Private Message to Percy Weasley

[alt_penelope]

Perce,

I'm guessing you've been held up at work, like you said might happen.

The thing is, this place is perfect. And if we sign the papers now, we can even move in a little early. The landlord says he can let us start bringing things over the weekend, as the couple who lived here told him they'll be out completely after tomorrow.

It's only 10Γ more per month than we were hoping. I don't think it's worth trying to talk him down, do you?

Look, I'm just going to tell him we'll take it and you can come and sign over lunch tomorrow.

All right?

Comments

[alt_percy]

It's always worth trying to talk them down. But if you already said you'd take it, that limits our options. Quite a bit.

It has everything on our checklist? 10Γ though...

When do you get evaluated for a raise? Will you have to wait a year? Or six months?

[alt_penelope]

Well, you can always tell him that I oughtn't to have made the decision alone but it's not that much over-budget. I mean, we'll just eat less take-away.

It's got everything and more besides. It's very clean, the rooms are large, and he sprays for doxies three times a year. There's a bay window and it's right in the neighbourhood we wanted in Islington. Just up the street from that curry place we liked.

No muggle fixtures at all, just like Mr Malfoy recommended. And it's already on the Floo Network with a private fireplace - that's actually included in the rent. (Remember the other place we'd have had to pay extra.) Oh, and laundry on site, as well as charm-locked broom storage.

There's even an extra cupboard which will be perfect if we do decide we can afford a mudblood before we get a larger place. Or we can use it as an extra pantry for now.

Oh, and there's a little balcony overlooking the back garden, so we've got a terrace in the summer. It's a second-floor walkup but that's better than the one on the fourth level we saw a couple weeks ago.

[alt_percy]

That does sound just like what we were hoping for. I suppose I could try to negotiate him down a little more. It's worth a try, anyway.

Less take-away? Then we won't be eating at that curry place very often, will we? I hope you've been working on your cooking. Mum's been going on about teaching me this summer, but I've been pulling down so many late nights, we really haven't much of a chance to do that.

[alt_percy]

Bill's become rather handy in the kitchen, I understand. Maybe he has a bachelor cookbook to recommend, that would be good for preparing easy meals for one or two.

[alt_penelope]

Oh, for Merlin's sake, I meant we could get fewer dishes and split them, or get the same order but stretch it with more rice and so on.

I've already told you the kitchen is not my natural habitat. But yes, I've asked Mum for some recipe books. how hard can it be, really? Eggs are easy, and pasta just takes boiling water. And a roast is the easiest thing in the world. We'll be fine.

[alt_penelope]

I suppose I can ask Mr Powell about a rise in six months but not right away, certainly.

You've just passed a year with Mr Malfoy, did you talk to him about a pay rise?

[alt_percy]

I started a year ago, as of July 7. I should have had an evaluation by now, and I'm hoping for a raise, but Mr Malfoy has been so shor so busy that it hasn't been scheduled.

If it all works out as I hope, I suppose we could swing the higher price. If we're careful.

All right, I'll arrange to go see the landlord tomorrow.

[alt_penelope]

You'll feel differently when you see it.

I'm going to start packing.