Chapter Two
First Meeting
"You wanted to see me Kingsley?" Stepping into the Minister of Magic's office Harry Potter, also known throughout the Wizarding World as the Boy-Who-Lived, stopped about halfway through the doorway when he spotted the other occupants in the room. His breathing escaped him and if he wasn't mistaken his heart was pounding roughly against his chest.
"Hello Harry," Came a voice hadn't heard in nearly eight years, a voice he thought he would never hear again or the advice he could have used during the years. Staring at his godfather warily, he stepped further into the room to allow him to close the door, while his gaze went to the man sitting next to Sirius and felt, or at least thought he felt, all the blood drain from his face and he could hear the pounding of his heart in his ears. It was like looking in a mirror, the man in front of him was one he had only seen through pictures and the memories shared from Remus. The only differences he could find between them was that his eyes were hazel, while Harry's were green, and his features were a bit sharper than his own.
"Um...W-why don't I leave. If you have any more questions for me Minister Shacklebolt j-just owl me." Turning his head to look at the unknown wizard, he clumsily moved out of the old man's way, allowing him to open the door to make a quick retreat despite his old age.
"Why don't you close the door Harry?" At the familiar sound of Kingsley's bass voice, ne nodded his head and absentmindedly closed the door behind the wizard. He wasn't sure, but his legs felt shaky, causing him to sit in the departed man's chair, before he fell into a heap of embarrassment on the floor in front of these three men.
"H-h-how?" The question escaped past his constricted throat, while he pointed between the two men, his other hand running through his hair nervously, afraid to have the happiness filling him to twist into something else, because he wasn't quite sure if they were real. 'Of course, they're real. Otherwise why would Kingsley have called me here?' His mind shouted at him, but his heart… it remained skeptical. He wasn't quite sure he could trust what he was feeling anymore.
"Still attempting to figure that out mate." Came Sirius' voice, his upper body leaning forward so that Harry could get a better look at him. He appeared younger than he had last seen him, almost about his age. He appeared healthy almost as if he had stepped out of one of those old photographs that were lying about his house, which no longer belonged to him since Sirius was sitting in front of him…alive.
"S-so you're saying this is really…my dad." He whispered, his gaze sliding to Kingsley, his face solemn when he nodded. Immediately, a burst of anxious energy filled him making it impossible to remain sitting, standing up he started to pace through the office to work it off. Stopping mid-stride, he turned to look at the man who could have passed as his brother, not his father. "I don't mean to appear unhappy…it's just a lot to take in. I watched you die." He murmured his gaze sliding to Sirius to watch his face soften at his words. Gathering his courage, he walked over to Sirius first, who stood up allowing him to hug him. The warmth of his body seeped into his and he could feel his heartbeat pounding just as hard as his, making it feel that this might not be an illusion after all. He was real. "It's so good to have you back, Sirius." He mumbled feeling like a teenager again, when the other man hugged him back just as tightly.
"It's good to be back my boy." Sirius told him just as quietly, before letting him go and motioned not too subtly with his eyes to go to his father, taking those two steps toward him, he noticed all the emotions he was feeling cross his father's face.
"I don't know how it happened, but it's actually really amazing to know that you're going to be a part of my life now." He told him, a small smile forming when his father reached for him and pulled him into a n even tighter embrace than Sirius' had been. He wasn't sure how long the two of them hugged, but they finally moved apart at Kingsley's slight cough to gain their attention. Rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment and walked back over to the chair he'd been sitting in and settled back down.
"For the next couple of days, the two of you will need to remain low key. That way we can come up with some explanation to describe how the two of you are here. Even if your name was cleared of all charges Sirius, there were many people who saw Bellatrix kill you and see your body fall into the Veil. I also have no idea how I'm going to explain James' presence." Growled Kingsley, his hands rubbing against his temples in agitation or more like confusion.
"Why not tell them that he's my long-lost brother. Nobody would be able to discredit it. I mean look at us we're nearly identical." Flicking a finger between the two of them he watched the older man smile in amusement. Glad to see some of the stress leaving his face.
"It's not a bad idea, it could work. Of course, I would only do it with your approval James. After all, it would be easier to say that two years before Harry was born you had an indiscretion with an American witch who named her son after you." Standing up Kingsley started to pace behind his desk, the gears of his mind working, while he mumbled to himself.
