The Eye Of The Gazer
Chapter 28
There was no formal seating plan for the banquet, except for the top table reserved for the wedding party, so everyone was free to sit with their family or friends. Once all were seated, food magically appeared on the tables. There was a selection of delicious French and British dishes, and everyone was able to find something to their taste. House elves circulated amongst the tables offering red and white wine, pumpkin juice and spring water.
At the top table sat the wedding party: in the centre the handfasted bride and groom, flanked by their parents: Monsieur Delacour on Gabrielle's left, with Cho Chang beside him, and Madame Delacour on Draco's right, with Lucius Malfoy beside her. Bryony was sitting beside Cho, enabling her to make sure that her daughter did not spoil her bridesmaid's dress, and Martine beside Lucius, with Fleur on her other side, similarly able to keep an eye on her young cousin. Vincent Crabbe was beside Fleur at the end of the table. At the other end, dwarfing the rather awestruck Bryony, was Madame Maxime. However, the half-giant woman was not a headmistress for nothing, and had learned over the years to put nervous children at their ease, and so she chatted in a kindly manner in her French-accented English to Bryony, who soon lost her fear, and dared to ask Madame Maxime if all French school teachers were so tall.
The food on the tables was demolished rapidly, with fresh dishes appearing as each was eaten, progressing gradually via a wonderful selection of English and French cheeses to a choice of desserts that would satisfy even the witch with the sweetest tooth, or fresh fruit for those who preferred it. The only two who could not fully enjoy their own wedding banquet were Draco and Gabrielle, still bound together at the wrists. They laughingly fed each other morsels, but their giggles and excitement meant that they ate little of the food they presented to each other. They deliberately offered each other wine for the pleasure of licking the spills from the other's face. Lucius watched Draco with quiet amusement, and was sure his son would far rather be elsewhere alone with his bride. He himself, in the presence of three Veela women and Cho, whose dark beauty provided such a contrast to the fair French witches, could feel his own manhood stirring, and was grateful for the cover offered by the linen tablecloth.
When everyone had eaten, Vincent Crabbe stood to read out the messages from well-wishers and those unable to attend. Just as the banquet was finishing, the house elves had conjured up a series of perches behind Crabbe's chair, and these were now filled with an assortment of owls, some of whom were glaring at the others.
One message was from Hermione Granger: she had been invited, but Gabrielle had not been surprised when she declined with an invented excuse. Lucius noted that Crabbe had been given Miss Granger's parchment by a very fine sooty owl. It was Narcissa's own favourite Hibou, sent by Lucius at his late wife's insistence to Miss Granger, in acknowledgment of Crookshanks' perceptiveness. Hermione had been assured by Gabrielle that Bryony's possessor had been destroyed, and her acceptance of the Malfoys' gift was a pledge of her permanent silence on the matter.
After a toast to the bride and groom, the couple stood, and people began to mingle. The handfasted pair tried to speak to everyone they could, while guests searched out people they generally only met at such gatherings in order to exchange a few words.
Cho did not know many people at the wedding. Among the few English guests she recognised a number of ex Slytherins, including Gregory Goyle, whom she had never liked. There was also Severus Snape, but Cho had always been in awe of him at school, and now felt little inclination to approach him, knowing his dislike of social chit-chat. Most of the people were French, and of these she only knew the Delacour sisters, Madame Maxime, and the three ex pupils from Beauxbatons who been Guardians of the Circle. Monsieur and Madame Delacour, whom she had found very friendly, were busy circulating amongst their guests. Lucius had a wide circle of French acquaintances, primarily through Narcissa, and was busy chatting to an old friend from Cap Ferrat. Bryony and Martine were laughing with a group of other small children, watched over by two of the Delacour house elves. Cho therefore momentarily found herself alone. She was about to greet her Beauxbatons wizard acquaintance, ready to discover if he was still as knowledgeable about Quidditch, when she realised she was the object of interest for a group of older witches, who kept throwing rather obvious glances in her direction. Not sure what to do, she tried approaching the group with a friendly smile, but all five women pointedly turned their backs on her and continued their discussion, their voices deliberately just loud enough to enable Cho to hear what they said.
"Yes, that's her, the brazen hussy."
"Fancy having the groom's illegitimate sister as a bridesmaid. Narcissa Malfoy must be turning in her grave! And they say the Chang girl was Lucius' mistress before she died…"
"No, really?"
"Yes, the child was born almost nine months to the day after dear Narcissa died. If she wasn't his mistress while Narcissa was alive, Lucius didn't waste much time in finding someone new to warm his bed…"
"But you know Lucius' reputation. He always had more than one woman on the go at the same time."
"Well, yes, but he never admitted to fathering any bastards before this one. He asked her to marry him, you know. But she'd rather live as his mistress. I think it's appalling that we're expected to accept her in polite society."
