CHAPTER 11: The Fat Lady
"This is a nightmare," Madeline concluded, eyes wide in disbelief, "This is a real living nightmare."
"I'm going to have to bleach my eyes," Daphne hissed from the seat by her side.
"I'm never going to forget this," Theo spoke in shock, mouth agape, "Seriously, this is terrifying."
Some may think the Slytherins had witnessed a gruesome murder in the way they'd speak about this day in the future. But truly, it was much, much worse.
Because as head of Slytherin house, Professor Snape was in charge of teaching them how to waltz.
"The Yule Ball has always been an unfortunate side effect of the Triwizard Tournament, both of which I care little for," Snape began drawling as a first-year muggleborn Slytherin set up a gramophone. The disgust was evident in his voice, dripping from every syllable, "However, I have been asked to ensure that you all won't make fools out of yourselves on the evening."
"Pinch me, I'm dreaming," Daphne whispered to Theo.
"As representatives of Slytherin, you will conduct yourselves with the utmost sophistication you can all muster, albeit low," Snape continued, scanning some of the less graceful students, "The Yule Ball is repulsively, first and foremost, a dance."
Murmurs began within the benches on the edges of the large dungeon room. Snape silenced them all at once with a flourish of his sleeve as he stepped back to the gramophone, which now seemed to work.
"Malfoy, Bisset; I assume you're both educated enough to know what a waltz is," Snape snapped, not even bothering to look at Madeline's baffled expression, "Please demonstrate to the rest of the house, and try not to make fools out of yourselves."
"He's kidding," Madeline gasped, Daphne and Tracy snickering, "Oh that son of a-"
"Today, the both of you," Snape urged, music starting to waft out of the gramophone.
Madeline locked eyes with Draco, who seemed more smug than anything. He proudly stood up, clearly humouring the snide comments his friends made about her. Daphne and Theo could hardly keep themselves upright as they tried to contain their laughter, Tracy not doing a very good job either.
"This is a nightmare," Madeline muttered as she pushed herself up.
"Attagirl!" Daphne cheered between spurts of laughter.
Madeline huffed, meeting Malfoy in the middle of the room. Being so close to him, she realised that he was quite a few inches taller than her, with posture that could rival McGonagall's own. He smelt lightly like peppermint, and the arrogant smirk on his face showed her he was really, really going to enjoy this.
"Don't you dare step on my toes, Malfoy, or I'll transfigure you into a ferret myself" Madeline hissed.
"Would you both like a few minutes to compose yourselves?" Snape mocked, Crabbe and Goyle snickering, "Get on with it."
Madeline huffed, placing her hand on Draco's upper-arm. She looked at him expectantly, "My waist, Malfoy."
"You have one of those?" he snapped, but complied.
The two locked their opposite hands together. Madeline realised that Draco's hand was much, much colder than her own. He still held his arrogant sneer as the two began taking their first steps, Madeline pointedly ignoring Theo and Daphne's mocking thumbs-up from the side of the room.
"Bloody hell, who taught you to dance? Hagrid?" Draco sneered in Madeline's ear. Madeline simply rolled her eyes.
"If you knew anything about French aristocracy, you'd know that we learn to waltz before we can even hold a pen," Madeline snapped back, digging her fingers in Draco's shoulder, "And you would know that your shoulders need to stay down if you had half a functioning brain cell about this. Or a shred coordination, actually."
"Shut it, Bisset. At least I'm not going to the ball with a filthy blood traitor," Malfoy sneered quickly, the conversation still so quiet it could only be heard by them.
Madeline snorted, "Yes, because Parkinson is a much better choice. If you wanted to swap dates, you could've just asked."
"Not a terrible disappointment," Snape drawled, interrupting the two. He raised his arms to the rest of the Slytherins, "The rest of you, copy them."
"Bloody hell," Madeline cursed as the two continued their dance. Theo and Daphne were the first to join, with Daphne eagerly forcing him up, much to Terences' disappointment. He took Pansy as his partner instead, while Tracy and her boyfriend followed.
Madeline kept a sour expression on her face as the two extended their arms, Draco spinning her before the two rejoined with opposite arms. Although their chemistry was dry, Madeline hated to admit that he wasn't the worst dance partner she'd ever had. Not even close.
"Careful, it's obvious," Draco teased, Madeline furrowing her eyebrows as the two kept their slow, steady boring pace. Madeline shook the sour expression from her face.
"What is?"
"That you're totally falling in love with me."
