Sirius weaved through the mass of ministry workers vying for their lunches in the ministry's canteen towards the table Arthur and Percy were occupying.
This was the part he hated about being a lord. It was the sort of thing that he had rejected as a child, mostly because his parents (his mother in particular) knew how to wield society's rules and customs like weapons. Now that he was older, more tempered, and quite traumatized by his stint in Azkaban, he understood and realized that the rules and customs and traditions were there to keep society ordered. To try and keep things like what had happened to him from happening again. The suspension of laws and common sense under Bagshot and Crouch had brought about as much chaos as Voldemort had, and he was determined that such a thing would not happen again.
Which meant, that he needed to pave the way for Harry to enter a relatively unhostile political scene when he turned seventeen. It also meant that he had to ensure that Harry's Muggleborn friends (especially the one Harry considered a sister) were able to safely function in the society he was desperately trying to reform.
So here he was, about to go talk to Arthur about his wife overstepping boundaries which, honestly, Molly should have known. Not only had she made a blatant faux pas, but she had just been rude in general. Aria was a kid and Harry wasn't her godson or child.
"Sirius!" Arthur greeted warmly. "I thought you usually left for lunch."
"Usually," Sirius agreed, "but I received this letter from Aria and thought it better to address the situation now than later."
"Is everything all right?" Percy asked, genuine concern coloring his voice. Sirius smiled at the young wizard. Aria had mentioned in her letter that she had received a very nice letter from Percy, that she always felt safe talking to him, and that she considered him a close friend even like an older brother or cousin of sorts.
"She is fine," Sirius assured Percy. "But she did receive an interesting letter. Her friends in Slytherin insisted she send it onto me." He produced Molly's letter and handed it over to Arthur whose eyes immediately widened when he realized what this letter was. He gave it over to Percy after reading through it, running a tired hand over his face.
"I'm so sorry Aria had to receive this," Arthur said. Percy's mouth was turning down into a frown quite reminiscent to Septimus Weasley whenever a Wizengamot member got tiresome and idiotic. "I had no idea she would write something like this, let alone to a child she barely knows."
"I didn't think you did know," Sirius assured him. "And I'm hardly the sort to request some kind of apology beyond another letter actually apologizing. But Aria and Harry's Slytherin friends all know, and I know your youngest is a Slytherin and Ron being friends with Harry and Aria—,"
"Yes, there is a level of etiquette held within Slytherin that's not necessarily always present in Gryffindor or the other houses," Arthur agreed. "But I wouldn't approve of this either way, regardless of the house Aria was in. She's a good, sweet kid. Ron is glad to be friends with her and Ginny also loves having her in Slytherin since Ginny doesn't get along with the Slytherin girls in her year." Arthur pulled out his pocket watch. "I've got time before I need to be back in the office. I'll go speak to Molly right now. Thanks for bringing this to my attention."
Arthur took his tray over to the disposable cart and disappeared out of the canteen.
"Mum can be so hotheaded sometimes," Percy complained.
"It's the Prewett in her," Sirius teased. "Her brothers were like that."
"Dad says I'm the most Weasley out of my siblings, with my level-headedness," Percy admitted. "It doesn't feel that way though because everyone else is so loud and brash."
"Well, Aria told me she greatly appreciated your letter," Sirius said. "I get the feeling she may see you as a big brother."
Percy felt his cheeks warm up.
"If I had to choose another sister, she would be first on the list," Percy answered. "There's just . . . something about her."
"I'm starting to realize that," Sirius said, rising to his feet. "Though I hardly spent much time with her this past summer. Hopefully next year we'll be able to get to know each other better."
Sirius left the canteen. Across the atrium he spotted Abraxas Malfoy playing court with several of the darker families. Anger boiled in his gut, but he turned away from the man. A part of him wanted to ask the man for an honor duel. Who did he think he was, going after a fourteen-year-old child like that? Not to mention humiliating his own grandson! He wished Abraxas would drop dead, had wished that ever since Narcissa's engagement to Lucius had been announced back during their sixth year of Hogwarts. It had only been their grandfather, Arcturus Black, then Lord Black, who had kept Cygnus and Druella from pulling Narcissa from Hogwarts after she obtained her OWLs. Their parents had been of the generation where witches only obtained OWLs, but never NEWTs if they intended to marry. Walburga and Druella had never gotten NEWTs. It had only been because of the Arcturus that Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa had been allowed to get their NEWTs. There had, of course, been Black witches who had obtained their NEWts. Euphemia and Cedrella were the two he could think of off the top of his head.
