Naming Ceremony Ⅳ

Sitting down across from each other in the empty room, Kain Shafiq drops all friendly pretenses as the demeanor of a sharp businessman appears. "Well, Prince, I presume that you wish to speak to me regarding the shares which the Avery family gifted in exchange for the Prince's services," Shafiq pointedly declared.

"That is indeed correct," Reginald coolly answered as he elegantly crossed his long legs. "But that being said, I can plainly vouch and promise that I hold no interest in knowing nor gaining access to your shipping routes, Shafiq. I understand very well that this is a business secret and I will make no efforts of any kind to pry into them."

"As it should be," Shafiq inclined his head in approval. "And if that is indeed the case, what exactly is that which the Prince family desires?"

"The Prince family is planning to open a correspondent's office in conjunction with the Shafiq owned ports," Reginald answered with a cold smile.

Shafiq's eyes grow wide for a moment, before growing pensive as he pursued his lips in deep thought. "Though a risky endeavor, it would be highly profitable. Intelligence has always been an invaluable community. But why the sudden desire, Prince? I would have thought that your time in Grindelwald's services with my own father would have endeavored you to never venture into that realm again?"

"I must ensure that my grandchildren are properly protected," Reginald candidly confessed. "They are the last of the Prince's and they hold some of the most valuable bloodlines in the whole of Great Britain. And I will see to it that they are protected no matter what the cost."

Shafiq nods his head in understanding, before chuckling and saying, "It is a shame that my son is not a few years older. Or else, I would have surely proposed a marriage between our two houses."

"I doubt your son would be capable of surviving my granddaughter," Reginald truthfully answered with a hint of wariness. After all, five-year differences among a witch and a wizard was not all that great as ten or more age differences were quite common in wizarding society. But he would rather not give Shafiq any hopes of the possibility of such a match.

Shafiq does not prod again having understood the warning for the time being. But he was a patient man, and he held all the cards. He also did only have a son, but beautiful unwed daughters as well. He would just have to ensure that his daughters had an opportunity to beguile the young Prince heir. He was also aided in hit endeavor by the fact the he was a joint godparent with Georgine Prince. And sooner or later an opportunity would arise, he just need wait. And wait, he would.

After a further in-depth discussion regarding setting up a correspondence office's, the two wizards shake hands and make their way to return to the cigar room. To Reginald's dismay, Rowan had somehow escaped his sister and was casually waiting outside of the cigar room. Furrowing his brow, he merely arches his brow at his granddaughter, who should know better.

Rowan widens her eyes as if in innocence, which do little to convince her grandfather. However, she did not have time to worry about her delicate sensibilities. She had an unprecedented opportunity and she must not fail. But that was easier said than done.

Appropriately bowing to Kain Shafiq, Rowan in a flattering tone of voice says, "It is a pleasure to finally meet the head of one of the wealthiest wizarding families in the shipping industry."

"You flatter me, Miss Prince," Shafiq replied with a good-natured smile.

"It is no flattery, sir," Rowan truthfully declared. "However, I wonder if I might have a moment of your time, sir. If it is permitted?"

Shafiq does not allow Reginald to answer as he says, "Why it will be no trouble at all, Miss Prince. You surely will not mind such a request, will you, Prince?"

Grinding his teeth, Reginald knew that he had fallen into Shafiq's trap. "No, but no more than fifteen minutes," Reginald said as he stormed into the cigar room. "And in the hallway!" Before slamming the door shut behind him in anger causing the other integrates in the cigar room to stare at him as he went over and sat down in a huff.

"And what can I do for you, Miss Prince," Shafiq curiously asked as he truly was curious. He had never met the Prince child nor should there be any reason for the child to wish to meet with him. It was a beguiling curiosity that piqued his interest.

"Sir, as an extra credit project for Professor Slughorn, I have been following up on the lives of former Slug Club members," Rowan smoothly replied with her usual practiced answer. "I was hoping that you might be able to answer some questions for me, sir."

"Well as long as they are not too embarrassing," Shafiq said with a wink.

"Of course," Rowan replied carefully looking him in the eye, before looking away with a frown. She did not feel any trace of legilimency nor any other emotion. Was this a trick or was he truly not related to Charlus Potter's list?

"Sir, I am aware that you are a former Hufflepuff," Rowan carefully said, before asking, "However, I am told that you did not get along with Tom Marvolo Riddle, the Slytherin Prefect, and Head Boy. Is that true?"

Shafiq's eyes flash for a moment, before he slowly answers, "I did not like him that much is true. But we never truly interacted beyond the scope of old Sluggy's club. We were in different years, he and I. And I did not have any interest in his and his friends."

"In that case, if I may ask, why did you dislike Prefect Riddle, sir?"

"I simply did, there is no great reason why. We never fought nor were odds with each other. I merely disliked him, and that was that."

"Thank you, sir," Rowan replied, not entirely convinced by the answer. "And what of Linnus Gamp and Murtaugh Burke?"

Shafiq shrugs and says, "Linnus Gamp was a rather loud Gryffindor, but a good chap, while Murtaugh Burke was a brilliant Ravenclaw. Neither of us were friends with each other including Riddle. And despite Burke and Riddle being in the library constantly, they were never seen working together that I can recall.

And the only one of us in Riddle's same year was that of Linnus Gamp, and he and Riddle positively disliked each other. They had fought as first years, and ever since then, the two of them could not stand the sight of each other. That and Gamp was the only one who protested that boy, Hagrid's expulsion as they were friends."

"Friends?" Rowan blinked in surprise.

"Oh, yes," Shafiq said with a thin grin. "Since Gamp was an older Gryffindor, he took Hagrid under his wing, and even took him all over Hogsmeade and showed him the Hogs Head Pub. Not that we approved mind you, seeing as he was only a third year. And Hagrid would have followed Gamp anywhere as the boy openly trusted the older Gryffindor."

Rowan furrowed her brow at learning such news. Could it have been all an act? She wondered to herself. Although Riddle was a brilliant actor, the dislike and loathing between the two men could not be faked for such a long period of time. Sooner or later the act would have to fall. Then again, she could be wrong.