Madeline huffed at Dracos arrogant grin, eyes meeting with Pansy's, who was just nearby. "Oi, Parkinson. Take your lap dog back. I've only got ten toes and I'd like to keep them all."
With a forced spin, Madeline moved out of Draco's arms and into Terence, who caught her with little to no grace. Madeline grabbed his arms and positioned him correctly, moving them as far away from Draco as possible.
"Stupid, insolent prick," Madeline huffed, leading the dance much more than Terence possibly could.
"Uh, thank you?"
"Not you. Malfoy,"
"You two looked good together," Terence shrugged.
"Say that one more time, and Daphne won't have a date to the Yule Ball."
"Alright, alright," Terence relented sheepishly, "But, uh - Could you show me how to actually do all this? I don't want to make a right fool out of myself."
Madeline caught sight of Daphne and Theo, who were expertly waltzing around the room with a slight tinge of dorkiness, one that could only be achieved with best friends. Madeline sighed, but nodded.
"Fine. First rule; don't watch your feet. And keep your shoulders down, or I'll hex you a corset!"
It was the first day of the winter holidays. No one had been able to keep their concentration in classes the previous day, far too excited for the prospect of the Yule Ball.
The event had slowly creeped up on Hogwarts, excited gossip travelling throughout the school. A funny little rumour had gone around suggesting that the Hufflepuff Qudiditch Team had managed to sneak some firewhisky onto the school grounds and planned on spiking the punch with it. Others claimed it would be the Weasley twins.
Uniforms had been retired in trunks, apart from the occasional black robe worn when it became particularly chilly in the corridors. The Beauxbatons students were the only ones who kept their uniforms on at all times, Madeline assumed it had something to do with respecting their school. Even the Durmstrang students had forgone their thick furs for slightly more casual-looking fur robes.
Thick snow had started falling, the Black Lake icing over. The Beauxbatons carriage resembled a small ice palace, while the Durmstrang ship seemed to become more and more like a ghost ship, with its frosted portholes and bare mast. The Slytherin Dungeons had become chillier than usual, the fireplace almost always on.
It was a bright Saturday morning in the Great Hall, just a few days after the Slytherin's (horrendous) dance lesson with Snape. Most students had decided to sleep in late to celebrate the beginning of their holidays, but Daphne, Madeline and Theo were not amongst those people.
The trio sat at the Slytherin table, as they always did, with steaming cups of coffee in front of them. Theo and Madeline had begun their christmas homework essays, finishing off their Potions homework that morning. Although it may not seem like it, Madeline had changed a lot since the first time she'd stepped into Hogwarts.
Her dark hair was tied high into a ponytail, stray strands hanging loose on the sides of her face. Months ago, she would've made sure her hair was smooth and immaculate, or not tied up at all. Her cheeks held a slightly rosier tinge to them, not so much to suggest that someone had breathed life into her face, but more-so a gentle yawn. Her freckles were returning, a side effect of her underusing the beauty charms her grandmother had taught her.
"You guys are such nerds," Daphne muttered as she cut her pancake into pieces, "Seriously, it's the first day of the holidays."
"The sooner we do our homework, the more time we'll have to listen to you gush about Terence," Madeline pointed out, finishing the last sentence in her essay with a flourish of her pen, "And… Done! Also, some of us don't like leaving their work until the last minute."
"Speaking of leaving things until the last minute," Daphne began, "Our dearest Madeline here has yet to get a dress for the ball."
Madeline shrugged, rolling up her parchment, "I have dresses at home. Mum is sending me a couple before Christmas."
"You're far too calm about this, the both of you," Daphne sighed, "And Theo, I expect to see you on the arm of a beautiful girl with the amount of secrecy you've built around this. Or a boy. Or neither. I won't judge."
Theo barely moved his gaze away from his essay, "You'll have to wait and see. And, for the record, it's a girl."
"Damn, I had a bet on when you and Krum would get it on," Madeline joked, Theo simply shaking his head fondly at his friends.
The familiar sound of owls flying into the hall interrupted their breakfast. Everyone looked up, excited squeals coming out of every other student, including Pansy Parkinson, who had narrowly missed a rather feisty owl delivering a letter, clearly in a rush.
Sets of owls flew into the Great Hall, some holding letters, but the majority carrying large packages between two or three of them. They elegantly dropped them onto the large tables, including three right in front of the Slytherin trio.
Daphne gasped, "My Madam Malkin order arrived early!"
