Ddevent01 - Blog Posts
mrlenexmc:
*
Marlene had to laugh, “If he doesn’t knock this shit off we’re going to have to step it up a notch to get him to cut it out. Maybe we should get him some chaps and see if he has any shame.” She thought about that for a moment and then dry heaved dramatically, “On second thought, he would probably try to wear them every day, so maybe not.” The last thing they needed was to see Moody try to wear chaps over his kilt. She’d have to gauge her own eyes out, probably.
“Honestly, it’s probably the most excitement this stuffy old party will have, they should be thanking you.” It was a little difficult not to hold some disdain for big Pureblood events after being subjected to them when she was younger. Her family now had a reputation for being ‘blood traitors’, but it hadn’t always been like that.
“Yeah, he’s been gone for ages now, hasn’t he? What’s up with that?” Marlene would probably have to punch herself if she blew Alice’s cover, but there was nothing wrong with a short conversation before she slipped back into the crowd. It was nice to get to talk to her. “Yeah”, Marlene sighed, crossing her arms. They had all known the dangers, but it certainly felt more real being surrounded by people they both knew and suspected were death eaters. It was an absolutely mental plan, which was why she’d been in favour of it, but she still worried for her friends. “You can leave at any point, you know.” She pointed out, not unkindly, “Nobody will judge you if you feel like it’s too risky, you’ve got a little one to think of too.”
...
Alice laughed, nodding in agreement with Marlene’s sentiment. These parties, however lavish and grand, were nothing short of dull. Alice had hated them as a child; though her parents didn’t attend many of the parties all that often, they were careful not to burn too many bridges with the rest of the Rosiers, so she had been subjected to her fair share of boring parties. Luckily for her, Marlene had often been there to liven them up, so it felt full circle that she was here tonight, even if she wasn’t really supposed to be.
Alice shrugged. “He tries to get back at least once every couple of weeks, but it’s usually only for a few hours. I guess it’s taking longer than expected.” She couldn’t really say more, not even to Marlene, because it was Auror business and not anything to do with the Order, so she gave an apologetic smile for her vague response. “Moody promised he’d be back in time for the birth, though, so fingers crossed I don’t go too early.”
Alice’s smile softened at Marlene’s words. “Thanks, Mar, but I’ll be okay. I have the perfect alibi since I was actually invited. I would have come even if we hadn’t come up with this insane plan.” She shook her head, making it clear that she hadn’t been one of the ones on board with this. It seemed more risky than it was worth. “Being able to be here and help if someone gets into trouble is far less anxiety-provoking than sitting at home wondering what’s going on.”
dorcxsmdws:
…
“I know,” she said softly. And she did know. She did know that she was doing this well, and she knew that what she was doing was important, crucial even. But that didn’t make it any easier. It didn’t make it easier to give up her whole life, to throw herself into danger every day. But she’d rather it be her than anyone else. She knew that she could handle it. “Hopefully we can end this sooner rather than later so that we can all have a little bit of peace.” She smiled at her. “Eavesdropping is how I find nearly everything I give you guys, so don’t underestimate it. Men are sexist and will talk in front of you like you’re not even there. Use it against them.”
She shook her head. “But I haven’t really tried. When a few more people get here I’ll head upstairs and see what I can find. You’re just as pregnant as Lily is, are you sure that you’ll be okay all night? Especially without Frank?”
...
Alice sighed, nodding in agreement with Dorcas but keeping her face neutral to keep up the illusion that they were merely making small talk. It was safer for Dorcas to interact with her than most members of the Order, but they still needed to be careful. Alice would be shocked if her cousins within the Dark Lord’s ranks didn’t have their suspicions about her own loyalty. “Yes, please Merlin just let this be over soon,” she breathed, her hands subconsciously moving to cradle her bump. Giving Dorcas an understanding smile, Alice chuckled. “Remind me to take you out for a beer when all of this is over. In fact, I think all of us will owe you free beers for life.” It wasn’t even the beginning of what they would all owe Dorcas for the danger she was putting herself in, but it was something.
Alice waved her hand. “Oh, I’ll be fine. My parents are around here somewhere, and good manners dictate that my cousins have to be polite to me.” There was a benefit to being a Rosier, even if most of the time she would much rather have nothing to do with her extended family. She kept up the relationships anyway, knowing that those connections were invaluable in this war. Alice reached out to touch Dorcas’ arm. “Be careful,” she said seriously. “Even if they trust you, they won’t be too keen on finding you snooping through the house.”
evanroseier:
Evan smiled as she laughed, he was always a fan of making jokes and while he often cared most about amusing himself he also enjoyed amusing others greatly too. It was especially nice to hear Alice’s laugh, it’d been some time since they’d seen each other and that was probably more his fault than hers despite what many would probably guess. He nodded along to her hushed voice, it was crazy how long it’d all been. Ten years seemed to change the world, or maybe he’d just not noticed it all yet, but he viewed it very differently now. “ I don’t know what eleven year old you are talking about, but all I can remember is one just as dashing and delightful as now, just a fair few inches shorter.” He’d said with a laugh, it was a lie her description was probably far closer to the truth. Back then was so different from where he stood now, he was much softer and eager to prove himself, probably a little awkward too often tagging along with Freya and Lise instead of making friends of his own.
