"Not too dreadful, though it could be better," Mr. Malfoy had drawled during breakfast on the morning of the first of July as he gazed at the parchment containing what must be Draco's school results. He sets the paper down by his plate. "You could do better than scoring a mere 'acceptable' in History of Magic."
"It's not my fault that Mr. Binns drones on and on until we're all nodding asleep," Draco retorts. Spreading the marmalade on his toast. "Not my fault either that the Mudblood Granger is above me in classes."
"Maybe if you didn't laze about in class and contributed, you wouldn't be complaining," Victoria had pointed out before turning back to her plate as she heard Eridani groan in annoyance. No doubt she was in for a summer where all Draco would do was complain during her visits. It was nothing unusual as Draco tended to complain about things that did not go his way, but it would reach a slightly more annoying notch this year.
"As if you haven't been gallivanting around with Potter and his fellow Gryffindorks at night," Draco retorted. "What's to say that you weren't with them during that whole thing with Quirrell? I found it odd that Dumbledore didn't include you when dishing out points since you're so close to Potter and his troupe. I mean, maybe I shouldn't as he hates Slytherins so much."
"Rich coming from an arrogant toerag who lured Harry to the Trophy Room at night, and got caught by Professor McGonagall while trying to catch Harry, Hermione, Andrew, and I at the Astronomy Tower," Victoria spits out. "And Professor Dumbledore does not hate Slytherins."
"He wouldn't hate you," Draco sneered. "Not when your guardian is the Potions Master and Head of House. Not when he allowed you to start the same year as one of my cousins and me."
"Draco, please," Mrs. Malfoy spoke up, voice sharp and firm. "You are not going to get anywhere by finding fault with Toria's actions to deflect from your disinterest in class."
Draco scowls at his plate and mutters something along the lines of "Perfect Victoria." Obviously, not knowing the unspoken misgivings that Victoria was sure Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had for her choice of friends.
"I see that you have made it to the top of the class," Mr. Malfoy drawls, his grey eyes fixed on Victoria.
"I'd figured you might know before Severus would think to tell you," she acknowledged. Mr. Lucius Malfoy was the chairman of the Hogwarts Board of School Governors, and she didn't doubt that they'd keep records of who was the top of each class.
"I'm certain I can arrange some type of reward, with your guardian's knowledge, of course," Mr. Malfoy had replied. "There are no doubts that your father would be proud."
Had it been this time last year, she would have assumed he would have referred to the late Gaius Seneca Mulciber. Except now that she knew better. Despite his claim to the wizarding world, she had heard speculation that he was high up there in her father's inner circle. Maybe high up enough to know her true parentage.
"As for Eridani," Mr. Malfoy had droned, moving ahead with the subject, "your marks are not too abysmal, though I should say that your cousin and siblings have better marks than this. Then again, I suppose that happens when you decide to be in the company of filth."
Cassiopeia and Draco sniggered behind their hands, and Eridani turned to scowl at her plate. Her usual silver locks turn red as she stabs her tomatoes with her fork.
As usual after breakfast, Mr. Malfoy stepped into one of the fireplaces to depart for his job at the Ministry. It was a few minutes later that Severus had stepped into the Manor, arriving to take Victoria back home as he always had in the years before her attendance at Hogwarts.
"Tell Lucius I'll be here this Friday as per usual," Severus tells Mrs. Malfoy as he helps gather Victoria's luggage. "Unless he has other preferences."
"I'm certain he'll let you know as soon as tonight," Mrs. Malfoy had replied promptly before turning her gaze to Victoria. "Don't be afraid to come over as often as you wish."
Victoria had always been welcome to come to visit Malfoy Manor as she pleases. Perhaps this was Mrs. Malfoys' way of trying to assure that nothing was different with them despite what they would consider her unsavory friendships. Mr. Malfoy's consternation to Eridani over breakfast was apparent enough. Maybe she was also afraid that she would spend more time with her mother and Andrew and not here.
Severus shrinks her luggage, handing the miniature suitcases to her before she takes his arm. Victoria hated side-apparition. She didn't know if she'd like to apparate on her own, as she always felt the need to breathe afterward. Even if she heard it gets better.
"Now, why don't you go unpack, and then we begin to practice on the potion that is the subject for this summer's Potions essay first thing," he prompted, unshrinking her luggage with a flick of his wand. Victoria lugged up her suitcases up the stairs. She unpacked all of her things before heading back down the stairs.
In the kitchen, Severus was already beginning to lay out the equipment and necessary ingredients. "Wouldn't this be cheating?" she had asked as she pulled the protective, thick jacket over her clothes. "Brewing this potion before writing my essay for it?"
"I wouldn't consider it as such in these circumstances," Severus answered, a hint of a smile on his lips. "For your case, I believe experience in brewing this potion might serve as an advantage."