"I thought you had a dress?" Theo asked, offering a biscuit to each owl.
"You can never have too many options," Daphne winked, hands caressing the sides of the box as if it were a prized treasure. With Daphne's taste in clothes, Madeline was sure they were. Daphne looked at Theo's package once the owls had cleared out, "Are those your dress robes?"
Theo nodded, smoothing out the wrinkles on his package, "They're the good ones."
Madeline's hands ran over the neat golden calligraphy at the top of her box, which she recognised as her mothers. There was a letter attached with her name on it, but what truly caught her eye was the small message right below her name on the package.
'Ouvre ça quand tu es seul'
To any normal onlooker, it may as well have been an inspirational message, or a fancy Fred robes shop. But Madeline, or anyone who could speak French really, knew better. For the inscription translated to 'Open this when you are alone'.
"Alright then, let's see them," Daphne clapped her hands excitedly, her full attention on Madeline.
"They're a surprise," Madeline blurted out, "Fred and I are matching. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."
"Boo, you're both so boring," Daphne huffed, turning to Tracy, who had also received a parcel, "Is that the dress you told me about?!"
Madeline looked over her shoulder at the Gryffindor table. Harry, Hermione and Ginny were busy mocking Ron about his over-the-top, outdated dress robes (she could see frills). Further down the table, Lavender Brown was busy gushing to her friends about the jewellery she'd just received from her parents. George Weasley and Angelina Johnson were shooting each other flirty looks across the table. Fred was far too preoccupied scribbling a letter on a piece of parchment Hermione had given him to notice Madeline staring.
Madeline wasn't nervous. No, she refused to be. She'd been to hundreds of balls before, and she was determined that the Yule Ball was no different. After all, the minute she began caring about these things, the all the more difficult it becomes to let go of them.
Her mother had known something dark was coming, and although Madeline had relented into giving herself the luxury of making friends, she was most definitely not under the illusion that things would stay the same forever. She knew that one day, maybe soon, she'd have to pick a side.
And so, no matter how badly she wanted to talk to Daphne about gowns and hair, and no matter how desperately she wanted to march over to Fred and talk to him about things other than house rivalries, she couldn't and she wouldn't.
No matter how nice Fred's arm had been around her shoulder.
It was a few hours later when Madeline was finally alone in her dorm room, the large wrapped box in front of her on her bed.
She had no idea what dresses her mother had sent her. She'd assumed something blue, her mothers favourite colour. But she also knew how much her mother liked to show off her only daughter, so perhaps something extravagant. She trusted her mothers taste, and so she decided to open the letter with little rush, scanning over the fancy cream-coloured paper eagerly.
'Darling Madeline,
It saddens me that you won't be home for Christmas Day, but thankfully, you won't be the only one. Your aunt and uncle will be visiting on the 27th, so that we can all celebrate the holidays together.
I'm delighted to hear that Hogwarts is allowing an event like this to take place; it will do you good to brush up on your social skills. I've sent you some of my favourite gowns of yours in the house, with an addition of one your grandmother absolutely insisted on you having. You'll know the one.
In the box is also an early Christmas present. It's something your father made me when we became engaged, and I think it's time for you to have it. Wear it with pride, and with caution.
I hope to hear back from you soon. If not, I expect to see you bright and early on the 26th!
With love, always,
Eloise Bisset.'
Madeline neatly began pulling the golden ribbons undone, tearing the cream wrapping paper. The box was thick, and clearly enchanted to ensure the contents were safe. She lifted the lid slowly, holding her breath.
She knew her grandmother's gown the minute she saw it, and she knew that it was perfect. But what truly caught her eye was the smaller white box lying on top of it, her other gowns neatly folded to the right of it.
She picked up the small box and held it with curiosity. It felt light, far too light for it to be a diamond necklace. Perhaps earrings? It couldn't be a ring; her mother had always hated rings. She lifted the lid of the box, and she the breath be knocked out of her stomach.
It was beautiful.
A small golden chain sat on the black velvet inside the box. On the chain, a teardrop pendant was laid out, made from a thick golden wire that had been hammered down flat, the edge of the shape slightly imperfect and all the more beautiful. The left edge of the teardrop connected to its point, but the right curved in under the point, almost as if it were the number 6, but far more elegant and elongated.
It was the Bisset family emblem; a crest worn by generations upon generations of her family. The pendant was no bigger than a galleon, and perhaps it hadn't been wire it was made of, but maybe it had been carved from a galleon directly. Either way, Madeline felt immediately drawn to the object.
