Ch 36 Meanwhile, Back in England
Meanwhile, back in England, on Wednesday Scorpius was upset that he had been left alone at Malfoy Manor. After breakfast he asked approached his grandmother. "Grandmother, could I go to Grimmauld Place?"
"I thought the Potters were gone, on vacation?" Narcissa replied. "Where would you stay?"
"I could ask Hugo," Scorpius proposed.
"I would rather you didn't," Narcissa replied. "From talking to his grandmother, I think Hugo spends as much time as he can at the store with his father. You might be sleeping in Hugo's room, but you would really be spending all your time with Rose, unsupervised."
"The New Burrow?" Scorpius suggested.
"Molly has not told me everything, but I gather she is rather busy right now. Besides, one of her sons has just died, and I do not think this is the best time to intrude."
"Could Rose come over here?" Scorpius wondered.
"I have no problem if you ask her," Narcissa replied.
"Will anyone else mind?" Scorpius wondered.
"The question is not if anyone else will mind," Narcissa told her grandson. "The question is if anyone else will be able to keep Rose from coming over if you and I invite her, and there the answer is they will not be able to stop her from coming over."
"I will send her an owl right now," Scorpius replied.
Rose was not really alone, since there were Elves around the property, but basically she was alone at thirteen Grimmauld Place, so when an owl came for her from Scorpius she was pleased. Rose read the owl note. She really did want to go over to Malfoy Manor again, to meet Scorpius's mostly unpleasant family again, and spend time with him. Maybe she could become at least a little more comfortable with someone other than Scorpius's grandmother. She needed to get her parents' permission.
Rose took the Floo over to the quarters above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, where she was met by Miriam Weasley, who was taking care of toddler Barack and baby daughter Issa. There were a large number of figures on a table, and some sort of card in another pile. "I'm charming the figures to move," Miriam explained, "and then magically pitting them on this hang card. I can do it when I have time, and still take care of the children."
"Do you know where my father is?" Rose wondered.
"Take the Floo to the office," Miriam replied. "I think he and Lee are dealing with some wholesale customers who want more product."
Rose took the Floo over to the office, to find both her father and Lee Jordan on telephones. Her father was saying, "I told you that you should buy more inventory. … No, we cannot ship more today. We can get more out in two days."
Rose listened as her father wrote on what looked like an order form an order for a number of items, as he continued to talk on the phone. When he was through, he said a charm, and the piece of paper folded itself into the form of a paper airplane and flew off to another part of the office.
"Rose!" Ron exclaimed. "What brings you here?"
"I wanted to ask if I could go over to Malfoy Manor tomorrow after breakfast," Rose asked without preamble. "Scorpius invited me. From what he wrote, he and his grandmother invited me."
"I do not mind," Ron replied. "Ask your mother, and make sure we know where you are at all times."
Ron turned to a young wizard. "Tim, accompany Rose to the Ministry, and then come right back. She is fine once she is in the Ministry proper."
"Dad!" Rose exclaimed. "I'm not a child. I can take the Floo by myself."
"It is not you I don't trust, Rose," her father replied. "I don't trust all the people waiting to get into the Ministry. Some of them can only go in with an escort, and some are denied entry. If you want to visit Scorpius, don't fight me on this."
"Yes, sir," Rose replied, as she kissed her father's cheek. She felt her father was rather overprotective, but at least she had his 'yes.'
Once inside the Ministry Rose went unaccompanied to the first floor where her mother's office was, right next to the Minister of Magic. On the door was a rather prominent sign, Hermione Granger-Weasley, Vice-Minister of Magic.
"Hello, Mr. Miller," Rose greeted the wizard sitting at a desk outside her mother's office. "Is my mother free?"
"Hi, Rose," the wizard replied. "She is in a meeting, but I am sure she will see you after the meeting is over. Have a seat."
Rose sat for about fifteen minutes before four more people arrived. A pompous looking wizard informed Mr. Miller, looking at his watch, that, "I expect our meeting with the vice-minister will start and end ON TIME!"
