Chapter 14: Rubbing Shoulders With Elegant Society

Bowerlund Manor, Wizarding World...

Lady Hamershal had been draped in yet another elegant Victorian dress. This time however, it had been black right up to the high collar on the outside. White ruffles had come from the front of the collar and had been present again at the ends of her long black sleeves. The long black cape draped over her shoulder completed the outfit trailing behind her with each step. It brought quite a drastic contrast to her pale complexion. She wore ruby red lipstick that made her overall appearance resemble a vampire queen out of her time period. Her raven hair had hung down her back and she seemed to glide whenever she walked. Her hands had been fitted with long black gloves that had come up to her forearms. and she wore various rings over them. All silver with the exception of her large diamond wedding ring. She had even worn black lace stockings and black boots with decorative straps. The Lady had worked the room casually shifting that air of superiority around and cowering all those that were inferior without hesitation. She had all the warmth and manner of a black widow spider.

Sebastian had been dressed in a suit similar to the one he wore at Slughorn's party but with not an inch of color aside from basic black. His shoes had been black as well and highly polished. His raven hair had been pulled back into a neat ponytail and tied with a black ribbon as before. He wore the serpent ring that Hermione had given him for his birthday on his right hand. She had not been permitted to attend but with the ring she was with him in spirit. The young wizard had looked around the elaborately decorated ball room of Bowerlund Manor with an unimpressed expression on his face, his obsidian eyes took in the sea of suits and ball gowns.

He watched quietly as Lady Hamershal worked the floor. She had been in her element among the rich and pretentious. It had been amusing to see so many wealthy wizards and witches come up to her making various attempts to obtain her attention and seeing her dismiss them all as if they were merely dirt beneath her boots. If they had been offended they dared not show it. She was an elegant Lady after all. She had dragged him for Hogwarts early that morning to get him ready for this so-called get together at the Bowerlund family Manor. The Pureblood wizard Yorland Bowerlund had been dying to meet the young wizard that had evidently been the cause of Lady Hamershal returning from her formerly reclusive life style.

The young raven haired wizard sipped his punch watching still as she swept across the room making her way over toward him.

"Bastian, darling." said Lady Hamershal taking his arm. "Come meet the Bowerlunds."

Sebastian finished off the last of his punch and strolled over to Lady Hamershal with his arm extended in a chivalrous manner. She put her arm in his and they walked to the center of the room. A rather large man who had looked to Sebastian to be about as big as Professor Slughorn in terms of girth with long white hair that had obviously been a wig with beady dark eyes that gleamed like a dog's when enticed with a bone. At his side had been a thin woman with long glowing red hair and an expressionless face, which had been framed by tight high cheek bones heavily powdered giving her an uneven looking complexion and with dark eyes as well. She had a beauty mark on her left cheek and wore ruby red lips stick much like Lady Hamershal but couldn't pull it off nearly as flawless as she had.

"May I present Lord Yorland Bowerlund and Lady Ellisif Bowerlund." said Lady Hamershal making the introductions. "Lord and Lady Bowerlund, I present to you...Sebastian Prince, son of infamous and reclusive hero Severus Snape."

Sebastian looked the couple over.

"Well, he's not much to look at." said Lord Bowerlund with his face scrunched like that of a pug.

"Neither was is his father from what I hear." added Lady Bowerlund.

Sebastian looked at Lady Hamershal who nodded at him softly.

"This coming from a woman that looks like she's had a bad run in with a dusty carpet and the carpet won." replied Sebastian in a scathing reply. "And a man who looks like he's in the running to be best pig at some Muggle farm show."

Lord Bowerlund opened his mouth in shock.

"Well I..." he started.

"Oh shut it Yorland, you started in on the boy first." said Lady Hamershal glaring at Bowerlund.

The plump wizard closed his mouth.

"What...Gall!" said his wife seemingly outraged. "To talk to a lady... like...that."

"Madam, the day I classify you as a lady is the day...your husband here would become the thinnest man at this party." said Sebastian darkly.

Lady Hamershal had gotten a real kick out of that.

"What did I tell you." she said smiling happily. "Honest."

"He certainly is." replied Lady Ellisif with a chuckle.

Sebastian looked back n forth between the two women.

"You weren't kidding about how much he looks like him Theodora." said Lady Ellisif continuing to chat as if Sebastian had not been there. "He's positively the spitting image of the man."

"Tell us Mr. Prince what do you think of this party?" asked Lord Bowerlund raising an eye brow.

Sebastian looked around and considered his answer.

"I think this is the most insufferable, pretentious, Pureblood jockeying, load of horse dung that I have ever been forced to attend." replied Sebastian. "I would have had more fun watching Dumbledore train monkeys to eat Weasley bros. Lemon drops."

