Another Fine Web...

[mrs_morsus]

Date: Tuesday, 11 March 2002
Time: 6:30 in the evening
Location: Upper Floor Private Room at the Boar’s Head Inn, Little Cawthorpe (near Muckton)
Characters Involved: Millicent Bulstrode Morsus, Bellatrix Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, Augustus Rookwood, Lucius Malfoy, Daphne Greengrass
Rating: PG-13 at least for violent intent, I would imagine

Comments

[toujoursfideles]

Bellatrix smiled her wolfish grin at the paper in hands. It appeared as though she'd be able to make it to the meeting on time after all. She tossed the parchment into the small fire of her bedroom. Clad only in her tiered black bustled skirt and high collared black lace top, a wave of her wand secured the dark green brocaded corset around her torso. She swept her long mane atop her head, securing it with a serpentine pin of silver and emeralds as the heels of her boots clicked down the hall toward the door. Having finally replaced the old house elf, her black traveling cloak was set out upon the table in the entrance hall. It wasn't her Death Eater cloak, a minor disappointment - but now was hardly the time for that

[sacredisprofane]

Augustus had dressed for the occasion in some of his finer fabrics. He really did need to expand his wardrobe, he supposed, but he was never one for flash, especially when it would be seen as simply putting on aires given the company he often kept. He imagined they preferred to have the less financially well-off illustrated clearly. He didn't care. They had flash, but he had networks. They all had their place

[mrs_morsus]

Millicent met each guest with a prompt response of silence and flashing eyes of welcome, taking down the wards to allow them secure entrance and resetting them afterwards. Only once they were completely guarded by the wards and silencing charms did she venture speech of welcome.

“What a welcome surprise, to see you first to arrive instead of missing your most necessary presence.” Millicent nearly gushed as she welcomed the early arrival of Mrs. Lestrange. She had expected the former Dark Lord’s favourite to miss nearly the entire gathering and was most delighted to see circumstances had permitted her to join them at once. Millicent allowed the older, more experienced witch to set the guidelines for their greeting, not wanting to presume on Bellatrix’s good graces

[laural_daphne]

Daphne stood slightly behind Augustus as he knocked on the door. She felt like a child hiding behind their parents at a formal dinner. Brushing her hand at invisible dust on her coat, Daphne felt sort of out of place. Augustus was all spiffed up but she had decided to wear something not so overly formal. It was just a simple outfit that she hoped would downplay her presence amongst the grouping

[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius apparated to the coordinates Millicent had given him alone. Draco had not passed along his apologises, and neither had Narcissa, though since he did not anticipate their presence at future meetings he did not consider that they should have. If an explanation was requested, it would be given. Though he did not expect any indepth discussion over the matter

[mrs_morsus]

Millicent took Daphne’s coat, noticing the design of it and her dress with great care. Daphne’s taste ran to splashes of colour and youthful cut and styling that was very flattering on her friend, but not to Millicent’s own taste. “You look Marvelous, Daphne,” she purred to her friend, not at all troubled by Daphne’s use of her school nickname. She had been called much, much worse

[toujoursfideles]

Bellatrix noted Millicent's caution with an approving gaze and handed the young woman her cloak. She nearly preened at Millicent's clear high regard for her. Such honor in recent months had been perilously deficent. Bellatrix knew she had always liked the young lady

[vincere_aut_mor]

Lucius smiled as she welcomed him, and thanked her. He took a glance around the room. He had attended more secretive meetings than he cared to count, and as far as security and privacy went, Millicent had outdone his expectations. It was hardly a luxurious location, but the Dark Lord had rarely held meetings in anything approaching luxury. Abandoned buildings, isolated rooms, that had been the order of the day.

He met her gaze and nodded briefly as she commented that they could start when he wished. Though he hadn't realised he was heading this meeting, it seemed natural that he should.

He watched Millicent walk to hang up his cloak, with brief appreciation of the leather trousers and stiletto heels. He'd always thought their meetings at lacked enough female presence. Turning to the rest of the gathering, he noted the presence of Miss Greengrass. Doubtlessly she would be asking after Draco

[sacredisprofane]

Augustus nodded his greeting at Millicent, then walked to Bellatrix, bowing formally to her. "Milady Lestrange. Please forgive my neglect of you of late."

He turned as Lucius entered and nodded briefly. "Lucius."

He frowned. No young Master Malfoy then. His hopes regarding Draco's loyalties began to waver. This would not do. Draco Malfoy needed to be loyal. He was Lucius' legacy. His defection would look poorly on Lucius. Come to think of it, why wasn't he here? Did Lucius not have an excuse ready? Would he truly allow his son to become a blood traitor?

