A/N: I'd say "regular weekly" but as you may have noticed, things are a bit screwy at the moment. My family situation is so screwed up right now, I don't know when things will calm down. I can't and won't make promises other than that I'm going to keep pushing forward, and that every review, PM, follow, and favorite you give me is an extra push toward these stories. Don't give up, and I will do the best I can until I can have some assurance of better regularity.

-C

Magnus sat in the corner between the Rosiers' music room and their hall, where the June Events were being held. He turned his drink in his hand, watching Rohesia Fawley with interest. She was closed, talking quietly with Isabel and Aldise, trying to shrink away from view, but still she drew nearly every eye in the room.

Since Christmas, even in his worrying about Alphard, he spent a great deal of his time thinking of what it would be to marry her. Every person who dropped out of his way meant he was a little more likely to be her choice, even though it seemed mildly impossible. She accepted a glass of wine from Adam Rosier, who whispered something in her ear, but she shook her head, ignoring the frustration on his face as he walked away.

One negative thing about the year with her at school while Magnus was graduated was that the boys in her year were suddenly sticking to her like flies on flypaper. Orion, less so. Cygnus, he never stuck to anyone but Druella. But Oliver, Denis, Adam…. They seemed more comfortable asking her to dance, engaging her in conversation, attempting to pull her off on her own. They weren't successful, but they did try.

Magnus watched as she walked out to the gardens with Isabel, perhaps trying to escape the crowded room, and he watched her, wondering what to do. Part of him was afraid and thought if he didn't give her space, she'd brush him off as easily as the others. But part of him knew he'd never win her over if he didn't try to catch her attention. It had worked for Orion, until the engagement.

Before Magnus could decide what to do, Alphard arrived, ignoring several giggling girls as he crossed to Magnus, snapping up a drink and settling next to him.

"How's the house hunting?" Magnus asked, not wanting to discuss Rohesia at all, if he could help it.

"Oh, glorious," Alphard said with a snort. "Once my mother started looking at reasonably sized houses, it was simple enough. Three-bedroom cottage in Wiltshire. I wasn't keen on Wiltshire, but I wasn't about to press my luck when she found something so reasonable. I'll have to build the library in the bonus room, but it's plenty big enough of a space. The study's nice. You should have heard Walburga, though, when she looked at the floor plans Mother left out. 'It's hideously small, only one fireplace.' As if I need more than one. How's the party shaping up?"

"Dull," Magnus said, trying not to glance out to the garden. Alphard wasn't likely to mention Rohesia, either, if he wasn't forced to. Not since Easter. "Doing a housewarming?"

"Having you and Cygnus and Orion over for drinks, yes," Alphard said, sighing. "Housewarming? Not bloody likely. Use that word around anyone in my family and I'll have your testicles."

Magnus snorted, having a sip of his drink, wondering if their conversation could be heard in the music room. He hoped whomever was managing the children forgave him for not moving Alphard along, particularly outside. Not while she was out there.

"I suppose you've got quite enough of that going right now," Magnus said sympathetically. "Between the engagement parties and wedding plans and all that. When are you moving in to your place?"

"Tomorrow," Alphard said, stretching after finishing his glass, setting the glass on a nearby table. "Shouldn't take long. It's the books that'll take some real doing. My father and Uncle Arcturus have both said they'll gift me a few reasonably selected books as housewarming gifts. Dunno which I'll choose. They've got pretty interesting stores. I'll likely let Orion have first look, since he's getting books as a wedding present, as well."

"Anything you don't take will all be his, anyway," Magnus said with a shrug. "Why not take what you want?"

From the frown that came over Alphard's face and eyes, Magnus knew his friend was no longer thinking of books, but of contracts. Magnus didn't know what the arrangement was, exactly, but he knew Alphard wasn't going in for Rohesia despite Orion's engagement to Walburga. Magnus was grateful, but Alphard seemed less and less himself as time went forward.

"I need a smoke," Alphard said, frustrated.

