{Ballroom, Outside grounds, Greengrass Manor}
{31th Oct 1991}
{Rigel's POV}
...
This is your final chance
To hold the one you love
You know you've waited long enough
A soft, melodic tune filled the room as two voices sang harmoniously. I looked at the corner of the room where they were set up, the famous Weird Sisters performing their new song. The ballroom floor was empty, and as everyone's attention was gathered by the song's chorus, Daniel and Adorabella stood up. They glided across the floor before taking center stage.
What followed was a slow performance. In tune with the song, the two of them swayed around the center of the ballroom. I felt a tug, and Daphne smiled at me. Realizing that this was the signal, I nodded and stood up. With a strong hold on Daphne's hand, I walked toward the dancing couple. A few eyes landed on us, but I had gotten increased attention in school.
So, believe
That magic works
Don't be afraid
Of bein' hurt
Don't let this magic die
The answer's there
Oh, just look in her eyes
The dancing skill was evident as soon as I held Daphne's left hand and placed my left hand around her waist. Copying her parents, we started dancing. The rhythm was still slow, and at least for this song, I'm guessing it would remain the same.
"You like the song?" I asked. It was a little too much lovey-dovey for my taste, but considering that the weird sisters are famous for their depression crap, this might be one of the few good songs they have.
"Yeah, they just came out with it a few months ago. It's their first public performance of this song." Daphne replied with a smile, my eyes looked into her light green ones.
'The eye color does suit her, or maybe it is the exotic feel of it...'
And make your final move
Mmm, don't be scared, she wants you to
Yeah, it's hard, you must be brave
Don't let this moment slip away
"So the eye color, was it just to match the color of your dress, or something else?" I asked, making small talk along the way. Half of the song had gone by, and other couples were joining on stage. My eyes drifted toward Andromeda as she brought forth a reluctant-looking Ted onto the floor, his clumsy feet clearly telling why the man was not very pleased with the circumstances he found himself in.
"Just the dress thing—it's a concept that has only begun to seep into our society for a couple of years. Matching everything to perception, you won't believe the lessons I had to take to deal with this..." Daphne muttered. I held her stare for a moment before nodding. She glided away from my hands, as did many others before her, rolling back onto her extended arms and twirling back to me.
"So, our dress, I know I agreed to a date with you, but from what I can see, your family is showing me off like I'm their son-in-law." I pointed out. The smile on her face melted a little as she missed a step. Still, training kicked in, and she returned to the rhythm.
"Yeah, we are taking some advantage of the situation, but it is not as extreme as you think. Father insisted that it is an opportunity to introduce you as a member of the Neutral faction, that's all." She replied, her face diplomatically stoic.
"Hmm, the neutral faction. I know we haven't talked about politics at school, but what exactly is the goal of the neutral faction? The Dark has its agenda, and the Light has theirs. Your group seems to simply be stuck to me." My question clearly surprised Daphne as she looked into my eyes.
"Hmmm..." she hummed as she calibrated her response before she sighed, "It's the damn votes. After the war, the Dark, or conservatives, as we like to call them, somehow managed to gather most of the votes. They almost have a majority, with a few families from the neutral side shifting their allegiances. The Dark has dominated the Winzengamot for the past 13 years."
Now, believe
That magic works
And don't be afraid
Afraid of bein' hurt
No, don't let this magic die
Ooh, the answer's there
Yeah, just look in her eyes
Her eyes drifted around the room for a while as we flowed around the room. I looked at where she was looking and found Narcissa staring back at me, with a neutral look on her face and her emotions holding quite an edge.
'Yeah, she's not enjoying her time...'
"One day, Lucius Malfoy and many other leaders of the Dark were standing trial, and the faction was almost gone. But over the next few years, they managed to evade punishment, shift blame, regain their power, and somehow persuade multiple people from the Neutral faction to shift. So many atrocious acts have been passed by the Winzengamot in the past few years, from the Werewolf Acknowledgement Act to the Hogwarts Tuition Loan amendment..."
'The tuition loan amendment isn't that a condition for both Amelia and Minerva?'
And don't believe that magic can die
No, no, no, this magic can't die
So dance your final dance
'Cause this is your final chance
The song ended as we stopped in place. Daniel and Adorabella left the stage to deal with more guests and manage the ball. I looked at Daphne and, noticing the eager look on her face, decided to stay put for another song. A flash of red brushing past my side told me that Narcissa and Lucius had also left the stage, though their departure seemed less agreeable.
"Hmmm... you think they are having problems?" I questioned. Daphne looked at me for a moment before replying.
"Don't tell me you are thinking about making a move on her?" She clearly didn't like the idea.
"Well, not tonight. Today I'm yours, remember," I teased as another song began flowing through the room, this one I was quite familiar with.
When all is dark and there's no light
Lost in the deepest star of night
I see you
Daphne shook her head as she allowed me to lead, a contented smile on her face as she leaned her head against my shoulder.
'She always does that on this song,' I thought, and looked around. Now that Daphne was content with just moving around lightly, I could focus more on the sights around me. My eyes quickly met Susan's, who was busy glaring at Daphne while holding a glass of wine in her hand.
'...I don't think I can get away with ignoring her today.'
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AN: 50+ advanced chapters on P.atreon!