Of the Utmost Importance

[Hailey Mckay]

A Manor situated on the outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. The wind blows softly against the walls as Hailey Mckay, the matriarch of the Mckay and Smith family walks along the corridor, scowl on her face and heavy stride in her legs. The woman may have been on the other side of youthful these days, but her looks, nor her walk has remained and so aslong as she pulls some weight in this family, she was going to stay this way. However, when Isla became of age she wouldl consider handing the reigns over to the younger girl. A frown appeared as she thought about her Granddaughter. It was such as shame that she be related to that useless thing of a Grandson. That boy certainly had no place in this family nor this household, to think he thought that copulating with a halfblood and producing an heir would get him in her good graces. What a pathetic waste of space. Hailey slowed to a brisk walk as she neared the elves room and looked in the door. "Sita, you will prepare the beverages for my guests. Dalilah, you have the privledge of cleaning out the conference room. I want that place in complete shape on my return. If i find even a speck of dust, the consequences for you will be severe." Hailey made to leave before turning back to the elves and glaring at them. "And please ensure that Rosie and Hyacinth have the food ready before they get here. I will not be embarrassed by the poor standard of my houseelves." She spat, staring at them. Pathetic creatures. She continued on down the hall and looked in on her husband who was looking over some paperwork. "Kenzie darling, I wonder may I have a moment of your time?" She asked as she stood by the door, her eyes cold but kind. The man stood and turned to lay eyes on his wife. She was the head of the family, they had married for buisness and nothing else initially, though eventually they had fallen in love and the rest was history as they say. She nodded at him and pulled a letter out of her pocket. "Kumiko has asked for an audience with us. I have a small thought on what she may be here for, but I feel the need to ask you first. Richard will be here at noon and I need to have your answer on his arrival. Kumiko will be here soon after. Isla and Mere shall also be attending." She informed him as she handed him the letter. Mackenzie read it over before nodding and returning to his paperwork. Hailey nodded and left the room, she needed to set a few things in motion before the guests arrived. Stepping out of the house, Hailey apparated away with a small 'pop'.

---

'pop'. Hailey returned to the Manor about an hour later, she was covered with a dark cloak and wearing all black. She stepped into the house and headed to the owlery. Once there she wrote a letter and sent it away, waiting quietly for several minutes before turning and heading to the master bedroom. She was now able to get ready for her meeting with The Smith's, her son and of course that lovely japanese representative Miss Kumiko Hitachiin. She had met the youngster only once in her reign as Matriarch, that started with her mothers passing twenty years ago. She was sure Richard had still been in the family at the time. Of course it was not long after this meeting that he had left to marry that filthy Muggle. Though what was even worse than a muggle was a mudblood. She snorted at the thought of how close she was to having one of those in the family. What a Pathetic waste of space. Looking at her attire, Hailey nodded and continued into the Conference room. There she found the place to be in order, atleast as well as could be expected from her useless waste of elves. Why she even had them was beyond her. Free labour maybe? Sitting at the head of the meeting table, Hailey waited patiently for those invited to arrive. How this meeting was going to go was dependent entirely on the offering Kumiko had to give. She was definatley interested in this.

 

[Meredith Belrose]

Most days, Mere Smith could be seen having fun with her friends and causing mischief in the school of Beauxbatons, all the way in France. She seemed to always have glitter anand colors all over her body. But today was not like other days. Today she had her hair pulled back and her face fresh, she looked beautiful, in a fierce and frightening fashion, for she was meeting her Grandmother, and there was no way she would ever slip up in front of that woman. Mere could easily be described as the pperfect granddaughter when she was like this, but her twin was probably better suited to it all, she was quite sure Isla was probably better trusted, since she was homeschooled and was aable to bbe watched every single day, but Mere wasn't. In a way she was grateful that sshe wouldn't be caught up in the whole head of the family stuff, because that would mean that she woud hhave to ddrum tthe laws and regulations she didn't believe into tthe rest of her family, iit would most certainly be difficult for her to do and she was grateful ththat she would probabky nnever hhave to do it. In all honesty, she just wanted to have fun and dance and play right now, she didn't want to do anything like that, not right now, hopefully not ever.