Victoria couldn't help but smile in return. Draco may boast all he wants about the favors Severus could give him, but having the Potions Master for one's guardian did have the advantages that Draco lacked. One that Draco complained about the summer before the first year.
"Now, this potion might sound familiar to you," said Severus. "It's the potion that Potter had to drink to go through the last barrier of protection for the Stone."
The Fire Protection Potion. For such a potion that was required to go through the last barrier, there were only six steps to it and only three ingredients. It changed to different colors three times. Victoria had added the crushed Wartcap powder in the cauldron and stirred the contents of the cauldron clockwise until the potion had turned red.
"Glacio ignis," says Severus, waving his wand over the cauldron. And the contents go from red to blue.
"For a potion that was needed to go through the last barrier, it seemed pretty simple to brew," she said.
"Not everything is at it seems, Toria," he replies. "Also, what may be simple to you, may be a struggle for others. Especially when it comes to a certain student."
Victoria nodded. Neville did start showing magic only four years ago, so perhaps that was a struggle for him to perform most subjects even at their intermediate level. Except for Herbology, which was said to be his best subject.
A day into the summer holidays, and it was the most dreadful summer holidays for Harry thus far. Just when Harry had returned home the night before, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had locked his cauldron, books, wand, and Nimbus Two Thousand into his old cupboard.
"Please, let me at least have my books, ink, and quills," Harry pleaded at least once. "How am I going to do my homework?"
"We're not stupid," Uncle Vernon said. "You're only going to ask for your wand and other rubbish afterward."
To top it off, Hedwig was padlocked into her cage. Even if he were to receive something from his friends, there was no way he could answer back. Well, maybe he could try his hand contacting at least two of them by Muggle mail. The addresses given to him by Hermione and Victoria had seemed Muggle enough that he could find a way to put them in the mail.
Except he didn't have stamps, and there was no possible way that Uncle Vernon would allow him to borrow at least one stamp. Frustrated, Harry slumps to his bed. Looking towards Hedwig, who was trying to remove the padlock chain with her beak.
Well, there was one thing. Vic did promise to stop by during the summer. Though there was the chance that Aunt Petunia might shut the door on her face the moment Victoria mentions Hogwarts.
If only he left the station with Ron or Andrew last night. Then his summer holiday would be easier and blissful.
"When will be able to see Andrew?" Victoria asked Severus during tea.
"Edythe had already given me her monthly schedule," said Severus, setting down his teacup. "I believe that Monday would be the best day."
Deflated, Victoria nodded and said, "Okay," before picking up the remainder of her cream cheese, cucumber, and coronation chicken sandwich. Victoria should have known that there was no possible way that he'd allow her to go to Yorkshire with only her uncle there. She'd like to see Andrew on days where her mother was working.
Her disappointment, however, was not missed by Severus. "You know perfectly well why I don't feel comfortable in having you go there when it's just him."
"Why not check the lunar cycle if it worries you," she pointed out as she turned back to her plate. "I don't think such a thing would be hard."
Severus didn't say anything at first, though Victoria could tell that he was thinking about what she said about checking the lunar cycles. "Very well," he says. "I will consider it then."
It wasn't a 'no,' but it wasn't a 'yes' other, so that was something to consider. Severus wasn't cagey about these things. That wasn't how he approached things.
She had cleaned up her plate before going up the stairs to her room to start her homework. Beginning with that Potions essay first. Listening to the BBC Three as she started the first paragraph. Perenelle slept peacefully under her wing as she sat at the window.
The next day, it had seemed that Severus had taken her words into consideration. It was halfway through breakfast when he had set a bookend on the table.
"I have no shred of a doubt that you read about Portkeys," he started.
Victoria gazes at the bookend and gives a nod. "Yes, I have," she confirmed. "To turn an object into a Portkey successfully, you have to think intently about the destination as you cast the Portus charm."
"Precisely," he said, taking out his wand. "If my destination were to be Hogwarts, I would have to be intentional about it as I cast the charm. It's not just the destination; you also have to be exact on what time you want it to activate again as to not get accidentally transported back to your starting time."
Victoria nodded as she turned towards the bookend. Unease forming at the pit of her stomach. She had read about Portkeys and such, though with her unpleasant experiences with side-apparation, traveling by Portkey might be another unpleasant experience as well.
After breakfast, Severus points his wand at the bookend. "Portus," he utters, and the bookend glows blue for a few seconds. "Now, I'll be coming for you around dinner time."
Right. She had Potions sessions at Malfoy Manor the next day, so staying over for tonight if she wanted to wouldn't be an option.
She swallows as she touches the bookend. In an instant, it was as if a hook behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forwards. Her feet left the floor as she was speeding forwards in a howl of wind and swirling color. Her hand was stuck to the bookend as though it was pulling her magnetically onwards and then –
Her feet slammed into the ground; the Portkey hit the ground near her head with a large thump. Her heart is pounding as she scrambles to her feet, noticing the familiar Tudor-style home a few yards away. Victoria puts the bookend in her pocket before running to the front door.
