Chapter Six: The Servant

Honorable Lord Malfoy,

Having stumbled across your advertisement in the Daily Prophet to which my household subscribes, I would like to express my great desire to seek employment within your noble home.

Please find enclosed references from my present employer who has kindly agreed to fill my position here in the U.S. allowing me the opportunity to serve in an English household. You'll find that my record is spotless, and I have served in my present position faithfully for eleven years.

Please consider my request. I am certain that you have many local witches and wizards responding to your advertisement, and I am aware that our respective cultures are somewhat dissimilar; however, I am more than willing to make whatever changes you would deem necessary for the opportunity to live in a land I have always dreamed of.

Perhaps we can prove to be of assistance to one another.

Sincerely,

Rose D'antoni

Lucius Malfoy furrowed his brow slightly. Why would an American witch be interested in taking a position in an English household? Not that it mattered. He would be writing her to set up an interview before the hour was out. The issue of having no staff at the estate had become desperate. If she wanted to travel across the ocean to serve in his home, far be it from him to discourage her. Her record was indeed flawless, the household that she had served was older and wealthier than his own, and her personal recommendation was impressive. It would seem that there wasn't much she hadn't been taught to do, down to caring for the gardens.

Continuing to run the estate on his own was out of the question. The accounts alone took up an unbelievable amount of time, and the Dark Lord required so much of him lately that it left room for little else.

Of course, now that he had Severus Snape on his side, his plan to overthrow that serpentine mud blood was closer to becoming a reality. Soon, likely within the year, Voldemort would no longer be an issue for the Malfoy family. Hopefully, this would take place before his son was called into service for the Dark Lord. Draco needed to concentrate on his studies and on finding a mate worthy of the Malfoy name. That was all that mattered at present. Still, the boy should be prepared for a summons.

While he deliberated, Lucius acquired his best stationary and a platinum-tipped quill from the massive desk, and began to pen a quick missive.

My dear Miss D'antoni,

I am indeed swamped with replies from my advertisement, however your resume intrigues me. Your references are indeed impeccable, as is your record of service. It is obvious that you are multitalented, and would likely be of great use to my household.

If it is quite convenient, I should like to arrange a private interview with you as soon as possible. Perhaps Friday afternoon would be acceptable? If so, I shall send a time-activated portkey to your residence.

Sincerely,

L. Malfoy

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Rose glanced around the slightly dusty office as Mr. Malfoy busied himself shuffling and stacking a bit of paperwork atop his desk. He was obviously beside himself for help, but was far too proud to admit it. Their initial introduction had gone well, better than she had expected. He had seemed a bit put off by her short hair, but impressed enough with her qualities to overlook it.

"So, Miss D'antoni, is this your first visit to our country?"

"Please feel free to call me Rose, sir." The woman answered. "And, no. It isn't. I've had the opportunity to vacation here on a rare occasion, though it's been several years since my last visit. I've always adored England, and the change of scenery will do me no end of good."

"Why is that?" he leaned forward, crossing his arms on the desk before him.

Rose hesitated. "I wasn't going to mention it, sir, I didn't want you to hire me out of sympathy, but my father passed away recently."

"Did he?" Lucius intoned.

"Yes, while he was exploring my garden, actually. The mediwizard who examined him said he had a weak heart. I'm afraid I can't even look at my garden, much less work in it without being reminded of his death, so I decided to see about taking a position elsewhere. As I said before, I've always adored England, and the opportunity was too tempting to pass up."

"I see," Lucius responded flatly, untouched by pity. "Was your father American, as well?"

"No. He wasn't. I'm not, either, for that matter. My status as an Italian remains intact as my father wished."

"Your grasp of English is impressive."

"Well, I was fluent before I took the position at Mr. Tamburo's estate. Working there for eleven years and mingling with the American people polished my vocabulary and erased my accent almost completely."

"I should inform you that you still speak with an accent, though you lived in such a melting pot, it likely went unnoticed."

Rose lowered her head as if in shame, but was secretly pleased. She had been working on perfecting that accent for a week. "I can learn to speak without it, if it would please you, sir."

"That won't be necessary. I doubt we would hold any lengthy conversations." Lucius made the remark casually, but it stung nonetheless.

Rose pushed his indifference aside, reminding herself that his lack of concern for her as anything but a household convenience would only play to her favor.

She nodded lightly as he continued. "Your employer mentions your numerous abilities, but does not indicate your specific duty within his household."

Rose's gloomy expression relaxed into a smile. "I started out as the cook when I was eighteen, but soon realized that the position allowed me more free time than I liked, so I started running errands for Mr. Tamburo. When his maid became ill, I cleaned his room and offices and couldn't help but notice that he seemed swamped with responsibilities. It was evident within a year that he just needed somebody to be an extension of his hand, someone he could trust to be there infallibly for a million little tasks. I volunteered to do so and he made me his personal assistant. At that point my duties varied depending upon his needs. I still cooked for him, of course, and his wife and daughters as well when they were at home, which wasn't often. I ran errands in the city. I cleaned. I arranged and cared for his wardrobe, served as hostess for his guests, helped with his garden. I even balanced the family expenses when he was too busy. There wasn't much I didn't do for him."

