CHAPTER 25
05 December 1991 - 1:40PM
The castle was abuzz with excited chattering for the impending Reunion Seminar, hosted by the Magical Youth Liaison Program. The main bulletin boards (near the Great Hall Entrance) bore flyers describing the event; equal parts academic fair, symposium, and semi-formal evening gala. Semi-formal dress was required for entrance and all were invited to attend, Program beneficiary or otherwise. The flyers also bore moving pictures of the Program's Academic Advisory Team along with the attending Mastery Consultants. Listed were several Program Alumni who would be in attendance, along with a special guest speaker with a live Q&A. Live entertainment provided by the Wizarding Symphony, Britain's premiere magical orchestra, and free food and drinks would be provided as well. This year was extra special; it was the first time in a decade that the Seminar would be hosted at Hogwarts, as opposed to the standard Ministry Reception Hall it was often hosted in.
It was the major event leading up to the start of final exams, and many students relished in the chance for a much-earned break before the next excruciating weeks leading up to holiday. For many of the muggleborn students and quite a handful of the halfblood students who were scholarship recipients, it was the perfect opportunity to either begin laying the foundation for their career tracks that the Program would sponsor, or networking to further strengthen the connections already made. For Sixth and Seventh Years (and some more ambitious Fifth Years), this event was particularly critical for those who wanted to pursue Masteries, those who were interested in the Auror Program, or the very few Departments within the Ministry that were amenable to Halfbloods and Muggleborns as employees.
In spite of themselves, many of the purebloods were openly curious about the upcoming event, even those of the bigoted pureblood variety. Because they had no need of the Program's offerings, many were taught to be dismissive and outright ignorant of it, especially because many of its beneficiaries were of 'lesser blood'. One such curious pureblood was Rodney Montague, who was currently seated in Lily Evans' office for a cup of afternoon tea and a brief catch-up. This wasn't their first correspondence; as a matter of fact, the two Slytherins had discreetly exchanged several owls about several topics since Halloween, all leading up to this very moment. Though initially intimidated by the formidable woman, Rodney had called on the deeply hidden vestiges of bravery he possessed (the Hat had - to his horror - considered him for Gryffindor) and established contact with Professor Evans, hoping that her connection to the Program would be able to provide him some avenue of respite. It helped that his correspondence with his beloved Aunt Telema (Slytherin, Class of 1978) had vouched for Professor Evans as well.
"So Mr. Montague, how may I assist you today?" asked Lily, delicately taking a sip of her tea. The boy-in-question fidgeted for a few moments, before straightening his spine to address her.
"Well, you know of my… dilemma, with my father and all."
"Well… in a way yes, but our correspondence hasn't exactly been as forthright as it could have been. Which is perfectly understandable, given the varying… contexts we're dealing with." Lily gave him a pointed look, causing the boy to nervously chuckle before speaking once more.
"Professor Evans… well I -" Rodney hurriedly cleared his throat at his professor's unblinking stare. "You know the situation with my father. He… he's not willing to change his mind, what with me being his Heir and all." His bitterness was palpable, causing his face to pinch in a scowl. "Lord Montague… Father insists upon me taking the same path as he, and will not be supporting my wishes in pursuing an auror career. I will inevitably have to put my aspirations aside to be a 'proper' Lord to my House. Maintaining all of House Montague's interests will fall to me, and I won't have time for my foolish frivolities." The young wizard scowled terribly, sullenly staring into his tea.
Lily quietly observed him, mind already cataloging all she'd ascertained and drawing the necessary conclusions. Howard Montague - current sitting Lord of the Noble House Montague - was a tasking and stringent father, who demanded that his sons Rodney and Graham be an identical reflection of himself and the superiority of House Montague. An ardent believer in the pureblood cause, Howard steadfastly bigoted in the primacy of his purebloodedness as he believed any man of his station should be.
