Chapter 3

Severus considered the three other post NEWT students he was to have; all of them those returning to education after an absence, so all much older than Victor; but where there was a genuine desire to learn – and the fees – it seemed hard to turn them down. Especially Terence Goodchild, who had been impressed by his brother's success and had worked extremely hard to scrape together the fees for a year's concentrated musical experience. It was with Godfrey's blessing; he and his brother had managed to draw much closer since the Wizarding Wireless had highlighted Godfrey; and Terence had begged to be part of the backing group for the record Godfrey released, and Godfrey had accommodated him in that since brothers should work together; and Sara Barbary had played too. Seagh had cheerfully filled in as required since Jade was so busy in Germany; and the record was on sale and doing very well. Terence had put music and brotherly pride over his own needs and Severus wanted to encourage that. And if Terence's twin Chloe was still having a childish temper, that was her look out.

He knew too the second would-be student; Arsène le Fèvre had been part of that long ago duelling contest between Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and Hogwarts; the only person to have beaten one of the Hogwarts team, by the expedient of undoing himself by sheer will power out of Hermione's exotic curses to take her down. It had been a useful lesson to them all not to be over confident; and Hermione always made sure any opponent was well and truly disabled and unconscious now! She had been a little taken aback to hear that her old bête noir wanted to study further; but comforted herself that SHE was a professor, and he a student.

"Once I was the learner now I am the master" murmured Severus to himself for want of Draco to do it for him.

Hermione, greatly daring, gave him the two fingered cuff.

"Thanks, Hermione, I needed that" quoted Severus with heavy irony.

The third man to come for the Prince Peak experience was a German who Severus did not know; and so he had interviewed the man and legilimensed him firmly. With young people to protect one could not observe any niceties of good manners about not prying. Albus never let manners interfere with doing what he felt right, after all; and Severus was Albus Dumbledore's man through and through. It appeared that this Anselm Amsel had been both saving money and screwing up his courage since the year Jade had studied in Durmstrang as Nefrita Von Strang and had arranged the Yule Ball there; she had demonstrated to him such wonders of what music could do that Herr Amsel was desirous of learning more, and had discovered that Prince Peak was reckoned THE school for music; the school from which Nefrita Von Strang had transferred. The flautist wanted more from music; and would pay his last knut for it. He was in his late twenties but not too old to unlearn and learn more; because he was eager. With the addition of Herr Müller the group would be quite mature on the whole and Severus hoped Victor would not mind. He spoke to the boy.

Victor shrugged.

"I enjoy the chats we all have, staff and family, when school is out; and are not these students, most of them, of an age with most of the staff? Herr Müller is older but his enthusiasm and joy at being permitted learning is going to make him youthful in spirit. And oh, Severus, I can help him too and learn to teach by teaching him; I got an 'O' for my Geomancy! In fact, if Jade had not found Herr Müller, I would have considered volunteering; should I fill this year for her?"

"No; let her get the school off the ground with basic subjects" said Severus "Start small; her pupils need basics not frills for now; especially those she must push through the ZAP, the German equivalent of the DOE because they are older. And learn to teach, as you say, with Herr Müller. Or Horst as he will be; I will stick to my policy of first name terms between staff and all the senior students. If you teach you too may wish to set up your own school; your problem, my boy, is that you are almost over qualified because you had the aptitude and interest to take all the NEWTs that interested you instead of having to pick a few and aim at getting those that placed you in a particular job. And you may, for that matter, dislike teaching; and decide to pick the easier and safer option of being an Auror."

Victor laughed.

"What I've seen from Odessa, a schoolmaster has to be an auror as well to protect his pupils!" he said. "I might jander off with Seagh to his fey places too if I may; I can enter fey space, I've worked jolly hard on it. I'm not musical but I can watch his back and scowl; we Crabbes tend to be quite beefy. He's about thirty times more dangerous than me, but sometimes looking hard can be an advantage."

Severus laughed.

"Yes, and you can also let people assume you're stupid and learn more thereby; having the look of a born Beater can be an advantage!"

"Thanks Severus, I love you too" grinned Victor.

It was good to be part of Severus' extended family; and he would still be that even though there would be no other senior students his own age. The chances were that he already knew more post NEWT knowledge than even those who looked to improve their more esoteric studies like this Le Fèvre fellow. Which was comforting. He decided to take the risk of asking Hermione what this Frenchman was like.