"I see," Mr. Malfoy said again, more warmly this time. "And you kept his family affairs to yourself, I'm certain."

She tilted her head slightly.

Such a familiar gesture, Lucius mused.

"I would never betray my employer, Mr. Malfoy, but if it would make you more comfortable, you have my permission to use a silencing charm should you choose to appoint me to your service. I've always felt that it's an employer's right to do so. Perhaps in time, we could learn to trust one another."

"Perhaps," he responded skeptically. "But for now, I believe a silencing charm will suffice."

Rose's brown eyes widened. It was obvious that she was attempting to contain her excitement. "Are you----saying that I have the position, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked hesitantly.

He rose to his feet and extended his hand over the desk with a smile which didn't reach his eyes. "If you are still interested, the position is yours. I shall expect you to take up residence in the servant's wing right away."

"I will, sir. Thank you so much!" She took his hand enthusiastically in an unusually firm grip. Lucius chalked it up to a lifetime of labor. The fact that he was a bit dazzled by her cheerful smile and couldn't help but return it, he excused with the knowledge that it had been a while since he'd been with a woman. Even the 'paid company' steered clear of him since the disaster at the ministry.

I wonder what other 'services' she's capable of, he thought with a private grin as she took her leave. She wasn't at all hard on the eyes with her petite frame, lightly tanned skin and wavy black hair, even if it was far too short. Gods, I don't think I've ever seen such short hair on a woman, shorter even than that ridiculous flying instructor at Hogwarts! It was hard to believe her former employer allowed it. He could probably charm her into growing it with a few well-placed compliments and comments, though. She seemed fairly easy-going and open to suggestion. Presently, he couldn't be too picky. She was precisely what his household needed.

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By the next morning, Rose was enlarging and unpacking her possessions in the largest room of the servant's quarters. She was scheduled to take a tour of the estate in one hour with the Lord of the manor, who seemed slightly warmer today than he had yesterday, perhaps because he was looking forward to his first home-cooked meal in weeks.

Not a bad way to spend her first few hours of employment, exploring an old English mansion with a man who was better-looking than anyone had a right to be. Of course, the man's fate was already sealed. Presently, he was a convenient tool, nothing more. Getting close to him in any way was out of the question, she reminded herself as she checked her belongings to see if anything had been damaged in the move.

The wardrobe seemed to have survived intact, as did her emerald green luggage. Hastily enlarging and emptying the last piece, she performed a complicated revealing charm and pulled a tiny black box from a previously hidden pocket in the lining.

For just a moment she hesitated before enlarging this one, checking the door to make sure that it was firmly warded. Satisfied that not even Mr. Malfoy could approach the room without setting off an alarm that only she could hear, she enlarged the box and began lovingly checking the pieces within one by one.

Among the many newly-acquired items there was a pair of black boots, enchanted to fit her feet perfectly and to allow her to walk in complete silence. Next came a loose-fitting black ensemble with a pocket for her wand enchanted to never allow anyone but her to draw it. There were also gloves that would magically cling to any surface, choking smoke pellets, and several round, flattened crystals no bigger than a pea.

Under all of these was a framed photograph of two witches, a small woman with long wavy hair and an older witch with a sweet smile, taken outside a pastry shop. This, she kissed tenderly before restoring everything to it's original state and hiding the miniature box back inside the luggage.

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"This entire wing belongs to the servants. Presently, the staff consists of you and you alone, so I suppose you may make use of any of these rooms as you see fit until they are occupied by others." Lucius Malfoy strode casually through the hallway occasionally glancing down at his new maid, sizing up her reactions.

She had been ridiculously easy to read from the first moment they had met, almost completely transparent, and that had colored his decision to hire her so quickly. It was obvious that she was intimidated by him, yet extremely attracted as well. She was very anxious to please, and considered herself lucky to have been appointed to his household. He was also surprised to find that she was thrilled to have the extreme responsibility of being the only servant in the house. If he read her thoughts correctly, she seemed to consider it a challenge.

"That's very gracious of you, sir, but I doubt I'll spend much time here. I don't sleep much, and I greatly enjoy my work." Lucius allowed himself a tiny smile. She was deeply respectful, energetic, smart, and determined to prove her worth.

Perfect.

It took over an hour to tour the entire manor, pausing on occasion to ask and answer questions. And in that time, Lucius found himself to be more and more impressed with the woman. He even began to consider whether he would ever have to hire another servant. She seemed as though she could run the estate single-handedly and never break a sweat.

