Prologue

„Gwendolyn! We are about to leave!" Isabella Rosier called upstairs while combing her son's hair into place.

"I'm coming!" Gwendolyn screamed back and darted down the stairs and into the living, where her mother, father and brother were waiting, all of them wearing their best robes.

"Gwendolyn, what did I tell you about running around? That's not how a young lady ought to behave." Isabella scolded her daughter and fixed her bowtie in her auburn hair.

"I'm sorry mommy", Gwen said looking down at here shoes.

"Let's go now we will be the last ones to arrive", Isabella took both her son's and daughter's hand in her own and followed her husband into the fireplace.

"Grimmauld Place 12", Rosier Sr. said in his deep and sometimes, in Gwen's opinion, scary voice.

Gwendolyn liked to travel by Floo Powder, what she didn't like were those parties she and her family always seemed to attend. The people were either boring or scary and she wasn't even allowed to play with the other kids because it was, according to her mother, not "lady-like". But Gwen did not want to disappoint here mother at all.

"Isabella! It is no nice to see you!" A short and very strong build woman was greeting them. "And Kendrick", she turned to Gwen's father. "I believe Orion is somewhere over there" she said and pointed to the other side of the room. Rosier Sr. gave a court nod and made his way through the crowd.

"Walburga, I'm sure you do remember son Evan?", Isabella nodding to her son.

"Of course I do." Walburga said as Evan bowed slightly to greet her.

"It is nice to see you again Mrs. Black" he said with a bright smile. Evan had always been one to be quite confident.

"And this is my daughter, Gwendolyn."

Gwen gave a shy courtesy but didn't say anything, not knowing if it was her allowed to talk.

"Well Isabella I have to say she truly is adorable." Mrs. Black said and Gwen gave small smile.

"And where are your sons, Walburga?" Isabella asked.

"Oh they are just…Sirius!" she said loudly as she spotted her eldest trying to scare his little brother with something that looked suspiciously like a spider. Both boys turned around to look at their mother, Sirius dropping the spider in the process. "Come here! Both of you!"

Regulus immediately made his way over to his mother, Sirius however rolled his eyes (fortunately for him his mother hadn't noticed) and followed his brother through the room, much slower though.

When they arrived where their mother and her guests were waiting Mrs. Black introduced them.

"Sirius, Regulus, I assume you remember Isabella Rosier?"

"Of course, mother" Regulus replied and turned to Mrs. Rosier "It is a pleasure to see you again"

"Yeah…pleasure" mumbled Sirius and gave a small nod.

Walburga Black looked disapprovingly at her eldest son before speaking up again.

"And this is her son Evan and her daughter Gwendolyn."

"Hey" Sirius earned another look from his mother.

Regulus however, wanting to please his mother and show Mrs. Rosier that he wasn't as bad-mannered as his brother, stepped forward, took Gwendolyn's hand and kissed it, just like his mother taught him. He heard his brother snot behind him and when he stood back up straight he his cheeks were covered in a faint blush.

"Well Walburga I have to say that your…ehm boys are very well-mannered" Mrs. Rosier said , though she was clearly referring to the younger one.

"I do my best, but of course there are still a lot of things they need to learn" she said, looking at Sirius, who wasn't even listening and looking around the room.

"Mother, am I excused?" Evan asked.

"You are my dear" and her son made his way to his friend, whom he just had spotted.

Sirius left as well, but unlike Evan he didn't ask for his mother's permission.

Sensing his mother's rising anger Regulus quickly spoke up.

"Mother? May I show Miss Gwendolyn my owl?" he asked.

The two witches looked at each other with mild excitement on their faces.

"Of course, darling. Do you remember what I taught you?"

Regulus nodded.

"Good then off you go, you two"

Regulus nodded at Mrs. Rosier before carefully places a hand on Gwen's back and leading her through the crowd.