Chapter Text
Little Lilith Potter walked gracefully along the platform, hand in the crook of her cousin's elbow. They were both dressed sharply, he in a suit, she in a tea length dress.
Dudley Dursley pushed his cousin's trolley towards the train; taking care of her had always been one of his responsibilities, as both the older and male cousin. He helped her find an empty compartment, set her bag of train items on the bench and put her trunk in the overhead rack, bending his knees and keeping his back straight as he did so. Once that was done Lilith pecked his check lightly and they said goodbye; their emotional goodbyes had been said at home.
Lilith sat down, smoothed her dress, and started reading the book that had been in the smaller bag she brought of items she thought would be useful on the train. As she read though her thoughts wondered. All her life she had known she was a witch; her aunt and uncle said they had sworn when they took her in they would never withhold knowledge or information from her. Her aunt had raised her to be a perfect lady. The rules which she lived by swirled in her head.
-Be trustworthy and be trustful.
-Study to keep versed in world events as well as in local occurrences, but abhor gossip, and above all scandal.
-Banish a self-conscience spirit - the source of much awkwardness - with a constant aim to make others happy - remember that it is incumbent upon gentlemen and ladies alike to be neat in habits.
-The following is said to be a correct posture for walking: Head erect - not too rigid - chin in, shoulders back. Permit no unnecessary motion about the thighs. Do not lean over to one side in walking, standing or sitting; the practice is not only ungraceful, but it is deforming and therefore unhealthy.
-If the hands are allowed to swing in walking, the arc should be limited, and the lady will manage them much more gracefully, if they almost touch the clothing.
-A lady should not stand with her hands behind her. We could almost say, forget the hands except to keep them clean, including the nails; cordial and helpful. One hand may rest easily in the other. Study repose of attitude here as well as in the rest of the body.
-Gestures are for emphasis in public speaking; do not point elsewhere, as a rule.
-Look the person to whom you speak in the eye. Never under any circumstances wink at another or communicate with furtive looks.
-Before introducing a gentleman to a lady, remember that she is entitled to hold you responsible for the acquaintance. The lady is the one to whom the gentleman is presented, which may be done thus: "Miss A, permit me to introduce you to my friend, Mr. B." or :Miss A, allow me to introduce Mr. B." If mutual and near friends of yours, say simply "Miss A - Mr. B."
-A true lady will avoid familiarity in her deportment towards gentlemen. A young lady should not permit her gentlemen friends to address her by her home name, and the reverse is true. Use the title Miss and Mr. respectively.
-Ladies should be frank and cordial toward their lady friends, never gushing.
-A lady on meeting a gentleman with whom she has a slight acquaintance will make a medium bow - neither too decided nor too slight or stiff.
-If a young lady desires to visit any public place where she expects to meet a gentleman acquaintance, she should have a chaperone to accompany her, a person of mature years when possible, and never a giddy girl.
-A lady should not ask a gentleman to walk with her.
-If you desire to be respected, keep clean. The finest attire and decorations will add nothing to the appearance or beauty of an untidy person.
-Clean clothing, clean skin, clean hands, including the nails, and clean, white teeth, are a requisite passport for good society.
-A bad breath should be carefully remedied, whether it proceeds from the stomach or bad teeth.
-To pick the nose, finger about the ears, or scratch the head or any other part of the person, in company, is decidedly vulgar.
-When you call at any private residence, do not neglect to clean your shoes thoroughly.
-On entering a hall or church, the gentleman should always precede the lady in walking up the aisle, or walk by herside if the aisle is broad enough.
- A gentleman should always precede a lady upstairs, and follow her downstairs.
-On leaving a hall or church at the close of entertainment or services, the gentleman should precede the lady.
-A gentleman walking with a lady should carry her parcels, and never allow a lady to be burdened with anything what ever.
-If a lady is travelling with a gentleman, simply as a friend, she should place the amount of her expenses in his hands, or insist on paying the bill herself.
-Never carry on a private conversation in company. If secrecy is necessary, withdraw from the company.
-Never sit with your back to another, without asking to be excused.
-It is as unbecoming for a gentleman to sit with legs crossed as it is a lady.
-Never thrum with your fingers, rub your hands, yawn or sigh in public.
-Loud laughter, loud talking, or other boisterous manifestations should be checked in the society of others, especially on the street and in public places.
-When you are asked to sing or play in company, do so without being urged, or refuse in any way that shall be final; and when music is being rendered in company, show politeness to the musician by giving attention. It is very impolite to keep up a conversation. If you do not enjoy the music, keep silent.
-You should never decline to be introduced to anyone or all the guests at a party to which you have been invited.
-To take small children or dogs with you on a visit of ceremony is altogether vulgar, though in visiting familiar friends, children are not objectionable.