Deciding to worry about Narcissa at another time, Sirius returned to his Wizengamot office. There were a few bills he needed to review, one he knew had been submitted by Dolores Umbridge and would, no doubt, be a bill that attempted to restrict werewolves. Umbridge seemed to hold an unnatural hatred, even for a bigot, towards creatures, especially werewolves. Ever since he had made Remus co-guardian, Umbridge had been attempting to find ways to remove Remus or declare both him and Sirius unfit guardians. It was certainly keeping Madam Bones on her toes as Umbridge was also now in the habit of requesting child welfare checks, even though Harry was currently at Hogwarts, and Bones was at the point where she might actually hex the woman next time one of her requests came through the auror department.
"Ah, Sirius!" Septimus Weasley and Jeremiah Prince came strolling along the corridor with the ICW representatives. "Just the man we wanted to see. Our esteemed ICW colleagues thought you might be interested in some of the English editions of the foreign newspapers." Lord Weasley handed Sirius a Greek paper. Abraxas Malfoy was front and center and the Greeks had no problem heaping judgement upon judgement on the man. The Swedish paper also lambasted Malfoy.
"I only wish I had the French paper," Lord Prince lamented. "To see what the French have to say about the English branch of the family."
"They're not even really related anymore," Sirius commented with glee. "There's too many generations between the two sides now."
"Eh, the Malfoys have taken French brides every now and again," Prince answered. "Still close enough for the French."
"Do you mind if I keep these?" Sirius asked. "I'm sure Aria will get a kick out of these. They, at least, don't accuse her of whoring herself out to the boys of Hogwarts."
"Skeeter," Weasley spat like her name was a curse. "Someday someone's going to take a pot shot at her and no one will be upset."
"Before you go," Prince said, "I wanted to talk to you about the newest round of proposals brought by Madam Umbridge. I have some questions because if Skeeter is to be believed, this Miss Bourne is trying find a cure for lycanthropy? I had heard rumors coming from the YEP Symposium but had not believed it. She's fourteen is she not?"
"She doesn't like to be told she can't do something," Sirius replied. "I also have it under good authority that she didn't realize how monumental the task would be. She's like many Muggleborns. They don't realize the limits of magic because it's all so unbelievable and limitless to them in the first place."
"If Muggleborns truly believed that, then why don't more of them attempt to do more?" Prince questioned with a snort. Sirius bit back a harsh answer. Lord Prince was not so much a blood purist as he was a classist, though that was no surprise with the history of the Prince family.
"I think it may have something to do with the purist mindset that's encroached into British culture," Sirius retorted, managing to keep a respectful tone. "Unless a Muggleborn has friends in high places, it is difficult for them to break into many fields unless they go abroad, and many of them aren't exactly told of those options at Hogwarts. Lily Potter had much to say about it. I'm certain the Potters would be sponsoring a great many worthy Muggleborns if they were alive today."
Prince hummed, as if what Sirius said was that of a young naïve child with grand ideas that had no basis in reality. Well, just he wait, Sirius thought. Perhaps he'd still be alive when Aria Bourne found the cure for lycanthropy.
Arthur Flooed into the Burrow, the warmth of the kitchen enveloping him in its familiar greeting. Molly was not in the kitchen, but he could hear her puttering about upstairs.
"Molly?" he called, climbing up the stairs. Molly popped her head out of their bedroom.
"Arthur?" she cried. "What are you doing home? Has something happened? Is it Bill? Charlie?"
"No, the boys are fine," Arthur replied, stepping into the bedroom. Molly was in the middle of packing some kind of large package. Three sets of dress robes and a dress were careful laid out on the bed ready for packaging.
