14
Dawn hadn't yet touched the horizon when Alice woke, though the castle was already humming with activity. House-elves darted through the corridors like shadows, their magic transforming the ancient halls for the evening's gathering. Even Nagini seemed affected by the mounting excitement, having abandoned her usual haunts to wind restlessly through the corridors, as if sensing the old magic stirring in the stones.
She stood at her window, watching the last stars fade from the winter sky. The pale green robes – finally chosen after much deliberation – hung by her dressing screen like a ghost, silver threads catching the pre-dawn light. Narcissa would arrive soon to oversee her preparation, but for now, she enjoyed a moment alone.
"Nervous?"
Alice managed not to startle at the sound of his voice – she was getting better at sensing his presence. She turned to find the Dark Lord standing in her doorway, looking almost casual in the dim light.
"Terrified," she admitted, earning one of his rare almost-smiles. "Though I suspect that's part of the point."
"Indeed." He moved to stand beside her at the window. "The Minister arrived an hour ago."
"Did he..." she hesitated, then pressed on. "Did he ask about me?"
"Naturally. He seemed particularly interested in whether you'd been properly... educated in your duties." There was that dangerous amusement in his voice again."I assured him your education has been... most thorough. Lucius set him straight on the nature of our…arrangement. As my ward."
Alice caught his meaning. The Minister had been asking if she was being prepared as a bride. "And his reaction?"
"Disappointment, poorly concealed." His smile was sharp now. "He still believes this arrangement was his idea. That you were his clever solution to maintaining peace."
"Wasn't I?"
"You were a sacrifice, little scholar. Offered up to appease the monster." He turned those crimson eyes on her fully. "How fortunate for you that the monster developed a fondness for your…incessant questioning."
A delicate laugh escaped Alice's lips, a sound tinged with genuine amusement. "A sacrifice offered to a monster? The drama of it all." She met his gaze, a flicker of gratitude warming her eyes. She recognized the subtle shift in his demeanour, the almost-careful phrasing, as an attempt at kindness. It was… endearing, in a strangely unsettling way.
A flicker of surprise crossed Voldemort’s face at the sound of her laughter, so unexpected in this place, in his presence. He found himself momentarily disarmed, the carefully crafted mask of indifference slipping just a fraction. When was the last time he'd heard genuine laughter, untainted by fear or forced sycophancy? The thought was… unsettling. He couldn’t quite recall.
Before she could say anything further, Narcissa's distinctive footsteps echoed in the corridor. The Dark Lord moved toward the door, then paused.
"Oh, and Alice?" The use of her given name made her breath catch. "Do try to enjoy yourself tonight. It's not often one gets to watch their own puppet master's strings unravel."
The ancient Great Hall was a revelation. Gone were the familiar trappings of the modern castle, replaced by something older, wilder. Floating orbs of silver light cast dancing shadows on walls that seemed to pulse with their own inner glow. The vaulted ceiling opened to the winter sky, where the first stars were beginning to emerge against the deepening twilight.
Alice waited in the antechamber adjacent to his private chambers, her heart thundering against her ribs. The pale green robes fell like water around her, silver threads catching the light with every movement. Her dark hair had been partially braided with silver ribbons, the rest falling loose down her back – a style that walked the line between courtly and untamed, just like her position here.
"Ah," his voice came from behind her. "I see you managed to choose a shade of green without my further intervention."
She turned to find him dressed in formal robes of such deep green they appeared almost black, silvery runes shimmering at the edges. "And you, my Lord, seem to have managed quite well without my wardrobe advice."
His lips curved slightly at her boldness. "Indeed. Though I notice we appear to be... coordinating." He gestured to the silver accents that adorned both their robes.
"Pure coincidence, I assure you," she replied with mock innocence. "Unless you've been consulting with Lady Malfoy behind my back."
"Careful now," he warned, though his eyes held that dangerous amusement. "Such impertinence might shock our guests."
The Malfoys entered then, Narcissa resplendent in silver-trimmed black, Lucius equally elegant beside her. Dolohov followed, his dark robes bearing the same silvery runes as the Dark Lord's – a mark of the inner circle. They arranged themselves naturally, falling into formation behind their master with practiced ease.
"Come," Voldemort said, offering his arm to Alice. "let us observe my court.”
The great doors began to open. The gathered assembly turned as one, and Alice felt hundreds of eyes fix upon their procession. Some gazes held curiosity, others disdain, but most showed simple shock at seeing a muggle entering on the Dark Lord's arm, flanked by his most trusted followers.
She kept her eyes forward, drawing strength from his presence beside her. The Minister's face, glimpsed in her peripheral vision, showed a complex mix of emotions she chose not to analyze. This was not the future he had planned for her, but perhaps it was better than the one he'd imagined.
Thirteen steps to the dais. She'd counted them earlier. Now she took them in perfect sync with her protector, the Malfoys and Dolohov and the rest of the inner circle creating a powerful tableau behind them. This was not the role she'd been sent here to play, but perhaps it was the one she'd been meant to find.