Chapter 2
Agata Bacsò contacted David Fraser before the Symposium had entirely wound down.
"I'm going to be short a History teacher, David; can you help me out?" she asked. David pulled a face.
"I'm not sure that I can, Agata. You see, history has been very badly taught all round; you have had a mix of propaganda and incompetence, Hogwarts until a few years ago had a ghost who was totally hopeless, Miss Cackle inculcated only things that were 'naice' into her girls. We now have Percival Dweemer, and a larger number of pupils are now taking history, equally Severus's lot, who have Percy Weasley – something in the name, perhaps – and so far as I am aware, only four people who took a decent grade at NEWT, or in Severus' case ZH, are not teaching in free schools."
"Well, what about those four?" asked Agata, sounding desperate.
"Somehow I can't see Lionel Dell giving up being an Auror to teach history anywhere; besides he has three wives and two of them are goblins," said David.
"That…would be hard to reconcile," said Agata. "And the others?"
"Mardo Monk and Stacey Kordach-Christie are half-goblins," said David, dryly. "Stacey is married to an Auror and is training in the Quaestorium; Mardo, who took six NEWTs, five at 'O' grade, is a freelance curse breaker."
"Dear me, on paper, Mr Monk would be ideal," said Agata, "How goblin does he look?"
"Sufficiently to notice," said David.
"Oh dear, I doubt any of my staff would care, well, a couple might, but not irreplaceable ones, but the parents might make trouble," said Agata. "But there's a fourth?"
"Yes; Harmony Bloom-Weasley," said David, "who is happily married to Percy Weasley at Prince Peak."
"I suppose your history teacher might not be persuaded to come to me, and you have Mr Monk?" asked Agata.
"Merciful Percival, which is what the pupils call him, would hate Durmstrang, even in your more enlightened rule," said David. "We – the staff – protect him from the realities of life as much as we can as it is. And besides, Mardo is quite happy as a curse breaker."
"I wonder if Frau Bloom-Weasley would consider teaching as a day job and apparate home at night?" said Agata. "As she's in Austria, the time zones would be the same, and so no problem about living and working in different places."
"I'll ask," said David. He thought that Harmony might just agree; she was helping in various lessons with those who needed bringing on, but she might just like a permanent job, and could discuss different ways of doing things with Percy, who would be interested.
"Thank you, David," said Agata.
oOoOo
"What do you think, Percy?" Harmony asked her husband.
Percy kissed her.
"I think that whatever you choose is good, so long as it is what YOU want," he said.
"Percy, do you think I can teach in Durmstrang?"
"Yes of course; you've had a thorough grounding in European History. It's not as though you were going to it from the point of view of only studying the NEWT, and I am glad Severus has decided to use the ZH. It's a better exam in some ways, though the NEWT does allow more speculation about goblin issues. And maybe an English teacher might be able to raise goblin issues in Germany."
"Put like that, it almost seems my duty to go," said Harmony.
"I didn't mean to make you feel pressured, my darling," he kissed her hair.
"I know. But it does seem almost as though it's fated," said Harmony. "And I didn't mean actually that I was nervous of knowing my subject, only that I was a little nervous of the Durmstrang kids."
"Well, they do have Marauders, and several of the staff are bloodkin."
Harmony brightened.
"That's very true. And I know Salvia Pippin; she was a year above me at Hogwarts. And Katarina Nachtigall was at school here."
"And Volodya Potishev, who did a year here, and we've met Clovis Gierek. Nothing to worry about."
Harmony nodded.
"And as the Asimov twins are going to be here for post-school work, I don't have to worry about Zlatko's acid tongue pointing out some obscure historical fact that I've missed."
"I shall enjoy shaking up that young man's complacency, actually," laughed Percy, "because as he's self-taught regarding things that interested him, I'm willing to bet there are big gaps in his knowledge because of the useless female they had before Lazlo took a year teaching."