Magnus hoped he wouldn't say that, but there was no helping it. The two men went to the back patio and almost as soon as Alphard leaned against the outer wall and lit up his cigarette, Rohesia and Isabel were in sight. Alphard sighed, his eyes glued to Rohesia, raking her form. His expression softened upon first seeing her, then hardened again as he took a long drag of his cigarette.

"You should go talk to her," Alphard said to Magnus, not looking away from her. "She'll have to make a choice, soon."

"I couldn't," Magnus said, shifting uncomfortably. "You should, though. Way's open."

"No," Alphard said, his expression hardening even more. "No, it never will be. Anyway, she would be good with you. You're a caring man. You adore her. You can give her the financial considerations she needs."

"She doesn't need anything," Magnus said with a laugh. "Alphard, she's going to inherit a manor of her own. Who cares if all you've got is a cottage? You can live at hers."

"It's not about that," Alphard said with a bit of a snap in his words. "Look, talk to her or not. I think I'm going to leave."

"Alphard."

He shrugged, though, and did not leave. He simply put out his cigarette against the wall of the house and stalked off to the edge of the grounds, gripping at a fence post and keeping his back to the house. And Magnus stood, torn between Alphard and Rohesia, completely unsure what to do.

/-/

Walburga kept a close eye on Orion, who was restless. He'd not stood in any one place for long during the whole of the event, and he'd stopped to have a word with Aldise Yaxley before he crossed to the back, to the French doors leading out to the patio. He simply stood there, looking out at the garden, and Walburga didn't have to guess what he was looking at.

Before she could avert his attention from the Fawley girl, Cygnus handed Walburga a glass of wine and said, "Relax, sister. You're supposed to be enjoying yourself. Your wedding is approaching."

How could she relax when her husband-to-be was still obsessing over another woman? How could she be pleased when Orion paid no special attention to her, did not even stand with her for more than a few minutes at a time? He did his duty, but no more.

She had always thought that would be enough for her, but somehow that her cousin would do this to her was…too much. Harder than if she'd simply married some pureblood male.

"What does he see in her?" Walburga said softly, aware that others might overhear.

"I don't know what you mean," Cygnus said, although he clearly knew exactly what she was talking about.

Walburga took is as a hint to make her question more oblique.

"Rohesia Fawley," she hissed. "What could a man see in her?"

"Beauty," Cygnus said, amused. "Grace. Intellect. Charm. If I weren't in love, I'd have thrown myself in the ring. Ask yourself what could pull a man away from her. The list is far shorter."

/-/

Aldise grabbed another glass of wine, joining Dionisia and Iseut in a little cluster, ignoring their mild surprise at her approach.

"We already know Rohesia must have got the highest possible grades in everything she did," Dionisia said, sighing. "You know, I think I can get Oliver to propose."

"You've said that every day for two weeks," Iseut said, rolling her eyes. "He's still got a contract in for Rohesia. You'll have to wait for a spouse like the rest of us."

Aldise frowned, recognizing the unfortunate truth in Iseut's words. Randolph and the other men hadn't stopped staring at Rohesia since her politics were brought to light, and not a single contract apart from Orion's had been formally withdrawn, so it was now down to waiting for Rohesia to make up her mind about who she wanted to marry.

"The waiting is terrible," Dionisia said, rubbing her jaw. "I don't want to end up like Walburga, you know? Not marrying until so late, it must be terrible. And then having to marry her cousin?"

"Second cousin," Iseut repeated, with the tone of someone who was tired of having the same discussions and arguments played out dozens of times. "And at least she's marrying. Not all are so lucky. We need to birth more males in this gene pool, you know. It's getting a bit thin."

"Or we could just kill the women who get in the way," Aldise half-joked before taking a drink of her wine. From the way both girls looked at her, they knew exactly what she wished she could do but would never dare.

