It was nearly midnight when Daphne heard the knock on her door. A smile gracing her features, she rose from the high backed settee in her suite- she had claimed the Head Girl suites in Slytherin, as the head girl this year was Mankari Padma Patil, a Ravenclaw- and opened the door. Her younger sister, Astoria, stood on the threshold, clad in a thick nightgown and holding her silver hair brush, her long hair up in a towel.
"Took you long enough." Daphne said teasingly,smiling warmly as she invited her sister inside.
Astoria scowled, she knew Daphne was being so casual because they were alone, "I had to wait ages for Acantha and Phaedra to finish.", she said as she stepped inside, taking her hair out of the towel and letting it fall gracefully to her ankles.
Daphne grimaced sympathetically, as Dark witches and followers of The Ancient Ways it was beyond improper for anyone outside a witch's family to see her hair down. The sight of an Ancient witch's hair in it's full glory was a sight reserved for her blood family and bonded only; because of this, Astoria had to either take incredibly early showers or wait until everyone else was finished. "You could always come and bathe in my suite." Daphne offered, the duo walking over to the fireplace.
Astoria pondered the offer for a few moments as the sisters settled in front of the fireplace and arranged their hair around them. Drying your hair by the light and warmth of fire was one of the many rituals of the Ancient Ways, and the reason why both Astoria and Daphne's hair was so long and their magic so powerful. "I would," she said, "If not for the talk that would ensue. People already whisper about us enough."
Daphne scoffed as she began to brush her hair, "Why do you even care what the plebeians think? We're Mother Magic's favored daughters; they should be worshiping the ground we walk on, not behind our backs like a bunch of cowards."
"It's not that I care." Astoria said, carefully working out a knot in her blonde hair, "It's a nuisance having to answer the same questions day after day." She paused for a moment to pull the loose hair from her brush. Astoria laid it in the fire, and Daphne paused to do the same as well; the sisters watching as the flames turned gold for a moment.
"An offering of love, to Mother Magic." They said in unison, their hair intermingling as they watched the flames. With Daphne's ink black hair and Astoria's platinum blonde, the sisters made a stunning pair.
Gathering her hair, Astoria started her task again, "Have you considered any courtship offers, Daphne?" Since turning 16 a month previous, Daphne had been sent countless courtship and bonding offers; not that she would consider any of the latter, to bond with a wizard without a courtship beforehand was scandalous and unthinkable. One had to truly make sure a partner was the one before joining in a bonding.
Daphne hummed, brushing the ends of her hair, "I'm considering a few," she said, "but none from here; hardly anyone follows the Ancient Ways in England , and out of those that do, most are too weak for me to bond with."
Astoria nodded, what her sister said made total sense. The Ancient Ways had fallen out of favor in the UK, but still remained the dominant tradition on the continent. Most of the ones who followed them in England were magically weak, and hoping for more power. Only a select few gave Mother Magic the reverence She deserved.
"I've exchanged several letters with a Kennett von Holsteinborg." Daphne remarked casually, knowing full well how Astoria would respond.
Astoria nearly dropped her brush, " You're exchanging letters with Kennett von Holsteinborg?" she repeated in shock, "As in the eldest son of King Fader of Denmark?!" Her jaw dropped in astonishment, something that would never happen in public. Astoria had no idea Daphne had been in communication with potential suitors, and any hurt that her sister had kept secrets from her was brushed aside by the fact that she was in contact with one of Europe's Crown Princes.
Daphne smirked, "The very same. He wants to meet me in person."
"I am coming with you." Astoria demanded; the Greengrasses were a family of very high status, they deserved the respect and reverence of those below them, being one of The Originals it was their right. Never though, had Astoria realized that meant the possibility of bonding with royalty.
"I'll need a chaperone." Daphne remarked, highly amused by her sister's response.
The duo continued to chat as they finished brushing their hair and waiting for it to dry. Astoria could feel her hair thrumming with magic as it dried, and she smiled. Her hair was her crowning glory, her pride and joy, and she was ever grateful to Mother Magic for the gift. Any witch who followed any set of traditions relished and protected their hair. A witch's hair was filled with magic, but this ritual of the Ancient Ways helped a witch to nurture and control her magic, helping it grow and mature.
