A Nagini and Severus Tale: Chapter Seven: The Dreadful Dinner Party – Part One
Perhaps it was entirely the foul mood lingering on from his afternoon spent at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, or just simply the rumbling of his empty stomach that added to Severus' discomfort and irritation. Severus hungered for something. Anything. Where's the bloody food?
When Walburga Black had one of her 'attacks', the entire household shut down; consequently, neither he nor Regulus had eaten the entire afternoon. In a terse, hushed hurry, Orion had gathered his now slightly-sedated wife, Regulus and Severus, and by the time they had arrived at Malfoy Manor, the boys were both highly irritable.
So it was with gritted teeth and unwavering determination to cover his edginess that Severus curtly nodded in agreement to Lucius' fierce whispered order, ''Severus, watch Rodolphus tonight!", accompanied with a fervent glance to Nagini and Rodolphus.
A ravenous pang shot through his gut. Severus looked around the crowded room, determined to find a tray of hors d'oeuvres, either self-hovering or attached to an elf. Finding neither, he turned his attention back to the circle of droll conversation he found himself suffering through.
Only deriving sporadic pleasure from admiring the demure witch he had been commissioned to watch allowed him to civilly nod or comment on the chaff discussion around him. Having purposely placed himself beside Nagini, Severus reflected on how, with momentarily daunted breath, he had watched her enter the room this evening, passing through the gaggle of guests, seemingly unaware of the sporadic sniggers behind her back from the grotesquely animated faces. She had waded through the garish throng of affluent and powerful wizards and witches with Lucius, who – strategically halting now and then to receive a greeting, an introduction or congratulations – continued making a beeline towards Narcissa as best he could, escorting Nagini beside him.
Over half were supporters of the Dark Lord, and the others, who took for granted their place and influence, supported no one but themselves and the legacy they had been given, as descendants of the Knights of Walpurgis. They smelled of old magic; but all smelled of an even more esoteric trait along with their wealth and power: Pureblood. With derisory curiosities satisfied once introduced to Nagini, this echelon of Pureblood Wizarding society turned to one another to speculate further about the niece of Abraxas Malfoy.
Is she aware of their gandering and gossip? wondered Severus to himself. Perhaps she is aware of it, but merely ignoring it all?
Noticing Nagini giving a troubled look into the oppressive crowd, Severus pondered the cause for her discomfort. What was she concerned about? Did she overhear derogatory remarks about her Blood Status?
Severus swallowed hard, gazing at Nagini, a fleeting thought crossing his mind: Are you like me? A half-blood?
Nagini was so close that Severus could detect a soft pleasing fragrance around her: Cinammon. And something else... undeniably, a feminine scent. Her scent...
Nagini looked around into the myriad of faces filling the room; not finding whom she sought, her attention returned to the immediate circle, lingering on Severus. The one who entered my mind... Well, I'm ready for him now, she assured herself.
"Yes. Yes, of course. However, it is refutable on several points," remarked the tall dark-haired wizard to Narcissa, and proceeded to give her examples. Nagini and Severus' eyes met, followed by spontaneous knowing smiles; the discussion at hand was quite absurd, and Severus and she both knew it. Sharing a mutual moment of amusement with Nagini caused a warm surge to sweep through Severus: sensual, soothing and magnetic.
Narcissa had been in a heated disagreement with Guinevere Rookwood over the debatable usages of Dragon's blood, most of their conversation centring on its questionable usage in fertility rituals. Their opinions were in direct contradiction with one another.
Nagini couldn't tell whether Severus' comments were laced with sarcasm or earnestness, as his eyebrows, raised as if commenting on the ludicrous, belied his smooth voice which she found so compelling. There was something alluring about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. The curiosity he aroused surprised her. Nagini already knew he was powerful and highly skilled. His excursion into her mind earlier that day bore witness to that, but there had been no pretention or arrogance in his demeanour. He had an ability to exert such power, yet not feel the need to draw attention to it; his modesty and austereness intrigued her.
Narcissa pouted teasingly. "Oh, Severus! You needn't disagree with everything I say!"
"I'm not disagreeing, but rather pointing out indisputable facts regarding —"
Narcissa burst into laughter. "See? You're doing it again! Can you not not disagree, ever? You're one of the most exasperating men I've ever met —"
"Good – you've worked her up for me!" Lucius had come up beside Narcissa, gliding a hand around her waist. "Now, I get to calm you down," whispered Lucius into Narcissa's ear; he was in a particularly gregarious and, the more he touched Narcissa, amorous mood.