House Montague's business primarily involved clothing and fashion, holding exclusive contracts with the Ministry in creating uniforms (standard issue and battle-ready armor) for the Auror Department, and the Hogwarts school uniforms through their controlling interests in Madam Malkins, and Twilfit and Tattings. Unbeknownst to most, House Montague also owned controlling interests in the muggle fashion world, primarily through Harrods. As Lily understood it, Rodney's personal desires were an impropriety of the highest order in Howard's eyes; the staunch old-fashioned pureblood would never allow his Heir to risk his life pursuing something as dangerous as an Auror career. Secretly, Lily believed the man feared his son would one day be the one to arrest him if caught in his Death Eater acts. As if that wasn't bad enough, House Montague also routinely allied with House Selwyn and its Vassals in the Wizengamot, and there were whisperings that House Selwyn was willing to support House Montague's elevation to an Ancient and Noble House, creating a formal allyship.
"And are you ready Mr. Montague? To put aside your dreams and aspirations, what your father has deemed to be hobbies, and become a proper Lord for your House when the time comes?" Rodney twitched at the straightforward question, lightly unnerved by the rather monotone manner in which Professor Evans had asked.
"Am I not my father's son, Professor? Qualis Pater talis Filius, as my family motto says. What is my destiny, if not to be a means to my father's end?" The bitter words poured from Rodney's tightened lips, eyes sullen. Lily blinked once, taking a small sip of her tea before responding.
"Well, technically, Lord Montague is your sire and you his scion. But, you do not exist as a mere extension of your father's will. You are and have always been your own person. It's just a matter of how strongly you believe in that truth, and how far you're willing to exert your own will to ensure your future is molded to your own desire." Rodney gave her a curious look while he idly twirled his teaspoon in his hand, pondering her words.
"It's a lot easier said than done, Professor. Especially with time not being on my side." He looked away uncomfortably.
"Oh? And what do you mean by that?" Rodney shifted for a few moments, before steeling his shoulders to respond.
"Well, he doesn't know that I know, but father's… not well." Lily gave a curious raise of her brow, prompting him to continue. "I wasn't meant to overhear, but… he was meeting with his Healer earlier this summer. Father suffered a Dark magic injury during the war, as a bystander when the Death Eaters attacked Hogsmeade." Rodney gave Lily a pointed look, indicating his doubts about that explanation. "Well, according to the Healer, the injury was a shattered leg and finger bones, which were regrown with Skele-Gro. But, something's really wrong. The Healer said the bones are… disintegrating, and that they hadn't been responding well to any of the healing measures they've tried."
"Indeed? What healing measures have they tried?"
"Well… from what I could hear, they tried vanishing the bones again and regrowing them with Skele-Gro, but they're deteriorating even faster. According to the Healer's final report, Father's got at most two years before he's more or less confined to the manor. He's planning on turning the Montague seat over to me, and I'll be expected to fulfill all of the necessary duties as Heir."
Lily nodded though her mind churned at the description of Lord Montague's injuries. Because she knew exactly what and whom were the cause; a modified Bone Breaker of Tom's creation, used when the Knights dealt with the nastiest of Death Eaters. The modification not only liquefied the bone when the curse struck, it caused the bone to deteriorate even after being regrown with Skele-Gro, a consequence of the dark nature of the modification. Additional attempts to regrow the bone accelerated the deterioration process, and eventually, there would only be fragments remaining. If the victim were in the middle of any kind of physical activity when the fragmentation occurred (such as walking), the fragments would disperse to vital organs, causing a near instantaneous death.
"I am sorry to hear that," said Lily, making her tone as placid as possible. "That sounds like quite a painful misfortune, and I cannot imagine it would make your ascension to your Lordship any easier." She paused to nibble on a mini lemon meringue tart, savoring the tangy taste. "However, I must ask; are you ready to take on the helm as Lord Montague? Bear in mind that given the circumstances you've just described, your father's… inability to handle his lordly duties would fall to you. And unless he's willing to disinherit you in favor of your brother, the Lordship must persist." Rodney cringed at her statement, though he didn't disagree with her.
