“We haven’t searched Zabini’s room,” Seamus said quietly. “It is possible that they’re in there.”
“He was trapped in that cupboard!” Parvati replied, not really paying attention.
“He could have stashed the jewels in his room earlier, made himself scarce when he realised the fakes were the wrong colour, and then got trapped in the cupboard. He knew about Vanishing cabinets and probably thought if he could hang onto his wand, then he’d be fine. Montague Apparated out after all.”
“He didn’t know about the diamonds,” Parvati protested. “And I believe Lavender; he wouldn’t leave her.”
“There’s always Lavender.” Dean’s voice cut through the silence and before Parvati could react, he continued. “Hear me out, Pav. They were short of money, weren’t they? Lavender told us she hadn’t been paid for months, and that Blaise was desperate to get back to South America.”
“Dean, she wouldn’t have had the time to fake those diamonds!” Seamus interrupted before Parvati spoke. “She didn’t have any idea what they looked like.”
“That’s not exactly true,” Dean replied. “Look, I know she’s our friend, but we have to be professional and ... uh ... I did a bit of research into the Cordalis Diamonds after Karis left our office.”
“Which proved Lavender stole them, or something? I can’t believe you’re saying this,” Parvati snapped. “She’s my best friend, Dean. She’s our friend. She wouldn’t steal!”
“The Quibbler ran a story about cursed diamonds a few months ago and the Cordalis Diamonds were featured,” Dean continued doggedly. “All I’m saying is that Lavender might have lied when she said she didn’t know anything about them. And ...” He paused and removed a copy of The Quibbler from his robes. “The picture of the diamonds is poor quality. They look blue.”
Parvati snatched the paper from him, nearly tearing it in her anger. She skimmed through the article until, at last, she found the passage she was looking for.
“Look,” she exclaimed plumping her finger on one line. “It says purple, Dean. Not blue diamonds, but purple. Even if Lavender did know what the diamonds looked like, she would NOT have got the colour wrong.”
Abruptly, Dean pushed back his chair, jogging the table and causing his tea to slop over the rim of the mug.
“See!” Parvati said, her voice rising, “You don’t have an answer, do you? What is your problem with Lavender?”
“I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH HER!” Dean yelled, suddenly annoyed. “But you’re so bloody blinkered about her.”
“Dean, cool it!” Seamus raised his hand and grabbed Dean by the arm, pulling his friend down to his chair. He turned to Parvati. “You need to calm down as well. Dean isn’t suggesting she’s taken the diamonds.”
“Could have fooled me!”
He ignored her. “He’s right. We need to be professional, and we haven’t searched the room. Plus ... don’t you think all that stuff with the painting is dodgy?”
“Oh, that’s Lavender’s fault too, is it?”
“NO!” Seamus sighed. “Please, Parvati, sit down and listen.” He stopped and waited for her to resume her seat before continuing. “We don’t know Blaise very well, and Dean doesn’t know him at all.”
“But he knows Lavender,” she insisted.
Using his wand, Dean siphoned up the spilt tea. “The Lavender I knew liked pretty clothes, jewellery and make up. I lost that year when you all seemed to change and I don’t know this girl at all.”
Parvati pushed her chair back scraping the legs on the cold, stone floor and not bothering to apologise to Seamus because the sound always set his teeth on edge. “You’ve changed, too, Dean. The boy I knew back at Hogwarts would never have suspected one of us.”
“Parvati, don’t go!” Seamus called after her, but it was too late. He turned to Dean. “Nice one, mate.”
“I’m being honest,” Dean pointed out. “I have no bloody idea why Lavender has hooked up with Zabini. All you two ever say was that the seventh year was ‘different’. Well, yeah, it was bloody different for me, too.”
“The war changed us,” Seamus said as he rose from his chair, “but we’re not that different, are we? You know Lavender. She may have loved pretty things, but she wasn’t dishonest.”
“Where are you going?”
“To find Parvati. Why don’t you come along, too?”
Dean shook his head. “I think she needs to cool down. You know what I’m like. I rub her up the wrong way when she’s in this mood.” He smiled slightly. “I think I’ll go and talk to that housekeeper. She might have a theory, if I can work out what she’s ‘h’on h’about’.”
Seamus chuckled and clapped Dean on the back. “Parvati’ll be right. I’ll see to that,” he said as he left.
Dean took another gulp of his tea, but it was too cold for his taste. Picking up his cup and then the other two, he walked to the sink, and began rinsing the mugs.
“’As your meetin’ finished, then?” Miss Purbright asked from the pantry.
“Mmm,” Dean replied, not turning around from the sink.
“The young lady seemed rather h’upset with you,” she observed.
Dean nearly dropped the mug he was holding. “Uh ... you heard all of that?”
