Little Bear (James Potter x OC)

Chp 10 : Pure-blood Customs

When Polaris came down to the living room early in the morning after the ball, she knew something was off. Her parents where there. They were talking in hushed voices but immediately stopped when they saw her arrive.

"Polaris. Come here," her Mother sternly commanded with a wave of her hand. Polly first turned to her Father, who gave a nod of encouragement as he left the room, before going to sit beside her on the couch.

Walburga took Polly's hands with a firm grip, which was less than comfortable. Many panicking thoughts came to Polaris. And started arguing with herself in her mind.

'Oh, Merlin's beard! She's angry!'

'You don't know that. Maybe she's just... slightly upset of last night...'

'Maybe she saw me with Sirius.'

'But she's always cranky,'

'Probably it's because I was with James...'

"You were wonderful last night. Many of the guests were very pleased with your company," the old woman interrupted her thoughts. 'Oh... she's not mad after all,' Polly inwardly sighed. "And it led me thinking," she continued, "Since most of the single, young, pure-blooded men seem to have taken interest in you..."

"Mother," the young girl said in an alarmed tone. 'She IS mad. She IS mad!' She knows were the conversation was going.

"...I have personally given a select few a chance to court you."

"I'm only 15 years old!! You can't just enter me into a courtship before I'm of-age. And without my permission!!" Polly argued with rage.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me," her Mother said furiously while tightening her grip on Polly's hand, making the poor girl flinch. This would definitely give her a light bruise.

"Sorry, Mother," Polly gulped. Walburga loosen her grip but had not let go.

She was now forming a mask on her face, like how Regulus did sometimes in the presence of their parents. She still stared at her Mother with fear hidden beneath her mask. 'This can't be happening.'

"It's a pure-blood tradition. Be thankful you get to choose who among them would be allowed into your courtship. I have only selected two young men from two of the most respected pure-blood families. Whoever you will choose would be perfect for improving the status of our Noble Family."

When she was not satisfied with reaction of her daughter she added with a softer tone, "You won't get married immediately, Polaris. We just want to start making good connections with either of them. To give a good first impression," Polaris only nodded, 'There's really no getting out of this.'

"I have also arranged a date for you and whoever you choose tonight."

Polaris widened her eyes, "A date? Tonight? I have to choose now?" In her mind, she was already screaming, 'Hold up! Rewind!! Bloody hell!'

"Yes," there was a slight pause from Lady Black when she looked at her daughter in the eyes. "Alexander Nott or James Potter?"

'Oh bloody hell!'

<<<==O==>>>

"How in the world did Mom and Dad even agree to this?" Sirius asked in an exasperate tone, as he chucked another kernel of popcorn at James. James was pacing back and forth his room for an hour after finding out about the courtship proposal when his Dad had received a letter as they were finishing their lunch.

Remus was sited on James' bed right across from where Sirius was sited on a small couch. He arrived early in the morning at Potter Manor and had witnessed the whole drama over lunch. He was currently watching his other best mate pace. Between finding about Sirius' sister and now this, it was too much to handle.