Balls, Rigel was beginning to think, were intentionally designed to drive a person mad.
She’d been working under Master Whitaker, a premier Potions Master for three months now. While she respected him immensely, it was difficult to appreciate his insistence on public appearances and performance.
Not to mention, the more she was in the spotlight, the more likely her discovery became.
“Rigel!” Her head snapped up. Master Whitaker was looking at her impatiently, clearly having called her name several time. He gestured her over. “This is my student, Lord Riddle. He’s unparalleled in the laboratory.” Rigel struggled to hide her pleasure at his complement and focus on the man in front of her. The danger she was in here could not be denied.
“Lord Riddle” she murmured and bowed. Here was the face of the Pureblood society she had worked so hard to infiltrate. He nodded politely.
“Rigel?”
“Black, your Lordship. Arcturus Rigel Black.” Master Whitaker hurried to inform Riddle. “He’s studied with me the past three months.” Riddle smiled politely, tensely.
“I had thought you had already taken on Bella’s son? I would not think you would have time for…a student with a checkered past.” Rigel forced herself not to be offended, though she did allow her shoulders to tense slightly. Let him think she resented the slight towards Sirius. Master Whitaker hurried to explain himself.
“No, my Lord, Caelum has elected to study with another Master for a year in China, to learn more about Dragons and their potion ingredients. He’ll not be back for a while, and even then, he will not be long to his Mastery.” He noticeably did not comment on her borrowed heritage.
Lord Riddle inclined his head. “I see. Mr. Black, I will watch your work with interest.” Rigel nodded and murmured her thanks, grateful to avoid needing to say more. Lord Riddle swept past. As she watched him leave, her eye caught on two girls, spinning in circles in the corner, away from the dancing.
One of them was tall for a girl, sturdily built, and she swung the other around. The smaller of the two was, well, beautiful. Her golden hair shone in the light, her cream and gold robes flowed around her and made the girl look ethereal. She looked of an age with Rigel, about 17. And Rigel stopped breathing.
A hand on her shoulder startled her, and she looked into the amused eyes of Heir Aldon Rosier. She did not know him well, but his family was hosting the evening’s event. Politeness was required.
“She’s very beautiful.”
“Yes.”
“Pandora Parkinson. Her father is rather protective.” Rigel raised an eyebrow.
“Is she an only child?” Rosier hummed.
“Yes. Though that is not the reason.” Rigel stayed silent, eyes fixed on the Parkinson heir as she conversed with her friend. “She’s blind.” He said it like it should matter, but Rigel barely heard him. She was too entranced by Pansy’s beauty.
The rest of the evening she watched Pansy tacitly, and when she closed her eyes that night, it was Pansy who she saw.
Hurrying through Diagon Alley, Rigel cursed herself for getting caught up in her research. It left her with little time to pick up Master Whitaker’s ingredients from the shops. She hurried her way to Burbane’s Brews, the Pureblood ingredient’s shop of choice. While she preferred Mulpepper’s any day, any respectable member of society wouldn’t be caught there. As she continued into the road, she spotted Pansy Parkinson waiting on the side of the road with her arm out, attempting to stop a horseless carriage. She wasn’t succeeding.
Rigel whistled sharply and flagged down a carriage before directing it towards Pansy. She smiled as Pansy got in and rode away.
Looking at her watch Rigel cursed. She was going to be so late!
“What are you doing?” Rigel startled as Pansy appeared by her elbow.
“Miss Parkinson! Was I in your way?” Pansy huffed.
“No, I simply wanted to know why you were loitering in our Floo room.” She raised one eyebrow imperiously.
“I am scheduled for a meeting with your parents. We are discussing his potentially funding some of my research for my Mastery.”
“That does not explain why you are still in here, and not on your way to said meeting?” Rigel sighed.
“To be honest, I was trying to practice before continuing on my way. I…am not unaware of the position I am in.”
“And what position is that?” Pansy sounded like she knew exactly what Rigel meant, and expected her to say it anyway.
“An outsider. Ostracized by my father’s actions. Forever left with something to prove.” Pansy laughed softly.
“Oh, Mr. Black, I do not think you do realize in what position you are. You may be an outsider, but you are also a novelty.” Rigel waited in silence, and Pansy seemed to take the opportunity to continue. “When the Black money and name left with your father, our society mourned the loss. His leaving was a massive blow. But now you have returned, and you are talented and intelligent and oh so careful in everything you do. My father and his friends are endlessly curious about what you will do next. And most importantly, they want the Black Family back in society.” Rigel digested this, stunned by the sudden flow of words from Pansy’s mouth.
“You’re very perceptive.” She settled on at last. Pansy’s laugh seemed sharp.
“Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I can’t notice things.”
“I never thought it did.” This time, the smile Pansy gave was brilliant, and Rigel couldn’t stop herself from grinning back. Pansy took her arm and started walking her out of the room.
“While we go to my father’s office, let us discuss exactly what you will say to win funding from my father.”
