The Avery Women
Mar. 3rd, 2007 01:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morgynleriSeries Title: The Avery Women
Title: Draco
Word Count:
Status: In Progress
Genre: Drama
Rating: G
Commentary: Characterization
31 July
"Why do I hav'ta, Uncle Remus?"
“Harry! Come on! It’s time to wake up!” Isis bounded across the nursery, her voice loud in the quiet of the early morning. “No sleeping in on your birthday, we have a party today!” She threw open the door to her adopted brother’s room, ducking as he threw a pillow at her head.
“Don’t want to get up.” Harry buried his face into the remaining pillow on his bed, trying to go back to sleep. “Party’s not starting now. Everyone’s still asleep.” He turned his head to give her a sleepy glare. “’Cept you.”
Isis rolled her eyes. “Mum’ll be up soon, you know that.”
“She’s an Auror. She’s always up early.”
“Uncle Remus gets up early, too. And he doesn’t have a job.” Isis crossed her arms over her chest. “Other than getting you out of bed, and keeping the tutor from walking out. Again.”
“It wasn’t my fault this time!” Harry sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before reaching for his glasses. “You let the squirrels into the classroom.”
Isis blew out a mock sigh. “Did not! I just opened the window because it was nice outside. It’s not my fault the tutor had acorns in his desk. That was your fault.”
“I see I don’t have to wake either of you up this morning.” Remus spoke from behind Isis, making both children jump. “Good morning, Harry. How’s the birthday boy?”
Harry yawned, shrugging. “Still sleepy. Do I have to get up?”
“Unfortunately, yes. There’s a party this afternoon, and there are going to be lots of people here. You’re going to have to wear those nice robes Marion bought you last time Madame Malkin was here.”
Harry scrunched up his nose, scowling. “Why do I have to get dressed up for this party, Uncle Remus? Why can’t we just have David and Maf and Addi and Rhys, like normal?”
“’Cause you gotta get to know all the right people, Harry. Didn’t you listen to gran?” Isis shook her head, flouncing back towards her room. “Mum let you off easy. I had to go to Pansy Parkinon’s birthday party when I was four. And all the other pureblood kids. At least, those with any real connections.”
Harry scowled at Isis’ door as she shut it, sliding off his bed with a sigh. “I don’t wanna have a party with all those people. Why do I hav’ta, Uncle Remus?” He looked up at the werewolf, a plaintive expression on his face, along with a hint of nervousness.
Remus crouched down to be on eye-level with the seven-year-old. “If I was planning this party, you’d be able to invite just those you want here. But Marion has control over the guest list this time. And you know she thinks that Niobe isn’t living up to her duties in raising you.” He smiled gently, reaching out to ruffle Harry’s hair. “Your father probably had to deal with some of this, too, you know.”
Harry wrinkled his nose. “It’s stupid.”
“Maybe. But it’s probably the only way most of the pureblood kids get to meet other kids their age before Hogwarts. Not everybody is willing to admit to having Muggle neighbors, much less to associate with them like Niobe does.”
“David’s still going to come, isn’t he? And Maf, and Addi and Rhys?” Harry gave Remus an anxious look. “Gran didn’t forget to invite them, did she?”
“I doubt she forgot to invite them. You know she invites them to every party.” Remus paused, holding Harry’s gaze for a moment, waiting for the sigh of relief, the worry fading from the small face. “Now, you have to get dressed. The Prewetts will be here for breakfast, and then we have to get the house ready for the party.”
Harry sighed again, grimacing as he headed back to his room to put on the dress robes Marion had bought him for today.
~ ~~ ~
Draco Malfoy kicked his feet restlessly as he pushed his breakfast around his plate, watching his parents from his seat at the far end of the table. They were talking about something, and his father had a frown on his face. They’d done the same thing for the last week. After the owl had arrived from the Averys. He wished he’d been able to see what it said, but his father had locked it in his desk after reading it with his mother.
“Draco.” His father’s voice was calm, like it always was, unless he’d done something really wrong.
Draco sat up in his chair, meeting his father’s gaze, wondering if maybe that parchment had something to do with him. “Yes, father?”
“You shall be attending a birthday party today at Avery House. I expect you will comport yourself as befits a Malfoy.”
“Yes, father.” Draco’s brow furrowed as his father turned his attention way, slouching down in his seat once more. Isis’ birthday was in May, and her party was always at the Avery home in Bath. Avery House was in York. Whose birthday was today, that they’d be having a party?
