Happy Birthday, Harry!

[alt_padma]

I guess we surprised you after all.

It was really hard not to say anything about it beforehand. I hope you enjoyed your party. It's still a little odd to go to a grown-up party like that, isn't it?

I didn't see where you'd gone but it was time to go home. I just want to say cheers while it's still your birthday - and thanks to Mr Broome for inviting me and Parvati. It was utterly amazing.

I feel very lucky and privileged to have been included. I hope everyone else appreciated it too.

Comments

[alt_draco]

So who'd you talk to at the party? I spent quite a while chatting with my Uncle Stephen, who seemed impressed with how fluent I've become in French, and then had me translating French out loud, which then brought over some adults that I didn't know as well who wanted to know all about what it was like in France.

[alt_padma]

Well, there were such a lot of people.... We talked with Finnigan quite a bit, and Hydra and her cousin Jeremy. And Thomas - that was rather a surprise, seeing him, and Perks as well. Did you know she was coming? I guess it shouldn't be too surprising, it looked like everyone in Slytherin in our year was there - even Bulstrode. Anyway, we did a lot of people-watching, that was interesting.

For a while, Parkinson and I talked with Mr Rookwood about the project we're doing for History Club. He was quite nice and seemed really interested. And there were some ladies who wanted to know what Mum's working on, especially with your mum, but we had to say that we don't really know much about it. I think that disappointed them. But they're keeping it really secret. And mum hasn't had us in to the workshop as often this summer. Oh, and a few people still wanted to tell us how sorry they were about Sanji, which was okay, but maybe would have been better if they hadn't done.

Did you go out in the courtyard? There were some grown-ups out there. I thought at first they were lawn bowling but it turned out they had a whole load of gnomes and they were rolling them out and then hexing them, for target practice, I guess.

Oh, and there was Mrs Avery and Mrs Mulciber and Mrs Rowle - they were quite nice. Your mother said hello, too, of course, and we met Mr Lestrange (Hydra's father, I mean. Well, I guess the other one too, the one looking after Harry. I think he talked to everyone there at least once. He must like Harry a lot to want to guard him all the time!)

Speaking of Harry, do you know what upset him so much? I saw him talking to an older witch and wizard, and he looked like he wanted to get away from them, so Parvati and I were just coming over to see if we could help, when he stormed off and out of the party altogether. We followed but there was a glowing line across the corridor, so he must have gone into part of the palace where guests weren't allowed. When we got back inside the couple had gone and I looked for your uncle - the other Mr Lestrange - to tell him that Harry looked upset. But I found Mr Avery first and he said he knew where they all were and he'd go and tell the Razzer. I mean, he said the Razzer, I didn't call him that.

That's about when I found Parkinson and she introduced me to Mr Rookwood.

[alt_draco]

Some of Mother's friends asked me what your Mother and my Mother are working on, too, as if I would really know much of the details!

Blaise and I watched the hexing that went on in the courtyard for a while, yeah, but we left when they wouldn't let us join in. But then everyone came in just after that anyway because our Lord Protector had shown up to give the speech. He looks every so strange commanding these days, doesn't he?

The party was the sort of party we'll be expected to attend when we're grownups, so I think it was good to have that type of party. We're all teenagers now, after all.

Harry's fine, someone just said something thoughtless in front of him, that's all. I think my Uncle smoothed it over.

[alt_pansy]

Mr Rookwood was awful nice, wasn't he?

And I don't think he was just humouring us either. He seemed chuffed that we were so keen on the project, and he actually looked a bit impressed with what we've been reading. Your law stuff is coming along so nicely.

I'm sorry Harry didn't have a better time of it though. At least we got to see him on his birthday this year. Last year, I didn't even get to say hello, I just saw him from a distance, and there were adults everywhere.

[alt_pansy]

I'm hoping my French is decent enough by next summer. It'll take me that long to convince mum to take me, and I'd just love to go. I know it's a hassle and all, and there are loads of forms to fill out, but it's Paris. Besides, the shopping there is fabulous, so I'm sure she couldn't turn that down.

Maybe you could help me out a little once school starts? I mean, I've got lessons to work through on my own, and I'll be writing Mlle Haupert letters of course, but it isn't the same as talking out loud, and you're quite good. If you wouldn't mind my messing up all the time, I think it could be fun.

[alt_draco]

The best way to learn fast, as far as talking goes, is to just have everyday conversations in French. We could start doing that once we're at school together.

[alt_padma]

Well, I've only seen the Lord Protector up close a few times, but...yeah. He looked a little more, er, well, I guess I'd call it intimidating. I don't remember His eyes looking so red before, I mean back in first year when He came for the unicorn hunt. And it looked like He'd made His nose less pointy. I'm not sure why but I guess if He likes it that way, it's good, right?

And I agree with you that grownup parties seem to be a lot more about standing about and talking than doing fun things like playing party games or going on broom rides. But it felt ever so nice to be included in something like that, and to hear what grownups talk about. It's like we're being given a jump on acting like adults, too.

