Chapter summary: Hermione spends more time with the Greengrass family.
Word count: About 7100.
Author's note: Okay, that could have been shorter but I really enjoyed the bonding experience. Hermione certainly deserved it. And guess who's back?
Dedicated to all of my readers who stuck with me for so long in spite of my shortcomings. Thank You, I hope that You will find this story enjoyable. I adore seeing your reactions because not only they're thought provoking but also can be so inspiring that I will go out of my way to write a nearly 100k words spin-off. Not that I'm seeking validation but I do enjoy dialogue.
There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues of human society are created, strengthened and maintained.
Winston Churchill
Secrets & Keepers – Entropy
Chapter seventeen: Life of the Party
Hermione Granger, 16th August 1993, The Black Manor, Derbyshire
Over the course of the last couple of days she learned that once upon the time the Greengrass family was a pretty significant fixture in the Black family life or at the very least in that of Arcturus and Melania's. Enough for Arcturus to send Tommy to Damocles the moment he came down with a mysterious illness.
She didn't know what it was, other than it was apparently serious enough for Damocles to take one, long look at Arcturus before he summoned his oldest daughter Hecate, a healer, to keep the vigil with him by Arcturus's bedside. Not that Hermione hadn't tried to get there, but she found herself barred from the room, not out of malice as she was assured, but to spare her the sight.
And after that assurance for a good measure she was sent to the Greengrass manor as if the distance between both was going to stop her. Not that it had, it was Eleanor Greengrass that did. She was kind but firm and nothing but resourceful with the ways she was trying to distract Hermione from thinking about what was going on.
It was weird and she revealed as much to her entourage who appeared to consist solely from the Greengrass females because Eleanor's younger sons wound up in the care of their doting uncles and older brother.
"It's a can of worms, my dear," said Mia Wong, from what Hermione managed to grasp the long-time partner of Hyperion's younger sister, Cora-Please-Forget-About-That-Persephone-Nonsense.
"But what's wrong with him?" pressed Hermione between Daphne's attempts to wrangle her into one of Eleanor's ball gowns.
The gown was amazing, lush green in colour, not too modest but also not too revealing, if a little bit ill-fitting when it came to its length and Hermione's height. Not that the whole experience hadn't felt a little weird to begin with. Hermione never really was one for dress ups even though lately she came to appreciate the finer fabrics and fancier wardrobe. Not that she had much choice in that regard.
Arcturus, the scheming old coot, decided that the best way of educating Hermione on house-elves culture and treatment was via practical experience and after first couple of days assigned to Hermione an elf of her own. A perky young elven girl named Emmeline, who under no circumstances wished to be called Emmeline, preferring the nickname Melly and positively brimming with delight over having a human of her own. The thing that Melly loved the most was dressing Hermione up and, according to her at the very least, teaching Hermione the ways of a Black lady. And truth be told within a couple of days under Melly's watchful eyes Hermione found herself standing a little more straighter (and about two centimetres taller as she recently discovered but that was due to growth spurt).
"It's the arrogance of the apex predators," said Mia simply. "Not that healthy dose of hubris in one's abilities is something bad…" Hermione glanced at Mia's mirror reflection and found her grimacing slightly. "But the thing is in maintaining the balance…"
"And then there's the fact that like all apex predators men his age have no natural enemies," added Cora simply. "He outlived them, all of them, well majority of them," she corrected herself. "I used to observe them quite intently in my youth before…" Hermione saw her blush and reaching for Mia's hand. "Sirius and I agreed to…"
"Marry if nothing better came along," chipped in Eleanor.
"And knowing that most likely I was going to be the next Lady Black I paid very close attention to Sirius's behaviour around them as much as I did to Arcturus and Melania," explained Cora. "They were a very devoted to each other, perfectly in sync. She radiated with that warm, caring demeanour but she was more than capable of putting her foot down. Which she did, sometimes against some of his relatives but also against her husband."
"So you're saying that what's wrong with him is the lack of wife that can keep him on straight and narrow?" suggested Daphne with a slightly impish smile.
"She's still alive," pointed out Hermione.
"Physically," reminded her Eleanor with a small sigh. "But considering her current condition their marriage is lacking her input, in his decisions as much as in his actions," she added.
