"Years at Hogwarts and you still can't tie a tie properly," Mum whispers to me as she undoes and redoes my tie.
It's been three days since Uncle Draco and Scorpius came crashing through our fireplace saying that mum's uncle Lucius died. Now we're going to his funeral. According to Dad, it's being held at mum's childhood home. Mum hasn't said much since then. She's locked herself in her office and has only come out for meals and sleep. Dad says it's going to be hard on her today, that we've got to be on our best behaviour and not give her a reason to stress out. I don't think my tie tying skills are helping.
Mum takes a step back and looks at me. I'm wearing a brand new all-black suit with a black tie. Mum did my hair, she sculpted it and brushed it to the point where I don't think it would move even if a tornado came through here. "Go put on back socks and shoes please." She says quietly. I just do as I'm told, no questions asked.
I pass Ophelia and Cassiopeia in the hall. Ophelia's hair is pin straight compared to her normal bundle of frizz, and mum just cut Cassiopeia's hair so it's not lopsided like it normally is. Both of them are wearing black dresses, with black tights, and black shoes. It's like mum stripped them of their personality, turning us into the perfect kids.
"Annabeth. Put that damn book down." I can hear mum snap.
I go into my room and get a pair of black socks and I take out the new dress shoes that Dad bought me for this. I turn around and Dad is standing in the doorway. He too has an all-black suit on but his suit jacket is made out of dragon hide. His hair is just as slicked down as mine is. "Mum really put you through it huh," I say half-joking.
Dad cracks a small smile, "Once you see where we're going, you'll understand. Your mum comes from a very different family than the one she's created."
I walk over to him, "Can't be this different can it?" I say to him.
Dad puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes once, and guides me out of the room.
Back in the front hall, Theo is sitting on the bench by the front door in a matching suit to mine. Cass and Leah are standing awkwardly beside each other. No one's talking but Mum who's fussing over Annabeth's dress.
"Are we taking the van?" Cass asks softly.
Mum finishes with Annie and turns to look at Cass. "No, no muggle technology. No phones, no earbuds, nothing. Leave it all here." Mum straightens her shoulders and holds her head high. "You are probably going to hear a lot of things today, you're probably going to be called blood traitors. I don't want to give them any reason to treat you poorly. Perfect posture from all of you, only speak when or if you are spoken to. You will call people who are older than you sir or ma'am. Not one bit of backtalk. No jokes, no pranks. Nothing. Today I want you to call me mother and your dad father. And no nicknames today. Understood?"
Ophelia straightens her shoulders, I do the same thing. "Yeah, understood," I say carefully.
Mum looks at me and smiles sadly, "Thank you." She says. "Okay then. George, you take Theodore and Annabeth. I'll take Fred, Ophelia, and Cassiopeia."
"Of course darling," Dad says. He takes a hold of Theodore and Annabeth, one in each hand, and waits for mum's cue.
"Come. Give me your hands. Do not let go under any circumstances. Your ears will feel strange, and you will get dizzy but under no circumstances will you let go." Mum says. None of us have ever travelled by side along apparition so we really don't know what to expect. I take hold of Mum's hand, Cass holds onto my other hand tightly. Leah holds onto mums other hand.
"George you know where to go right?" Mum says. Dad nods. Then she spins. Instantly my ears pop and it sounds like someone's screaming. My head goes fuzzy but I tighten my grip on both mum's hand and Cass's hand.
I know it's nearly instant but it feels like forever. When we land Mum lets go of my hand and straightens out her dress. She looks like a vampire, her hair is curlier than normal and it's long down her back. I've never seen her in a dress like the one she's wearing. It's got black lace sleeves and an exposed corset thing that looks like it's tied way too tight.
Dad lands right beside us. Annabeth looks like she might be sick. Theodore looks like he's going to cry. "Fred, Theodore, walk right behind your father and I. Cassiopeia, Ophelia, you walk behind your brothers. Annabeth you will be holding your father's hand." Mum explains quickly and carefully.
She stands beside Dad and links her arm with his. Annabeth is holding onto Dad's other hand. Theodore and I stand behind mum, Cassiopeia and Ophelia behind us. Mum takes a deep breath, I can see her shoulders tense up when she starts walking.