“There h’ isn’t much h’I don’t miss, young man,” the housekeeper said. She walked across to the sink, and removed the cup from his hand. “You want my h’assistance, don’t you?”
“Uh ...” Dean had the grace to look embarrassed. “Sorry, yeah, I wouldn’t mind hearing your story, Miss Purbright. You do seem to know what goes on around here, so I ... er ... wondered if you could shed some light on the events before the dinner party. Account for people’s movements and all that kind of thing.”
Esther pursed her lips. “H’I shall make us both another cup of tea, and tell you exactly what h’I know.”
As she approached the door, Esther pulled her robes straight and fixed an icy smile on her face. Aurelia Savage loomed large in the porch. Esther did not like Madam Savage because Madam Savage was rude to her mistress. Having worked for Madam Flint for just over nineteen years now, Esther knew her mistresses foibles but did not discuss them. She wasn’t keen on her mistress’s latest husband or his family. The Flints were ‘old money’ and didn’t they know it? Looking down on Karis but appreciating her wealth, the Flints had never fully welcomed Karis and her son into the family. Esther smiled to herself. Master Blaise didn’t like them anyway, and the mistress didn’t need anyone’s approval.
“Ah, Esther,” Aurelia said, not looking at her properly. “Tell my nephew I have arrived.”
“He is in his study, Madam. Shall I show you the way?”
“I am well aware of the location of the study,” Aurelia replied icily. “Unless your mistress has seen fit to change that, too. I shall await him in the drawing doom. You will tell him I am here and fetch me some tea.”
Esther didn’t reply but walked forwards until she came to the study.
“You h’aunt is ‘ere,” she informed Jonah as she opened the door, stopping when she realised he was not alone but was sitting with Gordon Davis.
He looked up from the large glass of brandy, smiled thinly at the housekeeper, and rose from his seat. “My aunt has brought the Cordalis Diamonds, Gordon. You must see them, they are quite magnificent.”
“I thought Karis wanted tonight to be a surprise,” she heard Gordon say. “She won’t want me looking before tonight.”
“What she doesn’t know ...” Jonah said and smirked. Then he appeared to remember his wife’s housekeeper was by the door. “She won’t mind me showing you, Gordon. After all, once Marcus and Tracey marry, we’ll be related.”
“Yes,” Gordon replied. “We really need to hurry that little arrangement on, Jonah.”
“My brother has no objections,” Jonah said, sounding arch. “He is only waiting for a position so he can support his wife.”
“What did Jonah mean by that, Miss Purbright?” Dean asked.
“Mr Davis is co-proprietor of The Daily Prophet,” she replied. “When Marcus marries his daughter, it is h’understood that he will take a position at the paper.”
Dean frowned. “As a journalist? I didn’t think he was that ... uh ... smart.”
“H’indeed not,” she replied. “On the board, I believe. Mr Davis thinks the Flint name will be appealing to the advertisers. At least that’s what my mistress says.” She drained her cup. “Will that be all?”
“Uh ... yeah, except ... You haven’t noticed anything suspicious since the robbery, have you?”
She furrowed her brow. “Not really, although Mrs Malfoy was in my kitchen this morning. She said she wanted a cup of tea, but h’I can’t see that type of lady h’ever raising a finger, not when she could just ring her bedside bell to summon me.”
Dean showed no sign of interest, but inside he was burning with curiosity and excitement. If the Malfoys are involved, then I’ll have them.
“Parvati, slow down,” Seamus called. He strode along the landing of the first floor, not yet breaking into a run, waiting to see if she’d listen to him.
Parvati faltered and half-turned her head. “What do you want?”
“You to talk to me. To stop walking away.”
“I’m annoyed,” she snapped. “It’s probably best if I’m by myself.”
Seamus caught up with her, and plucking her sleeve, pulled her to face him. “We have a job to do, and we can’t afford to forget that. Dean’s right.”
“You think Lavender --” She stopped speaking, too lost for words to continue.
“No, I don’t, but we have to treat everyone the same because if we don’t find these feckin’ diamonds, Flint and the rest of them will assume we’re in on it with the pair of them.” He looked into her eyes, waiting for the fury to disappear from them. At last, she smiled, wanly it was true, but still a smile. Seamus kissed her on the cheek and then ruffled her hair.
“What would I do without you, Seamus Finnigan?” she sighed, leaning against the wall to stare into his eyes.
“Without me, you’d probably be happy in some Ministry job, or designing robes for the rich and famous,” he said, grinning ruefully.
She smiled back at him and touched her hand to his cheek. “I am happy, you know that.”
“Even when you’re rowing with yer man in the kitchen?” he asked, his voice soft.