Mr. Miller looked at a clock on his desk. "The Minister is dealing with a subject of some delicacy at the moment," he informed the four. "I'm also going to slip her daughter in to speak with her just before you."
"I should not take much time," Rose volunteered. "I just need to ask my mother something."
The pompous looking wizard harrumphed,
Shortly after this exchange two Magi came bustling out of Hermione's office, each holding rather large portfolios.
Rose looked at the other people, and her mother. "Should I come back later?" she wondered. "I just need to ask you a question, in private."
"Come in, Rose," Hermione responded. She waved Rose into her office, shut the door, and looked at her daughter. Both ignored the sputtering wizard.
"Scorpius has invited me to his house tomorrow, after breakfast until after dinner," Rose rushed to get out. "I saw dad and he said I could go, if you agreed. I wanted to ask you in person."
Her mother looked at Rose, who quickly added, "Scorpius and his grandmother, not just Scorpius."
Hermione went to her desk and looked at her schedule. "Owl Scorpius and Narcissa and tell them that I will bring you over tomorrow at nine in the morning.
"Now, I have a most unpleasant man waiting for me, so Rose, I do think you are going to want to leave. Have Mr. Jack Miller get you back to our house, please."
"Yes, mother," Rose sighed. Rose left the office to see the unpleasant wizard glaring at his watch. After the four people were in her mother's office, Rose told Mr. Miller, "Mum said you should get me home. I can Floo by myself to thirteen Grimmauld Place, and there are Elves guarding the place."
"Let me get someone to take you to a secure Floo," Mr. Miller replied. He contacted someone, and Rose was led to what she guessed was a secure Floo, where she took the Floo home.
Thursday morning Rose accompanied her mother to the Ministry, and at nine they took the secure Floo from the Ministry to Malfoy Manor. Waiting for them were not only Scorpius and Narcissa but also Narcissa's mother.
Narcissa started, "Hello, Rose. Hello Hermione."
Hermione answered, "Hello, Narcissa, Scorpius."
Hermione then looked warily at Druella, and her most professional voice responded, "Good morning, Mrs. Black."
"I would think someone in your position at the Ministry would wear formal robes," Druella declared, looking critically at Hermione.
"I can assure you this is very professional attire, in the Muggle world and at the Ministry," Hermione countered.
"It is not even a dress, not that I'm much for Muggle dresses," Druella shook her head, glaring at the very professional trouser suit Hermione was wearing, and then at the dresses both Rose and Narcissa were wearing. The cut of Hermione's outfit was very feminine, and with Rose's help it had very feminine detailing on it.
"I think it is a very feminine outfit, and looks spectacular on you, Aunt Hermione," Scorpius jumped in with. Over the last few months, the extended Weasley family had become aunts and uncles instead of Mr. and Mrs. "Your dress is very pretty as well, Rose. A little more formal than what we wear at Potter's New Burrow, but Malfoy Manor is a more formal place. Very appropriate."
Scorpius glared at his great-grandmother.
"It is hard for an old witch like me to get used to all these changes, all this looking like Muggles," Druella sighed. "Scorpius, Rose, the two of you look like you could pose for those Muggle clothing catalogues I have seen at the Manor."
There was an awkward brief period of silence.
"I decided I ought to get to know you better, Rose," she indicated, looking at Rose.
"Thank you," Rose whispered, not sure where this was going to lead.
Rose's Magical/Muggle Mobile rang.
"You need to text to the Ministry that you are at Malfoy Manor," Hermione reminded her daughter. "They know where you are supposed to be, but this is just making sure. I have them checking in a couple of times a day. That way we are not going to need to assign an Elf or other guard."
"Yes, mother," Rose sighed. She took out her mobile and typed, 'At Malfoy Manor.'
Very quickly the mobile buzzed, and a message came back, 'Received your text.'
"Molly says I should procure one of those mobiles, if just for text messaging," Narcissa told Hermione.
