The days had passed relatively quickly ever since Aion was gone from the Malfoy Manor and before Aine realized it, a month and a half had gone by since the last time she saw her brother. The previous confrontation she had with him was right before she went to Dartmoor forest to search for Harry, Ron, Hermione and the Hales.
It was still surreal for her to keep on living without Aion by her side and it took some time to get used to his absence and how he was never coming back to the manor. Nevertheless, she had another reason to go on. One of the last few people in her life that she had to live for to protect and keep fighting.
And that was none other than Draco Malfoy.
There he was, sitting in one of the seats at the long ornate table. His silver eyes brightened up instantly when he saw her coming into the room, finding strength in her presence. It had been a long tiring day of another Deatheater meeting and his energy was depleting like an open dam.
Aine shot him a quick smile as she caressed Nagini who slithered to greet her. The serpent companion of her father has been quite affectionate to her as of late after what happened on the night she found out about her brother's 'death'. Whether Nagini feared her or sensed the change of who the new predominant being was in the group, Aine wasn't quite sure. She was just glad that she was able to tame the snake now because that meant one less being she had to deal with.
To fight monsters, she had to become a monster. To fight evil, she was already plagued with it.
As usual, she ignores the many pairs of eyes darting in her direction. Heads were lowered almost right away so that they were looking at their laps or the array of food displayed in front of them. Her eyes twitched slightly at the searing sensation crawling up her forearm, spreading from the Dark Mark. Maybe it was how often the Dark Lorde had used the mark to call his pawns that Aine had grown accustomed to the pain. She was desensitized by it now unlike before when it used to bother her how painful it was, just like hot knives sinking into her flesh, burning her veins and boiling her blood.
In the same way, her blood bubbles with rage when she meets the arrogant smirk of the young man sitting near the end of the table.
Ah... He's still here. Still very much alive...
And she was still very much tempted to finish him off.
"Won't you sit down, daughter? We've been waiting for you," a voice urges at the head of the table. He gestures with his bone-white hand to the throne-looking seat next to him.
Aine removed her hand from Nagini's head and sighed through her nose. She didn't reply but did as told anyway. She crossed her legs and rested her clasped hands on top of her knees, her attention solely on her lover across her and the glistening silverware perfectly arranged on either side of her table mat. She taps her fingers on her knuckles, watching Pettigrew shakily fill some of the Deatheater's cups with alcohol while hers remained with water. She wasn't of age yet to drink after all though she would very much like to be drunk right now instead of dealing with whatever her father was planning.
Nagini hisses softly at Pettigrew when he falters slightly at the sight of her. The Dark Lord snickered to himself as he stroked the great snake to calm her down. He takes a sip of the deep red drink, savouring it as he takes pleasure in his soldier's discomfort and company.
Wanting to get on with the night, Aine finally spoke. "I'm sure you didn't call me here for a family meal, Father," she said coldly, keeping her gaze glued to the exceptionally shiny and attractive knife that she found her reflection in. It was sleek and somewhat decorative; the handle had scales carved on it with some black iridescent shells that shone when the light hit. "So, why don't you stop beating around the bush and get on with it?"
Voldemort sets down his goblet and huffs at his daughter's attitude. It had been more than a month since she had given him this cold shoulder treatment. Truth be told, he didn't know what to do to subdue her ire that she kept well-concealed. He even sent Cal on double the missions so he wasn't seen around in the Malfoy Estate as often and had stopped taunting her and her feeble emotions and feelings that make her weak.
He even tried treating her nicely as what 'normal' fathers would do to lighten their daughters' moods, going as far as leaving gifts of flowers and rare potion ingredients since he knew that Aine loved potions. He even tried striking up casual conversations when he was around her and acting like Elliot at times.
However, try as he might, it had all ended up in vain as the Estoileon lady would be even more callous than ever. He was running out of ideas and patience but he needed to make sure his daughter had gotten over the ill feelings she had. He needed his army to be strong and united but instead, it was chipping, crumbling very surely.
Aine wasn't ignorant of how hard her father had tried to flatter and concede to her. It must have been humiliating for him to be behaving this way but she didn't care. From how she has been treated so far by him, she was shamed in ways worse than him.
The bitterness was still raw in her mind, the scar he gave her by ripping away Aion from her was still fresh as though he had only cut her just yesterday with the betrayal. Even though her anger wasn't as severe as it once was, it didn't mean she was completely over it.