"If that would make explaining my presence easier Minister then I'm alright with it." Murmured his father. 'No James.' He told himself, the plan would only work if he called him by his name. Glancing at his witch he sighed when he noticed the time. It was almost seven in the morning, which meant he had to get back home before Teddy woke up and Hermione had a meeting this morning. It had been only luck that she hadn't left yet when he'd gotten the owl from Kingsley's secretary and asked her to stay, while he came here. Remus would be returning tomorrow morning since I was the last night of the full moon. What would he say when he saw Sirius and James?" The other man hadn't been the same when Tonks had died, he was sure that it was only because of Teddy that kept him with them.
"I hate to interrupt your process Kingsley, but I have to get back." He told the three men, Kingsley merely turned to look at him knowingly, his gaze turning thoughtfully to Sirius and James.
"Why don't you take the two of them with you? There isn't much more I need from them and it might do them some good to spend some time out of the Ministry. If I have any more questions I know where to find them." Waving them off he sat back down at his desk, picking up a quill he dunked it into an ink bottle to start writing on a piece of parchment. Nodding his head, Harry stood up and walked towards the door leaving the office first. Waving good-bye to Rayna, he glanced behind him to make sure Sirius and James were following him. Reaching the elevator, he held the doors open for them and only stepped back to push the button to take them up to the lobby. Even though it a little past seven there was hardly anyone in the large building and wouldn't be until it was seven-thirty. It was the way the Ministry worked and for a time it was how he had started his daily routine that had used to calm him until he'd grown constrained by the rules of working for the Ministry,
"How have you been Harry?" Jumping out of his thoughts, he noticed that Sirius was staring at him curiously, standing this close to him he noticed how truly young he looked dressed in slacks and untucked dress shirt that hung off his lean muscular frame that once had been gaunt from his thirteen years locked in Azkaban. His once shoulder length curly hair was now short giving him the impression of a clean-cut young man, his godfather's grey eyes stood out even more than usual.
"I've been alright." He lied just as the elevator came to a stop, stepping out when the doors opened, he quickly headed towards that fireplaces that were located all around the walls, he stopped at the closest one. "Could you give me five minutes before flooing over to Grimmauld place? I don't want Hermione to see you guys just yet. She has a big meeting today and if she sees the two of you, she won't want to leave, but it's a really important day for her." Turning his head, he noticed the confused look on his father's face, while Sirius was smiling and nodding his head.
"Sure, wouldn't want Hermione to mess up her big day." Giving Sirius a grateful smile, he grabbed some floo powder that was always on the mantles of the fireplaces and stepping forward he heard his father's question to Sirius before he shouted.
"Who's Hermione?"
"Number 12 Grimmauld."
…
"Who's Hermione?" Smiling at James' question, Sirius turned to notice the perplexed expression, for a moment he debated on what was different about him. The stray thought had been circling around his mind for the better part of thirty minutes, ever since Harry had walked into Kingsley's office.
"James? Can you see me?" Reaching his hands out, Sirius grabbed him the shoulders and turned his friends taller form towards him to wave a hand in front of his face. Unlike Harry, he wasn't wearing his usual pair of glasses, the ones he'd used to tease him about in school. Instead, bare hazel eyes stared back him clearly. If a little annoyed with him.
"Of course, I can see you Padfoot. You are stand three feet in front of me." Slapping at his hand in irritation, Sirius wondered if his friend was lashing out because he was scared. He was, if he wanted to be honest. Harry and Hermione were living in his childhood home. A place that had never given him the feeling of belonging as James' home had. He'd spent nearly two years copped up in the decaying house, hidden away from the world with only Kreacher for company. Mrs. Weasley had tried to bring a hint of family in that last year, but it hadn't quite resonated with him. Now he was about to go back, how long would he have to stay hidden there again? Could he do it, even if it was Harry and Kingsley asking it of him?
"Focus Sirius, who's this Hermione? Is it a girl? Is she a friend of Harry's or is she his girlfriend?" Questioned James one after the other breaking his train of thought. Though he had to wonder if James' one-track mind had picked up on what he'd been trying to point out to him. He'd been blind as a bat without his glasses before, he'd died and somehow, he now had perfect vision. How had this happened? Who had done it? Why?
