Chapter Seventeen
That evening, they sat around a large table that ran down the middle of the great hall. Danica was playing under the table with a new set of ponies she got for Christmas, a pegasus, a unicorn and a thestral.
Harry sat next to his mother and a nervous looking Gryffindor first year called Freddy, who's parents were working over the holidays. He seemed a bit overwhelmed sitting with not only the other houses but also all the teachers who were staying over the holidays.
Professor Dumbledore had just welcomed them when there were a few nervous foot steps entering the hall. Harry looked behind him to see Professor Trelawney pulling at the edge of her shawl looking rather awkwardly at them all.
"Sybil, how nice of you to join us." Professor Dumbledore beamed.
"We weren't expecting you Sybil." Professor McGonagall said, an edge of annoyance in her voice.
"I wasn't going to come but I felt the need for company today." Professor Trelawney told them, "But now I am here I feel a rather ominous feeling across the gathered here." she said dramatically.
Several of the teachers rolled their eyes at the comment, which Harry felt was a little inappropriate of them with students around.
"I'm sure it will be fine." Professor Sprout said firmly, "We all feel all right don't we?"
There was a murmur of agreement around the table.
"I wouldn't want to tempt the fates." Professor Trelawney told them.
Professor Dumbledore stood up, "Don't worry, we all feel quite well." he took out his wand and drew another chair in the air before tucking it into the table on his left for her to sit.
"I feel that adding another to the number will make it quiet dreadful for the one who stands first." Professor Trelawney warned them.
"Just sit down Sybil." Professor McGonagall told her, "We're all hungry and I'm sure you are as well."
Professor Trelawney huffed loudly and sat down, "You know 42 is a very unlucky number?" she pointed out, crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance.
"There isn't 42 of us Sybil, it's 43. Danica is under the table." Lily smiled, pulling Danica into her seat.
She smiled and waved shyly at Professor Trelawney, who's stony face melted and she smiled back.
"I don't think I've ever met your daughter before." Professor Trelawney said.
"No." Severus said pleasantly, "Danica has been to the school quiet often but rarely leaves my office area." he smiled down lovingly Danica.
"It's nice to meet you." Danica said.
"I like your dress Danica." Professor Trelawney said, "I had one just like it when I was your age."
Danica blushed and pressed down the smooth white fabric.
"I think I still have it somewhere." Trelawney said dreamily, as everyone began to serve themselves with the food that had just arrived, "But when my husband died I couldn't bring myself to wear it again. Something that isn't used like that turns to dust after a while."
"I'm sure it'll be fine with a good clean." Professor McGonagall said. (43)
Professor Trelawney shook her head, "It's of no matter. I'll never wear it again. It's nice to see the old ways carried on though. Not many young ones even know about it any more."
Sirius helped Danica fill her plate with food before they all tucked in. Harry thought about how few did actually have a set of white robes that they used. Even over the few years he'd been at Hogwarts there were less and less in his year. Many people scoffed at it and peer pressure was a powerful thing.
Harry ate, rarely talking, instead he was enjoying listening to the conversation around him. Danica entertained them all with a rather long story about a lady bird she'd found in the garden the other day. No one seemed to mind though, in fact several of the teachers clapped when she finally finished.
They finished the meal and were making their way back to the Slytherin common room when Harry felt a hand on his shoulder.
Professor Trelawney stood behind him looking troubled.
"What is it Professor?" Harry asked.
Trelawney opened her mouth to speak, looking worriedly at Danica before shaking her head, "Nothing dear. I just wanted to say how well you're doing at Divination." she gave a weak smile and wondered off back to her tower.
"Well that was nice of her." Lily said, putting an arm around Harry's shoulder, "Come on, lets go have a few games of chess before we have to head home."
Harry grinned and nodded.
That night he lay in the empty dorm room, in a fitful sleep.
He dreamt he was running, not from something but to it. There were screams, he recognised them, maybe his mothers. Then there was a growing trail of blood and Harry felt terrified to turn the next corner. He looked round and saw a long streak of black hair coated in bright red blood.
Hermione stood rather nervously in Malfoy Manor, looking around at the large ball room.
"Are you OK Hermione?" Draco asked, handing her a glass of wine.
Hermione nodded, "It's just… wow. Your house is huge!"
Draco smirked, "Yeah it is a bit."
"I thought our house was big but this is amazing." Hermione looked around in awe.
"It's been in the family for generations. Mum and Dad redecorated when they moved in and made the odd improvement here and there but it's been here for the best part of a thousand years." Draco explained.
He gestured over to a couple of seats. The hall was still mostly empty, half a dozen house elves were hurrying around putting the food out and making last minute changes to the decoration. Hermione was fascinated by the fake snow that was falling slowly, melting into nothing seven foot about the floor.
"It's going to be weird not having Harry here." Draco sighed, "First year I'll remember there being when he's not come."
"I have to say you two make unlikely friends." Hermione told him, sipping the fruity wine in her glass. She was trying not to guzzle it; it tasted like winter, warm and spicy.
"Really?" Draco said shocked, "We always seemed very alike to me."
Hermione laughed, "That's my point, you're too alike."
Draco smirked, "Well, not saying we haven't had the odd spat. We were both fiercely competitive when we were younger. Mrs Ijewsky, she was our tutor, had to tell us off more than once for fighting but we've just always been there for one another."
"I can't imagine your parents just ran into each other down at Tesco." Hermione said, she'd know the boys for nearly two and half years but still knew relatively little about them and felt it was time to change that.
"What's Tesco?" Draco asked.
Hermione shook her head, "It's a shop. I just meant that I can't see your parents moving in the same circles."
