Year 2: Chapter 20
October had almost ended when news of a ministry visit was announced for Halloween. The castle was in full swing as decorations were placed around the castle. The Halloween feast was set to take place on the day itself so lessons were set to finish early on the Tuesday to allow people to get ready.
The Monday found the Gryffindors sitting in Defence Against the Dark Arts, discussing Banshees with Professor Ddraig when a knock on the door interrupted them.
"Arr Professor Ddraig I was wondering if I may have a word with Miss Dixon please."
"Certainly, Amanda you may go."
Amanda looked at her friends and shrugged as she got up. She was unaware of any trouble she had caused. In fact the last prank the girls had played on the boys (stealing their underwear and leaving it in the Great Hall) she had stayed out of.
"Miss Dixon as I am sure you are aware it is Halloween tomorrow night."
"Oh yes Professor, and you do not need to worry I shall be in my dorm room all night away from the celebrations."
"Yes well that is what I wanted to speak to you about. How would you like to attend the feast?"
"Professor you're joking, of course I want to attend but it's my punishment not to go."
"Well punishment can be changed, and you have been well behaved since then."
"Really I can go; is there a catch?"
"Of course. Our entertainment plan for tomorrow night has fallen through and I need somebody to sing for us, you sing and you may come."
"But what if I can't sing?"
"I'm sure that you have a voice that will be pleasurable to hear. Have you ever sung?"
"No sir, if you can sing in my family you have to sing at all events, so I've never tried."
"Well there is a first time for everything, I will leave it to you to decide the two songs you will sing, now back to your lesson."
The headmaster walked off leaving her to wonder over a song to sing. Back in the classroom she took her seat and smiled along with everyone else, but it was with a happy heart that she left the room.
Monday nights meant Quidditch practice for the team. Amanda pulled on her robes to go when she remembered what Dumbledore had told her. Quickly she pulled Ginny aside.
"Gin, you know how you love to sing, and how you write songs to perform at your family parties."
"Yeah."
"Well the thing is Dumbledore told me I can come to the feast tomorrow – "
"That's brilliant!"
"Yeah I know but the thing is he said I have to sing two songs and I was – "
"You were wondering if I knew any you could sing."
"Well yeah."
"You go to practice and I'll find two songs for you."
"Oh thanks Gin, you're the best."
"I know"
They hugged and then Amanda broke away and headed down to the Quidditch pitch while Ginny looked through her mass pile of songs for her friend to perform.
Tuesday's lessons ended and everybody headed to their dorm rooms to get ready. The rule was that each person had to wear their school robes but after the days lessons everybody wanted to change.
"Mand you can't wear it like that it's too short."
"Oh says you Bran but its how I always wear it."
Ginny and Amanda had shrunk their uniforms again so that they were tighter than they should have been, their school robes over the top. Ginny had insisted that each girl should wear make-up and had happily applied some of her new make-up (without the boys potion) to each girl.
Six o'clock came and they all headed down to the Great Hall. People had gathered outside waiting to go in. Professor Malfoy stood by the door looking at everyone going in, she had pulled out a small group of students and the girls could see Lucius standing there with Bellatrix, Narcissa and Severus.
As they walked towards the door a hand flew out and landed on Amanda's shoulder
"Miss Dixon please wait outside the hall with the others."
With an odd shared look with the girls she joined the others. Moments passed and when Andromeda went to enter the hall the same thing happened, she stood next to Amanda quickly joined by Peter and Sirius.
"Okay we're all here now, so here's what is happening. As you will all know it is the Ministers tenth anniversary to his position and you are here to welcome him and his officials. Now you have been chosen as you are from the top wizarding families and shall be joining the Minister and his officials at the main tables for the feast. Of course the Head Girl and Boy will be joining us, they are meeting him at the gate with the Headmaster."
The hall doors shut and the noise died out.
"Okay here's what we'll do, if you stand over there when Simon, I mean the minister enters shake his hand and say it's a pleasure to meet you sir."
Malfoy looked at each of the students in turn.
"This will not do, look at you all in your uniforms you should be in dress robes, lets see what to put you all in."
Malfoy moved over to the group and Amanda watched as she waved her wand and Peter's robes became a dark blue that brought out his eyes, she moved to Sirius and he ended up in a greyish silver robe, Lucius a dark green and Severus in a black one.
"There you all look wonderful in your dress robes, now the girls lets see."
She instantly changed Narcissa's into a soft baby pink that clung to her in the right places, Bellatrix wore a similar style in a gold and Andromeda a dark red that brought out her features.