"I'm not entirely convinced that what's wrong with him is something recent," said Cora pensively. "You see, Hermione, Arcturus is a family man. That's how he was raised. And while his position obliged him to look out for all of his family the definition of what that family actually is…" she paused briefly, "is pretty fluid."
"Like there's a Black family and there's the Black family within the entire family?" suggested Hermione as she turned around to face them.
"You look pretty," said Astoria with a small, fond smile.
"Agreed," added Eleanor. "Good colour and style. But you need to grow up a couple centimetres here and there to fit in better. Who's next?" she paused briefly. "Your turn Daphne."
"Well, there's a pretty short list of people I know that Arcturus cared about more than the others," continued Cora, undeterred by the interruption as Hermione made her way to the couch she was sitting on.
"Like his wife, his daughter, his siblings," counted out Hermione.
"That cousin of his, Cassiopeia I think. The less fortunate magically relatives, he never said that directly but Melania was fishing for my opinion on squibs a bit too insistently to not be fishing for something," added Cora. "But most of all he doted on Sirius, even after Sirius got sorted into Gryffindor. And from all of them he was the least surprised by the sorting. I once caught him saying that standing up for oneself and what you believe in is one of the bravest things which one can do."
"And Sirius, at the very least Sirius I remember was a lot like him, at the very least according to Cora," chipped in Mia. "Except it wasn't about a family of blood," she paused and hummed. "In early years it was that group of friends of his and after fifth year…"
"He rekindled old friendships," added Cora pensively. "But not with the same kind of fire like he did with his clique. That doesn't mean that he wasn't friendly, polite or uncaring. It's just…"
"There was a group of people he cared more about than he cared about the others," said Hermione pensively.
"Like in that old adage, where good friends would bail you out of jail while best friends would be sitting right there with you," said Mia and quickly clamped her hand over her mouth.
"Getting in touch with your inner Gryffindor much?" asked Cora pointedly as she looked at her.
"That was wildly inappropriate," admitted Mia sheepishly. "And bloody ironic since none of us tried to bail him out or ended in Azkaban with him."
"He would find it funny," sighed Cora. "He used to like black humour, claimed that it was occupational hazard of being one. Not that you aren't right, we all had been pretty crappy friends."
Hermione could hear the echo of 'and he was not' in her statement. And Cora was right, from what she learned about Sirius he sounded like someone good to have in one's corner. Which bode well for Harry considering where he was and who he was with. Provided that Sirius was able to get him to talk.
That Sirius managed to retain his sanity Hermione knew. Arcturus didn't hide from Hermione Sirius's visits to the manor even though she didn't have a chance to ran into him personally. Not that Arcturus was very forthcoming with details. He admitted, with some reluctance, that Sirius underwent the rite that made him the head of the Black family and that he was the one calling the shots.
Which explained why nearly the first thing that Arcturus had done on his behalf was getting the help of a lawyer whom they both could trust.
And then there was his current condition.
"You think that Sirius has something to do with what's wrong with Arcturus," said Hermione pensively.
"I would be very surprised if he hadn't," chipped in Eleanor as she placed on the coffee table a tray with cups of tea before she sat down on the couch opposite to them.
Daphne, Tracey and Astoria squeezed in with her.
"Sirius is a pureblood and once had been an Auror," continued Eleanor. "Pardon my French, a bloody good one from what Hyperion had been chipping in, scarily effective if tad too heavy-handed. But I digress," she paused as she reached for a cup of tea. "Aurors, Hit-Wizards and to certain degree some Unspeakables are a part of what you would describe as armed forces."
"Wizarding Britain doesn't have an army?" asked Hermione sceptically.
"Didn't really needed one," replied Cora. "We aren't Russians and we aren't getting into territorial disputes every other week."
"Nah, we're pissing off the Irish and they're pissing us off back," chipped in Mia. "But for us it's a matter of posturing and allowing people to decide whose grass is greener rather than involving national authorities."
"Not that Ministry would be very useful in case of war," added Eleanor. "Grindelwald was a global issue and along with that Hitler and Bismarck chaps and their merry bunch of…" she coughed. "Well, back then people joined the causes they believed in. Some went with Grindelwald, some went against and some wiser ones walked the fine line between choosing a side. That's how the wizarding wars always looked, at least here in Great Britain. Civil wars, not national. Us versus them, not all of us against one common enemy."
"So in case of a national war we're pretty much…" Hermione paused briefly, "screwed."