"You could be right," said Harmony, brightening. Zlatko was a blood brother, but he made her a little nervous nonetheless. If Harmony but knew it, she was in company of the vast majority of those people who knew Zlatko, not excluding some of the blooded!
oOoOo
The wedding of the year that only a select few were attending, including Jade and Wulf, was the marriage of Zhanargul Nurtazin to Lazlo Ijas, the reason that the teaching post at Durmstrang had become unavailable. Lazlo was well aware that being Zhanargul's husband was a heavy commitment, as he would be helping her and her father deal with any final elements of those who would wish to come in line with the muggles of the region in despising women and banning them from ruling. As one of Jade's disciples, Lazlo was equal to dealing with any relatively amateur spirit-masters now that the relative expert, Tulegen Nurtazin, also know as 'Uncle Tootles', was dead.
Wizarding Wireless Vision covered the wedding, however, and also covered the negligent way in which the bride and groom dealt with a dozen or so Dementors with Irmi Luytens-Cantripp's electrical spell. Being in public, the happy couple summoned ball lightning inside each of them, a piece of extrinsic conjuration by precision well beyond even the knowledge of most wizards, let alone the understanding. It may be said that some commentators on magic logged it as 'extraordinary and exotic Eastern techniques'.
"Helluva wedding present," said Lazlo, laconically when interviewed by the reporter Lucius had sent. "Just because we've learned English techniques, someone obviously thought we wanted a bit of sport in the English fashion."
As the reporter was Dennis Creevey, he merely laughed.
"Well, I can see you're in for an eventful life!" he said.
"Apparently," said Lazlo. "Well someone has to do it."
oOoOo
There would be a double wedding under the auspices of Malfoy Manor in the near future, but the brides and grooms were still slightly shocked over having come face-to-face with each other at a point-to-point and recognised that sometimes childhood sweethearts did not make for permanent relationships, especially when the relationship was too comfortable to have any spark.
Griselen and Genavka, having knocked around with Philip Burke and Anthony Parkinson for most of their school life had been finding that they were making excuses not to get wed along with the Belle Marauders; and having gone along to support Lucius at a horsy meet because it was Sunday and there was nothing better to do, they came face to face with the Corbin twins.
Hugin and Munin had once taken the Malfoy-Tobak twins to the ball for want of anyone better, and because Phil and Tony had not come up to scratch to ask the girls anyway; and Hugin had been considering romancing their younger sister Zajala. However, sometimes the magic of twins has a power of its own, and Griselen walked into Hugin's arms, Genavka walked into Munin's, and without further ado there was much kissing.
"Well FINALLY," said Narcissa, who had been anticipating this. It may be said that Narcissa was the only one who had seen it coming, and had to be sorted out later by her sister wives and husband. Zajala had merely looked slightly taken aback, laughed and murmured something about Hugin obviously getting the wrong sister at first.
Phil and Tony were hurt more in the pride than in the heart.
Ingram Corbin was furious, and wanted to know why his sons had to pick goblins, not nice witches of good family, even if there weren't many pure bred ones about any more.
"They are pure bred," said Hugin.
"There isn't a drop of muggle blood in them," agreed Munin.
"And if the Malfoys aren't a good family I don't know what is," said Hugin, who had mustered the arguments when he had been considering dating Zajala.
Their mother, Sibyl Corbin, fell into strong hysterics; and their older brother Bertram declared they should be disowned for even thinking of it.
"If our own flesh and blood are as ready to disown us as our cousin Branard was to disown his daughter, Grace, then we shall know that belonging to the Corbin family is a sham," said Munin, who had ambitions in politics and so struck, without thinking about it, a 'more in sorrow than in anger' pose. "Grace was adopted as a Snape and is now Madam Grace Malfoy; and if you disown us, I'm sure Lucius and the girls will be happy for us to take the surname Malfoy-Tobak instead."
