sparks~drarry

Aureum: Part Two

Description: a continuation of Aureum: Part One

Song: Way Down We Go by Kaleo

Warnings: none

Length: 1.3k words

___________

Third Person

The moment Draco stepped into the ballroom, the Knowingsmen went silent, gazing at him with faint amusement from behind ornate masks. He shuffled uncomfortably. Behind him, his mother slipped into the ballroom, making her way to the bar where his father talked with Callidus LeStrange.

He swallowed thickly, jumping as somebody slid their hand into his.

"Hello, Draco." Blaise's voice was a satin purr. Chills raced down Draco's spine, anticipating something that could no longer happen. He let go of Blaise's hand.

"Hello, Callidus Zabini." Blaise wrinkled his nose at the formality.

"Oh, come on, Draco! We're friends, aren't we?" He stressed the word, implying that it was anything but true. Draco let out a hiss.

"Shut up. Just... shut up. I have no interest in talking to you, ever." Draco's heart raced with the lie. And, judging from his smirk, Blaise knew it too.

"Liar," he breathed, and the blonde boy squirmed out of his grip, the shivery anticipation from before turning into slight discomfort.

"Callidus Zabini, you have no right to talk to me in that manner. I am the son of the second in command, the chosen poisoner of Callidus Riddle, and you do not have the right to talk to me. Goodnight, now," Draco snapped, and stormed away, feeling a bit of guilt he heard Blaise's breath catch.

Now, Draco wasn't in love with the boy; no, not at all. Rather, remnants from their times of experimentation remained, making Draco's mouth occasionally go dry with the thought of Blaise's satin tongue and iron threaded words. But he was done with Blaise's games.

- - -

His blade buzzed against Harry's back with magic that rattled his bones. Behind him, the bellators, Hermione and Ron, readied their charms, while Pulchra Lovegood and Sana Abbott talked quietly. To his right, Pansy struggled to rub away her smudged smile.

"You're going to have to be aware," Pansy said once the room fell silent. "The Callidus that live at Scio Manor are the best in the world. If you desire help, look for Zmaj, Callidus Zabini, Callidus Greengrass, or Callidus Black-Malfoy. No one else."

"Callidus Black-Malfoy? Isn't she married to Callidus Malfoy?" Hermione interjected, her brow furrowed.

Pansy nodded slowly, a blush staining her cheeks as she and the female bellator made brief eye contact. "Yes, but she's as much a Knowingsman as you are."

Slowly, they began to filter out of the room. Pansy grabbed Harry's arm.

"Bellator Potter? Callidus Riddle, he -- he knows you're coming. He has a powerful sana on his side, one with considerable oracle skills. Sana Ravenna likely doesn't know which way you're going to enter, but she's going to assume you're going to take the route through the forest."

Harry nodded gravely. "Okay. But... are you not coming with us?"

"I'm afraid I can't. They have protection spells that are specifically tailored to keep out traitors, and, well, I'm just that. I'll get you killed, if I come. And anyway -- you have Bellator Granger on your side, and she ought to be a pulchra."

The edge of Harry's mouth twitched. "Yeah, she should."

However, far after the group had left the Aureum territory, Harry realized he had forgotten to ask who Zmaj even was.

- - -

An hour in, Draco had grown tired of the continual line of suitors offering their hands to his despite knowing he was to be wed to Callidus Greengrass, an the wailing of the violin being played by a, to be frank, horribly untalented Pulchra. His feet ached from running to avoid Blaise, not to mention the countless dances. But he had yet to meet Callidus Greengrass.

Just as that thought passed his mind, a woman wearing a red silk dress that hugged her curves approached him, peering up with eyes as green as jewels. However, the rest of her face was hidden by an intricately done masks covered in, strangely, black feathers.

"Hello, Callidus Malfoy. Care to dance?" she said softly, her voice satin.

"Of course," he murmured, and took her gloved hand, leading her to the center of the room.

Women in jewel toned gowns whirled past, their faces set with careful happiness that was betrayed by the dull appearance of their eyes. Men in mostly white suits led them, their faces made of stone.

His mind lost in thought, he spun the young woman, marveling in the graceful way she placed her slippered feet against the marble floor.

"You seem quite down," she said matter-a-factly, soon after the first song had ended.

He stifled the urge to let go of her waist and hand. "I am having a swell time, actually. Care to accompany me to the bar?"

She nodded, and Draco breathed a sigh of relief as he was able to let go of her waist and instead walk briskly to the bar. He picked up a lonely glass of golden alcohol and sipped it. The woman came up behind him and picked up a ruby toned flute, downing it in one swig.

"I hate dances too, don't worry yourself." She hid a yawn beneath her hand.

Draco spluttered. "I don't-"

"Sure," she said, her maroon lips curling in a smile. "Then why are you so mournful? I never knew Callidus Malfoy to be such a way."

He took another sip, bigger than the one before. "Perhaps you are thinking of my father."

"Lucius Malfoy?" She let out a snort, to which the bartender shot her a look of disdain. She ignored him. "Yeah, no. He's a prick... no offense."

"Don't worry, I think of him in the same way."

Her laughter that time was a bark. "I'm surprised Callidus Riddle's chosen assassin would even say such a thing! Well, I take that back. If you would sleep with Callidus Zabini, who knows what else you would do?"

Draco choked on his drink. "I didn't...."

"Yes, you did. I'm a callidus with a sana gift. I see the beyond." She waved her fingers teasingly.

"A callidus?"

"Unfortunately. My mother thought it would be best if I worked as a strategist, but you know what? I'm better as a violinist," she said, and grabbed at another flute of ruby alcohol.

Draco's heart warmed with liking for the mysterious, dark haired beauty. Later, when the sky went velvet blue and Draco's favorite constellation, Orion's Belt, shone like a string of diamonds in the sky, Draco retreated to his room, and dreamt of a brilliant escape.

- - -

"How much longer until we reach the Knowing territory?" Ron asked, his head inclined towards Hermione despite speaking with their replacement for Pansy, Callidus Rosenhart. They walked on foot, Sana Abbott's fears of being seen by a Knowingsman spread throughout the group. The ground they walked was ravaged orange and black from war.

"I'm a strategist, not a goddamn clock," the callidus said coldly. Hermione laughed, and Ron scowled, leaning away from his fellow bellator.

Ahead, the sky rippled green and violet with the first signs of the Knowing's infamous protection spells, while the sun glowed like fire to the left.

"We'll have to stop for the night," Harry said, halting as they were about to pass a small outcropping. Callidus Rosenhart shot a look at the cave-like shelter, but didn't argue, stopping as well.

And, later that night, when the stars shone silver and the moon was a crooked smile against the darkened sky, Harry's thoughts were still on the mysterious Zmaj.