tenacious tea times
1963.
In the Rhones Alps countryside there sat a small home looking to all the world the standard type of home for a standard, but admittedly small family in the French countryside. However, if you looked a little closer, stared a second longer than most, the illusion would fade and the small cottage that appeared would change to an elaborate white Victorian home. With marvellous gardens with all sorts of strange and peculiar things, and even the constant swooping of owls in and out the kitchen window, were just some of the hidden peculiarities to be seen behind those enchanted wards. For you see, the home was not simple and normal like many passerby's believed, —where a single mother raised her small daughter in seclusion—, but a magical home of two witches instead.
The two who dwelled in the home, appeared as normal beings despite the magical cores housed within them. They both had porcelain fair skin, and inky hair that fell in varying states. The toddler having a nest of ringlets, that gleamed almost brown in the sunlight, while the mother had straight hair that was usually held back by a fancy, butterfly shaped, crystal clip. It was apparent to any at first glance that they were obviously mother and daughter, holding the same straight but button like nose, and the smattering of freckles that were so light you could blink and miss them across their cheeks. But what truly sold their relation to one another was their mirror-like eyes.
The Noble House of Black was known for their silver eyes, though few could claim to have seen the varying shades that had been passed along. Both the mother and daughter in the French countryside were gifted the common Black family trait though both to varying degrees. The mother held eyes that were hazy and light, like that of a foggy morning that appeared almost white, excluding the dark ring around the centre to her pupil. Her daughter was gifted a much dark set of grey irises. Almost storm-like, holding a mirage of darks and lights that flickered with her every mood. There was a faint tinge of blue towards the centre, reminiscent to her newborn days that refused to leave, but her mother was thankful for some of the blue to remain. Her late father had the most gorgeous of blue eyes.
As it was the two that lived inside such a home were both awake that early August morning, with the elder witch busily reading through her many letters from the owl orders. While she read her toddler daughter sat in a magical high-chair and was slowly picking away at her helping of fruits for breakfast. They started most of their mornings like this, both taking on the pseudonym of early birds rather than night owls. They would dress themselves for the day, often in warm robes of many layers, in shades of green or blue, before then journeying down the stairs to eat the meal prepared by their house elf, Mipsy. It had been two and a half years since Adeline was brought into the world by her mother Cassiopeia and neither mother nor daughter would change a thing since.
They lived a quiet and happy life together, hidden from the magical world and by extension their other more opinionated family members. Cassiopeia had been subjected to many howlers and threatening letters for her shaming of their House. As a Black heiress Adeline was expected to be christened by their Head of House and given the same tutors as all the other sons and daughters of House Black. By refusing this she had shamed her family and got into far too many arguments over the floo for it. None of the Black's had even seen her beautiful and spitfire of a daughter and that was just the way she would like to keep it. Cassiopeia wanted her daughter to live a happy life without the pressures of the family name, to receive the childhood that she herself had often longed for.
Though as Magic would have it, their short lived paradise in solitude had come to it's end, when the sound of the floo began ringing loudly at the coming visit of her sister and sister-in-law for an unfortunate scheduling of morning tea and biscuits.
Knowing better than to keep her sister, sister-in-law and their children waiting for passage longer than necessary, Cassiopeia suffered a great sigh and signalled for Mipsy to let them through and bring them towards the parlour. The house elf did so joyously, as unlike her Mistress's she was anxious to serve company. With the house elf busy, Cassiopeia cleaned up her daughter with a simple flick of her hawthorn wand and then carefully pulled the small child from her chair and lead her towards the parlour that was already set up for the meet-up. They had only been sat in the plush velvet chairs for a moment at best when Cassiopeia heard the tell-tale sounds of Druella Black's heels along her wooden floors.
Cassiopeia watched through the corner of her eyes as her toddler daughter fiddled with the hem of her robes. She was wearing her most adorable set of a brilliant jade colour, embroidered with silver stitches of butterflies and birds around the sleeves. Cassiopeia usually let her select her own outfits for the day but seeing as they were to entertain her most critical of family members on decorum she had thought it best to dress them both well and proper for tea.