Ingram started backpedalling at this point. The family had more or less lived down the scandal surrounding Grace's disowning, and being awarded to Severus Snape as a ward. Some of the old scandal had been dragged up when Peverel Corbin had died so tragically of a heart attack when racing. Lucius Malfoy had reminded people in the Wizarding Times obituary that Peverel had been expelled from Hogwarts for poisoning his little cousin Grace with a poorly constructed experimental potion, for which the unfortunate child had been disowned by her own family. It had, thought, Ingram, of course been nothing to do with that, the girl was virtually a squib, and had left school after OWLs; presumably Draco Malfoy had taken the gullible little fool to bed and that nasty tongued creature Snape had enough hold over Lucius from the Voldemort years to force the marriage. Ingram Corbin did not for one moment believe that an undisputed high-flyer like Draco could have loved anyone so patently inadequate.
It was fortunate for Ingram Corbin that he never dared express such views to Draco, or he might have found himself with a duel on his hands. Hugin and Munin had no idea their father felt like this; as they had the entrée to Malfoy Manor, as friends of Gorbrin, they could see well enough the situation between Draco and Grace, and that Draco loved and respected his staunch and brave little wife. They also knew that Grace was as capable of anyone at NEWT level magic, and was just uninterested in the formal pursuit of academe. With a father like Branard, who took academe to the same foolish extent that Cornelius Fenwick did, the twins could appreciate her point.
"Please don't rush into anything," said Ingram, trying to sound tolerant.
"Father, you should forbid them!" said Bertram.
"They are over seventeen; I could not do so if I wanted to," said Ingram, waspishly, who might be shocked, but who liked his younger sons better than his pompous older one.
"It's nothing to do with you, Bertie," said Hugin, knowing how much his brother hated being shortened like that.
Bertram drew wand, but he had never belonged to the MSHG, which Hugin had, and Ingram could only watch in amazement as the son he thought of as perhaps the least able proceeded to jinx his elder so thoroughly that it later took the services of a cursebreaker – the half-goblin Mardo Monk, who knew a trick or two himself from his own days in the MSHG – to stop the pustules from exploding with maggots shouting 'Bertie is a fink!' and to remove every last dancing spider leg that jigged in time to the nasal bagpipe music which was some kind of American dirge about swinging chariots.
"Cool curses, bro," said Munin.
"Zajala Malfoy-Tobak taught them to me," shrugged Hugin. "I've got a few galleons on her being the Hogwarts Triwizard Champion."
"Not Lilith Snape?" said Munin.
"Nope, she'll come up with a way not to take away the chance of the sixth to try for it," said Hugin.
"Well, I'd back Jingjie Chang in that case," said Munin. "He has more OWLs than Zajala, and he's better all round."
"But he isn't as strong willed," said Hugin. "Ming was brilliant, but erratic, but he had a will of iron. Jingjie is far steadier, but he's not… well he's very academic and very clever too, and good at the mischief as well…."
"And he is a Marauder and she isn't," said Munin.
"Well, that's as may be, but Gorbrin reckons she has the edge," said Hugin.
"DOES he, by Merlin!" said Munin. "Well, in that case… he's pretty objective about his siblings."
"I can't believe you are talking about the Triwizard when you should realise you are in disgrace!" managed Bertram through his spider legs crooning 'coming for to carry me home'.
"He could do with being carried somewhere," murmured Munin, who was quite impressed by his brother's virtuosity.
"We will talk about this more when I have had a chance to think about this," said Ingram with what he fondly hoped was dignity. He did not even ask Hugin to uncurse Bertram; expecting that civility between one of the twins and their elder brother, either way round, would have been the triumph of hope over expectation.
oOoOo
Back at Malfoy Manor, Griselen and Genavka were treated to some teasing by Draco for having had to pick a matched set; and he asked them seriously if they were certain, as Corbins could be a little, well…. Ravenclawish.
"They were until Hugin figured out that the Riddle riddle was just Lils being a pest," said Griselen. "And Munin unbent rather too, and they both joined the MSHG, even if it was only Hugin at first."
"And they're too academic to be employable so they need to be fully paid up Malfoy layabout gits," said Genavka.
"Hugin thought about being an Auror, but it wasn't Munin's thing, so he backed out; they're VERY twin, like we are," said Griselen.