She pulled a face that was more rueful than distasteful

"Actually he was every inch the gentleman; a fine man and if he'd been at Hogwarts he'd probably have volunteered to fight Voldemort – and been accepted" she said. "Arsène actually joked that it was unfair that Hogwarts had got too much practise against deatheaters for a fair match; able to laugh even in final defeat. Which was at David's hands incidentally in the playoffs" she added. "He's on good terms with Hercule; they were in a class together. It's probably what decided him to come; that Hercule's teaching here. Arsène and I had every respect for each other and he could have been a friend. I should think that having him here for a year will consolidate what was a promising possible friendship. He got into the fight-offs; the only one on the French team to do so, and as only one of the Germans did – the late and unlamented Hedda Schrempf as it happens – it did boost Beauxbaton's morale as well as driving home the point that we were used to the real business of fighting, and our team, even the fourteen year olds, were better than some silly kids in the sixth in other schools. And that, at the time, was a valid point to make because we needed to keep Odessa off balance."

"I guess that makes sense" said Victor.

"He's actually a professional duelling champion in France and Canada" said Hermione "I've followed his career because I take an interest in anyone who can best me. He's quite famous and used to having a following of females" she added sounding like the old disapproving Hermione. Victor hid a smile.

"Well let us hope that not too many of our senior girls follow his career" he said "Still, we don't have any really dippy ones right now; IMAGINE the Tugwoods!"

Hermione shuddered.

"I'd rather not" she said.

oOoOo

Back in England, Randolph Wright was having the time of his life with Erica Malfoy still; and they had put together a syllabus as far as OWL in art; thrashing out levels of attainment for each year in both practical and theory tests.

They had decided that the main emphasis of the exam should be on practical ability; and that the OWL would consist of two practical and one theory papers. There should be an artwork to be worked on during the final year of study as a masterpiece, like the metalworking exam; and a practical in which the candidates should demonstrate the methods to mix magical paint for creating moving pictures and the ritual involved in joining that to the personality of any deceased, and might demonstrate the candidate's choice of attempting a divination using sketching, the use of drawing to change some object; or the use of pattern to enact a spell effect. They would also be expected to produce a pattern with or without runic inclusion as some form of protection, the choice of the candidate. This might be a circle of exclusion or a shield spell made by fine pen – tattooing the examiner being a little extreme – to show virtuosity in a field that any artist might use even if they could not, for example, manage a prophetic drawing on the day.

The written paper would be a short essay question on such things as 'discuss the use of the five-pointed star in its various uses in different cultures' or 'discuss how the increased understanding of perspective in the Renaissance led to a greater mobility for the subjects depicted' or 'discuss the protective charms contained within the kolams or rangoli of the Indian sub continent' or 'compare and contrast the maze and key patterns with reference to China, Ancient Greece and Celtic lands' or 'describe the necessary ritual to produce a moving portrait through which one might access the personality of the dead'. There would be a paper of short questions covering specific pigments, the recognition of powerful patterns, the use of different media to make patterns – which might, argued Randolph, also lead to an essay question 'the medium of the pattern magic has an effect upon the designed use of the pattern; discuss'. The short questions would also cover themes in patterns that were universal, like the key and maze and swastika patterns, the symbology of trees and the magical use of symbolic drawing that became pictograms. This was suggested by Gorbrin who had taken an interest; and he also had added a lot of symbolism about the protective kolams and rangoli, having studied comparative magic; which Erica had not. Fortunately Randolph had and had just smote his forehead and went for his comparative magic notes. David Fraser had spoken of the use of woven patterns in magic carpets which was interesting, though of less practical use to western witches and wizards.

"Mind you, draught excluding charms on curtains would NOT be a half bad idea" said Randolph.

"Especially in the potions dungeon; the door curtain Cousin Krait made for Cousin Severus is wearing awfully thin" said Erica. "I think we need to permit a lot of leeway in the produced artwork; even photography. Muggles count photography as art you know; only it should be – actually ALL masterworks should be – backed up with a working notebook and sketchbook and in the case of photography, technical notes too. I say, I've just thought of a new spell for aurors to use, Gorbrin; from a sketch of a wanted person, the spell lifts it from the page and sends an insubstantial image to seek for its original in a city; and the wand glows when it has found it and will lead you to it."