"Hermione Granger was one of Harry's closest friends, a bossy little swat, but a very intelligent young woman." At his words, a memory of the young witch with her shy smile and bushy brown hair that had hidden her chocolate brown eyes from sight on more than one occasion. She'd been growing out of her awkward phase and showing hints of aging into a young woman before he'd…died. God would his thought's ever stop circling to that painful reality?
"Reminded you of Lily, didn't she?" Laughing at the comparison, Sirius shook his head. Hermione had shown many qualities like Lily, he'd never thought of her that way. The younger woman was just too studious and analytical in her thoughts. Lily had been filled with passion and followed her heart. Like night and day, the two witches.
"Not even close. Hermione is one of a kind." Shifting his gaze to the large clock that hung on the wall near the high ceiling, he wondered if perhaps they had given Harry enough time to get Hermione out of the house? Were the two of them living together? He'd always figured Harry would have finally gotten the nerve to ask the young Ginny Weasley out. What about Ron? Harry hadn't mentioned telling him about his miraculous return, why? So many question's that he wasn't even sure Harry could answer them all. But the one thought that bothered him the most was how a young woman who could have been maybe Harry's age or even a few years younger, had brought them back. He hadn't missed the familiar runes on the floor of that stone chamber or the small droplets of blood trailing along the large circle. There were very few who messed with Blood Magic, and even fewer who could master it and he was sure she had. They were the proof of her accomplishment.
"You think we've given him enough time?" Glancing around the large room, a slow trickle of people appearing through the floo network was starting to make him nervous. Luckily, they'd all been focused on heading across the lobby towards the elevator and hadn't given him or James a second look, but it was only a matter of time. Someone would notice the disheveled clothes and the fact that they weren't wearing shoes.
"Yes, you remember what he said? Number 12 Grimmauld, my childhood home. You go first, people may think you're Harry and might pay more attention to you than me." Pushing past James, Sirius grabbed the soft powder and placed it in his hand, if they were caught here, they wouldn't have given Kingsley enough time to come up with a cover story for his miraculous return.
"You okay-all right- enough with the pushing I'm going." Growling under his breath, James stepped into the fireplace, his face scrunched up in agitation. Just that one look alone lifted Sirius' dark thought. If he had James inside that house with him, he'd be okay and even better he'd also have Harry. If he had too, he'd hunt down Remus and drag him to live with them also, it'd be a home then.
"Number 12 Grimmauld." Green flames engulfed James and for a moment Sirius felt his mind fall into that memory he'd relived repeatedly in Azkaban. Flying into Godric's Hollow and finding his friends home there in the open for anyone to see. The light's in the house off, but so many people standing just outside the two-story house gawking. He'd landed his bike inside the fence only to stumble inside to find James lying at the foot of the stairs, eyes staring sightlessly up at the ceiling. Harry's screams coming from the top floor. It'd taken every part of his will power to leave his best friend on the floor to walk up those steps and go to Harry.
"Get a hold of yourself, it's just the floo." Even the reminder to himself couldn't make his heartbeat settle into a calmer pace. It pounded in his chest making his skin clammy. For the life of him he didn't want to step inside the fireplace, except he was a Gryffindor and Gryffindor's didn't let fear control them.
"Harry is waiting for you. James is waiting for you. You can do this." Whispering the words under his breath, he took a deep breath and forcing one foot in front of the other he stepped into the cramped space or was that just his fear talking. Breathing out slowly, he raised his hand and muttered
"Number 12 Grimmauld."
….
"Did you have something to do with this?" Surprise filled Morgana at the sight of Dane, her older brother, stomping through the kitchen doorway, a waded-up newspaper in his hand that he threw onto her dining room table in front of her. Slowly, placing her spoon back into the bowl of her half-eaten cinnamon oatmeal, her house-elf Alfie had prepared for her, with hints of a metallic taste from the Replenishing potion he had snuck in. Morgana wondered if Alfie had even thought that she'd be able taste the difference, but considering he'd only done it to help her fatigue, she had kept her opinion to herself. Curious, Morgana picked up the Daily Prophet and stared at the moving picture of Sirius Black shaking the hand of the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Just off to the side stood a smiling Harry Potter, standing next to a man who looked nearly identical to him on his right and a crying Hermione Granger on his other side with a hand wrapped around Potter's arm. Staring at the two men she realized now why the other wizard had appeared familiar, she'd brought back a relative of Harry Potter back, possibly his father considering his name was James, according to the text below the picture. If she remembered correctly his father had also been named James, so she had brought back a man who'd died nearly twenty-four years ago. 'Should I be concerned?' Morgana wondered, but pushed the thought away considering she had no plans on doing it again so what did it matter?
