Dinner with the Devil | June 1978 | (Open to Death Eater's)

[Lord Voldemort]

(link to seating)

Servants, what were they worth? For some, they were only worth as good of a meal as they could cook. Which is why he smiled fondly as a few of the new recruits carried the body out of the dining area. The worthless servant could barely serve wine, let alone cook. So, he'd done what was necessary. There was no need for help around the house that spilled wine on his sleeves before dinner even started. Giving a smirk, he set the chalice down on the table. It was a shame, as the girl was mildly pretty. Perhaps he should have had her assigned elsewhere where she could have put her looks to good use. Ah, what was done was done, he supposed. Besides, tonight was an important dinner. It wasn't often he was willing to have dinner with his followers,  but it helped to put on a good show, especially now that they had new members among their numbers. The last graduating class of Hogwarts held many promising faces, even if some of them had yet to willingly join his ranks. He knew they would, eventually. He would get his way. Voldemort always, got his way.

Looking to the man sitting next to him, he smiled, "Ah Meadowes. Such a shame about the girl. But I would have hated to have to change, especially with dinner being so soon." The man gave a solemn nod and laugh. Dean Meadowes, one of his oldest followers. He trusted the man with his life, but he was concerned for him lately. Meadowes had been up earlier than normal, according to some others, and was often sent seeing letters in the wee morning hours. However, Voldemort wasn't concerned. Whatever business his follower was involved in would prove to be worthwhile in the end. Not to mention, it wasn't as if any of his followers could keep secrets from  him. He was a master of many arts, and reading the minds of his followers was one of them. 

As the door opened, he waited expectantly as he saw a familiar face, "Good evening Bellatrix. You look lovely, as usual." The woman smiled at him, before taking a seat halfway down the table. He eyed her cautiously, very well aware that the amount of cleavage she was showing was on his behalf. She was obsessed with him, and he enjoyed the attention greatly. Not to mention her husband, Rodolphus, was quite an asset to his group. "Shall Rodolphus be joining us this evening?" The woman gave a nod, before mentioning that he was simply finishing up at the ministry and would be joining them shortly. 

"Excellent," he murmured, reaching forward for his chalice and lifting it to his lips. The wine was sweet, and it was worth the amount of money that had been spent on it. "Perhaps your sister and her new husband shall grace us this evening as well." He sat the chalice back down, and turned his eyes to the door to see who would arrive next. 

[Narcissa Malfoy]

Lucius was running late.

This was starting to be a problem.

If he wasn’t going to make a timely appearance, that meant she must.

So it was with nimble fingers that his young wife secured her blonde hair into an elaborate updo herself, not trusting her elf to get it done properly or quickly enough for this important night. They, along with the Dark Lord’s other supporters, were dining with the man himself that night. This was hardly a first, but Narcissa wasn’t going to let her family slip one toe out of line when it came to him. She was an untrusting woman, and although Bella was nearly in love with the man and Lucius was smitten with his ways as well, Narcissa felt them rather...blind.

Not that what they were doing was unnecessary - mudbloods and muggles alike needed to be shown their place in the world - but two of the people she loved most in the world were constantly put in harm’s way because of him. Neither had been hurt enough that a few healing spells hadn’t done the trick, but her husband’s previously perfect form had been marred by hexes, salves and charms not enough to undo the damage hidden under his robes.

The two of them didn’t seem to care that if anything happened to them, they would leave her devastated.

Rather rude, honestly.

But she was still determined to do her part to make her family look good in the eyes of their Lord. Which meant making herself look flawless - a simple enough feat, given her assets, but she did her diligence. Her chosen ensemble for the evening complimented the dark suit she’d left out for Lucius - which he would wear if he knew what was best for him - and as she slid her feet into the stilettos, Narcissa felt a calm course through her.

The heels were unnecessary, as given her height she could look most men in the eye easily enough without them, but they made her a stately, elegant figure. A powerful one. One who could look down on those who needed it.

She was ready.

With a slight pop Narcissa arrived at headquarters, lifting her skirt to avoid the neglected lawn as she approached the door. For being the most powerful man alive, the Dark Lord could afford something a bit more luxurious for his meetings, couldn’t he? She made her way to the dining room, slipping her wand into her clutch before composing herself, readying herself for the natural smile that must now appear, and pushed open the door.

The smile was actually true as she spied one of the guests already in attendance, and Narcissa walked, heels loud in the quiet of the room, to the chair next to her sister.

