Who: Elizabeth and Penelope Doolittle (Evan's Mother) When: Desi's party Where: Clarke Home What: Elizabeth wanted a turn with Evan's Mother before she is killed off. Rating/Warnings: Interesting discussion of marriage and Evan... Status: {Closed, Complete}
Elizabeth knew she could not monopolize Evan’s time entirely during Desi’s party, so she was doing her best to mingle. He had already informed her who was appropriate to speak to and who was not, and she was following that dictate quite strictly. She headed to the drink table, picking up a glass of champagne and looking around. She knew she looked good, if she wanted she could even pass for pure to the people who did not know her history. This pleased her, since she wanted to endear herself to the most important people, and she felt she was making a good start.
Penelope Doolittle (formerly Penelope Rosier) was watching the entire proceeding with a somewhat distanced air. She had once felt events like this were the most important thing in the world, back in her youth. But years of being socially cut by this same group of people she had once thought her friends had helped her realize how foolish this all was. Unfortunately, her son had not yet learned that lesson, despite having witnessed her former friends excise her from their lives, and by extension him. Of course, Evan had done much with the influence of his Grandfather to erase those social limitations. She simultaneously hoped he would learn her lesson, and hoped he was spared such a lesson. It would be better for him though if he learned it. Evan was upset enough that she had elected to accept the invitation, fearing it would reflect on him and his precious reputation. Still Penelope knew how to dress for events such as this, and such invitations were incredibly rare for her now, she intended to comport herself appropriately for the event.
For the most part, Elizabeth was sticking to the Slytherins she knew would not cut her short. She danced with Desi, with Evan obviously, and she spent time with Dirk, since they both were the odd ones out in an environment like this. She had experience at least with parties of this sort though, so she was able to make it look like she belonged, and most people, even those who would normally have shunned her, were showing a detached civility. She looked around again, taking in the people around her. She was curious, since obviously she did not know most of the people outside of those she attended school with, so she found her eyes fixing on different people and making little stories about them to keep herself entertained until Evan returned from time with Ophelia.
For all Evan looked like his Father’s son, he was clearly enough Penelope’s son as well, particularly if one looked at the pale blue eyes of the statuesque blonde who was sipping idly on her drink. She looked over and past the petite dark haired girl at the drink table - obviously one of the Slytherin girls from Desiderio and Evan’s year. She’d be married off within the year, Penelope suspected. She gave a faint smile for one of her old friends who was pretending not to see her. That was particularly amusing to her, though her expression was largely fixed and did not change much.
Elizabeth nodded slightly at Penelope. Evan had not mentioned a woman that looked like her, meaning she should remain aloof. That held until she noted the eyes and her own widened just a touch. Apparently the eyes were not a Rosier trait, unless there were more Rosiers around. Interesting. She smirked internally. The woman was never at parties, if her guess was right, and she could test herself, see if she could fool someone from this background. What was the husband’s last name? She did not know. But she knew that again, if her guess was right, it was Evan’s mother and that could be used. She moved to the blonde and offered a polite, if somewhat cool, smile. “You are Evan Rosier’s mother?”
Penelope looked back to the girl she’d looked past before, and looked her over casually, though not at all obviously. Tiny, but certainly pretty and well put together. Good taste. “Penelope Doolittle,” the woman introduced herself with a small smile for the girl, “but yes, I am also Evan’s mother.”
“I thought so,” Elizabeth continued to hold her smile in place. The smile she got when her mother tried to introduce her to various males who were supposedly interested in courting her. Not likely, there was no way she would be marrying at all, much less someone in the muggle world. “Your son has been an incredible help for me. I’m afraid I have no memory for historical facts and so he tutored me this past year…” A lie, yes, but a necessary one, she thought.
“I am sure he was. He does quite enjoy his history.” Penelope mused. It was a shame of course that her son was quite so traditional, but it was clearly the truth. “He values tradition,” to a fault. “It is nice of course to hear that he was offering service to his classmates.”
“He does, very much. It was fascinating how alive he made some of the traditions seem. I never knew much of the origins of any family outside my own, and so for him to teach me? Incredibly enlightening.” Elizabeth was pretty sure she was not coming across as muggleborn, and she kept her voice somewhat detached even as she spoke of things that fascinated her, knowing that excess enthusiasm tended to be frowned on.
Penelope was of course one to judge, but did not actually care anymore about one’s blood status. She was generally dismissive of those who were, perhaps a defense now that her own status had supposedly suffered. “He is well versed in the Abbott, Rosier and even the Black family traditions, plus obviously the Melflua family as well.” The girl would of course know about Evan’s courtship of the heir to that family.
