Chapter 9
I feel brave even stepping off the train, although I make Scorpius go first and don't dare walk with my friends. I've already kissed a worried-about-me James goodbye and promised to write to him every day. Now I just have to face my parents. Who read the Daily Prophet. Who will have seen today's edition. Who will know that I'm dating James Potter. As much as I dislike my parents' opinions and beliefs, I'm suddenly worried about how they'll react to this. Have I pushed them too far this time?
Scorpius leads the way to where our mother and father are standing, both looking incredibly tense. My mother, Astoria, manages a smile when she sees us but my father obviously can't manage that. Not for me anyway. Scorpius is greeted normally- he's the prodigal son even if he shares my views.
I don't speak to either of them as we head towards the King's Cross fireplace where wizarding families can use the floo network to travel. We all arrive at the gigantic Wiltshire mansion that I have never called home and I still don't speak to them.
Hmm, I can see a pattern settling in.
I'm right. I don't talk to either of my parents for the rest of the day. I stay in my room, writing a letter to James and get my dinner brought up there. For the rest of the week leading up to Christmas we only exchange brief good mornings and goodnights. I begin to think that the article will never be mentioned and we'll simply ignore each other until I return to Hogwarts but then, on Christmas Eve morning, my parents address me at breakfast.
'Victoria,' begins my father formally, 'Your grandparents are arriving this evening. Can we please not mention your so-called relationship with Potter?'
I raise my eyebrows, 'I won't bring it up, but I think the chances of them not doing so are very slim.'
No one argues with me on that point.
I spend the rest of the day playing Quidditch with Scorpius in the gardens, wondering what is stopping me from just flying off over the trees and away from them all. I can't answer that. At around eight o clock I hear my mother shouting us and I know that they have arrived.
'Here we go,' mutters Scorpius.
'Oh, you'll be fine,' I moan, 'all the attention will be on me!'
Lucius and Narcissa are standing in the entrance hall when we re-enter the house, neither looking particularly pleased, especially when they see me looking my usual stubborn self and not as though I've apologised and promised to dump James. It suddenly strikes me that this Christmas will be the most eventful yet. Bring it on.
'Hello, Scorpius,' greets my grandfather- of course the son is spoken to first, sexist dinosaur.
'Hello, grandfather, grandmother', he replies rather stiffly.
Then their attentions fall on me.
'Victoria' nods Lucius coldly.
I ignore them both in return which scandalises Narcissia who hates bad manners.
The tension in the room is almost unbearable as no one is sure what to say to each other, so it's a bit of a relief when the housekeeper announces that dinner is ready.
Normally we use the smaller dining room and sit wherever but tonight it's the main hall and apparently we have allocated places. Annoyingly I'm as far away from Scorpius as I could be and am instead sandwiched between Narcissia and my mother.
My father and Lucius talk about my father's job for a few minutes while Narcissia asks my mother some questions about Scorpius; it's a good job I love my brother because otherwise I would hate him.
We shoot amused glances at each other across the table which after a while are spotted by Lucius. Wonderful.
'You have no manners, Victoria', he drawls.
I raise my eyebrows and stare him out; I hear Scorpius splutter with quiet laughter.
'So,' Lucius continues, 'Is it true that you are in some kind of relationship with Harry Potter's son?'
'Yep.'
'Don't talk like that!' snaps my mother.
'Oh I am sorry,' I say sarcastically, 'I meant to say that yes, grandfather, I am in a relationship with James Potter.'
Well that's pissed him off.
'Victoria, do you realise how much embarrassment you are bringing to this family by fraternising with the likes of the Potters and Weasley's?'
I laugh at this, 'Oh I don't think I'll be able to shame the family as much as you all did but don't worry, I'll give it my best shot.'
And with that I dramatically storm out of the room and up the many staircases to my bedroom. I open the large window for some air and sit on the ledge, dangling my legs out. In the distance I see an owl silhouetted against the moon heading towards me. My heart leaps slightly as I recognise it as James' tawny owl.
It swoops in the window and rests next to me on the ledge. I untie the letter and read it eagerly.
Hi Vic,
Hope you're okay, I've been so worried about you since you got off the train- your parents looked furious. Have your grandparents arrived yet? If so, I bet they've made the situation even worse! Mine have. I'm at the Burrow at the moment and all anyone can talk about is me and you. All my cousins are alright with it and my dad is as well but Uncle Ron is having a fit. He really hates your father, and my granddad has even got in on it. Apparently he and Lucius had a fight in Flourish and Blotts years ago. So, yeah, it's a pretty awful Christmas at the moment. I didn't realise just how prejudice our families will be. Reply soon and let me know that you're okay.
Love James.
I stare at the letter for a long moment and before I know it hot tears are gushing down my cheeks, blotting the parchment. Why does it have to be so hard? We're just two teenagers dating and the whole world is against us. I don't care what my family thinks but James gets on with his so well usually- he can't lose them over me. I'm not worth it.
It's at that moment that I realise what I have to do. What I should have done on that first train ride to Hogwarts. James and I can't be together, not if it's going to wreck all his other relationships and I have to tell him this.
Shaking, I pick up a quill and turn over James' letter to write on the other side.
James,
I'm not okay, I was but not since I read your letter. I've realised that we cannot be together, not if it destroys your relationships with your family. You deserve more than me, more than the daughter of a Death-Eater.
Love always,
Victoria.
