[ pv | alexx helm ]

12 August 2018]
Liverpool, Bishop Manor

ANOTHER day, another party. It seemed that after Rhea's 'grounding' was over, her parents wanted to drag her to as many parties as possible. That's not to say that they were all boring however - there was that gathering in late July, where Rhea had met Elijah and caused some chaos. But other than that, all the parties and gatherings and whatever else her parents dragged her too were bor-ing. So much so that Rhea dreaded every single one of them - but at least the parties meant she could dress up, a fact that Rhea loved. That fact made those events a little bet less dreadful. 

Rather than attending a party, this time, the Bishops would be hosting it. Actually, it was less a party and more just a meeting with the Helm family - the Bishops knew of the French family, and thought it long overdue to have a formal meeting. Thus, the families had conversed, the date had been decided on, and the meeting was successfully scheduled. 

The meeting would be held in one of the parlors, so that was the place the house elves were told to set up and decorate. Already rather tidy, all the elves had to do was clean the room and make sure it was absolutely spotless. That and preparing the food, of course. Multiple appetizers were cooked, as well as a full course meal that the families would be enjoying later. 

In her room, Rhea was in her closet, trying to decide what to wear. The outfit she chose would have to fit the air of the meeting - elegant but not too elegant, casual but not too casual. Fortunately for her, Rhea had a dress that fit that exact aura. It was a white, sleeveless dress, reaching just below her knees, decorated with beautiful pink flowers. It was not too fancy, yet not too casual - perfect for the event. With the help of her house elf, Skittle, Rhea's hair was plaited into a braid crown, with a few hairs pulled out to frame her face. Braids seemed to be Rhea's resort to fancy events, but they looked nice so Rhea didn't really see anything wrong with that. The shoes that she picked out were simple white flats, which fit the dress she was wearing perfectly. Picking out some flower earrings, Rhea carefully put them in her ears, before going over to the full length mirror she had in her room and looking over herself. In her eyes, she looked great. Clapping her hands, Rhea looked at Skittle and smiled, thanking her before going down to the parlor and awaiting her parents' arrival. 

While waiting for her parents, Rhea tried to recall everything she knew about the Helms. She knew that they were a French family, so she expected them to have strong French accents - maybe even barely know English. If that was the case, though, it wouldn't be too big of a deal, for her mother spoke almost fluent French - a result of her mother's upbringing in France. Rhea herself knew some French, but just the basics. 

From what she had heard of her parents' conversations, Rhea also knew that the Helms lived in America for some time. Why? That part Rhea did not know, nor did she know of the Helm's history of being Death Eaters - much like she was unaware of her father's association in that as well. Actually, that was part of the reason he had invited the Helms - Aaron knew of their Death Eater past, and wanted to learn more about that. What was the deal with them - why did they keep moving their residence?

So many questions, but not enough answers. Rhea's foot began to tap incessantly, impatient for both the arrival of her parents and the Helms. She was excited to meet their daughter - her parents had told her that they had a daughter her age, some name that started with an A. She attended Hogwarts with her, but the two had never crossed paths. Soon enough, her parents entered the room, and Rhea stood up to greet them. She offered a small smile, but only received a nod from her mother while her father did not even acknowledge her. Sighing, Rhea sat back down, leaning back into the couch. However, before she got a chance to truly sink in its comfortable fabric, the doorbell rang and the redhead sprang up to greet the family. 

"Welcome," Aaron greeted the Helms, stepping outside to let them come through. "Please, follow me." He began to lead them to the parlor, and invited them to sit on the couches. Aaron and Morgan sat on the couch while Rhea took a seat on the armchair beside them, leaving the armchair beside her open and the couch across from her parents open. She offered a smile at the Helm daughter, before resting her elbows on the arms of her chair. As always, her father expected her to be present for the introductions, before she could go someplace else - with the children of the visiting families of course. Trying to stop her foot tapping, Rhea waited impatiently for the introductions to be over so she could go and do something else with the girl. 

the helm residence, hours before hand

"Now, Alexxandria. You know the procedures." Vivienne said in her stern voice, not bothering to look at Alexx through the mirror, but instead her eyes were clasped on the blonde locks as she did her hair. It was as formal as Alexx would allow it, as she did not like her appearance to be seen as too snobby. What her mother forced her to be was not the same as who she was, but she knew how upset her father would be if she did not make this night as proper as she could. Her father, more English than he was French (much unlike his mother who was pure French), was mean in his ways and demanded respect.