- Don't say Miss or Mr. without the person's name.
- Don't say pants for trousers.
- Don't say gents for gentlemen.
- Don't say female for woman.
- Don't say elegant for everything that pleases you.
- Don't say genteel for well-bred.
- Don't say ain't for isn't.
- Don't say I done it for I did it.
- Don't say he is older than me, say older than I.
- Don't say she does not see any, say she sees nothing at all.
- Don't say he calculates to get off; say he expects to get off.
- Don't say he don't, say he doesn't.
- Don't say she is some better; say she is somewhat better.
- Don't say where are they stopping; say where are they staying.
- Don't say you was, say you were.
- Don't say I say, says I; but simply say I said.
- Don't sign your letters yours etc., but yours truly.
- Don't say lay for lie; lay expresses action; lie expresses rest.
- Don't say them bonnets, say those bonnets.
- Don't say party for person.
- Don't say it looks beautifully, but say that it looks beautiful.
All of those rules and more had been drilled in her head since she could go to school. While her aunt and uncle raised her and her cousin with impeccable manners, the two of them never knew the love of a parent. The house the two cousins grew up in was cold; the only love that could be spoken of was that between the two cousins. Both were also cold and aloof to all except each other.
The time sped by as Lilith read until the light from the window began to fade. She closed her book with a snap and placed it on the bench. She slipped her hand into the pocket she had sown into the dress and took out her wand. She flicked her wand at the door and said the words of a basic locking spell to insure no one would walk in on her changing; she also pulled the blinds on the door.
She removed her school uniform and robes from the bag she brought along with her trunk. She changed with grace; sitting on the bench to remove her traveling shoes and stockings, replacing the stockings and shoes with those from her uniform and returning the traveling ones to her bag. She slid the grey pleated skirt under her dress and then removed the tea length dress from her person, folding it carefully and placing it back in her traveling bag. She slipped a nude camisole over her naked chest then put the white blouse over it, buttoning the buttons from bottom to top. Next was the necktie, which was a neutral grey at the moment. Finally she pulled on the black robes, clasping them closed with care. She then snapped the traveling bag closed with a definitive snap that resounded within the small compartment. She flicked her wand back at the door and this time said the words of a simple unlocking spell. She tugged of the blinds to allow them to return to their original position and then returned to her book.
A few minutes after Lilith had opened the book back up there was a knock at the door. "Come in," her voice rang out with its bell like tone. Three boys entered her compartment, two slightly behind the first. The first was a blonde boy with aristocratic looks. The two trailing him were bigger in build, but they too had the look of those that have grow up in wealth. "How may I help you gentlemen?" Lilith questioned the boys as she put her book down on the bench and curtsied slightly to them.
"Just making the rounds, Miss...?" The apparent leader of the group said with the question hanging in the air.
"Miss Lilith Potter of the Most Noble and Honourable House of Potter, but now you have put me at disadvantage, you know my name, but I still do not know any of yours," she answered lightly.
"My apologies Miss Potter. I am Draco Malfoy of the Ancient House of Malfoy and my companions Messrs. Gregory Goyle of the Ancient House of Goyle and Vincent Crabbe of the Most Ancient House of Crabbe," the leader introduced, each giving a slight bow as their name was said.
"Pleased to make your acquaintances Messrs. Malfoy, Goyle, Crabbe," the petite girl said each name with a bob of the head to each boy. "Who else have you seen on your rounds Mister Malfoy?" Lilith asked, "Oh, and please take a seat."
The boys sat down, Draco in the middle and Vincent closest to the door. "Thank you Miss Potter. Well, on our rounds we saw a majority of our year. Notably Mister Ernest Macmillan of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Macmillian, Mister Blaise Zabini of Italy, Mister Zacharias Smith and Miss Sally Smith of the Most Ancient House of Smith, Mister Theodore Nott of the Most Noble House of Nott, Mister Neville Longbottom of the Most Noble and Most Honourable House of Longbottom, Miss Susan Bones of the Most Ancient and Honourable House of Bones, Miss Lisa Turpin, Miss Tracey Davis, Miss Emma Vane, Miss Amanda Brocklehurst of the Ancient House of Brocklehurst, Miss Daphne Greengrass of the Most Noble House of Greengrass, the Misses Padma and Pavarti Patil of India, Miss Lavender Brown, Miss Morag MacDougal, Miss Lily Moon of the Ancient House of Moon, Miss Sue Li of China, Miss Millicent Bulstrode of the Ancient House of Bulstrode, Miss Pansy Parkinson, and Sophie Roper of the Noble House of Roper. We saw other, of course, but those are the ones I remember off the top of my head."
"Of course Mister Malfoy, we-" she was cut off by the sound of the conductor's voice sounding through the train telling the students to leave their belongings on the train as they exited. They had arrived.