Chapter 473 - Naming Ceremony Ⅲ (1/2)
With the ceremony now over, the Avery couple hurry over to the new godparents of their grandson and take the bloodied weapons from them. Various house elves appear carrying bandages, blood replenishing potions, and healing potions. While the various a.d.u.l.ts are being tended to Rowan is carefully watching Kain Shafiq out of the corner of her eye. But she was not the only one, their grandfather was closely watching him as well.
Once everyone is finished being tended to Evan Avery gently reaches into the cradle and pulls out his still dozing son leaving the soiled blanket in the cradle to be burned into ashes by the house elves as is tradition. With a soft smile, he proudly presents his son to his official godparents. ”Barnabas Avery, please meet your godmother, Georgine Irene Prince, and your godfather, Kain Shafiq.”
The sleeping baby merely snuffles in his father's, before letting out a sleepy sigh. Georgine sniffs and says, ”Well, not at all very surprising considering the circ.u.mstances.” Before flashing Evan Avery, a sharp glance, ”However, I shall not be around much for this upcoming year as I have temporarily taken a position at Hogwarts for a single year's worth of time.”
”Yes, I am aware of that,” Evan Avery murmured as he tucked a new clean blanket around his son. ”And as he is only months old, I doubt the absence of his Godmother will be felt.”
”Good,” Georgine crisply said, before turning to eye the joint godparent, Kain Shafiq. ”I thought you had left England for warmer climates, Shafiq,” Georgine crisply declared as she carefully studied the tan wizard.
”I did,” Kain Shafiq replied with a white glistening smile. ”But my youngest and only son is set to start Hogwarts in the next upcoming year. As such preparations are under way to return to our native country of birth with our entire household. Therefore, my entire family including my unwed daughters will return to our home in the countryside by the end of the year.”
Georgine merely sniffs as if rather annoyed by the news, but Kain Shafiq understood that the older Prince female disliked his wife's mother, his mother-in-law. Apparently the two witches had always been at each other's throats while attending Hogwarts. Rumor even had it that the two witches had gotten into a catfight that had involved violent hairpulling and clothes tearing. Either way, both women kept quite the distance from each other as possible.
Not wanting to further distress the older witch, Kain of his own accord says, ”However, my in-laws will not be returning with us to England. They will continue to reside at their chateau.”
”What joyous news,” Georgine said with a cold gleam of satisfaction clearly visible in the depth of her eyes.
Knowing Georgine Prince's temperament, Mrs. (Agatha) Avery quickly says, ”Please follow us into the dining room. A small celebratory dinner has been prepared by the house elves.”
Normally there would be a great celebratory feast and many guests present, but the Prince's would not have attended otherwise. As such, Mrs. Avery had to console herself with what the fact that her grandson had gained a great advantage in that stead. And since, the entire Avery were still in mourning for the passing of poor Marceline even Mrs. Avery would not have truly desired such an event. Her daughter-in-law had more than amply performed her duty and was to be respected and honored for having given her life to birth, Barnabas Avery.