"Nice idea; if you can work it out I'll be interested" said Gorbrin. "A refinement on the old finding bird spell. You might too see if you can't make it work for a photograph."

"Do my best" said Erica.

Between them they had filled many notebooks on the main issues that were to form the syllabus; and at some point they would publish if the exam were approved; and Charlotte was to take the information and suggested examination criteria to the Ministry of Education Examination Board. It might be too late for Erica to take any qualification in the subject, but as she had been one of the originators of the subject for formal study this was hardly a problem; and Severus would be employing her anyway. There was no requirement that a Professor should be in any way even qualified at all; because of the agency of Tom Riddle, Hagrid had left Hogwarts with no qualifications, yet he taught care of magical beasts and indeed was a renowned authority on some of the larger and more dangerous beasts; though Lucius had been heard to remark waspishly that this was because Hagrid was the only person in the world who considered too many teeth, claws, legs and anything else dangerous looking to be cute.

There was much truth in this comment.

The NEWT would have to be stiffer; and Charlotte suggested that it should build on the OWL. Where an OWL candidate had to demonstrate some theoretical knowledge of painting portraits of the dead, the NEWT should perhaps involve demonstration of the techniques, or even the choice of this as one possible practical masterwork, where the student had to grind their own pigments.

"We left production of pigments out of the short questions" said Erica, scribbling it in.

"In this case the student might also tattoo himself as an artwork" suggested Randolph, "Woven pieces should have the fibres dyed by the candidate to ensure the colours are prepared too with ritual to add to the use of the pattern" said Charlotte.

"You could get quite out of hand and produce an entire building that was a protective pattern in its whole construction" said Gorbrin "Though I should think detailed plans and some carving to demonstrate would be sufficient for that."

"I think we should write these in as suggestions and, like the metalwork, leave it fairly free" said Charlotte. "A metalworking project using pattern might do as well; and even a negotiated item of unusual complexity covering both exams."

"It's exciting being at the centre of something new" said Randolph.

oOoOo

They interrupted their studies when Jade called Lucius and Charlotte to Germany; and they returned with two adoptive daughters, the oldest a half goblin child called Veronika who was already an accomplished artist; the other just a babe of two years.

"Just think little new sister of mine" said Erica "when you're big enough for school, you'll be studying art out of the book we're all writing here; and if you have any unusual talents, why they might end up in later editions as suggestions as ways to use art!"

"Like drawing cakes and sweeties to lift out of the page to eat?" said Veronika

"Show me?" said Erica, giving her coloured pencils.

Veronika produced a cake from the picture she drew of one.

Erica tasted it.

"It's stale" she said. "But how terribly clever!" she added hurriedly, not wanting to seem to criticise.

"Probably the only taste of cake she's had" said Gorbrin dryly. "Our little sister will learn to refine her taste in cakes; it's a form of summoning so complex only Lilith managed it at that age. It isn't real food of course; because when you summon something it doesn't stay, little one."

Veronika nodded.

"And when you get the empty feeling back, the picture comes back on the page and you can't lift it off again" she said "But you've had the TASTE."

"Brilliant, kid!" said Randolph. "And now you'll have your ability mentioned in a book as one of the things people can do; for teachers to look for. That's something, isn't it?"

Veronika nodded dubiously.

She was still adapting to being in a family with almost as many children as she had been in contact with in the orphanage – or so it seemed – but with grownups who hugged and kissed and had time. And with nice clothes and plenty to eat! And no loud arguments or violent men around like before the orphanage. If they liked her drawing sweeties too and it was not forbidden that was even better!

oOoOo

Randolph was thoroughly happy. He enjoyed being amongst the happy, noisy, boisterous Malfoy children; and though they had four mothers, five parents still had to spread thin amongst, with the two new ones and the new babies, better than thirty children. He thought he had added that up right. And every one of those Malfoy kids got given more attention by sundry parents than he had ever done with two parents to his solitary name. It was impossible not to feel envious; but Randolph was a generous soul and the envy did not tip into jealousy. Especially when he considered that several of the kids – he was not sure which ones beside Veronika and Melusina – were adopted. The full blood goblins were step children though that was kind of more expected in some ways than adopting strangers. Some were relations by blood in some degree, he thought; and maybe others had had this ritual done. Lucius and Draco had gone off with Charlotte and the two little girls and when they returned, both had even paler hair than before and violet eyes and a look of the Malfoys. The great thing about the Malfoys was that you just could not TELL; because they were all loved and cherished. And it was not that Mr Malfoy was so rich he did not have to go to work; because he seemed to put in as much work every day as anyone, with government business and with his newspaper; and as he told them over supper, chuckling gleefully, litigation against those who had made it their business to question the couples he had chosen to launch at the wedding.