"Agreed, especially considering current hiring practices," said Eleanor and grimaced. "And this hiring practices have a lot to do with the laws and regulations passed. But we're getting away from the subject. Neither Aurors or Hit-Wizards are widely popular profession amongst the purebloods."
"Too menial?" asked Hermione with a grimace.
"A bit," sighed Eleanor. "Underpaid, overworked, stretched far too thin. But most of all risky, not something that sensible sons or daughters would do to their parents. Especially if they're only children."
"Unless you're a charitable idealists," said Cora simply. "Not that Sirius had been. He was charitable when it suited him and to people he cared for. He used to be pretty cynical kid that grew up into a very pragmatic adult. And if you're growing up reading about people disappearing from their homes and raising number of attacks on Muggles and at heart you're a good people…"
"Then sometimes you come to the conclusion that maybe you should do something about it," said Daphne slowly.
"Which he had and he did," concluded Eleanor. "Not that it would have been a pretty easy thing to swallow for Arcturus. Individual family laws aren't something that purebloods share amongst each other but if you're smart and observant then you're able to figure out a pattern."
"The odds that Sirius was groomed for the position of eventual head of the Black family had always been pretty high," continued Cora. "The Black family always had been patriarchal and as far as we could gauge it was a honour of firstborn sons. Or at the very least these that lived into adulthood. Arcturus's son wasn't a firstborn…"
"But Sirius had been," agreed Hermione.
"Hence likely freak out of the old man for choosing that particular career path," added Mia. "And seeking ways to improve his odds of survival," she added again after a brief pause. "And considering the rumours that the Black family library is one of the best equipped on the subject of the Dark Arts," she said as she looked pointedly at Eleanor.
"I wouldn't know, I never visited the library," replied Eleanor. "But I wouldn't put past Arcturus finding something obscure to…" she hung her voice.
"To do what exactly?" pressed Hermione.
"Ensuring that a skinned off cat would continue to live against the odds," said Cora grimly. "And knowing Arcturus I'm not sure that Sirius ever had been made aware of the connection."
"But that would mean that…" started Hermione.
"If there's something wrong with one then there might be something wrong with the other," finished Daphne cautiously.
"Quite likely," said Cora and hummed. "Your friend is with him, isn't he?" she asked.
"As far as Arcturus could ascertain, yes," admitted Hermione.
"The boy is his godson," said Mia slowly. "The child of his best friend and his responsibility."
"A thirteen years old versus a seasoned interrogator that could always talk his way out of tightest of tight spots?" said Cora pensively. "My money is on Sirius weaselling out of your friend enough information to have a major freak out."
"That could potentially lead to finding some obscure protective rite to perform that could potentially affect the connection between him and Arcturus, a connection he must be unaware of otherwise he wouldn't have performed it at all," whispered Hermione.
"Or performed on the premises of the same household," added Eleanor. "But what it is we can only guess."
Which they continued to do so and the further into that rabbit-hole they descended the more anxious Hermione became. Not only about Arcturus or what would happen to her if Arcturus passed away but also Harry. Because while she knew that he wasn't alone in the house with Sirius then most likely he was the witness of whatever was happening.
Bloody Dumbledore and his machinations, she decided when she started to dose off at some point of the night.
Secrets & Keepers – Entropy
Hermione Granger, 17th August 1993, The Greengrass Manor
She spent at the Greengrass manor two whole days and two nights. Not that her worry over Arcturus had lasted longer than a day until Damocles passed the news that Arcturus was recovering nicely and was urging Hermione to enjoy the current company for maybe another day until he was back to himself.
She didn't mind and neither was her presence minded by the members of the family. Eleanor seemed to be pleased with having another female charge. Not that she didn't love her sons to pieces, she was a very loving and dedicated mother, who was universally adored by her sons but the fondness with which she treated Daphne, Astoria, Tracey and Hermione made it evident that she longed for a daughter.
During the second day at lunch she got properly introduced to Hecate, Arcturus's healer and the twin sister to Daphne and Astoria's absent father. Like all of Damocles children that she saw in so far she was blonde but unlike her younger sister who wore her hair long and wavy she had it cut very short. She was polite even though she appeared to be a bit absent-minded during the meal, claiming healer-patient confidentiality when prodded about details about Arcturus's condition and eyeing her children quite extensively.
