Lord Harry Potter

Day 10 The help arrives.

Harry awoke on this Thursday morning at 7am to the sound of his new alarm clock, which he mused was a much more pleasant way then having Dobby poke him in the side. He even decided to wear some of his new clothes, a pair of plain jeans and a white shirt.

At 8 he met everyone for breakfast and even helped Hermione to her chair like Dumbledore had shown.

"What's on for today Harry? Is it a picnic by the lake, a drive in the country, a quick bite before a balloon ride?" Asked Ron pretending to be serious.

"Actually Ron I thought I'd have to greet the people we hired yesterday and show them there jobs." Groaned Harry. "But those sound like good ideas and I promise we'll do something other than clean next week, I hope that now we've hired people all the cleaning will be done by the end of the week and maybe the place won't look like world war three." He added

"I wasn't really complaining Harry" admitted Ron

"Harry?" Neville asked tentatively "I've drawn up some plans that I thought would be nice for the garden." He croaked as he passed a folder to Harry.

"These are great" said Harry looking at them "I really like them, I didn't know you could sketch so well though. I'm going to tell the gardener this is what I want."

"What's this Neville, first dancing, now drawing, you don't have any more hidden talents up that sleeve do you? You'll put the rest of us to shame." Joked Luna, Neville blushed.

After another meal (do they ever end) the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it" said Harry "…wait a minute we don't have a doorbell, do we?"

"I don't think so" answered Hermione

So the group all answered the door to meet their new staff.

"Welcome, come in" greeted Harry "Did one of you ring a doorbell?"

"Yes sorry dear but no one answered when I knocked so I zapped one up" came Mrs Other's reply "I hope it was alright?"

"Offcourse it was, we're sorry to have kept you waiting, but at least now we realize we really should buy a doorbell" Helped Hermione. "If you leave your luggage here for the moment your rooms aren't quite ready." she added indicating to the side.

"We better give you a tour" offered Ron

"Yes that's a good idea, Luna could you help Ron with that and I think the rest of us will have a chat to you one at a time to discuss your pay and such, Let's start with you Mr W.While if you'd like to come in the office with us and Ron will lead a tour for the rest at the moment." Harry instructed.

"So Mr W.While" Harry started, "We don't actually know exactly what a butler normally does, could you explain a bit please?"

"Offcourse sir, and please call me William or Will. Usually one is in charge of every thing in the house, making sure meals are on time, laundry's done the home is clean, also one is in charge of the household staff and can hire and fire the lower staff, maids etc. I also take messages, help with etiquette, serve tea and drinks, announce guests and see to the up keep or improvements within the home. But the position is flexible and I am willing to change if need be." Said the Will

"Well that does help quite a lot, very detailed actually, could you tell us about the maids, the repairer, and the gardener as well please, we've actually no idea how to run this type of household and all the help we can get is needed." Asked Hermione.

"Offcourse Miss, happy to help, well the maids clean the home and help with the serving of dinner and such, often they assist the cook in smaller homes and they work under the housekeeper, the gardener miss, cares for the grounds plants new flowers and the such while the repairer, well its really a temporary position till the thing is fixed but the caretaker would see to the things broken and basic maintenance."

"That's very good thankyou Will, could you further tell me how much you think the pay should be for these jobs including yours." Asked Harry

"Well the maids around £24000 per year or 2200 galleon the Gardner around £30000 and 2800 galleon the caretaker the same and well sir the butler around 32 to £48000 and 3500 galleon." Came the reply.

"Very good will that helps, now I think we'll start you off with 36 a year and I need you to prepare some invitations to a ball we're going to hold on the 31st of this month heres is an address book for you to chose the guests from as I've only recently found out I'm a lord and I know no one, you'll also need to hire a band and some extra staff for the night, but I'm sorry no one gets fired without my approval. I'd also like to invite the Weasley's for dinner tomorrow night there's 5 of them at the moment and 5 of us so 10 in all. Also Dobby is going to be my personal valet and Winky the cook."

"Excellent Sir, Now what would you like me to do after that?" inquired William

"Go over the house and start a list of anything you think we'll need and I'll give you a budget for the day to day operations of £80000 to begin with, now there's another office on the second floor where you can start the invitations. There you go that's it I think I'll catch you before dinner."

