24 June '74: A Little Party Never Killed Nobody: Purebloods

[Lucius Malfoy]

24 June 1974

directly following this thread
posting order:
Lucius, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Alecto, Rodolphus, Dora, Rabastan, Violet, Amycus, Annette, Regulus

Lunch had gone off splendidly - after he had calmed his new fiancee's irritation at him of course. While he was sure the girl had known that today's event with his parents had been for the purpose of a proper proposal, he had done his best to leave some of the surprise. She had assumed it would happen at her graduation (and he'd thought about it, but it was such a cliche), and the days since her graduation in which they had spent time together it had been the only thing she seemed to think about. On the other hand, it had also been one of the only things he had been thinking about. She had made it clear that he wasn't getting any further than he already had until she had a ring on her finger. While she had been in school it was easy to get his kicks elsewhere, sure. But he had been waiting for two years for this, and he'd be damned in he was going to wait any longer.

His parents had shooed them off, with assurances they would be by the Manor later. They'd already begun the process of moving into the Malfoy summer home, as Narcissa would be moving in with him as soon as the wedding was over. And while the party waiting behind the doors they were approaching was to celebrate them both, he was a tad sour that he'd even planned it. If he had known his parents would give them alone time... it wasn't worth thinking about now. He paused in front of the door, pulling Narcissa close to him to rest his forehead against hers. He'd been patient this long, he could survive this party. It would make her happy, to have her family here to celebrate their engagement.

Happy wife, happy life.

He tilted her head to place a kiss on her lips, ready to enjoy a few more moments alone with her when the door was suddenly ripped open. For fucks sake... Bellatrix Lestrange was there, drink in hand and a smirk on her lips, staring at the both of them. "Cissy! Come here and let me see the ring now! You've kept us all waiting here for you long enough."

[Narcissa Malfoy]

This moment, right here, was perfection in Narcissa Black's heart and mind. At the doorstep to what would soon be their home, her future husband had his arms around her and was being just darling. Sweet moments like this (all their moments, really), had had to be few and far between in these last two years. Distance had strained their relationship, and in her weaker moments, Narcissa had worried that he would tire of the bother of having a girlfriend still at school. They couldn't do the things that normal couples did except on her holidays, and even then it was rare to not have some sort of chaperoning presence around. They could hardly have any privacy at her home, as much as her parents were in favor of their union, and there were always watchful eyes when they were in public, given their status and Merlin-given assets. But now...nothing could stop them, no one could come between them...

She smiled into the kiss Lucius granted her, wrapping her arms around his neck as she moved to press against him. Her heart thudded in her chest, deafening, as she knew what would happen next. His parents had given them some space, they had the manor to themselves. And with getting her demands met, it was time for her to fulfill her end of their bargain. Gladly, Narcissa thought, ready to pull her fiancè inside and up to his suite when -

"Bella?" Shocked, Narcissa looked between Lucius and her sister - one seeming resigned to the situation while the other was almost flaunting her presence - and had to laugh. "It's hardly my fault you've been kept waiting - if we'd done this my way, we would've been engaged an age ago." She sent a wink to Lucius before extending her left hand to her sister, a giddy squeal laugh escaping her in excitement. For when Bella had opened the door, she had let out the sounds of many others, and music, and the smell of food and drink and - It's good I was already dressed up, heavens. Soon she was following Bella inside, tugging Lucius along by the hand, to find the entry fully decorated and flooded with family and beloved friends. Narcissa looked around in unmasked wonderment before her misty eyes landed on her love. Not that she'd had any doubts before agreeing to marriage, but for Lucius to do this - to put her happiness before his own - was so telling of the sort of husband he would be. "I can't believe you did this for me," she whispered before pulling him in for a sound kiss, cheers and clinking of silverware on glass echoing in her ears even after they separated.

[Bellatrix Lestrange]

This was the day her youngest sister had been dreaming about for over two years now, ever since she had convinced their parents to pursue an agreement with the Malfoy family. The Black family was extremely lucky that they Malfoy family has agreed, given what had happened during talks with Andromeda. The middle Black sister had seemingly wanted to take down the entire family when she’d run off with that muggle. While there were plenty of reasons Bellatrix disliked her future brother-in-law, his parents were not one of them. They were a wealthy family with the Ministry in their pocket, and their politics were in the right place. At least Narcissa would have whatever she wanted. Except for a decent husband.

