Draco couldn't believe how quickly all the children were spirited out of the safehouse by Slytherins. It was like falling Dominos! (Which was a game he'd never heard of, until one of the - orphans had shown him how it worked). Luna and he had waved goodbye to the last one, and then they were both away.

It had been a while; luckily, since his mother approved of his plans, she hadn't had a conniption about how often he'd been away from the manor. Draco honestly wouldn't have cared, if his mother's cooperation wasn't so deuced important. She mainly wanted to show him off to the other old biddies, and they were all birds of a feather. Constantly smelling of lavender and lilac, and making his head ache. And that was without the gossip. He'd never wanted to know about Mills* marriage prospects - let alone Vince or Greg's. But if he sat down with one party, he'd have to do them all.

And he loathed every single one.

So, even after everyone had gone, he'd taken to showing up to their houses, as a sort of beneficent leader.

He had to attend some of the soirees and salons his mother had started. She was rapidly gaining momentum about the idea of blood adoption.

In fact...

This morning, at breakfast, Lucius Malfoy had looked up at his wife, and said, "What is this nonsense I hear about blood adoption? Ashley's a wellbehaved girl, a credit to her parents -"

Narcissa Black Malfoy sat up straight, "It's traditional. Since she's been orphaned, I'll have her inducted into our family the proper, traditional way."

Lucius Malfoy shifted in his chair, "The political repercussions..."

"Nonsense," Narcissa said primly, "Who needs to know? And if, by some strange misstep, the Ministry does find out, it's hardly a Dark Ritual."

"It's a blood ritual," Lucius Malfoy said, slipping out of the role of the Patriarch and into the role of the Scholar.

"Your point?" Narcissa asked.

"The ministry doesn't often discriminate between blood rituals and dark rituals." Lucius said.

"If you haven't the bollocks to stand up for our rights, I'll induct her into the Black family." Narcissa said.

Draco gasped, and his father's eyes bulged out.

"I would be honored to join your family, in truth." Ashley said primly.

"I've always wanted a sister," Draco Malfoy said, eager to help the distraction. His parents fighting was always unproductive, it should be headed off at first opportunity.

Narcissa Black Malfoy always got her way, when it counted.

[a/n: Sorry it's been so long! Please, review and I'll write more!]