The Bookstore

Livia had been promptly interrogated by Severus upon her return the night before and as such they had both had little sleep. They were both seated at the head table at Hogwarts for breakfast when the mail arrived that morning. Livia was chatting happily to Professor Flitwick and Severus was glaring into his coffee cup when two owls settled in front of Livia, one a beautiful Eurasian Eagle-Owl who held a large parcel and the other was an official Ministry owl with a letter. Livia cast detection charms on both, which had Severus nodding with approval at his sister's caution, before relieving the owls of their deliveries.

She opened the correspondence from the Ministry first and scanned the letter and said quietly to her brother, "The Wizengomot has requested my presence to explain how the wards at Prince Manor work", unsuprised by the contents of the letter she passed it to Severus to read.

Livia turned her attention to the unexpected parcel that had a letter atop it so, she  opened that first and read,

■

Dear Livia, 

Thank you for accompaning me to dinner yesterday evening, It is an event that I would be happy to repeat many times in the future with you. 

I thought you might appreciate having this book at your disposal once again, please accept it as a token of my esteem.

Yours Sincerely 

Lord Thomas Slytherin

■

Eyebrows raised in surprise as she opened the package carefully and was greeted by Andreassen's Magico-Numerical Theory of Runes, she smiled and re-read the letter again.

Severus took the note from her as she opened the book to see if it was indeed Thomas' or if it was a different copy. She found a pressed Fern & Clematis on the inside page that appeared to have had a preservation charm on them. She hadn't considered that he would be the sort to leave things laying around in books but assumes the plants must have been left in there by him by accident and thought no more on it.

Severus asked "Is that to help you with your ward work?" eyeing the book curiously.

"I presume so. This was the book I was reading when I first met him and he purchased it before I could finish it. He did offered to let me read it at some point so perhaps he is loaning it out to me now" she said with a shrug, wondering if he was gifting or loaning the expensive book to her.

Before Severus could ask her any further questions Dumbledore called down the table.

"Livia my dear girl, I couldn't help but notice that you recieved a ministry owl this morning. I know what it is about so no need to fret", he said in a kindly, yet annoying, way, "I would like to have a quick chat with you about it before you respond, after breakfast will do, if you wouldn't mind my dear". 

She gave a nod of her head in his direction, cursing the man internally. She had gathered that he was the main instigator in trying to have the wards at Prince Manor made illegal therefore was under no illusion's as to the aim of this 'chat'.

Serverus glanced at her and asked, "Do you wish for me to accompany you?"

She shook her head and smiled at him gratefully as she watched Dumbledore leave the room. Livia dinished her breakfast before letting Bathesba know she would be late to assist in her class and would be there as soon as possible then she made her way to the gargoyle that led to the Headmasters office.

"Come on in Livia, my girl", called Dumbledore when she knocked on his office door.

She entered and took a seat that he waved her to and began politely,

"Headmaster, what can I do for you this morning?"

"Do for me? Oh nothing my dear girl. It is how I may be of help to you that I wished to discuss", he said in his cheerful and kindly way.

She simply raised her eyebrow at this in a softer, yet still intimidating, heavily reminiscent of her brother and waited.

"I'm unsure if you are aware of the circumstances that have led to the Wizengomot requesting your presence at the next meeting", here he paused for a moment and when he recieved no response he continued. "The wards that I have heard you implemented at Prince Manor are quite dangerous from what we have been given to understand and the Wizengomot have questions that they wish to ask of you regarding them", he paused again.

"I am happy to provide the information that the Wizengamot requires", Livia answered evenly.

Albus looked at her with a small sad smile, "I'm sure you would my dear girl, but I feel that I must caution you against taking such a step. You are young and have no political training, as such I worry that you will do yourself a grave disservice should you attend the meeting. There are many there who would try to twist your words and meanings, it is my belief that not only would you be putting yourself under undue pressure to attend but that many there will not take you seriously, being so young and without your Masters as you are. In fact it is highly likely that attending the wizengamot session could well do damage to your reputation and future career prospects. If you should like I could make your excuses to the Wizengomot,  providing of course the wards are dismantledat Prince Manor", he finished solemnly.

Livia couldn't believe to gall of the man and was very glad that he didn't yet know that she had already recieved her final accreditations for her Runes Mastery and, as of two days ago, her RItuals Mastery. She was only awaiting confirmation of her Wards Mastery which was being examined at present, but Master Vega had informed her that it was a mere formality at this point and that It was just a case of processing the paperwork with the relevant authorities.

"Is that all Headmaster? I promised Bathsheba I would be along to assist as soon as I could", she asked without answering his question.

"Please think very carefully before you agree to meeting with the Wizengomot, that is all I can ask. I would dearly hate to see what could be a promising career, stopped before it even has a chance to truly begin", he said,  faux care and concern radiating from him.

"Thank you for your time Headmaster", she said before leaving swiftly, feeling truly angry at the interfering man. She headed first to the Runes classroom and decided that she would tell Severus about it when she saw him that evening.

