The Big Dipper

Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place

Ursula spent the first few days of the summer term at Corvus Manor, alone save for Dimsey and Helgie, who were fine company. She supposed at some point she had to get used to living in her own house, and what better time than before seventh year? According to wizarding customs, she was of age now, making her, as her great aunt Cassiopeia had put it, the mistress of her own home.

Malfoy Manor was a lovely country house with iron wrought gates that opened onto a straight drive, sprawling lands, and tall windows, built like an elegant fortress and as stately in appearance as the family who lived there. It was a large manor that could easily compete with all the other pureblood residences, but it was practically half the size of the enormous Corvus Manor.

Ursula had dozens of bedrooms, a positively gigantic library, and acres upon acres of sprawling land to herself. Corvus Manor had a magnificent ballroom, and a dining hall fit for thirty. In its heyday, no less than six house elves had been employed, with Ursula's great-great-great grandfather coming in with ten.

Now, however, it was a huge and empty house, with its sole human occupant living away for most of the year. Ursula resolved to put her house to more use, and as such was busy working with her house elves to plan a deep cleaning and renovation of the manor itself and the lands it sat on. She still wasn't brave enough to venture down into the basement, however. Her grandfather had said there was nothing but old curses, and Ursula didn't doubt that they could be very harmful, so it was best not to go alone.

Ursula had been reading almost obsessively about the First Wizarding War, needing to understand what happened on both sides, but particularly on the side of the Death Eaters. The library at Corvus Manor was the finest she'd seen at any of the purebloods' manors in Britain, and though the shelves were guarded by hexes of their own, Ursula was a Black, and nothing there was off limits to her.

She was reading through a book of family history so old that she had to wear gloves to turn the dry pages when Dimsey entered the library.

"Mrs. Malfoy is here to see Mistress," said Dimsey in his low, froggy voice.

"Thank you Dimsey," said Ursula, shutting the book she was reading. "Would you please bring tea to the drawing room?"

Dimsey nodded and Disapparated, and Ursula hurried out to the entrance hall.

"Aunt Narcissa," she said excitedly. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I came to see how you were doing," said Narcissa, "and to talk."

"Please, this way," said Ursula. They entered the drawing room, settling themselves on chairs, and soon Helgie arrived bearing a tea tray. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Lucius told me about your disagreement after you left," said Narcissa cooly, stirring milk into her tea. "I can only say that I understand and sympathize with your position. However —"

She looked straight at Ursula, her blue eyes hard yet understanding.

"— hard times are ahead, Ursula," said Narcissa. "You must prepare."

"How?" said Ursula. "How can I, when my side is chosen for me, but —"

"I would not speak those doubts to anyone else," said Narcissa. "Perhaps it's because of your mother that I understand why you're wavering, or perhaps I've had time to reflect since the war, but you must stay on our side."

"How?" repeated Ursula. "How, if it means the death of my friends? How can you?"

"I will support the Dark Lord as long as it keeps my family safe," said Narcissa. "That includes you. War is coming, and people will die on both sides. But to keep them safe —"