Chapter 508 - Dinner at 12 Grimmauld Place Ⅱ (2/2)
”A pleasure,” the Fawley family mutters back.
Taking her cue, Lysithea Fawley promptly waves her hand at her children gesturing to them to step forward. ”My eldest son, Spurgeon Fawley, my second son, Esmond Fawley, and my beloved only daughter, Bethanie Fawley.”
”A pleasure,” the Black family said back.
With pleasantries and introductions over and done with, Walburga says, ”As dinner has yet to be served, please allow for my sons to give the Fawley children a tour of our humble home and allow us a.d.u.l.ts more than enough time to amply converse together in private.”
”We would be delighted too,” Lysithea courteously replied, before glancing at her children to move forward and towards the Black children.
Walburga and Orion move out of the way to reveal Sirius flashing them a wide grin, while Regulus much more coolly smiles back. However, Regulus's eyes quickly begin to sparkle with delight as a faint tint of blush can be seen on his face at spotting Bethanie. Bethanie's expression grows warm as she returns the shy smile, before tugging her two youngers behind her. The three Fawley children move forward and bow to the Black hosts as they pass them by.
Sirius doesn't even wait for them to be out of earshot and further down the hallway, when he loudly says, ”Well, there really isn't much to look at. But I am sure, Brams is around here somewhere, we can play fetch with him.”
Walburga lips twitch with embarrassment at her eldest son's actions. Oh, why did he have to be a Gryffindor? Couldn't he have been quieter and been a proper Slytherin like his younger brother?! Oh, what had the Black family done to deserve this?!
Orion already used to his eldest son's antics ignores the social faux pas and instead says, ”Please follow us, this way.”
Orion extends his hand for Walburga to take as the two of them lead the Fawley couple to a parlor room that was a fresh pot of tea still steaming with perfectly warm scones to enjoy. There is only a small platter of scones for them to eat as dinner will shortly be served.
Orion and Walburga take a seat first before the Fawley couple seated themselves across from them. Walburga carefully pours tea for everyone, before adding a spoonful of sugar to her own teacup. Under the pretext of stirring her tea, she carefully eyes the married Fawley couple seated across from her and her husband.
The Fawley family is a good pureblood family, however, the current patriarch of this branch left much to be desired. But despite Bogdan Fawley, being a well-known womanizer, he had not sired any bastard children and did not gamble. And there are always worse faults to be had.
Walburga's lips twitch with a bit of a frown as she studies, Lysithea Fawley from under her eyelashes. A singular beauty, no doubt, a virtual Helen of Troy. However, there were more than a few unsavory rumors that she took lovers on the side and her husband permitted it. How utterly distasteful for a woman of their social level to be so wanton!
Walburga tears her gaze from Mrs. Fawley and carefully puts down her spoon, before taking a sip of her tea. Regardless of the Fawley couples' faults they had raised three excellent children. Their daughter, Bethanie is a great beauty and rather demure, unlike her mother. And more importantly is proper and polite, a young maiden who knows her place. She would be an excellent bride for her son and be a good daughter-in-law to have.