Lady Hamershal seemed to positively beam with pride.

The Bowerlunds nodded their approval.

"I think we have a winner." said Lady Bowerlund smiling.

"Definitely." replied Lady Hamershal looking at Sebastian.

"I like this one." said Lord Bowerlund. "Do try and keep him Theodora...he's good company."

"Indeed." replied Lady Ellisif. "So much more lively than the last one."

Sebastian looked at Lady Hamershal with a raised eyebrow.

"The last one?" he asked.

Lady Hamershal sighed.

"Ancient history that I do not wish to drudge up." she said dismissively.

He watched her narrow her eyes at their hosts for a moment. It appeared that the topic of her former protégé had been off limits. They stood there for a moment in awkward silence before Lady Hamershal spoke.

"Well, back to mingling." she said with her usual air of superiority.

The little group broke away and spread out over the ballroom. Everything had been going quite smoothly until a handsome, and wealthy young wizard arrived. Whispers and mummers filled the room as Lady Hamershal and the handsome young wizard locked eyes. Sebastian had been watching just as intently as the others though he had not known the history between them.

Alexis Swortzenberg had been his name and he was a tall wizard with long white hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a gray suit that had been about as overly flash as anything Lucius Malfoy had saw fit to wear with a much more arrogant and pompous air about him. He strolled into the room with all eyes on him as if he had been posturing for their benefit. Sebastian rolled his eyes as he watched him saunter his way over to Lady Hamershal.

"Theodora." he said with an air of superiority.

"Alexis." replied Lady Hamershal through gritted teeth.

"I hear you've got yourself a new plaything." replied Alexis as if he had not a care in the world.

"I assure you he is nothing of the sort." she retorted.

Sebastian had been filled with a sudden fury at the familiar approach the wizard took with Lady Hamershal. He made his way over to her sensing that all had not been right with the older witch.

"Theodora." he said walking over with a grace not so unlike The Potions Master. "I believe it's time we left to our other engagement...The goal is to be fashionably late not...rude darling."

Lady Hamershal smiled at him. It had been a genuine smile for his timely save. He extended his arm in his usual chivalrous manner and walked with her toward the door ignoring Alexis and making sure to appear in a respectable hurry. Sebastian had even developed that air of Superiority about him as they climbed into the back of her carriage and left Bowerlund manor.

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The Carriage...

Lady Hamershal had been quite pleased with the way Sebastian handled himself in the presence of the other pretentious Purebloods. She had extremely grateful to him for sparing her the indignity of Alexis Swortzenberg's company. Sebastian had done her a favor beyond words getting her out of there before the pompous Pureblood made even Lucius Malfoy's arrogant posturing pale in comparison. It had been a good chance he would have called the wizard out in a duel simply to show the guests who had been better at being him. Lady Hamershal had no desired to disclose the details of her association with Alexis. Sebastian had impressed her to no end coming to her rescue before things got out of hand.

It had been clear that Alexis had been looking for trouble the moment he saw her at the party. It had not been enough that she had not been able to show her face in the wizarding world since their association ended. He had been looking for more blood sport. Sebastian noted the tense demeanor of Lady Hamershal as she sat across for him. She had tried her best not to look directly into his eyes for a moment. He made a show of being preoccupied with what had been outside the carriage as they passed various plots of land and random buildings. She had appeared to want to say something a few times but had been actively struggling.

The young raven haired wizard simply relaxed and enjoyed the ride.

It didn't take much to see how Alexis Swortzenberg seemed to unnerve her. Tonight had been the first time that he had seen even the slightest hint of emotion behind the eyes of Lady Hamershal. Usually, she had been all business. The air of superiority trailing off her like a calling card where ever she went. She had been focused, driven, and professional the entire time that he had known her.

Despite being of old world money she had been quite careful with her spending and particular with her chosen purchases. Her coin had gone to anything that had meaning in the long run. She knew the true value of what she spent her coin on and she was no fool. Silly whims had been far beyond her. Sebastian could not imagine what had occurred between her and Alexis but he didn't think it was of a business nature.

After a few more moments of silence she finally looked up from the floor of the carriage.

"T-Thank you." she said meaningfully.

Sebastian met the gaze of Lady Hamershal.

He treated her to a warm smile.

"You're welcome." he replied pleasantly.

Her eyes shifted back to the carriage floor and he turned his attention to looking out the window once more.

The rest of the ride they had fallen into a comfortable and peaceful silence. Sebastian had a great many questions but he decided against asking them. Unlike Hermione, he had been surprisingly patient and knew the answers would come with time. If Lady Hamershal wanted to tell him the story of her association with Alexis Swortzenberg then she would. For now he was just please he could provide her a small measure of comfort for the time being.