Hey, does anyone know how to insert a horizontal ruler without having to edit the item in our document manager? I used to just put it in my document while typing and it would show up but now they don't work anymore. Does Anyone know how to do this? I'm using Microsoft Office 2007.
Chapter 2:: That Odd Child
Draco Malfoy strode up to the doors at exactly four-thirty. He had an aura of confidence around him as he breezed into the room.
"May I help you?" The front receptionist, a young, blonde girl named Choley McAdams, looked up from the stacks of paperwork.
"Yes, I have an appointment with Ms. Myrick."
"Mr. Malfoy." Hermione came around the corner after making sure her dark red-auburn hair was deep and curly enough. She had her black rimmed glasses on, and her eyes were charmed green. This was her usual charmed appearance, but she had to reassure herself that he would not be able to recognize her.
She strode up to him, her lengthy 5'6'' body dwarfed next to his 6'2'' frame, and stuck out her hand to shake his. "My name is Alyssa Myrick. I'm the co-owner and operator of this facility." Draco took her hand but looked at her questioningly.
"I wasn't aware that there were two people in charge here."
"Oh, yes, my partner is Amanda Stoneforth." Draco gave a look at their still joined hands and took his from her; her hand was shaky, but warm and comforting. Nearly familiar. "Would you like her to join us for your tour?"
"That won't be necessary, but I would like to meet her."
"Most certainly. Wait just one moment." Hermione stepped away from him and went around the corner to the shared office. "Gin!" Hermione whispered a harsh hiss. "He wants to meet you too. Make sure you're charmed up."
Ginny stood abruptly and after making sure her freckles were charmed away and her normally flaming hair was a platinum blonde color, she looked at her amber eyes in the mirror and after a short spell with her wand they were a perfect crystal blue.
Both women came forward and Hermione turned back to Draco. "Mr. Malfoy, I would like to introduce you to my partner and co-owner of this facility, Amanda Stoneforth. Amanda, this is Mr. Malfoy, Zander's Godfather."
"Pleasure." Ginny had her country charm on and stuck her hand out to shake his. Draco took her hand briefly but his eyebrows were scrunched in thought.
"Did either of you girls attend Hogwarts?"
"No sir. We were in a less prestigious wizarding school in Wales." Ginny was perfect, extremely convincing in Hermione's opinion.
"I see. Well, it was a pleasure meeting you Ms. Stoneforth. Ms. Myrick, if you will."
"Certainly." Hermione stepped past them both and led Draco through a glass door. "Every day the parents step into that lobby and check in with the secretary. The secretary will notify the teachers of who is checking in. You need not say who you're picking up, just your name. The teachers all have a charmed mirror that shows them who is in the lobby. Our teachers know the parents or guardians of all children in their class. They would never release the child to other parents."
"What about charms and potions for identity impersonation."
"They do not work on our premises. Our entire property has been charmed by the ministry of magic. No spells—with the exception of staff members—will work on the premise; as well as any outsiders' charms or potions performed off the premise. Zander is perfectly safe in our care."
"The magic is blocked here?"
"Yes, sir. With the exception of staff members."
"When you thought to do that, was it your concern that people would attempt to harm the children?"
"We did do this for the safety of the children however, the thought process behind it was slightly different. See, developing young wizards and witches tend to show, signs of magical ability. They cannot control this ability though and it can often wreak havoc in its path. With the wards up, no child can perform accidental magic." Hermione paused for a brief second when a child was spotted to their right levitating. "Except her."
Draco raised a skeptic eyebrow at Hermione as she rushed into the room, he breezed in behind her. "Amelia! I told you not to let Austin do that!"
"I'm sorry, Ms. Myrick, but she can't seem to stop it." The class teacher—Draco presumed—was a frazzled young witch. "I don't understand how she can break the wards." The small brunette girl simply looked around before her chair lowered. All the other kids in class turned away from her as if she were and outcast. But two little boys stayed at her side, patting her gently and reassuring her that she wasn't strange. Draco noticed that one of the little boys trying to make her feel better was his own Godson and he beamed. He was a bully in his youth, so he was proud to know that Zander wasn't following in his footsteps.
"Ms. Myrick, perhaps you would enlighten me as to how a child can break your wards?" Draco asked when they had exited the room to continue their tour.
"We don't understand it. Even the Minister himself has come down and checked and rechecked the wards. His best guess is that it isn't magic related."
"Then what on earth could it be?" Draco seemed to be letting his temper slide a little. But how is a place supposed to be safe when even a child can outsmart the security. He couldn't see that as very safe for his Godson.
"Who knows? Maybe she has telekinetic abilities. We won't know for sure until she is older. But her sister can't do that."
"She has a sister?"
"Yes. They're twins." Hermione knew they were treading some rather, dangerous waters. She didn't want to delve too much information to him. She already let slip the name, she didn't want to let on to anything else.
"Who is their mother?" Draco's mind was reeling about a million miles an hour. He wasn't completely sure, but he could have sworn that Ms. Myrick had said Austin; and how many little girls could be named Austin?