That however didn't mean that Adeline approved of such a choice. Cassiopeia's daughter had nearly wailed the house down in her temper tantrum to wear her less than acceptable, baby blue robes. They were stained from days spent in the garden and even singed from the one time she had incidentally grabbed hold of her mother's wand.
Cassiopeia had been seconds from reprimanding her daughter to sit still, as a lady should never fidget even if she is still small—but soon missed her chance. With her sister-in-law sweeping through her hallways, with three young girls following behind her shortly. Druella Black, nèe Rosier, looked to have not aged a day since Cassiopeia had last saw her seven years ago. Still holding the pinched lips from her youth that was a curious cross between boredom and disdain, and her chestnut brown hair held it a neat chignon at the nape of her neck.
"Cassiopeia, darling," The brunette haired witch greeted with a fleeting grin and eyes that quickly scrutinized her up and down. It took every bit of her etiquette lessons from her younger years to keep from scornfully speaking her opinion to her sister-in-law's scalpel-like measurements. It was reminiscent to how the girls in Slytherin would ostracize one another in the hopes of raising higher in the hierarchy. "—it has been far too long."
"Druella, it is most lovely to see you," Cassiopeia greeted in like with a quick up and down look at the witch before complimenting her outright. Mostly in the hopes of keeping the morning of tea pleasant and light in topics though she knew it futile. "You're looking marvellous in your robes, Devoni is it not?"
It seemed to be the right choice of phrase as the dark haired witch grinned brightly at her sister-in-law for noticing her apparel. Though her pleasantries didn't last long as she sat down in the offered armchair, her three daughters scrambled to their own offered love-seat of an unique clothed pattern of greens and silvers. Narcissa, the youngest and single blonde of the sister's holding tightly to the eldest daughter, Andromeda's, hand like a lifeline. Cassiopeia watched the interaction through her peripheral with curiosity as Bellatrix, the middle child, all but glared around the room in a fit of both boredom and superiority.
"His latest line in fact. Your brother Cygnus gifted the set on our last anniversary dinner." Druella paused for a moment as she smoothed out her robes and added snidely, "It was unfortunate you missed out."
Cassiopeia pursed her lips, as she added pointedly with no further comment. "Something came up last minute."
"Ah yes..," Druella mentioned with an arched brow and quizzical grin forming on her lips. "—your Potions Practice correct?"
"Indeed," Cassiopeia carefully answered before gesturing politely towards the simmering tea and the offered refreshments. "Tea?"
"Two sugar, splash of a cream," Druella replied in kind, as she glanced to her three daughters to make sure they were sitting respectfully upon the furniture. It was with that sharp glare that had two of the three quickly straightening their posture. Narcissa, far too young to know the implications of such a glance was nudged by Andromeda into a proper upright position. Cassiopeia watched in curiosity as her sister-in-law smirked at the change in positions and show of proper etiquette from her daughter's before continuing on.
"Well, it's marvellous to have you with your head firmly back on your shoulders and no longer stuck in the clouds." Cassiopeia had to school her features into a polite smile at the cutting remark. Though it didn't matter long, as Druella quickly flitted from the topic to the one she was most interested in and was most likely the cause to visiting her in France.
"Now," Druella said with a small smile, as Cassiopeia carefully handed the tea made to her sister-in-law's preference, with a steady hold. She eyed the woman carefully while Druella took a polite sip from the ancestral china. "—this must be the young lady I've heard so little about."
"Yes," Cassiopeia slowly replied as she readied her own cup while speaking simply. "This is my daughter, Adeline."
Druella seemed to hardly take interest in her sister-in-law following such a phrase. Instead, her beady blue eyes locked onto the child who was no more than three years old. The dark haired witch smiled sharply, all eye-teeth and thin lips as they stretched in an unfamiliar manner of greeting. Druella wished she could hate the child, that her sister had not given the Black family a suitable heiress— with her cloudy grey irises, dark curling hair and porcelain-like skin.