"Now Amanda, lets see what to put you in?"
Amanda felt her clothes change, becoming slightly tighter than they already were. She saw the turquoise colour that had always suited her.
Sirius looked at the girl who had once been his closest friend. She was one of these girls who always wore clothes at the tightest she could but this was tighter than normal, and for the first time he was able to see her figure which she had always managed to hide, and he was surprised by it, she had the body of a young woman and wearing that she would draw the attention of all the boys.
The front doors opened at that moment and the Headmaster entered, the small group stood in a line and he nodded at each one in turn. Sirius stood second in the line with Peter in the front and Amanda on his other side.
When the Headmaster had passed they noticed the Head Girl Hailey Thomas of Hufflepuff follow the Headmaster looking rather put out. Then Rodolphus Lestrange entered joking with the minister and he soon followed to the other end.
Professor Malfoy stood forward.
"Minister, we've gathered the students you wished to see before entering the hall."
He looked at them all and Sirius felt the man's cold eyes on him. He moved over to them and put his hand out to Peter. Sirius heard the boy's small words.
"It is good to see you again father."
He moved to Sirius who took his hand bowing slightly over his hand.
"It is a pleasure to meet you again Minster."
This continued until he reached the end of the line.
"It is nice to see such well behaved children, I mean young adults. I hope that you will soon be working with me. Now please I'd like to introduce you to my officials."
"First we have Cepheus Black."
"Daddy you didn't say you'd be here."
"I wanted to surprise you Cissa."
"Next there's Bootés Black."
Sirius made a face as his father moved over to him.
"I hear you made the Quidditch team, at least you have some pride for family traditions, I bet you're the best Chaser on the team."
"I'm not a Chaser, I'm keeper."
The look that passed could have killed somebody although Sirius didn't take any notice. Simon noticed this disregard for the authority of a parent.
"Now Cepheus and Bootés are here as the head of my security department. Next is head of my sports department William Malfoy."
The four Gryffindors just stood there while all the Slytherins made sounds of excitement while Malfoy was introduced and said hello to everyone.
"Next we have the head of the transport department Charles Snape."
Snape moved into the light and Sirius laughed when Lestrange and Hailey looked between him and Severus, it was true they looked nothing alike. Once everyone was done greeting him they looked at the minister.
"There is another one to our numbers I would like you to met the man in charge of recruitment Alistair Dixon."
Sirius saw the girl next to him shiver as her father entered the building. Everyone fell quiet and Sirius was surprised by the way the Minster acted around him, it was almost as though Dixon had more power than he did.
From the silence everyone watched as his eyes travelled and landed on the girl.
"You and I need a few words I believe young lady. Never before have I met somebody as misbehaved as you."
"If you mean the detentions well they're Pettigrews and Blacks fault as well as their childish friends, they started it all."
"And Severus."
"Oh, well I thought I'd show you that I am taking my lessons seriously, after all I used the spells that are in those books that you don't want people to –"
"Silence"
The room fell under a terrible silence as a person moved slightly in the shadows. Peter caught the glimpse and moved slightly.
"Mum?"
"Peter darling its good to see you."
Peter was hugged by his mother and from somewhere they heard a grunt. They pulled apart and saw the look on Simon's face.
"Well are we ready to move into the hall now then?"
"Yes Minster we were waiting for your signal."
The doors opened and everyone gathered around Amanda found herself standing next to her brother who was smiling up at her.
"Amanda you look funny dressed like that."
"Oh thanks Adrian, make me feel that much better."
The Head Boy and Girl went in and headed to the front of the hall to the raised platform and were followed by the Headmaster. They stood at the front waiting for a moment. Hailey was the one to start the evening.
"Thank you very much for being here on time and for quietly taking your seats, we are very proud to be able to have the Minster here on this proud day while he is celebrating his tenth anniversary as our Minister."
Lestrange placed his hand on Hailey's shoulder and smiled a smile that caused shivers to run through James' body.
"Like Hailey said we are very lucky to have such a man with us tonight, and for the officials he has brought with him, so we would like to introduce to you his officials and their families before he enters himself, please if you will remain quiet while our headmaster does this thank you."
The pair split and took the seats at the front circular table that had replaced the teachers' normal table. The tables held around six people and the teachers sat on the ones towards the back of the room. McGonagall however was sat at the same table the head students took.
Dumbledore looked around the room and his eyes landed on the Gryffindors and he smiled at them before he started.
"First I would like to introduce to you one of the heads of the security department Cepheus Black, his wife Cassiopeia and their three beautiful daughters Bellatrix, Andromeda and Narcissa."
