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It was days before the wedding between Astrid Yaxley and Rabastan Lestrange. The castle was full of a flustered chaos that bitterly reminded Lily of her wedding to James Potter. Astrid had just arrived at the castle yesterday and was welcomed with a very warm reception. It was impossible to tell if Astrid was so dearly loved, or the Death Eaters were terrified of disrespecting Yaxley. Lily wasn't present for Astrid's arrival, given that Bellatrix briefly returned to the castle to attend the wedding. Lily and Severus agreed that it would be best if Lily stayed as far away from Bellatrix as possible. Lily enjoyed skipping dinner again. However, staying in the same room for days at time was becoming maddening.

However, today was different. Lily would be having tea with the Death Eaters' wives this afternoon. For once, this request didn't come from Severus. Rosaline sent Lily a note and a package, almost begging Lily to accompany her to tea. Inside the package was one of Rosaline's dresses for Lily to wear to tea. Rosaline was naturally a larger woman than Lily, but surprisingly, the dress fit Lily like a glove. Dark gray with black lace trim; heavy, yet elegant. It was a wonder that such garments were worn by witches. She was hesitant to accompany Rosaline, considering they barely knew each other outside of that awkward encounter in the cellar when Lily was a laundry maid. Severus would most likely disapprove and say it was a trap. However, Severus would be in meetings with the Death Eaters all day leading up to the wedding. Lily had to find out for herself if the rumors were true about Rosaline being a fellow breeder.

A newly pregnant Narcissa sat directly across from Lily. Her steely eyes were full of cold distrust. Rosaline was poorly feigning a head cold. Bellatrix was thankfully absent. Lily couldn't quite name the other wives, but she certainly recognized their faces. The same faces that hurled their dirty garments at Lily when she was washing the laundry. The parlor table was awkwardly silent except for the occasional loud sip. Finally, one of the wives broke the silence. "Will Astrid not be joining us this afternoon?"

"No." A middle-aged witch quipped. "Poor dear and her nerves."

"It's going to be a beautiful ceremony, dear. We all know how stressful preparing a wedding can be."

Rosaline poured extra honey into her tea while several witches looked at her with mild distaste. One witch cleared her throat. "How are you feeling today, Narcissa?"

"Better. Bella brought me a potion to ease the morning sickness." Narcissa took a slow sip from her teacup.

"How is she?"

"Bella is … well. She's only attending Astrid's wedding because she doesn't want me alone with…" Narcissa bitterly gripped her teacup. All the women avoided eye contact with each other.

Lily regretted coming to tea. Rosaline was no company at all. Lily couldn't tell if tea was so awkward because she was present, or if these pureblood witches all disliked each other and had nothing in common besides being wives to wealthy Death Eaters. Astrid was supposed to be at tea present to discuss wedding plans, but she locked herself into her bedroom instead. The other witches were too stuck to tradition to not attend. Lily didn't belong. "I think I should leave." Lily stood up from her chair to leave.

"Sit back down." Narcissa's eyes narrowed. "Rosaline, do my eyes deceive me? Is the mudblood breeder wearing my dress I personally gifted to you?" Lily didn't sit back down, but she didn't leave the parlor either. Her feet were frozen. All eyes went to Rosaline. "Why is the mudblood breeder wearing my dress … dear?"

Rosaline initially didn't say anything. She didn't appear humiliated but was clearly wary with being the center of their attention. "Because I gave it to her." Rosaline muttered.

"Why did you give her my dress?"

"It didn't fit me."

"Speak up, dear."

"It didn't fit me!"

Narcissa took another slow, delicate sip with a satisfied smile. The other witches carefully held their cups, lest they be the next target of the blonde witch's snide attack. "Oh, darling, why didn't you tell me? Ladies, doesn't the mudblood breeder look beautiful?" The witches remained silent and dropped their gaze. Narcissa ruthlessly continued. "Mudblood, do you like wearing nice clothes?" Lily was still standing. Somehow, Narcissa's tone angered her more than any Death Eaters' could. She wasn't a slave. She wasn't a muggle. Lily was a witch. However, wandless, Lily didn't have to tolerate Narcissa's bullying. "Mudblood. Mudblood breeder, I'm talking to you!"

"My name isn't mudblood."

