Dream & Shadow

25* Malfoy Manor

The small salon issued an unmistakable wealth. Ornamented chandeliers and old paintings were delicately arranged as eye-catchers. A bunch of roses stood on a small side table. The embossed green wallpaper blended well with the golden shimmering seating and the embroidered cushions. The colour of the walnut tree furniture tinted the place in a warm shade of a comfortable place. Leonor knew the manor had numerous rooms. She had seen some of them already, but this was the one she liked most. The room reminded of endless childhood dreams, most of them never came true and still, it had something of a long-left home. It was not cluttered or flamboyant despite the expensive interior. The decoration did not hint to the pure-blood preferences of the family, no suspicious artefacts or the gloominess that came along with it. Leonor watched the dancing flames of the crackling fire. A series of photographs stood on the mantelpiece; a gorgeous baby with chubby cheeks grow up into a handsome teenager with Quidditch robes. The last shot was likely from late summer. Draco Malfoy posed in dress robes prepared for the departure to Hogwarts.

The butler asked Leonor to await Narcissa Malfoy in the Golden Salon and a house elf brought a silver tea set with delicious looking cookies and whipped cream. Leonor followed Narcissa's invitation to a late afternoon tea and hoped it would be some nice small talk. Leonor's first assignment with a pure-blood family was successfully completed. She experimented with the formula of a pain killing potion and Narcissa concocted it herself from now on. Leonor came to terms with the rich spoiled hostess; most of the time she was searching distraction and company and not unfriendly at all. She loved her son and Leonor sensed it broke her heart to send him away every September. Draco remained at Hogwarts to attend the Yule Ball, like so many others. Leonor walked to the large window to catch a glimpse of the weather. The snow in Scotland poured down as rain in Wiltshire.

A thudded subdued knock resonated through the lower floor. Leonor turned but paid no further attention to the door knocker and the voices in the hall. Narcissa entered through a small side door at the same moment and Leonor greeted respectfully.

"Ms Scott, thank you for your visit!" she gave Leonor a formal business-like smile. "It is a relief to sleep without headaches, would you check my potion one more time. I apologize to let you wait for so long, but I wanted to finish it." She handed a crystal flask with a richly ornate stopper to the healer.

"It is my pleasure! I used the time to shake off the chill from the torrential rain at the cosy fireplace. I hope you don't mind that I looked at the nice pictures of Draco?" Leonor removed the stopper, smelled the amber liquid before extracting a little quantity. A few drops run slowly down on the back of her hand before Leonor tasted them.

"Mrs Malfoy, well done." Leonor smiled. "I could not do it better. Colour, smell and taste are perfect."

Narcissa grinned smugly and gestured Leonor to sit at the small table. She waved her wand and the butler appeared with the hot steaming teapot instantly. The two women spoke nothing for a while and Leonor ate the offered cookies with a large portion of the whipped cream.

"How did Draco do at the ball?" asked Narcissa and a certain curiosity resonated in the mother's voice.

"He's handsome. The girls notice it," said Leonor convincingly. "I hope he wrote you whom he invited?"

"Pansy Parkinson, if I'm not mistaken," answered Narcissa proudly.

"A nice couple, a good match for the dance," Leonor paused and glanced at the boy's photographs on the mantelpiece. Draco and Pansy showed some equal character traits, but despite the teenage distraction, they didn't support each other well. Draco tried to trump her constantly, but it was more in his family and less in his nature. Pansy looked for somebody impressive with too much focus on the outside demeanour than the inner self. Draco would be interesting if he could uphold the mask. It would be better for Draco's personality to engage at least more with the Ravenclaws. It could give some distance to his family's views and especially the idiots of Grabbe and Goyle. But he was in his own way and Slytherins reputation did the rest. Draco directed all his ambition to please his father; his father's opinion was law. One day he would learn that nobody was perfect, not even his father.