Weaving through the shelves

Narcissa raised an eyebrow but walked over to the desk all the same. Her eyes were still flicking around the shop, instinctively trying to find something worth buying. Narcissa absent mindedly put the two other books on the desk and took a fairly decent sized book off of one of the piles. She had a flick through it, noticing the blank pages, before adding it to her small pile of books. The owner smiled and began to chat. Narcissa just switched off and nodded every few seconds so at least she looked like she was listening. Chit Chat and Small talk was not her expertise which was probably why she despised parties so much.

Once the books were paid for, Narcissa made her way back over to James with a small content smile on her face. “I have nothing at all planned.” She said moving the bag she had been given, from one hand to the other. She was already itching to get them out of the bag. “What did you have in mind?”

''What did I have in mind?'', he repeated the question, looking at her and then at the street. ''Actually... this may sound really dumb, but nothing. Well, we will go somewhere, definitely, but where, I truly do not know. Haven't thought about that actually. You know when an idea comes to you and you do not know why or how? Well, that just happened. Do you have any suggestions?'', he asked positioning his glasses. This was an awkward situation.

“Alright,” Narcissa nodded. “We could take a stroll up Diagon Alley and perhaps find a little café.” She wasn’t sure what they could do but she had wanted to hole up in a café with a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin. She would have probably stayed there for the rest of the day just looking over the books and getting constant refills. “Maybe get some lunch? I don’t know. I didn’t plan on doing much today.”

''I have already eaten, but that still does not mean we cannot go to a café.'', Wilson said and started walking. He was not exactly sure where, here in Diagon Alley, a café was, but he deduced that Narcissa would know. ''Tell me, Narcissa, what have you been up to since our last meeting?'', he asked.

“As have I,” Narcissa nodded. She fell into step with James and somehow began to manoeuvre herself across the stubborn cobbles of the alley. She looked around at the stalls being set up, appreciating that it was early but she made a mental note to buy something from one of the stalls later. “What have I done?” Narcissa smirked. “I blew up one of the walls at the Ministry and tried to kill one of the most annoying Death Eaters I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting. So I suppose you could say I have been fairly busy.”

Wilson laughed at her last remark. ''Well... killing one of your own is definitely a time spent well.'', he commented. ''I have been fairly busy myself. That blasted battle in the Ministry, no challenge at all, but still took a lot of my time. The schools is getting more and more rebellious... Majere isn't doing his job, but that was expected of him, wasn't it? I have to act as a double agent and it just takes too much bloody time.'', he added. The whole situation was extremely confusing and pretty boring, if you ask him. All the time... you have to wait, but you can't rest because at that moment, something happens. ''Narcissa, my I know the name of that lucky person?'', he asked, referring to the Death Eater.

Narcissa bit her lip. She knew Vincent would be incompetent from the very beginning. Shacklebot was alright but the better headmaster was Dumbledore. Over all of the past headmasters, even her great-great-great grandfather couldn’t compare. Her grandmother had described him as a snarkier version of Violetta Bulstrode. However, at the time Narcissa didn’t really understand what she meant. “I can’t stand them at the moment.” Narcissa growled. “They’re in my home and obviously won’t leave. I’d leave myself and let the House Elves revolt but I have nowhere to go.”She sighed and shook her head. “I did contemplate having the House Elves poison them all but that would only exacerbate things for me.”

She couldn’t help but smirk a little at a student uprising. It would happen of course. With Vincent in charge anything could happen. But if they started getting rebellious then she knew that his little ‘Imperium Squad’ would have to do something. Narcissa could see it all becoming quite violent. “Well, I suppose the best way of tackling it would be to perhaps speak to them and show them that there is no need for insolence and that you’re on their side. Vincent isn’t exactly the most positive Headmaster the school has ever had. I don’t understand why the Ministry doesn’t just employ someone who actually cares about the students and wants to see them do well in life. Vincent would happily let them all leave Hogwarts without an ounce of magical defensive training. And then in an instant there is a whole generation that has gone to waste.” Narcissa sighed and shook her head. “Listen to me go on. I must sound like an idealist with her head in the clouds.”

She didn’t know why she was telling James all of that. A part of her hoped Vincent didn’t do something to harm her grandchildren. Then again, she hoped he did but not horribly so. At least then she would have a reason to press charges. She was coming up blank for the most part where that was concerned and she wondered what Scorpius would do in the event of a student uprising. No doubt he would act just like his father did when Umbridge was around. She blinked a few times and looked back at James. “Oh, um. His name was Faelan. I never learned his last name. He was an irritating little brat – a little too cocky for his own good.”

''I think I have heard his name, but I am not sure. In all, the majority of Death Eaters are cocky for their own good. That is why they get into trouble.'', he commented.

''About the school... well, I wouldn't call it a student rebellion yet. That far it has not come... yet. But in class, they disobey, they treat subjects as if they were picnics and classes as if they were some free-time activity. But, seeing the current state, it will not be long until we have to deal with a general revolt. Majere's Imperius Squad is also pretty useless... I do not even know who he selected as its members. Idiotic organizations.'', he added.

They continued walking. ''Tell me, Narcissa, what you think about this new Ministerial Ball that is going on?'', he asked, remembering that he had been invited.

“I will have to go no doubt.” She shrugged, not really wanting to think about attending the ball. She stopped at one of the stalls and brought her hand up to touch one of the beaded necklaces that were hanging from the top of the stall. It was a simple design but very beautiful. She took it off of the hook and held it in her hand for a few moments before taking a few sickles out of her purse. She handed it to the woman and continued walking again. “Merlin knows where Lucius is - probably holed up somewhere with that wretch that’s leading our wonderful faction.” Narcissa shook her head and tied the necklace around her neck. It went well with the blouse she was wearing.

“School is boring for children, now. Nothing stimulates them, nothing excites them. It’s all about Quidditch and those dances that forever seem to be going on.” She laughed. “I think, for them to be enthusiastic about coming to classes and enjoying them depends on the teacher. You’ve got to have a certain passion for what you teach - a romance almost. Think of it as a yearlong affair filled with lust and the burning attraction between two people. Then, it’ll end for the summer and begin again in September. Simple really.” She smirked a little and stopped at another stall, this time picking up a miniature, wooden rocking horse that looked as if it had been painted only days prior. Narcissa thought that she could give it to Khaat, for her daughter. It was feminine enough.

Spoiler:

''Yes, I understood that when I taught Muggle Studies. Pupils don't seem to like, nor attend that subject although it is brilliant and you always have something to say about Muggles and their culture. But prejudice... bloody prejudice. But now, I teach DADA. That was the post I applied for initially, that is the post I have taught before with such vis vitalis that it became a part of me. I have not changed, but the interest of students has. They are afraid of spiders, they are scared of doing the Unforgivable Curses on spiders... no one seems to treat education like before.'', he replied. ''You have to? I never go to such manifestations. I just dislike collective behavior. Hard to control, easy to fall.'', he added.