Nott Manor was a very different place in summer than it had been at Yule. Flowers crammed the beds in the manicured gardens and the many, massive windows had been thrown open to allow their sweet perfume to drift through every corner of the house on the wings of gentle breezes. There was a little pond at the end of the lawn, hidden by a grove of trees and ringed by large rocks that were perfect for sunbathing with a book. They spent most of their holiday there, practicing their wandless magic and writing ridiculous rhyming letters to Harry at The Burrow.

There was also a new litter of Aralez puppies in the kennels - the only magic animals that were kept on the estate, and they were tasked to look after them. They were odd little creatures with large downy wings that were perhaps in proportion with their paws, but nothing else. When Hermione had first arrived, they had been flightless and in the absence of their natural mountainous habitat it fell to Theo and Hermione to lift them up to high places and let them glide down to the ground again, catching them if they fell.

'I wish I could take Gutsy to the ball.' Hermione sighed wistfully, swabbing a string of drool off her jeans as she put him on the floor of the stall and closed the door before he could try and fly back out again.

'You just want him to drool over Madam Parkinson.' Theo pointed out, shaking the little vial that he'd used to run the tests on the puppies' saliva.

'Exactly.' She grinned. 'That's definitely purple now.' She added, pointing to the vial. Theo shrugged and compare it to the coloured cards in one of the drawers.

'Yeah, that's good. They'll probably be ready to start collecting in another week. St. Mungos accept anything better than grade three.'

'Does that mean they go?' Hermione asked, crestfallen. Theo shrugged.

'It depends. Father usually sells most overseas but he'll keep one or two. I bet he'd keep any one you wanted him to keep though. He loves you.'

'I wouldn't abuse my power that way.' She said primly. 'Besides, the High Priests and Priestesses in my family have always had Grims as their familiars.'

'I would expect nothing less. It wouldn't be fitting for a Gorlois to have anything less than the bringer of death at their command.'

'Of course.' Hermione tossed her head, following Theo out of the kennels and up to the house. As they walked though the doors, Theo's personal elf popped in to tell them that they had two hours until the ball.

'I don't think you'll need Gutsy to annoy Madam Parkinson anyway. Blaise said she was over at his mother's for the women's association meeting and she was fuming that you will be getting a second dress by Anneken Krum.'

'Really, and what does everyone else think?' Hermione's voice was deceptively light, even as her heart pounded in her chest. She had no really insight into what the adults wizarding population thought of her and she really didn't want to ask. She knew that she had made a splash and the whole school had known that she'd duelled Voldemort, so undoubtedly all the parents now knew as well but she didn't know what they thought of her. She could afford to ruffle a few feathers and she had counted the Malfoy family as acceptable losses, and she hadn't cared either way about Madam Parkinson but she couldn't afford to alienate every old family.

'Curious. I imagine you'll have a lot of people wanting to talk to you this evening.'

'Eugh.' She feigned disgust, but her mind was racing to come up with strategies. She stupidly hadn't considered her answers to the questions people would be certain to ask, and now that she was only two hours away... two hours that she'd need to use to get ready, her mind was completely blank. She couldn't even think of what she would be asked.

Her mind remained worryingly blank as an elf drew her bath and did her hair. The dress was spectacular - white with crimson embroidery that made her hair look slightly chestnut. She didn't own any jewellery other than her combs, which were the wrong colour for the ensemble, but Anneken had included a glittering hair accessory that trailed little rubies down her hair and draped over her shoulders.

Two hours later, she stepped through the floo to the Parkinson summer home. She'd expected an imposing Gothic or perhaps Tudor house like both Nott and Malfoy lived in but she found herself instead in a glass conservatory. The stone walls to either side of her were honey golden stone and a paved patio stretched unbroken from beneath the glass and into a large, open ended courtyard where the party guests were already mingling around an ornate fountain. Little tables had been laid with white table cloths and ostentatious bouquets of flowers. Topiaries hugged the walls, framing dark, shaded archways that allowed people to rest in the cool and a violin quartet played almost inaudibly in one corner.

'I'm bored already.' Theo muttered, leaning over their joined arms to mutter in her ear.

'Look out. The hostess is coming.' Hermione jerked her head over to where Madam Parkinson had separated from the pastel smear of the women's society. Her peony pink dress was artfully designed to look like flower petals around her waist, and and she wore her hair in an intricate half-foot tall pile of flowers above her head.

'Lord Nott, it's a pleasure to see you in society.' Lady Parkinson curtsied as a man in white dress robes came up behind her.