And Madam Narcissa had smiled indulgently and told Randolph,

"Lucius has his hobbies."

And Madam Finn had quipped,

"And we're four of them."

They were such a FUN family!

And when Ming Chang blew in, the youngest school group put together a harmony to the tune of the Yingtong song that went,

"Mingchang, Mingchang, Mingchang, Mingchang, Mingchang Yuudle-an tooo….." and sang it to Ming whilst others played a wild assortment of instruments from fart organ to Saxophone.

Ming handed out two fingered cuffs after he had got over laughing.

And yet the family could be serious; Erica wanted to start a junior branch of the Society to Aid Marginalised Women in Hogwarts and Zajala, who was sharing her room temporarily with a couple of marginalised girls from the Umbrous Lane complex drew them in to her step sister's plans too. Randolph loved the Malfoys with the intensity he loved his fellow Marauders, especially those whose blood sang with his; and he would do anything for them.

And one thing he could do was to help Veronika develop her art; and teach her all he knew. Charlotte and Erica would be able to do so as well, of course; and Charlotte would be there when he and the others had gone back to school. But Charlotte must spend some holiday time with school age children; and Erica wanted time with other brothers and sisters too; and Randolph was sort of spare

So he might be a spare extra big person for Veronika.

And she would not really have any problems by the time she got to school; Randolph had absolute faith in the inability of the English public to remember anything in detail and was absolutely certain that by the time Veronika was eleven, most people would have forgotten how long Lucius had been married to Tanjela and would just assume Veronika was the oldest half goblin child of that union not Cosmo. And by then he, Randolph, might even be teaching art at Hogwarts. Unless Mr Malfoy chose to send her to Prince Peak to nurture her talent with others of like ability. Doubtless he would leave that decision to Veronika when she was both settled enough and old enough to make such a decision. And perhaps he, Randolph, should teach in a foreign school like Jade Snape's school in order to nurture talent abroad. And it was almost scary that he was now to be in the sixth, with eight good OWLs – well seven good ones and a relieving pass in potions – and in two more years he WOULD be out in the world earning his own way. And Erica was already to teach at Prince Peak – she being a year above him and her intended, Ming Chang to teach metalwork – so that school was not an option. Somehow it seemed unfair to take the skill to Hogwarts; which was academically prestigious but not a specialist school like Prince Peak.

Well he was more than capable of making his way as an artist; he had received a commission from the dour Alastor Moody to paint each of his aurors because he had suggested that if they were killed in the commission of their duty then a portrait could make an almost immediate report of that and anything else relevant to help catch whoever had killed them; and might then be available to give advice to young aurors. Moody had been very pleased at such an attitude of constant vigilance – and, as Gorbrin whispered to Randolph, constant pessimism – and had charged the boy with the immediate task of starting on a portrait of each beginning with the craziest.

That would keep him busy and in good pay for years; the ministry of justice might not pay much by the standards of collectors or those who wanted family portraits; but it was ample for his needs and steady work. Especially as the Wizgamot were making overtures to have dead members available as advisory bodies.

Randolph need not fear unemployment.

And too he might offer preparatory lessons to those hoping to enter Prince Peak; and with other work he could turn down spoilt treasures with all the talent of a poodle.

oOoOo

Randolph was a little taken aback to be included in the guests at the odd party the Malfoys hosted; Lucius and his girls did the social rounds at other dinner parties and balls of course; Lucius liked to keep in touch and reckoned his four wives constituted about the best spy force any man could have. He was probably right. And at parties in Malfoy manor plenty of juvenile trainee spies eavesdropped enthusiastically on conversations not meant for them just because so many people ignored or forgot the presence of children; and because it was fun. And held a more serious purpose; Lucius was determined that he would do all he could to stop any resurgence of goblin coursing or muggle baiting, and keeping a finger on the social pulse was one way to do this. And one of Randolph's tasks, together with Erica, was to draw all the chauffeurs and ostlers and too the personal servants of those who stayed overnight just in case any of them were characters who might be identified as shady characters by Lucius' own team of shady characters.

