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The act of choosing a potential wife was such a delicate one. There were so many variables to consider; all in all, it would have been much less of a hassle and much more pleasant for Daniel and the girls if his previous wife had just had the good graces not to die, but then, such things couldn't really be helped, he supposed. Or at least, that was what the healers had told him at the time, and since Beanstalk wouldn't have assigned any shoddy healers to his wife, he had to tend to believe them. <p>

Tiresome as the search was, it was important that he devote the proper amount of time and care to it. Marriage was quite a lasting decision, a very big decision, and for someone like Daniel it meant much more than just securing a good name and a good dowry through his choice of wife; whoever agreed to marry him would have to be proper, of course, graceful, delicate, but strong, ambitious--with perhaps some slight interest in someday being the wife of the Minister of Magic. At this point the list had narrowed down to only a few hopefuls--one Miss Browning, who seemed rather indifferent on a personal level for all that she was desireable in theory. Then, of course, Miss Calliope Browne.<p>

Admittedly, Daniel didn't know her well yet, but from what he could tell, she was anything but indifferent. She'd been a Slytherin, like him, and seemed to share some of his rough political ideas, though of course they hardly spoke of politics while in earshot of her chaperones. Miss Browning was certainly wealthier, but at that moment Daniel was almost certain he would trade Miss Browning's dowry entirely away for the certain spark he thought he perceived in Miss Browne. <p>

He had come to call after supper, to visit in the parlor, but was secretly hoping that the weather might permit them to sit on the porch, at least a bit out of earshot from her parents. Not that Daniel had anything against her parents, but he wasn't trying to marry them, and it was not them that he wished to speak with, really. <p>

Usually Daniel was not one for spur-of-the-moment decisions, but he had stopped by that evening with little more than a brief warning letter to Calliope that morning. He'd been by once, earlier in the week, but he didn't want to wait until another 'convenient' opportunity arose. He did't really want to wait the prescribed socially acceptable time, but he knew the dangers of putting too much attention on any one woman, and should some issue arise and he not want to fix his hopes on Calliope, he didn't want to be roped into doing so. <p>

"Good evening," he said in polite greeting to all those in the room when he was shown into the parlor, taking his hat off and bowing around. He was dressed to impress, but not overly formal--just enough to instill in her family the sense of his wealth. It couldn't hurt. "I hope my coming tonight in no way inconveniences you. I had come to call upon Miss Calliope Browne, to inquire after her health."

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Daniel smiled, a small, subdued smile. His reason for visiting was weak at best, and the fact that she hadn't shot it down as such bode well for him. She got right to the point, and already she'd managed to get them an excuse to go out onto the porch. He liked her. He definitely liked her. Usually it was after a half-hour or so of pleasantries with the family that any sort of privacy could even be suggested, and then it might be quietly deterred by the woman, for modesty's sake, or by the parents. <p>

He jumped on his cue immediately, knowing that if he should miss it the moment might be gone, and he would be subjected to the pleasantries while he waited for another opportunity. "I would be pleased to escort you to the porch," he said, with a small bow, and hearing no objections from her parents on the matter, lead the way. "Your good health is of the utmost concern to me," he said while they were still in the presence of her parents, but secretly he was sure that no one was fooled by this; the fresh air was an excuse for privacy and had nothing at all to do with her health.<p>

"I hope you do not think me forward," he said as soon as they had gotten outside into the air--a tiny bit chilly, but nothing unmanageable-- "For calling on you again so soon, Miss Browne. I realize social custom might dictate a bit more of a wait, but I didn't think you would mind the attention." That was, perhaps, a bit presumptuous, but he thought that given her subtle encouragement so far, he could say as much without coming across as an ass. <p>

"Your parents seem like charming people," he said a bit dryly, and by that he obviously meant your parents seem like perfectly average and perfectly boring people, and I'm glad that we managed to get rid of them so quickly. Again, not that he minded either of them much, but Daniel was a master of cultivating social relationship exactly when they were of interest to and of use for him, and exactly to the extent to which they would be useful. Pleasantries in the parlor was about as useful as he saw his relationship with her parents; anything else would be tiresome until such a time as he needed to curry their favor in order to ask for her hand, if such a time every occurred.
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<p>Daniel followed after her as she took a seat, but remained standing himself, at least for the moment. He ended up leaning against the railing of the porch, facing her and with his back to the open air of the street. He caught the look in her eyes when he mentioned her parents and couldn't help but smile--he had felt that way about his parents plenty of times, especially his mother with her abysmal magical abilities. </p>

<p>"Indeed, I do," he answered with a smirk, "Though I would hardly say that all or even most of them are charming--I work in the Ministry, as the Head of the Department of International Cooperation, which means my work mostly involves foreign policy, and, necessarily, many foreigners. Some with much more dignity than others," he joked. This was a useful conversation for him; the job was impressive enough even if she knew nothing about his work, by virtue of its long and imposing title, and though it was easy to make light humor of the people he worked with it was also grand in a way to be on such casual terms with dignitaries from around the world.</p>

<p>"The Dutch, by and large, are the most charming people I have ever met; the occasional dignitary from Australia or the Americas tend to be rather brutish, as I'm sure you can imagine. I believe that the least charming people I have ever met, though, were the French ambassador's wife and daughter," he said with a slight chuckle. "You don't have any French ancestory, do you?" With a name like Browne, it was unlikely, but it couldn't hurt to check. Not that it would matter; ethnic stereotypes were just fine for humor and charm, but by and large they were completely unfounded. </p>

