(A/N)Mucho thanks to Linda for everything she's done to this story (and done wonderfully, if I might add) And just to let all you ickle kiddies know, the characters... they aren't mine... the story, it is mine. Got it? Good.
***
To a lot of people, Jessica was a highly regarded witch. She wasn't only beautiful and kind-hearted, Jessica also was an amazingly brilliant Auror. Even though she was just in training when Voldemort was at his apex of power, she was one of the most successful in catching Death Eaters. She even took one of those Death Eaters and made him fall to his knees in love with her.
***
“Mr. Malfoy.” Julius Anderson pounded on the door of the Malfoy Mansion. He clearedd his throat and spoke again.“Mr. Malfoy I know it is bad business that has brought me here, but I must go over this document with you.”
Julius had been standing in the cool March wind for about an hour now. He had been putting this unpleasant task off for a few days, but the Minister of Magic had finally given him little choice: Return to the Ministry without the document or forfeit his job. Julius knew that Draco was inside because when he had first arrived, he had seen the unmistakable blond head peeking out of a window. That was 59 minutes ago.
Finally, to Julius' delight, the door opened. When he looked eye level, he saw no one at all. Looking further down, he saw a queer looking house-elf in a sheet with bows on its ears. Julius had never understood the reason to have a house-elf about. They were the oddest and most frightening creatures he'd ever seen. He'd rather have a hippogriff tidy up his house in a sheet rather than one of those. Julius shuddered as the creature began to talk in the highest-pitched voice his ears had ever had the misfortune of hearing.
“Mr. Malfoy says you need not be here. Mr. Malfoy tells Mipsy to tells sir to ge- get off his bl-bloody property." The house elf would not look at Julius, she thankfully kept her large eyes pointed at his shoes. "Sir, Mr. Malfoy is not happy. Mipsy has to ask sir to please go home.”
Julius mustered a patient tone of voice. “I understand Mr. Malfoy is not happy, but... Mipsy... I have to see him. Please tell Mr. Malfoy that this has to be done,” Julius never thought that he would ever be speaking to a house elf, let alone pleading with it. But if this... Mipsy, didn't let him into the house, Julius would not have a job to go back to.
“Please sir, Mr. Malfoy doesn't want-”
“You inconsiderate fool.” Draco's sharp voice could be heard before his body came into view. “Have you not heard what I have just been through?” he snapped.
Julius stared as the young man took hold of the door frame himself. Draco Malfoy, at just 25, didn't seem to have changed much since his Hogwarts days. The only thing that did change was that he had opted to keep his white-blonde hair short. The long shape of his face resembled that of his father, but the similarities ended there. Though Draco's features were once hard like his father's, the years did seem to soften them. Jessica's doing, of course. Julius wondered, along with many others, what Jessica had done to tame a person such as Draco Malfoy.
Julius said, “Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I do know. That is why I've come to read the document to you.” Julius held up the roll of parchment to show.
The bristling anger disappeared, and Draco looked defeated. “I don't think I'm ready,” he said in a voice so quiet that Julius was glad to be standing so close.
“I understand that as well, Mr. Malfoy, but the Minister has given me orders. I have no choice but to follow them.” Or I am out of a job, Julius thought to himself.
Draco simply nodded and moved aside to allow the unwelcomed visitor into his home
The Malfoy Mansion once sparkled with the life it held, but as Julius silently followed Draco down the corridor the squeaks of Julius' shoes on the polished wood floors seemed to echo into every lonely crack of the house. From behind, Julius couldn't help but take notice of the way Draco carried himself; hunched over in sadness. This made Julius feel nothing but sorry for the young man. Stronger was this emotion because only five years earlier, Julius had passed Draco on his way to his trial. Draco had been shackled and chained, and he had given Julius and everyone he had walked by, a cold sneer. It was a couple of months later that the fates blessed him. Saved him, really. Julius did not know the full story, but Jessica Moorship had gotten Draco out of Azkaban Prison and into her home. They were married soon after. And that brought Julius to this ever so sad business.
When they reached the sitting room Draco sat down in a brown leather chair, and Julius followed by sitting on the matching couch. The only light from a small desk lamp seemed to be giving off a haunting glow as Julius took out the parchment and unrolled it. He stared at it for a long while until he sighed loudly.
He said hesitantly, “I don't think I will read the introductions, Mr. Malfoy, as I am positive you know what it is going to say,” Draco gave no nod or acknowledgment that he heard the man, but Julius continued anyways. “I, Jessica Malfoy, leave all my possessions to my beloved husband Draco Malfoy. Except the silver watch that I know Mipsy admires. I leave that to her. My wishes are as follows:” Julius pulled a letter out of his robe pocket and handed it over to Draco. He noticed that the young man's hands were shaking terribly as he accepted it. “She asked next that I give this to you so that you may read it in peace. I suppose her last wishes are in there, for that is all she has written for me. Any questions at all, Mr. Malfoy, you will know where to find me.” Julius stood up to leave, but paused as he passed Draco who seemed to be in a trance. “I truly am sorry, son,” he said placing a hand on Draco's shaking shoulder and then leaving.
