A Family Affair
"Buffy!" Lovell called waving frantically from the stairway. Pushing his way through students, he jogged and wove his way down the stairs towards where his cousin waited. He'd almost reached the bottom when a group of burly seventh-formers purposely slowed their steps to block him. Unwilling to be delayed, Lovell climbed over the bannister and dropped to the floor below, to clamour of catcalls and jeers.
"Oi, Lovegood! I saw that," shouted Amanda Diggory from the top of the stairs. "Undisciplined behaviour in the hallways. You're very lucky I'm not taking points."
Lovell shot the Head Girl a sheepish look before Buffy grabbed his arm and steered him towards the Great Hall.
"What's got into you?" Buffy whispered, perplexed. Lovell was normally quiet and rarely did anything to bring attention to himself.
"Never mind me. What about you?"
His eyes were filled with worry, sharply reminding her that Dumbledore was right; she should put her past family behind her and concentrate on the present.
Wanting to dispel his worry, she smiled brightly and replied, "I'm just peachy."
Lovell gave her a flat look. "Did you have permission to leave or did you run off?"
She rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "Sheesh, what do you take me for? I was pronounced good to go..." Her face scrunched with distaste, "And right in time for a Potions test."
They stopped behind a line of students who were queueing to enter the Great Hall
"Sod the test," spat Lovell.
Buffy blinked – that was almost swearing! Lovell really must be worried.
"You're too pale and those dark shadows underneath your eyes make you look like a Ghoul," he said with unthinking honesty.
Buffy groaned and rubbed at her cheeks, hoping to get some of the colour back. "You're gonna give me anxieties." She sighed, knowing that he wouldn't stop asking until he had the truth from her. It must be a Lovegood trait. Once her mom got something in her head, she dug, dug, and dug until she got to the bottom of it.
"Honestly? I'm tired. I didn't get much sleep last night after all that went on. Madam Bones gave me a sleeping draught, but Slayer constitution being what it is, it didn't help much."
"You fought a Dementor twice in two days, you're bound to be exhausted." Lovell made sure the students in front of them were engrossed in their conversation before continuing. "Buffy, you need to be more careful. You've given up Divination classes in case you accidentally reveal your Slayer foresight and now you're staking everything that moves."
"I don't stake everything that moves!"
A voice behind them said, "Buffy?"
Both Buffy and Lovell jumped. Buffy turned to find Antonin Dolohov behind her. They'd been so intent on their conversation that they hadn't noticed him until he spoke. How much had he heard?
"Dolohov! Give me a heart attack, why don't you?"
Dolohov smiled showing off his brilliant white teeth. Buffy decided he must have used magic to have them that colour. No one had teeth so white without a little bit of artifice. Her eyes went to his hair, noting how soft, shiny, and manageable it was. Should she ask what potions he used? It was probably better not to. No doubt he'd say he kept them in his bedroom, and Dolohov's bedroom was not a place she ever wanted to go.
"Forgive me," Dolohov was saying, showing off those sparkling teeth again, "but I was happy to see you. Your dulcet voice was missed in the Common Room this weekend."
Buffy narrowed her eyes, wondering if that was an insult.
He took her hand, holding it between his own and rubbing his thumb across her skin. "I was sorry to hear you were attacked by a Dementor. A beautiful Witch like yourself needs someone to take care of you. Someone who is powerful and can protect and guide you."
Was she supposed to be flattered? Buffy smiled politely and yanked her hand away.
Lovell grinned, knowing that Buffy could take care of herself. Dolohov saw the smile and took it as ridicule. His face darkened. Sensing trouble and wanting to avert it, Buffy stepped forward and put a hand lightly on Dolohov's forearm – his wand arm. If he tried hexing her cousin, she'd hurt him.
"Dolohov –."
His face cleared. "Call me Antonin."
She looked into warm brown eyes, seeing cold calculation in a swirling cauldron of hidden emotions. Well, that wasn't exactly a surprise.
"Ah, yeah. Ant, it's really nice knowing that you're an all-caring person. I want you to know it's appreciated and I'll see you around sometime." The glib reply was nothing like the 'go away and stay away' comment she wanted to make, but he'd get the message.
"What?" Dolohov backed away. "Umm, I shall speak to you again. Very soon." He blinked rapidly. "I have a proposition for you. I will speak to you of it another time, yes?"
She nodded and to her relief, he moved away to join a group of older Slytherins over by the door.