She unclasped the chain and quickly reconnected it behind her neck, the pendant falling just at the top of her sternum. It was long enough to be easily concealed under her tie. The minute it touched her skin, she felt connected to it, as if it had always been there.
And as if it was meant to be worn by her.
She repackaged the gowns and slid the large box underneath her bed. There must be a reason her mother didn't want her opening the package or letter in front of anyone else, and perhaps it was the necklace. She didn't want to take any chances, and so, with a quick fire-starter spell, she burnt the letter on a ceramic plate on her nightstand, the ashes easily mistaken for leftover potion ingredients.
With the necklace around her neck, Madeline almost felt like a part of her had come back home.
It was a few days after Madeline had received her mothers package. Hogwarts was as full as ever, with the majority of years four and above staying for the ball. With no classes, everyone seemed to be enjoying their newfound freedom as the ball drew closer.
Madeline, Theo and Daphne had spent the majority of their time in the Slytherin Dungeons, as had the majority of their house. Sometimes, one of them would go to the Great Hall and bring back food for the other two. Some of the other Slytherins did this as well, not because they were unsociable, but mostly because they enjoyed the safe company of their own house more.
Madeline was sat on one of the Slytherin couches with her legs splayed out onto the other side of it, reading a muggle novel Evie Sterling had given her for christmas. Daphne and Theo took an armchair each, the latter helping Daphne with her Arithmancy homework.
Madeline had lost interest in the book a while ago, distracted by something (or more like someone) else.
The book told tales of epic romances and happily ever after, of love that could never be lost. Madeline wasn't naive enough to believe that love was the end-all-be-all of pain. Love wasn't a weakness, not at all. But Madeline believed that people have some power over who they love, that it doesn't come as an epic realisation or something magical. If she was to ever marry, she knew she'd do it out of love and not of convenience, that she would choose who to love.
Which lead her onto Fred. She wasn't in love, not even close. But he'd asked her to the ball, and no one had forced him to (she'd checked with a couple of Gryffindors to make sure). She'd never been asked to a ball before, and certainly hadn't danced with anyone as handsome as Fred. She'd been to many balls to meet people, sure; but she'd never been with someone. And Fred must see something in her to have asked her above anyone else, despite their few conversations.
Which lead her to something else; who was she? She knew little to nothing about her father or his family, who she was supposedly meant to be with here in Hogwarts, so how could she feel like a complete person without knowing about such an important person in her life?
The necklace hidden under her shirt was as much a burden as anything could be, tied around her neck to remind her that she would always be seen in the Bisset name. That her status would loom above her as a pre-laid destiny, that she would always amount to her name. And it wasn't fair.
She couldn't lie, she loved the status her family name gave her. She grew up with the luxury of rose-tinted glasses, of being hidden from the evil of the world. She had the money and the name, but it shouldn't be all she was. She wanted to know who her father had been, so she could figure out who she wanted to be.
"You're thinking," Daphne stated as she realised Madeline's distraction, "Wait no; you're brooding, and it's not attractive."
Madeline rolled her eyes, throwing the book onto the sofa next to her, "I am not brooding."
"Yeah yeah, now spill," Daphne huffed, moving her parchments out of the way before leaning forwards onto the table, her head perched in her hands, "What's got you all moody?"
"She's in love," Theo teased, his tone hilariously plain.
"No she isn't, otherwise she wouldn't be avoiding leaving the Dungeons," Daphne scoffed.
"I am not avoiding him!" Madeline argued, patting the sofa, "I'm just… Perfectly comfortable here, you know?"
"Alright, now tell us," Daphne pressed, "What's gotten you in a mood?"
Madeline sighed, sitting up and rubbing her temples, "I came to Hogwarts to know more about my father, but I've learnt a big fat nothing so far."
"That's it?" Daphne asked in disbelief.
Theo shrugged, "Did he go to Hogwarts?"
"Yeah, he was a Gryffindor," Madeline hesitantly admitted.
"Well, then why don't you ask the portraits? They've been around for decades, they'll surely have known him."
Madeline could have kissed Theo in that moment. She didn't, but she could've. She grabbed her book and got up instantly, a beaming smile on her face.
"Theodore Nott, you are a genius."
Madeline all but ran to the Gryffindor Tower, dodging worried-looking students as she climbed the stairs two-at-a-time. She only stopped when she finally, finally found The Fat Lady, who had been sipping at a crystal goblet, almost dropping it at the sight of Madeline.
