The next day they celebrated Harry's sixteenth birthday, that was one of the reasons why Mrs. Weasley had invited her. Many people of the order were there. But despite being his birthday, the topic of conversation was rather gloomy.
"They found Igor Karkaroff's body," Lupin announced, getting Jade's attention, who had been talking to Bill and Fleur. "To be honest, I'm surprised he lasted more than a year after he deserted the Death Eaters. Regulus, Sirius' brother, only lasted a few days, I think."
"So, once you join them you can't really escape?" Jade found herself asking.
"You can try but they eventually find you," Lupin told her.
"That's why he marks them? His followers?" Jade asked. Lupin nodded but didn't add anything else.
After that they talked more about people disappearing or leaving and of the multiple dementor attacks that there had been lately. Jade was glad she could do a Patronus now but she wasn't too sure if she could manage to do it in front of a real Dementor.
Two days after Harry's birthday, Jade returned to Wiltshire. Mr. Weasley took her as he didn't like the idea of her going alone. It was nice to see them all and she wished she could have stayed longer but she had to go back as her parents had only given permission for five days.
And the following day she got ready to buy her school books and utensils. Her still ginger hair, which had gotten longer the last few months, was past her middle back. Her waves were uncommonly soft and bright that day. Not frizzy as they normally got with the summer weather, so she decided to wear it down.
"Mistress Jade," Ilvie said when she appeared in her room. "Mistress Jade must go to the Malfoys'. Master Finley and Mistress Raven can't go to Diagon Alley today."
Jade wasn't surprised, she normally did her school shopping without them. She used to go with her brother and an employer of her father, or even with Amberie and Cass. But this time she was going with the Malfoys.
Before noon, Jade walked to the Malfoy Manor. She knocked and she quickly walked in after a house-elf opened the door. Narcissa was in the living room waiting for her. She looked a bit more cheerful than the other day but the worry and sadness still was present in her grey eyes.
When Draco finally showed up, he only greeted Jade because his mother made him too but he didn't even look at her. Draco grabbed her mother's right hand and Jade grabbed her left, and then Narcissa apparated in Diagon Alley with them.
First they went for some ink and quills. Narcissa was making conversation with Jade but Draco never talked to her or attempted to and he kept walking two steps ahead of the two women.
Then they went to get new uniforms. Jade was trying on a skirt when she heard Draco complaining to his mother.
"I'm not a child, I can do my shopping alone," Draco complaint. "If Mrs. Lias asked you to babysit Jade, then you can go with her but I'm not a child, mother. I don't understand why you must drag me along."
"None of us is supposed to go wandering around on our own anymore, dear," Madam Malkin, the owner of the shop, told Draco. "It's nothing to do with being a child."
Jade walked out then, pretending she hadn't heard. The white long-sleeve shirt was a bit loose and the skirt a bit too long. While Draco checked himself on the mirror, Madam Malkin turned to Jade and started to put pins in the clothes so she could fix them.
Jade also needed a new set of Quidditch robes, hers were a bit short and they had holes in some parts.
"If you're wondering what the smell is," Draco said mostly to his mother. "A Mud-blood just walked in."
"I don't think there's any need for language like that!" Madam Malkin exclaimed.
Jade turned to look behind her and saw Harry and Ron with Granger. The two boys had their wands pointed at Draco in just a couple of seconds. Madam Malkin begged to Narcissa to calm things between the boys but she only made them worse. As she threatened them.
"Are you going to get a few Death Eater pals to do us in?" Harry exclaimed, making Jade's eyes get twice their size.
"You shouldn't accuse," Narcissa said in a dangerous tone. "Wands away now, please." But Harry didn't lower his wand, Narcissa looked unpleased. "I see that you've gotten a false sense of security for being Dumbledore's favourite, Harry Potter, but he won't always be there to protect you."
"Why not have a go now that he isn't here?" Harry challenged her. "They might be able to find you a double cell in Azkaban with your loser of a husband."
"Stop it!" Jade yelled, walking towards them. "That's enough!"
