Ginny Weasley: Maid in Malfoy Manor

Ginny Weasley: Maid in Malfoy Manor

Chapter Three:

Of Masters and Manors

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Ginny sat on a rough wooden chair near the work island of the kitchen, taking the warmth of the fire with visible relief from the Weasley's cold quarters. The aroma of perfectly cooked steak and soup was extremely distracting, so instead, she just concentrated on acting as confident and self-assured as she could, which wasn't easy since she felt like a total imposter.

She looked around her, trying to drink in as many details as possible. The beautiful brunette, which she previously learned by accidental eavesdropping, named Natalie Mc Donald, was busy banging dishes around. Was it Ginny's imagination, or was she looking at her with scorn? She eyed the girl uneasily, but her attention was caught by the crashing of ceramic on stone - Emma Dobbs, another maid, had dropped a plate from the dishwasher onto the floor.

Ginny saw that Mary eyed the somewhat clumsy maid with great contempt but eventually ignored the mousy girl and settled on observing Ginny instead.

"I'm Mary Dale," the woman said, extending her hand. "I'm the head housekeeper, and in charge of hiring for the Malfoy Manor."

Ginny shook the hand.

"What's your name?" Mary asked.

Ginny involuntarily thought that it was absurd that, after rapid packing--taking only what she really needed and shoving it into her brown traveling bag--and brief goodbyes to Ron--saying that she was working on a new pub in town--Ginny was currently sitting in front of the stern-looking Mary Dale, the said head housekeeper, encountering her first job interview.

She also thought it was peculiar that Mary knew her mother but had no idea what her name was.

"Ginny Weasley," she answered, her voice unpleasantly squeaking just the slightest bit.

"I'll cut to the chase if you don't mind. I reckon that you've been dying to know why I even considered convincing your mother to persuade you into being a maid. The problem, Ms. Ginny Weasley," Mary continued as she looked at Ginny from head to toe with an unclear expression, "and I know that you won't like it, given your family and the Malfoy's famous dispute, is that we'll need at least a six-month commitment from you."

She plucked a rose from one of the large arrangements and placed it in a sterling silver bud vase, which she added to the tray that Natalie was working on, oblivious to Ginny's blanching face.

Six months? Ginny paled. That sounded like the worst news that she heard in a long time. And that was saying something given the almost literal hell that they had been through. Could she survive six months serving obnoxious people that she hated with all her being?

But after a while, she just closed her eyes and took a deep breath, fierce determination on her mind, simply thinking over and over again that she was really doing this for her family. She had made her decision and she was not going to chicken out.

"That sounds fine," Ginny said as neutrally as possible. She did not want to betray her uneasiness and fear by sounding too upset.

"We're rather short staffed at the moment, or I wouldn't think about hiring you at all," Mary said frankly as she moved around the kitchen, checking on things as she went. She had an air of competence that was at once intimidating and reassuring. "One of our maids just left, and Lord Lucius is hosting a rather grand wedding here in six months. His son, as you might have known him, Draco Malfoy-Master Draco, as he likes to be called--is getting married in six months, and we have our work cut out for us, preparing for the wedding."

Master? Ginny now felt sick the moment that she imagined herself calling the only person that she ever detested when she was still in Hogwarts, Master.

"I see," Ginny said, nodding as if it were totally acceptable for her to address that selfish git respectively. "But if you don't mind me asking, why not get house elves like any other..." she hesitated, "decent families in wizarding London?"

Palpable action suddenly broke lose the moment the second question left Ginny's mouth. Emma broke yet another ceramic, the ladle that Matilda, the cook, was holding fell mechanically unto the floor, and Natalie left the kitchen altogether.

Mary looked like she was going to have a heart attack.

Ginny shrunk back shamefully, regretting what she had done. It was obvious that this weird question had some redundant effects on them.

A tense moment later, Mary finally got her composure back.

"Funny you should ask, Ms. Weasley," she started, strangely avoiding eye contact. "Just a few months ago, Mistress Malfoy made this new...improvement on the manor's household. She ordered all the house elves to leave and vacate their positions and replace them with...real people as she had said, and tried to convince Lord Lucius and Master Draco that the mansion needed more...actual wizards to live in its vast spaces. To tell you the truth, Lord Lucius and Master Draco was none too happier to this rules."

Ginny tried to digest this information and nodded once again.

"And that's also the reason why I should ask for your wand right now," Mary said.

Ginny paled once more. Surrender her wand? That was totally unspeakable! She would be powerless as a muggle in front of the most feared and violent family of the wizard world!

"It's just standard procedure, given that here in the manor, no servant should use magic while doing their work," Mary explained. "And also the Malfoys don't want to take the risk of a servant cursing them in their sleep or charming their personal possessions. But no need to worry; we'll keep your wand in a secure place together with the others. You'll get it back the day you leave the manor."

Mary extended her hand and Ginny put her wand reluctantly into it.

"The pay isn't much, but as you might have thought, it would probably help your family's...financial problems," Mary continued, as she pocketed Ginny's wand. "But you do get your room and board as well."

Ginny's head was whirling. An overwhelming surge of emotion came over her, and she fought the impulse to burst into tears. Somehow, some way, she had stumbled onto the Malfoy Manor; a twist of fate that meant she wasn't going to spend the night huddled on the cold hard floor of the Weasley's temporary home, but would be serving the family that she swore she would never bow down to.

"Do you want the job?" Mary asked bluntly.

