Glory |A. Potter|

Twenty

The wind whipped at her face, her hair brushed behind her back as she flew, the cold biting. Her hands around her broomstick had paled in comparison to the rest of her body due to the cold and the grip she had on her broomstick, her face slightly flashed. Jane had lost count of the times she had flown around the Manor but it had been for enough time she was almost positive she could draw the garden from above if anyone asked her to with great detail.

It was the day right after the Christmas ball—it was Christmas—but she hadn't woken up in a pleasant mood. She had hardly slept the previous night, her thoughts drifting to Albus's family and the impression they had left on her. She got worked up, then grew upset and in the end, she couldn't bring herself to sleep when she couldn't ignore her annoyance at them. She had woken up feeling as annoyed as she had when she fell asleep way earlier than Scorpius—way earlier than she was supposed to in general—and because she didn't want to take her frustration out on him and ruin his Christmas, she grabbed her broomstick and got out. Flying always managed to get her tired and never failed to make her anger dissipate.

Her flying around the Manor was quick, her grip on her broomstick unwavering so she wouldn't fall. She was oblivious to anything happening around her but even if she had paid more attention, she would have never managed to notice the three people sitting inside a room in the Manor, their eyes glued on the sky, watching her as she flew over their heads occasionally.

There were two men and a woman. They looked to be around the same age, they were dressed in similar robes, identical wands laid on their laps or on the table in front of them as they took quiet sips of the tea in front of them a house elf had offered them in a cup.

Draco Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass and Blaise Zabini were mostly silent as they enjoyed their tea and watched Jane fly around the Manor. They had been doing that for the last ten minutes when Blaise had arrived from the fireplace to join Draco and Daphne on their observation. None of them knew for how long she had been flying. At the sight, Blaise had instantly voiced his concern she would catch a cold but Daphne had insisted Jane probably knew what she was doing and had suggested he sat down and not worry. Blaise had followed her suggestion after a short while.

They had spent their time in comfortable silence ever since. Blaise let his dark eyes take in his companions, his expression relaxed, his handsome features for once showing no urgency. He raised his cup of tea to his lips, the glint of the numerous silver rings on his long fingers catching Daphne's attention briefly. She turned her gaze on him, a light brow raised as she expected him to say anything, share what he was thinking about. Draco remained unaware of the silent conversation that passed between his sister-in-law and the godfather of his son until Blaise cleared his throat and he turned to face him.

"I overheard part of a conversation between Harry Potter and Ron Weasley with their families last night. They were talking to Scorpius, Albus and Jane."

Draco's lips tightened as he turned his body so he was facing him, giving him his undivided attention as Daphne mirrored him, her shoulders rising briefly, a movement that could have easily not be noticed had Blaise not known how protective she was over her nephew and had not been looking for it. He trained his gaze on Draco.

"Ron claimed he wanted to meet Jane's family."

"As if," Daphne's eyes narrowed, "what reason does he have to meet her family? Jane isn't friends with one of his children."

"I wouldn't know," Blaise murmured, his eyes still on Draco. "You know how Ron and Harry are. They must have wanted to see her family background now they know she's a Slytherin."

Daphne smirked, "I can see that happening. What did Jane reply?"

"That he has already met her family," he confessed, his brows furrowing as he turned to Draco. "I'm pretty confident I knew every person invited in the ball. There were no Gibbs invited."