Lucius Hidden Son

Chapter 35: Problems at the Malfoy Menagerie …

The girl was finally going to be able to rest. Finally only until the moment to sit down for lunch because Narcissia had prepared a surprise for her dear children!

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Having ended his morning courses with Harry, Lucius decided that rather than to return working on boring files, he was going to join his wife and his daughter to see how these advanced. He thus went calmly to the favourite room of his wife. He entered noiselessly in order to not disturb them in their work. It is then that he saw that the room was empty. On the table, he saw cards of compliments. Some were completely wretched, then there were about ten of the others perfectly folded close. Apparently, Gabrielle had rather fast understood how to do. If they were not in this room, it simply meant that they were both in the neighbouring room composing bunches of flowers.

Lucius had always found that his wife had a lot of taste and talent to compose them. Without thinking of anything, he crossed the room in the direction of the door to join them. Stopping in front of the sofa, he saw both sleeping cats the one against the other one and snoring in chorus. This show amused the fair-haired man a lot who lost his smile some seconds later …

" Hello the company!! " Cawed a funny voice next to Lucius who just held on not jumping in the ceiling under the surprise.

Turning around abruptly while he had just missed few to have a heart attack, at his age it was not careful to have similar fears, he saw his nightmare hung on his perch: Casimir, the parrot that Ryry had offered to Narcissia a few days earlier. Apparently, this bloody bird knew how to speak and had to feel that Lucius did not particularly feel at ease with him for the biggest misfortune of the blond man.

" Nice bird … " Lucius said to him by trying to cajole him, while he tried to cross the room quite slowly to join the next one.

- Nice parrot! Corrected him Casimir with a pointed voice.

- He has the sense of humor this one! Said Lucius in a loud voice, while his words exceeded his thought.

What are you doing? " Asked him the multicoloured fowl which already began to get on the nerves of Lucius, reminding him very bad memories.

He had always known why he did not want this kind of tiny creatures in HIS Manor! He still preferred one thousand times the goldfish of Severus which he kept in his room of potions. They, at least, did not make noise and did not whistle in his ears! They were only turning in their aquarium and waiting for their food, for full stop!

" What you want? " Still asked him Casimir, delighted to have somebody to speak with.

He felt a little lonely since both women had left in the other room. Now that he had finally a companion) to speak with him, he certainly was not going to let him go. He saw that the fair-haired man went too to the other room and did absolutely not want that he goes there too!

" My peace! It is all that I want! " Answered him Lucius, who was ready to cry.

What idea had he had by wanting to come here?!!? This kind of things arrived only at him! He was cursed, he was certain about it!! And even more since he had seen this bird of ill omen! While he finally arrived near the door, Casimir took off in fire of wing of its perch to go to settle on the handle of the door to which went exactly Lucius, to the great displeasure of this one who did not have more than a single envy: take out of this room and no never put back to a feet in it!

" I love you!!!! " Threw him the parrot by looking him straight in the eyes.

Lucius raised eyes in the sky, what was he supposed to answer to that?!!?

- " Yes, yes, me too! " Lucius answered him by sighing and by grumbling.

" What do you want? " Repeated Casimir.

Lucius says to himself that he had nothing to lose.

“I shall like passing, please …” Answered him the fair-haired man, feeling ridiculous to make politenesses with a stupid bird.

He thanked Merlin and Salazar that there is nobody others than him, the parrot and both cats not to humble himself even more! The parrot looked at him bizarrely by turning the head everywhere before flying away of the handle for Lucius's big reassurance which had difficulty in believing in his luck, and to settle on the shoulder of the fair-haired man which had not so much asked for.

" Make me a kiss! " Asked him the parrot.

Lucius held on saying to him " in your dreams! " because the bird risked to take it litterally. He thus raised slowly the hand and petted Casimir's head which began humming under Lucius hand. The fair-haired man raised eyes in the sky. But where had Ryry thus picked up a parrot who knows how to hum? Without asking more questions, Lucius opened quite slowly the door of the room and threw an eye inside.