His lip twitched. Not so good an influence on Daphne then. He might need to remind the boy of his place, his status. A Malfoy blood traitor. How could Narcissa allow it? He glanced at Bellatrix. And what have you to say about your nephew?He wondered about the boy once more, looking at Daphne, wondering what she was thinking. Was she disappointed, upset? If that boy hurt her

[toujoursfideles]

Bellatrix inclined her head.

"Forgiven, of course," she said with a small smile. "I, too, really should be more attentive."

She noted his frown, following his gaze to Lucius. Bellatrix responded to the question in Augustus' eyes with a small shrug and roll of her eyes, content to let her annoyance with the whole situation momentarily show on her face. Did Lucius really think no one would notice Draco's absence?

Bellatrix would much prefer that Augustus be the one directing the meeting, better him the Lucius. She'd never really enjoyed what felt like the paperwork end of Death Eater antics, feeling in many ways that such trivial matters were beneath her. But now, with more than one point of view streaming through her eyes, she was ever more pleased to see Augustus in a position of authority.

Still, they just couldn't help themselves. She consciously schooled her tongue to avoid hissing out her S's.

"Perhaps we should wait a moment more. Ssurely we're missing someone?" she said diplomatically, but allowed her gaze to rest on

[laural_daphne]

As Lucius entered Daphne felt a ting of sorrow that Draco wasn't with him. She didn't really expect him there but since his father was... With a sigh she took a seat by the window across the room from Bellatrix. She couldn't even look the woman in the eye after what had happened at the Gala

[vincere_aut_mor]

Draco had not come to him with an explanation of why he was not attending. He had said that he wouldn't be attending, and that was enough for Lucius. Draco was already doing more than enough for the campaign, his support and the endeavour with Potter with the newspaper was more than he had expected. If there had been direct contradiction, if Draco had declared his complete opposition, perhaps Lucius would have forced the matter.

He looked at Augustus and Bellatrix. For all he knew, for all Draco knew--and he wasn't surely exactly what Draco remembered--these two could have been amongst those who had tortured his son. There were certain things Lucius expected Draco to portray in public, but he couldn't hold Draco's wish not to attend this meeting against him. It wasn't as though he'd had any semblence of a pleasant experience as a Death Eater, and though this was quite pointedly not a Death Eater meeting, it rested uneasily in the shadow of one

[mrs_morsus]

Millicent soaked up the intensity of the atmosphere and the conversation eagerly, noting with interest what as unsaid as well as what was said. The relationship between Bellatrix and her brother-in-law did not seem to be as warm as she would have expected, but she knew better than to do more than accurately observe and absorb. She wanted to facilitate the future, the best future for her beliefs and desires, and in order for that to become possible the various egos in this room would need to be kept messaged and calmed before any significant action could take place

[sacredisprofane]

Augustus frowned slightly as he noted Daphne's demeanor. She was pulling away from them. Would she pull from him too? Millicent Morsus was her age. Surely their message still spoke to Purebloods. Surely they weren't outdated that much

[toujoursfideles]

Bellatrix pointedly ignored Daphne, and avoided following Augustus' gaze when it traveled toward the young woman. When he spoke up, she nodded in agreement, grateful that he lent his voice and status. He hit nail precisely on the head. Look at how the younger generation behaved, raised without their much needed influence.

"I wholeheartedly agree with Augustus. " Bellatrix added. "And Millicent is right, we need unified cooperation. Without order and organization we have no hope. As one, the pure can cleanse the filth that is degrading our world."

She turned her attention to Lucius again. She had promised Narcissa to try to be nicer to him. "And obviously, the blood traitor cannot be permitted to take the Ministry. Lucius is the ideal candidate."

Taking a moment to pause, she reached for a glass of wine their hostess had provided. She loved the atmosphere in the room at that moment, those first tentative moments of admissions and plotting. Her sharp focus alone kept the hissing restricted within her head. The group was small.

We

[mrs_morsus]

Millicent could barely keep her intake of breath from being audible. Bellatrix might suggest that the Registry be used for other means, but the fact that it would, of necessity, keep her restricted for longer spoke volumes about her commitment to their cause. Millicent’s awe in the face of her talent and dedication was boundless. She admired Narcissa, but clearly her older and wiser sister had a great deal that she could teach and Millicent was eager to learn.

“Positively brilliant, Bellatrix!” She exclaimed, unable to resist the idea of a Register of Pure Bloods that would declare the rightful place of each one in their community without question. It was something she knew and kept track of for her own amusement and interest, but to have it actually inscribed in the Hall of Records for all time was a heady thought. It could go far towards achieving their ultimate goals.

“If we use our combined strength and talents, who would not be soon persuaded of the benefit to the community?”