"That's right. Who is she after all? Just a Chinese dressmaker. Seamstresses are two a penny anywhere…"
Cho was at first so shocked that she remained rooted to the spot. She began to realise that she had lived a somewhat sheltered life, and that perhaps she had been very lucky indeed not to have come across this attitude before, except during the brief period when her affair with Lucius had first become common knowledge. Her extended Chinese family had always accepted her choices in life, and also had their own history with a very different moral code influencing their way of thinking. Cho's problems in the past with public opinion over her relationship with Lucius had mainly been because of his Death Eater past rather than her own behaviour.
She decided to make herself ignore these witches, hold her head high, and walk away to find a friend to talk to. Her eyes were filled with tears of hurt and helpless rage, and she could not really see where she was going. She nearly collided with a tall wizard in front of her, who put his hand gently on her waist and spoke to her: "Cho, what's wrong?"
It was Lucius. She almost put her head on his shoulder and howled; but no, this was Draco and Gabrielle's wedding day: she would not let her troubles mar the celebration. She tried not to sniff in front of him, but she could not hide her tears. In vain, she searched blindly for a handkerchief. Lucius saw her distress, and producing his own monogrammed white lawn handkerchief, he told her not to move while he dabbed her eyes carefully. Cho stood very still, for Lucius was taking every care not to smudge her eye make-up. Eventually, he pronounced her "done", and as he put the mascara stained handkerchief back in his pocket, he said, "Are you going to tell me or not?"
Cho bit her lip uncertainly, and her eyes glanced in the direction of the group of spiteful witches. Lucius followed her gaze. He raised his eyebrows at her questioningly. "I think I know those women," he said. "In fact," he glanced down at his lapel, "Narcissa, you know them don't you?" Lucius turned so that her miniature portrait was facing the group of witches.
"Yes, I know them," replied Narcissa. "I used to call them Bitch Witches United. Cho, tell me what they said."
A few minutes later, after depositing Cho with her Quidditch-loving acquaintance from Beauxbatons, Lucius Malfoy strolled apparently nonchalantly over to the five older witches. He smiled at them charmingly. "Good afternoon, ladies," he said, in a smooth tone that would have aroused suspicion in anyone who knew him well. "I believe we were introduced in London? How nice to see you again. Are you enjoying the day?"
The witches seemed tongue-tied, yet managed enough words to convey that they were indeed enjoying the wedding. Lucius smiled even more sweetly at the group, well aware that nowadays his scarred face made his once friendly smiles appear quite sinister. "My wife says she remembers you," he purred.
The witches were confused. Some of them thought he must mean Cho. His wife? The man was shameless, everyone knew they were not married. Then they saw the small brooch that Lucius had contrived to keep temporarily hidden under his long silver hair. Narcissa Malfoy smiled at them even more sweetly than her former husband.
"Good afternoon," said Narcissa, "How lovely to meet you all here. I believe only the closest friends and the family of the happy couple are here just now. You are all so lucky to have been invited; I wonder how it was contrived? Let's see, who do you know here? Ah, Madam Sharpe, I believe you were once intimately acquainted with Monsieur de Langue over there? But I understand Mr Sharpe is unaware of your friendship? Oh, and Madam Blether, your daughter is so pretty, and do you know, it's such a coincidence, but she reminds me so much of Mr O'Toole's daughter, they might be twins."
The five witches began to look very uncomfortable. Madam Sharpe was looking around anxiously, and Madam Blether had a face like a thundercloud.
"Looking for your husband, Madam Sharpe?" asked Narcissa in a voice of deep concern. "Would you like Lucius to fetch him? Perhaps he could fetch Monsieur de Langue also, and introduce them to each other? I am sure they would be surprised how much they have in common.
"Now ladies," she continued, in a light voice with an undertone of steel, "I understand there was a suggestion from one of you that something has occurred to cause me to turn in my grave?" She gave a light laugh. "Ladies, I will let you into a secret. I have indeed been turning in my grave, it is true. It happens every time I meet a witch who moralises on the lives of others whilst knowing that her own affairs would not bear the slightest public scrutiny. You know the kind of woman I mean? Why, some of them presume to decide who should be received in polite company and who should be shunned. There are even witches who think that Lucius' consort Miss Chang has no place at this wedding. You may look shocked! I could not believe it myself. They think that an honourable man should not acknowledge his own flesh and blood, and that my son was unwise to allow his bride to ask his dear little sister to be her bridesmaid. Can you credit the small mindedness of such witches?
"Lucius and Miss Chang suit each other very well. I should know, I have seen their relationship from the very beginning. Miss Chang is from a very respectable, rich and well connected Chinese wizarding family: you do know of course that the Changs control the world price of jade? Of course you do. Who could forget such a thing?
"It has been so lovely to speak to you again after so many years. I would have recognised you anywhere even though you are all so much older than when we last met. Now, we must go. Lucius is the groom's father after all, and he must be seen to circulate. Au revoir, ladies."
When they were out of earshot of the spiteful five, standing now in stunned silence staring after Lucius, he said, "Narcissa my dear, you were magnificent. And thank you for those words about Cho."
"I meant it Lucius," she replied simply. "If I cannot have you myself, Cho Chang is the best partner for you.
"Lucius, why don't you marry her?"