Chapter Seven
"Professor Dumbledore!" Lily greeted with some surprise in the grand entrance hallway of Potter Manor. "What brings you out here?"
Dumbledore's eyes appeared unusually serious. His habitual twinkling orbs were muted. "Some important Order business. Is your husband here, too?"
Lily's brow creased in concern. "Of course."
Lily then gestured to the principle house elf Verona to come over.
"What can Verona help Mistress Potter with?" Verona squeaked, clasping her spindly hands together in rapt attention.
Lily winced at being called 'Mistress Potter' as she knelt down beside Verona. "Please fetch James and tell him that Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak to the both of us. Also, could you please ask the house elves to prepare some tea and biscuits for the Professor?"
Verona nodded her head vigorously and bowed deeply to both Lily and Dumbledore. "Verona would be most pleased to fulfil Mistress Potter's wishes!" and with that, she deftly departed and left an echo of light pattering of feet behind her.
Lily turned to face Dumbledore with an embarrassed smile. "Verona, the dear thing, has served the Potter family for two centuries and her mode of address is slightly outdated, despite my constant assurances that she can just call me Lily."
Dumbledore smiled, the light coming back into his eyes again. "Verona is certainly a loyal house elf."
"Indeed. I know I am very lucky."
"Is there anywhere we can hold the meeting?"
Lily laughed. "There're hundreds of rooms in this place—I still don't even know half of them! How about the parlour?"
Dumbledore's eyes gleamed with amusement as he followed Lily to the parlour. "I feel the exact same way about Hogwarts, my dear. I still don't know all its secrets, though I suspect your husband has roamed through each and every inch of Hogwarts."
"I'm sure he has," Lily replied grinning.
Dumbledore then moved over to inspect a jewelled scabbard that was displayed proudly on the wall with the following inscription: To Harold Potter. In deep thanks for saving the Arabian Princess from vampires. With eternal gratitude, King Ali Shiam.
"The Potters have built up a hoard of treasures here," Dumbledore said thoughtfully, absentmindedly stroking his long white beard as he then moved over to an old photo with Harold and Eleanor Potter standing beside the Muggle Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, with a tiny engraving in a elaborate script: To Harold and Eleanor Potter. From a grateful country for courageous service that beyond the call of duty during the Blitz. W.C.
"The stuff here is amazing. There is so much history in this one room," Lily agreed.
"Good afternoon, Professor!" James exclaimed, striding into the room and with easy Pureblood wizarding manners shook Dumbledore's hand. "Sorry for taking so long, but the gnomes were having some sort of a revolt in the garden!"
Dumbledore chuckled warmly then seated himself into a plush burgundy armchair, with James and Lily seating themselves on the opposite couch.
Dumbledore formed a steeple with his hands under his chin, his blue eyes inscrutable. "I apologise for the short notice, but I need the two of you attend a Ministry function at the Malfoy Manor tonight."
"The Malfoy Manor?" James asked incredulously. "We would stick out like Hagrid in a pink bathing suit! Us amongst Death Eaters and other scum?"
Lily rolled her eyes at James' theatrics. "What James was trying to say, is that wouldn't it be a bit suspicious? After all, we haven't been invited."
"You have been now," Dumbledore said merrily as he reached into his robes and produced two invitations embossed in gold. "I happened to bump into Cornelius Fudge at the Ministry this morning and kindly reminded him that the son of the renowned Aurors, Harold and Eleanor Potter, had been left off the guest list. Fudge had been most eager to remedy the mistake and gave me two invitations."
Lily and James exchanged a look.
"Professor," began James rather cautiously, "is it a good idea for Lily and I to go? I mean, that since we've been so outspoken against Voldemort…wouldn't turning up at a function hosted by the Malfoys of all people, be extremely…odd?"
"Not just Voldemort's followers will be turning out, Mr. Potter. It will be also members of the Ministry who are perfectly innocent. I chose the both of you, because you will not stick out at all…if I had chosen young Black or Lupin for example, their cover would be immediately questioned and would most likely turn ugly. All I need for you to do tonight is listen to what people say and especially watch the Malfoys and their circle of intimates: where they go, who they talk to and what they do. However, I do not want either of you to confront them or do anything that will draw attention to yourselves, for it could be dangerous and of course I've alerted the entire Order to tonight's event, so if any trouble should arise, they will be there in a second."
"Of course, Professor," Lily said seriously, lacing her hand in James'. "We'll be most cautious."
Dumbledore turned his gaze directly on James. "And please, Mr Potter, keep your temper in check for I have a feeling that Mr Black's relatives might decide to vocalise their sentiments about him in your presence."
James flushed, remembering a time in sixth year when he had made tentacles appear on Regulus after he had insulted Sirius. "I will try," he said with a rueful smile.
"I'm glad Mr Potter, for I don't think that tentacles will go very well with the décor at the party."
"You look amazing," James said admiringly as he led his wife up the steps that lead to the Malfoys' front entrance as Lily was dressed in a pale peach gown that was backless and her hair was a cascade of red curls and a diamond necklace decorated her neck.
"You don't look so bad yourself."
"I know," said James cockily, to which he earned a pinch on the arm from Lily.
"Prat."
"But a handsome one."
Lily gave an expression of mock exasperation and encircled her arm through his.
James' mood immediately sobered as he glanced warily around the dark grounds of the Malfoy Manor. "This place gives me the creeps," he murmured.
"I know. I keep on expecting Death Eaters to leap out of the trees or something."
The grounds of the Manor were ornate but there was an unnerving coldness and stillness that permeated the air. There seemed to be no living thing—not even a bird—on the premises and the air was ominously silent. The house was imposing with white marble columns and didn't seem to have a warmth, or heart, that the Potter Manor had.
A rustle in the bushes made James pull out his wand with one swift, rapid movement and pull Lily behind him. It was only a pure white peacock. James laughed in disbelief. "A peacock? That figures. Malfoy pureblood arrogance personified."
Lily's eyes darted about the empty grounds. "Let's get inside," she said firmly. "I don't want to be out here any longer than we have to."
Lily had barely reached for the grand bell when the door was opened and two house elves dressed in fine cloth stood before them. "Mr and Mrs Potter?" the one on the left asked in a high pitched voice.
"Yes, that's correct," James said, exchanging an amused look with Lily.
"Please come in," and the two house elves stepped aside to let them enter.
"Would you like us to take your cloaks or other personal belongings?" the house elf on the right asked in a voice deeper than the other.
"No thank you," said Lily kindly while inwardly thinking that she would never leave any of her possessions unattended in the Malfoy Manor.
"I will lead you into the ballroom," the one on the left said with a rather imperious tone, and escorted them down winding corridors that were lined with countless portraits of past Malfoys, all with coldly aristocratic faces and various expensive statues or trinkets.
They arrived at an ostentatious double glass door where loud chattering and laughing could be heard from the other side.
The house elf pushed open the door and gestured them inside and then closed the door immediately after.
Lily and James stood at a loss for a moment, feeling like they were being consumed by the vast crowds of witches and wizards who filled the room. They were blurs of colour and noise.
"I guess we should find the Malfoys and present ourselves to our gracious hosts," James said in a tone that suggested he would rather pick up dragon dung than converse with the Malfoys.
"Oh I wouldn't waste your energy, Potter," drawled a familiar voice that was laced with sneering arrogance. "My dear wife and I have spared you the agony and found you first."
James and Lily turned sharply to their left and came face-to-face with the smug faces of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.
Oooo…cliff hanger! Sorry I haven't updated for awhile, but I've been sooo busy! Anyway, I hoped you've enjoyed this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think!
Mango Shmango xox