“You know,” Pansy said conversationally as Rigel started to stop another carriage for her, “I know you’re there.” Rigel sheepishly lowered her hand.
“How did you guess?” Pansy smiled in reply.
“You always smell like you’ve been brewing. It’s rather strong you know.”
“Oh. Well…” Rigel floundered for words. “I hope you don’t mind?” Pansy laughed.
“How could I? You are sweet to do so. Though I think I’d rather walk with you where I need to go next. That is, if you have time?”
Rigel shouldn’t. Rigel was late. Rigel really, really could not blow her cover, and if Master Whitaker dropped her she’d be back to square one, undoing years of work from the Order.
She took Pansy’s arm.
“So, where are we going Miss Parkinson?” Pansy smiled softly.
“I thought we might pop around the corner to a tea spot I enjoy. We can talk about your habit of stopping carriages for me?” Smiling ruefully, Rigel walked Pansy to the shop.
Pansy sat next to Rigel at the library, reading next to her as they attempted to find any prior works which supported Rigel’s theory of shaped imbuing. Rigel found herself distracted by the way Pansy’s delicate fingers skimmed the page in front of her. The light coming from a nearby window turned her hair to gold. Pansy turned to her and smiled. “What?” Rigel shook her head.
“Nothing.”
“You are being ridiculous.”
“Of course Pansy. You always make me ridiculous.” A blush glowed across Pansy’s face, before she frowned slightly.
“Rigel, I have a rather serious matter I have been meaning to discuss with you. If you would not mind.” Rigel closed her book and waited. “It is the matter of marriage. What do you feel of it? You are young, handsome, talented. You could probably court anyone. And I find myself wondering more and more why you would spend so much time with me were you not intere--" Rigel placed a finger on Pansy’s lips.
“Pansy, I would not feel comfortable courting anyone who did not know certain things about me. Certain things I have worked hard to hide. And besides, Pansy, I cannot wed anyone who doesn’t know--” Pansy cut her off.
“Is this about your being a girl?” Rigel froze.
“What? What makes you think that I--”
“Rigel, I have told you. I am very perceptive.” Rigel couldn’t seem to speak. “I do not mind. And I will not tell anyone you do not wish to know.”
“Pansy, I--” Yet again Pansy cut her off.
“I do not need an answer from you now.” She smiled softly. “I just wanted you to think about the matter.” She returned to her book. “Now, I’ve found an interesting reference to how magic is formed in the core here…”
The Floo roared around her and she stepped through the fireplace into the Parkinson home. A house-elf greeted her at the door.
“Dipsy is being sent to see Mr. Black to Lord Parkinson.” Rigel nodded in reply, and followed Dipsy down the long, cavernous halls. At the door, she knocked twice, and entered at Lord Parkinson’s request.
Entering the room, Rigel was surprised to find Lord Parkinson standing in front of his desk.
“Good Evening Lord Parkinson. You wish to speak to me?” Lord Parkinson frowned.
“Yes. I will be frank Mr. Black. I do not think you are good enough for my daughter.” Rigel was taken aback.
“My Lord, I am not sure what--”
“Do not play coy with me. You have both been seen in eachother’s company, unchaperoned. Do you not see how your actions hurt my daughter’s reputation? You are a student, no master to your name, no significant position in society.”
“I thought we got along well prior to this Lord Parkinson.” Parkinson sighed, deep and heavy.
“Mr. Black. You are an intelligent young man. Your research has merit and we all hope for your success. But I cannot allow you to see my daughter any longer. Arranging a suitable match will be hard enough without you--” Rigel could stay silent no longer.
“But sir, I love her!” The silence was deafening. Lord Parkinson look murderous.
“You what?”
“I love her.” This time, Rigel spoke with even more surety. “I intend her no harm, and I would like to marry her.” Lord Parkinson seemed, if anything, even angrier.
“You cannot possibly think that I can approve such a thing, not when you have failed to ask for me permission to court her, not when you have injured her reputation--” Suddenly, a voice cut across Lord Parkinson’s.
“Daddy.” Rigel and Lord Parkinson both turned to stare at Pansy, who had snuck into the room at some point in their conversation. “You cannot forbid this. I will be marrying Rigel. I am more than capable of making that decision for myself.”
“I am your father--” Pansy cut him off once more.
“You would rather I marry someone who sees me as a burden, the way you do? Someone who refuses to acknowledge my personhood? Rigel sees me for who I am, he values my input. He is the first person who has truly made me feel seen. And if you will not allow me to marry him, then I will do so anyway, and you can plan on not seeing me any longer!” The silence in the room was heavy. Rigel’s heart beat so fast she was scared it might be audible to the others and not just her. Finally, Lord Parkinson sighed.
“If you are truly settled on this--”
“I am.” Pansy cut in quickly. She reached out for Rigel, and she went to Pansy willingly. Running her hand down Rigel’s face, Pansy smiled joyously. “I have never been more settled.”