Later that afternoon after having visited Tiffany's home, Rowan is found sitting on an elegant couch watching Aunt Georgine pack the last of her things. Unlike Rowan and Severus, Georgine would be leaving later this week to finish preparing her office and the lesson plan. Most of everything had already been transferred to Hogwarts, but there were always a few last-minute items that needed to be packed.
Watching a marble statue be shrunk and float into a suitcase, Rowan glances up from the large, thick tome she was reading from. It was on the history of the Prince's. And to be truth be honest she wanted to know a bit more because of Tiffany.
"Aunt Georgine, I've been looking over the history of marriages of the Prince family, but I don't see any broken marriage contracts," Rowan idly remarked.
Georgine smirks as she straightens up from shoving a few more items into her bag. There were more silver hairs in her raven like winged hair that had appeared ever since the death of Sirsa, her sister-in-law. That and her great-niece and nephew were doing their part in adding more.
"Well, the Prince's do not have broken marriage contracts, but rather promised engagements," Georgine smirked.
"Which means what exactly?"
"It means that the marriages will be completed at a later point in time by future generations," Georgine replied. "It is proof of an outstanding debt that is still owed to us."
Rowan slowly nods and asks, "And who exactly do we still have promised engagements too?"
"Ah, I thought you'd never ask," Georgine said with delight before sashaying over and sitting down next to Rowan.
Pointing her finger at the time, Rowan darts her hands back as the pages swirl towards the back of the book, where a page filled with golden like letters appears. The tome suddenly begins to glow and expands to reveal a nice list of names in large letters.
Pointing at the wizarding surnames, Georgine says, "Notice, it'll say the family surname and present inheritor of the debt. Take, for example, we are owed a marriage from the Peverell line, but that surname went extinct generations ago. However, the debt is still owed and was passed down to the daughter, Iolanthe Peverell, who married Hardwin Potter."
Rowan's stomach felt queasy as she followed the golden line to the present still promised marriage that is still owed, James Fleamont Potter. In a creaky, dry voice, Rowan croaks, "As in James Potter, who is in the same year as I am?"
"Correct," Georgine smugly said. "Brother was rather seriously considering calling in the owed marriage since the two of you are the same age and are in fact friends. However, Reginald is not very fond of Fleamont Potter as per quote according to him, 'Fleamont Potter though a talented duelist wastes his time pretending to be mild and meek. He'd rather face the old lion of Gryffindor than that slinky old man."
Rowan chokes and says, "Yes, well, that does sound like something grandfather would say."
"Yes, well," Georgine glanced away. "Both, you and Severus are the last heirs to some of the greatest bloodlines in Britain. Brother will see to it that you both marry properly, but he will allow some leeway to take into consideration both of your potential marriage candidates. And the both of you are still young enough that we still have some years before we seriously begin to think of marriage contracts."
"Did you ever have a marriage contract, Aunt Georgine?" Rowan slowly asked.
Georgine snorts with scorn. "Our progenitor was always more concerned with his vices. I suppose the only good thing to say about him is that he was rarely ever home. But he was a cruel, evil man make no mistake about that. And though he did not actively beat us, he did attempt to kill us on several occasions."
Rowan blinks at the startling revelation. But then again, she had once heard Georgine comment that their father had killed their mother right before their very eyes. And Aunt Georgine did not lie that was highly likely the unvarnished truth. It was sad to say, but they did indeed have murderous blood in them.
Rowan knew she was not exempt either given her own cold nature when it came to taking lives. The killing of others came too easily to her for comfort. It was not something to be proud of, but it was rather convenient given the grave circumstances.
Georgine's glistening opal eyes are far off and distant. "Training the bastard called it, but when really he was just trying to kill us to maintain the entirety of the Prince riches. He would have to hand over the riches to Reginald as his heir, and my dowry when I reached the proper age of marriage. Our grandfather-."
Georgine paused, before continuing, "Reginald and I always suspect that our sire killed grandfather to inherit the Prince riches that much faster. But grandfather had the last laugh, oh yes, he did. Grandfather saw that beast in human clothing for what he truly was, pure evil. But even grandfather wouldn't write his only son out of his will."
A tear trickles down the corner of Georgine's eye that goes unnoticed. "Grandfather wrote a hidden clause into his will that would only be revealed should our sire ever attempt to kill us or our mother. Well, father did kill our mother and as a result, was stripped both of his magic and his life for his hideous vile plans. It was a terrible thing to see, but it was for the best really. Brother was sixteen years old then and already able to claim the family fortune. And though our mother was gone, we were at least safe from that evil beast."
Turning away, Georgine blinks and wipes the drying tear on her face. Clearing her throat, she says, "We Prince's may never strike another family member in anger, but that does not mean we are not capable of incredible acts of cruelty towards each other, and especially others.
Remember that Rowan for neither my brother nor I are perfect. And too often we cut at each other and others without noticing. It was how we were raised and for better or for worse, we inherited some of our sire's cruel nature in one form or another."
"I am well aware of my own personal flaws," Rowan bluntly stated. "And are very acutely aware of exactly what I am capable of Aunt Georgine. There is no need to warn me there."
Georgine sniffs and rises to her feet. "Well, I best finish up packing." Without another word, she returns to her previous work as before as if nothing had ever occurred.
Rowan returned to the tome and found that most of the still outstanding marriage contract debtors were wizarding families in France. Excluding the Potters, there was still an outstanding marriage contract with the four other wizarding families in the British Isles: Malfoy, Longbottom, Bones, and Crouch. Thankfully at least it was not the Black's or any of the other pureblood families.
But still, it was disturbing to know that she could have easily ended up engaged to Lucius Malfoy. Not that he was not nice to look at, but he simply was not her type. Plus, he was an arrogant, bigoted arse to be perfectly honest. She would probably have murdered him before their wedding. And would not that do wonders for her already tattered reputation!