Ascendancy - Book I of the 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨 𝔖𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰

VII. 6th November 1931 - the dinner

Callidora looked out the window for the umpteenth time, apprehension gripping her heart. She sighed when she saw nothing. The alley was as deserted as it had been a few minutes ago. Dried flowers sadly caressed the ground and a layer of dead leaves covered the sick grass. The sky above covered the area like a thick grey veil.

"You should hire a gardener," she said to break the boredom that had settled in the living room.

Regulus raised an eyebrow.

"What for? I have other things to do than look after a garden."

It was with people like that that the great houses fell into disrepair. Infuriating.

"Maybe he won't come."

"Lycoris, why would you want him to miss this dinner?"

"Because it would suit me."

Callidora smiled faintly. Her cousin had taken it very hard to be sold to a Longbottom in this way. She had wanted to leave on her travels but Regulus had locked her in her room for several days. Callidora had found this ridiculous. She had even convinced him to let her go, assuring him that she would accept Harfang's request to protect Cassiopeia's secrets, but he had refused to listen. According to him, his sister was more than old enough to get married. Running away for her whole life was not the answer.

She heard footsteps behind her but did not turn around. She had already guessed who it was.

"How do you feel?"

Callidora shrugged weakly, tired of talking. The energy had completely drained from her body in the last few weeks. Her motivation and vitality had cracked until they melted into ever-growing dark thoughts. She felt cold all the time, as if death itself was accompanying her every step. So she did not restrain the shiver that ran through her when her cousin put an arm over her chest and drew her against him.

"He won't get anything out of you, I can assure you."

"What if he does have good intentions after all?"

"What ?"

He withdrew his arm and turned to her, searching her eyes for any trace of craziness. The probability that he had cast a spell on her was not so slim. And if he did, he would take it upon himself to smash her pretty Gryffindor head against a sharp stone. Callidora broke eye contact, terrified that he would manage to read her mind. Fortunately for her, Cassiopeia was the only one of their generation who knew about Legilimency.

"When he came out of the classroom at Hogwarts, I... I passed him in the corridor."

Regulus' body tensed.

"What did he say to you?"

"That he was sorry."

It didn't make sense to him. Not after the little stunt he'd pulled on her. If he could manipulate Callidora in this way, with her feigned apology, it wouldn't work with him.

"Anything else?"

"No."

She kept to herself the look of sadness she'd met for a split second. The emotions had hit her in such a way that it had taken her breath away. Regulus had already withdrawn, fearing the worst. Callidora knew him well enough to know that he was hiding something.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?"

He opened his mouth to speak. The words slipped past his lips but were gone when the house elf arrived with the expected guest. The elder Black's cold, hard gaze fell on Harfang Longbottom. He was wearing a black suit, with the collar made of dark red velvet. His blond hair contrasted with the dark tones of his outfit. He swept his green eyes around the room to focus on the only person worthy of his interest; but Callidora stubbornly kept her head down.