"Can't you get them to quiet down a tad?" Narcissa asked, indicating the raucous group Lucius had left to rejoin her.
Severus turned and caught Rodolphus within his peripheral vision; in sharp contrast to the rowdy group he stood among, Rodolphus was disturbingly quiet. He seemed sublimely subdued, but with a lethal edge.
Letting his gaze travel further, Severus slowly looked around at the loosely serrated circle of Hogwarts' peers mixed with several older guests. Some were dividing their attention between either Narcissa and Lucius, or Bellatrix and Rodolphus. The majority of the latter group, predominantly male, strategically positioned themselves around Bellatrix, who, laying half-reclined on a narrow settee loveseat in the midst of them, was gluttonously soaking up the volatile energy exuded from her admirers.
Peeved, Severus noticed how the vulgar, animated jostling of McNair, Nott and Goyle egging Regulus on was drawing the attention of many guests. In the midst of Bella's admirers, stood Regulus, visibly shaking, adrenaline pumping through his veins as Mulciber and other young Death Eaters punched and jabbed at him, animatedly describing the various pleasures of the Imperious curse when used for sexual, fatal tortures on Undesirables and Muggles. The sixteen-year-old was wide-eyed and speechless, just nodding and giving hoarse grunts, mentally logging all the details.
Bellatrix's cackles spontaneously exploded from her when something particularly amusing struck her fancy. But the boisterous rowdiness and excitement was getting out of hand, causing some of the older guests to stop and throw distasteful, quizzical looks at the unruly group.
Narcissa had had enough.
"Lucius!" pleaded Narcissa with a forced smile covering her simmering anger, then insisting urgently, "You must control them. Now, Lucius!"
"They're just letting off some steam, excitement for tonight."
"Yes," she hissed. "But it was to be a night for us, excitement for us – not him."
"The Dark Lord?" enquired Lucius. Then, he pointed out, "It's his title, Narcissa – use it!"
There was a second of tense hesitancy between Lucius and Narcissa.
In a neutral tone, Lucius carefully repeated, "It's his title, Cissy. You will use it when discussing or addressing the Dark Lord."
Lucius was forced to look away from the wounded look Narcissa gave him. After some contemplation, he made a decision. Manoeuvring Narcissa to the secluded spot directly behind Severus and Nagini, he took advantage of the momentary privacy and gave Narcissa a quick, soft kiss below her earlobe as he lifted her hand to his lips.
"Cissy, it is a night for us; our night. After the first set of dancing... the very first interlude..." He smiled surreptitiously. "Remember my plan?" he whispered. "I have something to show you. Privately?"
It seemed to mollify Narcissa momentarily, for she looked up at him with sad eyes but the slightest soft smile.
"It's all going to be all right, Cissy," Lucius reassured Narcissa, kissing her forehead. "Five more months – you'll be Mistress of all this, and of me – for always." He kissed her hand again. "You'll have other things to fill up that lovely mind of yours, other worries, obligations..." His other hand had slowly glided down to Narcissa's waist to gently rest over her womb. Gasping softly, Narcissa gracefully caught his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "There, there..." Lucius was murmuring in her ear, comforting her with sweet nothings interspersed with soft kisses to her neck.
Sharp shots of unexpected envy fired through Severus; his irascibility escalating at not only witnessing the privileged turtle-doves cooing behind him, but enabling the nauseating display by providing cover for them. Severus sourly watched Regulus continuing to be goaded and revved up by the likes of Mulciber, Nott and Goyle. Look at Regulus, like a Muggle wally... the idiot! The Dark Lord will crush him with one glance... penetrate him senselessly.
Increasingly taxing his strained nerves, and being further distracted by Lucius and Narcissa's continual sweet nothings behind him, Severus bitterly ruminated, Lucius... handed everything on a silver platter: position, prestige, power... a bride, for always...
Brooding darkly, Severus gave a quick side-glance to Nagini. Though she continued to stand, seemingly aloof to the different scenes playing out around her, the faint rosy flush on her cheeks gave away her emotional state. Though she maintained her poise, she couldn't masque her gentle, shallow breathing.
