Halloween had finally arrived after what seemed like the longest month in existence. Students were greeted with carved pumpkins and bat garlands as they entered the Great Hall for breakfast which had appeared overnight. The illuminated sky had yet to change into the dark, starlight scene, but everything else was already in place for the Halloween buffet that evening. There seemed to be an air of positivity and excitement around the castle, which was a most pleasant change after a stressful fortnight.
The studious amongst the school had made themselves comfortable in the school library, while those who had an extra-curricular talent attended their respective practice classes. Everybody else had decided to remain in and around the school grounds, biding their time until the celebrations began.
Narcissa was sat on her bed in the dormitory, studying the letter had parents sent to her. The contents of the letter were not news to her; her parents had not long discovered Andromeda's engagement and subsequently, the wedding date. Usually, any letters from her parents were very factual and to the point, as they much preferred face-to-face communication; however, today's letter was very emotive, almost clumsily written in places. It was clear that Narcissa's parents hadn't taken the news well. As promised, Narcissa hadn't said a word to anyone after her meeting with Andromeda and she knew it wouldn't be too long before the peace would have been broken.
Mother and Father,
Thank you very much for your letter.
First and foremost, I am doing well. This last month has been incredibly taxing. I realised that there would be a noticeable step up in terms of difficulty, but I feel I somewhat underestimated the sheer volume of work required to simply keep one's head afloat. So far, I have managed to attain my grades and I am confident that I will be able to maintain these standards. I am making incredible progress in Potions and Charms and so for now, I am in quite a good place.
I am sorry to hear of Andromeda's engagement. I feel at an absolute loss. I always hoped she would change her mind, but she has chosen her path and there is nothing we can do. I mourn the loss of my sister, somebody who was so incredibly warm and bright, but I realise that we cannot continue with our relationship.
I will write to you before I return home for Christmas. In the meantime, I hope all is well with the both of you.
I shall see you both before we know it.
Yours,
Narcissa
Narcissa was folding up the letter to place in the envelope with Artemis came bursting through the doors with a thick, black laced garment draped over her arm and an expression like thunder.
"What's the matter?" Narcissa asked as Artemis kicked her shoes off in frustration, hitting the chest of drawers opposite her.
"What on earth is this?" Artemis held the garment up, revealing a floor-length frumpy dress. "My mother must be kidding. She sent this dress along with this piece of parchment wishing me a Happy Halloween, ha! I will not be seen dead in this!"
Narcissa rose to her feet, placing the letter in the drawer as she came over and inspected the dress. Artemis was right; it was dreadful.
"How old is this? It looks like something from the turn of the century."
"Precisely! It may have been fashionable in my grandmother's time, but it certainly wouldn't pass now. I wouldn't even wear this to a funeral. I mean, look at the neckline, or lack of! Frilly lace as a collar? No sort of contour or shape around the midsection, never mind the fact that the skirt is as straight and as stiff as a board. I can't wear this, Narcissa – Nicholas would surely dump me."
"Have you got anything else?"
"I have, but I asked for something respectable to wear to dinner. I'll change before we go out to Hogsmeade, I'm not worried for then, but honestly, I don't even think Professor McGonagall would wear something like this. If it wasn't a family piece, I'd throw it into the fireplace."
"I have something that might be of interest." Clara, one of the other girls in the dormitory, peered over the top of her book. "Sorry to barge in, but that dress is disgusting. You're not a nun, I mean, I'm not entirely sure what your mother was thinking when she sent you that. I have a navy-blue swing dress if you fancy that instead. It falls to knee height and it isn't too revealing."
"Oh if you would let me borrow it, I would be eternally grateful." Artemis dropped the dress on the bed, walking over to Clara on the opposite side of the room.
"Sure-" Clara replied as she got up from her bed, opening the middle drawer of her cabinet and pulling out the dress. "-Just make sure you look after it. It cost sixty Galleons."
"Be rest assured this will return in one piece. It's gorgeous Clara, where is it from?"
"My sister bought it from Italy. She works for a fashion house and sometimes she gets access to the latest collections."
"What do you think Narcissa?" Artemis turned to Narcissa, unfolding the dress and placing it against her body.
"A thousand times better than the other one."
"Good, yeah, thanks Clara."
Artemis walked back over to her bed and Clara resumed her reading. Narcissa took the opportunity to seal the letter in an envelope as Artemis admired her borrowed garment before placing it in her satchel.
"Are you heading over to the library this afternoon?" Artemis asked Narcissa as she sifted through her bag. "I thought I'd get one last session in before the test on Tuesday."
"Not today, no. I was in the library for six hours yesterday while everyone else was busy at Quidditch practice or at Hogsmeade. I thought I would have a more relaxed day today."
"What are you going to do for the next three hours before dinner? It's a long time to just be sat around counting down the minutes."
"I need to go to the Owlery and then I guess I'll find something to do."
"Alright, well I'll be down there if you want some company. I'm a bit nervous about this test and, well, I thought another look over the book would help."
"Artemis, you will be fine. You're on track for Exceeds Expectations, so I do not think you need to worry. You think about things too much, that's your downfall. Revise, that is always a sensible move, but don't question everything. You know everything, it's all in here." Narcissa tapped her fingers on the side of her head.
"You're right. I don't know, I guess sometimes my nerves get the better of me. I guess I'll see you later." Artemis grabbed her bag and swiftly left the dormitory.
Narcissa did not intend to come across as short or impatient; she often found it difficult when Artemis doubted her own capabilities. While she was not at the top of the class, she was pretty much just a step or so behind and she had never failed a single exam. Narcissa understood that this year was challenging, but she didn't understand the incessant anxiety Artemis had over everything. It wasn't the way she wanted to live, permanently on edge and filled with self-doubt.
"Is it true?" Clara lowered her book once more, taking advantage of the fact nobody else was present in the room.
"I'm sorry?" Narcissa replied, confused by the sudden interruption.
"About you and Malfoy? I couldn't help but overhear some of the girls talking about it the other day in Transfiguration."