"It might be a good idea," Hermione replied. "I need to leave. I have a meeting at ten. The office does know that if needed I might be called away, so do not hesitate to contact me if you need to."
Hermione went to the Floo, and took it back to the secure and guarded Floo on the first floor of the Ministry.
Narcissa motioned for the four of them to sit down.
"I hear you live with a Muggle grandmother, Rose," Druella started. "Do you know any more Muggles?"
"Quite a few. I've gone with grandmother Granger a couple of times back to where she used to live, and had tea with her friends," Rose replied. "A couple of them were neighbors, and I've even met with some people who my mother grew up with and their children. None of them were exactly friends of my mother, though."
"Why did you go, if you don't have any friends there?" Druella wondered.
"Well, they needed a fourth person to play whist, a card game," Rose explained.
"Oh, I know how to play whist. How did you get there?" Druella wondered.
"We drove in grandmother's automobile," Rose replied. "It takes a couple of hours, since there is nothing magical about her car, but it is fun riding in the automobile and talking."
"I wouldn't think your grandmother could take the Floo," Druella sneered.
"Well, she can if one of us goes with her and takes her," Rose countered. "An Elf can take her through the Floo as well,and using the Floo is easier on her than Apparating. Since they installed a magical Closet in our house and at the New Burrow grandmother usually takes that, but she needs someone magical to go with her to use the magical Closet as well."
"I understand that you live right next door to the old Black home on Grimmauld Place," Druella volunteered. "I do not suppose you know any Muggles that live close to you. The last time I was there no magical people lived close."
"There was a magical Granger family at one Grimmauld Place," Rose told Druella. "As far as we can tell, they are not related to me. The entire block, Grimmauld Place and New Bright Street, is now owned by magical people. There are a few Muggles who have magical relatives who live in the area, and I do know some of them.
"Would you like to see the old neighborhood? I am sure Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny would let you visit their house as well, although I understand that it doesn't look much like it did before they remodeled it."
"Maybe," Druella replied.
The four talked, and played a little whist, until lunch time. No one joined the four for lunch.
After lunch Rose and Scorpius went to the library to talk and read. They did sit next to each other, and there was some innocent touching and kissing, but no serious snogging.
Everybody in the household was at the dinner table.
Once everyone was seated, Godiva Greengrass Malfoy looked at Draco and snapped, "I don't know why you allow this? She's the half Muggle daughter of a shopkeeper!"
Rose glared at the older Mrs. Malfoy. "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes owns two stores in Britain, is partners in stores in France and Switzerland, and ships products to magical stores around the world. They directly employ over one hundred Magi.
"I've even flown in a company airplane that they own with other magical companies, as we delivered product and picked up other things. One summer I went with my father and the airplane flew around the world! I think Weasley's Wizard Wheezes has more money than the Malfoy family, honestly earned."
"That aero-thing cannot be that expensive," Godiva scoffed.
"I know it cost well over a million Galleons," Rose countered.
"I doubt it," Godiva snapped. She turned to Narcissa. "Even you are wearing ugly Muggle clothes, instead of proper robes. Draco, you need to put a stop to this!"
"Draco is not ordering his mother around!" Narcissa insisted.
"My father is still on probation, because of what he did during the last war," Scorpius added. "I do not acknowledge his right to contradict my grandmother and order me to do what is stupid or not right."
Draco looked torn, not knowing what to say or do.
The Elves brought out an appetizer, and the table descended into a tense silence.
"I enjoyed the whist, Mrs. Black," Rose told Druella as the appetizer was cleared and dinner was served.
"I enjoyed it as well, Rose," Druella kindly replied. "It was an enjoyable way to spend time with my grandson and his friend."
Godiva Malfoy glared at Druella Black.
"I understand that Harry Potter has restored the tapestry," Druella continued. "I would like to see it."
"Mrs. Malfoy," Rose turned to Narcissa, "you ought to ask grandmother Weasley after the Potters are back from vacation. I am sure you could go over to twelve Grimmauld Place after the first of the year, you and Mrs. Black."