She looked the very image of a Black woman, unlike her own daughters who were a mixed match of her genetics and Cygnus'. Druella Black could only hope that the child turned out to be spoiled in some other manner— perhaps a squib or an eventual blood traitor— something more tainted than her children's unfortunate lapse in proper appearances. That way her daughter's could achieve the full means of becoming a Black woman.
Though despite her dark and twisted thoughts and foolhardy wishes for such darkness, Druella pleasantly greeted the young child with that needle-like grin. "It's a pleasure to meet you, my dear."
Adeline, despite feeling on edge for most of the tea time spent with the woman and her three daughters, nodded politely and gave Druella a wide grin. A grin that gave her left cheek a small dimple, before slurping quietly from her sippy cup of orange juice. Druella didn't bat an eye at the proper encounter, even though her chest tightened at the show of manners from such a young child, before plowing onward in her introductions.
"Well, you already know my three daughters, though I think you last saw them before your travels." Druella frowned slightly in a mockery of unknowing. Both witches in the sitting room knew that the darker haired witch was attempting to goad the other into a debate or icy exchange of words—anything to shake the powers of control between them. It was the Slytherin and more importantly the Black way. "Narcissa couldn't have been more than a year old."
"No, I think not," Cassiopeia replied in like, outright refusing to rise to the woman's words by her lack of response. Instead, she flipped the script into a more neutral territory once again, using the other witches vanity to coax her unknowingly back into place. "They have grown into their mother's beauty, I see. They're all stunning in their own right."
The eldest, Andromeda, a young witch with chestnut coloured hair blushed at her praises alongside the far younger and pale haired Narcissa. Bellatrix, the unruly middle child however, didn't bat so much as an eye at the compliment from their paternal Aunt. The three daughter's of Druella, due to being raised with proper etiquette befitting of a high born lady's, quickly stated their thanks and returned the niceties. Cassiopeia grinned at each of them in turn, when Bellatrix finally addressed the room—having become bored with the adult's conversations and flitting topics.
"Mother," the darkest haired middle child addressed with a prideful tone. Cassiopeia couldn't help but watch in interest as Bellatrix spoke plainly to the room with her dark lashed eyes that never seemed to settle on anything in particular. She was quite a curious little thing despite only being nine years old. "—must we sit and gossip all afternoon?"
Druella's brows furrowed for a second as she pinched her lips pointedly at her daughter's words. Cassiopeia could see the scolding brewing in her sister-in-laws mind at that instant. "Bellatrix..."
Before anything more could be said, Cassiopeia quickly defused the building tension in the room and waved the dark haired witch off.
"It's quite alright Druella." Here she spoke directly to the middle child of her sister-in-law, having expected that the girl's would soon become bored with just tea and biscuits in the parlour. "In the living room Mipsy has set up some activities to keep you all entertained, while us old ladies chat. I'm sure there's something there to keep you busy."
Bellatrix visibly brightened at her paternal aunt's words and nearly went to stand up from the sofa, though she was swiftly stopped by Andromeda nudging her in the side with the point of her elbow. Cassiopeia purposely ignored the action despite the nostalgia that waved through her in that instant. Walburga and Alphard had done this often enough with her when she was a young child. She never had been very patient.
"May we be excused, mother?" Andromeda asked with a small grin and bright grey eyes. Druella stared at her eldest for a moment of silence as she debated the pros and cons of the request, before begrudgingly allowing it.
"Well alright," Druella huffed at last. All three girls instantly went to get to their feet at the dismissal. Adeline however didn't move a muscle from her place next to her mother, while Druella went to continue. "But that house elf will let me know the instant you cease to be anything less of a lady, Bellatrix."
Said daughter quickly nodded her understanding, while Druella then turned to her eldest to drive her message home to all of her children. "Andromeda, I expect you to keep them all in perfect poise."
"Yes, mother."
Druella nodded her consent, and soon they were escorted out of the room by Cassiopeia's house elf Mipsy. Adeline had stayed rooted in her chair for a moment or so until Narcissa— being far braver and interested in the youngest of the children there— offered her hand to help her down. It was only when the two had laced their fingers together did Adeline's anxieties of her not-so distant cousin's dissipate and she quickly took charge to show them to the sitting room. She babbled in half coherent words to Narcissa about all the puzzles and games she had helped Mipsy set up the night before.
