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Chase Malfoy of Diagon Alley By Echo
Cordelia was grinning as she watched Bigglesworth get after the office floors with a dust mop that was way too big for him. She had the door open and a nice breeze was coming in. The apothecary next door must have been brewing something yummy because the wind just smelled of spices. Remus was going through all the books and files... reorganizing them. He didn't like Cordelia's system. He said he preferred the alphabet. He really was reminding her of Giles... but in robes. It was nice though. She had completely gotten over her schoolgirl crush on him. Oh, he was still salty goodness of the seasoned variety, but he had also moved into that father figure role. She wasn't about to make moves on her 'father'. That would be icky. They talked a lot. He actually listened to what she had to say... or he pretended really well. They ate breakfast together up in the kitchen. They went to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. They had dinner together. Draco never joined them. Cordelia was beginning to wonder if he ate. Bigglesworth assured her that 'Master Malfoy' ate at least once every day. That's when she started having Bigglesworth deliver notes with Draco's food. He never mentioned it... which was shocking because some of the notes were downright rude. I mean, she tells him to quit sulking in his dark hole like a souled vampire, and he doesn't have one snappish retort for her? Not one? She would have at least told herself to piss off. It was two weeks after her arrival that things really started happening. That day with the reorganizing of the books and the spices on the air and Bigglesworth wrestling the dust mop. A body came crashing in through the open doorway. Two other people rushed in after it and started beating the guy. Cordelia didn't even bat an eyelash. She came flying around her desk, grabbed the dust mop from Bigglesworth and started hitting the victim's attackers... expertly. Not at all like a woman would wield a mop or broom against someone - like someone trained in staff fighting might wield a weapon at aggressors. Very quickly she had the two brutes on the ground. They were pretty big, but her adrenaline and indignation had given her the edge. There was also the fact that she knew how to use a staff. Angel had taught her during one if their many sessions of training. "Daddy!" A little girl came rushing in through the door. She had to be the cutest thing Cordelia had ever seen. Long, straight, black hair. Jet black. And huge blue eyes. Eyes so huge they swallowed her face almost. Her skin was pale as milk and her lips were so rosy she'd never need lipstick. Cordelia put her somewhere between nine and twelve years old. "I'm all right, Mercedess." The victim said as he sat up. "The lady with the dust mop dispatched my would-be dispatchers." Cordelia handed the dust mop back to Bigglesworth and held out a hand to help the guy up. He was in his thirties, handsome but not gorgeous. Black hair, brown eyes, sort of big and brawny. He very nearly pulled her down trying to get up. "Cordelia Chase." She said while she still had his hand. "Marcus bloody Flint." Draco Malfoy's voice hissed from the doorway of his office. He had his wand drawn and everything. "I'd advise you to get your hand off of what's mine." Cordelia snorted. "Yours? You wish, Princess Malfoy." "Chase, do shut up." Remus coughed. He was grinning like a madman. "Don't you hurt my daddy!" "Mercedess, stay back." "Three questions, Flint." "Go ahead, Malfoy." "When did you get your teeth fixed and when did you have a kid? And why were those gorillas accosting you?" At that point one of the said gorillas attempted to rise. Cordelia grabbed the dust mop back from Bigglesworth and sent it jabbing sharply into the man's heavy jowls. "No. Don't get up. Really." Draco looked at her with a bit of shock. For a muggle, she certainly knew how to take care of herself. Flint smiled, showing off perfectly straight and pearly white teeth. "The answer to the first two questions is after graduation from Hogwarts." "Finally, huh?" "Stuff it. Do you want to know or not?" "Proceed." "The third answer is you and Snape weren't the only former Death Eaters to do some damage from the inside." "Well, I suppose we should alert the authorities." "Already done." Remus Lupin said. Flint's eyes turned to the older man. "Hello Professor Lupin." "Mister Flint." "And just how did you alert the authorities with no phone?" Cordelia asked. "I sent Malfoy's owl." "You sent an owl. My GOD, am I living in the middle ages here?!" "Not quite." Said another voice from the open doorway. A familiar voice. Ron Weasley was holding Draco's eagle owl on his arm, wand drawn, Auror robes on. "Ron!" Cordelia rushed over and hugged him. "Well, good afternoon, Miss Chase." He said with a huge grin on his face and an arm still around Cordelia's waist. "What seems to be the trouble? Malfoy not treating you right?" Draco rolled his eyes. "No, but that's not why you're here. Why are you here?" "My shift in the alley. It's usually pretty boring until this thing flew at my head. I came right quick when I saw what address it was too." "Well, these two... hulkified beast-goons were trying to..." She looked at Flint. "What were they trying to do and who are you again?" "Marcus Flint." He shook her hand. "This is my daughter Mercedess. And