The young girl had spent the day before begging for her brother to attend this with her. Mikey would be going away soon, off to Paris to start over. He had no time for formalities anymore, as his mind was too busy wandering off onto the pages of the books that he read, soaking in every letter. So she had turned away from his door, her head bowed in disappointment.

"Oui, mama." She responded, her voice soft and shy. She was only like this with her family. The procedures were to make the best impression, let those who knew of the family decide that they were not the monsters the media framed them as. Her mother signed, clasping a necklace around he neck. It complimented the dress she wore perfectly. As much as Alexx hated to admit it, pink did look good on her. "I will behave."

Her mother looked at her with dry eyes, emotionless and cold. Alexx huffed, turning her head. At that time, Raoul entered the room. "Am I to suspect we are ready?" He asked, speaking to Vivienne and not to his daughter. Vivienne nodded and waved Alexx out. The young girl stumbled up, slipping on her flats on her way out.

the bishop manor

Raoul smiled, walking in at the Bishop's welcome. Mr. Bishop seemed to have the same mannerism as her own father; far too formal for their own good. It was a manner that Alexx dispised. But she smiled politely anyway, pretending that she was enjoying any of this. All that Alexx knew of this family was a daughter her age was also a member of their household; her mother had the courtesy of telling her. "Her name is Re.. Ra... R something or another." She had said, her eyes stuck in a newspaper.

The family stepped through the doors and into the home, following Mr. Bishop into the parlor. Alexx took a seat next to the girl her age, her parents taking the couch opposite to the other adults. "Thank you for having us, Mr. Bishop." Raoul started. "I would like to introduce my wife, Vivienne, and my eldest daughter, Alexxandria." If she weren't under so much pressure, Alexx would have rolled her eyes. But she nodded her head anyway, her eyes analyzing everyone in the room.

They were formal, as noted before. A reflection of her own nuclear family. It was like looking in a mirror almost. The young girl who was seated next to her seemed anxious to exit the situation as well. She couldn't blame her; it wasn't ideal for girls their age, spending their time like this. She suspected, however, once the hard part ended they would be able to go about as they pleased. It was only a matter of time.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Vivienne spoke, flashing him a false smile. Her eyes then turned to her daughter, expecting some form of greeting out of her as well. So Alexx's eyes followed the turn of her mother's head to the Bishop's.

"Oui, Merci de nous avoir." She spoke up, the same false smile as her mother's plastering across her porcelain skin. Her eyes drifted back, however, to meet the girl next to her once more.

SMILING ever so politely, Aaron returned the greetings in an equally courteous tone. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well," he said to Vivienne, before turning to his wife and daughter and gesturing for them to stand up. "This is my wife, Morgan, and my daughter Rhea." Morgan smiled at the family, her smile brightening up the mood of the room. 

"Hello," the esteemed Bishop lady said, and squeezed Rhea's hand, who in turn waved at the French family. "I look forward to tonight," her words were spoken with a tone of happiness, but also had a hint of fakeness. Quite frankly, the only reason Morgan was showing up to this meeting was because she had to, as a form of support for her husband. If it was up to her, she would be doing literally anything else that wasn't this - her husband's meetings bored her quite a lot. 