The thought of her reacting to the heated whisperings of the lovers drew Severus' attention to her more ardently. Previously unexpected and unwelcome but now undeniable, the blazing warmth surged through Severus once again, but this time, he was not ashamed by it. A sudden bolt of entitlement awoke in him. So, she is made of flesh and blood after all, he mused heatedly, his muscles tightening throughout his body in excitement. Perhaps... perhaps my lovely wallflower is responsive to...
Thinking again of the mark left on her face by Abraxas, Severus decided, I'll kiss away your pain, make up for what you've had to endure from that arrogant, sadistic lout...
The image of brushing his lips across her aroused, flushed cheeks, causing them to bloom with more intense shades of burgundy, flashed through Severus' mind. Allowing his thoughts to drift further, Then, a trail of slow kisses down that lovely neck of yours... to its nape... down to your... Severus noted with intensifying appreciation, the soft flowing material snugly caressing curves of her breasts...
"There you two are!"
Everyone in the nearby group jolted and turned to the addressor. It was Abraxas.
"None of that, now," Abraxas jokingly wagged his index finger, addressing Lucius and Narcissa. "Plenty of time for that after you're married. Propriety first. Control, young people, control!" The elders within hearing distance responded with hollow laughter as the dinner bell chimed, beckoning all to the grand dining room.
As a sweep of energy swept the scattered groups towards dinner, Lucius motioned to Severus. "Would you do the honours and escort Nagini?"
"Shall we?" offered Severus.
Taking Severus' offered arm, Nagini felt his firm, muscular bicep. Who would have thought? He's lean but so taut…" Thank you," she responded.
Once seated for dinner, Nagini and Severus barely spoke a word to each other. Through the courses, Severus was kept busy by Narcissa, seated to his right, who enjoyed having him, along with Lucius sat on her other side, as her audience.
This left Nagini much to herself, which she was grateful for. Even though Regulus Black was seated to her left, thankfully, he was completely engrossed in Bellatrix beside him. This gave Nagini time to think about what she should do next. For he was here. Lester Qualmsick, seated directly across the table from her. It's all a mistake. Why did I think this evening could be normal?
Nagini had thought simply doing what was expected of her this evening would be the most difficult aspect of it: 'Don't speak unless spoken to. When spoken to, respond politely, but as little as possible. Be the attentive listener, not the initiator...'
I'll return to my room, after dinner, when the dancing starts, I'll find Abraxas and ask if I may return to my room. No one'll care or notice my absence, and I'll be able to avoid him…
But even as she planned this, Nagini looked up to find Lester Qualmsick's hawk-like gaze boring into her. Meeting his gaze was difficult. In a flash, the entire miserable weeks in her cell in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic came back to her; the endless interrogations, preparations, the brutal inquisitions from Bartemius Crouch, Albus Dumbledore – they had not bothered her as much as Qualmsick's had because the former ones had been fierce but objective, but Qualmsick... There was that lingering undisclosed connection with Abraxas: something personal, intimate... Lester Qualmsick knew more about her than anyone in this room.
Nagini wanted a fresh start without the past to burden her. She had been forced to disclose her past – all of it – to Qualmsick, in desperation for someone to defend her.
And now, meeting his gaze across the table in this increasingly unruly atmosphere, Nagini could only feel her growing sense of shame at seeing Qualmsick's smugness, possibly holding her very future in his hands. The possibility of his influencing it further unsettled her.
Under his dark lashes, Severus discreetly followed Nagini's gaze to where it rested on Lester Qualmsick. Qualmsick, who – despite a voluptuous witch dripping with gems having attached herself to him, vivaciously attempting to hold his attention – wasn't taking his eyes away from Nagini.
Qualmsick's stare continued relentlessly: Nagini tried to focus left and right, anywhere in order to avoid having to return his gaze.
As Severus watched, Qualmsick's vacant expression, in spite of the garish witch's squawking and clinging, changed to a knowing smile and nod upon finally catching Nagini's attention. Nagini, unable to deny his presence any further, but hating herself, acknowledged him.
Severus had the sudden impulse to hex the esteemed barrister, regardless of Qualmsick's reputation. His gut instincts told him that Qualmsick's complacent smile and nod to Nagini was fraught with parlous intention. It was not Rodolphus that Lucius should be worrying about, and by the reticent aura surrounding Nagini, Severus knew that she would agree.