Carpe Noctvm (A Barty Crouch Jr Fanfiction)

THREE - devil's dinner

Keira didn't see Severus the next day, he couldn't face her knowing the pain she would experience. Keira didn't blame him for being unable to stop the arranged marriage, it was the Dark Lord who had ordered it after all. She only wished that she could have been free to choose, no, more than that, she wished to be free from Deatheaters, from the Dark Lord, and from marriage. It was logical—according to the Dark Lord's logic—that young purebloods should be paired off to secure pure bloodlines, but still, it seemed unfair that it was so early. Her dead Deatheater parents placed her in the care of Severus, and while she would not wish for her time back, she wished that instead she had been given to someone who didn't have to serve the Dark Lord.
'Although, Draco would be a better alternative'. Severus' words rattled around her head. Would she have preferred that? On the whole, she supposed she would, after all, she and Draco were friends, and perhaps they would find some companionship in the twisted lives that had been chosen for them. Why had the Dark Lord not paired me with Draco?

The night of the dinner with the Deatheaters and the Dark Lord, Keira had no doubt that Barty Crouch Junior would be there, she thought that the Dark Lord might even announce their 'engagement'. Narcissa had sent the dress she had chosen for Keira to Spinners End. Narcissa had chosen well, the dress was dark green and knee-length with an open back and tulle sleeves. She admired it on her body in the mirror, twisting her hair off her face. Comos gave her a reproachful stare from his place on the bed. I'm not doing this for him, Cosmos, I am simply attending a dinner. Keira only prayed that she would be able to let Draco know in time, she doubted anyone had told him what was about to happen.

Severus arrived back home in time to change, and still, they had not said a word to one another since that conversation. They left in silence for Malfoy Manor. By the time they arrived, they were bordering on late and the others were already seated at the long table. The Dark Lord sat at the head and addressed them as they entered. "Severus and Thorne, you are very nearly late." The Dark Lord chided in his high, cold voice.
"Apologies my lord," Severus answered and he and Keira bowed before taking their places, Keira sat next to Draco and Severus sat on the Dark Lord's right-hand side. Severus engaged the Dark Lord in conversation, meaning the others at the table were free to speak and they did so in hushed tones.
"Draco I need to tell you something," Keira whispered to him. He searched her worried eyes, picking up on the panicked tone. "We're both going to be—" But before she could finish, the doors burst open to reveal a ruggedly handsome man of about thirty, he wore a leather traveling cloak that billowed behind him and he knelt at the Dark Lord's feet, murmuring in his ear.
"Sit down, Bartemius." He instructed and Bartemius Crouch Junior did as he was told, taking a seat on the Dark Lord's left. The air in Keira's body suddenly stopped moving, she could not breathe, the Dark Lord's casual use of her husband-to-be's name had taken her by surprise. She could not do anything but gape at Crouch, who was engaged in conversation with another. He noticed her stare and smirked at her, his eyes lingering on her for a few seconds. He knew that she knew and he was gloating. The smirk said it all, the coming years were not going to be made easy for her.
"Keira, are you alright?" Draco put a hand worriedly on her arm. She nodded, her eyes still on Crouch as if he were some venomous snake who would attack if she took her eyes off him.

The dinner commenced and conversation around the table, while constant, was not loud enough for her to disclose to Draco, the situation. So instead she tried to force down some food although she felt sick with him in the same room. Looking around the table she tried to spot Astoria Greengrass, the person Severus had told her Draco was set to marry. She thought she saw her halfway down the table with beautiful dark hair and a dainty, timid face. She was looking as terrified as Keira felt and it struck Keira that she must be feeling exactly how Keira felt about marrying Crouch. At least Draco isn't cruel. Keira felt no sympathy for her, she was too focused on her own fate. Again, Keira's eyes were drawn to Crouch's, she watched him eat and converse with others around the table. He seemed more at ease than any other person in the room, the smile on his face was incessant. From what Keira could see, he didn't look half as mad as she expected him to look, perhaps that is why he is so dangerous.