Will Strip For Food. Or Something. -- Mallory

[Savannah Brooks]

It only took forever, but Savannah was finally done with Hogwarts. She was a little older than most of the students and the longer she was at the school, the more she hated being there. The day she met all of her course requirements and graduated was a liberating day indeed. Unfortunately, she graduated from the soddy school without so much as a hint as to what she wanted to do next. She was unemployed and if it wasn’t for the little shack of a place she stayed in while she was on break from the school, she’d be homeless as well.

It was a last resort, but Savannah found herself wandering through the shops of Diagon Alley and hoping to come out with hope for employment. After spending what seemed like her entire life in school, she was hoping to walk away with her education and into a job with a bit more prestige than a sales clerk, but she had tried just about everything else. Now, she didn’t give a damn about prestige or status. She needed a job, she needed money. She would take whatever she could get.

Savannah walked into her last shop of the day without much hope. After a day’s worth of job hunting, she had a few vague promises of getting in touch and applications to fill out, but she didn’t find anything about working at those shops exciting. Savannah stepped into the last shop and was immediately comforted by the walls of beauty products. Ah, yes, this felt like home. She looked at a stand lined with different nail polish colors before tearing herself away and walking towards a beautiful redhead with a name tag. “Pardon me.” Vannah said to the woman. “But is there a manager I could speak with?” She asked sweetly, a manner she used only when she needed something like employment.

[Mallory Van Rockeghem]

Mallory's full lips curved into a smile at the pretty blonde. "I'm afraid not," she said. "But the owner is in. I am Mallory Van Rockeghem. Would you like to make an appointment?" She eyed the girl's hair, mentally springing it into generous curls. Yes, quite pretty.

She actually didn't wear a name tag. She was the only human in the shop, and so there could be no confusion about her identity. Not to mention, of course, how dreadful such things looked. There was simply no way to keep them from ruining an outfit, and her upper body got enough attention without affixing an excuse to stare upon her breasts.

The shop itself had a boutique feel to it. Yes, there were products in displays and on shelves, but the hardwood floors were polished to a high sheen, and consultation areas had delicate loveseats and chairs gathered around spindle-legged coffee tables.

Arched doorways led to the preparation rooms. Most people, she believed, would prefer not to be ogled while recieving a facial, or while sitting with dyes in their hair. She had taken great care in every detail of the place, from the rich colors to the broad windows. If she was a bit on the controlling side, who was to say a word against it? She had impeccable taste.

[Savannah Brooks]

Savannah looked the woman over because that was what she did. The fiery redhead knew how to dress and that was always a good sign in Vannah’s mind. She had a nice rack and although Savannah’s jugs weren’t quite as hefty as this woman’s, she appreciated someone who could relate to problems she had on an everyday basis. Running, for one, was not quite as enjoyable when you had watermelons smacking you in the face with every step. While Savannah was able to shop at a normal store for a bra in her size, even if finding one was almost as impossible as finding Carmen san Diego and she had to search the very back of the racks for something that, well, fit her rack, she made up for it in the size of her butt. A donk, indeed.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Van Rockeghem. I am Savannah Brooks.” She said politely. An appointment? Savannah hadn’t quite thought about that. She certainly could go for a day of relaxation and pampering, but it would have to wait for another time. “I was wondering if you were hiring, actually.” Savannah admitted with a pleasant smile. It was an awkward question. She would have much rather have approached the counter to schedule an appointment, but unfortunately she needed a job more than she needed a makeover.

[Mallory Van Rockeghem]

Mallory gave Savannah a quick once-over in evaluation, nothing like the seemingly lengthy ogling she'd just recieved, then found the girl's eyes once more. Smartly dressed, good bone structure, well-maintained, she was definitely presentable enough.

And polite. Being called Miss at her age felt patronizing, something she detested perhaps even more than being assumed a Mrs. Ms. Van Rockeghem suited her position and personality quite well.

"I might consider taking you on in an apprenticeship," Mallory conceded. "Unless you were hoping for part-time work?" She had elves doing menial labor and such, but her shop was doing quite well already, and she could well afford a bit of decoration, especially if said decoration was as interested as those wandering eyes implied.

