Written for Assignment #2 on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry forum: Folklore, Task #2 – Write about someone changing their status (lower class to high society for example). Word count: 506. List of additional prompts below the text.

Just Us

Life could be really unpredictable at times. Eileen had never expected herself to agree for an evening in a non-magical pub with some colleagues, not to mention forming any kind of relationship with a Muggle. But it happened. Tobias was tall, much taller than her, well-built and had a weird sense of humour. And he was the first one to talk to her.

In the following months they met regularly, once or twice a week. And now… now was the time to make important decisions. For the Merlin's sake, she was twenty-four, but she kept sneaking out to meet a boy like some teenager!

So she waited in her parents' sitting room, staring thoughtfully through the window. That was not going to be easy.

"Eileen."

"Mother," she responded quickly, getting up to greet the older woman properly. "Father," she added, as he entered the room right after his wife.

Gustav and Miranda Prince were a formidable wizarding couple; both with somewhat attractive, dark looks to them and impeccable manners.

"You wanted to talk to us," Gustav stated, sitting down on a comfortable double seat. Miranda didn't join him; she chose one of the armchairs instead. Nothing unexpected. As far as Eileen could remember, there was little to none affection between her parents and it was a rarity to spot them in a moment of physical contact.

"Yes," she confirmed. "I… met someone."

That seemed to spark their curiosity. Eileen was not the prettiest (they had no idea who she took after, honestly), nor the youngest girl out there. They'd almost given up hopes of finding a suitable husband for her.

"Which family is he from?" questioned Miranda immediately.

"He is a Muggle." Eileen's voice was steady, her face almost expressionless.

"Eileen!" Miranda gasped, visibly indignant. "Don't you dare! Either you forget about any relationship you might have with this boy, or you'll no longer be able to call yourself our daughter."

"I'm not asking you for permission," said the girl with dignity. "I'm merely informing you of my plans. Anyway… cast a diagnostic charm on me," she suggested.

Miranda furrowed her eyebrows, hearing this last sentence, but she pulled out her wand, and performed the spell. Seconds later she let out an unarticulated sound, when it revealed an additional tiny heartbeat within Eileen's body.

"How could you! How could you do something like that to us!" For a moment Miranda looked like she wanted to fire another spell at her daughter, but after a quick glance in Gustav's direction she lowered her wand. "What will people think!"

"I don't care what people think, Mother. All I care about is us," said Eileen, protectively resting one hand on her abdomen.

That was the moment when Gustav decided to join the conversation.

"Get out, Eileen," he said simply. "And don't come back asking for help."

Later that day, when Eileen left her family's house, the name-tag on her suitcase no longer carried name "Prince". Now it was just "Eileen". She wasn't an heiress of a pureblood house anymore.

Prompts:

Herbology Hangout – (random starter seed) item: name-tag

Writing Club – Assorted Appreciation – 20. dialogue: "I don't care what people think, [NAME]. All I care about is us."

Writing Club – Film Festival – 28. item: window

1000 Prompts – 576. item: suitcase

365 Prompts – 126. mother