"So I will ask you Rodney; are you willing to take on all of House Montague's duties? In line with the expectations of your… heritage?" Rodney looked away at the loaded question, unable to look Lily in her eyes. While the witch didn't believe that Rodney was a violent bigot (he was sitting and having tea with her), she wasn't sure if he would be willing to rise above that particular reputation. Her research on the boy (mainly through her sources in the Serpent Network and little snippets of convo she caught from students) hadn't revealed anything too concerning. He was generally indifferent to discussions surrounding blood status, and though he never went out of his way to call any muggleborn 'mudblood' or any of his peers 'blood traitor', he also didn't go out of his way to prevent such vocabulary from being used. The most definitive action he took to curb his more voracious peers involved warning them about losing House Points if they misspoke in front of the wrong audience (mainly Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick), relying on his position as Prefect to ensure that his peers believed he was doing because of his status.
"There are some parts of my… heritage that I am not in agreeance with Professor." His voice has descended into a whisper, almost afraid that someone (like his father) would overhear. "I… I don't believe anyone should be… persecuted because they aren't a pureblood. We can all do magic, and from what I've seen with my own two eyes, blood status isn't really indicative of ability. I mean, look at you for example!" Lily's brow quirked, causing Rodney to clear his throat and blush. "What I mean is, you were called the most brilliant witch of your year. I checked and Aunt Telema confirmed; you earned eight OWLS and seven whole NEWTs, the highest in your year! There are some purebloods who could never get scores that high! Hell, even half the Hogwarts staff are Halfbloods. Professor Hagrid is a half-giant, and the man really knows his stuff when it comes to creatures!" Lily allowed a gentle smile to light her face at the mention of the half-giant and his infectious enthusiasm.
"What I'm trying to say is that magic decides yeah? And if you have magic and can use it just like I can, it doesn't make me naturally better than you. And… even if someone doesn't have magic, like a Squib or muggle, if… if they're not bothering me or attempting to harm me or my family, then I don't need to have any quarrel with them. They can be in their world and I can be in mine." Rodney's expression turned hopeful, though Lily's remained unmoved for a few moments. A few beats passed, and her expression relaxed.
"I happen to agree with you Rodney." He sighed in relief, and Lily resisted the urge to snicker, not wanting to offend him. "However, House Montague's views - your father's views - are not in alliance with yours. Should you assume your duties as Lord, are you willing to lead your House away from its current path and into the light of your own?"
"Do I even have that option? I'll be Lord Montague in two years, and there are expectations of what I must do and how I must do it. Unless I want to be disinherited and penniless, there's no chance of me becoming an Auror. In that event, Graham will become Lord Montague, and… and as much as I love my little brother, he is not equipped to handle any of the Lord's duties. He wants to live his life, and play professional Quidditch someday. What kind of hypocrite would I be if I inadvertently took away his choice the way Father is doing mine?" Rodney paused to rub his face vigorously, making little noises of frustration. "What am I supposed to do?" he asked, tone utterly dejected. "It's either one or the other, I can't have both."
"Oh Rodney!" Lily suddenly chuckled, causing Rodney to momentarily frown before her next statement gave him (brief) hope: "Who says you cannot do both?"
"Both?! How in Merlin's name am I meant to do that?!" Lily smiled with all of her teeth, eyes glowing Killing Curse green. In spite of himself, Rodney internally shuddered, briefly wondering if he'd (somehow) gotten himself in even deeper trouble.
Reunion Seminar - 7:15PM
The old Charms classroom just a few doors down from Professor Flitwick's current class was alight with activity. Though, the hubbub wasn't actually occurring in the class. Rather, a medium-sized beige tent had been set up in the old classroom, hosting the night's event. Upon entering, guests were greeted by a massive two-story hall, demonstrative of the premium wizardspace charms at play. Displayed from the rafters was a large banner made of interwoven red, yellow, green, and blue fabrics. The image depicted was an open book with a thickly-plumed iridescent quill hovering over. Every few moments or so, the quill would write the Program's motto - Excellentia perseverat - in shimmering black ink across the book's page. The text would eventually fade, before the quill would repeat its action.
At the tent's entrance in front of a grand stairwell was the event's hostess Ellessa Gatsby (Hufflepuff, Class of 1985), who stood at a podium at the tent's entrance, greeting guests and ensuring they signed the attendance book. To sign, a guest would simply touch his or her wand to the page, and their name would appear, registering them as an attendee. Once complete, Ellessa would hand them an animated brochure with the night's itinerary, outlining the various offerings of the evening's events.