'Madam Parkinson.' Lord Nott inclined his head, then caught sight of the wizard behind her. 'Ah, Lord Parkinson, I've been meaning to speak with you about an old estate that has been entirely overrun with fern flowers - yes, I've spoken with Lucius, but you know there's no real use for them outside cosmetics and in the quantity I would be harvesting them...' Their voices were lost quickly to the rabble of the crowd as they made their way to the drinks table and the two children were left alone with Madam Parkinson.

'Such a lovely dress, Miss Gorlois.' The hostess said insincerely. Hermione deliberately ignored the thinly veiled sarcasm.

'I know!' She gushed, loudly enough for the closest ladies to notice them. 'Anneken always does such lovely work.'

She twisted her hips until the full skirt swished around her ankles and the little red gems flashed in the summer sun. Looking at all the other ladies, she really was distinguishable as the only one not dressed in pastel. The white was crisp and clean whilst the red was bold and bright, and the shape was much more flattering than the bulbous imitations of flowers that seemed to be in fashion.

'Yes, its ever so kind of her to ensure even those without invitations to The Compass get a dress.' Madam Parkinson turned her nose up, then looked over at Theo. 'Ah, Heir Nott. So good of you to escort her; the rest of your friends are at the Aviary, admiring Pansy's new snidgets.'

'Thank you, Madam Parkinson. We will be on our way.' Theo said hurriedly, pulling Hermione away before the two witches could become any more confrontational. The High Priestess allowed it, but they didn't get very far before they were stopped by a gaggle of curious witches who wanted to know how she knew Lady Krum and whether she ever went on the older witch's exotic holidays to the Middle East. Hermione didn't - Anneken hadn't even mentioned her holidays and Hermione wasn't even sure exactly what the older witch did, other than her very exclusive designing. Of course, with the kind of fortune Anneken must have from both the Krum and Lintzen sides of her family she probably didn't need to work. Both Gellert and Berg expected the running of their relevant estates to become full time jobs once they were older.

'But did you hear, she's been doing some awfully unusual things this past year.' One of the older ladies tittered.

'Really?' Another asked curiously, eyes wide at the prospect of gossip.

'Oh yes. My husband works at the International Confederation of Wizards, and he said that she petitioned to visit Gellert Grindelwald in prison.' There was a chorus of gasps that met the witch's words.

'Well,' This lady was even older. Her hair was pepper coloured with the beginnings of grey at her roots and she had a slight french accent. 'They did grow up together, I heard. The Lintzens and Grindelwalds were meant to be very close back in the day - I never believed it when she said she wasn't one of Grindelwald's acolytes.'

'Old families, both of them. Obsessed with primitive and likely dark magic.' A fourth witch tutted. 'Perhaps she'd finally going mad - she must be as old at Baghilda at least!'

'She's perfectly sane.' Hermione snapped, insulted on her mentor's behalf. 'Anneken is the Locum Matriarch of House Grindelwald, and she visited him in prison because a ward of the house had almost been killed at school.'

'A ward.' The fourth witch shook her head again, looking at Hermione pityingly. 'Poor thing, they must have been inflicting dark magic on you for years. Its a miracle you're still sane. Perhaps we should petition to have the darling girl removed from her custody, Elladore?'

'Don't be ridiculous!' A new witch snapped from behind her, and Hermione spun to see a tall, thin witch. She was dressed in an old fashioned, ivory dress with an incredibly tight corset and her hair swept into a bun. Neville hovered at her elbow, face flushed as his grandmother berated the gaggle of witches around them. 'Wardship is an ancient and generous tradition. Just because you do not practice or understand it does not make it dark. The Lady Hermione is powerful, educated and magically capable thanks to the efforts of the Grindelwald family, and I suggest you respect that lest you give Gellert Grindelwald himself the excuse he needs to challenge you to a duel of honour.'

There was a collective draining of blood from faces and excuses were hurriedly made, the witches leaving Hermione, Theo and Neville alone with Lady Longbottom. Immediately, the elderly witch dropped into a deep, elegant - if stiff- curtsy, her skirts brushed the ground around her and she bowed her head. Neville hurriedly bowed as well, although he didn't seem to quite know why.

'High Priestess. The Ancient House of Longbottom is grateful that you would take time to teach one of our sons in the old ways of magic.'

'Please rise.' Hermione instructed, 'I admit that I hope to have Neville at my side in the future, his knowledge of Herbology is remarkable.'

Lady Longbottom rose.

'My Grandson has a great heart, even if his magic is late to bloom.' Neville turned red enough to match the crimson bag his grandmother clutched.

'My family believes that every wixen has their own strength, and that it is merely a matter of discovering it.' Hermione smiled reassuringly at Neville, who looked like he wanted to disappear into a topiary.

