Chapter 406 - Chairman Ⅱ (2/2)
”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.