RP: New Blood (but also Pure Blood)
DATE: November 15, 2031 CHARACTERS: Celeste Malfoy, Laurie Higgs, & Narcissa Black Malfoy LOCATION: Black Malfoy Foundation offices SUMMARY: Narcissa is beginning to think it is time for a change. COMPLETION: Complete
There were many things in her life of which Narcissa Black Malfoy had reason to be proud. For instance, she had a lovely, well-kept home, a handsome and devoted husband, a handsome and devoted son, a beautiful and spirited surrogate daughter, three practically perfect grandchildren (Estelle, occasionally, being the exception in perfection), the world's most exquisite great-grandson, and a number of well-trained fluffy white cats. However, of all of the prized aspects of her life, there was no question that the one Narcissa had worked hardest for was The Black Malfoy Foundation for the Well-Being of Wizarding Children.
The foundation had grown naturally out of the charity work she had done in the St Mungo's children's ward since she was a teenager - she still remembered the Christmases when she had convinced a young and dashing (and grumbling) Lucius to dress-up as an elf to deliver presents as if those holidays were yesterday and not almost six decades ago. After Gemma had come into their lives, and Narcissa had learned the realities of life for some Wizarding children, abandoned by parents who didn't understand their abilities and treated horrifically in the Muggle care system, her work became something always at the forefront of her mind and that had directly led to the creation of the foundation. The work they did here had been, and remained, of the utmost importance to her. Narcissa lived to help children (and she didn't ask their blood status - so long as they were magical, that was good enough for her and always had been, at least where the little ones were concerned). She lived for this work.
But she was also getting quite tired.
It wasn't surprising, in and of itself, that she should be tired. Next month would mark the fortieth anniversary of the Foundation's founding. It was a milestone that would be celebrated with all due pomp and circumstance at a Gala that was proving to be the invitation of the year. It would also be marked, Merlin willing, with the announcement of her retirement.
Retirement to follow the fortieth anniversary celebrations had been on Narcissa's mind for quite some time. In January, her Chief Financial Officer of the last thirty-nine years, Peregrine Mackenzie, had stepped down from his role. Narcissa had felt the need to see her new CFO - a young man of only twenty-seven, after all - through the end of his first fiscal year with the foundation. She had also wanted to wait for her youngest grandchild to return from two years in Lille, France, where she had been caring for her maternal grandfather who had been quite devastated by the death of his beautiful half-Veela wife.
As of last week, the 2031 fiscal year was complete. And, as of three days ago, her darling Celeste was back on British soil where she belonged. (Narcissa had missed her granddaughter rather acutely. She didn't have a favorite grandchild as that simply wasn't done, but if she had had one... well.) So, now all that was left was to see if her CFO and her intended successor as CEO would suit. That they be able to manage together was imperative. Narcissa would maintain her position as co-chair, in partnership with Lucius, of the Board of Trustees, and she had no desire to mediate any squabbles between the foundation's executives from the relative peace and quiet of semi-retirement.
A polite and unobtrusive knock at her office door pulled Narcissa out of her revery. "Ah, Laurence. Punctual, as usual. Do come in." She waved to the house elf stationed nearby for tea. "Please allow me to congratulate you once again on successfully closing out the year last week so capably. And slightly ahead of deadline, no less. A tour de force, truly."