Grim Convictions, Book 1: Relics of the Founders

by HarlanSpindlewheel

Elsbeth Ledoux is the perfect example of a pureblood princess. Well, at least on the outside. Feeling troubled by her family's beliefs and their growing involvement with a powerful dark wizard, Elsbeth begins to question her reality and is faced with an impossible decision. Blood is thicker than water - will she let it sink her? [Marauders Era] [OCxSiriusB.]

13. Chapter 13: 12 Grimmauld Place

Hello, hello! How has everyone been? Well and safe, I hope. :) Got some nice fluff going on in this chapter that I hope everyone will enjoy... Please fav, follow, and comment if you do! 3

---

- CHAPTER 13: 12 GRIMMAULD PLACE -

I'd never been to the Headmaster's office. Never needed to. I wasn't a star pupil that he mentored on the side, but I also wasn't some rapscallion that needed to be summoned to him for discipline. I was just your normal student who had the same limited interaction with Professor Dumbledore as other normal students. That is, if you don't count the trial proceedings. But even then, that was an unusual blip in time. One I was still struggling to forget.

So safe to say I was a bit outside of my comfort zone sitting across from him, his giant wooden desk putting an awkward amount of space between us.

The only way I could describe his office would be… too much. There was something everywhere. New, old, colorful, animalistic, metal, you name it and there would be something that fell under that category. Countless tchotchkes from days past that begged me to find out the story behind them. What perplexed me the most though were the pictures of previous headmasters, of those who ran the school long before him. I wondered if they kept him company, guided him along in his pursuits to oversee the school now. Which led me to my follow up thought of if what they said had any value or if it just proved to be outdated. Dumbledore didn't seem like the kind to lean on old tradition.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like any tea?" His cool voice pulled me out of my gawking. "It's quite early and I would assume you didn't have much sleep last night."

I coughed awkwardly at his light yet somehow intense look. There was no malice behind it, just the sincerity of someone looking deep into my soul.

"Um," I hesitated, "sure."

He nodded slightly but didn't move. Instead, ceramic flew all around him as a cup and saucer were set before me in front of the table like a graceful bird landing on a branch. Soon after, a teapot filled it up with steaming tea that came out of nowhere, and a singular sugar cube plopped in after floating up from a nearby bowl. My perfect cup of tea. The floating tea set prepared a cup for the headmaster and he immediately reached forward to take a sip, sighing in content. I didn't reach forward to take mine.

"So," he finally began after a painfully long sip, "you and your friends decided to take a stroll in the moonlight?"

My fingers fidgeted, a coping mechanism to distract me from the current situation. Remus, Peter, and Sirius had been wheeled off to the Hospital Wing immediately. And just in time, as the last boy had passed out upon trekking up to the castle. James remained by his friends' bed sides, while Regulus was dismissed to the dorms. All of them set off to settle for the night with the understanding that they would be 'dealt with later.' Only I was called to the headmasters office, an order that wasn't lost on the others as they all watched me go with worried gazes.

That was probably half an hour ago at this point. Maybe more. We had come up and sat in silence for an excruciatingly long time, probably some tactic by the old wizard to make me uncomfortable. It had worked. My mind raced the entire time with ideas of what to say to justify what we were doing. There was no way I could tell him about the journal and the cup, right? But as my thoughts took a nosedive, part of me wanted to just spill everything, take the weight off my shoulders and thrust it onto someone else.

"I suppose so," I responded meekly, eyes trained past him on a brass vase embossed with wolves howling at the moon. How ironic.

"Well," he said after another pregnant pause, eyes glinting, "did you find what you were looking for?"

Without thinking, I scowled. The note from the egg was still buried within and deep in my rucksack, a reminder of the failure of the night. "Not exactly…" My mind drifted down the rabbit hole of defeat so rapidly that I almost didn't catch what Dumbledore had actually said. "Wait," I looked him in the eyes now, "how did you know we were looking for something?"

He smiled like he had been aware the question was coming. "Six students rarely go wandering into the Forbidden Forest for nothing." He stood then, his movements serene as he went over to one of his many cabinets and opened it. "However, even beyond that I knew of your… Shall we call it a quest? Yes, I knew all about it long before you stepped foot into the forest tonight." He didn't find what he was looking for so he started rummaging through a different drawer. "I knew you were going to seek out Hattie's nest in search of Helga's Cup. Oh - aha! Here it is" He lifted what looked like a piece of paper out of a small apothecary box sat on top of an overwhelmed desk. "In fact," he sat back down, "I may have even aided you a little bit. Don't take offense. You're clever but I needed to make sure you got where you needed to go."

What? That made no sense. I'd barely even seen Dumbledore since the trial… And, while I was sure River had been the one to tell him we were out last night, there was no way she knew what we were chasing. Right? Speaking of which, she and I had to have words later. She's my professor but I had assumed there was some sort of bond that kept things like this confidential between the two of us.

And then there was the question of how. How had he helped me when he hadn't even stepped foot into the forest? And then I took a gasp in realization.

"You were the light in the tower!" I exclaimed, my voice mingling with the hundreds of tinkering objects. "Where we were in the forest… It came from this tower."

He smiled. "Clever, indeed."

"What was it? It made me feel… Odd. Like I was…"

"Sure of yourself?" I nodded at him. "It's a cheering charm. It doesn't tell you what direction to follow but triggers confidence in your thoughts and decisions. I knew you were on the right track, just thought you needed a boost. Plummeting from a nest at the top of the highest tree tends to make one second guess themselves."

"How do you know about all this?" I asked with a furrowed brow. Dumbledore knew a lot but surely he was far from all-knowing.

At this he paused and, while I'm sure he thought himself unreadable, consideration washed over his face. He reached up to stroke his long beard, his eyes looking past me. There was something he wanted to tell me, he just didn't seem to know if he should. The confliction became more evident as the seconds ticked on. Becoming uncomfortable, I finally reached out for a sip of the tea. It was perfect but I hadn't really expected any less.

"Tell me," he finally said but still wasn't looking at me, "what do you know about your great aunt?"

"Well…" I became supremely uncomfortable. The cup and saucer began to wiggle in my fingers, my nerves getting the best of me and making me tremble. "She used to work here and now she's in St. Mungos. There's a chunk in between there where I'm unsure of the full picture." I took another sip just to have a reprieve from continuing. After the events of last night, I didn't want to talk about her, I didn't want to look at the journal ever again. As soon as I stepped out of that forest, I had given up on whatever adventure I had fantasized up. "I thought I was getting a better understanding of what had happened but… I guess not."

"You guess wrong."

"I'm sorry?" My tone was almost offended at how flat he had sounded. The cup in my hand no longer wiggled, nerves overtaken by both frustration and curiosity.

"You guess wrong," he repeated with a shrug. "That journal of hers - well, now yours - is the exact puzzle piece missing."

He slid over the picture he had pulled from the drawer and I replaced the cup in my hand with it. A gasp left my lips, not believing what I was seeing. It was Dumbledore surrounded by at least ten people, several of them I knew very well. Professor McGonagall, River, my great aunt… And my grandmaman. They all smiled, hands around shoulders as the picture moved with their minute movements. In the corner, written sloppily, was a symbol. One that looked shockingly similar to the one written in secret script in the journal.

