Ominous future

Pain

It was morning and the whole family was sitting at breakfast together. Mr. Gaunt looked at Ominis and said: "Today you will go to the Ministry of Magic to take care of the matter we have already discussed."
Ominis wiped his mouth with a napkin and answered, "Yes, Father."
Then Mr. Gaunt turned to Marvollo and began to speak, "What are your plans today son?"

Marvollo paused in the midst of buttering his toast and said nonchalantly, "Oh, I'll be helping Elissa with her magic practice today. She's quite the eager little learner."

He gave Elissa a sidelong glance, a hint of smug satisfaction in his eyes.

Elisse forced a smile at Marvollo, noticing the angry expression on Ominis' face. She began to twirl the ring on her hand, their secret gesture they had agreed to make sure of their love.

Ominis felt the familiar signal - Elissa's silent message to him - and his expression darkened even further. He clenched his fist under the table, frustrated by his helplessness in this situation.

Mr. Gaunt looked from Marvollo to Ominis, sensing the tension in the room though not fully understanding it. "Is that so?" he asked, his tone slightly suspicious.

"Marvollo has offered to help me perfect some spells... to contribute my magical arts to the glory of your house. Is that so Marvollo?" Elisse glared at him.

Marvollo met her glare with one of his own, but his lips curled into the hint of a cynical smile. "Of course," he replied smoothly. "I'm always happy to aid in the advancement of our family's magical expertise."

Elisse's words were laced with just the right amount of feigned loyalty and respect, enough to appease Mr. Gaunt. But Ominis, of course, could sense the undercurrent of tension behind her words.

When they finished breakfast, Ominis gave Elissa a long goodbye kiss right in front of Marvollo, as if marking his territory.

Marvollo watched, his eyes narrowing a fraction at the display of public affection. For a moment, an ugly flare of jealousy and anger flashed in his eyes.

However, he quickly controlled himself, not wanting to cause a scene, especially in front of Mr. Gaunt who was still present. Instead, he forced a smirk and looked away, pretending to be unfazed.

When Ominis left, Elisse also got up from the table and headed out of the dining room. She noticed that Marvollo was following her.

Marvollo trailed behind Elissa silently, the smirk still on his face. He deliberately left a small gap between them, maintaining just enough distance to not be too obvious.

He watched her movements, studying her stride, the swing of her hips, every subtle detail.

Elisse suddenly turned around causing Marvollo to stop right in front of her. "So. Will you go with me to the sanatorium, or how do you imagine your help for me?" she asked him choked up, startled by how close he was standing.

Marvollo blinked, surprised by her sudden stop and their close proximity. He could almost feel her breath on his face. But he recovered quickly, and a slow smirk spread over his face.

He looked down at her, his eyes roaming over her face for a moment. "Of course," he replied smoothly. "I'll accompany you to the sanatorium. After all, how can I teach you how to 'obliviate' if I'm not there to supervise?"

"All right. Will you disapparate us?" she asked him

Marvollo raised an eyebrow at her question, a flicker of surprise crossing his expression briefly. It was rare for her to ask for his help so directly, and it threw him off momentarily.

But he quickly schooled his features into a nonchalant mask and nodded. "Very well, I'll take you there. Come closer," he said, gesturing for her to step near him.