Ominis Gaunt Loves a Pureblood

15. Gaunt History

Sorry this one took so long to get out! I'm working on several books plus I got sick earlier this week! I'll try to get the next chapter out quicker! 

Ominis Gaunt POV

   "You and Sorsa Rosier disappeared around the same time, I noticed," Marvolo says, amusement clear in his voice. The carriage rattles as we travel over an uneven section of road. I keep my face blank and uninterested, yawning before I answer.

   "What a good bit of gossip we could make then? Shame I wasn't actually with her, for I enjoyed the feel of her hips under my hands as we danced." I tilt my head away from the carriage door and toward my family, giving them a half smile.

   "Don't be crass, Ominis," My mother says quickly. "Marvolo, I noticed you paying special attention to Estrella Lovegood. You need to be more careful. Your engagement to Marianne Black is to be announced in a month's time."

   "Ugh. Fine, Mother. Marianne is just so dull and a prude. I prefer more vivacious company," He comments indignantly.

   "More importantly, she is one of us. I could hardly trust another family at this point." Father comments.

   Marvolo is engaged to our cousin, Marianne Black, and has been since her birth. My Fathers' younger sister Potentia's only child. Marrying cousins is common in our family to preserve the bloodline. Noctua had no children before she passed, and Potentia died in childbirth with Marianne, Making Marianne the only living parselmouth outside Father, Marvolo, and me. I think of my unborn child for the rest of the journey home, wondering if they will make the number five. I pray the baby growing in my lover's womb won't share even an acquaintance with the aforementioned parselmouths.

   Later, when I'm safe, a relative term, of course, in my room, I contemplate what to do about Sorsa. Once I make a plan for her to escape the country, I'll have to get her out of Rosier Mansion. If I could only find someone who would sympathize with us, who could help us. I remember a Gaunt in our family history who, with her husband, was kind to muggles and didn't care about blood purity. They supposedly attacked and were eventually killed by another Gaunt, and their daughter was taken in. No one speaks about what happened to the daughter other than to say she was removed from the family tree for taking revenge on the Gaunt who killed her parents. It's hard to say that's what actually happened since the pureblood houses tend to change stories to favor them. If she has descendants somewhere, perhaps they would have mercy on mine and Sorsa's situation and take her and our baby in.

   I wake with a groan. In my dream, Sorsa was with me. Her soft body pressed against me. Her silken hair slipping through my fingers as we joined. It felt surreal that I was with her only yesterday. In some ways, it felt like it hadn't happened. Especially when I think of the pregnancy. I'd like to know what Sorsa is feeling this morning. I wish I could read books on pregnancy, but I doubted we owned any in braille, and using magic to read them or having a servant read to me was out of the question. I couldn't afford to have anyone suspicious. A knock a the door pulls me from my thoughts. I stand and stretch, feeling the noonday sun on my face and neck as I walk to answer it.

   "Afternoon, young lord. Shall I bring you tea and breakfast?" Mr. Cane, a loyal servant to the House of Gaunt, asks me. I don't trust him, as I don't trust any of the servants who are devoted to us. Their opinions are aligned with Gaunt principles.

   "What of my family? Are they having lunch now, or just waking as well?" I ask him, a scowl on my face.

   "Only your Lord Gaunt woke as usual. He's left for London, sir. Lady Gaunt and Lord Marvolo are taking breakfast in their rooms just now." He answers. I nod quickly.

   "Very well, but I shall take tea and perhaps a small sandwich in the library, Cane. I have some reading to attend to," I tell him, still scowling.