The Marauders Unite (III)

Narcissa's Wedding

July 31, 1975

DRUELLA: All right, all right, everyone! And now, a toast from the matron of honor- Bellatrix Lestrange!

In Grimmauld Place, the main parlor has been magically expanded to host the wedding of NARCISSA and LUCIUS. The bride and groom are seated at the head table, along with the bridal party, including PANDORA, MAFALDA, ROSIER, and WILKES. DRUELLA, the mother of the bride, stands in the center clearing of the room, and BELLATRIX approaches her, wearing a sleek black dress and clutching a champagne flute.

BELLATRIX: Thank you, everyone, for joining us in our home on the wedding day of my sister. (She smiles malevolently and raises her champagne flute to the bride and groom. The other guests do the same and applaud).

BELLATRIX: (cunningly) There are so many times- especially in more recent periods- when even the best of us fall from grace. When those whose blood is as pure as it is red degenerate by mingling with Mudbloods and blood traitors. The worst insult? When they go so far as to mate with them, producing an ill-mixed and even more decadent half-blood generation.

The guests nod in approval as BELLATRIX begins to swiftly glide throughout the room, every eye on her as she continues to speak.

BELLATRIX: But I think that we should be grateful for what has happened here today. The fact that we can gather together to acknowledge a pure and dignified union such as this. A wedding between Black and Malfoy is indicative of what every wizarding marriage should strive to attain: A new wizarding generation, produced from parentage of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Narcissa and Lucius, I raise my glass to you here and now. You both are a prime example for all wizarding kind.

BELLATRIX raises her glass to the head table once more. NARCISSA wears a false smile and raises her glass as well, but tightly clutches LUCIUS'S hand under the table, visibly uncomfortable.

BELLATRIX: Let us now welcome the newlyweds for their first dance as husband and wife!

BELLATRIX steps aside from the center of the room as LUCIUS, wearing black dress robes, and NARCISSA, in a radiant white gown, descend from the head table and take their place in the center of the dancefloor. Soon, an acoustic guitar begins to play in the background and the dance begins.

LUCIUS: (quietly) Are you okay?

NARCISSA: After being lectured about how Mudbloods are destroying our society? Yeah, I'm fantastic.

LUCIUS: Come on, we just have to put up the act for them. It's just one night.

NARCISSA: But it's not. This is the kind of thing that lasts years. You can't just erase prejudice like this overnight.

LUCIUS: So you disagree with Bellatrix?

NARCISSA: I mean, I admit that Andromeda was foolish to procreate with a Mudblood, but if this blood purity causes any more division in our society, it's going to lead to war. We both know that.

LUCIUS: What do you think we should do?

NARCISSA: We have to find some way to prevent it. Wizarding kind is diminishing already, if we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're damned.

LUCIUS: You think you have what it takes to prevent a war?

NARCISSA: (smiling) Are you doubting me, Malfoy?

LUCIUS: Of course not. (spinning her around) We'll make it work.

NARCISSA: I know we will.

NARCISSA and LUCIUS kiss, leading to applause from those in attendance. Eventually, BELLATRIX and RODOLPHUS join them on the dancefloor, and the music becomes faster.