"Traitors!" Godiva insisted, looking at everyone around the table.
"Godiva, the world is changing," Druella observed.
"Not if I can help it!" Godiva insisted.
About nine in the evening both Hermione and Ron came through the Floo to pick up Rose. Narcissa and Rose were there to meet them, and Druella was also there.
"Greetings, Granger-Weasleys,'" Narcissa proclaimed. "Ron, I think you have seen my mother, Druella Rosier Black, at the New Burrow."
"You are the one who taught Scorpius how to play chess?" Ron grinned.
"Yes, and you are the reason I cannot beat him very often," Druella suggested.
"Probably," Ron laughed. "He was easy to beat when we first played, but every time I lose I realize I have a real competitor."
"You still beat me much more often than I beat you, Uncle Ron," Scorpius cheerfully acknowledged.
"Did you have a good day here?" Hermione wondered.
"Dinner was a little tense," Rose admitted, "but otherwise it was good. Mrs. Black played whist with grandmother Malfoy, Scorpius and me. Scorpius and I spent some time alone in the library. It was good."
"Well, it is time to go," Hermione announced. "Thank you again for your hospitality."
Hermione turned to her family. "Rose, you Floo first, then me."
The next morning at breakfast Hermione wondered, "Was Druella Black friendly?"
"Yes," Rose acknowledged. "It is not easy for her, the Black family being, as their saying goes, 'always pure.'
"We have talked about dysfunctional families. Mr. Malfoy is, I don't know how to say it. He is really a pathetic figure in some ways because he cannot be truly evil but he is not good either. I think of the bible passage where Jesus talks about spitting the lukewarm out of his mouth. He's maybe a coward.
"I cannot read old Mrs. Malfoy, but I don't like her, and she doesn't like me.
"Young Mrs. Malfoy is, I don't know, just there. Like she is emotionally absent. I can understand Scorpius saying that hate is almost better than not caring. You can argue with someone who cares enough to disagree with you, but you cannot argue with someone who just doesn't care."
Friday morning Hermione received a call on her mobile from Molly. "Narcissa is here, and she has some questions I cannot answer."
Hermione looked at her schedule. Narcissa could easily be Rose's grandmother-in-law, and Hermione felt talking to her could be important. She told her administrative assistant, Jack Miller, "I am going to be out for an hour or two. Reach me on the mobile in an emergency, or send a Patronus if it is really urgent, but otherwise just let people know I will be back this afternoon.
She then took the secure Floo to the New Burrow. Molly met her, telling her, "Narcissa is waiting in the living room. It is more private there."
The living room, like the living areas in most prosperous Magi homes, could easily be rearranged. In one corner of the room were three comfortable overstuffed chairs around a coffee table, and hot tea was on the table, along with some sweetbreads to eat.
"Thank you for coming, Hermione," Narcissa started. "Are our children growing up faster than they used to?"
"How old were most of your classmates when they married?" Hermione countered. "I understand that many in your generation were married within a year of graduating from Hogwarts."
"You know that not that many years ago it was not uncommon for students to leave Hogwarts after their O.W.L.'s.," Narcissa started. "You grew up faster in those days. It was especially common for the very poor, and some of the wealthier witches, to not finish their seventh year.
"For the prosperous witches, if a matchmaker found you a match before you graduated you often married right away."
"I know that there are still a few matchmakers in Europe," Hermione reflected, "including, I think, one in England."
"Usually the matchmaker suggests, and does spells to make sure a couple is compatible," Narcissa informed Hermione.
"Usually?" Hermione wondered.
"I have a friend, a witch who was often at our parties, who was from France originally." Narcissa explained. "She and her husband are part of a large group of farmers who sell to Muggle and magical wholesalers, in Great Britain and on the continent. Magic makes it easier to grow crops, and turn not so good food items into premium ones. This group of farmers are very traditional in some ways, and still use matchmakers.
"My friend met her husband on her wedding day. She explained to me that it is very possible to marry and then fall in love. I understand that meeting your husband on your wedding day is rare now, in the west, but still common in India and parts of Asia.