/-/

Druella grabbed a glass of wine and frowned across the room as her fiancé spoke to his sister. Walburga was apoplectic, which was unusual. But she did try to keep a lid on her crazy while they were at public events, keeping a low enough profile if she was upset about something. Which told Druella that Cygnus and Walburga were discussing Rohesia, and Druella wondered if Rohesia had any idea the kind of hatred she inspired in so many women.

/-/

Iseut woke the day after the June events and was handed a letter – her exam results. Her hands trembled slightly, although they hardly mattered. She sighed, opening the letter and examining the list.

"Oh, I passed everything," she said, smiling.

"That's lovely, darling," her father said, not looking up from his newspaper.

"I mean, nothing glorious."

"That's fine," he said, still not looking up. "You won't need them. Did you get any progress during the events?"

"On contracts?" Iseut said with a sigh. "No. I hope you didn't really expect anything, Father. Not until Rohesia makes up her mind."

He grunted, not looking up.

/-/

Albus looked over the list of student grade readouts for the NEWT exams. Rohesia came very close to the highest ever scores in several areas. Looking up at his chart, and discounting Muggle Studies as so many Slytherins did, Albus was able to adjust the whole thing and only three names occurred at the top of each column: Rohesia Fawley, Alphard Black, and Tom Riddle. Three of the brightest students he had ever seen, three years in a row. Of course, he did not consider his own exam results. But they were not far off.

The question was one of emotional intelligence. All three were brilliant, but stunted. Tom by his hunger for power, Alphard by his self-sacrificing love, Rohesia by her inability to process loss. Someday, those weaknesses would catch up to each of them, and Albus feared it would have terrible implications for their respective ability to realize their potential.

He considered the chart and wondered what Tom would do, if he could see the list. No doubt, Tom knew he wanted Alphard to join his little posse, but what lengths would he go to to acquire both Alphard and Rohesia? In a way, Albus was relieved the pair were not likely to marry, because what Tom might do with children from such a marriage would be horrendous.

He poured himself more tea and sighed. Now it was simply a question of waiting.

/-/

Rohesia sighed, setting aside her perfect exam scores and stirring some egg into her potatoes. Her father gave her a thoughtful glance and she knew there were things he wanted to ask her, so she thought she'd preempt them, in part.

"I have perfect results, if that's what you're wondering," she said dryly. She wanted to ask whether he was proud of her, but she knew he was. She wanted to go see Alphard, but she knew it wasn't appropriate, despite his always being a gentleman. She half-wished he would be a little less of a gentleman occasionally, but she supposed that was a dangerous thing to wish for.

"I never had a doubt," her father said, smiling. "Have you given much thought to the future?"

"Every day," she said, rubbing the corner of her jaw.

"Darling, I mean your future."

Contracts.

She sighed, nodding, looking at the sink. She kept hoping Alphard would put forward his name, but the longer she waited, the more she thought perhaps his family meant more to him than he realized. Perhaps his father held some power over him she couldn't compete with. And without him, she didn't know what she wanted.

"I wish I could just not marry," she said, trying to sound like she was joking, but her father knew her too well.

"If…if you think it would be easier for you," he said slowly, "perhaps I could…. Well, it is customary for a reason, I suppose."

"No," she said, standing in a single, sweeping motion. "I'll choose for myself."

She left the room with her throat tightening, realizing her life was on hold until she made a choice.

/-/

Magnus was stunned by the beauty of the engagement party, of watching two people in love as they celebrated their commitment to each other. Cygnus and Druella had been in love so long, it had always been more a matter of time than anything else.

His eyes searched for Rohesia, and he saw her with Alphard, the pair of them whispering in a corner. He felt a stab of jealousy, but he knew Alphard was not going to ask for her hand. Somehow, that only made Magnus feel marginally better about his own chances, but he couldn't deny they were beautiful together. A perfect physical compliment, elegant and dark, aristocratic and well-sculpted. They both stood with utter confidence in their superiority, and the way they stood together, turned toward each other and leaning toward each other, spoke volumes of their obvious attraction.