“ It is very kind of her to let everyone get a little Evan time, but she’s not selfish she’s always willing to share. I’m shocked more people aren’t trying to get your attention though” He responded as they’d made their way to the table. Once there both were quick to settle into the seats, this proving to be a much more comfortable situation for Cousin Alice as she seemed to relax into her seat. “ I don’t know much about pregnancy, but I think that’s probably pretty common at your stage of things. What are you eight months now?” He asked, tilting his head in thought trying to figure out if he was right or wrong. He could have easily been wrong, he wasn’t really keeping track of it, but eight months felt like it was in the right range of things. Evan’s smile widened at the thought of talking about Greta. “ My date, right, well her name’s Greta Catchlove and we’ve been pretty good friends for a bit. You might know her actually, she seems to have a way of making friends with everyone.. but she’s really sweet, sees the good in just about everything, and really loves her grandma and pet spider Rosie. As for my life…” He trailed off thinking of what exactly he should stay, there were certainly parts he’d need to leave out. “ Well, there’s not too much to say, but I work at the Ministry now, it’s actually where I met Greta. What about you anything new and exciting except the obvious of course?”
...
Alice laughed, shaking her head as she thought of the young boy Evan had once been. Time had been kind to him in some respects and not in others. He had grown into his looks, for sure, but he had also grown into the burden of familial expectations and obligations. Alice was fairly certain that he had followed in her uncle’s and Freya’s footsteps when it came to the Death Eaters (not that she ever brought the topic up around him, because really it was better if she didn’t know for sure), but she was also pretty certain that his heart wasn’t in it. Evan had always been far more like his mother than the Rosier side, and Alice found herself wishing that her ex-aunt had stuck around in England instead of gallivanting off to America, or that she had been a little younger, able to be there more for him during those formative years at Hogwarts. Maybe if things had been different, he wouldn’t have felt obligated to follow the path laid out for him by his father. Alice sighed, knowing that it was useless to play the what if game. What had happened couldn’t be changed, and all she could do now was try to show him that there was another option out there for him, in whatever way she could.
Alice nodded as the topic turned back to her pregnancy. “Yes, eight months. So really, anytime in the next six weeks I could have a baby!” She shook her head in disbelief, still hardly able to wrap her mind around the reality that after all these years, she and Frank were finally going to have a child. Despite the bowling-ball sized bump she was sporting, none of it felt real to Alice. As Evan mentioned his date’s name, Alice broke out into a wide smile. “Yes, yes, of course I know Greta!” She exclaimed delightedly, feeling even more confident that Evan was on his way to a better path. “She’s quite a delight to be around. I forgot that you two would have worked in the same office. We met at a cafe near the Ministry once when we were both taking a lunch break and bonded over tea and books. I’m so glad you two know each other!” Alice looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Greta, but after giving the room a quick scan and seeing no sign of her, she turned her attention back to her younger cousin. At his question, Alice shrugged. “Not much, really. I’ve taken a step back from my typical Auror duties so now I’m just helping train the newbies and pushing papers.” She made a face to indicate how she felt about the amount of paperwork that now comprised her days. “And Frank’s been out of the country on a mission, so that’s been a bit of a bummer. But other than that, we’ve just been preparing for the baby and doing ordinary life.” As ordinary as life could be in the middle of a war. “How about you? Are you enjoying your work at the Ministry?”
dorcxsmdws:
…
“You’re of plenty use,” she said softly. It never sat well with her when people downplayed their strength or usefulness, and although Alice didn’t necessarily need a self-esteem boost, she still deserved to know that she could be an important asset and pregnant at the same time. “Nearly no one else has the same access you do. I’m a halfblood, you know? I’ve been working at this for nearly a year now and the trust is still only minimal. Enough that I overhear important things, but not enough that I’m told them, anyway. You’ll be a good asset down here while I try to run interference where I can.”
When she started all of this she would never have had such a frank conversation in a room full of people, but she had quickly learned that no one expected a secret conversation to be held in a room full of people – but the background noise made eavesdropping more difficult. “I don’t like when things are out of my control,” she admitted. “I’m good at this, I get why this is my mission, but it makes me nervous when others, who are less used to their tactics, have to put themselves at risk. But it should all be fine. It’s – it’s fairly simple.”