"I don't like him," said Lovell once he was out of hearing. "When he talks, his aura becomes all purple, black and fuzzy. He doesn't like you. He's just pretending."
"And sadly his name is not on the 'Creatures I'm Allowed to Slay' list." She caught Lovell's frown and swiftly added, "Not that I would."
"Dolohov will be relieved," Lovell replied dryly. His attempt at humour was short-lived.
"I've found something else to slay." And she grabbed his hand, towing him into the Great Hall and proceeded to tell him about her decision to hunt down the Dementors.
"I don't think this idea is one of your better ones," Lovell whispered back. She tugged on his hand, and he stumbled, almost falling over someone's bag. He muttered, "You can't go around stealing broomsticks and leaving pinned Dementors lying around. They'll know it was you for certain."
…
"For Merlin's sake, the little yank has escaped from the infirmary," Malfoy groaned before realising that his neighbour might not be happy with the comment. "Sorry, Riddle. I didn't mean any disrespect to you. You ain't going to hold it against me, are you?"
Tom cringed. Further along the table, Nott and Avery had not only overheard, but they were both shooting Buffy speculative looks. What had Malfoy done? Now his knights would discuss him behind his back. Not that he was so stupid or arrogant to believe that they never discussed him behind his back; it was this linking him to Buffy that he disapproved of. Would they see it as a weakness? Or use her to gain control over him?
"Why should I care?" He smiled, making sure to appear calm and relaxed. In fact, behind the smile lay a warning: don't question, accept what you're told, and keep quiet.
"It's true, I protected her from the Ministry. After all, we can't have Unspeakables dragging our Slytherin Witches off without good cause. But why do you think I'd care if you insult Summers? It's not as if we're related."
The Parkinson girls immediately took that as permission to hurl insults about Buffy. Annoyed, Tom stabbed at a slice of bacon on his plate, chewing it slowly, trying not to let the Parkinsons bother him. From the corner of his eye, he could see the Lovegoods walking down the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. Lovell whispered something to Buffy. Buffy grinned back up at him. With a start, Tom realised that they were holding hands. Holding hands? He stilled. She told everyone Lovell was like a brother to her, so why the intimacy?
He wasn't the only one who'd noticed. Dorothea Parkinson tittered and called out. "I see the loony Lovegoods are close. Do you think they're courting?" She laughed again, the noise escalating to that of a braying donkey.
It was too much for Tom. "They're cousins!" he hissed.
Malfoy snickered around a mouthful of partly-chewed bread. "As if that stops us."
Tom massaged his forehead. He had the urge to summon snakes. Large ones that ate people who spoke with their mouthful, and possibly Buffy and her cousin for being overly friendly.
Unaware he was in danger, Malfoy chewed happily. "For a perfect example of cousinly love, look no further than our perfect Slytherin couple – Walburga and Orion."
If Tom wasn't a prefect and in a room with the entire school teaching faculty, he'd have vanished Malfoy's mouth or, possibly, his entire face.
"Hey, Alphard!" yelled Malfoy
Further along the table, Alphard startled.
"If you fancied one of your cousins, would being related stop you from marrying them?"
Alphard gave him a cold look. "Only if they were first cousins. We do have our standards."
Malfoy shrugged. "Whatever you say." Triumphantly, he turned back to Riddle. "Point made."
Tom went back to his breakfast. Buffy was closing in and he was determined not to look at her when she passed. There was still a niggle of shame and annoyance whenever he thought of their encounter in the infirmary on Saturday night. That was another thing to blame Malfoy for. If Malfoy hadn't given him that stupid book, he wouldn't have thought Buffy was trying to seduce him, nor start to remove his clothing. That sort of embarrassment was never going to happen again...
The pair were close now. Buffy was so wrapped up in her conversation that the rest of the world might as well not exist.
'I don't care,' thought Tom.
It had always been his mantra in life; his way of coping with the world and those in it. If he didn't care, no one could hurt him. As for what he felt for Buffy... they were caused by an excess of hormones and a normal part of puberty. He needn't succumb to these base urges, he could work his way through them by different means. There was a meeting of the Knights later and someone was bound to annoy him. Perhaps Dolohov or Malfoy. Tom decided that, whoever it was, he'd Crucio him so badly that he'd have problems walking tomorrow.
Tom scowled at the smears of egg on his plate and then raised his eyes, to look directly into Buffy's face. There were shadows there that hadn't been visible a few days ago. And that was another fault of Malfoy's.