Severus had already sent word to the Dark Lord, through Lucius, earlier that week regarding Albus' attempt at influencing Livia into not attending the Wizengamot, 'Not that it worked out for him that way, by all accounts rogue Dementors wouldn't keep her from attending now', Lord Slytherin thought gleefully to himself. 

Thinking of Livia, he thought again about the response she had sent to his courting gift. He had been somewhat eager when he saw her reply so swiftly after he had sent his request, but had been disappointed and suprised to only recieve a thank you for the book he had sent and a further thank you for dinner. 

The Dark Lord flooed to Malfoy Manor that evening and was making his way directly to the study where he and his advisors, friends, would be meeting. 

As he walked through the Malfoy home he passed the sitting room where he overheard Livia speaking, "Don't be silly Cissa, of course I've not entered into a courtship with Thomas, what a ridiculous notion!"

He continued on with barely a falter in his step, anger welling up inside him, he couldn't believe she had dismissed his request in so  unceremonious a manner and hadn't even had the decency to inform him first of her refusal as was custom.

When the gentleman waiting for him saw that he was quite obviously angry, the three elder in particular, felt sure that he had recieved news that was less than desirable.

The meeting was much shorter than Slytherin had intended for it to be, but he was still reeling from the fact Livia, 'no' he thought savagely 'Ms Snape', had dismissed his suite in such a way, clearly he had held her in a far higher regard than she deserved. 

The others talked quietly over plans for the Wizengamot and watched as the Dark Lord brooded over whatever was bothering him before calling the meeting to a premature end.

"Lucius, If Ms Snape is still here where will she be found" he ordered curtly.

"She is in the library My Lord" Lucius knew better than to disobey his Lord and shared a worried look with Severus, neither were sure what had put him Into such a foul mood but both fervently hoped that Livia wasn't the cause. As soon as the Dark Lord was gone from sight Severus left the room and called Aster one of the Prince Manor elves and requested that he keep a surreptitious eye on the pair, but not to interfere unless Livias' safety was at risk.

Lord Slytherin entered the Library and found Livia sitting at the large table in the middle of the room pouring over several manuscripts.

"Good day to you Ms Prince-Snape" he greeted with a stiff formality that had not been present even upon their first aquaintance.

"Lord Slytherin", she replied, with some confusion at his not using her given name as he normally would, but she gave a slight nod and warm smile anyway.

"I was hoping I might have the opportunity to speak with you privately", he said grimly.

"Of course, you need not be so formal if you wish to speak with me Thomas, you aren't usually so" she answered, more than a little surprised at how seriously he was addressing her.

Lord Slytherin upon confirming they were alone cast a charm to prevent potential eavesdroppers, he turned to her abruptly and with a cool voice stated, "I had thought better of you Ms Snape. That you would break protocol and inform someone else of your intention not to allow me to court you before you informed myself is something I would not have believed you would do".

She looked confused for a moment and then wher eyes alighting with apparent understanding laughed lightly, "Ah! I take it you overheard me speaking to Cissa not long ago, I was worried for a moment that I had truly upset you in some way. You looked so serious!". When he continued to look angrily at her, her laughter died and she examined him more closely, trying in vain to understand what was happening. 

"I do not see that this is an appropriate subject for levity. I sent you a declaration of my Intent to court you at the beginning of the week and you have not had the decency to send a formal response. I would have prefered to have to have been informed personally of your answer rather than being left to overhear you making a mockery of it", Thomas spat his response, which had begun in cool almost frigid tones but was all but snarled by the end.

She stood there facing him, unable to see through his now blank mask but able to discern, through the cold and haughty voice he had been using with her, his anger and confusion.

"Was it a formal request? As I can assure you that I have recieved no such letter from you", she asked looking utterly perplexed at the whole situation, her mind whirring. He had sent her a declaration? Amongst the confusion she was feeling at the situation there was a ray of warmth building in her, could Thomas actually wanted to court her, she wondered, before trampling down that warmth.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, he felt angry with the girl, women and men were lining up in the hopes of a hint of a courtship offer from him and here she was all but claiming that he hadn't requested one with her. "I sent the customary gift to start a courtship and letter, you clearly recieved the gift as you sent a note of thanks for it", he watched as confusion and disbelief waged war with embarrassment across her lovely face.

"Are you referring to the book you sent me?", she asked carefully, desperately trying to understand how such a situation had come to arise, perhaps the letter had been sent separately?

"Yes, It was Andreassen's Magico-Numerical Theory of Runes and it had a pressed Fern & Clematis on the inside page" he answered promptly, all the time watching her like a cat would a mouse.

"Would you excuse me just a moment, I need to retrieve something". She hastened down the corridor to the study where she called Birch to bring her any post recieved from Thomas and the book in question. Once she had the letters from Thomas in her hands, she re read the missives as she made her way back to the library.

"There was nothing in your letters about courting" she said, still confused, could the letter have failed to make it to her? It seemed unlikely. "I had thought from the letter i recieved that you were possibly loaning the book to me?", she said flushing bright red.
She held the letter out for him to confirm that it was the one sent with the book.

He glanced at the letter and nodded curtly in confirmation that that was indeed the letter and gift he had sent.

