𝙻𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 II SS/HG ✔️

Raucous

Severus only went to these things for appearances. He was not like Lucius or Narcissa. Crowds and small talk bored him. In defence of Lucius or Narcissa, they were not bad at small talk. They were also not bad at holding conversations of depth. He could not say the same for the other people at this particular party.

Instead of the usual Ministry-rife crowd, the Malfoys could only invite Death Eaters and their children. It was certainly a different…atmosphere this year.

Severus was fortunate that he had brought Alecto to this party and not Amycus. She and Severus discussed Astronomy. Not his favourite course of study, but it was preferable to Amycus's constant off-colour jokes.

Alecto had her hair down. It was starkly straight compared to Hermione's puffy mane. Hermione was also shorter, even if Alecto wasn't in high heels.

A quartet was set up in one corner of the sitting room. The Dark Lord lapped up the schmoozing from his followers and their wives and daughters over by the hearth. Severus noted that Nagini was not in attendance, nor Pettigrew. He wondered where both of them might be.

The congenial atmosphere was tested over in the dining room—where Yaxley and Rodolphus downed bottle after bottle of Firewhiskey.

Serving food would not have been a bad idea, in Severus's opinion, but they already took a risk in Imperiussing the quartet and Lucius wasn't confident they could also wrangle a caterer.

He and Alecto watched a few of their compatriots attempt to dance. The party had only been on for two hours and the moves were already sloppy.

This is going to be a long night.

Alecto laughed. Amycus had convinced Narcissa to dance with him.

"The poor woman!" Alecto held her stomach as she laughed.

Severus agreed. Narcissa, he could tell, had to take the lead.

Lucius was as baffled as Alecto was amused. Zabini nudged Draco's arm and pointed to the spectacle.

Draco shrugged, face a mix of panic and disgust.

"This party, so far, has been a great time," Alecto snickered into her wine glass. "Are they normally like this?"

"No."

Alecto examined the mansion. "I don't even know what I would do with a house this large. I suppose parties would be my hobby, just to have it filled every once in a while!"

"It's too much," Severus agreed.

"I never had my own room, until I left Hogwarts," she said. "Living with four other girls was a sight better than sharing with Amycus, though."

"I can imagine."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No."

"They can be…interesting."

Amycus did get Narcissa to laugh. A real one, as far as Severus could tell. But she declined a second dance. Amycus bowed low and she laughed again.

Draco was mortified.

"When you become headmaster," Alecto began, "I imagine you'll cut down the budget."

"How so?"

"Oh, please, Severus—we won't need Muggle Studies anymore."

"You want to remain an instructor?"

She became sheepish. "Maybe. In a more useful subject."

"If you can suffer through the rest of the year in Muggle Studies, I am certain you can be moved to a more fulfilling role."