"Draco! Darling!"
The shrieking exclamation grated down Hermione's spine like nails against a chalkboard. She knew that voice, hated that voice. And surely enough it was followed up by the voluptuous, cruel beauty that was Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black. She wore one of her numerous black, frilled, corseted ball gowns that displayed a perfect expanse of pale cleavage that Draco visibly flinched away from when she threw herself at him for a hug.
"Oh, look at you," she simpered, ruffling the young man's pale locks. "You've grown up. You must be as tall as I am now. And I still think of you as the little tot who just wanted to twirl with Aunt Bella. Well, dear, give me a kiss." Bellatrix presented him with her cheek, which he dutifully pressed his lips to before extracting himself under the guise of greeting his mother.
Hermione had frozen just inside the door, unsure whether it was safe to move forward. Often not moving was the best way to deal with Slytherins; evade notice, evade tongue lashings, evade the chance of punishment.
Alas, as soon as Draco had passed to the relative safety of his mother's arms, the black-eyed woman turned her burning gaze to Hermione.
"I see the mudblood has also returned."
The girl straightened up to her full (short) height, forcing her features to remain smooth. "Lady Lestrange," she greeted with a nod that was not quite a curtsy. It was always best to be especially polite and dull with Bellatrix.
"Indeed." Lucius sneered as he passed his ward and exchanged an air-kiss with his sister-in-law. "Though of late her value has decreased. She may soon prove more trouble than anything."
This was the point at which Narcissa intervened, taking Hermione's hand to her own and interrupting whatever her sister might have said in response. "Hermione, dear, I believe an owl arrived for you recently? Your correspondence is in your bedroom."
"Thank you," she murmured as the woman pressed their cheeks together, then excused herself to the stairs.
There was a letter from Viktor detailing his journey home. She flopped onto her bed and skimmed through it, her heart not quite in reading. Bellatrix Lestrange was here, and it seemed she had been for a little while. How long was she going to stay? And what would she do while she was here?
She glanced at her clock to see there were only two hours until dinner. She still needed to unpack; Hermione preferred to do that herself rather than have the elves do it, since that way she could organize her things and properly decompartmentalize her year. However, with Bellatrix there it was best she focused on getting ready for that ordeal.
Dinner had been an uncomfortable affair for everyone except the guest of honor. Lucius had adjourned to his study as soon as was appropriate and was now sipping brandy at his desk.
Bella's visit was ostensibly to spend time with her sister, but in actuality she was securing Malfoy support in hers and her husband's political agenda. They were throwing their weight behind Augustus Rookwood for next Minister for Magic. Lucius could not personally see why, as the Unspeakable was hardly the most liked candidate in the running. Still…
In the last year his sister-in-law had been inviting close friends of similar beliefs to her home for dinner parties. It was mostly men, a few wives in tow, but they always wound up drinking and discussing the state of things in the country.
"We allow mudbloods to essentially buy their way into our world," she'd complained once. "And while I… appreciate… certain usages for them in society," and she nodded to him then, "but working in our government? Owning property?" With a long-suffering sigh, Bella had dropped into the seat beside her husband.
She was right, of course. Lucius had seen the insidious ideologies of mudbloods who attained authority in wizarding society; the Potter family had diluted itself with that redheaded muggleborn and he'd heard enough from Draco to know that family had a television and watched cinema on it. Their son had shown off some of it to Draco and even speculated on how to bring it into the wizarding world.
"Here you are, Lucius, I almost thought you'd gone to bed already." Bellatrix stood at his door, a hand on her tightly corseted waist. "You practically fled the dinner table."
He quirked a brow at her red pout and took another swig of his drink, the pleasant burn running down his throat. "I saw no point in drawing out such a stilted meal."
