Written for Cheeky Slytherin Lass' 100 Characters Competition and Emmasexual's What We Pretend to Be Challenge.

Prompt for the competition: welcome

Prompt for the challenge: "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful what we pretend to be." - Kurt Vonnegut.

Word-count: 533

Ursula Black called for attention, clankchinkclink.

"Welcome, welcome, dear family!" She looked down the table. Eyes smiling at some, eyes flashing at others. Ursula raised her glass, "Toujours pur!"

"Toujours pur!"

Belvina toasted her dinner partner. Clank. A man five years older than her, some distant relative. Shy, dreadful to look at. Impossible to have a graceful conversation with.

He seemed to know only two words – yes, no – and some animalistic sound – gnh.

Did she have to get a social disable man as dinner partner? Getting through a Black family dinner was already a tremendous pain.

Belvina glared at everyone at the table. Posh pure-bloods, quitedarlingmarvelous. Her eyes fixed on her sister-in-law. Hesper Black. She was eight months pregnant. Huge. Couldn't sit properly at the table.

Looked embarrassed. Some great-aunt's cousin stroke Hesper's big stomach. "I think he kicked me! Because it is a he, isn't it?"

Belvina sighed. Wanted to be everywhere but at the large, old, precious table with her many, crazy relatives.

Her mind trailed off…

Summer sun.

Fields. Rows of trees. Stone wall.

Shadow under an old oak-tree.

Twelve year old Belvina ran and ran and ran and ran. Her braid bounced up and down. Laughter bubbled in her throat.

She had to stop. Laughed, coughed, panted. All at the same time.

Pearls of sweat on her forehead, under her eyes. By the edge of her underwear.

"Who are you?"

Belvina swung around. A girl stared at her. She wore a dirty, blue dress. Her hair was very messy, straws sticking out of it. She must be one of those mud-bloods, Belvina thought. Am I supposed to be scared?

"Are you deaf?"

"No, I'm not deaf! Are you stupid?"

"No."

The girl sat down. Glowered at Belvina. "What's your name?"

"Belvina."

Belvina sat down. Safe distant. "What's your name?"

"Jane."

The sun beat down their heads and backs. Two birds flew over them. A butterfly danced. The grass smelled sweet.

"You don't live here", Jane said.

"No. I'm visiting my aunt."

Jane stretched out in the grass. Gazed up, drowsy. "You have very pretty hair."

Belvina fumbled with her braid. "Thank you…"

"Can I touch it?" Jane sat up. Received a disturbed look from Belvina.

"But your hands are so dirty!"

Jane wiped them off on her just as dirty dress. Moved close to Belvina.

Her hands were very soft and…

"I hope you manage your studies."

Belvina snapped out of her memories. Smiled at her grandmother.

"Of course I am. If you excuse me…"

She skipped up the stairs. Two steps at a time. Freedom.

For a few minutes at least.

Belvina walked through the second floor corridor. Passed several flamboyant portraits of her ancestors.

"So you're also out walking?"

Belvina turned around. It was Hesper. "I didn't know you could walk."

"But I knew you didn't have a heart."

"I wasn't serious."

"I know I waddle…"

Belvina slide across the corridor. Brushed her breast against Hesper's shoulder.

"I can't wait until I have your life… Until I can pass on my oh so pure blood…"

Hesper's heart raced. Dashsprintbatterthump. "You are quite the actress."

"And that is why this will be kept a secret…"

Belvina kissed Hesper.