She ran a hand gently through Rodolphus hair from her spot perched next to him on the arm of a chair, an absent minded gesture before she stood to set her empty glass down. How much longer could this blasted lunch take? Everyone was already here as Lucius had insisted, but did they really have to take their sweet time?

Bellatrix left her spot to go and find her Aunt Walburga, the woman also in attendance at the event. While she wouldn’t say she was fond of the woman, she at least had a like mind when it came to the Malfoy family. “Walburga, please tell me you saw those albino peacocks Lucius purchased?” They were absolutely hideous, although she was sure the blonde idiot thought they were absolutely majestic.

While the time seemed to drag, it wasn’t long before she saw Dobby scurrying towards the door. If the elf was moving that quickly, it meant that the newly engaged couple had to be close. She followed after him, pulling the door open to find the two on the front porch, and it took everything in her to not laugh. “Cissy! Come here and let me see the ring now! You've kept us all waiting here for you long enough."

She took her sisters extended hand with a smile, admiring the shining ring on her sisters hand. It was perfect for her sister, and Bella had to admit she was a tad surprised Lucius hadn’t royally screwed it up. “Cissy, it’s wonderful. Come on now, don’t keep us all waiting.” She was quickly bringing them inside, shooing the elf away as she closed the door behind them. This party was for her sister, and she would do her best to keep her mouth closed about anything that might upset her.

After a naseausting kiss from the couple, Bellatrix moved back to her sister, taking the girl’s hand once more. “You did well Lucius. Andromeda would have hated this,” she said with a laugh, before pulling her sister into a hug. “But let’s talk about this dress! I can’t believe Daddy let you out of the house in it.”

[Alecto Carrow]

"I am wasting away. This is so - boring." A number of small birds took flight from the hedges at the bellowed declaration, and with a tremendous groan, the young woman took up her wand. Yet again. And aimed. The decorative vase that had balanced atop the hand of a marble cherub exploded in a flash of blue, along with most of the awful thing's arm, and the flowers it had still held. Flowers that Lucius had had a hand in choosing, or at least would claim to, for his bride. Despite herself, Alecto laughed aloud and took up a half-finished glass of something with bite, no longer remembering exactly what they had grabbed, and not having the wherewithal to care. She raised it to her brother before knocking it back with flourish, and walked rather unsteadily to one of the melodic display fountains. She stepped onto the ledge and leaned forward, one leg kicking out behind her as she balanced, to set the glass on the highest tier she could reach. Hopping down with a thud of her boots, flecks of water from the spray all over the front of her horrible dress, she gave a deep curtsy. "Your go, brother mine."

Alecto darted and ducked out of range and watched for Amycus, glad indeed that if they had to show their faces here today, at least they could make it bearable by being together. They had survived far worse than a self-indulgent party at Malfoy Manor, celebrating the union of two who truly deserved each other. Who better to understand a narcissist than Narcissa, after all? "I should tell Cissy," she snorted, hopping up onto the ledge of the fountain again with arms spread wide, kicking at the new shards of glass, "about her precious Andy and her husband-to-be. That would liven things up, wouldn't it?" It was a lifetime ago that her old roommate and their yearmate had been bound together by their families, only to part - for the Blacks, in disgrace. And the silly girl still had no idea, as far as Alecto knew. No, Narcissa was so wrapped up in her own little world that she didn't question why one of the most - objectively - eligible bachelors in society started pursuing her. While she was still at school. It was how life was supposed to go for girls like her, so why wouldn't Lucius Malfoy want her? 

But no, Alecto shouldn't say anything. Not that she'd much care what Lucius said or did about it, the perfect tears Narcissa would cry, but Bellatrix would be upset with her for ruining her little sister's life. And continuing to be on the right side of the Lestranges was what had convinced her to attend, anyway. And so she had found the worst dress she could, something so lurid that the girl of the hour was sure to "adore" it - and hate her for taking away attention - and taken advantage of the free-flowing liquor at the party, and taken off with her brother when the room had become too stifling...

An eruption of cheers came from inside, and Alecto sighed, holding a hand out to her companion. "If there's not proper food coming, they can't blame us for leaving."