"Heh, maybe you should persuade them to help you help Mafalda Prewett steal Branard Corbin's academy for further study and worshipping oneself," said Draco, who was enthusiastic about Mafalda's ambitions.
The twins exchanged looks.
"Now THAT," said Griselen,
"Has possibilities," finished Genavka.
Draco laughed, and sent them to get dressed for when the guests started arriving and went to check that the Brussels sprouts in chilli-batter and the string bean salad would be ready to provide enough amusement for young jinxers.
oOoOo
The weddings of the year were newsworthy only because of the arrival of Bella Black-Khanum and her husband to see her friends married in style. So far as most of the Wizarding World was concerned, the rest were marginally obscure people, even if launched by Lucius. Until, of course, someone on 'Witch Weekly' recalled the fuss over Darryl Zabini and his elf girlfriend and decided to run a sickly spread about how sweet it was that they were still together after all Darryl's vicissitudes. Mimi looked beautiful, her cloud of black curls a contrast to her white gown, and with her tall natural form, well-grown and not in the least childish, she looked more elfin than elven. Darryl also wore white to show up his dark skin. The others were more or less conventionally dressed and none of them had taken Bella's dare to get married wearing fireman's helmets, swimming costume and standing in a bucket, in which costume they had once performed sundry serenades.
It had been the turn of the Belle Marauders to be serenaded themselves, which was a fart organ and comb-and-paper concert from Lilith and co; and being Lilith and co, they managed a tuneful harmony despite the wildly inappropriate instruments. Being the Belle Marauders, the recipients of the serenade livened it up with the nasal bagpipe curse and honkytonk twinkletoes curse on themselves, and led by Lilith they marched off to change into their wedding finery playing 'I'm getting married in the morning' to swingtime, to which the Stripy Marauders happily adapted on their own instruments. And Lilith managed to have an idea, which put to Fred, George and Garjala Weasley led to the honking daffodil instrument, which was operated by blowing into the 'leaf' and the honking emerging from the trumpet, but with different notes operated by finger-holes on the stalk.
The weddings went off without more ado, and Bella busy with unwanted advice on the married state, which judging by her burgeoning fecundity she had been enjoying to the full. Bella was due to give birth before the start of a new school year, and had been collecting hopeful children to start her school with, and depressing the pretensions of those she felt needed sitting on from amongst the established wizarding community in India. She was much hugged by her group, of course, and giggling promises were made to set up cricket fixtures between the Indian school and the various schools the rest were going to be involved with.
"I think the French goblins will take longer to learn the game though, and Darryl and I will have our work cut out just getting them educated," said Mimi.
"Not as long as it'll take Mafalda to train Corbin's Academy of mimsy meepers though," said Bella. "Especially as she's a year behind us for taking a year to train with Severus."
This was held to be fair comment.
The brides were radiant, as was only right and proper, and the grooms indecently complacent. The parents of the brides were delighted; Maud's mother pleased that her Maud had a lovely kind husband like Fabian, and unconcerned that his family was virtually unknown; Drusillina's mother pleased that Drusillina had managed to ally herself with a scion of both Black and Weasley families, and Isabel's mother entirely bemused as to how Isabel had managed to land a well-established member of the wizarding community like Chad Fenwick.
Fenella Fenwick was supported at least by her aunt and uncle, who were delighted that she had managed to grow up as a decent human being, despite her father; and the Grant family, who were nephews and nieces on Fenella's and Chad's uncle's side, turned out in force to support their cousins too.
As soon as the weddings were over, the annual weevil fest would begin, this year with only one pupil starting as Blooded, which was Iris Snape, oldest child of both Severus and Sirri together. Iris and Sevvy had both accepted being chanted into the natural form elves should have; Iris being half elven would be taller in any case. Iris knew the Malfoy contingent of course, though she and Lucasta were never likely to be close, since Iris disliked horses intensely. She had been bolstering the confidence of Solly deMalfoy, the son of Reedy, who was to be the first of Lucius' own elves to go to school.