"Are you okay, Astoria?" Daphne asked a while later as Astoria bounded her hair into a spiral braid. Her younger sister had become rather quiet, and it left Daphne concerned, as Astoria was usually quite bubbly.
Astoria made a noncommittal noise, then was silent for a few more moments, finally she spoke up, "Do you think I have a chance at such a bonding, Daphne? I'm a second daughter, and everyone always wants the first."
Leander, the sister's older brother, was the heir to the Greengrass family. Regardless of her status as a second child, as everyone always wanted the heir, Daphne still had incredible prospects. Astoria had reason to be concerned, most saw the younger siblings as less desirable, not that she had any reason to worry. Daphne hurried to assuage her sister's fears.
Her sister's tone was so heartbroken and despondent that Daphne nearly burst into tears. She couldn't turn to face her sister, but she settled for grabbing her wrists, "Oh Darling," she said lovingly, "Of course you do. You're a beautiful, talented, loving, powerful witch; any wizard with a lick of sense would jump at the chance to bond with you. The fact that you're younger plays no matter anyway, we Greengrasses are Originals, everyone wants a chance to bond with us."
"Are you sure?" Astoria began to sound hopeful, and Daphne could tell that this train of thought had bothered her younger sister for a long time. She was berating herself for allowing Astoria to think like that for so long.
Daphne pulled Astoria into another hug, "Of course, dear one, of course."
'Could you work these into my hair, Astoria?" Daphne asked casually, raising her arm backwards and toward her sister, one Saturday morning as Astoria styled her hair. Two ribbons, one of imperial purple and the other of royal blue, hung from her fingers.
Astoria squealed, something she would never dream of doing in public (she had far more control than that, thank you very much). "He offered?" Astoria placed a holding charm on Daphne's hair, and spun her sister around, capturing her in a crushing hug.
Daphne nodded, far too excited to speak. "He sent these ribbons with the offer," she said, "as he puts it, Kennett, 'wants the world to know that I'm going to be his'. He plans on coming to the next Hogsmeade weekend to meet me in person; talking over the mirrors isn't the same as meeting face to face." A formal offer, and a first meeting, all in a week? The noble ladies of the British Isles would be in a tizzy.
"You mean the Crown Prince of Denmark is coming here next week?!" Astoria was utterly shocked. Royalty from the continent hardly ever came to the British Isles, much less the little village of Hogsmeade, Scotland.
"We're not going to stay in Hogsmeade. I made reservations at Ambrosia's for dinner. There's nothing in Hogsmeade decent enough for Denmark's Crown Prince." Daphne said haughtily.
Astoria was impressed- Ambrosia's, located in the town of Amesbury, which was a mere three kilometers from the ancient and powerful site of Stonehenge, was the premier dining spot in Britain. That was, of course, the only place worthy of dining with royalty.
"Do you have a chaperone?" Astoria asked, hoping Daphne would say no and ask her to do the honor. Being a chaperone was both an honor and an ageless duty, for an unbonded witch to be found alone with a male that wasn't her family was horrifyingly scandalous and shameful.
Daphne looked curious, "I thought I already had one?"
Astoria spun Daphne back around, determined to finish her hair. She though for a moment, wracking her brain to figure out what Daphne meant. With a sudden clarity, a conversation that happened between the two a month previous came to mind. "I'd be honored to." She said, her adroit hands adding the ribbons to the braided updo.
After Astoria finished, and Daphne styled her hair, the sisters were ready to leave for breakfast. Astoria was eager to depart, as she couldn't wait to see the reactions of Daphne's bonding announcement. Most witches knew the colors of the noble families, but every witch knew the colors of the Royal families; after all, who doesn't long to be a princess? Crown Prince Kennett was the most desirable bachelor in all of Wizarding Europe-having good looks, a wonderful personality, and powerful magic- so not only was the news going to spread fast, but there was going to be a legion of disappointed witches.
Everyone, or everyone who was anyone, knew the significance of a witch hearing hair ribbons. It meant that she was entering in an exclusive courtship and would not be accepting any other offers of courtship or bonding. Daphne being in an exclusive courtship with Denmark's Crown Prince would mean huge things. Regardless of the Greengrasses status as one of the four Originals in Britain, bonding to royalty was not of a common occurrence in these lands.
