The Pureblood Princess | Sirius Black

|68| So Freaking Gorgeous

As Adelaide sat upon the vanity stool, eyes closed while her mother caked on globs and globs of make up, she hardly registered the steady stream of insults flying out of Cathryn Fawley's mouth. All she could think about was that she had a brother. A brother no one told her about. Why hadn't they told her? What was he like? When did he die? What else were they keeping from her...

"Done. Now, pull off those clothes so I can help you into the dress." her mother ordered, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Adelaide hesitated, feeling a little self-conscious.

"Now!" her mother commanded.

Reluctantly, Adelaide slipped off the dress she had been wearing down to her undergarments, trying to hide herself as much as possible with her arms from the disapproving looks of her mother. She stepped into the long black evening dress, watching her reflection in the full length mirror in horror. Backless with a plunging neckline, the dress made her so uncomfortable she couldn't help but try to hide as much of her body as she could with her hair, arms, and hunched over shoulders .

"Stand up straight!" her mother said, hands pulling her shoulders back into their proper posture. 

"M-mother, I can't wear this." Adelaide said in a small desperate voice, looking up with pleading eyes. "Please let me wear something else."

Cathryn clenched her jaw. "You are wearing this dress. We need you to make a good impression on the families of your suitors. You have finally filled out a bit and I want them to see the figure you have developed."

Adelaide hated the way her mother spoke of her as if she was some animal up for auction. Yes, she had developed some curves over the summer, but that didn't mean she was entirely comfortable with it yet. She was still a twiggy nearly-fourteen year old, just with more hips than before.

"Can we at least cover up this..." she asked, gesturing to her chest.

"No, now sit down and be quiet while I finish your hair... It looks like a birds nest." she said, looking down her nose at the girl's messy knot holding the top half of her hair and wrenching it free. Adelaide winced and willed herself not to cry as her mother yanked the brush through her white blonde locks, trying to dispel all knots with anything but a gentle touch.

Thankfully, her mother let her hair stay down, meaning Adelaide could use it to cover up.

Slowly but surely, Adelaide walked down the grand white marble staircase, wobbly in her shoes from nerves caused by the dress, to where her mother and father were waiting for her.

"Cathryn. She isn't wearing that in public." her father said instantly without even a thought as to his wife's reaction.

"She is wearing it, and that's final!" her mother huffed.

Filip ignored his wife as he pulled out his wand and brought the plunging neckline up to a suitable length for a thirteen year old girl. Adelaide had never loved her father more than in that moment.

"Filip!"

"Now, I think this needs something..." Mr. Fawley said, studying his daughter and ignoring his annoyed wife. Adelaide was a little wary as he pulled out his wand again and wordlessly conjured a large, velvet jewelry case.

Mrs. Fawley actually looked less annoyed with her husbands idea, which made Adelaide even more nervous.

Slowly and carefully, Filip opened the box to reveal a breathtakingly beautiful silver diadem, with dazzling diamond roses all around, and a large emerald in the center. Adelaide stared at the glittering hairpiece rather stupidly, mouth agape and eyes wide. This was not just any pretty piece of jewelry, this was a Fawley family heirloom... an heirloom Adelaide never actually knew they had.