And her company, though he was loathe to admit it, was refreshing, pleasant even. Her exuberance seemed to fill her completely as she talked of plans for making the household run more smoothly. Soon, she was discussing ideas which had simply never occurred to him; enchanting the candles and fireplaces to ignite and extinguish themselves automatically, appropriate to the time of day and season of the year, charming the dishes to wash and store themselves, difficult to reach pieces such as chandeliers enchanted to repel dust and spiders. Truly, she was the most innovative servant he'd ever had.

"Lunch should be served promptly at noon, but I think we have time for a quick glance at the gardens. Those shall be placed in your care as well."

"I'm delighted, sir. I'm sure I'll be able to---" She stopped as they exited the manor and her eyes beheld the Malfoy gardens. Extensive wasn't the word, these were magnificent, more than she could manage. No. It wouldn't do to think like that. She'd simply have to find a way to manage. Period.

"Mr. Malfoy. I'm overwhelmed!" she said breathlessly to cover her falter. "I've never seen such a wonderful place! I can't wait to get started." She rushed to the side of the first of many white marble fountains and peered over admiring the huge koi which swam in the elegant pool at the bottom. The garden itself was broken into several elaborate sections separated by towering arches of ivy. In the very center, one could see an enormous pond occupied by graceful black swans, their feathers glinting rainbows in the sunlight. Truly it was breathtaking.

For all his faults, Lucius Malfoy had exquisite taste.

Lost in contemplation, she was taken by surprise when a shadow passed over her head and a solid thump was heard not far behind her. When she turned, she was met with the sight of Draco Malfoy, leaning casually on an extremely expensive broom, quite a bit more mature since the last time she'd seen him. He was handsome, almost as much so as his father, but that nasty sneer was more firmly in place than that of the senior Malfoy.

She braced herself. From the look on his face as he studied her, she could tell that he wasn't going to make this easy.

Rose flashed her most encouraging smile, hoping to smother any animosity before it could even form. "Hello," she called pleasantly. "You must be the younger Malfoy."

He stalked up to her, never breaking eye-contact, finally stopping a bit too close for comfort, but not close enough to call him on it. Oh, yes. He was definitely a younger version of Lucius. "That's right. I'm Draco. And you must be the new maid," he drawled, emphasizing the last word. "Quite a looker, aren't you?" he added too quietly for his father to hear. "I hope you plan to leave my father's bed often enough to actually do some work. He has plenty of other whores."

Rose felt her face begin to flush in reaction, then calmed herself with a deep breath. So, that's the way it's going to be, is it? "Actually, Draco, as a grown-up, the bed I choose to grace and the time I spend therein just happens to be my own affair," she replied speaking as if she were addressing an out-of-line five-year-old. "As to all other orders, I take those directly from the Lord of the manor, and you're a bit-- short to fill those robes just yet. If you have an issue with the way I spend my time, you should take it up with him." She flashed her most ingratiating smile. "Now, run along to Daddy-- 'kay?"

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Thank you all for reading and reviewing. It keeps me typing!

Rycca: Goodness, sweetie! I didn't mean to upset you. Sorry! I'll pop in a few happy chapters okay? I'm glad you at least seemed to enjoy the rest it. And, yes. Please, please, please update. I'm dyin' over heeyah!

Silverfey: Well, that's a nice compliment. Thanks! I think Alex feels remorse already, even though the bastard killed an old friend. But, she's not feeling all warm and fuzzy for anyone who kills in cold blood for money or for power. After all she's been through, I felt that she was entitled to a little vengeance, even if it was belated. Very good points about Alex and Cimino. Geez, I didn't even notice that their only difference was their personal set of ethics. Groovy. As for my personal crisis, I thank you for your concern. It all worked out with a little sweat and a lot of patience. And, I'm back at my keyboard happily typing away for my beloved readers.

Lady Jenilyn: A hit-witch!? That's precious! I love it!!! And, it actually brought up a great little plot for another story, a strictly Severus and OC story. Could be fun. Maybe I'll write it this summer--after the other two short fics I have outlined. I'm glad you liked the idea of the stone. Sometimes, magic has a way of making the plot a lot easier to write. I know what you mean about stories that are rarely updated. It is frustrating, but I try to remind myself that these writers probably have much more complicated life than I do. It keeps me patient. I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for one such author to update since February! It's killing me. And, wizard-nazis: that has an ominous ring to it. It makes a lot of sense, as well.

Fleur K: The Force is strong in you, young Fleur. You pick up pieces and assemble them nicely. You keep reviewing, I'll keep Alex, Sev, and Lucius hopping. That's a promise!

PPP: What Alex is doing is complicated, but we'll to it quickly. I promise. Hmmnnn--- kill the aristocrat's son. That's an idea. Nah. Alex isn't quite that slimy.