Cassiopeia watched in both pride and unease as her youngest and only child latched on to the blonde haired girl so quickly—perhaps she should have tried harder to socialize her daughter. Though she quickly shut down such thoughts, knowing that the seclusion she had stuck them into was for a good and proper reason, one that Adeline would likely thank her for later in life. When she could understand the pressures of society and everything that came attached to their last name.
After watching the four girl's and the house elf, Mipsy, leave the parlour, the two witches sipped slowly at their tea. Once about a quarter of her cup was gone, Cassiopeia asked Druella out of both burning curiosity and politeness.
"Did Walburga decide not join you on your visit?"
"She'll be over shortly," Druella dismissed with a small wave of her right hand as she set her teacup down on its matching familia crested saucer. "I'm sure she's just primping her curls or having to deal with her demonic first born before flooing in."
Cassiopeia tutted her sister-in-law's poor choice of words in regards to their nephew, though didn't truly disagree with her assessment. From the few letters she had received about his behaviour he did sound quite unruly to say the least.
"Did you hear about his accidental magic?" Druella gossiped loudly with her brows nearly disappearing into her hairline as she blabbered on. Cassiopeia said nothing to her questions and queries—as most of them were rhetorical—, and instead just nodded along in silence as she listened.
"...and at his age!" Druella paused in dramatic effect, before plowing onward without a breath. "Mordred and Morgana, if Andromeda had been anything like him I would have gone half-mad! It's hard enough with her starting her second year at Hogwarts this year."
Cassiopeia simply hummed and ahh-ed at her sister-in-law's gossiping, not overly paying attention at all when the sudden clacking of heels perked her attention, and she swivelled in her seat to the doorway. There she was met with the unfeeling smile of her older sister Walburga, whom looked as terrifying as always with her haunted looks.
"Gossiping without me already," Walburga innocently inquired with a tsk, as she walked purposely into the parlour to sit down in her dark coloured robes of navy. Druella barely concealed her shock at her sudden arrival into the room. "—and I thought we were sisters."
"Walburga," Cassiopeia greeted swiftly, forcing a pleasant smile across her lips as she offered the armchair next to her. The very one that her daughter had previously been seated in. "...It's wonderful to see you again."
Her sister stuck her nose up at such a comment, a cruel look dancing across her face as she did, pulling her red stained lips tight and making her dark eyes seem like shards of obsidian in the lighting. Sharp and deadly, much like the woman they were housed in. Cassiopeia would be lying in saying that she missed her sister, as truly Walburga scared her far more than she loved her, but that was the way she was—even in their youth as young girls. Walburga was terrifying, with her perfectly waved black hair, pointed looks and dark eyes, while Cassiopeaia had been naive and lost with clouded irises of grey, soft lips and wild imaginings of things she could achieve.
"Not that you try too hard to see us," Walburga nastily replied, not that Cassiopeia had expected any less from her. She had always been the first of the women at tea to start cutting others down for pure, and admittedly cheap, entertainment.
"Walburga...," Druella attempted to chastise. Though was quickly spoken over with a flip of the other witches hair over her shoulder.
"Some sister you are, honestly." She snipped disdainfully overtop of Druella, before meeting Cassiopeia's eyes with her own. Cold and unforgiving as always she pointlessly added in the hopes to start a more thrilling topic. One that Cassiopeia couldn't help but doubt was at all genuine in it's delivery. "I left Sirius with the girls in the living room, hopefully he doesn't break anything valuable of yours."
Not rising to the bait, Cassiopeia patiently replied, as she waved her sister's words off with a naive wave of her hand. "He's just a boy, Walburga. I doubt he can cause that much of an issue."
