Chapter 24: The Wedding Party Part I

"Sirius, do you have any idea what you're asking?"

"I know exactly what I'm asking. That's why I asked it."

"I know, but it'll be dangerous."

"I know, but I have to."

"Then so do I."

"No, I know how to handle them."

"It's my sister."

"It's my family."

James and Sirius stared at each other, willing the other to back down.

"Just lend me the cloak James." Sirius finally said. "I'll go get her and come back. I know my way around Grimmauld Place, don't worry. No one will see me, I promise."

"Why are you even willing to do this?" James questioned quietly.

"I'll tell you after I get back." Sirius said with a smirk.

James sighed, handing over the cloak. "Like I don't know already. Just don't do anything stupid, Padfoot."

"Please, when have I ever done anything stupid?" Sirius paused. "I promise."

"So you do have a plan for after you're in, right? Because I don't think you'll be able to stay hidden and get Emily. They'll notice if she's gone."

"Ah, but that's why I have this." Sirius said slyly, pulling a large vial from his robe pocket and holding it up.

James smirked. "Brilliant."

Sirius nodded and pocketed it again. "Decided to save it for an emergency when we had some left after that prank. So now I have a way to slip in unnoticed, grab her, and leave."

"How are you going to get in?"

"I've snuck out of that house so many times that I'm sure I'll be able to sneak back in." Sirius said, stuffing the invisibility cloak into his pocket.

"Why is the reception even being held in Grimmauld place?"

Sirius scowled. "Dear mum's idea to get more attention most likely. She always has to find a way to show off her large house."

James patted him on the shoulder. "Just be careful Sirius."

Sirius grinned. "Don't worry about me Prongs, I'll be in and out in a jiff."

James smirked. "Actually I was talking about the cloak."


Emily sipped her wine and felt an extreme sense of déjà vu. She was once again wearing an expensive dress robe, drinking wine from an expensive goblet, and standing near the window of Grimmauld place while the other Purebloods socialized around.

However, the topic of every conversation was the same thing.

"It was such a lovely ceremony."

"The bride was so graceful and elegant."

"I'm so jealous; I hope my wedding dress will be that pretty."

"I wish my future husband will be that handsome."

"I wish my wife was that beautiful and powerful."

Emily tuned the envious tones of the others out and leaned against the wall, observing the dancing couples in the middle of the room.

Grimmauld place was lit beautifully, a chandelier handing elegantly above the dance floor and causing all the dancers to glow mystically. Especially the two dancing directly beneath it, the man and woman of the hour: Rodolphus and the newly Bellatrix Lestrange.

Emily turned away and looked elsewhere, drinking more of her wine. Things had been uneventful so far, and she had made no contact with Bellatrix or Regulus, and that was how she wanted to keep it. Emily made her appearance there, and that was all she was setting out to do. She'd been seen and people would know that she was invited, improving her reputation. She didn't need to talk to anybody to do that. So her goal at the moment was to get through the rest of the reception without having to talk to anybody and just standing in the shadows.

"What's this? Emily Potter playing wallflower?"

Emily inwardly cringed.

I've been spotted.

She looked up and raised an eyebrow. "What's this? Lucius Malfoy alone without his fiancé?"

"Narcissa is currently dancing with the groom's brother, leaving me without a partner."

Emily's eyes shifted to the dance floor and sure enough there was Narcissa dancing with Rabastan. "Hmm, you don't seem the type to let others handle your possessions." Emily said, looking back up at the blonde. "Especially when he looks at your fiancé with that type on look in his eyes."

Lucius smirked. "I'm not, but I could make an exception this time, because while Narcissa is indisposed it gives me a chance to find other partners and socialize as well."

"Oh, good for you." Emily spoke distractedly, placing her now empty goblet on the refreshment table.

"Dance with me Emily."

"No thanks." She said immediately, reaching for a new drink. She gasped when Lucius grabbed her arm in a tight grip and spun her around to face him, a predatory look in his eyes.

