AN: Sorry for the delay. Sometimes I feel like I'm giving entirely new meanings to the word overcommitted...
-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-
The two weeks of the so called honeymoon passed, and the promised garden party at Travers Manor was finally about to happen. Before it did, however, a short discussion about the guest list had to take place, because the Weasleys were not asked.
When Harry protested, Alduin tried to explain: "What you want is to ask Ron and Neville. What I want is to ask neither of them – not because I have anything against them," he did have some objections to Ron, but that was not the reason, "but because neither Mrs. Longbottom nor the Weasleys have any manners. So I decided on a compromise – asking only Neville, because at least there is only one Mrs. Longbottom, whereas there are many Weasleys. I promise you the Weasleys will be asked during the summer, on some other occasions. Maybe we'll even start asking them to our garden parties in time. But this is the first one, and so it is highly symbolic. As such, I decided to go for the middle way. After all, it sort of works even if we follow the regular basis on which invitations are sent – the Weasleys aren't related to us closely enough to warrant an invitation, but Neville is - to you, anyway."
Harry had to agree that it was reasonable.
There was also another matter to ensure: that Neville actually came. To that end, Harry told him not to come over on Monday as usual, that he'd come to Longbottom Hall instead. He had counted – correctly, as it turned out – on Mrs. Longbottom being unable to miss the opportunity to talk to him once he was in her house.
First, he had to endure a long lecture about the importance of Gryffindor values. He had never once wavered in his sympathy for that house during the months of his cousins showcasing the virtues of Ravenclaw, but now felt the stirrings of a wish to go to a different house just to spite the lady, but he controlled himself and, at the end of it, said: "And Neville will come to the garden party the day after tomorrow, right? I really want him to be there...I mean, when he isn't, I only have Draco to talk to..."
Mrs. Longbottom agreed with some alacrity, and Harry, proud of himself and rather relieved, went out to the garden with Neville.
Of course, now he had to deal with Neville's nerves about the matter. "I've never been to a garden party," the boy said. "What if I won't know what to do?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Neville," he said, "it's really easy. You just come in, grab some food from the tables laden with it, and come sit with me and my friends before your Gran stops you, and talk to us."
Neville frowned. "But I don't know anyone except you there," he said. "I'm...not that good at talking to new people."
"How would you know? From what you said, you never really meet any."
Neville blushed, and Harry immediately apologized. "No, it's true," Neville said. "That makes it worse, I think. But at any rate, it was really hard for me after I met you to talk to you, and the same with Ron. It gets easier with time, but..."
Harry sighed. "Look, you don't even have to speak after you introduce yourself, if you don't want to. We usually have plenty to talk about, so you can just sit and listen if you want. And maybe later, after you get to know these people, it'll be better."
Neville nodded a little shakily.
And so everything was finally arranged and the day of the party arrived. Harry knew most of the children his age who were present already, from garden parties or from the wedding, but he met Ernie Macmillan properly for the first time, the last Ancient family child his age he hadn't known yet. The seemed solemn and a little pompous, but he was snatched away for conversation by Susan and Hannah soon enough, so it was difficult to judge.
Harry led the people that gathered around him to his favourite spot in the garden, just by the lake. Gamila had left at the head of a group of the younger children some time before, and the older ones had now space to talk in peace.
Well, almost.
They spent a good portion of their time by trying to lose Zacharias Smith in the grounds. "I wish he wasn't related to my cousin," Harry muttered.
"At least you only see him at parties like this," Neville replied quietly, no doubt thinking of his own embarrassing relations, and Draco gave him a sympathetic look. "Everyone has someone in the family they're not exactly proud of," he commented. Harry saw him exchange a look with Edmund Crouch at this – Edmund' cousin and Draco's aunt both went to prison for the same crime, which was torturing Neville's parents, he knew. He realized how awkward this must be for them.
Ernie did not help the situation by pompously saying: "Well, I cannot recall a single relation I would be ashamed of."
Horatio rolled his eyes, and Kiara asked: "And Zach is what?"
Ernie frowned. "Well, all right, except for Zach."
Everyone laughed, and they moved on to less conflicting topics – namely, how much they were all looking forward to Hogwarts. Horatio, Roger and Kiara were once more the centre of attention.
"Will you tell us what happens during the Sorting?" Abdulaziz asked. "Please?"
Kiara laughed at him. "It's the best kept secret of the wizarding world!" She replied. "Of course we're not going to break it!"
"I bet I could get Father or Mother to tell me," Draco said in that superior tone of his.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Well, do, and then let us know!" He said.
"Actually, I'm not sure that is even possible," Horatio remarked. "I know for certain there are spells on Hogwarts: A History, and other books about the school, that prevent people who haven't been through the Sorting reading about it. I wouldn't be too surprised if it was just generally impossible to discuss with the uninitiated."
Ernie nodded solemnly. "Do you think it cannot be spoken of because it's so terrible?" He asked.
Kiara giggled. "I take that as a no," Draco commented drily.
"Hey!" Horatio exclaimed. "Don't give the game away!"
Edmund, who had been silent until now, said: "It seems stupid that they would ask us to perform some complicated things when we were only starting Hogwarts. Not many people would know how, would they?"
"Plus there are all the people from Muggle families," Harry added. "They'd have no clue."
"Well, perhaps that's how you get Sorted – you get a task only proper wizard-born people would know how to do, and when you can do it, you get to be a Slytherin, and when you can's, you end up in some of the lesser houses."
Harry gave Draco a mean look. He had known the boy was likely to have opinions like this, of course, but this was the first time he actually heard them. They simply never usually came across Muggles in their conversations.
He thoughts about what to say, when Neville surprised him by observing, in a quiet voice: "You really shouldn't say things like this."