The grand stairwell was split into two; with one descending into the first story, and the other ascending into the second story. The first story of the reception-style hall was filled with fourteen booths, six on each side and one directly in the middle of Booths 2 and 7, and 3 and 9 respectively. All fourteen booths were actually mini-tents, opening into a large lecture room-style space outfitted for the respective attendees' needs.
Booths 1-11 housed the Academic Advisory Team, the respective Mastery Consultants, and the current Hogwarts Professors whose subjects corresponded with those of the booths, which in turn were Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, and Astronomy, along with the more obscure Alchemy, and Healing. Booth 12 was dedicated to Quidditch, Booth 13 for the Auror Program, and the final booth was dedicated to Wizarding Culture, which housed consultants dedicated to wizarding etiquette and history.
A smaller staircase cleared a path from the booths into a lower dais, where a stage was set up for the impending Q&A with special guest Atlas Scamander. The son of the famous magizoologist Newt Scamander had followed in his father's footsteps, authoring a new book titled Fantastic Flying Beasts and Where to Find Them - Volume 3; a special edition focusing on the various new species of winged magical creatures in the Galapagos, the Usambara Mountains, Skomer, and the Sibuyan Island he'd discovered on his extensive travels. As Hogwarts' resident Care of Magical Creatures Professor, Hagrid would be leading the evening's discussion. A raffle was in play for ten lucky winners to receive autographed copies of the new book.
The Upper Level was a large circular balcony, with one side sectioned off with an impressive buffet provided by the Hogwarts elves (since the school was technically hosting), featuring classic wizarding foods, along with some Muggle classics. The pizza station was constantly being refilled by the elves, along with the prawn appetizers. Several cozy tables had been set up for seated dining, with lots of room to stand and mingle. Many of the Program Alumni and current students were already partaking, enjoying the copious appetizers and making conversation. Opposite the dining area was an open bar (Seventh Years and adults only) and additional open tables for attendees to mingle.
There was a sizable stage set up for the Wizarding Symphony, who were currently playing a riveting rendition of Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, which resonated at a comfortable volume throughout the entire tent. The only press representatives in attendance were from the Daily Prophet; Barnabus Cuffe (Editor in Chief), Edward Limus (Society Pages), Emma Squiggle (News Events), and Martin Carneirus (Lead Photographer), who all mingled with the assorted guests, taking statements to print, conducting interviews, and getting the necessary press photos. Rita Skeeter was noticeably absent.
In addition to the various Program alumni and current Program members that were in attendance, there were quite a few Ministry personnel on hand. In addition to the Wizard Child Services Department (the primary department that served as the Ministry's 'base' for the Program), the were select staff from the DMLE, the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and the Department of Magical Games and Sports. All were impressed (as always) by the event's splendor and scale, occasionally wondering how Lord Gaunt - listed as the Program's sole benefactor - could afford to host such a marvel, and still have the funds leftover to sponsor the numerous charitable efforts the Program facilitated.
Curiously enough, the individuals in question never noticed that focusing on any thoughts on the Program's affordability would immediately cause them to become distracted. In fact, they never noticed that any thoughts pertaining to Lord Gaunt's seemingly endless wealth would cause them to become so distracted that their minds would immediately drift to other unrelated subjects. And even more curiously, they never really cared to remember why.
Booth 4 - 7:28PM
Tom stared in mild amusement as Mad-Eye Moody gave another rousing 'CONSTANT VIGILANCE!' speech in front of the gathered students in the Defense Against the Dark Arts tent, their eyes in varying states of alarmed wonder. Always the most popular because of its necessity for the Auror Program, the Defense Against the Dark Arts tent was nearly crowded. Senior Auror Jerome Varens (a Program Alumnus) manned the Auror Department Booth with two junior aurors, primarily dealing with the Sixth and Seventh Years who were already on the Hogwarts Auror Track and were preparing to apply to the Program. Sirius Black was on hand to assist Mad-Eye with the Q&A portion, his status as Lord Black and one of the youngest auror veterans of the previous war drawing further interest.
