Stairway to Heaven

Myfanwy Tewdwr jerked awake as the train halted suddenly. She looked around her compartment wildly, searching for the lush green valley and cold sea she normally woke up to in Wales. When she realized where she was she chuckled at herself quietly.

She stood up and stretched her long, thin legs. They were cramped from her endless train rides, across the fine Welsh countryside, over the English border, and finally, into London. After easing some life into her limbs, she gathered her trunk and stepped out of the compartment.

The train was packed with people, mostly Muggles. Myfanwy squeezed past them, trying to make her odd-looking trunk look inconspicuous.

She held her breath as she stepped outside of the train and into her new life.

Thick gray clouds dominated the sun. A never-ending trickle of rain fell upon Myfanwy's pale face. Still, she took a long breath. She could smell wet earth and fish-and-chips. This was certainly London.

The now-familiar feeling of loneliness washed over her, sending chills down her spine, but she suppressed them and looked around. Bright-clothed people wandered past, some running to trains and others strolling without care. Myfanwy saw a line of trolleys and took one for herself. Heaving her trunk up onto it, she pushed it through the Saturday crowds.

She found herself looking for familiar faces before she reminded herself that she was in London, not Aberystwyth. She didn't know anybody. She didn't even know her way around town.

But then, a middle-aged woman holding up a sign caught her eye. She held a plain white poster, with fancy black letters saying Myfanwy Tewdwr written upon it. Myfanwy's heart skipped a beat as she realized who the woman was.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Joseph," Myfanwy said, approaching the woman.

The woman jumped, startled, and turned to Myfanwy.

"Goodness, you scared me," she said, sounding slightly irritated. "And you must be...sorry, can't pronounce it..."

Myfanwy smiled. She had expected this. "Mi-fawn-wee Too-dur. But you can just call me Misty." This nickname was the result of long hours of thinking over her train rides. She knew no one would pronounce her name correctly, and this sounded like an easily pronounceable shortening of it.

"Very good, Misty. Welcome to London. Now, follow me."

Misty was slightly hurt at first when no offer was made to help push the trolley. Mrs. Joseph was a hefty lady and she seemed much more capable to push it than Myfanwy, who was very tall and skinny. Then, Myfanwy realized that this was just another thing different about her new life.

Myfanwy had traveled the many miles to come to London in order to be a servant. Her family was desperately in need of money to support Myfanwy's many younger siblings. Myfanwy, with her independent spirit, jumped at the chance to leave home. So she volunteered to go to Malfoy Manor and serve the old friends of her family. Mrs. Joseph was the housekeeper, and therefore, a senior-ranking servant. Myfanwy was definitely below her on the servants' scale. She could not expect help from seniority.

Mrs. Joseph led Myfanwy out to a small black car. Myfanwy could see a shadowy form in the driver's seat through the dark windows. Looking closer at the car, she saw little flags on the front with two bold black M's on them. She realized that the Malfoy's had sent their car to pick her up. She felt a little flattered before she understood that there was no other way to get her.

After Myfanwy had loaded her trunk in the backseat and sat down beside Mrs. Joseph, the driver started up the car and drove off.

"Now, I will take this opportunity to inform you of your duties," Mrs. Joseph said, and Myfanwy listened closely.

"You get two half-days off per week, Wednesdays and Fridays. Otherwise, you work from six o'clock a.m. until whenever your chores are done. You are taking the position of first maid, so you are expected to clean the bedrooms, bathrooms, parlors, and other rooms of the upstairs part of the manor. All you need to know is this: There is to be no interaction between male and female servants. You are not allowed to speak to any members of the family directly--anything you wish to say will be spoken through the senior-ranking servants."

Myfanwy tried to soak it all up, her head spinning. "Mrs. Joseph? Will I be getting my own room?"

"Yes. You will also be given a uniform to wear while you work. Each servant wears a different color: Butler, black. Housekeeper, red." At this point, Myfanwy glanced at Mrs. Joseph's robes. They were deep, ruby red, and open to show a matching knee-length dress and apron underneath. "Lady's maid, yellow. Cook, white. Maids, green. Footmen, blue. Stable boy, tan. Hall boy, grey. Kitchen maid, orange." Hearing this, Myfanwy shivered and thanked God that she wasn't the kitchen maid. "Scullery maid, purple. Understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Joseph."