Magnus had long ago asked himself what he would feel, knowing his best friend was in love with his wife. Knowing his wife was attracted to his best friend. Not an easy thing, but not terribly uncommon in their world. And Magnus told himself it would be alright, because more than anything, he trusted in Alphard's capacity for loyalty and self-control. He wanted to see Alphard happy, but if Alphard was already denying himself…at least Magnus could be happy.

Isabel Greengrass handed him a glass of champagne and he thanked her with a mutter. She smirked.

"They'd have such beautiful children, wouldn't they?" she said with a sigh. "Oh, don't give me that look, Magnus. I know Alphard well enough to know he's never going to ask for her hand. He's a fool, but there it is. The question is, what are you willing to do to win her over?"

"Do?" he asked, and he almost laughed. "This isn't a matter of best in show, Isabel. She isn't interested in someone who's the best at this or that. She wants a life companion. That's what drew her to Orion. It's what she likes about Alphard. Someone who appreciates her and would give her the flexibility to live her life. My edge is that I understand what she's looking for, where the others don't."

At least, this was what he told himself, desperately, when he wondered if there was enough in his favor. Isabel's smile was encouraging, though, and he hoped it would all be enough.

/-/

Isabel spread out the sandwiches while her father spoke in their parlor with Abraxas Malfoy and Randolph Lestrange about Hankin's future. The engagement party was three days gone, and she was determined to keep herself informed on all the goings on of their world, even if she had to eavesdrop to do it. A time-honored tradition of female purebloods.

"There's been some real progress," Abraxas said lazily, and Isabel could feel his eyes glancing back at her as she worked. She tried to seem innocuous as she listened, but she did glance up and meet his gaze for a moment, and she saw his eyes widen slightly before he looked down at his tea.

"Yes," Randolph said, stirring his tea absently. "The Werewolf Register should be passed within the week. I've pushed for branding, but that may take more time to arrange. One can't always tell, you know, especially with the new ones."

"Yes, I see your point entirely," her father said, nodding eagerly. "A noble enterprise, to be certain. Hankin does have knowledge of Creatures, but as I understand he focused on the more…harmless matters. Nifflers and Crups and such. Certainly not creatures with intelligence."

"That's irrelevant to our needs," Abraxas said quickly. "The Outstanding is all that's necessary, really. And…if I might be so bold…." Her father nodded him on. "Well, it is my understanding from a discussing I had with Miss Fawley that your daughter has a solid understanding of such matters."

Isabel glanced up, her chest constricting painfully as Randolph's neck stiffened. Her father blinked bewildered.

"Abraxas," Randolph hissed, horrified.

"No, no, listen," Abraxas said, raising a hand, pointedly not looking at her. "Hankin still has the standing to accomplish things, and he has the paperwork to get him there. But his sister has expertise to coach him, prepare him, lead him if necessary. And her presence at an event or two to celebrate his successes would not be unusual."

It did make sense, and Isabel held her breath as her father looked over Randolph's shoulder at her, thoughtfully. She wasn't sure if she wanted to help them or not, as all her studies of werewolves taught her that things like the registration of them would only make things worse, and branding was just unnecessary and cruel. But this was a chance to accomplish something, to make a mark on history, which was something very few women in her circle would be granted.

Perhaps it was selfish, but she was torn.

"I will consider your proposal," her father said softly, "as will my children, and I will give you a response shortly. Have some sandwiches, please. My wife was quite adamant they be offered."

Isabel lingered just long enough for Abraxas to meet her gaze again before she melted out of the room, her heart racing, excited and terrified and strangely isolated.

A/N: So, Magnus starts to get his hopes up, Druella and Cygnus are officially engaged, and Abraxas hands Isabel a barbed opportunity to make a difference.

Review Prompt: If Alphard and Rohesia were to have children, what sort of plots do you think Tom Riddle would have for such talented and malleable creatures? (the children, not the parents)

Q&A: Ask me anything!

Cheers!

C