"Good evening, my Lord," she said, meeting the man’s cold eyes before giving a nod to Dean Meadowes. They weren’t exactly friendly, but he’d done nothing against hers, so little effort needed to be forced into that acknowledgement. As she sat with Bellatrix, Narcissa continued, "Thank you for tonight’s invitation. Lucius will be with us as soon as he is able - he sends his apologies for the delay." She gave her sister’s bare forearm a light squeeze under the table as she gave her a smile of greeting.

[Meredith Mulciber]

Tonight was the night. The very night she had been working toward for months. Of course she wasn’t aware when she had started her campaign that it would be this very night, but alas it was and Meredith was more excited and terrified than she had ever been in her short life. Some time ago, whilst still at Hogwarts, the blonde had decided her path in life; she would serve the Dark Lord as her father had been for years. She would contribute to the cause, in the best way she knew how, with her formidable mind and extensive intellect. The only problem with this course of action was, as it was with most things in her life, her father.

He had flat out refused to let her anywhere near his master, saying that she did not belong amongst his ranks. She was to serve him through contributing to his cause by marrying a fellow sympathizer and baring a pureblooded heir. Meredith had decided that she would not be a breeding horse that her goal was to use her years of gathering knowledge to aid the cause she believed in. So, after months of pestering her father for an introduction he had finally cracked. She couldn’t be sure why he had finally agreed to bring her along but he had and she was not going to question it and make him change his mind. And so, tonight was the night.

Meredith paced nervously in front of the sitting room firing in her home in Bath. She completely ignored her elf who was trying to make the room presentable for Clever Mulciber’s arrival. The room, as was the rest of the house, was sorely in need of sprucing up and redecorating and had an air of neglect. The girl never spent any extended amount of time in this home, preferring her flat in London, but for formal purposes this place was best. Her father would never agree to pick her up at a flat.

The clock struck the quarter hour and her head snapped up, simultaneously the knocker sounded. Meredith spun to the elf but before she could glare at it the little thing scurried from the room to answer the door. Meredith tugged at her dress, smoothing her hair out as her father entered. He had an extremely displeased look on his austere face. ”How pleasant this place looks, and how nice it is to have to knock in a home that is mine.” Clever brushed off his robes of invisible dust, glancing at the clock with furrowed brows. “It’s lovely to see you too father.” Meredith said coolly, moving across the room to his side and placing her hand in the crook of his arm. Without any more words or further ado the man spun on the spot and with a resounding crack the pair was gone.

In the blink of an eye they appeared on a lawn. Meredith turned her nose up at the unkempt area, but she didn’t have much time to think on it as her father began a quick clipped pace up the walk and into the humble abode of the Dark Lord. The girl had no time to worry over her nerves before she was before the man himself. Clever gave a deep bow. ”My Lord.” he said and Meredith had never heard him so reverent. “May I properly introduce my daughter Meredith?” He stood to the side and the girl stepped forward, averting her eyes and giving an equally deep curtsy. “Sir.” She said differentially. She rose but was not allowed to say anything else because her father saw fit to steer her away and seat her down the table. She glared at him as he pulled out her chair but said nothing. Meredith sighed and looked around taking note of Dean Meadows and wondering if Dorcas had any idea about her supposedly dead father. Then her eyes landed on the Black sisters and Meredith brightened, giving a nod to the eldest and a genuine smile to Narcissa. Pleased to see a friendly face.

[Lord Voldemort]

He was not disappointed when the door opened, and Narcissa Malfoy walked in. She looked lovely, as she usually did. She and Lucius were a fine match, and he was sure that any children they had would be good for his own plans in the future. After all, while he was on a path to achieve complete immortality, he wasn't going to share with his followers. Which meant that some of them would need to procreate, because he certainly wasn't going to. He gave her a nod as she greeted him, "Good evening Narcissa. It's my pleasure to have you here this evening, and I look forward to Lucius' arrival."

Bellatrix greeted her sister's smile with one of her own, patting Narcissa's hand as she slipped down onto the table next to her. "It's good to see you, Cissy." It was certainly more comfortable in the room, now that her sister had arrived. While she was fond of the Dark Lord, she was jealous of the man sitting to his right. Dean Meadowes was smug, and Bellatrix wasn't entirely sure why he was even allowed to be around. Let alone be so close to the Dark Lord. She stopped her thoughts, however, as Voldemort turned his gaze on her, prodding at her mind ever so gently to let her know that he had been paying attention.

