Chapter 17

„Darling, be careful. Don't let the sauce burn."

Andromeda reminded her absentminded husband.

Ted started stirring again, and then he looked to his wife, „What do you think, honey?"

Andromeda expressed her concerns, „The offer doesn't sound bad, but who knows how well these mirrors work... And what about our consulting business, would I do that by myself then? I don't..."

Before the couple went further down this avenue of thought, Draco interjected, „I have two samples of my magic mirrors here. You can try them. And Aunt Andromeda, I had hoped you would fulfill another role. Of course, you can still do your consulting business at the side, if you want to. You could maybe even do it via the magical mirrors later."

Andromeda received two mirrors from Draco, and handed one to her husband.

Knowing full well how to use magical artifacts, soon the cute face of the artificial magical intelligence looked up at the two from their mirrors.

„Hello, I am Dragon. Your Magical Network Manager. How may I help you?"

„Dragon, show them the call function."

Draco had erased the video of himself standing in the heart of the Magical Mirror Network and had not had the time to make another promo video to upload.

Aunt Andromeda and Uncle Ted were suitably impressed with Draco's magical mirror.

After they had explored the video call function, Andromeda laid her handheld mirror down and looked at Draco again.

Meanwhile Dragon was showing Ted the recording function and starting to create a profile of Ted by asking him some general questions at the same time.

It was good, that even in muggle circles, the topic of guarding personal information on the internet wasn't common in 1994.

„These mirrors are very nice, very practical. And the enchantment is definitely ingenious. That Dragon alone... We will definitely buy three when the sale starts, but I don't think..."

Before Andromeda could decline, Draco spoke up again.

„You didn't even hear what my offer for you is, Aunt Andromeda. It's actually more of a request than an offer, even if the pay will be considerable, of course."

Draco continually tried to lure Andromeda in.

„Okay. Let's hear it."

Andromeda didn't sound very enticed.

„I want to ask you to represent the Black Family in the Wizengamot and on the Hogwarts board."

That this would be Draco's request, Andromeda really didn't expect that.

„Why isn't Lucius doing that? I would've thought he would be thrilled and all over that."

Andromeda questioned.

„He would be, but I didn't ask him."

„Why?"

Now Andromeda was slowly getting why Draco had come to them.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

„Because he is too convinced of his political opinions at the moment, and I don't want the Black Family to take his stance."

Draco's words finally seemed to loosen his aunt's unwavering refusal.

She now looked at him with compassion and understanding.

„Your parents don't know that you are asking us for help with the Black Family business, do they?"

Andromeda asked softly.

„No."

Draco replied clearly and calmly.

„Do they even know that you are here?"

Andromeda sighed when Draco said „No." again.

„Did you have a fight? Do you want to stay here for the night?"

Now, his aunt went one step too far, but Draco understood how she reached that conclusion.

„No. It's only a little frosty at home, otherwise there is no trouble. But thank you for offering, it's very kind of you. Anyway... I would really like for you to represent the Black Family in the Wizengamot and on the Hogwarts board. If you don't do it, who knows who I will have to ask... Please, Aunt Andromeda, can't you do it?"

Draco requested again.

„I will think about it." Andromeda conceded.

It wasn't a ‚No'.

Draco had the feeling that his chances weren't bad.

„What about you, Uncle Ted? Do you want to be the head of ‚the' upcoming business of the century? If all goes well, there could be business shares in it for you as a Yuletide bonus."

Draco questioningly looked to Ted.

„I would lo... -cough-... I will think about it."

A look from Andromeda made Ted change his answer midway, but Draco was still satisfied.

„No problem. You should think about it carefully, it's an important decision. If there are any questions you can ask me anytime. I will leave those two mirrors here for you. Please, tell me about your decision by next week, at the latest. In five days, I am going to hold job interview in Hogsmeade. If you agree and take the jobs, I would like for you to hold the interviews with me together."

Draco got the feeling the pair would agree.

They invited him to stay for dinner, and it was really pleasant.

The spaghetti bolognese were delicious.

Draco missed Nymphadora tonight, her auror training apparently took longer this evening.

That happened more and more often, according to her parents, apparently becoming an auror was demanding, who would've known.

Draco wasn't that unhappy that they didn't encounter each other today.

He had heard Nymphadora was quite the spitfire, and he didn't think that would've been very helpful this evening.

...

Andromeda was intrigued and a little worried by her nephew's visit.

It had brought her a lot of surprises.

Times were changing, whether they chose to be a part of it or not.

She didn't think her nephew knew just how great this thing with his magical mirrors would become.

Draco really needed their help, especially if he didn't have his sly and ruthless father to watch over him.

And Andromeda had to admit, she was kind of tempted by the thought to go back to Wizarding Britain high society with her head held up high and stick it to all of those pureblood supremacists and those bigoted old coots as a member of the Wizengamot.

Andromeda Black would show them, even if the post would only be temporary.

She also understood what a heavy responsibility this was, and that she had to advise Draco carefully, so that he didn't take the wrong direction politically, and ended up as bad as his father, only even more powerful.

She also knew this would put her directly on an collision course with her estranged sister.

A mixture of apprehension and excitement tingled in her stomach.

...

The next morning.

Nymphadora Tonks, Tonks or Nym for everyone but her stubborn mother who just wouldn't listen, grabbed the handheld mirror lying on the kitchen counter to adjust the length of her hair with her metamorphmagus ability.

When she was happy with the length, she turned her hair color from red to blue, trying out one shade after another.

In the end, she decided on purple and left it at that.

When she adjusted her fingernails afterwards, a face suddenly appeared in the mirror.

It was a cute blonde boy, who didn't look any older than a Hogwarts firstie.

„Hello, I am Dragon. Your Magical Network Manager. How may I help you?"

The boy had a smile like sunshine.

„Whoa, where did you come from little guy?"

Tonks eyed the enchanted mirror with a laugh.

What a cute enchantment.

„I am from Hogsmeade. From the Black Malfoy Tower. Where do you come from? What is your name?"

Dragon answered and asked happily.

„What the heck? The Black Malfoy Tower? By Merlin's wrinkly balls, that's the new business of that vile cousin of mine everyone is gossiping about these last two days..."

Tonks raised her voice and yelled through the house, „Mom?! What is this mirror doing here?"

What followed was a tiresome interrogation.

The more Tonks learned, the more she complained.

In the end. Tonks didn't know what irritated her more, the fact that her parents accepted the yearly Black stipend as if they needed handouts, or that they accepted to work with that entitled brat that called himself Lord Black now.

The complaining went on and on until her mother was fed up with her and sent her off to work.