And what was the nurse thinking, to release her so early? If he'd been in charge of her welfare, he'd have made her stay in bed and dosed her with Blood Tonics until she begged him to stop. If he'd known Nurse Bones was going to be so lax he'd have gone up there earlier and spoken to her. He could be very persuasive when he wanted to be...
I don't care.
And now he did and didn't like it. Had he turned into one of those pathetic prats he'd always jeered at? One of those who followed a girl around begging for crumbs of attention. Weak! He was one of the weak and contemptible. Salazar! Now all he wanted to do was jump headfirst into the mouth of a large snake and put an end to his misery. Except he didn't really, dying was not for him.
"Shall I ask?" Malfoy asked, interrupting his scattered thoughts. "It would explain the Lovegoods' lack of interest in the Blacks suit if she's already magically betrothed to her cousin."
Tom nodded, not daring to speak. A magical betrothal? He'd heard of them, but didn't know a great deal about them – dark rituals to do with marriage were not something he wanted to research. Maybe, it was time to address the deficit in his education.
Abraxas shouted, "Oi! Lovegood: a word!" And everyone looked over.
Riddle winced. "Keep your voice down," he hissed. Why did he have such an idiot for a… companion? Oh yes, because Malfoy was very generous with his galleons and he didn't own any of his own.
Had the teachers heard Malfoy? He sneaked a look at the teacher's table. Headmaster Dippet was partly-deaf and so short-sighted that he rarely noticed what his students were up to in the morning. Slughorn had heard, but from the way he continued to shovel food into his mouth, he wasn't overly unconcerned. Next to him, Professor Dumbledore had broken off his conversation with Professor Trelawney and was looking straight at Tom.
Tom immediately gave him the most innocent smile in his repertoire, at the same time thinking 'go away and die, you nosy, old goat'. Dumbledore stiffened, then returned the false smile with one of his own. Satisfied, Tom turned back to observe the Lovegoods.
"Malfoy?" Lovell timidly asked. He looked shocked that Abraxas had known his name. It was not unexpected. Before Buffy's arrival, Lovell had been a quiet, virtually friendless figure that Tom and the other Slytherins had barely noticed.
Buffy folded her arms, already giving Malfoy daggers. Tom licked his lips, like a snake scenting the air. He sensed her magic and leaned in, wanting more. She flicked her eyes in Tom's direction and her expression visibly softened. Warmth glowed inside him, magical knots of dark anger unfurling – an unwanted response that had no place in his life.
"I was wondering..." Malfoy played with the stem of his glass goblet, his silver eyes darting first to Lovell and then Buffy. "I was wondering if felicitations were in order."
The Lovegoods exchanged confused looks.
"A what with the huh?" Buffy replied her voice laced with sarcasm.
Tom thought her expression suggested she believed Malfoy to be a half-wit – she was not wrong,
"Is this about my piece in Moths Monthly?" Lovell asked slowly.
Buffy gave him a sharp look. "What piece in Moths Monthly?" Her eyes widened and she let out a loud squeal of delight, grabbed Lovell's arms and dragged him around in a circle."You did it! You did it! You got a piece published!"
Lovell nodded as he spun.
"Why didn't you say something before now? And why does Abbie know before me?"
"Abbie? Oh, Malfoy! I've no idea how he knows. I only received the acceptance letter on Saturday. It's about the Golden Emperor moth hunt Dad and I are going on during the Christmas holidays."
Buffy stopped dancing around. "You're going away for Christmas? Why didn't you tell me!"
Lovell frowned. "Didn't I? Are you sure?"
She nodded. Tom could see she was hurt and trying to hide it.
Lovell shrugged. "I must have forgot. Dad set it up this time last year. We're travelling by international portkey, staying at Juan Gutierrez's house in the mountains, and will be back the day before the start of term. Dad's gone to a lot of trouble arranging it. They've clamped down on international travel because of Grindelwald and the Muggle war. Luckily, a customer of Dad's works in the Spanish Ministry and he managed to push it all through." He smiled happily, unaware of Buffy's disappointment.
"Spain? You're going to Spain? I'm jealous."
"You could come next time?" Lovell's forehead wrinkled. "I don't think you'll like it. The moth we're searching for lives in isolated areas and hibernates in the same cave systems as bats. Guano will be a real problem."
"Eww. I was thinking more of shops, the beach, and soaking up the sun, not bat droppings"
Malfoy kicked out at Lovell. "Oi, Lovegood! I wasn't thinking of moths when I asked if you were to be congratulated. What I want to know is, why are you two so close?"
