Etiquette and Courage
Harri woke up early the next morning. She put on a casual outfit she had bought. If she was going to be in classes all morning, she was going to be comfortable. She walked down to breakfast and was surprised to see the first lesson being set up.
"Good morning, Harri. Before breakfast, we will be going over the proper silverware use. I thought it would be easier to learn if you could practice while you learned," Augusta said with a smile. Harri nodded and sat down. There were several forks and spoons next to her place setting.
"Now the dinner plate is always in the middle. Next to the dinner plate on the left is the side plate, and the butter knife goes on top of it. Now, a white wine, red wine, and water glass should be placed above and to the right of the dinner plate. Are you still with me?" Augusta asked as she paused her explanation.
"I think so? Why do we have so many glasses?" Harri asked. She felt like she should be taking notes.
"Well, it helps your guest drink what they prefer. It makes it easier for them to choose," Augusta explained. "Now teacups, saucers, and teaspoons are placed on the table after dessert. Now, here is where it starts to get complicated. When you place your cutlery on the table, it should be placed in order of use, starting from the outside and working your way inwards with each course. Forks should be set to the left of the plate, with knives placed to the right, blade edges facing inwards. Soup spoons should be placed on the right of the knives. Place the dessert fork and dessert spoon above the plate, with the fork prongs facing right and the spoon bowl facing left."
"So I start from the left and work my way right as the night progresses?" Harri asked to clarify. She had heard of stuff like this from her aunts programs, but she never thought it would apply to her. She asked sheepishly, "Are we going to have a fancy dinner anytime soon because this might take me a bit to remember?"
"We will practice throughout, and I was thinking of inviting our allies and their children over for yours and Neville's birthday. It would be on the 30th, but you would be celebrated as well," she said with a kind smile as Neville came down the stairs. He paused for only a moment before mumbling something about lessons. He sat next to Harri and took his napkin from his plate, and put it on his lap.
"I had almost forgotten at the start of the meal. You'll have a napkin on your plate, and it should be moved to your lap as soon as you sit down. It's to help any food that may fall from dirting your robes," Augusta said. She sat and demonstrated how to place the napkin on her lap. Harri followed her example and smiled at the praise she received.
"Now, when having a polite conversation, it's rude to interrupt. One, it can be seen as annoying, and two, it could be seen as a lack of respect. So try not to interrupt if you can help it. That leads to the next rule of conversation etiquette quite nicely, which is to listen to the person. No one likes to be ignored. So, we need to engage in active listening. Try not to think about what you want to say next and actively take in what the person is saying. Any questions so far?"
"So do we think of the thing we want to say after they finish speaking?" Harri asked as they started their breakfast. She did her best to follow the left to right method.
"Yes. It's always okay to take a moment to gather your thoughts. Conversations don't have to be fast. They can be slow and methodical. Now, it's always important to follow the queen's rules. I know that you kids today have a more open mind about what can be talked about, but in polite company, it's important to remind you not to talk about politics, sex, or money in polite conversation. This is a good way to start a fight, make people uncomfortable, or simply make people dislike you. You should also be aware that once one person in a group violates the Queen’s Rules, the floodgates are open — these topics are now on the table, and you may not like what comes from that. Which means you also have to think before you speak. Ask yourself questions like: is the other party sensitive to that topic, do others have enough knowledgeable to talk comfortably about the subject, are you adding unnecessary or embarrassing details, are you over exaggerating or one upping someone? It helps to keep things civil."
"What if someone asks me about what I've been through? It seems like everyone I meet wants to know the stories of the 'Great Harri Potter.' I didn't even know about the wizarding world until I was 11," Harri asked in a small huff.
"Call them on their social faux pas," Neville said. "When people bring up my parents like that, I simply tell them that it's rude to bring something like that up and they should avoid gossiping."
"Neville is exactly right. Say it where others can hear you so they would feel the embarrassment, and others will avoid the questions in the future," Augusta said with a firm nod. "That leads into the next point. There’s a difference between being untruthful and not being hurtful. Learn it: lying is the act of voicing an untruth, whereas being tactful is the art of not drawing attention to other people’s problems. Avoid saying things like “you look sick” or “you look tired,” especially to women. Try not to draw public attention to things like clothing stains or other potentially embarrassing situations."
"It's also not a bad idea to have some conversations to pull from. You don't really want to talk about the weather unless you have nothing else to talk about as that type of small talk is pedantic at best and boring at worst," Neville added. Harri nodded and took a bite of her cinnamon roll. She thought over everything. It all made sense even if it was a lot to remember.
"Always be considerate of those around you. Include people in the conversation if you see they haven't spoken much. Try not to dominate conversations as it can be seen as rude and always remembered you manners," Augusta said as she ended the lesson. "Any questions?"
"How am I going to learn about politics if we can't speak of them?" Harri asked. "I want a wide view point as mine had been so limited."
"That is where Lady Malfoy comes into play. She and young Heir Malfoy will be here in a few hours to start with the politics lessons. I, myself, was never quite as good at politics as your grandmother, so I've asked her to come and teach you," Augusta said. "She has seen all sides of the political playing field and knows it better than anyone I know."
"Are we sure it's a good idea to have Lady Malfoy here?" Neville asked his fear was obvious in his voice.
"She's my cousin, and she wants to help me. She said that my papa was her favorite cousin," Harri explained as she found Neville's hand and gave it a squeeze. Neville still didn't look sure, but he trusted Harri enough to try.
As promised, Cissy and Draco came out of the floo at half past nine. Cissy hugged Harri immediately after greeting her host. She smiled softly at Neville.
"You look like your mum," she said softly. "Alice and Frank would be so proud of you. I'm truly sorry for what happened to them."
Neville stared at her for a moment before saying, "Your sister is batshit insane. Prove to me you're better and help keep Harri safe, and I'll think about forgiving your family."
"Neville, that's inappropriate," Augusta chided softly. Harri wondered if Neville hated her for being from the house of Black, too. She would have to ask him. She squeezed his hand gently again to help ground him.
"I will do my absolute best," Narcissa said with a determined nod.
Draco stepped forward and said, "I also owe you an apology. I'm sorry for how I've treated you at school. I don't mean to excuse what I've done, but I would like to explain if you'd hear it?" After Neville nodded, Draco continued, "My father is a hateful man, and he thought if I didn't become one, then I was a failure. After a lot of talking with my mother , I realized he was wrong, and I don't want to be anything like him."
"It's good to see you growing up. Keep it up, and you may earn my forgiveness. I'm not like Harri. I can't just let bygones be bygones. You have to show me you mean it," Neville said, showing every bit of his Gryffindor courage.