Alecto POV
31 August
Another dinner party. Another long dinner talking to Hogwarts teachers about going to Hogwarts in the fall. This time the party was at Hogwarts, instead of someone's house like it normally was.
Apparently my parents are important. My dad saved the wizard world years ago, I guess. I haven't hear the whole story before, he doesn't like to talk about the past that much, he said it is too dark to even think about and of course my mom won't talk if he doesn't want her to. The teachers have loads of stories, though, from when my parents were in school. I'll just wait for the book about him to come out, if he really did something amazing someone will write a book about him maybe they already did.
Since I'm starting my first year at Hogwarts in a couple days and I get to go to Diagon Alley. I can't wait to see the bookstores. I heard from Hermione that they are great. I hope to find a book on my dad, Potter: A history or the Tales of Harry Potter. I don't even know wait to look for.
At this dinner party there are mainly just teachers. Professor McGonagall, the transfigurations teacher and Headmistress, who looks like her frail, bony arm can't even lift up a wand. Professor Neville Longbottom; the herbology teacher that I have heard is quite a nervous pushover. Luna Longbottom another teacher for divinations and is known to hang out with Hagrid and his weird animals and creatures; Hagrid teaches care of magical creatures. All of those teachers I know pretty well and have since I was a baby. There a few more teachers coming to the dinner but I don't know them as well.
Before our meal was even served I snuck out to explore the school. It was a huge school, first I went to the dungeons, it was dark so I tried lumos but it didn't work; only a green light shot out of the tip of my wand and went out. Of course I was still afraid of the dark, although I would never admit it to anyone. I quickly made my way back to the light, taking about twice as long as it did to get there because I had trouble finding my way in the dark, stumbling around. I got up to the main floor without out getting lost but didn't know how to get to the big stair case that Teddy, my "cousin", talked about all the time, he said that the stairs moved.
Teddy was 2 years older than me. His parents died when he was just a baby so he lived with me and my parents. Mum and Dad say he is my cousin, but his is more like my brother, even though we aren't related, and he is my best friend. The last two years were hard for me because he was at Hogwarts all year and I had to stay at home by myself.
Finally, after looking through every door, I found the stairs. It was the most magical place I have seen. It looked so bright suddenly like waking up in the morning to see the bright sun already awake. The walls were covered in pictures and paintings; the people in them were moving and talking like most do in the wizard world. I wasn't even sure there was a wall behind the pictures. It was so dusty, a nightmare for someone with allergies.
I walked up the stairs as fast as I could and stopped on the first landing to take a breath, realizing I hadn't taken a breath while I was walking. I jumped on to another step before it moved a different way.
"Hey You!" I heard a man yell. I looked up and an old man a couple flights above was yelling at me. Unsure of what to do, I quickly went through the first door I saw. I stayed there for several minutes in the dark; I closed my eyes as tight as I could. Suddenly the door opened and the old man limped through. "Hey! You aren't supposed to be here. Why are you here?" he ordered still shouting even though I was right in front of him.
"I came here for the dinner party." I said surprised that my voice was loud and strong, "Are you a teacher?" I asked, my voice crackled.
He didn't answer my question, "Go back to the Great hall." The more I looked at him, the scarier he got, but I just kept staring at him. Then he started walking or limping out.
I got back in to the light and looked around. None of the stairs were where they were before.
"Um, Sir?" I asked. "How do I get there?"
The man kept walking and I kept following. Soon enough he opened the door of what I recognized was the Great Hall. He opened the door and walked to the round table in the middle of the room. Back to the boring party.
"I thought you weren't going to come, Filch," a large man said to Filch, the man who brought me back.
"I'm not here, Horace," Filch said to the large man, "I'm assuming she is yours Mister Potter."
I sat back down between my mom and dad. "Thank you, Argus. This is Alecto. She will be attending Hogwarts this fall," my dad said calling Filch Argus.
"Alex," I muttered. I didn't like to be called Alecto.
Filch grunted and limped out. Then all eyes were on me. I noticed uncle Ron was here now. Ron was the first to break the silence: "It is amazing how this fall is tomorrow already. I can't believe that Alecto is already going to be in her first year."
"Alex," I corrected him, "I want to be called Alex." I looked up at my mum who was still quiet. She would have chided me by now if we were at home, for exploring the castle or correcting Ron. I still looked at mum, waiting for her newest public scene.
Luna was the one to say something now, "Your mother is just upset that Ron had just pointed out that she has turned into her mother. Honestly I don't know your grandmother very well so I cannot share my opinions on the matter."
"I am not like mum. Nothing like her!" My mum declared childishly. She glared at Ron, her older brother.
"Fine you are nothing like her, Ginny," Ron gave in, "I don't know how I even got the idea in my brain." He said apologizing in his own way.
"You don't even have a brain," Mum said still pouting. Every time Mum and Ron were together they fought like little kids would.
"Are we going to eat ever?" I asked knowing it probably sounded rude, but I was hungry. I looked at the two chairs across from me that still remained empty.
"We are still expecting two guests" Professor McGonagall signaled to the vacant seats. The doors burst open loudly as she finished speaking. I recognized Hermione, my parents' friend and Ron's on again/off again girlfriend, the other was a man maybe my dad's age maybe a little older; he had shaggy bleach blonde hair and looked very tired.
"Malfoy," I heard my dad mutter. Malfoy was probably the man. Ron's face was bright red, I was guessing that he and Hermione were not dating right now. Ron glared at her until she got to the table.
