More Than a Dream

[Greer Alden]

Greer had to say that her favorite excuse to visit London was always Diagon Alley.  There was always something that she needed to pick up there.  Today, it was more of a desire to be out of Hogsmeade.  The village was a nice enough place, but she much preferred having the chance to move through London which was very vibrant and alive.  There were so many people and a far better range of shops.  Not that she actually needed to pick up anything at the moment.  She just wanted to take a walk along with her maid who was once again acting as her chaperone.  It wouldn't do for her to go off on her own after all.  She had too much at stake to be simply making foolish mistakes.

They had just stepped out of the lovely little Desserterie.  It was always nice to have a little break and something sweet to eat.  She knew that, if asked, her maid would have suggested that they go home.  It was a though, but one that Greer didn't particularly entertain.  She wasn't quite ready to go home yet.  There were a few other things that she had wanted to check and look over first. Besides, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

Starting to walk down the street, she knew that her maid was following, she started to do several quick calculations in her mind of wheres she needed to go and what she still needed to do today and tomorrow as well.  It never hurt to plan ahead.  And Greer certainly knew how to plan ahead.  It was one of the ways she kept herself from being bored.  Boredom was far too easy for a debutante.  Of course she could just let Bentley pick a husband for her, but the thought always made her chuckle.  She loved her brother, but his standards were a touch softer then her own.

"God knows that the only perfect men seem to be married," she muttered under her breath.  But she had time.  Patience would work in her favor.  She had no interest in rushing into a marriage she would later regret.  No, instead, she rushed her walking... right into another person.


@'Stephen Flint'

  

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: @'Greer Alden' | 313 words | April 12, 1886

Stephen had never had to handle the issue of getting his sisters married, as they were all older than him and his father was still alive to give his blessing. He didn't really want to deal with his sisters' marriages for that matter—it was none of his business unless they somehow decided they were going to marry a filthy halfblood.

Stephen's standards were very simple; however, some might have considered them quite high. He wanted a woman of high station, someone from a well-respected and reputable family. He wanted a wife who would listen and obey her husband without argument, not one who would argue and see herself as above him. His wife and her immediate family who need a spotless reputation without much scandal; unless, of course, it had been caused by reckless extended family members.

The woman must be the epitome of grace and beauty, skilled in a multitude of languages and have a pleasant voice. She needed to charitable, selfless, and have desirable mannerisms and deportment. And above all, she must have the purest blood and accept and appreciate the nature of her pureblood heritage. That was necessary.

Within the moment, Stephen felt someone run right into him and knock the stack of papers he was holding under his arm onto the ground beneath him. Without looking at them once, he immediately bent over and scooped them into his hands, neatly stacking them up in what was probably the most disorganized manner since his last secretary had resigned. His eyes moved to identify the person who had run into him, and was surprised that that person was none other than a woman.

Not exactly the greatest example of grace, was she?

"Please forgive me, Miss. I did not mean to run into you, nor did I mean to startle you," he said politely, taking his hat off in greeting.

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   Greer Alden

[Greer Alden]

If asked what she expected of her marriage, Greer would have been very honest.  She had no interest in running her husband.  At the same time, she refused to be a silent partner in her marriage.  she would have her say, but only when she felt it necessary.  It didn't seem to be that complicated to her, but, as it happened, she never seemed to find someone who would be at all suitable.

She had to admit though, she was very glad that she hadn't been given the name Grace like her eldest sister in this situation.  It would have been a horrid kind of irony, one that she didn't even want to think about.  She usually wasn't so clumsy.  It was almost absurd that she would have found herself in such a situation.  She should have known better.  She'd been far too lost in her own thoughts.  She knew that the fault was her own.

Taking a step back, she allowed the man to pick up his own papers.  It wouldn't do for her to clumsily try to stop in and just make things worse. "That's quite alright, sir.  I believe in this case, the fault lies with myself," she confessed. "I hope I haven't caused you any inconvenience."  Looking at him, she had to wonder, did she know the man?  She didn't think they had actually met before, but that didn't mean she didn't know who he was.

