"I work with the Aurors. I'm a secretary with the Field Agents."

"Really?!" Plum gasped. "A secretary? Me too! Well, not quite. I go by receptionist, but they're almost the same thing, right? Taking messages, greeting people, trying to stay organized and the like. It must be exciting to work for the Aurors, with all sorts of things happening all of the time. Sports are boring," she said.

"Riv and I? Ummm, oh we're uh family."

"Ohh," she said, nodding. "That's very nice." Plum, again, found herself pushing back that sharp jab that stabbed at her whenever she felt not quite as good as the people around her. The boy was, not only a boy, which gave him leverage in the world, but also a wizard, working with Aurors, and had family. He beat her in all the areas that mattered.

Plum tried not to be too upset by this.

But now what to say?

"It looks like a pleasant enough party," she said, scanning the crowd for familiar faces.