Buffy and Lovell exchanged surprised looks.
"Have you been magically betrothed or something?"
"I'm gonna raise the 'eww' for the guano, to a 'yuck' for the betrothal." Buffy mock retched. "That's totally gross. Who'd wanna marry their cousin? Apart from Walburga," she added.
"It's done to preserve bloodlines and keep wealth in the family," Malfoy explained. He looked Lovell up and down as he spoke, blatently sneering at the creases in his clothes and the way he'd buttoned up his robe into the wrong holes. His eyes then went to the butterbeer corks hanging from Buffy's ponytail. "Or, in your cases, monopolise general weirdness and eccentricity."
"Whoa! Take a long look in the Mirror of Truth, Malfoy," Buffy snapped. "You look like a worn out dish-rag. Did your mother marry her brother?"
"How dare you!" spluttered Malfoy. "My parents aren't the slightest bit related! At least, not for several generations. And to think, I was actually going to apologise for putting you in the path of a Dementor. Guess what, Summers? You can bloody well whistle for it."
He didn't notice the disapproval on Tom's face. He continued blithely on, "I lent you my second best broom and how did you repay me? You bloody destroyed it! And did you apologise? No! Nothing! Not a word nor offer of recompense. What are you? A penniless pauper who can't repay her debts?"
Tom bristled at the slur and one of the Parkinsons let out a hysterical bray of laughter. Further along the table, Lestrange, Avery, Nott, and even Dolohov watched in uneasy silence. Who'd draw their wand first? Lovell or Buffy?
All eyes were on Buffy as she casually raised her hand and began to examine her nails. "I heard what you said on Saturday night, Malfoy. You claimed a Dementor chased you." There was something in her voice, in the casual innocence of the statement that made those around her sit up and listen.
"The thing about annoying the Creepies is," a smile tugged at her lips, as if sharing a joke, "they keep coming back, no matter what you do."
"It wasn't a Dementor. It was a very nasty boggart," Malfoy muttered. "And what's this got to do with my broom?"
"A boggart?" Her smile became wider. "I'd watch my back if I were you, Malfoy. Who knows what'll happen to you next."
Tom thought Buffy's wolfish expression the most fascinating thing he'd ever seen. This was a threat. He'd no idea how she'd managed it, but she'd orchestrated Malfoy's encounter with the boggart and was threatening to intensify the attacks. He'd always known she was dangerous and now she was showing her fangs. Buffy was a true Slytherin.
Malfoy stared at Buffy, astounded. "Is that a threat?"
"From moi?" Buffy fluttered her eyelashes. "How could I threaten a powerful Pureblood Wizard like yourself?"
Malfoy's face twitched, his hand moved towards the pocket holding his wand. He gave Tom a side-glance, noted the cold look and moved his hand away. "Well... don't. And don't mention my mother again."
Buffy opened her mouth, and he added sternly, "Or my father. And I don't want to hear the word mutant ever again." He turned back to Lovell. "So, no betrothal between the two of you then?"
"Absolutely not." Lovell shook his head. "Buffy's the sister I never had."
Buffy's eyes danced with mischief. "What about you, Malfoy? Are you free if I want a date?"
Malfoy almost choked on his indignation. "I might not be betrothed, but I wouldn't date you if you were the last Witch on Earth!" Across the table, the Parkinsons burst out laughing and Malfoy grinned over at them.
"Good. The feeling's mutant – I mean mutual."
Malfoy glared at her and Tom had to look down to hide his smirk.
Buffy went on, "If I marry, I'm marrying for love."
"No one will have you!" squealed Dorothea Parkinson, delighted at her own wit.
Malfoy sneered. "Ha! You want love? That's easily arranged."
Confused, Buffy asked, "What do ya mean?"
With the condescension of an enlightened one educating the terminally stupid, Malfoy explained, "Honestly, Buffy, you're such a Muggle. Please tell me that you have at least heard of Love Potions? Yes? Thank Salazar for that." He went on, "One day, you'll be having a family dinner and the next thing you know, you're exchanging vows with that creepy old Wizard your uncle brought home."
"Which creepy old Wizard?" Buffy asked horrified. Her uncle was always bringing odd people back to the house, some of them had a very strange smell.
Malfoy grinned happily at her discomfort. "It won't matter who. We all know someone, who knows someone it's happened to."
Around the table, heads nodded.
"Once that wedding band is on your finger, there's no going back. Rings are nothing more than magical shackles to bind two people together forever!" He snapped his fingers in her face, making her recoil. "Bang. You're unhappily married to the man of your dreams."
