Rebekah didn't speak a word of anything Magical in front of Dudley. She didn't need to. She kept all of her Magical belongings in her room. Rebekah had to order a few more Magical Bookcases for her room with Aunt Petunia's permission. The bookcases would hide the massive amount of books Rebekah had and they would look like any normal books to Muggles.
Even if Rebekah's door was open, no one dared to venture into her room. It was only open for Emperor to travel throughout the house as he wished.
For her twelfth birthday, Rebekah got a dainty little bracelet with five small charms. Each charm represented her family, a rose gold petunia flower for her aunt, a bronze drill for her uncle, a red pair of boxing gloves for Dudley (he really began to like boxing in his school), a grey paw for Emperor, and a copper little broom. The last tiny charm was actually her broom compressed into a very small form, and her pouch was sized down to fit on the bracelet, making it much easier to have her stuff with her at all times.
Because Mr and Mrs Mason would be having dinner at the Dursleys' on her birthday, Rebekah had asked to go to Diagon Alley earlier that week. She spent most of the day cleaning the living room, only finishing after two or three hours of work. She then spent half an hour getting ready.
"There! You look very nice," Aunt Petunia said, zipping up the back of Rebekah's floral blue dress. "I think the Masons will fall in love with you."
"I hope so, I want Uncle Vernon to get the deal," Rebekah said, shifting a cloudy grey shawl over her shoulders and hiding the end of her scar. "He deserves it, Aunt Petunia. He works so hard at his company, he deserves a good thing in exchange for his hard work."
"That he does, Rebekah," Aunt Petunia then lifted a pair of long pearl earrings and a pair of pearl studs. "Which would go better with the dress?"
"Oh, the studs," Rebekah said, after looking at Aunt Petunia's pink cocktail dress."The long ones would be too much."
"Okay, thank you," She tucked the studs into her lobes and gave herself a quick once over. "Let's go and see how the boys look."
Uncle Vernon and Dudley both wore bow ties and dinner jackets, looking ever like the father and son duo. Dudley had been able to slick his hair back but a piece kept falling into his face, he scrunched his nose as Rebekah used a comb to pull it back completely. The two children sat on the couch as they waited for the Masons to arrive.
Mr Mason reminded Rebekah of Mr Malfoy, tall, proud and knew what he liked. Mrs Masons said she wore tailored dresses made just for her, smiling smugly at Aunt Petunia's question and how she said it was so lovely.
A small ruckus echoed from upstairs.
"What was that?" Mrs Mason jumped a little.
"Just my cat being his usual loud self," Rebekah said and excused herself, quickly going upstairs. She didn't know what made the noise but it wasn't Emperor, Rebekah knew what Emperor sounded like and that wasn't it.
Why was there a House-Elf on her bed?
She just had the sheets cleaned and now she would need to again, the House-Elf's clothes, if the potato sack they wore could be called that, were filthy. Rebekah stepped back when the creature bowed, its long and skinny nose touched the wooden floor. Emperor sat on the end of the bed, calm but completely on guard, watching the creature.
"Hi...." Rebekah was hesitant to say.
"Rebekah Potter!" It said in a pitchy voice, it was quickly shushed by Rebekah. "Such an honour, ma'am, it really is. Dobby has wanted to meet you for a long time, ma'am."
Rebekah wasn't surprised, many people wanted to meet her because of who she was. "Okay, who are you? What are you doing in my room?"
"Dobby. Dobby the House-Elf, ma'am," The House-Elf said. "I am here to, er, to..."
"Who do you serve?" Rebekah said. "House-Elves serve Magical families, so who's yours?"
"Malfoy, ma'am," He stuttered. He was Draco's family's House-Elf? "Dobby came to say that Rebekah Potter must not go back to Hogwarts! Too dangerous for Rebekah Potter, she needn't have the risk. Hogwarts will not be safe for Rebekah Potter, she must stay where she is safe. It is not safe at Hogwarts."
"What are you talking about? I need to go to Hogwarts," Rebekah scoffed but stopped at the creature's terrified look. "Why?"
"A plot, Rebekah Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," He said and trembled suddenly. "Dobby has known for months. Rebekah Potter mustn't put herself in peril. Too important."
"Who plotted it?" Rebekah had to quickly stop him from hitting his head against her wall. "Fine, so you can't tell me. But Dumbledore is at Hogwarts, won't I be safe? Can't I just tell him if anything strange is going on?"
"No! Rebekah Potter must not go to Hogwarts!" She had a feeling that Dobby was willing to do anything to keep her from attending school.
Rebekah turned the waterworks on, tearing up quite a bit. "But why? I love Hogwarts, it's my home. It's safe as long as I tell Dumbledore, isn't it? I need to go! I'll tell my friends to look out for things. Why can't I go?"