"What are you doing with him?" Ron spat pointing his short, chubby finger at Malfoy. "Are you snogging him too?" Ron accused Hermione, which made her face red with anger.
"We just ran into each other walking in. I'm not a whore!" Hermione proclaimed, trying to defend herself, "We were broken up and I would prefer if you didn't do this here, in front of anyone, your making a scene." Hermione quieted her voice to a whisper and looked around the table self consciously.
"Your the one who did this," Ron took a long drink of the wine that was in front of him. He looked around the table as everyone looked away instantly pretending they weren't listening in on his fight with Hermione. "With Krum. You said you were over him. We were broken up for two seconds before you got with him!" Ron announced loudly. Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room quickly. When they opened the door a boy walked in past them; he didn't even seem to notice the quarreling couple passing him.
Malfoy stood up from his chair and announced, "This is my brother Bane. I hope it's okay that he is here, uninvited, but I thought it a good idea for him to meet the teachers," he motioned to the boy that stopped at the table. They both sat down next to each other. "He is going to be in his first year this year." Many teachers said nice to meet you and I hope to see you in class then started their own conversations with one another.
"Hello, Bane," McGonagall said extending her weak arm, "Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you twelve not eleven like the other first years. I thought you were coming to Hogwarts last year." She looked up at him in an all knowing way.
"My mum didn't want me to come last year, she was afraid after everything that happened when Draco was in his last year. She still doesn't want to let me go but Draco convinced her otherwise."
"Ah, Hogwarts is the safest school and place for that matter, in the wizard world. Even though Albus isn't here anymore," She shot a glance at Draco, "it still is very well protected," Bane nodded. He looked just like a smaller version of his brother. "So, Draco, how are you doing?" McGonagall asked, and suddenly half the table stopped talking and looked over at Draco.
He smiled for a brief second then said, "I'm doing okay. Still at the ministry, I am the assistant for the minister. It is pretty hard menial work and it doesn't pay well, but my mum stays at home with Bane so I had to get the job to help them. I am still living with them, I don't think my dad is getting out of Azkaban, at least anytime soon, but I think that is good, especially for Bane. He has a pretty good chance of succeeding with out his dad here." Draco talked slow and seemed out of breath by the time he finished.
It was silent for a moment, all the chatter ceased. I could hear Ron and Hermione outside the door still yelling. It was an awkward silence, I didn't think I should say anything. My stomach growled loudly enough for everyone to hear it, my mom nudged me.
My dad finally broke the awkward silence, "Well that's great for you Draco. It's nice that you finally have your priorities in line. Family always goes first. I know that my job can be very stressful but I just have to think that I am doing it for my family, to put food on the table and get them what they want. Being an auror can be very straining but I just have to do it." My dad rambled. It didn't really make sense, like he just said random things but I looked up at my mom and she smiled at Draco and nodded. I didn't know Draco or his family but I had a feeling that my dad was being mean to him.
Thankfully before Draco could say anything the doors opened wide and Ron and Hermione stride to the table holding hands and smiling. "We are getting married," Hermione squealed, "Ron just asked me. And I said yes!" My mum jumped up quickly and hugged Hermione. Draco stood up to congratulate the newly engaged couple and shook hands with Ron as teachers got up to hug and congratulate them.
Ron and Hermione wanted to sit next to eachother so the whole table was rearranged: Bane sat next to me, Professor Longbottom suggested it so that we "could get acquainted before school started." Draco sat next to my dad and they talked the rest of the night. And finally dinner was served. The rest of the party was boring, everyone talked amongst their selves. Bane and I didn't say a word to eachother, I didn't know what to say. He barely ate anything, Draco put food on Bane's plate but he just picked at it. Every couple of minutes or so I looked over at him, but he never looked up or talked, until I fake coughed loudly to get his attention. Bane looked up for a second and smiled quickly but it was gone before it even came, then he looked back down at his food.
I got a pretty good look at him, Bane looked nice when he smiled, I thought. Bane's hair was slightly longer and more out of control than Draco's, his baby blue eyes looked sad but were still full of life that wanted to come out, he had full lips and as I came up with this list in my head I realized I was still staring at him, and so did everyone else at the table, except of Bane of course. My face grew red fast and I was still smiling.
Soon dessert was brought out. McGonagall started asking Bane and me about what we were expecting at school, "What house do you want to be in? Of course you will be in Gryffindor, Alecto and you will be in Slytherin, Bane." She said.
"Alex," I corrected the headmistress, "Maybe I will surprise everyone this year," I said mysteriously. Everyone compared me to my parents and said how much I was like them. I decided a while ago that I would be in any house except Gryffindor. It would make my parents mad and I would be known as Harry Potter's daughter.
My dad turned over to me and said, "I just arranged breakfast with Draco the morning you leave for school, we are going to talk business but if Bane is there you two can talk, you should be friends with him. His brother is cool." Bane could obviously hear what my dad said because he smiled and chuckled quietly. My dad sounded like a little kid.
Before we left we made one final toast to Ron and Hermione. Everyone held their glass up and congratulated them one more time.
On our way out my dad said, "I have a really good feeling about this year," we got in a carriage to go back to the train. "Do you want to go back home tonight or do you want to go to the Burrow?" my dad asked. We often times would stay there on weekends. Bill and Fleur lived there with their three kids and grandma and grandpa. Ron didn't move out until last year. But the house was always full of family or friends.
"Let's go to the Burrow. For the last days of summer," I said looking at mum.
