Lucius Hidden Son

Chapter 34: practical Exercises …

Stretching out in her bed, Gabrielle thought of all that had changed in her life since her arrival at the Manor . If somebody had told her a few days earlier than she would live one day in the Malfoy Manor , she would have sent him to Saint-Mungo, to the service psychiatry and urgently! She fell asleep by thinking of all which waited for her the next day: the practical exercises with Ryry, Draco, her mother and her father, maybe even her godfather. A whole program! The following morning, Gabrielle came down for the breakfast still half asleep. Behind her, followed Yume and Crookshanks who waited too to sit down to eat.

She settled down on her usual place after the ritual of rigorous embraces in the morning. In front of her, Harry had eyes in the vagueness; he was still half in the arms of Morpheus and saw hardly his sandwiches in front of him. He swallowed them bit by bit. He still had a sore throat with all that he had coughed and had as a result an hard time to swallowed. Calling Tipy, Gabrielle asked her to bring some honey. Without asking for the opinion of Harry which had seen nothing, because completely in his dream, she gobbles up two serving spoons of honey in the cup of warm chocolate of her small brother under the examiners glances of her parents and Draco and that amused of her godfather who understood well what she had made.

Taking his cup of chocolate and suspecting nothing, Harry drank a mouthful of the mix before basing rashly his cup on the table, an expression of pure disgust on the face. He seemed to suffocate with the mixture which he had just swallowed. Seeing the smile of his big sister, he guessed that she was the instigator of this bad joke.

- " Yurk! What did you put there inside?” He asked her, demoralized by the vile taste of what was some seconds before was a tasty mug of smoking warm chocolate.

It is some honey! Like that, you will not have a sore throat any more! " She answered him amazed at his reaction while she indeed wanted to help him.

The only answer which she obtained from her brother was that he pulled the tongue, with an offended expression. Apparently, the mixture was not for his taste!

- " You are not going to make a cheese! It is for your good! " She says to him, exceeded by his negative reaction while she only wanted to help him.

In front of Harry, Draco (suppressed his laughter in his own sandwiches by seeing the downcast appearance of his twin and his horrified expression. He was at the first place rooms to see his reaction! For nothing in the world, he would have wanted to miss that! Harry mumbled something that nobody understood. Seeing her small brother jibbing to swallowing his chocolate, Gabrielle made him sign swallow it. He refused with a sign of head.

- " If you do not like the taste, catch yourself the nose and swallow just like that, that will pass alone! " She encouraged him.

In fire-back and especially because everybody fixed the scene with attention and seemed to laugh at him, Harry inhaled a big blow before gobbling up all the liquid contained in his cup of chocolate. Then, he threw himself on the teapot, fills his cup of smoking tea and swallowed it of a line to make cross the taste of his chocolate transformed into poison by his charming and thoughtful big sister under the glance of his parents, his godfather and his twin who seemed to agree with the girl.

When the event was finished, Lucius decided to enjoy himself still a little.

- " If I had known that it was also simple to gull to you that, I would not so much have got tired yesterday evening with these phials! " He says to Harry with a derisive smile. This one was only able to agree silently.

- " What is the program of this morning? " Asked Severus to change subject.

The small scene which had just taken place had amused him and put in a good mood.

- " Gabrielle and I are going to occupy us with bouquets and compliments this morning. Narcissia answered him.

- We are going to take charge of the mail … Explained evasively Lucius.

- And in the afternoon? Asked Severus.

- We are going to make a common course for them. You know, about the 31th … Clarified Narcissia without revealing what she intended to do.

In that case, I would come to see in the afternoon, a little of help cannot hurt them! " Proposed the godfather who knew very well what was going to happen the afternoon, he already knew it will be to roar. But for now, the three children did not still know it …

When the breakfast was ended, Narcissia and Gabrielle went to the same room as the day before while Lucius and Harry went to the office of the tall blond . Having forgotten something in his room, Harry went to it before going in the office of his father. This one was there already, the nose plunged into papers. He made sign to his son to approach. The boy sat down on a chair on the other side of Lucius desk and waited. Lucius raised an eyebrow.

- " You know, Harry, I do not intend to eat you … " He says to him funnily, while making him sign come next to him.

Harry obeyed and before realizing it, he was sat on the knees of his father who ruffled his hair cheerfully to relax him. Harry was very embarrassed, he was not any more four years old …

- " Relax! There is no reason to be hampered, kept silent know! Even in twenty years, you will always be my baby! " Said his father with a sweet voice which Harry liked very much. He felt reassured and in safety with his father. After the remark of his father, Harry turned to the red scrub, what made Lucius laugh even more.