She sat on the bed and allowed the tears to drip. No one and no creature liked to see a young girl cry. It took several minutes of her crocodile tears for Dobby to budge.
"Okay. Rebekah Potter can go to Hogwarts, but she must be careful!" He said. "She is too important. Rebekah Potter will tell Dumbledore if anything is amiss, or Rebekah Potter won't go. She needs to promise!"
"I promise, Dobby," She said and crossed her fingers. She wiped her tears away. "You need to leave, Dobby. My family doesn't like Magic in the house."
"Fine. Rebekah Potter must be kept safe!" Dobby said and popped away.
Rebekah's tears stopped and she quickly arranged herself to behave properly. A smile forced its way onto her lips and she began to make herself presentable. She took Emperor by his scruff and gave him a stern look, she didn't need any more Magical stuff to happen and Emperor understood. He trod down the stairs right before Rebekah, his long tail swishing with each sway of his hips.
"Now that is a big cat," Mr Mason suddenly said as Rebekah retook her seat in the living room "What breed is he? Maine coon?"
"Yes, I think he is," Rebekah said and stroked Emperor's spin. The feline sat in her lap and almost reached her chin in height, his tail swayed by her hip. "My school allows us to bring a pet if we want. Boarding school can be lonely at times. I got him at a shelter last summer."
"He's well behaved for a shelter cat," Mr Mason gave him a once over, deeming him good enough in his eyes. "Rather tamed too. How'd you let her get a large cat, Mr Dursley?"
"Rebekah is just so well behaved, we never have trouble with her," Uncle Vernon said, his eyes were wary looking between his guest and Rebekah. "We didn't want her to get lonely at her school. You see, she doesn't attend at Smelting Academy."
"Where do you go to school, Rebekah?" Mrs Mason said, sipping her cup of tea. "My son is only a year older than you, he goes to Smeltings Academy much like your cousin. You aren't much younger than Dudley, are you?"
"I'm only a few weeks younger, ma'am, a month at most," Rebekah said and placed her cup on the coffee table. "I attend an academy in Scotland. So for much of the year, my Uncle and Aunt are alone with us being at our schools."
"Scotland? " Mr Mason said. "Isn't that, well, a bit far?"
Mrs Mason gained a wide look and placed a hand on her chest. "I wouldn't want my Lucas that far away from us all year long. Do you visit on the holidays?"
"No," Rebekah's tone was clipped. "I haven't yet."
"She prefers to stay at the school, it has certain traditions that her parents also did," Aunt Petunia butted in and said. "My sister and her husband died when Rebekah was only a year old. Car crash."
"It's very sad but my parents went to my school, it's very prestigious and very hard to get in. It's nice but I missed being home. I missed my family and I'm happy to be back."
"How did you get her in then?" Mrs Mason asked, then turned to Mr Mason. "Have we heard of this school before?"
"You wouldn't have. It's very old and it prides itself on traditions," Aunt Petunia said. "A very select few are able to get a place and the selection process is very strict."
"How did she get in?"
"Both of my parents attended," Rebekah pursed her lips pleasantly. "I have had a space since I was born. I didn't know that I was accepted until I got the letter."
The conversation continued in a good manner, Rebekah was sure the Masons would sign the deal and they did. All the adults toasted to a good future and drank a glass of champagne each. Rebekah and Dudley had a sip of a glass, Dudley didn't mind it but Rebekah was repulsed by the champagne.
"No, no," Rebekah grimaced, washing her mouth out with water and downing orange juice. "I don't like champagne, I'll stick with my own drink."
The adults chuckled and said it was an acquired taste. Rebekah and Dudley went to bed soon after, just before the ten o'clock news came on.
Early Monday morning, Rebekah woke up to a banging on her door. She swung the duvet off of her legs and straightened her camisole. Who could be knocking at her door? Everyone else in the family knocked and then yelled through it, no one just knocked unless it was to remind her to wake up.
Rebekah blinked. "Draco? Daphne? What are you doing here?"
The two Slytherins grinned on the stairs that led up to her now sliding door.
Uncle Vernon installed a small set of stairs since her loft door was at the end of the corridor, it didn't take much space and the stairs made it so much easier to get up and down. She used to have to pull and push the ladder up and down to her room, it quickly became a hassle and so over the school year, she had asked him to install a trapdoor that slides out and closed, and stairs that reached her floor.
The two scrambled up the stairs and showed off their outfits. They looked a little too formal for the neighbourhood but they didn't look like Wizards at least.
"How do we look?" Daphne said in her knee-length dress, mauve-pink with flats. "I hope we look Muggle enough."
"Yeah, Mum said we couldn't look like Wizards because it would upset your family," Draco said and tugged on his collar. He wore a light blue shirt tucked in a simple pair of black trousers.
"You look fine," Rebekah chuckled. "Why are you here? How did you get here, anyway?"
