Yet Again?! Ⅳ

The icy handsome, pale, long-haired blond, Lucius Malfoy strides down the hallway to the deliberation chamber almost fashionably late, but not for true as it simply did not do for a Hogwarts Board Chairman to be late before his own board. His elegant opera cloak flutters behind him and his walking stick makes a sharp, almost rhythmic clang against the floor.

Lucius paused before the great oak doors to ensure that his clothes are perfect before pushing the doors open and entering the floor. The other eleven board members glance up some with amusement in their eyes, others have resigned, blank faces, or like Mrs. Bly irritated at his arrival nearly at the hour. "Good evening, members of the Hogwarts Board," Lucius coolly said as he took his seat, before stylishly removing his leather gloves. "I presume that the board members are doing well?"

"Why must you always wait until the hour is nigh upon us, Chairman Malfoy?" Asked, older bronzed witch with kohl-lined eyes, and dark salt-peppered hair, Fiona Bly, Mrs. Bly. In a soothing, patient voice, she adds, "But I suppose that it cannot be helped considering your youth and lack of expertise."

A bout of silence follows her statement as the board members eye the two. The strife between Chairman Malfoy and Mrs. Bly had been slowly coming to a head. There was always tension at every meeting, but Chairman Malfoy had been rather calm and collected avoiding every maneuver. But as of late, an irked emotion could be seen in the depths of his eyes suggesting that his patience was wearing thin. Even those who were on friendlier terms began to slowly distance themselves from Mrs. Bly. The Chairman Malfoy held the majority, and Mrs. Bly did not, and they certainly were not fool's to side with her and gain the unwanted ire of the Chairman.

"What does my youth have anything to do with my appointment to Chairman, Mrs. Bly?" He leisurely asked with a cool smile. "I have more than adequately proven that prowess and expertise do not go hand in hand with age. This year, ALONE, the Board has received the highest recorded number of donations and letters of approval from the Hogwarts sponsors and parents. And not to mention the fact that it was former Chairman Magellan, who personally appointed my position at that time, and the Board voted in approval of my appointment."

A cold gleam appeared in Lucius's eye as he mercilessly says, "However, for some time I have noted Mrs. Bly that you are unable to be partial in your judgment. As such, I, Lucius Malfoy, Chairman of the Board nominate that Mrs. Bly is removed from her position as Hogwarts Board Member. Rather than putting her own agenda aside, she has time and time again wasted our time to win petty arguments."

"This is utterly preposterous!" Mrs. Bly roared losing her usual smoothing, patient tone of voice that becomes shrill. Pointing her finger at him, she hisses, "This is tyranny! How can the board not see that the Chairman is overstepping his boundaries!"

Sitting near Mrs. Bly is a wizard with dark hair and thin lips. Maxwell Zheng, a descendant of the famous Chinese explorer thoughtfully turns his almond-shaped gaze towards his friend, Leif Amundsen. The wizard in question has clear eyes, wiry, but neatly trimmed hair. He has a strong gaze, and cleft chin, and is also a descendant of the famous Norwegian explorer.

(The two wizards were original board members, before the board split and half departed with the former Chairman, Decimus Magellan to form the board for the Quattor schools for wizarding, muquib, and squib children. The endeavor was wildly successful as after the first month of school as purebloods by the droves sent their own children to attend after having seen their squib children return with far better educated their siblings residing at home with tutors. Those that had not yet sent their children were making arrangements to have them join after the winter holidays. And naturally, the Minister of Magic Eugenia Jenkins was reaping in the benefits as more purebloods were unsurprisingly viewing her as one of them and were far more likely to vote in favor of a progressive legislature than against it.)

Maxwell Zheng and Leif Amundsen share one final nod amid the whispers before in unison saying, "We second the motion of Chairman Malfoy." They knew who to side with, and even they had to agree that Mrs. Bly as of late had been growing tediously on their nerves. It was fine to have disagreements with other board members, but not to force the board to stagnate unable to proceed forward stuck on irrelevant details.

"What?!" Mrs. Bly sputtered in disbelief as one of her last remaining supporters rises to their feet in protest.

The haughty wizard in expensive couture furrowed his rather stern, proud features. "This is utterly outrageous!" Garrick Arnold loudly protested. "Mrs. Bly has done nothing to deem her removal from the board! I concur with Mrs. Bly's words that this is only a sign of utter despotism from Chairman Malfoy!"

One of the new board members after the transition, Francesca De Leon purses her full lips. She had almost almond-shaped eyes with a liveliness to them, slightly olive tinted, with a full Spanish curved figure. The beautiful Spanish descended witch flashed her bewitching, lively eyes at the haughty wizard and wrinkled her nose at him.

"Oh? Well, I beg to differ, Arnold," Francesca loudly said. "Mrs. Bly has caused our board meetings to come to a standstill to the point we are behind on paperwork as she nitpicks at every single detail. It is fine to be detail-oriented, but this has gone beyond what is considered normal, but rather a blatant smearing campaign to find fault with any of Chairman Malfoy's actions!"

Garrick Arnold sputters indignantly as a red flush creeps over his pale cheeks. "This, this-!" Whirling about he turns to face one of the older newer board members, Frederick Livingstone. A more moderate board member, who had at times sided with them. "What do you have to say, Livingstone?!"

The older wizard with busy untrimmed brows, a square face, and puffy, wild hair raises his pensive gaze to meet that of Garrick Arnold. "I concur with the assessment of Miss De Leon," Frederick Livingstone steadfastly answered to the disbelief of Garrick Arnold and Mrs. Bly.

"Although there are points in the past on which I doubly agreed with Mrs. Bly on their importance being addressed," Frederick Livingstone stoutly declared, "that does not mean I agree with Mrs. Bly. In fact, a record of my casting vote will show that I have voted virtually against Mrs. Bly in all motions for approval. Mrs. Bly has gone from presenting an alternative view to openly seeking contention and to stalemate to the progress of the board."

Garrick Arnold weakly slumps back into his seat in disbelief as other board members voice their sentiments of sharing the same opinion except for Izuki Sato, (one of the new board members). His long sleek black hair is pulled back into a rather elegant top know. His almond-colored eyes are solemn and grave demonstrating the blood of his samurai wizard ancestry. His robes are more oriental styled, but they are demure in their own fashion sense.