"What…" I mumbled to myself as a wave of vertigo hit me. It was as if my brain, combined with my exhaustion, had reached its limit and was spiraling out of control. My vision was blurry as I looked back at the misshapen form of Dumbledore. "I don't… I don't understand."

"It's expected that you shouldn't," he smiled. "Though I am quite impressed with what you have come to decipher on your own. You see…" He paused, another moment of contemplation. It allowed my mind to reel itself in, to understand that this discussion was actually happening. "You see, your great aunt was a part of something far larger than you think. Far more important than you think."

"What's that?" My mouth was moving, speaking, but it felt disconnected. Like I was a bystander watching it all play out.

"An unofficial organization that's sole purpose is to help with the prevention of the destruction of the wizarding world." He said it simply, as if it was the most casual statement. "One that recognized an imminent threat many years ago that, despite our efforts to thwart it, has unfortunately gained power beyond our wildest dreams."

All this time, I had been hoping that this actually wouldn't lead back to who I thought it would. But with his words, it confirmed my worst fears. "You-Know-Who," I said flatly. There was no need to pose it as a question.

"Voldemort," he corrected, "don't be afraid to say his name."

"Easy for you to say," I mumbled without thinking.

"Hmm," a flash of remorse crossed his face but it was gone before I could be sure. "Nevertheless," I got the odd feeling he was holding me at an arm's length as if he was telling me all this from a couple of degrees of separation. "We found out he was in search of the founders' artifacts and, as you have come to know, Karin did extensive research into the matter. In her prime, she could have told you the dimensions of Godric's sword to the millimetre, the exact number of sapphires on Rowena's diadem and probably where they came from… She devoted her life to it because, even though we still don't know exactly why, these items are significant to Voldemort and his cause. It is pertinent that he not lay hands on them."

"But how did she even get involved?" My fingers gripped tighter around the picture. "I mean, the family she came from surely wouldn't have allowed it."

His piercing gaze finally caught mine and it felt like finally looked at me for the first time during this conversation. "I see quite a lot of you in her. Let's say… Open minded despite your circumstance of birth. Her opinions were wildly different from those of whom she had to associate with." He paused, making me shift uncomfortably. "But not like you… She dared to do something about it. Karin was willing to risk her livelihood - her life - to put an end to the evil that was eating at our world. And she paid dearly for it." His words weren't aggressive which is why they stung so much more than if they had been. He wasn't expecting me to do the same, had already given up on the idea, even.

"But why would she?"

"For the same reason we all do." He gave another complacent shrug as his eyes shifted out of focus once more. I couldn't even begin to guess at the memories that were pulling on his mind but they sure were distracting him. "To protect those we love and in doing so protect the sanctity of the world itself. You see, her and your grandmaman were like sisters. They all were."

"Who?" My brow scrunched.

"You've seen the picture." My mind flashed to all the smiling girls in the photograph I used as a bookmark in the journal. "Those girls were thick as thieves after meeting that year, a bond not deterred by the borders that separated them but strengthened by it." He frowned deeply. "But the others didn't have the luck of your bloodline. As whispers of Voldemort and pureblood hysteria rose, they fell victim to the wrath of bigotry. Your great aunt and grandmaman lost many of their friends, many of those they loved. So they joined us, knowing they needed to put a stop to the madness before it could even start… It would seem as if we have failed in that regard. All of us."

My frown mirrored his now. "But what happened?"

"Voldemort figured out that someone was a step ahead of him, searching for and hiding the founders' artifacts. As you can imagine, he was none too thrilled. We had to be more careful… See that symbol?" He gave a slight nod to the photograph to indicate what he was talking about. Like so many times that night, I traced my fingers over the linework. "It's how we communicated, a code that only we can translate. We liked to think it was a slight on dear Salazar… He was sending us on a goose chase with all his runes, why not use our own version of them to our advantage?"

"What's this one mean?" I held up the photo.

"It was the location of one of our meetings - The Three Broomsticks."

"And…" I dug out the journal, quickly grabbing the key from around my neck. I carried it on the same chain as the pearl drop from Regulus these days. Quickly, I flipped to the page with the cup. "What about this one?"

"Ah," he held the journal in his hand after I passed it to him, tilting it much like I had when I first saw it. "That would be the hiding location of the cup. I imagine you'll find the same one for the locket, considering we sent them to the same place."

"So you knew?" My brow furrowed in frustration. "You knew she found the cup already?"

"As you know," he smiled slightly, "it takes four to get to the nest."

"So you and her…" I looked down at the photograph again, realization hitting me as I watched all the smiling faces. "With Professor McGonagall and River." He raised his eyebrows. "Er, Professor Puffywood."

"We made quite the dream team."

"But that doesn't make sense…" I counted the years in my head. "Professor Puffywood was travelling for years before she was a teacher here."

"But before that, she was a research assistant in our Herbology department. It was only after we found the cup that she began to travel." He finished off his tea and it refilled automatically, the floating teapot barely letting him set down his cup before it was pouring. "And did she ever tell you where she travelled to first?"

"Well of course," in fact we had talked about it many times, "she was studying the effects of Maiden's Weed in…" I groaned, thinking myself stupid. "Romania. She was looking for the diadem." The glint in his eye was all the confirmation I needed. "So have you found all of them, then?"

That made any joy in his features vanish. "No, just the cup and the locket. The other two have been a bit more troublesome to track down."

Suddenly, my agitation began to rise. If they had already hidden the cup elsewhere and he knew so much about our quest that he could cast a cheering charm, why had he let us go through with it? Students were in the hospital, for Merlin's sake. "Why would you let us go in there if you knew about the cup?"

"Because I needed you to retrieve the egg for me."

"What?" Fury replaced any respect I had for him as Headmaster. "You wanted us to get it for you? We could have died! Sirius almost did!"

To my shock, he waved a hand. "I knew you wouldn't. Hattie's daughter is quite complacent in her old age. She just likes to play a little."

"Unbelievable!" I huffed and sank back aggressively in my chair. "Why did you even need the egg if there's no cup?"

"Because I need the note within. If you may." He leaned forward, holding out his hand.

I took the egg from the rucksack, hoping he wouldn't catch on to the extension charm considering that it would be another thing to add to the list of rules I've broken over the last twelve hours. "What for?"

"As of now, Voldemort still doesn't know who's trying to outwit him." He took the egg when I held it out. "I would prefer if it stayed that way. You should, too. It wouldn't take too long for him to make the connection back to your grandmaman in all this."

At that, my fury vanished, replaced by the fear I had felt so many times in the past months. A question prickled at the front of my mind. One I wasn't sure I was prepared to have an answer for. "What happened to her? My great aunt?"

"We're not sure." Another deep frown. "Honestly, it was quite a surprise when she asked for a job here. She didn't seem the same as she used to - she was out of sorts a bit." He went out of focus again but this time I wanted to know what he was seeing given it probably held a clue as to what happened. "I'm sorry, I know that's not the answer you were hoping for."

"No," I shook my head, "it's fine." With a shove of the journal back in my rucksack, I stood. "Am I going to get detention? I'd rather have time to warn my parents before they get official notice."