Though his demeanor was (to Tom's amused consternation) as casually rakish as ever, Sirius had earned a NEWT in DADA, along with Charms and (surprisingly enough) Astronomy, given the Black's family enduring nomenographical obsession with the stars. He served as the perfect counter to Alastor's churlish seriousness, allowing the interested students to open up and engage in the discussion at hand. Sirius' natural proclivity for dramatic exaggeration worked well in this context; the attending students sat enraptured as Sirius iterated some of the dangerous missions he and his team had undertaken as Aurors. Tom was also pleased to see that Rodney Montague was in attendance, using the pretense of potential interest in a DADA Mastery to learn more about the Auror Program. Lily had given Tom the rundown on Rodney's situation, and they were working on an effective strategy plan that would be beneficial to all involved.
Someone whom Tom was equally pleased to see was Quirinus Quirrell, having been shoehorned into attending as Hogwarts DADA Professor. Tom had been alerted to the man's presence when his magical signature registered within the guest attendance book. Tom had linked the book's runic matrix to the bracelet cuffs of himself and his attending Inner Circle, allowing them to keep track of all the evening's attendees as an extra layer of security. Quirrell's attendance meant that he was not in pursuit of the Stone, making it easier to keep a closer eye on him. In fact, since the disastrous attempt on Halloween, Quirrell hadn't made any attempts to get the Stone. Lily's ward remained unperturbed, and Harry hadn't received any new updates from the Serpent Network regarding the man's movements.
Naturally, Tom had taken the opportunity to subtly scan the man's mind, hoping to gain some additional insights on his rapid personality decline. All Tom had gleaned was… nothing. Fleetings emotions of mild irritation were at the forefront of the man's mind, in addition to thoughts regarding impending exams for his classes. There were no references to the Dark Lord, plans for the Stone, or anything remotely provocative that would pique interest. In fact, the man's mind felt so incredibly ordinary that Tom was more than convinced of there being very advanced Occlumency in play. If the Dark Lord was actively possessing the DADA professor, he'd gone through painstaking lengths to hide his presence very well. In spite of his prodigious ability, Tom wasn't willing to risk a Level 2 or higher mind scan, lest a duel broke out between himself and Quirrell. Lily would more than likely be disappointed if she didn't get her pound of flesh from the man who'd almost murdered her estranged son.
Loud applause interrupted Tom's thoughts, redirecting his attention to the main stage. Sirius was in the middle of a dramatic bow, as Mad-Eye rolled his eyes at the man's theatrics. The grizzled auror all but dragged the exuberant Lord Black from the stage, as Quirrell - bearing a rather tight expression - introduced Libra, who would be leading a discussion on Wizarding Law and (if there was any interest) pursuing a Law Mastery. Libra ran a private consulting firm focused on wizarding patent law as it pertained to proprietary family magic and inventions. Her clients were spread across France and her native Libya, and she was working to build out her English clientele. At the current moment, she and Tom were working to establish pro-bono services for underprivileged but enterprising magicals who were seeking the means to patent their creations.
Catching his eye, Libra gave Tom a brilliant smile which he returned, his eyes drifting to her ring finger. Though the official announcement would not be revealed until the following day, Libra and Tom were finally engaged. Tom had proposed on Libra's birthday (October 13th), after receiving official approval from Libra's father, Lord Haseeb Kolumbiko, current sitting Lord of House Kolumbiko in Libya. The ring was an impressive pear-cut emerald, surrounded by a halo of garnets (Tom's birthstone), flanked by two gleaming fire opal side-stones (Libra's birthstone). The shank was made of luminescent mithril in the shape of an ouroboros, bearing a hallmark of the couple's initials. Naturally, the ring was teeming with parsel-ensorcelled protective magic, linked directly to Tom's bracelet cuff.
As Libra launched into her discussion to her enthralled audience, Tom summoned two slices of pepperoni pizza and a large glass of cola from the buffet and got comfortable, eager to enjoy the remainder of his evening.
