Secrets and Masks

48. Angels, Kittens, and a girl named Chester

TW; Talk of slavery, sexual assault, and drink spiking

25th December

This Gala was just as beautiful as all the others Astoria had been to. Littered with men wearing their finest robes and women in their most lavish jewellery, showing off the wealth their service to the Dark Lord had afforded them. The walls were just as filled with laces tapestries, vases just as overflowing with exotic flowers and tables just as filled with expensive champagne.

As far as Gala's went, Astoria thought Yaxley was doing an alright job of hosting, although she recognised that the décor was far too elegant for him to have chosen by himself. He'd most certainly had help. As far as the eye could see, everything was normal, but the eyes couldn't detect the tension in the air. Eyes couldn't see past the gentle jazz music and sense the tension and suspicion. Eyes couldn't see past the forced smiles the guests wore and feel the mounting unease that filled the room like poison.

Draco had told her that Voldemort had encouraged this event to go ahead. He wanted to cast the illusion that everything was normal, that he was thriving and there was nothing to worry about. He wanted his followers distracted, drunk on glittering parties and champagne flutes so they didn't see the chaos and anarchy that was going on within the inner circle. And as the guests mingled and socialised around her, Astoria nursed her gin martini at the bar and watched.

Theo was already with Alecto. It'd been far too easy for him to charm her into having a drink with him in private. She'd had a thing for him for years, used to ogle at him from across the table in the Death Eater meetings and volunteer to go on missions with him. However, as soon as Daphne had noticed her obsession, shed quickly stamped it out.

Years ago, Alecto had tried to grab Theo's hand when she thought no one was looking, Daphne had seen, and politely told Alecto that if she ever touched him again, she would cut off the offending limb - and anything else she tried to touch Theo with.

Alecto had stayed far away from Theo after that, but her resentment for Daphne had only grown, and she'd been all too vocal about her approval to execute Daphne - 'the traitor' - all those years ago.

Astoria just hoped Theo had the restraint to search her memories like they planned and not kill her on the spot, even if it was what she deserved.

Blaise had popped off to speak to Yaxley a few minutes ago, and while Astoria had intended to keep an eye on Amycus, to wait for him to get to just the right level of tipsy before she made her move, she'd hardly paid him any attention.

Instead, she'd been mesmerised watching Barty Crouch Jr and his dolls.

He'd brought three girls with him. They were all exceptionally young and so gorgeous that they pulled the eyes of every Death Eater in the room. The first one Astoria noticed was a petite blonde with blue eyes and a full thick fringe that she kept trying to hide behind. Her hair was curled to shoulder length and she wore a shimmery pink dress and diamonds around her neck. The second girl she saw had blue eyes and fiery red hair that was curled to perfection and trailed all the way down to her hips. She wore a bright scarlet dress with a deep V on the front that left nothing to the imagination. And the final girl was tall, much taller than the other two. She had shoulder-length brown hair, brown eyes, high cheekbones and full lips. Crouch had dressed her in a one-shoulder black dress, and although she looked nothing like her, she was the same tall, lean build as Daphne had been.

It was vile to watch how Barty treated them, but no one else seemed to really take notice. They got him drinks when he snapped his fingers. They sat on his lap when he told them to and kissed him when he said so, and they all looked at the floor whenever Crouch spoke to someone else, expressions as dead as their eyes.