- " And if we passed to lesson of the day, finally of this morning? He proposed him.

- " How to sit down on a chair? " Harry made fun .

- " If only it was also simple! " Lucius sighed. " No, this time we will see how to write more formal letters if we can say … "

- " That is? " Asked Harry who did not see in what it would be of use to him.

- " You have to learn to write less familiar letters. It is very important to know how to write correctly to advance in the society ". His father explained to him.

- " I cannot more write you as before? " Asked shyly Harry with sad eyes.

- " Of course, yes! Continue! That changes me all these dusty letters! Only if once you have to write in somebody else, you are to be also less familiar. I like very much your way of writing, it is very spontaneous! " Reassured him his father by surrounding him with the arms.

- " All right! " His small Ryry says to him.

- " Alright! Take this feather and write what I am going to dictate you. " Asked him Lucius by tightening him one of these feathers.

So, during one hour, he dictated to his son all the polite phrases, the formulations, to begin a letter following the rank of the person to whom it was sent. At the end of the hour, Lucius inspected the parchment with all that he had just dictated to his son. He had not made it before because he was too much occupied with daydreaming by looking at the portrait of the mother of the boy. Reading again the paper, Lucius saw no spelling mistake, what was perfect but there was the other thing which disturbed him …

- " Tell me, Harry, you intend to become medicowizard? He asked him, completely seriously.

- " I have not ever thought of it, why this question? " Asked the boy completely confused by the question.

- " Because you already have the writing of one. They are true spidery scrawls! I manage hardly to decipher what you wrote! Apply a little! " Scolded him friendly his father.

- " But I always wroe like that! You manage nevertheless to read my letters … " Answered him Harry who did not understand for what his father blamed his writing.

- " For me, OK. But if you … " Began Lucius.

- " Have to write formal letters, I understood … " Finished Harry by imitating his father without doing deliberately.

Lucius, who had very well seen Harry taking his own expression Lucius-I-am- in – a bad mood, did not know if he had to go into a huff or not by seeing his son imitating him so well.

- Avoid the doubtful imitations, that would arrange me … " He said to his son with a smile.

- "Sorry" Said Harry of a quite small voice.

" During five minutes, I believed to see Draco in full representation when we are public! It was rather entertaining! But avoid making that under my nose, I already see it enough! " Finished Lucius with a small laughter which indicated clearly that the imitation of his son had not irritated him, on the contrary, it had amused him a lot.

Harry blushed under the comparison, knowing very well that he had some more of work before looking like his father or even only Draco. Noticing his a little bit sad expression, Lucius squeezed him in the arms in a comforting gesture.

- " Let us return to our cauldrons There! You have to write correctly! For formulae, you have only to learn them by heart. But it is necessary to correct this writing! Said Lucius who never lost the North.

- " How? " Asked Harry who had curious impression that he went in no way but then in no way like the method.

- " It is quite simple! You are going to make lines of writing until you write correctly! " Explained his(her) father as if it was evident …

The space of moment, Harry believed to have badly understood but by seeing the expression of his father, he knew that he had perfectly understood. Harry believed to dream. He had the impression to be returned to the nursery school when he made lines of writing to learn the alphabet! Everything, but not that! Regrettably for him, he had no time to protest that his father had already caught another parchment and began to register every letter of the alphabet in columns. By observing his father writing, Harry made the remark that effectively, his father wrote very well. He could read very legibly each of the letters that he wrote. Arrived at the end of his musing, he saw his father who stretched out to him the feather to see him redoing what he had hardly just finished.

With a sigh, Harry took the feather in his hand and began with the line of "a" which did not wait more than him to fill. He had no time to end second "a" that he heard his father grumble just behind him.-

- " Not like that, Ryry! Your " a "look like squares! It is round an “a” ! Begin again! " He ordered him.

Without making comments, Harry resumed his lines of writing. Arrived at the end of the line, the patience of Lucius was either arrived at the end of the roller. Silently, he caught Harry's hand which always held the feather and began to sketch another " a "", always holding the hand of his son so that he understands exactly which movement he had to do to write correctly. He began again five or six times so that Harry memorizes correctly the manner of writing. Considering that his son must have understood, he returned him the hand and watched at him writing.

