A Trip To Passel House
darthcourt10
Well worn.
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Yellowhammer
A.N.-The first part is a follow-up and builds upon the events of A Parting at Malfoy House
A Trip To Passel House
5 July 2014
Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
Spoiler: A Chat Between Cousins
Ehren du Chasteler smiled shyly at Draco Malfoy as the cousins rendered their final farewells. "I wish that I could go visit the Giant's Causeway with you this summer, but I fear that Mutti has other obligations. She plans to take us to Japan later this year to meet Norimune's family once matters are resolved with the ICW." Her cheeks heated slightly despite her best efforts as a result of the twinkle in her cousin's gray eyes.
Draco nodded, "I see. You will send photographs and video footage of your vacation there, yes?"
Ehren's smile widened and grew warmer, "And souvenirs, I suspect. We plan to visit Toku at the shrine, and she enchants prayer charms for good luck in school studies. I will personally deliver one to you when we meet at Hogsmeade Weekends for you and your friends."
She turned at a tap on the shoulder to see the grinning face of Draco's younger fraternal twin sister Nimue. "Hey, Brother, I need to steal Ehren from you for some private farewells."
Draco nodded, then leaned forward to give Ehren a hug. "Thank you for coming, Ehren."
Ehren returned the hug, "The pleasure was all mine." She blinked as Nimue then steered her past where her mother and Claire were talking to Lucius and Narcissa. "Nimue, what is it?"
The blonde Malfoy girl flicked her fingers in the pattern of a privacy ward and then gave her a knowing conspiratorial smile. "Sooo, did you confess to Draco when you called him to the Egyptian Room last night?"
Ehren's cheeks flamed as she gasped, remembering her private chat where she had explained to Draco about her crush on the young man, and how she would set it aside for honor's sake so as not to ruin the relationship he had with the trio of shipgirls after him. "I-i-i-i" she stammered. Then her blush redoubled at Nimue's next words.
"Did you kiss my brother?" Nimue leaned in and winked. "I hear from Johnston that he's a good kisser."
Ehren gulped, and nodded hesitantly, driven by her sense of honesty. "J-ja, just as f-friends though. He t-told me that I should have m-my first kiss with him. I would never interfere...."
"Oh? So, actually my brother kissed you instead of the other way around?" Nimue chuckled, her tone conveying the promise of much sisterly trolling for Draco. "To think he thought to keep that detail from me..." Nimue then leaned in and hugged the flustered German dagger spirit. "You make a cute couple with him, and I'm sure Cleo, Johnston, and Niobe will welcome you, Ehren."
Ehren shook her head in sharp negation. "It's not that. I have responsibilities... obligations... " Her voice cracked slightly, "He deserves better... He already has better...."
Nimue sighed as she read her cousin's clear distress, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put you on the spot with him. I'll just have to make up for it by trolling my big brother. Ehren... If that is your decision then?"
Ehren nodded glumly with her cheeks flaming. "Ja. It is what I must do for honor's sake. I... gave my word to not pursue him and remain a friend and guardian of his happiness. Just like I shall guard you as a friend and a cousin should."
Nimue hugged Ehren, "I see. Well, if that is what you want, I will help you with it. After all, family supports family."
Ehren returned the hug. "Ja. Family supports family." She then glanced at the knot of farewells. "I shall miss you, Cousin Nimue, even though we shall talk and write. I hope to see you soon. The band... I had fun singing, and we should continue."
Nimue grinned, "Oh, I have plans for Stahlhexe. I'll let you and Claire know them when you get home. Be good, or at least don't get caught, Ehren!"
As the cousins rejoined the others, Nimue caught the eye of Ehren's older sister Claire and gave the piano spirit a nod that was returned as the final farewells were made.
---------------------------------
Colombe looked at Ehren as they walked to the car to leave Malfoy Manor. "Right, so next stop is Passel House?"
Ehren smiled and nodded. "Ja, Mutti. Passel House in Hampshire near Bishop's Waltham." she checked her phone. "I have the map function downloaded for you."
