FIC for: slytherin_face
Title: A Momentary Lapse
Recipient: slytherin_face
Fic or Art: Fic
Rating:PG
Characters: Narcissa, Lucius, Augustus, Bellatrix, Draco
Summary: Draco's birthday causes celebration, but still, politics must move on.
Narcissa smiled behind her goblet as she watched her husband. He was dressed in pale blue habotai robes, his hair flowing freely down his back. He was smiling and shaking hands with Augustus Rookwood, then leaned close to whisper something. While they allowed, and even fostered, the illusion that she was the socialite between them, Lucius never lacked for diplomatic savior faire. She set her wine down as he presented Augustus to her.
Augustus himself was dressed finely in silk robes the color of dried blood, his hair pulled back in a jaunty queue exposing his pockmarked face to any who looked his direction. His mouth permanently wore his lopsided smirk while his eyes remained guarded, though tonight, he seemed to open up a little more, perhaps out of respect for the occasion.
"Such a lovely party, Narcissa," Augustus crooned, bowing low over her proffered hand and kissing it gently. "My heartiest congratulations to you both on your son."
Narcissa smiled and withdrew her hand with a feigned reluctance. She inclined her head slightly, her platinum tresses swaying slightly with the motion. "Thank you, Augustus. We are very blessed." She motioned to the bassinet next to her. Inside was a small bundle of blue silk with a tuft of white hair very much like a cloud set against the summer sky. They had agreed the three of them would be a matched set, hair free and robes to bring out the pale color of Draco's eyes which were currently closed peacefully. "He's been asleep practically the whole party."
"Isn't that best in these cases though?" he asked, leaning over the bassinet.
"Yes, it tends to be. We had the private family naming ceremony earlier, so it's very good that he's sleeping now. He was getting rather fussy."
Lucius chuckled. "Narcissa, dear, he was merely expressing his frustration at being passed around as much as he was."
She set her hand on his arm lightly. "Yes, well, be that as it may, he needs his rest."
He nodded, his smile fading just slightly. "Of course, my dear."
Narcissa turned back to Augustus. "My apologies, Augustus, how are things at the ministry?"
He sighed. "Getting tight. It would seem that they are beginning to suspect a leak."
"Certainly you don't think they suspect you," she said, her pale hand caressing his arm for the briefest second.
"We are working to implicate someone else. It's hoped that we might be able to convince them that the leak is Markin," Lucius interjected.
"She's been acting suspiciously recently, taking several long weekends to visit family that has been consistently ill," Augustus added.
"Perhaps you should find someone a little less polar?" she offered, picking up her wine again. "Or at least less mainstream. Markin seems to be thick with the Weasleys. It may be difficult to implicate her without someone surmising that she's been framed."
"That, my dear lady, is the beauty of it. If we convince them that she is being framed for it, they will look for who could do such a thing. If the information came from someone, say Ms Skeeter or Mr Lovegood, then that person would be the obvious target of the next investigation. The layers would then keep the ministry busy for quite some time."
Augustus picked up a goblet from the nearest house elf and downed the wine, smirking.
"Ahh, and that, Augustus, is why you do what you do, and I do not," she chuckled.
Lucius put his arm around her gently, "But you do a far greater good. You have provided me a son, and support all of us in what we do. What Augustus failed to tell you is that Mr Lovegood was chosen as the target only after you were commenting to me on his excuse for a publication."
Augustus smiled. "Of course, Narcissa. I hadn't meant to imply you were anything less than the reason for Lucius' success."
She laughed warmly then. "Lucius is quite brilliant of his own accord."
"You are too modest, dear lady."
"If you continue in your quest to compliment her, I may have to consider you a threat, Augustus. I'd hate to have to kill you." His face was stony, but in his eyes danced the confidence that their marriage was impenetrable.
"Are we killing someone already? Merlin, Lucius, I'd think the party last night would have sated you," Bellatrix laughed, sauntering into the circle. Her brunette curls framed her face though carefully set as to not obscure the dark depths of her eyes. Dressed fashionably in black slashed with silver, she sported a diamond encrusted silver snake broach with onyx eyes.
"Bellatrix Lestrange." Augustus bowed formally.
She nodded to him. "Augustus. How is your arm?" she asked sweetly.
His lips pursed. "Quite well, thank you."
"Your arm?" Narcissa asked, concerned, flashing her sister an angry glance. Bellatrix just smiled in return.
"Our raid last night was not without, difficulty, dear lady, but I am fine."
"Longbottom's aim could use improvement."
"I didn't realize you thought that ill of me, Bellatrix."