Cassiopeia watched in thinly concealed pride as her sister's lips tightened ever so slightly around the corners. No one knew her sister's game of words better than Cassiopeia, having grown up with her and learned most of her tricks from the woman. Her sister revelled in challenges and Cassiopeia was an obvious one, a case yet to be cracked as some Muggle officers would say. Whenever they met it was a battle of wits and topics unspoken, it was a game that was never ending and always changing—like a revolving chessboard on who could outsmart the other first and leave them trapped in the farthest corner. It was both mentally thrilling and exhausting all in one.
"He's a menace," Walburga sighed, almost playing up the roll for exhausted mother yet both Druella and Cassiopeia knew it to be a farce. Both Orion and Walburga hardly had a hand at all in raising either children, including the one hidden in a bundle of blankets at her chest. Cassiopeia was slightly surprised at herself for not noticing the quietly resting babe at first glance, then again it was likely the exact way Walburga had wanted it to be.
"Merlin knows I love the child despite his temper and mischief, but soemdays I wonder where we went wrong," She huffed at last, as she readjusted the small bundle in her arms to a more suitable position. Druella purposely busied herself with making the other witches tea.
"You should be proud. Magic at his age is a blessing." Cassiopeia couldn't help but defend the nephew she had yet to meet. She knew Walburga was harsh in her judgments and hopes to whatever deity listening that some patience would find itself inside the woman to go easy on such a rambunctious child.
Cassiopeia added on momentarily, in the hopes to delay any misgivings he ought to receive from her later in life, with a soundly veiled compliment. "He will be a very powerful young wizard."
Druella, finished with making her sister-in-law's tea, offered it to the woman. Taking it as a silent nudge to take a sip from her own, Cassiopeia delicately swallowed a mouthful, as Walburga continued to prattle onwards about her eldest child and his unfortunate temperament.
"You haven't seen power until you try to bathe such an child," She laughed nearly unbecoming to her stature into her tea at her sister's words as she added off handedly, as if it were nothing out of the norm to add onto such a complaint. "Thank Morgana for Kreacher or I would have drowned the boy shortly after his birth for kicking up such a fuss."
Druella spluttered into her tea, nearly choking at the now lukewarm liquid. whilst Cassiopeia couldn't help but scold her sister.
"Walburga!"
Walburga didn't bat so much as an eye at either of them as she waved them off with her one free hand. She let her tea sit untouched on the coffee table, as she plainly added in a neutral tone, one that neither of the witches found comforting in the slightest after such a comment.
"Jests my sweet siblings. Merely in poor taste, but enough of me—," Walburga easily manoeuvred the topic away from herself. Cassiopeia was almost proud of how easy in came to her to change the tides of conversation, until her said sister decided to drop it onto her. "How is the so-called gift of motherhood treating our wild sister?"
"I'm hardly wild," Cassiopeia couldn't help but snidely remark. She had despised the title when she was younger and she still did to this day. It was not wild to want a life of travel and excitement, one without responsibilities and husbands and marriages to weigh her down.
She had never been cut from the same cloth as her perfect pureblood sister—neither had their brother Alphard. Who had always been know as the wayward Black brother, while Cygnus had adopted the title of the perfect pureblood brother. Both Alphard and Cassiopeia had been outcasted as the black sheep of the family for their less traditional views of how to live and prosper as a Black long before they turned of age. With both of them refusing marriage and the responsibilities that came with being a Lord or Lady. Their mother and father had been distraught to say the least.
"Oh please," Druella huffed like a laugh, as she added in what could have been labeled as joy —if her tone hadn't been so wrought with disdain at the prospect. "You did everything you could to stay out of marriage, and even went as far as to flee the country from betrothals!"
"The way Orion acts some evenings I wonder if you had the right idea," Walburga added with a sly grin and a wink. An action that had Cassiopeia floundering in their game of wits for a moment before begrudgingly speaking with tilted lips.
"Marriage suits you sister, and you love our cousin."
Cassiopeia purposely had to swallow down the bile building in her throat from the phrase. She had never understood how her family was so desensitized to the way they inbred so consistently. It never failed to leave a bad taste on her tongue and her stomach in knots. It had been one of the many reasons she had refused all the betrothals sent her way, she would not marry one of her many cousins. She would not spout a perfect pureblood heir with someone already written upon the ancestral Black tapestry.
