New Year 's Eve and Black Manor was filled with activity, house elves were rushing through the house, hanging bright decorations, cleaning the already spotless floors and cooking food for the guests. The Black girls however had congregated in my room, because I lived here when not at Hogwarts, my room was the biggest and had most homely touches, as well as the custom en-suite each of my cousins coveted.
I thoughtfully watched the dynamic between the girls. Cassiopeia was bossing everyone around, as usual, trying her hardest not to let anyone think she was acting strange, but Dorea was watching her silently, smiling broadly whenever someone spoke to her, with a smile that did not quite meet her eyes.
It looked like it was Callidora who had taken Dorea's place, her and Cassie were best friends at Hogwarts, they had even shared a room in their first year but Dorea looked on with an obvious sense of resentment.
Cedrella and Charis were chatting together as only twins could, with fragmented sentences and ludicrous gestures which only the other seemed to understand. Walburga was having a tantrum because Lucretia was threatening to charm her hair green.
"Slytherin green Wally, come on," she cooed, waving her wand around the younger girl's head.
"No, I don't want to look mouldy!" she screamed, shielding her hair with her hands.
I was offered up as first sacrifice to Cassie's hair charm, but soon my hair was a bright matte red and Cedrella was weaving strands of pearls through the unkempt waves. On and on the charms went until last it was Cassie's turn, who was a pale purple. Each of us struggled into our dresses and watched in amusement as finally Walburga got ready- she had been furious that Cassie had indeed made her green, but now she was looking satisfied with her deep emerald dress and forest green hair.
"You can hardly complain," Cassie had told her. "Calli and Ced have agreed to be yellow and orange."
"And poor Dorea is grey," Cedrella laughed, throwing a sympathetic arm around Dorea's shoulder.
"I'm silver," she corrected. "Besides it isn't that bad."
I had to admit later, that Cassie knew how to plan a party, everyone in the upper years of Hogwarts had come, and those who were not sufficiently colourful had been bombarded by house elves and fixed and soon as they entered. Music played throughout the house, elves offered food on silver platters and everyone seemed to be drinking heavily by the time the last stragglers had arrived. The majority of the party was taking place in the solarium, and the outside platform, though people had descended the stairs to the lawn and were playing Quidditch without brooms for some reason. It was a cloudy, chilly night, but charms had been erected so that it was temperate within the grounds this evening.
I was delighted when I found Lizzie, who was dressed head to toe in indigo.
"I've missed you so much," she said, pulling me into a firm embrace. "We will catch up when we get to Hogwarts." Elena Greengrass joined us and we spent the first part of the evening rolling our eyes at Charlus Potter who was clad from head to toe in gold, even wearing a crown.
The dancing started and people began drinking more and more, it was eleven o'clock when Elena and I dragged Lizzie upstairs to a spare room and put her to bed with a sleeping draught, and a house elf to watch over her. We shook our heads fondly and gave the elf strict instructions before going downstairs to re-join the party.
"You look like you've had too much to drink, Raimond," I accused playfully as I joined him.
"You're probably right," he said, pulling me into a half embrace. "Come on, we should go and join the others, it's almost midnight."
We found our friends just as Cassie looked at the time.
"Ten," she said excitedly. Those next to her joined in, and by five the whole south wing was chanting along at the top of their lungs.
"Three, two, one." I glanced round, and my stomach turned sour as I saw Cassie and Tom go into kiss each other. What was I expecting?
Nothing I reminded myself, it was Tom fucking Riddle after all.
"Happy New Year!" I found my lips on Raimond's and I didn't know how.
I could taste the wine on his breath, or was it mine?
The mint was his; I'd seen him eating a square of mint cake. Then there was his soft lips moving so skilfully across mine, and his large, warm hands holding my waist and shoulder, respectful but close.
I didn't notice my own hands link around his neck, or how I rocked up onto my tiptoes. His kiss was sweet, not intoxicating like Tom, adoring like Liam or playful like Abraxas. Faintly I wondered whether his relation to magical royalty actually did give him a special magic. I would have to ask Hazel about it again. Being able to make my heart slow to a dull, sweet throb when our lips met, was most uncommon.
We broke apart smoothly, each smiling serenely at each other. It was a moment before we realised there was silence around us. We jumped apart.
Each of our friends was staring at us with a perturbed look.
How long had we kissed for?
All I knew was that everyone else had broken apart long before us.
"What?" Raimond asked with a casual roll of the shoulders. Cassie shook her head slightly and drew her wand, for a second I thought she was going to hex me, but she didn't.
A flick and the sky erupted with fireworks. Flashes and sparks, wheels and even a pair of dragons chasing each other across the sky. I watched them, but not with the wonderment I heard from the gasps of my companions. Suddenly I felt cold.
I saw Abraxas and Raimond in intense conversation, but then both boys laughed and clapped each other on the back. Tom had a dark look in his eyes and continued to talk to Cassie and Alphard.