She wasn't stupid and she could see his true intentions masked with all of the useless attempts, as vivid as the flames crackling in the fireplace. All Aine saw from his efforts in patching things up was him being this imposter who was trying to be the person she loved— Her real dad, Elliot.
"Don't you think you're angry enough? We should let bygones be bygones! We are a family, are we not?" he asks with a disdainful frown and Aine nearly snorted aloud at his words. She never once felt that they were her family, nor considered them to be her family except Draco and Narcissa, and maybe even Cyrus.
"I've heard about how much you enjoy family dinners from our dear friends. Thus, I have prepared this for you!" Voldemort stated rather proudly, gesturing to the group of people in the room who had graced them with their presence.
You mean when you forced them to tell you, Aine corrected in her head, eyeing the Deatheaters who were present, as though they had been put to gunpoint to obey this ridiculous dinner. Her thoughts caused Draco to pursed his quivering lips and he bit down the urge to laugh, knowing that if he did, the Dark Lord would have his head for it.
"Let us forget about the disharmony in the ranks and join hands once more to be stronger," the Dark Lord suggested as he raised his goblets to his comrades. One by one, they took their wine glasses and cups and lifted them to the ceiling, brightly grinning like their master. Although many wore pleased grins, some were forcing a smile to keep up with the mood to not bring it down.
Aine simpered boldly at how 'normal' everyone was acting at the table. Many of them had already started digging into the piping-hot dishes that just kept magically popping up from the table. Food was piling on top of their clean porcelain plates and some even began scarfing down the food as if they had been starving for days, if not weeks. The sight itself was just baffling to her because it was as though Voldemort was trying to recreate the experience of having a meal with a family.
She had no issues regarding the food choice since Narcissa had been the one who had prepared it. The Malfoy matriarch did have some impressive cooking skills that Aine has never once doubted but it was the fact that almost everyone else was treating this dinner to be something ordinary.
Not once had the Dark Lord's army sat down to have dinner before which was why the experience was unfamiliar and disturbingly unpleasant to not just Aine, but Cyrus, Draco, Narcissa and even Lucius. They barely touched the delicious spread laid out before them, fingers clutching onto the cutleries as they froze in their seats, dumbfounded and perplexed, appetites lost.
It felt wrong and Aine wasn't going to pretend like it was fine, she was certain that if she were to do what her father had told her and eat and act like this was just another decent family meal with these Deatheaters here, she was going to have indigestion and not enjoy the food.
Aine leaned forward and turned to the Dark Lord, her lips flattening into a smirk that matched his. "I am honoured to hear that you had specially prepared this occasion for my sake," she said as she brought her goblet of water to toast. Having not sipped one drop of it yet.
Everyone stopped eating and looked over to their master's heir, Draco and Cyrus exchanging quizzical looks as they wondered where this was all going. Voldemort, on the other hand, wore a satisfied grin. He toasted to his beloved daughter and downed his cups, assuming that his hard work had finally paid off and that she was no longer bearing any grudges.
Until Aine proved him wrong.
"Good," Voldemort praises her with a nod after listening to her toast. He sips his wine, his icy blue eyes curling into slits at Aine.
Then she stood up and his smile faded from his face, suddenly uneasy with the look plastered on her face. Aine sighed loudly, a poisonous smile replacing her sullen expression and she spoke again. "Before I go, I'd like it known..." she began, no longer wanting to be part of this joke. She had enough of this.
Her palms pressed onto the tablecloth and she clenched her fist into a ball at the resentment rising inside her. "That I am unable to swallow anything as long as I am in the same room—"
She tilts her head to Cal who was already smirking, chewing the meat in his mouth playfully at her. "— As that man," she finishes, reciprocating with a false smile. One that anyone could tell how much she hated the young man that was three seats down from hers, and how bloody pissed she still was.
The mood in the room drops immediately at Aine's disclosure and some Deatheaters stop eating. Some respectfully placed down their cutleries and kept their hands from the table, awkward with the stifling tension and change of events.
"Well then—" Aine stretched out her fist, seeing as she had spoken everything she wanted to. "Do enjoy yourselves, Father— My fellow comrades," she bids with sarcasm, clinking the flabbergasted master of the Deatheater's goblet with the knife she decided to nick from dinner. She gave a polite nod to Narcissa and Lucius before her gaze fell back to the Dark Lord where she sent him a graceful curtsy to excuse herself.