Colombe laughed. "I shouldn't need that. I've been there before after all."
Ehren blinked in surprise and spoke slowly. "So you know Ronald Weasley?"
Colombe shook her head and opened the door to the back of the car for Ehren and Claire. "Non. I was there in 1899 for a dinner party. It... was quite a spectacular series of events, and I believe the talk of society for a few years. I met Lyra there, which was the best part of it all."
"A dinner party like in the Jane Austen books, Mother?" Claire asked eagerly as she got into the car, straightening out her black dress with a smile.
Colombe grinned smugly, "Only if they include a duel of honor over the dessert, my dear!"
---------------------------------
Spoiler: Preparations For A Visit
Meanwhile At Passel House
Victoria Passel, the spirit of the residence, was gravely concerned.
Guests were coming over so she was making an effort to put her best foot forward as was only right and proper.
Linens had to be freshened and folded for their rooms. A supply of groceries to handle the household and the guests had to be procured, stored and prepared. The rooms had to likewise be cleaned and dusted.
All this was secondary to her larger concerns about the aforementioned guests.
She had been a year too young to manifest when THAT WOMAN had been a guest before in May of 1899. However, even though she had yet to fully awaken, the events of THAT WEEKEND caused her cheeks to flame. The scandal of a duel challenge at the dinner table, the poor Colonel having a fatal heart attack, and THAT WOMAN seducing another man's wife (plus cross-dressing and fencing, the shame!) had sent tongues wagging in every residence in the Wizarding World for months.
And everyone knew where it had happened.
On whose watch that it had happened.
And she respected Young Master Weasley far too much to allow for THAT WOMAN to wreck his reputation and family name.
Even if he was making a terrible error when he had overruled her concerns about having the Du Chastelers over for the weekend to meet him and the household.
The Young Master had rescued her from neglect, ruin, and a slow death, and was a promising young man who Lady Warspite and Lady Duke were molding into a fine gentleman (with her assistance and support) with an eye to make theirs in the bonds of matrimony one day when he was of age. Victoria could ask for nothing more from that quarter no matter what a few of her books implied.
Lady Warspite in particular was a dream come true for Victoria since she understood in her bones The Way Matters Should Be Done as someone else born at the height of the British Empire. Victoria could ask for none better to serve as Lady of the Estate, and only regretted that Warspite's duties and responsibilities for the Admiralty kept her out of the house for long stretches.
Lady Duke was an able understudy for Lady Warspite, and her foibles such as the 'special coffeepot' reserved for her and even her swordsmanship as an officer of the Queen were well within the bounds of current propriety. Victoria reflected that she had to fan herself a bit on a sofa when she found out that Lady Duke had been awarded the Order of the Garter by Her Majesty since that was quite a feather in the cap for her family. If the Queen approved of Lady Duke's sword practice and service, who was she to object?
Miss Summer was coming along nicely and would be when the time came a suitable hostess and lady of the household if Victoria had anything to say of it. Which Victoria of course did have much to say on such matters. The Abyssal Installation was such a sweet dear and simply adorable.
Miss Angie was another who Victoria had little to object to. While she was like a middle-class tradesman in a few ways, she was serving the Navy ably and well as a floating dry-dock. Victoria could scarcely fault her for her labors in repairing the injured and helping them heal in the special guest wing and baths that had been set up as part of the War Effort, which Victoria fully supported.
Acasta and Ardent were both cute as buttons and well mannered young ladies -- for destroyers. They certainly deserved the treats that Victoria supplied them periodically as practice for when the nursery would be filled after the wedding that Victoria was already mentally planning to host (and gloat about to the neighbors). Even their mischief was well within acceptable bounds, not that Victoria would dare admit it when she 'caught' them playing tag through the upstairs.
