Regency in Diagon Alley [Theodore Nott | Harry Potter AU]

Chapter Nine

For a ball only inviting selected members of the ton, Malfoy's Manor was packed with mask-wearing witches and wizards all dressed in a certain theme placed by the hostess to "spice things up". Leave it to Narcissa Malfoy to create a ball that would have every witch and wizard race to Madam Malkin to find a dress that would fit a masquerade where they were to wear customized frocks that people in Versailles used to wear but altered to fit the fashion of their times. Dresses with layers and layers of skirts, wizards wearing flashy coats with their heads covered with large wigs, and of course, their faces hidden behind the mask. And like the previous occupants of Versailles, only those of nobility - purebloods - were given the invitation to attend the ball.

Carina would rather have missed the ball, but her uncle insisted she accepted the invitation to keep good relations with one of the few family allies they had. "These soirees are more than just events to find a match or to enjoy oneself, it is also a way to establish alliances," Regulus told her. "Remember, you need these alliances to keep our position." He was right, of course, the moment she entered the Manor, Carina has seen many of her relatives inside, speaking with other witches and wizards of different families, and one in particular was Alexia Black who was not hiding the way she looked at her from the top of the stairs where the woman was speaking with Goyle's mother. She took note of that to tell Regulus and Theodore.

Aside from the Blacks, she managed to identify a few members of the Avery family, the Carrows, Crouch, Flint, Gaunt, Greengrass, Longbottoms - which surprised her that they were invited at all - Macmillans, Parkinson, Rosier... but there was no sign of the Goldsteins or the Potters or the Weasleys. A soiree hosted only for what the family only counts as nobles. Well, there were some who were in the venue that Carina knew was neither of nobility: Horace Slughorn was of attendance and was happily conversing with Blaise Zabini's mother; then there was Tom Riddle the Viscount of Little Hangleton and was said to be the descendant of Salazar Slytherin; boldly, they invited old Gellert Grindelwald, a man who is known for his loud opinions about the place of the magical folk in the world; and then Severus Snape. A man who holds no rank nor title, and whose family name never seen in the magical records and was Carina's old Potions Master when she was in school until he took on the role as the teacher in Defense.

Since she and her family came, she has been invited to dance by numerous bachelors, even when they knew she has been courting Cedric Diggory. They would take the chance, given that the Diggory family was also not invited to the ball, and try to make proposals of their own. Just as Regulus said, these events were purely to talk of business, and each proposal that Carina has heard from the dances she has shared with Marcus Flint, Terrence Higgs, and Evan Rosier were not marital proposals but favors before the Wizengamot meeting.

"Think about it, Black." Rosier bowed as the dance ended and left to whisper on another witch's ear.

Leaving the dance floor, Carina walked towards the table where lemonades were being served. Upon reaching the table, a glass was held out to her by Regulus wearing a silver bauta mask, who has been watching and waiting for her to come to his side.

"I must say, Rosier caught me by surprise," she told him.

"How so?"

She took a sip of her lemonade. "Considering Vinda Rosier tried to kill my grandfather... and was later killed by him and Theseus Scamander. If I recall correctly, the Rosiers have a burning hatred towards the Goldsteins and the Scamanders because of it."

"Vinda Rosier was the last of the main family, her sudden death has left the other members to battle for her title as Duchess... but do not think that they have forgiven your mother's family that easily."