He merely shook his head. "Not this time. Let's just say I'm in the holiday spirit."

Without a word but just a small smile, I turned to leave. It wasn't until I was almost at the spiral staircase that would lead me down, past all the trinkets that ticked and chirped, did he call out to me one last time.

"Don't end up like her, Ms. Ledoux. Acting on your feelings but living in the same world that would oppress them… I imagine it was a contributor to her eventual fate. Much as we try, we cannot have everything."

I didn't answer, instead continuing down the staircase in silence.

The corridors were deathly still, the air thick with tension that I'm sure only I felt. The crisp morning air was sneaking into the castle as I made my way towards the dungeon. I needed a warm bath and a day off. Maybe I could convince everyone I was sick, though that might be too suspicious with the Marauders down for the count. Dear Salazar, I hadn't even thought of that. What if Celeste or one of the other girls noticed I hadn't come back last night? That would surely raise some questions if anyone linked it back to the Marauders sudden ailments. As if on cue, I reached the open doors of the Hospital Wing, needing to pass by them in order to go downstairs.

Everyone was knocked out, even James from his seat next to Remus. I could just imagine him bopping from chair to chair, checking on his friends until exhaustion finally took him. They looked peaceful, despite all circumstances. Sirius, with his head turned towards me and the morning sun hitting his features just right. He looked almost like a perfect marble statue. I was irritated at how it made my heart swell with emotion.

But instead of continuing onto the dungeons, I turned and headed for the seventh floor. When I reached the entrance to the Room of Requirement, I thought hard about the Marauder's hideout but also something else. I was in desperate need of the isolation the room provided but also needed a little something extra today. Worried it might not work, I gave out a sigh of relief when I walked inside and saw the giant floor to ceiling windows that now took up the wall where the fireplace used to be.

Meaning to grab one of the large chairs, I walked over to the desk but paused. On top of miscellaneous sheets sat an oddly folded piece of parchment. It was blank but looked heavily warn, and was folded in what seemed like a million different ways. I flipped through it to see if I was missing something but it was indeed blank.

"See you've redecorated the place?" My head snapped to the entryway where Sirius was leaning, holding onto his injured side as he let the wall support him. His face was paler than it had been in the sunlight, no doubt from walking all the way up here.

"You should be in the Hospital Wing!" I exclaimed as I narrowed my eyes, forgetting the paper completely. "Pretty sure I just saw you passed out down there."

"Looks can be deceiving." He pushed himself off, coming to stand beside me. It was evident that each step caused him pain. "Opened my eyes just in time to see you walk in the opposite direction of where you were supposed to be headed. I had a hunch, so I followed it… Whatcha looking at?"

His gaze followed my arm down to where my hand was lazily resting on the folded pages. "Oh," I said, removing my hand as I watched his eyes widen, "just taking a peek at your collection of odd parchment."

He sighed heavily, as if he was stuck in a corner. Finally, his internal conflict ended as he seemed to give in. "It's not just a piece of odd parchment." Pulling out his wand, he held it to the center. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

In seconds, the parchment lit up with a map, one that became very familiar as all the empty space filled with red lines. "Hogwarts…" I murmured. Utterly perplexed, I watched as footprints made their way around the map, their names underneath their pattering feet. "What is this?"

"The Marauder's Map," he said proudly, voice only hitching once from the pain. I noticed he was leaning heavily on the table now. He was very close and I had to resist the urge to wrap an arm around him in support. "Tells us where everyone is, every hideout, every way out of the castle."

"Brilliant!" I couldn't help but be impressed. Flipping around, I landed on Dumbledore's office. His feet were moving back and forth across the space rapidly. An odd departure from how I left him. "He's pacing…"

"Does that quite a bit, actually."

I looked around the map, entranced. Regulus was in his dorm, as was Byron. With a sour look, I watched as Narcissa's dainty steps stuck close by Lucius'. They were heading down an empty corridor on the fourth floor. Prick can't even pretend, can he?

"You're sure it works?"

"We worked on it for years," he practically scoffed, shocked at the thought I would question him. "Well, mostly Remus. So you know it works. It's never been wrong, never will be."

"It's a little creepy if you think about it," I said in jest.

"Yeah, well…" But he didn't finish his thought, a wave of pain overcoming him. I gasped. His face had become an alarming shade of white, his body on the verge of collapse.

"Dear Salazar, Sirius," I looped my arm gingerly around him, unable to control the urge any longer, "you're a git for leaving the Hospital Wing."

With a flick of my wand, the giant sofa levitated and sat itself right in front of the newly added windows. Carefully, we walked over and I set him down before sitting beside him. The plush cushions forced us together, our legs practically melding into one. I found I didn't mind it.

"Quite a lovely view," he murmured gently.

Looking out the windows, the grounds were lit with the fresh light of the dawning sun, the mist on the grass sparkling. Hagrid's chimney billowed with soft smoke, probably gearing up the kettle for his morning tea. Even with the glass, I could hear the slight chirping of the morning birds, calling out to wake every creature from their slumber. It was blissful, peaceful. I pictured myself staying here all day. But when I looked back to Sirius, he wasn't looking out the window but at me.

"Cheesy," I mocked him. He was able to return a light smirk but I could tell he was exhausted. His eyes were puffy now from lack of sleep, his skin still pale and scaly. He'd been through such an ordeal and all for nothing. I frowned deeply. "You really should return to the Hospital Wing… Let Madame Pomfrey take a look at you."

"Nah," he waved me off, slinging his free arm around my shoulders. "If I go to the Hospital Wing, the job is over… We're over." His tone was light but his eyes were dark and serious.

"Not much of 'we' to be over though, eh?" I turned away from him. My eyes began to well with tears but I excused it as some sort of reaction to my own crippling desire to sleep.

"Hmm," I saw him nod in my peripheral but didn't turn to meet his gaze. "Well, let me just have one more morning either way."

We remained in silence then, the only noise that surrounded us being the sweet tune of the morning birds. A few flew so close that I was able to watch as the sun reflected off their bright feathers. My eyelids grew heavy with each attempt to watch them pass.

Eventually, I felt the shift in Sirius' breathing from my position underneath his arm. It was slow and steady, a welcome change from the haggard breathing of before. Taking a peek, I saw that he had fallen asleep, his features now just as peaceful as the grounds before us. Without thinking, I reached up and stroked his annoyingly perfect cheek before pushing some of his hair out of the way. So content. I leaned my head on him, wiggling closer. Eventually, my eyes closed and my breathing matched his.

One more morning, then.

---

"Look sharp, Elsbeth," my mother adjusted the delicate curl that framed the right side of my face.

We had been like this for twenty minutes - she would adjust the sleeve of my midnight black dress, fiddle with my necklace, or some other feature of my attire that most definitely did not need fixing. It was standard procedure before leaving for any formal sit down and long ago I had given up on trying to convince her it was pointless. I would just get tousled up during apparition anyway. She never listened so we repeated the process every time.

Byron, clad in his sharpest, was lounging on a nearby armchair. He was watching the fire, eyes blank, as we waited for our father to come down from his meeting in his study. Something was bothering him, I could tell. He's been quiet ever since we returned home from break, often keeping to his room. I hadn't had the time to ask him about it.

