A day in Flourish and Blotts and the two Secrets

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Flourish and Blotts was not silent despite it being yet to be opened to the public this early in the morning.

It didn't need people either to be noisy, for the books, sheaf of parchments, and locked trunks were more than enough to wake the ghosts out of the deepest slumbers.

Among the chit-chat and snarls of books, Mr. Hillam gave the Assistant Manager and the new Page a tour of the bookshop. "The place has seen its fair share of assistant managers," he told them, taking out a watch and noting the time. "Now with Madam Villanelle and Ms. Malfoy to help me sort out this mess, the shop will soon see better times. I've got strict instructions related to you, young lady. First, unlike Madam Villanelle, who is now a full-time employee of the bookshop and will receive payment according to her post, you are on unpaid employment. Second, the timings for winter and summer differ, though not by too much. In winter, I usually keep the shop open from 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening.

"As a Page, Ms. Malfoy, you will be required to arrive at the shop no later than 7:30 am. For quite some time, you won't have to deal with any customers. In fact, I've prepared a list of your tasks, and you may not need to go out of the boundaries set by that list. If I remember true, then you are only to work till lunch, perhaps 12:30, right, madam?"

Madam Villanelle smiled at her. "Yes," she nodded. "After lunch, we will dedicate at least 2 hours to your elementary education, based on the parameters set by the ministry of magic. Once we are done with the lessons, you may pursue your own tasks as per your desire. You can remain in the shop, go back to your room, or, as I can tell by the look in your eyes, visit other shops. But under no circumstances you are to leave anywhere without informing me or Mr. Hillam first."

Darcie gave a solid nod.

"Come, ladies," Mr. Hillam said cheerily. "Let me walk you through the shop before starting with the day."

Flourish and Blotts was quite a large establishment, Darcie observed.

It was divided into two halves; front and back. The back half had two floors, ground and first, and the front half was a single, tall hall, with the floor's size larger than the Brews and Stews, despite the latter being a restaurant. Stairs, bolted to the left wall of the bookshop, were leading to the second floor of the back half. [Image 1]

"Because of the many events, book-signing, and customer's general space," the manager told them, "this half of the shop is bigger than the back half. Most of the books remain here, at least those that are safe to be around customers. More cumbersome ones are on the back half, both on the ground and the first floor. Come, let me show you."

Darcie's head bobbed around non-stop here and there. Shelves after shelves and piles on piles were lying all over the place like bees around a hive. Though she was ecstatic about all this, a corner of her heart disliked the way these books were getting treated; the sheer lack of disciplined neatness despised her.

"Hey… who's the new girl…"

"Whooo…"

"Bonjour Mademoiselle…"

"Ah! Dear, do anything, but don't touch me there…"

Mr. Hillam's face had gone all red. "Don't mind them," he said, looking away and smacking a book with a backhand slap. "Now you see why I must store them here, away from the good eyes. Sigh!"

These books were just the beginning. Darcie noticed a few pocket diaries fluttering away like butterflies as they noticed Mr. Hillam approaching deeper into the room. One book ambushed Madam Villanelle, shouting, "As per decree 167, this prey is now mine…" Many books were caged within iron bars, preventing them from gnawing at wood with their sharp teeth. And if she wasn't mistaken, Darcie felt the aura of ghosts and ghouls from a particular corner as well.

"You must not like this, Ms. Malfoy…" Mr. Hillam mumbled.

Darcie took a deep breath, the dim light of the lamp around her hiding her small smile. "I love it," she said, hardly managing to hold back the eagerness in her voice. "I love it all."

Madam Villanelle giggled at her words.

Then Mr. Hillam led them out, and then up the stairs to the second floor to the back half of the bookshop. There were no open shelves in this room, but boxed shelves with locks over them. "You will not have to deal with these sections of books, Ms. Malfoy," the manager commented and then pointed at a black door. "Though you will have a list of the books here, I will request you to not approach the black door. Only I and Madam Villanelle will deal with the books in that little room."

Darcie looked at her mentor and noticed the solemn expression on her face. "I understand," she told the manager. "I will keep myself to the ground floors."

Mr. Hillam let out a sigh.

But this sigh had different meanings for Darcie and Ms. Florine Villanelle. For the latter, it was a sigh remembering the dangers of the magical world. But for Darcie, this sigh was related to the talk her father had with Mr. Hillam in front of her last month. 'As the mentor allotted by the ministry might keep an eye over Darcie,' her father had told them, 'she will let you know the books she desires to read, Mr. Hillam. Then you can send a copy of those books to her room secretly. We will generously compensate you for the additional charges, of course. The Malfoys know how to take care of our friends.'

Darcie did not know if Mr. Hillam's trembling hands could be considered a sign of excitement or fear, then. But if she were to guess, then it hadn't looked like Mr. Hillam wanted their friendship.

Nonetheless, the secret affair had been agreed upon then and there.