Lara and Xath were a treasure as well. Lara was serving quite nicely as a maid and her family's Yorkshire Pudding recipe was simply a rare delight. Meanwhile Xath slowly but surely was restoring the grounds, gardens, and Orangery into what they should be, with the addition of some exotic magical plants to boot. Victoria was already scheming to host a garden party once the gardens were finally finished and she found a source for proper furnishings to replace those that had been sold off when her old family fell into hard times.
Even Brigid was coming along slowly but surely under her guidance thanks to the use of carrots in the forms of books and cookies for good behavior along with the stick of the Battleship Princess earning Miss Summer's ire once more. She was willing to be taught if handled with the right level of patient guidance, which was no small thing and it was hardly her fault to be so unfortunate to be born a benighted Abyssal rather than English.
But there was a fly in this ointment the size of a Manticore.
Master Weasley also had mutual feelings with the French battleship Jean Bart.
A Continental brazen hussy, Victoria's lips twisted as she amended that Miss Bart at least was being broken of some of her licentious shameless habits under Victoria's careful guidance, who wore shorts that showed entirely too much leg, favored motorcycle racing, and worst of all was French. Something could be made of Jean Bart, perhaps, at least she was responding well to keeping the proprieties and had spent the last few months assisting Miss Summer with her self confidence by discussing the uses of radar in shore defenses and antiaircraft tactics. Victoria regretted the necessity of such things, but admitted to herself that the Abyssals started it and one must make lemonade when life served up lemons.
However, Jean Bart had met the younger Miss Du Chasteler while they were participating in one of those illegal and illicit street races that Jean Bart enjoyed and that Victoria had yet to persuade her to avoid.
Miss Du Chasteler, who was of the right age to cause Young Master Weasley to fall into sin and scandal, along with her older sister Claire who was also single and French. Worst of all, they were the daughters of THAT WOMAN, who was hiding her decadent and licentious French heart behind her too well-preserved face.
Victoria paused as she took the tray of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven to cool and nodded with a determined look upon her face.
If these French Tarts thought they could cause another scandal this time to blacken the name of herself and her family, they were gravely misinformed. This time, Victoria stood ready to defend her family from their attempts to entrap the residents of Passel House in their shameless and shocking 'customs'.
A.N.-The first part is a follow-up and builds upon the events of A Parting at Malfoy House
A Trip To Passel House
5 July 2014
Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
Spoiler: A Chat Between Cousins
Ehren du Chasteler smiled shyly at Draco Malfoy as the cousins rendered their final farewells. "I wish that I could go visit the Giant's Causeway with you this summer, but I fear that Mutti has other obligations. She plans to take us to Japan later this year to meet Norimune's family once matters are resolved with the ICW." Her cheeks heated slightly despite her best efforts as a result of the twinkle in her cousin's gray eyes.
Draco nodded, "I see. You will send photographs and video footage of your vacation there, yes?"
Ehren's smile widened and grew warmer, "And souvenirs, I suspect. We plan to visit Toku at the shrine, and she enchants prayer charms for good luck in school studies. I will personally deliver one to you when we meet at Hogsmeade Weekends for you and your friends."
She turned at a tap on the shoulder to see the grinning face of Draco's younger fraternal twin sister Nimue. "Hey, Brother, I need to steal Ehren from you for some private farewells."
Draco nodded, then leaned forward to give Ehren a hug. "Thank you for coming, Ehren."
Ehren returned the hug, "The pleasure was all mine." She blinked as Nimue then steered her past where her mother and Claire were talking to Lucius and Narcissa. "Nimue, what is it?"
The blonde Malfoy girl flicked her fingers in the pattern of a privacy ward and then gave her a knowing conspiratorial smile. "Sooo, did you confess to Draco when you called him to the Egyptian Room last night?"
Ehren's cheeks flamed as she gasped, remembering her private chat where she had explained to Draco about her crush on the young man, and how she would set it aside for honor's sake so as not to ruin the relationship he had with the trio of shipgirls after him. "I-i-i-i" she stammered. Then her blush redoubled at Nimue's next words.
"Did you kiss my brother?" Nimue leaned in and winked. "I hear from Johnston that he's a good kisser."