[Rodolphus Lestrange]

What a perfectly dull way to spend a Monday afternoon. It wasn’t enough that Rodolphus had already spent the entirety of the day pretending to busy with work, but now he had been pestered into attending a party for his sister-in-law and her apparent new fiancé. He didn’t know Lucius Malfoy well, though he expected that to change with this arrangement becoming official, but from what he remembered of the lad in school and their few encounters post-graduation, Rodolphus was not a fan. The blond was a bit of an arse, and not in the entertaining way Rodolphus appreciated in his mates. The older wizard could hardly imagine the stink Lucy would put up if he had to truly, literally, get his hands dirty in their work for the Dark Lord.

Nevertheless, Rodolphus did his husbandly duty and accompanied his wife to the celebration, finding first the bar and second a comfortable chair upon which he could get properly sh*t faced without making a spectacle of himself. Bella, perched on the arm of his chair, played absentmindedly with his hair as he savored an expensive scotch and discussed the upcoming Quidditch World Cup with a small crowd of wizards. Rodolphus had procured a box for the event and had plans to bet heavily on the Malagasy team who had had a spectacular season. Seemingly tired of sports talk, Bellatrix left without a word and Rodolphus carried on unbothered, until the doors opened and the attention was pulled to the couple of the hour. The guests cheered and Rodolphus sighed, leaning back into his seat, savoring the moments before he had to rise and greet his soon-to-be in-law and Bella's vapid little sister.

Outfit: Dutiful Husband
Tagged: Bellatrix Lestrange & randos

[Euphadora Parkinson]

Dora was beyond honored that Lucius Malfoy had reached out to extend her an invitation to this particular event. Her parents, however, saw this as an opportunity for their family to ascend the social ladder and had been bombarding her with etiquette reminders and demands that she make conversation with specific partygoers they assumed would be in attendance. Dora had just wanted to celebrate her friend’s impending engagement but of course that was the last thing Heath and Rebekah’s minds. They had sent their daughter on a mission and the weight of it was sitting heavily on her shoulders as she smiled and tried to engage with older witches and wizards she had nothing in common with. At least there were a few fashionable witches here, and Dora had managed to capture a few compliments on her dress which she had made just for the occasion. “I’ve a few years left in school still, but I am thinking about a position in fashion after I graduate. Model, obviously, but designing as well. My mum thinks I...”

Attention was pulled from the conversation to the front of the room where Narcissa and Lucius had just come in. Dora beamed at her friend through the crowd and clapped alongside the others as the crowd began to head toward the happy couple.

Dora, pleased for the distraction from talks about her future, let herself lean against the cool pane of the window, a ball of pink fluff skipping about unseen outside behind her. She still had another year before she was of age, and two years left at Hogwarts, so there was plenty of time to worry about her future later. She already knew she would find work easily as a model, print ads first, but she’d be on the catwalk in Paris before long. It wasn’t the strategy her parents had planned for their rise into high society, but it would get her there nonetheless, and she would have to sit through far fewer dull conversations on her speedy rise.

“Oh, thank Merlin!” Her eye caught a familiar face and she pulled at Rabastan’s coat sleeve to join her. “I thought it was all old bats and creepy grandads trying pick me up. You have to keep me company!”

Outfit: Attention Stealer
Tagged: Rabastan Lestrange

[Rabastan Lestrange]

Rabastan truly wasn't sure how seriously to take...any of this.

He'd been dragged along to Malfoy Manor by his brother and sister-in-law, and as it would have raised the wrong questions if she'd been missed at such an event, he'd had to take Annette with them as well. They were all there to support Bella, when it came down to it, and that's where Rab's uncertainty truly lay. Because he couldn't imagine that Bellatrix was actually in favor of this match. She was terribly protective of Narcissa, and the girl's future husband could hardly take that responsibility. To be sure, Lucius had what was required of him on paper - he came from a wealthy and well-connected family, Cissy would have the run of this objectively impressive estate, he'd done well at Hogwarts, even gaining the position of Head Boy, a future Death Eater lording over the students right under Dumbledore's crooked nose, he had business savvy and the Mark...

But Rab still wondered why Bella would trust him with her little sister. He'd known the silly girl for most of his life, after all, and Cissy needed someone to rein her in, not continue to feed her lies and indulge her whims. When danger came to their grand doors - as it would, for all of them involved in this great effort - could Lucius Malfoy do what had to be done to keep his bride safe?