“Even then. I know Dean’ll calm down. I just rub him up the wrong way,” she replied. She straightened up and moved away from him, fixing her focus on the job in hand. “Right, we need to start thinking what to do next.”
“We need to talk to Zabini,” Seamus replied firmly. He held up his hand in anticipation of her protest, but Parvati just nodded. “You agree?”
“I agree they have to be treated the same, but I don’t think he did it.”
“You really trust the guy?”
“I trust Lavender,” Parvati replied. “I trust her judgement “ totally.”
“That’s good to know.” Lavender opened her bedroom door and approached them both. “I overheard you. You’d better come in.”
“Are you sure?” Parvati asked tentatively. “Isn’t Blaise sleeping?”
“Nope,” he called from the other side of the door. He poked his head around the door, looking bleary eyed but far better than when they’d dragged him out of the cupboard earlier that day. “I’m fine. Come in and search where you want.” With his arm draped over Lavender’s shoulders, he turned to face Seamus. “I want some food so I’ll leave you to it, Finnigan.”
Then, taking Lavender by the hand, he addressed Parvati. “You wanted to talk to me about last night.”
“Uh, yes,” Parvati replied. Exchanging a look with Seamus, who stepped back, she smiled at Lavender. “We just need to know what you remember about the dinner party. If anyone behaved oddly, or if you saw anything suspicious.”
“Well, apart from the fact that Draco appeared to be groping Tracey under the table when he’s supposed to be Tabitha’s boyfriend, then ... no ... sorry, I can’t be much help,” Blaise said and started to walk slowly towards the stairs. He frowned as he looked around him. “There were more paintings on the wall when I was here last. And I could only find three in that cabinet.”
“Is your painting valuable?” Parvati asked.
Blaise shrugged. “Moderately. It’ll keep us going for a while.”
Wandering towards the stairs, Parvati was surprised when Lavender dropped back to walk with her.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you we were coming back,” Lavender said. “It all happened so quickly and I didn’t have the money for an owl once we’d paid for the Floo connections.”
They smiled at each other and in that instant, some of the jealousy Parvati had been feeling towards Blaise left her. Lavender was still her friend; they’d shared too much at Hogwarts for anyone to come between them.
A small muttered curse from Blaise stopped any more conversation, and looking over his shoulder Parvati could see why he was swearing. Karis and Aurelia had just appeared from the drawing room obviously discussing something. They looked up, Aurelia frowning, but Karis smiled widely.
“Darling, you’re looking much better. And Lavender, just the person I wanted to see,” she called, ignoring Aurelia’s icy glare of disapproval as she walked away. “Blaise, Draco’s in the drawing room with Marcus, you could play cards or whatever it is you do with your friends.”
“I’m hungry,” he replied smoothly. “I’ll catch up with Malfoy later.”
“Well, I want to speak to Lavender. Girl things, darling, so run along and make yourself scarce,” she said, a note of steel entering her voice.
“Don’t leave me alone with her,” Lavender implored.
“Lavender, you’ve faced tarantulas in the Amazon and snakes more poisonous than Doxies,” hissed Blaise, but as he turned his head, he winked at Parvati. “My mother can be as smothering as a Lethifold, so please, if you can, stay with her while I get some food.”
Looking amused when Parvati followed Lavender, Karis led them up two flights of stairs and towards a much larger room at the top of the house.
Karis and Jonah’s bedroom was a sumptuous mix of old and new. A thick scarlet rug lay on polished mahogany floorboards. On the plain white walls, Karis had hung only two pictures, but these were both in ornate frames. Plush crimson curtains hung at the large window overlooking the garden, and the sun filtering through the glass picked out an exquisite set of china figurines on the mantelpiece. Karis gestured for the girls to sit at the window seat, then she walked across to her wardrobe.
“That dress you wore last night was ghastly,” she began. “It really didn’t suit you at all, my dear. Far too tight for one thing. You need something better for tonight.”
Before Lavender could protest, Karis had pulled out another dress. “This,” she continued, “belonged to my mother. I was much taller than she was, and we were different builds, so I have never worn it, but I think it might suit you, Lavender. The blue will match your eyes.”
“Er ... wow,” Lavender was dumbstruck and Parvati could see why. Even though the dress was old, it was stunning. Pale blue silk, with a fitted waist, it shimmered iridescently under Lavender’s fingers. “This is beautiful, Karis. Uh ... thank you.”
“Well, try it on,” Karis said impatiently. “If it needs altering, then we need to give Esther some time to fix it.”
Giggling nervously, Lavender pulled off her clothes and wriggled into the dress, with Karis assisting her.
“Oh my,” Parvati breathed. “You look amazing. Mrs Flint is quite right about that colour on you, Lavender. It really brings out the blue in your eyes.”