"There's nothing to admit to. I see people have so much free time to get involved in other people's business and still somehow get the wrong end of the stick."
"Come on now, Narcissa, people aren't blind or stupid. I can understand the tuition, that's not suspicious on its own, but you attended the Slug Club party together, then you sat together at the last Quidditch match and last Saturday you spent a couple of hours down by the Black Lake. I'm not sure how observant other people are but you're always glancing at each other over the table at every meal. You might as well just come out with it, save all the questioning."
"I'm not dating him," Narcissa said sternly. "And if I was, why would I need to give in to anyone who seems to have nothing better to do but gossip? A lot of you have already made your mind up and frankly, I don't feel I need to share anything. My business is my business alone and I wish people would accept that."
"Why are you so defensive about him? You seem to invest a lot of anger and agitation in a situation you supposedly feel so neutrally about. Look, take it from me, I couldn't care less about who people are with and what they get up to. I'm not all that interested in that side of our society. Others are, however, and the chatter is only going to get louder and louder. Of course, it's your business and if you just like spending time with Malfoy platonically, that isn't a crime. However, I thought you ought to know that it's being fed back, and families are becoming aware. You know what the boy is like and I guess a lot of people want to see a successful union blossom, not some other short-lived romance."
"Come off it, people don't care whether or not another girl's heart gets broken, that won't be the concern of some middle-aged man will it? I have heard the tales about the Malfoy estate and I know where these conversations are really heading."
"Well, then you know you have a lot to gain. It would be a shame to see someone like you just get tossed aside and forgotten."
"How long have people been talking?"
"Ever since the Quidditch game. It seems like a lot of people are supportive of you; you come from a good family and, well, personally I can't picture a better union between two ancient and respected families. It is highly unusual that Malfoy hasn't yet settled down with anyone and eyebrows are raising, so of course people are going to be interested when a woman appears on the scene-"
My parents did not care to inform me of that.
"-but, as you say, you're not dating him, so none of that matters does it?"
"No," Narcissa replied convincingly. "But I appreciate the time you've taken out of your day to make me aware how dull people's lives must actually be to become obsessed over the movements and decisions of a sixteen-year-old female."
"C'est la vie." Clara shrugged her shoulders and returned to reading her book.
Narcissa was now mildly annoyed. At a time when she just wanted to fade into relative obscurity, people seemed to be hellbent on tracking her every move. Of course, Narcissa understood the expectations the old aristocratic families had; there was truth in what Clara said about Lucius and his lack of commitment thus far, and that the slightest hint of a forthcoming union seemed to garner attention everywhere. However, Narcissa did not want to play this game. She had her suspicions of whom was filtering the messages back home and further afield, and so in fairness she wasn't surprised that people were beginning to tune in.
Grabbing her satchel and her jumper, Narcissa exited the dormitory, leaving Clara to enjoy her reading. Narcissa had never particularly warmed to the girl and as they grew older, Clara only become more and more irritating. It did not surprise Narcissa that, despite what Clara said, she happened to be privy to her own private affairs; it was something that Clara seemed to take great pride in.
The trip to the Owlery was relatively uneventful. As it was later in the afternoon, most people who had wanted to send letters had already done so earlier in the day. Narcissa had purposely avoided opening the letter until lunchtime when fewer people were around because deep down, she knew what it was about, and she didn't want any well-meaning but awkward questions from her friends. Once the letter was on its way, Narcissa began the descent down the tower and back towards the castle. She hadn't made any plans for the day and was beginning to regret it; so far the day had done a good job of dragging itself out, and all Narcissa wanted was dusk to fall upon the castle.
As Narcissa entered one of the courtyards, entirely in her own thoughts, Professor Slughorn spotted her and made his way across to greet her.
"Miss Black, just the person I was hoping to see!" Slughorn said in his usual jovial tone. Narcissa was not convinced that the meeting was entirely coincidental, as Slughorn had form for conveniently bumping into whoever he wished to meet.
"Good afternoon Sir."
"Are you busy? I was hoping I could steal ten minutes or so of your time."
"I didn't have any plans Professor so I am free if you wish to have a discussion."
"Excellent, well follow me, I think we should go somewhere more private."
Turning on his heels, Professor Slughorn headed towards the castle and, curiously, Narcissa followed. She had not a single idea what this meeting could be about.
"Oi! Malfoy!" Crabbe's voice boomed across the library, garnering a fair bit of attention from the students who were concentrating on their studies.
Lucius looked up from his notepad, audibly sighing as Crabbe and Goyle bumbled along towards his table, clipping tables and chairs as they tried to navigate the narrow pathways between objects. He had hoped for some quiet time and had purposely chosen the library as his friends, up until this point, appeared to be phobic of setting foot inside.
"We've been looking for you," Goyle plonked himself on the chair opposite Lucius, banging his bag down loudly on the table.
"I gathered," Lucius replied dryly, continuing to make notes in his book. "What has warranted such an urgent visit?"
"Are we still on for tonight?" Crabbe asked as he dragged a chair across from an empty desk. "I just wanted to make sure the party is still on."
"Of course it is, why wouldn't it be? It is not any different to last year's arrangements."
"I don't know, I haven't heard many people talk about it."
"Maybe because most of them have been in here studying for their practice exams? Don't tell me you've forgotten!"
Crabbe and Goyle's faces turned pale as they turned to each other, their expressions equal measures of fear and horror.
"Do you two listen to anything anyone says? We have our practice N.E.W.T.s on Tuesday. While you two have been busy stalking first years and grabbing whatever you can from the buffet, everyone else has been preparing."
"You could have said something!" Goyle said defensively. "You just disappear off without saying anything."
"Last time I checked I wasn't your mother Goyle. She may do everything for you at home, but here you've got to be a big boy and do things for yourself. There has been ample enough warning. Besides, not like you two have much to worry about; despite struggling for a brain between you, you both seem to be passing. You will turn up and as always, you will do fine."
"What are you doing in here anyway?" Crabbe asked. "I didn't have you down for studying in the library."
"I came here to have some peace and quiet. The common room is full of excitable third years who get to have their first Halloween out in Honeydukes. I couldn't even hear myself think."