Booth 14 - 7:42PM
Hermione listened in rapt attention to Madame Milburga Post (Slytherin, Class of 1945), as the serene woman explained the importance of a witch using scented parchment to send a thank you note for receiving an invite to a pureblood social gathering. A distant cousin of the famed Muggle socialite and renowned etiquette expert Emily Post, Madame Milburga was considered the foremost authority on wizarding etiquette, having authored numerous bestsellers for both witches and wizards alike. She ran an exclusive private school that provided etiquette lessons for the foremost pureblood families, which consisted of dancing lessons, painting classes, music lessons, and even a three-week long seminar specifically for cotillon training, for families who wished to debut their marriageable daughters to society.
Though a rather traditional pureblood, the genteel witch's passion for educating young magicals on propriety overrode any bigotries she possessed. She enjoyed working as a consultant for the Program, eager to teach the incoming generations about the dos and don'ts of wizarding etiquette, and its importance. The woman truly believed that anyone could learn good manners, even if that individual was not a born-member of wizarding society. It was this mindset that motivated her work with the Program, providing private lessons (individual and group) for the interested halfbloods and muggleborns, especially those who sought a career within the Ministry.
As Hermione also discovered, Madame Milburga was exceptionally knowledgeable about the Program's logistics and overall structure. Upon its formal establishment in 1951, Lord Gaunt had pushed for additional legislation to work conjunctly with Wizarding Child Services, citing that their collaboration would be a necessity in providing the support for underprivileged magical youth, making it easier to know exactly which students were in the greatest need. After a rather tumultuous back-and-forth between the more traditional factions, the Wizengamot finally passed the necessary bill - The Liaison Program Act - in the spring of 1953.
The tenets of the bill outlined that Child Services had to approve each scholarship recipient, which was relatively easy considering most were muggleborns and some halfbloods that most purebloods were naturally not concerned with. In line with the established precedence, Child Services also forbade the Program from interfering with the affairs of pureblooded children, especially those of the Wizengamot families. Through Tom's various connections in the muggle world (with the occasional assistance from Headmaster Dumbledore), the Program was able to target students who came from very disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, going further to provide supplementary room and board for those whose home lives were particularly dire.
For incoming First Years who were particularly impoverished, an assigned representative from the Program would go along with Professor McGonagall, providing additional assistance. The representative also spent an entire (separate) day in Diagon Alley with the student, working with them to ensure they would be fully prepared to tackle their Hogwarts tenure by providing the necessary wizarding etiquette books, wizarding society in general, and providing a rundown on what to expect when attending Hogwarts. The assigned Program representative kept in routine contact with the student, exchanging owls and meeting in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade during holiday breaks. Brief reports were provided to Child Services, who provided their stamp of approval upon seeing the smooth operation of the Program. The less they were involved in logistics, the better.
The Program's successes had not been without its difficulties. The years of 1968-1970 saw a lot of pushback from the traditional pureblood faction within the Wizengamot, on par with the rise of anti-muggleborn sentiment, increased pureblood propaganda, and the rise of 'Dark Lord' Alexander McAcvity. The Program was forced to briefly halt all operations in the winter of 1970, facing immense opposition from Abraxas Malfoy, who'd claimed the mantle of the Light Lord in the Wizengamot. Abraxas had alleged that the Program was functioning as a secret propaganda arm for the Dark Lord McAvity, its muggleborn beneficiaries working to sow violent discord against innocent pureblood victims. To avoid the Program's complete dismantlement, Lord Gaunt officially halted operations, registering the necessary paperwork in the Ministry Administration Office. The election of Minister Nobby Leach and the official emergence of the true Dark Lord saw the Program formally resume its operations, and it'd run quite smoothly until the current time.
"You've been a wonderful help to me Madame, I am deeply appreciative of your assistance this evening." Hermione smiled demurely while placing her right hand over heart, the proper etiquette for displaying heartfelt honest thanks.
"You are most welcome dear girl!" Milburga replied, her warm hazel eyes crinkled in delight. "You are certainly a rarity amongst your like-blooded peers, so properly behaved!" Hermione internally bristled at 'like-blooded', finding herself slightly disappointed (but not surprised) at the old-school pureblood's reference to her muggleborn status.
"I owe it to my peer Mr. Harry Potter. He provided me the necessary reading material to ensure I was fully prepared for all social interactions upon my Hogwarts matriculation."
