Monday morning couldn't guarantee
Date: Monday, 10 March 2002
Time: morning
Location: Ministry of Magic, Millicent’s cublicle on the Second Floor, Auror Department
Characters Involved: Millicent Bulstrode Morsus
Rating: G
Millicent sat at her desk in her small cubicle on the Second Floor of the Ministry of Magic in the Auror Department, looking at her fingernails and wondering what colour might be most fashionable this spring. She rarely wasted any time whilst on duty at the Ministry of Magic, but the place was too full of others comparing notes on their weekend conquests or Mother’s Day duty visits to capture her interest. She listened politely for as long as she could stand and she thought there might be a fragment of information worth having in the casual conversations. Bored with the finer details of weekend debauchery and exaggerated familial happiness, she retreated to her cubicle for some much needed peace and quiet.
Her desk was still cluttered with files on loan from the Hall of Records. She’d been assigned to assist one of the Senior Aurors in investigating a wizard under suspicion for unspecified infractions. The man’s life was so uninteresting Millicent could not believe he possessed the ability to attract the attention of the Ministry. He’d been born in a boring part of London; had an undistinguished stay at Hogwarts and then disappeared into the muggle world with not a trace of any activity in either unsanctioned or dark magic. She didn’t know why the Ministry was interested in him, she certainly wasn’t.
She finished up the last file that might have contained a notation about any of his activities that could have interested the Ministry with no results except to confirm his sad, boring and totally colourless existence. Millicent was about to stand up and take all the records back to the Hall of Records so she could file her report with her Supervisor when a sudden interruption appeared before her.
“Mistress is ill, Miss. Miss must come home with Boxxy immediately!”
Millicent leaned over her desk at the sound of a familiar voice and was startled to discover the oldest and most infirm of her mother’s House-Elves standing in front of her desk and demanding her presence back at Bulstrode House. She stood, frowning at the House-Elf and the intrusion she represented.
“Mrs. Morsus, Boxxy. I believe I have mentioned my marriage once or twice before?” She made no effort to hide the irritation in her voice. The senile eldery House-Elf refused to call her Mrs. Morsus no matter how many times she demanded it.
“Yes, Miss. Boxxy remembers. Miss must come now. Mistress is ill.” She might bow and scrape before her better, but no matter how Millicent might punish her, calling her anything other than “Miss” as she had since birth seemed beyond the decrepit creature.
Millicent sighed. “I must let them know I am leaving. Wait here and we will go directly.”
Millicent notified her Supervisor and she and Boxxy returned immediately to Bulstrode House. Located near Keswick, Cumbria in the Lake District, on the shores of the Bassenthwaite, the Country House had been in the Bulstrode family for generations. The House-Elves had seen to her welcome, preparing as if she might stay the night even though she had not once ventured to stay here since leaving this House to be married. Something was clearly amiss.
Millicent could not imagine what as she strode towards her Mother’s room at the back of the House overlooking the garden. She had been here yesterday, a token appearance for Mother’s Day in case anyone, including her reclusive Mother was noticing. As far as she could determine her Mother had been the same since her father and brother had died: reclusive, sullen, withdrawn and largely uncommunicative - especially to the daughter who had the audacity to live whilst her cherished ones perished. She entered her mother’s bedroom with the elderly House-Elf lagging behind her, startled to see her Mother’s physician attending her. Beyond him, her Mother seemed asleep on her pillows.
Hearing her footsteps behind him, the physician stirred and turned to face her, wearing his serious mask of condolence.
“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Morsus. Your Mother has died in her sleep. Most probably of a heart attack. Please accept my deepest condolences.” He reached back to cover her mother’s face and left the room to make the necessary arrangements.
Millicent stood unmoving, expressionless as she dismissed Boxxy with a hand signal and warded the door the House-Elf closed behind her. Alone with her Mother’s corpse, Millicent walked to the windows and admired the early spring green in the garden, assuring herself that there was no one within sight distance before she allowed herself the privilege of a smile.