"You're not wrong," Goyle sighed. "They'd make you believe they'd never seen a magical village before. Anyway, have you got yourself a date for tonight?"
"A date?" Lucius stopped writing, looking up at Goyle with a perplexed expression on his face. "Why would I be taking a date to a Halloween party?"
"Well, I dunno, you seem to have been getting cosy with Narcissa Black. We just assumed you two must be an item."
"Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you, there is no 'us'. She's good company, and pleasant to have around. Men and women can be friends without having to have anything romantic lurking in the background."
"Since when do you have female friends? The only female 'friends' you have are your friends' girlfriends. We know what we saw at the Quidditch match Malfoy."
Lucius would never admit to Crabbe and Goyle the truth, until it came to the stage where it was blindingly obvious. Lucius had indeed spoken to Narcissa about the party at The Three Broomsticks and there was a mutual understanding that they would attend separately and meet up once inside. Over the last couple of weeks, they had grown seemingly closer, so much so that they had opted to relocate to a quieter venue for their weekly tutoring sessions. One hour of study time became two, and on their last impromptu meeting, it was almost three. Where they were once separated by a desk, they now sat by side with only a matter of inches separating them. To Lucius, things were progressing wonderfully and most of the time, he found his thoughts drifted to Narcissa. However, these wonderful moments were his and Narcissa's alone; Lucius had not divulged a single piece of information to anyone, not even Evan.
"Since now," Lucius replied, placing his quill in the inkpot and folding his arms. "Now, are we done with the questioning? Quite frankly, I am getting tired of the same old conversations."
"Well, if you're not taking Narcissa, what about Evelina Ambergate?" Goyle suggested, smirking to himself.
"Who?"
Turning around, Goyle gestured to a brown-haired Ravenclaw sat against the fireplace. Her eyes were already focused on the trio and realising Lucius was looking in her direction, she began to blush, looking down at her book before slowly bringing her gaze back up to Lucius.
"She's the one who left you the letter," Crabbe explained. "I assumed you would have read it and made a move. Come on Malfoy, she's a five-foot eight goddess with a rich family and I hear she knows how to please, if you know what I mean. I don't why you're not jumping at the chance. If I wasn't already spoken for, I would be in there like a shot."
Crabbe was right; Evelina had quite the reputation. If Lucius had been looking for a quick fix, the old him would have taken her up on her offer. There were very few females that matched Evelina's beauty and charm and Lucius knew that many of the males had tried to woo her with no success. Lucius often wondered if the Sorting Hat had placed her in the wrong house, as she had quite a devilish temperament and the incredibly unwavering determination to get her own way.
"No," Lucius said, much to Crabbe and Goyle's surprise. "I am not interested in that kind of thing any more."
"You can't be serious?" Goyle laughed nervously. "You're turning down Evelina? For what reason? Mate, if you and her got together, you'd be the ultimate power couple. I don't understand what's got into you Malfoy, it's almost like you've come back after the summer and become frigid."
"I said no and I mean no. End of discussion."
Evelina was still looking over at the trio with great interest. Goyle, aware of this, looked over and waved with a sheepish smile on his face.
"What is she doing?" Crabbe watched as Evelina closed her book, placing it in her bag and getting to her feet. "Oh no, she's coming over, what do we do?"
Goyle looked visibly panicked and uncomfortable, struggling to find the words to respond to Crabbe.
"You are an idiot!" Lucius uttered in a hushed tone.
"Hello boys," Evelina said as she approached the trio, resting her hands on Crabbe and Goyle's shoulders. "I saw you looking, care if I join you?"
"Sure!" Crabbe replied anxiously, clumsily rising to his feet and offering Evelina his seat.
Lucius raised his eyebrow, surprised that Crabbe had any sort of gentlemanly inclination within him. Evelina, clearly enjoying the awkwardness, slowly lowered herself into the seat, scooting right up beside Goyle. Crabbe seemed to be too frightened to move and so lingered awkwardly behind Goyle, starting to break out in a visible sweat.
"So, what are you all doing?" Evelina asked curiously, leaning over the table to peer at Lucius' notes. "Fascinating stuff, I didn't have you down as a chemist."
"Malfoy is a man of many talents!" Goyle started to chatter nervously, much to the annoyance of Lucius. "He is pretty much top of the class in everything."
"Are you? That's absolutely wonderful," Evelina rested her head on her hand as she leant over in Lucius' direction. "Maybe you could give me some extra tuition some time?"
"I am afraid I already have another student I am tutoring at the moment; in fact, I don't really get much time to myself these days."
Lucius tried his best to sound apologetic and polite, but Evelina appeared to be incredibly determined in pursuing him. She shifted her chair closer to him, resulting in Lucius moving towards the very edge of his seat to create some distance between them.
"Where is your student now? I don't see anyone around."
"She's busy with her friends."
"Oh!" Evelina's eyes lit up with interest. "It's a female student! Ah, silly me, sorry I just assumed it was a male peer. Tell me, Lucius, if you don't mind me calling you that, is she interesting?"
"Very."
"Hm, well, I am sure you could free up an extra block or two to help another woman in need."
Lucius occasionally glanced over at Crabbe and Goyle, hoping one of them would speak up and distract Evelina, even if it were temporary. However, both Crabbe and Goyle were in a catatonic-like state, seemingly unable to speak or move; it was almost as if they were bewitched by Evelina's presence.
"I am sorry, but I simply can't oblige." Lucius closed his book, reaching for his bag on the floor. "I am sure there are people have more free time to help you out."
"Maybe," Evelina placed her hand on Lucius' forearm. "No matter, maybe you would like to meet at another time with no academic obligation?"
"I am sorry," Lucius repeated, getting to his feet and taking a step away from Evelina. "I think you may be getting the wrong end of the stick."
"I saw you looking!" Evelina exclaimed, attracting the attention of the tables around them. "I know what they say about me, and I know what they say about you too. Why else would you be looking at me if you weren't interested?"