"Wonderful! Yes, Mr. Potter is a delightful young man, exceptionally well-behaved. I facilitated some private lessons for him in Lord Gaunt's attendance, and he took to them particularly well. I am very pleased to hear he paid those lessons in kind." Politely nodding, Hermione filed that info to ask Harry about later.
Pausing to take a sip of tea, Hermione politely asked: "Would you be amenable to providing me with additional lessons m'am? While your book was inordinately helpful, I definitely believe I would benefit from additional private tutelage, especially during the summer months when I am living with my family in the muggle world. My parents would be able to accommodate the necessary arrangements." Hermione made her expression as sweetly chaste as possible, delighted when Madam Milburga gave a beaming smile.
"Of course darling, it would be my pleasure." She summoned her velvet evening bag, and retrieved a gold-accented business card, which bore a pleasant aroma of soft lavender. "Have your parents owl me to formalize the arrangements, and my assistant and I will work to include you in our summer class offerings. You are already very well advanced, so I think I can sit you with my intermediate class. We're focused on semi-formal entertaining this summer, along with pre-cotillion lessons. It would be a pleasure to have you attend, and you can socialize with other young ladies." She gave Hermione a pleased smile which the young witch gladly returned, pleased with all her progress.
8:40PM
Leaning against the balcony of the Upper Level, Tom fondly observed Hagrid leading the Q&A session with Atlas Scamander, the half-giant's excitement palpable as he stared at Atlas in open adoration. The assembled audience listened with rapt attention, transfixed by Atlas' thrilling reenactment of being chased by a flock of Voice-Vented Cockatoos (a distant cousin of the Fwooper) during he and his father's trek to Sibuyan Island. The magic of the bird's song forced its listener to sing along, altering his or her voice to fit the impossibly high pitch. The unnatural strain forced the victim to permanently damage their vocal chords, the resulting injury impervious to any known magical healing.
While watching and sipping on a virgin martini, Tom maintained a four-way thoughtstream conversation with the attending members of his Inner Circle, as the krait, cobra, and the runespoor (specifically the left head) symbols glowed unseen on his invisible cuff.
Tom: "So, what are all your thoughts on tonight's event?"
Severus: "It's gone rather well I should say. As always, the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs have shown great promise for the Mastery Program. Upon completion of their NEWTs, we should have at least fifteen students pursuing their Masteries. Tristan, Qiao, and Bertie will be providing the tutelage for the Transfiguration, Charms, and Arithmancy students respectively, and Edrea will be gaining at least two new students for Herbology. We're already working with Madam Longbottom to coordinate logistics for utilizing one of the family's educational nurseries. As for the Prince Institute, we will be greatly benefiting from the addition of three students who've demonstrated great potential. Piccola and Davina will be most pleased. " Tom smiled at his friend's tone, his pride tangible. "The Auror Program will continue to see consistent numbers to their rank, and Jerome is more than happy to provide additional mentorship as needed. We may soon have Kingsley Shacklebolt officially join our mentorship program as well." Everyone was pleased to hear that, all in agreement Shacklebolt's immaculate reputation and steadfast dedication would be a great boon to the Program.
Tom: "I am very pleased to hear of all the positive progress we've made. As always, it seems the night was a strong success."
Milburga: "Agreed, things have gone splendidly. My etiquette classes will be teeming this summer, and I daresay it's refreshing to see the younger generation of muggleborns embrace the… positive aspects of wizarding tradition and society."
Lily: "Positive indeed." Her sharply sarcastic tone was not lost on the group, and gauging Milburga quickly souring mood, Tom swiftly changed the subject. The two women had always clashed with each other (especially during Lily's youth when she'd been Milburga's pupil in the summer), both too stubborn to concede to the other.
Tom: "Well then, that's enough for the evening. We'll get together with the others and put together our debrief reports, for our own recordkeeping, along with the necessary summary report for the Ministry. As always, be as brief as you can be in that regard. It's not as if that nitwit Duncan even reads the damn thing." Duncan Lord Rosier, the current department head for Wizarding Child Services was notoriously lackluster in his role, not really giving enough of a damn about any of the children who were not descended from the Sacred Twenty-Eight families. Though he never dared insult Lord Gaunt to his face, Duncan always ensured his disdain for what he thought of as a "useless mudblood charity" was always mirrored in his expression.
