(1940-05-03) What's My Line?
Details for What's My Line
Summary: Professor Slughorn meets with members of the Slytherin fifth year class to discuss their career prospects and NEWT selections for the coming year.
Date: 3 May 1940
Location: Slytherin Common Room, Hogwarts
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Characters
AbraxasSlughorn

Slughorn has set up a little area in one corner of the Common Room with two high backed green leather chairs with silver buttons facing each other with a privacy screen that is a bunch of snakes enterwined like a celtic knot for panels. Leaving some minor visibility to each side. So one can see if there are eavesdroppers but it provides privacy enough. A small table is set up between the two chairs and there is a tea set with all of the autramont one could wish for their cuppa. One of the chairs is higher backed and wider than the other and this chair has another table beside it with a stack of files and a clipboard and quill. This is the chair that Slughorn occupies. A Slytherin girl who has been known to be shirksome in her studies steps away from behind the screen and is dabbing at her face with a handkerchief provided by the Slytherin Head of House, he at least broke it to her gently that wenching at the Leaky Cauldron or other such occupation was pretty much all that's in her future. "Next. Abraxas Malfoy." The Potions Professor calls out to those lingering in the Common Room waiting for their turn.

The future's so bright, he needs to conjure an umbrella. Or maybe not. Things of this sort are always nerve-inducing. Abraxas gets up off one of the green leather couches and arranges his robes properly, then schools his face into the sort of aristocratic mein that he would expect his father to use at a time like this. He walks over to the appointed place, and inclines his head in greeting, "Good morning, Professor Slughorn." he says, before sliding in and waiting to be instructed to sit.

Slughorn picks up the quill and clipboard and after a moment of shuffling things from the clipboard into a folder and then collecting up a new folder and putting the contents onto the clipboard does he point the feather towards the tea. "Sit and make yourself some tea my boy."

"Thank you, Professor." Abraxas says, as he sits himself down. Tea, cream, sugar, two lumps. He sits back with the teacup.

Slughorn lifts up his own cup of tea and takes a sip.

Slughorn says, "Now tell me Abraxas, what path do you see yourself on, while I look over your records."

"Well, Professor, I'd given that a little thought. I think my eventual end-goal is something in the Ministry." Abraxas begins, sitting back and cradling the teacup in his lap. It goes without saying, of course, that as a Malfoy he doesn't really have to work for a living. When he was a baby, Enceladus held him up at Pride Rock and told him that someday, everything the sun touched would be his. A sip of tea, and he continues, "But I was thinking of perhaps pursuing cursebreaking for a while. As an opportunity to both learn about magic that might have been lost and gain exposure to other cultures - wizarding cultures. The Malfoy sphere is very broad in England and on the continent, especially France, but the world is getting smaller every day, or so I'm told. Then maybe something in law or with the ICW after a few years." He tilts his head, as if waiting for explanation. "I have top marks in both Dark Defence and Ancient Runes, and do well in charms despite Professor Viridian and I not… seeing eye to eye."

Slughorn hmmms and hawws softly nodding along with Abraxas' goals and decisions. "Yes, yes. Very good. Who knows however what will come of the ICW in future years. So having different options is very good. So, for the curse-breaking, I recommend NEWT classes in the Study of Ancient Runes, which you will need an Exceeds Expectations in your coming O.W.L.s. Then come N.E.W.T.s you will need another 'E' grade then. Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Charms for N.E.W.T. classes as well. So long as you do well enough in Arithmancy these O.W.L.s that should put you on the right path. They will also help you along with your other side pathes. Do you have any questions?"

"Do you have any thoughts on it, Professor? On that particular choice of careers? Professor Lestrange said at first that he didn't think it would be for me. Then he admitted he might have… underestimated me." Abraxas sips his tea and says, "It's a useful thing sometimes, being underestimated. By the way, I hope you enjoyed the candied pinapple. Brazil is rotten with them. Pineapples, that is."

Slughorn looks up from the clipboard with a broad smile, then sets aside his cup to lift up the stack of files to reveal the tin Abraxas gave him of candied pineapple hidden underneath. "My treat for when all is said and done today. It's my last two pieces. Delicious, thank you. As for Lestrange, he does not have the benefit of knowing you as I do. I think that you achieve most anything you set to doing. I've witnessed your success time and again. A young man with our sort of levels of ambition should take some time after graduation to explore and have our own adventures. Getting paid to do so is brilliant, I wish I had thought of that on my post-graduation excusions."

"Thank you, Professor." Abraxas says, though one side of his mouth quivers upwards slightly in a nascient response to the mention of 'our' levels of ambition. "I will do all that I can to make you and Slytherin House proud after I leave. But I certainly have to stick out the last few years. Not only do I need the NEWTs, but there's only the one chance to try for Head Boy." He takes another sip of tea, then adds, "Might I trouble you for a reference to Gringott's for the summer, then? I should probably send them an owl at once."

Slughorn takes up his tea once more and lifts it in toast towards Abraxas, "I am very sure you will my boy. Of course I will, I shall have it to you by the end of evening feast." He takes a moment to scratch some notes down. "There now, anything else I can do to help you?"

Abraxas shakes his head and stands, "No, thank you, Professor. Shall I send the next person in?"

Slughorn leans forward to give Abraxas a solid hand shake, "If you would my boy, thank you and good luck in the coming exams. I have little doubt that you need it though." He tutters in a chuckle and then he proceeds to start shifting his notes and things about to prepare for the next young mind to mold.

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