The witches all raised their eyebrows. A sugar spoon clattered to the floor. Narcissa's eyes narrowed into such a loathsome glare her eyes resembled chips of ice. "What did you say to me?"

"My name is Lily and you will address me such."

For a moment, it looked as if Narcissa would whip out her wand and slaughter Lily on the spot. Narcissa was truly the sister of Bellatrix. "Narcissa, be peaceful, dear." A witch reminded her. "Think of the baby."

Narcissa swallowed. Her cold, furious expression twisted into one that poorly mimicked pleasantry. "Alright then … Lily. Do you like wearing nice clothes?" Lily didn't move or answer. "I apologize, let me ask again in more simple terms; do you like wearing nice clothes that aren't discarded slaves' rags?" Narcissa raised her teacup to her lips.

Lily silently bristled. Initially, she wanted nothing more than to disappear from the parlor. Now, all Lily wanted was to make her muggleborn existence a rebellious statement. Lily crossed the parlor and loudly sat back down at the tea table. "To answer your question; yes, I do like wearing nice clothes. However, I do find your dresses rather drab and stuffy. Of course, because us mudblood servants got our disgusting rags directly from your wardrobe."

Narcissa didn't tear her gaze from Lily. "It's only fitting that a thieving slut with filthy blood would have an attitude just as disgusting."

"Oh, surely you can do better than that?" Lily sneered. "Here I am, a muggleborn slave, sitting at your fancy little table and wearing your fancy little dress. I thank you. If it weren't for your darling husband, I would still be scrubbing the shit from your shoes."

Narcissa hurled her teacup at Lily. The teacup just barely missed Lily and shattered on the polished wood floor. "HOW DARE YOU!" Narcissa shrieked as she stood up from her chair and pulled out her wand. The other witches also stood up to fuss over Narcissa.

"Calm down, love. Think of the baby."

"Think of your health, dear."

"She's just a nasty little mudblood."

Rosaline remained seated and unbothered by the chaos. She continued to stir more honey into her tea while Narcissa and other Death Eater wives scurried out. Only Lily and Rosaline were seated at the parlor table. Steam was still seeping from the teapot. "You know there's going to be several officials from the Ministry at the wedding?" Rosaline murmured.

"Really?"

Rosaline nodded. "Some departments in the Ministry are investigating the muggleborn disappearances. Obviously, the Death Eater families are the first target."

"As they should!" Lily exclaimed. "If the Ministry knew the terrible things that were happening, all these pricks would be locked up in Azkaban for life!"

Rosaline gave a soft snort. "There won't be Aurors at the wedding planning some elaborate rescue, if that's what you're thinking. It will be officials from the Treasury Department. All the wealthy families plan to each give a generous donation to the Ministry. It happens all the time."

"How big are these donations?"

"Enough for the Ministry to drop the investigations and turn a blind eye." Rosaline took a bitter sip. "They need the money. Most of the wizarding world wants the war over. The Ministry is on the brink of a total collapse; the war has them all exhausted and in debt. And who are the wizards with more money they'll ever spend in a lifetime?"

"Purebloods." Lily could feel her heart slowly sinking.

"Exactly. The Aurors you're expecting to save you are funded by the Death Eaters that want you dead. The Ministry is tired and wants the war to end. Besides, a few muggleborns go missing every now and then, even before the war."

Lily was dumbfounded. "A few mudbloods? There's been far more than a few, don't you know that? How many muggleborn women have you seen dragged into this place? Kicking, wailing, and screaming while they're being tortured and raped? How many were carried out dead in burlap sacks, left to bleed out like livestock? These bastards are responsible for extinction! How can you be okay with this?"

"I never said I was okay with this." Rosaline muttered.

"Which side are you on?" Lily stood up from the table. Rosaline continued to look away in shame. "What even are you? Why are you here?"

"I don't know!" Rosaline hissed. "I get enough bloody questioning from those bitches and my husband, and I certainly don't need a mudblood to start on me! Say whatever you want to the Ministry, it won't make a damn bloody difference!" Rosaline removed herself from the table and wobbled out of the parlor.

Lily noticed there was a small spot of blood in Rosaline's seat. It was too late to call Rosaline back. Frustrated she lost another potential ally, Lily took the plates of finger sandwiches and biscuits back to the bedroom.