Scorpius headed to his own corner office, which was far less grand in size and view. Frank Pawsey, the new Head of Personnel, stood beside Mrs. Jamieson's desk chatting about the weather. She looked up and said, "Your eight o'clock appointment has arrived, Mr. Malfoy."

The time was 7:50.

Pawsey said, "I popped round early to catch up with Adeline here. She was the finest PA I ever had."

The oily smile that accompanied the compliment raised Scorpius' suspicions. Mrs. Jamieson was an attractive woman in her fifties. Pawsey was a few years older. Had he sexually harassed her?

Mrs. Jamieson ignored the praise. "Shall I make tea, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Earl Grey for me." Pawsey said. "Milk, no sugar. I'm sure you remember."

"Yes," Mrs. Jamieson replied coolly. She asked Scorpius, "For you, sir?"

"Qilaishan Long Wu." Scorpius led the way into his office.

"I'd heard they'd redecorated," Pawsey said. "Bit minimalist for my taste. Scandinavian design?"

"Italian."

Pawsey sat in one of the chairs facing Scorpius' desk. "You're not wearing robes. Another attempt to break the chain?"

Scorpius used one of his grandfather's tactics. He leaned back in his chair and fixed a penetrating gaze on his target. "Meaning?"

"No one lasts as Head of Operations. It's a company joke. They call it Defence Against the Dark Arts." He didn't sound amused.

Scorpius knew why. "What did they call you?"

"Quirrell. A distant relation. You'll probably be Snape."

"Doubtful." Not that he wouldn't take the name as a compliment, regardless of the intent. His father and grandfather both taught him to revere the man, although for different reasons. "The situation has changed."

Resentment flickered in Pawsey's eyes before he schooled his expression to one of affability. "Of course. You're a Malfoy. That's how you get away with not wearing robes." He chuckled. "Must be nice to have job security."

"Yes, it is." Scorpius opened a file. "You've headed the personnel department for three weeks. How many employee grievances were filed during that time?"

"None," Pawsey said smugly.

"What about your predecessor? How many grievances did he redress?"

"I-I'm not sure."

"None," Scorpius said. "And Nigel Esterson was Head of Personnel for twenty years. Explain that to me."

Pawsey shrugged. "Expunged records."

"Security wards prevent file tampering."

A look of alarm crossed Pawsey's face. "Then there haven't been any grievances."

No one in the history of the company had ever protested a demotion or transfer? All employees felt management policies were fair? Scorpius said, "There were no grievances because there was no procedure for filing disputes, and no management training to ensure acknowledgement and review." He closed the file. "I expect you to rectify that oversight."

Pawsey's jaw went slack.

Scorpius slid the file across the polished desktop. "I've studied the procedures of other companies, and these are my recommendations. Send me your implementation plan by the end of the week."

"Impossible. I have other—"

"Delegate the job if needed, but get it done."

Pawsey was still glowering, red faced, when Mrs. Jamieson brought in the tea tray. Scorpius thanked her and noted the bright green colour of his tea before taking a sip.

"What's that Qweeshan stuff you're drinking?" Pawsey asked.

"Qilaishan Long Wu. Dragon's Fog." The Taiwanese Oolong was grown on rocky soil at high elevation, conditions that gave the tea a complexity that would be lost on someone who gulped down Earl Grey like water. Scorpius waited until Pawsey finished his tea and said, "Tomorrow at the Operations meeting I expect each department head to give a brief."

Pawsey smirked. "Including your father? You do know he got transferred to Legal Affairs."

Inflection gave "transferred" another meaning: demoted. Scorpius kept his expression blank, denying Pawsey the reaction he so obviously wanted. "All department heads." A brush of a fingertip against the silver inkwell engaged its Protean charm.

The office door opened.

"Show Mr. Pawsey out and bring in the morning post." Scorpius lifted his teacup and, once he was alone, used a vanishing spell on the lukewarm tea.

Mrs. Jamieson returned pushing a mail trolley. She removed a teapot shaped like a sea dragon from the upper basket. "I took the liberty of preparing another infusion."