Draco let out a snort of laughter, "No. They were actually on different sides in the war."
Hermione looked shocked, "You mean…?"
"Yes." Draco said, "We don't talk about it much. Both Mother and Father come from pure-blooded families; they didn't have a lot of choice if they wanted to keep me safe. After You-Know-Who was defeated, Father wanted to make amends with Lily. She was suddenly a very useful friend to have. But in the end Mother and her actually have a lot in common and they're as close as friends can be. It's weird because they never would have met under normal circumstances but they would have missed out on an amazing friendship."
"It can't have been easy for them." Hermione said with a frown, "What did their families think?"
"Well Father is the last of his, Mother's mother died before the war finished. She has two sisters, one was very supportive, she'd married a muggleborn herself the other… not so much. There's more family drama around them anyway." Draco sighed, "She's Gemini and Rodolphus's mother, I'm not sure if you've met them or not."
Hermione nodded, "Two of the Slytherin first years? Twins?"
Draco nodded, "That's them."
"The girl gives me the creeps." Hermione whispered, "I don't know what it is about her but it feels like it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge you know."
Draco nodded.
It wasn't long before Pansy and Daphne arrived. They sat and talked but Danica dragged them off to dance once she'd arrived. Draco was mingling with different guests. Hermione didn't know where to start, she hadn't know there were so many Lords and Ladies that were magical.
She was very grateful when Neville came over and sat with her. She gave him a warm smile and patted the seat next to her.
"Good to see you here Hermione." He grinned, and flicked the tail of his suit effortlessly underneath him as he sat down.
"I was worried I was going to be over dressed." Hermione said, smoothing the red stain of her knee length dress, "I think I'm under."
Neville shrugged, "Don't worry about it. The Malfoy's manners are too good to say anything." he grinned, "They'll just be happy to have you here."
"It's amazing." Hermione said, "I know the Hogwarts decorations can be brilliant but this is a whole other level."
"Yep they know how to throw a party." Neville agreed.
"The Duke of Waterford, Lord Lestrange, Earl of Tramore, Lord Lestrange, Lord Rabastan, Lord Corvus, Lady Gemini." was announced and the room doors opened.
Draco, Pansy and Daphne quickly made their way over to where Hermione and Neville where sitting.
"What's up?" Hermione asked, "Were they not invited?"
Draco shook his head, "No Mother always invites them but the children never come and Aunt Bella always does."
"Always?" Hermione asked, "Maybe she just wanted to stay home tonight."
"And give up a chance to upstage mother? Never. She's never missed a party yet." Draco said, "There must be a reason why she's not here."
Neville, Pansy and Daphne nodded in agreement.
Hermione frowned, "I've got to say there are is a lot more nobility in the wizarding world than I ever knew. And I've never seen someone who looks less like a lord that him." she said pointing subtly at Rodolphus.
"Well technically he's a Duke." Neville said, "But only an Irish one."
"Is that bad?" Hermione asked.
"Not really. They're no less important, it's just an old British thing." Daphne shrugged, "One of those old quirks."
Hermione sat back, she had very little knowledge about how nobility worked and was feeling rather out of her depth, there was going to be some serious research when she got home. It was the first time she'd begrudged her parents for being firmly middle class.
"Is there anyone who isn't royalty here?" Hermione laughed.
"Well technically we're nobility." Pansy corrected kindly, "And I'm not even a lady, just the Honourable Miss Parkinson."
Daphne laughed, "That really didn't help did it?"
Hermione smiled and shook her head, "Not really. Feeling a little out numbered. I never even knew."
Neville shrugged, "We don't really rub it in. Some people do." he said pointedly at the Lestranges, "But most of us are a bit more down to earth."
"Magical families that are old enough are nearly always nobility because, in time of crises, they're the ones with a lot of power to help." Pansy explained.
Hermione nodded, that made a lot of sense. She wished she hadn't been out of the room when her friends arrived so she could have heard them being announce, it seemed rude somehow to ask now.
"Fancy having a dance Pansy?" Draco asked, holding out his hand.
Pansy nodded and twirled out on to the dance floor, her pale lilac dress fluttering with the movement.
Daphne smiled, "They seem happy."
Neville and Hermione nodded.
"Lady Nikka of Lockerbie and Miss Tonks."
Nikka and Tonks walked into the room and greeted a few people.
"Care for a dance Lady Lockerbie?" Tonks said, with an exaggerated bow.
Nikka rolled her eyes and smirked, "Don't be jealous, just because your mum ran off and got herself disowned." She pulled her tongue out at her friend.
Tonks laughed and they moved to the dance floor.
"Nikka, I haven't seen you in ages." Lily said walking over and giving Nikka a hug.
Nikka hugged her back before being jumped on by Danica.
"Hi Kitten." Nikka smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "I love your dress."
"Thank you." Danica said, wriggling down and giving Nikka a twirl of her dark blue dress.
Sirius wondered over and looked awkward, "Hi." he said.
Nikka stiffened, "Hello Sirius, how are you?"
"I'm OK. Harry has made a full recovery after the accident." Sirius told her, wishing he'd never walked over.
"I'm glad." Nikka said, she patted Tonks's hand.
Tonks smiled, "It's great to see you Lily. I think Mum is here somewhere; she'd love to say hi."
"I'll go find her." Lily smiled, aware of how awkward things had become.
"Come on Nikka lets go get something to eat, I'm starving." Tonks said, waving goodbye to Lily and pulling Nikka away.
"What was all that about?" Lily asked Sirius, "Did you two have a fight?"
Sirius shook his head, "It doesn't matter. Lets go find Andromeda."
Lily nodded, looking back quickly at Nikka and filing it away in her head to find out what was going on.
