AN: Almost 40 hits and no reveiws! It hurts. sob Please enjoy chapter 3 anyway!

Chapter 3

The clock on the wall read 10 o' clock in the morning. Below it was the door which stood open to a bright, sunny summer day in London. Ella, however, did not feel bright or sunny as she stood facing both clock and door. If life was fair at all, it would be raining outside and the funeral would have to be canceled. But, life was never fair, was it?

As she stepped outside, she slipped her hand into her pocket to make certain that her wand was there. Not that she would be able to use it, her 17th birthday was not until August 23rd, but it never hurt to be prepared.

The coach was parked on the pavement; the driver had nearly uprooted a bush in an attempt to park the strange vehicle, causing many of the muggle neighbors to stare out of their windows disapprovingly. It looked like a regular taxi, but for the pair of feathery wings that were folded, unseen, against the underside of the car. That, and the "headlights" would blink every once and awhile. It certainly did not look like the best mean of transportation, but, in Ella's opinion, anything had to be better than the Knight Bus.

There were children playing jump rope in the street, but they had paused their game to look at the precariously parked taxi. An old woman dressed in an oversized rain coat was passing by. The hand that gripped her cane had a nasty gash along it. A few teenagers were on the corner up the road and their break dancing music could be heard over the houses, beating to shake leaves from the trees. Ella tapped her foot to the rhythm as her love of dancing nearly possessed her to join the muggles. But, her mother would never approve of that.

Ella sighed. Her mother was already in the coach complaining to the driver about one thing or another. She turned her eyes onto Ella, who had not left the porch and shouted, "Come along girl!"

Obediently, Ella picked up her hand bag and climbed into the coach, taking a last glance at her narrow, ordinary-looking house. It looked cramped and tiny between the other grander houses beside it, which had always vexed her mother, but the magically modified interior was ten times bigger than any other along the street. Ella had never liked the idea that she was living in a house that deceived people, but it was home.

Ella's glance was cut short as the coach engine roared to life. After about three blocks of trundling down the street, the flying coach stopped, unfolded its wings causing the seats inside to lift about an inch, and took off into the air! London grew smaller under them until it disappeared entirely due to the large white clouds they had just passed through.

The clouds rolled out forever as though it was a fluffy white sea and the coach was some strange, yellow sea bird that would expel small puffs of smoke from its tail every once and a while. If Ella remembered correctly, the manner was hidden somewhere in the hills of Scotland the same way Hogwarts was. It was a long way down; she had never been fond of flying. She gripped her handbag, which contained Draco's note and invitation, closer to her as she stared out the window. Perhaps she would find a friendly face in the sea of disapproving family she was about to face.

۞۞۞

Draco yawned openly so that his mother could see the action from across the lawn. He had been greeting guests all morning on her orders and he was quite sick of it. Most of the people he greeted he had never even met except perhaps at one of the many dinner parties his parents used to throw. But, he supposed, greeting guests beats talking with mum. If she doesn't stop asking me suspicious questions I think I'm going to scream! You'd think she didn't trust me. Draco smirked inwardly.

Narcissa Malfoy had kept an eye on her son all morning, this was true. But, greeting guests had kept her occupied and away from him. For this, Draco was thankful.

"Mr. Swartz," said Draco, putting on a polite drawl, "I'm so glad you could make it. I hope your trip was…" But Draco was interrupted by the arrival of a bright yellow taxi…that was falling from the sky.

The flying coach landed on the lawn with an enormous WHUMPF! Little sparks were sailing from the engine and settling dangerously onto the grass. Smoke billowed out from under the hood and the driver stepped out, coughing. "Here we are, mam! That'll be seventeen sickles and uh," he scratched his head with a sooty hand, "We'll make it, three knuts!"

A woman stepped out of the smoking vehicle looking absolutely livid. "You won't get a single knut! You nearly killed us!" She coughed.

"Yeah," said the driver, looking confused, "I don't know why the wings just collapsed like that."

"Perhaps it was because this hunk of junk is so old," said a girl who had stepped out of the taxi after the first woman, smoothing down her long brown hair. "Just pay the man, mum!"

"I most certainly will not!"

"You must be Araminta Meliflua." Draco's mother, drawn to the catastrophe that had fallen from the sky into her front yard, had a gracious smile on her face that hid all trace of her contempt. Draco could see that his mother was struggling to be patient.

He stepped forward and put on his best smile as well. "Mrs. Meliflua," he greeted her and then turned to Ella. "Hello cousin."

Ella held out her hand for Draco to shake it. "Sorry about," she gestured lamely to smoldering wreck, her mother who was still arguing with the diver, and Mrs. Malfoy who was dousing several small fires on the lawn with her wand, "all this."

"Not at all," her turned her hand over and kissed it gently.

When he looked up, it was to see Ella's cheeks turn red with embarrassment. She was prettier than he had remembered her. Her hair was smoother and, perhaps it was the black dress robes she was wearing, but she seemed taller and her eyes seemed bluer. The robes fit her form and underneath them she wore a muggle skirt that poofed out slightly, away from her legs.

He looked around at the surrounding mob of guests who were staring openly at the spectacle. He leaned forward and muttered sarcastically into her ear, "I think you've made a good impression, Ella."

۞۞۞

A few hours after her arrival, Ella was still burning with embarrassment. All throughout her uncle's services that afternoon she felt as though se did not quite belong. The family seemed to want to avoid her and her mother so they could whisper among themselves and point. She had the distinct feeling of being an animal on display at the zoo.