I left without a word, preferring to get a cold glass of water.
I would walk down to the kitchens, to get away from the crowds for a bit. Take some deep breaths and try to get a hold of myself.
On the way I almost ran into someone else.
"Orion?" I asked, steadying him as he stumbled. He was drunk, I could see it plainly in the tear tracks that were running along his cheeks. "Orion what is wrong?"
I never seen him cry before, he smelled of firewhiskey.
He ran his hand through his hair and took a rattling breath.
"Calm down, deep breaths," I said soothingly. He nodded and swayed more. "Let's sit down, I'm not feeling very well," I lied. We sat in the corridor, him leaning against the wall.
"Now tell me what's wrong, my dear," I instructed, he looked like he was going to refuse. "It will help," I promised.
"Elena," he said dejectedly.
"What's wrong with Elena," I asked, immediately alarmed.
"Nothing, she's perfect," he muttered, reverent.
"Oh."
"She kissed Alphard," he told me, wiping at his blue eyes. "Of course she would. Alphard is exactly what I wished I wasn't."
"And what is that?" I asked tentatively.
"He's not going to be Lord Black."
"Why does that matter, Orion?" I asked. A sense of dread filled my stomach, I did not need Orion to have doubt about being a lord, it would cause a terrible rift in the family.
"Because Elena is first in line to the Greengrass house, they have no sons," he explained. "She would never be allowed to marry me." I put a sympathetic arm around him, he looked wretched even with his blue hair. "Lord Greengrass would never let his house be swallowed by the Blacks."
"Oh Orion," I sighed, squeezing him harder. "How much have you had to drink, my dear." He shrugged, I stroked his hair affectionately. "Too much then. Listen to me Orion, we are going to sort something out."
"You can't she loves Alphard now," he said dejectedly.
"Oh pull yourself together Orion," I said irately. "A kiss at New Year means absolutely nothing! I kissed Raimond for Merlin's sake. First thing we are going to do is get you to bed, you're too drunk to do anything tonight. But then I am going to find out exactly what is going on with Elena and Alphard, okay? They are friends, in the same year it could mean nothing."
"Thank you Poppy," he murmured, looking at the floor. "I think I love her." My heart broke.
"Oh Orion," I whispered, I was on my knees next to him but still pulled him into a tight hug.
I closed Orion's door silently, winking at the place where I had left a hiding house elf to watch over him. Gently I passed down the corridor, all of the boys had been set up in rooms on this wing, I wondered how much they saw of one another.
Before I reached the end of the corridor, I saw Tom, it was too late to turn away, he was walking right at me.
"Tom," I said pleasantly.
"And who's bedroom are you coming back from?" he asked, with all the airs of cruel indifference. I set my teeth.
"Very funny," I replied icily.
"No seriously, I didn't know you could be done so fast with Lestrange, my commiserations," he said, giving me a vindictive smile.
"I was not with Raimond as you well know," I denied hotly. "I'm sure you were just with him downstairs."
"So who was it this time?" he asked, raising his eyebrows. "Malfoy, Avery, Crouch, Weasley, Po-"
"I was with Orion," I said firmly, interrupting him before he could go any further. "He has had too much to drink."
"Taking advantage of your drunk cous-" my hand swung up at Tom's cheek, but he was faster, catching my wrist with painful force.
"You dare," he spat, his tone dripping with fury and disgust.
I couldn't say a thing, my anger had suddenly morphed into something else, my mind focussed on his crushing fingers and the burning dark eyes.
I wanted to feel intimidated, scared even, but I didn't. All I thought about was how beautiful he was- he sharp angle of his cheekbones, the curve of his lips, the strong arch of his brow. He was like something from a painting.
And he noticed. I could have cursed aloud when his sneer turned into a smirk, and he leant in closer. He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear, tenderly almost, our bodies a hair's width apart.
"You are such a fucking slut," he murmured, his lips brushing my ear.
I wrenched myself away from him, curling my hand into a fist. I did not know what my plan was.
Hit him? Storm away? Cry?
I never had the chance to find out, because his lips were on mine, possessive and demanding, and I barely registered as my feet lifted from the floor and my legs were wrapping around his waist of their own accord as he carried me into his room.
His lips were locked to mine with bruising force, our hands were on the buttons of each other's clothing. But suddenly we broke apart, he had stepped back with force, clenched fist on his lips and eyes tight shut.
"Get out," his breath was laboured and his voice rough. My mouth dropped open very unattractively. "Things are going to go back to how they were."
Shame burnt in the back of my throat like vomit. I was still for a moment, my face full of anguish before I steeled myself, blocking all emotion from my features. The only thing I could do was nod once, straighten my dress and leave.
I didn't look back at him, I didn't argue and I didn't cry.
What had I expected? He was Tom Riddle. I deserved this for being so weak.