A/N: And the stage is set. Hopefully it makes sense. It's a very chaotic setting with lots of ex-Slytherins and the like. Sorta like a big bachelor congrats party for our buddy boy Flint. Everyone's favorite House. *evil grin*
Disclaimer: Nuh uh. Nope. I don't own a bloody thing and for that I'm eternally sorry.
Serpent Reunion
"A toast to Flint!"
The uproar quieted down as Adrian Pucey staggered to his feet. He held a half-drank glass of wine in his right hand and was obviously a few drinks under already.
The young men gathered around the dining hall of Flint Manor stared at Pucey.
"Who had more bollocks than any of us gave him credit for!" Warrington shouted.
The hall burst into laughter.
"A toast to Flint! For nailing the bitch!" Pucey finally erupted.
A raucous burst of cheers, table pounding, and cat whistles filled the hall and the drinks were downed with another round on the way.
"For the perfect plan!" Miles Bletchley burst with a wild snigger.
To his right, Terence Higgs grinned, showing a full mouth of white teeth.
"Gilberton was an idiot," Higgs shook his head as he drained the rest of his merlot.
"Yeah, but a happy one at that," Bletchley winked.
"Never met a man who gambled that badly," Higgs snickered.
"Some people are just that diseased," Montague interrupted.
"At bad gambling?" Bletchley rolled his eyes.
"You said it, mate," Montague smacked his old school mate on the back.
"Give 'em a taste of glory and they'll never let go," Higgs nodded.
"Well, Flint sent us after him all right. Never could dig himself out. Ruddy idiot," Bletchley laughed as he motioned for more alcohol.
"Eh, maybe it works out for the best. He looks happy enough," Higgs said. He tilted his head towards Flint and grinned.
The three graduated Slytherins looked at each other and said "Pussy whipped" simultaneously.
"Who's pussy whipped?"
Bletchley looked up and grinned as he caught sight of Calixte Derrick, the younger sister of an old school mate. She looked impeccable, as usual, dressed in her dark green robes, her blonde hair twisted violently a top her head. She sat down across from Higgs and pursed her lips together in distaste as Montague ripped the cork of a wine bottle out with his teeth and drank it straight.
"Who else?" Bletchley smirked and raised his hand in Flint's direction.
Calixte's green eyes slanted as she frowned.
"So this isn't a joke. He actually is marrying that… mudblood?" Calixte said stiffly.
Higgs snorted. If there's one thing this bird knew how to do, it was cause malcontent. Calixte had been engaged to Flint once herself. Higss had always thought the arranged marriage was more of a parental duty issue than love though. But it appeared Calixte hadn't taken kindly to being rejected by Flint and had harbored a bitterness towards him ever since.
"Money and all!" Bletchley hooted.
"What do you mean?" Calixte turned sharply, her green eyes narrowed at the scent of scandal.
"Well, y'know how Flint's dad hated him after he switched sides during the War, right?" Bletchley drawled drunkenly.
"Who could forget the riot that caused," Calixte feigned disinterest.
Cassius Flint had died less than a month ago and the Wizarding community had grieved; those of importance at any rate. The fact that Flint would take over turned a few heads but after a week, it had become yesterday's news.
"Bletch…" Higgs started as Montague accidentally hit him in the head with the bottle of wine. Higgs fell to the floor howling with Montague laughing like a maniac.
"Well, it seems the old dog was smarter than he looked. He drafted a will and cursed it so Flint can't get a Knut of his money unless he married Katherine Bell a month after his passing," Bletchley blabbered on.
"A month after Cassius' passing?" Calixte asked calmly.
"Yep. We didn't think he'd be able to do it, but holy fuck! That man is as brilliant as he is ugly and now he gets that bitch for a wife and the fortune!" Bletchley grinned.
"I just don't understand how he did it," Calixte paused.
"Oh, that's easy. He just had to get Bell to notice him so he went for her advisor. Some shithead named Gilberton. The poor fuck fancies gambling and y'know he really shouldn't. Piss poor judgment that one. A few of us made a few bets against the boy, Quidditch games mostly, and the poor fuck got so in debt to us that he started embezzling. But Flint made him an offer and that got the ball rolling for sure," Bletchley answered without hesitation.
"Bletch!" Higgs had finally straightened himself, but too late.
"What is it, you ruddy bastard?" Bletchley asked, turning around.
"So that's it, is it?" Calixte's ivy colored eyes had an unholy glint to them now.
"Yeah, but who could say you didn't see that coming?" Bletchley winked.
Calixte grinned viciously and grabbed the glass from Bletchley's hand. She finished the liquor off in a single, coordinated swallow and set it down on the table.
Higgs grabbed Calixte's thin wrist and she looked up at him in slight amusement.
"You're a mate of the family. Don't forget that," Higgs said sternly.
"Do you take me for a traitor, Terence?" Calixte asked blandly.
"Should I?" Higgs asked.
She leaned forward seductively and kissed him.
"A serpent for life," she whispered into his ear, stood up, and wound her way towards Flint.
Higgs started to get up but was steadied by Bletchley.
"He's a big boy. He knows what he's doing," Bletchley said as he shook his head slightly.
Higgs snorted in response.