Professor?" he said gently, the single word tugging at her heartstrings. She longed to hear more and waited.
A door opened in reply to his inquiry, and the Headmaster stepped out. He was not as cheerful as usual, his eyebrows twisted up on his forehead. His glassses caught the light of the torches. His lips made as little movement as possible.
"You wanted to speak with me, Severus?"
Severus nodded and the cat picked up a paw in curiosity.
The Headmaster led way into his temporary office (for his other was being rennovated,) and Severus Snape followed. But the door was not shut, and she traveled fast in fear of missing important information.
Before she could stick her whiskers into the doorway, a small pouch of catnip flew into the hallway. Her feline instincs took over her and she leapt after the pouch.
"I'm so nervous, Narcissa!"
Mrs. Malfoy rolled her eyes. She hiked up the toddler that was slung on her back in an odd strapping device and threw her cigarette to the ground.
To any non-magical human being walking by, it would appear that the three were standing on the sidewalk outside of a Ross department store, and every muggle knows to stay away from those god-forsaken places.. But to the three magical people standing on the sidewalk of this busy street, they saw before them one of the most prestigious buildings of magical times.
"What if the Ministry doesn't like me?!" he squealed in response to her attitude toward his upcoming job interview. "I'm frightened Narcissa! Hold me!"
But she was not the one doing the holding, for Lucius had attached himself like a virus to her legs. She knew there was no hope of breaking free, so she simply pat him on the head in a very uncompassionate manner.
They were a very strange site to see. The woman was wearing sweats and a black spandex top under a loose pink tanktop. The man was wearing his finest, looking (but not feeling) prepared to be judged by the harshest of the harsh. The boy was wearing English attire appropriate for a young boy. A hat with black ribbon, knee high socks, gray breeches, suspenders, and shiny shoes. He was not entertained at this point in time, and he felt the need to place his saliva-contaminated lollypops in his mother's hair.
Narcissa soon became fed up with this action, and noticed that people were staring. Not that she cared, or anything.
"Don't be an idiot, Lucius," she said, yanking his head to face hers. "Just get yer ass in there and hope for the best."
"You think I'll do okay?" he said, sniffling a little.
"I neva said anythin' like that Lucius. Just get yer business taken care of and leave me to the monster."
The baby cooed in response to Narcissa's sharp remark.
Lucius took hold of his briefcase and kissed his wife and child goodbye (much to their disgust), and marched proudly into the Ministry of Magic building.
The first room he encountered was empty. No furniture. No lights. No plants. But the walls seemed to give of an eerie glow, and he could hear a distant humming coming from somewhere in the walls. Lucius turned behind him to walk out in fear, but the door he had entered through was no longer there.
Lucius' heart jumped and he started to panic. But, lo and behold, at the opposite end of the room was a metal entranceway. Lucius sighed with relief and approached it.
When he came up to it, there were no knobs, buttons, handles, knockers, bells, ringers or anything of the sort. He pondered this for a moment, but only for a moment. For in a short amount of time, the doors opened to reveal another room.
This room was a large percent smaller. As soon as he entered, the doors shut silently behind him. Near the door was a panel of buttons. Thousands of them. Tens of thousands. It seemed every time he focused on them they multiplied. He tried to examine the buttons closely, to choose which one to press, but he hadn't the time. On of the knobs lit up and soon he was traveling upward.
A room that travels without my consent, he thought. How very strange.
The ride was long and he waited, staring at the two metal doors. When the device came to a stop, he waited with patience. He rocked back and forth on his toes, waiting for something to happen.
A whistle came from behind him and he whipped around quickly.
"This way, bub," a man said.
Lucius felt foolish, for the contraption had opened from the opposite side than last time. If this was a test, he was already screwed over.
Lucius gripped the briefcase with both hands and stepped into the room in front of him.
It appeared to be some sort of waiting room. It was crowded. Wizards hovering. Wizards playing chess. Wizards sleeping. He was slightly dazzled, and he took a seat next to the only person sitting down.
"Hi!" a man squeaked the second Lucius' bum touched the seat.
"Hello," Lucius replied, his voice actually seeming deep compared to this fellow.
The man was very excited. "My name is Walden Macnair. Are you applying for a job too?"
Lucius reached for Walden's manicured hand and shook it.
"Lucius Malfoy, pleased to meet you." He drummed on his briefcase. "I'm here for whatever job is open."
"Really? I'm applying for Ministry Fashion and Make-up. I requested it specifically. From the Minister himself." Walden reached for a laced hanky and dabbed his gleaming eyes. "I really hope I get the job."
