November 27th, 1891 — Magical Portrait Gallery Opening Ball

Naeva Lécuyer was done. She was done with being trapped by her identity as a woman, done with being at the mercy of the whims of men. It was time she took her life into her own hands, and she had an idea of how to do that. It wasn’t very polite of her, but if this was what it took to get married and finally escape the status of debutante, trapped in limbo between girlhood and proper adulthood, going unheard.

She’d never met the man she danced with now, not before tonight. Mr. Marshall had a bit of a reputation that preceded him anywhere, though. Eloped with a girl his own age, and a son from the marriage, whose birth killed his mother. A tragedy, really, but Naeva was counting on his spontaneous reputation to cushion what she was about to so recklessly do.

“So, Mr. Marshall,” she began, swirling as she was past the portraits of the newly-opened gallery, “what is it that leads one to elope?”

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

Yet another party that Charles was expected to attend. Perhaps it was more interesting then most, featuring the gallery of magical paintings. At one point, he had taken part in a rather interesting conversation with one of such paintings. Despite this, Charles was largely uninterested - not that he would make that known.

There was no way for Charles to know what Miss Lécuyer was planning. It wasn't as if he was a seer. All he knew was that she was yet another debutante to dance with. One that he was much less likely to be interested in. Purist families were the type he was more inclined to avoid, especially the eligible debutantes. His family might approve such a marriage, but he was sure he would be miserable. And he had his son - his halfblood son - to think about.

Her question had been a hint annoying. "Love, in most cases. Why?" It truly was an odd question for a debutante to ask.

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

Oh, the portraits were certainly interesting to talk to. She’d had her own lengthy conversation with one of them earlier in the evening, on the subject of Naeva’s favorite school subject — Divination, of course. She was still a little bitter about that A on her NEWTs, but that didn’t matter to a debutante. It didn’t matter in her life. Whatever Charles Marshall’s classes had been, Naeva had no clue, but his choices had mattered. Hers never had.

Well, they would after tonight.

“Curiosity more than anything,” she admitted. “It isn’t every day I interact with someone who’s eloped.” And her response was indeed genuine. Elopement was spoken of with a special sort of taboo in the Lécuyer household, especially after Mireille. “What does it feel like, to be in love?” She doubted she’d ever know.

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

NEWTs had certainly been important. Though, as the eldest son, it wasn't the most important. He had wanted a job. It wasn't altogether necessary. His siblings were his main job, along with his son. Sure, the boy had a nanny - but he needed a father figure in his life, certainly. He would also need a mother figure, which was why Charles was at this party.

This was not a rather flattering conversation. While he never regretted his choice, he wasn't much for being a walking curiosity. Especially to a prying debutante. "Complicated." He stated, trying to sound polite but beginning to have annoyance lacing his voice.

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

Complicated. She could accept that answer. The love she knew — familial love — was messy enough, she couldn’t imagine how horrible it must feel for romantic love. Every romantic poem she’d read made it sound almost painful. She’d really hoped for a first-hand account, but she was fine with complicated. It was reasonable — and she was prying, anyway.

She needed to redirect the conversation somehow away from elopement. Though it was the perfect segue, she didn’t want to make him hate her. There needed to be some measure of likeability between them.

“What was your favorite subject in school? Mine was Divination. I found the abstracts to be interesting, especially cartomancy and palmistry.” She smiled sweetly. “Muggles do get some things right, you know. Palms truly can tell a lot about a person’s future. Perhaps I could read yours sometime.”

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

Love was complicated. How could he even explain it in one conversation? It seemed to be a lifetime of learning, a lifetime that had been cut short for himself and Melissa. Charles was not truly one to sit around and read love poems, so he couldn't truly start making comparisons. It was an intimate subject that he had no interest in discussing with Miss Naeva Lécuyer.

At least she was beginning to realize that he had no interest in the conversation at hand. It was certainly easier than bluntly telling her. Though the topic change transitioned to an incredibly different conversation type.

While awkward, it was nice to not hear Miss Lécuyer instantly begin insulting muggles. From a purist family, it was something he hadn't expected from her. "That is a rather interesting fact, Miss Lécuyer. I am not familiar with divination, though I would not be faithful to my Ravenclaw house if I didn't have an open mind towards unfamiliar subjects."

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

An open mind.

Something Naeva was unfamiliar with, from her upbringing anyway. School had brought some new opinions into the picture, but Slytherin was a double-edged sword of a house. Some were told they would thrive, others that their ambitions would likely amount to nothing. Especially the working class students.

Now that, Naeva had hated. In her opinion, class was a barrier that deserved to be broken, and those working class students deserved the same change at an education as she did. Not that literally anyone in her standing would have agreed with her, so she kept her mouth shut and toed the line.

