Disclaimer: As I have said before, I do not own any of the characters created by J.k. Rowling, and the same goes for this chapter. Nothing has changed since I posted Chapter Two... Not that I know of, anyway. So, just enjoy the story already, would you?
Chapter Three
A knock was heard on Dawn's door, and the girl looked up from where she sat on her bed, the small grey kitten sitting in her lap, "Yes? Who's there?" She demanded, her tone sharp and unfeeling, much like she'd heard her father speak many times before. Lyriara, Sai, and Heydon exchanged glances before looking at Dawn, who quickly shifted her eyes back to the door at the looks she was receiving from the other three girls.
Without bothering to reply to his daughter's abrupt reply, Nicholae pushed open the door to Dawn's bedroom, eyes narrowed in irritation, "Dawn, it's time for Lyriara and Heydon to be on their way. I'm sure you'll see plenty more of them over the summer, if you and your mother have your way. Now, get ready for dinner. The Masters and the Malfoys are staying to eat with us tonight, as well as your cousins. Marcus must head home, though, so they'll be staying the night. Your mother thought it would be a nice idea. She tried having me allow your friends to stay as well, but in all honesty, I don't want them here..." He smirked, completely ignoring the fact that the ones he spoke of were sitting in the same room as he, each of the two glaring at the older man, though not daring to respond.
Dawn stood quickly, knocking Emiko from her lap and onto the bed, and put her hands on her hips, "I don't care whether or not you like my friends, Father, but I would ask that you kindly keep your opinions to yourself when they're in the same room as you. You would think a wizard of such standing would have better manners than that..." She hissed, rolling her eyes, before looking to Lyriara and Heydon, "Owl me soon, girls? And, I'll have it worked out so the two of you, as well as Myrah, Brialah, and Adeena, can come to stay awhile, as soon as possible..." She shot an angry glare at her father before shrugging and turning to her closet.
Lyriara and Heydon nodded, each of them standing and hurrying past Nicholae to go to their parents. Neither of the two minded leaving Chandler Estate. The only downside was their visit with Dawn was over for the time being, but it was pointless to think Hayley would not have them back soon.
Dawn was less than happy with her father at that moment, and he smirked at the thought, before he too turned to leave, "Clean yourself up, Dawn. I won't have you coming to dinner in those sloppy clothes, especially with our guests present. Sai, you will come with me while Dawn gets ready. I'm sure you can part from her long enough for that, can't you?" His voice came out an less-than-amused sneer, the man displeased at the fact that the girl was so attatched to his daughter, thinking that perhaps that was why Dawn was so reluctant to join with the Death Eaters. That, and those ignorant girls she insisted upon hanging around so often.
Sai nodded and followed Nicholae from the room, looking back once at Dawn, before the door closed behind her, leaving Dawn on her own to change for dinner. Her cheeks flushed crimson and her eyes burned with anger. Ripping the door to her closet open, she stepped inside, glancing quickly over the clothes before her. Without much thought, she yanked a dark black, denim skirt from it's hanger.
Pulling her pants from her legs, she replaced them with the skirt, the hem reaching to mid-thigh, showing off her long legs, instead of hiding them as she normally did. Looking down at the shirt she had on, she rolled her eyes, before a smirk made it's way across her face. Turning back to the clothing before her, she arched a brow, a mischievious gleam in her dark eyes.
A moment later, she found the deep, burgandy halter top, made of a smooth slik and tying about her neck. When she pulled it on in place of the other shirts, she found that it fit her snugly, but that wasn't what she'd been going for. Walking from the closet, she walked to her mirror, turning her back to it and looking on her shoulder.
'Perfect... It's in plain sight... Bloody hell, will Father have a fit when he sees this, but he can't. He has guests...' At this thought, her smirk deepened, her eyes fixed on the reflection of the roses, it's crimson petals in bloom and it's ebony stems curling and wrapping about the bud.
The last touch she added to this outfit of her's was a pair of black leather boots that would hug her shins to just under her knees. Checking her image in the mirror, she pulled her hair into a tight braid, curling the two strands of blonde quickly and letting them hang on either side of her face, while the braid fell down the center of her back, "I'm ready, Father... The question is, are you ready?" She smirked once more and spun on her heel, pushing open her bedroom door and storming down the hallway, her anger still burning in her eyes and in her mind, though now anger was accompanied by amusement at the expression she suspected her father would have when he discovered her own 'mark,' much different than the one he wished to have put on her arm.
Her parents, her cousins, the Malfoys, and the Masters were already seated at the table, Mr. Masters and Nicholae talking quietly to one another, while Hayley made conversation with Narcissa and Lucius. Sai sat quietly between Kyanna and Kente, while Draco sat talking with Aubrey, Kente sitting quietly listening to their conversation on that years Quidditch team.
When Dawn entered the room, her smirk still in place, her eyes caught on her father's. His own gaze darkened but he held his tongue, only having seen the outfit of choice his daughter had put on. When she stepped forward and took a seat across from Aubrey and beside Malfoy, Nicholae's gaze caught on the design on his daughter's shoulder, and his eyes narrowed, anger rising into his eyes. Yet, Nicholae remained quiet, for now. He'd talk with Dawn later, knowing she had only done this to evoke his anger.
When he did not react as she'd anticipated, Dawn frowned, propping her elbow on the table in front of her and resting her chin in her open palm, for the moment not realizing Aubrey and Draco's conversation had been cut off when she'd sat down. Now, looking up, she arched a brow, and dropped her arm into her lap, smirking slightly, "Hey, Masters. Hullo, Malfoy. What were the two of you talking about, then?" She turned her head to look at Draco, cocking her head to one side in a faux innocent gesture, considering their less-than-friends status.