"What are these?" Arthur asked, picking up one set of robes. They were ghastly, an ugly brown color that he supposed at one point may have been purple, with lots of frills and lace that had been fashionable for wizards nearly a century ago. It certainly smelled like it had come from a century ago.
"Dress robes for the boys and Ginny," Molly said excited. "I managed to find these three second hand and convinced Muriel to buy Ginny's dress as a Christmas present."
"Who exactly is going to be wearing this monstrosity?" Arthur asked.
"Oh, it's not so bad," Molly cried. "My grandfather had one just like it years ago."
"Your grandfather hasn't been alive for years," Arthur pointed out. He studied the three sets of wizarding robes closely. "This one's for Ron isn't it? I can tell by its length."
"He's growing like a weed," Molly fussed. "None of the Prewetts were ever that tall. He's also starting to fill out a bit in the shoulders. This was the only one that came in his size."
"You can't send this to Ron while Ginny and the twins get either a brand new dress or nice second hand robes," Arthur argued. The two sets meant for the twins were no older than four or five years old, and had clearly only been worn once or twice. Not that the twins would really care. Ron wouldn't either usually, but Arthur was certain that Ron would care if his mother sent him dress robes from the dinosaur age!
"Adjust one of mine," Arthur insisted, turning to his closet area. He dug through until he found one of his trunks and rifled through it, pulling out a set of dress robes he had not been able to fit into since Bill was born. It was definitely dated, but the color was a nice gray with gold accents. Best of all, it would fit Ron with only a little adjustment.
"If you're sure . . ." Molly agreed hesitantly.
"I'm sure," Arthur insisted. He watched Molly adjust his old robes until they were the same size as the offending dress robes. Once completed, Arthur balled the frilly set of robes up in his hands and banished them.
"Molly," he said. Molly continued to pack the dress robes. "I had an . . . upsetting conversation with Sirius just before I came here."
"Oh? Is everything all right?"
"Not really, my dear. He was a bit upset because Harry—,"
"Is it about that horrid article?" Molly cried, spinning about to face Arthur. "That poor boy, strung along by that girl! I thought she seemed very nice, and Ginny and Ron and Percy always speak so highly of her, but to just jump from one boy to another like that! And a Malfoy too!"
"Molly!" Arthur cried. "Harry is upset because of the insinuating suggestions the paper put out about him and Aria. On top of that, the letter you sent to Aria made him and her even more upset. That was so rude, Molly. Neither of us have that kind of relationship with either of them to send such a letter and you know it."
"Someone's got to look out for Harry," Molly insisted. "I know Sirius and Remus mean well. But there's only some things a woman can do."
"Molly," Arthur said, voice suddenly sharp. "It wasn't your place. Neither Aria or Harry are in Gryffindor where such things slide off their backs. They're in Slytherin. Our daughter is in Slytherin. They care very much for these things. It would not do to make Ginny's time in Slytherin harder or making Harry upset like that. Sirius and Remus are doing their best. If they need your help, I'm sure they'll ask you. Or they'll ask Andromeda."
Molly sniffed, definitely miffed at the idea that someone else might be looked to for advice concerning Harry. Arthur couldn't blame her. Dumbledore had always encouraged their children to find Harry and befriend him once they made it to Hogwarts, and Arthur had been glad to see how Ron had slipped into a friendship with Harry. They would have all grown up together anyway, so it made sense that they would be friends. And it had certainly made his own children blossom in ways he had not anticipated. Percy seemed to thrive acting as an elder sibling for Aria (and sometimes Harry), and Ginny had benefited from having an older female peer that she was close to. Ron too had broadened his friend pool. He and Theo Nott always met up at the Leaky Cauldron during the summer to play chess and Arthur knew that it was the influence of his friends that made Ron the studious child he was.
Still, Molly may have expected, after the summer before the children's second year, to take on a more mothering role for Harry. Him unexpectedly gaining other guardians had clearly made that harder to accomplish and his poor Molly who loved to love people was taking it harder than he had realized.
"Just don't do it again," Arthur told her. He didn't like ordering Molly to do anything. "And write an apology letter. Harry and Aria will be expecting it as will Sirius."
Molly sighed as she finished writing their children's names on the package.