Ehren gulped, and nodded hesitantly, driven by her sense of honesty. "J-ja, just as f-friends though. He t-told me that I should have m-my first kiss with him. I would never interfere...."
"Oh? So, actually my brother kissed you instead of the other way around?" Nimue chuckled, her tone conveying the promise of much sisterly trolling for Draco. "To think he thought to keep that detail from me..." Nimue then leaned in and hugged the flustered German dagger spirit. "You make a cute couple with him, and I'm sure Cleo, Johnston, and Niobe will welcome you, Ehren."
Ehren shook her head in sharp negation. "It's not that. I have responsibilities... obligations... " Her voice cracked slightly, "He deserves better... He already has better...."
Nimue sighed as she read her cousin's clear distress, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put you on the spot with him. I'll just have to make up for it by trolling my big brother. Ehren... If that is your decision then?"
Ehren nodded glumly with her cheeks flaming. "Ja. It is what I must do for honor's sake. I... gave my word to not pursue him and remain a friend and guardian of his happiness. Just like I shall guard you as a friend and a cousin should."
Nimue hugged Ehren, "I see. Well, if that is what you want, I will help you with it. After all, family supports family."
Ehren returned the hug. "Ja. Family supports family." She then glanced at the knot of farewells. "I shall miss you, Cousin Nimue, even though we shall talk and write. I hope to see you soon. The band... I had fun singing, and we should continue."
Nimue grinned, "Oh, I have plans for Stahlhexe. I'll let you and Claire know them when you get home. Be good, or at least don't get caught, Ehren!"
As the cousins rejoined the others, Nimue caught the eye of Ehren's older sister Claire and gave the piano spirit a nod that was returned as the final farewells were made.
---------------------------------
Colombe looked at Ehren as they walked to the car to leave Malfoy Manor. "Right, so next stop is Passel House?"
Ehren smiled and nodded. "Ja, Mutti. Passel House in Hampshire near Bishop's Waltham." she checked her phone. "I have the map function downloaded for you."
Colombe laughed. "I shouldn't need that. I've been there before after all."
Ehren blinked in surprise and spoke slowly. "So you know Ronald Weasley?"
Colombe shook her head and opened the door to the back of the car for Ehren and Claire. "Non. I was there in 1899 for a dinner party. It... was quite a spectacular series of events, and I believe the talk of society for a few years. I met Lyra there, which was the best part of it all."
"A dinner party like in the Jane Austen books, Mother?" Claire asked eagerly as she got into the car, straightening out her black dress with a smile.
Colombe grinned smugly, "Only if they include a duel of honor over the dessert, my dear!"
---------------------------------
Spoiler: Preparations For A Visit
Meanwhile At Passel House
Victoria Passel, the spirit of the residence, was gravely concerned.
Guests were coming over so she was making an effort to put her best foot forward as was only right and proper.
Linens had to be freshened and folded for their rooms. A supply of groceries to handle the household and the guests had to be procured, stored and prepared. The rooms had to likewise be cleaned and dusted.
All this was secondary to her larger concerns about the aforementioned guests.
She had been a year too young to manifest when THAT WOMAN had been a guest before in May of 1899. However, even though she had yet to fully awaken, the events of THAT WEEKEND caused her cheeks to flame. The scandal of a duel challenge at the dinner table, the poor Colonel having a fatal heart attack, and THAT WOMAN seducing another man's wife (plus cross-dressing and fencing, the shame!) had sent tongues wagging in every residence in the Wizarding World for months.
And everyone knew where it had happened.
On whose watch that it had happened.
And she respected Young Master Weasley far too much to allow for THAT WOMAN to wreck his reputation and family name.
Even if he was making a terrible error when he had overruled her concerns about having the Du Chastelers over for the weekend to meet him and the household.
The Young Master had rescued her from neglect, ruin, and a slow death, and was a promising young man who Lady Warspite and Lady Duke were molding into a fine gentleman (with her assistance and support) with an eye to make theirs in the bonds of matrimony one day when he was of age. Victoria could ask for nothing more from that quarter no matter what a few of her books implied.