Lovell paled. "Dad wouldn't do that to either of us."
Buffy nodded. Malfoy was enjoying this too much. He was trying to scare her. "Neither would Mom."
Is this what had happened between her mom and dad? Her real dad, not Hank Summers. What if Walburga's theory was really true? Had her mom been abandoned because her dad was from a weird Pureblood family who'd forced him to marry someone else? How would his family regard her? Would they try to kill her? Is that why her mom had disappeared into the Muggle world and Von Kendrick had come looking for her?
She took a long look at Malfoy's face."You're lying."
Malfoy shrugged a shoulder and nodded at the teacher's table "Go and ask Sluggy if you don't believe me. He'll tell you it's true."
"You know what? I will." Heads turned as Buffy marched down the aisle between the tables, not stopping until she reached Professor Slughorn.
"Professor Slughorn?"
"Hmm?" The professor was busy taking the top off his third boiled egg and didn't look up. He took a pinch of salt from the dish and sprinkled it smoothly over the golden yolk before saying, "What is it, Miss Summers? Can't it wait? If it's about the test we're having this morning, I'm afraid that you'll need to take it. I can't make any exceptions, but I do promise to make allowances for your recent illness."
"It's not about the test." Buffy began to feel exposed standing there. Several teachers were sending dark looks and she could feel eyes boring into her back. Had Malfoy set her up? She could get detention for pestering teachers at the breakfast table. "Um, Professor Slughorn, is it true some families slip their kids love potions to force them into marriage?"
Dumbledore put down his goblet and regarded Buffy intently. Pandora Trelawney's hands fluttered nervously. She took off her glasses and began polishing the thick lenses on the hem of her shawl.
With a sigh, Slughorn put down the spoon and leaned back in his high-backed chair. "Yes, it was true. Love Potions were occasionally used in a small number of marriages." He regarded her gravely. "And sadly, not just Love Potions. Certain charmed objects – items of jewellery, usually – and even the Imperious Curse before it became an Unforgivable in 1717."
"Imperious Curse? Unforgivable? What's that?" Buffy hadn't heard of them before.
Slughorn smoothed his waistcoat over his large belly. "Ah, a DADA subject." He looked down the table to where Professor Merrythought's chair lay empty and then at Dumbledore. "Albus, you used to teach this subject..."
Dumbledore nodded. "There are three Unforgivable Curses: the Killing Curse, the Cruciatus which is a torture Curse... and then there's the Imperius. That gains the caster control over victim's mind and forces them to do their bidding."
Buffy frowned. "How strong is this curse? Are we talking gentle persuasion or complete mind domination?"
"Oh, complete domination. Not only could they force you to marry someone you disliked, it could force you to kill your entire family and enjoy it whilst it's being done." He added, "This is a very nasty curse, Buffy. Dark, despicable, and it's unforgivable for a reason."
Buffy nodded. "So... what you're saying is... I could be Im-peer-rio..."
"Imperiused," supplied Dumbledore. "Imperio is the incantation."
"Yeah." She didn't like the sound of this spell. A Slayer under the control of someone evil could do a lot of damage. Not that she could admit it was her main worry, but she was good at improvising. "That means I could go on a date, be Imperiused, and then wake up naked in some Wizard's bed?"
Slughorn inhaled sharply and began to cough. Covering his mouth with a napkin, he looked over at Dumbledore and Trelawney and grabbed for his goblet. Pandora Trelawney merely replaced her glasses and blinked owlishly at Buffy.
"It's a very dark spell, Buffy, and not a common one," replied Dumbledore after a moment. "It's highly unlikely that you'll meet anyone who's Dark enough to use it on you."
Buffy thought he didn't look so sure.
He continued, "Use of that spell leads to imprisonment in Azkaban."
She spotted the problem with that straight away. "You mean, IF they find out it's been used and IF they catch them." Folding her arms, Buffy scowled at the three teachers as if it was their fault. "No wonder Mom was happier when I was a Muggle. In this world, if you aren't being attacked by Dark Wizards or a magical creatures, there's someone trying to peck their way into your head and take over."
Dumbledore shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"So... how do I fight an Imperius?"
Before Dumbledore could reply, Trelawney leaned in front of him, her eyes magnified behind thick lenses. Her voice quavered, as she replied, "To one with a mind as closed and stubborn as your own, the spell can be withstood. Nor should you worry over the unwanted attentions of male lovers. A personality such as yours is deeply unattractive to them." She raised a hand to her forehead, where she claimed her middle eye was. "I see it now, men will go out of their way to avoid, and turn their faces away when they see you in their path."