At one such party, Randolph was pleased to run into Angelica Hellibore, a blood sister and late of Prince Peak having done a year there in post NEWT study.

"Angelica! What are you doing at a bun fight?" asked Randolph tactlessly.

"Being a debutant of course, idiot!" said Angelica. One did not stand on ceremony with marauders.

Randolph hooted in derision.

"YOU? A Debutant? What ARE your parents thinking of? If they want you to get married they should pick some unsuspecting boy who hasn't met you and get the ceremony over before he realises what he's let himself in for!"

He returned himself to the correct shade, retrieved his eyebrows from where they were buzzing around his head and returned the tentacles to fingers.

"Rotten brat" said Angelica amicably "To think you're actually in the sixth, you and the other three – it's a wonder Severus hasn't resigned in horror!"

"He thought about it!" laughed Randolph. "All right; I'll bite; why a debutant?"

"My parents think it only fair to me that I should have a year of parties and meeting the right people" said Angelica gloomily "I TOLD them I already know the right people; they're good sorts you know, but they can't quite see that I might actually RATHER have a career than a well connected husband."

"With fingers in dozens of different pies" sang Randolph with more or less accuracy.

"Well I ain't Evita" said Angelica recognising the reference. "Of course Lucius could give lessons to both Peróns in chicanery but at least he's scrupulous, well kinda sorta. And you know, knowing a selection of Malfoys, and Sev, and – well blood group people – I sort of know everyone of real importance; and I'm not going to marry out of group. I MISS being at school already; it's sort of uncomplicated."

"Well why don't you just butt out of the whole thing and go ask Jade for a job with her roving team of healers?" said Randolph "She was talking at the Symposium and I was earwigging – as you do – and she's stolen the potions master from Durmstrang because he's married a half goblin woman and adopted her daughter, and the daughter's starting Prince Peak this term; and his wife is a potioneer too and is going to be going on roving commissions to heal poverty stricken people. And if she had someone who was fully human with an apparating licence I guess that would make life easier; and you HAVE specialised in medical transfiguration and chanting as well as also being a rather good potioneer yourself."

"It's a thought" said Angelica "Dad talked me out of making an application to St Mungo's and they do like to have their trainee healers in with the academic year."

Randolph made a rude noise.

"I rather fancy that this last year made you up to a rather better trained healer than most of their staff" he said "They're STILL suspicious of chanting there, the old fuddy duddies. You want to get out and DO, put right things the way Jade put your back right, not listen to the theory of the accepted wisdom of a hundred years out of date. You re-took your Transfiguration, didn't you?"

"Yes, I pulled up to an 'O'" said Angelica proudly. "Got over my odd blind spots. I didn't bother to retake chanting but I feel more confident; and an 'E' is respectable enough. Especially if you back it with experience."

"Well then!" said Randolph "And what's more as it's something Jade is passionate about, you can kind of pass on what she did for you, can't you?"

"I can" said Angelica. "I'll write to her first; just to check she can use me! Then I can put it to my parents that it IS an obligation that needs fulfilling. You Muggle Marauders got moderately clever in your old age."

"I love you too!" grinned Randolph.

oOoOo

The last part of the holiday was taken up with a meeting with the examinations board, headed by Madam Marchbanks, to approve the curriculum and level of complexity for the art exam.

This was to cover Charlotte being approved as an examiner as well as to approve the examination; and Randolph explained with great patience that the looseness over the practical aspects of the exam were because one could not define an artist as better than another for having a different style, any more than one might so define a musician; since some people even admired Celestina Warbeck, and one had to grant her points for being able to hit the notes she did, even if you might rather that she did not.

"She WAS rather self opinionated as a girl too" murmured Griselda Marchbanks. "How then may an examiner judge whether a piece is of a required level?"

"There is more to it than a level of complexity that one may look for in the metalworking exam" said Charlotte "Because sometimes a simple piece of art made up of three or four lines after a great deal of meditation as to how to accomplish the effect may have more merit than one that has a lot of complexity and no verve to it. For example" she got out two paintings "This is a highly worked painting of a street scene in Diagon Alley by some maiden aunt of Lucius'; it's accurate and the people mill about, but oh! So stiffly; poor old dear she tried too hard I think. And then there is this one Lucius bought me from an auction; it's Japanese" and she exhibited a watercolour painting on silk of a sparrow and plum blossom; and though there were but a few lines to define the sparrow it fluttered about the delicate blossom, twittering and pecking at the caterpillar that wriggled on the spray.