Of course, performative marriages and celebrations were nothing new to the lad. He and the Hufflepuff were biding their time, after all, waiting out their ridiculous arrangement one day at a time. He was on the way to the bar, to find something sparkling for Annette to drink while they tried to keep up conversation with each other - there was enough ludicrous art around for them to mock, wasn't there? - when the sleeve of his coat was grabbed by more favorable company.

"Come now, Euphadora, be reasonable," he cajoled with a smirk, extending his arm for her to take anyway, and nodded towards the bar. "You'll scare your best suitors away with talk like that,"

[Violet Fudge]

Violet had been waiting for this moment almost as long as Narcissa had. When her dearest friend told Violet of her plans to be arranged with Lucius Malfoy, Violet had done everything in her power to help make that happen. Lucius was a friend, one that Violet had made in her early years at Hogwarts, and frankly, she didn’t know why he had waited this long to finally propose. He knew he was going to marry Narcissa, he’d told her as much, but there had been much confusion about why he waited this long. So when she got the invitation to the party being held at Malfoy Manor tonight, she’d been so incredibly excited. Finally! Cissa deserved the world, and Violet was sure that Lucius was the kind of man who could give it to her. Soon her best friend would no longer be Narcissa Black, but Narcissa Malfoy. Violet had arrived early, as she didn’t want to miss the grand entrance, and was surveying the party from her spot near the front door.

Bellatrix and Rodolphus were here, as she expected. They also both looked like they would rather be doing anything else, which wasn’t surprising. She didn’t know them that well, Bella had graduated before Violet had started at Hogwarts, and been married to Rodolphus and out of the Black house before she’d befriended Narcissa. But Cissa thought highly of her older sister, and so Violet had always been respectful to Bella. And Rodolphus? Well, she couldn’t help but find him attractive, but she figured many witches her age had the same thoughts. And together, Bellatrix and Rodolphus made quite an intimidating couple. The Carrows were also in attendance, although the siblings had disappeared some time ago. Violet was much closer to Alecto than she was Amycus, but she enjoyed their company. She knew Rabastan and Annette were around somewhere, and she smirked into her drink as she thought about how miserable the Hufflepuff must be. That was an arranged marriage she still didn’t understand. She’d already said her hello’s to Dora, who looked fabulous as usual, and it wasn’t long before she noticed Bella headed to the front door.

Narcissa was positively beaming when they entered, and Violet cheered along with the others While she was desperate to talk to Narcissa, and hear all about how the proposal went, she also knew that there would be time for that later. The newly engaged couple would make their rounds, and in the meantime Violet spotted Amycus and Alecto coming back to the party. She made her way over to them, knowing quite well that this was the last place either of them wanted to be. “Hello Carrows. You two find a way to entertain yourself?” she teased as she approached.

[Amycus Carrow]

Laughing at the birds that departed at his sister’s loud exclamation, Amycus took a step back from the fountain where he’d placed the vase. At the rate they were going, there wasn’t going to be anything left for them to shatter. The idiot Malfoy had given them specific arrival time instructions, and yet he was nowhere to be found with his new fiancée. They were more than a few drinks in at this point, and he gave an approving nod as the vase shattered into pieces at Alecto’s curse. She’d mastered this one ages ago, and so any excuse of practice really was just to placate Lucius when he discovered that they’d destroyed a large portion of the ridiculous fountain. Clinking his drink to his sister’s, he downed the rest of the liquid as she set up a target for him. His lips twitched in a smirk as she curtsied to him, and with a quick flash of blue light, there was glass shattering everywhere, as well as what was left of the awful cherub on the fountain.

They needed more liquor if they were going to stay, and he was about to suggest another trip to the bar when his sister was hopping up on the fountain, and he didn’t stop himself from laughing as she brought up the history between Andromeda and Lucius. It seemed like everyone except Narcissa knew that the two had been paired off at one point until Andromeda had done the unthinkable and run off with a muggle born. Frankly, he’d always seen through her, she wasn’t as good at pretending she supported their cause as her sisters were. And while Narcissa would never be more than a sympathizer - merlin forbid she get her hands dirty - at least she actually seemed to believe there was no place for muggle-borns among their kind. Not that he particularly cared himself when it came to casual sex with others, but the cause gave him good reason to follow his passions. “I, for one, would pay good money to see her reaction to the news that her precious git of a soon-to-be husband was supposed to marry her sister.” After all, it couldn’t be a secret that was kept forever, right?