Looking around the house she could easily call home, she frowned wwhen sshe saw the elves, they wwere pitiful, and she had never liked elves, dispute not hating Muggles and Muggle-borns, she really hated elvrs and saw them in the same way tthe rest of her family did, as they came closer she her, she scowled at them, she really hated house elves, she was sure they onky eexisted to serve families, not actuslly live. As she entered the rroom that her grandmother resided in, she nodded to the much older woman respectfully, she was terrified of her grandmother, everyone was, no matter what anyone said, or acting, everyone feared Hailey Mckay, she was sure her own husband was terrified of her. A smiled crossed her lips. ''Grandmother.'' She said llevelheadedly, she did her best to remain emotinless around her family, they probably al thought she was heart less or something, but she liked it that way, the more like her grandmother she acted, the less trouble she would have. She carefully hugged her grandmother and sat down in her seat at the family table anand patiently waited.

 

[Isla Smith]

Meetings. Meetings were definately the one part of being a candidate for matriarch that Isla Smith did not appreciate at all. She absolutely hated having to attend these things. Nowadays her Grandmother ensured that there was nearly one a week. She said that it was to ensure that she got as used to them as possible. The only reason, she was sure, that Mere wasn't subjected to them was because she was smart enough to get away and go to a proper school. Though Isla was sure that at Beauxbatons she was mixing with all kinds of Muggle-borns, veelas and halfbloods. She scoffed at the thought of her sister being touched by those things. The creatures they knew were of a lesser strand of DNA. She walked along the corridor, almost gliding as she moved. Her hair was brushed and lay in waves down her back and was clipped at the top by a specially made clip that carried her family crest. Though she and Mere were twins, they were very unlike each other. Fraternal twins in every sense of the word. It was sometimes like they were not even related. Though it was obvious from their personalities that they had the same upbringing. It was just too much of a coincidence that Mere should go to Beauxbatons, and get the permission. Was there a reason Grandmother cared not for her being in or out of the house? Isla shrugged discreetly as she continued along the corridor. Sneering at the filthy creatures they called houseelves as she did so. She couldn't believe that she had to let those things touch her clothes, food and other various objects. She had often thought about freeing them just to get rid of them, however she did so enjoy watching them punish themselves.

Coming closer to the Conference room. She roughly kicked one of the houseelves, displaying her disinterest in both its health or life. That door should have been opened for her without her having to wait. She did not appreciate having to dirty her shoes with the filth of those disgusting creatures. Glaring at it as she stepped over it to enter the room, she made a mental note of which elf it was. She was going to ensure that it got punished later. Nodding at her sister she approached her Grandmother and curtsied before the woman, head down, knees bent, elbows out. "Afternoon Grandmother. It is a delight to be in your presence on this day." A customary greeting in her family. Though it would not have surprised her if it went unused by her sister. That girl seemed to do all she could think of to make sure she did not become the matriarch of the family. She then proceeded to hug her Grandmother and kiss her lightly on the cheek. For all her faults, she still loved the woman. She may strict, intentional and slightly delusional, command fear from all, but she was still Isla's grandmother. Turning to Mere, Isla only made a slight bow of the head. The greeting given to other members of the family who do not control a large portion of the family vaults. In other words the Greeting given to all other than, her Grandmother, her Grandfather and her Uncle. Even though Richard had been thrown out of the family, he had been allowed back in with honours. It was a shame he knew nothing of the vicious deed his mother caused to his family. "Meredith, I hope life finds you well." A statement not a question to be answered. Yet another of the various greetings in her vocabulary. She took her place beside her sister and proceeded to wait patiently. However much she may have disliked meetings, she was interested in what this meeting would entail.​