The round, pudgy face of the housekeeper broke into a satisfied grin. "You're the first new one who I haven't had to tell to address me correctly. I think you and I will get along fine, Misty. Just fine."

The ride was very enjoyable. Misty's politeness and (she admitted it to herself) sucking-up put Mrs. Joseph in a very good mood. Even the slightly heavy traffic couldn't bring her down, although the glaring eyes of the driver said that he felt otherwise.

After a couple of hours, the black car rounded a corner in the curvy country road and Myfanywy gasped.

Malfoy Manor loomed at the end of a showy driveway, sporting every bit of riches any man could want.

Mrs. Joseph chuckled at Myfanwy's stunned looked. "Wait until you see what's inside," she said.

The black car stopped before a large, wrought iron gate. Stone dragons on top of pillars peered down at Myfanwy, and she noticed diamonds glinting from their eye sockets. She heard a password muttered by the driver ("Lucifer") before the gate creaked open.

It seemed to take an eternity to travel the length of the driveway. Patiently pruned hedges lined the asphalt. Their sharp, angular was an omen of the strict perfection Myfanwy would have to face.

Finally, the car stopped. Myfanwy waited for a moment, expecting the driver to come open her door. Then, she remembered what her position was and climbed out herself.

She caught her breath at the sight before her. What seemed like hundreds of marble stairs lead up to wooden doors as tall as mountains. Four stone pillars stood before the tall gray house like giants. Myfanwy had to crane her neck in order to get a glimpse of the roof. The manor appeared to have at least five stories, judging by the windows.

A raindrop fell on Myfanwy's upturned face and startled her out of her reverie. The driver was glaring impatiently, waiting for her to retrieve her trunk. She lugged it out and muttered a hasty apology, trying not to get on anyone's bad side on her first day. Milliseconds after she shut her door, he drove off to park the car.

"Well, Misty, follow me," Mrs. Joseph said curtly. Now that they had arrived at the manor, she had lost her cheeriness and gone straight to business.

Misty dragged her trunk behind Mrs. Joseph. They walked around the front of the manor to the side entrance, which was called the Servant's Entrance. It led directly to the downstairs part of the house, where the servants lived.

Mrs. Joseph rang the bell a few times before a footman came and opened the door.

He was taller than Myfanwy, with a long neck, a pointed nose, and curly brown hair. He wore a dark blue suit underneath matching robes, just like Mrs. Joseph had said. Myfanwy smiled weakly at him, but he kept his face impassive.

"Hello, Rory," Mrs. Joseph said. Without waiting for an answer, she continued, "This is the new maid, Misty. Will you please show her to her room?"

Rory nodded and walked off down the hall. Myfanwy hesitated, then stepped through the door and followed him, dragging her trunk along behind.

Once Mrs. Joseph was out of sight, Rory smiled at her. Myfanwy was surprised at how quickly his professional manner changed to warm, cheery humor.

" 'Ello, then, Misty. Welcome to Malfoy Manor. A maid, then, are you?"

"Yes, sir."

"You don't have to call me 'sir'. It's all right--as long as Mrs. Joseph and Mr. Mason aren't around."

Myfanwy looked at him, perplexed. "Who's Mr. Mason?"

"The butler, of course."

Myfanwy stepped behind Rory to climb a set of steep stairs. "Really, you and I aren't supposed to talk. Interaction between us isn't allowed, but none of us follow that rule," he called over his shoulder at her.

Myfanwy nodded. "Do you see the family often?" she asked him.

"Well, some servants don't, but as a footman, I see them all the time. I'm always upstairs, filling teacups and opening doors and such."

Myfanwy hoped that she would get glimpses of the family. She hadn't seen any of them in so long, since before the Dark Lord fell. But those times brought back sweet memories for Myfanwy. Those were the times when her whole family was happy, cheerful...rich. They were golden memories, but also painful, reminding Myfanwy of the joy she had lost. She shook her head, disposing of past times, and focused on what Rory was saying.

"You have a couple of hours to take a bath and change into your uniform. It's just about three o'clock now, and you're expected to be at dinner at five o'clock. Unpack and get settled in. Enjoy the free time while you can, because after dinner, you'll be working."

