The Promise (A Harry Potter Next Generation Fanfic)

Chapter 25

Allie couldn't believe her eyes as she took in Ryan's frame stood in front of her, a menacing grin on his face.

"Ryan?!" She cried again, stumbling slightly. She felt like she could pass out.

"Hi Allie." Ryan said simply.

How had this happened? Her sister had married and had a son with a follower of Emilio and he had obviously been told to do so. When she was younger, she used to think that Ryan and Eliza's love was one of fairytales. They'd always seemed so in love and now she felt sick. This man would be returning home tonight to Eliza and Mason and pretending that nothing had happened. He was living a double life for goodness sake!

"How could you?" Allie spat. Glaring at him as he took an amused sip of his whiskey.

"Now now Alivia, these are your guests! Please be kind, as you can see, I have people everywhere and I will not hesitate to send Adams home to murder your sister and their son." Emilio whispered in her ear and she froze where she stood, watching as Ryan's grin grew wider.

She wanted more than anything to run and get out of there, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn't help Eliza or Mason from where she at the moment and she couldn't even get a message to her, or James for that matter. The only thing she could do was behave herself and hopefully Eliza and Mason would be spared.

"Very nice of you to come Ryan, always a pleasure to see you." Allie gave him a sickly sweet grin as Ryan moved on. She breathed a sigh of relief as she noticed that that was the end of the greeting line and she took a glass of champagne from one of the waiters that walked past. 

"Remember our deal Alivia." Emilio whispered again as they moved through the room. She spotted Henry at the side of the room, laughing with a bunch men and she inwardly sighed. It was probably nearly time for the show and she couldn't bear it.

If only there was a way to get a message to the outside world....

"Darling, come this way, I would like to show you something" Emilio took her elbow and led her towards the side of the room, "this is a portrait I had done of your mother when she was about your age." 

Allie looked up to where he was pointing above them and nearly gasped at the size of the portrait which hung over the ballroom. She was surprised that she hadn't spotted it before now because it was around the size of the entire wall. She looked up at Esmeralda and couldn't help but notice just how similar she was to her actual mother, Eva. She was an absolutely beautiful woman, Allie couldn't deny that. It made her wonder how a woman of her beauty could marry somebody as evil as Emilio, but on the other hand she had never met the woman so she might have been equally as evil as he was. Her mind then wandered over as to how she died, she had clearly been young. 

"Father, I hope you don't mind me asking, but what happened to her?" Allie asked warily, by using "father" she hoped that this would soften the question. He was clearly very much in love with his wife and missed her dearly. 

"To this day I still don't know, she died very suddenly aged just thirty years. I would give anything to know what happened to her." Emilio sighed and silently raised his glass to her. 

"I'm sorry." Allie told him honestly, she knew that it wasn't easy for anyone to lose someone. Even for someone like him who had taken so many lives himself. 

"Thank you Alivia, now come, we must find Henry and announce the exciting news." He led her back over towards the steps. She stood at the bottom whilst Emilio practically leapt up three steps and used his wand to amplify his voice. 

"Friends, I have an exciting announcement to make this evening. I am thrilled to announce that Henry Montague, who many of you know, has agreed to take my daughter as his wife! So everyone please grab a glass as we toast their engagement!" Emilio cried, grabbing a glass of champagne and beckoning for Allie to join him.