Ultimatums

Chapter 35

It was the day of Bellatrix and Rodolphus's wedding. Also known as the day before Regulus's induction.

Reanne Lestrange walked down the aisle first, Rodolphus's cousin, in the most hideous dress Bellatrix could find. She honestly hated the girl, but Druella had insisted they make an effort with the in laws by allowing Reanne to be apart of the wedding. The dress was a sort of putrid green, with pink flowers detailing the bodice. The sleeves were puffed up around the shoulders, elbows and wrists, and the skirt was ruffled with lace. Reanne was rather beautiful, with Rabastan's eyes and short blonde waves that stopped at her ears, but the dress was so unflattering and attention drawing that all beauty was lost.

Next was Hermione, her wild curls straightened to fall sleekly down her back. She held a bouquet of white orchids that glowed brightly against her forest green gown, which was backless and had a  flowing, slit chiffon skirt. She swayed down the aisle, and the men standing at the altar couldn't look away. Her blood red lips parted in a smile as she went to stand behind Reanne and made eye contact with Regulus.

Narcissa wore a similar dress to Hermione's though her neckline plunged less as a soon to be married woman, and her bouquet contained sage flowers as well as the white. When Rodolphus saw her, walking toward him, he started to fidget nervously. The last person. Narcissa was the last person standing in the way of his marriage to the formidable, mad, terrifying Bellatrix Black, who he suspected was falling for someone else. And that someone else happened to be in the pews.

"Cold feet, brother?" Rabastan whispered in his ear as the wedding march began its first rung out notes.

"Not at all" Rodolphus answered in a strangled voice, and Rabastan chuckled.

"I'd offer to swap you, mate, but Potter looks extremely ravishing tonight. I -"

"She's coming" Regulus snapped, and he was correct.

Bellatrix soon entered the Lestrange's spacious garden. She walked in between the garden pews on a black strip of carpet, all attention on her. It was the first  time  Hermione had ever seen her in white, and she was sure it would be the last. Her make up was wicked, the smoky eyeshadow and dark lipstick making her appear ethereal. Her dark hair was piled in an extravagant knot, a veil attached to the Black family tiara that held it all together.

As she made her way toward them, Hermione was cast back to a night in the Grimmauld Place library when she was eleven. Her and Regulus were trying to find the most obscure words. He came up with Wynorrific ~ something that to you is (visually) beautiful, but you are scared of that very thing. The only word that could perfectly describe Bellatrix.

The witch reached the altar, and the ceremony began. It droned on and on, and Hermione had nearly fallen asleep when the wizard performing the ceremony announced "you may now kiss the bride!"

Rodolphus lifted the veil, and Bellatrix grabbed his neck and pulled him down. Their lips crashed together, his eyes open in shock and hers squeezed shut, the guests averting their eyes in embarrassment. Bellatrix grinned wickedly when she saw the plum lipstick smudged over her new husband's lips, and led him down the aisle and back to the house.

☏

Hermione and Regulus sipped at their champagne flutes in the corner, observing the room.

"I hear the Dark Lord's here tonight" Regulus said casually.

"Oh? Well he's doing a brilliant job of blending in. You'd expect a proper Muggle type villain, with green skin and horns or something" Hermione answered with a frown "it's odd isn't it? How such evil people can look so normal?"