"EXQUISITE!" declared Madam Marchbanks "I quite take your point my dear; one has to look for a certain something. Such that the first painting would grade 'A' for being accurate but lacking life – dear me, that child skipping would trip over if she was doing it that way in real life – and this would grade 'O'?"

"Quite so" said Charlotte "Though this is so far above an 'O' grade even at NEWT level that I must mention it! I might grade the first at 'E' at OWL level because it has a number of excellent features; if done by a youth. It is a meritorious piece but not outstanding. At NEWT it would scrape an 'A' providing it was adequately backed up with sketches and so on. And I would grade THIS above it, for having the liveliness even if the technique is still untrained" and she presented a sketch of children playing; it was rough and some of the distant figures were little more than matchstick figures but there was so much life in it.

"Is this from one of the pupils of Prince Peak then?" asked Madam Marchbanks.

"No, it is from the seven year old little girl Lucius and I have adopted" said Charlotte calmly. "She picked up the concept of moving pictures very readily; she needs much help to develop her talent but it is considerable."

"She is better than me" said Erica. "But one can pick that out in early years. However, not all artists produce something representative; it is equally valid to grade art that is abstract with some emotional effect within it; or those who produce patterns such as may also be used to create spell effects. A valid piece would be a carven frame for a mirror that casts grooming spells on whoever looks in it to remove smuts and sort out the hair according to the chosen hairstyle. Or even a painted frame for that matter" she added. "Or just a complex pattern that has some other use, or a woven curtain, or meticulously planned embroidery, with a draught excluding charm woven into or embroidered on to it; so many possibilities that cannot be set in stone but only judged on individual merit. The test would be for whether the art or craftwork is executed to a standard of sufficient technical excellence; and what magic it included; and was there too a level of wow factor. You can't easily say what that might be, and really the big pieces ought to be marked by an artist and a couple of non-artists for the fact that different people like different things and art is most awfully subjective."

The exam board were nodding.

"Personally I loath the portrait of Phineas Nigellus in the Ministry building" said Tofty "And not merely because of the subject matter; I find the style of the artist rather…..affected."

"Very eighteen eighties" agreed Erica. "Makes me think of that aesthetic fellow in Gilbert and Sullivan so I always sing the recitative about languid lilies when I pass it by; sends Phineas Nigellus almost apoplectic."

There was a quick burst of coughing from the exam board.

"One might have less savoury hobbies than making Phineas Nigellus apoplectic I suppose" said Randall Hopkirk dryly. "He can be irritating; dear me, I shall remember that next time his portrait harangues me."

"Randall dear!" said Madam Marchbanks.

He grinned at her unapologetically.

And then the course was approved; and Randolph was to take the OWL in this, his lower sixth, year; with the NEWT along side his other NEWTs; and Erica was to plunge directly into the NEWT with her other four NEWTs she would take at the end of this academic year to have the qualification to teach with. She had, after all, been working on her art quite hard in devising the exam; and had set about producing a large exam piece to exhibit. It was also a commission from Fred and George Weasley now doing well enough to afford such things as family portraits; and they wanted to give their mother the gift of a portrait of her brothers who were killed by deatheaters in the first wizarding war. Erica was working from photos owned by members of the Order of the Phoenix, those belonging to Molly that the twins had filched, and memories in the Pensieve from such people as Lucius – for convenience – and Albus Dumbledore. And Fabian and Gideon were taking shape very nicely and were not sure whether to find it a laugh or be outraged that they were being painted by a Malfoy with hair as red as any Weasley; and were being brought up to date by Erica as she finished them off and began work on the background while they complained that they could hardly be expected to move much with so little background to move in.

Erica just smiled and ignored any complaints; portraits were such critics!

And yet….

No, she would commence another piece for her exam piece so that she could give the finished portrait to Molly as soon as possible; and it would be an official portrait for the school of Cosmo Malfoy, to hang in the Astronomy room where he taught; and some reference to Draco because of them sharing a birthday. Erica nodded; more suitable for an exam piece.

And Randolph planned to use his portrait of the still very much alive Draco Malfoy for his OWL piece.

It was going to be a busy year!