At the sounds of cheering from inside, he groaned. That meant the guests of honor had arrived, and he would have to be nice and proper for the next few hours. While their own parents had never bothered with such pureblood formalities as betrothals, they were still expected to be proper at events such as this. As if anyone really cared if the Carrow name was sullied. Still, he took his sister’s hand, heading back into the Manor. He wanted to complain that the food wouldn’t be proper, not with this lot, but it would be wasted energy. They’d only just slipped back inside with a younger witch was approaching them with a greeting. One of Alecto’s friends, he knew that much at least. “Fudge, yeah? Think Lucius really cares about that obnoxious fountain?”

[Euphadora Parkinson]

"You sound just like my father," she said with a flirty laugh, pulling herself a little closer to him as she took his arm. Her parents had pressured her into conversing with the right sort to boost their standing during this affair, but she much preferred the casual conversation of her friend and sometimes bed buddy. "Besides, I won't have any trouble finding a sugar daddy here, if I wanted. You see the way that bloke is looking at me, don't you?" she asked, nodding her head in the direction of a man who looked to be well into his 30s who had been continually making excuses to "innocently" touch her throughout her short time here; placing a hand on the small of her back as he pushed behind her through the crowd, reaching across for a waiter's tray only to graze her chest, or bumping into her and finding a handful of her bum. She ought to have found his behavior appalling, given his age, but instead she found it amusing. "I could have him crawling on hand and knee after me in a heartbeat, if I liked." She grinned at Rabastan, entertained with herself and genuinely having a good time for the first time this evening. "But I'd hate to pull focus from Cissa on her special day."

The older bloke was clearly spoken for; a wedding ring on his left hand and an uptight looking witch clinging to his right. Not that Dora minded if one of her companions was technically coupled elsewhere. Rabastan was with someone, and that hadn't stopped the pair of them from celebrating the end of the school year by defiling the boat house on their last night at Hogwarts before the train returned them home to their parents. So long as it wasn't Dora being unfaithful, she really didn't see the problem with it, but this gent wasn't particularly handsome and was, given the setting, most likely related to one of her best friends which might make things awkward. Imagine Cissa's face if I told her I was shagging her uncle. The thought was ludicrous but made Dora smile regardless.



Outfit: Attention Stealer
Tagged: Rabastan Lestrange

[Annette Greengrass]

She hated things like this, big pureblood-only events. Annette had spent enough years of her life wishing that she didn’t have to be involved in these things, but her connection to Rabastan required her attendance. Especially when it came to his family, and while Narcissa Black was not necessarily his immediate family, Bellatrix would have been sour if she hadn’t dragged him along. Which meant she also had to be here, and Annette sighed from her spot along the wall. Some pureblood events were more manageable because there were people there she actually wanted to talk to. But this event? No, this was full of the dark and dismal sort of pureblood, with enough whispers of work for the Dark Lord going around to make her lose her mind. She wasn’t a fool - she knew what kind of work Rodolphus and Bellatrix were involved in. Bella certainly did not try and ever keep it a secret at family events. But so far she’d held her own and annoyed the living hell out of the Lestranges by trying to trick them into attending muggle events.

Rabastan had claimed he was going to get them a drink, and Annette was almost positive that it was his way of ditching her. He had housemates here, she’d seen Euphadora and Violet, and she knew that he would prefer their company over hers any day. Not that she was going to complain, she had run out of small talk to make with her betrothed a while ago. Being tied to a Lestrange was difficult on the best of days. Many of her friends in school didn’t understand, and some people avoided her because of her association with the family. Even if she was entirely different from them, and if you gave her a chance she could prove it. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but Rabastan really wasn’t that bad when he wasn’t around the pureblood supremacist sort. He could even be nice, and it made her feel bad for him to be stuck with the family he had.

Thankfully, the guests of honor had arrived and most of the people she wanted to avoid had flocked around Narcissa and Lucius. She spotted Rodolphus by himself, and that wasn’t a conversation she was going to just strike up, but she gave him a nod to acknowledge him at the very least. As much as she was intimidated by the man, she wasn’t ever going to let him know that. It was then she spotted Regulus, and she made her way over to the young boy with ease. While she didn’t have a lot in common with the soon-to-be third year, he was a nice kid. “Enjoying the festivities, Regulus?” she asked as she reached him, giving him a smile, “Although, I think we all knew this day was coming. Still, it’s going to be a good party and if it sucks, we could explore the Manor.”

