𝕸𝖆𝖈𝖆𝖇𝖗𝖊 ➳ 𝙃.𝙋

08

"I take it you see her," Scarlett said in a low tone coming to stand next to the Persephone.

"Liana isn't it? She's the one who heard about us," Blaise asked with raised eyebrow, joining the two girls with the rest of their friends behind them.

"Through London, I already obliviated him," Daphne said, Draco, Theo and Pansy following close behind her.

"How was France?" Persephone asked, turning to face Pansy. She noticed that Pansy was wearing the dress she had gifted her last Christmas, and gave Pansy a smirk of recognition.

"It was splendid, we went to many shops of all unique style. The colours in the shops were blinding, I've never seen hues work so perfectly with such magnificence—" Pansy replied, her voice full of enthusiasm

"We get it," Draco cut her off making Pansy turn to him, giving him a teasing glare.

"Sounds wonderful," Persephone said before turning her focus back to the crowd that is making their way to greet her. They've finally recognised her. It truly had taken them far longer than she had thought. She overestimated their intelligence. "Take Liana to my Manor after the ball, we are going to have a splendid chat. We'll meet up there," her friends nodded in subservience.

"Ms Black, isn't it? How lovely it is to meet you?" The first lady gushed. Persephone reached into her mind, trying to find any useful information. She was disgusted by what she found. What filth. Persephone replied with a polite smile, and gave a small curtsy but when the woman reached in for the hug, Persephone stuck out her hand as a form of rejection. Understanding, the woman quickly left, quite embarrassed. Then it went on, no one dared to reach in for another hug, Persephone merely kept her polite demeanour and used her natural charisma, earning praiseful looks of approval from the guests.

Persephone found time going quite slow, as she went to family to family, person to person, she started familiarising the entirety of the relationships of the families. The Avery and the Carrows are seemingly close but are actually always in competition in their markets and power over the ministry. The Nott and Abattage are very close to the Yaxley and Travers, but only for the matriarchal side of the families. On the patriarchal side, the Nott mostly like the Greengrass and Flint while the Abattage are closer to Macmillan and Burke which is an extraordinary friendship as the Burke and Macmillan positively despise each other to the point where twenty years ago, a Macmillan tried to burn Borgin and Burkes. And so on, the purebred wizarding families did not lack on any gossip and found themselves unknowingly drift to Persephone.

Persephone knew she was a skilled listener and an even more skilled talker. She could make people say things that they would never say to another, and for her, it was as easy as cutting a cake. Usually, she wouldn't have relied on her charm to get people talking, there were easier ways. But today was different. Today, she was surrounded by men and women of the superior class who are experienced in blocking the penetration of the mind. She could be certain that almost all of the Sacred Twenty Eight practiced Occlumency.

"I take that your husband does not listen to you? Idiot," Persephone questioned the woman she had been conversing with for the last few minutes. Feigned curiosity sparkled in her eyes but her voice was quiet and soft.

"Not at all, not a word. Sometimes I tried to convince him that my sister is a good person and not all Burkes are evil but he would just not listen to me," Mrs Macmillan rambled, she was relieved that there was someone in this world that was still interested. Persephone was good with people like her, desperate for a listener, desperate for attention because Persephone could easily fulfil their wish and trust.

Three hours passed, the ball was going to a close. People were still dancing to the slow songs while others had given up dancing and were now chugging down alcohol like water. Most were drunk by now, the majority of them being male, their wives and children helping them away and disaparating quickly to avoid any more humiliation. It was safe to say the Christmas Ball had been a successful one. Many people waved to Persephone goodbye as they left with their family, and Persephone nodded at them all in recognition.