'Well, I'm sure that Neville has told you all about his parents. They were excellent Aurors; fought against Voldemort himself and it took four of his best death eaters to bring them down. They were the last casualties of the war.' Lady Longbottom looked expectantly between Neville and Hermione and both of them swallowed awkwardly. Neville had said nothing of the sort, and Hermione had had no idea. Behind her, Theo seemed to be just as uncomfortable with the conversation as the rest of them. 'Oh Neville, you should be proud. Don't tell me you've been keeping it a secret?'

There was an awkward silence.

'Oh Neville.' She sighed, sounding exhausted. 'Well, I'm sure you'll find the Brown girls here somewhere, or the Abbotts. Do try not to embarrass us.'

Then, Lady Longbottom turned with a rustle of silk skirts and strode off to greet a woman with a very similar style of dress who'd just arrived.

The awkward silence continued. Finally, Theo cleared his throat and offered his arm to Hermione. She took it with a smile that barely escaped being a grimace and they began winding their way towards the closest table of refreshments.

It was similar in concept to the little nibbles one would find at a muggle party, except even the best chef would never be able to create the delicacies on offer without magic. Hermione picked up a strawberry, only to discover that it was a miniature, exquisitely iced red velvet cake. Theo took a chocolate broomstick for himself, then handed a second to Neville. For a moment they nibbled on their treats in silence, then Theo pointed a witch who couldn't be long graduated who was also enjoying a chocolate broomstick in an entirely grotesque display of flirting with a wizard who was perhaps half her age again.

Neville gagged, Theo snickered and the ice was broken.

They polished off a significant portion of the sweets at their table and Hermione perhaps ate more than was strictly ladylike before they retreated to one of the benches in the shade, feeling decidedly sick. They picked the furthest one, hoping for a little privacy to practice their magic and happily settled into trying to cast wandless bogies jinxes at their classmates who had now returned from the aviary.

'Lucius, this really is not an appropriate time or place for this conversation!' A voice hissed suddenly, tucked behind the nearest pillar. The trio snapped their mouths shut and shared nervous looks. Theo mouthed that is was Avery.

'This is urgent.' Lucius Malfoy snapped.

'Very well. Be quick about it then.'

'The Carrow's Villa was raided by Arthur Weasley and his band of muggle-loving fools.' Malfoy said gravely. His words were met by a sharp intake of breath.

'How? Why? Surely someone...'

'Do you think I have not tried? I can not force the issue any further without seeming suspicious.' Lord Malfoy snapped irritably.

'What do we do?'

'Hide what you can. I suggest you sell the rest. I shall be visiting Borgin and Burke's when I take Draco to Diagon Alley for his school supplies.'

'But some of those artefacts have been in my family for generations. This is an outrage... The Dark Lord...'

'Is dead.' Malfoy finished shortly.

'But that Grindelwald girl... the children said she duelled him.'

'Don't be foolish. She is a child; powerful perhaps, and with Thoros' favour, but still a mere first year. If she truly had duelled the Dark Lord, she would not have survived.' She could imagine exactly how Lucius Malfoy had waved his hand dismissively as he spoke and she clenched her fingers tightly to stop herself accidentally setting the topiary that obscured them from view alight. 'The Dark Lord is dead and we can not afford to be caught breaking the law, even if the law is ridiculous.'

'So we shall cower before them, and hand over our very legacies.' Avery spat bitterly.

'This once.' Malfoy's voice had gained a sly, cunning edge. 'Do you remember the item that the Dark Lord gave me? I believe now might perhaps be a good time to put it to use.'

'And you think this will stop Weasley...' Avery trailed off abruptly. 'Annabelle, how lovely to see you.'

'Oh, Robert. Isn't this just a wonderful party?' A woman's voice tittered, 'I was just talking to your wife, Lucius...'

Hermione grabbed her friends by the arms and dragged them away. They made sure they stayed out of sight until they were a fair distance away, then they merged into the crowd and crossed to the furthest archway.

'We've got to warn my father.' Theo said, face white and knuckles tense.

'I've got to warn my gran.' Neville agreed. 'If they're searching people' houses...'

'But your family is allied with Dumbledore and the Weasleys. Why would they search you?' Hermione demanded.

'No, we're not allied with the Dumbledore, we just weren't allied with You-Know-Who and everyone knows my gran follows the old ways. There must be loads of stuff in my house that's technically dark magic now.' Neville shrugged nervously.

'Not as much as my house.' Theo said darkly.

'But surely they've done this before. How did you get away with it last time?'

'They haven't.' Neville said grimly. 'There's enough money in the old families to keep the ministry out. There were a couple of raids after the war, my Gran said, but even people like Malfoy and... well, people who everyone knew was following You-Know-Who managed to buy their way out of it.'

There was silence for a moment, then Hermione bit her lip.

'Well. I can think of one place they'd never check.' She announced and both purebloods raised their eyebrows at her. 'Come on, let's go.'