They were there, both, contemplating the result of Gabrielle's work apparently. Observing the arrangement, Lucius found it also very beautiful and elegant. By shooting to the door when she had intended to open it, Narcissia discovered her husband, Lucius Malfoy, the sight at the middle-fig the middle-grape and, incredible thing for him, with Casimir perched on the shoulder! He observed the composition of his daughter and seemed too to appreciate it.

" You saw the marvellous bouquet which has just ended Gabrielle? It is magnificent, is not it? I am going to put it on the table of the lounge! " Said his wife with a cheerful sight.

Lucius smiles widely to his daughter who went to him. And even more when she took the parrot off from his shoulder, put him a kiss on the beak before putting him on her own shoulder. The parrot seemed delighted that we take charge of him.

- " Gabrielle? We finished for the moment. You should go to rest or to enjoy yourself with the boys, it will do good to you, I believe! Her mother advised her to change her the ideas.

You should find them in the room of Ryry in full game of chess very certainly! " Added Lucius.

With a big smile, Gabrielle run out of the room, taking the parrot with her and got back her two balls of hairs sleeping on the sofa before tumbling down in the room of her small brother, cheeks reddened by the running. Luckily, both boys just came to end their game of chess.

- " You want to play a game before the lunch? " She asked them.

Both boys looked.

- " Which one? Asked Harry.

It doesn't much matter! " Answered him Gabrielle.

She very wanted to try the games that her small brother had received for Christmas but was afraid of asking him. After all, they did not belong to her.

- " You want to play the Monopoly? Asked Draco who dreamed too to play the new version which Ryry had received.

- All right! " Was the answer of two others.

Without a word, Harry ferreted about in his cupboard in search of the game then, they all three rushed in staircases in the direction of the lounge where they would much more feel at ease to play. The plateau on the table and them, collapsed in sofas. They began to unpack the game and to install the plateau. Pawns were owls. Quite as in the wizard chess set, they moved only on the plateau. They thus had only to throw dices so that they move. The money was gallions. There were tickets of all kinds.

Instead of houses and hotels of the Muggle version, there were country houses and manor houses. Streets also had changed. We could so buy Hogwarts, Hogsmead, Gringotts, The Ministry of the Magic, Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley and many of other very known places in the wizarding world but among whom Harry and Gabrielle had never heard. The Diagon Alley and Hogwarts replaced the usual Champs Elysées and la Rue de la Paix. Without further delay, the three young people began party, delighted to be finally able to rest with their courses and to be finally able to test the outfit of games of Ryry. Severus was in his room of potions of the Manor. Plunged into his recipes of potions which Dumbledore stopped asking him, Severus was not conscious of the time which passed. He regretted a little not having more time to take charge of his three godchildren and learn to know better both newcomers, if we could call Harry and Gabrielle so.

In this room, was his own pets: his fishes. It was not vulgar goldfish as often said Lucius who knew strictly nothing about it, but Japanese fishes which were rather rare and whom Severus liked quite particularly. They had very varied colours which went from the copper-colored brown a specimen of which he had to the blue sky, of which he had put a time crazy to find one. Severus found their company amusing. They did not make noise, maintains them was minimum and they had the gift to calm the nerves of the Potions Master when this one was very close to commit a murder on one of his students more than on time in during his class. These animals had at least the advantage not to make noise when they wanted to eat. They were only waiting for the good will of their owner who never forgot them.

Looking at the hour, Severus said to himself that he had even the time to finish his potion before having to return to the lounge for the lunch. While he was very concentrated on what he made and he did not have more than to stir to end, he listened a funny noise near him: PLOUF!

" How plouf? I put nothing in the potion! what happened ? " Wondered Severus who turned away from his cauldron where his potion finished to look for the origin of this suspicious noise.