She had three of them, at the very least, to three Hermione had been introduced. A nearly sixteen years old Elijah who had a misfortune of being born five minutes after midnight on 1st September, a Ravenclaw from the upcoming fifth year. He was tall, round-faced, stocky built, blond-haired like his mother and extremely shy. He was also wearing glasses, rather thick ones.
Then there was Marigold, seven years old like her cousin Martin and as obsessed with brooms as he was.
The youngest of them was a boy named Samael, quickly appropriated to accompany his cousin Remus by Eleanor's side to what appeared to be Hecate's intense relief. According to Elijah, who wound up by Hermione's right side, he was going through his spawn of satan phase because he was teething. Curiously enough the gathering was missing Hecate's husband but contained enough mentions about that man for Hermione to guess that the man most likely was persona non grata at the manor.
And as she learned a little while later once Daphne, Tracey and Astoria whisked her and Elijah away to the gardens it was by his own wishes. Elijah didn't exactly hide his disdain towards the man nor the woman he left their mother for.
"I mean," he said once they seated themselves. "I get that sometimes people fall out of love and fall in love with someone else. And that it sucks to be on the fuddy-duddy end of that equation," he admitted. "But a man should have some standards and for a long time I believed that father had them, you know," he added to Hermione specifically. "But what happened," he grimaced.
"And he's playing the racist card," chipped in Daphne.
"Double racist card," muttered Elijah. "Triple even. She is a Muggle raised daughter of squib refuges from some Caribbean island which name escapes me. I don't really care, for all I care she could be blue and raised by the elusive llama monks, the most powerful witch on earth and I would still hate her guts for what she did. She didn't even try to act ashamed about it."
"Let it all out, Eli," said Tracey briskly. "You need it."
"What I need, is to stop dealing with him," replied Elijah and snorted. "Which might only happen once Opa will finally stop clinging to life and die like he should have after that massive stroke and thus summoning that bastard back to where he came from."
"Hell?" chirped Astoria.
"No, my dear Asther," objected Elijah. "Germany."
"Am I not on some joke?" whispered Hermione to Tracey who sat the closest to her.
"Father is German," clarified Elijah for Hermione's benefit. "Former ambassador of Germany to United Kingdom. Magical I mean, although he spent a significant amount of time with his Muggle counterparts. The name might and probably will be unfamiliar to you. His name is Michael Morgenstern."
Hermione frowned.
"German for morning star," added Tracey.
Hermione could feel her frown deepening. Something was ringing but she had trouble placing what it was and where.
"Does the name Lucifer rings a bell?" asked Elijah with a small twitch of his lips.
"Jesus," Hermione breathed out.
"Well, not quite," said Elijah and chuckled. "Not that he's the actual devil, I wish he was, at the very least then I could try to exorcise him," he added and sighed.
"Hence Samael," said Daphne. "We all agreed that naming the tyke Lucifer would have been an overkill, even for Aunt Hecate. I mean, that German bastard isn't the one that has to live with it, Sammy does."
"But it's funny watching him squirm every time when I remind him that his name is Samael," admitted Elijah. "He's trying to get away with calling him Samuel and I'm not having it."
"And your mother?" asked Hermione.
"Is not the one dealing with him," sighed Elijah. "Father might be retired but he has enough friends in high places to obtain a restraining order against Mum. Not that she hadn't done anything to deserve it because she had, she threw that cow over the balcony and luckily for both of them it was straight into the swimming pool," he paused and grimaced. "But someone has to make sure that Mary and Sammy get there on the visitation days and return in one piece."
"But not you?" asked Hermione pensively.
"I'm nearly sixteen, before divorce was settled and visitation rights were awarded I was fifteen and of legal age to decide for myself. If it wasn't for Mary and Sammy I would have told him where he can shove his fatherly love," he replied with a shrug. "At the very least I know that my visits make new Mrs Morgenstern uncomfortable and if she has as big sway on father as I think she does I give her another summer at the most before she would drag his arse to Germany herself. Though I hadn't lied as much in my earlier years than I had in the last year."
"Ah," Tracey drawn in a breath sharply before she smirked. "Told you that it will work, Eli."
"It does," sighed Elijah. "And quite frankly I'm disgusted with the stuff that comes out of my mouth sometimes. I wouldn't find her attractive even if she wasn't my step-mother. But a man's got to do what a man has to do to protect his family. And then I finally would be able to change my name and be done with that hellish family."