I shivered at the thought of who was just a couple floors above me with my father and what they might be talking about. I was descending the stairs when the omniscient presence of Voldemort greeted me on their way up. His eyes pierced into my soul, invading my personal space almost, as he complimented my dress. He followed my father, Abraxas, and some of their other goons into the study and they shut the door firmly behind them. According to my mother, their meetings at our house had become a regular occurrence in the past couple of months. It made me feel dirty and uneasy, like the ghost of Voldemort was lingering around even when he wasn't here.

"You've lost weight, my dear!" She pulled at my waist, noticing the tiniest bit of extra fabric. "How splendid!" I just rolled my eyes. Knew she would have found joy in that, even if it was due to my lack of wellbeing.

The last couple weeks after our trip into the Forbidden Forest and before Christmas Break had been dull, if not miserable.

Sirius thankfully hadn't woken up when I arose around noon the day we had dozed off on the couch together. Quickly, I had snuck out, not looking back once and disappearing to my dorms for a few days under the claim that I was ill. Byron had tried to come see me but I pushed him away, only allowing Regulus to actually hang around. Lucius didn't even bother. The only time I left my room was to slip into the Hospital Wing during the peak of night - where Sirius had thankfully returned himself - and check on the Marauders as they slept soundly. I never visited while they were awake because that would have missed the point of me distancing myself from them. Yet, I visited every night to make sure they were alright.

When I finally emerged to return back to classes, I had thankfully only bumped into Lucius at meals where we ignored one another. If others found our behavior as an engaged couple strange, they didn't say anything. It did surprise me how little Lucius cared about appearances these days… Maybe Narcissa had snogged the thought of it out of his mind. I wasn't upset about it.

Finally, we heard chatter as the others came down the stairs, no Voldemort to be seen. Maybe he really did linger… Or maybe he just vaporizes to the next house he's going to haunt. Either way, I was happy I didn't have to face him again. Twice in one night, when tensions were already high for this dinner, might have pushed me off the cliff and into some dark pit of my mind that I didn't want to visit.

Abraxas glared, actually glared at me before shaking hands with my father and speaking some final words to him. It took me aback - what had I done? I wasn't the one going around snogging someone who wasn't my fiancee. He made another nasty face as he departed for the door, one I shot back. It seemed to only make him more angry which, on the other hand, filled me with joy.

"Right!" My father clapped, walking over as if nothing had happened. He wore a crisp velvet suit in blood red, with a large smile as the cherry on top. "Change of plans, apparently."

"What?" My mother never liked the sound of plans that were being switched.

"The Malfoys will be joining us." It took every fiber of my being not to groan. "As well as Cygnus and his family."

"Andromeda is going to be there?" Byron asked at the same time I asked, "Narcissa is going to be there?"

"Yes and yes," he looked at us oddly but didn't dig into it. "A proper Christmas gathering, it would seem! So glad we decided on this suit instead of that other one, mon grand." He slapped Byron on the shoulder playfully while the latter just rubbed his forehead in frustration. Neither of us enjoyed this sudden announcement but for many different reasons.

"Speaking of which, we really should be off soon…" My mother looked at the giant grandfather clock in the corner worriedly. "I told Walberga we'd help her out before dinner."

We all knew that was just a courtesy. None of us would touch a plate or a scrap of cooking, only the elves would. 'Helping out before dinner' in our world just meant getting there early so we could all share a glass of brandy by the fireplace as we gabbed about the latest gossip. I could only imagine what would be discussed tonight.

For a moment, my mind slipped to the Marauders. I imagined they celebrated together in some capacity. I imagined them huddled around a giant, warm Christmas tree at the Potters'. All of them would be decked out in ugly sweaters, not black tie, and opening presents galore as they sipped warm butterbeer. A dreamy picture that I found myself longing to be a part of.

The stones on my left ring finger felt heavy at the thought of it. As if to remind me of where I was, what I was doing, and banishing all thoughts of comfy pajamas around a fireplace. It felt odd, having the engagement ring back on. I hadn't worn it since the trial and I couldn't say that I missed it. Subconsciously, I twirled it around my finger as Byron came to stand next to me.

"You look great, Beth," he said flatly. "A real princess ready for the ball."

"More like ready to be thrown to the wolves," I muttered.

He gave a small frown before whispering to me. "Are you going to be alright? You know, with Lucius and Narcissa being there?"

"Does everyone know?" I groaned. "If I'm going to be embarrassed like that, I'd rather it be in private."

"He doesn't keep it very quiet these days… Sorry, I thought you knew." He frowned deeper at my expression.

I was completely unaffected in the romantic sense by Lucius' current involvement with Narcissa. What I was affected by was the unfiltered rage. Ever since our engagement, it had fallen on my shoulders to perk up and play along. When I hadn't, until recently, it was as if I was disgracing the family. But apparently, the rules didn't apply to Lucius in the same way. Finding them in the corridor that night had been disgusting but tolerable. However, knowing that he was running around and telling all his pals about his 'affair' was the straw to break the back that was this fake arrangement. If Lucius didn't have to play by the rules, why should I?

"What a complete arse."

"Language, Elsbeth," my mother chided, fixing my father's bowtie.

"C'mon," Byron held up an elbow which I gladly hooked onto. We haven't been on the best of terms lately but I imagine he would be one of very, very few people I would like to hang around tonight. "Let's get this over with."

I laced my other arm with my mother and she with my father until we formed a chain. My father didn't even count before setting us off and I had to close my eyes. Apparating was the worst way of transport in my opinion. It always made me nauseous and hit me with a violent wave of vertigo. My plan was to skip out on those classes when they rolled around in the Spring.

But I couldn't deny the efficiency. In what seemed less than three seconds, we were standing on a very average Muggle street in London. The houses in front of us flickered with the lights strewn on Christmas trees and the bright flashes of shows on TVs. Looking around, it was as if every house were that way, with none of them giving off the impression that they were inhabited by wizards. Maybe we had landed at the wrong place.

My mother and father stayed still while Byron and I exchanged a confused glance. Then, with a low rumble of the brick road beneath us, the houses began to move. It was painfully slow, but soon enough, another house made of tarnished brick came into view. It seemed to unfold out from the other houses beside it, with the ironwork popping out of the bricks as soon as it came in sight. With a resounding thud, the movement stopped and we were suddenly standing in front of the dreary exterior of 12 Grimmauld Place.

"How lovely," my mother said with fake cheer as we all stepped across the road. With a rap on the knocker, the door swung open to reveal an unbelievably skinny woman with a tart face. "Walburga!" My mother exclaimed, giving her a kiss on each cheek.

"Oh, Hettie!" She replied with what I think was a smile. They greeted each other as if they were old friends but I'm pretty sure we'd only ever seen them at public gatherings. "Do come in. Regulus!"

Stepping inside, we were greeted with an infinitely long hallway. Empty at first, it was soon occupied by the lanky form of my best friend as he followed his mother's call. I shot him a wide smile, happy to see a familiar face, but dropped it to seem less enthusiastic when I noticed Walburga eyeing us. I wasn't too sure how much Regulus told her about us being friends so I didn't want to cause any trouble. My focus was drawn to my knee as a ghastly elf with a floppy nose pulled on my cloak. It took me a moment to realize he wanted to grab it for me.