To his big satisfaction, he had finally included the trick to write correctly. A correct letter, more than twenty five to make him memorize! So, Lucius was valid five or six examples by taking the hand of his son to sketch the movements and it, for each of the letters. Two hours later, Harry had arrived at the end of the alphabet and knew how to write very legibly at the moment. Congratulating him on his efforts, Lucius reminded him to learn formulae before letting him go by saying to him that the course was finished for the morning and that he had free time until the lunch.

Thanking his father, Harry jumped from his knees and threw himself on the door before running into the library of the children’s wing, knowing that he would find his twin the nose plunged into his homework when arriving there. Without more ceremony, Harry caught Draco and took him in his room before beginning a game of chess. He would finish his homework later …

Harry very wanted to enjoy himself! From his part, Gabrielle enjoyed herself in no way! She hardly had finished her breakfast which the serious things began. Gabrielle and her mother were both sitting at the table of the room in which Gabrielle had trained to walk the day before, as well as to sing and to play the piano under the inquisitive glance of her mother and Casimir who played the spectators. The girl knew very well the program of this morning because her mother had already said it to her the day before: bunches of flowers to compose and "to fold" compliments. She did moreover not see how we could "fold" a compliment but after all, she was not specialized in these things and her mother knew certainly much more than her in this domain.

Gabrielle sat in front of her mother. Between them, based a package of cards which looked like invitation cards and a good hundred of ribbons of various colours. Intrigued, Gabrielle considered them like a curious animal. She wondered for what they could indeed be of use and what ribbons have to do with invitation cards …

- " Today, we are going to begin by learning "to fold" the compliments! " Began Narcissia with a joyful voice.

She seems in a very good mood.

- " Sorry, Mother, but how can we "fold" a compliment? I see in no way what you want to say there … Gabrielle asked her.

- " I believe that we do not have to have the same notion of the fact as is a compliment. What it is, for you? " Asked her her mother the most seriously of the world.

- " Hey indeed … It is to compliment somebody, as to say to a woman that she has a very attractive dress … " Explained Gabrielle, in a not very assured voice.

She did not saw how explaining it otherwise. Sat in front of her, Narcissia almost suffocated to laugh after the answer of her daughter. Effectively, they had in no way the same notion of a compliment … When she finally managed to calm her giggle, she decided to explain to her clearly.

- " What we call " fold " a compliment is more complicated just a little than it. If it is to say " very attractive dress, my dear. " And to leave, it is useless to have a cardboard. What about what you spoke, they are compliments of politeness. Us, we speak about the social role of the compliment. There is opportunities there which oblige us to compliment like the marriages, the births, a birthday, when you make a present to somebody … Moreover, the word compliment is a little bit unfit, because it maybe congratulations. Finally in brief, we use these cardboards for opportunities as those about whom I have just spoken to you but also when for example, you invited to have dinner, for example, a person that you know how to be a part of a big association or a foundation. In these cases, on her, place at table, you put one of these cardboards where you thank her for making what she make, you admire her … Well, I believe that you understood. We do not say it in a loud voice, because it is already evident. If you did not appreciate what she make, she would not be at home having dinner … For these opportunities, thus, we use these cardboards. Moreover, it is not really the compliment which is important that the way it is presented. The way you will fold it the compliment represents your respect for this person at the same time as your own personality. For example: if your card is completely creased and salts, it will mean that not only that you are a person with no order but in more than you have no respect for the person to whom you intend it. You understood the principle? " Asked her Narcissia at the end of her explanation.

In front of her, Gabrielle seemed more or less to have digested the mass of information which she had just brought her.

- " Then, how do we do this concretely, Mother? " Asked Gabrielle, intrigued and enthusiastic at the idea of learning so many things of which she ignored the existence.

- " And if you stopped calling me like this? I have the impression to be a foreigner … " Said Narcissia friendly.

- " Sorry … " The girl apologized.

- " It's nothing, my kitten, you will become used. Harry also has difficulty in being on first-name terms with Lucius. In time, everything works … " Said Narcissia.

- " I am going to make efforts "! Promised her daughter with a smile which melted the heart of the mother.

- " Thank you, my angel! And if we saw in detail how can it be done? " asked her the tall blonde.

- "Ok"! Answered Gaby.