Aubrey smirked lightly, looking across at her and arching a brow, "Hmm, don't you look lovely, my dearest Dawn. I was waiting for you to show up. Draco and I were simply discussing the possible recruits for the Quidditch team this year. There must be a way to beat Gryffindor, even with Potter on their side."
Draco rolled his eyes, catching Aubrey's gaze move over Dawn's form quickly before returning to her face, the other boy's smirk widening. This only made Draco's lips crease into a frown, distaste evident on his features. Despite his lack of fondness for the girl at his side, he liked the boy across from her even less, despite conversing with him frequently, mostly about Quidditch.
Dawn narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint entering her eyes as she caught Aubrey's shifted gaze as well, "Keep your eyes to yourself, Masters..." She growled, lowering her voice and tapping the toe of her boot roughly against his shin, making him wince and let out a low yelp, drawing a chuckle from Malfoy, and the attention of the others at the table.
"Everything alright, Aubrey?" Nicholae asked in a sickly sweet tone, eyes narrowed and fixed on Dawn, before looking over to the boy, "Or, do you normally yell randomly at the dinner table?" This question earned quite a few amused looks around the table, on all faces except for Mr. Masters, Aubrey, Kente, and Kyanna.
Aubrey quickly shook his head, swallowing quickly before speaking, "I'm sorry, Mr. Chandler. Everything's perfectly alright." Once he was sure the other conversations had been resumed and that he would not be heard, he looked back to Dawn, "You'll regret that move, Chandler..." He growled out, brushing his dark hair from one eye.
Dawn shook her head and held his gaze, her gaze full of a silent, stubborn defiance, her head cocking to one side. Slowly, a smirk slid over her lips, "Oh, I'm sure I won't, Masters. I'd love to see you try, though. It could prove to be quite entertaining... Now, Malfoy, what were you saying about this year's Quidditch team? I didn't think you'd need anyone new this year..." She turned away from Aubrey, quite obviously ignoring him for the time being, her attention focused on the platinum-haired boy, smirking over at Aubrey.
He shrugged and arched a brow at her sudden interest in the Quidditch team, "No. We'll be looking for two new members to the team this year, both chasers. Slytherin's got a new captain, too..." He smirked at this, and it was evident to Dawn that the new captain would be Draco, "I already know, because Snape told me before we left Hogwarts. I'll keep Crabbe and Goyle as Beaters, and me as Seeker. As for our other chaser, that's Aubrey, here, then we'll need two more. And, of course, our Keeper is Myrah..."
Dawn smirked and nodded, "Yes, I know about Myrah being Keeper. She's all the time talking about how much she loves Quidditch..." She murmured thoughtfully, "So, Captain Malfoy, when are try-outs, anyway? Myrah's bean teaching me a bit about Quidditch, and I'm a pretty good flier. Mum was a Chaser in school for Gryffindor, anyway..."
Draco arched a brow at this and shook his head, still unsure where her sudden interest in Quidditch had come from, but not entirely sure it was a bad thing, either, "Hmmm, probably the second week of school, on a Friday, most likely. I wouldn't mind watching you fly. You can't be half bad if Myrah's taught you the ropes..." He quipped, looking over at Aubrey, who was growing restless, not liking being left out of the conversation, or being ignored for one Dawn so obviously didn't like.
Dawn noticed this and shook her head, smirking lightly, shifting in her own seat, "Brilliant. I'll be looking forward to them, then." She told him, forming a half-smile before catching her father's eyes. He didn't look pleased, either, any more than Aubrey did. Why were they so anxious that she not talk to Draco Malfoy? Rolling her eyes, she sat back in her seat, folding her arms over her chest.
Aubrey smirked and leaned forward, "Dawn, would you like to go for a walk with me after dinner? Maybe show me around the Estate?" He cocked a brow and chuckled softly, waiting for her answer.
Dawn looked down the table at her father, who seemed to have cut off his conversation with Mr. Masters, and was watching her, instead. Then, her gaze fell on Sai, and a smile passed her lips, "Sure. I'll go for a walk with you. That sounds nice..." Without saying anything else to him, she turned to the side, "Malfoy? Want to come see the Estate, too? Might as well do it all at once. That way I don't have to do it twice. Sai, you can come, too. I'd like you to come..." She smirked, arching a brow at Sai, who quickly grinned and nodded, agreeing to go without hesitation.
Draco shrugged once before nodding, "Sure. Fine. Mother needed to talk to your mother about something, and I believe Father wanted to speak with Nicholae, as well. So, sure I'll come and see the Estate, Chandler..." He smirked, amused by the angry expression appearing on Aubrey's face when both Draco and Sai agreed to tag along, and at the fact that Dawn had invited them to come along in the first place.
"Something wrong, Aubrey?" Dawn asked, biting her lower lip and dropping her gaze to fix on her hands, folded in her lap. She did this simply to hide the amusement dancing in her own onyx gems, before pushing her plate away and standing from her place, "Oi, I'll meet you guys outside, then. I'm all done..."
She hadn't eaten much. But, she hadn't had much of an appetite with Aubrey watching her so intently. Walking to the closet nearest the front door, she grabbed a cloak and wrapped it about her shoulders, the warm material on her skin making her feel more comfortable and at ease. With this accomplished, she moved back to wait for the others, leaning against the wall near the entrance to the dining room, her gaze on the ground at her feet.
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Author's Note: Well, how did you enjoy this new addition to the story? I know it's been awhile since I last updated, but I hope you've still got your patience with me. I'll begin working on my fourth chapter as soon as possible. Promise. But, review if you have time, and I'm sure you'll see me a bit more motivated. Heehee. Just playing with you, but I would like some reviews on this story.