"Well of course I love him," Walburga snippedly replied with a roll of her black eyes. "I wouldn't suffer through the rollercoaster of hormones, swollen feet and backaches twice if I didn't."
"Now," Walburga paused with a shark-like grin on the hunt for blood towards Cassiopeia. "—back to what I originally asked you."
"Admittedly, this isn't the life I planned for myself but it's...nice." Cassiopeia sipped at her tea in pause as she carefully considered her next words over before adding them. "I am very content with my daughter."
Walburga hummed at her words, carefully taking her first sip from the tea that Druella made for her, before coyly playing with her words yet again to rile up the other witches in the vicinity.
"She's quite stunning I must say. A true Black in looks, unlike your youngest, Druella."
Druella seemed to agree with the back-handed comment towards her youngest daughter as she waved Walburga off with a short laugh. Cassiopeia thought the display unsettling but didn't question in outright and instead just raised a brow in curiosity as Druella stated plainly. "Honestly, if I weren't present for the conception and birth I would think she was the receptionist's daughter at Cygnus' office."
"Her hair, though lovely and fair, is quite the pick along with the Rosier and Black genes combined," Cassiopeia mindlessly commented as she set her empty tea cup down on the table.
"What of your daughter's father? Is he out of the picture?" Druella asked pointedly, as she pretended to be indifferent to the topic surrounding such words but Cassiopeia knew better. Slowly but surely the two women were getting to the topic they most wanted to know more about—her daughter's status and standing in the Wizarding World.
"Yes, unfortunately." Cassiopeia replied stiffly, willing the emotion as best she could from her tone to not appear weak in the two witches presence. It was unbefitting for a woman of her status to show such emotion. "He died in a tragic accident shortly before Adeline was born."
"Really..." Walburga asked, clearly intrigued by the vagueness of her sister's words. She added cruelly, lacking any sympathy towards the situation shortly after. "Of what sort? Slipping on the stairs, a love potion gone wrong, perhaps?"
Cassiopeia bristled at the woman's cold words as she spat out with far more poison lacing her tongue than entirely appropriate for such a conversation. "A spell, if you must know. He liked to tinker with his own creations and see how far spell lore could get him."
"Fool hardly man," Walburga tsks, pointedly ignoring her sister's outburst as she continued on plainly, as if nothing she was saying were untrue in the slightest. As if each word she uttered wasn't like a blade to Cassiopeia's already bruised and battered heart. She may not have loved the father of her child, but he did give her the most precious of gifts—a daughter she never knew she had desired.
"Adeline is likely better off without his influence then if you ask me." She hummed simply, as she brushed a lock of downy black hair from her youngest son's forehead and asked secondly. "What of his blood?"
Cassiopeia stared whilst utterly gobsmacked at her sister's blunt words.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me Cassiopeia," Walburga replied clippedly with an obvious roll of her eyes as she chastised her younger sister. It was spoken in the same tone their mother had used during banquets and charity functions when any of her children had stated to act out. "Don't make me repeat myself. It's unbecoming."
"Pureblood," Cassiopeia spat out after a moment or so, disgust and hate covering the word like slimy oil as she quipped, "—if it's really such an issue."
"Don't get cross, dear sister." Walburga smoothed over with a knowing look. Cassiopeia hated the look as it was one that made her seem small and childish even after all these years of being on her own. Of crafting herself into a new person and ridding herself of her family's ridiculous notions on how a lady should be. "I just needed to know whether she was in the running for Lady Black. Seeing as Sirius will be Lord someday."
Cassiopeia felt her heart race and her stomach plummet as an incredulous thought filled her mind. A stupid thought, that likely would have made perfect and complete utter sense in her idiotic and pureblood mania-filled sister's mind.
"You're not proposing a betrothal already," She worked hard not shout at her sister in disbelief, "They're barely three!"
"Of course not, don't be daft," Walburga snickered behind her hand, as she cast a smug look to Druella in mild humour. As if she couldn't believe how easily Cassiopeia had jumped to such conclusions—if anything it made the younger witch even more uneasy that the two so easily riled her up. "I'm merely scouring the opposition as you would say. Besides, we all know Andromeda wants nothing with the title, and with Regulus a year younger than Sirius one can never be too careful."