Looking in the room, he found the source of this noise because a second plouf had been listened. Severus wanted at the very moment to choke somebody! Raising his sleeves not to get wet, he moved to the aquarium, the eyes threw flashes of lighting. Without thinking of anything, he plunged hands into the pond of water and caught the intruders before they can escape. Then, he went to the lounge of the Manor , radiant from fury. In the lounge where the party of Monopoly was going full swing " Diagon Alley, I buy! " Roared cheerfully Draco who plucked everybody.

He had managed to fall on the best places and to buy them. Next to him, Harry and Gabrielle sighed, a little discouraged by his luck.

" It belongs to me! Six! Hogwarts, I buy! " Said Gabrielle who did not get confused and well intended to win.

By buying Hogwarts, she had just clamped Draco. So he could not build any more because it was necessary to him to have both cards.

" It's a cheat!!! " Yelled Draco, demoralized by the life under Harry's laughter which had seen the flash of lighting of malicious delight in the eyes of his sister when she had announced that she bought the famous school of witchcraft.

" And yes! The life is inequitable! «Declared Gabrielle, proud of her success.

It was Harry's turn to play when they heard steps in the lounge. They did not care about it because Lucius, who read his newspaper in his armchair and observed their party by laughing in his corner, sometimes he made round trips between the dining room and the lounge to verify that everything is in place for the lunch … Regrettably, this time, it was not the steps of Lucius because he always was in his armchair.

" GABRIELLE ROSE MALFOY!!!!! Can you say me why your two cats are fishing in MY aquarium?!!? " Roared Severus, frightening all the occupants of the lounge in the passage.

He held both vandals by the skin of the neck, they were both completely dipped. Gabrielle turned around. She believed nevertheless that they were with her …

" Well … I do not know " said Gabrielle with a quite small voice.

She would be kind enough to say him " because they are cats! " but preferred to avoid …

- " Then?!!?” Asked Severus.

- “I am sorry, I did not see them leaving” … Gabrielle apologized who did not really see what to do.

- SEVERUS!!! You are not going to blame Gabrielle! They are cats by Salazar! You had only to close the door of your potions lab! You knew that there were cats here! Roared Narcissia since the kitchen and by arriving as a fury in the lounge.

-“ But Cissy … Began Severus.

No but! We are not going to hold them in leash because you are incapable to close a door! And put them down, they are dipped! Besides, you hurt them! Commanded Narcissia of an authoritarian voice.

She dried them with a flick of her wand. Kittens rushed on Gabrielle's knees by mewing. They had had the fear of their life. In front of the dumbfounded face of Severus who had been garlanded as a student taken in flagrante delicto, Lucius had half died to laugh in his armchair, the nose behind his newspaper. Three children smiled too but did not dare to laugh in front of their godfather for fear of instigating still his anger. With a sniffing, Severus went to sit down in an armchair and tried to calm down.

- " What happened exactly? Asked Harry for Gabrielle's place which did not dare to do it herself.

- I was brewing my potions when I heard a plouf coming from the aquarium. Your blue ball of hairs had decided to go fishing and it fell in the water. Later, it is the second which fell inside. But I do not believe that he wanted one of my fishes, he tried to bring out the kitten of the water. But the edge was too high, he was not able to back him up … Fortunately for you, they did not get my fishes … Explained Severus, a little more calmly this time.

“Crooskanks tried to save Yume? " Repeated Gabrielle, dumfounded in front of the courage of her oldest cat which had a holy horror of the water. He had downright jumped inside to look for the kitten.

- “Weakling! He is crazy your cat! Jumping into the water! What an idea! Commented on Draco who did not understand how we could make a similar thing.

That is called the courage! He is true Griffyndor! Answered Gabrielle with pride.

Her cat deserved a place within the lions now.

Yes, all loonies! They act first and think then! " Approved Draco who had no completely wrong.

At this moment, Gabrielle saw red. She took a rather thick volume of the encyclopedia of the monstrous creatures, which she had had for her birthday, and without any remorse knocked Draco out for his more than doubtful opinion on Griffyndors and also because she still had her( revenge to be taken for the story at the jeweler. She had thus killed two birds with one stone. Harry, Lucius, Narcissia and Severus watched her without words saying. She smiles to them.

