Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 52 | You Can Do It

Cassiopeia and Arcturus Black sat in their parlour on a Monday evening with a few glasses of wine to keep them company as they sat in relatively peaceful conditions, which was rare for the two that didn't really get along a lot of the time.

The two had been matched together in an arranged marriage, shortly after Cassiopeia's breakup with Henry Potter as it was extremely common for the Black girls to get married at a young age, usually between the ages of fifteen and nineteen.

Because of this, Arcturus and Cassiopeia had never been in love and had simply married one another for the sake of maintaining the pure blood line and upholding the traditions of the Black family line.

Cassiopeia and Arcturus often argued and only really got along when it came to the treatment of their children - when they were punishing either Marius or Mia, they had always worked together on that part.

However, a rarity had occurred that particular evening as the married couple had decided to actually sit down together and have a drink (or several).

Usually, Cassiopeia and Arcturus would only sit together for public events or family gatherings where they had to act like a couple or be great hosts if it was an event like the Winter Ball, which was always hosted at the Black Manor. So this was different, that was for sure.

"I'm glad the plan worked with Euphemia," Cassiopeia suddenly said after taking a sip of her wine in a rather eloquent and ladylike fashion, her delicate hands holding the glass perfectly.

Arcturus looked up from where he had been observing the slightly stained tablecloth with an unimpressed frown and gave a grunt of response before he sat up in his chair and paid a little more attention to his wife.

"I mean, imagine if it had had the opposite effect? If she had chosen that filth over her own family? I'm so pleased that she came to her senses, at last," Cassiopeia continued and Arcturus chuckled a little darkly with a shrug as he sipped his own wine.

"Took a bloody while, though," he commented and Cassiopeia rolled her eyes, "Tell me about it!" she exclaimed exasperatedly and the two of them smiled at each other for a little while before Arcturus cleared his throat and broke the silence by placing his wine glass down on the table with a clunk. "We need to make sure she stays in line, though," Arcturus stated and Cassiopeia nodded rather solemnly.

"Druella told me that Euphemia cursed one of her previous friends which pleased me. If she keeps going on like this, I might actually be proud of her for once, seeing as she's given us more trouble than all of her cousins all together," Cassiopeia told Arcturus and he agreed with her before ringing the bell for Tibet rather impatiently.

The house elf arrived immediately, standing to attention with her ears flapping as Arcturus thrust the empty wine bottle in her hands, "More wine, elf," he ordered gruffly and Tibet nodded frantically, disappearing with a click of her fingers and scooping up the empty wine glasses with her as she went.

Once Tibet had returned with another bottle of goblin made wine, only the best kind of course as the Blacks wouldn't have it any other way, Cassiopeia and Arcturus continued discussing their only daughter.

"There's just not much to be proud about with Euphemia - she's a complete disgrace and has been since her birth. But hopefully she has seen sense now and might actually make us proud for once," Arcturus muttered, his eyebrows furrowing.