Thanks so much angelle and boxter, for reviewing

Thanks so much angelle and boxter, for reviewing! Two reviews on one chapter is like, the most I've ever gotten. O

Angelle, your questions shall be answered. )

Boxter, I wasn't directing that note towards you specifically. I was just upset with everyone; I can see how many people read the chapters, but to have at least fifty or more read each week and get no reviews is disheartening. It makes me wonder at the quality of my writing. And as far as exams go, I have APs this week. I don't know if you have APs, finals, or whatever, but good luck. Chapters will be here to read when you return. I'll miss your feedback. )

Also, thank you Trixiebell, for adding this story to your favorites list. I'm honored. )

Now, to all my readers: I was considering either doing a follow-up piece with the next generation (ie: Nineteen Years Later) after I conclude Dark Waters (which isn't close to finishing, don't worry!), or running this story through until that point. Let me know what you think or if you'd read.

As always, read, enjoy, and review!

From her vantage point, Narcissa could sort of see the ripple in the crowd. In a normal fluid body, a ripple is caused by a pebble, a rock, or even a fish that's a little peckish. This, however, was not a fluid body, exactly. This was a mob. And so, the pebble wasn't so much a pebble as it was one very tall, very outraged boy: one Lucius Malfoy.

"Hey Lucius!" She smiled, relieved.

"Hey." He kissed her offered hand, irritated by being surrounded. But, he had vastly improved the situation. With his presence, the rest of the group went silent. Then again, who would speak when being faced with a very tall, very rich, and very angry pureblood? Not many. In fact, none that were present, at the moment. He leaned forward and glared at the nearest boy at hand, sneering. The scrappy little red head pushed himself out of the way, and scampered back into the safety of the crowd. A jiggling boy with red cheeks did the same, as did a shy little blond. After several more of these reactions, Lucius cleared the crowd, Narcissa's hand clenched in his as he dragged her behind him.

"You're hurting me, you're hurting me, owowOWWWWW!"

He quickly let go of her hand, rolling his eyes. "Two minutes and you're yelling at me. Haven't even really said hello, and you're yelling. Really now."

The blonde huffed, hugging him briefly before pulling back and sticking out her tongue.

Lucius pushed his nose up in the air, the picture of offended. "That's not very nice. Maybe I'll just stop writing you about Hogwarts then, and you can make it all on your own. I'll just laugh as you get stuck in the stairs, fall in the Vanishing Cabinet, blow up your cauldron-"

"Like you did, you mean?" Bellatrix butted in, cackling. Narcissa, however, looked horrified.

Before she could say anything, however, Walden cut her off. "So what's all this for anyway? Why all the boys? Every pureblood kid and his brother is here."

Narcissa shrugged. "It's my primary exhibition."

Both boys gave her a blank stare.

"An exhibition is a way to put a young woman out in society. It helps her sort of make a name for herself and let everyone know who she is and all that stuff," she sighed, as if this was quite obvious.

"…Why?" Walden blinked.

"So everyone respects you and likes you." She played with her loose ringlets and rolled her eyes, as if she was obviously too good for that sort of thing.

"Then why didn't I get one?" Lucius demanded, seeming quite affronted that he hadn't gotten such an affair.

"Because they're only for girls, stupid!" Bellatrix scoffed, flicking her bangs away from her eyes.

"Why's that? What if a guy wants to have an 'exhibition'?" Rodolphus jumped in now, quite intrigued with the whole concept.

"Because most boys don't want to be surrounded by a whole bunch of other boys, breathing all over them and stuttering and making idiots of themselves," Bellatrix snapped, pinching Rodolphus' arm for good measure.

"Ow!"

"…Ohhh, I get it. It's a marriage thing, then," Lucius stated, crossing his arms smugly. "Suppose you should get back to your company then, 'Cissy."

She merely wrinkled her nose in response, wriggling further into the circle. "Don't think so. They're awful! Simply awful! Wilkes, Weasley, Avery, Goyle- Nobody important or interesting or even halfway decent!" Walden and Lucius both looked rather miffed. "It's terrible!"

"Yes, I can imagine, having to surrounding yourself with the likes of us. How simply terrible for you," Lucius sneered.

"Oh please, stop being a drama queen!" Pleione rolled her eyes. "She doesn't mean it that way, you ape."