"Am I supposed to be seeing something?" She asked Dane causing a low growl to escape from where he stood at her response, glancing away from the paper Morgana noticed his light brown eyes were staring at her intently, his large hands gripping the back of the chair that sat in front of him. Morgana chose to ignore him, considering she had no idea why he was in her house accusing her of something after nearly seven years of silence, between them. Even now having him standing here in her kitchen she could feel the mixture of rage and betrayal filling her from the night that had shattered their relationship making them nearly estranged.
"Sirius Black, a man that several convicted Death Eaters have testified that he was killed at the Battle in the Ministry, by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange and yet here he stands nearly eight years later after his death, with a man who he claims is Harry Potter's half-brother." Disbelief coated Dane's tone, while he pulled out a chair and draped his six-foot frame into it. Chestnut brown hair hung in his face, drawing attention to his high-cheek bones that made his face appear too angular, thin lips were drawn into a frown, but there was suspicion written clearly across his expression. He wasn't quite handsome, but somewhere in-between making her realize he'd grown in the last seven years since she'd seen him.
"Maybe, what those men and women saw during that battle was wrong? Who can say, but if the Ministry believes that Black hadn't died and had instead, been in America than who's to argue?" Keeping the bored tone in her voice was hard, throwing the paper back at her brother and leaning into the comfortable chair she'd picked out a week ago, before moving back. Her entire house was filled with thing's that gave her comfort compared to her father's home and the large mansion she'd shared with a bunch of women during her time in America.
"I can. I find it hard to believe that Black went eight years without contacting Potter and hadn't stayed to help his godson fight against the Dark Lord or that two weeks after you return the Ministry releases this." Morgana could feel goose-bumps race across her arms at the mention of the Dark Lord, making it hard to keep her expression bland. Even after all these years, she woke up in a cold sweat from the nightmares that plagued her mind from the Battle of Hogwarts, the stench of death had filled those stone halls that night.
"I heard you were no longer in Law Enforcement Dane, let it go. The world has never been black and white so why treat it like it is?" Morgana asked but judging from the loud snort that escaped her brother he didn't believe what she considered to be truth. However, no one in law enforcement believed it, which just made them all bull stubborn in her opinion.
"Sky, you had nothing to do with this right?" At his childhood nickname for her, Morgana felt the anger dissipate some, leaving her feeling regret at the distance between them. They'd been close once, but now…. She hadn't been invited to his wedding that had taken place last year and it had drove home how far their relationship had deteriorated and yet here he sat accusing her of something he was sure she could have done. Morgana wasn't sure if she should feel worried at how quickly he'd come to his conclusion or feel honored that he still thought of her in a positive light. God, she wanted to go back to the day's when they were children, he'd been twelve when they'd first met and she four and a half. He'd found her in their father's backyard that first day he'd come back from Hogwarts to find he had a younger half-sister. Morgana couldn't remember a happier time than that summer.
"I have nothing to do with this." Staring directly into his light brown gaze, Morgana wasn't sure how she felt at lying to her older brother, it would make their reconciliation even harder if it was even possible. Judging from the wary look in his gaze, she wasn't sure that it was going to happen anytime soon, she'd begun keeping too many secrets to ever find common ground again.
"I thought I was past the heart break considering how many year's it's been, but I feel as if I'm staring at your seventeen-year-old self and seeing you sink back into that dark place." Crossing her arms to keep her snapping back at him in defense, Morgana looked down at the stained wood, not really interested in the grained wood, but unable to look at her brother.
"If that's all you came to ask me about Dane, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I have an appointment I need to get to soon and I'd hate to be late." Pushing her bowl of half-eaten oatmeal away from her, Morgana stood up and motioned for Dane to do the same, walking past him she headed down the small hallway towards the door. She could hear an exasperated sigh from behind her making her wonder if she'd been a bit too abrupt, but it was how her personality had changed since they'd last seen one another and not to mention she was still upset that he had yet to apologize for what he'd done.