"Don't mind him." Regulus had kept his smile as he reached me, playing the dotting son part well. "Kreacher isn't very good with words."

"Oh, my!" My mother practically threw her coat on top of the elf. "Walburga, this can't be Regulus. You've grown into such a handsome young man."

"Why thank you, Mrs. Ledoux," he said sweetly as he helped Kreacher with our cloaks. The ugly thing looked at him with something akin to admiration. "Did you know," he gave her a sly look, "your name is very close to one of a dragon in my favorite fairy tale?" He shot me a wink.

"That's very charming." It was clear my mother hadn't even heard him, already sizing up the house.

Her features gave nothing away which is how I knew she hated the place. If she actually did like the wallpaper, she would be screaming about it by now. Instead, she regarded it from a distance, face flat with the same smile she walked in with. And I couldn't blame her. It was awfully dreary in here. The hallway was too narrow for how dark the walls were, making it feel very claustrophobic. Every piece of furniture must have been centuries old and every portrait sneered at us as if we were covered in mud.

"Comfy, isn't it?" Regulus popped up beside me as Walburga led my parents up the stairs to our immediate left.

"No offense…" I broke away from a glare off with the painting of a young boy in Lederhosen, cursing myself for losing. "Okay, actually full offense. How did you grow up here?"

"With much suffering," he mumbled. "Alright, Byron?" He shook hands with my brother while the latter looked between us oddly. He'd seen us as friends from afar but this was the first time we'd actually conversed as usual with him in our presence. I was hoping he wasn't like the others, thinking that we were an item of sorts. "Right! Up to the study with the masses then?"

"Has anyone else arrived yet?" I asked, slightly nervous, as I hooked my arm with his outstretched elbow. With my other hand, I grabbed the skirt of my dress in preparation of the perilous climb ahead. There was a reason I never wore these things.

"Cygnus has arrived with his brood," he said the name as if he tasted something foul. "The Malfoys will probably make their grand entrance shortly."

"Wonderful." I turned to Byron. "If we stick together, we won't have to talk to anyone else."

"As promising as that sounds," he stuck his hands in his pockets as he followed us lazily, "I imagine we'll need to be seen with our respective fiancees at some point."

With a scowl, I paid attention to my feet and we ascended the stairs. As we reached the third floor, music could clearly be heard through a door near the end of the hallway, along with a roar of laughter at what I'm sure was some subpar punchline. The warmth of the light within flooded the walls and we were greeted with the heat of the source - a raging fireplace made of rugged marble - as we entered the large study. It was already too hot for comfort in my long sleeve gown.

"Ah! Byron, my boy!" Cygnus called out and I could imagine that he was the one to deliver the previously mentioned punchline. He gave a hard pat on my brother's shoulder as we made our way into the room. Between him and my father, Byron might come out of tonight with a bruise from the movement. "How are you lad? We've missed having you at dinner since school started."

"As do I," Byron said politely. "I can assure you, nothing at Hogwarts compares to your honeyed ham."

"And nothing ever will! Only my wife knows the secret to a perfectly cooked pig."

I rolled my eyes, almost positive that Druella had never entered a kitchen in her life other than to bark orders at elves.

"That she does!" Byron was a natural at this, his demeanor shifting completely into someone I didn't recognize. He could fit right into this world. Meanwhile, I was struggling as the three Black sisters approached Regulus and me.

"Evening, Elsbeth," Narcissa and I exchanged kisses on the cheeks. There was a heated tension in the air, mostly from her side. She clearly didn't know how I felt about her extracurriculars but if it kept her nervous, I was happy not to indicate my thoughts on the subject. "You look… Dazzling tonight. I love that dress." It was like the compliment stung her to say.

"Thank you," I replied haughtily, turning towards her sister. "Hi, Andromeda! How have you been? I feel like we haven't caught up in a spell." Unlinking with Regulus, I reached for her and pulled us over to the side. No amount of Galleons would make me even acknowledge the third Black - well, now she was a Lestrange - sister in our presence. She scoffed at my rudeness.

"Oh, thank Merlin," she breathed out heavily. "If I had to listen to Bellatrix talk anymore about Muggle town raids, I might have thrown myself out of a window."

"What?" I stopped abruptly, hand halfway to a tray of brandy held up by a stationary elf near the fire. "What are you on about?"

"You don't know?" She asked genuinely and I shook my head. She pulled me even closer to the wall. "They've been ambushing Muggles recently, and not for sport. They…" She looked at the flames much like Baron had earlier, a blank expression crossing her features. "They go to kill, Elsbeth."

"Salazar," I breathed, unbelieving. "Why isn't the Prophet saying anything?"

"The Ministry thinks they have it under control and don't want to spread panic. But of course they don't. Not with nearly half of the wizards and witches working there already working for… our side." She said the last bit with a hint of bitter sarcasm.

"I can't believe this!" I hissed, taking the brandy and downing it in one go. My mother gave me a disapproving look from across the room.

"I can't believe you didn't know," she handed me another glass and sipped on her own, "Byron didn't tell you, then?"

"Tell me what?"

"Well…" She looked to him, still speaking with her parents. They would have loved him as a son-in-law if Andromeda didn't have other plans. "He's off to one next week. Found out just before we came back for the holidays."

"Oh, don't kid." But when she looked at me with remorseful eyes, I knew she wasn't. "There's no way he'd agree to go. I mean… He can't kill. He's not like that."

"He doesn't have a choice. The Dark Lord specifically asked him," she looked at me nervously, "and for Lucius."

Why wasn't I surprised? "Well, at least that one makes more sense."

Still, the bile rose within me and I took another deep sip. I was standing in a room with current and soon-to-be murderers. Byron looked over to me, sensing my gaze. He asked a question with his eyes, with worry crossing his features. I shook my head in a manner that just said 'later.' He wouldn't be going on this raid next week if I had anything to say about it. My brother would not sink that low into this mess.

"Speaking of which," she mumbled as the loud greetings of Abraxas filled the room. The Malfoy's entrance was grand, with voices rising to unnecessary heights as the men hugged each other like family. My lips curled momentarily in disgust but I quickly cooled my face. "Merlin, what show-offs."

"You're telling me…"

"Alright, everyone!" Cygnus yelled. It was like this was his house and not his brother's. But I guess Orion never really was one to host the party, if his dwellings were any indication. Andromeda's father was already very tipsy, despite the fact it was still before supper. "Time to dance!"

There were a couple small protests but everyone knew not to argue. It was expected that we were to dance at these gatherings. The large record player in the corner began to play on it's own, releasing the smooth sound of jazz. Couples began sprouting up to take to the makeshift dance floor but I didn't move an inch.

"Oh, great," I repressed a groan as Lucius walked over. Andromeda gave my arm a comforting squeeze.

"Elsbeth," Lucius grabbed my hand and kissed it, suddenly the gentleman. "You look ravishing tonight."

"Lucius," I replied simply.

"May I steal her away?" He directed towards Andromeda.

But before waiting for an answer, he caught my waist and dragged me into a dance. Byron approached Andromeda not long after. We swayed to the music but neither of us was really enjoying ourselves.