Walburga's explanation did little to ease her worries, and in that very moment Cassiopeia remembered exactly why she had never offered to have her sister's over for tea times. They always managed to make her fret and worry about things not at all close to coming to pass. Her little girl did not need to be dropped into such ridiculous politics so early in life—not if she had any say in it.
"Family Politics is like chess, sweet sister," Walburga added, as she let her eyes bore into Cassiopeia's paled features and anxiety ridden expression. One that she couldn't seem to mask entirely no matter how hard she tried. "One must always know their opponents and the tools at their disposal."
Unable to quell her tongue, Cassiopeia couldn't help but rudely comment, "Hence your two sons? A heir and a spare... how fitting."
The statement seemed to have done it's job as Walburga visibly stiffened in the armchair for a moment before forcing herself to relax. Her posture however, remained slightly tense as if waiting for another barbed remark to let loose her rage upon. That was one thing Cassiopeia had always been good at—getting under her older sister's skin no matter how impenetrable she tried to make herself.
"Indeed."
The silence that fell soon after was tense and thick, like that of a foggy day in London. Cassiopeia half thought that the two witches would leave after finishing their tea but it seemed their interrogation had not yet come to pass. Three minutes had passed and still not a word was spoken, at least until Walburga changed the topic with a simple inquiry directed at Druella. One at which Cassiopeia was sure the woman already knew the answer too.
"Andromeda is at Hogwarts, yes?"
"Yes, second year." Druella replied swiftly, inclining her head as she did whilst adding with pride, "Her marks had been exemplary her first year."
"Good, I always wondered about her." Walburga commented simply as she gave Druella a knowing look before continuing. "She's quite soft for a Black, though it's clear she's more hardened then she looks. Slytherin...," here Walburga exclaimed with pride rippling through her tone as she continued to prattle to the other women as if she knew better than them both. "...a marvellous house— of course, I half-worried it to be Hufflepuff with the way she cried on Sirius' second birthday."
Cassiopeia couldn't help but raise a brow at this, as it had not been mentioned in any of her letters about their children. She half wondered what it was that made her eldest daughter cry at the younger boy's birthday a year prior. Surely, Druella wouldn't have condoned it in the slightest, and it seemed only fitting that Walburga would be hard pressed to let her forget such a slip up. Then again Druella had always been stingy about bringing up her daughter's faults in writing, unlike Walburga. Walburga would rather outline each and everyone of her children's faults and flaws rather than their achievements and virtues.
"...he'll be at Hogwarts of course, as I assume the rest of your daughter's will be." Walburga continued with a nod in Druella's direction as she added offhandedly. "He starts his etiquette and Lord lessons on the fortnight after his birthday."
"So young?" Cassiopeia couldn't help but reply with disapproval colouring her tone. "That hardly seems proper, Walburga."
"What's improper is your refusal to do the same with your daughter," Walburga snipped coolly, before letting vitriol lace her following words. "Keeping her hidden and away from proper influences. Speaking of, Cassiopeia, will it be Hogwarts too or are you planning to disassociate even further from your roots?"
The hidden meaning behind her words was clear to Cassiopeia. Walburga was asking where her loyalties laid, where her so-called family ranked in importance and if she was going to outcast both herself and her daughter as disgraces. It was with thin patience that Cassiopeia managed a proper reply at all to her sister's veiled taunt and threat at all.
"I haven't yet decided."
"Well, you best make up your mind quick." Druella said simply, easily diffusing the tension with her unbarbed replies and simple outlook to the subject at hand. "Real Estate is not the best in Britain I'll have you know and the education at Beauxbatons is lacking in most procedural standards, but it does bring out the best in young ladies."
"Indeed Druella, however Adeline will need to know more than how to curtesy and put a stasis charm on her tea." Walburga mocked with a roll of her eyes. Obviously in contempt at the mere thought of Cassiopeia's only daughter at any school other than Hogwarts. Hence the following, and quite heavily handed question, "She is a Black, is she not Cassiopeia?"