- " In fact, in theory it is quite simple! In practice, a little less! You thus have cardboards which are folded in two in which you mark your compliment and thus around the card, you have to put a ribbon by tying it. It is quite simple! It is necessary to arrange so that it is sober, no ribbon or eccentric cardboard, except when it is for somebody that you know very well and still, it would risk to go into a huff, then it is better to avoid! You have already packed presents for anybody? For Christmas or for a birthday? " Asked Narcissia.

Gabrielle agreed strongly. She had always liked making packages presents. But in that case, it showed itself more difficult because the paper was no more than two millimeters in thickness, it was better to measure its strength …

- " Very well! Then, try! You are going to do it at the same time as me! You take a card and you put it in front of you. Like this! Then, you choose an attractive ribbon to put all around. You slide it below the card lengthwise. Completed! And then, you take the extremities of the ribbon to make a knot in the middle of the card! It is everything! You see, it is the child's play! "Finished Narcissia while stopping making her knot.

Having ended her own cardboard, she decided to observe her daughter making her knot. For the moment she managed very well. It is only when she had finished that Narcissia saw what wasn’t right: the knot was not enough tightened around the card. It risked at any time to slide and of hang of the card. Furthermore, the knot was completely dog-tired on the card. It fell literally above instead of overhung it and to decorate it. Apparently, Gabrielle had not understood that the ribbon was the only ornament of the card and that it was what there was of more visible. The knot was exactly what on what we judged the value of a compliment not on the card or on what it contained but well and truly the way it was presented with the famous ribbon. But she was not going to be sad for that! After all, it was only the first try of Gabrielle and she took out there well enough. Even better than Narcissia herself when she had learnt to do it … But that, she was not certainly going to say it to her.

While Gabrielle observed the result of her first try with a small disappointed sight, her mother was only confirming what she already thought.

- " The knot is not enough tightened, the ribbon is going to fall. Try again " encouraged her her mother.

Some minutes later, the verdict was again the same: not enough tightened! While Gabrielle, who began again for the thirtieth time, began slowly but surely to lose patience, Casimir who was on his perch and observed the scene had, fortunately for him, the good taste to close his beak and not to begin to squeal or to whistle every time Gabrielle began again. All this time, the two inseparable accomplices, Yume and Crookshanks, snored in choir on the sofa while their mistress began to tear away her hair one by one in front of her cards and ribbons which refused to do what she wanted. While her patience melted as the snow in the sun, in a fit of anger Gabrielle so tightened the knot of her card that this one met itself folded in zigzag like a tinsel garland before the rounded eyes of her mother who could not stop any more laughing in front of this fit of temper on behalf of her daughter.

Deciding to calm things, Narcissia made sign to Gabrielle come near her so that she he explained everything one more time. Getting up from her chair, Gabrielle obeyed and approached her mother who pushed her on her knees and installed her correctly in front of the card and of the ribbon to show her once again.

- " What are you doing , Mom? " Let escape Gabrielle by feeling firing at the knees of her mother.

- " I am once again going to show you, my small angel! " Answered Narcissia, delighted that her daughter calls her finally Mom.

She put a kiss on the cheek of her daughter before taking in hand the card) and the ribbon which gave so much hard time to her daughter.

- " Why? Asked Gabrielle by touching her cheek.

- " To have finally called me Mom, my angel! You cannot know how that pleases me! " Answered her mother.

Gabrielle shook the head, satisfied with having managed finally to cross this step. She would have certainly more problems with her father … This time, Narcissia took Gabrielle's hands in her and made the card at the same time as her. The girl understood to make finally how to do the knot without that it is neither too much tightened, nor too loose. Her mother put down another card in front of her, then the ribbon waiting that she redoes it. With infinite precautions and by redoing exactly the same gestures as her mother some seconds earlier, Gabrielle makes a success finally these damned knots! She had finally managed to fold correctly a compliment! A true miracle! It was by far what had been the hardest for her since the beginning of her apprenticeship! Without further delay, Narcissia congratulated her on her success.

- " And if we passed at something more playful? " Asked her mother.

Understanding at once where this one wanted to come there, Gabrielle nodded to mark her agreement. Making Gabrielle get up from her knees and getting up too, Narcissia drove her towards the small room adjacent to that where they were and in which Narcissia stored all her flowers to compose bouquets. There were cut flowers and dried flowers which waited only to be layouts to create magnificent bouquets. Without more ceremony, both women settled down on the ground, the most practical and the most comfortable place to leave free court to imagination. While seeing all the flowers tidied up on shelves Gabrielle understood that vases stocked with flowers which were in every room of the Manor were all compounds by her mother. The house elves had no right to get involved in it. They sprayed flowers but did not make bouquets or arrangements. It was the strictly personal domain of the mistress.