Nodding in the direction of the family, he invited them to sit down across from his own, before sitting down himself and crossing one leg over the other. "So," the man began, slightly leaning forward. "How has England been treating you since you returned from the United States?" The question was asked simply to be diplomatic; to provide an air of interest. Also, there was an underlying question that Aaron hoped to get to at some point during the night - why did the Helms leave to the United States in the first place? Despite the digging he had done on the family, Aaron had never discovered the answer. And not knowing the answer drove Aaron mad, thus leading to him asking questions about the Helm family that had nothing to do with the matter they were supposed to discuss. 

Meanwhile, while the adults decided to converse, Rhea turned to the blonde girl next to her and tilted her hand. "De rien," she replied to the girl in French, her accent slightly off due to months of little practice. She bit her lip, hoping she had said the right thing, but then remembering that that was what her mother used to say to the guests in French, shrugged and moved on. 

"I'm Rhea, if you didn't catch it before," she greeted once more, dropping the formal act once her father had looked away from her and become entranced with the other adults. "You're... Alexxandria? That's an awfully long name." The corner of her lip slanted up into a half-smile as she looked at the blonde girl. 

Raoul smiled, nodding. "England is nice. We are accustomed to change, so it was easy to adjust. Though, we suspect that our stay here will be longer." His words left vague trails, questions unanswered. He was in no hurry. The objective was to gain the family's trust, and then reveal the ugly truth beneath the pretty layers. With a family like the Bishop's on their side, coming out of hiding would become increasingly more feasible. The couple was young when they made their mistakes; they weren't even 20 and already had a kid on the way. They were promised protection. Anything to protect the pureblood family; they were willing to risk it all. They would have rather been on the opposite side of the law than to risk death.

But Alexx was not having it. He father's words were dry and lifeless, just as he had become throughout the years. So she turned to Rhea, appreciative for the distraction from the lifeless conversation happening before them. "Oui, but I am more commonly known as Alexx." She smiled back, this time more genuine than before. "I apologize for all the formalities, but we are more concerned with keeping up appearances rather than being comfortable. Boring, isn't it?" Her remarks were childish but true. Alexx would never wish to truly confront acquaintances in such a way. If you are to make one's acquaintance, she thought, would it not be better to address them in such a way that set the tone to friendly? But then again, Alexx was not a businesswoman; her father was the one consumed with business. This was not her forte.

Her eyes locked on her mother, who was presented with the floor. "Yes, we have not been to England in many years. It is lovely to be back." If it wouldn't have given them away, Alexx would have scoffed. It's lovely that instead of MACUSA being on our arses, we just have to escape the Ministry's firm grasp, she thought to herself, her eyes begging to roll. The Ministry was not nearly as tense as MACUSA, which is why her parents thought it best to camp out here. They were less likely to be uncovered. Plus, they had friends. Certain connections that would save them in the event that they needed saving.

"How rude am I, it's a pleasure to meet you, Rhea." The young girl announced, mocking the adult's formal tone during the introduction. This time, she allowed herself to giggle a little. It truly was lovely to be able to speak freely to someone her own age. Her brothers were both much too old to connect to, and Emaline was too young to understand. She was stuck in the weird middle. So to now be spending time with Rhea, who seemed approachable and was someone who could relate to her much easier, was a blessing. And at such a good timing too, as she was growing bored and lonely these days.

With the school year approaching shortly, Alexx was getting more and more anxious about who she would be with. Who would sit next to her in class? Who would she speak to in her spare time? Schedules would change and she would know some people, but be pulled away from others. She could only hope that she and Rhea would become close, as this was vital to her family name. As state before, appearances were everything, and her mother expected that to follow her in school. But unlike her family, Alexx was not interested in befriending people for their title in society. Alexx wanted to be Rhea's friend just because. Rhea could have been muggle born and from a poor family for all the blonde cared; that meant nothing to her. Status was nothing in the eyes of a child.