...
Alice listened intently to what Dorcas was saying, appreciating that the younger witch considered her useful despite how far along she was in her pregnancy. Giving her a sympathetic frown, Alice glanced over to where Bellatrix and Rodolphus were greeting guests. “You’re doing a great job,” she murmured, looking back at Dorcas. “It takes time to do what you’re doing, to gain the kind of trust we’re after. And I may be a pureblood, but my cousin knows me well enough to suspect my allegiances, so I’m fairly certain I only received an invitation because of my maiden name.” She laughed. “Still, I’m glad to be here, and I’ll do what I can to protect our people and eavesdrop for any useful information.”
Alice sighed, nodding her agreement at Marlene’s statement. She felt the same way every time she watched a young Order member go into battle or on a mission. They were eager and skilled, of course, but until you had seen as much of this war as people like Alice and Moody and Dorcas had, there was a certain naiveté that always put you at risk. “I know,” she said softly, thinking of all the people here tonight that she would have preferred to keep home. “Paulie and Lily really shouldn’t be here, but Moody wanted to let anyone who volunteered come. Personally, I’m not sure this mission is really worth the risk.” Alice looked into Dorcas’ eyes. “Have you heard anything so far?”
mrlenexmc:
*
Merlin, the Order really had been spending a lot of time together, but it was more out of necessity than anything else. They were like a family of misfits, and she loved them all fiercely even if she liked to pretend that she didn’t. “Yeah, well, if you ever see me in one of his stupid hats then you officially know that it’s a cry for help, and that I’ve officially cracked under the pressure of it all.” Marlene laughed, even with her hair dyed blonde and the mask, she was glad that Alice recognized her. She was shit out of luck if anyone else did, but she was hoping that the rest of the Purebloods at the party were too stupid to recognize her, even if they’d grown up together.
Clapping her hands together, Marlene rubbed them together a few times for dramatic effect, “Great, stay right here”, she demanded, making off in search of a flute of sparkling juice. It didn’t take her long to find a house elf willing to help her, and she sang the elves praises even though their enslavement had always made her really uncomfortable. Returning back at Alice’s side, she handed over the flute with a small bow. It may not have been the best idea to talk to her for too long, but then again, they were supposed to be blending in. Alice had been sent an invitation, you couldn’t blend more than that.
Giving Alice a little two fingered salute, Marlene nodded her understanding as Alice seemed to echo her very thoughts from only a moment ago. “Roger that, capitan.” There were probably a few others in attendance she’d have to avoid, some distant cousins that had seen her with every hair colour under the sun, but she wasn’t too worried. “I promise I won’t linger too long, but how are you feeling?” She couldn’t imagine trying to do all of this pregnant, and a flash of love and admiration for Alice rocked through her.
...
Alice laughed at the mental picture of Marlene wearing one of Moody’s hats, a very amusing image. “You know, we might just have to get you one of those. I think you could really pull it off,” she teased, knowing that Marlene wouldn’t be caught dead in one of them. Glancing over at where Moody stood under one of the hats in question, Alice shook her head. “I don’t think that I will ever understand why he wears one of those. Doesn’t he know anything about American culture? He’s as far from a real cowboy as anyone could be.” Shrugging, Alice looked back to Marlene.
Letting out a laugh as her young friend took off on a hunt for something to scandalize the masses with, Alice leaned back against the wall, allowing herself to rest some of her weight on it for the time being. Marlene was back in a flash, handing over the flute. Taking it, Alice raised it up, tipping it towards Marlene. “Ah, my savior,” she laughed, taking a sip. “I’ll have to drink it slowly so that I can maximize the chance to horrify the mothers.”
Alice waved her off. “Ah, don’t worry too much, I don’t think you’ll blow my cover,” she said, taking another small sip. Considering the question, she shrugged. “Tired, obviously, and wishing that Frank were back from that stupid mission, but overall good.” She lowered her voice so as not to be overheard by anyone lingering nearby. “I do have to say that I’m a little more nervous than usual tonight. If I know my cousin like I think I do, she won’t take kindly to intruders on her celebration, so if anyone gets caught it could turn nasty.”
evanroseier:
“Oh, don’t sell Aunt Dru short, she’d at least be passive aggressive about it for double that, might even go to her grave giving you grief about it” He joked, though they both knew the truth that laid within it. Aunt Druella was just like many of the older mothers of pureblood society, and he’d take a guess any rich society, knew how to use proper manners and how to hold a proper grudge. “ It’s weird to think Cousin Bella was getting married and I was just starting Hogwarts.” Evan laughed with a shake of his head. “ Weird to think It was ten years ago I started Hogwarts, Time flies doesn’t it?” Part of him
“ Thank you, a good fashion must run in the family because you’re easily one of the best-dressed ladies I’ve encountered tonight.” He grinned at her compliment and easily threw one back. He’d liked cousin Alice despite the distance in beliefs from her and the other Rosier’s, and the age gap between the two it was always enjoyable to see her. She’d reminded him of his sisters, the side of them that he’d always been allowed to see. Alice was kind and cared for him, something that couldn’t be said of all Rosiers. “ You’re in luck! I came with a friend, but I’m under direct orders to mingle with family, and keeping you company fits the description. Let’s find us a table” Evan said offering his arm to Alice, waiting to walk until she’d taken it.
