I'm sorry I've not uploaded anything to my stories in a while. College is really taking over. Please enjoy my next chapter. I do not own Magician's Nephew or the canon characters, CS Lewis does. I only own James, Harry and Derek.
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The tap was not Digory's father but was James Thorn. Digory felt a warm shiver going up and down his spine. He did not want to see him at all anymore once his father invented seatbelts and safer stirrups seven months ago. James and his family earned 5,000 grand for it as of now and should be getting more throughout next year. They used to live in a small cottage ten miles away from town in the mountains alone and poor. Probably the moments when Digory really liked the way James was.
James was one of Digory's good friends in his childhood before and after Polly came along. James was always the positive thinker, responsible, and independent. Now James had all the qualities Digory disliked to see in rich folk which was stubbornness, selfishness, spoiled, laziness, envy, and competition. He was changed. He had very pale skin, dark hair, and really skinny. He was a few inches taller then Digory.
"Yes James?" Digory nodded politely with a smile tipping his store bought hat with his hand like any gentleman would great some one in the 1800's.
Digory didn't want to start a confrontation between James. Maybe he would go away, Digory thought if he didn't give him that satisfaction that it was bothering him. It didn't work James only took his right hand with a smirk and swiped Digory's hat off his head and on to the ground where wind was starting to pick up and it swayed along with it down the sidewalk. Digory's caddy, Harry quickly caught it and was bringing it back.
James began to laugh throwing his head up and placing his hand on his stomach. "You've got yourself a greater dog then I do Kirke. Does he perhaps know how to roll over and fetch too?" Digory was not bothering to answer James's question and ignored him.
James gave a cliché puppy bark in Digory's face and moved over to the cart where Harry was sitting before and found the cabby's glasses "Fetch Harry!" James took the glasses and threw them down the snow covered road.
"What'd you do that for you jerk?" Digory ran up to Harry and gently took his hat back. Digory reassured him that he'll look. No glasses were found and the snow was beginning to come down. James watched chuckling at Digory with crossed arms.
"Digory you idiot this is a job for your dog!" James called out.
Digory and Harry ignored the snobby boy and later Harry pitched in to look for his glasses as well. They searched by moving piles of snow gently and stepped around cautiously. "Digory, lad let's forget about this. I'll buy another pair next week."
Digory looked up at Harry with shocking eyes. "You will most certainly not. If James and his family will not pay for this damage I will buy you another tomorrow." Digory looked over to James and back at the ground Harry was now walking ahead. Digory took a few steps until something cracked from beneath his shoe like a small shatter of glass.
A devastating look came to Digory's face as he bent down moving his shoe and slowly picked up the lens ear piece of Harry's glasses. A shriek of laughter came from James. Harry grew very angry then, not with Digory but with James. Harry took his whip from a nail and without unwrapping it he waved it in James face whom had automatically stopped laughing. "Leave master Digory alone. He had nothing bad to do with you or harmed you in any way, neither have I." Harry went on lecturing and James started to whimper and caused tiny tears.
Digory rolled his eyes walking up closer with a grin on his face. James became a pouting kind too he assumed very easily. The Derek, Digory's father came out of the suit store with a shocked and sneer look on his face. "Harry!"
Harry stopped yelling and Digory turned to see his father with his mad expression. James was still whimpering and Digory looked to Harry. His face was frightened as if what he had done was wrong.
James looked at Digory's father. "I was only outside having a conversation with Digory about tonight's party and your caddy here threatened me with a whip."
Digory phished and rolled his eyes. "That is not what happened." Digory said looking to his father holding up Harry's broken glasses about to continue on what really happened.
"Be quiet Digory!" Derek hushed his son quickly.
"Continue with your story James." Derek looked away from his son to concentrate only on James. James continued the story of how he wanted to catch up with Digory, and that the glasses being stepped on were an accident by him and that he apologized and that was when Harry threatened him with the whip. It was lie after lie.
"Come on dad," Digory cut in. "You don't actually believe him. It's not how it happened."
"I'm going to tell my parents on your caddy too." James added.
"Shut up James! Your mouth is even bigger then your horrible lies." Dior ferociously tossed his head at James.
"Digory," Derek interrupted. "Get in the cab. We will continue this at home. James." Derek looked over to James who faking a shake. "Go home and do not worry yourself. I hope you and your family are still able to attend our Christmas party tonight."
Digory got into the cab and took his seat.
"I'll be there if Digory is there," James smirked looking into the cab at Digory. "We still need time to catch up my friend."
Digory turned his head away from James and out the other side of his window placing on his store bought hat back on his head.
James said his byes until tonight and Digory tried to make out what his father was telling Harry up front. Digory couldn't believe his father. Not once would he listen to the truth. Digory had a feeling that his father knew the truth but he also knew that his father will not risk a bad reputation even if it's a lie. This is what worried Digory the most.
A few minutes later Derek came in to join his son in the cab with a smile on his face but looked as if he knew he was doing something wrong. Digory watched his fathers feature curiously and scared. Digory glanced to Harry who looked so innocent like a 60 year old would when he finds out he is dying or is about to. His eyes looked tired as if trying hard not to cry. It didn't take Digory long to realize what was happening. His father was firing him.
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Digory was silent the entire time back home. His father Derek did the same. Digory knew if he said anything his father would either shut him up or a conflict would arise from them. Digory wanted to sob as he saw his home coming up realizing this was probably the last day he will ever see his friend Harry around.
As the cab came up to a stop Harry opened the door for Digory's father and Derek just glided through without acknowledging Harry. Digory came over and hopped down himself looking at Harry.