"O.k how bout the gardener and repairer now" asked Ron

After agreeing and finding them Harry fixed there wage at will's suggestion and sent the gardener to the nursery with Neville's plans while the repair to the pergola in the front lawn. Harry then tried to pay Trixie the 2200 galleons suggested by the butler to which she fainted, after finally coming too she admitted she held no expectation to be paid and wanted none, to which Hermione told Trixie they wouldn't let her work unless they paid her and Trixie finally agreed to 1000 galleons "But no more" she had said and had gone to meet with Dobby and Winky to help clean the servant quarters.

"Mental" Ron said "Complaining about to much pay how thick can you get"

"Ron, she's a house elf, she was probably really insulted Harry wanted to pay her though why shouldn't they get paid just like everyone else, its these stupid opinion that……." And she went on and on about the house elf liberation and S.P.E.W.

Harry found Mrs Other and after being instructed to call her Mary he offered her a promotion to housekeeper.

"It would be so good to have some one as good as you in the position Mary and the only reason we hadn't offered you the position was that I didn't know it existed." Harry convinced

"Well is your sure sir I'd be only to happy" came the delighted response "What would you like me to do now?" she asked.

"Well I think we need a smart uniform for everyone Mrs.O…Mary something nice for the house elves too, smart suits and dresses I feel and I'd like you to pick some out if you'd send away for a catalogue or if you want you can travel to London through the floo and by some today"

"Today might be best Sir, and could I stop in on the way back to tell my daughter about my promotion she'd be so pleased" She asked kindly

"Offcourse and here's the money for the uniforms" Smiled Harry handing over £3000

With everyone settled and the tour finished Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna and Neville went to clean the last office, the library and the last 2 guest rooms. When Hermione say the library she went into raptures at the size and selection.

"Wow Harry, I'm going to have to borrow some of these, look at this one Shakespeare 1743 these are really old." Hermione practically squealed

"We thought you'd like this room" said Luna "Come on it needs a clean still"

After Hermione managed to be dragged from the books, they started everything was pretty good though and soon they'd finished and the last to guest rooms were finished just as quickly.

"That was quick" commented Ron "Not that I'm complaining mind you we must just be getting better."

"Yeah, well I think we've done enough how bout we watch a movie on the new T.V?" Asked Harry

"Cool" said Neville

"Is that the thing where the people move inside the box?" asked Ron to much laughter

"Yes Ron, now come on before we have to clean again" Luna laughed.

After Hermione and Harry managed to tune the TV in they watched Sister Act until dinner at 6 where Will helped the girls to there seat's while Trixie and Mary, who had returned earlier, served the food. Will even taught them some more things about the cutlery they should use. After the plates had been cleared Will showed Harry the Invitations and Guest list he'd sent with the post.

"Very nice thank Will, how did the list go?" thanked Harry

"Alright sir, there are only a few suggestions" William said as he showed the list

Needed

Washing machines and Dryers

Firewood

Miscellaneous groceries (Separate list)

Patio furniture.

And House car.

"That's quite alright, I forgot about the washing machines though at the time we probably hadn't found the laundry, but I don't understand the house car"

"Well sir I thought that it would be easier if the staff had a car to use to fetch the groceries and supplies from the village and the gardener had to hitch a ride to the Nursery this afternoon."

"Oh I hadn't thought about that your quite right I'll have to get one offcourse I'll probably need a chauffeur to could you look into that and get back to me?" Harry admitted

"What about you Mary did you get some uniforms?"

"I did Sir, but they shan't arrive till tomorrow morn" answered the housekeeper

"Very good. Well why don't you four go to the small lounge until bed I've got some letters to send?" Harry asked

"O.K well see you in the morning" and the friends bade goodnight.

Harry started his letters in the office.

Professor Dumbledore,

All is well, but I would like to ask a favour of you in hiring Dobby and Winky permanently. They have become so close to me that I hope they and you agree to the change. I have also hired a butler, housekeeper, maid, gardener and repairer. I hope Hogwarts is well and we will see you Saturday afternoon for dinner.

Thankyou Very Much

Harry Potter

Miss Ginny Weasley,

Hi Ginny, I hope your well, we all miss you terribly and were hoping that you'd come stay with us after your family comes for dinner tomorrow. Hermione's teaching us to dance and we went to London shopping on Monday. We all wish you to come pleassssssssse?.

Sincerely

Harry Potter

With that done Harry asked William to find the number of his lawyer for tomorrow and a reputable accountant from the village to go over his estate, before heading on to bed.

Note: Disciple of yorae. Thank you for telling me about day 2 it was a posting error and I seem to have left it out, It's all fixed now(I hope).