I don't see the house right away. Well, house isn't the right word for it. It's a mansion. Old cobblestone walls, massive steel, black, gate, surrounded by perfectly trimmed hedges. It's the biggest building I've ever seen, besides Hogwarts of course. Mum and Dad walk straight up to the gate, there is a house-elf standing in front of it.
"Master LeStrange! Oh, Norby is so happy to see you Norby is! Norby thought she would never see Master LeStrange ever again! Not after what happened when the Dark Lord was here no, no, no!" The house-elf squeaks.
"It's nice to see you too Norby. Has Draco arrived yet?" Mum says all of her words in such a posh way, I've never really heard her talk like this before.
"Master Malfoy has already passed Norby, with his young son too! Norby was very pleased to see Master Malfoy happy!" The house-elf, Norby, I guess is her name, opens the gate and rushes out of Mum's way.
"These are my children. Fred, Theodore, Cassiopeia, Ophelia, and Annabeth. And my husband George Weasley." Mum explains.
Norby's face contorts, "Master LeStrange has brought dirty blood traitors to the noble house of Black!" She wails, "Norby cannot bear it, Missus Malfoy will be in tears!"
Mum's posture stiffens, even more, I didn't think it was possible. "Norby, you will not speak of my family in that way, we may have been friends when I was young but if you say something like that again I will have no choice but to use the Cruciatus curse." The way mum speaks sends shivers down my spine. It's almost as if she wants to curse Norby like she's waiting for her to slip up again. I can see mums free hand drop to her wand pocket in her dress.
"Oh no Master LeStrange! Norby is very sorry she is. Norby is so very sorry!" The house-elf doesn't stop wailing, but mum just walks right past her. Head held high.
There are a few peacocks roaming the grounds of the massive house. Mum takes her arm away from Dad and pulls the doors open. The inside of the house is just as terrifying if not more terrifying than the outside. The carpets are emerald green, the walls are a mixture of black stone and dark brown wood. There's the biggest chandelier hanging in the middle of the foyer. But before I can pick my jaw up off the floor someone gasps to the left of us.
"Well, I'll be damned. Violet LeStrange!" We all turn to look. Standing in the doorway are two people who look the same age as Mum and Dad and a strikingly beautiful young woman beside them.
Mum does something I didn't expect, and that was to smile. "Bloody hell. Cassius and Miriam!" Mum goes over and hugs the two people who are the same age as her. "You were at my wedding you know, but I never got the pleasure of learning your name," Mum says to the young woman.
The woman smiles, "My name is Gwyneth. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss, my parents have told me so much about you."
"Weasley." The man, Cassius says looking at Dad.
"Warrington." Is all Dad says back.
Mum looks at us, "These are my children. Fred, Theodore, Ophelia, Cassiopeia, and Annabeth." Pause, "Ophelia and Cassiopeia made Slytherin when they were sorted." She says it like she's bragging about it. I don't know why but it hurts to hear her talk like that about Cass and Leah but not about me.
"That's fantastic! Your Aunt is in the dining hall Violet," Miriam says to Mum. Mum nods and hugs her again before leading us away.
As soon as we get into the dining room my mum's whole aura changes. She's stiff, panicky, her breath picks up. And it only gets worse when she makes eye contact with the sad, old, woman at the head of the table. Uncle Draco and Scorpius are sitting awkwardly at the table.
"Aunt Narcissa," Mum says as she gets closer to her.
Narcissa stands and moves so she's standing in front of my mum. "Why, in God's name, did you bring that into my house, into your mother's house. Have you no shame?" Narcissa spits, she stares at Dad when she says the word 'that' and it takes me a while to realize that she's talking about my father.
"Sit down Aunt Narcissa, today will be hard enough," Mum says, I don't know how she's keeping her cool, I feel like I'm going to explode.
Narcissa looks past Mum at me and my siblings, "And you bred. Bred like a bitch in heat by the looks of things."
"Auntie, my children are pureblood," Mum says. "I could have married a muggle, would you have preferred I bring a muggle into your home?" When Narcissa doesn't say anything, Mum nods, "Come children, come meet your Aunt."