"I don't; he wasn't aiming at you," she laughed behind her wine.
He nodded as he raised his own glass.
"I am glad you're here," Narcissa said smoothly, retaking the conversation.
"As am I," he said. "It isn't often we get to welcome a child into our society. It reminds us who we fight for."
Narcissa glanced lovingly at her son, "Yes, he deserves to grow up in a world that appreciates him." Draco stirred somewhat, fussing softly, and shifting under his blanket as if responding to the attention. She picked him up and held him propped against her chest. "Shhh."
"Cissy, would you mind if I held him?" Bellatrix asked, already reaching for him. Narcissa handed Draco to her and Bellatrix cradled him in her arms. She smiled as he began to calm. "I'd like one," she half-whispered. "Maybe a daughter."
Lucius coughed. "Augustus, would you accompany me? I think I see the Carrows."
"Certainly."
Narcissa leaned closer after they'd left. "Bella, do you think it wise to have a child?"
"Do you think I am unfit?"
"No, but, the mark, do you think it would interfere?"
She laughed, her hair tossing back. "No, I do not. The Dark Lord would not interfere with that. It is beneficial for us to have more witches and wizards who deserve our world."
Narcissa frowned, but nodded. "So you are certain it would not harm the child?"
"He would not do that," Bellatrix insisted again. "And I would thank you to remember that."
"Bella, I wouldn't speak against him, but there are so few women who took it, I wasn't sure what it would do."
Bellatrix nodded, smiling again. "He wouldn't deny us children. We are his most loyal. It just may take us longer due to our other obligations," she played with Draco's hand as several guests came to say their goodbye's to Narcissa.
She looked out over the other guests and smiled somewhat, evaluating the crowd.
"Bella, he needs to be fed."
Bellatrix nodded and handed her nephew back to his mother. "He really is a beautiful boy, Cissy. He will do the Black family proud."
Narcissa nodded. "Yes, he will. Will you be coming by tomorrow?"
"Not tomorrow, we have a meeting, but I will later this week."
The younger sister nodded and headed off up the stairs, grateful for the excuse. She knew Bellatrix would know exactly what was going on, but it was the facade that was important, that she wasn't leaving due to the conversation. A final glance to the party showed Bellatrix laughing with her husband. Narcissa nodded and turned back to her son. "You will rule this land, Draco. I promise you, you will be a prince among wizards."
Recipient: slytherin_face
Fic or Art: Fic
Rating:PG
Characters: Narcissa, Lucius, Augustus, Bellatrix, Draco
Summary: Draco's birthday causes celebration, but still, politics must move on.
Narcissa smiled behind her goblet as she watched her husband. He was dressed in pale blue habotai robes, his hair flowing freely down his back. He was smiling and shaking hands with Augustus Rookwood, then leaned close to whisper something. While they allowed, and even fostered, the illusion that she was the socialite between them, Lucius never lacked for diplomatic savior faire. She set her wine down as he presented Augustus to her.
Augustus himself was dressed finely in silk robes the color of dried blood, his hair pulled back in a jaunty queue exposing his pockmarked face to any who looked his direction. His mouth permanently wore his lopsided smirk while his eyes remained guarded, though tonight, he seemed to open up a little more, perhaps out of respect for the occasion.
"Such a lovely party, Narcissa," Augustus crooned, bowing low over her proffered hand and kissing it gently. "My heartiest congratulations to you both on your son."
Narcissa smiled and withdrew her hand with a feigned reluctance. She inclined her head slightly, her platinum tresses swaying slightly with the motion. "Thank you, Augustus. We are very blessed." She motioned to the bassinet next to her. Inside was a small bundle of blue silk with a tuft of white hair very much like a cloud set against the summer sky. They had agreed the three of them would be a matched set, hair free and robes to bring out the pale color of Draco's eyes which were currently closed peacefully. "He's been asleep practically the whole party."
"Isn't that best in these cases though?" he asked, leaning over the bassinet.
"Yes, it tends to be. We had the private family naming ceremony earlier, so it's very good that he's sleeping now. He was getting rather fussy."
Lucius chuckled. "Narcissa, dear, he was merely expressing his frustration at being passed around as much as he was."
She set her hand on his arm lightly. "Yes, well, be that as it may, he needs his rest."
He nodded, his smile fading just slightly. "Of course, my dear."
Narcissa turned back to Augustus. "My apologies, Augustus, how are things at the ministry?"
He sighed. "Getting tight. It would seem that they are beginning to suspect a leak."
"Certainly you don't think they suspect you," she said, her pale hand caressing his arm for the briefest second.