Time: morning
Location: Ministry of Magic, Millicent’s cublicle on the Second Floor, Auror Department
Characters Involved: Millicent Bulstrode Morsus
Rating: G
Millicent sat at her desk in her small cubicle on the Second Floor of the Ministry of Magic in the Auror Department, looking at her fingernails and wondering what colour might be most fashionable this spring. She rarely wasted any time whilst on duty at the Ministry of Magic, but the place was too full of others comparing notes on their weekend conquests or Mother’s Day duty visits to capture her interest. She listened politely for as long as she could stand and she thought there might be a fragment of information worth having in the casual conversations. Bored with the finer details of weekend debauchery and exaggerated familial happiness, she retreated to her cubicle for some much needed peace and quiet.
Her desk was still cluttered with files on loan from the Hall of Records. She’d been assigned to assist one of the Senior Aurors in investigating a wizard under suspicion for unspecified infractions. The man’s life was so uninteresting Millicent could not believe he possessed the ability to attract the attention of the Ministry. He’d been born in a boring part of London; had an undistinguished stay at Hogwarts and then disappeared into the muggle world with not a trace of any activity in either unsanctioned or dark magic. She didn’t know why the Ministry was interested in him, she certainly wasn’t.
She finished up the last file that might have contained a notation about any of his activities that could have interested the Ministry with no results except to confirm his sad, boring and totally colourless existence. Millicent was about to stand up and take all the records back to the Hall of Records so she could file her report with her Supervisor when a sudden interruption appeared before her.
“Mistress is ill, Miss. Miss must come home with Boxxy immediately!”
Millicent leaned over her desk at the sound of a familiar voice and was startled to discover the oldest and most infirm of her mother’s House-Elves standing in front of her desk and demanding her presence back at Bulstrode House. She stood, frowning at the House-Elf and the intrusion she represented.
“Mrs. Morsus, Boxxy. I believe I have mentioned my marriage once or twice before?” She made no effort to hide the irritation in her voice. The senile eldery House-Elf refused to call her Mrs. Morsus no matter how many times she demanded it.
“Yes, Miss. Boxxy remembers. Miss must come now. Mistress is ill.” She might bow and scrape before her better, but no matter how Millicent might punish her, calling her anything other than “Miss” as she had since birth seemed beyond the decrepit creature.
Millicent sighed. “I must let them know I am leaving. Wait here and we will go directly.”
Millicent notified her Supervisor and she and Boxxy returned immediately to Bulstrode House. Located near Keswick, Cumbria in the Lake District, on the shores of the Bassenthwaite, the Country House had been in the Bulstrode family for generations. The House-Elves had seen to her welcome, preparing as if she might stay the night even though she had not once ventured to stay here since leaving this House to be married. Something was clearly amiss.
Millicent could not imagine what as she strode towards her Mother’s room at the back of the House overlooking the garden. She had been here yesterday, a token appearance for Mother’s Day in case anyone, including her reclusive Mother was noticing. As far as she could determine her Mother had been the same since her father and brother had died: reclusive, sullen, withdrawn and largely uncommunicative - especially to the daughter who had the audacity to live whilst her cherished ones perished. She entered her mother’s bedroom with the elderly House-Elf lagging behind her, startled to see her Mother’s physician attending her. Beyond him, her Mother seemed asleep on her pillows.
Hearing her footsteps behind him, the physician stirred and turned to face her, wearing his serious mask of condolence.
“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Morsus. Your Mother has died in her sleep. Most probably of a heart attack. Please accept my deepest condolences.” He reached back to cover her mother’s face and left the room to make the necessary arrangements.
Millicent stood unmoving, expressionless as she dismissed Boxxy with a hand signal and warded the door the House-Elf closed behind her. Alone with her Mother’s corpse, Millicent walked to the windows and admired the early spring green in the garden, assuring herself that there was no one within sight distance before she allowed herself the privilege of a smile.