"Well maybe you could rebrand yourself as…" started Daphne.
"Have you seen me Laurel mine?" asked Elijah pointedly. "I'm a blue-eyed blonde and the only reason why I don't look like I used to year ago is because the growth spurt had finally kicked in. And I'm still myopic, thank Merlin."
"Weren't you planning to have the eye-treatment for that?" asked Astoria.
"Well, we did, but you know Mum," he replied. "She only started considering it when she was pregnant with Sammy then between Sammy and the divorce she didn't really have time for research."
"And nothing happens without a research," agreed Daphne. "And then she most likely freaked herself out with malpractice suits for that treatment."
"Her concern is genuine," said Elijah with a shrug. "One guy instead of getting better vision was left completely blind. So we agreed that instead of doing it this year I will sit my O. and get it at the beginning of next summer, thus giving Mum more time to research it properly."
"Are you looking forward to that?" asked Hermione curiously.
"I wouldn't really mind it," he replied. "The Weasley twins are in my year and one of their favourite past times last year was trying out Disillusion charm on my glasses. Not a problem when I'm wearing them but a pain in the butt when I'm not. One of these days I'm going to get out, get a giant tub of superglue and stick them together."
"You only needed to ask and I would have gotten you one," said Tracey simply.
"I know," he said simply. "But when I mean a tub, I really mean a tub, like the one you can bathe in and I refuse to put that much of financial strain on a lady."
"Some lady," snorted Tracey. "I feel offended."
"Only because you like being contrary," quipped Daphne.
Secrets & Keepers – Entropy
Hermione Granger, 21st August 1993, The Black Manor, Derbyshire.
As refreshing and entertaining as her visit had been she returned to Derbyshire with unhidden relief, especially at the sight of Arcturus, very much alive if a bit worse to wear. He was genuinely happy to see her and a bit sheepish over sending her away which she waved away because he looked worn out. And there was really no point in reading him a riot act over treating her like a baby when he was expecting one. And if there was one thing that she learned quite soundly over the summer was that the harshest of blows were the ones that one weren't expecting.
She gave him next two days of relative peace before she reminded him that he promised to treat her like an adult and respect her wishes and that sometimes her wishes would be going against what he believed was the best for her.
She balked when he proposed after her tirade to co-host a lunch for the Greengrass family and almost would have backed away if it wasn't for a certain glint in his eyes. He was testing her resolve and she would be damned if she would show a hint of a doubt.
Not that she quickly came to regret it. She started regretting it within an hour, after she found herself swamped under the elves propositions for dishes, refreshments, décor and location of the whole event. And Arcturus, the scheming old fart, for most of the time was just sitting next to her at the table, sipping on his tea and pretending that he wasn't smiling into his cup of tea while Hermione was becoming more and more frazzled with each squeaky suggestion.
It took him another half of hour before he took pity of her and revealed Melania's way of planning events. First always came guest list which allowed to set the tone and manner of the event itself and therefore things like, location, décor and finally menu for it. They spent solid ten minutes going over whatever or not the Greengrass family would be offended by an informal gathering as the family friends or would they appreciate a more formal setting. Not that Arcturus was actually very helpful with helping her decide which was better and non-offensive because every time it seemed that they came to agreement he appeared to change his mind and started going on the importance of etiquette or lack of thereof.
Finally Hermione decided that as fond as she grew of the younger family members and the family women showing proper decorum towards Damocles, Hyperion, Perseus and Thomas would show them that she wasn't raised by wolves. Not that she was convinced that they had but it wasn't the women or children which she felt the need to endear to herself.
Hence the decision to make it a formal if a private gathering, in the formal dining room. That decision in turn ruled out some of the most outlandish suggestions that elves made over the décor and together with Tommy and Wendy, the housekeeper she went over what was appropriate for such event.
That Arcturus disappeared somewhere she realised only when he came down for lunch with Melania and greeted her, quite loudly to pull her away from the discussion and before she realised that she was doing it she was laying down everything she decided on for Arcturus to accept or discard.
He accepted it all. The décor, the menu, the refreshments, the music and continued to nod to Hermione's justifications (aided by notes she made during the discussion with Tommy and Wendy).