Voldemort turned his gaze away from her, not entirely pleased with her train of thought. Of course, the girl was obsessed with him, so he knew she only had his best interests at heart. But Meadowes was too valuable for him to dispose of in the current situation. The fact the world perceived the man as dead made it easy for him to go unnoticed, a valuable tool in a war of this scale.

The door opened again, and he sat his wine down to watch the newest arrivals. He gave a nod to Clever, standing as he introduced his daughter. Meredith, she was young. His first glance at the new pawns of this last graduating class from Hogwarts. He smiled as she curtsied, taking her hand gently and placing a kiss on the back. "It's a pleasure, Meredith." He let her hand go, and sat back down, taking his glass from the table. The pleasantries made him feel nauseous, but it was necessary. Especially for those who were of the female variety. It had worked well on Bellatrix, perhaps too well, as he could sense her discomfort at his gesture. Still, Bellatrix nodded back to Meredith as the girl sat down next to her father.

Slowly, more people began to trickle in, each greeting him and taking their seats. He ignored many of them, especially those whose names he could not be bothered to remember. All he saw when he looked around the room were pawns at his disposal, and it was perfect. He motioned to one of the servants to start serving dinner as enough people had arrived, and stood again.

"Good evening, my friends. I am thankful you could all join me this evening. Please, enjoy the meal. Let's not talk politics at the dinner table," he stated with a small smile, the best he could manage. He sat down and turned to Dean, waiting as the servants began to serve the first course. Whatever he spoke to Meadowes, he said it quietly enough so that the rest of the table could not here. After all, his business was his own.

[Narcissa Malfoy]

"Likewise, my lord," the young woman replied silkily, although she was glad to escape his company for that of her sister's. These dinners were necessary for them all in order to remain in good standing with him, but so forced all the same. As if any of them could forget what they actually did on the day-to-day, when they weren't living their public lives. Narcissa was to eat dinner in a room of torturers, murderers, and vile humans and less. And although she knew her Bella fell into some of these categories as well...

You need to be here, stop thinking about it.

"Good to see you too, Bella. You look beautiful," she said quietly. "Roddy kept late as well? Whatever are we going to do about our men?" This gripe, situation, would be funny if it wasn't such a common occurrence. The more involved each got in both the ranks of Death Eaters and their respective places of work in the Ministry, the less time they had to actually be husbands. Narcissa, for one, hadn't married Lucius to sit around alone all day. Her attention was pulled away from her sister at the arrival of Meredith, of all people! Narcissa watched as the younger Slytherin - had she just graduated? - gracefully made her way, with her father, to be introduced to the Dark Lord.

She must speak with this girl. Courtesy was a necessity, surely, but he was only a man. Meredith could hold her own, that much Narcissa remembered from their shared time at school, and if she wanted this group to respect her, she must always stand tall. And away from her controlling father. "Lovely to see you both," Narcissa said after the Mulcibers had sat across from them, truly meaning it in Meredith's case. These affairs could get so tedious, and if she broke the younger woman out of this habit of utter restraint, the two could amuse each other while the rest spoke of more dreadful affairs. Narcissa gave slight greetings to others as they arrived, and ceased her conversing with the rest as their host rose and addressed them.

She raised her glass to him when he'd finished, taking a grateful drink of the fine wine, and now that there was food and low chatter, could more properly speak with those she cared to. She'd like this to be her husband, or even Roddy, but the boys were still conspicuously missing. Narcissa would have to speak to Lucius about this, it was quite unseemly for her to be here on her lonesome, covering for him. But she leaned towards Meredith, giving her a smile and asking about her before starting her meal.

"How are you, Meredith? It's been much too long. I'm glad to see that you've kept your sense, though," she said with a wink. Narcissa had been surprised to not see many other young people joining the Dark Lord's service - it was the smart thing to do, even if just by affiliation, after all. "I trust you're keeping busy, as always?"

[Meredith Mulciber]

It was an exercise in restraint that Meredith held the chill that ran down her body, pulling it into check. The only give away that the touch of the Dark Lord had produced any kind of reaction in the young lady was the sudden stiffness in her back. Oh yes he was very powerful if a mere touch invoked such fear in her heart, he was going to be an immaculate leader if even she was so instantly inferior to him, where she was this way with no other. She was in wonder as he bent over her hand. She had the feeling a woman got once in a while that reaffirmed how superior a sex they were. Men did not show other men such differential treatment; they all bowed and curtsied but it was the man who placed a kiss on the woman’s hand. Then she was whisked away thoughts interrupted and annoyance with her father and then The Dark Lord was addressing them. 

