"So you want to organize something. To make people aware?" Narcissa spoke into the silence she had left and Hermione caught Meda's eye. Her glance said keep going.
"I want your help in figuring out how to make actual issues something that people are thinking and talking about." Were the words she chose and then Pansy scoffed beside her.
"Rather than us you mean." Was the wry reply and all of them smiled. It was laugh at the papers and keep going or hide away and they wouldn't do that.
"It would be more than one project. To keep attention on actual matters. The public and administration would both need several things." Andromeda said and Daphne set her tea cup onto its saucer.
"We are women. Perhaps that can be of service instead of a lack." Were her words and glances were exchanged.
"We don't have Wizengamot seats but we do have influence. Of varying kinds." Narcissa replied and Hermione sat back. Sure that they would come up with ideas and then some kind of plan. They were only five but others would want in eventually and they could make a substantial difference if they went at it together.
"What are you thinking Granger?" Pansy asked her. In that way that meant she was thinking of Hermione at school. What she was called depended on the moment. All of them looked at her and she picked up her cup to buy a moment.
"Maybe we could make being informed or involved fashionable. Everyone is wearing coats. Or there are less cloaks to be seen and that was unintentional." Was the way she chose to phrase her thought. Not wanting her grandiose imaginings to be amusing.
"Make being smart fashionable you mean?" Pansy said and Andromeda snorted and then laughed. Narcissa gave a sniff at her sisters display and then they were all laughing at the two and the moment.
An hour and a half later she stood and the rest did too. They had stayed until she had to leave which was their version of support but meant she didn't have time to change more than her clothes. Her tea time hair style was a bit much for Azkaban but it was what she had. Patter popped in and snapped her fingers, changing her clothes and then Zavi met her in the floo room to hand her the pictures and letters she was bringing. The four women stood there and she met all of their eyes and gave a week smile then twisted away to the Ministry.
Half an hour later, she turned down Austins offer off a guard and didn't give a smile in return to his sheepish one. Then she took a single breath and opened the door. This time she didn't stop to stare and assess like she had with Josh but held eye contact and walked to the chair waiting for her. His hands were linked as Josh's had been but that was the only similarity.
"Here's Sabrina's letter and some pictures." She said and it was easier to start speaking than it had been with her brother. Sabrina providing a starting ground or enough for most of the visit even. She was pretty sure that wouldn't happen but it was comforting. She watched his face and knew which ones were all of them which were the two of just her. Then he read the letter and she looked down. Giving him some time and looked up when he folded it. Minutes later it felt like.
He looked thoughtful and was looking at her. She caught his eye and then waited. He was tapping the envelope on the desk and surveying her. That was the impression she got and then she realised this was the first time he had seen her without her glamours so she pushed her hair off her neck and gave him the full view.
"I'm sure it was worse but the talk made it sound much worse." Were his eventual words and he was scanning her face and even her body then. Looking her over and she wondered what the letter had said, if it caused this scrutiny.
"It's healed nicely I think." She said and didn't begin speaking until he appeared to be finished. She knew her cheeks were pink and that made her more uncomfortable.
"Tell me how you ended up with Lestrange and then what you've been doing. Sabrina too. We don't have long and I want to know. From you." His eyes were direct and she straightened at his firm tone. It took only a few minutes to explain her having Sinclair and then he stopped her before she moved on.
"How is it? For you and all around." He was curious and she smiled a bit.
"So much better than I had hoped. It's only been Christmas and those few days of the October holiday but he was much more comfortable and made some noise. Everyone who could flee with him and his grin when he gets off his broom is gorgeous. He loves to study and so fits in with Sabrina and I. Enjoyed the prerogatives of living in an estate, and didn't want to go to France for Christmas so I'm planning for this summer. Do you know if I can get flying lessons for him?" She asked. Blaise had shrugged and Narcissa didn't know.
"Like private ones?" He asked.
"Yes. He will bring his broom next year and I want enough of free fundamentals down. If he doesn't make the house team, at least the Reserves, then he will mostly be flying by himself or with friends. Even on the team I don't remember safety being overly emphasized." Her tone was dry at the end and he laughed then relaxed back into his seat.
"You are alright then. Josh wasn't sure and Draco just scoffed and said you would love him until he gave in. A young guy like that didn't have a chance. I didn't know though. It's another thing." He said and she smiled a small but real smile at him.
