Seated in the large lavishly furnished receiving room of the Morte manor, he waited for the arrival of Selena Rosier. He'd written to the woman the night before, requesting she along with her mother Lady Fia Rosier join him for tea.
The house elves had done a decent job setting up a table for tea, with a variety of snacks, though it was far from the extravagant spreads the pureblood ladies would put out when hosting guests. Though his soon to be daughter seemed impressed non the less, as demonstrated by the girls frosting covered cheeks as she stuffed fistfuls of cake into her mouth. The woman would need to see the girl properly taught, he thought absently as he watched Bippity fuss about trying to keep his daughter from soiling the frilly green dress the elf had put her in.
Taking a sip of his tea, he allowed his thoughts to wonder to the matter which had been plaguing him much of the morning.
Helia, no that wouldn't do.
Lyra? Hmm, too black.
Maleah? To plebeian sounding.
Alcina? Considering his future plans, naming his daughter for the sorceress, who ruled over several magical islands of the cost of Europe seemed fitting. Ah, but no, wasn't Alcina also known as a mistress of sensual pleasures and alluring enchantments? No that wouldn't do at all, his daughter wasn't going to be associated with such things, she was a proper pureblood heiress, not some strumpet.
Hyacinth, that was decent, though it didn't feel as though it fit the girl.
How was it that something so simple as naming a child could be so troublesome? Octavia, Elvia, Leandra, Solaria, Ravenna, Belphoebe.
Ah, yes he liked that one, Belphoebe Gaunt had been a formidable witch, known for her beauty and poise even in the midst of battle.
Belphoebe Morte, hmm not quite. Perhaps he would use it as her secondary name, Ravenna was another he'd liked, he could picture calling his daughter Ravenna Gaunt, though something still felt a little out of place.
Ravinia Belphoebe Morte, Ravinia, Ravi no, Vinia, yes, he liked that.
"Bippity, tidy Vinia's face our guest's will be arriving shortly." He order the house elf who was hovering over his daughter.
He watched as the elf cleaned off the frosting from his daughters face, removing the girls bib and taking away the plate that contained the remnants of mushed up cake. With a flick of his wrist he floated Vinia out of her chair, and towards where he sat, settling the one year old onto his lap.
She squealed, arms flapping about in the air as she floated her mouth opening wide in a grin showing off the tiny teeth starting to protrude from her gums. When she landed on his lap, she grabbed a fistful of his robe and before she could bring it to her mouth, he pulled it free of her grasp replacing the robe with her toy snake. The last thing he wanted was to meet with the Rosier ladies with a wet patch on the front of his robes.
A soft pop alerted him to the arrival of Boppity, the second of his fathers two elves whom he'd inherited.
"Master, the guests be arriving, shall Boppity be bringing them to the receiving room?"
"Is it just the two ladies?" He asked, wanting to make sure that there were no unwanted tagalongs.
"Yes master."
"Bring them in," he ordered, flicking his eyes around the room one final time as the house elf popped away.
He wasn't one to host others in his home, when he met with his allies and associates it was typically at the others homes. A such he didn't give much thought to the decor of his estate, and it remained as it was when his father still lived, being unchanged since the mans own mother oversaw it as chatelaine of house Morte. This meant that compared to most other pureblood households, his home would be seen as somewhat out of date when compared to the current trends.
"Lord Morte," turning his gaze to the door, he watched the two Rosier ladies enter, both dipping into a low curtsy as they did so.
"Lady Fia, Lady Selena, welcome." He drawled, and waved a hand towards the lounge opposite where he sat.
They sat in silence, as his house elves served them tea and he took a moment to observe Lady Selena. Pale blond hair, with a delicate face the woman had clearly inherited her mothers Malfoy looks and could easily pass for the Malfoy Lords twin, if not for her figure being more curvaceous then the more slender form the Malfoy line tended to possess. Her eyes were also more of a bright sapphire blue, as opposed to the Malfoy grey. Selena Rosier was considered one of the most beautiful ladies of her generation before she was set aside by the Potter fool.
Seeing the women's eyes had found his daughter, who was drooling all over her snake, he brushed his hand across the girls head feeling the soft tufts of hair under his hand as he did so.
"I am sure by now, you've both heard the news regarding the demise of Lord Potter and his wife," he said lazily, doing his best not to react when Vinia latched onto his hand with drool covered fingers.
"Indeed we have, my Lord." Fia murmured taking a sip of her tea, whilst Selena remained silent, showing no reaction beyond a tightening of her lips, which where pressed into a firm line.