Solly was not wearing a taller form, unlike most of Lucius' liveried elves. Lucius had managed to convince most of them that the small form was a curse, and an insult to their family but Reedy was holding out and muttering darkly about things that were unnatural.
Another Malfoy connection needing boosting was Peter Tippet, whose brother Charles had gone to Hogwarts the year before. Charles had been borderline; Peter's skills bid fair to be respectable, and he was particularly keen to learn potions formally, having taught himself a few potions from an old text book of Draco's. The only other direct protégés of the Malfoy family this year were Harry Dursley, son of Dudley, who was proud of his father for being The Muggle Who Dared; and Amy Charlotte Gardiner, youngest daughter of Lucius' red-haired muggle helicopter pilot. Harry got on reasonably well with Lucasta since he did ride; he liked cars too, as his father did, but he also loved the magnificent horses and hippogriffs Lucius maintained in his stables. Harry was a keen Quiddpolo player! He preferred it to Quidditch, and if the cousin he was named after, Harry Potter, was a little bemused by that, he was just delighted to see his young cousin enjoying the Wizarding World without stress or family problems. Amy Charlotte got on reasonably well with Lucasta too, as she loved horses, but found Lucasta a little too bossy for comfort. She was quite equal to not being railroaded into anything by Lucasta, but preferred not to get into an argument in the first place. Lucasta gave Amy Charlotte respect for not being easily bullied and they were mostly fairly amicable.
oOoOo
The weevil fest was a little thin on the ground this year; as there were relatively few new ones who were related to, or known to, what Lucius referred to as 'the usual suspects'. This meant that he included siblings of those his offspring's friends considered 'all right', which meant a protégé of Bob Goyle, who had also become friendly with Lucius, a goblin girl called Zaerna gan Zajanax who was musical. Lucius had suggested that Bob might sponsor her to Prince Peak, but Bob felt she might be happier starting Hogwarts knowing an older girl, his daughter Gondoline, and could always transfer if her musical talent was sufficient to warrant specialist teaching. Lucius determined to make sure she met some of the Prince Peak crowd if he could manage it, and passed her onto Krezlli gan Zelbukek, a sister of brothers who were supporters of the Marauding types; Krezlli showed no signs of incipient Marauding or firework manufacture so she might be a nice quiet companion for a child shy enough to need to know a big girl.
As it happened, Zaerna was very far from being shy, and gravitated towards Arzad and Tagett Pigeon, twin sons of Ragnok, once known as Pigeon-toed, now legally just Pigeon. As a fellow council member, Lucius had offered an invitation to his oldest boys. The three young goblins promptly formed a political meeting and tried to harangue Iris about her rights.
Iris promptly gave them all exploding pustules filled with maggots.
"My dad led the chant in England and in Europe to remove the elf self-punishing curse, and what's more he sponsored the first goblin and half goblin in Hogwarts, and what I don't know about rights and the con-concommitant responsibilities could be writ large on a postage stamp," she said, firmly. "And by the way, you lot coming up to me and haranging me is almost bullying and if I was a fool like some people I'd screech racist bullying on you. So learn to get a life do, and join the Society Against Slavery or become a Marauder if you want to fight for justice and stuff."
The Pigeon twins had more wisdom than their parent.
"So tell us about them; you have older siblings in school?" asked Tagett.
"Heaps," said Iris. "Including the headmaster, in a manner of speaking, as he was my dad's ward in the Voldemort years."
"Are you adopted?" asked Zaerna. "You're a half-elf, right? That's pretty disgusting for a human to...URK!" she dangled in the air as a woodlouse.
"Racist assumptions there, old bean," said Iris, who had never cast the woodlouse curse before and was rather pleased with herself. Elves sometimes struggled with transfigurations, and she was relying heavily on being her father's daughter. "My mum has learned the natural, taller form elves should have before they were cursed into little and fubsy along with all the other curses, and my parents are all hoping to break that curse too in a general manner. But breaking slavery is a priority. And my mum chose to be with my dad, because she loves him, and he's the best potioneer in the world so she has really, really good midwifery potions, so there."
Arzad's ears went up.