"I was having fun." She sauntered to him in a gliding sashay of voluminous skirts and swept the tumbler from his hand to take a drink. "It is so disappointing to see my sister and my nephew taken with that mudblood, but at least it is slightly amusing to watch the girl's inability to control her expressions." Lucius took back his drink, eyeing his sister-in-law flatly. "She's pretty enough, your little mudblood. Is that why Draco likes her?"
He coughed out brandy onto his chest. "Excuse me?"
She shrugged innocently and reached over him (her corseted bosom on eye level) to pour herself a drink, settling in the chair across from him. "He's at that age. And you mentioned trouble…"
Lucius flicked his wand to rid himself of the mess and smoothed back some of his hair. "No, of course not. If anything, his feelings are… Familial." He sighed. "She has been getting attention of that nature."
Bella tipped her head in question.
"She has caught the eye of the Bulgarian seeker, Krum. You heard he was the Champion for Durmstrang?" It was common enough knowledge and she nodded, dark eyes sparkling. "You should have seen it, Bellatrix. The girl was all glamoured up in a gown I'm sure Narcissa spent at least a hundred galleons on, and she'd tamed that ridiculous hair further. There was a picture in The Prophet. I'm surprised you did't see it."
She tapped a manicured nail against her crystal tumbler. "Do you have your copy on hand?" He accio'd it and handed it over, a picture of the girl demurely looking away from date with a blush as he murmured to her gracing the front of the society section. "Well."
"Karkaroff didn't even know she was a mudblood, and apparently Krum has taken after the Weasleys." He sneered and poured more of the amber liquor in his glass. "I have heard about it nearly nonstop. We took her in, gave her a place in our world, and she has taken it upon herself to elevate herself to our level."
Bella tutted. "It is the worst sort of filth, a little muddy social climber. I quite understand your anger, Lucius, but what do you intend to do about it?"
"Do?" He blinked at her. "Considering the position mudblood a have begun taking recently in our ministry, what can I do?"
"Well, she is still your ward until sheiks of age. That's, what, two years off?"
"Mm." He hummed and shook his head. "As the law is written, it extends to graduation for mudblood wards. A layer of protection since they are without inheritance or position upon coming of age."
"Perfect." The way she purred the word had him leaning toward her in expectation. "You need to use your position as her guardian to put her in her place, Lucius. Punish her for her audacity. And throw your support behind Augustus." She held up a hand before he could interrupt. "I know you are hesitant, but he has the same values as we share. He does not wish to see our society crumble into a muggle mess either. And he has even drafted laws to keep them at the appropriate level."
"And what is that?" He swirled the glass, dangling from long fingers, alcohol forming a small whirlpool.
"Not dissimilar to what you have here. They would be cared for by the government in exchange for labor. Some might be sponsored by decent families. And those who don't wish to be a part of a society would have the Trace kept on them out in the muggle world."
"And when fools like James Potter marry their mudbloods?"
Bella's wild curls shook with her head. "Lucius, Lucius, they wouldn't be allowed to marry. In fact, they should either be allowed to procreate only with their own, or be sterilized entirely. With that last, those with weaker self control wouldn't have to worry about bringing half blooded bastards into the world."
He shuddered to think of ending a lineage as old as his with Draco marrying a mudblood. Still… "Sterilization is rather final, is it not?"
She waved the paper with his ward's blushing visage on it. "Given the reaction to your ward, do you not think it a smart move?"
Lucius shrugged. "Perhaps a long-term contraceptive for mudbloods that could only be lifted by the ministry?"
Bella thought about that for a moment. "That is at least a step in the right direction. And more easily supported; they do breed like rabbits." She simpered indulgently at him. "See? You are already contributing invaluable ideas to the cause. Say you'll join us, Lucius. Please?"
He downed the rest of his nightcap. "Alright. Consider me in."
As he stood, she threw herself at him in an eager embrace. "You won't regret this." He extricated himself from her arms and headed toward the study door. Before he could reach it, one of her pale hands gripped his forearm. "And do work on punishing your mudblood for her impertinence. She will never learn otherwise."