Lord Harry Potter
Day Four Etiquette 101
"Good morning" greeted Dumbledore when the trio clomped down to breakfast "I think we'll start lessons while you eat or you'll probably be to exhausted after a day of cleaning. Dig in." he waved vaguely at the food on the table.
"Now first start with the napkin as your seated and the rooms not attented by many servants you should place your napkin on your lap yourselves, with your tea someone usually brings it made the way you ask at a meal like breakfast in this case Dobby is. You shouldn't slurp and always use your left hand to drink, Hermione you better stick your pinkie out a bit that's it. Now for crumpets or toast as its breakfast there's only two knifes the shorter should be used for buttering and the larger for cutting sausages and kippers. With porridge the soup spoon should be used. Never reach over anything to get say the salt and if you're having sauce with your breakfast it's laid in a bowl in the middle of the table with its own spoon and as gentlemen you should always rise when a lady leaves the table. Now next time with seating Harry should be he head of the table in his own home with the visitors on either side but if he was married it would be his wife on the right hand to Harry or when in a large party she might sit at the other end of the table to include other guests in the conversation. Sunday morning Luna and Neville will be here for breakfast and we'll do a buffet breakfast, we wont do a lesson for lunch well just have a few things left on the buffet when your ready but for tea we'll have a full three course meal and coffee after, never go to clear the table it's the helps job and it would reflect badly on your staff, you can now offcourse in such a small setting. Well I think that's enough for now we best get cleaning, I'll take the ballroom.
"Well take the large dining room and would dobby and Winky do a master suite." Offered Harry
"Yes off course" Squeaked the reply
The Large dining room was situated just of the ballroom and could be set for 40 places if need arose, when the trio found it the chairs were ruined and the glass in the sideboard cabinets was shattered, but the mop and brooms had done quite well already with the floor.
"We'll just repair the glass and the chairs but the table looks nice but needs a good polish." Harry Stated
And so they set to work Harry polishing and Ron repairing the windows, Hermione was attempting the chairs but only managed to fix 6 of the 40 after all time can not be reversed or water damage. The table came up nicely and was admitted to be respectable.
"Hey you two look what I've found" shouted Ron holding up a silver candlestick "all this stuff looks pretty good"
"Well let's put the lot on the table and work out if its any good" supplied Herm
When they had done the table was covered they had found silver and gold cutlery sets, candlesticks, an antique tea set, some nice serving trays, a bottle of scotch hiding at the back of the sideboard cupboard, and a set of plates which had lost there gold trim.
'This is really nice stuff, but I think we'll have to update the plates, I brought some polishing potion that should work on the silver too" Harry sprayed it on. "It has to soak for an hour. Was there any glasses?' Harry asked.
'No Why?' asked Ron
'Just wondering' Harry mused 'I've never tasked scotch'
'Don't worry well try some of it when Neville and Luna arrive' solved Hermione
'Excuse me did I just hear right….Miss Perfect Prefect wants to drink an illicit substance?'
'Well I haven't tasted either and we'll probably have to drink champagne or something at the ball wont we and I suspect I'm a light weight when it comes to drinking and I'd rather not be swinging from the chandelier after half a glass so a little practice might be needed.' She admitted
Harry started laughing.
"What's so funny?" came Hermione's incredulous question
"I just pictured you swinging from the chandelier" he admitted grinning "but that's a great idea, I declare that it's a necessity in part of our hobnob training."
"POP" "Sir we is finished the master suite sir and dinner will be served at 5 sharp you is advised by Mr Dumbledore to wait in the small saloon until it is announced."
"Dobby did you find anything interesting in the suite?" inquired Hermione
"That we did miss, the bed is ruined but the office was fine and we found an address book in the draw." Squeaked the elf handing over a little black book. "Dobby must cook now Excuse dobby please Sir's and Miss. "pop"
"Harry" said Hermione leafing through the book "This has some really important names you should invite to the ball."
"Does it, that's handy, I didn't know how we were going to charm the best if we didn't know who they were."
"Hoi Harry, look at the paint its peeling I didn't notice that before"
"Crap another thing, Oh well we'll hire someone or 10, We best go wait for tea its already 4:30"
They left the room and found the small saloon had been cleaned up a bit by the elves as well.
At 5 dobby walked into the room and announced "Dinner is served"
The Trio entered to see the table set beautifully with 3 different glasses and 6 different pieces of cutlery, Harry was about to sit at the side when he remembered and sat at the front of the table while Dumbledore helped Hermione into her chair.
"Very good Harry you remembered, now in this course well has soup which Dobby has floated over your shoulders normally this would be passed over them. With the spoons you see three that's your desert, soup, and tea. Now you should use your right hand with the spoon but that's not a necessity anymore if you're left handed on the side plate you'll notice there's a bread roll with a serve of butter on the side, Not that knife Ron the big ones for the main meal. Use the smaller of the two... that's better now when the soup is done place the spoon in the bowl pointing straight to the person opposite if you're not finished but conversing with someone put it a right angles so its horizontal with the table. Now Dobby takes the bowls and brings the main course which is a roast dinner so it's easy just the largest knife and fork. Next course is desert now it's a slice so use the little fork not the spoon. With the tea things its made for you and you only leave the table after the head stands and invites you somewhere else. Harry?"
"Would you like to come into the parlour?" Harry asks
"Yes that's excellent now you three head in and then we'll start the next bit, introductions."
With that they walked to the parlour.
"I'm going to have nightmares about silverware first the dining room and then dinner it's too much" Ron complained
"Come of it Ron it's not the end of the world" Harry replied
Dumbledore Entered the parlour
"Now lets start introductions, Harry you'll have to greet everyone at the ball you should "How do you do?" and offer your hand for men to shake with the women you should introduce yourself the same way and kiss their hand lightly, Now when asking for a dance you should say "May I have the pleasure of this dance?" and when you have someone with and you've introduced yourself you say "May I introduce my good friend Ron." I think that will do I've got to go to Hogwarts all next week so you will be here alone Dobby and Winky are staying offcourse and I'm only a fireplace away. Well tomorrow your guests arrive and I think you should practice your introductions on them. I see your tired Good Night."
"Night Professor"