The Aftermath [Verena & Christopher]

Verena was fuming. After everything she had done that evening, she had believed that Roman Hughes had fallen and that she would be able to lure him into spending as much time with her as possible. But of course, something was going to destroy her perfectly executed plan, even when she had thought of every detail. When she had constructed it so carefully. But she hadn't believed that another man was going to steal him away from her. Well, he wasn't an actual man, from what he seemed, since no man was ever able to resist her beauty. But how could Roman allow that?

Being dragged of without another word, leaving her standing there looking so foolish. How dare he? And he even had the nerve to say that he would send her an owl? How... stupid could he be?

Angry beyond the point of control, Verena apparated back at home, looking more flustered than ever. Hopefully, her parents would still be out, since the last time she had checked they were on a nice trip somewhere away, and Christopher would probably be busy doing who knows what.
Throwing her bag on a nearby sofa, Verena groaned and sat in the loveseat, still shaking, and completely oblivious to the fact that her brother had seen everything.
"He is so going to regret this.."

At the sound of her brother's voice, Verena let out a long, loud groan. Christopher was not always the one with power, since she was older, but now, that he was old enough to understand things and do business, he had the upper hand. After all, he was the Richardson heir, and even if he was younger than her, he could still control her. Control who she could see, and who she couldn't. Control who she was going to marry. And if Verena gave him just one reason to hate Roman, she was doomed.

"What, did someone turn you down? Or... did you not get what you wanted? Both? Hmm... Curious... who could possibly have enough of a hold over you..?"

Verena turned to look at Christopher, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. He was never going to change, and it did take her a while to accept that but now, she could not be affected by his foul comments.
Verena loved Christopher more than he knew. Hell, she loved him more than she knew. But they had never allowed themselves to show that. They couldn't. That was what Verena had been hearing since the day she was born. But truthfully, she had missed how they used to spend so much time together when they were both kids, and they had some free time they could spent together, of course.

"Plans didn't go exactly as I wanted, I guess." Verena knew better than to use the usual 'None of your business' phrase. It was his business, and that was why she would never voice those words.
Verena knew her place, even if she didn't act like it.

"I'm guessing the dress didn't work, huh?"

"It did, actually. But it can't affect homosexual people too. They always destroy the moments."
Verena let out a small laugh and shook her head, pushing herself up.
"There's nothing you should worry about, Chris."

"It's unladylike to roll your eyes, sister."

"Do not lecture me, Christopher. I happen to know what's ladylike and what's not. But I don't have to act my part when we are alone. Wasted talent, I call it."
Verena believed that it was a waste of time to act like a true lady when she was alone with her brother. He knew who she was, lady or not, and playing her part didn't make any difference. He could see right through the tricks, he was a Richardson prepared for everything. And that was why Verena did not even bother trying to act like a lady.


"What plans were they?"

Of course, the Richardson princess knew well enough that Christopher would never give up, but for a moment, she had truly hoped he would. She didn't want to go into details about her affair with Roman Hughes. Or whatever that was really. She couldn't name it an affair just yet.
Though she was pretty positive that if he truly wanted to learn, he would. So it would be better if she was the one to tell him about it.

But before she could speak another word, there he went, lecturing her once again and pointing out the obvious. That her effect was not as big as she believed it were. And that was the reason why Roman was able to get away from her without her even having the chance to stop him. It was making her blood boil, though. How her brother kept adding fuel to the fire.

"Oh, and... you'll probably find a gay man has more interest in your clothes than a straight man. But, I may be generalising a little too much there...

"So, who escaped my sweet sister's grip? I must congratulate him on his success!"

"Oh Chris, I don't think you really want to know. I mean, don't you have more interesting things to do?"
Clicking her fingers, a house elf appeared next to her, bowing and asking her what she wished for. After requesting a glass of wine, the elf disappeared and Verena turned her attention back to her brother.

"You know, running off isn't going to quell my interest, either. So you might as well tell me where you've been.

"If you need to know, I was invited to attend a Quidditch Match. That is all."

"A Quidditch match..?"

Verena raised an eyebrow at him as well, a small playful smirk on her lips. Christopher was not stupid, and he knew well enough that Verena was not a fun of the sport, but the witch was not going to just make it easy for him. If she had to tell him about what had happened, which, eventually, she would have to, she was going to do it on her own pace.

"Why do you sound so surprised, little brother?"
The reason for that though, was obvious.

"I can't see how a Quidditch match has you this riled up, sister. I didn't think you were that... passionate for the sport."

Verena laughed, and at the same time, the elf was back with her glass of wine. Taking it, she cast away the creature and went back to sitting in the loveseat, sipping some of the finest red wine.
"A fan of the sport, no, not really. But Quiddtch is played by men. Handsome, powerful, Pureblood men."

But as Chris pressed her further on spilling the beans of what had happened, Verena finally gave up. She didn't want to have a headache, and Christopher was very close to giving her one, already.
"Mister Hughes invited me to the game, as an apology for having to leave from our party so soon. She wanted to make it up to the family, that is all there is to the story. Oh, he won, by the way!"

Verena was positive that once Chris learned that there was another invitation for the match, one that he could probably take gladly, he will be grumpy for the next week. Christopher was the best Quidditch Player at Hogwarts, and she knew that very well. The sport was a love for his, and even if she wanted to keep him happy, bringing him along would have destroyed her perfect plan. Not that it wasn't destroyed anyway, but at least she had managed to have a taste of the Hughes son.

But that was not the only problem she had to deal with now. The shock on Christopher's face was quite obvious, at least for a little while, at the sound of her words. Verena knew well enough that the Hughes had a completely opposite ideology of the one the Richardson's did, but it would still be beneficial if these two families came together. It would help the Richardson's look more modern, and the Hughes would still be connected to the higher society of Purebloods. They would be recognised. Chris had to know that.

"You're gallivanting with the Hughes son?"

"Chris.."
But her brother did not want to understand. He was not done with speaking his mind, and the witch knew what would follow would be Chris simply being idiotic and not able to spot the benefits of this union.

"They're... not even proper Purebloods! Does father know you went to see him?"

At that, Verena's eyes went wide. Standing up, she walked over to her brother and looked at him dead in the eye. Things were getting serious.
"I am currently doing the job you should have done! No, father does not know, and he doesn't have to know. If you speak a word to him, I will make sure to inform him how you completely neglected the benefits that would occur from a relationship with the Hughes."
Verena was playing with fire, she knew that, but she was not going to allow Chris to throw away her only chance of happiness.

The comments about how his team won had managed to distract Chris for just a couple of seconds, but then he was back to the conversation and how this was not going to have a good ending, if it even had a beginning.


"You're not trying to date Roman Hughes, are you? Surely you know father would never allow it? A Murray, sure, but a Hughes?"

"I'm.. I am not trying to date Roman Hughes, Chris. I'm.. simply trying to keep him close. And there is no way you're marrying me to a Murray! Grow up, Chris! I love you, and you are the heir to this family, but I will not sit and watch as you destroy it!"