Lucius nodded and, for the first time in his life, conjured up a negative and selfish thought. Why hadn't he thought of Fashion and Make-up? He seemed like a beggar picking from whatever was left from the pile. Lucius Malfoy always got the best. It was time he made friends in high places. He was sure it would come in handy later.
The door at the far end of the room opened and a voice was heard, the owner unseen.
"Macnair, Walden!"
Walden jumped up and straightened out his leather pants. He picked up his designer briefcase and checked his face in his compact. He made his way briskly, yet fashionably, to the door.
Lucius sat in the unfamiliar room full of unfamiliar people with unfamiliar faces. He watched the unfamiliar clock tick to the name "Malfoy, Lucius" which was located where the number three should be. He waited.
"Malfoy, Lucius!"
The call finally came after what seemed an eternity and a half, and Lucius jumped up the second he heard the first syllable. He walked through the door and shut it behind him.
This was the final room he would have to travel to, this he knew. But unfortunately, it was the strangest. It was set up like an ancient courtroom. The members of the committee towered high above him, a man in a wig highest of all. However, it was not him they were staring at, but still at Walden.
"Mr. Macnair," the highest man was saying. "We don't feel the position you requested is a very ... needed position at the moment. In fact it seems rather frivolous. However you are lucky enough to get the last space available. The Ministry and I feel this position is the most fitting for a man of your ... stature."
Walden swelled with anticipation.
"You will be our new Executioner."
Walden looked like he was about to be executed.
"Executioner?" Walden looked pale. His eyes were emotionless as he staggered for words. Two burly men led him out the door, moving coldly passed Lucius.
Lucius waited for a moment, hesitating. Had Walden really got the last position? What was going to happen to him?
But he didn't need to wonder any longer, for at that moment, a white-haired balding man stormed out from a door across from where Lucius was planted. He moved to the well in front of what seemed like a judge and jury.
The man looked furious.
"I've had it up to here with your shenanigans, Sir!" he bellowed. He levitated to face the man in the wig in the. They were nose to nose.
"I'm walking!" he continued, his anger bubbling over. He tossed several papers from his briefcase around the room. The members at the high table flinched slightly. "You hear me? I quit! QUIIIIIIT!!!"
"The Minister must make decisions that--"
But the balding man cut off the one in the wig.
"Minister, shminister! I don't care who you are! I'm free! FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" He danced around in mid-air like a child, catching a few papers, that were falling from the first stage of his tantrum, in his mouth. He snarled, papers shreds forming at the corners of his mouth, making him look rabid. He skipped his way down an imaginary escalator to the floor and pranced out of the room.
Lucius hid for a moment in the shade of a nearby potted plant. He wondered what kind of lunatics the ministry hired. Were these civilized people? They seemed crazed. He nibbled on his pinkie, in deep thought. Lunatics... He shouldn't have a single problem in getting this job!
"Pity," the Minister of Magic said. "What are we going to do with that position? Jether seemed so loyal to his job."
"Jasper, sir," someone corrected.
"Yes, yes. Moving along ... ah, yes, here we go, The Polls!"
"The Polls!"
"Yes! Yes! The Polls!"
The assembly erupted in chatter about "The Polls." Lucius wanted to be a part of this celebration so terribly. He felt it in his soul, in the very ... depths of his shallowness.
The Minister cleared his throat and straightened a stack of papers.
"We have found recently that our affiliates here in the Ministry prefer toffee flavored Bertie Bott's to peppermint 3 to 1."
There was a murmur of discussion and Lucius pressed himself against the plant, watching eagerly. The Minister went on.
"We have also found that there is an extreme lack of disciplinary force here at the Ministry. No one feels inferior, and no one ever condescends anyone else. The people are infuriated at this!"
"And it's about time!"
"Here, here!"
In a sudden and uncharacteristic stroke of brilliance, Lucius Malfoy knew exactly what he had to do. It was time to use The Big Boy Voice.
Severus stepped out of the office followed by Dumbledore. The two bore very solemn expressions.
"You understand what this means, Severus?"
"Yes."
"And you realize it will be very trying on your character?"
"Indeed, sir."
"Then may you succeed in your mission. We're counting on you. I have complete faith in you-- Good Lord, Minerva!"
Minerva was curled in a tight position. She started quickly and looked at the two who interrupted her cat nap. She smiled toothily and darted down the hall.
"God save that woman," Albus Dumbledore remarked as the two stared after the very frantic professor.
