Growing up Pureblooded

The Ministry Christmas Ball

     On the evening of the Ministry ball in December, Clytemnestra took a very long time getting Aries ready. She dressed him in a fine set of antique dress robes that Pollux had worn for his wedding: blue velvet embroidered with gold thread and adorned with diamonds and sapphires along the collar and cuffs. "Aunt Clytemnestra, do I have to wear these robes?" Aries complained. "They must weigh at least a ton." His aunt knelt down and hemmed up the edges at the back. "What is it your father says? Oh yes. 'Watch the whinging.' Wonderful phrase. Lift up your arms."

     Aries complied. "I have other dress robes. Ones that weigh a good bit less." The Squib stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "I thought that you might want to honor your great-grandfather by wearing something that belonged to him. If you'd rather not, I'm sure we can scrounge up something else. Of course, that would require much more work on my part, and you'd probably end up late to the Ministry..." Aries's eyes fell. "I'm sorry, Aunt Clytemnestra. I'll stop complaining." "There's a good lad." She put the finishing touches on his robes and then stood back to admire her handiwork. She nodded approvingly. "You'll do, I think. Run off and show your uncle. He's in his study."

     Aries made his way to Uncle Marius's study. The elderly man was sitting in a comfortable armchair with a book of Tennyson in his hand and his favorite pipe clenched between his teeth. Aries knocked on the door, and Uncle Marius looked up. "Upon my word!" he exclaimed when he saw Aries. "Who is this good-looking fellow?" "Aunt Clytemnestra said you'd want to see," Aries explained. "And she was quite right," the Squib replied. "Turn around." Aries spun around and Uncle Marius nodded approvingly. "You look every inch the heir of the House of Black tonight, my boy. I'm sure you and your father will have a marvelous time."

     "Aren't you and Aunt Clytemnestra coming?" Aries asked. "I think it's best if we don't," Uncle Marius said tactfully. "Our families have been very kind to us over the past few years, what with letting us back into the family and all. It wouldn't do for us to make things unduly difficult for them." "Because you're Squibs," Aries said dully. "That's not fair." "Whoever said life was fair, old man? We play the hand we've been dealt. That's all any of us can do." "I wish things were different."

     "Be careful what you wish for," his uncle said sternly. "Think about it. If your aunt and I were perfectly accepted in the wizarding world, we should never have gone to the Dursley's that night, and you would be locked in a cupboard under the stairs right now instead of preparing to attend a ball at the Ministry." Aries grinned. "You have a talent for putting things in perspective, Uncle Marius." "Years of Muggle school food will do that for you," Uncle Marius said. "Now run along and have a good time. Don't worry about me and your aunt. We're invited to Buckingham Palace tomorrow."

     Aries left his uncle's study and went downstairs to the parlor, where Aunt Cassiopeia was waiting, dressed in a very austere set of plain black dress robes, her hair, as always, pulled back in a tight bun. Aries thought she looked more as though she were going to a funeral than a ball, though, knowing his aunt, he rather suspected she might feel more cheerful and relaxed at a funeral, especially if it was in honor of one of the many people she loathed. The stern witch scrutinized Aries's appearance as he came in. "The Squib knows her business, I'll give her that," was her only remark.

     They waited there in silence for five minutes before she began tapping her foot impatiently. "Where is that father of yours?" she snapped, as though Aries were at fault. "If he makes us late I swear to Merlin I'll Cruciate him to within an inch of his life." Aries made a mental note that threatening someone with the Cruciatus Curse became remarkably ineffective after the hundredth time one did it without following through. "Haven't you ever heard of fashionably late, Aunt Cassie?" Sirius said, sweeping in majestically through the parlor doors. He was wearing a very grand set of dress robes, cloth of gold trimmed in red velvet and adorned with large rubies.