"We are working to implicate someone else. It's hoped that we might be able to convince them that the leak is Markin," Lucius interjected.
"She's been acting suspiciously recently, taking several long weekends to visit family that has been consistently ill," Augustus added.
"Perhaps you should find someone a little less polar?" she offered, picking up her wine again. "Or at least less mainstream. Markin seems to be thick with the Weasleys. It may be difficult to implicate her without someone surmising that she's been framed."
"That, my dear lady, is the beauty of it. If we convince them that she is being framed for it, they will look for who could do such a thing. If the information came from someone, say Ms Skeeter or Mr Lovegood, then that person would be the obvious target of the next investigation. The layers would then keep the ministry busy for quite some time."
Augustus picked up a goblet from the nearest house elf and downed the wine, smirking.
"Ahh, and that, Augustus, is why you do what you do, and I do not," she chuckled.
Lucius put his arm around her gently, "But you do a far greater good. You have provided me a son, and support all of us in what we do. What Augustus failed to tell you is that Mr Lovegood was chosen as the target only after you were commenting to me on his excuse for a publication."
Augustus smiled. "Of course, Narcissa. I hadn't meant to imply you were anything less than the reason for Lucius' success."
She laughed warmly then. "Lucius is quite brilliant of his own accord."
"You are too modest, dear lady."
"If you continue in your quest to compliment her, I may have to consider you a threat, Augustus. I'd hate to have to kill you." His face was stony, but in his eyes danced the confidence that their marriage was impenetrable.
"Are we killing someone already? Merlin, Lucius, I'd think the party last night would have sated you," Bellatrix laughed, sauntering into the circle. Her brunette curls framed her face though carefully set as to not obscure the dark depths of her eyes. Dressed fashionably in black slashed with silver, she sported a diamond encrusted silver snake broach with onyx eyes.
"Bellatrix Lestrange." Augustus bowed formally.
She nodded to him. "Augustus. How is your arm?" she asked sweetly.
His lips pursed. "Quite well, thank you."
"Your arm?" Narcissa asked, concerned, flashing her sister an angry glance. Bellatrix just smiled in return.
"Our raid last night was not without, difficulty, dear lady, but I am fine."
"Longbottom's aim could use improvement."
"I didn't realize you thought that ill of me, Bellatrix."
"I don't; he wasn't aiming at you," she laughed behind her wine.
He nodded as he raised his own glass.
"I am glad you're here," Narcissa said smoothly, retaking the conversation.
"As am I," he said. "It isn't often we get to welcome a child into our society. It reminds us who we fight for."
Narcissa glanced lovingly at her son, "Yes, he deserves to grow up in a world that appreciates him." Draco stirred somewhat, fussing softly, and shifting under his blanket as if responding to the attention. She picked him up and held him propped against her chest. "Shhh."
"Cissy, would you mind if I held him?" Bellatrix asked, already reaching for him. Narcissa handed Draco to her and Bellatrix cradled him in her arms. She smiled as he began to calm. "I'd like one," she half-whispered. "Maybe a daughter."
Lucius coughed. "Augustus, would you accompany me? I think I see the Carrows."
"Certainly."
Narcissa leaned closer after they'd left. "Bella, do you think it wise to have a child?"
"Do you think I am unfit?"
"No, but, the mark, do you think it would interfere?"
She laughed, her hair tossing back. "No, I do not. The Dark Lord would not interfere with that. It is beneficial for us to have more witches and wizards who deserve our world."
Narcissa frowned, but nodded. "So you are certain it would not harm the child?"
"He would not do that," Bellatrix insisted again. "And I would thank you to remember that."
"Bella, I wouldn't speak against him, but there are so few women who took it, I wasn't sure what it would do."
Bellatrix nodded, smiling again. "He wouldn't deny us children. We are his most loyal. It just may take us longer due to our other obligations," she played with Draco's hand as several guests came to say their goodbye's to Narcissa.
She looked out over the other guests and smiled somewhat, evaluating the crowd.
"Bella, he needs to be fed."
Bellatrix nodded and handed her nephew back to his mother. "He really is a beautiful boy, Cissy. He will do the Black family proud."
Narcissa nodded. "Yes, he will. Will you be coming by tomorrow?"
"Not tomorrow, we have a meeting, but I will later this week."
The younger sister nodded and headed off up the stairs, grateful for the excuse. She knew Bellatrix would know exactly what was going on, but it was the facade that was important, that she wasn't leaving due to the conversation. A final glance to the party showed Bellatrix laughing with her husband. Narcissa nodded and turned back to her son. "You will rule this land, Draco. I promise you, you will be a prince among wizards."