The manager brought them back to the main ground floor. "It's five minutes to 8," he said, again looking at his watch. "You will learn more with on-hand experience."

Mr. Hillam went to the main entrance and put the sign to OPEN. "Ms. Malfoy," he said, looking at her. "The list with all the books, the order they are supposed to be in, and your job description is over there on the manager's counter."

Darcie turned around to face the said counter. There were two counters in the bookshop. One was just by the main entrance, smaller than the other, but spacious. It belonged to the Assistant Manager. The main counter was just before the entrance to the back half of the shop on the ground floor.

Darcie ran to it and found a thick book with stark yellow pages sitting on the desk with a piece of parchment on it. It had only one line — Keep the books in order.

Just as she was about to open the thick registry, an owl hooted itself into the bookshop from the round opening over the main entrance. "Here we go!" Mr. Hillam cried. "First order of the day. Madam Villanelle, with the additional duty of managing Ms. Malfoy's work, you will be responsible for taking orders, replying to them, and ordering books in case of shortage. Flourish and Blotts takes pride in its Inventory, and we have a reputation to uphold."

"Have no worries, Mr. Hillam," Madam Villanelle said, taking the letter off the owl's beak. "This is our home now. Darcie! I need a copy of My Life As A Squib."

"Got it," Darcie replied, and repeated the name to the registry. The thick book snapped open magically and highlighted the book. "3rd shelf, Biography Section."

She looked around and found the section, but the said shelf was too high. A ladder then came running to her, walking like an overconfident, stout man. Darcie climbed her way up, but she couldn't find it. She looked down and found Mr. Hillam smiling wryly at her.

"Didn't find it, did you?" he asked, the corners of his lips twitching. He pointed his chin towards the hundreds of books piled on the floor, and said, "Well, it is here, somewhere. I know."

Darcie and Madam Villanelle shared a glance, and shook their heads, knowing well that this place needed too much work to set things properly.

*

*

The morning hours went by, sorting out the smallest pile, and replying to the orders.

With Darcie's tiny figure being hidden behind the shelves and books, none got to know that the young Malfoy who had made it to the Daily Prophet recently was working in the bookshop. Nevertheless, they knew it was just a matter of time before everyone would figure it out.

To keep this quietness going on for a little while, Ms. Crispe had sent their lunch to the bookshop.

After refreshing themselves with a cup of tea, Madam Villanelle made Darcie sit by her side behind her counter. Mr. Hillam was snoozing behind his desk, a few pocket diaries spying on him from above, fluttering mischievously.

"According to the official document issued by the ministry," Madam Villanelle told her, reading off the letter in her hand, "for the next 6 months, I am to guide you in learning Basic Magical Theories, Magical History, and introduce you to elementary spellwork &c. &c."

Her reluctance to mention all the listed things within the letter told Darcie much about the things to come.

And sure enough, Madam Villanelle folded the letter and dumped it in some corner of a drawer. "Now," she said, smiling, "the minister had a private talk with me, and she told me you have personally requested a mentor with my qualifications. Someone who can teach you ancient mysteries, reading runes, and archaic tales. A mentor who can guide you through the different ways Magic is used throughout the world and why. Is that right?."

Darcie nodded. This was a secret between her, Daphne, and Milli; a secret between friends. There was no need for anyone to know about this. "I did request her to do so," she told her. "Milli… I mean, Ms. Bagnold must have told you I have already learned and remembered the curriculum listed in the letter. This is for the reporters if things were to leak out, or so the minister had reasoned."

"You two are good friends, huh?" her mentor reflected. "I can see why. Even in school, she had an odd attraction to brilliant students. Don't tell her I said that, OK?"

"You were together in Hogwarts?!" Darcie was astonished.

Madam Villanelle chortled. "I was her junior," she told her, "and her most prized possession, or so she had named me, I remember. So, when she told me she has found someone who outsmarts me by far, I couldn't help but get curious."

Darcie was too reserved to blush at the compliment, but her eyes betrayed her by looking away.

"Well, here I am now," Madam Villanelle finally said, becoming serious. "A former Ravenclaw and a professional linguist. Though I can't tell you the nature of my job in the ministry before this one, deciphering common and magical runes, visiting old tribes, and searching for clues about ancient magical civilizations were a part of my daily routine. One can say I've been to places where most wizardkind can't even think of going. Blimey! This is the first time I am seeing you smile, young lady. You should do that often, you know."

Darice thanked the minister for finding the exact mentor she needed. "I will try, mentor," she said. "Please teach me."

"Good," Madam Villanelle nodded. "First we will start with what you know and…"

They had just begun when another owl came flying into the bookshop, and suddenly the pocket diaries lunged into the manager's open mouth simultaneously.

Both ladies saw the letter tied to the owl's foot and Mr. Hillam falling off the chair, and a long, weary sigh escaped their mouths together.