"Harry?" Digory was confused with words.
"It's alright lad." Harry said slowly and walked to the right side of the big house probably to gather his things and would be off by tonight elsewhere to find another job.
Digory didn't wait for him to come back instead he rushed into his home and marched up the stairs towards his fathers office.
Luckily his father was in his office but was surrounded by a few dressed up men having cocktails. Derek noticed his son outside the door a few seconds later and urged his men out the room. "That conversation was important. Now what is it Digory?"
"Why did you fire Harry? He did nothing wrong and I could tell you knew he did nothing wrong neither." Digory asked knowing this was more important then the stupid conversation between his father and the men for his company.
"Digory, this conversation can take place around some other time." Derek waved his hand as he rounded his way towards his desk to sit down telling his son to go.
"Dad," Digory walked in further.
Derek threw his arms up. "Please son I'm busy. Go write your telegram to Polly, leave me be."
Digory knew his telegram to Polly was important but this was important too to him. "Please just tell me why you did it?" Digory came up to his fathers' desk and leaned over it not to far but far enough for an answer.
Derek placed a paper and pen in front of him before growing a bit aggravated and glanced up at Digory with harsh dark eyes. "I told you this before and you will more likely understand when you have a family of your own one day and you have a specific reputation to uphold, a good one too that does not involve having people think less of you. What happened today with Harry," Here was an unpleasant chuckle from Derek. "Is an example of showing how people will look at us less if he was still hired."
"Harry is one of you good employees, he even the nicest one and has been a good look out and friend of mine since I was eight years old." Digory spoke out shocked. "He loves this job the both of us including mother we don't look down at him as though he was less. How could you say that?"
"Son he waved a whip in front of James Thorn, his family will be the richest family ever very soon and if Harry was still one of my employees how do you think that will make me look in front of the Thorn's. We probably wouldn't be friends anymore."
Digory crossed his arms. "So even if the whip would have touched James within reach he still would have deserved it. The Thorn's and everyone else around here are only your friends because they look at you as competition."
Derek chuckled. "That's not true son."
"Yes it is!"
Derek met his sons' eyes and the both were silent for a short time. "I thought you and James were friends?" Derek asked.
"We used to be or like I said before his parents look at you only as their competition maybe they forced him to be my friend to catch up with you, your money, and other sorts." Digory said.
"What?" Derek looked at his son confused. "Wha- what do you mean by other sorts."
Digory leaned in at this. "You know like maybe, your ideas."
"That's nonsense Digory." Derek chuckled lightly and stopped with a frown. "You keep it up then I'll disown you as my son."
"I wouldn't worry about that father. I'm legal right now I can disown you as my father first before you could disown me." Digory joked.
"Get out Digory." Derek spoke up in a serious tone.
"I've one more thing to ask you?" Digory urged.
"Yes?"
Digory lapped his arm over the desk. "Would you help Harry? You know give him a raise in his allowance to. He has a family and grand children whom he wants to go to better schools and college."
"I gave him a bonus." Derek said.
"How much?"
"Sixty dollars."
"Sixty dollars?" Digory asked shocked. "That's a hundred dollars less than last years pay."
"I'm the one hosting a Christmas Party this year and some spending had to be made." Derek grew frustrated.
"You can't pay him a few one hundred and forty dollars more? After everything he's done for us." Digory tried to push his father to do the right thing.
"Sorry. Son," Derek changed his mind about talking and got up from his chair and took Digory's arm leading him towards the door. "I'm busy right now so go, go and write that Polly girl bye." Derek shoved Digory out and closed locking his door.
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Digory sat at his stationary again in his room trying to figure out what to say in his telegram to Polly. He couldn't think because the Harry situation got to him. Digory sighed and pushed his long bangs back with his hand deciding to take a brake away from it for a while and he stood near his window and sat at the side for almost an hour when he saw Harry with his luggage and he was to take the cab. A few employees came out to hug him good-bye.
Digory rushed from his room and noticed his father had left the office. He quickly went over to the desk and looked in his fathers top drawer which was supposed to be locked and it was like a bank in the drawer. Digory pulled out a hundred and fifty and looked around caustiously to see if some one was spying on him. He dashed out quickly with the money in his pocket running down stairs.
"Digory." Derek spoke on the first floor. "Why are you in a hurry?" He was standing with his company men again and they were all looking at him as though he was about to cause some type of trouble.
"I want to go tell Harry good-bye." Digory said placing his hand on the front door knob after placing a coat on him.
"Alright, and not for too long okay Digory you need to get ready for the party." Derek said.
Digory rolled his eyes slightly. "Okay." He opened the door and caught Harry just in time as he was loading up.
"Harry have this extra money." Digory handed Harry the one hundred and fifty dollars. "This will help out your family get into better schools and a great college." Digory smiled.
Harry slowly took the money and smiled. "Thank you lad."
They hugged and said good-bye. Digory reminded Harry to write him once he was settled.
Once Digory was back into his room he was now feeling better to write his reply to Polly. As he was about to begin Derek opened Digory's door. "Digory your mother is back now get ready."
"I'm still not done with Polly's telegram yet." Digory sighed closing his eyes. He should of pulled the bull by the horns and had gotten done with it when he had the chance.
"What did you waste your time one for the past hour?" Derek asked sarcastically. "I'd better see you in the dressing room in three minutes tops."
Derek left and also left the door open.
One day wasted on a reply to Polly, Digory thought. He'd rather be spending his Christmas with her.