- " You are going to be able to help me! We are going to begin with the cut flowers! Take a vase, choose flowers and try to vary colours and perfumes! " Said her mother while going to take lilies on a shelf and an iris on the other one.

From her part, Gabrielle chooses lavender freshly cut which embalmed in the air and roses who had yellow and pink two-colored petals. They had a bewitching perfume. She put five roses in the middle of the vase and surrounded them with lavender. So, colors and perfumes were mixed and it was also very pleasant to the eye.

- " You have very good taste! But I believe that that will be better like that … " She said while adding an emerald green and blue ribbon around the stalks of flowers.

Satisfied by what had just achieved her daughter, Narcissia decided to go into high gear. She stole up to a cupboard, opened it and stood out from it from black patches which served for pricking flowers to dry above and which served as support to make the floral arrangements. The bottom of these supports was covered with small black points where we fixed flowers one by one. She put one in front of Gabrielle before putting one in front of her and returning with a heap of dried flowers of all kinds and all colours. Without a word, her daughter got closer to her before observing diligently all the movements which made her mother to hang on flowers on the support. The arrangement had to be solid but also aesthetic and pleasant to look. While Narcissia finished a very beautiful arrangement constituted by dried roses, by lily of the valley and by lilac, Gabrielle decided to begin her under the searching glance of her mother.

When she had ended, her mother decided to review it to see if it held. She blew slightly on flowers and, in the big surprise of Gabrielle, all the flowers fell on the ground. Her magnificent arrangement had just passed by like a house of cards.

- " You have to hang on them solidly on the support, one by one. It is a little necessary to rest so that the stalk is pricked on the point. Try again! " Advised her mother.

We heard a strange noise coming from the next room where only Yume, Pattenrond and Casimir were. Casimir seemed to speak to somebody. Narcissia did not worry. The parrot liked speaking. He certainly had to try to make the conversation with cats. He could always try, she doubted that he obtains an answer. Then, she (put back her attention on her daughter. Inhaling a big blow, Gabrielle forced herself to take every flower calmly and not to get too excited and tried to recompose her bouquet as before. Ten minutes later, she was finally satisfied. Her arrangement was even more beautiful than the precedent. It is then that came the meticulous examination of Narcissia. She blew again on flowers and for her big surprise nothing moved. It amazed her for a beginner. Suddenly, under the dazed glance of Gabrielle, she flattens wildly the hand on the ground just next to flowers and under the pressure, everything collapsed again.

Gabrielle wanted to cry. Certainly, nothing worked correctly this day. She dreaded even more about what her parents had concocted for the afternoon … Resignedly, she decided to take back every flower and to re-prick them one by one. She tried not to loose courage but there, it was too much for her. At first she had spent hours to make these cursed compliments and now maintaining an unfortunate floral arrangement held her in check . Apparently, everything can not really be learned in books … Some minutes later, she had ended and hoped that this time, flowers would not fall … Regrettably, they did not pass either the test of Narcissia when this one crushed the hand on the ground.

Of fury, Gabrielle flattens her own just hand next to that of her mother which did not move of a thumb. Having seen Gabrielle's reaction, Narcissia had raised an inquisitive eyebrow and smiles by seeing that her bouquet did not fall. Gabrielle had an profoundly discouraged face what moves a little her mother who decided to help her a little by giving her an advice.

- " When you push them on points, hold them very straight, they will sink better and will not fall any more. " She murmured to her.

With condemned person's face, Gabrielle took flowers in hand for the hundredth time and obliged herself to begin again. She swore herself although it was the last time when she redid it at the risk of throwing everything through the window! According to the advice of her mother who always had good craftiness, she concentrated to fix the very straight stalks to the support. Then when she had ended, she closed eyes, waiting for the verdict which did not miss to arrive.

- " It is perfect my kitten! Your arrangement is magnificent! Congratulations! I already know where we are going to put it! I believe that it will have a place of choice on the big table of the lounge! " Said her mother, absolutely delighted by her success.

The girl was finally going to be able to rest a little. Finally only until the moment to sit down to eat because Narcissia had prepared for them a big surprise to herdear children!

To Be Continued…

A chapter of almost 15 pages! I believed to die! That deserves well a review , no?

Kisses, Eriko who hurries to go to type the following one!