The tone with which Raoul answered his question was something that Aaron picked up on quickly, having been very well versed in the skill. It was as if he was hiding something, but the Bishop patriarch could not tell what, for the Frenchman had answered in question, though vaguely. Shaking the peculiar thoughts out of his head, Aaron smiled politely and nodded, indicating that he understood. "Hm. Do you suspect that your stay in England shall be permanent?" The question asked to find what Raoul was planning; if Aaron hoped to make business with the Helm family, it would be much easier if they were both on the same continent. 

While her father was making boring short talk with the family, Rhea began to fidget with her fingers, growing bored. There had to be something she could do rather than sit here and listen to them talk about whatever. However, when Alexx spoke, Rhea grinned widely and nodded, happy to have a chance to distract herself. "Alexx, that's a much easier name to remember," she chuckled then nodded to Alexx's remark. "Yes, I agree wholeheartedly. My parents just want me to be formal for the first few moments and then usually they let me leave and do whatever. Beats sitting here and being bored out of my mind." She laughed again, something she was starting to do more often. One might even say too often, but Rhea didn't care. She liked laughing!

Casting a look at Alexx's mother who then began to speak, Rhea tilted her head and waited for her own mother to say something. Morgan had been rather silent this entire conversation, perhaps for lack of having a chance to speak. However, this was her chance. Morgan looked up and made eye contact with Vivienne. "What about France? Have you not visited there yet?" Truly, Morgan was confused, for she thought that France was where the family lived, and not England. However, there was another aspect to it - if the Helm family did indeed live in France, Morgan could go visit her childhood village under the pretense of seeing the family. Aaron himself hated France, for reasons unknown, and refused to visit with Morgan - and Morgan couldn't very well go alone, for the public may think that the Bishops were having problems. And that wouldn't do. 

Alexx spoke again, and Rhea swiveled her head to face her blonde companion. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Alexx," she noted the mocking tone with which Alexx spoke and decided to mimic it, chuckling along with the blonde's small giggle. Of all the pureblood children she had been forced to meet over the years, it was safe to say that Alexx was the one that Rhea felt she could really 'click' with, so to speak. The other children were either too uptight, or Rhea didn't feel as if she could be herself - that is, not uptight and having the same beliefs as her parents. Alexx was different - perhaps it was because she had the air of a child, rather than a carbon copy of her parents. It was a nice change. 

And hey, maybe at school they could even hang out. Rhea had been wanting to widen her friend group from last year, having only hung out with a certain group of people. Alexx provided a way to do that, and it helped that they had a whole lot of stuff in common - the school year would prove to be interesting with a friend like Alexx. Although nothing had been expressively stated, Rhea could guess that there something hidden about the French family, something that they would never expressly state. 

Snapping out of her thoughts, Rhea attempted to make eye contact with her father while he was conversing. Upon succeeding, she raised an eyebrow in question, as if asking: "May I be excused now?" At his nod, Rhea smiled and almost stood up, before he inclined his head in Alexx's direction, telling her to take Alexx with her. Rhea nodded in understanding and leaned in closer to Alexx, before asking her in a whisper, "Want to go do something else? My father said it's alright." She hoped that the blonde girl would say yes, for Rhea was practically dying of boredom (an exaggeration, yes, but she was 12 - what could you expect from someone her age?)

The Helm man smiled, looking at Aaron Bishop thoughtfully. "We certainly hope so, seeing as though we were put through the trouble to get here. It would only be fair. But, if eh... time puts us elsewhere, we must do what is best for our children. You understand that, certainly." Raoul was carefully vague with his words, assuming that Mr. Bishop would be able to read between the lines. If he didn't, then Raoul would not iterate further. It was not in his best interests to put his foot in his mouth. Not this early on. Keep the details fine and smooth, and then, when the time was right, the whole story could be unleashed. "We hope that as time heals our wounds, making decisions such as ones regarding our residence will become less delicate, as it is a delicate matter in the eyes of many." Delicate. That was certainly one word for it. And whose fault was that? It could almost make Alexx flinch and crawl in her own skin thinking about it, as it didn't feel right. But none of this felt right, so she was in for a long ride. But she couldn't complain, as the manor was rather beautiful in her own personal opinion, and seeing sights like this, and the friends she made along the way, made the moments worth it. She was on board for the excitement, which it certainly never lacked.