Draco waited until he heard the front door of the mansion close and then whispered, “Thank you.”
***
To a lot of people, Jessica was a highly regarded witch. She wasn't only beautiful and kind-hearted, Jessica also was an amazingly brilliant Auror. Even though she was just in training when Voldemort was at his apex of power, she was one of the most successful in catching Death Eaters. She even took one of those Death Eaters and made him fall to his knees in love with her.
***
“Mr. Malfoy.” Julius Anderson pounded on the door of the Malfoy Mansion. He clearedd his throat and spoke again.“Mr. Malfoy I know it is bad business that has brought me here, but I must go over this document with you.”
Julius had been standing in the cool March wind for about an hour now. He had been putting this unpleasant task off for a few days, but the Minister of Magic had finally given him little choice: Return to the Ministry without the document or forfeit his job. Julius knew that Draco was inside because when he had first arrived, he had seen the unmistakable blond head peeking out of a window. That was 59 minutes ago.
Finally, to Julius' delight, the door opened. When he looked eye level, he saw no one at all. Looking further down, he saw a queer looking house-elf in a sheet with bows on its ears. Julius had never understood the reason to have a house-elf about. They were the oddest and most frightening creatures he'd ever seen. He'd rather have a hippogriff tidy up his house in a sheet rather than one of those. Julius shuddered as the creature began to talk in the highest-pitched voice his ears had ever had the misfortune of hearing.
“Mr. Malfoy says you need not be here. Mr. Malfoy tells Mipsy to tells sir to ge- get off his bl-bloody property." The house elf would not look at Julius, she thankfully kept her large eyes pointed at his shoes. "Sir, Mr. Malfoy is not happy. Mipsy has to ask sir to please go home.”
Julius mustered a patient tone of voice. “I understand Mr. Malfoy is not happy, but... Mipsy... I have to see him. Please tell Mr. Malfoy that this has to be done,” Julius never thought that he would ever be speaking to a house elf, let alone pleading with it. But if this... Mipsy, didn't let him into the house, Julius would not have a job to go back to.
“Please sir, Mr. Malfoy doesn't want-”
“You inconsiderate fool.” Draco's sharp voice could be heard before his body came into view. “Have you not heard what I have just been through?” he snapped.
Julius stared as the young man took hold of the door frame himself. Draco Malfoy, at just 25, didn't seem to have changed much since his Hogwarts days. The only thing that did change was that he had opted to keep his white-blonde hair short. The long shape of his face resembled that of his father, but the similarities ended there. Though Draco's features were once hard like his father's, the years did seem to soften them. Jessica's doing, of course. Julius wondered, along with many others, what Jessica had done to tame a person such as Draco Malfoy.
Julius said, “Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I do know. That is why I've come to read the document to you.” Julius held up the roll of parchment to show.
The bristling anger disappeared, and Draco looked defeated. “I don't think I'm ready,” he said in a voice so quiet that Julius was glad to be standing so close.
“I understand that as well, Mr. Malfoy, but the Minister has given me orders. I have no choice but to follow them.” Or I am out of a job, Julius thought to himself.
Draco simply nodded and moved aside to allow the unwelcomed visitor into his home
The Malfoy Mansion once sparkled with the life it held, but as Julius silently followed Draco down the corridor the squeaks of Julius' shoes on the polished wood floors seemed to echo into every lonely crack of the house. From behind, Julius couldn't help but take notice of the way Draco carried himself; hunched over in sadness. This made Julius feel nothing but sorry for the young man. Stronger was this emotion because only five years earlier, Julius had passed Draco on his way to his trial. Draco had been shackled and chained, and he had given Julius and everyone he had walked by, a cold sneer. It was a couple of months later that the fates blessed him. Saved him, really. Julius did not know the full story, but Jessica Moorship had gotten Draco out of Azkaban Prison and into her home. They were married soon after. And that brought Julius to this ever so sad business.
When they reached the sitting room Draco sat down in a brown leather chair, and Julius followed by sitting on the matching couch. The only light from a small desk lamp seemed to be giving off a haunting glow as Julius took out the parchment and unrolled it. He stared at it for a long while until he sighed loudly.
He said hesitantly, “I don't think I will read the introductions, Mr. Malfoy, as I am positive you know what it is going to say,” Draco gave no nod or acknowledgment that he heard the man, but Julius continued anyways. “I, Jessica Malfoy, leave all my possessions to my beloved husband Draco Malfoy. Except the silver watch that I know Mipsy admires. I leave that to her. My wishes are as follows:” Julius pulled a letter out of his robe pocket and handed it over to Draco. He noticed that the young man's hands were shaking terribly as he accepted it. “She asked next that I give this to you so that you may read it in peace. I suppose her last wishes are in there, for that is all she has written for me. Any questions at all, Mr. Malfoy, you will know where to find me.” Julius stood up to leave, but paused as he passed Draco who seemed to be in a trance. “I truly am sorry, son,” he said placing a hand on Draco's shaking shoulder and then leaving.
Draco waited until he heard the front door of the mansion close and then whispered, “Thank you.”
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