Lady Warspite in particular was a dream come true for Victoria since she understood in her bones The Way Matters Should Be Done as someone else born at the height of the British Empire. Victoria could ask for none better to serve as Lady of the Estate, and only regretted that Warspite's duties and responsibilities for the Admiralty kept her out of the house for long stretches.
Lady Duke was an able understudy for Lady Warspite, and her foibles such as the 'special coffeepot' reserved for her and even her swordsmanship as an officer of the Queen were well within the bounds of current propriety. Victoria reflected that she had to fan herself a bit on a sofa when she found out that Lady Duke had been awarded the Order of the Garter by Her Majesty since that was quite a feather in the cap for her family. If the Queen approved of Lady Duke's sword practice and service, who was she to object?
Miss Summer was coming along nicely and would be when the time came a suitable hostess and lady of the household if Victoria had anything to say of it. Which Victoria of course did have much to say on such matters. The Abyssal Installation was such a sweet dear and simply adorable.
Miss Angie was another who Victoria had little to object to. While she was like a middle-class tradesman in a few ways, she was serving the Navy ably and well as a floating dry-dock. Victoria could scarcely fault her for her labors in repairing the injured and helping them heal in the special guest wing and baths that had been set up as part of the War Effort, which Victoria fully supported.
Acasta and Ardent were both cute as buttons and well mannered young ladies -- for destroyers. They certainly deserved the treats that Victoria supplied them periodically as practice for when the nursery would be filled after the wedding that Victoria was already mentally planning to host (and gloat about to the neighbors). Even their mischief was well within acceptable bounds, not that Victoria would dare admit it when she 'caught' them playing tag through the upstairs.
Lara and Xath were a treasure as well. Lara was serving quite nicely as a maid and her family's Yorkshire Pudding recipe was simply a rare delight. Meanwhile Xath slowly but surely was restoring the grounds, gardens, and Orangery into what they should be, with the addition of some exotic magical plants to boot. Victoria was already scheming to host a garden party once the gardens were finally finished and she found a source for proper furnishings to replace those that had been sold off when her old family fell into hard times.
Even Brigid was coming along slowly but surely under her guidance thanks to the use of carrots in the forms of books and cookies for good behavior along with the stick of the Battleship Princess earning Miss Summer's ire once more. She was willing to be taught if handled with the right level of patient guidance, which was no small thing and it was hardly her fault to be so unfortunate to be born a benighted Abyssal rather than English.
But there was a fly in this ointment the size of a Manticore.
Master Weasley also had mutual feelings with the French battleship Jean Bart.
A Continental brazen hussy, Victoria's lips twisted as she amended that Miss Bart at least was being broken of some of her licentious shameless habits under Victoria's careful guidance, who wore shorts that showed entirely too much leg, favored motorcycle racing, and worst of all was French. Something could be made of Jean Bart, perhaps, at least she was responding well to keeping the proprieties and had spent the last few months assisting Miss Summer with her self confidence by discussing the uses of radar in shore defenses and antiaircraft tactics. Victoria regretted the necessity of such things, but admitted to herself that the Abyssals started it and one must make lemonade when life served up lemons.
However, Jean Bart had met the younger Miss Du Chasteler while they were participating in one of those illegal and illicit street races that Jean Bart enjoyed and that Victoria had yet to persuade her to avoid.
Miss Du Chasteler, who was of the right age to cause Young Master Weasley to fall into sin and scandal, along with her older sister Claire who was also single and French. Worst of all, they were the daughters of THAT WOMAN, who was hiding her decadent and licentious French heart behind her too well-preserved face.
Victoria paused as she took the tray of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven to cool and nodded with a determined look upon her face.
If these French Tarts thought they could cause another scandal this time to blacken the name of herself and her family, they were gravely misinformed. This time, Victoria stood ready to defend her family from their attempts to entrap the residents of Passel House in their shameless and shocking 'customs'.