#plotrelated

The vehicle rolled over the gravel slowly and stopped once the passenger door was at the front door. A squat man hopped from the driver side and hustled to open Gaston's door. "Mister Paine." He said while waiting for the lazy young man to exit the car.

"Oh, joy." Gaston stuck his head out of the door and saw his mother, Clarette, waiting for him. She had one of the butlers with her. She whispered something and the man went to retrieve Gaston's trunk.

"Bonjour, mon fils." The sentiment was lacking. "I heard  you actually graduated." Her shocked was palpable.

"Don't be so sad, Mother." Gaston approached her. "I'll be sure to disappoint you at least once before dinner." He winked and tipped his crown. "Oh, and in case you were curious, I won Prom King."

"I would be more impressed if you were an actual King." Her brow flicked with her sarcasm. Gaston was surprised her face was able to show any emotion at all.

While the Paine Manor was expansive, Gaston could navigate it with ease. It never changed. It was the same house that he grew up in. Even the whiskey was kept in the same spot. The other difference between the past and present was Gaston’s ability to reach it.

The study had his favorite whiskey at all times. It was a Paine favorite. Gaston walked in and saw his father. “Hello Gaston.” Aldrick Paine was a scruffy man. He ran a magical hunting company. A close clean shave wasn’t exactly what a hunter needed. When Aldrick wasn’t working or hunting, he was drinking or fooling around with his mistress. Gaston half expected for her to be there. It wasn’t like it was some huge secret. 

“Hello, Father.” Gaston grabbed a drink and sat in a large leather chair that faced a large mantle. 

“Have you spoken with your mother?”

“Briefly.” 

“She needs to speak with you.” 

“Since when do you care?”

“You will see.”

“Can’t I enjoy my drink first?” Gaston swished his glass.

“Normally, I would say yes. However, your mother would rip my nutsack off and I am a lot more attached to those than you are to your whiskey.” His father grinned and indicated for Gaston to leave.

Gaston found his mother on the other side of the manor. It took a total of five minutes to locate her and Gaston wasn’t even thrilled by it. 

“Sit.” She said before he could even say something. “We need to talk.”

“Clearly.” He sipped his drink. “What could it possibly be that I couldn’t finish my drink first?”

“Your inheritance.” Gaston’s attention was caught instantly. Clarette Paine doesn’t beat around the bush. She was straight forward. That was probably where Gaston got it from. “Sit down. I won’t say it again.” 

The office was very clinical. It was the only room in the house that she was allowed to change when she married into the family.  The walls were a blinding white. The furniture was cold and steel. The chair Gaston sat in was hard on his rear. He wished his mother’s sense of style didn’t directly reflect her personality. 

“As you may know, your next in line to take over the family business.” His mother was looking through documents as she spoke. “There are a few regulations as to you getting the complete inheritance.” She peered up at him before returning her eyes to the paper.

“The suspense is killing me.” Gaston swirled the amber liquid in his cup and watch her through it. 

“Ah, ha.” She pulled an old piece of parchment from her desk. “Here it is.” She grinned from ear to ear. “A Paine Man shall inherit the fortune when he comes of age and completes his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” 

“I know that.”  Gaston grinned. He graduated. He made sure of it. “What is the point of this little meeting?”

She held up her finger. “Let me finish.” She skipped through the document muttering to herself. “Ah, He who takes the duty of the family name must take on a wife of pureblood decent and carry on the bloodline with a male heir.”

“Are you telling me I learned seven years of magic in two weeks and spent probably every waking moment with the most insufferable prude ever to walk the Earth to be told that it wasn’t enough?” Gaston rested his cup on the desk. “Now, you want me to get married?”

“You knew this was expected of you.” She looked at him, expressionless. 

“I thought I had time.” Gaston was standing. “I thought I would get a few years until you decided a wife for me.”

“You have one year.” She pushed the paper toward him. “One year or you lose it all.”

He grabbed the paper and tried to read it. The words danced around and he threw it back at his mother. “Find a way around it.”

“You will do what is expected of you. For once in your life, you will do right by this family. We let you fool around for years at Hogwarts. You had your fun. Time to buckle down and grow up, Gaston.” Her hand slammed down on the desk. 

“You cannot make me get married!” His hand slammed next to hers.