After we had mostly finished talking, the Malfoys invited us and Pansy's family over for Christmas dinner. Everyone agreed, and it wasn't long until the fateful day arrived. Mother spent half an hour making sure everything I wore was perfect. At least it wasn't the two hours she spent on herself.
We arrived at the front door of their mansion, bringing small gifts for our hosts. Val stayed home to avoid any potential issues. Lucius Malfoy opened the door with an elegant smile.
"Welcome. It's good to have you here. The Parkinsons are already inside. Please, join us in the common area."
My father offered a polite smile as he handed over a precious, expensive wine from our cellar.
"We appreciate your hospitality. Please accept this small gift for the occasion."
Lucius smiled at the bottle, accepting it graciously before taking my father's coat.
"Of course. It would be my pleasure to enjoy this with everyone tonight."
We walked through the mansion's carpeted hallways until a large wooden door opened to reveal a luxurious sitting room. Plush couches and polished tables invited us to relax, while the walls were lined with bookshelves, their spines promising tales of knowledge and power. A crystal chandelier bathed the room in a sparkling golden glow.
"Ah, the Petersons! We were just talking about you!" Mrs. Parkinson greeted us warmly, gesturing for us to sit.
My parents and I settled together, mirroring the other families. Draco sat between his parents, and Pansy between hers.
"So, I heard from Draco that you've all been good friends since school started," Mrs. Malfoy began, prompting Draco to groan softly and bury his face in his hands. I scoffed lightly at his embarrassment while Pansy answered.
"Indeed. Draco has helped Lucas socialize with the Quidditch team."
My mother's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"I never heard about this," she said, her tone laced with playful mirth.
I frowned, lowering my gaze to avoid both of my parents' scrutiny. I hadn't mentioned it because I knew they'd push me to join the team for the connections, despite my lack of skill on a broom. I was hoping to quietly fade into the background and let Draco's passion for the sport satisfy them.
"It wasn't much," I mumbled. "Draco just introduced me to the captain."
Draco scoffed at my downplay and corrected me.
"You gave the captain pointers that knocked some poor sap right off his broom!" He laughed heartily.
I forced a polite chuckle, even as my stomach sank. My fate was sealed.
"That's a great opportunity," my father said, sipping his tea with a thoughtful nod. "Make sure to keep an eye out for a position on the team."
"Indeed," Mrs. Malfoy added with a delighted smile. "I would love to see Draco and Lucas bonding over sports. What other interests do you have, Lucas?" she asked, hands folded elegantly in front of her chest.
It was then I realized the conversation was mostly centered around me. Even the Parkinsons seemed intent on listening closely. Since their families already knew each other, I was the unknown variable. They were probing me, assessing my worthiness as a companion to their children.
"Botany is interesting," I answered carefully, measuring my words. "But my favorite class would have to be Potions."
Mrs. Parkinson smiled approvingly as she took a sip of tea.
"Oh! Following in the footsteps of your father? I hear he's quite the potions master at the Ministry."
I nodded, feeling my father's hand pat my back with a rare gesture of pride.
"I'm very glad you've found your calling, son," he said, his smirk—his version of a smile—barely visible but genuine. Yet, his pride only made my stomach twist with unease.
Only proud of me for doing what you say…
"Well, I'm happy to hear we might have some more valuable potions in the future," Lucius interjected smoothly, leaning back in his chair. "To aid ourselves against the mudbloods."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Indeed," Mrs. Parkinson added with a satisfied tone. "I wouldn't be caught dead selling my precious products to the lower classes."
"That's my girl," Mr. Parkinson praised his daughter, causing Pansy to beam with pride.
I smiled thinly, my mask firmly in place. The mask I had worn my entire life—the one that sickened me more and more each time I donned it. My mind swirled with darker thoughts. I was losing myself, crumbling beneath the weight of their expectations. Yet I had to endure. My parents' trust, my friends, and even their families' approval were at stake.
They were good people—to those they deemed worthy. But their beliefs, shaped by generations of prejudice, were not my own. I wasn't sure if I should feel lucky for having my own thoughts or if it would have been easier to simply accept theirs, to blindly trust like Draco and Pansy.
After dinner, which mostly consisted of school talk, the Malfoys let Draco show us around his home while the adults discussed their business in private.
"This is our personal library," Draco announced proudly, swinging open a massive wooden door.
The sight took my breath away. Though not as large as the Hogwarts library, for a private home, the two-story chamber of books was a remarkable collection.
"Wow…" Pansy murmured in awe, already scanning the spines for botany volumes.
I was tempted to search for books on magical creatures but refrained. That was knowledge I could only study in the privacy of my own room. Instead, I drifted toward the history section. It wasn't a subject I enjoyed, knowing full well that history was written by the victors. I doubted its accuracy, particularly in regard to 'terrible dragons' or 'evil creatures.'
Yet, one book caught my eye. Its faded green cover and worn binding seemed to almost call out to me.
I carefully pulled it from the shelf and opened to the first page: Slytherins Throughout the Ages.
I frowned slightly at the title but decided to skim through it. The first chapter covered Salazar Slytherin himself—twenty pages on his life and the founding of Hogwarts. I flipped through, already familiar with most of it, and skipped ahead to the next chapter.
The entry was only a single page.
Merlin.
I blinked, startled by the name. I'd always known it, but I had never associated it with Hogwarts, let alone Slytherin House. Yet there it was in black ink.
"Merlin was a Slytherin?" I mumbled in shock, my fingers gripping the worn page as I devoured every word.
The brief chapter revealed that Merlin had attended Hogwarts not long after its founding. Even more surprising, he had befriended a muggle prince—using his magic to aid the young royal on his journey to become king.
I turned the page, only to find the entry ended there. Barely a glimpse into his life. Yet the knowledge lingered with me.
A Slytherin who had befriended a muggle. Someone who had defied the conventions of his time.
Someone like me.
An exhilarating spark of hope flickered in my chest.