Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine
Family Reunions
Chris stood in his father's sitting room, from where he had flooed through the fireplace, looking between his father and an elderly woman who bore a striking resemblance to his father.
"Chris, this is your grandmother. She wrote to me a few weeks ago, wanting to meet you and I felt that today would be best before you get too busy with work and Quidditch."
Chris stepped away from the fireplace and sat down on the sofa next to his father and opposite his grandmother, who was sat on the plush armchair.
"Well, I must say Severus, when I heard you had a son, I did not expect him to be quite so old. Tell me lad, how old are you?"
Chris blushed under the scrutiny of his grandmother, "Err, sixteen ma'am."
His grandmother let out a laugh. "Now there's no need to be quite so formal, we are family after all. But I am surprised at you Severus, keeping him hidden all this time."
Chris and Severus shared a look, each debating on telling her the truth. "It's difficult knowing where to really begin mother."
"The best place to start is at the beginning. Tell me, who was his mother?" Eileen perused her son intently. "Was she anyone I knew?"
"I think," Chris said, when his father failed to continue, "That the best policy is to tell mother's story, it is her legacy after all."
Severus sighed, he had been able to hide his relationship while he had been younger, but how would his mother react. "You remember Lily Evans, don't you mother?"
And so the whole story came out, of Lily and Severus' relationship, of Harry and his life and of his life now as Chris.
Now Chris found himself under the scrutiny of his grandmother again as she questioned him about his relationship with Lucius. "Tell me, is he following the traditional courtship rites or one of the more modern ones?"
Severus chuckled. "Since when has Lucius Malfoy ever followed anything? Like with everything else he's doing this the way he wants to do it, and is making it up as he goes along. I believe he started this ritual when Chris, well Harry as he was at that point, was only twelve."
Eileen could only chuckle, "That sounds like a Malfoy. I remember Abraxas was determined to marry his wife from the age of ten. He left many young ladies bitterly disappointed."
Chris sat there thinking things through as his father and grandmother chattered above his head. Lucius had taught him about the more traditional values and activities of society, but he himself had never actually seen the man put them into practice. Lucius was a man who was more concerned over his own well-being.
He could agree with his father that this was a courtship of Lucius' own design.
Both the traditional and modern courtships followed five basic principles: The courtier had to make himself known to his courtee. They would partake in formal meetings but no intimate relations were permitted. Then after a year a formal engagement was permitted.
However, the two did differ in each of their steps. With the traditional courtship, the courting period lasted for a year, the courtier had to make a formal request to his courtee, usually in the form of a letter, sending this along with a gift, any meetings the two had, had to be pre-arranged and supervised, closeness was limited to handholding and a farewell/greeting kiss on the cheek, then at the end of the year the courtier had to obtain family permission to propose to his courtee.
This was opposed to the modern courtships where the period of courting lasted for an indefinite amount of time, the request to formally court was made by a personal request and verbal agreement, meetings could be made to the couples own personal choice but they were not permitted alone, the couple could hug and kiss but were not allowed any sexual contact, then a proposal could be issued whenever the couple felt ready.
Lucius was following the rites to some extent. While he had received a declaration of intent and a gift, although it was not a proper courtship as Chris was still free to date anyone if he wanted to, not that he would. They had yet to say it to one another, but Chris was beginning to fall in Love with Lucius.
He could most definitely say they had well and truly knocked the whole sexual content on the head what with everything they had done.
Then the meetings they had had, had been at family gatherings, public places, and then there had been private meetings and overnight visits, of which those were against the rules.
He had no idea how long this was planning on going on for, Lucius had made it plain this did not have to end in marriage, but either way he was sure Lucius would ensure he was ready for marriage and ask his father for permission.
He turned his attention back on his father and grandmother and what they were saying. "And what of Lucius' son? What's the boy like?" Eileen asked.
"Draco? Very much like his father was at that age, although I do believe he's mellowed out over the last year ever since he and Chris developed a friendship and since he started courting the Lovegood girl." Severus replied.
"Now that is a traditional courtship. I think Draco's trying to prove that he's more a man than Lucius," Chris added. "I also think he's trying to show off to certain individuals as well."
"Harry Potter's friends never got on well with Draco, and with Miss Lovegood being one of Harry's friends, naturally they do not trust him." Severus explained for his mother.
"Ah, the complicated lives we lead," Eileen said as she set down the cup of tea she had been drinking. "Well Severus, I must be getting off, if I stay away too long Lawrence will have left the kitchen in a right state." As she rose from her seat, Chris and Severus rose with her. "Chris, it was a delight meeting you; you'll both have to come out to the country next time." She clasped them both into a hug before leaving.
