Being civil means
Should have been posted earlier today, and I have been told four times to post it, but I fail at life. Sorry.
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Astoria was a smidge late, but she happened to have a job. It wasn't a job in the Census Department, so she really couldn't leave whenever she liked. Sure, she left quite a bit, but never when there was work to be done.
A house-elf led her into the garden at Malfoy Manor. She noticed the usual suspects. Felicity Woodhouse, Lorelai Carfax, and Elle Ashe. Astoria was surprised to see Jacinda Avery there, and some woman she had never seen before. Astoria thought she worked in the Census Department.
"How good of you to join us, Astoria," Felicity said dryly. "You know everyone but Jane, I think. Tracey declined, and Simone rarely goes out anywhere anymore."
"Simone was at the Abbott-Zabini wedding. With Miles Bletchley," Astoria replied as she walked closer.
"And just how was the wedding, Ms. Dolohov? I had a previous engagement and could not attend," Narcissa said as she walked in. This was her first tea with the ladies, and she was not going to let a little tart like Astoria Dolohov ruin this. She had been planning this for a long time.
Astoria forced a pleasant smile to her face when Narcissa Malfoy joined them. She had burshed a hand along Draco's at the wedding. Just in passing, but she had seen what his mother had done. It made her blood boil. The Liberi were really starting to annoy her. They felt completely justified in pulling the strings of too many people she cared for.
"It was lovely, actually. There was plenty of good food and lots of dancing, and one near fight."
"That sounds like the wedding of Blaise Zabini." Narcissa grinned as she sat at the table. "But is that all that has happened recently?"
"On my end. It's been rather quiet."
"I heard you went to the wedding with Marcus Flint," Jacinda said.
Felicity rolled her eyes. "I don't see how you put up with that animal."
"Careful, Felicity. Marcus is the one who convinced me to join." Astoria's tone was light, but many more comments like that and she would hex the other woman in the Malfoy gardens.
Narcissa chuckled. "Putting up with men isn't a problem. It's more of how well you can keep them in line. Once you can do that, life gets spectacularly easy."
Astoria resisted the urge to mention that Lucius Malfoy had never appeared particularly in line to her. She also idly wondered where the ghost was.
"Marcus Flint doesn't strike me as the type to fall into line," Lorelai remarked.
"Well, I'm not going to tell you my secret," Astoria replied in a playful manner.
"And I believe I speak for everyone when we say we don't want you to," Narcissa said.
Astoria just smiled sweetly. I know what you did to your son, and I know what he's going to do in return. She had to keep her cool for the sake of her sister, Dean and Draco.
"I'm actually quite fascinated in the tale."
Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Lucius, I thought you agreed to stay hidden in the dungeon torturing peasant ghosts? You always moan about how you hate when I host teas here."
Her late husband's ghost smirked. "Ah but this wonderful group of ladies intrigue me."
"Lovely." Narcissa turned to the ladies. "One of the hazards of meeting here. Having to put up with my husband. I still can't recall why I haven't exorcised you yet."
Astoria actually smiled brightly at Lucius Malfoy. She was beginning to suspect she had a thing for bad boys and good girls. He definitely fell into the former category.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy," Astoria said, drawing attention to herself. "I'll just share with you privately later. It's not a story fit for ladies' tea."
She was the only one besides Narcissa who was not bothered by the ghost. Astoria could actually taste someone's fear. She was betting on it being Jacinda.
Narcissa felt the woman sitting next to her vibrate in nervousness. "Lucius, stop interrupting my social teas. It's really become bothersome. Go attack the house elves or something."
Lucius smirked and floated away slowly. Narcissa knew that look, however.
"If you start replaying the memories of tortured people, keep the screams of pain to a minimum!"
Once he was out of sigh, Narcissa sighed. "And I thought he was a nuisance when he was alive. Now I can't hex him."
"Doesn't Draco actually know some things to make unlife aggravating for a spirit," Astoria asked coolly.
She was courting danger mentioning him, but Astoria could not help it. She had also referred to him as Draco, as if she knew him personally. Which, of course, she did. For all those society dance lessons their parents had put upon then, Draco was usually her dance partner. It was the reason Blaise and Daphne didn't get alone - her sister was usually Blaise's.
"Even Draco doesn't know the extent of my husband's knowledge." Narcissa smirked at Astoria. "He hasn't learned everything he can from his parents yet."
Astoria very wisely kept her expression blank and did not say anything. No one would no she was screaming and tearing things apart inside her head.
Someone changed the topic of conversation and Astoria was glad for it. If she could just make it through this without blowing up, everything would be fine.