Once everything was decided Arcturus set Melly after her to ensure that Hermione was properly attired for the event which pretty much meant being poked and prodded until Melly was pleased with the results. By the time Melly released her from her clutches Tommy returned with request from Wendy and kitchen elves to come down and taste the samples and check-up whatever or not chosen meals had suited the china they were supposed to be served on. Not that the planning had ended there and through the rest of the day she continued to be pulled from one thing to the other and by the time the dinner arrived she was exhausted and barely capable of standing on her feet.
"This sucks," she sighed as she looked down at her plate and quickly remembering that the walls here had ears she found herself hastily adding. "How much effort the planning process takes, not the meal."
"Now you're learning," said Arcturus briskly and smiled at her.
"Well, I learned that you wife had to love you very much to continue doing it at random intervals for nearly sixty years," replied Hermione grimly.
"And in high-heels," added Arcturus before he took a sip from his goblet. "Good wine, Penelope," he said at loud.
"Sincerely fuck you," said Hermione with a huff. "If I'm going to wear high-heels tomorrow it would be only to stab you with one."
"That's stilettoes you're thinking about my dear, murderous charge," replied Arcturus dryly. "Mel never really liked them," he added. "Not a very stable thing to run around on polished floors, she said."
"To Mel then," said Hermione as she raised her goblet. "For having patience of a saint and endurance of a marathon runner. And putting up with scheming old farts."
"To be fair when she married me I was a scheming young fart," quipped Arcturus before he looked fondly at his wife and picked his goblet. "To Mel."
"To Mel," Mel agreed raising her own goblet.
Secrets & Keepers – Entropy
By the time their guests arrived Hermione was wound up tighter than a tight string which young Tim, the violinist had snapped during the rehearsal. Because obviously there was a mandatory rehearsal right after breakfast, one which Arcturus opted out of attending, claiming that he needed to help Mel prepare for lunch. Which ended with Hermione soothing a distraught elf that stuff like that happened and that there was no need to be upset about it, while his older brother was hunting for violin strings.
Not that the preparations had ended there because no sooner than she managed to avert that minor disaster she found herself pulled into averting another this time in the dining room, and then the kitchen, and then the inner courtyard. And for some unexplainable reason every single one of them was reason enough for the elf responsible for the task to fall into a fit of hysteria.
What a suspicious pattern, she found herself wondering in the only moment of respite aside of the night of rest once Melly got her back into her clutches in order to help her dress up for the party and decided that for some reason Hermione needed another bath.
Not that she let Hermione hide in the bathroom for too long. She got her out of there just as Hermione started enjoying the soak and with the help of other three elven girls (whose names managed to escape Hermione) they finished making Hermione ready for the party.
She welcomed the arrival of their guests with intense relief and hopefully managed to keep herself from showing it when she was greeting them.
"You're doing just fine," whispered Cora warmly when her turn to greet Hermione came. "Relax."
I will once it will be over, Hermione decided.
"If I may?" asked Elijah after she greeted him as the last guest capable of greeting her.
"No, you might not, young man," interrupted him Arcturus. "Yet, at the very least. There's a couple of guests that have yet to arrive."
"Are they?" whispered Hermione sceptically. "Listen, I can count and I know that all of our guests already arrived."
"The one's you were aware we were inviting," said Arcturus simply. "Ah, there they are," he said as he headed towards the window.
Hermione didn't have a chance to press him further before Tommy was already opening the door to Josephine and Larry as Hermione realised with intense relief. Josephine looked gorgeous and radiating with inner glow but the biggest transformation had occurred in Larry.
He was tall, not as tall as Arcturus, but about Josephine's height and he was standing on a pair of legs rather than tight long stumps. Not that he hadn't cleaned nicely as he looked like someone who had a recent run in with a barber.
When was the last time she saw them, she wondered. Not since she got back certainly. Mid-July? Probably.
"Hermione!" Josephine greeted her cheerfully as she ran to her without ceremonies. "You look gorgeous," she said before she pulled her into tight hug.
"As do you," Hermione mumbled into her shoulder. "And Larry, you…" she started.
"I was ambushed," said Larry briskly as he slowly made his way towards them, propping himself on a cane every now and then. "Apparently shorter legs are a security risk so that one," he waved towards Arcturus, "decided to convince Josie to look for Muggle alternatives. A guess what, they work."
"Of course they do," said Josephine as she pulled away from a hug. "Now, I'm trying to convince him try an arm prosthetic."