Draco, however, was kind to her and was the only person who really treated her like family. After the funeral, he walked around the garden with her and introduced her to everyone who passed them by. They did not talk much as they strolled through the amazing gardens. Ella simply enjoyed looking at all the different flowers and the glossy lake in which swam two black swans. The short hedges that framed the path were festooned with black streamers that would fly loose every once and awhile to get tangled in a tree. It made Ella feel better to have him there beside her rather than across the expanse of grass like everyone else, whispering about her.

Draco did not usually speak unless he was introducing her to other guests and he appeared, to Ella, to be avoiding his mother's gaze. Every time the path turned and they grew closer to Mrs. Malfoy, Draco would redirect them.

"Is there a reason," asked Ella inquisitively, "Why you don't want to talk to your mother?"

Draco just smiled and said, "What are you talking about?" But, he could not keep away from her for long. Narcissa Malfoy, on her rounds through the maze of guests, finally caught up with her son.

"Draco," she said casually, looking sideways at Ella in a way that made Ella uneasy, "I wish to speak with you privately for a moment."

"I'm sorry mother," Draco replied, "But, I was just giving Ella a tour. Can't this wait?" He gave her a pointed stare. Ella tried not to lean in with her interest.

Narcissa stared back and Ella thought she could hear coldness in Mrs. Malfoy's voice as she said, "No, I'm afraid it can't." She moved forward cautiously and whispered, "She's here, isn't she?"

"No, mother," replied Draco through gritted teeth, "She is not!"

"She is; I know she is!"

"Well, this will just have to wait because I need to show Ella to her room. Excuse us." he grabbed Ella's arm and pulled her forward.

Ella felt slightly bewildered as she was drawn up the stone steps, through the oak doors draped with black and guarded by two grand lions, and through several halls that were identically decorated with black satin curtains. It was certainly a grand manner. The narrow hallway alone, in which they had stopped, was beautiful. But, Ella was not really looking at it.

"So," she said, "You are avoiding your mother."

"Maybe I am." Draco was out of breath.

"What does she want to talk to you about, anyway? Who is this 'she'?" Ella's curiosity was suddenly alive and burning.

"That is none of your business!" Draco snapped.

"Alright," she said, putting up her hands defensively, "But you can't hide forever."

"I'm not hiding!" exclaimed Draco, sounding childish for the first time that evening; more like the Draco he used to be.

"Sure." she said shortly.

"I'm not," he said more calmly, "I'm just not ready to talk about what she wants to talk about. What's it to you anyway?" When Ella raised her eyebrows at him he added a small, "Sorry." taking Ella by surprise.

"You've never apologized to me before!" she exclaimed admiringly, "Not ever!"

Draco shrugged, "People change, cousin," he looked a little sad.

Ella was just thinking that perhaps she had gone too far with her questions and that Draco had grown tired of her company when a small sound drifted from the floor to their ears. Meow.

"What?" Ella looked around and then looked down to see a silver haired cat at her feet. "Well hello."

She bent down to stroke it, but Draco stopped her hand. "That's Lucifer," he said, "You don't want to pet him, trust me."

Lucifer was a thin cat with an amazingly rat-like tail that had been cut short. Although there was something wicked about his slanted eyes, he seemed like a nice cat. He was purring and rubbing Ella's legs contentedly.

"Why not?" she asked and bent down to pick him up.

Draco shrugged again and said, "Do you want to see your room now?"

"Yes, thank you," she stroked Lucifer's thin, bristly fur gently.

For a moment Draco frowned, he looked as though he was thinking very deeply about something. But, whatever it was, he put it aside and opened up the door behind him. It swung inward to reveal a pleasantly bright room with steely blue walls and white, translucent curtains covering the large window that stretched across the wall on the right. The bed itself was an iron four-poster that sat opposite a fire place and…

"Um, it's a really pretty room." said Ella, smiling politely, "But…"

"Yes?" asked Draco, raising his eyebrows.

"Do you think I could…get a different room?"

"Why?" he asked, entering the room and looking around.

"It's just…the mirror over there."

Draco looked up and smiled at his reflection in the mirror over the fireplace. "Oh, but I picked this room especially for you." he said, turning to face her, "It has the prettiest view. Is the mirror really going to be a problem?"

He looked curiously at her and Ella acquiesced grudgingly, "No, I'm sorry. This room will be fine. It's beautiful."

She dropped Lucifer onto the blue bedcovers and moved the curtains aside to look out of the window. Draco sat down next to the cat on the bed.

"Are you sure?" he asked, reaching over to pet the cat.

"Of course, I'm sorry, it's just that…"

"Fuck!" Draco swore loudly and jumped up, cradling his hand, "Damn that…"

Lucifer had whipped around with astonishing speed and scratched Draco brutally across the hand. Red blood dripped to the floor and Draco hastened to remove it with his wand. "See what I mean?" he said, attempting to mend his hand. The cat slinked off the bed and across the floor, hissing weirdly.

"He was perfectly nice to me," she said, confused as she pulled out her own wand and looked at Draco's wound.

"Are you going to use that?" he asked, looking into her face.

Ella blushed and pocketed her wand again, "No, I can't yet."

"Well," said Draco, turning to leave, "I hope you find everything comfortable. I won't see you at dinner, maybe afterwards though." He smiled at her and left the room.

He really has gotten a lot nicer, she thought, it's amazing what two years of being on your own can do.

Ella looked over at Lucifer who was purring with his slanted eyes closed in front of the fire place and then at her reflection in the mirror above it. "I'll have to find an extra sheet to put over that," she told the silver cat, "I'll never get any sleep otherwise."

Lucifer opened one eye and mewed lazily.