Mudblood with Manners
Disclaimer : I only own my OC.
I have reposted this chapter to fix the spelling. Nothing else has changed. I do plan to post another chapter for this story soon.
Sum: A muggle born got sorted into Slytherin house. "Of course she's right Granger. You wouldn't go to France to stay without learning the proper customs. We weren't born into this so we don't belong yet. For all you read you might have looked into the proper etiquette to addressing people with Noble family lines. You are what make muggleborns look bad."
Because I hate ignorance.
The first thing Father and I did upon entering Diagon alley was to go to a dress shop so we would not stand out. Then the bookstore so we could buy everything we could find about this new culture. Subjects on History and Magical theory, Etiquette was a must, as were Holidays, Ceremony, and Dancing. To my delight I also found some on the most common wizard sports and a basic law book.
My father Mr. Timothy Green worked for the government he was in fact Head of the Foreign Relations office. Therefore I, being Ms. Tabitha Green, often traveled with Father and I was quite used to adjusting to new cultures.
After books we left so we could research things before finishing our shopping and making a bad first impression. Of course as soon as the stern women informed us about this world we had made instant plans to visit the place so we could come and go swiftly.
At home after my research I composed a list of things I would need to have and to know that was not included on the school list.
An owl as it is the most common and accepted pet: term familiar.
Gringots account. Is opened with 100 Galleons. A person's class can be related to the money able to be sent to your account. Low has about 100 and lower Galleons in an account per month. Middle Class can be any ware from higher than 100 Galleons, which of course is still low to 1000 Gallons per month. Over this is considered well off and 500 to 1000 a week is considered to be rich. I shall need 500 to 1000 Galleons per month to be considered middle to upper Middle Class. Should be doable.
Dress robes, everyday robe, formal robes, semi casual robes. I will order though catalogue. Should spend anywhere from 100 to 200 Galleons on robes not including school robes.
Book of Address: There are rules for how someone of no family name to address those with family name. Can be found as well other forms of proper greetings in the Book of Address.
Our fireplace must be connected to a Floo network: A wizard type of telephone and portal.
I must own a good broom stick and learn how to fly decently before Hogwarts .Similar to riding a bicycle. Very common.
I must see a Quidditch game: In America I saw a baseball game so I must see at least one Quidditch game.
I should take Latin and ballroom dancing lessons next summer. Most spells are in Latin and Purebloods only dance formal or ballroom style.
That should do it. My father has money so it is not an issue. He has always had me do research on the culture whenever we go somewhere new and helped me decide what I need to fit in for however long we stay.
….
I met my very first local at very expensive fashion boutique looking for what would be my best set of dress robes and two formal robes. Things fit better if you went into the shops it seemed.
She was a pugged-face girl, about my age and full of arrogance in the way she held her head from the way she held up her nose. She had an important family member, was an idiot or both. It didn't matter I would make a good impression.
It was proper to speck first if you unsure of someone's place in society.
"Hello. It would please me to meet your acquaintance." Friendly and not overly respectful as she was only my age, but she seemed to swell with pride at the words.
"Hello. I am Pansy Parkinson of the Noble House of Parkinson. You are?" Not an Ancient House and not an heir.
"I am Tabitha Green. To my upmost shame I have no House to speak of." My eyes had lowered as was expected to a pureblood. I had played this game before and I could play it well.
She seemed affronted. Narrowed her eyes and looked me up and down observing my submissive demeanor.
"That is to the upmost of shame. A mistake of your forefathers or…?" She asked coldly.
"I am afraid not. I have been taken from my lowly mundane world and introduced to this wonderful place. It humbles me to be around people of so much more knowledge and power then I. You do me an honor to speak to me Ms. Parkinson of a Noble House."
I layer it on thick, but it was necessary. The amount of predigest in this world was staggering and somehow I had to at least get into decent society or I would never make it in this world.
She huffed. "Well for a mudblood I suppose you have manners."
This was both acceptance and a test to the insult.
"I do try very hard, but I fear it will not be enough. I wish to earn my place in this world as I was not born deserving it. There is only so much one as ignorant as I can learn from books. I do so hope to find a teacher of sorts to help me with this change of cultures. I would be forever grateful for any teachings or advice."
This would tell me if she had a Politician in her family and if I had pinned her personality right.