"I was arm-challenged for longer than I had it and I learned how to live without it," replied Larry simply. "Not that this height isn't a huge thing to adjust to."
"And you will be running in no time," said Arcturus briskly. "You do clean up nicely too," he added and smirked. "Who knew that sometimes all that a man needs is a little of a female touch."
"Speaking of female touches, you won't believe what he had me do," said Hermione and huffed.
"Organise a party all by yourself," said Elijah.
"How did you know?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"It's a rite of passage for pureblood females, a sort of unofficial one," he explained. "Usually occurs within couple of months since a girl enters puberty," he added. "Next is fending off suitors I think."
"I'm going to kill you," said Hermione as she glared at Arcturus.
"Don't listen to him my dear, he's a man, he's pulling at your hair," said Josephine with a small smile. "Yes, it's a form of rite of the passage for girls that hit puberty but suitors are age dependant and from what I've been told that one," she gestured at Arcturus, "was never comfortable with underage courting."
"It's not the process of getting to know other people that I mind," said Arcturus simply. "It's making life-altering decisions like linking one's hand in marriage at the age when one doesn't know what they want to do in life, let alone are certain with whom they want to spend their life, Josie," he added before he looked from Josephine to Elijah.
"Nevertheless it's considered a good luck if the new hostess is accompanied during the event by an unattached man," replied Elijah as he stepped in closer. "Alex is married to his degree, Marius to his easel and definitely not here, Martin is tad too young and the other two are more likely to spit on you by accident rather than to prove to be an interesting partners for the event."
"So you bravely picked up that duty?" asked Hermione curiously.
"More like saved Alex from psyching himself whatever or not it would be too weird if he asked because he's so much older," he answered. "Would you mind?" he asked as he nodded towards Josephine and Larry.
"Of course," said Hermione, feeling herself flushing slightly. "Josephine Turner, Larry Lawrence," she added gesturing towards Josephine and Larry. "Elijah Morgenstern."
"Pleased to make the acquaintance," said Elijah as he greeted Josephine. "And it's great to see you again in good health," he added as he squeezed Larry's outstretched hand.
"Wait," whispered Hermione. "You know each other?"
"Young Mr Morgenstern has issues with footwear produced by more respectable establishments," said Larry briskly. "Allergic to Italian leather, were you?"
"And still happen to be," said Elijah with a smirk. "It's just my feet stopped growing so fast that I hadn't seen the need to replace summer shoes just yet. But I will most certainly visit you before the summer ends."
"If you allow me to move things along," said Arcturus casually.
"Lead the way then," said Larry.
Which he had, taking Larry and Josephine with him while Elijah made a gesture that could be an attempt at leading Hermione towards the dining room but came out as some weird arm twitch.
"You don't really like me like me, do you?" she asked nervously.
"I like you," replied Elijah sheepishly. "You're a likeable person, Hermione and well, I like you but…" he hesitated. "I'm not sure that I ever liked any girl in any way that you're implying," he admitted, keeping his voice low. "And it's not you," he added hastily, "I just don't really like people more than well, liking them and appreciating their company without…"
"The need to seek out their company when they aren't there?" offered Hermione.
"Something like that," he admitted sheepishly. "Shall we?" he added, this time offering his arm to Hermione.
The meal had passed without a hitch and any disasters that plagued the preparations in the morning. The women were taken in with the décor and men with selection of wines, to which Hermione truthfully replied, that it was the work of the house-elves. Which might have been a faux pas as she immediately realised but if it was, it went unaddressed aside of Hyperion's casual and followed by a small smile comment that a mark of a good hostess was appreciating and respecting the knowledge of the experienced staff.
The staff was also complimented, repeatedly, even though in a slightly veiled manner. As was pretty much everything by anyone. Even Hermione's a little unorthodox idea to show their guests the entertainment prepared in the inner courtyard after the main dish to give them some space and time to digest it before the dessert was served.
And although the physical presence of the musicians in the courtyard raised some eyebrows their performance was captivating enough to bewitch the youngest guests into sitting themselves as close as they could get to them.
"You're doing great, Hermione," said Eleanor as she approached the table by which Hermione seated herself to catch a breath.
"For the first time?" asked Hermione sheepishly.
