"You must understand Orion that I knew nothing of this until I read the Daily Prophet?" Beautropeus's voice rang out from the study as Orion's quite ungentlemanly snort followed this tirade.
"You must have known about this Beautropeus, don't be foolish! It's your son!"
"It's your daughter!"
"Narcissa would have never done this at her will!" Orion retorted fiercely,
"And you are calling my son a lowly animal who harboured lust for a teenaged girl!"
There was a definite huff, "I might be."
"Your daughter is more suspicious than my son. Lucius is a simple youth yet your daughter is as spoilt and as sly as any fox, believe me!"
"Believe you!" Orion shrieked, "I'm her father therefore I know more about her than you will EVER know!"
"You know nothing of her, just her pretty smile and golden cover. Everybody knows she is the most dangerous person around!"
"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER THAT WAY TO ME!" Orion roared so loudly the whole Ravensden Hall jumped an inch in surprise.
"We are not here to argue who is right or wrong! How are we going to settle this! The Daily Prophet is possibly BLARING and our reputation has been torn to shreds!"
"YOUR REPUTATION! Blast your reputation. OUR reputation has been wrecked double to yours, don't you DARE forget that it was Andromeda's engagement and Narcissa that he kissed. BOTH my daughters!"
There was a refreshing silence when Beautropeus's voice, low…firm but very hissy drawled, "I will dare. Don't you ever speak to me like that…" Orion scoffed firmly but weaker than what he had exclaimed a moment before.
"I'm sure we can figure something out." He set determinedly although was that a nervous shake in his voice?
"Good." Beautropeus sneered,
"How are we going to come up with a story that will satisfy the newspaper?" Orion asked, Beautropeus replied casually,
"The story they want."
Orion raised an eyebrow, "What they want?"
"They obviously won't and can't fit in their big heads the fact that Narcissa and Lucius had no affair before the engagement…" Orion opened his mouth to protest but Beautropeus silenced him,
"So we will just say that they did. We can announce their engagement and make sure nothing goes wrong this time."
Orion goggled at the older Malfoy's cool. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "What if I don't want Narcissa to be engaged to Lucius?" he asked, his tone very low.
The Malfoy swivelled around, "Then nothing, no reputation…no money…no alliance."
Orion shrugged, as Beautropeus eyed him accusingly
"You think Lucius is beneath her!" he cried, suddenly enraged.
Orion stared back at him steadily although his heart pounded painfully; Beautropeus was a very frightful man to deal with.
"No, I think Lucius is fine…the best in fact as you would have noticed that I had more than happily arranged the engagement with Andromeda but Cissy is…she's a baby girl…"
This time it was Beautropeus's turn to snort rudely, "Baby?" he sneered.
"She might not seem like that spiritually but you must admit she is in her fifth year at Hogwarts." Orion reluctantly supplied the rest silkily
"We could just throw the engagement now and leave the wedding until she's out of school."
"You would wait that long?" Orion asked, surprised. The Malfoys were not known well for their patience.
"What other choice do I have?" he snapped. Orion thought pensively, "I don't think they should be affianced…"
"Why not?"
"Narcissa is my youngest daughter, I want to give her freedom and love…not like her sisters."
"Oh, don't be foolish, man! Narcissa was the one who manipulated this so that she could be with Lucius. Deprive her of that and you see what else she would do!"
Orion looked thunderous again, he was about to reject when Beautropeus spoke over him.
"Anyway, she will grow to love him if she isn't already. Lucius had practically sent all the girls in this population to go swooning over him and she'll get all the freedom she needs…a big mansion, with everything she wants. Like a princess in a fairytale. Haven't you treated her like one so far?" the last bit was slightly mocking but Orion was too busy trying to protest to care.
"I want Narcissa to be here! In Ravensden for a good many years before making any commitments!" he cried desperately.
"Black!" The older Malfoy spat as he gave him a disgusted look. "She's not a little toddler you see, this is the best you can ever give her. She'll be happy with Lucius and with our fortune." He gave Orion a side-glance as he sneered, "Don't be an outmost fool. You know that you need the money and we need the blood…"
Orion's hands grew clammy and sweat broke on his brow at the prospect of losing his golden darling. However the pressure was immense and under the sharp glare of Beautropeus, he finally nodded his head feebly.
The Malfoy looked triumph as he lifted his black wood cane with the silver serpent head, glaring with complete malice at the weary Black. "I've got to inform Lucius, you can inform your family about this agreement. Business calls. Good-day."
Orion was certainly NOT going to have a good day as Beautropeus whisked out of the study, leaving an air of depression and despair to linger in the room. Soon after Orion heard the house-elf directing the Malfoy out of Ravensden Hall. Mr Black wrung his hands, what was he to do? In a sheer moment of panic, he had agreed to something that had condemned his most favourite child.
He had always thought of her to be his Narcissa. Always to be innocent, chaste and always under his love, protection and roof.
Wildly, these prospects have been swung around in the most horrifying direction.
She was now to be affianced to Lucius Malfoy. Orion allowed himself a mild, twisted smile. Beautropeus thought that his son was a simple boy. He tried to laugh openly…that just showed how much the older Malfoy knew. However Orion knew better than that. Lucius was the brightest wizard of his age. How he was deft and dangerous with the dark arts and was physically invincible. His mind was very cunning indeed and everything was used for his advantage.
Fancy Beautropeus thinking that his young baby daughter, Narcissa to be the cunning, dangerous one. The nerve of him!
His face also twisted in disgust, he had also known that Lucius had practically enchanted all girls of the wizarding population to his bed…except Narcissa and he wanted to keep her safe, to be untouched…
These were frail thoughts and in vain as Orion buried his head in his hands.
It was done…finalised…sealed. Beautropeus will not allow any changes, it was now legal…now very much going to happen.
Mr Black wondered why he did not see the bright side. His favourite daughter was going to marry the most eligible bachelor alive, the Black family was going to be much feared and respected in society. They would be financially indomitable and they would have the best alliance with the Malfoys, the most dangerous and powerful pureblood family, barring them any chances of torturing the Blacks when they felt like it.
Everyone would be happy, the Malfoys would get their pureblood heir, the Blacks would get their reputation and money and Narcissa would get hers and her own family. Her own flawless family…
But a family without love, which was what Orion, had raised Narcissa with as soon as she was in her mother's womb.
The feeling of sadness was growing conspicuous as time ticked by. Mr Black knew that how much he mourned wasn't going to change anything. The damage was done, now he must be positive or deal with the consequences…
He knew he was too powerless to deal with the consequences so he was left with the former.
He had to try and be positive.
He put on his best, big, cheery smile as he pushed the study doors open and strolled down the corridor to find Narcissa and the rest of the family.