It seems like your uncle is pretty good at keeping people happy. He was laughing every time I saw him. But most people seemed pretty happy last night.

Hydra said you're all going to celebrate her brother's birthday today, too. So I hope you all have fun and no one's feeling under the weather today.

[alt_pansy]

That would be really nice of you, Draco. I'd like that!

[alt_padma]

Do you really think you could go to France? I guess it's possible. I heard some of the adults last night - just snatches of conversation, you know - but they were saying that Mr Malfoy's made 'great strides' with the French and that they're more than ever eager to show that they can make things easier for purebloods.

So maybe by next summer you would be able to go.

[alt_padma]

Mr Rookwood was very nice. His son knows Haruman, they both work at St Mungo's. Only Mr Rookwood's son isn't a Healer. He helps with the accounting and stuff. But talking to Mr Rookwood was like talking to my grandfather, sort of. He made one feel very comfortable. And you're right, he really did seem interested.

It didn't look like Harry was having a great time even before he got all cross, but then I guess he's been to that sort of party a lot more than we have. I kept thinking about how when we were little, Mum and Dad would have all the family over and we had to watch from the stairs, but here we were and no one was making us go to bed at all, so that made it much more interesting. And watching. And listening.

Like Draco says, I think it's a sign we're growing up that we've been allowed to come to a grownup party.

[alt_draco]

You could always try conversational French with Daphne, too, but I really don't think she's quite so good as she thinks she is. You can tell by her accent that she's never been to France.

[alt_pansy]

I tend to run out of things to talk about with Daphne pretty quickly when we're talking in English.

Besides, I have a feeling knowing how to say "those hair ribbons are good for your colouring" in French will only take one so far.

[alt_draco]

Yeah, it was nice to be included but I'm not sure I'm ready for every party to be like that. Not just yet, anyway.

If you mean my Uncle Rabastan, yeah, he's got loads of mates. He met a lot of them when he was a quidditch player, I think, but I don't know where he met the rest. Maybe at parties like last night's.

Nanella's serving one of her giant teas, so I didn't eat any lunch, because if everyone doesn't tuck in she'll be hurt. I don't know what else will happen, though. Does a one-year-old even know what's going on at his birthday party?

[alt_draco]

I thought you were oh-so excited for Parisian shopping, though? Because that would be right up Daphne's pitch, to talk about shopping... in French, no less.

[alt_pansy]

Well, I think it's a matter of what you like, too, not just what you're used to. I've been a part of mum's salons and gone to adult parties and things since I was very little. I guess it's because she didn't know what to do with me otherwise, because I didn't have a sister I could play with or anything.

And I really actually kind of like those sorts of parties, because sometimes you can learn the most fascinating things about people. Sometimes I had to recite poetry or something, which could be embarrassing, but it's fun just to see who is talking with who, and why, and over what.

And now that we're all older, we'll have lots more interesting things to bring to the conversation, won't we!

[alt_padma]

When they're that young it's more about the rest of the family, I think.

When Sanji was one we had everyone over and they all gave him presents that made noise or lit up or were supposed to help him learn magic more quickly. And we had cake and he smeared it all over his face. Haruman says we smeared the icing all over our faces too when we were little - and one year we picked all the iced flower petals off our cake and tried to put them in each other's hair.

If nothing else, it's probably a lovely excuse to have cake.

[alt_pansy]

Well, shopping is part of it. But anyone can shop. You just point, and work out the money, and get other people that know better to tell you where the best things are. I mean, mum speaks barely enough to get by in a shop, and that's pretty much why she'd go.

And yeah, it'd be nice to see what all they have in the shops and all, but there are so many other things one could talk about besides fabrics and colours and prices.

[alt_padma]

Isn't that a little unusual, though? I mean didn't you have an elf or someone to look after you? Most people wouldn't care to have children hanging about at grownup teas and such.

I suppose, though, if you've been going to them since you were small, then it makes sense the way you talk to grownups like you are one.

[alt_pansy]

I certainly think so.

I think we're working to get it the way it used to be, where you could just fly over the Channel, or take the London-Paris floo. Wouldn't that be fantastic?

They've got a long way to go, for sure, but I think it'd be nice.

And you can go, it's not impossible, you know, it just takes a long time and lots of paperwork and galleons connections and things. Only I'm not sure mum would think it would be worth all the hassle. I do, though!

[alt_pansy]

Well, of course I had Hitty, and mum would send me home if it was an evening party and it got too past my bed-time and things.

I guess it's not unusual for me, because that's what I'm used to.

[alt_draco]

If you can speak French in a Parisian shop you'll get much better service, though, and they'll bring out their best goods, too.

And yeah, if we do conversational French we'll just talk about the things we'd normally discuss, only not in English.

[alt_pansy]

Good to know!

At the very least, Daphne will be useful for something.

[alt_padma]

My mum used to go to Paris for fabrics, I mean before we were born. Maybe it's changed, but she said that unless you can speak French really well, like a native, they sometimes prefer you not try.

But then, it's been about fifteen years since she was there, so I dunno.