@'Stephen Flint'

  

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: @'Greer Alden' | 234 words | April 12, 1886

Inconvenience? She hoped he didn't caused him an inconvenience? What did she think the papers on the ground was? Well, not all ladies could be the brightest bulbs, which is why a large chunk of them were sent off to finishing school before they could finish Hogwarts—or perhaps that was the cause? He didn't know, and he didn't care.

"No, I'm confident that it was my mistake." To be in your path, he wanted to say, but that was nothing that would come from a true gentleman's mouth. He took a moment flip through the papers in his hand, making sure that they were in the general order that they had fallen in, but resisted letting out a sigh when he realized that it was no hope. He'd have to get his personal assistant to fix them.

He thought it might be polite to ask for the woman's name and introduce himself, but that would also risk him getting into a lengthy conversation with her. She seemed not to be shy—a trait that others might find undesirable—but at the moment he wished she wouldn't open her mouth again. Propriety did precede over desire, though.

"My name is Mr. Stephen Flint, head of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. May I ask for your name?" he asked, slathering on a thick polite tone to drown out his not-so-nice thoughts.

  

[Greer Alden]

Well he certainly knew how to be a gentleman.  She could give him credit for that.  And she wasn't going to further argue with him in regards to who was at fault.  That wouldn't do either of them any good.  She just had to try to salvage herself as much as possible.  She usually wasn't so foolish.  That wasn't the kind of person she cared to be.  Besides, she was a gentlewoman.  That was far more then a debutante despite what people liked to think.

And of course there was the fact of whom she had run into.  She did know of the man.  Had seen him before, but hadn't actually met him.  She wondered if Bentley had.  She would have to ask her brother about that later.  At the moment, she was going to focus on trying to make the best of a very sorry sort of situation. "The pleasure is all mine Mr. Flint.  I am Miss Greer Alden.  My elder brother is Mr. Bentley Alden.  He recently purchased Gladrags in Hogsmeade." A place that he had thrown himself into very recently.  Now if her brother would only put so much focus into finding a wife...

How did one make up such a circumstance?  She knew that there were ways.  She just had to do it very carefully. "Given the circumstances sir, perhaps something could be done to make up for what happened.  My family is having a dinner tomorrow night.  We would be honored if you would care to attend."  It was the only thing that she could think of.  Bentley would surely forgive her for it.  And her mother as well.  At least she hoped as much.  It would make things a touch complicated otherwise.  Of course, despite that thought, she made certain to smile politely as well.

@'Stephen Flint'

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   Stephen Flint

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: @'Greer Alden'  | 245 words | April 12, 1886

Stephen had little respect for wealthy men who took on business ventures that were less than desirable. Marcus Lytton—as dirty as his blood may have been—deserved credit and respect for building one of the most popular high-end fashion houses that Britain had seen in decades. In his eyes, however, Mr. Alden could not be respected for his shop, as it was meant for the less desirable individuals of society.

Though he supposed he could save much judgment until he actually met the man. He wasn't sure how to respond to the woman's offer for a family dinner; he was not sure how reputable and pure the family was. Perhaps he could make up an excuse that he had work to do; it wouldn't be too far from the truth. The last thing he wanted was to be seated next to a mudblood as an equal—that would be completely insulting!

He did not dare share his opinion to this woman or anyone for that matter; if he hoped to win a seat on the Wizengamot while the liberal Mr. Urquart was in office, it was necessary to remain unprejudiced in the public eye. "I would be honored to attend your family dinner," he said, attempting to keep his voice low and polite, "but I'm not sure if my busy schedule will allow it. It might be best to send my personal assistant an owl to see if he can make arrangements for me."

  

[Greer Alden]

Greer knew she did not have the place to judge her brother's business ventures.  After all, she was a woman as so many men tried to remind her.  More then that, she really didn't care.  It wasn't her business and it certainly wasn't her life.  Besides, the work was respectable and gave her brother to think about so she couldn't actually blame him for that.

The first part of his answer was certainly a proper and polite one, but she couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to get out of it.  No matter.  She was still going to invite him.  It was the right thing to do.  That and she had always enjoyed a challenge.  It meant that she had to think and that was something that she had always enjoyed doing.