"What..?" Buffy spluttered, hardly believing her ears. Trelawney – Trelawney – was saying that she was undatable? A hundred insults leapt to the tip of her tongue, but she had to bite them back. "Ma'am, I know you're disappointed I gave up your Divination classes, but I think–."
"Do not address me as Ma'am – I am not the Queen. As for leaving my class... I do not care that you left." Trelawney's eyes grew even larger and she flipped her scarf over her shoulder. "It is a waste of time trying to teach you anything. Only those with the true Sight are able to see and you do not have it."
Buffy gaped at her, biting down on the urge to tell her that she was wrong and Slayers had prophetic dreams. "Then I guess... I won't be needing any of those one-on-one sessions with you that Professor Dumbledore suggested."
"Visions from the past are but an echo in the soul, not true Sight. I shall instruct you on the techniques that are necessary to block them. Then... you will never be disturbed again. See me Saturday, around three. If you wish to live that long, avoid still waters. There is a drowning in your near future." And then the woman bit into a slice of toast and stared mistily ahead of her.
Dumbledore and Slughorn exchanged worried looks.
"Buffy," said Slughorn, gently. "Are you under pressure to marry Rigel Black?"
"What? No! Why would you think... Oh." Buffy shrugged a shoulder. "Malfoy said families sometimes trick their kids into marriages. I came over to check if he was telling the truth."
"Ah, those times are long gone, m'dear. This is the nineteen forties," Slughorn replied with a cheerful smile. Picking up his spoon, he waved it at her. "Run along now. The post is due and I'm sure you're looking forward to hearing from your mother."
Buffy froze. Joyce Summers hadn't been happy her daughter had been battling Dementors instead of studying. What if she revoked her Hogsmeade permission? With a hasty thanks, Buffy rushed over to her seat and ignored the openly grinning Malfoy a few seats away.
Travers stared at her as if he'd never seen her before and then buried his nose in one of his books – another diary, she noticed. Uma and Fiona were noisier in their greeting.
"How did you know that a broomstick would hurt a Dementor?" Fiona asked.
"Did Tom visit you? What about Caradoc? Did they ask you on a date?" That question was from Uma.
Buffy jerked her head at Travers, silently warning the girls that she didn't want him to overhear. Uma and Fiona she felt she could trust – with some of her secrets, not all. "I'll bring you up to speed later." She often felt sorry for the boy but he didn't seem to like her and she had instinctive distrust for anyone named Travers.
As Buffy reached for the breakfast servers, a flock of owls came pouring in through the windows. All around her, students began to either duck – to avoid wings and claws – or leapt up, to snatch at falling letters. Some owls landed on the table beside students, these were rewarded with treats by their owners. Buffy's keen eyes spotted one owl flying in the parliament as being Hector, the Lovegood's barn owl.
She leaned back, spanning the gap between the seats to where Lovell sat. "We've got incoming mail."
Lovell looked up, spotted Hector, waved, and the little cream and fawn owl hooted and landed next to his plate. The owl hooted again before grabbing a full sausage off Lovell's plate.
"You greedy bird," Lovell said, tugging two letters from its claws. "Here's one for you, Buffy. Looks like it's from your mum."
Buffy took it and pouted down at it. "Don't wanna open it," she whined. "Mom's not happy with me already. She doesn't even know I've given up Divination classes yet – unless Dumble's' told her. If she knows I'm free every Friday afternoon, she'll message Slughorn and tell him I need to serve detentions on those days."
Lovell grinned, ripping open his letter. "I'm sure she won't." He scanned his father's letter. "It's all about the Heating Charm stopping working and how he almost lost a crop of young mandrakes. Oh, and part of his supply chain in Paris has broken down. There was a fire at the warehouse. No one was injured but he's lost supplies and storage. He says I shouldn't expect an expensive gift for Christmas... When have I ever had an expensive gift at Christmas? He goes on, saying the Muggle war is causing him to lose a lot of money."
Buffy opened her letter and groaned. "Mom says I shouldn't have tried out for the Quidditch team. Yeah, she's already said that. Blah, blah, blah. That I've no business leaving the castle except on official excursions and then only with a teacher in the immediate vicinity. 'Immediate vicinity'? Ha! What she doesn't know, won't hurt her." She scanned the rest of the letter. "Phew, nothing about revoking my Hogsmeade permission. She doesn't say much else... says your dad is upset about losing mandrakes. Oh, this is odd. She says she's still feeling ill and visiting St Mungo's but she's heard of a Healer who might be able to help. I don't like that part. She's been saying she feels fine every time I've asked her."