"It wasn't a question."

The next second Emily found herself forcibly dragged onto the dance floor, one of her hands on his shoulder while the other was held by his in a tight grip. She felt his other hand slid to the small of her back and shivered in contempt, staring up at him angrily. Lucius stared back, a smirk on his sharp features.

"I don't appreciate being handled as though I'm your play thing, I am not Narcissa." She hissed.

"Oh, I know, because if you were Narcissa than you would be much more obedient." He returned smoothly, leading her into a waltz.

Emily followed his lead and stared up at him defiantly. "I'm not obedient to anyone, especially those I don't respect."

He gripped her hand so tight that Emily flinched. "You will learn to respect me when the time comes, Potter. You will see that I outrank you in everything, and it would be in your best interest not to make me your enemy."

She glared at him. "I don't make enemies Malfoy, they make themselves by underestimating me."

Lucius looked amused and brought Emily closer to whisper in her ear. "You have such a fire within you Emily. It won't be long before it's put out."

"Will it be you to put it out Malfoy?"

He caught her eye. "Would you want it to be me, Emily?"

Emily turned her head away from him. "What I want is for you to realize it that I will not be like Narcissa and bow down to your every whim. You think you can control everyone, but you have no control over me and you never will. Who I am and how I live is of no business to you and it never will be."

He stared at her, their faces still close, and slowly grinned. "That's where you're wrong. How you live your life is as much my business as it is yours and everyone else's in this room."

"What are you talking about?" She asked sharply.

He smiled and stepped back, glancing over her shoulder. "You'll see."

He turned away from Emily, and she watched as he disappeared into the crowd. Someone behind her cleared their throat and Emily turned, her hands grasping each other tightly behind her back.

That bastard trapped me!

Emily regained composure and smiled. "Hello Bellatrix."

Bellatrix smiled. "Emily, it's nice to see that you could make it. Narcissa told me of your delayed RSVP."

Emily swallowed, her mouth dry. "Yes, family problems. It was getting difficult to get away."

Bellatrix nodded. "Yes, I figured as much, because there was otherwise no reason for you to miss my wedding after I personally wanted you to come. However, I must say, it doesn't seem that you're enjoying yourself much."

"I am," Emily reassured quickly. "I just don't feel as though I know many people here and thought it better that I…I…"

"Stand by yourself by the refreshment table?" Bellatrix asked amused. "Yes, I noticed, but I can't help but wonder why you are not with Regulus and his group of friends, you know them, correct?"

"Yes," Emily said slowly. "But Regulus and I are no longer… together, so I didn't see reason to be by him."

"That shouldn't have stopped you Emily." Bellatrix grinned slyly. "Regulus realizes his mistake and is considering getting back together. It would be best if you tried to work things out before you returned to school."

Emily's eyes widened. "He…what? He's told you this?"

Bellarix laughed. "He doesn't have to. I can tell by how he couldn't take his eyes off you all night." Her eyes flickered to the right and she smirked.

Emily's heart clenched and she followed Bellatrix's gaze, her eyes locking his Regulus's from across the room. Emily frowned and quickly looked away, still feeling the heat of his gaze on the side of her head.

Suddenly her wrist was taken into Bellatrix's tight grip and she was being led off the dance floor -in a similar way she had been dragged on- and pulled into another room by the older woman, the door being closed behind them. The room was dark, but was suddenly flooded with light and Emily saw that she was in a parlor. She surveyed the room quickly, taking note of the paintings on the walls, the grand piano in the corner, and the armchairs and sofa across from it.

Bellatrix had situated herself on the sofa, her billowing white dress robes flowed out around her and her elbow propped up on the arm of the sofa and her head rested on her palm, her dark eyes fixated upon Emily.

Bellatrix motioned to the armchair across from her. "Take a seat Emily, we have much to discuss."

Emily sat down. "Discuss…what?"

"Your future. Do you have any idea about what you're going to do?"