[Regulus Black]

Reg fidgeted at the window, stiff dress clothes one of many complaints of the day, and stifled his laughter as he watched the Carrows destroy the fountain outside. That was one way to keep boredom at bay, and if it wasn't for a visceral fear of being on the end of one of their curses - by mistake, surely, for Bellatrix would murder either of them if he was harmed - he would've sneaked out to join them. His brother had disappeared, and Mother and Bella were wrapped up in the "excitement" of the day, and while he was glad for Narcissa that she would now have this manor to play house in, he would've much rather spent the day flying. He'd aged out of the Academy, which limited his ability to practice, but he was determined to figure that out, just as he was determined to earn a spot on his House team this year. Maybe he should find Rabastan today, ask the Beater to put in a good word for him, or at the very least get him to invite him over to fly. What use was all of their land if they didn't use it? Beat being stuck in the city, by a long shot. They all had to be here, so they may as well make productive use of the time, if they couldn't have any fun...

The lad snickered, though, as in shifting his focus to find the older Slytherin, he found Rab with Euphadora on his arm. So some of them were going to have a spot of fun today, and he knew better than to interrupt. A sudden burst of clamor announced the arrival of Narcissa and Lucius, and he dutifully clapped along, again knowing better than to be caught not celebrating his cousin. But Reg looked up at the sudden address to him to find Bunny's actual date, and gave a simple shrug. "Just as much as you are, I expect," he replied, but brightened as Annette continued. He didn't know her well, but knew she must've been dragged here kicking and screaming as much as him - on the inside, at least - and the offer to go explore was one he didn't feel like resisting, especially as his brother was nowhere to be found. "You know, if we're going to go unnoticed, now's probably our best bet," he said with a conspiratorial grin. "Sneak out of here while they're all distracted?"

[Lucius Malfoy]

While he had been teasing Narcissa about the proposal, making her think he was proposing when he wasn’t, it felt good to know that the woman at his side was soon to be his wife. She was perfect for him, and she always had been. He’d known from their first date that this moment would come, and as such he had planned it down to the very last detail. Of course, Bellatrix had decided that she needed to ruin this moment between them and opened the door to let the noise of the party in full swing out. He smiled at Narcissa as she looked between him and Bella, and let the sisters have their moment of ooh-ing and awh-ing at the ring. It wasn’t long before Narcissa was pulling him inside, and he was greeted by the many faces and their friends and family who had been waiting for them.

Narcissa was practically glowing with happiness, and Lucius was pleased that he’d calculated this all correctly. There would be time for them later to spend alone and get up to the things she had promised him, but he knew Narcissa. And she needed a party with her family and friends to celebrate this. She pulled him in for a kiss, and he grinned into it as he heard the sounds of cheers and glassware tinking. “Only the best for the future Mrs. Malfoy,” he said to her as they separated, and he squeezed her hand as he relinquished her to Bella, who had to make a snarky comment that had him shooting her a glare. He wasn’t sure if Narcissa knew about the courtship between him and Andromeda - nothing had ever happened - but this wasn’t the time or the place for her to find out about it. But Bella wanted her sister’s attention, and so he touched the small of Narcissa’s back to lean in and whisper, "I’ll grab us drinks, you show off,” before he left her side to go and get them glasses of champagne.

[Narcissa Malfoy]

The beaming smile on her eldest sister's beautiful face just about brought her to shed happy tears, and if there had been fewer guests in her new home, perhaps the overwhelmed young witch would have let them fall. At last, she and her sisters all had the lives they desired, lives they could be happy with. While not having Andromeda with them to commemorate this day together did bring a damper to it, she knew it was for the best, and Narcissa felt confident that her fiancé would help them arrange a discreet celebration. He had long proven that his commitment was to her happiness over any family dispute, and she hoped that if a friendship could blossom between him and her estranged sister - well, the sky surely was the limit for the sister and brother-in-law they could freely socialize with!

Lucius met her kiss with a self-satisfied grin, and he deserved all that and more. He'd not only pulled off a surprise with today's engagement - surely it still counted as a surprise if she knew it was coming at some time, but not over that particular lunch? - but with filling their home with loved ones, and while it meant that they had to delay a private celebration that was sure to bring their relationship to even higher heights...she could only be grateful for his thoughtfulness. This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, shared with those they loved. She didn't want to let him go, especially as he spoke - surely determined to excite her, and successfully doing so - but preened under Bellatrix's attention and approval of Lucius's choice of ring. It was stunning, everything she had hoped for - what was that?