Vivienne spoke up this time, filling in many gaps that her husband appeared to be beating around. "All of our travel, as hectic as it is, has been for the benefit of our children. However, with our eldest sons, Mikey and Tex, preparing to leave home, we are finally capable of being more fluid in our activity." It was true. Mikey would inherit Helm Manor, and could live there if he so decided, seeing as though there wasn't a bounty on his head. With him and Tex leaving the pack, it seemed more feasible that they would not be hiding. Tex actually seemed like a threat more than an ally these days, considering he was flying at the seat of his pants, desperate to get away. He was a young man, burdened by the past of his family. No one could fault him for not wanting to take part in their mishaps. Though, Alexx wished that he would be around to support herself and her two other siblings. Naturally, however, that was left up to Mikey. But it was still alarming in Alexx's mind that after the two oldest left, they cared less about the protection of their family. That was sort of awful to hear. "But our official residence is located in France, and is still fully functioning. This is just an extended stay, to put it simply." The words were sickening in Alexx's ears. It wasn't a lie, but it was a hard pill to swallow. She missed the manor more than just about anything else in the world.

Opposite from them, the young French girl toned them out, not wanting to pay any mind to details in which she was already familiar with. Her family was discussing, from what should could assume, information that she grew up knowing. There was nothing special, and the story lacked a lot of substance to a 12-year-old. Upon Rhea suggesting to get away from the conversation, Alexx practically jumped- or, she would have if it wouldn't have been seen as "improper", or something like that. In any matter, she showed visibly her excitement. Nothing bored her more than adult responsibilities, especially if they involved her own flesh and blood. "Thank Merlin- yes, please." She agreed with an emphasis on the "please", relieved to be able to get away. "And I agree, most people don't call me by my full name unless they're mad at me." She thought about that, and it actually wasn't very often that someone would find themselves cross with the blonde Slytherin. She was likable, indeed. A very agreeable soul, despite the controversies that surrounded her family. It was something she prided herself in, as few could be say about others in her position.

Keeping her focus fixated on the other girl, she kept a smile plastered across her porcelain skin, a tinge of pink surfacing at the edges, as it always did. "Where will we be off to, then?" She inquired, tilting her head. Obviously, the place was unfamiliar to her, so she was blindly trusting Rhea Bishop to lead her throughout the manor. However, she did not doubt her capabilities to entertain her, as Alexx was typically very engaged with her surroundings. A curious soul she was, but not curious enough to match the wit of a Ravenclaw. Her father was a Ravenclaw, which perhaps explains more than it seems to on the surface. Being a Helm entailed many, many things. Things which Alexx wish could be swept back under the rug where they belong. But the Bishop girl was, at least she did not appear to be, entertaining these family affairs. If she were, she did an excellent job at hiding her true intentions. But they were merely children, so it was something Alexx heavily doubted her of being capable of. Plagued innocence is not unfamiliar, but she wished it were.

Flipping some of her hair over her shoulder, Alexx glanced back at her occupied parents, who were being... adults. This wasn't a surprise, as she supposed it was their job. But in moments like these? Alexx could only swear that she would never turn out the same as them. This life must be so dreadful. In a manner of exaggeration, she thought to herself that she would surely die before submitting herself willingly into the dismal affairs that her parents decided to be involved in. How awful and depressing it must be to be an adult. That was why she was grateful for Rhea and her offer, so that she could shake these awful thoughts from her mind and not be focused on what she wished would just stay in the past where it belonged. But she turned her attention back to Rhea, lest she appeared rude for diverting it to begin with. If her parents had seen that, she would never escape the scolding. She got off easy this time. Certainly, they would be more pleased to see her acquainting the other girl than anything. At least, at the end of the day, they would be happy, and perhaps tolerate her decisions. That would certainly be a blessing.