𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐀 || 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐔𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊

XIX - one of us

tw: violence, death, gore

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

January 1977

"Congratulations, Miss Lestrange."

Danica stood in the middle of a dimly lit side hall inside the Rosier mansion. An hour prior, Nicholas knocked on her door, ordering her to come down. Now she was being surrounded by a group of high-ranking wizards and witches who wouldn't even look her way in the past, deeming her as a mere little daughter, now congratulating her for both her engagement and what they called her 'initiation'.

"Thank you, Sir Crouch, Mrs. Yaxley.", she politely bowed her head.

"Aren't you excited for today? It's a great honor for someone as young as yourself?" Asked Mrs. Nott. Truth to be told, if Danica could choose another mother for Nicholas, she'd pick Mrs. Nott. The air exuding from that woman was almost identical. Polite on the surface, dangerous underneath, unlike Bellatrix who showed her true colors to the entire world.

"I suppose I would if I knew what was happening?" She asked completely genuinely, but the wizards and witches just looked at each other once before bursting out in laughter.

"My dear, look how adorable she is~" Cooed Mrs. Nott.

"That just means that we don't have any traitors and managed to keep it secret. Let's keep it this way in the future." Stepped in Mrs. Carrow and looked directly at Danica. "Aren't I right, my dearest niece."

It was a warning. She knew that picking at her children would bite her in the backside at some point.

"You could never be wrong, aunt." Danica replied with the most polite-looking smile she could muster up.

Each word, each sentence she shared with the men and women around her felt like a piece of soul getting sucked out of her core.

"Sweet cheeks!" she heard that dreaded voice. "Look who I brought." Bellatrix marched toward Danica, pushing anyone out of her way. Her sharp black nails dug into Regulus's sleeve, dragging him harshly behind her.

"Miss Black, wha-what-"

"Wha-wha-wha." Bellatrix mocked her followed by a screeching laugh. "How adorable~"

"Miss Black." Danica cleared her throat in embarrassment. "What is Regulus doing here." She looked at him, expecting him to avert his eyes. He didn't.

"Ask him yourself." Bellatrix threw him against Danica. She managed to react quickly and take a step back before they could collide. "Come on everybody. Let's leave the younglings to themselves." Bellatrix urged everyone to follow her to the opposite side of the hall, leaving Regulus and Danica alone.

Regulus awkwardly fixed his shirt from Bellatrix's tugging, and Danica looked at her shoes. Flashes of last night appeared in her brain washing over her ears in red.

Just what was she even thinking?

"Uhm.." Regulus cleared his throat. "Good Evening."

She slowly raised her head. "Good evening." She mumbled.

They silently stared at each other, neither knowing what to say. In reality, there was so much that Danica wanted to say. Not just say, but scream and shout and maybe even break a few things.

What was last night about? She is engaged. 'Holy shit' she thought, she was fucking engaged. And the fireworks. Now this. What was this even? She thinks she knows. It has to be about the elites. And what is Regulus...?

"What are you doing here?" she finally asked. It didn't seem to catch him by surprise.

"My mother begged him." He stated eerily calmly. It almost scared her.