Chapter three: Meeting the father

Caroline came home five minutes later, to find her godfather and the Weasley twins sitting in the drawing room.

"Hi Cal, what's up?" She smiled at them and threw herself on the sofa between the two redheads.

"Everything is ok. So, what are you guys talking about?" She took an apple from the bowl of fruit and made herself comfortable between her two friends. She leaned her head back and looked at her godfather.

"Sirius came up with a rather good idea, he thinks another shop would be great, there we can sell our more serious products, like safety gadgets and that stuff. Some of the things we have really don't ft in to our joke store."

Caroline took a bite of the apple. "Well, where would that shop be? And who would work there? I mean, there isn't any free spaces in Diagon Alley, are there? And I don't think the shop would work if placed anywhere else. I mean, the costumers are in Diagon Alley."

The three of them nodded. "You're right. We could search for a space in the alley tomorrow...who knows?"

"Oh, by the way, what's the last months income? Just so I know?" George stood and searched for something in his pockets. "Here."

Caroline scanned the paper. "Have you divided it?" Fred nodded and pointed at the bottom of the note. As their partner, she got her share of the months income. She had declined at first, but the twins had been annoying her until she gave in. She made sure that they got more than her though, and when she saw the sum for this month, she nearly fainted.

"No, no guys, this is way too much! You know I don't need the money." She reached for a quill that lay on the table and changed the sum. "So, this is better."

She gave the note back to George who's eyes grew large. "But Cal!"

She held up a hand. "Don't argue. So, what's for dinner?"

Sirius stared between her and the twins. "What are you three on about. What's that?"

Fred looked amused. "You didn't tell him then?" Caroline shook her head and smirked. George smiled evilly, and Sirius looked puzzled.

"This is the last months income for WWW, and right now, I was changing my sum of money, because it was far to much."

"Why do you get a part of the money?" But before she could answer however, Sirius mouth dropped to the floor.

"You are the third owner?"

She nodded and gave her godfather a kiss on his cheek before heading to the kitchen. "The one and only."

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Caroline woke up the next day, feeling nervous about the whole thing with the Malfoys. She had yet to tell her godfather about this whole thing, but somehow, she felt like this wasn't the time to tell him, not yet, so she would just stay quiet about it for a while.

She guessed that he was already at the shop, and that suited her just fine. That way, she wouldn't need to make up some excuse.

She took a quick shower and walked over to the closet. She scanned it for something decent to wear and found a pair of black dress pants with matching jacket and a white polo without sleeves, making her look like a true businesswoman. Her red hair fell in waves down her back, but she gathered it all in a knot, just letting a few locks fall freely. She slipped into a pair of high heeled shoes and took a look at herself in the mirror, before taking her purse and walking down to the kitchen.

Malfoy manor was impressive. Caroline walked up to the house while looking at the perfect garden. While she liked it, it was far too perfect for her liking. She had always like when the gardens where a bit wild, but not too much so. She climbed the three stairs and pressed the doorbell, waiting.

After a while, a short and rather round man opened the door, looking suspiciously at her.

"Can I help you?"

Camille smiled. "I am here to meet Mr Draco Malfoy."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Mr Malfoy doesn't wish to speak with anyone, let alone some reporter."

Caroline blinked. "Oh no Mister, I'm..." She didn't get to finish before Draco appeared behind the man.

"Jeff, why is this woman standing here?"

The man sighed. "I was just trying to make her leave.."

Draco glared at him. "I meant, why haven't you invited her in?" The man looked surprised.

"But you said that you wanted no visitors, sir."

Draco glared. "I said, I want no unimportant visitors, but the girl who lived is highly important, don't you think?"

The man's eyes went wide. He began to stammer an apology, but Caroline just gave him a smile. "No need to apologise, no harm done." The man bowed, asked if he could bring them something, and then left.

She caught Draco staring at her, and she looked at him with an amused expression on her face.

"See something interesting?" Draco turned his eyes away and shook his head. "No, I was just surprised about how much you have changed since school. And by the way, don't introduce me as the Girl who lived, that's the past and I hate the stupid name anyway. "

Draco gave her a charming smile. "Of course not. My mistake." Caroline just huffed. He didn't fool her.

"So, shall we get down to business then? I gather you want to see the hall were the ball will take place?" Caroline nodded and they walked across the hall and Draco opened two wooden doors before motioning for her to step inside.

The room was huge. Caroline had always admired the ballroom at Black Manor, but this was amazing. The marble floor was sparkling clean, the windows high with green curtains, and the walls painted in a cream white colour. In the ceiling hung several crystal chandeliers, otherwise, the room was empty.

"We keep it this way when we have no use for it, father think it is unnecessary to have it furnished when no one will see or use it anyway. And it makes it easier to transform the room after how you want it."

She started to walk around the room, thinking of how she was going to do this if she accepted. Her steps echoed when she walked around, and in the corner of her left eye, she could see Malfoy observing her.

"When is this ball going to take place?"

He shifted where he stood and waked up to her. "Two weeks. Mother usually start whit the plans a month beforehand, but that's just her."

She had never done anything like this before, and she was no fool, this ball was of great importance, maybe not for all, but for the Malfoys. The family was used to host this ball, and the only ball she had ever been to was the ball after the defeat of Voldemort. What if she didn't reach up to their standards? Of course, they had asked her, but if she accepted, they would reckon with her. Suddenly, she remembered something.

"Why not Pansy? Why doesn't she do this?" Draco snorted.

"She would be thrilled to, but let us just say that both I and father have been to the Patriksons functions, and they are not pleasant."

Caroline gave him a small smile. "So, what is this ball for?"

Draco explained that they always hosted the first ball of the season. Seeing as the autumn came closer and closer, and it soon would be august, they would open up with a ball the first of august.

Caroline asked some more questions, and while they stood there talking, Lucius Malfoy strode into the hall and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw her.

"Ah, father, you remember Caroline Potter." Draco said swiftly, and Caroline smiled at Lucius. "Mr Malfoy, it was a long time since I saw you. How are you these days?"

The elder of the Malfoys smiled at her and walked up to them, taking her hand. "Ms Potter, I regret to tell you that my son didn't inform me of your arrival, otherwise I would have been down sooner." He kissed her hand and she could feel herself blush a little. Lucius was handsome, she had always thought so. Draco too, but he lacked the natural air if confidence that Lucius possessed. In short, you could say that Lucius had everything Caroline searched for in a man, pride, protectiveness over his family, charm and tact. If she only could find a man like him to marry. She pushed those thoughts back in her head, far back.

Draco informed Lucius that he had told her about what was required of her, and that he only waited for her to accept or decline.

Caroline looked from one Malfoy to the other, and nodded. "Okay, I'll do it, but I have never done anything like this before, so bear with me and secondly, I will accept no payment for this."

Both Malfoys was about to argue, but she held up a hand. "I have enough money as it is."

Tell me what you all think!