"Crumbs, you must be a Snape!" he said.
Iris curtseyed, beautifully, but slightly mockingly.
"Well, we'd like to be friends because you're bound to be clever," said Arzad.
Iris regarded him.
"I'm not much of a legilimens yet," she said, "but as that's truth, and not that you want to know me for my connections that's cool; and of course you've got your own connections. Shall I put the woodlouse down when I've explained Marauding and stuff?"
"I don't think she meant to be racist," said Tagett.
"No, I guess not," said Iris. "I say, er, Zaerna, before I turn you back I just want to tell you about a girl who was so keen on getting people to be fair she disrupted classes – classes one of my other mums was teaching – telling Garjala gan Golgo her rights. She opened her mouth without finding out facts, and I do wish you will be more careful. If you want to be friends too, it'll be embarrassing having to extricate a friend from the consequences of a big mouth."
She released Zaerna, and proceeded to lecture on the SAS and Marauding.
"I didn't know that there were societies at school to stand up for rights," said Zaerna.
"More than one, and we all work together at need," said Iris. "Well, I say 'we', because it's a family tradition to be a Marauder, though I'm not sure if I shall or not yet. Depends if there's any Maraudable people amongst the rest of us weevils."
"What do you mean by 'weevils'?" asked Zaerna sharply.
"First years," said Iris. "Second years are warts. You get to be unsullied by nickname on beginning electives."
"Nothing to do with race then?" asked Zaerna.
"Crumbs, you do have a poor idea of how tight a ship Professor Fraser runs at school!" said Iris. "He wouldn't permit any crap like that! Besides, enough of us know the prefect punishment for racist remarks – what I did to you – that nobody's about to start on it without some Marauder or other finishing it. We look out for the people who are too gentle, like Krezlli seems to be – though her brothers kind of run with the SAS when they and Seb aren't blowing people up a little bit accidentally – or the Pleiades twins, Asterope and Electra, whom I can see over there."
"They're half-goblins," said Tagett. "I bet they've had some stick in their lives. Funny name."
"They're a group of seven that Professor and Madam Black are sponsoring, who were rejected by their mothers, so yes, they have had some stick," said Iris, "and as the Black family name their offspring after stars, they called them the Pleides, the seven sisters constellation, you know."
"I know," said Tagett, "I'm keen to learn Geomancy and you need the stars to navigate."
"And for potioneering," said Iris, "not that I'm the hot potioneer some of my siblings are. I'm more keenerer on Herbology for its own sake than for growing ingredients; but how well things grow can be determined by the moon phase and sometimes the zodiac too."
"I'm not interested in plants or stars," said Zaerna.
"Well, I'm sure you have your talents, as well as music," said Iris, who made it her business to know about everyone Lucius had invited. "I hope so, anyway, as music is a fringe subject at Hogwarts and you'll have to work with Professor Jugson, who is technically an assistant to Professor Queach in Chanting but he does teach music on the side. He's not trained to teach magic through music though, you know."
"I just want to learn to make music," said Zaerna.
"Well, if you want to take it into magic, you can transfer to Prince Peak later," said Iris "or ask my sister Lilith, who could probably teach it quite adequately, she's in the fifth this year," she added. "It's touched on in Comparative Magic, which is taught by Professor Devlin this year, that's the head's wife."
"We're keen to learn chanting," said Arzad.
"It's the works," said Iris.
"And your dad reinvented it," said Tagett.
"And he didn't have to share, so it's appreciated," said Arzad. "He could have looked like the most powerful wizard since Merlin and kept how he did it a secret."
"Huh, Professor Snape scares all the racists in Europe, reckon he IS the most powerful wizard since Merlin," said Tagett. "He's too big a man to HAVE to keep shit to himself."
"THAT," said Iris, "is jolly perspicacious, Tagett. It's true, he is sufficiently comfortable with himself that he doesn't have to hide anything. Any more than Lucius does."
There was a long moment of silent respect.
"Are you on first name terms with Mr Malfoy?" asked Arzad, in awe.