A look of puzzlement crossed her face as her sister took her in her arms, and Narcissa hugged her back with less ease than she would have liked. Had Bella snuck into her thoughts uninvited, caught her wistfulness for their missing sister? Or did she simply have Andy on her mind just as Narcissa did, like at every family occasion since three had become two? There wasn't time to mull it over or even ask, as Bella continued to give proper attention to her dress. She'd been going through her rotation of summertime event gowns quickly, seeing as every time she met with Lucius she had to be prepared to entice him and cement a perfect memory of their engagement - and perhaps this was not her most subtle, not their father's favorite...but he was no longer the man whose approval she most desired. Speaking of - her love excused himself with a soft touch and a whisper, a promise for drinks and his return, and Narcissa smiled after him before returning to her sister. "If he took issue with it, the joke's on him. It did the trick, hmm?" she confided quietly with a giddy laugh, nevertheless looking about for their parents in the crowd. 

Violet's lovely smile caught hers - What is she doing with Amycus and Alecto? - as did Dora's - It's a family affair, Rabastan. Please! - and she longed to dash through the crowd to embrace two of those she loved most. Her friends were so darling to attend the festivities in her and Lucius's honor, and they were two who she knew would hold tight to each and every detail of the proposal. She hadn't even had a moment to try and put the story to words, but knew they would forgive her first imperfect, enthusiastic telling. "I'm so glad you're here," Narcissa said quickly, pressing a kiss to her sister's cheek and stealing a few moments just for them. "I knew today would come, and when he finally asked - there was no question in my mind. I love him, Bella, with all that I have. You and I, and he and Rodolphus - I know we haven't all always seen eye-to-eye, but we're all to be family, and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you're here. Surely Rodolphus isn't far?"

She took her sister's arm and, while progress was slow as she took care to thank their well-wishers, worked them steadily towards the unlikely trio. Violet had seen her through those first days, the agony of waiting for Lucius's first letters, and to say she was thrilled to be on the other side of things was the understatement of the year. "Violet!" she exclaimed, pulling her into a tight embrace. "We've finally done it!" she whispered with a laugh before pulling away, giving a warm if bemused smile to the Carrows. "How lovely that you've come to celebrate with us," she greeted, for it was never too early to practice being lady of this house. "Tell me, truthfully - you've all known about this for how long? And no one wanted to clue me in?"

[Sirius Black]

A small explosion sounded through the open window. Sirius paused and glanced out on the courtyard below to see two demons destroying a fountain among other things. Sirius might have praised them for their efforts if not for the fact that he recognized them both from their associations with his most unhinged cousin. The qualifier was a necessity, as most of his cousins – save a small few - were crazed in some regard, for there was no possibility of cohesion between sanity and blood supremacy. He ignored the destruction outside and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Applause erupted from the floor below and once again Sirius paused, this time looking to the door which led to the corridor. He cleared the distance and popped his head out into the hallway, looking up and down the length of the oversized corridor, confirming no one was ascending the stairs towards him. Assured that no witch, wizard, or tattling little house elf would spy him sneaky about on the upper floor when he was supposed to be with the party-goers downstairs, Sirius shut the door softly and turned back into the room.

Was he plotting something in particular? No. Was he intending to nick something valuable and sell it for a bit of spare spending gold or to boast about it to his friends? No again. So why was he riffling through the Malfoys’ large manor house room by room? Mainly because he had been expressed forbidden to venture into the higher floors of the home by his parents. His parents who had already fussed about his attire, complained about his behavior before they’d even arrived, and threatened to ‘teach him a lesson’ if he spoiled anything for either Cygnus or Abraxas this evening – because this party wasn’t even really about the forced arrangement of his most insipid cousin to a somehow even more vapid wizard. It was about their parents’ reputations and their families’ bloodlines remaining ‘superior’. Sirius wondered what sort of payment the Malfoys might have received for taking Narcissa off Uncle Cygnus’ and Aunt Druella’s hands. He was certain it was far too little and simultaneously far too much, all at the same time. Sirius shrugged his thoughts of familial capitalism off, carefully slide a dungbomb under the mountain of decorative cushions that covered the bed, and then slide out of the room to carry on with his aimless hunt for entertainment.