Draco got furious and was going to attack Harry when his mother stopped him by only putting a hand over his shoulder and telling him it wasn't worth it. Jade was also quite angry at what Harry had said, Lucius meant a lot to her. She knew he got himself in those problems but that didn't mean she was going to stop caring for him or Narcissa, or Draco.
"I think we should go somewhere else. Now I see what kind of scum comes here," Narcissa said.
"Don't!" Jade whispered as she saw Harry ready to say something back. He only glared at her.
Jade and Draco quickly changed back into their robes and left the shop, and headed to another one that was slightly more expensive but it was basically the same.
"Don't get involved, Jade," Draco told her, it was actually the first thing he had said to her, not only that day, but in weeks. "I don't need you to fight my battles."
"It wasn't a battle!" Jade exclaimed angrily. "What he said back there wasn't nice and he shouldn't have."
"Yeah well, he is Potter... what did you expect?"
As Jade was buying her books for that year, Draco suddenly disappeared. She didn't know what was going on and to be honest she didn't dare asking. The whole atmosphere got extremely tense and awkward.
As they walked around with Narcissa, Jade saw the only shop that didn't seem gloomy or dark. The twins' Joke Shop. Jade was dying to go inside but she knew she couldn't. She saw one of the twins from afar and flashed him a smile.
When Draco appeared again, his mother scolded him. Draco looked annoyed but didn't say anything to Narcissa. Draco really respected his mother and cared for her. Draco admired his father, at least before, but he was such a mummy's boy. Narcissa was Draco's everything.
"Are we done? Can we go now?" Draco asked and Narcissa nodded.
Once back at the Malfoys', Jade thanked Narcissa for taking her to Diagon Alley. She grabbed her bags and was heading to the door, ready to just go back home and maybe rest a bit.
"Don't you want to stay for lunch?"
"Thanks, Mrs. Malfoy but I think I should go," Jade said as she took a brief glance at Draco.
"Your parents don't expect you until night time so I'm sure you could stay, come on."
Jade didn't know how to refuse, what could she say? Sorry but your son is hating me at the moment so I should just go. She couldn't say that so Jade just forced a smile and put her bags in a corner.
After lunch Draco just disappeared, Jade didn't know what to do or say. She had never felt so awkward.
"He's just having a hard time with Lucius being captured," Narcissa told her. "I understand but he shouldn't be acting like this. After all, your brother was also captured and you aren't acting like that."
"It's fine, Mrs. Malfoy. He'll eventually come around."
"You are so understanding, Jade. Anyone would have already told him off or something," Narcissa told her. "Thanks for being her friend, Jade. He desperately needs one right now."
"No need to thank me. I care about him and he can be acting a bit weird now but I'll be here if he needs me."
"I know he cares about you too," Narcissa said with a smile, but then it vanished quickly. "Don't want to make you uncomfortable, Jade, but if I could go back in time, I'd have chosen you to be Draco's fiancée, instead of Tashie. You two would at least be happy together and support each other. Of course that your parents only had eyes for Cassius. But yeah, I'd change that..."
"Uh..."
"You don't have to say anything, Jade," Narcissa said with a smile. "Just wanted you to know how important you are to Draco and our family."
"And you are important to me."
And she really meant it. After all, Jade saw Narcissa as a mother figure and someone she could trust and Lucius was her God-father, so she really cared for all of them.
Slightly shorter chapter, but I hope you like it.
Also, if you could follow my business account on instagram it would help a lot. I'm struggling to get exposure and more followers/customers. So any little bit of help, would be amazing and I'd really appreciate it :)
You can always unfollow later.
I just got the inspiration to do a new video but I don't know when it will be done. It's a multicouple crossover with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco. I used to do that kind of videos with the Walking Dead. I'm just a bit frustrated as the girl I chose for Ron, the clips won't get into the program I use to edit, so I don't want to do anything to fix that right now. And I don't know what song I'll use... any ideas? It's a semi-sad video LOL