Everyone clapped mildly, and James knew that it was because most were shocked as they had never seen people of this class, well unless you counted some of the students.
He noticed how Cepheus was dressed in black flowing dress robes that showed his wealth with the small green toddles for buttons. His long black hair was tied back in a simple ponytail held by black ribbon.
His wife however wore a green dress robe that sat on her figure too tightly for the boys showing off her curves. He knew that many of the boys around where looking at her. He noticed however the scared look on Ted's face and how he had paled. He couldn't help but wonder why when he saw Andromeda wink at him.
The Slytherins were all cheering as they walked on and James followed the group with his eyes. Lestrange stood from his position and took Bellatrix's hand kissing the top. James wanted to throw up watching it. Next to him he heard Frank mutter at Remus.
"Their robes are a bit tight aren't they, although it looks like Ted doesn't want to complain about Andromeda's."
James had to agree although the colours suited the girls the clothes were all very tight, tighter than they should have been for any decent girl to wear.
The Headmaster cleared his throat and smiled warmly at everyone.
"Next I would like to introduce Bootés Black also head of security with his lovely wife Chu'si with their two children Sirius and Regulus."
Clapping was heard from around the hall and James heard the girls gasp when they entered. Sirius' father looked very much like the last man and James knew they were brothers. He wore the same style dress robe and even had the same green toggles on them.
His wife however wore a long flowing blue dress robe and hid her shape from peering eyes. Sirius had changed out of his uniform and was now in silver robes that sat over his black trousers, his brother though, who must have been ten had on an orange Halloween robe and every now and again James noticed the small glares from his mother.
The four of them took the seats on the same table as Andromeda and James watched as Sirius moved his chair closer to the other Gryffindor and his brother moved his closer again.
Remus leaned over towards James and in a laughing voice said
"Looks like Sirius' brother has the same dress sense as Sirius look at his robes."
"Yeah and his mother isn't happy with him either."
"Our next guest is head of the sports department –"
The hall burst into applause and James watched as Christian cheered as loud as he could along with most of the hall. Dumbledore smiled and waved his hands and everyone fell silent.
"I'd like to introduce William Malfoy, his wife our own Professor Malfoy and their son Lucius."
The man walked in and not to anyone's surprise he looked exactly like his son he had on the same black dress robes as the others and his long hair tied in a ponytail in the black ribbon like the other two before him.
Malfoy herself wore a silver and green dress robe and the Slytherins cheered their head of house. Lucius wore a dark green robe showing that they were the family of Slytherin and the entire hall fell silent except the Slytherins looking at the three.
They took seats on the table on their own and James guessed the next ones in would join them. Dumbledore then looked around the hall and smiled a bit more.
"Well our next guest is the head of the transport department Charles Snape with his wife Amarantha and their son Severus."
Everyone in the hall clapped politely and then a gasp came over the hall. Everyone looked between Snape and his father. His father was blonde and very pale, but Severus was dark and very pale. His mother though she drew attention.
She wore a pale green dress robe that split up one leg, from around the room everyone could hear the mummers of the words 'Snapes mother hottie' and James tried not to laugh along with the hall.
"Now our next guest is the man that you will all go through to get a position within the ministry I'd like to introduce Alistair Dixon, with his wife Aquilina, his eldest daughter and her husband Anastasia and Paul Parkinson, then his other two children Amanda and Adrian."
The hall began its polite applause and then he entered. The Gryffindors all fell silent and even though they weren't speaking the second years all exchanged a look of worry when he entered.
The hall fell silent rather quickly. Alistair Dixon had this affect on people but while everyone stared at him through fear, the same mummers that had come over the hall when Snape's mother walked in happened again.
Amanda's mother wore a simple white dress robe but it showed off her natural tanned skin. James felt his own mouth drop open and from looking around most of the other boys had fallen under the same sort of spell.
Next came the Parkinson's who looked rather sickenly in love both wore simple black robes and it took everyone by surprise after seeing her parents. James then heard a whistle come from the Slytherin table as Amanda stepped inside the door.
His eyes opened in shock and he heard Joseph Wild talking to Frank.
"Hey Frankie forget giving her another year, your little girlfriends already a true hottie!"
"She isn't my girlfriend Joe."
"Amanda! Amanda! Amanda! Amanda!"
"What?"
"There's loads of people looking at you, I bet it's because you look stupid dressed like that."
"Thanks Adrian. I'll remember that one."
They took the seats around one whole table, and that left only one more family to enter, the top family in the wizarding world.