"Evelina, I am not interested." Lucius said bluntly, which caught Evelina off guard. "I am sorry, it's nothing personal-"
"Did you read my letter?" Evelina cut Lucius off before he had the chance to explain. "I assume you got it?"
"I got it, yes-" Lucius said, briefly looking at Crabbe who was even more visibly uncomfortable than before. "-but I am afraid I did not read the contents. I am sure what you wrote was incredibly endearing and thoughtful, but I would rather not engage in a situation I have no desire to advance with."
"Is there someone else?"
"That is none of your business."
Evelina recoiled, looking down at her feet in embarrassment. She reached for her bag and rose to her feet abruptly, looking frantically around the room at the many pairs of eyes now fixated upon her.
"Thanks for making me look like a fool," Evelina began to cry. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she pushed the chair out of her way and stormed out of the library.
Following the slamming of the library doors, and some disapproving tones from the portraits, the room broke out into low level whispers.
"This is exactly what I wanted to avoid." Lucius scowled at Crabbe and Goyle, who were both now on their feet awkwardly poised by the bookshelf.
"I didn't think she'd have the guts to come over. She's been following you for weeks, but never made any overt moves. I'm sorry Malfoy." Goyle said apologetically.
"Honestly, I have had enough of you two. You have been nothing but a thorn in my side for the last few weeks and it ends here, do you understand? I do not need to justify what I do, or who I speak to to anyone. I will not be interrogated any more, else there will be consequences."
Crabbe and Goyle simply nodded, both looking incredibly remorseful. Grabbing his bag, Lucius made his way out of the library, avoiding eye contact with all of his interested peers as he made his way across the room.
Bloody fools. Who do they think they are to question me? I answer to no-one. It is time people learned their place.
"Please take a seat Miss Black!" Slughorn pulled out one of the chairs from the desk. "Sorry, I would offer the comfort of the office but I'm having a little sort out in there and there is stuff absolutely everywhere!"
Narcissa sat down at the desk, resting her satchel on the surface. She noticed a cauldron in the corner of her eye, just about making out the pink tone as the bubbles popped out from beneath the lid.
"Ah, Amortentia. I probably shouldn't leave that lying around! I was studying the potion, clearly for educational purposes; if I remember correctly, we are having a practical lesson on it tomorrow. I have no doubt you will already be well versed in the potions and its effects."
"Yes Sir. I just didn't expect it to be so colourful."
"The potent mixture is saturated with colour and that's how you know it's the real thing. You can have a look if you want, get a sneak peek before your classmates."
Narcissa was a little hesitant, but Slughorn was visibly keen for Narcissa to go and investigate. Gently rising from her stool, she took her satchel off her shoulder and placed it on the desk as she walked across to the cauldron. Slowly and carefully, she removed the lid and immediately the smell of the varnished desks was replaced with familiar fragrances.
"It is amazing how quick it works, isn't it?" Slughorn commented from the desk. "I assume you have picked up on something, yes?"
"Yes." Narcissa replied. "Sandalwood, red wine and fresh parchment."
"What an interesting combination! Come now my child, I think we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves."
Placing the lid back on the cauldron, Narcissa returned to her seat, pondering over each scent.
Sandalwood, yes. The smell on his scarf at the Quidditch match. Red wine, from the party. Gosh we had a lot. Fresh parchment from the study sessions.
"So-" Slughorn interrupted Narcissa's train of thought. "-I just wanted to check in about your study sessions. I wanted to make sure everything is above board?"
"I am sorry Sir, I'm not sure what you mean by above board?"
"Well, you know teaching many students I pick up all sorts on the grapevine. I have heard that your and Mr Malfoy are quite well acquainted and, well, I just wanted to make sure that everything is still working in relation to our agreement."
"Of course, Sir."
"Not that it is any of my business and forgive me for the intrusion! I just want to ensure that study sessions are still being used for studying. I promised Dumbledore that this arrangement would be beneficial to all and after the last Slug Club I can't take any more risks."
Narcissa could see how visibly uncomfortable Slughorn was. Any personal matters and the man became a bumbling mess, and today, it was no different. Narcissa didn't fully believe Slughorn had brought her here of his own volition; she assumed that someone else was feeding the information through a neutral contact.
"I am not sure what has been said to draw such a conclusion, but I can assure you that everything is still going ahead according to plan. If you don't believe me Sir-"
"Oh it's not that I disbelieve you Miss Black, please don't think that for a second! Heavens no, I have my complete faith in you! I just like to investigate rumours for myself, rather than take things at face value."
"Understood."
"Well then, if everything is going to plan, I am happy for the sessions to continue. You are a very bright witch and I long to see your fantastic progress continue. If there is anything you wish to discuss, feel free to ask!"
"That's everything Sir."
Slughorn seemed reluctant to end the conversation, but after a few moments he rose to his feet, brushing flecks of dust from his jumper.
"I shall let you take your leave. Enjoy your evening, Miss Black!"
"Thank you Sir."
Narcissa grabbed hold of her bag and swiftly exited the classroom. Once she was in the corridor and heading towards the main part of the castle, she began to question why this impromptu meeting was so urgent. It had all seemed very unnatural and uneasy; Narcissa began to wonder if somebody had falsified a complaint, or if Slughorn was indeed curious and wasn't able to find out any other way. Had Lucius had the same treatment? If he had, she would sure find out.
The rest of the afternoon passed by rather quickly and uneventfully. As the light of day began to disappear beneath the mountains, the students began to prepare themselves for the Halloween celebrations. Bathrooms were filled full of girls applying their makeup and styling their hair, while the boys were busy sifting through their wardrobes looking for their perfect attire.
The buffet itself was spectacular as usual; the tables were packed full of silver trays and goblets, ranging from roast meats to candied sweets and there was enough Pumpkin juice to serve each person three times over. The school choir had once again put together a fabulous ensemble for the school and some time later, Dumbledore had opted to give another infamous Halloween reading before the students were finally dismissed to continue their own celebrations.
