"Stevens you better pick up the pace, our train leaves in thirty minutes and I intend to be on it," heard the cold voice call up the stairs to the girls dormitories.
"Your cousin is such an asshole, the woman who has to marry him has my condolences," I said to my best friend and roomy Aine.
Aine snickered and told me to tolerate him, seeing as he was spending the summer at my manor. I blew her off, and just continued to follow Grandfather's instructions.
Got my robes, hairbrush, wand, now I just need to clean the room.
What are house elves for?
Grandfather wants me to do it, so I am going to.
"We better hurry, before your cousin has a coronary," I said as I crossed the threshold. After Aine had crossed the threshold, I performed a wandless spell to clean the room thoroughly like Grandfather wanted.
"I really wish you would warn me before you do your wandless magic. I like some kind of a warning," Aine whispered quite loudly as we walked down the stairs to the common room, to meet our friends, and guests for summer.
"Hush! You are the only one who knows, and I would like to keep it that way. If Grandfather finds out he will push me more, and mother will have a more difficult time finding me a husband!" I quietly scolded Aine as we descended the stairs entering the common room.
On second thought, maybe I should tell every eligible bachelor.
"What took you so long? You still look like shit," Malfoy greeted me as I walked into the Slytherin common room.
"Shove it Malfoy." I sneered. I was in no mood to be insulted, especially not be some slime ball like Malfoy.
Someone didn't take her Midol.
Someone is about to be pounded.
"Is that all you got, Stevens."
"I don't feel like trading insults, I'm under strict instructions, and if you ever want to leave Hogwarts you better listen to me." I said. It shut him up I guess he really wanted to go home. Wait until he found out he was going to my home that would certainly put a damper in his plans.
"Now if you know you aren't going with me get out of the common room now, and get your asses on the train. If you know you are stay put and if you aren't sure I have a list of names I will read once, if you are not on it you best be gone before I look up. Any questions? No, good."
"Here are the names: Aine Lestrange, Kiera Ninorc, Alissa Wu, Nicholas Elcirem, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, uh...Goyle, Theo Nott, Sadey Nott, Ashely Phillips, Alexandra Stevens, Gabriel Diablo, and Blaise Zambini. If I did not call your name, get out. See you next year. Have a great summer." I thought I got everyone out, but I looked over, and saw a rather large body clinging to Malfoy. I was very annoyed, for one I could not stand Pugface Parkinson, she always was trying to get in with me and my best friends, and then acted better than me. So I walked up to her and "tapped" her forcefully on the back. "Are you stupid or deaf Parkinson?"
"What?"
"I believe I told everyone to get out who was not on the list. So your name is not on the list yet you are still in here. Can you tell me why?"
"I don't need to be on a list to go to Drakie-poo's house. Do I, sweetie?" she asked Draco.
I had to hold back my laughter. I had only ever heard Narcissa call Draco, Drakie-poo. I thought I saw Draco twitch a bit, when she called him that. But as much as I loved to see Draco uncomfortable, I could not stand Pugface, so I would save Draco, this time. "Well Pugface, we aren't going to Drakie-Poo's house, we are going to mine. So I suggest you leave."
"You can't talk to me like that! Do you know who my father is?"
"Yes, but too bad he is one of Grandfather's lowly slaves. Now run along before I tell Grandfather all about the trouble you caused me, and he if we are late thanks to you."
She quickly ran away, I hated pulling the Grandfather card, but we could not be late. "We will not be taking the Hogwarts Express; it is too dangerous with the events that are to take place in the summer months. Mother, Father, and Grandfather fear for our safety, seeing as the ministry has devised plans to search us all once we arrive. So we will take a carriage to Hogsmeade where we will meet Narcissa. We need to hurry, and I need to go find Professor Snape, he was supposed to arrange our transportation. Now, does everyone have his or her trunks? Good, now you need to shrink them and put them in the bag that Crabbe and Goyle will carry." I instructed them, they looked very confused about the shrinking the trunk part. Actually only Nicholas, Draco, and I knew how to do it properly. So while Nicholas and Draco shrunk everyone's trunks I went off to find Professor Snape. Unfortunately Draco got the seven trunks I had assigned him done in the blink of an eye, so he offered coughdemandedcough to help find Uncle Severus.
"I can find him on my own you know."
"I doubt that."
"Well I don't, I have known Uncle Severus since the day of my birth." Just as I finished saying that ran into Snape.
"Are you and your company ready, Ophelia?"
"Yes sir, Nicholas just had to finish helping the idiots shrink their trunks. So did you get the carriages reserved?"
"Yes. Why don't we walk back to the common room and gather the others. The twelve of them will share a carriage. You, I, and Draco will share a carriage, so we can pick up Narcissa and I need to discuss something with you two. There will be no arguing or bickering. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Uncle Severus." we answered in unison.
"Stop calling me that at school. I can't have my cover blown," he scolded the two of you in a whisper, similar to how I had with Aine earlier.
"Sorry Sir," we answered in unison again.
Draco, Uncle Severus and I started our way through the dungeons back to the Slytherin common room. Once we got there we were pleasantly surprised to see that Nicholas had gotten everything done and organized. So we were ready to go. This was a good thing because according to Mother's instructions we were already running late.
Once outside we walked over to our designated carriages, basically my company minus Malfoy walked over to the charmed carriage, and Malfoy and I and Uncle Severus walked over to the other carriage. Once inside he immediately let us know that there would be no arguing, what he had to say was very important. So because we loved Uncle Severus and feared our fathers' wrath, we agreed.
