romeo & juliet
The Order members are on edge now that they have obliterated three of the Dark Lord’s horcruxes. They work manically and take less breaks, spurred by the success that they have met so far.
Dumbledore informs them of the Dark Lord’s childhood. With that and what Blair and her siblings know about pureblood genealogy, they figure out that the Voldemort is hiding a Horcrux at the Gaunt family home. Blair wrinkles her nose. It’s more of a hovel than anything else.
It is Dan, James, and Remus who are tasked to retrieve the Horcrux.
Blair is at the Malfoy Manor when they attempt the mission. Her magic buzzes with anxiety at the thought of Dan locating a horcrux that is not in magical Britain’s safest place.
It is then that her worst fear happens.
The Dark Lord, in one of his sudden but unsurprising fits of paranoia, tasks Bella, Lucius, and Blair to take a look at the Gaunt home on that same day.
A chill runs through Blair. She tries to look for Regulus, so he can send a patronus to warn the Order, but he is nowhere to be seen.
The three of them apparate to the outskirts of the town. Bella gives a derisive laugh about having to walk the rest of the way, but does not complain. It wouldn’t do for known Death Eaters to be apprehended for violating the Statute of Secrecy.
While they walk, Blair studies Lucius Malfoy. She hasn’t seen him in years. He and Cissa had opted not to live at the Malfoy Manor. Living with a deranged megalomaniac isn’t conducive to starting a family, obviously.
He catches her studying him. “Cissa misses you, you know,” he says quietly.
“I miss her too,” Blair says genuinely.
“I tell her the Dark Lord and Bella keep you busy. She understands.”
Blair nods. That’s one way to put it. “Thank you.”
“Hurry up!” Bella screeches. “I’d think you really were forced into this, Lucius with the way that you’re acting right now.” Her tone is even more dangerous than usual.
Bella wonders at this statement. She has always assumed that Lucius is a blood purist like his father. He looks like it, most definitely, but perhaps he isn’t. After all, she, too, looks every bit the pureblood snob.
She files this thought away for later as the three of them walk in on Dan and Remus in the cottage. She presumes that James had already apparated away with the real ring. A replica sits in its original place. The Order is aware that this is a more dangerous mission, as the location is more public.
Dan and Remus immediately fire stunning spells, but Blair shields the three of them them with a quick Protego. She has no choice but to play her part.
Bella casts a Crucio at Dan, who, in turn, blocks the spell effectively. He hits her with a blasting curse, which forces her to step back.
Remus fires a stunning spell at Lucius, who dodges. He fires back a leg-lock curse. Blair realizes that he, too, is not aiming to maim or kill.
Dan fires an Incarcerous at Bella, who is the only Death Eater attempting to fight in earnest.
“Help me, you freaks!” she screams at Blair and Lucius.
Blair steels herself. It looks like she has no choice. No matter the considerable skill of Remus and Dan, they are still no match for an unhinged dark witch and two competent, if unwilling, death eaters.
Blair whispers, Altum Sonum and aims at Dan. She implores her magic - please, please, just put him to sleep.
This is a spell she found in the Black family grimoire. It mimics the effects of death, but actually puts the victim in a deep sleep. Blair has never used this before. She prays that it does what it is meant to do.
Dan falls to the floor. There is no telltale sign of breathing.
Remus stills for a moment, in shock, and that moment is enough for Bella to petrify him.
Bella strides to Remus and casts an Incarcerous on him. “We will bring him back to the manor,” she orders Blair and Lucius. “A werewolf will be useful to the Dark Lord.”
She moves to inspect Dan. Blair’s pulse quickens. She wonders if Bella has ever seen this spell in the family grimoire.
Mercifully, she is saved once again by Bella’s lack of academic curiosity. “I’m impressed, Blair. You actually killed him- your mudblood housemate. I was worried you’d have some sentimentality attached to the Slytherin pet.”
She aims a kick at Dan’s torso and cackles. “Now take him out to the grounds. We don’t need to be bringing home such filth, and he needn’t be sullying the Gaunt premises any longer.”
Blair fixes a feigned look of disdain on her face as she levitates Dan to the nearby graveyard. She feels hopeless. Lucius is lurking right behind her, so she cannot conjure a Patronus.
She mouths a quick prayer, hoping that the Order realizes that something is wrong sooner rather than later. She prays, too, that the spell was faithful and true, because she can never forgive herself if she kills Dan.
Regardless, she can never forgive herself for what she did today.