"Tell me about your aspirations for this coming school year." It was a mixture between pleasant conversation and a demand, both the woman's children knew better than to deny her 'request'.
The younger cleared her throat first, "I have been all but guaranteed a position on the Quidditch team mother, Seeker most likely. With this being my third year, I will also be enrolling in my electives."
Narcissa promptly frowned at her daughter's continued fascination with the sport but nodded before gesturing for the youngest to continue into her choices.
"I was planning to take Care of Magical Creatures along with Arithmancy."
That earned her a hiss of disapproval. "Politics is more useful than a worthless Creature class. You will take that instead."
The young blonde cast her eyes down at the table the four were eating at. "I just wanted to focus on Arithmancy is all and…"
"And it is not up for debate. You must be thinking of your future Cleopatra, not what is easy. Furthermore, I am hesitant to even allow you to engage in something as wasteful as Quidditch."
"It would be good for her mother." Pandora promptly interrupted, drawing the attention onto herself. "As you know Quidditch is not sorted by year. Cleo will meet older students and form bonds of camaraderie through the teamwork required."
The matron's gaze narrowed before she gave a reluctant nod, "So long as your grades do not diminish, I suppose it will be acceptable. Now then, what of you Pandora?"
Seeing the relief in her sister's eyes the older witch relaxed into her own 'report', "My academic work is of high marks as expected. I am continuing with my chosen electives and am within the top five of my year overall."
Narcissa nodded, "Since this will be your sixth year it will be time to take a more aggressive approach into future courtships and marriage. I will setup appointments with over major houses for further investigation into their sons."
"Completely unnecessary mother, I have already chosen the perfect husband."
Silence fell onto the table, with Lucius glancing towards his wife, who hard a sneer edging onto her face. "And who do you feel yourself able to endorse in such a way?"
"Harry of course."
"Potter!?" Cleo exclaimed, earning herself several glares for the outburst as she promptly sunk back into her chair.
Pandora, after her annoyance was known, nodded, "Yes, he's perfect and I have already begun sending him courtship gifts."
There was no hiding the rage in her mother's eyes or her tone, "The Potters are not even within our league! Especially not some useless abandoned child."
But her daughter merely met the anger with an icy gaze, "Harry is perfect. Above competent in all his classes, sorted into Slytherin, and is a dueling prodigy."
"Allegedly." Lucius intoned, voice devoid of emotion.
His daughter glanced his way without a hint of uncertainty, "Nonsense, Professor Riddle has taken him as an apprentice, she would not waste her time on someone unworthy. Besides there have been enough rumors from various sources to confirm his talents."
"Rumors are meaningless, we have heard the same."
Pandora, however, was ready, "The Minister would not have wasted her time on a photo shoot with someone who wasn't involved in the incident a year ago, and I have more than one colleague confirming his defeat over Delphini who we know would not have thrown a duel even with familial ties. Furthermore, there is the widely believed fact that he is a Parselmouth."
"A fact propagated by schoolchildren who had no visible confirmation." Narcissa growled, "Not evidence of anything. Besides, the Potter family has no history of the trait."
The older child stared back, "The Prophet, for all their faults, would not have printed such a thing without some sort of evidence, they would not risk such a blow to their reputation if it came back as a blatant lie. Perhaps it is an unknown trait from his mother's side, perhaps it is a random occurrence. Regardless, it makes him perfect, and I will continue my pursuit of him."
"And if we forbid it?"
The teen's eyes hardened, "You have little to no control over my actions at Hogwarts. If you intend on disowning me because of this course then so be it but we all know what such a thing will do to the Malfoy name, especially without just cause."
They did, both parents did. The abandonment of a child, especially male and without Magical potential, wasn't uncommon but to do so after so many years would have been a stain that no amount of gold could fix. The rumors would circulate, and the adults could do as many interviews and hold as many parties as they wanted but the doubt would always be there in the other families, in society.
"Do not worry mother, you will see the truth soon enough. Bit by bit Harry's magnificence has been exposed. It will not be long now until England sees his value, and then you will be praising my initiative in putting myself above any other suitors that will show interest.
****
Although she would never say it aloud, expecting only her sister and maybe Harry to understand through their own 'language', Harriet Potter was worried. She was, in general, a very worrying person. She worried about her family, about Amy playing Quidditch and getting hurt, that her grades weren't good enough, that her friends weren't only nice to her because of her sibling, that Harry's smiles were all faked and that deep down he was truly miserable.
Most of these, obviously, were completely unfounded, but she couldn't help it, she was a worrier. After the previous year she managed to add on several more topics onto her growing list. What if she hadn't been petrified, but instead killed? What if it had been Amy targeted and she hadn't been as lucky? What if Harry hadn't been victorious, and had ended up as a corpse, lying down in some awful place for the rest of time?
She had woken up in a cold sweat several times after her restoration, only to find Amaryllis practically wrapped around her, clearly afraid of something bad happening. It had only gotten worse after their first visit to the hospital ward and seeing Harry lying in bed, not petrified but so deathly pale and still.
What if he died because of her?
_____________________
A/N- 50% Discount for New Year's on Patreon
Read 50+ Advance Chapters-
patr*on.com/greg01