My Daughter (Dramione)

Chapter 23 (Updated)

Chapter 23 *2022 Update*

Warning: This chapter might be entirely different from the previous version. I hope you like it. If you do have some questions please feel free to send me a message or comment so I can address inquiries and plot holes. Also, I'm not well versed in how business works so please bear with me. 

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"Cormac, were you aware that your head of finance embezzled money from the company?" Hermione asked while her eyes were scanning the papers that Cormac had given to her.

Cormac stopped writing and turned to the brunette sitting on the couch in his office.

"Are you sure?" Doubt laced his tone. He knew the head of finance. She was an old friend. She inherited the position when her father died. She's been with the company for years.

Hermione stood up and grabbed all the necessary documents and gave them to Cormac. He scanned the papers and couldn't believe his eyes. Millions of galleons that were supposed to go to employee bonuses, project budgets, and the commission went to the pocket of a greedy woman.

"Have you not noticed this?" Hermione questioned. "It's been going on for at least 4 years. It's all manipulated."

"Where did you get this report?" Cormac asked.

"It was on my desk this morning. I requested financial reports for the last 3 years. That paper you're holding led me to other reports and books. I got curious and dug deeper." Hermione answered, returning to the coffee table to get a folder. "I think someone made a mistake." She handed Cormac the folder.

Two papers that are exactly the same but the total was off by thousands of galleons. Why were there two copies of the same document but with different numbers?

"I thought that was all but I found payroll documents of "employees" who are paid full-time but no one knows who they are. They don't exist. There are also names of past employees who are now retired or had resigned who are still being paid." Hermione explained.

Cormac's expression worsened. Anger. The nerve of this woman whom he called a friend. He was also angry at himself for not noticing the imbalances earlier. He wanted to believe it was all wrong but all the evidence pointed at the head of finance.

Hermione felt conflicted ever since she found out about the scheme. She wanted to dig deeper to prove that the woman wasn't involved but every time she opened a folder it only added to the guilt that was piling up. The head of finance, Trisha Travon, was one of Cormac's oldest friends. They grew up together. In Hermione's eyes, she was a sweet and soft-spoken woman.

"Cormac, do you have an idea why she would do this?"

"I have an inkling." He replied. "Please compile them and I'll have him take care of this." Cold and distant. She never knew Cormac's tone of voice could even produce it. He was always smiling, cheerful, warm, and polite. This woman had struck a nerve.

"Alright."

*

On busy days like these, Cormac and Hermione would be in his office tackling papers and last-minute proposals. However, she had already completed everything before the new year. After Cormac's death, she busied herself with work and other matters. She didn't realize that the bulk of work she did beforehand had left her with nothing else to do but sign papers. Her mind was now open to thinking about other things like her daughter. Alicia's new photo was sitting on her desk along with photos of Cormac, group photos with her friends back at Hogwarts, her friend from Auror training, and her parents.