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Post by Narcissa V Black on May 30, 2011 23:26:35 GMT
Mrs Druella Black was always throwing tea parties and social events that she invited her sophisticated and wonderful friends to. Events that kept the Black children out of the parlour all day and gave them an excuse to go and do their own thing. Without anyone to entertain, they wouldn't have to spend tedious hours sitting with their mother and her friends, some of whom were disliked for one reason or another. Narcissa found it irritating to listen to goodness knew how many women telling her what she had to do to be the proper little pureblood wife. She wasn't even 16 yet, and was definitely not ready to be married, whether or not it was her ambition.
That particular day, however, Narcissa had descended the stairs ready to spend blissful hours outside, talking with her eldest sister, who she admired, and breathing in the fresh air. Her happiness, however, was cut short by the fact that, before her, was Lucius Malfoy, her childhood friend and probably her closest male companion. As much as she liked Lucius, she had been hoping to spend time to herself, and was rather shocked to see him there. It was, after all, a gathering of mature women. Maybe it was to boost his ego, she thought- a load of old women gushing about how handsome and successful he was. But then it clicked and she realised why he'd been brought along.
Still, she wouldn't let it bother her. It might be nice to talk to him after all. She was about to go over and say hello when she was stopped by her mother, who announced happily that Narcissa had to entertain Lucius. This she was fine with, and had been planning to do anyway. It was the fact that came next that irritated her- Bellatrix would be her chaperone. Narcissa, for all her love of tradition, was quite liberal when it came to things like this, and saw the need for a chaperone as entirely Victorian. Bellatrix, too, wouldn't be pleased with the arrangements.
And so she found herself sat in the drawing room next to the parlour, listening to the chattering women through the open door and wishing that she could just spend some time alone with her friend.
"I hope your mother didn't have to be too insistent that you came, Lucius," she commented vaguely, sipping tea from a little china cup that the house elf had brought through.
Tagged: Lucius, Bellatrix
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Post by Lucius Malfoy on May 30, 2011 23:52:08 GMT
When Gertrude Malfoy had told her son that they have been invited to visit Corvus Hall, Lucius had been pleased to hear it.
He knew that it meant spending time with his childhood friend, Narcissa Black, who he hadn't seen for quite a few weeks due to it being the summer holidays. Despite being able to spend as much time with all of his other friends as he pleased, it was different when he wanted to see Narcissa, purely because she was a girl and she didn't quite have the freedoms he did. This was frustrating, especially for this visit, as she had a chaperone, and that chaperone was her older sister.
Lucius hadn't ever really spent a lot of time talking to Bellatrix, but he wasn't really getting very pleasant vibes from her at the moment.
Whilst his Mother was sat with the other guests who'd been invited to tea, he and the two young women were sat in the drawing room.
Lucius was sat with a straight back, maintaining good posture, and showing manners. He wasn't about to slouch into the antique chair he was sat in, or make himself at home, not when he was trying to make a good impression.
"Not at all," said Lucius, with a small smile on his face. He didn't feel a bigger smile was appropriate, as the tension in the air was thick. "I quite enjoy your company. I was pleased when I received an invitation."
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Post by Bellatrix Black on May 31, 2011 0:12:08 GMT
Upon hearing from her mother that she, Bellatrix, would have to chaperone her little sister... Well she certainly wasn't pleased. Who did she think she was?! Some sort of house elf? Some sort of servant? Why couldn't someone be hired to watch Narcissa? Why should she have to suffer just because for some reason Druella thought the two might get up to mischief? It was injustice! Completely unfair! Bella had plenty of other things to be doing such as... Well she had things to do and she'd be damned if playing supervisor over a little tea party would interrupt them. Druella, of course, had been very determined to force the issue and in the end Bella had next to no choice. She couldn't believe she was twenty years old and still allowing her mother to order her around like she was still ten.
It was for this reason, that Bella found herself sitting in on a - what she considered to be - strained conversation. It probably wasn't aided by the fact that there she was scowling at both in turn, determined that if she was going to be a chaperone, she be the best damned chaperone and there would be no touchy feely nonsense going on in front of her. She would be ruthless! The slightest sign of contact would be severely dealt with, hence why her wand was stowed conveniently within a moments reaching for it. She had yet to say anything, but she was certainly keeping a close eye on them from over the rim of the teacup that was presently held to her mouth.
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Post by Narcissa V Black on May 31, 2011 0:29:46 GMT
Although Narcissa smiled at Lucius' reply, she glanced up at her elder sister as though checking that it was alright with Bellatrix if she could move her facial muscles in that direction. Bella clearly wasn't very happy about today's arrangement, and neither was Narcissa if she was honest, but for some reason Bellatrix had decided to do this thing properly and so there was no escaping it. She turned back to Lucius, the smile still evident on her face and placed her cup down.
