Memories
-there are way too many memories here for her to be unhappy-
Her mother had told her many things during the course of her life, but only one of them had stuck with her past her mother's death. She knew what she was required to do, had to do, and nothing could stop that from happing.
Obedience makes a Black girl successful, and duty makes a Black girl loved.
Her mother had told her this when she had only been seven, but Dorea had taken it to heart, fully understanding that she had to achieve this things in order to be married to someone of high–standing. So she obeyed her widowed father, flirted with all the men he wanted her to flirt with, looked beautiful at every occasion, was charming, polite and a credit to the Black name.
This secured her future.
Dorea Black would do anything she had to do.
But still, unfortunately, not everything went the way she would have liked it to.
Shocked, she looks at her father, shaking her head softly. "No," she says softly, disbelief in her eyes. "No, that can't be right."
Her father nods softly at her. "Do not be disbelieving, Dorea. This is what you wanted, a marriage to a high-ranking Pureblood. And I have secured that for you, daughter, despite the fact that you have had no mother since you turned eight and haven't been brought up in the correct ways of women, because of her death." Her father shakes his head, smiling. "So, child, be happy. Soon you will be married."
Dorea sits down in the empty chair behind her, shocked. Yes, she does want to get married, yes she does want to marry a high-ranked Pureblood, this was all true, but she never ever wanted to marry him.
Mrs. Charlus Potter just doesn't sound right on her tongue.
But still she nods softly at her father, and leaves the room.
It is only when she is lying down on her bed silently, that she lets her tears fall.
"You look beautiful," her father murmurs from the doorway, looking at her. Dorea nods, tugging at a strand of loose hair. A maid finishes tying her ribbons and nods softly at her, smiling. She lets go of the stand of her hair that she had been holding onto and lets the maid arrange her hair into a loose bun, threading a white rose through it.
She pats down the fabric of her dress, forcing a smile as her father steps behind her.
"Thank you," Dorea says, taking a deep breath before stepping away from the mirror. Her father places a hand on her shoulder. "Ready?" he asks, looking at her.
She's only eighteen, and she is going to be married by the end of today.
Taking another deep breath, she nods, forcing another smile.
The ceremony is exquisite, as it should be. Dorea is the first daughter of Cygnus Black to be getting married, and he has relished in the fact, going overboard with the ceremony. White roses decorate the aisles, and ribbons are wrapped around the trees. She is getting married in the backyard, as per her request.
There are too many happy memories here to feel unhappy.
Marius taking her hand and twirling her around the grass, Pollux happy and chirpy before he was forced to marry his pregnant girlfriend Irma, Cassie shaking her head softly at Marius and Dorea, before laughing softly as they forced her to join in their dances.
No, she can't feel unhappy on this day, not when all the memories are here.
Dorea knows that she can never mention it, but she terribly misses Marius.
And Pollux's cheerfulness, before he was dragged into a marriage he never wanted.
And Cassie's desire to be married before she witnessed their father slapping their mother.
Charlus's takes her hand as soon as she is closer enough, smiling at her. Dorea forces herself to smile back. Yes, he is attractive, but she feels nothing towards him. Forced into a loveless marriage, just like Pollux.
The ceremony continues, but she hardly pays attention, drifting in and out of awareness. She is too busy looking around the backyard. Every single piece of grass contains a happy time; every leaf reminds her of something.
She'll miss her life.
It is only towards the end that she pays attention, Charlus's grip on her hand tightening, so much so that it hurts.
"Do you, Charlus William Potter, take Dorea Ella Black, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" the priest asks, glancing up from his book to look at them. Charlus nods. "I do."
The priest smiles. "Do you, Dorea Ella Black, take Charlus William Potter, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness in health, till death to you part?"
Despite it all, she nods.
She would be disowned like Marius if she didn't go through with it.
Dorea forces herself to say "I do", swallowing the lump of sadness that rises in her throat. Charlus grins.
"Then you may kiss the bride."
He bends down to her height, still smiling his supposedly charming smile. Dorea finds it repulsive. Before his lips crash down on hers, for the first time of what she is sure is going to be hundreds of kisses in her lifetime, he murmurs, "Don't forget, you're a Potter now."
Her mother's advice doesn't mean anything anymore.
Neither does Marius, Pollux or Cassie.
She's alone in this marriage.
Bit longer than a drabble, I know, but that's the way I wanted it. For Nanaho-Nime, hope you like it! Review, yeah?