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If there was anything that Heiress Lucretia Ascella Malfoy, Heiress to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Malfoy was, it was stubborn.
She fought to be the rightful Heir as firstborn, despite having a younger brother, Lucius. She was the oldest, she was getting the inheritance, titles, properties, and Wizengamot seat.
She put her foot down when her parents suggested a possible marriage contract, arguing that she would marry within the Pureblood circle, but it would be out of love.
So when Blood Traitor Arthur Septimus Weasley kept making advances at her, despite the blood feud, she was not very happy.
The fact that he dared ignore the previous sins the Weasley family had committed against the Malfoy’s was unforgivable. There was a reason they were known as Blood Traitors, after all. The immoral breaking of a marriage bond was heinous and cruel, and made a mockery of the victim’s family. The Weasley family’s Nephriux had been unfaithful to Danica Malfoy both emotionally and physically, therefore ripped their marriage bond apart, along with a piece of their souls that were attached. Ever since, the Weasley family have been stripped of their glory and reverence.
Today, Lucretia turns sixteen. She is now able to be Bonded to a wizard, and is allowed to accept or decline Bonds.
At her seat at the Slytherin table, surrounded by all of the pureblood girls in her year, she watched as a slew of owls came flying towards her.
The first to land was an elegant eagle owl who screamed wealth. She gave him a piece of bacon from her plate and kept the envelope previously in its talons next to her.
The others were about the same, imposing and expensive owls with important letters all intended for her.
With all the grace and propriety of a proper pureblood Heiress, she began opening her letters, well aware of the eyes watching and the slightest tremor of nerves in her hands.
The first letter was from seventh year Master Prescott Fletcher. The boy himself was rude, nasty, and as misogynistic as they come. She burnt his letter immediately.
All the letters ended in a similar fashion, definitely crushing the boys of the Fletcher, Diggory, Burke, Rowle, and Travers family who were watching along with the rest of the student and staff body.
The last one, though, was both unexpected and different. It was from Lord Jamison Charlus Potter, who recently became the Potter Lord after the death of his father and mother to Dragon Pox. His letter read in flowing script,
Dear Heiress Lucretia Malfoy,
As you may have been previously made aware, I have recently inherited the title of Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. While the circumstances of this passing on (no ulterior meaning intended) are grievous, my intentions for sending this are not. You, Heiress Malfoy, are one of a kind. In this day and age, there are no longer pureblood women who are as strong, powerful, level headed, strong-willed, loving, gentle, and stunning as you are. You are a heretic amongst your peers, Heiress, for none would dare be as brave and ambitious as you. It would be my honor to not yet Bond with, but to Court you, as to see where we may go.
The gift enclosed would be the first Courting gift, should you accept. As per tradition, the first gift is ancestral and had a history within the givers’ family. These emerald and diamond encrusted studded earrings have been in my family for generations, going back to the original wearer, my many times great grandmother Carolyn Mahina Potter. You may recognize her name from books such as A Young Witches’ Guide to Propriety, A Muggleborn Introduction to the Wizarding World, Political Pulls Amongst Pureblood Families, and most notably The Rise and Fall of the Magicks in Magical Britain. To put that into perspective, they are older than the Headmaster Dumbledore and the Dark Lord Grindelwald combined. I hope you enjoy them as much as she did.
By wearing these, you would promise to uphold the views, policies, political alliances, values, and status quo of the Potter Family, unless you decide to end the Courtship. These include keeping your head up when curtsying, as the Potter’s are one of the five original British, French, Spanish, and Italian magical families. You will also be required to keep any bigotry (not that you have ever exclaimed bigoted words, at least in public) towards those of lesser blood than yourself, in order to maintain the image of “Light” the Potter family had diligently and intricately procured. I will go into further detail about that particular statement at a later date, should we reach that point.
Understand, Heiress Malfoy, that I very much am entranced by you, and would like to know you. I ask that you give my offering a genuine consideration, and offer your response no later than midnight tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Lord Jamison Charlus Potter of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Potter
Heir Jamison Charlus Potter of the Most Ancient and Valiant House of Peverell
Heir Jamison Charlus Potter of the Most Ancient And Noble and Valiant House of Gryffindor
The earrings dropped into her palm once she was finished reading. They were gorgeous laurel shaped studs that wrapped around the shell of her ear. The encrusted diamonds shimmered in the Great Hall morning lighting, and the emeralds reflected beautifully on her smooth pale skin.
Lucretia stood up in her seat, catching the attention of all in the room, including the one who truly needed to see her. Staring right into the eyes of her potential suitor, potential Bonded, and potential husband, she slowly put on the earrings.
Once they showed prominently on her face, making her look even more elegant and aristocratic, Jamison stood up. Every single eye was trained on him as he made his way towards her.
Lucretia felt her heart thudding in her chest. The magic swirling through her veins threatened to burst out from her skin and wrap around the handsome man in front of her, forever in his warm caress.
She extended her hand towards him, and he bowed the necessary depth for both their status, taking her hand and brushing his plump lips across the soft skin of her knuckles.
“Heiress Malfoy,” his eyes glittered with happiness and a hint of what could one day be love, “I am honored that you’ve accepted my Courting, I’ll have a letter sent to Lord Malfoy today.” He kept his eyes trained firmly on hers, warm hazel meeting grayish blue.
“Lord Potter, thank you for your offer.” She stepped back from him to raise her wand, not wanting to come across as a threat, and said, “I, Lucretia Ascella Malfoy of Malfoy House, vow to uphold the all of what a Courting with Jamison Charlus Potter of Potter House requires, for so long as we are intended. Should we Bond, I vow to uphold that of what is required of me as Lady Potter. I swear this upon my life and magic, so mote it be.”
Bursting out from both their chests was a beaming white light of pure magic. Only to them did it have swirling colors of royal blue, deep plum, emerald green, purest of night black, and liquid silver. Everyone else saw a white light. The magic soaked into their bones, warming the two nobles.
“Let Weasley even try to look at you, he’ll see just what happens when faced with the Potter wrath.” His smirk sent delicious shivers down Lucretia’s spine.
Jamison left with a quiet murmur promising to escort her to the kitchens for a nice meal tonight. With a bow and curtsy, she was the only one now with the eyes on them.
The staring followed her out the doors of the Great Hall, where they thudded behind her, closing off the whispers resonating in the room.