He conjured a second teacup. "Please join me."

"Thank you." She poured the tea.

Scorpius shared that employees would soon be able to file grievances—even on past offenses—and then asked about the post. Mrs. Jamieson reassured him that the amount was unusual and that half the letters were charitable requests or business invitations.

"Word travels fast," Scorpius said. "Did you know about my father's transfer?"

"No, sir." She paused. "It must have happened over the weekend."

Word about promotions and demotions usually travelled through her level of staff before that of any department head. How had Pawsey known?

Mrs. Jamieson's troubled expression revealed a similar unease. "Shall I ask security to run a sweep of the building, sir?"

"Not yet," Scorpius said. "Get me the personnel files of the security team. Discreetly."

"Yes, sir." Mrs. Jamieson rose to her feet.

By the time she returned, he had sorted the post into three piles: soon, later, and never. He used a Vanishing Spell on the last pile and filed the other two in a desk drawer.

Mrs. Jamieson handed him a stack of folders. "Alun Drax's file was missing. The personnel clerk believes Mr. Pawsey keeps it in his office." Her tone was that of someone delivering bad news. "She believes every department head's file is kept in Mr. Pawsey's office."

"Knowledge is power? I'll go through these between meetings so you can return them before lunch." He glanced at the leather planner on his desk. The 11:30 appointment was the Head of Legal Affairs. He didn't think it was a coincidence.

"Will that be all, Mr. Malfoy?"

He nodded. "This afternoon, I'd like you to give your impressions of the security staff, relate any incidences—"

"There are many," Mrs. Jamieson said. "Beg pardon for the interruption." She gathered the tea things and left him studying the file of one Barnaby Goggins.

By 11:30, Scorpius had finished scanning the security team member files. He gave them to Mrs. Jamieson to return to her contact and decided to go down to Legal Affairs for his last meeting. His father was the only department head guaranteed not to resent a boss fresh out of Hogwarts. He deserved special treatment.

"Scorpius!" Draco Malfoy stepped out of a Floo as Scorpius was reaching for the box of Floo Powder.

"I was going to surprise you," Scorpius said.

"You've done that by not wearing robes." His father smiled. "Come show me your office." He took a camera out of a pocket. "Your mother wants me to take a couple of pictures of you at your desk. Our son the businessman, all grown up."

"All right." Scorpius brought his father into the office, let him take the pictures, and then asked, "When did you become the head of Legal Affairs?"

"Last night."

"Because of me."

"Not in the way that you think. I've wanted less hours and responsibility for years."

There were other departments that practically ran themselves. Departments that didn't fall under Operations. "He wasn't trying to help you."

"But he did. I get to spend more time with my son."

Scorpius liked the sound of that. "Are you free for lunch tomorrow?"

"Why wait? I haven't learned enough yet about my new position to warrant a meeting, so we may as well beat the crowd. Where do you want to go? The Gnome and Jarvey?"

"I can't. I've made other plans." Scorpius checked his watch. Still enough time to get his father out of the office. "Why don't you show me around the legal department and introduce me to your staff?"

"I wouldn't remember half their names. I only introduced myself this morning."

Scorpius heard the click of a door handle turning. He hadn't touched the inkwell.

His father gave him a knowing look. "You're having lunch with Rose."

Grandfather Lucius strolled into the room, a set of robes draped over his arm. "No," he drawled. "Scorpius is having lunch with me."

A/N: I uploaded a new picture so everyone could see how cute Courage and Cookie (the new puppy) are together. This is one of their calmer moments. When they play fight, I[m tempted to video and put it on youtube. Cookie sounds so tough and Courage sounds like a Wookie. :D

Since my intentions of regular Friday posts have pretty much gone to Hades in a handbasket, I decided what the heck, post when done, who cares about the day. I only care about readers like the ones who reviewed the last chapter . . .alix33, arrrgghimapiratenow, cinroc, drcjsnider, fynnsmom, gracie, Il'Diko lalalove-Rae, Marina Del Pilar, Nocturna Mae, Rose of the West, SGed, and VandyFNP.