Author's Note: Well, here we go again.

Thanks to: Eleanor, for letting me use Jenni and Este. Sorry, they're not going to the opera so that Jenni can go looking for the Phantom. Well, maybe they will. If she got lost, it'd be a great story…

Dedicated to: Chrissie, Shannon, and Eleanor, my three Hogwarts role- playing friends!

~*~

**Babette's POV**

((a/n: Babette LaJoie, daughter of Stuart and Yvonne LaJoie.))

Mother and I went to meet Miss Morganna's friends, Miss Jenni and Miss Este. I was home for the summer from Beauxbatons, and so was my friend, Clayton Thorne. Clayton was Miss Lucia's son. I've never been quite sure about the story there, but he's a good friend and summers at Montaque Mansion are awful on your own, or with strangers. So I was especially glad he was coming to stay this summer, with his mother.

Mother decided that Miss Morganna was the worst sort of little rich girl, because she knew Miss Lacrimosa and Miss Lucia, and thought that Miss Morganna would be just the same.

I, on the other hand, had been getting my information from more reliable sources.

And I came to the conclusion that Mother was in for a shock.

Like everyone else at Montaque Mansion, I spoke fluent English, and we tended to use it there all the time, since most of the Montaques had gone to England, and their families were English.

Clayton's father was English, so he spoke it anyway.

I wondered what Miss Este would be like. She was Miss Morag's friend, and older than me, but maybe she'd be nice.

Miss Morag didn't seem the friendliest person in the world, but Father told me that I must make her feel welcome.

I didn't see why; it was her home, after all.

~*~

**Yvonne's POV**

Babette was sitting next to me with that look on her face that suggested she knew something I didn't.

She takes after her father far too much.

Well, we'd arrived at the train station. We'd taken the Montaque's car and chauffeur, which I thought was quite a good idea.

Pierre was a good driver, but I felt that we wouldn't die if we turned on that muggle radio thing. The silence was almost unbearable.

Babette was leaping out of the car to meet Miss Jenni and Miss Este.

Trust her to be excited to meet some more spoilt idiots.

((author's note: In case you hadn't noticed, Yvonne is somewhat prejudiced. She assumes a little too much. See how far it gets her…))

~*~

**Este's POV**

We were just getting off the train, when we heard a young french girl shouting at us in English.

"Miss Jenni! Miss Este! Zis way please!"

"Este, that's us," Aunt Jenni told me, pulling me towards the shouting girl.

It was a Miss Babette LaJoie, she introduced herself breathlessly, and this was her mother, Yvonne LaJoie, and the chauffeur was named Pierre, and didn't we just love Morganna's Rolls Royce?

She seemed nice, if a little unnecessarily perky.

They got us there in quick time – just in time to see Professor Snape chasing Morag's owl with his wand.

~*~

**Jenni's POV**

Who'd have guessed?

Severus was chasing Gom with his wand, Morganna was chasing Severus, Morag was chasing her parents, and they were followed by a Frenchman, trying to catch the owl before Severus did.

Yvonne pointed him out as her husband, Stuart.

Gom looked like all the demons in hell were on his tail.

The look on Severus's face suggested he might not be far wrong…

Babette, the 3rd year Beauxbatons student, joined the chase quickly. Yvonne looked skeptical, and she was looking at Morganna like she was some kind of new plague.

I wondered what she found so repulsive about Morganna.

But I didn't get much further, because just then, Gom went past.

Naturally I stuck out my leg and tripped Sev.

Who wouldn't?

~*~

**Clayton's POV**

I walked out of the house, only to find the most confusing looking chase ever going on in the backyard.

My cousin Morag had come to visit, with Aunt Morganna and her husband, Professor Snape from Hogwarts.

Was that what they were always like?

They went down like a ton of bricks when Aunt Morganna's friend stuck out her leg and tripped the Professor.

"Aunt Morganna!" I exclaimed, helping her up. She hadn't seen me since I was young, but I was sure she'd recognize me. She was very dutiful in her letter writing, and I sent her recent pictures constantly. Mother was right when she picked Aunt Morganna as her favorite sister.

"Clayton," she beamed at me. "This is my husband Severus, and my daughter – your cousin – Morag. And this is Jenni, an old schoolfriend, and her niece Este, a friend of Morag's I believe." She introduced them all with such ease. I could well see her at one of those parties Mother so adored, the petite hostess who ruled her parties with grace and skill.

But she also seemed so motherly and homey. It was conflicting, and sort of confusing.

Was she the mother or the socialite?

Morag was glaring at me, looking rather unfriendly.

I felt that was definitely uncalled for, and I would have said so – if Babette hadn't started glaring at me as well.

Which was quite frankly unfair. I can't and won't cross Babette Kathryn LaJoie. It's like inviting in Destruction.

Babette was taking the side of a stranger!

I don't know precisely what we were taking sides about, but she was taking the side of someone she'd never met before – over me!

Clayton! Her friend forever!

I felt rather betrayed.

~*~

**Severus's POV**

I stood up and dusted myself off. Jenni sticking her leg out to trip me was not fair at all, but now was not the time.

Besides, I'd just tried to murder Morganna's owl, I didn't think she'd be very pleased with me.

"…and then, we'll be having dinner with Lucia. She's gone to all this trouble of a party in honor of our arrival, so we really can't get out of it." Morganna was saying.

