Dodging Prison and Stealing Witches

Chapter 54: Movers and Shakers - Part 2

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text
Christmas Day, for those who celebrated it, came and went — presents under the tree and goodwill to all wizards in the air, provided of course, that they were the right kind of wizard. And the morning after, the daylight broke in the front shop of the Diagon Alley Owl Office, where a very special delivery was being prepared.

"Blimey," said Stan Shunpike staring at all the packages being frantically packed. "What's 'is lordship wanting all those masks for? Ain't he got enough?"

The room was full of half-open boxes, all containing hand-quilled letters along with a green and black mask wrapped in packing paper.

"Duh," said his sister, carrying yet another box full of fake Lord Slytherin masks from around the back. "They're for the posh party tonight. Dem lords always gotta do it like this, don't they. Ma-ska-raid and all that."

"But if they're all wearing masks, how'd they then know who the real Lord Slytherin is?"

Rodger from up the street clapped Stan on the back. "That's the point, innit? It's like, all cunning and stuff. Slytherin. All part of some master plan, no doubt." He tapped the side of his nose conspiratorially. "Now, come here and give us a hand, yeah? You fancy yourself a charms master."

"Fancies himself more like it!" called his sister. "Fancies himself more than a Malfoy, that one."

"No more than you!" Stan called back, sitting down and drawing his wand. "And I'll have these all done in a less than a jiffy. You'll see."

Over two hundred packages were charmed shut and wrapped. Over two hundred owls swooped down. All throughout the day, deliveries arrived at the front doors of the possibly good and questionably great.

At Malfoy Manor, Lord Malfoy opened his box and stared inside. "Seriously?"

In the kitchen of the Burrow, Molly Weasley opened one box after another, shaking her head in exasperation. "Arthur! Your Lord Slytherin is up to his games again!"

At Grimmauld Place, a very uncertain Lord Black walked into his daughter's room, only to find her enthusiastically posing in front of a mirror, wearing a long evening dress, and an exact half-copy of the mask that he now also carried.

All across the country, the packages were met with reactions ranging from excitement to incredulity, to suspicion, but mostly they were met with bemusement.

And finally, at Potter Manor, a house elf handed four packages to Lord Potter, who opened them and immediately gave one of the four back. "Harry is not to leave the manor tonight, understand? Harry is grounded."

— DP&SW: NRiCaD —

A few hours later, Harry watched from behind the upstairs banisters as the other Potters made their final preparations to leave.

"And remember, be on your best behaviour, John," James Potter said. "There's a lot riding on tonight. The Light needs the Gray's support if we want to advance our interests in the Wizengamot. If you do anything to endanger that, I will be very displeased."

"Yes, Dad," John said from behind his Lord Slytherin mask. He had not looked pleased at all when he'd learned that he'd be expected to wear it for most, if not all, of the evening.

"And, Harry," Lord Potter called up to where Harry looked down on them. "I don't want to hear about you giving the house elves trouble."

"Of course not, Father."

"Good." James Potter donned his Lord Slytherin mask, and Lily Potter did the same. The three then stepped into the roaring green floo, one after the other, and shouted, "Slytherin Manor!"