She was not so surprised that though his words were eloquent he was in command of them, and that she should take his word very seriously. She glanced at her father’s rapt face; yes the Dark Lord defiantly had an effect on people. She saluted their leader with her wine glass, waited until he was setting again, and then took a large sip. It was excellent fair from the looks of it; Meredith was examining the salad when Narcissa began to speak with her. It had been a year at least since the two women has spoken properly and Meredith was glad to see the older woman looked very well. She noted the new Madam Malfoy seemed to be thriving in her married life and she promised herself to once again be close with her friend. It was a good friendship to have for political reason of course, by more over Meredith simply enjoyed her company. 

“I am quite well thank you, enjoying being free of Hogwarts.” The blonde said, settling her glass down and taking up her utensil. “I am currently apprenticing under Arthimatician Mistress Max. It’s going very well.” She said modestly even though inside she was smiling a smug little smirk. Meredith gave a real smile, gesturing to the other girl with her free hand. “But it’s you who have been leading such a fabulous life since last we saw one another. How is married life, and where is your elusive husband, I don’t believe I remember his beauty as well I should.” She teased. Lucius Malfoy was by far voted, secretly by all the young women, the most handsome young man in their society. And Meredith knew quite a few females around her age who were intensely jealous of Narcissa’s good fortune. Then again she was a Black by birth, and so she supposed many boys thought him the lucky one. Meredith gave an inner shrug, Lucius wasn’t much her type. Maybe a little too pretty.  

[Lord Voldemort]

A smirk tugged at his lips, but he kept it hidden. There was no point in admitting that he could sense the truth from the girl. Narcissa Malfoy had no desire to be at this event, that much was evident. She was a useless pawn, really. Her husband had been the one he wanted, but the two of them came as a pair. It was a good thing she wasn't one of direct pawns, or her disposal would come quickly. Perhaps even at the hands of her sister, Bellatrix. The thought amused him, and he watched the two exchange words. Yes, Bella would kill her sister if she thought it would please him. That much he knew to be true. Still, Narcissa would have her uses. He would see to that.

Bellatrix looked to her sister, giving a smile and a nod at her question. Rodolphus was always kept late by something, and Bellatrix could quite frankly care less at this moment. But it was best to not let her sister know of her affections for their Dark Lord, "Merlin only knows, you would think they could be on time to something this important," she replied quietly.

As dinner began, she raised her glass to the toast, taking a sip of the wine as she listened to the conversation between her sister and Meredith. She hardly knew the younger girl, but she was of good standing and therefore was worth taking the time to talk to. Even if it was only to establish her dominance. "Ah, a fine position to have. You must feel quite honored to be apprenticing under her," Bella remarked, not bothering to keep the sass from her voice. Although she had to let out a small laugh at Meredith's next comment to Narcissa. Ah, Lucius was a beauty, but far too much of a pretty boy for Bella's taste. It was good that he ended up with her sister, however. Even if he didn't give the youngest Black sister the attention she deserved.

He was barely listening to the conversations around him, after all why should he care what the females gossiped about? But Meredith had him intrigued, as most of the new faces tended to do. He needed to discover their purpose, and to decide if they were worth having around. So far he was quite pleased with Meredith, as he had always been pleased with her father. But she was simply one daughter, and not the only one he had been expecting.

"Meadowes," he said, turning to look at the man sitting next to him. Dean Meadowes turned to look at him, setting down his utensils. Voldemort slipped him a smile, setting his glass down carefully on the table. "Didn't you have a daughter about the same age as Meredith?"

Dean gave a small nod, looking down the table. He wondered if Meredith and Dorcas were still close, and if she would be speaking with Dorcas about how he was alive. He still hadn't told his daughter the truth, although he had been contemplating writing her a letter to let her know he was still alive. And since Meredith was here, perhaps it would be better to write that letter soon. "You are correct, My Lord. Although she is still under the assumption that I am dead, as you requested."

Voldemort gave a nod, glancing back down to the girls that were speaking across the table. "Perhaps it's time we changed that. After all, I'm sure your daughter would make a fine asset to our side. Do contact her for me, won't you?" Dean gave a nod, returning to his salad.

