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Chase Malfoy of Diagon Alley By Echo
Doyle, Hey. How goes it? I hope the bird wasn't too wiggy. Draco said I could borrow him to write to you. I can't have e-mail. No. It has to be a great honking owl. Can you say FREAK? I knew you could. Things are good here. Draco makes Angel look downright social. There's two new guys working here. Remus Lupin and Marcus Flint. Remus is so Giles-like that it's wiggy. He's a great listener though. Marcus is all muscle. I wouldn't pick a fist fight with him to save my life. He's a sweetie though. He has a daughter. Mercedess. She's great, and I don't even like kids that much. I also have a house-elf. He's too cute in a creepy sort of way. His name's Bigglesworth, and he lives to serve me. It's the perfect relationship. Ha ha ha. There's also Dean and his boyfriend Seamus. Too cute. Both of them. Diagon Alley is a pretty cool place to live. We're right next to the apothecary. It's all good. I haven't been shopping yet, but Seamus promised to take me. He's so very Irish too. He sort of reminds me of you, but less drunk and more gay. We haven't had any actual clients yet... unless you count Bigglesworth, but that a whole other thing. Some of this wizard stuff is weird to me. Like the whole anti-muggle brigade. Apparently Draco's mom is their president and very vocal spokesperson. Muggle is the wizard term for a non-magic person. She was a really nasty bitch. I know that sounds funny coming from me, but, hey. I would have punched her, (I know!) but Draco stopped me. So... how is everyone? Angel doing ok? Fred? Gunn? Wes? Lorne? Gwen? Connor? I know they're still all very upset with me, especially Connor and Angel, but if you could just tell everyone that I miss them and that I still love them very much, I'd appreciate it. And you... how are you adjusting? There's some changes since you last 'saw' for AI. You know if you need me... well, I would say call, but... well, that's it. I'm having a phone line put in this place, so that if you guys need me, all you have to do is dial. I'll let you know the number ASAP. And if you wanted to call just to talk sometime, that would be ok too. Love
always, *~* "No." "Excuse me?" "I said no." Cordelia glared at Draco. "Well, that's too damn bad." "What?" She was looking past him to the door where three people had just walked through. Draco gaped. Arthur Weasley, Percy Weasley, and Katie Bell? He looked at Bell the hardest. She was walking with braces on her arms. Draco had heard that she had been hurt very badly in the final battle with Voldemort. He'd heard she'd never walk again. Looked like walking to him. Insufferable Gryffindors. They never gave in. "Arthur." Draco rose and crossed to the older man, the new Minister of Magic. He clasped him in a brief hug. "It's good to see you." He looked at Percy. "Weasley." "Malfoy." Percy nodded curtly. Draco sighed. They had never gotten along. Even worse than he and Ron didn't get along. "Hello, Bell." "Malfoy." There was sweat on her forehead. She looked like she was straining to stay upright. "Would you all like to have a seat?" Gratefulness flickered briefly across Bell's face. Draco held a chair out for her, but he didn't assist her... even though her arms were starting to shake like mad. Percy made a move to help her, but Draco shook his head 'no'. Katie couldn't see him, but Percy sure could. Cordelia watched with interest. She totally got it. This Bell woman was an independent. It was probably killing her that she had to use those braces to walk. "To what do I owe this visit?" Draco asked. "To her." Arthur nodded at Cordelia. "You have got to be Cordelia Chase. Ron and Ginny speak of you often." He held out his hand. She shook it. "Arthur Weasley, father of Ron and Ginny... and Percy." He gestured to the redheaded man in glasses next to him. Cordelia shook his hand as well. "And this is Katie Bell." Cordelia shook her hand. Damn, the woman had a firm grip. "Chase, what did you do?" Draco asked in an overly even tone. "We're getting muggle-fied, broody boy. Phone line, internet access.... microwave, so I can cook things." "No microwave." Draco snapped. "Microwave." "There is no way in HELL I'm letting YOU cook anything ever again, Chase." "Malfoy-" "No." He scowled. "And what do you need a phone line for anyhow?" "So I can phone home." Her lips trembled slightly. "Cordelia phone home." Katie snickered. Her being muggleborn, she was the only one who got it. "Why?" Katie stuffed her arms into her braces and shot to her feet. "She misses her family and friends, Malfoy! Damn!" "Katie..." Arthur tried to place a hand on her arm. She was pacing too fast in her braces to let him. And then the door opened with the clang of the bell Cordelia had attached above it. Remus, Marcus, and Mercedess entered with bags of stuff. Bigglesworth trotted after them with one hand holding the edge of Mercedess's robes. He was wearing one of Connor's baby t shirts that had accidentally been in with her stuff. It was blue and had 'I love my daddy' on it. It was topped off with his pair of Spiderman underoos that were peeking out of his baby-sized snappy crotch blue jean shorts. Also Connor's. "Cordy! Look at my cauldron that Daddy bought for me!" Mercedess screeched. The little raven-haired girl rushed across the room with the pewter cauldron held high above her head. "It's very nice, sweetie." Cordelia said taking the cauldron before Mercedess dropped