"Heard you're going to be busy next week," I tried to say casually, not being able to take the silence any longer.

He stiffened a little at my words but eased back into his normal self quickly. "How'd you hear about that?"

"Word travels fast in our circle." I glared at him. "A little hurt that I didn't hear about it from my dear fiancee. Does Narcissa know?"

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about." Why was he pretending like we both didn't know what was happening in abandoned corridors at Hogwarts?

"Right," I said sarcastically, letting it go. If I talked about it any longer, I might not be able to control my temper. "Looking forward to it, then?"

"As much as one can," he said, actually looking a bit downtrodden. More than anything, I couldn't imagine him having the nerve to kill. Maybe he could think them into death, because his beliefs were the only strong thing about him. "But let's not talk about that. Let's talk about you… How have you been?"

"Absolutely splendid," I said flatly. "You would know if you weren't off snog -"

"And how are classes?" He cut me off, my heartbeat racing with anger.

"Fine," I said through gritted teeth. He must not want anyone to overhear about his escapades outside of our 'relationship.' Shocking, considering his behavior as of late.

"Excellent," he pulled me closer. From a distance, it must have looked like we were sharing an intimate moment but there was no flicker of love in my heart. However, goosebumps did ripple down my spine as he whispered in my ear. "We need to be more careful, Elsbeth."

I drew back with sudden concern, looking into his meaningful eyes. It wasn't a threat but a warning. What was going on?

"Excuse me," came a cool voice from behind me. I swerved to see Regulus standing happily, a hand outstretched. "May I borrow your dance partner, Lucius?"

"Certainly," he smiled, "I must talk to Baptiste anyhow."

'Baptiste.'I didn't realize he was on a first-name basis with my father now.

"Beth," Regulus smiled, pulling me over to him and placing a hand on my waist. Unlike with Lucius, this felt natural, fun even. All I had to do was ignore the chatter of pureblood mania that swirled around us. "Did I tell you that you look wonderful tonight?"

"I really hate how everyone is saying that," I grumbled. "I'd rather fade into the background… But of course, mother would put me in this mess."

The gown was beautiful, I had to admit. But a little too flashy for my taste. It was the darkest of blacks with bell sleeves and a flowing skirt. Throughout the garment were small crystals that sparkled if the light hit it just right… It was stunning and I hated it.

"Lucius told me we need to be more careful…" I began, quickly changing topics. "Do you know what he's talking about?"

He frowned. "There are rumors…"

"What rumors?" He took too long of a pause so I had to push him.

"He's not happy with current circumstances. He knows everything, like how you and Byron haven't really been playing the part with your respective arrangements in the public eyes. He thought you two would step up after all the warnings before… But that clearly hasn't been the case." His eyes held a sadness I couldn't comprehend.

"That's not fair!" I exclaimed in a whisper. "I'm not the one going around snogging someone else… And telling people about it at that."

"He doesn't know about those details…" He whipped me around, trying to avoid potential eavesdropping. "The blame is solely on you two right now."

I was fuming now. "Dear Salazar, that is bullshit." My voice came out in a hiss as I got closer to make sure our conversation remained between us. I imagined how scandalous it must have looked, me being so close to someone who wasn't my betrothed. Turning my head, I saw the leary eyes of Walburga but couldn't read her face. "Is there any word about what he's going to do about it?"

"Not that I'm aware of. But you should listen to Lucius… As much as I hate to say that. And be careful."

'In the new world, there will be no room for mercy.' In my head, I repeat the words spoken to me by Voldemort on the balcony seemingly so long ago. Maybe that mercy had vanished early. I couldn't respond to him.

"Do you want to take a look around?" He stopped us from our waltz and I realized how close we were to the door. "Escape the madness for a while."

"Yes. Please, Merlin, take me away." I linked my arm with his once more as we snuck out of the room. The debauchery of tipsy wizards didn't notice our sneaking out, with the exception of one. Walburga and I caught each other's eyes, a wide smirk growing on her face. What was she so pleased about?

Regulus led me back down the hallway but instead of going down, we went up another story to a wider hallway with more elaborate doors. It was eerily silent, making it hard for me to believe that anyone lived here at all. My heart lurched at the thought of Sirius, so free-spirited and bold, being confined to the quarters. I found I could no longer blame him for running away… And wondering if Regulus ever wanted to do the same.

"This is the living quarters," he said as he opened the closest door to our left. "First mother and father." It was a dark, bleak with nothing but two large wardrobes and a giant four-poster bed. The rest of the decorations were clearly inspired by the bed chambers of a king, regal and flowery.

"Interesting…" I tried to hide my utter lack of actual interest.

"Oh, don't kid yourself," he smiled while closing the door. "It's horrid. It's like Versailles if the palace was only meant for ghosts."

He led me further down the hall to another doorway. 'R.A.B.' was printed on the front. His room, then. Without hesitation, he opened it and we stepped inside. It was simple, not too many accouterments or tchotchkes. The only thing that stood out were the massive bookshelves on his walls, filled to the brim with tomes covering a wide array of subjects. I ran a finger across their old spines.

"Have you actually read any of these?" I asked skeptically as I flipped through a book about hinkypunks.

"All of them," he shrugged, sitting on his bed.

"No way? Didn't realize you were such a boffin."

"In case you haven't noticed, there's not much to do around here. Especially when… Well, you know." He didn't have to tell me how alone he was without Sirius in the house. I already knew and it pulled at my emotions in a tortuous way.

"C'mon," he said quietly, reaching out a hand. Again, not romantic but supportive, as if he knew this next part would be difficult for me.

He led me to the second to last door in the hallway. The air was even thicker here, and frigid. Not many meandered this way very often it would seem. He put his hand on the doorknob but paused for an extremely long time. I looked at the inscription on the door and realized why. 'S.B' This was Sirius' room and, based on his reaction, he hadn't been here for a while.

"He doesn't have a middle name…?" I asked to try to break the tension a bit.

"No. Just 'Sirius Black,' like a few before him in our family line. I think he might be the third?"

"Here," I lightly placed my hand over his. Unsure of where this confidence came from - maybe the blossom of some morbid curiosity - I helped him open the door. Much unlike his, this room was overflowing with things. A radio, Quidditch posters, glass bottles filled with the brains of some creature, a desk overflowing with paper. It was a mess and I wondered if that's how it usually was or was just the result of how quickly he had left.

"He's a big fan of the Holyhead Harpies, as you can tell," his voice was choked, not casual like he wanted it to be. He had wrapped his arms around himself, trying to shrink out of existence. It was a form of Regulus I'd never seen before and one I never wanted to see again.

"Probably because it's a bunch of attractive women flying around on brooms," I smiled at him, trying to help make him relax. It seemed to work a bit as I was able to pull a smirk out of him.

"True that."

"Was he always this messy?"

"No," he sighed, going over to the desk and picking up some of the parchment. "I mean, not really. This is how he left it… The night he ran away."

"Kind of rude," I mumbled. "Why has no one cleaned up?"

"Mother refuses to let anyone enter. Says it's disgraceful to even set eyes on some of the Muggle stuff he has lying around."

