The thought that went through Jaks's mind over and over again, starting from when she had first started getting dressed for the occasion, was why she had ever agreed to go in the first place. Her father had promised her a horse, any horse of her choosing as long as she attended this party, and if she behaved herself. Her father, Tom Hedlund, was a man of high stature in the pureblood community and a friend to Lucius Malfoy, so he couldn't afford to not show up with his whole family in tow for fear of his family looking inconsiderate, but neither could he afford Jaks's "abnormal behavior." Jaks had a tendency to be very clumsy and never acted like a proper lady. She also didn't act like a true Slytherin. She took no interest in the politics or social statuses of the different families. She enjoyed staying to herself most of the time, creating art or wandering the grounds of the mansion.
This is exactly why she didn't want to go. She knew she wouldn't enjoy it. Jaks hated parties, and everything that went along with them, from the fake smiles to the dozens of greetings she had to give to people she didn't even know, and didn't care to know. She kept wondering if a horse was really worth all this trouble, and continued to belittle her decision even after it was too late to change her mind, and they were in their black and silver carriage. The entire ride her father rattled on about what to do and what not to do, but after about 5 minutes, Jaks managed to tune him out to the rhythmic clack clack clack of the horses on the graveled road.
By the time they arrived, it was already pitch black. Jaks wondered if it was just her, but she had a high suspicion that the Malfoys had intentionally made the atmosphere around their home more dark and gloomy with an enchantment than what it really was. This did not give her a good impression of the Malfoys, and she found herself feeling annoyed with them already. After her father had discussed with the coachmen where to meet them at afterwards, he walked briskly up the front way, Jaks following with visible disdain. The huge doors they halted at were masterly crafted, with intricate designs of snakes intertwining and forming huge images of silver trees. To have so many of the cunning creatures greet her on the door step of their hosts sent a shiver down her spine, but the display she couldn't help but find strangely beautiful. She was trying to inspect it closer when the snake head in front of her eyes was wrenched back quickly, causing her to jump and nearly fall down the set of stone steps they had just climbed. Her father cougher, pointed out that the door had just been open for them, no need to be startled. If Jaks hadn't known her father as well as she did, she would have thought that his comment was one of concern, like the rest of the people who were close enough to the door to hear and see what happened. But she knew better, and sent one of millions of internal hate messages to him.
Stepping into the main hall, all plotting of her fathers death ceased abruptly. They were only in the main hall, and already she was dazzled by the amazing beauty of the architecture. The ceiling was far above, dangling from it was a pair of chandeliers that held a dozen white candle sticks in each of them. On one entire wall was a tapestry that looked very old depicting a giant snake kind chasing out the rodents of his kingdom. She heard her father say something to her about it being symbolic of purebloods ridding the world of the undeserving, but he wisely picked up that she wasn't listening, and smoothly cut off her need for zoning out by subtly, if not roughly, guiding her into the ball room.
If the room before had impressed her, the ball room had bought her over. The room was almost as big as the entire base of her own house, and just as high. Lighting the room was another chandelier, but this one put the main hall's to shame. This one was as large as her bedroom, with crystal charms dangling from it. Hundreds of candles were lit upon it, and their flames reflected off of the crystal, causing beams of colors to dance on the walls with the shadows of the flames. Jaks was mesmerized and wanted to move closer to the wall to watch it, but an arm being placed around her shoulders dashed her hopes, and she tensed in displeasure at knowing it was her father, and this only meant that she had to act polite to some stranger now.
"Yes, yes Bunklebottom. Now. Meet my daughter, Jaks Hedlund. I personally think she is a spitting image of her mother, no? Just as charming too." The two men chuckled, and Jaks forced an awkward smile on her face, once that probably made her look like she had had a brooming accident. She hoped that her father didn't expect her to say anything other than, "It's a pleasure to meet you.", because he wasn't going to get much else out of her. Fortunately, her father seemed to think it would be better to just let Jaks go off on her own, and pretended to be playful in front Mr. Bunklebottom when he shooed her away.
Jaks didn't complain though. She looked around and finally spotted a place near the wall that was somewhat void of other guests. She started to pick her way through the throng of people, which proved more difficult than she had thought. After a while, she gave up on being polite and saying, "excuse me," and began just to shove her way through, ignoring the glares and hissing sounds of disapproval. When she reached the wall, she didn't even have the chance to turn around when she heard someone clear their throat and place their hand on the small of her back. Surprised, she jumped and shoved her elbow back, coming in contact with someones stomach. Figuring it was her father, she turned around, ready to tell him he had deserved it, but froze in her tracks. Who stood before her wasn't Tom Hedlund.