DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER.
It had been quite some time since the incident with dementors, the cloaked figures and Hewson. Alexander had done some investigating and had eventually managed to detain him when he was off his guard and force Veritaserum down the throat. Hewson had confessed that he had indeed sent the dementors, but it had been to find Abhimanyu, not harm others. Hewson had been sent to Azkaban, but his time there had only been half a day as some other pureblood wizards including Abraxas Malfoy plus Hewson's wife had managed to use their influence to get him out. Still, Hewson had had to pay a heavy fine for his actions.
He had been in a foul mood for a whole week, not because of the money he had had to spend to get his way out of Azkaban, but because some of it had gone to Abhimanyu Pandey, mainly thanks to Alexander's influence.
Currently, it was Friday, the 31st of October, and in the evening, just after auror training had finished for the day, Bellatrix and Abhimanyu were standing just outside a telephone booth which was actually an entrance/exit to/from the ministry.
The previous day, Bellatrix had told Abhimanyu that she would be free for a dinner date on Saturday, but now she had told him it would not be possible.
Abhimanyu was protesting, "But Bella, you said you'd be able to come on Saturday. As it is, we have our training. Then something happens every now and then."
Bellatrix explained, "I really wish I could hang out with you tomorrow, but I can't. Tomorrow night at 7, a ball is being held at Malfoy Manor. And I have to be there. Father and Mother are insisting that my sisters and I must attend the ball. I wish it were not on Saturday, but it is. I'm so sorry."
Abhimanyu suggested, "Perhaps I could come to the ball. Who knows, maybe…"
Bellatrix cut in, "No, absolutely not! Abraxas Malfoy will kill you! Not to mention, my parents are going to be there! If they see you, they'll make your life miserable! No, I'm sorry but it just isn't going to work out."
Abhimanyu looked at her sadly and said, "Alright then. I guess I'll just have to accept it."
November 1st 1969, 6:55 pm…
"Bellatrix," Druella in a dark green and black dress called out as she stood outside Bellatrix's room, "Andromeda, Narcissa; are you all ready?"
Bellatrix who was wearing a black lace dress opened the door and said, "I'm ready Mother."
Druella spoke, "Come down at once. Father is waiting for you. We have to be there at Malfoy Manor now."
Andromeda and Narcissa who were wearing black and blue dresses came running down the corridor and stopped near their mother.
Druella looked at the three girls and brushed their sides and hair before saying, "Come on now. Father is waiting."
They went downstairs to the front door where Cygnus was waiting in his black suit.
Cygnus looked at the girls and spoke, "We must hurry quickly if we are to reach the Manor on time. Walburga, Orion, Sirius and Regulus have already gone ahead. And remember, act with the dignity of a Black."
"Yes Father," the girls replied.
They stepped outside the house and made sure that the front door was closed properly before walking a little distance away from the house.
They then apparated to the gates of Malfoy Manor, with Cygnus taking Andromeda and Druella taking Narcissa, as they were still too young to apparate.
Malfoy Manor was a huge place to say the least. There was a large garden which spread across several acres of land. There were two swimming pools, and several beautiful creatures such as peacocks and squirrels roaming around.
Cygnus and his wife and daughters walked closer to the gates and Cygnus announced their presence to a wizarding guard nearby who proceeded to make way for them.
They walked into the Manor and found themselves in a huge entrance hall. They went to a large ballroom in the Manor where there was a large chandelier hanging in the middle from the ceiling.
They then heard a proud male voice calling out, "Ah, Mr. Cygnus Black, so pleased that you could make it. And greetings, Mrs. Druella Black."
They turned to see a tall man with long pale blond hair approaching them.
This as they knew was Abraxas Malfoy, a powerful and elite pureblood and the father of Lucius Malfoy.
Abraxas approached them and shook hands with Cygnus before proceeding to kiss Druella's right hand and then the right hands of the daughters.
As the purebloods gathered spoke to each other, Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa looked around the place.
There were several of their pureblood fellow students there. They spotted Rodolphus and Avril, as well as Hewson and his wife Macready. The Nott and Rosier families were there as well.
Meanwhile, some distance away from the gates down the road, stood a single lone figure, cloaked in black, with black long hair, with his hood off, wondering how he could possibly sneak into the Manor. His love was there, but unfortunately, her family was against people like him.
He muttered, "Bella, I wish I could get in there to be with you. I just wish…"
Just then, he heard a male elderly voice calling out, "Hello young man, do you need any help?"
He turned around to see an old balding man with whitish grey hair at the sides, dressed in black formal robes, an old woman dressed in a pink ball dress with long sleeves and a pink hat, and a small boy in a suit who was looking very disgruntled.
Abhimanyu asked, "Sir, Ma'am, where are you going?"
The old man replied cheerfully, "We are on our way to a ball. What about you?"
Abhimanyu asked, "You mean the ball that's being held at Malfoy Manor?"
"Of course," the old woman replied, "Do you need any help?"
Abhimanyu asked, "That would be great. Actually, may I know your name?"
The old man replied, "My name is Fleamont Potter and this is my wife Euphemia Potter."
Abhimanyu remembered Bellatrix telling him about the Potter family that was known to be a light pureblood family. The Potters had married into the Black family before and Alexander had once recommended meeting them sometime.
Just then, the boy grumbled, "Mum, do we have to go?!"
The old woman turned to the boy and said, "James, this is a formal occasion which we must attend. I know you want to sit at home and read your comic books, but this is not the time."
Abhimanyu looked at the boy and commented, "Sir, Ma'am, you have a very cute grandson."
Fleamont chuckled and said, "Actually, James here is our son. He's nine years old."
"Oh," Abhimanyu exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! Well, that's nice!"
Euphemia said, "I know, we're very old. Quite a lot of people think he's our grandson actually."