"I'm glad. I'd hate to think that your mother had to drag you along, and that you'd find our company intolerable," she replied, hammering home the fact that Lucius had mentioned he was glad to be there, so that Bellatrix might lighten up a little. Of course, this was very unlikely to happen but it was always worth the effort to attempt to get the two of them on less tense terms.
"I swear I'll never throw any of these gatherings when I'm older. They seem so very dull."
Tagged: Lucius, Bellatrix
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Post by Lucius Malfoy on May 31, 2011 0:57:21 GMT
Lucius had grown up with family friends being invited over at least once a week for dinner, and with regular tea parties at his house, so the idea of social gatherings were second nature to him. He'd been brought up to appreciate that keeping up appearances was important, and that social skills were key to a happy life.
"On the contrary, I believe it's important to meet regularly with friends and acquaintances, and to...be social," he said in a careful tone, glancing at Narcissa's older sister as he spoke.
The tension in the air wasn't getting any thinner, and he had images of Bellatrix hexing him at any moment. There was a dangerous look in her eye, but he didn't show that he was uncomfortable.
Instead he picked up his cup of tea in the saucer, and drank a little, still holding the saucer at his chest.
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Post by Bellatrix Black on May 31, 2011 1:28:49 GMT
Bella caught her sister looking in her direction and reacted only by raising an eyebrow, her face the picture of grumpiness. "You mean, your company - mine is always tolerable," she corrected abruptly.
Bellatrix glanced between the two as a form of conversation was started, her teacup now resting on it's saucer again. She quietly agreed with her sister; social gatherings such these were quite dull unless the company happened to be people who weren't all obsessed with marriage, etiquette and the current weather forecast. One could only stand so much. She shot a suspicious look at Lucius as he hesitated and seeing as he was looking in her direction, decided he must be guilty of inappropriate thoughts. "Too much socializing is unhealthy," she snapped, shifting in her seat so she could draw herself up to full height and appear more intimidating. Or so she hoped.
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Post by Narcissa V Black on May 31, 2011 1:41:11 GMT
Whilst she didn't agree with Lucius in particular, she was about to further explain herself when Bellatrix spoke up instead. Narcissa immediately shut her mouth and looked up at her elder sister, and then over to their guest to see how he'd take it. Then again, she could guess how he'd take it and so decided she'd just gloss over the topic by changing the subject completely. Hopefully that would get them away from any potential argument.
"Yes, well," she began, setting her cup down on the table and crossing one leg over the other. "I would just like to say that I didn't ask for you to be here Bella," she told her sister, hoping that maybe if she mentioned this fact, Bella might be less inclined to be so hostile. "It was our mothers' idea entirely," she added, more to Lucius as she gave him an apologetic smile.
Tagged: Lucius, Bellatrix
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Post by Lucius Malfoy on May 31, 2011 1:59:37 GMT
Lucius had been about to reply to Bellatrix's comment about socialising, disagreeing with her, but Narcissa had spoken before he'd had the chance. It was probably for the best, he reflected, and starting an argument would not have shown very good manners.
As Narcissa explained that Bellatrix was there on their Mother's orders, Lucius gave a small nod, although he did not speak, as most of what she'd said had been directed to her sister. Instead he took another drink of the tea, which he still held in his hand, being as he was sat a little way away from the table.
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Post by Bellatrix Black on May 31, 2011 2:31:42 GMT
Bella shot a cold look at her sister, "You might not have asked me, but strangely enough, I didn't really want to spend my day keeping Mother's mind at rest by watching the pair of you in case you're possessed by the urge to... Invade each others' personal space." Clearing her throat loudly, she reached for her teacup again, beginning to tire of the bland substance.
Bellatrix loathed small talk and idle conversation but had to force herself to create some. She could handle tension but only so much when she was also wanting to be elsewhere. Then she was struck by the idea that perhaps she could manipulate the situation to her own amusement. "So, Mr. Malfoy, I hear you like my sister..."
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Post by Narcissa V Black on May 31, 2011 2:43:07 GMT
At first, Narcissa thought that the conversation had changed and that Bellatrix would be a little less invasive, but that soon changed when she realised it was quite the opposite. She frowned slightly at the notion that they needed a chaperone for such a reason, and rolled her eyes, but Bellatrix had reached for her teacup, which Narcissa assumed meant that the conversation was through and that they could change the subject.
However, it was Bellatrix who spoke first and at what her sister said, Narcissa blushed deeply, the teacup she had been about to lift halfway to her mouth as she stared at her sister.
