20 Visiting the Greengrass

The Peverells appeared in the main living room just like last time. Everyone was angry, tired, and irritated.

- Welcome to Peverell Manor," Darius said in a tired voice.

- Make yourself at home," Alex said in an identical voice. As soon as they took the first step, Toby appeared in front of them with a quiet clap. The housekeeper bowed low and spoke.

- Welcome home master, - to this Alex nodded.

- Toby, prepare another room for the Princes' heir," the lord ordered.

- I will," the houseboy was about to go to fulfil the task, but stopped, looking at Darius.

- Where is everyone?" the houseboy thought for a moment, then answered.

- In the small dining room.

- Do they know we're here? - Lord Peverell asked.

- No," replied the elf.

- Well, you can go," the man waved his hand, and Toby bowed and disappeared. After that, everyone went to the small dining room.

A group of the Black sisters and the Malfoy sisters were gathered in the dining room, making small talk. As soon as the Peverells entered the room everything fell silent. The first to break the silence was Bellatrix, who jumped up from her seat and walked towards Alex, followed by the others.

- And we thought you'd forgotten about us," Bellatrix said as she wrapped Alex in her arms.

- You'll be forgotten, won't you," Darius muttered, though no one seemed to notice.

- How was the walk? - Narcissa asked.

- It was good," Alex replied.

- Really? Did something happen? - Bellatrix asked curiously, letting go of Alex. In response, Peverell looked at his 'little brother', who was standing practically behind Darius' back, that's why no one noticed him. 

- Who's that? - Lucius asked with a squint, pulling out his wand.

- "Introduce yourself," Darius prompted the boy, motioning him out of hiding.

- Severus Peverell-Prince, heir to the Prince family and younger brother of the head of the Peverell family," the former Snape introduced himself. Blackie and Malfoy were stunned in response.

- But didn't the Prince's family die out? - A shocked Malfoy asked.

- You have a brother? Why don't I know about that? - Bella asked. Andromeda was still in shock, and Narcissa was thinking about something.

- Yes, the Prince family was considered extinct. I didn't have a brother. I just got him a few hours ago," Alex answered Bellatrix and Lucius.

- He's a half-blood," Andromeda said assertively.

- Was," Darius corrected her.

- I see, you took him into the Peverell lineage, and then he took the Princes' heritage, - Narcissa guessed.

- Good girl," Alex said, patting Narcissa on the head. She indignantly began to fix her hair, though her eyes were quite shiny. After that, everyone sat down at the table, and the girls and Malfoy began to look after Peverell Junior.

An hour later Severus came out of the dining room feeling like a lemon that had been squeezed, and an hour later squeezed again. Seeing his condition, Darius ordered the houseboy to escort him to his room, and he went to the garden for a walk. Lord Peverell's fate was sealed. He was picked up from both sides and dragged towards one of the many drawing rooms. Half an hour later Alex felt a little better than his younger brother, and Narcissa, seeing his condition, ordered one of the elves to take him to the chambers of the head of the family, where he fell asleep until the next day.

The next day an invitation arrived with a portkey from Lord Greengrass. To everyone's surprise, the same invitation arrived for Malfoy. Everyone except the former Snape took the news with enthusiasm. Out of the remaining six days, the company spent three of them in search, having toured all the clothing boutiques in the magical part of France. And the remaining three in selecting jewellery and teaching the young Prince the basics of etiquette. However, he surprised them by mastering everything very quickly.

Three days later, Greengrass Manor welcomed the Peverells, Blacks, and Malfoys with a festive atmosphere. The procession, led by Lord Peverell, appeared in a drawing room decorated in light colours. The Greengrass mansion was as beautiful, luxurious, or large as Malfoy Manor, but unlike the Malfoys, it was predominantly light-coloured. Half a minute later the doors to the drawing room opened and Lord Greengrass entered the room.

- Lord Peverell, welcome to Greengrass Manor," the man greeted the guests.

- Thank you, Lord Greengrass," Peverell replied.

- Lady Peverell, Lady Slytherin, Lady Black," with those words the man kissed the manicured hands of Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa.

- The Malfoy heir," the man nodded to Lucius, who nodded in return. Then he turned his gaze to Peverell Junior.

- This is my younger brother, and also the heir to the Princes. Severus Peverell-Prince," Alex introduced his younger brother, receiving a surprised look from Greengrass, but he quickly returned his social smile and greeted the former Snape.

- Almost everyone's here, let's go," Greengrass said and walked towards the exit. Everyone followed him, looking around. When the company led by Lord Greengrass passed through the next door, they found themselves in a very large room with a lot of people in it. - Well, make yourselves comfortable, - after that, the man left in an unknown direction.