Those attending the exclusive party at The Three Broomsticks had made sure to return to the common rooms as quickly as possible, exchanging their school costumes for their night-time outfits. There was not a free mirror or dressing area in sight, leaving the younger students to rely on their friends to check if they were suitably dressed for their evening peruse around Hogsmeade.
Within forty-five minutes, the first lot of students started filling into The Three Broomsticks. There were still a few ordinary patrons taking advantage of the spiced soups and homemade breads, as well as the spiced rums and whiskeys.
Lucius and a few of the other seventh-year students were not long behind the first wave, choosing to congregate towards the back of the pub. Madam Rosmerta had noticed that the downstairs was beginning to get quite full and so within a couple of minutes, she allowed the students to move on upstairs to the party room.
As always, Madam Rosmerta had made the room look incredible. There were garlands hanging from the ceiling, as well as various ornamental pieces in the shape of cats, bats and cauldrons placed around the perimeter of the room. Spider webs were stretched across the window panes and draped across the chandeliers with tiny, magical spiders descending vertically across the web. Upon entering, the students were met with the smell of logs burning on the fire and a warm and inviting orange hue. Towards the back of the room was a table lined with finger food and a few welcome drinks which was already being tucked in to. In the right-hand corner of the room was a tall vinyl player with a selection of records stacked on the windowsill, and over in the adjacent left-hand corner was three sofas with a selection of board games on the table ready to play. Ever so often, a little ball of light would shoot across the ceiling with an audible crackle and pop as it disappeared, making any nearby students jump.
Lucius was stood near the vinyl player when he noticed Crabbe and Goyle enter, both dressed entirely in black, and their faces covered in white paint. Much to Lucius' disappointment, they seemed to recognise him straight away, despite his half-mask, and so they came sauntering over, looking incredibly pleased with themselves.
"And what have you come as?" Lucius asked, raising his brow as he looked at Crabbe and Goyle's patchy paintwork.
"Vampires! We did have fake teeth and some blood, but we couldn't find it in the common room." Goyle elaborated. "You didn't really go all out did you Malfoy?"
"You won't catch me dressing up as a creature of the night. I prefer to go for a more subtle approach."
"Hey!" Goyle nudged Crabbe as a group of girls entered the room. "I am surprised Evelina's had the gall to show up tonight after the library incident earlier."
Lucius briefly looked over to the group of girls; it was easy to spot Evelina as she was the tallest and of course the most well-dressed. Evelina scanned the room, spotting Lucius, Crabbe and Goyle, but as soon as she registered it was them, she turned away, heading over towards the sofas.
"Well that went better than expected." Goyle rubbed his hands together in glee. "I guess we should probably head over to the buffet before all the good stuff is gone."
"I'm down for that!"
Crabbe and Goyle moved quickly over to the buffet table, barging a couple of people out of the way so they could be at the front of the queue. Lucius simply rolled his eyes; no matter what the occasion, Crabbe and Goyle always focused on their stomachs first with everything else coming a far placed second.
Evan and his group of friends filtered in next; once they had helped themselves to the shots of Firewhiskey, Evan split off from the rest of his group to greet Lucius.
"Good to see you Lucius. I feel a strong sense of déjà vu stood here with you at a party, alcohol in hand."
"It is how the best nights always start."
"Indeed they do. I promised Eleanor I wouldn't cause a scene tonight; I've already had enough trouble with my parents to last me a lifetime!"
"I will never forget the look on your face when the Howler arrived!"
"I know, that was truly embarrassing! So, for tonight, I'm drinking to a respectable level where I don't need my girlfriend to assist me to the common room door. So, what have you come as? I am liking the suit and the mask thing you've got going on."
"I guess I've just come as a masked figure in a suit. I am not a fan of dressing up as characters."
"I don't blame you; it took me nearly an hour to do these." Evan pointed to the bandages around his body. "If anybody recommends dressing up as a Mummy, just tell them to stuff it. I spent a small fortune getting the materials, let alone all the time that went into cutting these individual bandages. Next time, I'm just going to utilise the funeral robes I think!"
"Well they don't usually come out that often, so nobody would know the difference."
"That's true. Here," Evan handed Lucius his shot of Firewhiskey. "You look like you could do with a stiff drink, well, from what I can see beneath your mask anyway."
"It has been a long day."
"Yeah, I heard about your meeting with Evelina Ambergate. Eleanor said she came back to the common room in a right state; her friends had to beg her to go to dinner and to get her to come out tonight."
"That doesn't make me feel any better about the situation, Evan." Lucius said with a solemn tone as he downed the whiskey shot.
"She will get over it, and she will move onto the next person. It would have been far crueller if you'd given in. The last boyfriend she had she followed around like a lap dog and never let him go anywhere without her say so."
"Trust me, I already have Crabbe and Goyle to babysit, I don't need anyone else."
"But of course, my friend, I know the real reason you turned Evelina down," Evan said playfully. "There's someone else."
"Come on Evan, you know for a fact I'm not seeing anyone-"
"You see enough of them during the week." Evan placed his hands on the windowsill, jumping up so he was perched on the edge. "Lucius, come on, she's my cousin; I know exactly what is going on. Plus, I'm your friend and I have never seen you so besotted with anyone before. You can't tell me this is still a platonic relationship?"
Lucius sighed. He had been caught out by Evan; it was only a matter of time before somebody did, and Lucius felt he needed to share the truth with someone.
"I do care for her, I won't lie to you about it. I have been biding my time, seeing if pursuing anything is the right thing to do."
"What are you worried about? Is it her family?"
"No, not at all. It is other matters, things outside of school that may become more relevant, if you catch my drift. I know you are fully aware of what is bubbling beneath the surface and I just don't want to drag her into anything."
"I know exactly what you are talking about however I feel that your worry may be misplaced. Their family is very much on board with the core beliefs so I don't think that joining the cause would cause any problems. Besides, it isn't like Narcissa, Eleanor or any partners have to join. Personally, I don't think it is their scene anyway and it isn't a cause to join unless your heart is fully in it. So, with that in mind, do you think you might finally allow things to progress? I fear if you don't make a move, somebody else will. She is very desirable for a whole variety of reasons and I know that she is starting to build a reputation of her own."