She was flabbergasted, he wanted to court her. It made no sense, she wasn't politician wife material, she had refused to allow herself to even consider him a possibility, Severus had made it clear that it would be a foolish dream of such before she had even begun to really regard him as anything other than an interesting conversationalist.

"I sincerly apologise however, I didn't realise that you were asking a question when I received the book and letter", she offered quietly, not daring to look him in the eye any longer than it took for her to convey the truthfulness of her apology.

"The book contained a pressed Fern for Magic, Fascination and Secret bonds of Love and a Clematis for Mental beauty! Are you really going to pretend that you didn't understand the offer I sent you!", he had raised his voice in incredulity.

"I'm not pretending", she answered sadly, realising that he was unlikely to forgive her oversight, intentionally done or no. 

"... and she just stood there looking at me as if I had gone mad!" Thomas had been pacing in front of his three old friends explaining, in an increasingly loud voice, what had occured following their meeting.

Abraxas, metaphorically, stepped into the breach. "If I understand correctly then she never recieved your official request for a courtship and that is why she hadn't responded? Well at least it should be fairly straight forward now that you have asked her for a courtship, I assume she has now agreed?"

The Dark Lord looked a little perturbed at this statement, he hadn't 'asked' directly for a courtship during their disagreement, it had been more implied.

Lord Nott looked aghast at his friend "You didn't ask did you?"

"I clarified my stance that that had been my intention, I followed all of the prescribed steps for a courtship. Surely that is confirmation enough of my intentions?" He said feeling unaccountably defensive of his actions.

"My friend, the first step of any courtship is to send a gift and letter. You did this correct?" Asked Lestrange cautiously 

"Yes", the Dark Lord answered emphatically.

"In the letter did you specifically mention the word courtship?" Rambert further probed.

"Not the exact word, but with the gift and letter combined it was very clear", he was starting to suspect that his friends were going to disagree with this statement and continued on quickly, "It never said anything in the books that the word 'courtship' had to be used specifically. It just said send gift and letter that clearly showed your intention to enter into a courtship and I did that without a doubt", he defended.

"How did you leave the situation?" Rambert asked, knowing a lost cause when he heard one.

"I informed her that it was abundantly clear to me that any further conversation with her would be waste of time and that if she couldn't recognise an obvious courtship request that perhaps I had credited her with more intelligence than she possessed", he said, voice defiant but his demeanor was uncomfortable.

Two of the three men groaned, "It is probably wise that you have decided against pursuing  her if that is the case, she wouldn't be likely to accept now after the insults anyway. Who did you have in mind instead?", nodded Abraxas understandingly.

"What insults?" Thomas asked wondering how Abraxas had made such a leap, "Granted mocking her intelligence could be considered a trifle insulting, but that was when I was angry and she was being unreasonablely obtuse".

"I would say that calling into question the intelligence of someone who prides themselves on it would be highly insulting,  not to mention you told her she lacked proper decorum or honour by accusing her of refusing you via a third party", Abraxas answered in the blunt way that belongs only to someone completely oblivious to the undercurrent of the emotions expressed by another.

The Dark Lord rubbed his eyes, how could this have gone so spectacularly wrong. He couldn't believe that his efforts had gone unnoticed, it was the first time he had every had to make an effort to gain someones attention. He was rich, titled, intelligent, powerful and handsome, what was wrong with the woman! Most would have already been planning the wedding by this point. He couldn't believe he was even thinking this but, couldn't she get her nose out of a book and look at what was obviously in front of her! How could someone so smart be so infuriatingly oblivious, he had been fairly blatant in the attention he had showed her, even if it had been unintentionally done at the time. He had followed the instructions in the damn book, Hecate be damned! Clearly she was at fault here not him.

While he had been pacing and fuming his friends had sat quietly watching him, two giving each other knowing looks the third wondering if he would have time next month to visit China, he had recently recieved word from an old aquaintance that had made a break through with the breeding of his muster of peacocks and had managed to incorporate silver flecks into their plumage.

"How do I fix this" he asked abruptly and sat down.

Meanwhile Severus was ushering an almost catatonic Livia through the floo to go home.

"Are you ok Livia?" asked Severus as soon as they stepped into his rooms at Hogwarts. She was still holding the pile of letters and book as she exited the floo and moved to sit down, staring into space with a confused look.

"Livy?" he asked softly again, worry creeping in at her unusually sober demeanor.

He sat next to her and called a house elf for tea and pulled a calming draught from his pocket and encouraged her to drink it.

Narcissa and Lucius arrived a few minutes later, after they had settled Draco to bed, just as she started explaining what had occurred.

Twenty minutes later Livia was finishing her tale, which had started in a state of melancholy confusion but was slowly building to an indignant rage. "...and then that self righteous, arrogant, stuck up prig had the audacity to call me, ME! unintelligent. He is the one who is so emotionally constipated that he can't even request a courtship in plain terms and in a way easily understood by the reciever", she finished breathing hard and angry.

Her audience sat in various states of shock, Lucius and Severus because she had recieved a courtship request from the Dark Lord himself and Narcissa because the Dark Lord was a foolish man who clearly had no clue how to begin wooing a woman that was worthy of him.