Author's Note: I know it has been far too long since I have updated this. It is a short chapter, and is mostly transitional. I need also note that all Walt Disney Company and affiliated company terminology and locations are probably trademarked and copyrighted by them. I am not using them with permission. Furthermore, any Walt Disney World specific trivia, such as locations and names, are correct to the best of my ability. I wrote my college thesis on WDW and have taken tours into many of the underground places mentioned herein and behind the scenes of rides and other locations.
***
"And we call these Utilidors, short for utility corridors," the tour guide explained as he gestured to the painted arrows on the gray walls. "And these colored arrows will direct you to the proper entrance for your land."
Ginny avidly followed the young man's commentary as he led them on a four hour tour of the facility. Having never been exposed to even the idea of a theme park, Ginny was quickly picking up on the specifics.
Though she inwardly scoffed at what these Americans called magic, she had to admit it was an impressive display of Muggle ingenuity. Distantly she wondered if Hermione had heard of this place.
The tour guide led them to the laundry room and to the central wardrobe, then moved toward the Cast Members' cafeteria.
"Can you believe this place?" Lauren asked Ginny in a whisper. "My mom brought me here once when I was little, but I haven't been back since. Isn't it amazing?
"Certainly it's different," Ginny agreed cheerfully.
Several hours later, Ginny was hustled through the Utilidor leading to the cast entrance on Main Street, U.S.A. Her escort showed her the entrance into the buildings behind the Main Street façade, and she was directed to the First Aid station.
Once there, Ginny met several of her new co-workers. Behind the swinging door leading to the front of the small clinic, the nurse in charge, Holly Elliott, familiarized her with the supply cabinets and the procedures Ginny would be expected to perform and be tested on.
"We see hundreds of people each week," Holly said sagely as she straightened some bandages on a shelf. "It is vitally important that we treat them all equally, quickly, and with the best care we can give. As I'm sure you know, people nowadays are sue-happy. One false move or incorrect decision and the Company is tied up in the courts for months, if not years."
"Sue-happy?" Ginny asked, the term unfamiliar. Holly looked at her askance, eyebrows lifted.
"Litigation. Courts. You know, asking a court to make someone give you money in return for some wrong you allegedly suffered. You can't tell me you don't have the same thing in England."
"Right," Ginny said, nodding, but not really grasping the idea. The Wizengamot was the only court she knew, and she couldn't imagine it being flooded with complaints of the type Holly intimated.
"Anyhow, we primarily want you to be treating minor injuries. Sunburns, cuts, scrapes, things like that. Most of what you'll be doing will simply involve some antiseptic or some sun-relief cream and a bandage. Sometimes we see more serious cases, like asthma attacks, heatstroke, things like that. You'll be tested on all the techniques and procedures we require you to learn for these instances."
Ginny nodded. It sounded reasonable.
"There is something else that is very important. I'm sure you've been told this already, but on your days off that you come to visit, you may not come and stop in for a friendly visit, nor may you make use of the employee entrances, et cetera. You are considered a guest. If you happen to be touring and see someone injure themselves, or have a heart attack, for example, you cannot treat them. You have to be officially on-duty to assist," Holly warned.
"Now," Holly continued, "here is the official handbook and study guide for the First Aid station. You need to study it and then in five days you'll take your test. Then after you complete the test you'll have a few more papers to sign, okay?"
Ginny nodded. "I understand."
"Good. You've only got forty five minutes or so before your van comes to pick you up. Why don't you stay back here for now and start reading your manual?"
Ginny glanced at the clock. "That's fine. Am I allowed to take this with me?"
"Oh, yes. You'll need to. There's a lot of stuff to absorb in that little book," Holly replied. "Just let me know before you leave and I'll show you the way back to the employee exit."
***
Draco rubbed his face tiredly. A group of Aurors plus Bill Weasley was gathered around him as he stood in front of his father's study door. Waves of Dark magic seemed to emanate from the heavy oak portal. He'd never noticed it before, but one of the junior Aurors had helpfully mentioned that some ancient wards could strengthen if their caster died. Perfect. Bloody perfect.