"In general," offered Hyperion as he approached the chair which Elijah vacated so Eleanor could sit down. "Similar events in similar circumstances which I attended in the past were either a little over the top and…" he grimaced slightly. "Well, I've been told who my hostess was but the whole thing had felt like a gathering hosted by her mother."
"Could it be possible that some of your past hostess weren't simply ready for taking that huge responsibility?" offered Hermione with a small smile.
"Plagued by disasters, were you Ms Granger?" he asked with a smirk.
"Let me guess, that too is a rite of the passage?" she asked pointedly.
"It gauges the amount of stress which one can take," said Eleanor. "Trust me, I was there and no amount of convincing me otherwise could make me believe that my family's most experienced cook could set the entire kitchen on fire. No one was harmed of course," she added quickly, "but the dinner pretty much burned down."
"You should have seen Hecate's first," offered Hyperion with a smile. "She actually went after father to yell at him for ordering the elves to intentionally mess everything up. And I have to admit that setting the draperies on fire was a little over the top."
"As would I," agreed Hermione as she looked away from her companions to find Damocles.
She found him seated in the furthest corner of the courtyard, sharing a table with Arcturus, Melania, Josephine and Larry. They all appeared to be quite focused on whatever they were discussing, gesturing quite animatedly.
And then something happened that made Arcturus sit up from his relaxed slouch with an intensely focused expression on his face. Which hadn't gone unnoticed by his companions and when Arcturus stood up, so did Damocles and Larry and they all passed through the nearest doors leaving Melania and Josephine behind.
"What it was all about?" muttered Hermione.
"Not something to which we had been invited," said Eleanor simply. "Likely business of old men, they were prone to doing that in the past."
Hermione held up with serving dessert for as long as she felt comfortable with waiting for the missing parties but eventually succumbed to Melania's wish to have coffee. And because coffee went down better with something to nibble on the dessert was served, per their guests request, in the courtyard.
With Arcturus gone for the moment Hermione stepped up her game as the hostess, coursing from one party to another ensuring that they were enjoying themselves which they luckily didn't hide. Hyperion and Eleanor remained encouraging as did the girls and Elijah, who managed to convince Hermione to let him have a discussion with the pastry chef, a young elf named Alfred.
And although seating Alfred in her spot could have been a faux pas it seemed to be quickly forgotten by the time Hermione looked away from her discussion with Alexander over the French pastries and how unused he had been to puff pastry in spite of spending the last three years in France.
She looked away from the discussion for a moment, just to make a quick head count. Martin, Apollo, and their cousin Marigold were still captivated by the performance of musicians while a little further away their younger brothers were entertained by Edwina, the old elf nanny. Elijah along with Eleanor, Melania and Josephine were listening to Alfred, and Hecate…
… was nowhere to be seen as was Hyperion.
Hermione found herself frowning. It was disconcerting enough that Arcturus, Damocles and Larry left the gathering but now she was short another two guests. They could have gone to the bathroom obviously and it wasn't like they needed her permission to do so.
"Have you seen your father?" she asked as she turned back to Alexander.
"He and Aunt Hecate left when you were checking up on the babies," replied Alexander, a little sheepish. "They were both in hurry and a little upset. An older elf came to pull them away, Thomas if I remembered correctly."
Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly at that.
"Well he served us tea the first time we visited," he clarified. "And the mark of a good heir is recognising other people's personal servants."
"I don't doubt that," she said sourly. "It's just… Something is going on here and…"
"You don't like being left out," he finished. "I get that, trust me, I had my share of frustrations with that too. But I also learned that sometimes you need to wait for others to let you in."
"Slytherin?" she asked pointedly.
"How did you…" he started in a mild shock. "Ah, now I see why you're in Gryffindor, they were never known for their patience."
"It's not really a virtue," replied Hermione with a shrug. "Just an excuse to find yourself at the fuddy-duddy end of whatever is going on right now."
"Looks like the lack of it is going to be awarded this time," he said as he looked over her shoulder. "Our host is returning."
She whirled around with such speed that Alexander had to steady her but her attention quickly shifted to Arcturus who was heading their way with a sombre look on his face..
"Hermione," he said as he stopped in front of her. "Alexander," he gave the young man a small nod.
"Did something happened?" she asked swiftly. "Is it Harry?"
"No," sighed Arcturus before he drew in a deep breath and whispered, "it's your mother."
TBC
Next: The aftermath.