She rolls her eyes at Cal as she passes, her heels clicking in rhythm as she heads back to her room. For a moment, she was even considering stabbing the insolent young man with the sharp knife in her hand. But it'll be too easy and too quick of death for someone who ought to suffer painfully in his final moments. Not to mention, she didn't want to soil the outfit she was wearing. The pale satin midi dress had pockets and it was one of her favourites, getting blood on it would be a hassle to remove it even with magic.
Aine cruised through the grand staircase and the murmuring pictures on the corridor, the experience taking her back to Hogwarts whenever she passed by them. It was irksome to hear them gossip among themselves and sing as though others can't hear them but it'll be a lie to say she hated it. It reminded her of the portraits and paintings at her school and thinking long about it was making her miss it; the very idea of wandering from floor to floor, running up the moving stairs, exploring the majestic castle, going to classes and the life there she had spent with her friends.
Her footsteps were joined by another when a pair of shoes hastily caught up to her walking speed. She felt a larger hand slip nicely into hers before taking the lead, her lips curling upwards. Aine didn't even have to turn to know who it was by her side. "Are you sure it's alright to leave?" she asks Draco who shoots her a side-eye and a kittenish grin.
"I'm the landlord's son, M'lady. I'm free to do as I please in my own home, including not dining with people I don't want to," he replies with a hint of swagger that makes Aine hum in amusement. "Besides, Mother didn't mind me not being there. I couldn't stomach anything without you there too," Draco added. He purposely left out that the reason why he left in the first place was due to Lucius's orders to retrieve Aine.
However, Draco already knew Aine didn't want to go back and neither did he. He was just going to fake his attempt and tell his father that he failed when he saw him later.
"Mrs Malfoy made such an effort to prepare those dishes though, maybe I should have tried a thing or two before I left," Aine pondered. She was feeling bad now since she was only thinking of herself and how she felt. A pang of regret and guilt shoots right through her when she pictures Narcissa's face.
Could her rejection to join the dinner perhaps upset Narcissa? Aine did admit that her attitude was rather rude but she had no intentions to insult the Malfoys with her actions.
Aine sighs again for the hundredth time of the day, mentally face-palming herself. She felt horrible for leaving now.
Noting the morose look on Aine's face, Draco stroked her hand with his thumb and offered her a comforting smile. "Mother knew you'd say that so she left some dishes aside for you and me. We could have some late dinner later if you like. You know, after everyone's gone," he suggested.
"I supposed we could make that work," Aine answered, suddenly excited about their late dinner plans. "We can invite Cyrus and your mother to join us too! Your father as well, if he likes."
Draco's smile faltered slightly and he bit his lip. "I was actually thinking if it's just two of us. But sure, if that is what you wish for. We can do that," he said, respecting her opinions. Nevertheless, he didn't dislike her proposition of his friend and parents joining in. He appreciated her thoughtfulness for his family, even when she and his father didn't have the best relationship.
The two of them headed back to Draco's room where the latter wanted to show Aine something that he had found that may have some clue and connection to the list of names that Aris had. He started to clear up his messy desk and put away some of the potion books that he had been reading, not expecting that Aine would come to his room. He wanted his room to look prime and tidy for her after all. Definitely to please her or anything.
Aine watched him in the background, biting down a snicker at how adorable Draco was running around, hiding traces of the mess he made with the clutter of papers.
"Speaking of which... There will be a ball coming up and some of the most prestigious aristocratic families will be attending it," Draco said while turning to face her. He leans at the edge of the table and crosses his arms as he continues. "I'm told by Mother that each family ought to send a representative."
"And?" Aine quirks a brow, wondering how all this ties into whatever they were looking for recently, about the hints her mother had left behind in the chest. She closed the door behind her and cast a protection spell to make sure they weren't overheard. "Are you to go there or something?" she asks, tilting her head.
Draco nodded in response, dissatisfaction cementing all over his features when he thought about it. As many of the noble families would be attending, it meant that there were also going to be many blood purists. The sacred family of the Wizarding World did comprise many witches and wizards who strongly believed that they should keep their heritage line pure. And with this upcoming event, there was going to be a room full of them.
He could already imagine all of the conversations going around denigrating and mocking the Muggles and the Muggle-borns. Truthfully, Draco dreaded to attend it but as his family, the Malfoys were part of the sacred twenty-eight families, he was obliged to go. It was also the Dark Lord's and his father's desire for him to be present that day to look for any potential allies amongst the pure-bloods.
What a hassle... He said to himself in his head. All this socializing to save his family's honour and reputation. He had no choice but to comply.