[Narcissa Malfoy]

Narcissa's thin brows rose as her old friend spoke of continuing her education under the esteemed Arithmatician. Learning in such a formal way past Hogwarts hadn't been part of her own plan, but she wasn't too surprised to find it a part of the other's. Meredith had always taken such pride in her studies, but what was surprising was this choice. She could tell that Meredith was proud of this placement, but...education could only get one so far in this world, after all. And bless the girl's heart for wanting to improve herself in some way, but Arithmancy? What in the name of Circe was she planning to do with that while they were at war? It was a delightful cover, of course, Narcissa could see the value in that. But how extraordinarily dull to believe, as Meredith must if this was her choice of education, that all was predetermined, that their fates lay in assigning numbers to letters and divining meaning from it all. It was far superior to believe what was true - you made your own success through who you were, who you knew. Not what you knew. You aligned yourself with those in power, used whatever skills you had to charm your way in, and were in a safe position to rise to the top with them. Not that Narcissa had had far to climb, but surely her welcome place at this table showed that she had done immensely well in securing a fine future for Lucius and herself. All they had to do was keep smiling in the company of the Dark Lord and his fervent followers, and they would be in prime positions to excel in the new world.

But it would not do to dash the younger blonde's dreams just yet, not while they were in the middle of dinner, which was what it seemed Bella was keen on doing. So Narcissa simply nodded after her sister's remark, giving her a playful nudge before turning back to Meredith. "What my lovely sister means," she said with a light laugh, always the peacemaker, "is that it's wonderful you've shown your skills and are being rewarded for them by having such tutelage. And my sincerest apologies, I don't know if the two of you have met! Bella," she said with a hand to her sister's arm, a warm sparkle in her blue eyes, "allow me to introduce Meredith Mulciber. She was a prefect in our old House, always one of the highest marks in her class - isn't that right?" Narcissa shot the girl a smirk, knowing that Meredith didn't need the boost of confidence, but it wouldn't hurt to strengthen the bond between them that had loosened these past two years. She had another drink of the fine, full-bodied wine before starting her meal, happier than she thought she'd be at this event with the company of these two women.

Narcissa was quite pleased at Meredith acknowledging how fabulous the older girl's life really was, and didn't bother to hide it, even as her sister laughed at it, evidently thinking otherwise. Lucius was gorgeous, and Narcissa was sure Meredith was exaggerating - surely her memory wasn't that terrible! But this was good, this inquiry - Meredith ought to have something to aspire to, after all, and what better path to follow than her own? She was only twenty, but was married from her grand family into another one, to a man who adored her whenever he was around and had long since proven that their marriage wasn't a political match; in terms of material things, she had everything - or access to, due to the large joint account at Gringott's - she could desire; she hadn't lost any of her looks in the transition from student to wife, in fact looked better than ever as she flourished under Lucius' care...

Yes, yes - it would do well for her and Meredith to reconnect.

"It has been rather fabulous - but the trials of being married to a man in the Ministry, love," she said with a shake of her elegant head, "are neverending. We will simply have to get together soon, have a night out with all of us. Are you seeing anyone? If not, I'm sure Lucius could bring a friend..." If her memory served, Narcissa recalled that the younger girl had been engaged while at Hogwarts, but she didn't spy a ring on her finger...and couldn't deny the spark of satisfaction of being the happily married one of the two.

[Meredith Mulciber]

Thank goodness for the years of training she had put into schooling her expression, it appeared it had all been preparing her for this day, a worthy opponent. Bellatrix. Meredith smiled regally at the older women, Narcissa having swooped in gracefully to save any conflict. Though she needn’t worry, the younger blonde girl would never make a scene in a place like this. She took her time sipping at her wine, truly savoring it before commenting on the sister’s exchange. Fleeting she wondered what having siblings was like. The dynamic seemed fascinating. Feeling responsible for another person’s behavior. 

“I was top in classes, yes. I am also very honored to be continuing my education, so no need for explanation.” She said smoothly, as if it hardly mattered. In reality she was cataloging everything that happened this night. Her ears must have been extra perked because she caught her name at the other end of the table and her fork paused half-way to her mouth before she resumed eating normally, though she was straining incredibly hard to eavesdrop on the Dark Lord and Dean Meadows.  

Her father who knew her better than she liked slid her reproachful look and she narrowed her eyes at him. It wasn’t about her it was about Dorcas. That girl. She wanted to pipe up and say that Dorcas had probably, more than likely, already joined that amateur Order club, but she was not absolutely positive and she didn’t want to go making waves her first time around. She would do more investigating into the matter. Later. Right now Narcissa was calling her attention.  