“Yes. His girlfriend is a lovely girl.” A slight nod at that. Of course it was all for show, the entire relationship. At least currently, she knew that he would not formally commit to Ophelia for another year and thus she had a full year to enjoy his company before she began pursuing in earnest advancement within the ministry. “Elizabeth Scott. It’s utterly lovely to meet the woman who brought up such an interesting young man.”
The Scott name was not one of the Sacred 28, but that didn’t immediately rule out her purity. Penelope did not know her family enough to say. “She is, and well brought up too.” Penelope finished the conversation on her son’s intended, and acknowledged the introduction of the petite brunette. “I’m sure he gives more credit to his Grandfather.” Penelope after all knew her son quite well, and he would prefer to be associated with the Rosier’s than with herself. “But I am sure you are kind to say so.”
Elizabeth nodded slightly. “She is that, yes, but that’s to be expected. Evan quite deserves a girl worthy of him.” Which was why she could not even consider the thought, though she did wish she had some sort of wizarding blood somewhere that could recommend her. Not that she would say that, of course. She still had a good deal of pride, after all.
A sardonic brow rose. Worthy of him indeed. “They have known each other since childhood.” Penelope acknowledged. “And so are comfortable with each other and their families.” She did not think birth alone recommended the girl as ‘worthy’, but it was the way this circle tended to think. Although it was possible the girl was jealous? That was an amusing thought. “They still have at least another year before anything comes of it.” She watched the girl carefully. Was that something the girl was glad for?
“It will be a good marriage, I imagine.” Elizabeth glanced around the room, and motioned to Desi and his fiancee. “Much like the match we are celebrating tonight, wouldn’t you say?” She knew well enough how Desi felt about this match and she honestly felt bad for him. It was sad, he would not be happy. At least she was not being forced into a marriage she did not want. “They do, but I imagine he will be happy with her, don’t you think?”
“I do hope so.” Penelope said honestly. “And she with him, though he can be somewhat difficult to live with on occasion.” She had seen how often he and Fourth got on, and they were supposedly friends. “And also for young Desiderio, although I rather heard this was arranged by their families, not the young people themselves. Rationality makes for a much different foundation for a relationship than love.”
Elizabeth had to fight back a smirk at the comment about Evan being difficult to live with. “I have been around him a great deal this year. I find he’s actually not difficult to keep happy, if one knows the proper topics to remain close to.” She shrugged one shoulder. Yes. Not hard to please Evan. Sex and more sex. With a bit of extra conversation. “Desiderio, I believe, will handle himself well enough. He has his friends to keep him happy.”
“I did not imply Desiderio would not be.” Penelope was quick to correct Elizabeth, sounding somewhat like Evan again when he was feeling defensive about… anything. “As for my son, I imagine I am one of the topics best avoided with him.” Her smile was plastic on her face, all falseness and airs.
“There are a number of topics one must avoid with Evan.” As per usual, she ignored the defensiveness. She was used to it, after all. She did not really care all that much to placate the woman as she did Evan, so no correction happened like it might have with him.
The girl was diplomatic. Not one of the truest supremacists then, Penelope noted. Had she been then the girl, like Penelope’s old friends, would be avoiding speaking to her. Or perhaps she was just more political. “Indeed, he can be somewhat short tempered, but I imagine as you are his friend, you have obviously learned to navigate it. And I did raise him to behave appropriately around women.”
“I have, yes. I find I’ve got a number of methods that work to keep him calm.” She smiled a bit and brushed her hair back from her face. “He does know how to behave around women, though, yes. He’s a very good man.” She was pleased with his company, after all, and she had no problems with spending a good deal of time with him.
Penelope hoped he was, but feared the ongoing influence of the boy’s father, particularly now that he was working with his Grandfather every day. “I’m sure I am flattered you think so.” It was time to turn the discussion on the girl, or else make her excuses. However, since she was still a bit of a social, pariah there were fewer excuses to make. “You are clearly a diplomat in the making.”
“I fully intend to become Minister for Magic one day. I have yet to receive my NEWT scores, but I am certain they will be high enough that I can begin working toward that goal quite soon.” And if she had people convinced that she belonged in this world, that it was where she was from? That much the better. After all, wealthy circles were quite the same whether muggle or magical, and that she could handle.
“Ambitious.” Penelope approved of the idea, really. Although if the girl was as traditional as her son, that would be a problem. “Your family approves of this idea? If they are not worried about their bloodlines or other such concerns speaks well of them; or speaks to you if they are not as supportive.”