“Oh, Divination is wonderful,” she gushed. “But I find it hard to read myself. Every time I try to divine my own future, it’s like a black cloud, and I cannot see past it. My classmates told me I would have a charmed life when we first practiced palmistry, but I couldn’t see it. Not past this.” She gestured with her head to the left, as if to indicate her current lifestyle. “Everyone sees the debutante life as easy, but it’s really not. It’s straining.”

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

Charles was glad that he had not been placed in Slytherin. It wouldn't have been a good selection for him, for one thing. And his sister would likely have driven him mad. All in all, Katherine had been a good sister. But she was nosy and had vastly different opinions than he did as they grew older. Perhaps - in part - due to their respective sortings.

There weren't many Slytherins that thought too openly, particularly ones of their blood status. It was a common trait. The house was famous for it. How could Charles be blamed for believing that Miss Lécuyer most likely held such views?

But this young woman before him was passionate. Gushing about a topic that most debutantes took as a small pastime. He couldn't help but smile. That was, at least, charming. And he also couldn't help the agreeing nod towards the comment of these such affairs being straining. "Not many know this, but my late wife was a seer."

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

A seer. An actual, honest to God seer. Had been his wife. Of course, that made sense. Seers were a group Naeva actively was jealous of. Not that she’d tell Charles that fact. But it made sense, somehow, that his late wife was a seer. Had she seen their relationship? This messy plan Naeva had made? But that was getting into prying territory again, and she would be rude to ask.

What wouldn’t be rude? Well. “You didn’t answer my question, Mr. Marshall,” she drawled, arching an eyebrow. “What was your favorite subject in school?”

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

Jealousy had not been Charles's intentions. It was a way to relate. To share a pleasant memory of a lost loved one. But perhaps it was different for a young debutante who was out to find a husband - not to hear about a widower’s dead wife. But he tried to not make a thing of it.

Oh yes, that question. "My apologies. Your enthusiasm was a rather pleasant distraction. Well, I find myself rather fond of charms. It is a rather broad and creative subject." Honestly, if he was more inventive he would likely have ended up in the Experimental Charms department eventually.

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

She didn’t wear her jealousy on her sleeve like some other debutantes might, at least. She kept something of a smile on her face as they began to twirl nearer to the crowd, nearer to the portraiture lining the walls. Now was the time. He’d probably hate it no matter when she did this, but she had a plan and she wasn’t going to deviate from it. No matter that she was actually finding his conversation pleasant.

“Would you ever consider marrying someone like me?” Naeva asked, batting her eyelashes once, twice, before smiling broader. His response would be important. The crowd was drawing closer.

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

This had been an… odd conversation thus far. But it was turning into a nice one. Discussing interests and having a conversation that extended past the venue. He had no clue what was coming. Taken along by the steps of the dance that had been taught to the majority of upper society since their early youth.

Her question threw him off. How did he respond to that? "Marriage? Miss Lécuyer, I can hardly see you happy by marrying me."

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

It was…perfect. The second they were close enough to the gathered watchers, his phrasing was perfect, and set the crowd to murmuring immediately. But the dance continued, sweeping them away from those members of the crowd. She knew how it sounded to them. Their first ever dance and it seemed he had proposed to her. Naeva knew it was destined to be a loveless match, but society would push things in a certain direction.

And her father would insist. That was the real kicker.

“I would much rather marry someone than remain in this hellish limbo,” she imparted. “The who doesn’t much matter to me anymore. But I think they think you want to marry me.” She inclined her head towards the crowd, smiling a little. It was a desperate move, she knew, and a trap he’d likely have no way out of. But she was a Slytherin, and her ambition right now was to get married. No matter the cost.

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!

What was that look? He glanced around briefly, noticing the people whisper. What? They weren't looking at Miss Lécuyer with that look either. They were looking at him. How much had they heard, then? What could they possibly be thinking?

Her words brought him back to attention. This witch! Had she truly been so delusional as to plan this?! What could he possibly do about this?

---

  

---

Magic by Lady

Indeed she had planned this from the beginning, and it had gone positively perfectly. In her mind, it was a genius plan. And now he was stuck, as a proper gentleman, for how could society believe an innocent debutante, a Pendergast Rose, had done something so positively devious? She was now stuck as well, anyway. If he denied her at any point now, she would be ruined, and his chances with other debutantes would be slim.

“Look. You need a wife. I need a life. Your son needs a mother. You need more children. Think of it as business — nothing more. We can deal with the particulars later. For now, keep dancing.”

---

  

---

Gilded beauty by MJ!