Pansy and Daphne were, respectively, the only daughter of the Parkinson family and the eldest daughter of the Greengrass family.
Like Draca, both came from pure-blood families counted among the Sacred Twenty-Eight, and both were the same age as her.
Ever since the three first met five years ago, they had become close friends.
Their friendship was genuine, but they were still children, so arguments were inevitable.
Pansy in particular had always been lively and mischievous, and she could never resist teasing the proud and sometimes overly serious Draca.
Whenever the two started bickering and fooling around, Daphne was usually the one who had to mediate between them.
Even though they had last met only a little over a month ago, the three girls still couldn’t contain their excitement at seeing one another again.
After chatting for a while, they returned to the armchairs beside the floor-to-ceiling window and took their seats.
Outside the window, the fountains of Malfoy Manor flowed steadily.
Sunlight pierced the drifting mist, forming a rainbow in the air.
They had barely settled down when a soft crack sounded.
Without the house-elf himself appearing, fragrant bergamot tea and several pastries were delivered before them.
Draca, Pansy, and Daphne’s bright eyes immediately filled with delight.
This was a rare indulgence Narcissa Malfoy allowed the girls only when all three of them were together.
Normally, having the wrong refreshments at the wrong time of day would be a serious breach of aristocratic etiquette.
They filled their teacups halfway, then, before their fingertips could become stained with pastry crumbs, each took out a wax-sealed envelope.
Almost in unison, they lowered their heads and examined the shield-shaped crest, with the lion, serpent, badger, and eagle occupying its four corners.
A large Gothic “H” stood in the center of the shield, while the Latin inscription beneath seemed almost to sway along with the banner.
“Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.”
(Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titilandus)
The three looked up and smiled at one another before walking over to a nearby cabinet, taking letter openers, and cutting through the seals.
“No wonder Aunt Narcissa lets you sleep in.”
As they returned to their armchairs, Pansy suddenly made the seemingly random remark, a mischievous grin on her face.
Draca and Daphne froze for a moment and exchanged glances before suddenly realizing what she meant.
“See?
It says right there—you must never disturb Draca while she’s sleeping,” Pansy said.
The moment she saw Draca’s brows rise sharply as she started toward her, Pansy hurriedly ducked behind Daphne.
“Miss Malfoy!
What happened to your manners?”
“Get over here!”
“You two…”
Another round of laughter followed before they finally managed to take out their letters.
Draca had never doubted that she would be admitted, but as she looked at the elegant handwriting before her, she still felt an almost unreal sense of excitement.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
(Chairman of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot)
Dear Miss Malfoy,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books, instruments, and equipment for the coming school year.
Term begins on September 1.
We await your owl no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
Draca turned over the first page and unfolded the accompanying sheets, eagerly reading through them.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1.
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2.
One plain wizard’s hat (black)
3.
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar material)
4.
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
* All robes and cloaks must have the student’s name embroidered on them.
COURSE BOOKS
All students will require:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
A History of Magic
Magical Theory
A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
Magical Drafts and Potions
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
OTHER EQUIPMENT
One wand
One cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
One set of glass or crystal phials
One telescope
One set of brass scales
* Students may also bring one owl, one cat, or one toad.
** Parents are reminded that first-year students are not permitted to bring their own broomsticks.
After repeatedly reading through the long list, the three girls looked up and simultaneously asked the questions they cared about most.
“Where are you planning to buy your robes?”
“Why do they have to be black?”
“Do you think we’re allowed to have them custom-made?”
They couldn’t help bursting into laughter.
Compared with the explicitly forbidden broomsticks, the three of them were clearly far more concerned about being forced to wear robes of a specific color.
“I think I’ll probably still go take a look at Madam Malkin’s,” Daphne said.
Pansy frowned unhappily.
“But their clothes are all so ordinary.”
Draca immediately nodded in agreement.
“If they’re already dictating the color, then at the very least you’d want the fabric and tailoring to be good.”
Daphne smiled and explained gently, “I think so too.
But if we’re going to Diagon Alley anyway, I’d still like to look around while we’re there.”
“When are you going?” Draca couldn’t help asking as soon as Diagon Alley came up.
“To-mor-row!” Pansy immediately blurted out.
“Want to come with us?”