"I would like to. I guess I just need to find the right moment."
"I am sure tonight will present plenty of opportunities if you're smart enough to take them. Come on, I know there has been something stirring for some time now. How much longer do you need to play this game before you give in to what you want?"
"It may have started off as a little game, but now I am more conscious of doing things properly. I think that is the very least she deserves."
"Very well-" Evan paused, spotting Eleanor perched on the edge of one of the sofas attempting to grab his attention. "-and on that note, I best return to my fair lady. It looks like the friends we attended with have dispersed and have left her sat alone. You are more than welcome to join us if you'd like?"
"You know what, I think I will take you up on that offer. Crabbe and Goyle will be stuck beside the buffet table for some time, and I could honestly do with a break."
"Artemis, for goodness sake, will you hurry up? We're already running slightly behind schedule because of you!" Cassandra snapped as she noticed Artemis was lagging some distance behind the rest of the group.
"It isn't my fault this dress keeps flapping upwards!" Artemis barked back, attempting to keep the skirt of the dress against her body.
"Honestly, as nice as that dress is, it isn't very practical. You should have taken a leaf out of Narcissa's book and gone for something clingier."
"She had the choice," Narcissa laughed. "But it looked like something from one hundred years ago."
"Oh just stop it, the both of you!" Artemis caught up with the group, huffing and puffing as they began the final ascent up the cobbled path. "I know what not to bring next year and trust me, I never make the same mistake twice."
Clara, who was towards the front of the group, had noticed Artemis struggling with the dress and she couldn't help but her misfortune. Looking briefly over her shoulder, she studied Artemis' entire ensemble and chuckled to herself.
Within a couple of minutes, they were at the front door of The Three Broomsticks. One by one, the group filtered in and made their way straight up the staircase. Unfortunately, and much to Cassandra's annoyance, there was an inconveniently placed mirror right at the bend on the staircase, attracting Artemis' attention akin of that of a moth to a flame.
"Will you stop fussing?" Cassandra inserted herself in between Artemis and the mirror, folding her arms across her chest in disapproval. "You're inside now, so you don't need to keep messing around with the skirt. And, in the future, if you're struggling for an outfit, maybe you should ask me rather than that weasel."
"Oh is that what this is really about?" Artemis asked, seemingly offended. "I tried to find you, but you had seemingly vanished. And anyway, I didn't ask Clara for help, she offered."
"Yeah, she offered because she likes to make other people look like a fool. Next time, just wait until I am back, and we can prevent any further wardrobe disasters."
"Are the pair of you quite finished?" Narcissa asked sarcastically as she squeezed by them on the narrow bend of the stairs. "I would quite like to get to enjoy some of this party before it gets too lairy."
Artemis and Cassandra backed down and eventually followed Narcissa up the remaining steps, taking the first door on the left. As they entered, the three friends were met with a warm rush of air, as well as sounds of the crackling fire and the whizzing lights. Taking a moment to look around, each one of them stood in awe at their surroundings; they had heard that the parties were good, but they vastly underestimated how much effort went into transforming a usually dull room into something magnificent. The room was pretty full at this point with only narrow space between groups in which to move through. Narcissa scanned the room, but before she could look any further, she was disrupted by Artemis dragging her towards the drinks table.
"Oh look at this!" Artemis said, amazed by the amount of alcohol on offer. "Seems like we are in for a great night!"
"Some of us are," Cassandra nodded in Narcissa's direction. "Others are still technically underage."
"Not for much longer," Narcissa replied, taking one of the cocktail glasses from the tray. "I only have another two and a half months and then I will be as free as the both of you."
"It's okay Narcissa, we won't spill the beans." Artemis said as she took a couple of glasses from the table. "After all, there are some rules that are made to be broken. What is a school party without a little bit of alcohol added into the mix?"
Narcissa was no stranger to alcohol; in fact at parties outside of school, it was the norm to be drinking wine from fifteen. However, now she was a couple of hundred miles away from home, she had the freedom to be a bit more indulgent.
Narcissa felt someone knock into her hip and push past. Turning around, she honestly didn't recognise the person from their back profile. Whoever they were, they appeared to be either oblivious or ignorant as they continued moving at the same pace.
"Rude bitch," Artemis said as she picked up a plate of small sandwiches. "That bloody Evelina Ambergate. She struts about the place as if she is a princess."
"I guess you haven't heard about the library incident then!" Cassandra interjected, glancing over at Evelina who was busy flirting with some seventh year over by the vinyl player.
"What happened?"
"Well, I heard she tried to make a pass at Lucius Malfoy. It was all quite embarrassing, so I've heard; apparently, she waltzed over to the table, bold as brass, and was really quite creepy and overt about her intentions. Best bit was that she got turned down there and then in front of everyone. Apparently, she marched out and ran back to the Ravenclaw common room and, well, I guess she's nursing her ego by hitting on someone else instead."
Narcissa was extremely interested in this anecdote, but she didn't want to come across as overly eager. After all, she had been trying to keep a lower profile where Lucius was concerned.
"Yeah but you know why that is Cassandra-" Artemis gestured in Narcissa's direction. "-it's because he already has his eyes on someone else!"
"Oh please!" Narcissa took a sip of her drink, rolling her eyes. "Have you two got nothing better to fantasise about?"
"It's not fantasy, Narcissa; you're both not as discreet as you think. Yeah sure, lets sit with a boy from seventh year because they're going to help you enjoy the Quidditch game, and oh, a three-hour study session on a Friday night is just what you want to do after a busy week of classes. We aren't stupid! Cassandra and I just wish he would ask you out already; he normally isn't shy about what he wants. Speaking of which, have you seen him around? I am surprised he hasn't made himself known."
"I don't know where he is every single minute of the day."
"Well, no matter, I am sure you'll get to meet each other soon. I haven't seen Nicholas yet, but I presume he will be fashionably late. I don't know what they get up to in their dormitory, but I'm pretty convinced they have a pre-party before the party itself."