it. She set in on her desk. Mercedess turned around and looked at the two Weasley men and Katie. "You two look like Ron. What happened to your legs?" "Mercedess!" Marcus snapped. And then Katie's brown eyes landed on him. "Flint." "Bell." The air was thick with tension as Katie and Marcus exchanged glares. "Once more with even more tension, please. Oh no wait. There could not possibly be more tension here." Cordelia looked at Marcus. "Lemme guess, you guys knew each other in school. Geez, I think Malfoy and Harry would act less tense if they had to kiss." Draco sputtered. Arthur let out a great bellow of laughter. "Oh Draco, it looks as if you've finally met your match." Katie chuckled as well. Then her body gave out. She would have fallen but for Marcus grabbing her. "I can handle myself!" He ignored her and sat her back in her chair. "Flint!" He ignored her still and took her arms out of the braces. He rubbed the places where they were putting grooves in her arms. "Draco, we're here to supervise Katie's setting your office up for internet and phone lines." Draco stared at them. That's right. Percy was the head of the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. "Pardon us a minute." Draco grabbed Cordelia's arm and hauled her into his office. He kicked the door closed. "OUCH! God, grabby hands, much or anything?" She rubbed her arm and glared a hole in his head. "Butthole." "What?" He hissed. "I called you a butthole, you... you... you butthole." "What do you think you're doing with MY office?" "Making it so WE can work in it." "Chase-" She clamped her hand over his mouth. The vision was taking her over. A little girl. A dark alley. A group of baddies. Dark wizards. Cordelia was shaking. Her breathing was sounding shallow. "Chase?" Draco was panicked. Her eyes were rolling. She was shivering. "A little girl in an alley, a dark one... next to a place that sells... yuck! Giant spiders!" "Knockturn Alley." "We have to hurry." "I'm hurrying!" Everyone jumped when Draco came flying out of his office supporting Cordelia with an arm about her waist. "Weapons!" "I have my weapon." Draco pulled out his ebony wand. "I want my sword!" "What's going on?" Remus asked as he moved to the weapons cabinet and started pulling things out. "We have our first vision, boys and girls." Cordelia said. "Saddle up." "What is it?" "Little girl. Dark alley. A few Death Eaters who missed the Auror roundup looking for a little payback in the form of a muggleborn sacrifice." Katie gasped. Marcus lifted Mercedess up to his eyes level. "Go upstairs. Stay in your room with Bigglesworth until I come back." "But, Daddy-" "Mercedess..." "I could stay with her." Katie said in a soft voice. Marcus nodded curtly. He set Mercedess on the ground, and she ran to stay next to Katie. Arthur and Percy were taking out their wands as well. "What are you two doing? Nuh uh. No, you stay here with Katie Bell. I want my land line and internet." Arthur chuckled. "Percy will stay-" "Dad!" "You are the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. What Katie's doing is your job. That's here. But I'm the Minister of Magic. Little girls getting attacked in dark alleys is part of my concern. I go." The group of them headed out the door. Bigglesworth whimpered and Mercedess picked him up. Katie looked at the two of them. "What do you two say about me putting you to work?" *~*~*~*~*~* Cordelia took off running when she heard the little screams. She may not be excessively fond of children, but that didn't mean she could stand it if they were getting hurt. She rushed into the middle of a group of people in black robes and started swinging the short staff Remus had handed her. The thin piece of wood was cracking against all sorts of body parts. Draco was hexing people in a voice that was booming. One of them managed to get Marcus's wand knocked away. The brutish man started tackling people then and using his fists. Remus hexed his way to the little girl and lifted her into his arms. She had to be the same age as Mercedess. That just fueled Cordelia's fire. She started screaming as she let the staff go twirling through the air in violent poetry. Arthur had called in the Aurors in between hexes. In no time at all the alley was filled with Ministry people. Harry and Ron apparated in just in time to see Cordelia break a rogue Death Eater's nose with her staff. The guy pointed his wand at her. Only to have Draco yank Cordelia against him as he sent a fierce kick into the man's wrist that made bones snap. Cordelia and Draco both were breathing heavily. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and patted the arm that was still resting around her waist. Remus handed the little girl to her sobbing mother and joined Marcus next to Cordelia and Draco. Someone from the Daily Prophet took their picture. The wizard law enforcers asked that they come in to answer a few questions. Marcus sent an owl to Chase Malfoy telling Mercedess everything was all right before the group apparated to the Ministry of Magic. *~*~*~*~* When the group finally dragged themselves back into the office, they were met with the warm glow of torch light and candlelight. Katie was asleep in on the office sofa with Mercedess, Bigglesworth, and a book in her lap. The girl and the house-elf were also sleeping soundly. There was a computer and a telephone on Cordelia's desk now.... and a microwave in the kitchenette. There was also a fax machine at a table in the corner. Cordelia