“I’ll ask my parents.
If I don’t have to go back to the hospital for another examination, I should be able to go.”
At Daphne’s answer, Draca and Pansy exchanged a glance before each taking one of her hands.
There was concern and reluctance in the gesture, but also silent encouragement.
For reasons no one seemed willing to explain, Daphne had been somewhat frail ever since she was young.
Draca had asked Lucius and Narcissa about it before, but neither of them had ever been willing to tell her why.
Even when she pestered her father’s close friend, Professor Severus Snape, who had always treated her almost like a daughter, she couldn’t get an answer out of him.
He would only narrow his black eyes and say mysteriously, “You’re still too young.
I’ll tell you when you’re older.”
“Don’t worry.
I haven’t felt unwell in a long time.”
After the brief silence, Daphne patted the backs of her two friends’ hands.
“What about you, Draca?
If Daphne can go, can you come with us?”
This time, it was Draca’s turn to fall silent.
After a pause, she said softly, “I want to wait until Father has time, then go with both of my parents.”
She had expected the answer to earn her some teasing, but Pansy and Daphne simply agreed.
“Uncle Lucius wouldn’t want to miss it,” Daphne replied gently.
Their conversation soon returned to Hogwarts, and the three discovered that they all hoped to follow their families’ traditions and be sorted into Slytherin together.
As their excited conversation continued, even Daphne’s normally calm voice became animated.
She even did something unusual and talked back when Pansy teased her.
“It would be wonderful if we all ended up in the same House!”
“Maybe you’ll get sorted into Hufflepuff, dear Daphne.”
“For all you know, you might end up in Gryffindor.”
“No.
Gryffindor values courage.
That doesn’t mean they like blunt idiots.”
“If anyone’s going to Hufflepuff, Pansy seems the most likely.”
“You two are ganging up on me!
That’s awful!”
“Parkinson!”
“Pansy!”
“Don’t say things like that!”
They continued fooling around until evening.
Before Pansy and Daphne left, Pansy suddenly turned around and spoke in a mysterious tone.
“Oh, right.
Have you heard?”
“That Harry Potter is apparently starting Hogwarts this year too.”
Daphne nodded.
For Draca, however, it was the first time since the beginning of summer that the news had crossed her mind again.
“Your father is having dinner with the school governors tonight,” Narcissa said with a smile after Pansy and Daphne had gone home.
After having dinner with her mother, Draca went with her to the sitting room.
Narcissa quietly flipped through a book, while Draca sat staring blankly at the folding fan in her hands.
“What’s wrong, Draca?”
“Nothing.
I was just thinking about something.”
Draca shook her head and gave Narcissa a faint smile.
At the words “thinking about something,” Narcissa paused.
She looked at her beautiful young daughter, wearing such a serious expression that she resembled a tiny adult lost in deep thought.
Something stirred in Narcissa’s heart.
She rose, walked over to Draca, and pressed a deep kiss into her daughter’s soft hair.
Draca leaned gently against her, indulging in her mother’s embrace even as her thoughts raced.
They kept circling around the name Pansy had mentioned just before leaving.
Harry Potter.
She had nearly forgotten that the famous hero who had brought an end to the Dark Lord and captivated the entire wizarding world was only a child her own age.
Her father mentioned him only occasionally, but Draca was perceptive enough to vaguely sense that this hero was also someone whose existence had once made life extremely difficult for her parents.
How could someone no older than she was already be famous throughout the wizarding world?
As that thought crossed her mind, the pride of an ancient family stirred within the Malfoy heiress.
A plan slowly began to form.
Given Harry Potter’s reputation, he was worth drawing in as an ally of the Malfoy family.
The ideal outcome, of course, would be to make him something close to a dependent of the family.
Much like the relationship the Goyle and Crabbe families had with her father.
Even if that proved impossible, becoming close to Harry Potter would at least ensure that he wouldn’t interfere with their affairs.
No matter what happened, she absolutely couldn’t allow that boy called Harry Potter to disrupt the school life she would enter carrying the reputation, honor, and disgrace of the Malfoy family on her shoulders.
What Draca herself failed to notice was that, beneath all those calculations, simple curiosity had quietly taken root as well.
What kind of person was the legendary Harry Potter?
It really helps the fic grow!