"If you had continued your training in the Department of Mysteries, you'd have a steady job, and could afford a better house." Dane told her in an off-hand tone that she was sure wasn't meant to hurt her, but it did. She'd shown him this house once, maybe when she was sixteen and had threatened to run away after their father had in turn threatened to set up an arranged marriage with one of his colleagues' sons. This house had belonged to her mother and it was where Morgana had spent the first four years of her life, before her mother's death. Did he not remember that incident?
"The Department of Mysteries wasn't for me and if I wanted, I could afford a nice house in the center of Godric's Hollow if I wished, but this was my mother's home and I prefer it." Keeping her tone bland to hide the anger, Morgana opened the front door and stepped out into the sweltering heat that reminded her of the town she'd left. Summer's no matter where she was, was never her favorite season it was always so blasted humid or dry heat.
"How would you afford that? Father has made it very clear to me that he cut you off when you left, and you don't have a job." Moving past her he paused on the last step of her patio as she turned around to close the door and lock it. Taking a deep breath to ease the anger that made her chest ache in the intensity, what did he know? Yes, their father had cut her off when she'd ran away from the memories and nightmares that had sent her spiraling to a dark place that had left her stumbling, but what neither one had thought to remember was that her mother had left her a sizable inheritance that would ensure she would never have to think about money.
"Because I have a job, and no I won't tell you what it is. I find I've had enough of your judgement for one day." Mumbling the last under her breath, Morgana turned around and walked down the steps of her worn patio towards the rusted iron fence that had seen better years. If she wasn't so paranoid, she would have placed the apparating point closer to the house, but she was paranoid and had placed it outside of her yard. Allowing her to place nearly a dozen wards around her home so only the select few she chose would know about it and she was starting to rethink about Dane's admittance.
"Sky, I had to do it you know that right? You tried to harm yourself." Pausing with her hand on the hot metal clasp, the breath escaping from her lungs in a rush, while the rest of her tensed at his admittance to what he'd done. Unconsciously, her right hand reached to touch the scar on her left wrist, the rough scar tissue, a reminder of how far she'd fallen that summer when she'd returned home.
"I could have forgiven you for placing me in St. Mungo's, I'm at a place now to understand I'd needed help." Unclasping the lock, Morgana stepped out onto the dirt road, there weren't many people who lived on the outskirts of Godric's Hollow. In fact, there were only about four houses that were a good three miles apart from one another. Turning to look at Dane, she could read the pain and guilt in his somber brown eyes, and though she understood his decision it didn't mean she could forgive him.
"But you left me there Dane for six whole months, not once visiting to check on me or to even talk to me. You swept me under the rug as easily as father had and pretended that I'd never tried to kill myself when I'd finally gotten out." That had been the worst betrayal and though she still loved him, even now it was difficult to look at him. He hadn't understood her actions and when she'd finally gotten enough courage to explain, he'd brushed her off making it hard to live in the oppressive silence and wary glances.
"I know what I did wasn't right, but you ran away. Before, I could come to grips that my baby sister had tried to kill herself." His angular features and the frown on his lips, made him appear too much like their father. Though at six foot and three inches' he was taller than their father and his hair a lighter shade of brown in the warm sunlight that was causing a light sheen of sweat on her skin. Despite, the difference in personalities, her father and brother had one thing in common. Both liked to pretend that everything was fine, even when the world around them was splitting.
"No offense Dane, but I simply needed you to hug me and tell me that everything was going to be all right." Letting go of the metal fence, Morgana turned her back on her brother and apparated.
….
"I have an appointment with Mrs. Adkin's." Placing the list of complaints onto the top of her desk, Reginia glanced towards the half-opened door to find her guard, Adam stopping a young woman. Her noon appointment was right on time and while she usually liked people who were punctual, Reginia could have used a few more minutes to find out what she was going to do with her girl's. The young flowers were making her business begin to lag due to their preconceived notions about some of her older cliental, who happened to be her bigger spender's. Which was the reason for the interviews this week and leaning forward Reginia moved the former interviewee's background information off to the side to find the next one's.
