Chapter 406 - Chairman Ⅱ

When the last of the board members have been decided, Magellan for the last time says, "Voting and nomination for the next newest four Hogwarts members will take place during the next meeting with Charmain Malfoy at the helm. It was a pleasure serving with you all. The board is dismissed for the evening."

The rustling of movement is heard as the witches and wizards rise to their feet including Lucius Malfoy. "A word, Malfoy," Magellan loudly said. "Some advice for the newest chairman."

Several board members seem disappointed at the former chairman's words. They wanted to celebrate and further align themselves with the new chairman. After all, it was knowing the proper connections which facilitated a great deal of many things. However, they knew better than to tardy and wait. They quickly left as the last of the board members departed and shut the door behind them.

Magellan motions for Malfoy to come to sit down next to him, which Lucius aloofly does. Now seated, Lucius waits for the old wizard to speak. "You must be wondering, why I elected to nominate you, Malfoy?" Magellan said as Lucius slowly nodded his head at his words.

Magellan wrinkles his nose and says, "I don't like you, Malfoy, but I know when to recognize an excellent opponent. With time, you may have even unseated me, all on your own merit. However, what I especially cannot tolerate is being used."

Lucius lips twitch into a frown as he cautiously prods, "Whatever do you mean, Magellan?"

Magellan lets out a cold bark of laughter, before saying, "What do you think of the widow, Mrs. Bly?"

Lucius leans back into his seat in contemplation. "She is patient, well-liked by most members, and rather forceful when necessary."

"And what of this evening?" Magellan carefully pointed out.

"Yes, that was certainly out of character for her," Lucius admitted. "However, not unexpected for everyone possesses inner greed."

"My point exactly," Magellan said in satisfaction. "Mrs. Bly does not play by the rules that you and I do. She is like a snake that pretends to be dead, and even allows one to take a bit out of her, before turning around and swallowing one whole."

Magellan paused, "Trust her if you must, Malfoy, for she is a valuable ally. But always keep an eye on your back, because sooner or later, she will turn on you."

"I thought as much after today," Lucius calmly explained. "Unlike Amundsen or even Zheng, they will openly oppose you when in contradiction to their views, but still they are loyal allies the rest of the time."

Magellan nods his bald spotted head and says, "Yes," before rising to his feet. "Until next time, Malfoy," and strided away without another word.

Lucius Malfoy rises to his own feet and tucks his cane under his elbow as he puts on his leather gloves. To his delight, the hallway was empty of any board members. He was not in the mood to deal with them as he had a prior appointment. With a flourish, he took out an invitation from his pocket and stood in front of the floo hearth. "Prince Manor," Lucius said as the flames turned green and he floo'd away, while the invitation in his hand disintegrated into nothing but dust.

Lucius smoothly stepped out of the green flames to find himself in the elegant, but the exquisite Prince Manor. Waiting for him is the strange male house elf of the Prince's. The house elf wore crisp blue overalls, an ironed white shirt, and a pair of spectacles hanging on the bridge of his long-pointed nose.

Tadbey closed his pocket watch with a snap, and crossly said, "You are late, Mr. Malfoy. The Master is waiting in the study."

Lucius frowns at being talked so directly by a mere house elf. But this was Prince Manor, and they permitted it. Not that he'd ever permit his house elf to ever do so!

"Come this way," Tadbey firmly instructed as his bare, long hairy feet silently made their way across the carpeted floor.

Lucius swung his walking stick at his side and says, "I'd very much like some tea."

"My wife has already done so," Tadbey grunted. "Though, if you'd been on time, there wouldn't be a need for such obvious questions to be asked."

Lucius narrowed his eyes and glared at the house elf, who ignored his dark glower like it was nothing. Tadbey certainly did not care what the pampered pureblood thought. He knew that the pureblood had never worked a hard day in his life!

Tadbey came to a halt in front of the study doors and says, "The Master awaits inside, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius's lips turn into an inpatient frown as he says, "Are you not going to open the door, house elf?!"