Frowning deeply, I walked up to the radio he positioned on his window sill. One of those 'disgraceful' Muggle inventions, I had never touched one in my life. Curious, I started pressing what looked like buttons until, finally, music turned on. It was upbeat and raw, with what I think were guitars and drums banging around to some kind of melody. Popular Muggle music. I found I didn't mind the sound of it.

"She hated when he played that thing," he stood next to me. "Always said the music was putrid. Soiled the brain."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you like the music?"

He nodded his head slowly. "It's nice… I remember us dancing around to it when we were a little younger."

That made me smile widely. "You? Dancing with Sirius?"

"Adorable, isn't it? The bliss of the mirth of children."

"Want to dance now?" I grabbed his hands, giddy.

"Now?" His eyebrows raised, incredulously.

"Yeah!" I began to sway us with the beat of the music.

Never much good at it, I didn't really like dancing. But that was usually because the tune was boring, slow, and only appropriate for 'proper' dancing. This was different. The beat begged us to move with it and I complied. Soon enough we were in full swing, him spinning me around at the appropriate note of the songs that flowed into one another seamlessly. I didn't know how long we were there - it could have been hours but it felt like just a few minutes.

I realized how lucky I was to have such a good friend like Regulus. One that would dance with me to silly Muggle songs or follow me into dangerous forests on a doomed quest. One that shared so much of my similar pain in this life. It was a rare connection. I was sure that I was going to cherish for the rest of my days.

But happiness can only last for so long. The song switched to another and suddenly Regulus's face fell. He dropped my hands abruptly, turning away from me and covering his eyes. He was breathing heavily as if the air refused to fill his lungs.

"Reggie?" I asked quietly, putting a hand on his shoulder. "What's going on?"

"Um," he wiped his eyes. It was a good attempt but I could still see the glistening of tears. "Nothing." He sighed when I gave him a look that indicated I didn't believe it. "That was his favorite song. He cheered every time it popped up on the station." He sighed, leaning against the large wardrobe. "Sorry, this is so pathetic of me."

Striding over to him, I enveloped him in a hug. "It's not pathetic," I said simply. He hugged me back tightly before we pulled away, my hands on his shoulders and his on my waist. "Everything's going to work out… I can feel it."

He didn't look convinced and my heart plummeted further as his frown deepened. "There's one more thing I need to show you." His voice was so distraught, so pained that I almost didn't want to see what he was talking about.

But I said nothing, grabbing onto his hand once more as he led me to the last door. This time he didn't hesitate in opening it. Not because he wasn't scared, but more like he wanted to get it over with.

Inside was what looked like a drawing-room. There were a lounging sofa and a couple of plush chairs, with a table in the middle. The furniture was beautiful, definitely only used for special occasions.

But what was the most striking was the wall. All around the room was a deep green paint, on top of which sat a motif of a plethora of twisting vines, branches, and flowers. Mesmerized, I moved closer and that's when I noticed them. Amongst the foliage were faces, loads of them with their names written in tiny letters underneath. They moved as though they were being gently blown by a nonexistent breeze. I traced my fingers over them lightly, reading the names in my head. 'Licorus, Misapinoa, Arcturus the First,' and so many more.

Then finally, my fingers found a familiar face. On the wall, the small portrait of Cygnus stared back at me. Turns out he was the third of his house to have the name. Connected to him by branches was his wife Druella, and underneath them were the portraits of Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa.

"It's…" I started but trailed off, looking at Regulus who was leaning on the doorframe. "The family tree?" He just nodded.

My hands traced even more branches until I found the one I was subconsciously trying to find. 'Orion.' Quickly, I moved my fingers around the maze of vines until I saw Walburga. Then flew down the twigs that connected them to Regulus and… a scorched piece of wall. Where Sirius should be was nothing but a black spot, the original woodwork visible. As I touched it, it stung a little, as if it had just been burned.

"My mother did that the day after he left," I jumped, not realizing Regulus had stepped up beside me. "Said he didn't deserve to be up here anymore."

"That's horrid…" I mumbled, tears pricking my eyes. I was so, so wrong, I realized. There was no way Sirius would be able to reconcile with any of his family, not even Regulus, so long as they held this hate in their hearts

"He…" His voice was choked again and I saw the tears return to his face.

"He? Sirius?"

"No," he shook his head, determined. "He… He wants me to kill him."

"What are you on about?" I desperately hoped that I had misheard him.

"Remember when I told you that he asked me to do something?" I nodded. "He wants me to kill Sirius." His jaw was set tight now.

"Oh, Merlin." My voice was barely a whisper. Now, the tears dropped, my emotions getting the best of me. This wasn't just cruel, it was barbaric. A sin against nature. No matter what was happening, I couldn't believe he would ask Regulus to do something like this. "That can't be true. You're lying."

He looked me dead in the eyes. "I would never lie to you. Especially about something like this."

Wiping away my tears as best I could, I breathed deeply. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." His head hung low. "But you can't tell anyone I told you. It's supposed to be held in confidence by only a few."

"I promise." I watched as his shoulders started to shake a little. He was crying. Regulus Black was actually crying. "Hey now," I grabbed his cheeks, like a mother coddling her son. With my thumbs, I wiped away his tears. "I just told you everything would be alright. We'll get through this, yeah?"

This time, hope filled his eyes as he gave a nod. I smiled back.

"Oh, there you are!" Walburga whipped around the doorframe and we separated at a rapid speed. But by the look on her face, I had no doubt she had seen a peek of our intimate moment. Her face turned into a sly smile. "Dinner's ready. Shall we head downstairs?"

Without a word, we followed her down all the flights of stairs until we were back on the main floor. The chatter was loud from here as we made our way towards the dining room. Everyone was already sitting, more cups of brandy being shuffled around the table. Not that most of them needed any more, but I imagined this wouldn't be the last bottle they opened. We separated, my place clearly being beside Lucius while Regulus sat near the head of the table with his parents. Byron and Andromeda sat across from us and they gave me a smile as I sat.

"Hello, my dear," Lucius gave me a kiss on the knuckles. Really trying to play up the part now, it would seem. Narcissa sneered from down the table. "Was your house tour entertaining?"

"Quite," I said shortly, not planning on carrying out any conversation with him during this dinner.

He squeezed my hand as if in a warning. "Wish I could have tagged along."

"I don't think you would have quite enjoyed yourself." I shrugged. "It's not the marvel of your manor… Sweetheart." I gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. If he was going to play, so would I.

He was about to say something else but just then Orion put a spoon to his glass, the noise echoing around the room and quieting us immediately. He stood and raised it high.

"A toast!" We all raised our own glasses at his words. "To family, to a brighter future… together."

We all tipped our glasses a bit higher before bringing them to our lips. I took the smallest sip I could, not wanting to let it go to my brain after all I had already had.

And then the feast began. House-elves placed plates of mashed potatoes, roast beef, corn, gravy, turkey, and a whole plethora of items before us. It was far beyond more than enough food for the company it was intended for. In a very ladylike manner, I only took small portions. Everyone in a gown acted much the same, as we were accustomed to. The men, on the other hand, piled their plates high. Must be nice.

"So Andromeda," my mother asked politely from my right, "what are your plans for after graduation?"

