Revolution of Magic

Christmas

"Well, well this has changed a bit, hasn't it?" Mortimer drawled. "Gone for the forty shades of black look, have we?"

"Yes, Mortimer, we have."

"How's the disappointment?" Mortimer sniggered.

"Why don't you ask him?" Grantaire asked bitterly. So far he had inherited two black eyes, a gash down the side of his face and a sprained wrist.

"So how are you?" Eleanor asked while Mortimer and Erec glared at him.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Malfoy, thanks for asking," Grantaire tried to say calmly but turned out to be quite bitter. There was a knock at the door and Pinky dismissed himself to answer it. Mr and Mrs Black walked in with their youngest son closely following at their heels.

"Erec, Mortimer, Eleanor and you must be Molly," Mr Black said holding his hand out, Molly took it cautiously.

"Molly this is Mr and Mrs Black and their son, Regulas, he will be joining Hogwarts in two years time," Erec said.

"Hello," Molly said quietly. Grantaire sat down beside her as Alicia, their mother, walked in.

"Mr. and Mrs. Black, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy," Alicia said curtly. Her eyes were sunken and she was incredibly pale. They all acknowledged her with a nod.

"Dinner is nearly ready," she murmured and stood next to Erec's chair.

"Hey, Molly," Grantaire whispered to get her attention.

"No whispering Grantaire," Erec growled.

"Sorry father," Grantaire mumbled and left the room subtly beckoning Molly to follow him. Grantaire stopped her when they were far down the corridor.

"You know why they're here?" Grantaire told Molly and she shook her head. "You're twelve now, pureblood families begin to look for suitors at this age." Molly's eyes widened.

"No, no, this can't... they can't do that!" Molly snapped.

"I have a suitor," Grantaire said glumly. "You know that Ravenclaw in the year above me that always tries to hang around me and Bahorel?"

"Seriously?" Molly giggled.

"Yeah, I didn't get a bloody choice in that," Grantaire mumbled.

"Poor you," Molly giggled again.

"Right, to the dining room," Erec's voice said. Molly and Grantaire went ahead of everyone else and took their seats at the table.

The food came hovering in with Pinky behind them on silver platters, the platters landed on the table and the house elf opened the soup bowl.

"So how has your holidays been Lucius?" Erec asked.

"They have been good, sir, we went to the Alps for the first week, we have a lodge there," Lucius informed the table.

"Now, now Lucius, we don't like to exploit our wealth, do we? Especially in front of our hosts who have - ah, who have presented dinner on stainless steel," Mortimer drawled.

"These are in fact a family heir loom, these are silver," Erec said as calm as he possibly could. Molly nudged Grantaire with her knee.

"They're actually a cheap metal, I think tin, with a finish to look like silver," Molly murmured.

"And how did you find that out? A ghost of an ancestor?" Grantaire scoffed.

"Yes actually," Molly whispered frankly. Grantaire stared at her for a while before returning to his soup.

"Regulas, how was yours?" Erec asked.

"Mine was fine, sir, I'm glad Sirius didn't come back for Christmas-" Regulas began but was cut across by his father.

"Sirius isn't mentioned anymore, he's a Gryffindor," Mr Black said gruffly. "He's welcome home at summer but never again, as soon as he's sixteen, he's out of here."

"Good to know that you're ready to throw out disappointments," Mortimer said coolly and eyed Erec.

"Yes, it's good to know that all of my children were put in Slytherin, I don't think they'd survive if they were in Gryffindor," Erec said glaring at Mortimer.

"I'd be careful with the half blood if I were you," Mr. Black said gruffly. Molly paused for a second before settling her spoon in her dish for Pinky to take away and reveal another culinary delight. The Christmas turkey.

"You're house elf seems to be incredibly efficient," Mrs. Black commented.

"Oh he is!" Alicia said and clapped her hands together. "He is the son of my parents' house elf."

"Keeping it in the family, a wise choice," Mrs Black commented. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence until dessert came along.

Pinky came in hovering the dishes in the air when an owl scratched at the window and made its way in. Pinky was taken by surprise and dropped the dishes.

"You idiot elf! Why did you drop the plates?!" Erec shouted. The owl was playing havoc with Regulas' hair.

"Oh just kill the stupid thing!" Mr. Black shouted and produced his wand.

"No!" Grantaire shouted and tried to grab the owl but was pushed back by Alicia.

"Idiot boy, stand back!" Mr. Black shouted. The owl untangled itself and went to fly free but...

"Avada Kedavra!" Mortimer shouted, his wand pointed at the owl.

"Vincent!" Grantaire sobbed and reached out.

"You didn't have to do that," Erec growled. "Could've stunned the bloody thing."

"Well, well Erec, aren't we the softy now a days," Mortimer drawled. "A house elf dropping plates but hasn't been fired, an owl being allowed to be named after a muggle artist and that has been allowed to interfere with guests' hair, a half-fang daughter and a drunkard son. Come on Eleanor, this place has gone to the dogs." Everyone slowly left the Grantaire family, Alicia wallowing in self-pity, Grantaire kneeling beside his owl, Molly gritting her teeth trying to resist to sink them into Mortimer's neck and Erec absolutely fuming with rage. Erec waited for the door to close before picking Grantaire up off of the floor by the collar and pressing him against the wall.

"Getting drunk, are we son? Ha, no, you're no son of mine, no child of mine, your sister is more my child than you are," Erec hissed.

"That's ok 'cause I don't think you much of a father," Grantaire snarled.

"Don't answer back boy!" Erec snapped. "You're a disgrace!" Erec brought his hand back and slapped Grantaire. Grantaire collapsed to the ground gasping.

"Come on Molly, you don't want to see this," Alicia cooed and pushed Molly away.

Meanwhile back in the dining room Grantaire was sporting a bloodied lip and a head wound. "You're worthless! Say it, admit it!"

"I'm worthless! I'm nothing!" Grantaire gasped as his father brought his arm around his back.

"Remember that," Erec growled and stalked out of the room.

"I never forget," Grantaire murmured and pushed himself off of the floor.