"Sabrina was equally concerned and assured me that you would be alright with it. It was me and not my house so legally he is mine not Josh's. I wasn't sure what you would think." She admitted her concerns and he smiled at her. It was small but she thought it equally sincere.
"It's fine. I'm glad you've got some people around even if they are short and predominantly Slytherin." He grinned then and she wrinkled her nose.
"So lessons?" She asked him and he considered for a minute.
"You've got to have some connections. Versende and I used to get on alright and he plays for Toulouse. You could write their association and ask. Celebrity like you." She couldn't help her chuckle then. It was ironic and he raised a brow.
"Alright. There would be better anyways, I'd feel better about it. Trusting people is hard unless I know their motives." He sobered at that and she decided Sabrina would help.
"She is doing so well in school and is a transfiguration prodigy I think. I've discreetly begun looking into some masters so if she goes that way I've got some information. I'm not sure she will though." His eyebrows furrowed and she thought it over.
"I don't know if she will and she might not for the reasons I didn't. To constraining to do right out of school." He short her an apologetic look and she answered it.
"I probably wouldn't have right away, with or without Sabrina. Though I wouldn't trade her or even Sinclair for anything. It's so much better. Easier to have a home with younger people and keeping them going keeps me going too. She can do it later if she wants to or not at all. So can I." She tried to show her feelings and remember that he would be her husband one day. Or people said he would be and he seemed to think so. Regardless of that, he was someone to her. Someone she did want to know her. A nod from him and a small smile so she kept going.
"Before Christmas she was having some problems with Hortense." The change was instant and then he seemed to be pushing himself into his chair and she hurried on. "It's alright. She kept him at bay and had some help. Ginny and Neville are still running the DA sort of and everyone is keeping an eye on things. She is mine now and not to brag but it's helped her I think. Not the things related to you or me but the general snide Gryffindor type behaviour and talk." He nodded and she tried to not smile at the pointed look he gave her. The small attempt at humour was good. Promising.
"So when she came home for Christmas I was ready and Ginny said he was found in the same state Mclaggan was in my sixth year. Sabrina just said he wasn't speaking to her and Claudia wrote she hoped it happened again and that they had agreed she could cast next time. Harry and Blaise were released several times over Christmas break and pronounced it adequate." He released his grip on the chair arms and flexed his fingers. She wouldn't do that again. It was a small consideration to make sure she lead with something negating the issue. Or try to anyways. He would learn that she wouldn't approach things that way. Maybe that was worth saying.
"I wouldn't approach anything serious in this way. If there is ever a problem or serious concern I will tell you outright." He didn't say anything but looked down and then those blue grey eyes met hers she got a firm nod and she thought he was grateful for the honest comment.
"Trussed up then?" He asked and she remembered he wasn't there for Mclaggan.
"Yes. Nice and tight. With a sign that said he respected women stuck to his chest. In the Common Room of course. His." She let her mean smile show and he did chuckle then and it sounded real to her.
"Good. I'm glad she has someone to make devious plans with. She prefers them to straight on tussles." He admitted and she laughed at that. Not hard but it was funny. To hear him use a word Sabrina often did.
"So France this summer. What then?" He asked her and she wasn't sure what he meant. "For you. I don't think you would enjoy a life of nothing to do." He said and she nodded her agreement.
"I've got a few things going on and a few that aren't happening yet." She said and he just looked his expectancy at her. That was look to catalogue. She hadn't noticed it or understood it before.
"Blaise and I are investing here and there. Judiciously and quietly but it's paying off for more than just us. I think we will do some more of that and maybe some bigger things. We need people to come back or need to lure people to our shores so we've been talking about that. He's got a hotel and we've been talking about that too. Here though. With him and alone be been looking into some old Magics. Haven't tried anything but I'm thinking maybe this autumn solstice. A minor soil fertility one. I might as well use my virginity." She grimaced and he grinned at that and then looked thoughtful.
"There's a couple books on that at the Tower. My great grandmother was betrothed for years and they did a few of those things. Our fields are still hard for the weather to hurt." She perked up at that and his serious tone.
"Was it common to use such magics in your family?" She asked him and knew her interest was clear when he looked intently at her.
"Not my father or his but before that it was. We are Norse. Or were and married as close to it as we could get for a long time. A lot of that was part of my family lessons." She couldn't help the places her thoughts went and came back to herself when he coughed and she caught his exasperated look.
"Sorry. So am doing some of that and have started to meet with Kingsley in his office once a week for an hour. He likes it and we just talk about what we the issues are. Not enough people outside of the power struggles and bureaucracy to get a different view in there so he wants to do more but I don't want to commit so we will see. Then there is tea and all that encompasses." He grinned at that and she did too.
