It wasn't for the likes of them to be fashionably late or anything like that, of course.
"...Don't gawk, Alex."
Though Malfoy Manor was particularly gawk-worthy tonight, he did have to admit. Glittering illusions, even more glittering people, waterworks, jeweled trees (quite literally)...Dancing House-Elves? Now that really was gawk-worthy, he had to admit...
Rosemary wasn't gawking in the least, of course, but then, she was Rosemary. Now just as long as nobody actually recognized her except as a vaguely familiar face, if that, things ought to go all right.
He hoped.
Rosemary actually could pass for some kind of nominal Pureblood if she played the part--he wasn't sure if it was her Magical aura or her bone structure or what, but it was a trait which had made her quite popular with Certain People once upon a time. And considering the sheer number of people gathered here--
Tom snickered quietly to himself, and decided to be on the lookout, just in case. The golden twins hadn't been the only offspring Rosemary had borne, that much he did know...
Not that he really had much time or energy to devote to looking for possible Rosemary-descendants, not now of all times, but it would do as a division, at least.
And how were their wealthy and beautiful hosts doing, anyway? People were standing in line to greet Lord and Lady Malfoy, but the lines were long indeed...
("Lucius? Husband, is that just me?")
("I don't think so. The Master must be near.")
Hmm. So they can feel him, up to some extent? Interesting.
There is a sense of some relief in the words he hears though the straids of spider-silk power he softly touches, and Tom finds himself feeling rather odd. Though it was a given that the Malfoy Ball wasn't going to be cancelled by anything as plebian as bodies piling up all over the place--if Grindelwald couldn't stop that particular Tradition, why should anything or anyone?--Lucius and Narcissa must be under quite a bit of stress, to say it in the mildest way possible...
Narcissa and Lucius seemed to be taking turns holding Baby Draco, which did make sense since half the purpose of the Ball this year was to show off the fact that the Malfoys actually had a heir. Though the fact that the parents were actually holding the baby themselves were perhaps a bit...unpredicted, in this case. There was a House-elf with them, true, but it---now, he'd seen that one, but what was it called? Tobby?--but it's duty for tonight seemed to be to hold the baby-basket and assorted baby equipment.
Though he did hope that Narcissa had fed Draco properly before the gala had started...
All in all--somewhat more then half of his Loyal Servants were in the premises. He hope they would be enough.
Whatever "enough" was, in this kind of context...
Hmm...and now here comes Snape. Curious, that he'd actually managed to figure out that he was sort of obligiated to show the people he'd invited around.
"Mr Riddle. Mrs Smyth. And Mr Bannerly..."
The "Did you actually have to bring that cretin??" is practically printed on Severus' forehead, but miracles upon miracles, went unverbalized to the world.
"This way please."
So they were being put on the "short que"? Severus must have more pull with Lucius then he'd thought...
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(Posted Wed, 20 Apr 2005 14:49)
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