“I will take note to not marry a Ministry man.” Meredith teased easily, trying to give Narcissa her undivided attention. They had been, well, friendly at one time and it was a good friendship to nurture. So who was she to turn down an invite to have a night out with the Malfoy’s. Though she had to try and squash one thing. “I’m not seeing anyone.” Meredith said with a shake of her head. “I don’t have the time for that, but we should defiantly get together it had been so long.” There perfectly brushed off. 

[Ethan Vanderhyde]

Roughly tugging off his work clothes and changing as quickly as he could into his proper dinner attire, Ethan focused his mind on one thought.

He was going to kill Crabbe.

The two were f*cking late to have dinner with the Dark Lord and their superiors. Not that the two graduated Slytherins enjoyed admitting that anyone was their superior, but the higher up's in the Death Eater ranks were just as little amused as their leader at tardiness and general disobedience. Ethan knew that they would regret being late, but it was better to be late and accept whatever the Lord ordered than to not show up at all. There would be all levels of members at this dinner, and it wouldn't do to make a poorer impression on any of them than they already were.

And why were the low ranking Death Eaters not on time? Because Aaron had improperly remembered the date. Leaving them scrambling after work to become presentable once he'd realized his mistake and had sent the other an owl. He'd been entertaining his cousin or whatever relation she was not long ago, and Bellatrix had told him the time and date of this beyond important evening. Ethan could understand the other's distraction - as intimidating as she was, Bellatrix was stunning in a frightening sort of way, if you were into that - but this was something to write a "Do Not Forget" note about after the woman was gone.

Without much of anything in terms of an exchange of words, both men upset with the other, they joined up at Headquarters, fixing their hair and clothes as they rapidly marched inside and to the dining room. As he was a new member, Ethan had hardly been in the Dark Lord's presence before, and his nerves were firing with anxiety. He took a deep breath before they entered, doors opened by a pair of house elves, in the effort to put away his nerves. Wouldn't do to be late and obviously nervous about it!

It became immediately apparent that he and Aaron were interrupting the meal.

How the hell did it get this late?

As they walked down the room, he was both pleased and unnerved to spy Meredith and her father at the long table. He was courting the girl, and it was just great to have this as their first time truly seeing the other's allegiance, as well as give this impression to Mr. Mulciber. The man, of course, knew where the Vanderhyde's had set camp, had been part of why their match was being pushed, but this wasn't the impression he wanted to give. So he kept his eyes front, face stoic, until they arrived at the head of the table.

"Our apologies for the lateness, sir," Aaron said smoothly, the smarmy bastard, before Ethan could open his mouth. "The tragedy of keeping up appearances, is it not?"

The other could only give a stiff smile in acknowledgement, and when they were released went towards Meredith, his own father absent from the table. He knew that the senior Vanderhyde rarely made appearances at these affairs, his Ministry work honestly keeping him at the office for longer hours than most, and so hoped that his absence wasn't conspicuous. He held out a hand to Mr. Mulciber, a confident smile plastered on his handsome face. "You must be Meredith's father - Ethan Vanderhyde, your daughter and I were classmates in Slytherin. Is this seat taken?" He nodded to the seat next to Meredith, giving her a slight smirk. Even though he would be seated across from two of the three Black sisters, which was not promising for making this evening less of a disaster, he knew this was the best place for him to continue laying the groundwork with Meredith...

[Deleted]

“Mother, I’m late. Stop fussing.” Regulus was checking his outfit over once again, and his mother was fussing too much over his looks. Hoping he was presentable enough. At this point Regulus just needed to leave the house. He was already late and every minute counted. As soon as he escaped, which was not as soon as he would have liked, he apparated out. As he approached he smoothed his outfit down one more time.

Regulus had been working for the Dark Lord for almost a year now, doing what he could from inside the walls of Hogwarts. He only had one more year to go before he was out of the school, and he’d said his final good-bye’s to his older brother this year as well. Without surprise his parents had not made appearances at the ceremony, but he had. And now he was certain he could no longer associate with him the way he used to. Distance had to be placed between them this year, and he couldn’t see them speaking much from here on out.

He entered the dining room with a pace he hoped spoke volumes. He didn’t want to rush, of course, but he couldn’t very well come strolling in like he owned the place. He attempted an air of confidence, and probably failed. He scanned the room quickly and discreetly, taking in the room. The Dark Lord was, of course, present. Dinner had started, and everyone appeared to be quite settled except for a couple of people he recognized from school.

