The Big Dipper

The Ferret

Ursula hadn't quite recovered from the events of the Quidditch World Cup by the time it was time to return to Hogwarts. She hadn't said anything about what happened to Lucius, and neither he nor Narcissa mentioned it. In the week before they returned, she attended the wedding of Josephine Burke, Lewis's older sister, to Reginald Fawley, and her dress was delivered from Twilfitt & Tattings.

It was a slightly subdued party that arrived at King's Cross on September 1st, but the hint of awkwardness would be indistinguishable to anyone else. It was raining quite heavily when they arrived, and it had been for several days at that point. Ursula bid her aunt and uncle goodbye, and endured yet another reminder about Hadrian, and then she boarded the train to find her friends.

"How was the prefects' meeting?" asked Lilian, as Cassius and Ursula entered the compartment half an hour into the train ride.

"Boring," said Cassius with a yawn.

"Terence is the new Head Boy," said Ursula, sitting down beside Adrian. "He seemed absolutely flabbergasted by the news."

Terence Higgs, the well mannered and polite, if at times rather skittish, seventh year had not taken to his role with quite as much zeal as Percy Weasley, but then again, who could? Among the new fifth year prefects was Rolf Scamander, which made Ursula quite proud, though she didn't share it.

"Speaking of news," began Lilian, and Ursula knew she was going to ask about the special event again, "I take it you all still won't tell me?"

"Not a chance," said Cassius, now propping his feet up.

"I heard from Mother and Father that the Travers family is hosting the Christmas Ball this year," said Vanessa, with a slight air of smugness. "All but their youngest son have graduated, but since many of the usual guests won't be in attendance, there was no resistance..."

"Why?" pressed Lilian. "Is something happening at Christmas? Come on, please tell me."

"I expect Professor Dumbledore will make an announcement tonight," said Ursula. She checked the time using Cassius's watch. Since he was almost seventeen, his parents had given him one early. "Hmm. I suppose I had better patrol the corridors."

"I'll go later," said Cassius.

"I just know Draco's going to go on and on about how Uncle Lucius nearly sent him to Durmstrang," said Ursula. "Honestly, the way he goes on about it. I was far closer to attending Beauxbatons than he ever was to Durmstrang."

"Why didn't you?" said Adrian.

"My father insisted I attend Hogwarts," replied Ursula.

"What are Beauxbatons and Durmstrang?" said Lilian. "I mean, I've heard of them, of course, but what makes them so different from Hogwarts?"

"Durmstrang puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts," said Cassius. "My father nearly sent me there. They're super elitist as well — I was halfway through the application process before Mother decided on Hogwarts."

"And Beauxbatons is pretty much the opposite," said Vanessa. "It has a reputation for beautiful magic and beautiful, elegant, and well educated pupils."

"Beauxbatons is in France, right?" said Lilian. "Where's Durmstrang?"

"Well, no one knows exactly, because it's Unplottable," piped up Gemma. "But it must be somewhere very cold, because they have fur capes as a part of the uniform."

"You can ask Hadrian," said Ursula, standing up. "I'll be back soon."

After a quick sweep of the train, Ursula returned to her compartment. The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor and the teenagers eagerly bought food to tide them over until dinnertime.