The Unwanted Malfoy Heiress

Seven: The Disciplinary Thrashdown

Eleazar Fig

The resilience of his charge was incredible, but Eleazar worried a bit that all of these events were happening too fast and sudden for Miss Malfoy. She had mentioned a godfather of some influence at Hogwarts, but when he pressed her for details, she had merely replied, "You will find out soon enough, sir. He is more of my father than my own has been to me, but even so, his pureblood obsession irritated me even when I was little."

He knew better than to interrogate his charge further, and so they resumed a quiet journey on the path to the viaduct courtyard in the castle.

He escorted her to the doors of the Great Hall and faced Miss Malfoy. "Hm, I'm no expert on fashion, but I think," He cast a non verbal transfiguration spell to change his charges traveling outfit to a Hogwarts girl's uniform, complete with the House crest badge that would change once she was sorted into her destined school House. "This would look more appropriate for school."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He opened up the door a crack and noticed that they were just in time for the sorting ceremony. Headmaster Black noticed him, and his blue eyes narrowed to small slits, indicating his anger.

He saw him move towards them, and Fig. almost cursed in front of his charge. "Phineas Nigellius Black. Get ready to meet the headmaster."

"That's okay, I-"

But Miss Malfoy didn't finish her sentence because Headmaster Black was right there, angry at him. "Fig. Nice of you to join us. You will report to my office immediately after I take our new fifth year in hand."

Eleazar swallowed past a lump that had formed in his throat. "Yes, Headmaster. Um, we'll be in touch."

He moved just out of their line of sight, and he saw an extraordinary sight: Phineas Black hugged Miss Malfoy, and they conversed in French. She looked sad, but then Black handed her a handkerchief and switched to English, almost sounding regretful, "...parents won't be pleased by this outcome, Ana."

"I know, Uncle Nigel. But Professor Fig protected me as best as he could," Miss Malfoy explained. "I don't think he should be discharged for attempting to get me here in one piece."

"Still, I should've sent Professor Sharp in his place," Black mused. "Or, I would have if he were of sound body."

"Father would've wanted you there."

"Yes. Yes, I know. But even a Headmaster can not be in two places at once, Ana. I will explain that to him in my owl message after I receive his inevitable howler. Are you ready to be sorted?"

Miss Malfoy smiled. "Of course. Let's go pin the snake badge on me, I guess."

Headmaster Black laughed, and then they resumed their roles as if someone had switched on an oil lamp. He left to tool around in the Headmaster's office before Black showed up himself, looking just as angry as before after he concluded the welcome ceremony in the Great Hall.

"You can thank my goddaughter for your very livelihood, Fig," Black declared. "She all but lauded your skills in keeping the goblin thugs who attacked you at Gringotts off of her. However, this does not absolve you of your responsibility in George Osric's death in the dragon attack on your stagecoach."

"I...I was not aware you two were so close. She mentioned a Nigel but nothing else," Eleazar stammered.

Black humphed, "Yes, well, that is all the personal navelgazing that we will do tonight. But suffice to say, as much as her father Desmond and I were friends in our school year, his neglect of his only daughter is shameful indeed. I had thought you could be entrusted with a girl I look on as one of my own children, but I see that was too much to hope for. Now, do leave this office before I am tempted to go back on my word to my goddaughter."

Eleazar all but fled the Headmaster's office because Black was not just angry then, but almost apoplectic with rage. He ran into Matilda Weasley, and she could see that he had been very shaken by the disciplinary thrashdown Phineas Black gave him.

"Oh my, Professor Fig... Eleazar, whatever is the matter, dear?" Normally, that term of endearment would've irked him to no end, especially with Miriam dead a year in her grave, but tonight, he welcomed Matilda's kindness.

"Can we talk... outside?"

"Of course. I just got the new fifth year settled into her common room, and the applause from the Slytherin table was quite raucous indeed."

He nodded. "Ah. A Slytherin, as her family, no doubt expected of her. I do wonder if it was her free choice or the call of expectation."

Matilda led him to the viaduct courtyard, and they sat at one of the fountains. "Something tells me that we aren't speaking of merely Miss Malfoy."

Eleazar put his head in his hands for a moment before meeting her brown eyes. "No, no, we are not. Miss Malfoy mentioned that she knew someone high in authority that she knew personally, but when I pressed for a direct answer, she merely said I would find out soon enough."

Matilda nodded. "Ah. Well, I imagine she would've wanted to keep such an association to herself. I would in her shoes. Good gods, you don't think she's a secret love child of Phineas's, do you?"

Eleazar found himself laughing at that. "I would wager not, no. He is merely her godfather because her father was his best friend in their school year."

Matilda smiled. "A comforting thought that the pompous pureblood obsessed fool has a heart, however well hidden. Speaking of hidden knowledge, I must know if there was more to your impromptu trip besides the dragon attack that killed Mr Osric."

Eleazar squirmed inwardly under Matilda's now stern gaze. "I...No, that was the extent of our mishaps on the way to Hogwarts."

"I see. Rest assured, Eleazar, that the truth will come out eventually. Now, though, I believe we both have classes to teach in the morning if you can find your way to your classroom these days."

That final reproof stung, but he couldn't blame Professor Weasley for that because on the outside, he was neglecting his job to grieve for his beloved Miriam, and to finish her research into the workings of ancient magic. Such work often required him to spend an inordinate amount of time not teaching magical theory and ancient runes to the students. However, because Anastasia Malfoy had dropped into his life, he had a great cover to continue his research with her assistance, and he planned to use every advantage he could get. In the end, he knew that Miriam deserved justice and he would achieve it no matter the cost...