Draco's eyes widened, and Harry was frantically thinking about ways to support Neville without making the conflict worse when Horatio added with a laugh: "Yeah, especially as you are, in fact, the only Slytherin sympathiser present today!"
Draco's eyes widened some more.
"Who does Charles support?" Kiara asked curiously. "I mean, your parents are a mix of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, aren't they?"
Charles Bulstrode nodded. "I go with Ravenclaw, though."
"Traitor," Kiara muttered.
"Yes, he is," his sister, Harriet, agreed.
"No, he simply recognizes quality when he sees it," Roger corrected.
"Ravenclaw power!" Horatio added.
"I second that," Abdulaziz chimed in.
"Well? Edmund?" Horatio turned to the quiet boy.
"Yes, of course," was the answer, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"It's not fair, you have the home advantage," Harry muttered.
"Don't give up, Harry, we shall overcome!" Kiara said with a laugh. "There's almost as many of us here. You and me and Harriet, and Neville is with us as well, aren't you?"
Neville nodded, apparently having exhausted his courage in his resistance to Draco – which, Harry had to admit, was rather impressive, all things considered.
"I feel rather isolated," Ernie muttered.
"Well, you can go find Zach," Abdulaziz suggested with a snigger.
"Where do you think he's gone off to?" Harry wondered.
"Probably went to bother the younger kids," Draco guessed, though he still looked a little unnerved at the realization of how without allies he was here.
"Oh damn," Abdulaziz cursed. "Poor Gamila. I feel like I should go rescue her."
"Let's see what they're up to," Harry agreed. He was a bit of a host today, and he didn't like the idea of leaving he little kids at Zach's mercy.
-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-hp-
The first formal dinner where he would be playing the host was approaching, and Alduin was a little apprehensive. Not nervous, exactly – it wasn't like he didn't know what to do, and they had chosen their guests well – but still, a lot depended on first impressions. The garden party had gone over well, fortunately, and so had the visit of his transcendental sciences friends two weeks ago, but this was another level. There were going to be less guests than at the garden party, but everything would be scrutinized much more carefully.
Alexandra seemed completely unfazed, as always. If his wife had any insecurities, she had to be hiding them so well that perhaps she forgot about them herself. She looked lovely and the picture of ease on the evening in question, sitting in the drawing room in her customary shades of rich blue. Alduin tried to take a leaf out of her book.
Her family arrived first, all of the Burkes except the children and Mrs. Daniel. They were formally welcomed and a conversation topic was found easily in rehashing the wedding for the umpteenth time. Alduin had truly enjoyed that day, but now was thankful for the arrival of the Shafiqs with Mrs. Leopold Rosier some minutes later, and the distraction it provided. Mrs. Sofoclus Burke immediately started a conversation with her niece, Mrs. Muhammad, and since they were both of a rather lively character, most of the company was soon drawn into their discussion and talking about practical uses of runes in modern magic.
"I've never seen much point," Perpetua Burke was saying as she shrugged. "But then, I've never had that much use for any kinds of magic that aren't immediate spells, so..."
"That's the Shacklebolt blood speaking," Mrs. Muhammad said with a laugh. "Your father and grandparents must have seizures when they hear you speak like that."
"They do, a little," Perpetua admitted sheepishly and laughed as well. "I think they quite despair of me."
"As a matter of fact," Alduin joined that conversation, "I distinctly remember Valerius telling me that he is grateful you, at least, chose a proper magical field. I think he was distinctly underwhelmed by your sister's chosen path."
Perpetua sighed. "Or my sister-in-law's, yes. To listen to him, you'd think literature and philosophy were something shameful to devote your time to."
"To be fair to him, Valerius tends to think that everything that's not transcendental sciences is sort of shameful," Muhammad said with a wry smile.
"Well, you'd understand that," his wife muttered.
"Now, now, no shaming of transcendentals when we are in one of their houses," Mrs. Sofoclus tinkled. "We can badmouth them later when we're alone, Gwyneth."
"Is that a promise?"
Yes, Alduin thought, it was looking well so far.
Mrs. Sofoclus had always been his favourite member of the Burke family, long before he knew Alexandra properly. She was his grandmother's cousin by marriage, and though the two women had always rather disliked each other, Alduin's mother had had a great liking for the lady – a liking about which he had always wondered to what degree had it been an intentional provocation of her mother-in-law, who disapproved of Rowan Travers née Potter and was not always very good at hiding it, and to what degree it had been a genuine thing – and she had passed down this liking to her son.
The conversation flowed on, in the drawing room and later at the table. It was only after the meal, when the ladies departed for their Madeira and the men remained behind, that it halted a little.
"Do you feel Harry is ready for Hogwarts?" Mr. Sofoclus asked Alduin as he passed on the port decanter.
"As ready as can be," Alduin answered, as he had many times before. "We're awaiting the letter any day now."
Theodore nodded. "It should come soon," he said, "even though I've heard that lately, it just depends on how soon can Dumbledore get someone to teach Defense."
"Hasn't it always?" Abdullah asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, but the pool of people he can draw from becomes smaller and smaller as time passes. Perpetua has been asked repeatedly already."
Alduin raised his eyebrows. "Does Dumbledore not know you have small children? Leaving aside all the other reasons you might not wish to teach there."
"He's perfectly aware, but what can he do? Uncle Graham has already taught there twice, and everyone whose children are already grown from the Defence circles has done the rounds at least once, except Mr. Yaxley. Perpetua said there were bets going on among them about how long is the old man going to hold out."
"Which old man?" Abdullah asked pointedly, and everyone laughed.
And the port was good, too. Yes, Alduin felt, unless the ladies started arguing over the Madeira, this evening was going to be a success.