" I loathe that we denigrate the other students because they are different and then it was also for the jeweller's shop … " Explained to them the girl who, quite as Harry, turned into Slytherin sometimes but stayed mostly a kind Griffyndor. Both were the perfect mixture between both.

" I see that you did not forget this story, my kitten … Very Slytherin of your … " Commented Narcissia under the glances of incomprehension on behalf of her husband and of his best friend.

Harry either did not understand. Narcissia explained them briefly the affair. They approved the reaction of the girl. Then a little bit shameful of his behavior, Draco apologized, once put back by the blow of book on the head. He had forgotten that his big sister and his twin were Griffyndors in the soul. Given that the mother of the twins was too a lion , it did not have to surprise him. As for her big sister, she had spent too much time with them. Nevertheless, he avoided saying it to her.

Of a dumb agreement, three children decided to end their party of Monopoly before beginning again to quarrel for stupidities … The party ended on Gabrielle's victory who had ransacked Harry and Draco with a lot of ingenuity. She had not bought places with the most expensive Manor, contrary to Draco, she had chosen the strategic places where everybody eventually stopped inevitably by throwing dices. Once again, her intelligence had surpassed everybody! It is slightly demoralized that Draco helped two others to tidy up the game because he had been certain about his victory. From his part, Harry was satisfied that Gabrielle closed the lid to her twin even if he too would be kind enough to gain. Next time maybe …

They had hardly the time to finish tidying up that an elf came to announce to Narcissia that " everything was ready ". What was ready? None of three children knew it. All that they knew was that it was the hour to have lunch. All the Malfoy family thus left the lounge to go in the dining room which the children had difficulty recognizing it. If the room had changed in no way, the table as for it was literally full to crack! There was still nothing to eat but it was full of dishes: flatware, glasses, plates … Even Draco seemed a little lost. He had not foreseen this ! He regretted that his brother and his sister follow these courses because this time, he was not more endowed than they! Generally, he attended only in to have dinner between friends or in family. He never had needed thus all this. This time, the lesson would be for everybody!

He knew about what was of use all the flatware but he had the strange impression that the lunch was very going to be very, very long! All the members of the family Malfoy settled down on their usual place. Nobody breathed word, even Severus because he either was not familiar of all this protocol. He always arranged himself to find an excuse when his friends had a big dinner. Or then, he arrived just for the dessert, pleading a lot of work for an excuse, in order of not to do blunders. This time, Narcissia had trapped them all! Severus was persuaded that Lucius knew! And this traitor had said to nothing to him. If Potions Master had known it earlier, he would have stayed very under cover in his dungeons! He was practically certain that it was Narcissia who had directed the cats to his lab. She was sure to make him go out like this. She had not been amazed in no way at what had arrived. Obviously, to accuse without proof was another means to be garlanded. Furthermore, he was certain that Lucius would put protect his wife. He was beautiful the Slytherin’s Head of House! He had been trapped like a beginner! Mumbling in his non-existent beard, he sat down on his place silently but by thinking not less. In what could these courses be of use to him? He never went out! But he did not want to fall out with her friend and then, does he say himself with bad faith, that could not certainly hurt him, no?

Harry considered the four glasses in front of him as a curious animal. What was he able to do with FOUR glasses? Besides, they were all heights … He had two teaspoons among which a flat, a mini fork in front of his plate, two knives to the right of his) plate, among which one smaller than the other one with another bizarre place setting before whom also looked like a knife and to the left of the plate, there were another two forks of which one rounded off. What did he have to do with all this? Severus, Draco and Gabrielle had too the same lost sight. They all decided to wait for the instructions of Narcissia who did not look like absolutely perturbed by the whole thing. No more than Lucius moreover, this one raised even an amused smile by seeing the amazed face of his children and of his best friend. He finally had found the means to make him learn the rudiments of the good manners. By moment, his friend could really be supposed to be a bear. He had decided that it was time that he changes and his wife had supplied him the opportunity. For what could he hope of better? He saw clearly Severus glaring at him but made fun of it. It would not hurt him!