"Of course.  These days it seems everyone is busy.  Either family or work.  Like in the case of my sister Glory.  Of course she doesn't have quite the excuse given that her children are attending the Flint Institute." Which was where her own children would go when she had them one day.  It was a far better alternative to a tutor in her opinion.  It meant that they would actually have the chance to learn some proper social skills. "I would be correct in assuming you are related to the matriarch of the Institute? She is quite the admirable woman."

@'Stephen Flint'

  

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: @'Greer Alden' | 206 words | April 12, 1886

Stephen didn't think it rude of him to try and refuse the female's offer; her was a working man and his position often meant that he was busy. The social scene wasn't the place for him, but he tried his hardest to represent the family and the values they stood for; however, no one in his mind could do so better than his aunt, Mrs Josephina Flint. From her time in office everyone expected her to share her opinions on muggleborns and muggles, but he had to hide his prejudice.

"The Flint Institute?" he asked curiously, not recognizing the name Glory but being well aware of the Dawlish family. This woman, if he was correct, must have been a pureblood if his assumptions were correct. Fair enough, he thought.

"Yes, my aunt and cousin is Mrs. Josephina Flint. A wonderful, completely respectabl woman if you ask me. She—how might I say?—is the embodiment of the family values," he explained, hinting at his prejudices without bluntly speaking them. "I do hope to one day follow in her footsteps and pursue a position in the Wizengamot or even become the Minister one day, if I may add," he explained, his atmosphere changing to one more pleasant.

  

[Greer Alden]

To Greer, her elder sister Glory was always going to be Glory.  She was an attempted personification of her name.  Mrs. Dawlish was also her sister, but that would have probably made Glory far too happy and given her sister the wrong impression of how Greer felt.  Not that she didn't love her sister, she just thought the other woman was far too proper and closed off.  There was a difference between proper and completely closed off.  She felt that her sister had definitely gone off in the latter direction.

She was rather pleased that she had assumed correctly however.  and nodded as she listened to him speak of his aunt.  And he did not miss his comment regarding the woman either.  So then, all the Flint family felt such ways about blood purity.  Greer's own opinions were both very complicated and very simple.  While she could not fault anyone for how they were born, she did believe that it gave them a certain place in society.  The less pure the blood, the lower their place should be in society.

"That is a very admirable goal," she said inclining her head to him. "I have no doubt in my mind that a man such as yourself will no doubt be able to gain any position in the ministry that he wishes." And that made him rather formidable, something that she admired.  Someone who knew what they wanted was always a good thing in her opinion.  Of course some of those desires might not always be considered good things, but she couldn't imagine that was the case with Mr. Flint.

@'Stephen Flint'

  

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: @'Greer Alden' | 88 words | April 12, 1886

While Miss Alden may have tested his patience, he couldn't help but smile when he was praised. He was a tad arrogant, yes, and extremely egotistical, so anyone who was willing to talk up to him was welcome in his eyes. "That's very kind of you to say, Miss Alden," he said humbly, thinking it wrong to attempt to assert one's superiority in front of a delicate little flower. "My parents have always told me there's no wrong in dreaming big as long as the hard work follows."

  

[Greer Alden]

Greer could tell that she had chosen the right thing to say. Given his reaction there wasn't a doubt in her mind. "You do not need to thank me Mr. Flint," she assured him. "It is simply good to know that such men exist in the world. And to see that you have very prudently followed such sage advice." Alright she might have been laying it on thick, but it wasn't completely incorrect either so she had no problem saying such words.

@'Stephen Flint'

  

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: @'Greer Alden' | 71 words | April 12, 1886

The more he thought about it, the more the anxiety filled him. He had an arm stack of papers that had originally been filled out incorrectly, and how they were out of order! It would take up his entire night to fix them. "Whatever pleases you most, Miss Alden," he said soundly, nodding her head once. "But I must insist that I leave now. This paperwork isn't going to fix itself!"

  

[Greer Alden]

Inclining her head to him in a little curtsy, Greer moved to the side so he would easily be able to pass. "Of course. I will not detain you longer Mr. Flint. I wish you a good day," she said. There was something about him in those last words, she wondered if she'd made him cross. That bothered her. She would have to think on it later.

@'Stephen Flint'

  

[Stephen Flint]

Tag: DONE | 13 words | April 12, 1886

"Good day to you, too, Miss Alden," he said before turning and leaving.