The Masquerade {DarkHarry}

1

Appearing with a crack, not needing to fight of nausea from pure practice and familiarity with Apparating.

i look at the few people already walking up the drive, all wearing masks respectively i think as I instinctively reach up to fix my mask, i end up tightening the ribbon behind my head in a nervous gesture.

After scanning the shadowed area around me, before continuing up the gravel drive and towards the great manor. I relax my posture but keep power-filled-confidence in the gait of my walk while taking in the stunning house. It's dark theme somehow standing out in the moonlit evening, the power radiating off it nearly visible. The few people outside are keeping to themselves by walking to the front door in the group they arrived with or just waiting for their company to arrive.

The masks they are wearing hide their identity well. Pure-bloods - i think - although i have nothing against them and no general hatred i hold, they certainly do, or at least some strong spite .
Its understandable as well, the mud-bloods of the wizarding world give them a right to hold hatred. They have trodden on our culture, spat on our beliefs and banned our ancient practices out of fear. Its smart to be wary and hateful to half-bloods included. They have most definitely been influenced by their muggle relatives or background no matter how distant, before being automatically placed either in neutral or on the so conveniently name 'light' side. Oh, and its just my luck that i get placed as the figure head of, said, 'light' side before i could even say my name.

Unknowingly as well! Its Idiotic how i'm supposed to be their 'messiah' and they celebrate my so called 'heroic deeds' while i was getting beaten and locked in a boot cupboard under the stairs. Ha. Ha.

My attention is drawn from musing by my own ascent up the marble staircase leading to the light emitting entrance of the beautiful manor. Malfoy Manor. Currently i'm about to enter a masquerade ball filled to the brim of death-eater and stereotypical pure-bloods on Samhain. Halloween. The day fate decides that i apparently make an amusing chew toy. But i'm here to celebrate a custom of the world i should of known about my whole life. Incognito. I bring my gaze down to my clothes making sure i'm immaculate. The finest robes i could buy.

And most definitely more expensive than the whole of the Weasley bank account.

Midnight blue slacks cover my legs, the acromantula silk is soft against my skin along with the black suit vest covering a white shirt and cravat. The dark Victorian-royalty style i chose is obviously very favoured in wizarding culture (and now by me). Tiny silver patterns dance around the vest barely visible in the lighting i'm in and the details matching the ones on the equally impressive robes i'm wearing.

The Black family crest resting on my heart, making viewers close enough realise the silver patterns are star constellations. The inside of the robe -an extremely dark green- is decorated with serpents and crows, looking to move along with myself. Ebony, silver and white. The colours, while plain, represent the importance of the house i stand for. Tonight i will be somewhat forgetting my Potter lineage to dedicate myself to the ~Dark & Illustrious House of Black.~

Lightly reaching up to check the hood covering my face, the overly cautious side of me didn't really trust the mask fully this evening. However i know i wont get noticed, especially when after Cedri-...last school year...i learned the importance of staying hidden, of having more knowledge and than the opponent. Though i'm not as traumatised as i show to my 'friends'. The visit to Gringotts with Sirius was very enlightening. Turns out once the heir ring accepted me so did the family magic and traits. My magic affinity went further to the darker side of magic rather than the grey from before, my new ability to see and sense magic came and so did my look. My jaw sharpened along with the rest of my face, i grew a few inches bringing me to a little above average height.

My hair stopped being an uncontrollable mop and instead turned to smooth luscious curls the Blacks are almost famous for. Over all i'm now very very attractive, if i do say so myself. Wearing glamours to school has been tiring, and along with my nightmarish 'visions' i'm almost always exhausted. The shadows under my eyes now just make the colour more haunting.

Fifth year, so far, has been a single migraine to put it lightly.

I unclasp the heavy cloak from around my neck then gracefully slide my hood down before dragging the cloak of smoothly, resting it on one shoulder casually. Carrying on through the elegant entrance hall, i take a second to look at the few paintings resting on the pale walls. A scene of a river and a group of dear catch my interest and concentration fully. A huntsman is hiding behind a fallen tree aiming his rune covered bow.

Complete concentration on his face.

I stand there for a moment more, morbidly fascinated and now anticipating what is to happen next. But nothing does. The huntsman carries on watching, silent impatience showing in his face. Until the dear start dropping dead where they stood. Ah, he poisoned the grass. Must've but unscented poison on the blades of grass before hand. He must've known this was were they grazed often. Smart. The enchanted bow was for just in case.

Turning around, i continue into the majestic house that seemed a piece of art in itself. The corridor carries on for a couple more seconds, light from an unknown source brightens the hallway perfectly, showing off the delightful antiquities and more marvellous paintings, The corridor has been getting wider so it is expected when a house elf appears to the side bowing deeply,

"Linksy is to be taking sir's cloak, for you, if you wish it, sir." The elf, linksy, spoke quickly and but clearly.
"Very well", Politeness at a bare minimum, this is an elf not a human. Slipping the cloak off my shoulder i hold it to the side, Linksy popped away along with my cloak in a snap.

My Robes now visible, the stopped just before the floor and flowed behind me much more freely than when i was wearing my cloak before. Looking around i notice the overly large double doors ahead of me, the weak (unnecessary) silencing charms not hiding the chatter from the room. Seeing as this is a unanimous affair, the Samhain ball doesn't need the hosts greeting the guests. So the lack of greeting at the entrance wasn't shocking and isn't.

Walking to the closed entrance way i open the large doors and walk through, two people wearing leather masks one deep purple and one dark blue follow behind me. I didn't notice them in the hallway, but then again i was stuck in my thoughts. The mask i'm wearing is made out of black hollow marble, shaped into tiny snake ribbons weaved together to make a mask the only shows my mouth. The ends of the snake tails lock into my hair slightly making the effect that the mask is almost part of my face. My killing curse green eyes are near blinding in contrast, they shine past the spaces of the mask effectively creating a creepy look. I drag a cool gaze over the many people in the room, recognising a strangely large amount of people. A couple of eyes follow my movements into the room but i ignore them and instead walk over to the table on the side of the grand hall to get a glass of fire whiskey or maybe a flute of champagne.

Reaching the table i swiftly decide on the whiskey and bring the crystal glass up to my lips. I spy a multitude of people doing the same. The hall that the ball has been placed in is stunning, dark and light fabrics hang from the walls and tall ceiling but nothing to colourful. Glowing orbs or light float around above everyone's heads lazily. The pillars that surrounded the room had small groups of people underneath them talking.