“My family, as I am of age, will not have a say as much in what I do for a career. If they wish me to wed, I will take their input into consideration, but my career is my own.” Another lie, she would not wed except in one place, and that was not available to her, so she would not wed at all. That was the way things were.
“Remarkably modern of you.” Penelope was surprised honestly. The girl was obviously from one of the more progressive families. It was surprising therefore that she was friends with her son. “It is rarely that easy when one’s family disagrees with your choices. I wish you significant luck in that.”
“I am the first Ravenclaw in my family, so progressive ideas and a focus on intelligence are rather important to me. They have learned to accept that I am rather an oddity.” Now this? Not a lie at all. She was unique in her family, and the first Ravenclaw, but only because she was the first witch to be born to her family. “I thank you for your good wishes.”
“I know what it is to face criticism for making less traditional choices.” Penelope shrugged one shoulder elegantly. “The Ravenclaw grants rationality. Your family are traditionally Gryffindor I presume?” It might explain their willingness to allow her a career rather than marriage, and would count her an oddity.
“Yes, and as I am a daughter, it is much less a worry on carrying on the family name. That task is left to my brother.” A small smile and she shrugged one shoulder as well. “They are not as strictly traditional, though they do not quite grasp my unwillingness to allow emotion to rule me as it does them. A wedding has never been a high priority, simply something that must happen one day.” Or not. But she had to pretend. It was what normal females wanted, after all.
“No but that does not mean you can not help bolster the family line by making an advantageous match. Mrs. Rosier certainly crowed when Evan’s aunt Druella married into the Black family.” Penelope was still in Hogwarts when that happened, but it had been quite a topic of discussion for Ciam. He was glad to be able to deliver another Sacred 28 bride to his family to enhance their influence.
“I imagine my family would approve of a match with a Lucis or something of that sort. They are pure, after all, and typically the males are Ravenclaws, which makes them more acceptable in my eyes. Though I suppose I should question any family that numbers their children instead of naming them..” This said with a slight smirk. She had no taste for the Lucis family truly, though she guessed it could be because of the Gryffindor boy’s insistence on fixating on Evan.
“So long as you do not continue that naming tradition, one can overlook such foibles of the parents.” Penelope mused. “One need not follow such conventions after all. I broke the tradition somewhat when I named Evan, rather than calling him Ciam the third. I feel for Fourth, who has merely been relegated to a number, and not even a latin one at that, and has no name that is his own, really.”
“As Fourth is not a legitimate child, one imagines that it does not matter nearly as much.” A small smirk tilted the edges of her lips. She enjoyed the fact, truly, that she could poke at something that made him inferior. Ever since the Valentine’s ball, she had been disgusted more than normal at him, and so it gave her a flash of pleasure to be able to hold that bit of information. At least she was a true heir to her family, even if she was muggleborn.
“No, so likely having his father’s, grandfather’s and great grandfather’s name probably has more weight for him as it gives him something to hold onto for that bloodline.” Penelope conceded. “It serves to remind those that care of his family line, despite the status of his birth. And he is quite handsome, so he ought not have significant difficulties from his illegitimacy.”
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed and she shrugged. “He is not my type. I prefer more masculinity. I would much prefer to be the feminine one in any relationship, and I imagine many females feel the same. Plus, I imagine I would be wary of any who had liaisons with the Smith girl. She gives favor rather….freely.”
“Well he is a Wilkes. They are not exactly known to be monogamous.” Penelope dismissed the idea easily. “I am sure anyone who captures his fancy would be aware of that. More likely his father will arrange some advantageous match for him. Richard Wilkes thinks strategically like that.”
Elizabeth laughed softly. Not monogamous was an understatement. Fortunately she was not troubled with such things since even if she were interested, he was not the sort who would match with someone like her. “There are very few males I would want to accept into my bed. One such as him? Is not high on my list, no matter the status boost I would get from it.”
That Elizabeth considered Fourth a status boost indicated much about the girl, revealing perhaps more than she had intended to. Not that Penelope actually cared. “It is good to have standards, but remember attraction is something that can not be controlled.”
“Not generally, but as I am not intending to marry for love,” Or at all, “I suppose my standards are what will dictate what I do. I intend to be successful, so a marriage must come second to my career. Fortunately, money will allow me to dictate what husband I will take.” Plus, she was pretty. That tended to help.
“I recommend it. Rationality does not make for happiness. The right man can help the career even, but you are right to be careful. The wrong one will not of course, and you are wise not to rely on anyone for financial support.” Really if her son was not so extraordinarily traditional, she would have liked him to find someone not as mousy as Ophelia. As it was, the Meliflua heir would suit him well, and they would have a bland, domestic life together where neither was entirely happy.