Aware Travers was sending curious glances at her, she stopped reading. He'd his own letter; why wasn't he opening it? Buffy could tell by the envelope that it was from a Muggle. Muggle parents posted their letters in normal postboxes, and somewhere along the line – Buffy had no idea how – they were intercepted by the Ministry. This was the first letter she'd seen Travers receive and he didn't appear in any rush to open it. Why? He kept frowning at it, turning over the small blue envelope in his hands and looking at it as if it might be bad news. Buffy glimpsed the flourish of tiny handwriting before he shoved the envelope into a jacket pocket.
"Buffy! Have you seen that?" Fiona called over the table. "I wonder who it's for?"
"Huh?" She looked around her and then up. A magnificent owl had entered the Hall. The majestic bird circled over the tables, its glossy plumage so dark that it appeared almost completely black.
"That's a melanistic European Eagle owl," Lovell said, his eyes following the bird that was searching for someone. "They're very rare. I wonder who it belongs to?"
Further up the table, Malfoy bragged. "I bet the parcel it's carrying is for me. My father loves sending generous gifts."
Both Buffy and Fiona rolled their eyes and then grinned at each other.
Travers scowled. Mimicking Malfoy's voice he muttered, "My father loves sending generous gifts." He pushed his breakfast away, got to his feet and stomped out the hall without a backward glance.
Few noticed him leave. The unusual owl continued circling overhead, its head moving from side to side as it searched the room for someone. By now, even the teachers were speculating on who its gift was for. When the bird stopped and dived at the Slytherin table, Malfoy raised his arms, ready to grab the parcel from its claws.
"Ugh, Malfoy," Uma groaned. "And from the shape of the parcel, Daddy's bought him an uvver broom."
"Good, that'll save me buying him one," Buffy said happily. "I gave mom the Gringotts key back and she won't be happy if I ask for more money so I can replace the broom I smashed up. She... Oh!"
The black owl had darted around Malfoy and now hovered in front of her. It hooted shrilly in her face, released the parcel, and shot off through an open window. Buffy was so shocked that she didn't move. It was Fiona who reached over and plucked the letter from the parcel.
"It's addressed to Miss Buffy Lovegood."
Still feeling confused, Buffy took the letter. It was a single piece of paper, folded and closed with a wax seal embossed with a curious sigil. The paper felt smooth and thick in her fingers and Buffy knew it would have been expensive. Who'd sent it? The writing didn't tell her much. She checked the name once more before sliding her nail under the red wax to open it. Lovell slid into Travers' empty seat and spotted Abraxas Malfoy hurrying towards her, his face a mixture of disappointment and curiosity.
"Who's name is on that?" Malfoy asked. "I think the owl's made a mistake."
"It's for Buffy," Fiona said, and Buffy raised the paper to let him read it for himself.
"What's in here?" Malfoy leaned over and tried to grab the parcel from her. With the speed of a striking cobra, Buffy slapped away his hand.
"Get off! That's private! There could be girly stuff in there." She put the letter on her lap, to keep it safe, and pulled the package to her. Gentle, yet eager magic brushed at her fingers. Had her mom sent it? But why hadn't she mentioned it in her letter?
"I think it's a broomstick," said Malfoy looking and sounding envious.
"It might be an umbrella," she countered.
"You Muggle!" Malfoy scoffed, but without any real rancour. "You really don't deserve a Hogwarts education."
"And yet, here I am." Buffy began tearing off the layers of thick paper. Even before unwrapping the final sheet she recognised from the smell of seasoned wood that Malfoy was right – it was a broomstick. She took it from the paper, balancing the broom in her hands. The smooth rowan shaft felt balanced in her hands and she twisted to see the inlaid golden plaque emblazoned with the words 'Nimbus 1001, special edition no 9'.
She let it go and allowed the broom to hover in front of her. A pair of Tudor ghosts dropped down to admire it and made appreciative noises. Out the corner of her eye, she spotted Peeves poking his head out of the wall. He quickly pulled his head back when he saw that she'd noticed.
"Who in Salazar's name sent you that?!" Malfoy asked. "It's a Nimbus One Thousand and One! They're a limited edition and are supposed to be the fastest broomstick in the world." His arms twitched, desperate to get his hands on the beautiful broom. "You owe me a new broomstick, Summers. I'll take that one in exchange for the one you smashed."