I blinked, feeling I'd missed some rather integral part of the conversation.

I rewound in my mind. Right, she had a nephew named Clayton – whose was he? – Jenni and Este had arrived, and her butler, Renè, was calling us in.

"So, Renè's taken the liberty of putting out some good clothes for us – there will be muggles at the party, so it's muggle evening dress, rather than dress robes. He'll show you to your rooms and you can relax, explore the mansion, or whatever you'd like to. I am going to be in the lake if anyone wants me, and welcome to my childhood abode." Morganna finished.

LaJoie's wife seemed to have been struck dumb.

Morganna can have that effect on people.

((author's note: To Shannon: If Severus ever says that in a role-play, he will enter a world of hurt. Thank you.))

~*~

**Morganna's POV**

I wandered up to Severus and my chambers, where Renè had been thoughtful enough to lay out a bathing suit for me.

Severus had gone off to poke about the place, Morag was playing wizard's chess with Este, Jenni was in her room reading 'Phantom of the Opera', Babette and Clayton were playing pranks on Renè, and Stuart and his wife were in the gardens still.

I changed into my bathing suit – a tasteful silver two-piece – took my towel, and went down to the lake.

I sat down on the grass, dipping my toes in the warm – bewitched – water. It was not a bad enchantment, one that kept the water permanently at the perfect temperature.

I remembered days when I'd played in this lake as a child.

~*~Flashback~*~

'Anna! Anna, the water's fine, and Stuart promised he won't make it go cold again, come on Anna, you love swimming!' Luci begged her ten-year-old sister.

Anna ((author's note: there are several nicknames for, shortened versions of, Morganna, which are used throughout. Anna will be the most prominent, and Maria a close second. Just thought I'd explain.)) glared at the amiable Stuart, who seemed amenable to the idea of not turning the water around Anna into that icy frost it had been moments before.

She hadn't been pleased with Stuart, who'd been ignoring her lately – following her older sister around like a puppy. She was his friend, wasn't she? Why was he following Lacrimosa around? Lacrimosa was the same age as the then fourteen-year-old Stuart, and filling out nicely. She'd been getting a lot of attention. Anna was quite happy with that – as long as it wasn't Stuart giving Lacci the attention. Stuart was her very best friend, and he'd never deserted her before.

But she gave in and got in the water – although not before she threw a rock – missed – at Stuart.

~*~End of Flashback~*~

It seemed, sometimes, that I never remembered the things I'd really like to.

~*~

**Morag's POV**

I wasn't too keen on the idea of going to a party – especially one full of muggles. Knowing Mother, she'd want me on my very best behavior, being careful not to mention magic and such. I did, however, rather like the dress.

Este kept beating me at wizard's chess.

"Checkmate." She said, for at least the fifth time.

"I'm not playing again." I announced.

So what if it was petty?

"You just don't want to lose again." She accused.

"Obviously! Come on, I want to see the dress Renè laid out for you." I dragged her up. I hadn't really had any friends that past year, and I was making up for lost time by buddying up with Este.

She grinned at me. "And then we have a look at what your mother's wearing."

"Like the infamous 'Nightdress Incident'." I giggled. In my fourth year at Hogwarts, Aunt Lillias sent Mother some rather skimpy little lacy nightdresses. Este and I had sneaked into her chambers to look at them. Father almost caught us, as well. It was a great memory.

"Just like that…only without the lace…" Este giggled along with me.

~*~

**Jenni's POV**

I went outside after a while; to see what Morganna was up to. And to say something about the choice of dress. It looked like something Gailyn Dorau* would have his girlfriend wear…

Okay, so maybe that was an overstatement, but still.

It was beautiful, and I'm sure it would look great.

I'd just rather it looked great on someone else.

It was a floor length green silk gown, with a low cut back – any lower and you'd be able to check for dimples on my bottom – and a (thankfully) high neck. It had sleeves, which dipped down almost to the ground themselves. On the left was a split that reached the middle of my thigh, and there was matching green satin stilettos. I thought it was all a bit much.

Also, there was a note attached.

Jenni ~ I trusted Renè's good taste in this, so I'm sure it's a beautiful evening gown. It's a gift, mainly because I haven't had a chance to give anyone presents lately, so I'm going to insist on buying people things all summer. I'm sure they won't mind that much. ~ Morganna.

So here I was, standing by the lake with my hands on my hips.

"Morganna," I started, "have you seen the dress that your butler – Renè wasn't it – picked?"

She nodded, pulling herself out of the water. "Yes, I saw them earlier."

"I can't possibly wear that confection! It looks like something out of Gailyn Dorau's daydreams!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, Jenni, Jenni, Jenni." Morganna tsk-tsked at me. "It is not. Calm down, it's a lovely dress and you'll look lovely in it."

Giving in gracefully – Morganna seems to have this new habit of overlooking what she doesn't like – I grumbled my way back to my room.

*Gailyn Dorau is another character belonging to my friend Eleanor, 'Neshomeh-From-Neopets', who unsuccessfully pursued Jenni at Hogwarts. A right slimy git, a real prat, type thing. He got his 'come uppance' though, and it was hilarious. Nesh's got a site with his description on it; maybe that'll shed some light onto what we did to the poor bugger…or maybe not. The site is posted on a review of Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets.