All the newspapers, both muggle and wizard, had been talking of the Titanic constantly for weeks on end. No expense had been spared to accommodate its passengers and it truly showed. The dressing table at which I sat was varnished white, with vines carved around the edges and silver handles on each of the drawers. The mirror reflecting my own grim face back to myself was larger than was really necessary and its frame was inlaid with mother of pearl.

I tried to distract myself with all these little details but I couldn't help the growing fury that stirred in my chest. How dare my parents speak on my behalf, I was seventeen and had no desire of being their puppet. Beryl was a smart woman and after caring for our household for longer than I can remember she was very good at reading us all. As she brushed through my hair and prepared me for this evening, no doubt she knew something was wrong with me though she didn't bring it up.

"I will take it from here" Dorothea said, laying her hand on Beryl's shoulder and gently taking the brush from the servant's possession. With a delicate curtsy, she left leaving me alone with my sister. I have often thought my sister would make a fine mother one day. In London, she had a fiancé waiting for her return by the name of Henry Runcorn. He was somewhat aloof but he was tolerable enough but what really mattered was that he was Pureblood. It matter to Mother and Father anyway and they were the ones that set up the engagement.

Dorothea gently brushed through my auburn waves before delicately weaving her fingers in and out, placing in pins and arranging my hair in an up do that I could never accomplish on my own. She wasn't finished yet though, on the table in front of me sat the jewels we had hired for the evening. She carefully laid the necklace against my collarbone before working on the fastening at the back. It was truly a stunning piece, beset with emeralds and small diamonds that had been fashioned to look like flowers with the earrings made to match.

"There" she said, taking a step back to admire her work "You shall break a few hearts tonight, dear sister"

I gave her a weak smile before rising from my chair. I straightened out the creases in my gown before moving to stand beside my sister. She looked beautiful, the scarlet of her dress and lips giving her a look of glamour I am sure I could never achieve. My dress was that of Irish green and far less eye catching.

"I really don't want to go tonight" I looked down towards my shoes "I feel sick, perhaps I'm coming down with something"

"You know how upset father would be if you cancelled" Dorothea reminded me as she pulled on a pair of crimson silk gloves "He went through a lot of effort to secure your being Victor's partner this evening, I believe he is hoping it will help his career in some way. We both know the only reason we are even on this ship is for father's work"

I was very aware of course. It was hard to avoid conversation of the ministry around my family. Another reason why I was dreading this evening. There were so many issues that were interesting to discuss, such as the ongoing goblin riots in Russia or how Africa are to build their own Institute for Magic in the coming years. Current affairs were so exciting at present and yet both my father and my mother don't care about anything that goes on unless it takes place on their doorstep.

"Well, we don't want to keep them waiting" my sister said moving towards the door. I hesitated, looking back into my reflection as Dorothea opened the door "Are you coming Addie?"

"Yes…"

The ship was certainly interesting, the Magic Wing was hidden behind the large ornate mirror that stood at the top of the grand staircase atop the ballroom and first class dining. If a muggle was to look into the mirror, they would see nothing but their own reflection, on the other side however the mirror was more like a window or a gateway and reflected nothing. I had often wondered what kind of magic was in place so as to prevent the muggles from sighting us passing through the glass. I knew it was the same enchantments that existed in Kings Cross on each of the stations but as no one had explained to me I was still unaware how it worked.

Stepping through the frame, the room before me was very similar to that of the muggles areas. We too had a dining area and a ballroom but with ice sculptures that had been animated to dance ballet in time with the music. A beautiful woman who seemed to be at least part vela sat on a lifted platform, gently singing the siren song in the language of the merpeople as she plucked the strings of her harp.

Victor Evermonde was waiting on the other side of the mirror of course and upon seeing me he bowed and offered out his hand. Trying to be polite and to not show my growing amount of loathing towards him I curtsied and took his hand. He gave me a greasy smile before escorting me towards where our parents waited. Glancing behind, my sister gave me one last look of pity before we were parted by seating arrangements.

Whilst I would love to describe the conversation and what I presume my company believed were jokes, I simply can't remember. I was busy admiring the grandeur around me, the architect truly had outdone themselves with this work. The ceiling had been painted and was clearly inspired by that of Picasso's 'The Starry Night'. Unlike the original, the stars grew and shone and dimmed as swirling clouds spiralled past them. The colours were some of the richest I had ever laid eyes upon and I was growing quite envious of the artist.

It wasn't until I felt Victor tap my shoulder to gain back my attention when I realised we were being ushered into the dining room. As much as I would love to, I couldn't fault Victor on his manners. He pulled out my chair for me before taking his own and on the occasions that he did actually choose to speak to me he always addressed me with perfect politeness.

"May I ask" I spoke halfway through the starter, much to Victor's apparent surprise "when did you leave Hogwarts? I don't recall ever seeing you before"

"I would be surprised if you had, being perfectly honest" he said pausing to signal a nearby house elf to refill his champagne glass "I was five years your senior and a Slytherin at that, had I been sorted into Ravenclaw I am sure we would have been aware of each other. As for that I never had time for the socials of Hogwarts Society, I had better things to do with my time than socialise with my peers, most of which I am not surprised to tell you amounted to nothing…"

I regretted asking the question, in doing so I seemed to have given him permission to tell me in great detail of each and every achievement he had acquired. By the time the dinner was ate and done with, I knew more about Victor than I probably did about myself. I had listened to his recounts of his 'adventures' as a prefect and how he was sure that Ernest Roscoe had bribed Professor Fortescue in some way to steal the title of head boy, which Victor still declares was rightfully his. If I was to ever be quizzed I could tell you the names of each of Victor's colleagues within the ministry, his opinions of each and how he planned to fire several from his office next year when his father was to make him head of International Affairs.

I truly couldn't have been more bored.

When we left the dining room in search of a dance, I let out a grateful sigh of relief. Surely Victor couldn't keep me to himself all evening? After a few dances I would be able to retire the evening and enjoy a few blissful hours alone in my chambers.

"Excuse me, Miss Adeline?" Victor had tapped my shoulder again "May we speak somewhere in private?"