"My lord," she said, "we come bearing a proposition for you. But first – news. It has come to our attention that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have entered an alliance in order to subjugate us under their rule." She paused to assess his reaction. His face remained bland, but he took off his spectacles and began polishing them on the edge of his robes. The move gave him the opportunity to break her gaze, forcing her to continue.