The Speaker and His Wraiths

Different Perspectives - 1

The Nine

Draco Malfoy sat across from his father, both blonds eating dinner silently with Draco's mother on the left side. Draco was used to the silence these days, and he was grateful to his mother for trying to soothe that silence.

"Are you enjoying school these days?" Narcissa asked, smiling at her son. "I heard you have a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher again."

"Dolores Umbridge." Lucius said dully, not waiting for Draco to speak. "A Ministry official who is both in Fudge's pocket while having Fudge in her pocket as well."

"Interesting." Narcissa hummed. "Draco?"

"She doesn't teach us any practical magic." Draco said carefully. "Everything we learn is from the textbooks. She says knowing the basics is more important than active practice."

"How very strange." Narcissa blinked.

"I have a meeting tonight." Lucius said suddenly, looking up from his meal. "I'll be out late, so don't interrupt me."

"Yes, father." Draco nodded easily.

"Do be home for breakfast." Narcissa said to her husband. Lucius just stood without a word and stalked out, leaving half a plate of food behind. Narcissa sighed, and smiled at Draco. "And you? Any plans?"

"I'll be turning in early." He said, "I'm a little tired from the Yule Ball today."

"Of course, you spent a lot more time with your Housemates this year." Draco smiled at her with a nod.

In truth, he and the majority of the Pureblood children attending were Wraiths. Pansy, Theo, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent, all of them. A few of the younger girls and upper Year Slytherins weren't, but they also did not like Draco much and avoided his whole group. It was nice.

The Wraiths had all asked about how he was, if he was ready, and wished him luck. The Yule Ball was typically boring and full of dull chatter, but instead he'd spent it with people he genuinely cared about and who cared about him as well. It was... satisfying for Draco. Obviously it didn't make him happy, of course not, duh, but it was satisfying.

"Goodnight, Mother." Draco pushed away from the table gently, and nodded to her.

"Goodnight, Draco." She smiled, and Draco walked out of the room. It was several hours to midnight, and he was already starting to get jittery.

Draco didn't know if that was a good sign... or a bad one.

6:22pm

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"I'm disappointed in you." Pansy's mother said harshly. "Prefect this year, and yet you received an EE in Herbology. How do you expect to achieve anything with a mark like that? Disgraceful."

Pansy did nothing as her mother scolded her. Being unfazed by it was part of being Slytherin. To show emotion was to be weak. Pansy used to genuinely believe that, once.

"This better not happen again!" Pansy watched as her mother turned on her heel and stalked away, leaving Pansy alone outside her bedroom door.

Shutting her bedroom door softly, Pansy padded over to her window and let in the owl that was perched on her windowsill.

"Thank you." She whispered to it, gently taking the package she had neglected to bring inside when it had arrived two days prior. "You can head back to the castle now." The owl made a soft noise before flying away, and Pansy sighed as she pulled the window closed.

The package was a small bundle wrapped in brown paper, tied with a green string. Pansy had panicked when it arrived, shoving the owl back out the window so her father wouldn't catch sight of it as he came to check on her study progress before lunch was served. She felt bad, but it was that or be discovered. One was much worse than the other.