"Very well," she agreed. "If it'll make Harry happy."
"We've got an emergency."
Aria and Hermione looked up from their homework. Harry and Ron stood in front of them. Ron looked like he had an emergency. Harry looked like he was trying to be sympathetic but was failing only when Ron wasn't looking.
"Does it have to do with the package you received the other morning?" Hermione asked. The Weasleys had received a large package a few days ago at the same time that Aria had received an apology from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.
"No, those were our dress robes and those are fine," Ron answered. "Surprisingly. I need a date to the ball."
"You haven't gotten a date yet?" Aria cried. The Yule Ball was now only a few days away!
"I . . . forgot," Ron muttered, cheeks going red. "But I thought, Hermione, since you're a girl and all that, that you might like to go with me."
Hermione frowned. Harry shook his head, exasperated.
"Glad you can tell girls from boys, Ron," Aria teased. "Pretty basic stuff that is."
"No!" Ron huffed. "I meant, since Hermione doesn't have a date either, I thought we could go together."
"What makes you think I don't have a date?" Hermione asked.
"You haven't said anything about it."
"Maybe I want it to keep it a secret. Keep people out of my business so I don't have people like Abraxas Malfoy coming after me."
"So . . . you've got a date?" Ron didn't look like he believed Hermione.
"Yes, Ronald. I've got a date."
Ron still didn't look like he believed her.
"Hermione—,"
"Just because you only just realized I'm a girl, Ronald Weasley, doesn't mean others haven't noticed!" Hermione snipped, slamming down her quill. "I've had a date for a while. Aria was there when the gentleman asked me. We don't wish to announce it though. We are both rather private people."
Ron folded his arms with a pout.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Aria said, closing her book. "We've got to find Ron a date. Do we know of any girl who doesn't have a date yet that would be willing to go with Ron?"
"Or boy even?" Harry questioned.
"I don't lean that way," Ron told him.
"I know, but a platonic date is better than no date at all."
Aria looked around the Great Hall as if anyone walking about would have a sign over their heads declaring that they did not have a date for the Yule Ball. As she cast her gaze over the students, she noted Lavender and Parvati and Lisa Turpin gathered around a clearly upset Padma Patil.
"Give me a moment," Aria said, hurrying over to the girls.
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"My date dumped me!" Padma bemoaned.
"It's hardly his fault, Padma," Parvati scolded gently.
"Roger Malone was meant to take Padma," Lavender explained to Aria. Aria vaguely recalled another fourth year Muggleborn from Ravenclaw. He was quiet, kept mostly to himself or hung out sometimes with Anthony, Michael, and Terry. "But his grandfather's gotten really sick, and his parents don't think he'll last past the holidays, so Roger went home."
"I'm so sorry," Aria said, patting Padma on the shoulder. "But, if you're up to it, I have a solution."
"You know someone who needs a date?" Padma asked hopefully. "We were just going to go as friends."
"Ron needs a date," Aria stated. "He only just realized Hermione is a girl and asked her, but someone already asked her, so he is currently pouting."
"Surprised she didn't hex him then," Parvati said.
"If he's willing to go I'll go with him," Padma told Aria. Aria pulled her up and brought her over to Ron, Harry, and Hermione.
"Ron," Aria said, gesturing to Padma. "Don't you have a question for Padma?"
Ron blinked owlishly for a moment before Harry poked him in the ribs.
"Oh! Right. Padma, would you go to the Yule Ball with me?"
"I would love to," Padma answered. "Thank you, Ron. I'll be wearing a green and gold sari." She skipped off back to her sister and all the girls there giggled before scurrying off.
"Why does the color of her dress matter?" Ron asked.
"It means you can transfigure something in your robes to match," Hermione explained.
"Oh. That makes sense. Should I also transfigure a boutonniere or something for her?"
Aria and Hermione giggled.
"A corsage will do just fine," Aria assured him with a smile. Ron nodded, suddenly looking very nervous. Aria and Hermione rolled their eyes at each other.
"So, are you going to tell us who your dates are?" Ron asked Aria and Hermione. Both girls shook their heads before gathering their school things and trotting away from the boys who pretended to whine over their secrecy.