“My sincerest apologies for my lateness, My Lord.” He bowed his head respectfully. He allowed himself to approach his family, not entirely sure where he should sit. Narcissa’s husband was not currently present but he had no doubt he would arrive eventually. He decided to sit in close proximity to his cousins without being directly next to them. He did his best to be as polite as possible.

“I hope I’m not disrupting anything.”

[Lord Voldemort]

Dinner was moving along quite smoothly, as his followers chatted around the table. He kept an eye on them, listening to their conversations as he conversed in quiet with Dean, noting the two that looked their way as they spoke of Dean's daughter. He knew why he had Bellatrix's attention, that had been obvious since he met her, but he was intrigued when it came to Meredith. Perhaps there would be many uses for the the girl.

When the doors opened, he sat up straight, his eyes staring down the two boys that entered. He knew one of them, Bellatrix had spoken highly of Aaron Crabbe, and she seemed displeased as his lateness at the two of them approached. The other however, he could not place a name to. Of course, not a good way to keep followers, so he would have to put a name to the face in a way that did not require him asking.

Thankfully, Meadowes was close at hand, whispering the boys name as the two approached. "Aaron, Ethan. Glad you two could finally join us. No need for apologies, as you can tell we have a few others that have yet to grace us with their presence," he stated, giving a nod to the empty seats next to Bellatrix and Narcissa. "Please, take a seat and enjoy your dinner." He watched with amusement as Aaron took a seat on the other side of Dean Meadows, and Ethan moved to sit near Meredith.

He took a sip of his wine, scanning the room quietly for a few moments before the doors were open again, and Regulus Black was practically running into the room. He gave a nod as the boy apologized, watching as he fumbled with trying to figure out where to sit. He finally sat near his cousins, before another apology was out of his lips.

"Welcome, Regulus. You'll see that you aren't the last one to arrive, never fear. Please, come sit here next to me," he stated, motioning t o the chair directly to his left. He had grand plans for Regulus, although it was quite a shame that his older brother had abandoned the family. Sirius would have proved to be quite useful.

Resting back in his chair, he directed his gaze down to the Black sisters, giving them a smile, "It's a shame your husbands haven't arrived, but don't fret. I know they are both loyal, after all, they're busy doing work that I have asked of them."

[Bellatrix Lestrange]

It was quite like Narcissa to jump in and correct what Bellatrix had said, although the older Black sister hardly saw why. She had said what she'd meant, even if it was a rude remark to the younger girl. If Meredith couldn't handle it, then there was no place for her here among this table. The Dark Lord had a way of weeding out those who were not fit to be among them. Still, she gave a small smile to her sister and a nod, agreeing with Cissy's sentiments. "It's a pleasure to meet you Meredith."  Returning to her food, she ignored the rest of the conversation, instead directing her attention down the table where the Dark Lord was having a quiet conversation with Dean Meadowes. She didn't understand why Meadowes was allowed to be so close to the Dark Lord, but it was hardly her place to ask that sort of question.

However, her attention was quickly directed toward the door when it opened, and she shot a glare to the two boys who entered. Ethan and Aaron, showing up incredibly late. She had made a point to inform Aaron of the exact date and time, and here they were, waltzing in like they owned the place. It was with good graces that the Dark Lord greeted and dismissed them, and she shot Aaron an annoyed look as he sat next to Dean Meadowes. He might as well have sat right next to the Dark Lord! And Ethan, sitting so close to her and her sister. He was quite an annoyance, that one. She gave him a smile regardless, doing her best to remain calm.

It was not an easy task, however, as Regulus was soon arriving. Her younger cousin was practically fumbling about, and she gave a small sigh and she glanced at her sister. While she cared for Regulus, she would have hoped that he'd have gotten better at his interactions, but it didn't seem to be going well. The Dark Lord greeted Regulus calmly, of course, before inviting the boy to come and sit next to him.

Bellatrix almost choked on her wine, before giving her cousin a reassuring smile. Surely this young boy wasn't that important. To sit right next to the Dark Lord! She returned her eyes to her plate, doing her best to not show her distaste at the Dark Lord's request.

It was evident that she had failed, however, as he was soon directing his words at her and her sister. "Of course, my Lord. Rodolphus would never be late to see you unless it was at your request." 

[Narcissa Malfoy]

Bella was perfectly pleasant with Meredith at the start, but her sister wasn't surprised when the other's attention was pulled back to the Dark Lord. Bella rather had a fascination, to say the least, with the man - in his presence, few would hold her attention for long. So Narcissa put her full attention to the blonde before her, giving her a broad smile. "Will be in touch, dear - expect my owl," she promised, giving her a wink before taking a drink of the lush wine.