Abhimanyu said, "Well, it's very nice to meet you. My name is Abhimanyu Pandey. I'm a Muggleborn."
"Oh," Fleamont spoke in a cheerful manner, "That is interesting. Alexander Bones has spoken of you. It is nice to finally meet you. And by the way, do you need any help?"
Abhimanyu replied, "Actually, yeah. First, can I call you Uncle Fleamont and Aunt Euphemia? And second of all, the most important part, I need your help. Could you possibly get me into Malfoy Manor?"
A few minutes later…
The wizarding guards that had been stationed at the gates did not seem surprised when they heard Fleamont and Euphemia Potter announce themselves to them. Normally, they were not needed by the Malfoys, but this time, for the sake of formality, they had been hired.
One of them noticed a black cloaked hooded figure standing next to Fleamont Potter and asked in a stern male voice, "Who is that standing with you?"
Fleamont replied, "This is our nephew, Charles Potter."
The other guard, a heavily built man, said, "Oh, I had no idea you had a nephew. We'll need…"
Euphemia smilingly said, "Oh don't worry about it. Charles has been lost to us for a long time, and now that we have finally met him, we want to make up for the all the years he lost. He has been going through some hard times. Please let him enjoy the ball."
The guards looked at them and the first one said, "Alright, you may go in."
A few minutes later, Bellatrix and her sisters were standing in the ballroom on the side, waiting for some orchestra music to begin, as it was time to dance.
Some people had already picked their partners. Narcissa had picked Lucius, but Andromeda and Bellatrix themselves had not picked any.
Then, the lights dimmed a little and the orchestra started.
She had noticed Fleamont Potter and Euphemia Potter entering the hall, accompanied by a little boy with black hair and a cloaked hooded figure, but had not spoken to them.
She could see Rodolphus nearby, edging his way towards her to ask her for a dance.
Rodolphus was only a few feet away from her when he noticed someone else suddenly clasping Bellatrix' hands. That someone was dressed completely in black, and wore a hood.
Bellatrix gasped, "Who are you?"
"Shhh…" the figure whispered.
Bellatrix remained silent and gave the figure a glare.
The figure whispered, "Will you dance with me love?"
Bellatrix whispered, "What?"
The figure replied, "It's me, your dinner for a night. Take a look at my hand."
Bellatrix looked carefully at the figure's hands, and suddenly stiffened as she recognized a very familiar ring on the right ring finger, with a sapphire gemstone.
"Abhimanyu?" Bellatrix whispered, "You!"
"Will you, Bella?" Abhimanyu asked in a whisper.
Bellatrix looked at him with wide eyes and declared in response, "Yes, I will!"
Abhimanyu and Bellatrix began to waltz to the orchestra, smiling as they did so.
Abhimanyu led her to the middle of the ballroom without realizing it and spun her around in a circle.
Meanwhile, Cygnus and Druella who were on the side were looking at Bellatrix and Abhimanyu.
Druella exclaimed, "She looks so graceful, but who is that young man?!"
Cygnus muttered, "And why is she dancing with him and not any of the…"
Just then, Fleamont who was standing nearby called out, "Oh, how wonderful. That's my nephew Charles Potter."
Cygnus turned to face Fleamont and asked, "What? This is your nephew? But why is his face covered?"
Fleamont replied, "Let us say, he has a very good reason for it. Poor lad, something happened to his face in an accident. He's been through some hard times. This is his evening. Let him enjoy it. He and your daughter look so graceful."
Euphemia said, "They do."
James who was standing nearby whispered, "Oh come on! I want my comic books!"
Meanwhile Abhimanyu and Bellatrix continued to dance. Bellatrix then smiled at him led him through the wizards and wizards dancing. Blending with the crowd, she was able to whisk him away from the eyes of her parents and out of the ballroom.
She led him through a corridor and to a staircase. They climbed up and Bellatrix smiled as she led him down a corridor where there happened to be no one.
They could still hear the music from where they were.
And then, Bellatrix led him to a balcony and stopped there, just as the rhythm of the music stopped.
Just as the musicians who had been hired for the orchestra began to play the concluding notes, Bellatrix pulled Abhimanyu's hood off to reveal his smiling face, and then pulled him into a kiss.
They stood there, while the music concluded beautifully, in romantic bliss.
It was only a few moments after the music had stopped that Bellatrix and Abhimanyu broke the kiss and hugged each other.
Abhimanyu pulled up his hood and led Bellatrix back to the ballroom.
After that dance, he noticed several people moving towards a nearby buffet. He felt tempted to partake of the food being served, the roast potatoes and the pastries there especially, but he knew he would have to take off his hood. Someone would make him take it off.
Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Euphemia looking at him.
"Charles," she said in a motherly manner, "Why don't you eat something?"
'Charles' whispered, "I'll have to take off my hood."
"Oh you poor thing," Euphemia went on, "You just sit with me. No one will make you take off your hood as long as I am there."
Abhimanyu went and sat with Euphemia, Fleamont and James at a round table for four after having taken some food for himself and proceeded to eat.
A few people questioned him as to why a hood was being worn, but Euphemia managed to brush them off, and the hood remained there throughout the meal, including dessert.
After dinner, Fleamont said, "Charles, we should be going home."
Abhimanyu nodded and they walked out of the manor.
After having exited the grounds and having walked some distance away from the gate, Abhimanyu removed his hood and said, "Thank you so much!"
Fleamont said, "No need to thank us. Actually, you are quite a nice young man. We would like to get to know you better. Would you care to join us for dinner sometime, say, Wednesday?"
Abhimanyu smilingly replied, "Of course. It'll be really great."
Euphemia smilingly remarked, "And you can bring your lovebird Bellatrix to join us. You two make an interesting couple." She ended her remark with a chuckle.