Teatime?

In the following days ever since Reginald's return from his meeting with the Acolytes, he had been rather solemn and subdued that Georgine pestered him quite often as a direct result. He knew and understood that his younger sister was concerned about him for an exceptionally good reason. But for the time being, he found it more of an annoyance than anything else with the somber topics pressing in his mind.

Within his study, Reginald's eyes once more returned to the large volume that lay open before him. The thick volume contained the entirety of the Snape Family Tree starting from the very founders. However, the volume remained open to the second to the last page, where his eyes kept lingering on the child known as Toby Snape, the father of one Tobias Snape, and grandfather of Rowan and Severus.

Tapping his finger on the page, Reginald's eyes flickered to the parents of Toby Snape, Harold Snape, and Alicia La Fey. It was rather ironic that Alicia La Fey was the muggle descendant of the infamous sorceress Morgana La Fey, and that her many great's great-granddaughters would marry the many great's great-grandsons of Merlin, her once sworn enemy. But life is like a great interwoven tapestry, and sooner or later the strings of fate will intersect once again.

Still, it was a knowledge that Reginald kept to himself. He would rather that the rest of the wizarding world were kept in the dark regarding the powerful, but dark enchantress's blood that also dwelled inside the children. After all, it was Morgana La Fey, who had had the last laugh when it came to Merlin. But in the grand scheme of things, he would rather give the credit to Morgana La Fey for Severus's human transfiguration abilities than Gellert.

And if push came to shove that is exactly what he would do. The heritage of Morgana Le Fey, the great and powerful enchantress would be seen as being distant enough and less of a threat to fear that that of Gellert. Neither Severus nor Rowan could afford to have another dark wizard in their family lineage for they had more than enough as it is.

Reginald's eyes flashed as he further recalled his memories of Gellert. Gellert Grindelwald, now that was a name that he wished he had never heard before. But like all things, he had been quite vain and arrogant in his youth. Sighing, Reginald rubs his temple with one hand as he recalls the words of MacDuff, a week ago.

"After Geller's imprisonment in 1926, I was sent to retrieve some journals and destroy them. And I did destroy them all, however, I missed a single scrap of paper. What I found was this simple journal entry, 'Muggle Subject: #2, Successful, the fetus survived the magical infusion. Male child born in 1910 in London. Age: 4, determined to be a squib. Conclusion: destroy the subject. Result: child unaccounted for and is believed to have perished during the muggle war in an attack on London in May of 1915."

Tapping his fingers pensively against his desk, Reginald stares at the name right next to that of Harold Snape, and Morgana La Fey. It was almost gray, but still present. Toby's Snape biological father in fact was Harold Snape, but somehow against all odds, Gellert Grindelwald had passed down a magical inheritance as well.

The fetus should not have survived such a magical transformation, but Gellert was an unchallenged genius when it came to the Dark Arts. He would have without a doubt been capable of such research and would have easily found that muggle lines still in fact existence despite the passage of time. And if said lines had survived there was a possibility that the magic found within these muggle descendants could possibly be reawakened by a magical out catalyst such as Gellert's own magic.

Gellert had deemed his project a failure, but Reginald was not entirely convinced that was the case. The proof lay in the fact of Rowan and Severus. The twins were not only extraordinarily powerful but had awakened the abilities of more than one of their forefathers/foremothers.

If Reginald had to guess, it was that Gellert's error had been assuming that only a single magical catalyst would be required for awakenment. Rather a second catalyst would be required, and which would need to come from another magical parent. And only then would the final product come into fruition in the children born of such a union. But there was only one such living proof in existence, Rowan and Severus.

Closing the book shut in front of him, Reginald arose and carried the volume away to be placed within the depth of his private potion's laboratory. Said knowledge would die with himself, and the Goblin King for all his suspicions would not dare voice them. For the Goblin's and the Prince's fates were intertwined and they would fall into the pits of Hell together, and there was no doubt of that.

Shelving the volume in the bookcase found within his private laboratory, Reginald emerges with a cold gleam in his eyes. If worst came to the worst of circumstances, he would aid the Acolytes in rescuing Gellert. And once there, he would kill Gellert. And he would have no qualms doing so, no matter what the cost.

Pausing to glance at the time, Reginald gazes at the clock, it was ten until three. It was almost teatime and the Mulciber child was set to arrive any moment now. Striding out from his study, he made his way to the main hall, where the slender figure of his sister, Georgine can be seen waiting.

Glancing at the tall figure of her older brother striding towards her, Georgine arches her brow and drily says, "Well, well, the sulking old wyvern has finally emerged from its lonesome cave. To what do we owe this dubious honor?

Reginald frowns at his sister's sarcastic tone of voice that still holds a hint of chastisement. Nevertheless, he was aware of his various failings and calmly replied, "I apologize for my absence these last few days, I have, however, been occupied with other pressing matters. And that those matters, for the time being, have been resolved and will pose no further problems."

Georgine clearly looks unconvinced by her brother's words, but her expression softens as some relief appears in her eyes. She had been on edge ever since her brother's return from meeting with the Acolytes. And her feelings of apprehension had only worsened with Reginald's actions of shutting himself away in his study the last few days.

Still, she had not quite forgiven her brother quite yet as Georgine loftily says, "I don't suppose that you know the reason for the Avery boy's request for tea, Reginald?"

"An apology of some sort," Reginald murmured in reply. "And the request to discuss another private matter."

"I see," Georgine slowly nodded her head in understanding. "Well, I shall be present and chaperoning the tea the meeting, but I will allow them no more than fifteen minutes alone to discuss any matter that needs to be discussed in privacy."

Reginald moves to turn away, when Georgine adds, "Though Philippe Verninac did agree to our request, Reginald, you must know that he will make things as difficult as possible for us. The man bears you more than a little ill will."

"I am acutely aware," Reginald admitted as his eyes flashed for a moment coldly at the bloody memory. After a moment, he finally replies, "I am aware of the damage that I caused to the maternal family of Philippe and will not argue at being held accountable for those actions by him. However, if push comes to shove, I will not be accommodating nor further patient with him."

"I was expecting as much," Georgine muttered, before sending another pointed glance at Reginald. "I am to assume that it will be safe to invite the Krum's, no? Then again, the Krum Patriarch was murdered by Grindelwald, while serving as an Auror in trying to apprehend him."

Reginald lips thin at the implications of the undertone in his sister's words. "It will be perfectly safe to invite his son's as there will be no guests that be considered close associates of Gellert."

"Good," Georgine pointedly declared. "Then I shall not worry about misplacing several invitations to certain families."

Reginald stiffly nods his head at his younger sister dig, before preparing to depart for the gardens, when Georgine calls out to his turned back. "And brother, with the presentation of Rowan and Severus officially into society there will be an abundance of marriage proposals. I suggest that you acquire as much information as you can to weed out their suitors and gracefully turn them down."

"I know," Reginald darkly grumbled under his breath, before storming away. It was not a subject that he liked to think about for the moment recalling how his last matchmaking attempt ended.

Perhaps, venting a bit, he rushed over to the gardens to find Tadbey. He would have Tadbey pick up the pace regarding the assigned punishment. Severus must be prepared, and hard labor would ensure and fulfill some of those objectives in mind. That and possible be a source of venting for Reginald not that he would admit to such a thing. No, he was above such pettiness.