"I fail to see the connection to you, Mr. Malfoy. We don't delve out information about our children's parents. We have a privacy policy in effect here."
"I need to know. I… I believe the mother is an acquaintance from school. No one has seen or heard from her in about 5 years. I… We've all been… worried sick."
"I'm sorry, but I cannot break our privacy policy. I will, however, tell the mother your concerns and let her do with the information as she will. This," Hermione gestured around the small, messy room, "is the arts and crafts room. Children have plenty of things to keep their imaginations turning at high speed here. And this," Hermione led him to the adjoining room, "is where we have story time, nap time—for the younger children, and we play some fun indoor games and sing songs in here, too."
Draco took a look around; there was a lot of space for the kids to run. He was feeling more at ease, and seeing his Godson with a friend made him happy. He had a feeling he was going to allow Zander to stay, even though he wanted to know more about the mysterious daycare owners and that odd girl.
"We feed the children snacks in this room." Hermione led him into a smaller room with little tables and chairs. The floor was a simple white floor, easy to clean with no chances of stains. Draco could hear the clinks and clanks of the kitchen through the metal doors. "They're preparing dinner for the children who stay late."
"How late are you open?"
"We are a twenty-four hour daycare. You see, there are some witches and wizards who have to pull third shifts, or some that work entire on third shift. Those parents usually bring their children about three in the afternoon, and then go home to rest before work. They usually pick their children up about six or seven in the morning. We have plenty of staff to cover the shifts; so no, I do not stay all night. My partner usually comes in halfway through second shift and I go home."
"But you didn't today?"
"Sometimes I stay late to go over last minute paperwork or to balance the books. And of course, I needed to stay to show you around."
"I'm sorry to inconvenience you." Draco sounded a little put out, and not too sincere with his apology.
"Oh no. I had work to do after this anyway. I won't be out for another two hours or so. But This brings us to the end of the tour." He found himself back to the classroom that contained Zander and the odd child. He didn't see any other child that looked like her, so he assumed her twin would be in another class.
"Zander. It's time for you to go home. You will be going with your Godfather."
"I know." He grabbed his stuff and ran up to Draco. "Hi, Uncle Draco!" The little boy smiled up at him, the grin was silly though because the boy was missing his two front teeth. Draco bent down and had small chatter with the boy and promises to talk all about his day later.
Draco introduced himself to the giggly teacher. Amelia nearly melted when he gave her a perfected wink. He then gave a curt nod to Alyssa and walked into the lobby to sign Zander out.
Hermione strode into her office and flopped into her chair with a heavy sigh.
"Rough tour?"
"I think he recognized Austin."
"Nah. She looks nothing like that picture you sent him. And you look nothing like Hermione. Just relax."
She tried. She really did. But Hermione just couldn't shake the unnerving feeling she got being in his presence.
Draco walked into Malfoy manor with the young Crabbe by his side, the child chatting away about daycare.
"And you know, I have three girlfriends up there. Vincent says I shouldn't have girlfriends. He says girls are icky. Are girls icky, Uncle Draco?"
"I wouldn't think so. You might think so now, but you—and Morgan—will change your minds when you get a little older."
"But he says my favorite girlfriend isn't girly like the others. She's always playing with the boys in the mud and when we play the King in the Fort, she's always the first to overthrow the king! She's so cool!"
"Haha. So you got yourself a tomboy for a girlfriend, huh?"
"I guess so. Though you know Ms. Alyssa? She's a nice lady. She's always nicer to me than my mommy. One day I'm going to marry her!"
"Haha, really? What about your other girlfriends? Won't they get jealous?"
"Ms. Mandy might." Zander nodded his head, then put his fingers to his chin in deep thought. Draco was mildly amused by his display of deep concentration but played along.
"Who's Ms. Mandy?"
"She's the co-owner with Ms. Alyssa. She's real pretty too. Though she's Morgan's mom."
"Morgan, is that one of your girlfriends?"
Zander shook his head and laughed. "No! Silly, don't you know Morgan is a boy! Morgan Lee…umm… well I don't know his other middle name. But he's Ms. Stoneforth's."
"oh." Draco didn't know what to say. Who names their son Morgan? What a weird woman she is! Boys should have strong, manly names. Draco was in his thoughts and got snapped out when he heard Zander talking again.
"—is really awesome though. But the other kids get scared of her sometimes. Ms. Amelia says it's just her special abilities and she doesn't know how to use them yet, but that we will all have things like that starting soon. But I don't know… Either way though, she bullies the other kids when they make fun of her, but I've seen her cry."
"Is that why you were helping her when the other kids left her?"
"Uh-huh. She's my favorite girlfriend."
"So I've heard. Say, Zander. Have you ever seen her mom or dad at the daycare?"
"No. I always leave before her. And I always get their after her. She said her house is real close and that Morgan lives in the same apartment building."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh. I think it's that building behind the daycare. Uncle Draco?"
"Hm?"
"I'm hungry."
AN::
Hey everyone! Here's chapter 2!
Thank you all so much for your compliments and your reviews. I hope you all are enjoying this story.
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