<p>Hopefully she appreciated his brand of humor; if she wasn't the joking sort this conversation would probably die where it stood in a manner of moments, and then he would have to struggle to regain his ground. So far, though, he thought things were going along pretty well; he had complimented her, she had accepted it, he'd paid the necessary respects to her parents, they'd moved on. Everything on par for the course. "I am rather curious to hear more about you, Miss Browne," he confessed; "I know very little aside from what we discussed at our last meeting, and aside from sharing an alma matter in Slytherin I'm afraid I have very little idea what we have in common." Only partially true; something in him told him that they had much more in common than that, but he needed it confirmed before he could possibly act on anything.</p>


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<p>Daniel laughed along with her when she clarified that she had no connection to France; even if he tended to dislike the people he couldn't deny that in Britain at least, they were always useful as the butt of a good joke. He had found that being only passingly loyal to different countries served him well in International Relations; as long as the jokes were not necessarily vicious or ill-intentioned, it helped to be able to mock the national rival of whichever Ambassador was currently visiting a little.</p>

<p>Daniel nodded as he listened to her discourse on Slytherin, a small smirk fixed on his face. The things she mentioned did sound accurate--namely, seizing every opportunity, which Daniel had never failed to do (he even on occaasion created opportunities, but that was besides the point).</p>

<p>"I do, indeed," he answered to her question regarding the Prophet, for a moment wondering if the conversation would turn to his brother James, who had so lately been its subject. Idiot James. It was with great relief that he heard her turn the conversation over to the Minister's recent marriage, even if he didn't find the subject as fascinating as his sisters did. "Mr. Potter is, in my opinion, quite young to begin a family, but I suppose if the custom is to establish oneself in terms of career before seeking a wife, he has no doubt proven his capabilities in that area. One can only hope, for his sake, that he is reelected. It would be quite a shock for him to return to being a Ministry intern, as he was before the election," Daniel said with a smug smile; it was mostly a joke, but a certain glint in his eye said that he might secretly enjoy the possibility of the Minister being brought so low. Not that he had anything against him personally, per se, except that he was far too young to hold such power.</p>

<p>"I expect some of Mr. Potter's eagerness to marry comes from a desire for good press," he said conspiratorially. "Although I know that some of the female gender--my dear sisters being among them--shudder to think of marriage as anything but an entirely romantic ordeal, even when faced with direct evidence to the contrary. I have found that men rarely hold such delusions. I trust you do not see yourself as a hopeless romantic, Miss Browne?"</p>


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<p>Daniel smiled. That was the correct answer, of course, and he was liking this girl more and more with every thing she said, though of course he would need to get to know her much more than just a few conversations' worth to be sure that she was really suited for marriage. His standards for his second wife were, perhaps, even higher than his first, knowing his two daughters as he did and needing to take care of them, not just find a woman who was of proper age to bear children. Of course, that would also be required, as he had no sons as of yet and he would be damned if any child of James' would inherit the Riley estate. </p>

<p>"Give yourself a bit of credit, Miss Browne," he said teasingly. "I would hardly call you delusional. As you said, you have a very pragmatic outlook on life, which it really the only reasonable outlook to have," he said with an approving smile. "Especially for a man in my position. You have heard, of course, of my two darling daughters; it would be unjust to them if they were required to wait until I was stricken by love for a strong maternal influence. They have their nurse, of course, but hired help can only do so much. You understand."</p>

<p>Moving to take a seat next to her, he said with a good-natured smile, "But I fear I have been talking far too much about myself; aside from a bit of your family and the fact that we share an alma matter in Slytherin, I'm afraid I hardly know you. Of course, I know your opinions on a few things, which can be just as indicative, I've found, as facts and histories. But please, tell me more about yourself."</p>
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<p>Daniel merely nodded at her reference to the girls--it was the expected thing to say, the thing everyone said, whether they had met the girls or not. Of course, Daniel was a doting father and thought they were perfect angels, and it always dug into his heart a little bit when others acknowledged this belief--so it hadn't done her any harm to mention it--but he was also well aware that most people who complimented his children were doing so because it was the polite and respectable thing to do. </p>

<p>He wholeheartedly approved of everything she mentioned about herself; music, embroidery, reading--all perfectly respectable, perfectly ladylike pasttimes. The sorts of things he wanted the girls to be able to do flawlessly, which meant that at the very least, even if not particularly maternal, Calliope would be a good role model. It was easy, though, to find someone with all the right skills, so to speak; what was harder was to find a woman who was also capable of having opinions, and of supporting him, but their conversation about politics, however brief, seemed to indicate that Miss Browne fit into this category, as well.</p>

<p>"It's a shame you haven't been able to pursue the harp," he said with a slight smile. "Harp music is always so enjoyable--and much more unique than the piano, I feel, though I find the piano rather an indespensible skill for most modern women. It seems at every gathering, the ladies are rallying together for duets and sing-alongs at the nearest piano," he joked lightly. </p>

<p>Taking a second, he mused thoughtfully, "Five younger siblings--it's quite a wonder you have time for anything else! I had only three younger, and all much younger. I can't imagine having such a variety of siblings. Do you enjoy it?"</p>

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