they were trying to let me know they didn't appreciate turncoats." "All right there, Ron?" Harry Potter asked as he came through the door with Neville Longbottom behind him. "Ah... backup." Ron said. "Longbottom's considered backup?" Draco muttered. "Oh bloody hell." The two 'hulkified beast-goons' were bound and carted off magically to the Ministry of Magic for questioning. Mercedess Flint was given some lemonade and a fat chocolate chip cookie by Remus while Ron, Harry, and Neville asked Cordelia and Remus all sorts of questions about working for Malfoy. Draco had set off to his 'batcave' office after seeing the threat was neutralized. There had been some tension between the Aurors and Marcus Flint, but Mercedess killed that fairly quickly by asking the Ministry boys all sorts of questions. She was eleven and starting Hogwarts soon. She wanted to be an Auror. Marcus had smiled proudly at that... which was shocking to Harry and Ron because they remembered what a nasty git Marcus had been at Hogwarts. It was after the Aurors had finally left that Cordelia discovered the reason for Marcus Flint being in Diagon Alley besides trying to get Hogwarts supplies for Mercedess. He needed a job. He was carrying the Daily Prophet with their 'help wanted' ad in it. Cordelia hired him on the spot. No interview, no asking Draco. The man had a child. He needed to be able to support her. Besides, she'd told him he was on a ninety day trial period, and he had better prove to her that he could do the job. *~*~*~*~*~*~* It was the next day when Marcus and Mercedess were moving it that the other thing happened. Cordelia and Remus were laughing their heads off about Mercedess "accidentally" tripping Marcus, causing him to break the 'ugly' lamp of theirs. Mercedess hated the lamp. It had belonged to her grandmum on her mother's side. The one who didn't like her because she killed her mummy when she was born. Cordelia's heart strings tugged so hard at that they nearly snapped. Mercedess was blunt... like another girl around the office. She was so "Cordelia" at that age, but without the snobbishness. Cordelia could admit to being a snob. But it was past. Mercedess had taken to calling her Cordy, and she had taken to calling Mercedess Mercy. Marcus had laughed out loud and said it was perfectly ironic because she never showed any. Remus was pouring tea for everyone for the break they were all about to take when the woman walked in. She had a haughty air to her. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a very tight French twist. Not a hair was out of place. Her skin was like flawless porcelain. She wore dark blue robes that fell across her figure perfectly. She looked like she was in her late thirties, but somehow Cordelia placed her as older than that. "Hi. Welcome to Chase Malfoy. Can I help you?" Cordelia wiped her dusty hand off on her gray cargo pants and held it out for the woman to shake. The blonde just looked at her hand like it was a snake peeking out of the bushes. "Draco Malfoy please." "He's unavailable at the moment. Can I do something for you?" "What you can do, you filthy little muggle, is get Draco Malfoy. Tell my son his mother is here." Cordelia blinked at the venom in her voice. What a nasty bitch! Was this how people must have felt about her in school? It had to have been. Cordelia's eyes narrowed. She went from sweet Cordy to Queen C Bitch in zero point nine. Best Mommy Dearest learn that now. Sure, she didn't want to offend Draco's mom, but the bitch had called her a muggle. And a filthy one at that. You didn't march onto the queen's turf and insult her. It was off your head if you even tried. Seriously. "A please would be nice." Her voice dripped like melted butter and had a sting to it that any hornet would be proud of. Mommy Dearest seemed taken aback by the change in demeanor. "Listen, muggle-" "You call me muggle one more time, peroxide, and I'm going to show you what a half demon seer with sword training can do." "Mother." Everyone turned. Draco was standing in the doorway of his office. He looked sick. "Draco, darling, who is this... this..." "You say muggle and I swear to Aries the god of war it is on like Donkey Kong." "Chase." Draco hissed through his teeth. "Don't 'Chase' me, Malfoy. She called me a filthy little muggle. I am so not your typical homo sapien. I am a mystic. I have sight, and I'm not even fully human. I resent the implication that I am." Draco sighed. "Draco, darling, do you really mean to tell me you work with this... this... creature?" Cordelia spun on her heel and heading for the cabinet that held her weapons. Two swords, a long staff and a short, a set of sais, many stakes, a crossbow and a mini crossbow, a lady's ax, and a mace. Draco didn't want her pulling any of that out on his mother, no matter how rude she was being. He looked to Marcus and Remus in alarm. And then Mercedess made it worse. "You're a mean lady, and now Cordy's gonna kick your bum... and I'm going to point and laugh." Mrs. Malfoy sputtered indignantly. "Well, I'm certainly in the mood for a walk." Marcus said loudly as he scooped Mercedess up in his arms. "Agreed." Remus grabbed Cordelia by the arms and steered her away from her weapons cabinet. "Bigglesworth, come along please." "Yes, Misters Remus." The group headed out the door, leaving Draco quite alone with his now-seething mother. "Draco Lucius Malfoy-" "Don't start, Mother." "Working... WORKING, as