Cassiopeia loathed the direction the conversation was turning too. Her daughter was only three years old and already her sister's were trying to pry into her life and future decisions—to take away the choices she was going to let Adeline make. It was the exact reason she tried to keep her daughter hidden from them in the first place, to let her daughter revel in her anonymity for as long as possible— to be given a proper carefree childhood.
"She is."
"Then your mind should be made. Hogwarts for her too."
Walburga blatantly stated, as if that was the end of that. She quickly gushed in a fake sense of excitement at the following words. "Oh! Sirius and her will be in the same year I expect. Perhaps, we can get their wands and robes together."
Cassiopeia knew a plot when she heard one and she outright refused to be a part of her sister's meticulous schemes that would eventually end up blowing up in their faces. Unable to quell her disinterest towards such a prospect, Cassiopeia stonily replied with loose lipped reasonings.
"I haven't decided on Hogwarts, sister." She used the term of endearment like a curse as it fell acidic from her quirked lips. "Beauxbatons may be lax in some disciplines but it is still a marvellous school. The third in over all hiring rates after graduation."
"Don't make me laugh, dear," Druella snickered as she covered her mouth to hide her smirking lips and stifle her false laughs.
"A Black in Beauxbatons? What a horrid thought." Walburga commented shortly, chuckling to herself in amusement. Cassiopeia watched her quickly finish the last few dregs of tea in her cup, as she pointedly refused to reply to any further questions.
It was another ten to thirty minutes before either of the witches deigned it a proper time to leave the house in France, flooing away with their children just as the mid-day meal crept towards them. Cassiopeia was thankful for the reprieve in forced socialization. It was only when she had finished eating lunch with her daughter—made by their far too excitable house elf Mipsy— that Cassiopeia was able to think over her sister's words.
When tucking her daughter into her bedroom for her mid-day nap, Cassiopeia pondered of many things spoken that afternoon—mostly that of her daughter's impending education. She had never thought too long and hard about her daughter's magical education, in fact it had been on the back burner of her mind for quite some time now. But, with Walburga and Druella both being absolutely certain that Hogwarts to be her only option, Cassiopeia fretted.
As much as she had enjoyed living and learning at Hogwarts School when she was a young girl she feared a many great things in that castle. In the Scotland School there would be no escaping her sibling's or their pressures to how her daughter should be and act. Durmstrang would hardly be any better—their unhealthy inclination to the dark arts didn't appeal to her either. That left only Beauxbatons, at least for the schools that were marginally local for her daughter.
Beauxbatons was a good and gifted school, for that there was no doubt. Though the Black family had made it a point to never send their children there as they were typically a light orientated school with lessened security and a far too Muggle-like acceptance to half-creatures. Cassiopeia was neither against the idea nor for it but it did come with it's own set of expectations and rules. Her daughter's preparation towards proper spell work and not simple society magic would be limited but nothing that home-schooling and self-study couldn't remedy. There was also the heavy influence of proper efficiency covered and a wide variety of political classes available should Adeline be so inclined.
With her daughter soundly sleeping in her bed, her hair in a messy halo around her head of dark curls, Cassiopeia finally made up her mind and went to fetch a roll of parchment and ink from her bedside table to draft a letter. She knew the instant her quill tip penned the letter she would be scorning her family traditions and views but she couldn't find it within herself to care. It was for the best for her daughter to stay away from Hogwarts and by extension the Black family.
She would not have her daughter hollowed out and made into some perfect pureblooded society witch without her so choosing. Cassiopeia would allow her the choice at the end of her first year if she wished to transfer and that would be that. Her daughter would lead a normal childhood, at least as normal of one as she could offer, even if it had her burned off the family tapestry before she could learn to do magic.
With a quiet sigh and stiffened upper lip, Cassiopeia Black began to write;
Madame Toussaint
Beauxbatons Academy of Magic
French Pyrenees, France
Chère, Madame Toussaint
J'espère que ma lettre vous trouve bien ...