Back to Index.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the Belgariad do not belong to me.
I'm just borrowing the characters for my and (I hope)
my readers' amusement only
and
have no intention of trying to make money off of them in any way, shape
or form.
Warnings: None
Fandom: Harry Potter/Belgariad
Rating: G
Author: The RCK
Website: http://www.therck.org
Last updated: 6 November 2009
Written for leyenn for Fandom
Stocking 2009. Thanks to my beta readers. I've been sufficiently
remiss in dealing
with this fic that I've lost track of who beta'd it, apart from Ceara.
My deepest thanks to Ceara and everyone else.
Job
Interview
Minerva studied the woman sitting across the table, trying to guess why
Albus had labeled the decade old application for the Defense Against
the Dark Arts position as 'worse than the disease.' Polgara seems sensible and competent. Her
credentials are a little odd,
foreign and-- "Your pardon. You're not quite what I expected."
She poured two cups of tea and offered one to her guest.
Polgara smiled as she accepted the cup and saucer. She looked over the
table then added a small amount of cream to her tea. "Did you expect me
to be older or taller or more terrible?"
"It did take a lot to intimidate Albus." Minerva couldn't imagine that
this woman didn't know the effect she'd had on the former Headmaster.
"And the Defense Against the Dark Arts position has been nearly
impossible to fill." She shook her head. "It's very difficult to
imagine him turning away a qualified applicant-- an even vaguely
qualified applicant." She sighed, remembering the parade of
incompetents who'd passed through the school over the decades. "I'm
also astonished that you're still interested."
Polgara sipped her tea. "I've found other projects to fill my time."
She met Minerva's eyes. "The years don't seem quite so long when one
keeps busy, and teaching here is something I'm called to do." She
frowned, and just for a moment, Minerva thought she understood Albus'
fears. "It's not a good thing for children to spend so many years
around a curse like this one."
Minerva nodded. "From your application, I gather that you believe you
can break it...?" She raised her eyebrows. "That has been tried
before." But Albus thought you could
do it.
"All it will take is for someone to manage two years in the position,"
Polgara said firmly. "Two consecutive years. That's why I insist on the
contract." She sniffed, more in thought than disapproval. "I will be in
Britain another five years, at least, meeting my other
responsibilities, and even then, I can't leave until I've taken care of
this little problem." She set down her cup. "I do think I can work with
you. Your...predecessor was..." She shook her head.
"Why didn't he hire you?" Minerva decided that bluntness might be the
wisest course. "I'd rather see the problem before I hire you." Not that I have any other applicants,
short of trying to draft young Mr. Potter.
"Ah." Polgara turned away for a moment to study the portraits lining
the walls of the Headmistress' office. "We had a philosophical
disagreement. I believe he was also concerned that I knew too much that
he'd kept hidden." She met Minerva's gaze directly. "As if I'd come to
your world without knowing about the current unpleasantness." She
lifted her cup and sipped. After she swallowed, she said, "There's
always an unpleasantness, you know."
Minerva's eyes widened a little bit, but she only allowed herself a
firm nod. If she says she's from
another world-- Well, what does it matter if she can do the job?
"And the philosophical differences?" she asked gently. "We might have
them, too."
Polgara looked Minerva up and down. She smiled. "I suspect not, at
least nothing in relation to the school."
Which is not the same as nothing at
all. Minerva rose to her feet. "I'd like you to meet the rest of
the staff before I make any decisions." Maybe they'll understand what I don't.
Back to Index.
Comments.