The Forbidden Fruit

𝕿𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞-𝕱𝖎𝖛𝖊

"Here you are my dear.." Lucius murmurs quietly to Narcissa as he pulls out her chair for her as everyone files into the large room. Giving him a soft nod, Narcissa adjusts herself in her seat, finding Lucius's cordial act suspicious as he takes his seat between her and Draco. Trailing his gaze over the hardened company surrounding the table, Lucius looks towards the head of the table as the Dark Lord himself takes his seat. Pleased by the obvious tension filling the large room, Voldemort expresses a pleased smirk as he laces his fingers together on the table top he begins to speak "As consistent as our gatherings have always been.. it has come to my attention that deeper matters lie within our inner circle.." sitting at her seat adjacent to Severus, Bella snickers a bit with her usual kooky grin as she eyes Severus.Staring back with a stoic expression, Severus turns to look towards Voldemort briefly before subtly taking a glance at Lucius a few seats down on the opposite side of the table. Taking a hard swallow, Lucius grips his hands into nervous fists under the table, his nails digging into his palms as he tries to keep his nerves at a minimum as Voldemort continues to speak.

Rising from his seat, Voldemort tucks his hands behind his back as he continues"Loyalty within our clan has never faltered under any condition.. all of you, have given your loyalty and your lives.. to me" he says with a condescending sort of smile as he trails his gaze across the large group. "But as I have stated before.. some of you.. need to rekindle such devotion.." He says as his expression hardens, his hands coming to rest on the back of his chair. Gripping the fine wood as the sharp tips of his nails scrape its varnish to instill his inner irritance in a subtle manner. Looking over at her husband with concern, Narcissa meets Lucius's gaze. Giving her a soft nod he tenses up as Voldemort speaks once more "Allow your wands to speak on behalf of your worth within this clan.. on your feet gentlemen.." he commands, his gaze falling towards Severus and then to Lucius.

Letting out a sigh, Severus rises to his feet first, drawing his wand at his side, feeling his stomach churn with nervousness as his gaze falls upon Lucius doing the same, but in a more dramatic fashion. "Now I am aware of how such things are commenced within these meetings, but I see that a duel right here, in front of your fellow followers, will suffice.. " Voldemort says with a hiss in his tone, clasping his hands together as he speaks "On the table top gentlemen" puzzled by such a command, Severus looks towards him. "While it is not, in any way, I my role to dictate such a command, are you certain My Lord-" getting cut off, Severus turns his head on a dime, seeing Lucius already so obediently standing tall on the table top, his wand gripped in his palm tightly. Letting out a short sigh, Severus climbs onto the table top himself, tossing his cloak aside as his wand rests at his side, finding such a place for a duel intimidating. Standing up from his seat as he saunters to one side of the table to get a better View, Voldemort speaks with a hint of satisfaction in his tone. 

"Although I quite like a deadly ending in these circumstances.. I do not wish for any sort of outcome, only that you will prove your loyalty to me.. take my words as you wish.." he speaks fluently, without any hesitation in his words as he looks towards both Severus and Lucius. "Begin" as soon as that word seeps from the Dark Lord's mouth, Lucius strikes the first spell like they planned. After a slow start, the two men are practically lunging with side steps as the table beneath them creaks, the tension filling the room as the others watch from below. "Draco keep your hands off the table" Narcissa warns as she takes his hands into her own for a brief moment nearly getting stepped on by Severus as he lunges forward with a swift Expelliarmus spell, nearly missing Lucius as he quickly strikes a deflection spell in return. Rebutting with a few carefully thought out charms, knowing they have an internal script to follow, Lucius looks Severus directly in the eyes. His expression, blatant with fury and dedication, while his eyes tell a different tale that only Severus can understand.

As the duel picks up pace, both men are teetering back and forth along the length of the solid oak table. Endless flashes of light striking from their wands and the intense creaking coming from the table beneath their feet, the duel continues on despite both men being completely and utterly drained from the sheer refusal to back down in front of others. Breathing heavily as he brings his wand to his side, Severus looks Lucius directly in the eyes "It would be in your best interest if you were to back down, now, Lucius" he warns, a line they practiced to indicate that the duel was convincing enough to end. Gripping his wand as he stands a few feet from Severus, Lucius gathers his thoughts as his chest heaves. His eyes wander around the grand room full of devilish and malicious people fitting below before they fall upon Narcissa, her eyes holding something softer. Feeling his features soften in the slightest, Lucius looks down at the grip he has on his wand before tightening it to where his knuckles turn white.

Feeling his pride and Impulsivity over-ride their plan, Lucius shouts in an almost malicious way "Flipendo!" he shouts, knocking Severus back suddenly, to the point he skids back a few inches when he hits the hard wood table. Staggering to hit feet, Severus glares before he can execute a rebuttal, Lucius disarms him with a quick and charged "Expelliarmus!" he says through clenched teeth as he slowly makes his way closer to where Severus lays. Looking into his eyes, Severus bored a betrayed look within his own gaze as the Dark Lord begins a slow applause "Well done, Lucius.." he says with a slight hiss to his tone, watching as Lucius keeps his wand drawn, pointed downward towards Severus's chest, an I'll intent brewing in his fogged gaze. "Dedication and wit lies greater within one of you.. as for the other.. we shall see where your place lies within our clan at a later time.. now, gentlemen, take your seats, we have much to discuss"

To Be Continued...