Dose of Darkness | Tom Riddle |

Chapter Twenty One: Merry and Bright

December 24, 1944

All of Wiltshire seemed to be brightened by the holiday spirit that the Parkinson household released.

It was a nice change up from the grimly shadowed days in which all of their lives seemed to revolved around Grindelwald. But as the decorations came up, the trees were filled with ornaments, and the lights were strung, everyone seemed to finally be relieved of their tension and enjoy the holiday.

As Minister, Lemus Parkinson was hosting the usual Christmas Eve Ball for the top officials of the Ministry and their families. But it was a much more smaller gathering than previous years for privacy reasons.

Outside, these guests were met with a long gravel pathway lined with evenly spaced Christmas trees with lights wrapped around them. Eleanor, when standing on her crutches, could see that illuminated path and just like her window, every window on the front of the house was decorated with a wreath that had a red bow. For the most part, she could see that the sand colored walls were even lighter from the lights and garland strung around everything from the steps to the columns. Even the water fountain in the center seemed to have a holiday sparkle.

"Ready to go yet?" asked Marcella.

Eleanor turned around, leaning on the uncomfortable wood.

"I don't know how I'm going to get down those stairs." she admitted, admiring herself in the large mirror.

Eleanor had been trying to walk and get the feeling back sooner than later since the day she woke up. It's been an improvement but now, as she stood in a red ballgown, she feared the worst would come when she now had to walk in front of a couple dozen people. Her arms were lightly covered in a deep red lace that extending over the fabric over her chest which was cut into a v-neck and ended around her waist where the gown bellowed out like the stumps of a tree. It was nice and comfortable but she wasn't sure how she would manage.

"Oh you will be fine. You're the only one I know who can pull off these looks, I doubt crutches will get in your way." Marcella teased.

Her friend wore a pine green dress that hugged her slightly with a bateau neck that covered everything above her chest in a sheer green fabric that cut right across her collarbones and the hemline of her short sleeves were bejeweled with emeralds and diamonds. The rest of the dress flowed down to her ankles and above that silky fabric was another one more thin and decorated with smaller flowers made of more dark emeralds.

"Then I suppose I don't really have a choice if I have so many expectations." she chuckled.

"Exactly."

Eleanor and Marcella left her bedroom, the sound of classical music playing covers of classic Christmas songs echoing through her hallways. She walked in her heels but leaned her weight mostly on the crutches that she focused on, keeping her head down.

The closer they got to her grand staircase, the more nervous Eleanor began to feel. She knew it was irrational but that didn't mean she could rid herself of her sweaty palms and knotted stomach.

"I don't know I want to do this." Eleanor murmured.

"Hush, there's plenty of guests waiting for you." Marcella eagerly replied.

Eleanor raised her brows at her friend, wondering why she was so excited. These people weren't special. Maybe her family was pretty important but everyone else were just placeholders in this stupid political game her father lived in.

Before Eleanor could back out, she had already made it to the top of the steps.

Taking a deep breath, she took in the glowing atmosphere.