"I doubt there is any in England who have not heard the tale of the 'dark lord's' downfall at the hands of Harry Potter, the boy who lived."
His lips twitched, that had been a rather unexpected development, he didn't know where the old fool acquired the child he was claiming to be the Potter boy, but in truth it didn't matter much at this point.
"The tale told is filled with fable, from the child being responsible for 'Voldemort's' downfall, to him being Harry Potter, even the title 'Boy' who lived is false." He drawled as he used a cloth napkin to wipe the drool from his fingers and Vinia's mouth.
"Harry Potter, the so called Heir of House Potter, is in fact seated here on my lap, and not in the care of healers at St Mungo's as many would believe." He informed the women, who eyed the babe clad in a frilly green dress seated on his lap with disbelieving eyes.
"My Lord, forgive my rudeness but-."
Holding up a hand to forestall Lady Fia's words, he then flicked his wrist summoning his wand which he twirled about above Vinia's head. The identification spell producing the name Harry Potter, and the Potter crest in brilliant gold above the girls head.
Cooing in awe at the sight of the magic, Vinia reached up with a tiny hand as though trying to grab the words from the air.
"I see," Lady Fia murmured, staring at the glowing words for a moment before turning her gaze to him.
"Lord Morte, may I enquire as to how the Potter Heir can into your care?" She asked, and his lips twitched watching her face as he spoke.
"The Potter Heiress came into my care last night," he said, and after a moment of consideration gave the two a brief overview of the nights events including the fate of the potter couple.
Both women knew the truth of Lord Voldemort, as Lord Kinus Rosier was among those whom he considered his closest allies, having gone to school with the man. Fia had also attended with them, though she was only in her second year when he was in his seventh. When Kinus had died three years ago, his oldest son Evan took over the family as Lord, and he'd found him to be a poor replacement for his father. Hot headed, and quick to temper Evan Rosier lacked his fathers sly cunning and charm, having inherited his Bulstrode mothers temperament. Fia Malfoy had not wed Kinus until a year after the death of his wife, with Selena Rosier being born the following year.
There was some tension in the Rosier family, something which became very clear when Lord Kinus died and his son Evan became Lord. Both Lady Fia and her daughter Selena had swiftly been moved out of the Rosier estate, and now resided in a smaller manor in London. Though he supposed, with Evan Rosier having been twenty when Lady Fia married his father, he may feel some discontent with his fathers second wife and child. Evan Rosier had only just married himself at that time, and his son who was currently in his sixth year, was only five years younger than Selena who was twenty one.
"Why summon us? Why not Evan? With the Potter's dead, as her betrothed's father he is her rightful guardian." Selena said softly eyes fixed on Vinia who was trying to pry his finger from his hand.
He sneered, the thought of that fool having any familial influence on Vinia left a sour taste in his mouth. He would need to make it clear to Selena that her brother was to have no such contact with the girl.
"I intend to adopt her, she will no longer be Heiress of house Potter, but of House Morte, Gaunt and Slytherin." He drawled, tugging his wand free of Vinia's hold when she began trying to pull it towards her mouth, the child seemed intent on putting everything she touched in that drool filled maw of hers.
"Even if you adopt her my lord, the contract will still be valid, it was signed with blood and magic." Lady Fia said, lips twitching as she eyed the babe on his lap who'd decided to try prying off the buttons on the front of his robes with the wand now out of her reach.
"Not if she is of Rosier blood," he drawled.
"I see," Fia said, glancing at her daughter whose eyes widened slightly as they both turned their attention back to him.
"My lord, by your having summoned my daughter and I here, can I assume it is Selena you wish to add her blood to the adoption potion." Fia asked cautiously.
"It is," he confirmed, watching as the woman in question stiffened ever so slightly.
"My lord, Selena has already suffered much at the hands of the Potter house, and now you would have her suffer more shame to-." Fia began, but he cut her off.
"I wasn't aware my houses status was so low that being Lady Morte, was something to be shamed by." He drawled, tapping his finger on the arm of his chair in a manner that drew attention to the three house rings he wore.
"Lady Morte? You would," Selena's voice was nearly a whisper as she spoke, slowly rising in volume as she regained her confidence. "You would marry me? In exchange for blood adopting the potter girl?"
"If you take on the role as Vinia's mother, then as part of that role you will be Lady Morte, and Chatelaine of the Morte, Gaunt and Slytherin houses." He said, watching as the two exchanged a look.
"My lord, may I ask why you are adopting the girl? Why not marry and have children of your own." Fia asked, and Selena nodded seemingly having wished to ask the same herself.
