Part Eleven
Rosa's tiny café was silent as the hustle and bustle of London passed by. There were only two occupants in the shop that evening. A woman sat by the window. Tall, a black cloak draped around her and fell to the floor, she stirred her tea but had not taken a single sip yet.
She was waiting patiently, a bored look on her magnificently beautiful face. She had a sharp nose like her brother, brilliant hazel eyes with a hint of green, and long, chocolate brown hair that cascaded down her back into curls. An equally tall and lanky gentleman stood at the counter, asking Rosa all of these questions about the contraptions that made coffee and tea. He was intrigued to say the least. "
"And you put the filter here, and pour the boiling water?" The man asked Rosa, who nodded for the fifteen-thousandth time.
"Absolutely incredible." He remarked with such curiosity.
"Fleamont?" The woman sitting at the table asked, and the man swung his head over to his companion. "Leave the poor woman alone."
"Ah, right love." He said, pushing his square glasses up onto the bridge of his nose, offering a grazie to Rosa and took a seat next to his fiancée.
"He should be here any minute." The woman sighed, slowly lifting her sleeve to check her watch.
"Relax, Mia. You know how he works late." Answered Fleamont, who sat contently, taking a huge gulp of his tea.
Without a moment's pause, the door rang in the café and there appeared Marden, followed closely by Ailene, their hands clasped together.
Euphemia let out an annoyed sigh as the two sat in the booth across from them at their table.
Ailene smiled and offered a soft hello.
"Well, hello there." Fleamont responded in a cheery voice, extending his hand across the table and shook Ailene's hand gingerly, then extended his hand to Marden. "Good to see you again, chap. All well in the Auror Department?"
"As well as it can be, Fleamont." Marden said in a kind voice, shaking his hand. Ailene then extended her hand across the table to Euphemia, who eyes flickered down at her hand before fixing her piercing gaze back at Ailene, offering no gesture of greeting.
She then tilted her head to her brother. "What is this?" She asked in a dangerously calm voice, her jaw clenched.
"I want you to meet Ailene. Ailene, this is my sister Euphemia, and her fiancé, Fleamont." Ailene and Fleamont nodded to each other, offering a smile while Euphemia still held her sharp gaze at her brother across the table.
"Ailene and I have been seeing each other from some time, as I'm sure you're aware of, Mia-
"No, actually, I wasn't aware. I thought I made it clear to you that you shouldn't be seeing a Muggle."
Marden was silent for a split second, and Ailene gazed up at him to see that harsh look in his eyes.
"-And we have developed quite a strong bond, if I do say so." Marden finished his thought, the two siblings meeting their rough gazes equally.
"And what does this have to do with us?" Euphemia asked.
"Because I would like to bring Ailene with me to your wedding as my guest, but I wanted to get your permission first."
Both Fleamont and Euphemia answered at the same time with a respective:
"Oh for bloody Merlin's sake!"
"I think that would be a lovely idea."
The engaged pair then exchanged shocked looks at one another.
"Fleamont, I don't think you understand my family like me and my brother do. It will not go well, not at all." She said, ending her sentence by glaring at Ailene, who did not shrink back.
"What about you...Mia?" Ailene asked all of the sudden, catching everyone off guard. "Do you not like me because I am a Muggle? Because I am not like you."
"I don't like the fact that my brother knows well enough that if he brings you into the picture, he will not have a relationship with our family. He's willing to sacrifice that for you?"
"You're bloody right I am." Marden said in a very firm tone. "I didn't think that included you, but I clearly was wrong."
For the first time, Euphemia did not glare at her brother, this time looking at him with defeat.
"No, it doesn't include me." Mia then said in a softer tone. "But I don't want to see you out of our family. You know well that they will cut all ties with you if you go through with this."
Euphemia then shifted her attention to Ailene. "Unfortunately, my parents are still very...traditional in their views on marriage.
Before, things were much stricter. Purebloods could only marry Purebloods, and most of the time this entailed arranged marriages. By the time a witch or wizard was two or three years old, they already had a partner picked out for them that they would marry, and in so securing the pureblood lineage." She explained to Ailene. "It all came down to procreation. This also means that most of us Purebloods are disgustingly inbred." Now Euphemia sneered at the thought, looking back at her brother.
Inbred? Ailene thought to herself. She then peered up at Marden, wondering if he was.
"Even though many Wizarding families still practice arranged marriages, my parents changed their views. They wouldn't want us to go through the same agony of marrying cousins as they went through. They are allowing us to be able to marry, so long as they were a witch or wizard. My parents are not going to approve of the union of you two. Just the thought of you two together would kill them. They'd do anything to tear you two apart. Either that, or disown Marden."
Now everything was coming together in Ailene's mind. "And if you two do end up getting married, they will not be in your children's lives. They will strip you both of any inheritance Marden has lined up for him-"
"This is a risk I am willing to take." Marden interjected quickly. "I love Ailene. I would do anything for her."
"And you want to announce this at our wedding?" Mia asked her brother. "Do you not realize the chaos you will cause? The insanity? We mind as well kiss our happy wedding day goodbye if you do that."
"Perhaps not at the ceremony, but could she come to the reception?"
Euphemia sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. She peered at Ailene, but this time without an ounce of judgment in her eyes.
She then looked at Fleamont for support, who sat with a thoughtful look on his face. Ailene already liked him better than his counterpart.
"Look, I'm really happy for the both of you. Really, I am. I don't have anything against Muggles, or the two of you being together and I'm know Mia here doesn't either. But with the few times that I have met Angus and Verana, I can tell that they won't be thrilled about this happening." Fleamont explained. "But, I think the ultimate decision should be left up to Mia." He said, looking at his wife-to-be, who rolled her eyes that responsibility of this decision was left to her.
The couples sat in silence for a few moments, Marden's arm wrapped snug around Ailene's waist.
"I am okay with not going to the wedding." Ailene then spoke up. "I was the one who suggested to ask the two of you first. Marden was just going to bring me along. I can understand if you don't want this to happen." She said to Mia.
After a few more moments longer, Euphemia finally sighed. "Look, if you want to bring her, its fine with me. Just know it won't be fine with everyone else. But, I have one condition: You may introduce her at the reception, but the ceremony is strictly for family only."
Marden smiled brightly, looking down at Ailene who offered him a smile, but was now incredibly apprehensive.
"When is the wedding?" Ailene asked.
"February 7th." Euphemia answered, now smiling for the first time that evening, rubbing Fleamont's knee lovingly.
However, Ailene's heart only sank lower and lower into the pit of her stomach.
February 7th was one week away.