Soon enough, the whispers started the moment Daphne and Astoria left the Head Girl suites. Avonmora Gamp gasped audibly and pointed to Daphne's hair, drawing the attention of the entire common room. "Are you really?" The shallow, vain witch asked excitedly, reaching forward to touch the ribbons.
Daphne gently, but forcibly moved Avonmora's hand away from her hair, touching a pure blood lady's hair without permission was one of the biggest breaches of propriety possible "Of course I am." She said acerbically, "I wouldn't dare wear the Crown Prince's family colors otherwise." Internally, Daphne rolled her eyes as she and Astoria waked away, arm in arm. Who did Avonmora think she was? To wear a family's colors in such a way, without the intentions being true (or uncontracted) would be the height of dishonor and crassness.
"You know," Astoria said softly, looking up at her sister through her cage veil, once they were out of the Slytherin common room, "that this is going to be all over the school by the time we sit down in the Great Hall?"
Daphne nodded, "I knew it would spread like wildfire from the moment I started writing to Prince Kennett. A British witch hasn't bonded with continental royalty in over a century. This'll be the biggest news since Lord and Lady Potter's bonding."
"Has Papa posted the banns yet?" Astoria asked curiously. Banns were an integral part of the courtship process, as they gave a hint to the date of the bonding ceremony. Without them, no courtship was considered valid.
Daphne grinned, breaking her public facade of the 'Ice Queen', "Papa sent in the notice to the Prophet and Merlin's Herald last night. King Fader handled the banns for Denmark."
The duo had reached the Entrance Hall, which was normally abuzz with conversation. Today it was louder than normal, and only increased when the Greengrass sisters entered. A tall, dark haired figure made their way to Daphne and Astoria.
"I offer my sincere congratulations on your courtship, Fair Lady," Heir Harrison Potter said, bowing deeply to the sisters, "and I offer my greetings to the other Fair Lady as well."
"Heir Potter," Daphne and Astoria said in unison, bowing their heads in acknowledgement before offering deep curtseys of their own. The Potter family was one of the three other Original Families in Britain, and though they were Light, and the Greengrass family Dark, the two maintained good relations. The Original families were the families Lady Magic first blessed millennia ago with the gifts of magic; they were the elite of all wizarding society.
"Thank you for the kind words to myself and my sister, Heir Potter," Astoria said, as Daphne had fallen silent, "And may we be so bold as to inquire on the status of your courtship?" Several of the witches in the vicinity had gasped, as for most, inquiring to a wizard about his courtship was considered both improper (ladies were never supposed to be that forward) and an invasion of his privacy. Both of them being Originals, however, made a good portion of society's rules invalid.
Heir Potter inclined his head looking somewhat downtrodden, his hands smoothing out the invisible wrinkles on his Acromantula silk tunic, "The Lady Aoibheann has yet to respond to my offer."
"Our condolences, Heir Potter," Daphne offered, a somewhat confused tone to her voice as neither sister was totally sure of Heir Potter's feelings on the matter, and would hate to probe a potentially open wound.
"Thank you," Heir Potter said sincerely, "I would stay and continue our conversation, but breakfast awaits." Both ladies offered their hand, palm down, to Heir Potter. Gently he took Daphne's, then Astoria's and kissed their hands once.
"A bheannaigh, Heir Potter," Daphne said, offering the traditional farewell for herself and Astoria.
"A bheannaigh to you as well, Mesdames Greengrass," Heir Potter returned, and the trio walked to the Great Hall's entrance together before breaking up, Heir Potter to the Gryffindor table and the Greengrass sisters to Slytherin.
As the day passed, the talk about Daphne's betrothal only got more outrageous. None approached her directly- being an Original and having a reputation for being fiercely private did have its perks. Though the whispers followed Daphne everywhere she went, and people even started pestering Astoria. Neither sister revealed any information though, so the rumors only got more inflamed.
Daphne was already bonded with the Crown Prince, according to one, and had been for over a year. Another proclaimed that King Fader had plans to abdicate and give the throne to Crown Prince Kennett the moment he and Daphne were bonded. The most ridiculous, and the most offensive had the gall to say that Daphne was only one of many witches in Kennett's harem, a harem that consisted of 10 other witches. It took every ounce of self control Daphne had to not curse the vacuous Gryffindor witch who started that rumor into oblivion- Madam Lavender Brown was rumored to have taken care of it.
The rumors were all put to rest two weeks later with the next Hogsmeade visit.