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TW death.
Josephine tries to project confidence, praying her facade holds.
Ara replaces her Death Eater mask, and Josie follows closely behind as they navigate the elaborate hallways, their walls adorned with numerous paintings.
Eventually, Ara pauses before a black door, shooting Josephine a brief, reassuring look before opening it.
"The girl, my lord," Ara announces, gesturing to Josephine as they both step inside.
Josephine keeps her hands behind her back, nervously picking at her nails, her expression carefully neutral.
The room is vast, dominated by a dining table that nearly spans from wall to wall. Two chandeliers, each lit with candles, hang from the ceiling, casting flickering light.
Opposite them, a large fireplace stands unlit, contributing to the room's somber ambiance despite the abundance of candles.
Many seats around the table are occupied by Death Eaters, some masked, others not.
At the head of the table, Tom sits, his presence commanding. He gestures for Josephine to take the empty chair to his right.
Josie walks slowly to the chair, acutely aware of the Death Eaters' eyes tracking her every move.
She eases into the seat, noting that the chair directly opposite her and the one to her right are both empty.
Ara begins to approach the chair to her right, but halts when a masked Death Eater takes the seat instead.
Josephine tenses but forces herself to ignore the newcomer. Ara, momentarily bristling, seems ready to retaliate until Tom's gaze silences her.
The room is so quiet that Josie can hear Ara's sigh as she moves to the chair opposite her.
Merlin, she hates this.
She hates being here.
Honestly, she would prefer if Tom just killed her on the spot.
As the masked Death Eaters begin to remove their masks, servants start bringing in food. Their faces are blank, their eyes devoid of emotion, their movements eerily flawless.
Josephine's brows furrow as she watches these emotionless figures set the food down. Their expressions are completely vacant, their actions disturbingly mechanical.
"They're Imperiused," the Death Eater who has just removed his mask comments, noting her puzzled look.
Josie turns to glare at the Death Eater, only to freeze at the sight of a familiar face.
Marcus.
Josephine tenses further. Marcus smirks at her, placing his Death Eater mask onto the table.
Her heart pounds as she realizes just how precarious her situation has become.