They all made themselves comfortable on the bed. Emperor jumped and turned to his kitten size, latching onto one of her knuckles and gently began to nibble it.
"I'm staying at the Malfoy Manor for the summer," Daphne said and fiddled with the hem of her dress. "My parents wanted to go on holiday, Mrs Malfoy almost forced them to allow me to stay with them."
"Oh, why?" Rebekah asked, looking between them. "Is anyone else staying at yours, Draco?"
"I think Blaise might be in a week or two," He said and scrunched his nose. "My mum always made sure that I could see my friends during the summer. The manor is big enough so she allows them to stay for a few days every couple of weeks. We came because she wants to know if you want to stay until the end of the summer."
"I don't mind," She said and smiled. "I just need to ask my uncle and aunt. Aunt Petunia knows more about the Wizarding World than my uncle does. Are your mum and dad with them?"
He shook his head as they walked down all the stairs. "No. My father is at work, he works for the Ministry so he's always busy."
Mrs Malfoy sat in the kitchen with Aunt Petunia, both women drank from fine china. "Good morning, Rebekah. I hoped they didn't just barge in."
Rebekah smiled. "No, they knocked and woke me up."
"Good." She gave the children a pointed look as she sipped from her cup dainty. "This is quite a quaint home. It is pleasant compared to many I have seen throughout London, much more spacious."
"Thank you," Aunt Petunia's voice was light. She was nervous but being a hostess when needed, she knew she could deal with this easily. "So, Rebekah. Mrs Malfoy has asked if you would like to spend the rest of the summer at their home. I've given my permission, and Vernon will ultimately agree with me, but the choice is yours."
Rebekah nodded with a beaming grin, her cheeks dimpled a little. "Yes, please. If that is alright, Mrs Malfoy?"
"Of course, now go change and pack your belongings, everything you'll need. I believe Blaise will be joining us by Thursday afternoon. Pansy Parkinson won't be able to, she's in Dubai at the moment," Mrs Malfoy had turned to Aunt Petunia with lips curving up pleasantly. "I had suggested it to Lucius, he's my husband and Draco's father, and he agreed it would be good for all of the children. Wonderful shopping in Dubai, you wouldn't believe how much Wizarding culture they have, Mrs Dursley, almost as much as England has..."
The three Slytherins smiled cheekily to each other and ran upstairs. Dudley came out of his room sleepy, rubbing his eyes as he was awakened by the loud footsteps.
"Morning, Dud," Rebekah said as she stopped in front of him.
"What's all this noise?"
"Oh, two of my friends are here, from school," She said and he nodded. "I'll be staying with one of them for the rest of the summer. I'm packing my stuff but I'll see if I can get an owl or something, I'll like to keep sending letters between us."
"I didn't like not knowing what was happening," He grumbled. "Mum sent the letter and gift to the academy during Christmas. It was a nice surprise. I don't think my teachers will like a bird coming and giving me letters though."
"Oh, I didn't think of that," Rebekah said. "Aunt Petunia will have to get them mailed by post to you when I do send them. We'll figure it out. I've got to go, I need to pack my things. See ya."
Rebekah rumbled up her stairs and saw that Draco was enveloped in Emperor's grasp. The feline lounged on the bed with Draco between his paws, his transformed body was the size of the bed. He began to lick the side of Draco's face, large blond spikes formed as the Wizard tried to slick them back down.
"Help me!" Draco said in between laughs and rubbing the drool off.
"No," Daphne chuckled behind a hand and then waved at Rebekah. "Come on. What do you need packed?"
"Umm..." Rebekah gestured to three large bookcases and her closet. "Most of that. It'll fit in my pouch so it should be fine."
"Oh, I was wondering where your broom and wand was," Daphne said, taking her dogwood wand out. "Our parents say to never let it out of your sight."
"I don't," Rebekah remarked, touching the bottom of the wand charm and allowed it to grow. Rebekah quickly plucked her wand from it. "See? No one can tell that this little charm is actually my wand."
It took a while but everything Rebekah would need was put into her pouch. Aunt Petunia and Mrs Malfoy came up to Rebekah's room to see what was taking so long. The former cringed a little as Mrs Malfoy brought her wand, a long piece of dark wood with a studded handle, and began to carefully lift the large amounts of magical books into the opened pouch.
"There," She said and turned to the children. "Draco, Daphne, let us wait downstairs for Rebekah to dress and then we can be on our way. Is that fine with you, Mrs Dursley? I wouldn't want to overstep my boundaries, I know I wouldn't want another to do so in my home."
"Yes, I understand," Aunt Petunia gestured everyone downstairs graciously. "You can wait in the living room. I have to make breakfast for my son as he is up."
"Mmm, very pleasant," Mrs Malfoy said, turning away as Emperor jumped off of Draco and left his hair a mess. "Hogwarts will know that you'll be staying with us, they always know where to send the letters."