“It will stop my sister-in-law smirking, anyway,” Karis replied, arching one eyebrow. “I adore my husband, you know, but I could have done without his family.”
There was a knock at the door. “Karis, are you in there?”
“Yes, Jonah, I’m here with Lavender and her friend.”
“I have Gordon here,” he said, sounding apologetic. “He’d like to see the figurines.”
Karis rolled her eyes and pulled a face. “Horrible man, but useful, I believe,” she muttered to Lavender. “Why don’t you wear the dress back to your room?”
Recognising that they were being dismissed, albeit politely, Parvati picked up Lavender’s discarded clothes, and followed her out of the room. It wasn’t only Jonah and Gordon who were there; Tracey was leaning against the wall, her arms folded and a look of boredom on her face. She smiled slightly at Parvati then studied Lavender. “Wow, that’s an improvement,” she mocked. “You look almost respectable.”
“Eh?” Gordon turned his head and swept his eyes over Lavender, taking in the dress that complimented not only her eyes, but her figure, too.
“Oh, a girl dressing up to her name,” he brayed. “Wouldn’t mind having you work at The Prophet, Miss Brown. You’d certainly make staff appraisals fun.”
Dodging his hand as he raised it to stroke her upper arm, Lavender trod on Parvati’s foot, who yelped. Tracey frowned, but whether from disapproval at her father or Lavender’s clumsiness, Parvati wasn’t sure, for Tracey said nothing. Tugging Lavender’s arm, Parvati limped away.
Then something struck her. She turned around and watched Gordon, who was still gazing after Lavender, his eyes firmly fixed on her bottom. “What do you mean dressing up to her name? This dress isn’t brown.”
“Don’t you know anything, Patil?” Tracey drawled, when her father didn’t answer. She started to sing. “’Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green. When I am King, dilly dilly, you shall be Queen.’ Only Zabini isn’t quite the rich prince you hoped for, is he, Brown?”
“Can’t see anything better,” Lavender replied lightly. “Certainly not in this house, anyway, Davis.”
“Well done,” Parvati murmured. “I’m surprised you didn’t hex her.”
“Didn’t want the dress ruined if she hexed me back,” Lavender whispered back. “You know how good a duellist she was at school.”
Back at Lavender’s bedroom, they found not only Seamus but also Dean. He smiled at Lavender, but the smile faltered when he saw Parvati.
“Dean was just telling me that old Ma Malfoy was caught with her hand in the biscuit tin,” Seamus said, not bothering to look up from the weird mask he held in his hands. “Lav, what the hell is ... Oh wow, you look ... er ...”
“Respectable, according to Davis,” Lavender replied coolly. “And be very careful with that. It’s fragile.”
“Is it valuable?”
“Only to Xenophilius,” she said, laughing. “It’s a prize for a Quibbler competition. Genuine North American mask made from Jobberknoll poo.”
“Urgh!” Seamus fumbled the mask, but with great presence of mind, lowered it back in the box. Then he sniffed his fingers gingerly.
“I’ll show you the bathroom,” Lavender said, giggling at the expression on Seamus’ face. “You two stay here and ... er ... talk.”
Parvati watched them go, aware the whole time that Dean had his eyes trained on her. “What’s this about Narcissa, then?” she asked, trying to sound calm.
“Not much,” Dean replied. “Miss Purbright saw her in the kitchen. It’s probably nothing." He paused and fiddled with his wand sending a small spark to the floor. “What did Lavender mean? Does she know we argued?”
“I didn’t tell her, but she probably sensed it.” She swallowed, not wanting this chasm between the pair of them to continue. “Look, I don’t agree with you about Lavender and Blaise, but I know we need to treat them as suspects, so ... um ... I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have flown off the handle.”
“I don’t want Lavender to be involved, you know,” he muttered. “But we do have a job to do.”
“And you don’t trust Blaise,” she stated.
“Not really. That stuff with the painting is dodgy. Karis backed down too quickly and it niggles at me. You know that feeling when something doesn’t quite feel right?”
Parvati stared at him, her eyes widening as something clicked inside her brain. That silly rhyme. “I need to see Padma,” she declared. “Dean, sorry, I must go and see her now.”
“Why?”
“I can’t explain; it’s just a hunch.” She ran out of the room and started to charge down the stairs. “Don’t let them call the Law Enforcers, Dean, not until I get back, okay?”
“Sure!” He lifted his hand to wave her off, but Parvati had already opened the front door.
“You won’t be able to get out,” he shouted as he ran after her. “The Flints have stopped everyone “ oh!” He stopped abruptly, watching Parvati as she placed her hand on the gargoyle and demanded to leave.
“They must have forgotten about us!” she called back. “Stay here with Seamus. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Then, with a fleeting wave and a huge smile, Parvati Disapparated.