Alessandro looked at the brown post owl as it flew into the breakfast room to deliver its letter to him. Alessandro was Don of the Tuscan Mafia and head of the Magical Mafia alliance.
"what's that?" asked his pregnant wife Gianna. She was last in the line of bespoke wives. women who were trained from childhood in skills to benefit their husbands. While at first their marriage was awkward, painful and unpleasant, they had come to appreciate each other since the birth of their son four years previous. She was truly bespoke for him.
He looked at her fondly as he finished reading the letter. "It's a letter from Orion Black, we met him and his wife at the summer solstice ball in England. His wife was the harpy".
Recognition shone in Gianna's eyes as she looked up him from her breakfast "oh? What does he want then? I doubt it's a social letter".
"Orion black wants a meeting to know if we will contract our daughter to his future son". Gianna leaned forward; he'd caught her interest. They had agreed that they would train one daughter, it was part of their marriage contract. Hers was a skill that was kept alive through the maternal line.
"I'll write after breakfast and inform him to call tomorrow for tea at two o'clock. Please ask the house elves and servants to prepare for their arrival". His wife nodded, the shark like grin on her face mirrored on his own.
-/-
It was two minutes till two o'clock Gianna and Alessandro were stood in the atrium of Montague manor. The pair were waiting opposite their Floo connection. They had discussed the night before, marring their daughter off to the Black family. The move would solidify their family's future. It would ensure their daughters a life in the upper echelons of British society and it would pass down Gianna's training from mother to daughter. But most importantly it would allow the mafia alliance access into English high society.
"Is everything ready for our guests?" asked Alessandro as he double checked the time on the clock.
"of course" replied his wife, "I will take Mrs Black into the violet study and we will discuss the training requirements, while you talk with Mr Black in the Brown study and negotiate a contract" Gianna said. To an observer she would seem bored, but Alessandro could see the excitement carefully concealed under the surface.
The clock above the fire chimed two o'clock and the Floo flared as Mr and Mrs Black walked through. "Good afternoon, Lord Montague, thank you for inviting my wife and I into your home" Alessandro shook his outstretched hand.
"A pleasure Lord Black, please be welcomed into our home" replied his wife in a warm tone "Lady Black, I thought we might take refreshments in the violet study whilst the men talked business."
Mrs Black smiled politely, "that would be wonderful thank you Lady Montague". Alessandro watched as the women walked out. Gianna would enjoy this he thought idly.
"Shall we go to my study Lord Black?" Alessandro suggested as he started walking towards the door with Mr Black in tow.
"Please call me Orion, my wife is more a stickler for formality than I" he said with an fond smile on his face.
"only if you call me Alessandro".
Orion chuckled "of course".
Refreshments were prepared in the study by Dolly the house elf she prepared both men a glass of brandy as Alessandro got the cigarillo out of the cabinet and offer one to Orion who accepted. Not the good ones he decided. After all the Blacks were there to convince him to make a contract. Gianna and he both agreed, they would play hard to get, neither minded contracting their daughter. No, they were very happy this would be a good strategic move. However, they wanted this to be an advantageous deal for them as well.
After taking the first draw of his cigarillo Orion spoke "Walburga and I wish to form a marriage contract for your daughter to our firstborn son."