She thrice gives the wooden door a good knock. It might have been only half a minute before the door opened. "Oh, hullo, Victoria," Violet greeted. Her sea-green eyes looked up at her curiously.
"Where's Andrew?" Victoria had asked.
"He just went to the back garden with Ron," Violet answered.
Victoria had wasted no time sprinting towards the direction of the backdoor. Managing to slip a greeting to Uncle Remus as she rushed past him. Upon seeing that Andrew and Ron had just gotten out their brooms
"Did you think you were going to play without me?" she shouted as she rushed towards them.
"Which of Snape's strings did you pull to come over here?" he had asked in awe. "Mum said this morning that it was the last arrangement."
Victoria shrugged as she retrieved one of the racing brooms from the shed. "No strings that were too difficult to yank," she answered. Andrew and Violet were ignorant of the true nature of Uncle Remus's condition, and she chose not to tell them. Not only out of respect but that there was a risk of them lumping him with other werewolves. Even if he was under their roof for years.
"If I tried pulling some sort of string, my mum wouldn't be having it," Ron said bashfully. "She'd probably shout at me before sending me off to degnome the garden or cleaning the ghoul."
"I'm surprised she hasn't lost her voice from all that shouting," Andrew pitched in jest.
The three of them played modified Quidditch for perhaps an hour before deciding to stow away their brooms.
"I'd say your father is probably going to be busy all summer with the new Muggle-Protection Act," Andrew said when they stowed away their racing brooms. "With all those raids and such."
Mr. Malfoy had been in a dither over that Muggle Protection Act yesterday morning, and him plowing over Draco's and Eridani's marks didn't help with his mood either. She had a feeling that he was plotting something but desired to not know what it was.
"They are going to be at night," Ron replied, "on top of his hours at the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office."
"The Ministry are going to be paying him, over time, aren't they?" she had asked, not trying to come off as haughty. "I mean, they should pay him for all the hours he'd be working." While the Weasleys' weren't as poor as the families living in some of the houses in Spinner's End, they struggled the most with clothes and school effects.
"Hopefully," Ron shrugged, doubt in his tone. "It would be nice to maybe get a new wand, but knowing the Ministry…they might not consider putting that on its pay as they'd be after hours."
Victoria could tell it wasn't only that adding to Ron's doubt. Since the Ministry never had a Muggle-Born among their important officials, they didn't particularly care about Muggles to the extent in which they claimed to.
The three of them went into his room to play Exploding Snap and traded Chocolate Frog cards before lunch.
"I wonder how Harry is doing," Victoria vocalized as she swapped a card of Agrippa for one of Salazar Slytherin. Harry had to be awfully alone in that house with nobody but his miserable aunt, uncle, and cousin.
"Hopefully, he's alright," Ron pitched in. "I already sent a letter to him asking to come over. I wished I used Hermes instead of Errol, but Percy wouldn't let me. Say he needed him."
Andrew snorted. "That is stingy. The least he could do is share his owl rather than having you use the old family owl."
"If my letter doesn't get to Harry, I know who to blame," Ron said under his breath.
"I had just sent my letter to Harry asking when a good time for me would be to come over to his house," Victoria had said.
"You might have better luck than me," said Ron admittedly.
Within no time, the three of them trooped to the dining room for lunch.
"…still surprises me," mother could be heard saying. "Quirrell was in my year at Ravenclaw. Always sat in the back row and never drew attention to himself."
"He does prey on people's insecurities, Edi," Uncle Remus had pointed out. "Voldemort even ensnares people who you'd think would know better. He just has to pull the right strings, and he has them."
For lunch, they had some of the toad-in-the-hole that mother had made the night before. Victoria had just cleaned off her plate and emptied her glass when mother had motioned her to come with her. Her mother's stern look left no interpretation of what that might be about.
She wouldn't have put it past Severus to tell her mother about how she neglected to tell anyone that her father was in the school.
"Now," her mother shut the door to the vestibule before turning to face her. "I don't know if Severus had given you that talk yet, but I'm going to give it to you anyway. Not just for you, but for others too: next time, if you see something or hear something that you know is a danger to you and the other students or if you know something, don't hesitate to go to a trusted adult."
Victoria nodded, swallowing hard. "I know things could have been avoided if I told, like Harry facing Quirrell and my father all alone there. At the time, I just didn't want to scare you, mother."
"Oh, Toria," mother sighed. "I was more frightened when I heard that he'd been in the school the entire year. What could have happened. It wouldn't have been a lie to say that I'd be frightened as well if I knew earlier." At that, her features slightly soften. "Trust that there will be people to take care of the situation. That's why we are here: to know if something is wrong or a matter. Alright, darling?"
"Yes, mother," Victoria conceded with a nod.