| 2:05a |
Who: Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode
What: Before school shopping....
When: August 26, 1997. 2pm. Just prior to the start of their 7th year at Hogwarts.
Where: Diagon Alley
Rating: PG, for now
Daphne strode through the streets of Diagon Alley with her head held high. Behind her, a House Elf was peering through a huge stack of boxes and parcels as it followed dutifully behind. It's little legs quaked under the weight it was carrying. Daphne paid the creature no mind as she walked. Stopping, she glanced around to see where her whim might carry her next.
"Where is my list, Hettie?" Daphne asked her servant.
"It is...tucked away, Mistress Daphne," the elf squeaked.
Daphne sighed in annoyance. "Well, you'd better fetch it, don't you think? Otherwise, I might miss something." She glanced over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at the elf. She watched as the elf set the boxes down to pull the list out of the cloth she had tied around her. Unfolding it, Hettie recited what was left to get.
Rolling her eyes, Daphne exaggerated the annoyance she felt. "Do you think you will be able to carry the rest of my things when we get them?" The House Elf looked down but didn't answer. She sighed in disgust. "Fine. Bring them home and return here immediately."
The House Elf disappeared in a puff of smoke leaving Daphne alone. As she was near Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, Daphne decided that a latte would ease her as she waited.
Wearing black velvet robes that accented her lithe, thin body, Daphne felt the hem swish near her ankles as she watched. Her red hair was up in a bun that was bound with a silver accent that matched the ones on her robe. On her right hand was an emerald ring she had received for her birthday. The stone clear and sharp and large enough to be seen and to show off the expense of it and the platinum setting around it.
Ordering her drink, she glanced about. Despite her cool and calm demeanor, she felt anything but. There had been a huge upheaval over the summer that had left blood purists, dark witches, and the Dark Lord's most loyal servants at the top of every position of power throughout the Ministry and even Hogwarts.
One might think that Daphne would be on top of the world. Her family were sympathetic to the Dark Lord and his cause, they were rich and influential, and Daphne had a lot of influence and esteem at Hogwarts and within her house. Sadly, that last bit, had was the operative word. She had run afoul of Draco and Pansy over the summer and now knew that they were solidly counted as enemies. Not a good position to be in. Because of that, she knew she needed allies and likely even protection.
Luckily, she had heard a rumor that one of her fellow Slytherins was not too wild about Pansy Parkinson these days. Because of this, and that girl's reputation, Daphne had made a show of shopping and having a good time all in the efforts of finding her fellow Slytherin so they could talk before leaving on the Hogwarts Express in less than a week.
Her gaze stopped when she finally found her. Daphne's heart began to pound in her chest. Swallowing hard, she did her best to steel her resolve and hide away any anxiety she felt before walking over.
"Hello, Millicent," Daphne greeted the other girl, smiling sweetly as she stopped to stand at the side of her table with her hands folded demurely in front of her. "How are you?" |