A Malfoys MistakeBy Jinni
Planning To Be Done
The announcement will go out in the paper tomorrow, which means all of the invitations have to be ready for post tonight. This, in itself, is enough to bring me to distraction. But, take into account that that girl, for all that she is carrying my grandchild, is Muggle born, and I am nearly beside myself.
It wouldn't be that bad if we were any other family. Like perhaps those raggedy Weasleys. However, we are not any other family. We are the Malfoys. And certain things are expected of us.
Including a reception to welcome Willow to our family, a 'coming out party' as it were.
And this means, of course, that it must be done in high style. A dinner party, if you would. With appetizers carried on little trays and bottles of champagne sparkling all around the room.
So a party immediately brings to mind a guest list, right?
Right.
And there we have my current state of disarray.
Who to invite to the coming out part of Willow Anne Malfoy?
All of the family friends, of course. There is no way around that. Those same family friends, however, are about as biased and prejudiced as they come. I can adore the girl because she carries my grandchild. I can over look my own ingrown biases for the sake of that little life that will be the heir to the Malfoy name. But our family friends? They share no such obligation.
I'm still working on how to get her through this alive, mind you. The Dark Lord may be dead and gone, but Lucius' friends are still running wild, and some of them may show up for this when they hear it through the grapevine. I have no doubt that I'll have to hear, more than once, 'Lucius must be rolling over in his grave to know that Draco's marrying a mudblood.'
Pigs. Idiotic, twits of pigs.
She may be Muggle born, but the dear girl is no less a witch than I am. . . in fact. . .
Well, let's just say that I heard something interesting the other night while listening in on her and Draco talk. Something that some friends of mine from the Ministry are checking into.
She's the One.
The one that tried to end the world.
That could possibly make her more of a witch than me, though I hate to admit it. If this is true it will make things so much easier, of course. Not only because I will not have to worry about her knowing how to defend herself from random attacks from prejudiced old hags, but also because it will inspire fear in Lucius' old associates. Hard to call a witch a mudblood when she can seal your lips shut with a wave of her hand.
So - on to the guests. Everyone must be there. And I do mean everyone.
The Parkinsons - Pansy and Adele. Thomas died in a raid at the hands of Remus Lupin from what I understand, sometime before the final battle. No real loss, the man was a beast.
And, of course Remus and Sirius. How I do adore those two, even if I can't show it. They know how to bring life to a party. Draco doesn't know it, but they were friends with me up until the end of my second year at Hogwarts. I used to tag along with them and James and Peter. How it broke my heart to hear that James died, even while Lucius was cackling over it. And then to find out that it was Peter that betrayed them all, with Sirius sent to Azkaban.
Heart breaking.
So - Black and Lupin. Dumbledore and the rest of the Hogwarts staff. Most especially Severus. I still need to talk with him about tutoring Willow, I'll include that request with his invitation.
Now - who else?
The Slytherins from Draco's year, of course. Although. . .not those two that used to hang around with Draco so much. I've heard such awful things from the other high society witches lately. Talk of murders in back alleys. The last thing my poor Draco needs is to fall in with the 'wrong' crowd again, he barely got out of it alive the first time.
Let's see. . .
Willow is in the other room, hopefully resting like Draco asked her to before he left this morning. I'll have to remember to ask her later if any of her friends would like to come - though I seriously hope not. Having a muggle born witch at the party would be bad enough - but actual 'muggles', too?
I fear some of my guests would never recover from such a shock.
Oh!
Of course!
How could I forget?
Grabbing up a quill from my desk, I dip it into the pot of ink, scribbling a few names on my list. There. That should complete it. If there's anyone else to add, I can't think of them.
"All of those people are coming?"
The sound of Willow's voice right over my shoulder nearly makes me knock over the ink pot. She blushes, embarrassed, when I turn on her.
"Do not sneak, child."
"Sorry, ma'm."
She calls me ma'm like I'm old. I am not old. "Narcissa, dear."
"Of course." The smile on her lips is impish. She enjoys tweaking me like this. Her eyes turn back to the guest list. "How many Weasleys are there?"
I chuckle before I can stop myself. "A good many. And more and more as they years go by. They will take over all of wizarding Europe one day."
She laughs. "You're inviting Harry?"
"It will annoy Draco."
Willow smirks at me. "And me, Narcissa. Don't forget me."
I return the smirk, in a manner that some have described as 'where Draco must have learned it from', and reply quite happily.
"Yes, well. I must have my fun somewhere."