[Savannah Brooks]

Savannah would have accepted any job. She was not above shaking the aforementioned curves for the entertainment of miserably married men, bachelors who truly had no hope for finding love, and even the odd lady or two if it meant a decent meal and the hope that she could live in a better place. She would never admit it, but she was desperate. She missed walking past a store and knowing she could purchase something if she wanted to. There was a time when she didn’t have to rely on the men in dark bars to buy her drinks. She had spent most of her life with money and she craved that life once more. It wouldn’t happen right away and it definitely wouldn’t happen with the kind of job she was applying for, but Savannah hoped she could return to that life one day.

Savannah had been hoping for a part-time job because anything else was almost impossible to come by. She certainly hadn’t expected to be offered an apprenticeship, but that was an offer she simply wouldn’t turn down. Savannah kept her manner cool. Now was not a time to break professionalism. “An apprenticeship would be a wonderful opportunity.” Savannah remarked gratefully. “I wouldn’t want to monopolize your time, perhaps we could schedule a time to meet and discuss logistics?” Savannah suggested. In all honesty, she would love to monopolize this fiery redhead’s time if it meant she could get the job, but she had to keep in mind what was polite. She was at this woman’s bidding and she didn’t want to seem disrespectful.

[Mallory Van Rockeghem]

"I'm actually free right now," Mallory admitted. "I was terribly busy the week of that wedding, but things have calmed and my last appointment of the day left a short time ago." It had been a spa treatement anyway, and most of that was left to the elves.

She drew her wand, a slender, delicately carved vine wood, and summoned a scroll, catching it out of the air with her other hand. "I'll just need you to fill out a bit of information and sign a confidentiality agreement."

The marble-topped counter provided a quill and a clipboard, which Mallory offered to the girl along with the scroll. It had the usual necessary information, name, where to send owls, references, and a few additional things which were optional. Mallory would prefer a grade point average, since such things could indicate how well someone worked on a day-to-day basis.

The confidentiality agreement at the bottom was carefully worded and all-inclusive, one of those which politely threatened endless consequences if any private business practice or information was repeated, revealed, or otherwise used without permission. That one would apply the moment Savannah signed her name.

[Savannah Brooks]

“Lovely.” Savannah said with a smile that masked what she thought about that wedding. The wedding she had been kicked out of with her friend. The wedding she still didn’t understand. She didn’t let on, though. The last thing she needed to do was attract attention to that day in regards to herself.

Something seemed a bit off about this offer. What were the chances that she walked into a store where the owner happened to be around and free to deal with her? Aside from that, what were the chances she’d be offered a job on the spot? She was wary that there was a catch somewhere in there, but she was also excited at the idea of employment. She needed this, she really did, but more than that she wanted it. She reminded herself to be careful, to read over every document that was handed to her before she signed anything, and that was exactly what she did.

“Thank you.” Savannah said, accepting the clipboard and supplies that came with it. She looked over every word, filled out all her information carefully with her lacey handwriting, and then moved onto the confidentiality agreement. She read each word carefully until she understood the grounds completely. Savannah signed her name. Once everything was filled out and understood, she caught the attention of Ms. Von Rockeghem and handed her the clipboard, all forms attached, and the quill. “Here you are.” Savannah said pleasantly. She was unsure if she was supposed to stick around for some questions or be off, so she stuck around for some instruction.

[Mallory Van Rockeghem]

Mallory took the clipboard and skimmed the page. "Everything seems to be in order," she said. The girl had even used a Hogwarts professor as a reference, if she wasn't mistaken. Well, perhaps she'd check on that later. For now, she had the time and inclination, and though she'd never taken an apprentice before, there was no time like the present to begin.

"If you have the time, I'd like to show you around so you can get the feel of the place."

[Savannah Brooks]

Savannah didn't realize she was holding her breath as the fiery ginger looked over her paperwork. Ever since the woman brought up the wedding, Savannah was on edge. If this woman recognized her for her laughter, this job opportunity could be thrown in the can. Savannah didn't regret the disturbance caused at the wedding, not that the actual disturbance had been caused by her, but she contributed to it. She didn't need to advertise what she did, though. Not when she was so close to employment.

Vannah relaxed when Mallory invited her to get a look around. "Sure, that would be great." She said with a smile. She was still kind of in a daze. She didn't think she'd have a job by the end of the day and a part of her had to remind herself that she hadn't been officially hired yet, but she was so close and that was the most hope she's had since she graduated from that school. "It seems like a lovely place so far. Have you had it for long?" She asked curiously.