"Regardless if I marry or not, adoption is the only way I will be able to claim an heir. Though I do not intend for Vinia's adoption to be known to any beyond us three." He said.
"My lord, even with the blood adoption potions she would still be identifiable as the potter heiress, a simple identity spell would show this." Selena said hesitantly.
"I do not intend to use a standard blood adoption potion, the process we will use is one I will not fully explain as it is a matter of family magic. However the end result is that Vinia will be recognized by blood and magic as my true born daughter, as well as your own should you agree. There will be no trace of either James Potter or the muggleborn within her. The process will last nine weeks, with her being encased in a womb of magic and blood donated by us both, when she leaves that womb, it will be as Ravinia Belphoebe Morte."
"Ive never heard of such an adoption rite," Selena murmured, staring at Vinia who'd drifted to sleep during their conversation.
"She would truly be mine? In all ways? Not Jame's, or the mudbloods?" She asked, looking at him with bright blue eyes that shone with more life then they had in the entire time the two had been here.
"She would be truly yours, as though she were born of your own body." He confirmed, and she nodded glancing at her mother.
"She is a year old already, having Selena sudden appear with her may raise a few questions." Fia said, tapping a finger against her bottom lip with a thoughtful expression on her face.
"In current times many families have not made formal announcements regarding their families children, cousin Lucius and his wife have only just announced their own heir, though this was more in fear the babe would not live to see out his first year with how sickly he was." Selena reminded her mother, and flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder.
"Ravinia appears small for her age, and if we gave her a very small dose of youth elixis, as some whose children are born a little too early are prone to doing, we can claim her to be a few months younger. As for the wedding, we could claim it to have been an informal event with only our witnesses present. All know Lord Morte is one who prefers his privacy, and with my having been shamed by what occurred with my former betrothal, very few would question our keeping things from the public." Selena added, appearing more and more lively by the second.
"We have made very few public appearances, and in fact the last time we appeared in public was at the Blacks Christmas gala last year, as we only just returned from France this week. I can claim to have been already pregnant at that time, as I did leave early stating I was feeling ill, though it was more to avoid certain people then true sickness. Our time in France would also serve to add to the guise of my being pregnant."
"Yes, though for those dates to work out you would need to have been at the very least three months pregnant at the time of the ball. That would mean we need the babe to appear to be five months old at the most," Fia input and Selena nodded, both women continued talking amongst themselves, and Marvolo had the sudden feeling that he'd just lost control of the situation as they made plans for how to fabricate the most believable story.
"My Lord?" Hearing Selena's voice he looked up from the book he'd summoned to amuse himself with, to see both women looking at him expectantly. Raising a brow at the woman, he waited for her to speak.
"When do you wish to perform the vows and adoption?" Selena asked, looking at the babe who was curled up in his lap.
"I will need three days to finish preparing the ritual," he said, closing his book and sending it flying back to its place on the shelf.
"As for the wedding vows we can preform them now with your mother as witness, I will have the goblins create the needed paperwork with the required dates." Flicking his wand, he summoned the marriage contract he'd written up the night before. It was a standard contract used for the Morte house, and he'd been very generous with the stipend she would get for her personal expenses.
After taking a moment to read through the contract, both women signed with Lady Fia acting as the witness. Handing a still sleeping Vinia to Bippity, he stood, clasping Selena's left wrist as she did the same to him.
"With my blood and magic, I Selena Francesca, say farewell to the name of my maiden house, and ask that this man before me bestow upon me the name of his house."
"With my blood and magic, I Marvolo Charis Morte, Lord of house Morte, Lord of house Gaunt, Lord of house Slytherin, do hereby name thee my wife. Lady Selena Francesca Morte, Lady of house Morte."
With the completion of their marriage vows, Selena and Fia both departed back to their home in order to pack Selena's things as she would now be residing in the manor with him and Vinia. After sending Bippity to put Vinia to bed in the nursery, he had the house elf begin cleaning out the rooms that attached to the nursery room, which were used by the previous Lady Morte.
Then he made his way to his study, where he wrote to his account manager at Gringotts. He needed to meet with the goblins in order to ensure the paperwork regarding his marriage and daughter were appropriately taken care of. He also intended to pay a visit to the Rosier estate, and have a 'word' with Evan Rosier. As lord he would have felt the shift in the family bonds, and would know Selena had married. He would need to do a little mental rearranging to make the Lord believe that the wedding had taken place the previous year, and that he'd agreed to remain silent on the matter.