His cousin Nymphadora was holding an old tome between her and Kingsley Shacklebolt, with Bill Weasley reading between their shoulders.
"Draco, do you recognize any of these wards?" Tonks asked, eyes flicking between him and the door.
"I don't," he said truthfully. "It's nothing like the wards he ever taught me, and certainly isn't the same as the wards guarding the rooms we used on a regular basis."
"We think it might be some sort of fire ward," Kingsley said heavily. "And if we're right, there may be no way to open this door without the contents of the entire room bursting into flame."
"Come again?" Draco asked. This was a new one.
"According to this book we found in the Hogwarts library, this may be some variant on the Bonfire Ward. In the Middle Ages, wizarding people warded their doors with this. If someone tried to enter to attack the caster, the place would go up in flames and pretty strongly discourage anyone from going in," Bill supplied. "Your dad may have cast this in such a way that he wouldn't even have to be in the room. Everything would just burn."
"And he wouldn't be stupid enough to just keep all his records in one place," Tonks said. "Maybe there's somewhere else we can find things. Somewhere that maybe only he knew existed in the Manor."
"I don't know," Draco said. "It's obvious that you're finding places and things that neither Mother nor I knew were there. I can ask her if she remembers anything."
"Maybe Professor Snape can give her a Memory-Enhancing Potion," Tonks fired back.
Draco felt his face turn purple with rage.
"Excuse us for a moment," Draco said politely, reaching out and grabbing his cousin's sleeve and dragging her protesting down the hall.
"Do you have a fucking problem, Malfoy?" Tonks spat angrily.
"I do," he said coldly. "I told you before my mother is not going to take any potion, undergo any spell, or have a charm performed on her!"
"I guess you don't really want to find Ginny that badly, then," Tonks said with mock sadness.
"You're a mad bint, cousin," Draco said in a low, dangerous voice. "Don't ever question my relationships again. "I'm a Malfoy. I'm just crazy enough to kill you for it."
Before Tonks could deliver her own stream of invective, there was a commotion on the first floor in front of the central staircase. A house elf scurried up to Draco and tugged on his hand.
"Master Malfoy! Mistress Malfoy is being here. She is being home!" the elf crowed happily.
Draco strode quickly to the mezzanine and looked over, seeing his mother's white-blonde hair and Professor Snape's stark black mop towering over a horde of house elves. Turning back to a vengeful Tonks, he ordered, "Don't move. Don't do anything until I say so."
Racing down three flights of stairs, Draco rushed to meet his mother and her elven entourage.
"Mum!" Draco said, skidding to a stop. "What are you doing here? I thought you weren't leaving for another three days!"
"I'm happy to see you too, Draco," Narcissa replied, a hint of a wan smile playing upon her tired face.
"St. Mungo's just let you go?" he asked incredulously.
"Darling, I told them I was leaving. Severus helped me escape."
Draco looked over to Professor Snape, his eyes hardening as he gazed on his godfather.
"How could you-
"Your mother insisted she felt well enough to travel, and thought she would recuperate more quickly in a familiar setting," Snape said firmly. "I would not have cooperated had I felt she was too ill to leave St. Mungo's."
"There are Aurors crawling all over this place, and you know that!" Draco said to Snape, jerking his head toward the mezzanine.
Narcissa lifted her chin to gaze at the lone Auror peeking over the mezzanine's rail.
"Sweet Circe, it's Nymphadora," Narcissa breathed.
"Unfortunately," Draco murmured petulantly.
"Nymphadora!" Narcissa called. "Please come down here."
Narcissa turned to address Severus and Draco.
"Draco, please have the house elves make my suite in the East Wing ready for me. And prepare the second East suite as well. Severus is staying during the summer hols to assist me."
The lady of the manor was back.
Author's Note II: If you would like to learn the back story to Snape and Narcissa, please click here to visit my LiveJournal. This is complete in two parts. The warnings/fic info is at the top of the first post. Please read/heed the warnings.
Thanks to all of you who have continued to read and review this piece. It means a lot to me that people still like it and will wait for my slow ass to get things done.
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