On the list of friendships that Persephone's mother encouraged, Zelda Fisk was not near the top (given she worked), but her impending nuptials were certainly a bump in the right direction. If her mother thought that standing as a bridesmaid for her friend would give her dreams of a blushing bride moment of her own, or that she would depart the wedding with one of the unmarried Fisk brothers upon her arm, she was sadly destined for disappointment.

Still, it afforded her an opportunity to socialize with her sort of people without anyone causing a fuss, something Persy did relish—even if she was rather distracted by a translation and so was late, so to speak, to the party.

"If the Minister of Magic is to be there," Persy remarked dryly, having caught only the last as she entered her friend's bedchamber, "it shall be 'Society' whether anyone likes it or not. I should be very surprised if you don't find some Witch Weekly creature hiding behind the altar."