"Right now we are on our way to meet Narcissa; the other carriage is on the way to the portkey which will take you to the surrounding area around your house, Ophelia. Once you two arrive you will be expected to make it to change into something presentable, then you will meet your fathers and discuss something with the Dark Lord. He has some very important news that applies to both of you." Snape informed us on the way to the Hog's Head. He actually finished just as we arrived.
He must have noticed the surprised look on our faces because he immediately informed us that he had charmed the carriage to go faster, and that we should not be surprised we are wizards not muggles. We pulled up to the Hog's Head to let Narcissa in, and she went straight for Draco.
"Oh Drakie-poo, I have missed you so much. The house has been quite empty since your father's run in with the Ministry." Narscissa said as she gushed over her son. Draco turned a dark shade of pink, because his skin was too pale to be red.
"Mother, I missed you too. But you are embarrassing me," he hissed while being strangled by his mother.
"Oh, I am sorry dear. I didn't know that you had a thing for Ophelia."
You nearly choked when you heard this, "WHAT?" we both asked simultaneously. "I believe your mistaken Mrs. Malfoy, your son and I cannot stand each other. Sorry to burst you bubble," I set her straight.
"Well you better begin to enjoy each other's company because it maybe all you have this summer."
"Mrs. Malfoy are you unaware that there is another carriage full of my and you son's friends, heading to the exact location we are. Which by the way is where?"
"Right here," she said. "And it would be to your benefit to learn to control that tongue."
I was so angry that she even considered scolding me that I walked right over to the portkey that my friends were around. I hoped that it would not be long before it was time to go. My hopes were answered by Narcissa when she informed the whole company that we would be leaving in a few minutes. Before I could even talk to my friends I heard my name being called by Narcissa.
Ugh, what the hell does she want?
Maybe she wants to apologize.
I very slowly walked over to Narcissa only to be informed of more bad news. br
"Ophelia, you remember what Snape told you right?"
I nodded my head, afraid if I opened my mouth I would be scolded again.
"Good. Well, where we are landing is too far from your house for you and Draco to make it to talk to your grandfather on time. So a separate portkey had been arranged for you and Draco to take. When you get there you will arrive in the meadow in the forest near the brook near your house. From there you will go to-"
"We can't land there. That is my meadow. I don't want anyone there, especially Draco."
"Ophelia you will land there and you will go up to the house. Once in the house you will meet your father and make yourself presentable for the meeting with your grandfather. If you do otherwise you will be punished harshly. Do I make myself clear?"
"Crystal. Now if I'm not mistaken we all have a portkey to grab." I walked to the portkey that Draco was holding, grabbed onto it and as I did we were propelled into the air. After about five minutes, we were thrown to the ground; because Draco is heavier he hit the ground first. However to both our dismay, he didn't have time to get up and I landed right on top of him. Just in time for our fathers to see us.
I swear the universe hates me.
"Now children that is no way to behave before seeing the Dark Lord," Lucius scolded us, but I could have sworn I saw a smirk on his face.
"It is not what it looks like Mr. Malfoy. See the portkey dropped us and seeing as your son is heavier than I, he hit the ground first and I landed right on top of him and you came just after that. Believe me, your son is the last person THAT would happen with," I corrected Lucius.
"If that is true why are you still on top of him?" he asked.
I turned a nice shade of pink, and Draco pushed me off of him.
"You little twit," I yelled at Malfoy. He just smirked and began to walk with my father.
"Just so you know, Narcissa and I used to say the same thing about each other when we were your age."
"I promise you, sir, I loathe your son with every bone in my body."
"So said a lass named Narcissa, once."
"Excuse me, but I believe I should catch up with my father. I need to get ready to talk to Grandfather," I told Lucius then ran to catch up with my father. br
"Ophelia, what took you so long to get up here?" my father asked. br
"Mr. Malfoy wanted to talk to me. Sorry. How long do I have to get changed?" I responded.
"You have five minutes. Just put on a skirt and blouse; but whatever you do don't wear a pair of your sneakers."
"They aren't just sneakers they are chucks. And all my 'presentable shoes are in my trunk with Narcissa and my friends."
"Your mother bought you some new ones yesterday."
"I will wear the skirt and blouse, but the chucks stay."
"Fine. Go up to your room and hurry."
I left my father and ran up to my house. I entered through the servant entrance because that was the entrance that would take me to the stairs which led closest to my bedroom. I ran up the stairs two at a time and made it to my bedroom with five minutes to get ready, then father would escort me to Grandfather's office. I was anxious I had not seen Grandfather since Christmas, and missed him a lot; however I had to be ready on time, I was Grandfather's favorite, but punctuality was still quite important to him. I went to my closet and pulled the first skirt and "blouse" that my mother wouldn't approve of. I found a jean mini-skirt, strong emphasis on mini, and a green tee-shirt with White lettering that read "Explain to me again why I need a man". Mother would have hated the whole outfit, which made me love it more. I threw on my green chucks, pulled up my hair, and finished the look off with a little bit of lip gloss. When I walked out my door I expected my father to be standing there waiting to escort me to see my grandfather. So imagine my surprise when I saw Draco there waiting for me.
"Where is my father and what are you doing here?" I asked him as I crossed the threshold from my room.
"I was given instructions to meet you at you room, then to escort you to the Dark Lord's office," he replied. "Oh and do you really believe that is appropriate attire when we are going to see the greatest wizard in the world."
"Yes he is just my grandfather, so mind your own business. I don't need an escort, I am not helpless. Now let's go it is this way." I began to walk off but Draco grabbed onto my arm. He linked his arm with mine, "our fathers will be there and they expect that I escort you, so I am escorting you."