in doing actual labor, you know how it's frowned upon in our circles, darling, but to work with such... rabble. Was that that werewolf professor I saw? You haven't hired him, dearest? And Marcus Flint? So disrespectful." "Mother, Marcus Flint did the same things I have done. Am I so disrespectful?" She waved her hand, dismissing his words. "You had a bit of delusion. You're all better now." "Mother! Come off it! I was NEVER going to follow that power-hungry Potter-obsessed fool known as Voldemort-" "Draco Lucius Malfoy! You watch your tongue about the Dark Lord!" "Mother, the only reason I took the dark mark was to spy for Dumbledore." he was resisting the urge to shout at her again. "No." "Yes." "Draco, darling, you don't mean that. Your father is probably turning over in his grave. Consorting with Aurors. And the Weasleys, I refuse to believe you call those muggle-lovers your family now. You bring shame on the Malfoy name, Draco." "The shame was there before I ever dropped from you screaming, Mother." "How DARE you." "No, lady, how dare YOU." Cordelia was standing in the doorway. Draco had never seen her looking quite so like she might kill someone. Not even in the final battle. "I forgot my jacket." She was looking at him with a emotion playing across her face that Draco couldn't quite read. "I think you have better be on you way, Mrs. Malfoy." "How dare you, you filthy little-" "I wouldn't go there again. I'll have to put the big hurt on you." "Draco, are you going to let this... this... muggle threaten me?" "Oh that is it! Screw having a weapon!" Cordelia crossed the distance between herself and Mommy Dearest like a flash. She swung and would have landed a beauty of a punch if Draco had not caught her fist. "Please do not hit my mother, Chase. No matter how much you feel she may deserve it." "She can't come in here and think she can talk to me like that. I can't let her talk to you like that either, Draco." He blinked. She'd called him Draco. "Draco Malfoy, are you having sexual relations with this muggle?!" "Mother, I think you had better go now. It was good to see you again. Please make the gap in between your visits longer for both our sakes." Narcissa Malfoy scowled. "Don't scowl, Mother. Wrinkles, remember?" "Having relations with a muggle." She shook her head. "Where is the son I raised?" "You raised me? That's hysterical, Mother. Really. I think the house-elves had more of a hand in my upbringing. I certainly knew Professor Snape better than you or Father. And if Cordelia and I are having 'relations', it's certainly none of your affair. It also wouldn't be the first time a Malfoy had fucked a muggle girl, but you'd have to ask Father about that one. Too bad his arse is rotting in Azkaban." Narcissa swung. Draco anticipated the slap, but it never landed. Cordelia had caught his mother's wrist. "Get out." She hissed between her teeth. Narcissa jerked her arm away and stormed out. "You haven't seen the last of me, muggle!" She tossed over her shoulder. Cordelia arched an eyebrow. "Thank you for being cliché." Cordelia followed her to the doorway. "I got your muggle right here, bitch!" She grabbed her breast. Draco gaped. He rushed to her. The blonde grabbed her around the waist and yanked her back inside, hoping no one had seen her. "Are you insane, woman?" "Maybe a little." Cordelia said, frowning. "That was your mother? Sweet Jebus, she makes my mom look like Carol Brady, and my mother is absolutely no prize. The woman hasn't called in what's going on four years now. I could be dead for all she knows.... still less bracing than that wildebeest who bore you." "Chase, do not insult my mother." "Why not? She insulted you. I find that really hard to take for some reason, Malfoy." "Everything all right?" Remus asked quietly as he Bigglesworth, Marcus, and Mercedess made their way back inside. "Ding dong the wicked witch is dead." "You killed her?!" Marcus said, gaping. Cordelia rolled her eyes. "No, Einstein. It's just an expression. She's still alive and bitching." "Oh." "By the by..." Draco said. "Marcus, what are you still doing here?" "He works here now." Cordelia said with a grin. Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh you can just put that brow right back down, Princess. Marcus is our muscle." The eyebrow stayed up. Cordelia leaned in and whispered. "He fought on the right side, Malfoy, and he needs a job. He's got that kid to support." Draco looked at her. "I never would have figured you for a bleeding heart, Chase." "Thank your lucky stars, Malfoy. I didn't always have one." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. Draco blinked. She gave his chest and affectionate pat and turned away. "What do you guys say we have our tea and scones now?" "Yay!" Mercedess said. Cordelia looked at Draco. "Care to join us, boss?" "Did you make the scones?" "No. Remus did." "The tea?" "No. Remus again." "Well, then I do believe I will join you." Cordelia scowled. Remus and Marcus made quite a hand-covering and coughing fuss to hide their snickers. Mercedess had no such tact to her. She laughed out loud. Guffawed actually, held her little belly as it trembled in mirth and everything. Cordelia was hard-pressed to hold her sour expression in the face of such giggling. Draco
sat at the table with them, feeling for the first time like he truly
belonged to something worth belonging to. It was a very nice feeling. |