" As you can see , you have four glasses in front of you … " Began Narcissia by indicating the glasses.

Everybody agreed, waiting for the lesson of the professor. She had really missed her vocation as professor. She would have very well succeeded in Hogwarts! Severus said to himself but preferred to keep it for him. It was useless to give to her ideas, is not it? He put his attention back on his friend. He was not really any more in the habit of following courses!

- " You see that they are placed in a precise order. Everything is in your right, there is a glass with champagne. Then, come the wineglass and that to water. They are placed in order of size. The last glass is also the smallest. We always put it by suitability for people who do not drink either water or alcohol. Continued Narcissia.

- There is all this in our glasses also? Asked Harry, a little bit naively.

- Of course not, Harry! You are too young to drink some alcohol! Lucius, shocked by this question, answered him.

All three have the choice today: in the glass with champagne, there is some juice of peach, in the wineglass there is syrup of grenadine, some water in the water glass, and some pumpkin juice in the last glass. " Expressed them Narcissia.

Immediately, the soup arrived on the table.

" We take our serving spoon, we hold it right not to overturn close and we eat noiselessly! " Explained Narcissia before beginning herself to eat.

Others began in turn. While she brought her spoon towards her mouth, Gabrielle noticed that flatware was silver!

" Hold your spoon straight, your soup falls again into your plate! " Says her mother by putting her correctly the spoon in hand. She had not even intended her to arrive …

Indeed, Narcissia had got up from the table and made the tour to see if everybody ate correctly.

" Harry, put your spoon in mouth! Do not suck up your soup, that makes noise! " Corrected him Narcissia in passing behind him.

She passed then behind Draco.

" The spoon is in the right hand,young man! " She says to him.

Immediately, Draco changed hand. She arrived then at Severus. Apparently, seen the number of remarks which she had made to the children, he had cured alone. Set apart …

" Be held straight on your chairs! We would imagine be in the club of the pensioners of the Battle of Goblins by Salazar! " She roared in the room.

Immediately, everybody sat correctly on his chair. From his part, Lucius suffocated almost with his soup so much he laughed. He would never have thought that he would enjoy himself so much! For little, he would consider returned in the course of metamorphoses of the Professor MacGonagal! Narcissia could be also stiff as her on the rules when it took her! Fortunately that it was not every day!

" Lucius! Respite of laughter! You put some soup everywhere! " His wife roared in his ears.

He had not even seen her skipping behind him! When everybody had swallowed his soup silently and without pointing out by Narcissia who observed every movement in the magnifying glass, we passed in the continuation: the fish! Even before having begun, Severus had it already enough! He had seen enough of fishes with his aquarium! And in more he had it in the plate! Clairvoyant Narcissia gave a funny look to him, he refrained from saying whatever it is.

" You take the first fork in your left, it is the one for fish, she is rounded off, and the knife, it is the first one to the right of your plate, he has a flattened shape. Moreover, if you do not know what to take, always remind yourselves that we go from the outside inward to take flatware. We always begin with those who are farthest of the plate to finish by those who are most close to it. You understood? "Asked Narcissia, left in her lesson.

Everybody shook the head. For once, it was not too difficult …

" Harry, stops massacring the fish! It made nothing to you! " Ordered Narcissia.

This one had the impression that everybody was against him. She did not stop persecuting him with her remarks. Why that always fell on him?

- " Yes, Mom. Harry answered her automatically without even thinking. He suddenly realized what he had just said.

It’s nothing, my darling! " Said Narcissia absolutely delighted that he finally called her Mom as Gabrielle.