Emily looked at her hands. She knew what Bellatrix was asking, but feigned obliviousness. "I was thinking of figuring that out after I graduated. I have enough time before I have to think about what path I'm going to take."

"I'm sorry to tell you Emily, but there's no time left to think about it. You either decide now, or I will assume that you don't want to join us."

"Join?" Emily looked up and saw that Bellatrix was frowning.

"Don't try and act innocent Emily. You know what I'm talking about and I won't let you dance around the subject. Either you will join the Dark Lord with the rest of us or you refuse and are labeled a traitor like the rest of your family."

"Why do I have to join his ranks to prove I'm like the rest of you?!" Emily burst out loudly. "There are plenty of Slytherins who aren't joining him and I don't see you trying to recruit them!"

"Because none of them have the same potential as you Emily." Bellatrix explained slowly. "You can become more powerful and be respected by everyone. All you have to do is say that you will join the Dark Lord and the power is so much as yours. That's what you want isn't it, to be more powerful?"

Emily bit her lip. "I do, but…but I don't want power that's just handed to me."

Bellatrix smiled. "The Dark Lord doesn't just hand out power Emily; you gain it by proving your own power to him. The aspect of power is what draws people in, and it's his own power that causes people to follow him, but only the most powerful will be by his side. You have the power Emily; you just need a purpose to help it grow. Let that purpose be serving someone who will purify this world and make it great for those like us."

Emily looked down and clenched her hands together in her lap. "I…do I really have to decide now?"

"Yes. If you really are one of us then your decision now or within the future would be the same."

Emily didn't respond, emotions conflicting within her. Bellatrix saw this and leaned forward eagerly. "We are the only ones who will understand you Emily. If you decide not to join us no one will accept you. You'll be alone for the rest of your life. You don't want that… do you?"

"No." Emily said quietly.

Bellatrix leaned back again. "You won't be if you join. You will become so powerful that no one would dare defy you or leave you."

Emily's eyebrows furrowed. "What type of relationships would those be if they're only based on the amount of power I have?"

Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "If it makes you feel better, Narcissa has become rather fond of you, and will no doubt find your company nice after Hogwarts when she and Lucius start a family."

Emily scoffed.

Bellatrix surveyed her nails lazily. "Regulus has already joined."

Emily looked up sharply. "What?"

Bellatrix smirked and nodded. "He's already taken the mark." Bellatrix lifted her sleeve and showed Emily the dark black tattoo imprinted on her arm of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. It was the Dark Mark; Voldemort's mark."

Emily's wide eyes traveled up to meet Bellatrix's. "He…already? But I thought that people couldn't join until they've graduated?"

Bellatrix pulled her sleeve back down. "That's usually the case, but our Lord found Regulus's eagerness to join enough to give him the mark early. His noble lineage helped as well."

Emily closed her eyes and looked down.

Regulus…

"No one else can know about this though. The only reason you can know is because the trial period of being a Death Eater in hard and will take a toil upon him and he will need someone to support him."

Bellatrix stared at the crumpled form of Emily and inwardly smirked. She had found a way to get her to join, and that way was through her feelings for Regulus.

"He'll need you Emily."

Emily shook slightly and hugged herself.

Regulus, you idiot. How could you have taken it so early? You're only going to get yourself hurt. You aren't ready to do this.

"I'll do it." Emily finally said.

"Do what?"

Emily looked up. "I'll support Regulus and join the Dark Lord."

Bellatrix let a feral expression overcome her features. "I knew you would."

Emily looked away as Bellatrix continued to talk.

"Now you would have to wait till graduation. It would give you more time to prepare and your family wouldn't be as suspicious, but that would give you more time to look after Regulus and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Emily nodded. "Right."

"And when the time comes that you will join he will be there for you as you were there for him. Now remember that…"

Emily half listened, a feeling of dread overcoming her heart.

I can no longer do anything for myself, can I?

She looked up and her eyes caught sight of a portrait of Regulus hanging above the piano.

Now I'm only doing this for Regulus…but why?