Chapter 29 - The Trials of Motherhood

(One Year Later)

Tutor Wanted

Mr and Mrs Malfoy, looking for able

Tutor for their five year old son.

Requires; reading, writing, arithmetic, etc

To apply send an owl to the

'Malfoy Manor'

"Well that seems fine" said Narcissa putting down the daily prophet,

Lucius nodded,

"We've already had several applications" he smirked

"Already?" asked Narcissa

"Well as soon as they saw the name written down, they knew there was money heavily involved" said Lucius

"I suppose" Narcissa smiled taking a sip of her tea

"Where is that boy anyway?" he asked

"Out in the garden I think, Lucius can I see these applications?"

"No, I threw them into the fire…they were all useless idiots trying to get in with good contracts at the ministry"

"Are you sure? How can you be certain?" she asked, unhappy that she had not been privy to this information earlier on

"Narcissa, I deal with these people every day at the ministry, I think I can tell which is genuine…wouldn't you?"

"Mm" sighed Narcissa

There was the sound of running feet outside the door and it opened slightly. A small five year old boy poked his head around the door and gently walked in. He had a letter in his hand

"Hello Draco" said Narcissa holding out her hand and stroking her son's arm as he walked towards his father

"Father, you've got a letter" said Draco holding up the parchment towards his father.

"Thank you Draco, but how may I ask do you know it's for me?" said Lucius taking it.

"Mummy taught me how to read and write my name, Mummy's name and yours Father," said Draco proudly.

"Really?" Lucius smirked at Narcissa, who grinned cheekily.

Draco jogged slightly towards his mother on the sofa, he sat down on the plush cushions beside her.

Narcissa and Draco watched with interest as Lucius unsealed the parchment. He scanned his eyes over it quickly and nodded.

"Take a look Cissy" he said passing her the parchment.

Draco craned his neck over his mother's arm to look at the letter

Dear Mr and Mrs Malfoy

I am writing to inform you that I have I have read your advert in the 'Daily Prophet' and I am interested in applying for a tutor for your son.

Please do not be put off that I am rather young, only nineteen. I have had experience in tutoring some of my younger family members of your son's age, younger and older.

I have always enjoyed working with children, not just in learning but in play and companionship.

I do hope you could get back to me and possibly arrange an interview

Yours faithfully

Susan Shard

"She's rather young" said Narcissa

"Well so were you when Draco was born, just a year older than her"

"Yes but…I suppose we could interview her" Narcissa shrugged putting the parchment down

"Mummy, who are you talking about?" Draco asked softly

"Well Draco" answered Lucius "We are looking for a tutor for you"

"What's that?" Draco sneered with an expression that matched his Father exactly

"It's like a teacher, so you can learn to read Dragon" said Narcissa smiling

"I don't want a teacher!" said Draco "Teachers are boring, Blaise has one"

"I know darling, but it's important that you learn to read and write" she explained

"Can't you teach me Mummy?" he whined

"ENOUGH DRACO!" yelled Lucius suddenly. Narcissa and Draco both jumped out of their skin with fright

"Lucius" Narcissa held a hand to her heart

"You are having a tutor! Your mother cannot mollycoddle you your whole life!"

"But what if she hates me?" he whined "What if she's mean to me!"

"DRACO, I SAID ENOUGH!"

"Draco, darling, how could anyone hate you. Don't worry, we'll talk to her before and then we'll see if you like her too" said Narcissa. Draco pouted miserably "Off you go, go and play, perhaps we'll talk about this later"

Draco jumped off the sofa and walked towards the door and left.

"Lucius, you don't have to shout at him like that!"

"He needs to learn that we are his parents and it is not his duty to argue back!" Lucius sighed joining her on the sofa, he placed a hand on her shoulder

"I know" Narcissa sighed.

--

A few quiet days past, when one day Narcissa was reading through a pile of magazine, and who should be on the front cover? But Francesca. Narcissa laughed. So she'd finally done. A year ago she had told Narcissa she had decided to do modelling, but things had come and gone. The agencies kept asking Francesca to lose weight, or to style her hair differently. But, Frankie being Frankie had chosen to be stubborn and sometimes purposefully go against their orders. Well here she was on the front cover, as stunning as ever.

Francesca was modelled looking like a fairy tale mermaid (rather than the actual merpeople) sitting on a rock in the middle of the sea. Her hair was loose, and the ebony coils and flowing delicately in the breeze and covering her bare breasts. Her fake tale swished its turquoise fins majestically as they dipped into the in the sea, spraying water up towards the heavens. Francesca winked up at Narcissa and grinned her poutey smile.

What she was advertising, Narcissa was not entirely sure of.

Suddenly the fire place across the room from Narcissa hissed and green flames were thrown out of the bare coals. Frankie's head was resting in the flames.

"Cissy" she said looking around the room. Narcissa jumped up and ran over to her friend

"Frankie! I just saw the picture" she said happily

"Isn't it fantastic?" said Francesca "I only let them use the one I was most happy with?"

"It's wonderful, what were you advertising exactly?" Narcissa laughed

"Perfume of course. A new brand, here they gave me a few freebies" Francesca disappeared for a second, but reappeared in the fire holding out a perfume bottle in her immaculate hand. Narcissa took it gingerly and looked down at the letters on the bottle "Cerulean?" she read

"Yes, they thought a mermaid would be apt. Smell it darling, it's divine"

Narcissa sprayed a little onto her wrist, she smelt it. The scent was so strong; it went directly through her senses and attacked her head. She coughed. To be honest, Narcissa could not imagine a perfume that was more opposite of the sea.

"It's very strong Frankie" she said croakily

"Yes but it makes the men go wild" she said winking "Speaking of men, how's Lucius?" she asked flatly

"He's alright" said Narcissa, frowning at her tone "How's Mario?"

Mario was Francesca's new lover, he was too poor for her to marry him, but he was extremely handsome and just what Francesca enjoyed fooling around with.

"Wonderful" said Francesca raising an eyebrow. Francesca's expression suddenly changed "Hold on one second" she said, her face turned away in the flames "What is it Blaise?" she said. Narcissa gathered that her son was asking her something "Oh sure sweetie" she said. Francesca turned back to Narcissa "Blaise wants to meet up with Draco today. If you're free we can all go to Diagon Alley or something?"

"Ooh, sounds lovely, but I'm afraid I'm not free. We've got to interview this woman, an applicant to be Draco's tutor"

"Oh, the trials of Motherhood" said Francesca rolling her eyes. Francesca was not really the maternal sort. Narcissa sometimes thought she only really had Blaise as an accessory, and another escape from Azkaban, when she attended murder trials. "Well perhaps we'll meet up tomorrow?" she finished

"I'm sure that will be great" said Narcissa

"Got to dash darling, I have another call on the floo"

"Talk to you later then" said Narcissa standing up and watching the green flames dim.