Narcissa listened throughout the conversation, years of social grooming keeping her at the top of her game. She could listen in on the different conversations at the same time, and was very good at reading body language. Astoria Dolohov was doing a fairly good job at hiding the dislike she felt, but Narcissa knew, and she hid her grin behind her tea cup.
When her gardens were complimented, Narcissa sighed. "Well, you should have seen them before my wayward son set fire to them. They were marvelous."
Astoria started laughing but quickly covered it with coughing. Oh Draco.
Jacinda gasped. "How awful."
"Was it a very big fire," Megan asked. She'd been silent most of this time, just listening and getting a feel for the other women.
Narcissa's eyebrow went up. "You've apparently never seen my son and his fire. I guess one would call it spectacular if you cared for large burning flowers."
Megan resisted the urge to smile. She supposed asking to see a pensieve of the memory would not be appropriate.
"Really, Jane," Felicity scolded. Sometimes Felicity wondered why she put up with Megan Jones. Mother said she had plans for the nutter though.
"Does your son set a lot of fire," Megan asked.
Astoria choked on her tea for laughing. Did Draco set a lot of fire? That was hilarious.
"He arrived to my birthday party two years ago only his pants after he blew up Blaise Zabini's bathroom," she said dryly. "Draco is like a moth."
Astoria was having a difficult time hiding her laughter. Once things were as they should be with her, once her path crossed with Draco's for certain, her life would never again be dull. Not that it was especially dull now with Antonin lurking about, however.
"He blew up the bathroom," Jacinda said. "What was he doing?"
"Like Blaise Zabini couldn't afford to rebuild. He probably wanted to redecorate and asked Draco to help," Elle remarked.
Narcissa chuckled lowly. "Actually, Draco was experimenting with blood wards of the late Vincent Crabbe. He fought the werewolf at one point, and was also the one who buried him."
Astoria's head tilted to the side. Something didn't fit. Narcissa sounded... proud. That was strange. She recovered herself before anyone noticed how she was looking at the older woman.
Megan considered. It really was too bad Draco Malfoy didn't interest her. He sounded like worthy prey. She had never really stalked anyone who she felt was a challenge. Perhaps that was her problem. She needed a challenge.
[Summary]: Narcissa and Astoria have tea with the other Liberi Ladies. Lucius crashes, of course.
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Astoria was a smidge late, but she happened to have a job. It wasn't a job in the Census Department, so she really couldn't leave whenever she liked. Sure, she left quite a bit, but never when there was work to be done.
A house-elf led her into the garden at Malfoy Manor. She noticed the usual suspects. Felicity Woodhouse, Lorelai Carfax, and Elle Ashe. Astoria was surprised to see Jacinda Avery there, and some woman she had never seen before. Astoria thought she worked in the Census Department.
"How good of you to join us, Astoria," Felicity said dryly. "You know everyone but Jane, I think. Tracey declined, and Simone rarely goes out anywhere anymore."
"Simone was at the Abbott-Zabini wedding. With Miles Bletchley," Astoria replied as she walked closer.
"And just how was the wedding, Ms. Dolohov? I had a previous engagement and could not attend," Narcissa said as she walked in. This was her first tea with the ladies, and she was not going to let a little tart like Astoria Dolohov ruin this. She had been planning this for a long time.
Astoria forced a pleasant smile to her face when Narcissa Malfoy joined them. She had burshed a hand along Draco's at the wedding. Just in passing, but she had seen what his mother had done. It made her blood boil. The Liberi were really starting to annoy her. They felt completely justified in pulling the strings of too many people she cared for.
"It was lovely, actually. There was plenty of good food and lots of dancing, and one near fight."
"That sounds like the wedding of Blaise Zabini." Narcissa grinned as she sat at the table. "But is that all that has happened recently?"
"On my end. It's been rather quiet."
"I heard you went to the wedding with Marcus Flint," Jacinda said.
Felicity rolled her eyes. "I don't see how you put up with that animal."
"Careful, Felicity. Marcus is the one who convinced me to join." Astoria's tone was light, but many more comments like that and she would hex the other woman in the Malfoy gardens.
Narcissa chuckled. "Putting up with men isn't a problem. It's more of how well you can keep them in line. Once you can do that, life gets spectacularly easy."
Astoria resisted the urge to mention that Lucius Malfoy had never appeared particularly in line to her. She also idly wondered where the ghost was.
"Marcus Flint doesn't strike me as the type to fall into line," Lorelai remarked.
"Well, I'm not going to tell you my secret," Astoria replied in a playful manner.