"How should I know? Maybe she's just a really good actress-"

"Can you stop talking about me like I'm not here? I am present you know, and it's rather-"

"E-Ex-Ex-Excuse me, N-Nar-Narcissa? I w-was wondering i-if I c-could sp-sp-speak t-to you?" Somehow, in the midst of everything, Charles Avery, quivering at record speed, had worked up the nerve to approach the little group. That in itself was surprising, but for him to be able to actually work up enough nerve to talk to a female was even more astounding. Then again, by the look of him, he was competing for the world championship in twitching, and he looked so petrified it seemed as if he might need a new pair of robes soon.

Just looking at the poor boy, Narcissa felt a twinge of sympathy. He looked like spooked horse that was tethered down, as if he was simply dying to run away. She opened her mouth to agree, and was about to offer her hand, but she simply didn't move fast enough.

Lucius sneered down at the dark haired, dark eyed, stuttering mess that was Charles Avery. "What do you want, Avery? Want to stutter the night away with her? Don't bother, moron." He punctuated this with a firm shove, one that left little, delicate Charles sprawling on the floor.

Narcissa pushed the Malfoy heir furiously, face contorted in anger. "What is the matter with you? Can't you leave anybody alone, you big bully?!" Where she had shoved him, his dress robes were burned straight through to the shirt underneath, in the shape of little handprints.

"Children, zere is no need for violence." Mrs. Black swept in, and glared slightly at the two. With a twitch of her wand, Lucius' scorched robe was pulled over his head and draped over Madame Black's arm. "And I do not approve of zis, young lady. Lucius, zee 'ouse elves will 'ave zem fixed in no time. You must forgive my Narcissa; 'er veela temper simply gets zee best of 'er."

She snapped her fingers, and several house eves popped into being, wielding several trays of various finger foods. There were sweet, succulent dates wrapped in bacon, beautiful fruit sculptures, flaky spinach puffs seeping with butter, thick scallops sautéed to perfection, and sun-dried tomatoes that smelled like villas in Tuscany, sandwiched with fresh mozzarella as white as the moon. Scents drifted through the air, tantalizing children and adults alike, promising experiences that might be better than heaven.

As the guests sampled the cooking, parents drifted in. Fathers spoke in hushed tones to their sons, mothers socialized, boys chatted and grabbed tid-bits of food off passing trays, munching joyfully. Narcissa, however, was being steered through the crowd by her mother, introducing herself to family after family, curtsying into eternity, and smiling until her cheeks ached. Two boys, however, were not very happy with this situation.

"I don't like this at all," Lucius muttered, and bit into the crisp shell on a cube of seared tuna, his frown momentarily dissolved into an expression of bliss.

"Why?" Walden thoughtfully chewed a fresh napoleon, the icing dripping over the sides.

"She's being all cutesy. That's not her at all." He picked a butterfly fried shrimp off a passing tray and popped it into his mouth.

"Well, you know how things are, mate. We all make sacrifices in this life. My mum just said that today, actually."

"Yeah, but still. It's not right, you know? It's like she's lying to all of them," he shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets.

A house elf cracked into existence next to him, offering a folded pile of burgundy. "Mister Malfoy, your robes is fixed, sir!" He nodded, taking them and slipping them on before dismissing the house elf.

Meanwhile, Abraxas Malfoy, Cygnus Black, and William MacNair Senior were talking jovially, with plenty of hand motions, pats on the back and laughing. Occasionally, they would glance over at their progeny, or gesture towards a particular one of them, but other than that, there was nothing truly unusual. One of the boys might have thought more of it, if they hadn't been interrupted.

"'Ello Walden, Lucius. I 'ope you are enjoying zee hors d'oeuvres, and zee party," Mrs. Black smiled at them with her perfect teeth, practically glowing in the soft, warm lighting. Both boys nodded, bowing to the lady of the house. "Now, you obviously know Narcissa, yes?"

The youngest of their little group swept over, her powder-blue dress robes trailing slightly behind her. She curtsied delicately, her smile as perfect as her mothers. In fact, with the two beside each other, the resemblance was quite striking. Narcissa offered her hand to each boy, who kissed it in turn, as was proper. Radiating pride, her mother swept away to chat with Dahlia. "So, are you two still enjoying my birthday?" the youngest Black asked, her smile still pinned in place.

"More than you are, probably," Walden responded cheerfully, crunching down on yet another napoleon. "Did your mum make these? They're delicious!"

She nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "There are some things my mum doesn't trust house elves with, and cooking is one of them. I think the only time she doesn't cook herself is when it's just my family eating, or if it's a big banquet, but even so, she's the grand overseer."

"When's cake and presents?" Lucius asked.

"When everyone leaves," Narcissa grumbled, flipping her hair.

"When's that?" Walden nicked yet another napoleon.

"Seven."

"Oh, fantastic."