He was entitled to an enormous kiss on the cheek for his effort. Apparently, she had not understood … But he was all the same happy. He could call her so now …

" How do we do? I do not understand there … " Asked her Gabrielle who had very well understood that the answer of her small brother had been automatic.

What a small lucky person! Narcissia made the demonstration for all of her place behind Harry. She took the hand of this one, the one who held the fork fish and of the other hand, caught the one who held the knife. She cut a small end of fish and showed her how to put it how on the fork before of engulf the whole in the mouth of Ryry, under the derisive laughter of Severus who got excited with his) own fish. After the demonstration, Draco and Gabrielle had no problem. Narcissia thus went to Severus.

" If you began with the beginning of the fish instead of trying to cut in the middle, that would go certainly much better! " Advised him Narcissia before returning to her place.

Severus preferred not to raise eyes to avoid seeing the smiles of his so-called better friend and, worse, those of his godchildren who made openly fun of him! We passed in the meat and in the vegetables. The elves had seen things in big! They were going to be entitled to everything so that Narcissia can finish her course in one step. They were going all eventually die from an indigestion!

" For the meat, you make as for the fish, to begin you at the beginning. You take the other fork and the other knife. Everybody take a bit of everything! It is the politeness! " She added by seeing the others using only in the flats which they liked. Of true kids! By pulling an appearance of funeral, everybody took of every flat not to incur the lightnings of the hostess.

" A remark for you, Gabrielle. When you have guests, if one reserve himself, you have to reserve you too. Even if you take only a spoon, it is the politeness. " Explained her friendly her mother.

We passed finally in the coffee, they were going to be able to rest a little, finally especially the stomaches!

-" You take the normal spoon, it is everything! And do not make noise when you drink, it is as for the soup. " Said Narcissia.

Narcissia took back her rounds around the table. The children managed very well. They would soon be perfected all three. She arrived to Severus who could no more eat food! Without speaking about lessons!

" If you could stop scratching the bottom of your cup with your spoon! It is necessary to move the coffee and not to try to cross off the bottom of the cup! " Said Narcissia before returning to her place.

Severus had only an envy: return as fast as possible at the bottom of his dungeons and no more go out of it! But he could not : he had to participate in the common course of the afternoon, he had promised. He clenched teeth and said nothing. Then the ice cream arrived, for the big enjoyment of the children. That would help them largely to digest the pantagruelian meal which they had just eat!

" You take the last teaspoon which stays in you. It is the spoon with for ice cream. She is flat, it is much more practical, you will see! " Explained Narcissia before sweeping down on her as children on theirs.

She liked the ice cream. It did not stay more than the last test to be crossed and everything would be ended: fruits. In her haste to make everything correctly, Narcissia had chosen the most difficult. In the big surprise of all who finally thought of having ended it, a small dish appeared in front of each. It contained a pear, not peeled. There was not more than a knife on the table, the smallest, and the fork for dessert … Informally, Severus put the hand on his own pear.

" Severus!!!!!!!! A little holding! We make that according to the rule book!! " Roared Narcissia by putting herself in her place to show at all how to do.

In front of her, Lucius looked at his own pear with envy of murder. He liked pears but hated cordially this exercise!

" We do not use the hands to touch the pear! We are civilized people! We take the fork and the knife to peel the pear! " Explained Narcissia before showing them.

It was necessary to use the fork of dessert to prick in the pear, then take the knife to peel a side, before turning the pear and continuing. Once peeled, it was enough to cut pieces with the knife and to eat it. It was quite simple but the hardest was to peel it without removing all the flesh with. It was thus necessary to be rather accurate. Being used to this kind of meticulous works with his potions, Severus had no problem. He ended at the same time as Lucius. Three children had more problems but succeeded without massacring too much their pear. As wanted the politeness, they waited that everybody had finished to get up from the table. The lunch finally ended for the big enjoyment of the participants, Narcissia made an appointment with them in the ballroom, twenty minutes later.

To Be Continued…

A review for this very long chapter, please? Now you all know how to be perfect at table ! Kisses, Eriko