"Head on in." Adam told her in a gruff tone, causing her to wait for the huff of indignation or sneer of contempt at her guard's command, except she didn't hear it and a quick glance up showed that the girl's expression remained bland. So, her name's Morgana Bloodburn? Which makes her Henry and Layla's daughter? Looking up at her curiously, Reginia could see the girl favored Layla's height, slanted eyes that resembled more a cat's and her ivory complexion. While her long ebony hair was a mixture of Henry's chestnut brown and Layla's darker brown coloring, but her pale blue irises was from neither her parent's. Morgana Bloodburn was a beautiful young woman, confident in her skin, and unashamed of her sensuality. Comparing her to her mother Layla, Reginia could see that the young woman had what her mother had lacked, she knew her own desires.
"According to my correspondence with Mrs. Jasper you go by Skylar and not Morgana?" Reginia asked when the young woman settled into the chair opposite her desk. Dressed in a simple white sundress that showed off her small waist and strappy white heels that emphasized her shapely legs, she was a mixture of innocence and sensuality that most of her client's would drool over, except those pale blue orbs stared back at her with an intelligence most of her girls lacked. Obviously, Regina had failed to hire her girls for their intelligence and more on their sexual appeal, which she'd begun to realize was short-sighted on her part. Petty jealousy, and the different personalities of her flower's was splitting her business apart.
"Considering my first name is associated with Morganna Le Fey and most of our kind are a suspicious lot, I've been treated with blatant contempt, while growing up. Going by Skylar was just easier" Her voice was a husky rasp that Reginia was sure had made her popular with the wealthy men in the southern town she'd left London for seven years ago. According to her past clients she'd asked Mrs. Jasper for, the young woman had moved in very high social circles. Until, one of those wealthy men had bound her in a contract to service only him and anyone else he decided to bring in. Which was a relief. Most of her girl's found entertaining more than one man in the bedroom too much work to please them both. It was only because most of her cliental was interested in having two women in their bed, instead, of a adding another man that she hadn't encountered a problem. Yet. Another quick glance along the resume Mrs. Jasper had sent allowed her to notice an off-handed remark on the side. So, she's a submissive? That could be favorable.
"Yes, I don't find that surprising. I'm sure it doesn't help that history teaches that Le Fey was a dark witch." Dropping the parchment, Reginia leaned back into the soft, worn leather of her chair to study the young woman. She had a good poker face, since her off-hand comment merely had the other woman shrugging a slim shoulder in reply. While, Morgana Bloodburn had good reference's that most of the other women she'd interviewed in the last three days didn't. There was just one problem. Henry Bloodburn was a regular client to her establishment and would most likely cut ties if he found out that his only daughter, illegitimate or not, worked here. As a member of the Wizengamot, he was a man she could ill afford to lose.
"My last name also is a drawback no? I've studied the cliental your establishment keeps Mrs. Adkin's and if you're worried that my father will find out I work here, don't be. I have a solution." Arching an eyebrow, her voice confident and in tune with what she'd been thinking, Reginia wondered if she could be a natural legilimens. If so, she could find a better use for her then entertaining bored wealthy men.
"I've never much cared for female companionship and staying here would make my employment obvious. However, I own a vacation home on the coast of Aberdeen shire that is secluded and private for even your most paranoid clients." Tapping a finger along the armrest of her chair, Reginia could tell that she had indeed found a solution and had in return quickly become a solution to at least a few of her problem's.
"What is your opinion on the Malfoy men?" Questioned Reginia, watching carefully for a slip in the mask, and for a moment she was sure she caught interest in her eyes.
"They're one of the wealthiest men in London, which means it's a priority to make sure they are happy." Reginia couldn't fault her for being able to discern what her other girls couldn't or had chosen not to treat both men with the respect they deserved. The Ministry had absolved both men for having participated as Death Eaters, considering it was public knowledge that they'd switched sides. Were they one of her easily managed clients'? No, however, they had the wealth to throw around allowing them to be picky or about the girl's they selected.
"Threesomes?" Asked Reginia, noticing the other woman's sudden shift in her seat, her face still empty of emotion, but Reginia had been in this business for nearly four decades she could recognize the other woman's response was a positive sign.
"If it's with another man yes. Another woman, no. Our gender tends to be too selfish to share in the pleasure of one man or becomes jealous when she doesn't receive enough attention." Her words were subtle but, Reginia could read the dislike in her tone, and from the frown that pulled at her pink lips it drove home that this woman wasn't lying about her dislike of other women.