They reached the top of the stairs then, and Myfanwy found herself in a long, narrow hallway. Rory led her down to the very last door on the right, took out his wand, and said, "Alohamora." Myfanwy heard the lock click.

Rory turned to her. "Here's your room. From now on, a password that you've invented will open it. To reset your password, just tap the doorknob and say Clandestinius. Then whisper the password into the keyhole, and it's all set."

Myfanwy practiced saying the word a few times. "Is that everything?" she asked finally.

"Yes, unless you have any questions."

Myfanwy couldn't think of any. She was just excited to get into her room. "Nope, no questions. Thanks so much, Rory."

He smiled again. "Anytime. See you at dinner."

In a moment, he was off down the stairs, muttering about teatime. Myfanwy laughed to herself before pulling out her wand, tapping the doorknob, and saying the incantation. She thought for a moment before deciding on Shwmae as her password. It meant 'hello' in Welsh, and any reminder of home was welcome.

Myfanwy bent down. "Shwmae," she whispered into the keyhole, and the lock clicked. She carefully turned the doorknob and entered, dragging her trunk in after her.

The room was just large enough for one person to be comfortable. A small bathroom was attached. The Malfoys were rich enough to afford such a luxury for their servants. There was a twin bed in the corner, a small wooden desk, a matching bureau, and a large window that overlooked the side gardens of the manor. Myfanwy deposited her trunk on her bed and headed straight for the window.

The thick stone of the walls left a very deep, wide windowsill. Myfanwy was thin enough to sit upon it. She gazed out upon the grounds of the manor. She noticed a small stable and pasture beyond the gardens, where thoroughbred horses grazed lazily. The sun was just setting behind a distant forest. The gold of the sunset mixed with the red-gold of the September leaves and made a brilliant picture. Myfanwy at once wished to have an easel and paints before her, but there wasn't time for that.

She reluctantly stood from the windowsill and began to unpack. Her clothes fit perfectly in the bureau drawers, with space left over. She put parchment, a quill, and ink on her desk, which could be easily reached when it came time to write a letter home.

Myfanwy decided the first thing she wanted to do was take a bath. She went to inspect the tiny bathroom. There was a small toilet, a sink, and a large wooden bath that looked like a wide barrel. Myfanwy took out her wand, muttered "Aquarius," and filled the bath with hot, bubbly water. For some reason, the water was purple. But Myfanwy didn't care about that--the bath felt wonderful.

After washing and drying, Myfanwy searched for her uniform. It lay clean and smooth on her bed (she had somehow missed it before).

It was a deep, emerald green; much akin to the color of the rolling Welsh hills, and remarkably, to Myfanwy's eyes. It consisted of a clean white blouse, a green sweater, a short, pleated green skirt, and knee socks. Over the whole outfit, Myfanwy wore matching robes.

Myfanwy still had half an hour until she had to go to dinner, so she sat down to write a letter to her family. It was less an affectionate, loving letter and more a strong, informative one. This was because Myfanwy's family didn't show affection or love. They were Death Eaters.

Dear Tewdwr Family,

I have arrived safely at Malfoy Manor. It is a very large, comfortable house, and it is a hundred times grander than Lucius and Narcissa used to describe it.

I must reassure you all of my safety and comfort in my new home. The train rides were long and uncomfortable, and every station was packed with Muggles. I found it very hard not to curse them all.

I have only met two of my fellow staff members here at Malfoy manor but they seem very kind. They showed me to my room and informed me of the rules here, which are no less strict than those at our own home. I am glad that the Malfoys are not too lenient. I prefer to abide by the strict rules that the Dark Lord had us follow.

This would be an exciting vacation spot. But I shall have no time for that. Instead, I will be cleaning, fixing rooms for the other guests. But I am so privileged and proud to be working for such a noble family as the Malfoys. Thank you, Father, for securing this position for me.

I send you all my good wishes. Good luck in school, Bryn and Owain. Don't let the teachers at Ysgol o y Coeden Gwyrdd corrupt you with their talk of the "light side" as they tried to do me. But, as Father has warned you, stay inconspicuous. Don't let anyone get suspicious of you.

~Myfanwy Tewdwr

Myfanwy sealed the letter with wax just as a clock somewhere in the depths of the house rang. Myfanwy hurried down the stairs to what she thought was the dining room as the fifth and last bell tolled.