Bab 290: Conclave Ⅲ
Sensing that the guests feel overwhelmed by the secrets revealed by the Prince household, Reginald takes a back before addressing the crowd., "Last but not least, the greatest proof of our being their descendants, Sir Knight Prince."
The purebloods glance around until they see a ghostly pale form emerge from the wall and drift toward them. The ghost is a handsome young man in the prime of his youth, who clutches his ghostly head in his hand. The crowd grows silent as they wait for the ghost to speak.
"In the years that the Prince's have existed," Sir Knight Prince solemnly recounted, "Four parselmouth's have been born and two far-seers carrying the gifts of our forefathers, who came before them."
"And how do we know that this tapestry isn't forged or that these treasures have not been cunningly bought nor stolen?" Pointedly inquired a formidable-looking widow by the name of, Augusta Longbottom. Tall, thin, and bony, she wore a hat with a stuffed vulture on it and her usual bright red handbag at her side.
"I am living proof, Madam," Sir Prince Knight said, before beginning to speak in fluent parseltongue. The hissing sounds weren't fake as those who had studied the magical language such as Arcturus understood that the words were real.
Once more the purebloods seem blown away by the news. "I do believe that we have sufficiently proved our claim, widow Longbottom," Reginald firmly said causing Augusta Longbottom nods her head in apology at Reginald as he bows his head back in acceptance.
"I have not revealed this information in order to impose myself or my family as rulers of any sort," Reginald carefully explained. "But rather as a motive to unite against a common foe, who seeks to deceive and pit us against each other. One who claims the right of blood purity yet has stolen the lives of fellow purebloods and our children! Still only a mere child and yet the Rosiers have lost a son. And all that for what, a claim to power?"
"And though I have vowed Sanguis Enim Sanguis, I will not force any to aid me in the completion of my sworn vow," Reginald truthfully said. "The vow is made by my family's blood alone."
The crowd is pensively silent as many in attendance feel relief at not having their hand forced. The first to make a move is Druella Black who is the first to step forward. "I have already lost a daughter and a husband. And I nearly lost my daughter and son-in-law, I will not lose the last family I have left. Aye, Prince, I will follow your lead."
"As will I," Lucius solemnly declared as he took a step forward. There were many aye's said by the crowd after that and those that chose to remain silent were those that by far chose to remain neutral and would side with neither side. And that was a triumph in itself.
"Thank you," Reginald sincerely said, before bowing to the crowd as the doors swing open and platters of food floated in before coming neatly to rest on the tables against the walls. "Please stay and enjoy a bite to eat, before you all go on your way."
"Aren't you going to make us vow to secrecy, Prince?" Edgar Bones loudly asked. He isn't the only one who is curious as many turn their heads to listen in.
Reginald turns to address the younger Auror. "I have nothing to hide, Auror Bones. I am not planning to overthrow the Ministry of Magic, nor do I have any future intent to do so. I merely wish to save and protect as many as I can from falling to the well-crafted lies of a conman. And as for the truth of our lineage, well, we will not lie about what and who we are descended from. We are proud of our heritage even if it is rather dark at times. But it is ours and we wholly accept it as such."
Edgar Bones nods his head in a pleased fashion convincing a few who had been on the fringe to change their minds. If a well-known Auror was willing to side with the Prince's, then why not they as well? And though the question had been a bit callous, it had served Reginald Prince well in the end.
The ballroom was full of whispers as there were those that reverently were still passing the two heirlooms around, while others were studying the Prince family tapestry. Several times, a few wizards and witches let out cries of surprise at finding famous witches and wizards of history were in some way related via marriage.
More than a few from the crowd had surrounded the two living Princes and the one dead ghost. The Prince's answered the questions as best as they could, but since the Prince's are not exactly always the most social of creatures as they did not always have the patience to do so. Except for Sir Knight Prince, but he had been blond, while still alive.
"Well, that was quite the revelation," Orion murmured still in disbelief.
"Mark my words, it will be all over the Daily Prophet by this evening's edition," Alphard sipped the glass of elf-made champagne.
Orion flashed Alphard a look, before saying, "Why are you going to sell it?"
"No, but I know one or two of those present have some outstanding gambling debts," Alphard drily commented. "I'm sure that the Daily Prophet will pay a bagful of galleons for this kind of information."
"There is that," Orion grumbled as he eyed the heirlooms in the distance.
"Who'd have thought the Prince's were hiding this kind of secret," Alphard idly remarked.
"I don't think any of us were expecting that," Orion wryly observed. "Why even father is over their drooling over the Prince heirlooms. And he hates the old Prince!"
"Yes, well, shiny things do tend to have that effect on the Blacks," Alphard teased, before hunching over in a loud hacking cough.
Orion hurriedly placed his drink down and patted Alphard on the back. Alphard wheezed for what seemed like a long time before the spasm finally dissipated. Orion warily watched his brother-in-law wipe his red mouth clean. "Walburga had told me you'd begun to cough out blood, but I didn't think it was this bad," Orion softly said.
"Ah, well, it's no fun when you're dying," Alphard darkly joked in a hoarse voice.
"That is no laughing matter, cousin!" Orion snapped back as he downed his drink in a single swallow.
"It was not my intention to be flippant about my condition," Alphard apologized. "But I suppose, I've been used to the idea ever since I was a child, that it's simply been an event a long time coming. I've already lived well past the age of thirty the healers that diagnosed me as a child said that I would only live to see. And yet here I am at forty-two."
"Yes, well, the St. Mungos are rather terrible healers," Orion sniffed as a tired grin appeared on Alphard's face.
"Mm, that's what my sister always says."
"And Walburga is right. Cock-a-mania, healers who shove every type of potion down one's throat without properly consulting the medical chart!"
"That only happened once."
"And it should have never happened at all!"
"All it did was turn me spotted for a whole week."
"Exactly. Charlatans the whole lot of them!"
"I see that the Black family tradition of hating healers is still alive and well."
"Father never saw a healer in his life and he's still alive and kicking! And healthy might I add."
"Yes, but I'm fairly certain that's because even death is afraid of him."
"Pfft," Orion chokes on his drink almost spitting it out.
Glaring at Alphard, Orion says, "My father is not that scary!"
Alphard arches his eyebrow at Orion, who at least has the grace to blush. "Fine, I'll admit that he is a bit hard to deal with at times."
"Mm, yes, well I would instead use the words stubborn, hardhearted, conniving, malicious, petty-minded, but I suppose that will have to do," Alphard said earning him a glare from Orion.
The two men continued to chat until they each left to their own devices. But it had been fun to chat as cousins rather than as in-laws, it had been great for as long as it had lasted. A rare occurrence since they had become adults.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
EsliEsma
EsliEsma As mentioned before, Frank Longbottom's father doesn't die until Neville is born. We know this because, in HP 5, Neville can see thestral's because he saw his grandfather die in bed. However, since I forgot about the fact that Mrs. Longbottom wasn't a widow, cough, I had to kill off Mr. Longbototm during the Malfoy Ball.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone