Marriage, Murder & Magic- [OMINIS GAUNT]

Chapter 7- The Sun and The Sunflower

The second week of the school year began with an engagement, announced by a Howler to everyone in the Great Hall at dinner. '

"Adelaide Oakes and Leander Prewett are to be wed," the wedding-pink Howler boomed. "Their families wish them sincere congratulations on their future nuptials, which will be held on the 30th of June."

It wasn't very surprising that Leander Prewett got engaged so quickly, even before the official debut event on Saturday. The Prewetts were pureblood, and Adelaide Oakes was extremely lucky to have secured a match with him.

The castle celebrated their engagement at dinner, toasting pumpkin juice and sparkling apple cider with tea cakes and roast duck. And yet, after the fun and celebration, we still had to attend Astronomy class afterwards.

I hiked up the tower's steps heavy with chicken and pie and other goodies. Quinn, Samantha, and Morgana discussed the news.

"I want to be next," Quinn whined. "Adelaide isn't as smart as I am, nor is she as well read, nor proficient at the piano-"

"I'm happy for her," I said. Adelaide's family was not rich. She had told me last year that her uncle cared for her, working dangerous jobs to provide for her financially. If she married into Leander's family, she wouldn't have to worry about money for the rest of her life.

"Do you think they're in love?" asked Samantha.

Morgana snorted. "Leander has the maturity of a ten year old, and the self control of a five year old. No, I suspect their engagement was born of some other reason."

Quinn's eyes widened. "You don't suppose they-"

"Got caught fooling around?" Morgana gave Quinn a knowing look. "All I'm saying is that it's odd for an engagement to occur so quickly into the school year, is all. Seems like they're covering something up to me."

We hushed quickly when we noticed some Hufflepuffs coming down the stairs we were climbing. It was improper to discuss these things, especially if they were just rumors. Adelaide was a good girl who did not need her reputation tarnished by tongues whispering that she had gotten herself into a scandal. Us Ravenclaw girls liked to assume that we knew more than everyone else, and that we could read between the lines because we were the smartest, but I knew better than to jump to assumptions. When I heard hoofbeats, I thought of unicorns, not horses.

"My parents are looking into foreign matches for me," Quinn said proudly. "They know of some families who have sons attending Durmstrang in Bulgaria."

"Why go so far for a husband?" I asked breathlessly. These stairs were killing me, and we were only halfway there. My legs were shorter than everyone else's, especially Morgana, who was the tallest of us all.

"No one here is exciting or attractive enough for me," Quinn said. "I deserve someone exceptional."

Samantha gave Quinn a patronizing smile. "You'd have to learn Bulgarian, you know."

"I could do that," Quinn shot back at Samantha. "And besides, Samantha, have you even started thinking about marriage, or shall we expect you to marry a mandrake next June?"

Samantha looked around the hall carefully, like she was expecting to see someone specific. "I rather like Amit," she admitted. "He's so smart, and generous. He's like the sun."

"And you are a sunflower," I said cheerily. Amit and Samantha would be terrific together. They were already good friends. "Amit is my astronomy partner. I can inquire for you tonight if he's already promised to another."

Samantha liked that idea. "If he's not available, you may have to settle for Duncan Hobhouse," Morgana sneered.

Samantha paused as she searched for a kind word to say. "Um... Duncan is lovely, I suppose. But he's dropped herbology to take Muggle Art. That doesn't show that he's very serious about his studies."

"He was terrified of mandrakes and venomous tantaculas," I said understandingly. "I'm glad he's found something else he may be better suited for."

Astronomy class had a modest size of fifteen, which was more than divination, but far less than more desirable classes such as charms or defense against the dark arts whose sizes could get up to almost 30. Ominis Gaunt was in this class as well. Although he could not see through the telescope, he did very well at charting and calculation. I had heard from Sebastian that Ominis had enchanted all of his books to read to him in a voice only he could hear as he ran his fingers over the text. Ominis was a fantastic student barely hindered by his lack of eyesight. In fact, the only thing he couldn't do was ride a broom, but that was hardly necessary as the rich folk had their own thestral-drawn flying carriages to get around.

"Prisma, look at this," Amit motioned for me to come over to his hefty stack of parchment on his charting table. "Tonight's planet formations are unlike any we've ever seen before. I took their coordinates and converted them to their alphabetical equivalent. I have yet to crack the meaning- but come to think of it, I may try the Greek alphabet instead..."

"This is an incredible discovery, Amit," I applauded his intelligence. "Or, it will be, once you crack the code."

I began to help him convert the numbers to letters. "I've been meaning to ask, Amit, what are your plans after Hogwarts?"

"University of Oxford," he replied with enthusiasm. "It may be a Muggle school, but it's the world's center for academic debate and discovery. I need to be there."

"That sounds fantastic. But, do you suppose you'll marry before, or after?"

Amit was so surprised by my question that he nearly poked a hole in his hand with the point of his compass. "Um, I.... uh, I haven't thought about marriage just yet."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," I apologized. "It's just that I am considering the same issue myself. Furthering my education sounds like a wonderful idea."

Amit gave me an odd look. "I'm afraid Oxford does not accept female students."

"What?" I barked, which gained the attention of a few other students. "That's ridiculous!"

"Well, if a student is married, they are permitted to live on campus with their wife. But women cannot earn degrees," Amit informed me.

"I ought to write to them," I said furiously.

Amit was looking at me very strangely by that point, likely wishing he had a different astronomy partner right now.

"Fantastic idea, Prisma. As soon as they receive your letter, thousands of years of institutionalized sexism shall be overturned." The snarky comment came from none other than Ominis Gaunt, who was at his cartography table, charting Saturn's retrograde.

"Then I shall start my own university." I crossed my arms. "We shall accept men and women alike, and it shall be better than silly, sexist Oxford."

A few students snorted and returned to their telescopes.

Ominis closed his book and said, "Let me know when you are accepting students."