When his parents stood from the table, Draco followed them from the room, waiting until they were out of sight before breaking into a run, dashing up to his nursery, where his nurse was waiting to dress him in robes appropriate for a party.
~ ~~ ~
Cosette rapped the door to her daughter’s room again. “Millicent Anne Bulstrode. Open this door. You’re going to make us late!”
“I don’t want to go! I’m sick of the parties, mother!”
There was a thump against the door, and Cosette drew in a deep breath, counting down from ten in her native French. This was why her mother-in-law recommended a nurse. And why she had told the insufferable woman she wouldn’t hire such a person.
“Millicent. You’re going to this party. I will not allow you to sit and pout in your room because of one small incident at the last birthday celebration you attended.”
“Pansy said I was fat!”
“You ignore that prissy girl, ma patit.” Cosette fingered her wand, contemplating vanishing Millicent’s door. “Her opinion is not the end of the world, nor is it the comprehensive opinion of everyone. You are a robust young lady, not fat.”
“But she’ll be there, and I don’t want to go!”
“Millicent! You will come out of your room, and you will go to this party, and you will be sociable, and meet this young man Madame Avery is throwing open her country home for!”
“No!”
“You have five seconds to open this door before I vanish it! Five. Four. Three.”
The door opened, and Cosette reached in, snagging the collar of Millicent’s robes before she could scuttle out of reach.
“You are going to be the death of me, Millicent. How many times do we have to go through this? You can’t avoid going to parties and play dates just because one girl cannot see beyond your physical appearance?”
“Pansy’s not the only one.” Millicent looked down at her feet, a sullen expression on her face. “Daphne, and Pavarti, and Padma all think I’m fat.”
“Because they sit inside and hide from the sun all day, instead of going outside and playing, like a child should.” Cosette let go of Millicent’s collar, taking up her hand instead, tugging her towards the parlor. “Girls like them are not the sort you should associate with. Why don’t you talk to that Avery girl?”
“She’s weird.” Millicent scuffed her toes against the floor.
“Millicent, be polite. And specific, if you would.” Cosette smiled tightly at her mother-in-law as the woman smirked at her.
“She’s too nice. And she stares at people. And she doesn’t blink.”
“I’m sure she does blink, Millicent. You just miss it. Really, ma patit, you need to be more observant.” Cosette reached for the Floo powder, tossing it into the fireplace, and pulling Millicent into the flames with her. “Avery House!”
Title: Draco
Word Count:
Status: In Progress
Genre: Drama
Rating: G
Commentary: Characterization
"Why do I hav'ta, Uncle Remus?"
“Harry! Come on! It’s time to wake up!” Isis bounded across the nursery, her voice loud in the quiet of the early morning. “No sleeping in on your birthday, we have a party today!” She threw open the door to her adopted brother’s room, ducking as he threw a pillow at her head.
“Don’t want to get up.” Harry buried his face into the remaining pillow on his bed, trying to go back to sleep. “Party’s not starting now. Everyone’s still asleep.” He turned his head to give her a sleepy glare. “’Cept you.”
Isis rolled her eyes. “Mum’ll be up soon, you know that.”
“She’s an Auror. She’s always up early.”
“Uncle Remus gets up early, too. And he doesn’t have a job.” Isis crossed her arms over her chest. “Other than getting you out of bed, and keeping the tutor from walking out. Again.”
“It wasn’t my fault this time!” Harry sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before reaching for his glasses. “You let the squirrels into the classroom.”
Isis blew out a mock sigh. “Did not! I just opened the window because it was nice outside. It’s not my fault the tutor had acorns in his desk. That was your fault.”
“I see I don’t have to wake either of you up this morning.” Remus spoke from behind Isis, making both children jump. “Good morning, Harry. How’s the birthday boy?”
Harry yawned, shrugging. “Still sleepy. Do I have to get up?”
“Unfortunately, yes. There’s a party this afternoon, and there are going to be lots of people here. You’re going to have to wear those nice robes Marion bought you last time Madame Malkin was here.”
Harry scrunched up his nose, scowling. “Why do I have to get dressed up for this party, Uncle Remus? Why can’t we just have David and Maf and Addi and Rhys, like normal?”
“’Cause you gotta get to know all the right people, Harry. Didn’t you listen to gran?” Isis shook her head, flouncing back towards her room. “Mum let you off easy. I had to go to Pansy Parkinon’s birthday party when I was four. And all the other pureblood kids. At least, those with any real connections.”
Harry scowled at Isis’ door as she shut it, sliding off his bed with a sigh. “I don’t wanna have a party with all those people. Why do I hav’ta, Uncle Remus?” He looked up at the werewolf, a plaintive expression on his face, along with a hint of nervousness.
