Chapter 14 – How the Malfoys do Easter

Part 53 – The Party

"You really should get in on the planning, Draco," a pretty blond with a snubbed nose drawled, obviously trying to attract Draco's interest. "What your mother plans is always so dull."

Draco's polite smile was amazingly detached. "Oleander, I'm at school until a week before the party. Besides, Mother would have vapors if I even tried to help with the planning."

Meega was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. Dinner had been fine, but here at the party everyone knew each other and it was obvious. Most if not all of the other children were the sons and daughters of Death Eaters. Their parents were currently in the ballroom with the Malfoys, and they were stuck at the 'party' Narcissa had arranged for them. Draco was doing his duty as the host of the festivities, but it was obvious that none of them would have been there if they'd had any choice in the matter.

"You know, we could do something other than sit around and drink butterbeer," Meega suggested.

"Ooo, we could play Spin the Bottle!" a pretty black-haired girl squealed, eyeing Draco.

"I have a girlfriend, Laurea."

"So? It's just a game. And it's just a little kiss."

"You can play. I'm not going to," Draco said firmly.

"How about Spell or Scare?" a mousy girl suggested.

"That sounds like fun, Tinea."

"How do you play?" Meega asked, truly curious.

"It's very simple—"

"Oh, don't worry, Draco," Oleander giggled, her tone sickly-sweet. "We'll take care of Meega." She grabbed Meega's arm, leading her away firmly. A group of girls closed in around them, including Laurea, though Tinea stayed over in the larger group by Draco. None of them seemed to be particularly fond of Meega.

"Leave Draco to us," one of them hissed.

"Stay away from him."

"We had no choice about putting up with Pansy, but there is no way we're going to sit back and watch a Yankee move in on him!"

"Not when we've been waiting for a chance like this for years."

"With Draco's betrothal canceled, we have a chance to marry into the House of Malfoy. We're not giving up that chance at status for you or anyone else!"

"So give up on him, and get out of our way."

"Oh, and in Spell or Scare you're challenged with a complex spell. If you can't do it, you have to do something that scares you."

Meega decided as she walked back to Draco that she would be very happy if she never saw any of those girls again.

"What were they after, Meega?" Draco asked quietly as they sat down for Spell or Scare.

"You. They told me to clear the way."

"You leaving me would do them no good. Even if I'd never met you, I would have nothing to do with them. Besides, I'd be too busy trying to get you back."

Part 54 – Spell or Scare

Playing the Wizarding version of Truth or Dare was a very educational experience for Meega. As in Spin the Bottle, this group of young witches and wizards chose who got challenged next by spinning an empty butterbeer bottle. With the challenges they stuck to things that were either greatly temporary or didn't need a living target, but there were things that Meega had never dreamed of being done before her very eyes.

Tinea, for example, had just organized a table and chairs on the ceiling. The 'tea party' she'd set up functioned completely without humans, the tea and cakes apparently being devoured by the air residing in the chairs. Now it was Tinea's turn to spin the bottle.

It stopped on Meega. The girl studied the American for a moment, pushing her mouse-brown hair out of her eyes, and smiled. "Change the Malfoy Crest," she motioned to the wall behind her, "to your family crest. And back, mind—the house elves would most likely spontaneously combust if you left it."

Meega considered the enameled wall behind Lucius and Narcissa's chairs, turning her wand over between her fingers. She did have a family crest, and she even knew what it looked like, but the only rendering she'd seen of it was a banner her mother had made for a family reunion. As for how to do it, the only time something like had happened that she knew of was in the first book of Harry Potter . . ..

Grinning, Meega tucked her wand behind her ear and walked up to the wall, placing her hands on it firmly. The wall seemed to groan in protest as she changed the crest, though no sound was made. First, a blue background spread from the places her hands contacted the wall. The blue was overlaid with an ornate white shield, a gold helmet with red wings at the top. The center of the shield was given over to a lit candle, a sheaf of wheat to the right and a crescent over a griffin to the left. Under the shield a pale blue ribbon unfurled, dark blue letters appearing to proclaim "Faith Feareth Not." Meega stepped back to admire her handy work, a great many of the others gaping.

"How'd you do that?"

Meega grinned. "Wandless Magic. I was learning it in the States. Now if you'll excuse me . . .." Replacing her hands on the wall, she touched the wall with a bit of magic and it reverted to the Malfoy Crest with an almost audible sigh of relief.

And she spun the bottle. It landed on a boy who's name she hadn't learned. "Hmm . . . Truth Spell. On Draco. I'll check its effectiveness."

Draco raised an eyebrow at his lady, but nodded at the boy. He tried.

"Try to lie to me, Draco. What color are my eyes?"

"The most stunning sapphire I've ever seen."

Meega grinned impishly at the boy. "Now, what scares you?"

Part 55 – Narcissa

"I suppose you'll do for a few months," Narcissa said appraisingly. Meega had found that when Draco's mother wasn't having vapors, she was really quite sensible and sometimes even pleasant company. "I may wish we could teach you everything now—or, better yet, that you had learned everything as a child as you ought to have—but you'll do until there is time."

Meega chanced a smile. "It's only two and a half months. I can survive that long on my own without shaming the family too much. Besides, Draco will watch out for me."

Narcissa smiled slightly, her lips curving minimally. "You are a bright child. You'll be good for my son. Lucius might not see it, but you make Draco think about the consequences of his choices. It's good for him."

"Does your husband actually want Draco to think?"

"Yes and no," Narcissa admitted. "He wants the boy to think for himself, but still grow up to be exactly like him."

"Having children grow up exactly like their parents would be very bad for society. Besides, it would be so dull. One's sisters would be exactly like she was."

Narcissa gave a reticent little laugh. "That is true. You really are coming along quite nicely. Hurry now—we must leave for the station in half an hour."

Meega left Narcissa's solar, heading to her own room. She and Narcissa weren't really comfortable with each other yet, but she liked Narcissa well enough, and Narcissa approved of her. A working relationship—maybe even friendship—could develop, with a little work on both sides.

Smiling softly to herself, Meega slipped into her room. She'd be spending the summer here. She could spend more time with Narcissa then.

Part 56 – Returning to Hogwarts

"Woah."

"What?"

"This." Draco handed Meega a newspaper, eyes traveling to the necklace she hadn't removed since he'd gifted her with it. "I'm even happier that I gave that to you now."

Meega smiled, turning to the newspaper article. What she saw wiped the smile off her face.

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN
MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS "RALLYING POINT"
FOR OLD DEATH EATERS

Nine wizards and a witch decorated the page. She recognized some of the names.

The Lestranges.

Augustus Rookwook.

Death Eaters. Nine of them, including the only female Death Eater, had escaped from Azkaban. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"That the Dark Lord has gained control of the dementors? Yes."

"He's growing bolder."

"The fact that no one believes he had returned is one of his greatest assets. Sirius makes the perfect scapegoat, but some people will figure out that Dumbledore's been telling the truth all along."

"Some, but not most," Meega said bitterly.

"True."

"Well. I do hope Morrigan has the sense to focus more on things that people will need to know how to face in the future."

"She's so astute that it's eerie. I don't doubt that she will."

"Neither do I, really. But it scares me, Drace. He's back. He has the dementors. How long can it take for all-out war to begin?"

"I don't know, Mia. But I promise you that whatever happens I'll do my best to protect you."