A Room With a View

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He may have been obliviated, but one of the things Severus had not forgotten was the opulence of a 'simple' family dinner at Malfoy Manor. As there was only one person present who could be considered a guest in the more formal sense of the word - and gauging Narcissa's enthusiasm for conversing with Hermione, he doubted she'd be classed as a guest much longer - there would only be six courses for dinner instead of the formal twelve or sixteen that the hostess preferred. This surprised him. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen a meal other than breakfast served à la française at her table.

Despite the relative informality of the dinner, the meal was as sumptuous as any he'd seen at the Manor before. Dishes of coquilles Saint-Jacques, blanquette de veau, and a gigot d'agneau pleureur were passed around the table for each person to sample. He noticed that even Hermione's eyes widened a bit at the amazing amounts of meat and butter in the meal; Hogwarts fare focused on the traditionally British with a few exotic surprises thrown in to appease the Pureblood families in attendance. The Malfoys, however, paid homage to their French antecedents by serving primarily haute cuisine at their table.

He also noted that Hermione had received training in Pureblood dining etiquette at some point in the past seven years. He wondered if he had been the one to instruct her or if she'd attained the knowledge through her own study; she certainly hadn't picked it up from her former fiancé, if his mealtime manners at Hogwarts were any indication. Hermione waited until Narcissa had picked up her own fork and knife and taken a delicate bite of her lamb before she set her own utensils to work on one of the beautifully presented scallops covered in Gruyere cheese. Her manners were as impeccable as any Pureblood's, though to compliment her son such - even privately - would be the epitome of condescension. With a mental shrug, Severus applied himself to his own meal, sinking his spoon into the crust of the divine soupe à l'oignon gratinée that the Malfoy head kitchen-elf was famed for. He'd missed this. Not even in France could a onion soup like this be found.

The group ate in silence, waiting for the hostess to set the topic of conversation. At last, Narcissa's voice interrupted Severus' silent worship of his meal just as he was lowering the spoon after the first mouthful. "So, Severus. How has your return to Hogwarts been this year?"

Severus swallowed the soup, trying not to wince as the molten cheese scalded his larynx. He took a sip if Beaujolais before answering his hostess. "It's gone better than I expected, Narcissa. The students are behind in defense, but that has been the case for more than two decades now. However, they're responding well to my accelerated review course and we'll be able to begin work on year-appropriate curriculum within a few weeks. And Hermione and I have been teaching a course on animagus transformation to some of the advanced seventh years. That's going very well."

Draco responded with mild shock. "You're an animagus? You never mentioned that, Uncle."

Severus merely winged an eyebrow. "I'm sure you can understand why."

"Let me guess. You never registered and never told the Dark Lord," the young man responded with a slight frown on his face.

Severus nodded. "I was not registered until a few weeks ago, and yes I spied in that form. I could not tell you - or anyone for that matter. I'm sure you understand, Draco."

The boy grimaced in acceptance and applied himself to his food. Severus knew he still struggled with his Godfather's role in the Second Wizarding War, particularly as Draco's own actions had nearly gotten him killed on multiple occasions.

It was Lucius who attempted to lighten the mood. "Let me guess, Severus. You animagus form matches your new patronus?"

"It does."

"How... appropriate," Lucius sneered with good humor, attempting to tease his long-absent friend. "You've always been more broody than a flock of Victorian poets. I suppose you run around your classes squawking 'Nevermore' at your students?"