"Well, for best, I dust off the 'uncle' and add it," said Iris. "He gets snippy about being great-uncle; makes him feel old. But I've known him all my life."
Iris took her new friends – she was still a little unsure about Zaerna, recognising the bossiness and Hermione Grangerness she knew she herself suffered from, and it was too close a match for comfort – to meet the Malfoy contingent.
"Ah, have we a quorum of Marauders Smallest Snape?" said Harry Dursley. He had Amy Charlotte Gardiner in tow; Amy Charlotte had tested magical and was excited to be going to Hogwarts with Harry, whom she rather admired.
"You snide git, you've been taking lessons from Draco," said Iris to Harry.
"Well, he is my godfather," said Harry. "And I want to be like Cousin Harry."
"Who's your cousin, Harry, mate?" asked Arzad.
"Harry Potter," said Harry.
Both boys whistled.
"Well, I reckon if anyone starts a Marauder group, it should be you," said Tagett "and we'd be honoured if you did pick us."
"And one of Snape's mums was a Marauder with them," said Harry, "and her dad supported them like mad. And one of the three disparate Weasleys isn't half-bad if we can cut him out, and Kingsley Shacklebolt's nephew, Kingsley, is somewhere about, the older one helped Sirius Black."
"Yeah, but if he's like his sister Roxanne, he'll be a dead loss," said Iris. "Shacklebolt Major was really horrid to my sister, and if Lilith hadn't been dead cool, it would have been bullying. And by the way, Jardak's sister, Bakelinn, is here too, and she's more than half decent, you know."
"She is," agreed Harry. "So's Del Blake, but he wants to be in the SAS like Roger. I asked already," he added.
"I like Bakelinn," said Amy Charlotte. "And I'm going to Maraud, because it's the right thing to do, and I can, you know."
"Willingness is worth more than anything else," said Iris, seriously. "What are the Weasley offerings like?"
"And you call ME snide?" said Harry. "Hugh, only child, stuffed robe extraordinaire, told me and Amy Charlotte kindly that he would help us find my feet as he has connections in the Wizarding world."
Iris and the twins fell about laughing.
"No, seriously?" said Iris.
"And he meant it kindly," said Harry. "I thanked him and said that I'd had a few pointers from my godfather. He nearly had conniptions when I mentioned who my godfather was. I hate blood snobbery, but sometimes it's sort of fun."
"And I told him that I had helped my mum fly half the connections in the Wizarding world to various places, and then he really started making faces like a flobberworm on a confusing and befuddlement draft," said Amy Charlotte.
"You can tell they've been raised almost Malfoy," said Iris. "And the others?"
"Nicostratus – what a monicker! – isn't very Weasley-like," said Harry. "I can almost see him being in Ravenclaw; he's an academic."
"I'm an academic," said Iris, mildly. "It goes with the surname."
"Yeah, but not dry and dusty," said Harry. "Jasper, on the other hand, who's the oldest of a long family, seems to be up for mischief. He took a broom and ran Hugh's underwear up Lucius's flagpole."
"Now that sounds more hopeful," said Iris. "And I say, I've just seen Kingsley Shacklebolt, the junior that is, in serious discussion with someone red enough to be a Weasley and serious enough to be a Raver, so maybe he won't do."
"Well, there's Bakelinn; let's ask her," said Harry, gesticulating wildly.
"I bet she'd be on for it," said Amy Charlotte.
Bakelinn came over.
"Oh good, are you Marauding?" she asked.
"Well, that answers that question," said Iris, introducing Bakelinn to the twins and Zaerna.
"I'm not sure I want to Maraud," said Zaerna. "I want to fight for rights but I'm not sure I want to be a part of japes and things."
"Well, doesn't stop us being friends," said Iris, pacifically. "I'll introduce you to Derek: he'll be glad of an ally."
This she did, and it has to be said it was with some feeling of relief. Zaerna had not felt quite right, and as the only blooded amongst the proto-marauder group, Iris knew she had the responsibility of checking who felt right and who did not.
Well, it was going quite well so far.