Seriphina watched her daughter leave and turned to her mother. She knew her father had made a deal with the English Minister in order to get Lucius out of jail along with a few others. Bulgaria would offer an alliance if the men were to be set free from their Azkaban prison. Seriphina knew her father's reasoning for this. Lucius was the only one able to persuade the Dark Lord. It was Lucius who talked him out of killing Regulus, Lucius who talked him out of having a hand in Verina's life until she was 16, and it was Lucius who had watched over and protected Verina and kept her identity a secret for all of these years. Yes, they all owed a great debt to the man, but Seriphina knew Lucius too had his motives for being the girl's guardian. She was devastated to hear it did not work and that Lucius would remain in prison. This scared Seriphina. Who knew what the Dark Lord would do? Severus had sent an owl saying it had angered Tom severely. Seriphina knew how to act and just in case they got everything ready for an emergency.
Her mother sighed a heavy sigh. " Are you sure it's safe to have Verina's party? "
"Mother, Verina does not know who she is or what is going on. Besides if we go into hiding it looks as if we have something to hide. No, the party will be guarded and besides he wouldn't strike there. That would be stupid and he won't do anything to us if he wants Verina on his side. "
Her mother look worried "But I thought we weren't giving her to him. Not after all of these years."
"No, we aren't which is why after her sixteenth birthday we will tell her and disappear, but until then we must act normal. If not we will never get away."
" This will ruin Verina's life. She will graduate next year and begin her training! Not to mention the boy has already asked for her hand."
This did not surprise Seriphina, but it didn't please her either. Verina's choice in a potential spouse was foolish to Seriphina. Lev, though a rich and famous Keeper, was self-made and did not come from a good family. Not to mention he was a radical in his ideals and his way of thinking. She wasn't even sure Verina loved him, but rather simply kept him around because he was her best friend. If this were the old days Seriphina wouldn't have to worry about this because she would have just chosen Verina's spouse, but her father did not believe in such traditions. He seemed to like the boy well enough and would give his hearty consent to whomever Verina chose. Yavor always had a soft spot for self-made men though and she was sure he respected him.
"Oh don't you even look like that Seriphina! You know he is a fine young man and loves her dearly."
" she could have chosen so much better! Zabini, Nott, Krum, Ogden,"
Her mother raised an eyebrow and cut in "Draco."
Seriphina sighed. " I am still holding out hope for that."
Vera laughed " and I am still waiting for pigs to fly. Seriphina they can't stand each other. They argue all the time and have since they could crawl. Besides Verina would never marry an Englishmen."
"Verina is half-English!"
"So? She wasn't raised in the English customs. She is Bulgarian by culture."
" She was still taught English manners and propriety."
" I never understood that!" Vera scoffed " Why we had to teach her to speak English, eat like the English, behave like the English, or allow her into the English social scene I will never know. She would have survived without it."
"Her cousins are English, her father is English, her god father is English, and a lot of the more noble families of Bulgaria go to London for the season- a lot of them! Even some Romanian, Turkish, and Grecian, families are starting to do it. The French have always done it! If we want to keep the blood lines pure, and our children from being inbred we need to broaden our horizons. It's called international magical cooperation." Seriphina said emphatically " You know how I feel about prejudices. I myself have always loved the English."
Her mother rolled her eyes. " Well, I can't say that I have, but she is your daughter do with her what you will. If you want her to be English let her be English."
" She has to accept that half of her, mother. It is who she is."
Vera just sipped her tea her bangles clinking as she did so. Seriphina loved her mother and her gypsy ways, but she never appreciated how very close minded they were. Her mother was Romanian, but that was acceptable, because of her love for Bulgaria. They practically died when they learned of Seriphina's fiancé Regulus.
"Anyways we will continue with the party if you so wish it, and then you will leave for England and from there go into hiding. Once you get to the safe house no one can find you anyways, not even the Malfoy's. The secret keeper is your father. You know not even Severus will know where you are. Can you handle that?"
Seriphina looked into her mother's eyes. "If her father gets her he will destroy every beautiful part of her. Verina is not who she was made to be. She will not be some muggle killing machine. Yes, I will handle it to save her."
"But the prophecy." Her mother said
"The prophecy has changed. He chose the prophecy and so it shall be."
"Potter will need her in the end."
Seriphina got up and smoothed her skirts. "He'll have to manage without her."