gasped and ran to the computer. She ran her hands over it lovingly. She picked up the phone and held the receiver to her ear. Dial tone. Yes. She did a little dance. Draco rolled his eyes. He waved at all of them in a dismissive manner and went upstairs. Cordelia supposed that was 'moody antisocial bastard' for goodnight. Remus walked up next to Cordelia. "You will have to show me how to work the computer, you called it?" "Yeah. Computer. I can't wait. Oh, I'll have to get my demon database set up again." "Demon database?" "It's like a giant chart thing of all my known demons and you can search it by M.O. Like who has tentacles and eats baby flesh? Type it in and viola! Enistirc demon. "There's really a tentacled demon that eats baby flesh?" "Yeah, they're pretty gross." Remus shivered. "But the database saves us time. I can also e-mail my friends Willow or Fred if we get stumped. They're plenty smart." "E-mail?" "Electronic mail, Remus. I'll show you. Don't worry. I'll have you IM-ing and I-chatting in no time." Marcus Flint was still standing in the doorway staring at his daughter curled up against Katie Bell. Katherine Bell, the girlfriend of his arch nemesis from school Oliver Wood. But he'd yet to see or hear mention of the infamous keeper. Where was he? Why on earth wasn't he taking care of Bell? She needed help, much as she never would admit to such things. And he knew before the final battle she had been a quidditch player. That was sort of out of the question now, but why was she taking odd jobs like making offices muggle ready? Who was looking out for her? He walked to them slowly. He picked up the book and closed it. Cordelia and Remus walked over. "We should put her up for the night." Cordelia said. Marcus nodded. He lifted Bigglesworth and handed him to Cordelia then lifted Mercedess and handed her to Remus. Lastly, he lifted Katie up into his arms like she didn't weigh a thing. "Her braces." "I'll come back down for them." Marcus murmured. The group made their way upstairs. Katie's head lolled against his shoulder. He'd never been this close to her when he hadn't been trying to knock her off her broom. She felt sort of bony, like she wasn't eating enough. He remembered her being a bit thin before, but it was always solid flesh he had knocked up against. He watched, holding Katie, as Cordelia put Bigglesworth in the doggie bed she'd bought for him. She tucked the baby blanket that had also been Connor's around him. Then she started unfolding the sofa into a bed for Katie. Remus was starting up to the third floor with Mercedess. "Daddy?" She said sleepily. "Right here, sweetheart." "You're carrying Katie." "She's not heavy. Let Remus take you up. I'll be there to tuck you in... in just a bit." "Ok, Daddy." She tightened her arms around Remus's neck. Cordelia turned down the sheets and blanket on the folded out bed. She watched as Marcus laid Katie down as if she were a china doll. The woman hadn't even stirred. If Cordelia hadn't seen the rise and fall of her chest, she would have sworn Katie was dead. Marcus was looking thoughtful. "Knut for your thoughts." "I..." He tucked some blonde hair behind Katie's ear and sighed. "You used to hate her... like a lot, and suddenly she's this person that you like because she kept your kid company and read her a bedtime story." "Yes." "And you're wondering why she's on her own when she obvious needs just a little bit of help now and again." "Yes." "You aren't the only one." He looked at Cordelia. "Well, not the part about hating her because I just met her today." "What do I do?" "Don't you mean we?" "Ok. We. What do we do?" "You go tuck your daughter in and get some sleep yourself. I go get into my jammies and come up with a plan." "I can't believe I'm trusting the planning of someone who just said she was going to get into her jammies." Cordelia scowled at him. *~*~*~*~*~* The seer was humming to herself and talking to Willow with her newly downloaded messenger when Katie came out of the elevator. "Morning." "Er, thanks for putting me up for the night." "No problem." "Where is everyone?" "Malfoy's holed up in his fortress of solitude, also known as his office. It's the door with the 'do not disturb' sign that's the size of a large pizza pie on it. Remus and Marcus took Mercedess to finish her school shopping, and Bigglesworth is curled up by my feet asleep." "Oh." "Katie, can I call you Katie?" "Sure." "You want a job?" "What?" Cordelia wasn't even looking at her. She was typing a response. "You're obviously good with the electronics to magic thing. Mr. Weasley sort of mentioned you did that sort of thing freelance. I thought you might want something a little more permanent. We could use another person who knew their way around a computer in this office. Especially if I'm about to teach Remus how to use the thing." "Don't you need to speak to Malfoy about this?" "No." "But I.... I can barely walk. I couldn't rush out like you all did yesterday." "No, but you sure could stay here with Mercedess like you did. We'll always need researchers and fort holder-downer types, the kind of people who we could count on to make the appropriate calls to send in the cavalry if we get in over our heads." "You're serious?" Cordelia looked at her then. "Yes. And we even have a room for you." Katie considered for a minute. "All right." "Good.
You're officially hired. Do you know how to make coffee? Could you
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