"Bellatrix..." she hissed under her breath, looking over at Lucius but not meeting his eyes. It was a rather embarassing comment for her sister to make.
Tagged: Lucius, Bellatrix
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Post by Lucius Malfoy on May 31, 2011 3:07:44 GMT
Lucius was caught a little off-guard by Bellatrix's bluntness, but he did well not to let it show. He was certain she was purposefully trying to make him feel unwelcome, and so he wasn't going to let her get the satisfaction of knowing it had worked.
"I believe it is accurate to say we both enjoy each other's company," he said coolly, holding the older sister's gaze. He wasn't going to be intimidated by her.
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Post by Bellatrix Black on May 31, 2011 4:12:55 GMT
Bella smirked, feeling exceptionally pleased with herself. With a snide glance at her sister, she observed the blush and found herself greatly amused. If there was one thing she enjoyed about being the elder sister, it was that she could embarrass Narcissa as much as she pleased and there were no consequences. At least not yet anyhow. "Are you blushing, Cissy? You know that's a dead give away, don't you? You're supposed to play hard to get or else it's too easy and they'll be gone before you can sucker them into marriage."
She raised an eyebrow at Lucius, and her tone turning instantly from lightly sarcastic to cold and mildly threatening. "Is that so? And what am I to assume you mean by 'company'? Casual company or am I to assume intimate?"
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Post by Narcissa V Black on May 31, 2011 12:32:29 GMT
Whilst Narcissa was pleased that Lucius had cleverly avoided worsening the situation, she was horrified when Bellatrix went on to comment about her blushing. Unable to stop herself, as much as she tried, it only made her blush more and she resigned herself to staring down into her cup. The expression on her face was nothing short of embarassed, and she knew she was giving Bellatrix the power in this instance.
When she looked up at Lucius however, to see him defiant in her sisters' path, she felt herself smiling. She liked boys who could hold their own, and she'd assumed that virtually all of them would cower and conceed to Bellatrix, who was like a harpy if one was on the wrong side of her. Bella could be a nasty piece of work to those she deemed unworthy of her 'affection', could it be called that. Every boy who had met Bella so far had shown the same reaction- absolute fear. But Lucius was at least trying not to show this; what he was actually feeling Narcissa wasn't sure. She wouldn't be surprised if he was nervous around her elder sister, but she was happy for the fact that he was showing defiance.
"Oh Bella, don't be so silly," she replied in response to her sisters' question, albeit a question aimed for Lucius. Seeing Lucius standing up to Bella had made Narcissa more confident, and she glanced over at her sister. "Even should there be feelings between Lucius and myself, do you really think I would allow you and mother the pleasure of knowing I'd been intimate? Besides, where would there be the time or place for these wild ideas you have? Honestly."
Tagged: Lucius, Bellatrix
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Post by Lucius Malfoy on May 31, 2011 14:23:38 GMT
Sadly, what Narcissa had said was true.
There would never be a time when he could have too much of Narcissa, and he often cursed the fact that they hardly had any time when they were truly alone to do as they pleased. Even when they were at Hogwarts it seemed like everybody was purposefully getting in their way.
"Marriage isn't something that men have to be 'suckered' into, as you put it. Not gentleman, in any case," said Lucius, calmly, only allowing his tone to show just a hint of snootiness.
"I imagine that if you've ever had to 'sucker' men into anything, then you have not chosen your...victims...carefully enough." Lucius knew it wasn't particularly gentlemanlike for him to imply that anyone Bellatrix tried to spend time with was a victim, but she wasn't exactly being pleasant to either him or Narcissa, and he couldn't be expected to take it lying down.
This meeting was proving to be challenging, and whilst it was a task to retain his cool, Lucius wasn't going to be beaten. He drank a little more of his tea, and retained the neutral, calm expression on his face.
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Post by Bellatrix Black on May 31, 2011 18:25:16 GMT
It seemed her shameless teasing had achieved her aim, her sister seemed visibly uncomfortable, however, Lucius hadn't reacted quite as well. "I'm sure you could find time somehow, Cissy. You are, after all, a member of the Black family. Then again, I'm quite sure you are a changeling and not my real sister." She scrutinized her sister with a piercing stare. This lasted briefly before she noticed Lucius' lack of trembling and nervous aura. Consequently distracted, she shot him the same piercing stare, though perhaps with a hint more suspicion.
She sneered at him, "If I have any victims of that sort, rest assured they are willing ones. Not that it is anyone's business." Her eyes darted between the two quickly before she added, "Are you fond of my sister, Mr. Malfoy?"
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