"I managed to sneak a peek of the list of guests that Father got from the host, and you wouldn't guess who will be attending," he said, a roughish grin forming on his lips.
Aine mirrors his grin and prowls towards him, her heart racing with curiosity and thrill. "Do pray to tell, my love~" she sang.
Draco's smile stretched further up at the sight of her devilishness. "Maryse," he replies, earning a surprised wide-eyed reaction from her. "To be exact, it's Lord Maryse, or at least that's what I saw on the list. Though I'm not even sure if it is the same one your mother referred to in the list but they do share the same last name," he explained.
"What's his first name?"
The Malfoy lad shook his head, "Wasn't indicated. I only saw the word 'Lord Maryse' instead of a full name." He reached for her hand and tore down the walls around his mind for her to view his memory of the attendee list.
Aine furrowed slightly as she bore her brilliant gold and lilac eyes into Draco's silver ones and they dilated. Her mouth curled upwards at the names, most of them were families that she recognized. Though there were also a couple that she didn't find familiar, Maryse was one of them. It was strange since most of the people who were going to the ball were patricians and Maryse was not one of them.
"Rather ostentatious of him to be the only one addressing himself as Lord instead of 'Mister'," Aine commented, detecting the one difference compared to the rest of the names. She hadn't met him yet but she could tell that Maryse seemed to be a haughty man. "Either way, that doesn't matter. If he shows up, we'll just play some mind games to see whether he knows anything or not."
"I knew you'd be glad to hear that," Draco replies. He circles his arms around Aine's waist from behind and rests his chin on her shoulder. Her sweet scent getting wrapped in his cologne. "So what do you think? Would you like to join me in this mission, M'lady?" he queried softly, giving her a seductive glance.
Aine turns around to meet him, "For you, M'lord?"
"No, love. For you," he states.
She pretended to contemplate for a few seconds before replying and Draco's eyes never stray away from her face for one moment. Aine burst into laughter when she caught him giving her puppy eyes, "Looks like we need some dress robes prepared then." She winks back and Draco chuckles, throwing his head back at her flirtiness.
"Now I'm regretting it," he remarked and she snickered, giving him a questionable look without saying a word. "That means everyone's going to see how stunning you are and I hate that," he sulks.
"My, my, Draco. There's nothing to be jealous of!" she replies, throwing her arms around his neck and leaning into his ear. "I'm already yours," she whispered, reminding him.
A chill ran down Draco's spine and he shivered at her warm breath that tickled his ears. They eventually turn red quickly. He blushes at her words and covers his satisfied smile with a hand, briefly looking away. "And likewise, I am yours as well," he mumbles, caressing her rosy cheeks. He plants a soft kiss on her forehead before hugging her and swaying again.
"Shall we ask Cyrus along too?" he asks. Their friend was one of the affiliated family too after all, though the Azuli weren't as well-known as the Malfoys or Estoileons, they did hold a reputation for themselves too.
"Why not? I'm sure he'll be glad to join. It is an opportunity to skip out on the other missions Father instructed the other Deatheaters to bring him along," Aine said while shrugging. She was sure that Cyrus would prefer to spend more time with them than the others. It was what the two of them would do after all. "There's no harm in inviting him! If you give him the option of being forced to be with other Deatheaters he loathes or enjoying a party with some good desserts and drinks? I think the answer's pretty clear!"
Draco pokes playfully Aine's cheeks at her statement. "I don't think Cyrus is driven by desserts and drinks, love. Are you sure you're not talking about yourself?" he questions.
"You'll be surprised how motivated I am if there are sweets involved," she reveals, wriggling her eyebrows. "Cakes, macaroons, tarts, parfaits, jellies, ice cream, chocolates, sweets, tea..." Aine began listing it all out, mentally drooling at the imagination of all of the lovely desserts.
"You're going to make me hungry now, love," Draco interjected, stopping her before she went off-topic. He could feel his stomach rumble like hers and they laughed in unison.
"We should go grab some sweets," Aine said with a sheepish smile.
"Yeah, some tea and desserts after our dinner," Draco grinned as he patted her head softly.
~~~
Later that night, Cyrus ended up joining Aine and Draco with their belated dinner. Narcissa came by for a little while before leaving the youngsters to chat amongst themselves. Lucius, as Draco predicted, stayed in his office, not bothering to leave his desk for his son.