Alex felt himself in tension and dozens of looks directed in their direction did not improve the situation, and the fact that he was standing on the arm with two ladies made the situation even worse. As it happened, Darius had refused to go and remained in the manor.

- Found them," Lucius said, standing with Andromeda.

- Who?" asked Severus, who felt no better than his older brother. There were just as many stares directed at him as at Alex. All the guests had already noticed the heir's ring on him and were looking at him with interest, and the fact that he had come with the Peverells and Malfoy only served to heighten the interest in his modest person.

- The Blacks," Lucius replied. And indeed, looking in the direction Malfoy was pointing, everyone saw Lord Black with his wife and his younger brother with his wife as well.

- Let's go to them," Alex suggested in a nervous voice. Everyone agreed and headed over to the Blacks.

- Alex, long time no see. It's good to see you," Orion greeted them.

- It has been a long time indeed. It's good to see you, too," Peverell replied, while his wife was already chattering with her mother and aunt.

- This is my younger brother Severus Peverell-Prince," Alex introduced him.

- I thought you were the only one of your kind. And why a Prince? Isn't this family extinct? - Orion asked in surprise, looking at the former Snape.

- It is, I was the only one of the Peverell family. I performed the ritual of joining the clan and he was recognized as my younger brother. He was the heir to the Princes before he became a Peverell, but he couldn't become one because he was a half-blood,' Peverell replied.

- Is that so? And where did you find such a treasure? - Black asked.

- Somewhere, - Alex answered vaguely, waving his hand, not wanting to tell what had happened. He didn't want to tell Black that he'd found it in the Muggle world. Otherwise, there was a risk that unnecessary questions would come up. Luckily Orion understood and didn't ask anything. - What a crowd," Lord Peverell muttered, glancing around.

- Yes, most of the junior and senior aristocracy are here, as well as some influential Ministry officials and others," Orion replied, glancing around.

- The cream of society," Cygnus Black, who had been silent all this time, grinned, and the lords also grinned in response.

- Yes, among the purebloods, besides the Greengrasses, the Peverells, the Slytherins, the Blacks, the Malfoys, and the Princes, there are Lestrange, Rosier, the Notts, the Browns, the Buldstrokes, the Goyles, the Gumps, the Goths," Alex tensed up after the word "Goth," and Black continued. - Yaxley, Zabini, Crabbe, Carrow, Macmillan, Malsibers, Potters, Pruettes, Patils, Selwyns, Abbots, Traverses, Flints, Averys, Bones, and Longbottoms.

- How does it feel? - The older brother asked the younger brother. - Honestly," he asked.

- 'I feel like game on a plate,' Severus answered honestly, Alex smiled in response, and Black said with a chuckle:

- That's not surprising. Everyone here is already aware of the fact that you Severus are the heir to the Princes and Lord Peverell's brother," Alex looked at him with a surprised look, and Black, noticing this, continued. - Such meetings are held not only as a holiday, but also to show the strength of the family, and also here different agreements and treaties are made. Only verbally, though, and then the next day they seal it with a contract. You are the heir of an ancient and rich family, you are related to the Peverells, already for that the people present here are ready to arrange a duel, - the Peverells thought about it, and Alex asked:

- And the wire? - At this, Black smiled.

- You guessed it, right, almost everyone present has their methods of bugging. It can be anything potions, artefacts, or spells, - said Cygnus.

- I see, - Alex nodded and looked around and noticed that many of the people present were looking in their direction with a strange look. - But for some reason, all the focus is on me," Orion replied with a thoughtful look:

- Everyone wants to be related to the Peverells. They wouldn't even mind conceiving a bastard, and now your younger brother is the heir and future head of the Princes, and you're not bound by a marriage contract. Of course, everyone wants a prenup. The head of the family has full authority over all members of the family. And if the head decides to make a contract with someone, all other members of the clan must obey. The contract is to be made with Severus. He's of the Peverell and Prince families. There is no Lord Prince, so we can get a contract from Lord Peverell. And who's Lord Peverell, that's you.

- And what would they get out of such a marriage? - Severus asked.

- Well, first of all, being related to you will elevate their bloodline among the others, as it did to us Blacks, and then the Princes haven't intermarried with a pureblood in a long time, which means the offspring will be strong and numerous and with a decent amount of bloodline gifts," Cygnus answered.

- Clan gifts? - Snape asked again.

- It's a predisposition to some kind of magic. For example, the Blacks to blood magic, dark magic, and combat magic, or the Potters to transfiguration, combat magic, and artefacts,» the boy enlightened Alex.

- What's my predisposition? - After this question, Alex noticed how everyone in the room imperceptibly shifted their attention to their company. Suddenly a thought crept into Lord Peverell's head, how to scare everyone present.