"Oh no, you are not coming in young lady!" she protested immediately at the sight of Madeline.
Madeline grabbed the banister as she caught her breath, a smirk on her face, "Trust me, I don't want to go in. I've just got a few questions."
"The cheek!" The Fat Lady exclaimed, catching the attention of the surrounding paintings, "For you to come into my common room and scream the place down like a hooligan, and now-"
"Did you know Caradoc Dearborn? I'm his daughter."
The change in The Fat Lady was almost instant. Her eyes widened and her goblet shattered onto the painting floor. The surrounding paintings gasped, one even almost falling off the wall. The Fat Lady blinked in stupor, re-examining the girl in a new light. Finally, her face broke out in the widest grin Madeline had ever seen.
"Of course you are!" she exclaimed with a laugh, "Gosh, how hadn't I seen it before?!"
"Um, thank you? I was wondering if you could tell me a little about-"
"What a troublemaker that Dearborn was," The Fat Lady gushed. Madeline smirked, seating herself against the banister and listening to The Fat Lady intently. "And a brilliant mind too! Yes, he's responsible many of the secret passages in Hogwarts, you know?"
"Really?"
"He was a brilliant inventor," The Fat Lady continued, taking a chair from behind the frame and seating herself on it, "Oh, they were cut from the same cloth that Lupin and Dearborn. Always up to trouble, but brilliant, brilliant minds. And hearts of gold, both of them. I remember your father would tell stories of their antics at the fireplace…"
And so, Madeline sat in front of the Gryffindor Tower for hours listening to The Fat Lady talk about her father. She learnt about the time he'd accidentally set half of the Potions classrooms on fire (yes, multiple ones), about his brilliant Quidditch career, and about the time he and Eloise Bisset had started exchanging letters via owl.
"He was a man as in love as could be," The Fat Lady sighed, "Sure, James would tease him, but he wasn't any less in love with Lily… They met at a family function over a summer I believe, and he came back to Hogwarts with her name on his lips and his heart on his sleeve. Oh, what a romance! Your mother and Caradoc would write poems to each other that would make the sirens in the Great Lake swoon. He even made her a necklace out of the first goblet they ever shared."
Madeline pulled the necklace out from under her jumper, the gold shimmering in the torch lights, "This one?"
"Yes!" The Fat Lady smiled, "It's very well kept, I must say. Oh, such a pity what happened to him…"
Madeline's smile dropped, "I, uh, never got to meet him."
The Fat Lady gasped, her hand flying to her chest, "Oh, you poor dear! Well, you are every bit your father; fiery and bright, and every bit loyal to Hogwarts. I believe Hogwarts was truly his family, you know-"
"Bisset?"
Madeline's head spun to the top of the staircase, where none other than Fred Weasley stood, very confused as to why his Yule Ball date was sat outside his common room door having a chat with a painting.
Madeline hastily stood up, brushing the dust off her jumper, "Oh, Weasley; hey!"
"Hey-"
"A Weasley and a Dearborn, oh how perfect!" The Fat Lady exclaimed, swooning over the two, "Oh, Freddie darling; she can come to the Gryffindor Tower any time! Just don't tell Minerva will you?"
"Thank you," Madeline cut in, turning back to Fred, "Um… Hey?"
"Should I be flattered you're standing outside my common room, Bisset?" Fred asked cheekily, leaning against the railing with his arms crossed.
"You wish, Weasley," Madeline scoffed, a small grin still ghosting on her face, "No, actually I was having a chat with The Fat Lady."
"And you were clearly enjoying yourself," Fred smirked, "But please, don't let me keep you if you have somewhere to be. I'll see you around, yeah?"
Fred began making his way to the common room. Madeline's eyes fell onto a clock above; she had been talking with The Fat Lady so long that it was almost dinner time. She looked at Fred, who was about to speak the password-
"Actually; Weasley?" Madeline found herself calling.
Fred turned back to her in surprise, "Yes, Bisset?"
Madeline smiled. A real, genuine smile. Because her father hadn't been a villain or a recluse; he'd been an inventor and a poet, a man who loved with every fibre of her body. And she'd be damned if she didn't let herself experience the same. The Fat Lady's words echoed in her head;
"I believe Hogwarts was truly his family."
"I'm quite peckish. Care to join me for dinner?"
The dopiest grin spread across Fred's face. They both ignored The Fat Lady's squeals. Fred gestured to the staircase with a dramatic flourish and a wink.
"After you, Madeline."