Summary: Narcissa was tired of being host to the Dark Lord, but it was her duty to entertain her guests.

Genre: Family, General

Rated: T

Competition/Challenge Block
Written For: Monthly Challenges for All (Year 7); Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry 2.0 (Term 3); The Houses Competition (Year 11)

Hogwarts:

Houses: R5 Slytherin History of Magic Stand-In Drabble (Prompt: Pairing - Lucius/Narcissa)

MC4A:

Word Count: 919

Warning Tag: References Major Character Death; Implies Plotting Revenge

Author's Note: Thought this would be an interesting take on this particular meeting.

Entertain

Supper wasn't as pleasant as it used to be. Narcissa made sure her guests were well tended to, but it wasn't without disdain. Lucius had no leverage on anyone anymore. They sat near the center of the table, idly picking at the food in front of them and keeping their wine glasses full, Narcissa knew he had lost his integrity as well.

She wished he could have had a bath before this unannounced dinner party, but she wasn't going to be nitpicky at the moment. Lucius had been in prison for the last year, and she was forced to extend her appreciation of having him back to the Dark Lord.

Needless to say, it would be easy for her to keep to herself. The manor was grand enough to keep her family separated from the rest. However, those that the Dark Lord recruited lacked basic etiquette. Now if they just kept their eyes to themselves, that would make this gathering slightly more tolerable.

"Such a dull evening," the Dark Lord drawled. "This is the time to celebrate my rise to power, is it not?"

Narcissa felt sick at such a comment. Not moments before, everyone had bore witness to a disturbing death at that very table, and now he wished for further entertainment? She was grateful to have her husband back but at the expense of scarring her son and putting him in harm's way… How much more could she endure?

A fleeting thought of placing a drop of Widow's Bite—a poison she herself invented—in his wine could be the end of him. A fantasy long out of reach, unfortunately.

"My Lord, may I offer a service to your grace?" Lucius said eagerly beside her. "It will surely bring you the entertainment you desire."

The Dark Lord regarded him almost lazily. Narcissa snapped from her thoughts when she felt his red eyes boring into her husband. She knew that he had lost all respect for Lucius after his shortcomings, so he likely felt elated to be acknowledged.

He gave a flick of his bony fingers. "Let's hear it, Malfoy."

"My wife, Narcissa," he started, and she felt her blood run cold. "She has a gift for the violin. I'm sure she would eagerly play something satisfactory in celebration. It may pair well with dessert."

Narcissa dug her nails hard into his thigh as he spoke, willing him to stop, to bite his tongue, change his proposal, anything. He ignored her, numb to the pain and simple torture. Relaxing her grip when the Dark Lord's gaze landed on her, she squared her shoulders and regarded him.

"I would be honored to play for you."

Bellatrix was across from her, making obvious faces of disapproval for her to offer something that she could never: The art of music.

Narcissa rose from her chair, and with all the elegance and grace of a pureblooded woman, she made for a cabinet nestled on the far side of the room to retrieve her instrument. That was there where she stayed, being able to stare down the grand table and right at the Lord himself. The one who ruined her and her family's life.

She discreetly flicked her wand at her hip, casting a few spells to tune and polish the black oak wood so that it shimmered in the candlelight. A final spell allowed the sound of the violins to travel across the grand room without the need to play overly loud.

Tucking her wand back away among her skirt, she grabbed the bow and did a quick sound test before getting into position. Her icy blue gaze met the Dark Lord's from across the room.

"For my Lord."

Lucius straightened in his chair when she started to play, and Draco watched her keenly. She felt their eyes locked onto her as she focused on the movement of the bow across the strings and the position of her fingers on the violin's neck. The sound was pleasant, not too quick, but not sorrowful, either. As much as she wished it was a hymn for his death, she made sure it was uplifting and cheerful but held an undertone of something else.

It had been some time since her last dedication to the instrument, and she certainly wished she had picked it back up under much better circumstances. Still, she cast that thought away and instead allowed herself to tap back into that gift she had for music, letting it flow out with each note and movement. She dared not close her eyes, however, nor did she sway to the music as she normally did. Instead, she watched the Dark Lord from across the table, never taking her gaze from him as she continued playing.

It was her silent protest, in a way, with the added tones of a warning whispering under the high notes of the song she played. He likely wouldn't notice, no one in the room would except her, but she made sure her disgust for the wizard was a thread among the lighter musical notes. It was a promise that she would avenge the harm he caused to her family, to her home, and to her life.

She was a Black, and Blacks were not to be trifled with.

With the final note, she gave a modest bow among the applause, but she never let him out of her sight until she resumed her seat beside her husband, presenting yet again as the quiet, respectful wife she was meant to be.