"Yes," Ginny blurted out, half afraid that if she did not answer as soon as possible, she would lose the nerve to agree to this terrible proposition, and that Mary would rescind her offer. "Yes, I do."

"Good." Mary nodded. "You'll start tomorrow. Natalie will show you to your room." Mary waved a hand toward Natalie, who stared expressionless at Ginny. "You'll share a room with Natalie and Emma, the other two kitchen maids here."

Ginny once again nodded, feeling as if there was no turning back from this grave situation that she was knee deep in.

***

"And this is the right wing of the first floor of the Malfoy Manor, where Lord Lucius's office is, as well as the main ballroom and library," sixteen-year-old Natalie McDonald droned, her voice stiff with boredom, her almond-shaped brown eyes dulled and flat. After all, showing people around the manor at the end of a hard day's work was hardly Natalie's idea of entertainment.

Particularly when that person was the new kitchen maid, Ginny Weasley, a girl who already in her short acquaintanceship with Natalie had proved herself to be a pain in the neck.

Ginny said nothing as they rounded the staircase and entered the dark ballroom, taking in the plush blood-red carpeting, the creepy and moving oil portraits of the Malfoy lineage lining the walls, the wallpaper threaded through with greed and gray, reflecting off the crystal beads of a huge antique chandelier that hung from the high, vaulted ceiling.

Natalie flashed Ginny a sullen look. The girl was annoying to the extreme, all morose and reluctant, as if the last thing that she wanted was to be touring the immense magnitude of the manor. And then there was the way she looked: so fresh and scrubbed even with her intense flaming red hair. Everything about Ginny screamed unenthusiastic motivation, and Natalie was not in the mood for lack of enthusiasm. And she was not up for playing tour guide to some redhead with disinclination issues.

Natalie quickened her pace as she led Ginny out of the ballroom and down the long sinister corridor. Fortunately, she was now used to the manor's disturbing air that she was not fearful at all, unlike Ginny who was visibly shivering beside her.

"I reckon you want to ask what's the family really like," Natalie started, her mouth twisting into a cold smile of contempt. "Well, no need to ask. They're like all the rest is what they're like!"

She blazed down the corridor, enjoying the sounds of Ginny struggling to catch up. "Lord Lucius is a boor and downright merciless. He has a mouth like a chain saw so watch yourself or he'll bite your head off!"

Good, Natalie thought, smiling inwardly at Ginny's expression. She visibly blanched at Natalie's words. "And as for the other two, Master Draco is as playful as a mouse but also as ruthless as his father. The Mistress is probably the neutral one of the three, but the most interfering of them all. She thinks she's helping when she's really just annoying all the maids."

Excellent! Natalie couldn't help enjoying Ginny's expression. She was like a steadily deflating balloon. "If you don't mind your attitude here," Natalie continued, stamping on the stairs as she made her way up, "you're toast. Believe me, these people are as soulless as they are spoiled. They're a nightmare to work for, and the atmosphere here is one of complete fear..."

As she grabbed on about the Malfoy Manor, Natalie threw in a few extra tidbits: The earl hated all the staff and wouldn't lower himself to look you in the eye. If you were ever caught using the main staircase instead of the servant's staircase, you'd be fired without pay. If you were caught standing, Lord Lucius would fire you because he was paranoid about eavesdropping...

Naturally, she was exaggerating. Surprisingly, life in Malfoy Manor was no worse than life in the real world. They did not really care about the servants and did not communicate with them. They had their own lives, as the servants did to. So they were practically free to do what they wanted for the rest of the day except when there was work to be done.

"I'm not sure I can handle this," Ginny murmured, as they swept past a giant parlor and down a never-ending passage of studies and libraries.

"I see you have good listening skills," Natalie retorted caustically. "That will come in handy. Because ever single day here you get lectured at. Either by Matilda or by Mary. If you ever open your mouth and try and defend yourself while being accused of something, you're out on your arse, know what I mean? Speak when spoken to, now when spoken at, get it?"

"Remember, Ginny, you're a kitchen maid now," Natalie hissed as they pressed on and up to the second-floor staircase. "Wherever and whoever you were before, you're just a girl with a sponge and bucket here. Got that?"

"I think I may be in too deep," Ginny whispered urgently, her eyes clouded with worry.

"Relax!" Natalie replied with a dry laugh as they passed Lord Lucius's luxurious suite. "Trust me, you are allowed to breath here! Tip: Take what I say with a grain of salt. Not a teaspoon, a grain."

Marginally relieved, Ginny let out a small smile on her still fearful face.

"You'll be fine," Natalie said coolly as she guided Ginny up to the third floor. "Yes you'll survive, but over all, you'll have a none too easy time here. Might as well be honest about that!"

They finally entered the bedroom and Natalie once again put on her tour guide act. "And this is our plush suite," she intoned sarcastically. "Bathroom in the corner, you bed and closet are to the far left. We share with Emma Dobbs, who is mostly Mary's help but ours too. Emma is dull as a block of cement and has the IQ of a crustacean, but she minds herself, stays out of the way. Here's your key," Natalie added, shoving her hand into her pocket and tossing Ginny a gold key on a rusty ring.

Ginny caught it.

"Thanks." She said, looking warily around her. She then mustered what Natalie could see was a brave smile rather than a genuine one.

Natalie turned and made for the door. As she turned, she couldn't help the tweak of sympathy that snaked through her insides. Ginny was really worn out. Alone. Natalie knew that feeling only too well.

It must be hard to adjust to a new life, Natalie thought.

Ginny Weasley, kitchen maid. This was her life now.