Remus crouched down to be on eye-level with the seven-year-old. “If I was planning this party, you’d be able to invite just those you want here. But Marion has control over the guest list this time. And you know she thinks that Niobe isn’t living up to her duties in raising you.” He smiled gently, reaching out to ruffle Harry’s hair. “Your father probably had to deal with some of this, too, you know.”
Harry wrinkled his nose. “It’s stupid.”
“Maybe. But it’s probably the only way most of the pureblood kids get to meet other kids their age before Hogwarts. Not everybody is willing to admit to having Muggle neighbors, much less to associate with them like Niobe does.”
“David’s still going to come, isn’t he? And Maf, and Addi and Rhys?” Harry gave Remus an anxious look. “Gran didn’t forget to invite them, did she?”
“I doubt she forgot to invite them. You know she invites them to every party.” Remus paused, holding Harry’s gaze for a moment, waiting for the sigh of relief, the worry fading from the small face. “Now, you have to get dressed. The Prewetts will be here for breakfast, and then we have to get the house ready for the party.”
Harry sighed again, grimacing as he headed back to his room to put on the dress robes Marion had bought him for today.
Draco Malfoy kicked his feet restlessly as he pushed his breakfast around his plate, watching his parents from his seat at the far end of the table. They were talking about something, and his father had a frown on his face. They’d done the same thing for the last week. After the owl had arrived from the Averys. He wished he’d been able to see what it said, but his father had locked it in his desk after reading it with his mother.
“Draco.” His father’s voice was calm, like it always was, unless he’d done something really wrong.
Draco sat up in his chair, meeting his father’s gaze, wondering if maybe that parchment had something to do with him. “Yes, father?”
“You shall be attending a birthday party today at Avery House. I expect you will comport yourself as befits a Malfoy.”
“Yes, father.” Draco’s brow furrowed as his father turned his attention way, slouching down in his seat once more. Isis’ birthday was in May, and her party was always at the Avery home in Bath. Avery House was in York. Whose birthday was today, that they’d be having a party?
When his parents stood from the table, Draco followed them from the room, waiting until they were out of sight before breaking into a run, dashing up to his nursery, where his nurse was waiting to dress him in robes appropriate for a party.
Cosette rapped the door to her daughter’s room again. “Millicent Anne Bulstrode. Open this door. You’re going to make us late!”
“I don’t want to go! I’m sick of the parties, mother!”
There was a thump against the door, and Cosette drew in a deep breath, counting down from ten in her native French. This was why her mother-in-law recommended a nurse. And why she had told the insufferable woman she wouldn’t hire such a person.
“Millicent. You’re going to this party. I will not allow you to sit and pout in your room because of one small incident at the last birthday celebration you attended.”
“Pansy said I was fat!”
“You ignore that prissy girl, ma patit.” Cosette fingered her wand, contemplating vanishing Millicent’s door. “Her opinion is not the end of the world, nor is it the comprehensive opinion of everyone. You are a robust young lady, not fat.”
“But she’ll be there, and I don’t want to go!”
“Millicent! You will come out of your room, and you will go to this party, and you will be sociable, and meet this young man Madame Avery is throwing open her country home for!”
“No!”
“You have five seconds to open this door before I vanish it! Five. Four. Three.”
The door opened, and Cosette reached in, snagging the collar of Millicent’s robes before she could scuttle out of reach.
“You are going to be the death of me, Millicent. How many times do we have to go through this? You can’t avoid going to parties and play dates just because one girl cannot see beyond your physical appearance?”
“Pansy’s not the only one.” Millicent looked down at her feet, a sullen expression on her face. “Daphne, and Pavarti, and Padma all think I’m fat.”
“Because they sit inside and hide from the sun all day, instead of going outside and playing, like a child should.” Cosette let go of Millicent’s collar, taking up her hand instead, tugging her towards the parlor. “Girls like them are not the sort you should associate with. Why don’t you talk to that Avery girl?”
“She’s weird.” Millicent scuffed her toes against the floor.
“Millicent, be polite. And specific, if you would.” Cosette smiled tightly at her mother-in-law as the woman smirked at her.
“She’s too nice. And she stares at people. And she doesn’t blink.”
“I’m sure she does blink, Millicent. You just miss it. Really, ma patit, you need to be more observant.” Cosette reached for the Floo powder, tossing it into the fireplace, and pulling Millicent into the flames with her. “Avery House!”
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Date: 2007-03-04 04:22 am (UTC)