"We actually have a couple of books about matchmaking in our library. Cleo has devoured those books. She uses some of those spells, or variations of them, when she is examining people for soap, shampoo, and perfume.
"I actually think she may be doing some matchmaking. I'm not sure how aware she is that she is doing it."
"Were you and Lucius, was a matchmaker employed?" Hermione wondered, not knowing just how to phrase the sentence.
"No," Narcissa replied. "It was just very clear who you could and could not think about marrying. It was stressed that making a bad match was a disaster. You can see how the family treated Andromeda. Both Bellatrix and I were told who we ought to go to dances with and spend time with."
Narcissa gave a big sigh. "Lucius was considered a good catch. He was polite to people in our social circle. I am afraid I ignored his cruelty to house elves and others. He and his family were prominent and wealthy. I had been to parties at his house. So,when it was strongly suggested to us that we should become engaged neither of us objected.
"We were engaged our seventh year." Narcissa blushed. "Being engaged came with certain benefits."
"Friends with benefits?" Hermione cleared her throat. "You are not suggesting that Scorpius and Rose?" she gasped.
Narcissa looked down at the floor, and then back at Hermione. "There are actually a couple of reasons for wanting to meet. One was to ask about the young people growing up faster."
"Magi do mature faster than Muggles," Hermione reflected. "It seems unfair that we marry and can have children sooner, and usually stay fertile longer."
"Well, if something happens to a child before there is a grandchild you can produce another child," Narcissa observed. "That is how some estates have stayed in families. It has always been stressed that witches have obligations, stressed at least to me and other pure blood families. Not wanting to have a child is not tolerated, and not being able to have a child is pitied."
"We are treated as brood mares!" Hermione griped.
"That is a rather crude way of putting it," Narcissa objected. "We are responsible for bearing the next generation of witches and wizards. I wanted a larger family, but Lucius was satisfied with a male heir.
"I am not suggesting that Scorpius and Rose become engaged, Hermione. I just wanted you to know that in the pure blood families there is an expectation that by seventh year, and often sixth year, you will know who your eventual spouse will be. And the talk about Hogwarts students maturing sooner is, well, it is."
"We are worried about students maturing faster," Hermione agreed. "In the Muggle world students like Rose and Scorpius would go on to the University, and probably not marry until they were in their early twenties. That is what I imagined when I was younger, but that is not what happened to me. We grew up too fast."
"I think in some ways our sixth-and-seventh year students are more like Muggle university students in their maturity," Narcissa suggested. "At least from what I understand about the Muggle world."
"I know that the students beyond seventh year are treated more like graduate students than students in their first or second year of university," Hermione reflected. "Do you really think that Rose and Scorpius will marry right after they graduate?"
"Probably," Narcissa suggested. "I like Rose, and my mother is warming up to her. The only one violently opposed, I guess, is my mother-in-law."
"Does Draco have any say in the matter?" Hermione wondered.
"He does," Narcissa replied, "but he needs an heir. That frigid bitch he married will not give him another child. Once they are seventeen they do not have to have Draco and Astoria's permission to marry, although it would be better if they did have it. I think I can talk both of them into signing the formal documents."
"You are in a tough situation, Narcissa," Hermione admitted. "Thank you for accepting Rose. Rose's whole family likes Scorpius, so he is at least accepted in our family."
Hermione went back to the office worried. She was concerned about the Hogwarts students maturing faster before her conversation with Narcissa, but it had never been so focused on Rose and Scorpius. Her mother was in her thirties when she had her only child, but she saw many of her classmates have their first in their very late teens or early twenties. Young Fred Weasley was not unusual in marrying right after Hogwarts.
And Rose and Scorpius would both be sixteen next year, and the spells that kept the vast majority of Hogwarts students virgins until they were sixteen didn't work once you reached that, as far as Hermione was concerned, way too young age. Even though she knew the science, that a sixteen-year-old Magi was, normally, on average, as mature as an eighteen-year-old Muggle.
2021