Conclave

Inside 12 Grimmauld Place, Orion Black gave himself one last look in the mirror. A pleased expression appears on his face as he turns to study his side profile. At long last, satisfied, he reached to grab the invitation off the counter, before strolling downstairs with the invitation securely tucked away in his jacket.

His two sons had been rather quiet and demure ever since the Malfoy wedding. It is most unlike his eldest son, Sirius. To the extent, he and Walburga had begun to worry. How could they not? Their children had witnessed the murder of Abraxas Malfoy before their very eyes! It wasn't something he or Walburga had ever wanted children to experience. No matter what others might think of him and his wife, they truly did care for their two sons.

Waiting at the landing below the stairs, the dark-haired figure of his wife, Walburga can be seen. Her gray eyes scan him and check his appearance to ensure not a single hair is out of place. Mollified by what she saw, she not so subtly reminded, "Make sure to keep your ears and eyes open, Orion."

"I will, Walburga," Orion unconsciously patted his jacket to ensure the invitation is safely there. "I am far more worried about the boys; they have not been eating much if at all during meals."

"With the horrid shock that they suffered is it any surprise?" Walburga huffed unable to hide the serious concern in her gray eyes.

"I think it might do them good to have some air before the World Quidditch Cup," Orion pensively suggested. "Might we have them spend time with my sister, Lucretia and her husband, Ignatius Prewett? They do have a home in the countryside, and I think a bit of air and sun would do them both good."

"I will write to Lucretia this very afternoon," Walburga agreed with the suggestion and gave her husband a nod, before gracefully climbing the stairs to her chambers.

Grabbing a bit of floo powder from a golden urn resting on the mantle of the hearth, Orion tosses a pinch of the sparkling powder into the flames. The flames turn green and rise with a roar. "Prince Family Manor," he cried out as he stepped forward into the hearth. The Prince Family unchartable floo hearth had temporarily been opened but is only accessible to those who have received an invitation. Otherwise, anyone else attempting to get in would receive a most nasty surprise including those using a Polyjuice potion or are in animagus form.

Orion emerged with ease into Prince Hall and was pliantly surprised at the tasteful luxury. Nowhere near as ostentatious as Malfoy Manor, but certainly not humbly or duly furnished either. Why half of the items alone in the hallway are each worth a fortune!

Though what comes next causes Orion to blink in sheer disbelief. There is house elf wearing a crisp, flawless white collared shirt with dark trousers and a simple violet ribbon pinned to his chest in a sign of mourning. Even more shocking is the demure of the house elf who reaches into his pocket and pulls out a golden pocket watch on a chain to check the time.

Promptly putting his watch away, Tadbey crisply greeted the stunned pureblood wizard. "If you'll come with me this way, Mr. Black, I shall escort you to where the rest of the guests are gathered."

"You can't do that!" Orion sputtered utterly flabbergasted.

"Do what, sir?" Tadbey arched an eyebrow.

"This!" Orion squawked as he pointed at Tadbey up and down.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I do not understand," Tadbey drily remarked. "Perhaps, we aren't speaking the same English dialect. I do speak several other languages as well; would you like for me to answer in any one of those?"

Orion snaps his mouth with a loud snap so as not to further embarrass himself. Though he wasn't absolutely certain, he could have sworn he detected a satisfied gleam in the house elf's eyes. "This way, sir," Tadbey said as he led the elegant dark-haired wizard with gray eyes to the ballroom where the conclave is to be held.

Orion was in such a state of shock that he didn't pay attention to the rest of Prince Manor. Had he, he would have realized that Prince Manor easily was far more extravagant than Malfoy Manor. Not in overly tacky gold or jeweled furnishings, but rather at the rarity and sheer worth of each priceless item. It is most certainly due to the accumulation of items over countless centuries. Some through legitimate means such as investments, and others not so legitimate such as gambling, and fortunes won in duels.

Staring into the crowd, Orion blinks in pleasant surprise upon spotting two more Black family members in attendance. The gaunt figure of Alphard Black, his brother-in-law is sitting down right across from the elderly Arcturus Black, the 3rd, Orion's biological father. The elder wizard was short and somewhat plump, looking very little like his son except for the arrogant shared features of the Black family members including the cold gray eyes.

Notably missing was his father-in-law, Pollux Black. Apparently, the elder wizard was quite ill according to Walburga. It would seem that he had taken Cygnus's death quite to heart, and whose illness had only worsened upon learning of Alphard's declining health. According to the healers at St. Mungo, his brother-in-law would not live for more than two years. His time was finally up so to speak.

Walking over to his join his father, Orion greets his brother-in-law, "Hello Father, and good day, Alphard."

Alphard nods his head back at Orion, while Arcturus notably sniffs. "I was most disappointed in you, Orion. Unlike the rest of us who fled, you imprudently remained behind. You are the head of your household. What would have happened had you died?"

"I thought it was all under control Father," Orion kept the irk out of his voice. "And as you can see, I plainly stand uninjured before you."

Arcturus snorts and ignores his son except to have the last word. "I have yet to speak to Mulciber, we have much to discuss." Arcturus pulled his wide girth from the chair and trotted over to the elder Mulciber Sr., the father of Damian Mulciber. Much like his son, Mulciber Sr. was quite an attractive wizard despite his age. Though, unlike his son's pure golden hair, Mulciber Senior's golden hair had traces of silver.

Orion shakes his head and takes the empty vacant seat next to Alphard. "What is it about our father's, Alphard?" Orion huffed out loud not really expecting a response.

"They're utter arses," Alphard deadpanned causing Orion to choke at the blunt statement. Orion is rather red in the face when he gains his breath back.

"I did spot Stephen Flint and his brothers along with Barty Crouch," Alphard began to recount, "Along with several of the Greengrass males, both from the main branch and other branches who are present; the Prewett Brothers, Gideon and Fabian, also the Bones brothers are here including their father; the Nott's, Rosier's, Mulciber's, Fawley, Crowley, Avery, Goyle, Crabbe, Parkinson, Champlin, Macmillan, Boone, Adler, McLaggen, Podmore, McKinnon, and even the widowed, Augusta Longbottom and these are only a few to name the least. It would appear that the old Prince is most sincere."

Alphard paused to silently point out his nephew-in-law by marriage, Lucius Malfoy. The poor boy seemed rather pale as he stuck close to his mother-in-law, Druella Black, who stood at the side of her Rosier cousins. All of whom were in black mourning the tragic losses incurred at the Malfoy wedding. All of which seemed an entire lifetime ago, but in fact merely days had passed.

Orion slowly nodded his head in the direction of Alphard's gesture, before turning to say, "Yes, but if you take a moment to look around, you will notice that many of those invited are pureblood families who still keep the old ways."

"Yes, but the old Prince's grandchildren are half-bloods, and his heirs," Alphard retorted back. "Though Prince may originally be a traditionalist, he most certainly is a progressive as well."

"Touché," Orion acknowledged with a slight grimace.

The crowd quickly grows quiet as the ballroom doors swing open to reveal the tall, stern figure of Reginald Prince, and walking beside him is Georgine Prince who is not quite as tall as her brother. Both of them of their figures were attention-grabbing. Not because of their height or because they were those holding the Conclave, but rather because of their presence. The Prince's certainly knew how to garner the attention of others, they always had.