Milburga: "Certainly, I will have my report complete by the week's end."
Severus: "As will I."
Lily: "Me too, I'll have it all done by Sunday."
Tom: "Excellent, we will reconvene then." He terminated the connections just in time to lightly jump as Atlas gave an ear-splitting rendition of one cockatoo's song, his soprano falsetto surprisingly high in spite of the man's deeply timbred voice. A brief moment of shocked quiet passed, before the audience (along with Tom) erupted into delighted applause.
9:03PM
Lily slowly made her way through the dessert table, carefully picking her treats to enjoy with her well-earned glass of Oloroso sherry. She'd danced with Sirius a few minutes ago on the Upper Level's impromptu dance floor, laughingly enjoying her usual banter with the ruffian Lord Black as they'd twirled around in a spirited Viennese Waltz. To Lily's equal delight, Libra and Tom had dazzled the assembled crowd as they's waltzed, focused on nothing but each other. All their friends were immensely pleased at the couple's impending nuptials, with Lily congratulating Tom on finally 'getting his head out of his ass'. The press had gone wild with the photos (Martin had somehow produced three cameras!), as the excited whispers about the witch's dazzling engagement ring grew in volume. Lord Gaunt's enduring status as one of Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelors was finally at an end. When asked for comment, the couple responded that yes, they were very much engaged and the official announcement would correspond with the following day's paper.
Afterwards, Lily had stopped by Harry's table to briefly chat with him and his friends who'd been in attendance. In addition to Hermione and Neville, Lily had been introduced to Blaise Zabini, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Anthony Goldstein, Padma Patil, and Susan Bones. The addition of Senior Auror Bones' niece had been a surprise to Lily, smiling in quiet approval at Harry forging that particular connection. Blaise Zabini wasn't as much of a surprise, though Lily was genuinely amused at the young man's rather boldly flirtatious charm. All eight were currently tucked away in a far side table, amicably catching up with each other before the event's end in the next half hour.
Spotting a tray of spiced mini pear tarts further down the table, Lily made her way over. Suddenly, someone bumped into her from behind, causing her to almost drop her sherry. Whirling around, her cutting words died on her tongue as seeing exactly who'd bumped into her. Jim, who looked momentarily startled at seeing her. The two silently stared at each for a few moments, before Jim spoke:
"Good evening Professor Evans," he said, his tone surprisingly neutral though much colder than what Lily would've preferred.
"Hello Mr. Potter. How are you this evening?" Jim's eyes lightly narrowed at her question, though he did respond:
"I'm well, and yourself?"
"I'm well, thank you for asking." The tense staring contest resumed once more, before Jim tightly nodded and all but ran to his friend Ron, who was seated at a small table on the opposite end of the dessert table. The young Weasley was eagerly devouring a veritable mountain of raspberry pasties, his notorious appetite on full display.
'Well, that went a lot better than expected,' thought Lily, as she paused to take a preemptive sip of her sherry. It was the most words he'd ever spoken to her, and it was the most polite her estranged son had ever been. While Harry had informed her of the ridiculous and hurtful insinuation that she (along with Severus and Quirrell!) had attempted to kill him, she was hopeful that this brief exchange meant a positive change in their future interactions.
AN 1: I wrote entirely too much, and adding Draco's bit would've been overkill.
AN 2: The Reunion Seminar went quite splendidly! The Program is Tom's baby, and a rather fine continuation of his Vision that allowed him to assume the Prince Mantle during his tenure. We'll see that explored in Book II.
AN 3: Tom is officially off the market! He and Libra's impending nuptials won't happen until summer before Year 2, which will feature a trip to magical Tripoli! We'll get to meet the powerful Kolumbiko family (think PoS Selwyn but with no Anathemagic shenanigans), and a yet-to-be named Kolumbiko who served on Tom's Prince Administration.
AN 3: Jim not being an ass for once, hooray for (minor) progress. How long this will last, who knows ;)
Next Up: Draco's attack, and the fallout! One more chapter until Harry discovers the Hydra Throne, and exacts his revenge against Draco's sins.