When they were alone to speak about the plans privately, Aine and Draco started divulging the Azuli boy. While Draco hoped his friend would come along for them, Aine not-so-obviously hinted about the food and drinks on purpose to lure him.
"Well?" Draco asked with sparkling eyes, sharing the same excited look with Aine as they peered eagerly at the blue-haired boy who was silently chewing his dark forest cake as though they were thinking of stealing his food. Except they didn't since they each had one of their own, Aine with her ice cream and Draco with his apple tea.
Both of them already had high expectations when they saw how serious Cyrus was in considering their offer when they were telling him about their plans. It seemed pretty clear that he was going to agree.
"I would kindly refuse," Cyrus ends up saying, putting a hand up and flat-out declining them.
Aine and Draco blinked at each other, jaws dropping as they were taken aback by the rejection. The latter scoffs at how fast his best friend's response was. Ever since Cyrus had joined them, Draco realized that he had become more outspoken and sometimes even sarcastic; something that he mostly saw from Blaise as Cyrus was typically quieter, only speaking his heart out once in a blue moon or when he gets annoyed.
"You didn't even consider it for one minute, Cy!" Draco shot back with a glare.
"I don't want to be there interfering with your lovey-dovey moments like a third-wheeler!" Cyrus said. As much as he adores and enjoys being with his two friends, he rather not intrude in their moments. The couple were very affectionate with one another and had often had zero shame in acting that way in front of him and others. It was as if they wanted to announce to the whole world that they were a thing. "But..." he trails off.
"But...?" Aine repeated slowly, getting hopeful. She raises a brow, urging him to go on. Her eyes glimmered, having a hunch that this was going in the direction she wanted. Even so, she hides her delight to prevent him from changing his mind.
Cyrus glances sceptically at Aine before his blue eyes drift to Draco's. "You sure there will be desserts, right?" he asks, double-checking.
"Of course! I'll even cast the Imperius curse on the servers if there aren't any!" Aine promises with a jester smirk.
"I don't think you should have said the last part, love," Draco whispered not-so-loudly to his girlfriend.
"Oh, right! I'll request them to prepare it for you, Cy!" she corrects and Draco gives her a thumbs up, satisfied with her strategy.
Cyrus sighs, wondering why was he even agreeing to all of this. It seems that his other mission there would be to make sure both Aine and Draco don't do anything stupid and that they are on their best behaviours.
"I won't do anything stupid, I promise!" Aine reassures him after catching a glimpse of his thoughts.
"I'd appreciate it if you stop looking into my thoughts," Cyrus said, narrowing his eyes at her.
Aine responded with a bigger smirk, she shrugged before nodding. She had no control over it and although Cyrus hadn't said anything, it was written all over his face.
"Told you it was easy," Aine mutters, nudging Draco with her elbow playfully. "Humans would do anything for good food."
Draco rolled his eyes at her and shook his head, he had no way of winning over her. It was true, or at least from what he saw. He chuckles and looks back to Cyrus, placing another slice of cake onto his plate while Aine tops it with a blueberry macaroon on it to show their gratitude. "I'm going to find you some nice suit to match your striking hair and hopefully, there's someone that would catch your interest there," he said, giving his friend his word.
"I'm not exactly looking for—"
Aine clasps her hands together and squeals happily, she takes another bite of the mint chocolate ice cream and cringed from the brain freeze. "It'll be like the Yule Ball again. How exciting~" she chirps.
"We're going to have so much fun, aren't we, love? Finding someone for our Cyrus here... And playing some mind games," Draco joins in, mouthing the latter part of the sentence to her. He casually steals a scoop of her ice cream and grins at her.
Cyrus groans at the couple, a deadpan expression crawling onto his face as he tries to reason with them again. "Like I've said... I don't need a partner."
"C'mon, mate! That way you won't be lonely!" the platinum-blonde man states.
"Don't tease him too much, love," Aine says, not wanting Cyrus to accidentally change his decision otherwise. Though she was enjoying how energetic he was now, and how much the mood around them was lively again, as if whatever happened in the drawing room with the rest of the Dark Lord's army didn't happen.
"Godric's sake, how does Blaise deal with both of you?" Cyrus sighs, feeling drained from the conversation all of a sudden. He couldn't keep up with their chaotic energy.
Wasn't taking something sweet supposed to boost your energy? he wonders to himself. How was he feeling even more tired after the small meal?
"He doesn't," Aine said as she shared a smile with Draco who finished their statement.
"That's 'cause he usually ends up joining us behaving so."
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