"Dream on, Malfoy! Keep you're sticky fingers off my broom or I'll break every one of them."
"You'll do what?" Malfoy blustered, astounded at the casual threat.
Buffy cocked her head, examining the young Wizard. "I don't owe you anything, Malfoy. In fact, you owe me for putting me in the path of a Dementor and letting me ride a deathtrap. If it smashed to pieces so easily, it wasn't safe to ride in the first place."
Leaving him spluttering in indignation, Buffy went back to her letter. When she opened it, she was disappointed to find the page blank, but there was a small calling card attached to it with a Sticking Charm. It peeled off easily and on the reverse were words written in a Germanic style script.
'For you, my princess.
Only the best for my daughter. '
Buffy hastily shoved the card into her pocket and looked around to see if anyone else had seen the card. She didn't think they had. They were all either looking at Malfoy, who was lecturing on the virtues of Nimbus line of brooms, or looking at the broom itself.
'Princess'. There was only one person who'd called her that and he was the Wizard who'd appeared the night when she, Lovell, and Walburga had been attacked by vampires. She remembered the dark stains on the ground where the vampires had been and Walburga saying that he'd hit them with a Dark spell...
She was roused from her musing by the sound of her name being called.
"Miss Summers," gasped Professor Slughorn. He and Professor Dumbledore were hurrying along the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. "Who... sent... that broom to you?" he asked, out of breath from moving so quickly.
Don't tell him. "I don't know. It doesn't say." She handed him the blank paper.
He took it, mouthing 'Miss Buffy Lovegood' before flicking his wand across it to reveal any hidden messages. Buffy gnawed at her lower lip. She should have checked herself. Would he find anything? Yet, after several futile attempts, the Revealing Charms revealed nothing more and Professor Slughorn passed the parchment to Dumbledore.
"We need to take the broom," Slughorn said to her.
Take her shiny broom with its new broom smell? "Ugh, and that's a no!"
Slughorn sucked in a breath. "I'm afraid so, m'dear. We can't be too careful."
"You can't do that!" Malfoy protested, genuinely distressed. "Sir, it's a Nimbus One Thousand and One! That broom could make all the difference to our Quidditch scores this year. If we have that on our team, we'll annihilate the Gryffindors, and even Weasley won't –."
Dumbledore interrupted, and gently scolded, "Buffy's safety is far more important than your Quidditch results, Malfoy."
"Only because you want your House to win," Malfoy muttered mutinously. Both Dumbledore and Slughorn pretended not to hear him.
Buffy hugged the broom to her. She didn't want to give it up. It was hers and she was a Witch and it went with the hat. "I don't see why I need to give you my broom."
"Miss Summers," Slughorn rocked back on his heels. "Please don't hold it to you like that. It needs to be stripped down..."
Malfoy made a horrified choking noise.
"... and checked for curses, hexes, poisons, etc. Have you forgotten about being attacked by a Dark Wizard? What if this broom is hexed? It might have been sent by him."
Buffy knew he was wrong. The mystery Wizard wasn't Von Kendrick. If Mystery-guy wanted her dead, he wouldn't have saved her and her friends from the vampires. Of course, she couldn't tell Slughorn and Dumbledore that – not without revealing everything.
Reluctantly, she handed the broom over to Slughorn. The plump Wizard took it from her gingerly, holding it dangling between finger and thumb as if it might bite him. He gave Buffy a reassuringly smile. "Never fear. I'll make sure it's returned in the condition you gave it to me, after it's had a full professional strip down."
"Bunch of bloody philistines," muttered Malfoy. "You can't take someone's broomstick and do that to it, especially one like this."
Slughorn sighed. "Abraxas, it is for the best. Surely you see the problem? Young witches receiving unexpected gifts from mystery benefactors..." he tapped the side of his nose. "Who knows what this is about? Buffy, you must owl your mother and let her know about the gift."
Buffy scowled. What was she going to write? 'Mom, I know you've been lying to me and my real dad's a Wizard because he's sent me a broomstick. By the way, do you know his name and address? I'd like to send him a thank you letter.'
….
Thank you to all who took their time to leave a comment or review. All are appreciated.
I hope you liked this chapter. Tom made an appearance, although he wasn't supposed to. I think it worked well though, don't you? He's not easy to write. At this stage he's angry that someone has gotten past his walls of indifference and not sure how too handle it.
Next adventure coming up!