"You already know that my name is Tadbey, Mr. Malfoy, use it, or I shall not answer next time," Tadbey warningly said. "And as for the door, you have two hands, don't you? Use them," before loudly popping away.

Lucius scowls after the disappeared house elf and turns the study doorknob, before stepping inside. The large study is warmly lit by a blazing fire, where the visage of a slender, stern figure can be seen studying some sort of notes. Reginald Prince glances up and says, "You are late, Lucius."

"Yes, I am Reginald," Lucius said as he strides over and takes a seat in a comfortable chair before him.

"I say, Prince, your house elf is quite rude," Lucius growled as he took the offered teacup from Reginald and added cream and sugar.

"Really, how?" Reginald asked with arched brows as he took a sip of his own milk tea.

Lucius sputtered in disbelief. "What do you mean how? The creature did not open the door for me and took quite the tone of voice with me!"

"That is merely how Tadbey is," Reginald calmly answered. "However, if you keep calling my house elf, a creature, I shall not be pleased at all, Lucius. His name is Tadbey, use it."

Lucius's lips press together into a thin line, before finally saying, "I will. However, I cannot believe that you treasure your house elf so, Reginald. It is not becoming of one of your lineage."

Reginald narrows his eyes and carefully sets down his teacup onto the saucer. "Wizards often underestimate mere house elves," Reginald explained. "And yet to the Prince's, they have always been the most valuable of tools that should never be underestimated. And we, Prince's value that which is useful and in turn protect it. You would do well to learn that lesson, Lucius. Your house elf can be of much more use, if treated properly.

Lucius's lips twitch into a slight sneer refusing to accept such words. How could that possibly be true? Still, a small tiny seed of doubt had been planted inside the mind of Lucius. Perchance, he should allow Narcissa full reign of their house elf. Though she tended to be much more milder with the creature, it did seem to genuinely like her and put in a great deal more effort than usual into serving them.

Lucius took another sip of his tea, before changing the subject. "It would seem that your contacts were proved correct, once again, Reginald. The chairman was indeed outed; however, I was the one voted into his place."

"I thought as much," Reginald said to the obvious surprise of Lucius.

"How?" Lucius demanded to know. "It was only because of Mrs. Bly forcing the chairman to the new board, and it was the new chairman himself, who voted me in."

Reginald's lips curl into a cold smile. "I have lived much longer than you, boy. And I know exactly what the darkest of hearts hide. Even an enemy will rather a known rival rob their hard earned treasures than their greatest of foes."

Lucius takes another sip of tea to calm himself down, before trusting himself to speak again. "Then is that why you arranged for a position to open up and be given to me?"

"Of course," Reginald matter-of-factly replied. "You are excellent at forging contacts, Lucius. However, with politics the way that they are now if there are far too many Slytherins in power, the wizarding masses' old fears will rise again. And besides, you will quickly learn that the Hogwarts Chairman holds its own weight and power."

Lucius slowly nods his head and says, "So I am learning."

"Of course," Reginald said as he took a bite of a warm biscuit. "The Governing Board not only holds great power over Hogwarts, it's headmaster, and employees, but power over the parents of the children that attend it. And all it will take is a whisper in the right ear, and funds for Hogwarts and other projects will come flooding in."

"Yes," Lucius admitted in understanding. "I will find it a relief to know I hold some measure of control over the place where my future child will attend."

"Not Durmstrang?" Reginald pointedly inquired with a tad of curiosity. "That is where Abraxas wished for you to attend."

Lucius wrinkles his nose in reply. "Though I would not mind the connections that would be forged, I would prefer any child of mine to make better connections," Lucius not so subtly suggested.

Reginald feigns to not understand the undertone of Lucius's words. "Well, in that case, we shall proceed as previously planned."

"I understand," Lucius said, before changing the topic another important discussion.

The two purebloods talked long into the night before each finally retiring. However, both wizards did not fall asleep immediately. Their thoughts were constantly churning on everything that had occurred causing them to rise rather late the next morning with loud yawns.