The conversation dimmed for a few minutes as all took tiny bites of the fare, but the quiet was soon broken as Aaron and another young man entered the room. Narcissa's bright eyes followed them as they greeted the Dark Lord, brows raising minutely as Aaron made himself comfortable so close to him. That was making a statement, indeed. But she watched the other approach her section of the table, amusement giving her a smirk as she saw his interaction with Mr. Mulciber...and his daughter. Not seeing anyone, Meredith? Really?

Before long, Regulus was here, and she gave him a pleased smile. It wasn't the best that he was so tardy, of course, but he had made it. Lovely boy, Regulus Black, she thought as she exchanged a fond look with her sister. Well - fond coming from herself, slight exasperation coming from the other. But she did not even get to greet him - Narcissa was shortly more shaken than she'd admit, having Regulus out of her reach. He had been so close, nearly sitting with her and Bella, leaving a bit of distance so he could appear more independent - smart lad - but now he was gone. She shot a glance to her sister to see the woman positively seething under her pale skin, and looked back to the head of the table. Reg looked such a boy in this group, and her heart went out to him - war-hardened Death Eaters surrounding him, the blank, deadly looks in their eyes not stopping even when all were in their best finery. It wasn't - it wasn't a crowd of individuals she would have chosen for her dear cousin. Or herself, really - they were all so tasteless. But the fact of the matter was...cozy up to those in power, or lose everything when the Dark Lord rose to victory. So she tried to think of the group more as - more as Regulus' new coworkers. It was temporary, all of this, truly, it was. Regulus would be fine - as much as she wanted to guide him through this, it couldn't be seen that she was, so...

He'll be all right.

He was intelligent, far moreso than his brother, and would handle himself well tonight. But Narcissa was, without a doubt, anxious. Because what could the Dark Lord have to discuss with him?

If he has a plan for him - the boy's still at Hogwarts - he couldn't possibly - suppose it'd be good to spread the word, but -

Bella was speaking, and Narcissa thought feverishly to catch herself up, cursing herself for getting stuck in her own thoughts instead of paying attention. That was a basic mistake! "Absolutely, my Lord," she echoed, following her sister's lead. Something about Lucius? "The same goes for my husband, of course." She gave the man at the head of the table a warm smile before taking a long drink of wine. Where is he?!

[Meredith Mulciber]

It was all so very much to take in. Meredith found her attention constantly diverted as she had the need to know and hear everything. She would remember every detail of this night for all of time; and if she wanted to sit here regularly with these people then she had best hone in all the skills being a snake had taught her.

Namely, observation. And control, which she nearly lost when a certain gentlemen and his distasteful friend entered the room. She had almost, almost, let her surprise, disgust, and yes pleasure cross her face. Expertly she drew from her glass, taking a deep breathe. “Looking forward to it.” She said to her blonde counterpart with a smirk. Then Ethan was there at her side, greeting her father, who to Meredith’s immense surprise rose to shake the younger man’s hand with a stiff. ‘Mister Vanderhyde.’

Meredith eyes darted to Ethan, giving up her contemplative assessment of her father’s behavior with some reluctance. “Not at all, please join us.” She said smoothly, giving him a toothy smile. ‘What is up with these two?’ the girl thought mutinously. She didn’t have time to stew over it however, there were too many other things going on. Like that Crabbe boy sitting so close to the Dark Lord! Gutsy for sure.

Meredith caught her father giving him what she called ‘the eye’; it was a sure sign of impending doom. Poor Aaron. Alas, never to be dulled, more food for her inquisitive mind arrived in the form of the youngest Black of the family. Regulus was a soft looking boy in her opinion, given evidence by the way he lingered near his cousins; only to be called to the side of their Lord! How intriguing!

Again the girl glanced to her father. He seemed to be taking this with so much grace it was close to appalling. Then Meredith thought if it was what his Master wanted, Clever would walk through fire with the soundest mind. The Dark Lord commented on the absence of the Black sisters husbands, and their loyalty in their duties, and Bellatrix answered as she should. It all seemed a little…tainted, but Meredith couldn’t put her finger on it. There was a tiny lull in activity and Meredith thought she may have been quiet a little too long than was socially acceptable. She took another sip from her glass, turning to her former classmate. “I feel obligated by our long standing acquaintance to inquire after your wellbeing, how are you Ethan?”