- It's hard to say. You're only five now. You haven't even had your first elemental release, but now you have a predisposition to potions, dark and mental magic. You should have at least two more by the time you're old enough," Alex answered.

- What are the predispositions of the Peverells and Slytherins? - and after that question, the ballroom began to feel tense, and everyone struggled to keep their composure.

- The Peverells had a predisposition for dark magic, artefacts, potions, Parseltongue, ritualism, mental magic, and necromancy. Slytherins to blood magic, potions, ritualistic, parcellation, antimagic and chirology," everyone in the room turned white with horror, especially at the words 'necromancy' and 'criminology'.

- Which one do you have? - "Little Brother" clarified his question.

- I am not of age, and not all of my ancestral gifts have awakened. At the moment I have a predisposition to artefacts, necromancy, blood magic, ritualistic, Parseltongue, potions, and dark magic, - Alex deliberately kept silent about his predisposition to animatics, otherwise, there could be unnecessary problems with the Ministry.

- And the others? - Peverell Jr. continued the "interrogation".

- They should be awakened by adulthood, - Peverell senior answered with a sigh.

- What is necromancy? - Alex wanted to bang his head against the table after that question. Why did his younger brother have to ask about it? Why not dark magic or blood magic? He couldn't refuse him, because he'd grown attached to the little brat over the week, and the little brat had found out about his older brother's weakness and was taking advantage of it.

- Necromancy is the strongest and darkest of all the magical arts," Alex answered briefly, hoping Severus would be satisfied with that.

- What does it do? - Severus asked, killing Alex's hope at the root.

- Revives the dead," Peverell Senior replied with a doomed sigh.

- And you have it? - Peverell Jr. asked.

- No, necromancy training is supposed to start after the age of majority, but Darius yes, he is a strong necromancer. I don't know for sure, but he is a master necromancer of the second or first degree," Lord Peverell replied after a moment's thought.

- Degree? - Sev didn't understand.

- Depending on how well you master the magical arts, you are awarded a degree, a number. The more skilful you are, the smaller the number. There are seven degrees and six ranks," Alex explained.

- Ranks? - Peverell Jr. didn't understand again.

- When you get the first degree and then get even better, you go up in rank. When you first start, you are at the apprentice level, then you get seventh, sixth, fifth, and so on," the older man explained again. 

- Ah... - the younger one was about to ask something else when he was interrupted.

- I think that's enough for today, after all, we're on holiday now, we'll go back to the manor and ask whatever you want," the boy smiled and nodded cheerfully.

- You're right, because there are some bigwigs from the Ministry here, and you might have some problems with them," Cygnus said.

- I'll tell you a secret," Alex wanted to bang his head on the table again, but it was too late to back down. Besides, it's a great way to scare the bigwigs, and through them the minister, and through him the rest of the ministry. - I don't give a damn about them. The Peverells have enough information and power to quietly and silently kill the entire Ministry. From the Minister to the most ordinary clerk, - and here Alex wasn't lying. Even though he perceived Darius as a teacher or a father, he should not forget that he was the guardian of the family, who had centuries of experience, and an incredible amount of knowledge and skills behind him, and it was not worth getting rid of someone. After the Lord's last statement, everyone, especially the "bigwigs" from the Ministry, looked at the Peverells with horror. 

- What's stopping you from doing that? - asked the shocked Orion, and after his question, the tension was even greater, though it seemed far too great.

- They haven't done anything to me yet. They haven't hurt any of my kind," everyone calmed down a bit after that.

- And you think no one will stop you? - Cygnus asked.

- And who would? For example," Alex asked.

- Dumbledore, for example," Orion suggested.

- No, they won't. I admit he's a powerful wizard and all, but he's old. He's only got two or three decades to live. And in case of an emergency, no one is immune to a potion or just a quiet and silent murder," Peverell replied. After this "lecture" things went more quietly, though occasionally strange looks were thrown at Peverell at times.

Towards the middle of the party, the ballroom dancing began. Peverell managed to twirl Bellatrix and Narcissa in the dance three times each. And at the very end, the presents. All the guests took turns approaching Mark Greengrass and handing over their gifts, which were taken to his room by helpful housekeepers. Though he could open any of them on the spot if he wished. The Peverells, the Princes, the Blacks, and oddly enough the Potters were the most recent. Mark Greengrass received a book on higher light spells from the Potters, a book on dark magic from the Blacks, a poison and potion detector from the Princes, and a mind protection artefact from the Peverells.

By evening all the guests had dispersed. Everyone had ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, everyone had a good time, some of them had managed to sign contracts, and a couple of the luckiest ones had managed to sign a marriage contract. On the other hand, everyone was shocked by the Peverells and didn't know what to do.

And the Peverells, along with Lucius and Andromeda, returned to Peverell Manor.