Chapter 27

There was still another notable solitary person among the applicants.

Completely clad in a long gray robe that covered the whole body, with a wide gray wizarding hat that had a veil hanging down from the cuff covering the whole face, a figure stepped up to the interview table with eerily silent steps.

Based on the figure's aura, Draco identified him as a vampire.

But the way he dressed was a pretty solid hint too, covering everything up, from top to bottom, so that there was no chance that even a single ray of sunshine could burn the skin.

Even the wives of hardcore muslims were allowed to go around showing their eyes and even some skin around them, only vampires had to cover everything.

Draco greeted the vampire calmly and bade him to sit down.

The vampire gripped the back of the chair to pull it closer as he sat down, and the hard wood creaked and then it even splintered.

„Sorry." A muffled voice came out under the veil, sounding a little sheepish. „Sometimes, I still have problems controlling my strength when I'm nervous. I should probably introduce myself... Hem... Hem... Hello and cloudy day, my name is Steve, and I'm a vampire."

As he introduced himself, he took off his wizarding hat with the veil, showing them his face.

Steve didn't look a day older than thirty-six.

He had mouse-brown hair, a round friendly face, and he was a little pudgy.

The only thing that made you think of a vampire when you saw him was his abnormally pale skin.

But Draco was sure that this guy, who looked like he was from the cover of Nerd Magazine, hand't been much less pale as a human.

„So you haven't been a vampire for long yet... Tell us more about yourself." Draco steered the interview.

With the lack of control over his strength Steve had demonstrated, it was obvious he wasn't that old yet.

„Okay... As you know my name is Steve. I'm twenty-eight years old. One year ago, I had just gotten a good job in accounting in a pretty successful company, when one really early morning, it was just dawning, someone crashed through the roof of the garage of my parents' house. When I had gotten the job, I had already made a plan to move out, I just hadn't been able to get to it yet... Anyway... Someone crashed through my roof. It was an old vampire, injured from a conflict within his own coven. Unsurprisingly, the blood-loss made the old guy ravenous. Every other vampire with even a smidgen less self-control would have drained me dry without hesitation in such a situation, but the old guy managed to catch himself, just not in time for me to survive as a human. That's how I became a vampire." Steve didn't seem very beat up about it.

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„That was an interesting story. Now tell us why you are here." Draco hadn't even asked for the story of his transformation...

At least it was somewhat amusing.

„Ah, yes... I want to earn gold. Because I'm the youngest vampire in my coven, I'm also the weakest. I want to buy me some powerful magical artifacts for defense and offense. Also blood is very pricey, especially the good kind." Steve explained.

„Alright, I'm assuming you want to apply for a position in accounting?" When Draco saw Steve nodding affirmatively, he continued. „What does your sire say about you applying for a job in the wizarding world?"

„He said I should save my time, because I'm more likely to get arrested or even get staked than to get hired by a prominent wizarding business. But the old guy also believes it's still like in the middle ages out here..." Steve apparently was a living example of the saying ‚nothing gives more courage than ignorance'.

But Draco wasn't complaining, at least this way, one vampire had found his way to him.

Naturally, Draco gave Steve a pass for the preliminaries.

Surprisingly, this time the only protest came from Ted, saying a tense or even dangerous working environment wouldn't be productive.

Andromeda and Narcissa had no objections.

Apparently, their grandfather, Draco's great-grandfather, had had a very close associate, who had been a vampire lord, who had obviously left a good impression on the little sisters.

They only advised to be mindful.

There was only one group of applicants remaining, who hadn't been mentioned yet..

Sadly, there had been no centaur and not a single house elf among the applicants.

But coming to an interview exclusively promoted by the Daily Prophet was not their style anyway.

Getting some house elves for the business was still of particular importance, so Draco planned to make a trip to Knockturn Alley these next few days.

Concerning hiring a centaur, he would have to keep a look-out for an appropriate opportunity.

The group of people that was second best represented of all the applicants were werewolves.

The werewolves only came in two categories, shabby and destitute.

Remus Lupin was definitely the most resplendent of the lot.

He was also one of the few werewolves that carried a wand, and the only one who had graduated from Hogwarts.

Still, Lupin was shy and awkward as he stood in front of the interview table.

„Mr. Lupin, there is no need to talk about your credentials, I have witnessed your competence myself in the last school year. What I'm really curious about is if it was your own idea to apply here, or did someone suggest it to you? Maybe Headmaster Dumbledore...?" Draco was really curious, he didn't think Lupin was the type to apply for a job with one of his young students, especially if that student's name was Malfoy and Black, without any input from someone else.

Next to Dumbledore, Sirius could also have asked Lupin to apply to the business of the new Lord Black, but Draco thought Dumbledore would be much more probable.

Draco's question alerted everyone in the room.

Lupin stared at Draco, the others stared at Lupin.