Mum introduces each of us in order from oldest to youngest. The scowl on Narcis – Aunt Narcissa's face never moves. Once we've all shaken her hand Mum directs us to sit down at the table, mum closest to Aunt Narcissa, then Dad, then me, and so on.
"How disappointed your mother would be if she saw you today." Aunt Narcissa says to mum, "And I thought the shame that Draco brought to me was the worst of it. But no, you managed to make things even worse. At least Astoria's parents were respectable."
I clench my hands into fists under the really big stone table, the only thing I can do from talking back.
"And look at the state of your eldest son. A black eye? Not only did you have children with a blood traitor, you can't even raise your children properly?" Aunt Narcissa continues.
Mum is reaching her limit and I can tell. She turns in her chair and looks at Aunt Narcissa, "What happened to that speech you gave me all those years ago Auntie? 'I've already lost a sister to blood status, I'd rather not lose my daughter as well?' The years haven't been kind to you have they?"
Aunt Narcissa scoffs, "How dare you speak to me like that. If it wasn't for me, you would be in Azkaban right now along with your cowardly father. It's because of me you were able to live free in this world and you chose to squander it."
"Are you expecting a thank you? After what you did to me after you let them give me the dark mark when I was eighteen? After you made me kill dozens of people in this very room? After you stood by and watch my mother make me torture Harry Potter and his friends?" Mum speaks every word like it's a weapon, and she's winning. Not once does her voice wavier or show weakness.
But I'm getting dizzy. Listening to Aunt Narcissa talk about me and my family like we are less than the dirt on the bottom of her shoe is one thing, but hearing mum say that she's killed people in here? That she tortured Uncle Harry and his friends, who no doubly are Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione? No. That I can't wrap my head around.
"Let's not forget who enjoyed doing those things, Violet. I could never forget the smile on your face as you killed those muggles." Aunt Narcissa says in the same exact tone that mum is using.
"You used me as your guard dog," Mum says, she's losing her confidence a little.
Aunt Narcissa laughs, "You turned yourself into a guard dog. Protecting Draco from the world like you did. Now, look at him. Sad, alone, cowardly. Some job you did." Aunt Narcissa looks at Uncle Draco. He hasn't said a single thing this whole time, he's not even looking at us. Scorpius is looking between his father and us on the other side of the table. "Look at the man you created Violet. Cannot even look his own mother in the eye." Aunt Narcissa continues. "Come now, it's time to put my husband in his grave."
Aunt Narcissa stands from the table and walks to the door at the back of the room. No one moves a muscle till she is fully out of the room and the door is closed.
Mum flicks her hand in the air and an empty chair goes flying towards the far wall and splinters into a million pieces. It makes Annie flinch but she's trying so hard to make sure that she doesn't do anything that would upset mum.
"Violet..." Dad says softly. He puts his hand on her shoulder but she flinches away from his touch, it's the first time I've ever seen her not want to be touched by Dad.
Mum stands from the table and goes over to Uncle Draco. She has him stand up and she wraps her arms around him in a hug. She's holding onto him tightly and I can hear her muttering something to him but I can't make out what she's saying.
"I'm scared," Theo whispers.
I look at Dad, but all he's staring at Mum. I can tell that he's hurt and mad at all the things that Aunt Narcissa has said but he doesn't do anything about it. He just watches mum and at that moment I know exactly what he's thinking. He's mad at himself for not being able to protect mum from this house, from that woman.
Mum finally lets go of Uncle Draco and comes back over to us, "Come here, guys." She says, holding her arms out. Annie is the first one to get up out of her chair and run into her arms. Mum picks her up and holds her close, the rest of us practically throw ourselves on top of her.
"I'm scared Mummy," Theodore says again.
Mum strokes his head, "I know darling. It's okay to be scared. This is a scary place. I'm sorry you had to listen to those things she said. They aren't true okay? You are perfect, loving, beautiful children and nothing she said about you is true."
We stay huddled like that for a little while longer, clutching onto each other for support. Then we let go and Mum hugs Dad just like she hugged Uncle Draco. I try not to listen but I can't help but overhear a few things, "You're the love of my life Weasley. You and this beautiful family we've created. You are worth everything this world has to give."
Mum lets go of Dad and looks at us again, "What do you say we get Uncle Lucius in the ground and get out of here shall we?"