— Honey, stop hiding from me! — The woman took the man under her elbow and held him tightly, speaking in a stern tone.
— Honey, have I been hiding?! — a middle-aged man, slightly overweight but with broad shoulders and trained fencer's hands, replied pathetically. — I was in the study with Ludovic.....
— So you cheated again? — The woman feigned annoyance and frowned, which made her very young, twenty-something face look like that of a teenage girl.
— My fire! Don't say such things! — The man with the light blonde hair and gray-blue eyes drew his wife's hand to his lips, kissed it, and with his other hand, now released from the grip, gently pulled the lithe form to him. — I don't need anyone but you! All my desires revolve around you! I breathe you, my light! — Saying this, the head of the family kissed several times the slender fingers that adorned the primitive gold and platinum with — a few colored pebbles lying by the roadside without number.
— So be it,— said the beautiful pink lips, wobbling deliberately and feigning indifference, even looking away slightly. — I'll pretend to believe it... — The woman, who acted and looked much younger than her years, arched her slender neck gracefully and exposed herself to the kiss, her husband did not fail and immediately fell on the silky skin. — Well, — the platinum blonde spoke in a more serious tone. — What do you think of the boy?
— Honey, I'm a girl person. — She shrugged as if to apologize.
— Me too, from now on. — said the wife with a very serious look, but after a few seconds she answered her husband's smile with her own. — So, come on, answer the question. — the woman arched her thin eyebrow in a special way, and her husband understood this sign and stopped their favorite game.
— I don't know what you saw in him that was so special. — The man shrugged. — I don't know much about politics: just the basics, but otherwise some strange ideas. Economics is a little better, but he's far from perfect. Good at drawing, yes, but there are dozens, if not hundreds, of them in Paris. Nothing special.
The couple stood to discreetly observe the large drawing room where most of the guests had gathered. Only Ludovic was absent — he had been summoned to the Ministry only ten minutes ago. His wife, children and guest were now with his daughters and Aunt Appolin's "fighting force".
— Pierre, I have already told you to develop sensitivity. — the woman sighed sadly. — The boy is strong. — After giving her husband a second to absorb the thought, she continued. — And I sense the gifts in him.
— A pure blood? — Pierre grasped the idea immediately. — But who would let go of a pureblood? Unless the curses... — the man wondered.
— No. — Appolin shook his head. — Pure. Not even a little curse.
— It doesn't work that way. — the man replied firmly and confidently. — A long history leaves its traces...
— But there are exceptions, you should know. — and Pierre felt ashamed.
— You're right, my dear. But if everything is so good, why has Lucie not yet "rung" him? Laura and Angelique have no suitors, and such a party would be good for the blood.
— Lucie owes us nothing more. — said the blonde in a very serious tone, which was very rare.
— What did she say? — Pierre's face also changed dramatically.
— Fire and water. Pure. Dunois doesn't fit into such a legacy.
— Oh magic! — the man's mouth went dry, but immediately the house elf appeared, handed him a glass of water, drained it, the man spoke. — She wasn't mistaken? It was "pure"? — The couple spoke almost in a whisper.
— They wanted to buy a wand from Master Boisselier. Pure spheres. I told you about meeting him at Sophie's.
— He's a guest of Dunois, maybe they gave him an artifact...
— Don't be silly, — the woman interrupted her husband. — Who would tell an outsider such a family secret as complete protection from the spirit?
— Makes sense. — The man nodded and looked at the Japanese again.
The boy was now in the company of Louise, Laura and Lucy. He kept a steady poker face, even his eyes showed no emotion. And Lucy kept him from escaping, holding him tightly by the elbow. Pierre couldn't help noticing how the daughters looked at the boy all evening, attracting the attention of the "fighting aunts".
— I want proof.
— Zizi. — A house elf appeared silently at the command of her mistress and bowed deeply. — Observe and tell Pierre everything you see.
— Yes, mistress. — The house elf bowed again.
The woman nodded and walked confidently towards her destination, smiling happily, but Pierre saw only the graceful back of her spouse, whom he never stopped admiring even after years of their life together. Still, Pierre shifted to get a better view of his wife's little display.
Appolin approached the four adults with a quick, confident step, took his aunt under the elbow, smiled broadly and said something.
— The mistress has begun to release her aura. — The house-elf spoke quietly.
Pierre looked at the boy, whose face hadn't changed at all. Well, that's not bad, so the guy has a strong will, since he didn't "float". The man watched the women's conversation for several minutes. The owner of the mansion even sympathized with the guy ... a little. And then his wife, smiling broadly, which made Pierre suck lazily under the spoon, "blazed".
— The mistress let go of her charm completely.
Pierre noticed it himself. The grandson of a pure-blooded Veela knew what a Veela's charm was. Goose bumps ran up and down his skin and his mouth went dry. His wife became even more attractive, the perfect beauty taking on the features of a goddess.
But the man had not lost his will and was still able to think soberly. He saw Angelique shoot her angry eyes at Fleur, but when she noticed her confused look at her mother, she turned away and tended to her brother, holding a vial to Paul's face. The younger generation of Dunois must be weaker than Ludovic, because even the artifacts couldn't keep the charm at bay.
While Fleur looked surprised and confused, Gabby's silver eyebrows knitted menacingly and she frowned at her mother. However, everyone in the room, no-no, yes, glanced at the Japanese, waiting for his reaction as the "flash" charm gradually faded. He reacted in such a way that everyone was surprised, even Lucy, who was smiling.
That Sora sneezed! Loudly, heartily! He rubbed his nose with his handkerchief, looking surprised himself. "I must be allergic to something..." — heard the people in the audience. Pierre met his wife's gaze with a nod and then looked at his daughters. Fleur was in shock, but Gabrielle was smiling in a way that made her father decide that Appolene should have a serious talk with his daughters. Yes. Gabby is still young, only twelve, too young to play grown-up games.
— Zizi. — said the master.
— The mistress' charm is burned into the guest's aura. Zizi doesn't understand...
— It's okay. Go back to work.
With a bow, the house-elf disappeared silently. Pierre Delacour himself became serious about his prospects.