"Hmm." The girl seemed lost in thought and respectfully I did not speak. I was almost done with my robes and rather disappointed that nothing more would come of this encounter.
"I have never met a mudblood that knew there place before. I will pay you this complement. If all the muggleborns were like you we of the pureblooded elite might not hate you so much."
I tried to look honored by the compliment I think it worked for she continued.
"You may write to me this summer and if your letters are proper I might bestow some advice to you. If at Hogwarts you are sorted into Slytherin which is doubtful, or to Ravenclaw I will associate with you and teach you the ways of this world. If you are not in one of those Houses it will be like we never met. Understood? "
Yes yes yes! I have a connection now! Bum kissing really does pay off. I thank her and respectfully say farewell. Now I must learn what the Houses of Hogwarts are and how to write a Proper letter.
….
The art of written Bullshiting.
It didn't take as long as I thought it would. Only four days of searching and reading and I had composed a letter to Pug Nose Pansy.
The envelop said this.
Sincerely to: Pansy Parkinson of the Noble House of Parkinson. At an unknown to me location.
Humbly from: Tabitha Green with no House to speak of.
Even that was full of bum kissing. The full letter was such a masterful art of bum kissing and Bullshitting that I scanned it on the computer to send to Father. He's in Turkey right now.
Dear Ms. Parkinson of the Noble Parkinson's.
I must thank you for allowing me to write to you. By doing so you have already helped me greatly for did not know at the time how to write a letter to someone of your importance. I do so hope you could find the time to help someone as dispirit as I.
(This part I made up)
I had an encounter with another muggleborn the other day. I do not know if this will interest you so I will respectfully shorten what happened. To be blunt I was so horrified by her manner I was almost moved to tears. She was bossy, demanding, and arrogant she didn't seem to care at all for anything proper. She was even wearing muggle clothes and talking loudly about some muggle topic.
My reason for writing this is because it has greatly renewed my need both to fit in to this world and to remain humble in it. My meeting with that girl also made me pose a question that I could not find in The Book of Address. What is the proper way to speak if you are muggleborn and are addressing another muggleborn? Especially if they are so rude even I almost call them a mudblood? I would not wish to speak above my status, but it is hard not to think I am at least a bit better than one so ignorant
Thank you for the time it took you to read this letter. I do hope I have written it the right way.
Sincerely your servant, Tabitha Green
Dear Lord that was sickening. I do hope it works for I have many more questions and the girl will make a good stepping stone.
…
I love being right. For all the girl's faults she is beginning to show her value in information if nothing else. Pansy Parkinson has been raised in a very old fashion pureblood family therefore to my luck but annoyance she believes the only thing she will ever need to excel at is getting a good husband and following pureblood customs. This means she is mostly one of the people that would know the most about those customs in my age group. Another lucky, but annoying thing for me is that she has few friends and really likes the sound of her own voice.
Indeed she seemed to get so much joy out of imparting knowledge to someone that actually listens to her that she invited me to lunch. This was a huge step as it showed she would be seen in public with me even before my sorting. I suspect she is very lonely.
Lunch with Pansy was very informative. She kept up a steady stream of gossip that I should know about important people if I should ever meet them and she would stop every five sentences or so to correct my posture or table manners. I didn't say much expect for one suggestion that made Pansy wildly excited and brought about my permission to use her first name.
"You know Ms Parkinson when you are a Lady of some fine pureblooded gentlemen you might consider giving etiquette lessons in your spare time. Some of the things you've told me are barley even known now. I've looked them up and it seems many of the lesser pureblood families are forgetting this knowledge. I know ladies of fine families do not often work, but if I may be permitted to say, this seems to be your calling."
Really it was a stupid thing to say. I was getting frustrated at not being able to speak and this should have almost been insulting to her. Instead her eyes light up and the girl hugged me of all things. It seemed she blown over at the idea.
"There are very few things a pureblood really need to do besides support her husband you know? Well the most well known wives would find something worthwhile and lady-like to contribute to the cause and you've given me the perfect way to it. Oh how marvelous! And call me Pansy dear!"
So that was how I rose in her standards and hopefully my first step in raising in this world. Pansy was busy so she said for the rest of the summer, but her letters were friendly and came often.
Not soon enough it seemed I was boarding the Hogwarts Express and ready to start my journey fitting in so I could better than them all!
(What do you think? It was just an odd idea that popped into my head and I wanted to try it.)