"And I believe I speak for everyone when we say we don't want you to," Narcissa said.
Astoria just smiled sweetly. I know what you did to your son, and I know what he's going to do in return. She had to keep her cool for the sake of her sister, Dean and Draco.
"I'm actually quite fascinated in the tale."
Narcissa rolled her eyes. "Lucius, I thought you agreed to stay hidden in the dungeon torturing peasant ghosts? You always moan about how you hate when I host teas here."
Her late husband's ghost smirked. "Ah but this wonderful group of ladies intrigue me."
"Lovely." Narcissa turned to the ladies. "One of the hazards of meeting here. Having to put up with my husband. I still can't recall why I haven't exorcised you yet."
Astoria actually smiled brightly at Lucius Malfoy. She was beginning to suspect she had a thing for bad boys and good girls. He definitely fell into the former category.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Malfoy," Astoria said, drawing attention to herself. "I'll just share with you privately later. It's not a story fit for ladies' tea."
She was the only one besides Narcissa who was not bothered by the ghost. Astoria could actually taste someone's fear. She was betting on it being Jacinda.
Narcissa felt the woman sitting next to her vibrate in nervousness. "Lucius, stop interrupting my social teas. It's really become bothersome. Go attack the house elves or something."
Lucius smirked and floated away slowly. Narcissa knew that look, however.
"If you start replaying the memories of tortured people, keep the screams of pain to a minimum!"
Once he was out of sigh, Narcissa sighed. "And I thought he was a nuisance when he was alive. Now I can't hex him."
"Doesn't Draco actually know some things to make unlife aggravating for a spirit," Astoria asked coolly.
She was courting danger mentioning him, but Astoria could not help it. She had also referred to him as Draco, as if she knew him personally. Which, of course, she did. For all those society dance lessons their parents had put upon then, Draco was usually her dance partner. It was the reason Blaise and Daphne didn't get alone - her sister was usually Blaise's.
"Even Draco doesn't know the extent of my husband's knowledge." Narcissa smirked at Astoria. "He hasn't learned everything he can from his parents yet."
Astoria very wisely kept her expression blank and did not say anything. No one would no she was screaming and tearing things apart inside her head.
Someone changed the topic of conversation and Astoria was glad for it. If she could just make it through this without blowing up, everything would be fine.
Narcissa listened throughout the conversation, years of social grooming keeping her at the top of her game. She could listen in on the different conversations at the same time, and was very good at reading body language. Astoria Dolohov was doing a fairly good job at hiding the dislike she felt, but Narcissa knew, and she hid her grin behind her tea cup.
When her gardens were complimented, Narcissa sighed. "Well, you should have seen them before my wayward son set fire to them. They were marvelous."
Astoria started laughing but quickly covered it with coughing. Oh Draco.
Jacinda gasped. "How awful."
"Was it a very big fire," Megan asked. She'd been silent most of this time, just listening and getting a feel for the other women.
Narcissa's eyebrow went up. "You've apparently never seen my son and his fire. I guess one would call it spectacular if you cared for large burning flowers."
Megan resisted the urge to smile. She supposed asking to see a pensieve of the memory would not be appropriate.
"Really, Jane," Felicity scolded. Sometimes Felicity wondered why she put up with Megan Jones. Mother said she had plans for the nutter though.
"Does your son set a lot of fire," Megan asked.
Astoria choked on her tea for laughing. Did Draco set a lot of fire? That was hilarious.
"He arrived to my birthday party two years ago only his pants after he blew up Blaise Zabini's bathroom," she said dryly. "Draco is like a moth."
Astoria was having a difficult time hiding her laughter. Once things were as they should be with her, once her path crossed with Draco's for certain, her life would never again be dull. Not that it was especially dull now with Antonin lurking about, however.
"He blew up the bathroom," Jacinda said. "What was he doing?"
"Like Blaise Zabini couldn't afford to rebuild. He probably wanted to redecorate and asked Draco to help," Elle remarked.
Narcissa chuckled lowly. "Actually, Draco was experimenting with blood wards of the late Vincent Crabbe. He fought the werewolf at one point, and was also the one who buried him."
Astoria's head tilted to the side. Something didn't fit. Narcissa sounded... proud. That was strange. She recovered herself before anyone noticed how she was looking at the older woman.
Megan considered. It really was too bad Draco Malfoy didn't interest her. He sounded like worthy prey. She had never really stalked anyone who she felt was a challenge. Perhaps that was her problem. She needed a challenge.
[Summary]: Narcissa and Astoria have tea with the other Liberi Ladies. Lucius crashes, of course.