"I've heard about Draco's mum and you being chummy. We laughed a lot. A lot. Quietly though." She nodded her agreement and felt glad they had laughed at all. Narcissa would like it too.
"I've slipped and called her Narcissa four times now and she just pretends it didn't happen and ignores my blushes. Daphne and Pansy make me feel less young bumpkin like. Well Pansy anyways. Daphne is so composed. I can see more now but she shows off to us because we both react." She chatted and he raised both brows.
"Parkinson?" He asked and she understood. Then thought about what she should say. It was a separate issue. Trusting him. She had tried to be causal when she asked about what these agreements entailed between the participants.
"The papers love it. I could give you a glossed over answer or actually answer. It's something I'm curious about but not sure if I should bring it up. Sort of related and we've got twenty minutes." She said this quickly and watched him sit up straighter as he tried to follow her erratic thought process.
"What are you not sure if you should bring up?" He asked and she bit her lip and then looked down.
"It's been hinted at or I think it has. That I can trust you. Should trust you. I don't know. I haven't lied and I've been totally upfront about Sabrina but I don't know you." She trailed off and looked at the wooden plank top table infront of her.
"This isn't normal. This exact situation. You would have known who you had contracts with and we would have talked about these things. Regardless, there are traditions and expectations. I've trusted you. Or I had no choice and now I do. As much as I can without knowing you. If you don't want to tell me things then that's your right." She looked up then and he was looking down too. Hands on his thighs and his hair had fallen forward.
She looked at him and thought about that. Deciding that Pansy has been one of the most vocal about her trying with Thorfinn, aside from Sabrina, she decided to trust her words and the direct eye contact that had come with it.
"She wasn't seeing anyone but Daphne thought she was physically okay. She said we couldn't just show up and she had done everything she could that manners and custom allowed." Letting some of her amusement into her tone, she wasn't surprised to see his head come up. Curious and smirking. It was heartening and handsome. Which was not something she wanted to think about. "So we went to Parkinson Hall. Dressed and ready. I pretended to be Narcissa Malfoy and that I knew less than I did. It was an interesting combination but eventually I barged into her suite and ignored the elf wailing. There she was in muggle jeans and reading a muggle fashion magazine. No make up and she looked good. Better than I had ever seen her." He was listening and settled back into his seat at her pause.
"Carry on. This is riveting." He said and she thought he meant it.
'Granger. I should have known it was you barging into my house and hollering politely.' She grumbled and stood up. 'Daphne, I expected better from you.' Then she gestured we sit and began speaking. Basically it is this. They gave her a year of probation and she hadn't ventured out of her house except to her lawyer, that's where I saw her, and the muggle world but had read everything she could get her hands on from both. She asked if I had come to berate her and I said no. She wasn't sure what to think and Daphne asked for tea and then carried on speaking about our plans and her involvement without asking her. Two hours later she had caved and then she showed up at my house. Which I hadn't expected even though I said it was okay for her to come any time. She offered a vow and Blaise did it. Secrets and honesty both ways. In private. I was surprised but she said it was the only way she wouldn't feel as if she were taking advantage. If she gave what she knew I would." He was just listening and then looked her over again.
"You are full of surprises." He said and she smiled.
"So I've been making friends and allies, as Sinclair calls them. It's enough. With Harry around and Ginny won't be in school after this year so I'll see her too." He looked thoughtful and she waited for a minute and then looked at her watch. It was still working and she grinned a bit at that. These were heavy wards.
"Mac said your accounts are more interesting if less varied than ours. Here is his note. He said it was short." She handed the paper over and he opened it and then laughed lowly before looking up at her.
"I look forward to meeting him. Josh said he was unique." He said and smiled at that.
"Oh yes. He is funny but assertive and so short. His desk is massive he looks tiny behind it. 'Miss Rosier. Oh dear it just isn't done that way.'" She mimicked and he smiled and then sobered.
"Have you been to the Tower?" He asked her and she shook her head.
"No. The wards wouldn't accept me. Sabrina could go but she hasn't wanted to and the elves have brought over whatever was there that she wanted." He looked surprised or something and she wanted to know what he was thinking.
"The elves would tell you if something was wrong and you don't have to go. If you want to or whatever then your blood on the gates should do it. She does like the grounds, even if she doesn't like the house." She nodded and tried to see something of him.