"Bondage and submission?" Again, she shifted in her chair by crossing her legs, but it was the softening of her features that told her, Mrs. Jasper was right. That this young woman would bloom even more beautifully under the care of a dominant man. Lucky enough for her she had several of those men on her list of clients who weren't happy with the girl's she had. If she gave those men solely to Miss Bloodburn, she would be able to look for another candidate to fit the needs of her less needy clients.
"I'm open to it, but there would have to be a contract between us detailing what is acceptable and what isn't." Her answer had Reginia mentally preparing the next step to have this young woman on her payroll. Already, she knew at least four men who would immediately jump at the chance to have her, and another who might want her to himself. Unlike Mrs. Jasper, Reginia didn't make a habit of forming contracts with her clients to have one of her girl's tied exclusively to him for an extended time, but it was a major pay day that she wouldn't be inclined to pass up.
"Do you enjoy pain?" At her question, Reginia watched as the young woman didn't hold back the small smirk that flirted across her lips, while amusement filled her ice blue eyes.
"Depends on the man inflicting it, but if you plan to hire me, I'd like to express my desire to be given a full year, before signing another exclusive contract." Keeping her eyes from narrowing in suspicion, Reginia put the possibility of her being a natural legilimens as being high. That was the second time in a five-minute time frame that Morgana Bloodburn had been able to deduce what she'd been thinking. Reginia was wise enough to feel wary of the young woman,
"I will take that into consideration Miss Bloodburn. For now, I have no more question's and will be in touch with you if I select you." Dismissing her with a flick of her wrist, Reginia grabbed the stack of parchment she'd been studying before she'd arrived. Once again Rose has nearly cost me a fortune, because of her expensive taste and Rachel has somehow managed to displease Mr. Zabini. How that was possible Reginia wasn't sure, the young man had enough patience in any given situation that she'd deemed it impossible to make him angry. What is Lola teaching these girl's?
"Mrs. Adkin's, I understand that I'm young enough to make you second guess hiring me or that my family background would prove…. undesirable. However, in the last five years I've been an escort I've discovered parts of myself that would have remained buried and given comfort, understanding and a lack of judgement to those who find their sexual needs to be considered…different and not normal. This might be a surprise, but I enjoy what I do." Blinking in surprise at the soft declaration, Reginia glanced up to watch Morgana Bloodburn, stand up from the chair and confidently walk towards the door without glancing back. Smiling, Reginia shook her head in disbelief, causing her light blonde hair she'd pulled into an unruly ponytail after the disastrous meeting this morning, to slide back and forth across her neck
"I'd go with her ma'am she'd be a hit with most of the more troublesome clients." Pitched in Adam from the doorway, his burly body leaning against the door frame after letting Morgana pass.
"That's what I'm afraid of. I haven't quite figured out who would be the lamb her or them?" Smirking, Adam shrugged a muscled shoulder and stepping back, he closed the door behind him. Clearly, she had time enough now before her next appointment to figure out the mess that just seemed to get larger every day. Sighing, Reginia rubbed a tired hand against her forehead that was slowly starting to throb. She was beginning to think that it was nearly time to retire, but that was easier said than done. Shutting down the club wasn't an option, it earned her too much money and finding a replacement would be nearly impossible. The past few years had taught her that the girl's she'd hired and promised to take care of would be fired on the spot. Due to their high-strung personalities.
"The only problem would be how long before her father and older brother realizes she worked here?" Reginia asked the empty office, however, once again she was reminded of the small percentage of men who would be able to keep their involvement with Henry Bloodburn's illegitimate daughter a secret. After all, the man planned to run against Kingsley for the second time next year for the job of Minister and considering how close the race had been the first time there was a high chance he could be Minister. Making an enemy of the man, would be ill-planning on her part, but she needed his daughter. Badly. Otherwise, the Malfoy's would revoke their membership, causing Mr. Snape and the Lestrange brothers to follow close behind and there went most of her old money clients.
"Damn…. I'm going to have to hire her." Sighing in defeat, Reginia grabbed a blank parchment, a quill and started writing down a few of her client's names that she was sure would like Morgana and hopefully, she wouldn't consider them just a job, but give them what her flowers could not. It grated on her nerves that her short-sightedness for the last few years had placed her in this situation.