"We're fully supportive of you, Narcissa." Cassandra explained. "I have to admit, at the start of the year I wasn't Malfoy's biggest fan, but since term started, I guess I have seen a better side to him. He obviously likes you and I think we need something positive to talk about over the next few weeks, don't you?"
"You aren't the first ones to mention this to me."
"I would be surprised if we were. I think even the teachers have picked up on it. Anyway, let us not talk about it anymore. What will be, will be. We are here to have a good time, and we will have a good time. Cheers!"
"Cheers!" Narcissa and Artemis chimed in unison, clinking their glasses against Cassandra's.
The trip remained over in the far end of the room for fifteen minutes or so, taking advantage of the free drinks on display. Once they had picked up their third glasses, they decided to move around the room, looking for any familiar faces. It appeared that a lot of the attendees had gone through a great deal of effort to make themselves unrecognisable; Narcissa tried to work out who was who underneath the various masks and costumes, but it simply wasn't easy. It was clear that some people had used magic to change their appearance somewhat, including herself.
"Will he even recognise you anyway?" Artemis asked, turning back to face Narcissa. "I mean, you don't normally walk about with black curls and cat's eyes do you?"
"Perhaps not. I guess that will be part of the fun."
"He will probably recognise Cassandra though. She's only coloured her hair bright pink and put on a tea dress."
"I like my outfit! It isn't every day you can dress up as a flamboyant doll is it?" Cassandra said defensively.
"Hey, isn't that Evan Rosier over there?"
Narcissa stood up on her toes, spotting her cousin leant over near the fireplace. Sat next to him on one side was Eleanor, who had come as a mermaid, followed by Phoebe and Alexander; on Evan's left was Lucius, easily identifiable by the blonde shoulder-length hair that protruded from beneath the mask.
"Bingo." Artemis teased, grabbing hold of Narcissa's hand and pulling her through the crowd. "I think it's time for you to meet."
"Come on Evan, it's your turn to roll the dice!" Eleanor dropped the pair of dice in front of Evan.
"Yeah yeah I'm getting to it, let me just finish this shot!"
Eleanor simply rolled her eyes as Evan took his fourth shot of whiskey; the caramel-coloured liquid disappeared as quickly as it had arrived and once finished, Evan slammed the glass down on the table.
"Right, let's do this!"
Evan shook the dice in his hand before dropping it just to the left of the board. Lucius, who was happily sat there drinking a glass of wine, leant forward to look at the result.
"Bad luck chap, you only got a four and a three. Unlucky number seven."
"You have got to be joking, again?"
"You know the rules, seven or eleven and you have to take a shot of the nasty stuff."
"Ugh, I guess."
Phoebe handed over a dark green looking liquid in a shot glass and without much hesitation, Evan downed the shot in one, screwing up his face in discontent as the foul-tasting liquid flowed down his throat.
"What even is this stuff? It is horrendous!" Evan gasped, still trying the shake the taste from his tongue.
"No idea, I just asked Madam Rosmerta for the vilest spirit she had." Phoebe replied, inspecting the spirit through one of the shot glasses. "I don't think I'll be looking forward to consuming this myself."
Evan passed the dice over to Eleanor before sitting back on the sofa, taking a moment to look around the room. There was so much laughter and chatter in the room, something of which had been lacking recently in Hogwarts. As Evan continued to look at the people in their vicinity, he spotted three girls stood together, all looking back at him. Two of them were relatively well disguised, but after some focusing, he recognised the pink-haired female to be Cassandra. His face lit up as he put two and two together and, rather clumsily, he got to his feet, knocking the table and all the playing pieces on their sides.
"Hey! Come over and join us!"
The trio didn't need an extra invitation. Making their way over to the sofas, some of the students who were simply spectating budged up on the sofas to make space for them. Cassandra perched herself next to Phoebe, while Artemis fell in the space next to Nicholas and straight into an embrace.
Lucius, who had been busy quickly putting the playing pieces back into their respective places, looked up to see a dark-haired female stood behind the opposite sofa. He also took note of the arrival of the additional two females and after finally working out they were indeed Cassandra and Artemis, he got to his feet.
"Narcissa, it's great to see you. Forgive me, I didn't recognise you."
"My disguise is clearly doing a good job."
"Come Narcissa, sat here with us. I think there is room for one more!" Evan beckoned her over with a wave as he scooted closer to Eleanor.
Stepping through the gap between the sofas, Narcissa made her way over to Lucius' end of the sofas. Offering his hand for support, Lucius guided her through the tiny space between the table and the sofa and there she settled on the seat, nestled between Evan and Lucius.
"Right, lets finish this round and anyone else who would like to join in can do so on the next game." Evan said as he passed the dice onto Phoebe. "Lucius, you may have got out of this round, but I want to see you suffer with this God-awful drink, so no excuses; you will definitely be playing next."
Lucius nodded his head in agreement and with his confirmation, the game continued. Cassandra and a couple of people were busy watching the players with interest, while Artemis was too busy fawning over Nicholas before his turn came back around.
"I wondered where you were," Lucius turned to Narcissa once the attention was off them. "I was looking forward to seeing you tonight."
"I apologise for being late, but I am here now." Narcissa said softly.
"And I am glad that you are. So, let me guess; you are a cat?"
"Yes, well it seemed like the easiest choice. A couple of simple spells and a little black dress and it is a done deal. Now, I'm struggling to work out what this is-" Narcissa moved her hand up and down Lucius' body. "-are you supposed to be Casanova?"
"Absolutely not!" Lucius laughed. "This is about as far as I go where fancy dress is concerned. You, on the other hand, look phenomenal."
"Thank you. Do you mind if I just re-adjust? I'm not in the most comfortable position."
"Lean over this direction if you need to."
Narcissa shuffled in her seat so she was angled with her legs to the right and her back was resting against Lucius' side.
"Is that better?" Lucius asked, feeling Narcissa physically relax against his frame. Her hair was resting on his shoulder and he could smell the fragrance of the floral shampoo she had used. Being close together felt natural, and made Lucius at ease.