She looked a little caught off guard by the question. "Um," she set down her fork daintily, "I'm not too sure as of yet."

"Nonsense," Drullea drawled, picking at a piece of spinach, "she's going to be the lady of the house." So, a housewife with no responsibilities beyond being just an ornament. Andromeda dipped her head to hide her scowl. "Hopefully, with children on the way soon enough." Both parties across from me blushed profusely. It didn't seem like an appropriate conversation to have while we were eating dinner but such was the life.

"And you, Elsbeth?" Walburga called from her high seat at the end of the table. "Curious as to what you'll be doing."

I didn't like how everyone had begun to pay attention to our conversation. It made my stomach churn, the little I had eaten threatening to come right back up.

"Well, it's still a bit of a ways out," I began diplomatically. "But I imagine I'll be working at the Ministry for a while. In administration, of course."

"Until children," Druella piped in once more. If Walburga was obsessed with continuing on the pureblood line, she was a crazed fanatic.

Despite the bile that was literally sitting at the back of my mouth, I turned to Lucius and placed what I hoped was a loving hand on his. He had gone as pale as I had. Neither of us had been faced with this grim reality until now. The thought of it boiled my insides - how was I actually supposed to continue with this charade when this was the expectation?

"Of course," I tried to say it pleasantly but my voice came out hoarse and unrecognizable.

The dinner proceeded in silence on my part after that, with the ruckus turning to Byron and Andromeda's fast-approaching nuptials. They discussed, like chickens squawking around a coop, everything from our dress fittings in a couple days, the flowers and how they were going to be arranged, to the venue. It was set to be held on our land, in our luscious backyard, when the hydrangeas were in perfect bloom. It was supposed to be a very royal wedding.

If it even happened, which all signs pointed to no. Her exact plans weren't clear to me but, last I'd heard, Andromeda was still planning on running away from this life to be with Ted. And based on the twisted look on her face, she was fighting the urge to scream about it now. She had to carry out her plan and carry it out well, or she would die. And not by the hand of Voldemort but by a broken heart, by the grim realization that she would be trapped forever.

I had to make sure she was successful, there was no other choice. With no ties to anyone else, I was okay with being stuck and surviving. She would not be.

The feast ended quickly enough, the men of the household fully leaning on drunk now but continuing back up to the study to continue. Hopefully, my mother and I could dismiss ourselves soon, letting my father continue in his revelries for as long as he liked. It's not like we could contribute much to the discussion of the annihilation of Muggle towns and Ministry infiltration.

"Elsebeth," a curdling voice rang from behind me, making me jump a bit. Walburga stood with her arms daintily clasped in front of her. "Spare me a moment, would you?"

Unconsciously, I looked to Regulus. His eyes were bright with concern but he couldn't intercede before he was shuffled upstairs with the rest of them.

"Of course," I repeated.

She led me all the way back upstairs, to the fourth floor, and past all the living quarters. Her face twisted in disgust as we passed Sirius' door and she ushered me back into the room with the tapestry.

"Sit with me." While I was still amazed by the small portraits flooding the room, she seemed uninterested. Maybe she visited this room more often than I thought. The tapestry probably served as a wonderful reminder of her great bloodline. She sat on the sofa, me on the opposite end. I wasn't sure what this was about so I waited for her to begin after clearly sizing me up. "You're a lovely young lady."

Thrown off guard, I stuttered a bit. "T-thank you?" It came out more as a question, me being supremely confused as to where this could go.

"I understand," her tone was light but it didn't stop the uneasy feeling that was beginning to build within me, "that your position is difficult." Understatement of the century, really. "I'd like to offer you some help. Maybe a bit of advice that might ease your predicament."

"It's really alright," I began quickly, the words coming out in a blur. "I don't -"

She held up a hand to stop me. "Nonsense." Flattening out the skirt of her dress, she looked at me pompously. "It's no secret that you and Lucius despise one another."

Merlin, did everyone know? That definitely wasn't great.

"I wouldn't say that -" My fingers began to pick at one another in nervousness.

"You don't have to lie to me, my dear." Her smile was like acid. "But I notice that there may be another that has caught your eye."

My heartbeat began to race. Surely, she wouldn't be this casual if she knew about my feelings for Sirius… But then I shook the thoughts from my head violently. The feelings I had had for Sirius but no longer. We had our final morning together, and that was that. But her surely not knowing any of this was enough to put my mind at ease just a little bit.

"In truth," she pursed her lips, "I always campaigned for you and Regulus to marry. But with Andromeda joining your family, the thought of integrating the Ledouxes and the Blacks even more wasn't an exciting idea."

I stopped, shocked at her words. Was she being serious? Without thinking, I barked out a small laugh before realizing what I was doing and stopped abruptly.

"I really apologize." I smiled with the sweetest smile I could muster. "But Regulus and I aren't involved."

"You are great at hiding yourself, your true feelings." Her pensive nod unnerved me. "But my eyes see all and I've been watching you two all night."

"Mrs. Black, I promise you it's really not -"

"You two would be good for one another, you know." I was starting to get pissed off with how she kept interrupting me. It was a subtle reminder of our current social standings. "The perfect temperament for one another. Him calm and collected…" I resisted the urge to scoff. "And you a little wild. At least from what I hear. He'd be the perfect fit to calm those emotions of yours."

My hands bunched in my skirt as my annoyance rose. "I do apologize again, but I'm not sure where we're heading with this conversation."

Another wicked smile. "It's not uncommon to have someone around… Who would alleviate your hardship a little. Many of us do it." She giggled then like she was gossiping with a friend. I felt very out of place. "There was even a time when I was on and off with Abraxas. I tell you all of this in confidence, of course." Naturally, Lucius' father was a cheat. That didn't surprise me in the slightest.

"So, if I understand what you're suggesting…" I couldn't even finish the sentiment.

"It might be nice to have Regulus around after your marriage. To give you comfort, that's all. Since you two are so close." She smiled as if knowing a powerful secret. "And when it comes to children… Well, let's just say that not all of them running around were born from both the parents they think they were."

Disgusted wouldn't even cover my emotions right now. I was repulsed to the highest capacity I could be. If I could hold the vomit down for now, it would definitely be coming up later. And there was no doubt that this conversation would haunt my dreams for years, even decades to come. Maybe until I died.

"I don't imagine Lucius would be fond of the idea," I said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, rubbish." She waved a dismissive hand. "He's got Narcissa. They can handle themselves." She really did see it all, even if what she saw wasn't always the most correct. "As long as the bloodline remains pure, it doesn't matter much does it?"

But it did matter. It mattered so incredibly. Pushing aside her thoughts about Regulus and me, I just couldn't believe what she was suggesting. It made me feel like a piece of meat. Like my only purpose in life was to breed little purebloods, no matter the method. My skin was crawling while also feeling so incredibly dirty. I would have Flippy prepare me the most luxurious bath when I got home but I imagine even that wouldn't make me feel clean. Nothing would.

"Do you understand?" She reached over and placed a loving hand on mine.

"I do," I said flatly, leaning into the facade. Tears pricked my eyes but I would absolutely not allow them to fall.

And that was the truth. I understood that I was just a pawn to these people, a strategic piece to keep their mission alive. And that's all I would ever be.