"It's much better, thank you." Narcissa looked over her shoulder, smiling. "So tell me, are you going to be indulging in Evan's party games? We can't have you being dragged back to the castle and knocking over any statues."
"I never get that bad. I still have some grace and decorum, even after a few shots of Firewhiskey. How about you? You are dangerous when you have got your hands on a glass or five of wine."
"I will be fine. You have seen me at my worst. Besides, I feel a bit more comfortable this time around. There aren't so many people watching what I am doing."
"I know exactly what you mean."
"Oi, Lucius, give the lady another drink, her glass is almost empty!" Evan thrust a champagne flute over in Narcissa's direction. "He isn't very gentlemanly is he? Leaving you with a sorry little bit of liquid lapping against the bottom of the glass."
Narcissa knew that Evan was well on his way to becoming drunk, as she had at least half a glass worth of pumpkin cocktail left. However, she was in no position to turn down the offer of a free drink and so she quickly finished the cocktail, placing the empty glass under the table before taking hold of the flute.
"I feel sorry for Eleanor," Narcissa spoke quietly to Lucius, facing away from Evan. "I feel she is going to have her hands full again tonight."
"Yes well, I think she knows what she signed up for."
Narcissa and Lucius watched the remainder of the game play out, taking great amusement in Evan often failing miserably on his turn. In the end, Nicholas ended up winning the game, making it to the end of the board first. Evan grabbed a second playing board from the shelf, allowing Narcissa, Lucius, Cassandra, Artemis and Alexander's friend John to take part in the next round. With a few extra trays of drinks being brought up from downstairs, the game began, and the players could only imagine how the night was going to end.
The chimes of the Grandfather clock in the corridor of The Three Broomsticks signalled it was quarter to eleven, nearing the end of the party. By this point, some of the students had already returned to Hogwarts, defeated by the alcohol that they had consumed. Others who still wanted to enjoy the atmosphere were either slumped in the available seating, or up against walls or windowsills. Those who miraculously were still capable of doing more than placing one foot in front of the other were busy dancing in the centre of the room while Evan took control of the vinyl player. The group of fifteen or so students were busy jumping around energetically, enjoying the song as it reached its crescendo and slowly faded out before Evan switched to something slower to end the night.
Narcissa had been dancing alongside Cassandra and Artemis, but as the previous song ended and the new song began, Cassandra bowed out, slumping against a wall to give her feet some relief while Artemis was stolen away by Nicholas. Lucius had been chatting to Evan briefly while seeking some refreshment, but as the couples split off from the centre of the room, he made his way over to Narcissa.
"I couldn't leave you all alone on the dancefloor." Lucius said, placing his arm around Narcissa's waist.
Narcissa, albeit feeling somewhat drunk, followed Lucius' cues, placing her arms around Lucius' neck. As the music continued and they became more familiar with the rhythm, Lucius and Narcissa fell into a comfortable sway, stepping from side to side in tandem. Narcissa rested her head against Lucius' chest, feeling his heartbeat against her face and from this gaining an overwhelming sense of comfort and peace. All the stresses from the last few weeks seemed to disappear entirely in that moment, so much so neither Narcissa nor Lucius took notice of the other couples dancing around them. In that moment, everyone was in their own beautiful, little world, enjoying each other's company.
"It has been wonderful tonight." Narcissa said quietly, interlocking her fingers at the base of Lucius' neck. "I wish it wasn't nearly over."
"I have really enjoyed it too, but then again, I enjoy every moment I spend with you."
Narcissa felt Lucius' hold around her waist get tighter and closer until his body was pressed against hers. They continued to step from side to side, swaying in gentle circles around the room. Narcissa lifted her head from Lucius' chest, looking up and gazing directly into his piercing blue eyes.
Time seemed to stand still. Lucius could feel his heart beating faster, just as Narcissa was very aware of her pulse ringing in her ears. There was an undeniable amount of chemistry between them and now that they were both vulnerable, they were fully immersed in one another's company. The more people began to suspect, and find out about their feelings, the freer Narcissa and Lucius could be in their presence.
"Narcissa, I have not been entirely honest with you." Lucius spoke quietly so only Narcissa could hear.
"I don't understand-"
"I haven't been truly honest with you about myself, about how I feel-"
Narcissa could feel the butterflies in her stomach becoming more and more prominent. For some time, she had imagined what the moment would feel like, where they would be, how it would be said, but now it was here, she felt both excited and nervous.
"-I am not particularly good at talking about feelings, but I can say I have grown to become quite fond of you. You have always stood out and since our dinner here all those weeks ago, I realised quite how wonderful you are. You are incredibly smart and witty and you always make me feel like I am floating on top of the clouds. I have kept this to myself because I didn't want to give off the wrong impression and I didn't want to ruin our existing relationship. I haven't ever been in love before, but I feel there is no other way to describe how I feel about you and about us. I want to be with you Narcissa if you feel the same way."
Lucius was not used to laying his heart on the line. Rejection was not something he was used to, or something that he managed very well. As he spoke to Narcissa, absent of any wit or ego, he felt incredibly vulnerable and for the first time in his life. He briefly wondered if this was what it had felt like to the girls that had struck up the courage to approach him in years gone by, and if so, he had a newfound respect for such bravery.
"Of course I do. I think we have felt the same way for quite some time."
Narcissa smiled affectionately at Lucius, feeling his fingers graze her chin. Without any further hesitation, Lucius leant down and gently placed his lips against Narcissa's, feeling her body relax against his. Evan, who had been trying to focus on twisting the correct dials on the vinyl player, looked up and smiled, happy that Lucius and Narcissa had finally made their feelings known to one another. Crabbe and Goyle, who were strewn across the sofas covered in crumbs and alcohol stains, were just about able to make out Lucius with a female, while Cassandra and Artemis both nodded to each other in approval, raising their glasses to one another.
Gently pulling away, Lucius smiled back at Narcissa as he kept his arm wrapped around her waist. As the music started to drown out, Lucius spoke only once more and spoke with absolute sincerity:
"I promise I will be good to you. Nothing will ever come between us."