...
Alice laughed, thinking that Evan was exactly right. No one had perfected the art of passive aggression quite like their Aunt Druella or her cohort of perfect pureblood society mothers. Though she might take the cake, and Alice felt a rush of gratitude (not for the first time this evening) that her parents were so very different. Her upbringing had been the polar opposite of her cousins’, and though she felt a twinge of guilt that she had gotten off so easily, mostly she just felt pretty bloody lucky. “Wow, ten years, that is mental,” she said in a hushed voice, shaking her head. “Ah, yes, ickle Evan starting Hogwarts. I’m glad I was able to be there to see you in all your adorable awkward eleven year old glory.”
“Well, I’m quite grateful to your friend, because I would love some company.” Taking his arm, Alice let him steer her to one of the empty tables, and they sat down next to one another, Alice sighing in relief to be off her feet. Resting her hands on her round belly, Alice leaned back in her chair. “Merlin, I feel like a whale,” she said with a chuckle, patting the bump. She turned her attention back on her younger cousin, a smile breaking out on her face at the opportunity to catch up with him. “So, tell me about your date. Tell me about your life. It’s been ages since we properly caught up.”
mrlenexmc:
tagging: @alicelxngbottom
For all the years that they’d known each other, Marlene would have been able to spot Alice Longbottom from a mile away. Alice may have been a few years older than Marlene, but she’d always looked up to her, and, embarrassingly enough, when she was younger had followed Alice around whenever their families were brought together. She was both happy and nervous to see that she’d shown up to the party. The night had so much potential to turn ugly, and while she knew that pregnant women were hardly delicate little china dolls, she held a lot of worry for both Alice and Lily. Alice surely would have been on the guest list though, so at least she had that going for her. Besides, because she’d known Alice for a long time, she knew that it wouldn’t have done much good to try to talk her into staying home, no matter what the danger was. Frank seemed nowhere to be found, and after a while of debating whether or not to approach Alice, Marlene finally decided to, sidling up to her in a way that was meant to be casual but probably came across as anything but. Surely nobody was paying them any attention, and it wouldn’t hurt to check in with her for a few minutes.
“Howdy, stranger, fancy seeing you here”, apparently Moody was rubbing off on them all. “Are you having fun? Should we get you some sparkling apple juice, or something? Give people a heart attack when they think you’re drinking champagne, that could be fun.”
...
As soon as Marlene spoke, Alice recognized the figure that had sidled up to her. Though she was a few years older than Marlene and James and their friends, she had know many of them for all of their lives. Her father, being the most level-headed Rosier, tended to have stronger relationships with the types of families that her aunt and uncle would consider blood traitors, and the Potters and McKinnons fell pretty squarely in that category, along with the Weasleys and the Prewetts and a few others. So it would take much more than a simple disguise for Alice not to recognize the young woman who had always been like a little sister to her. Of course, it helped that she knew Marlene would be around here somewhere. Laughing softly at the greeting, Alice shook her head. “It seems you’ve been spending a little too much time with my mentor over there,” she replied with a slight incline of her head in Moody’s direction.
With another laugh, Alice met Marlene’s gaze. “That sounds like a splendid idea,” she said with a mischievous smile. “I’m a little tired of everyone shoving water on me, and I’d love to see the look on my aunt’s face if she thinks I’m drinking a glass of champagne at this point in my pregnancy.” Of course, Alice’s parents were probably around here somewhere too, but they were far less likely to make any sort of stink, thinking rightly that their daughter was a grown woman who could make decisions for herself. At the thought of her parents, Alice’s face turned a little more serious. “My mum and dad are around here somewhere, try not to run into them. They’d recognize you for cert, and of course they don’t know about the Order.” Beyond the fact that they had been proclaimed a terrorist organization, that was. “They would probably be smart enough not to blow your cover, but just in case.”
evanroseier:
Where: We all know where Who: @alicelxngbottom
With hands in his pockets, Evan wandered the main room under the request of Greta that he spend some time interacting with the friends and family she knew he’d have at the party. Normally one would take it as a bad sign that their date had been so intent on getting rid of them, but they’d only come as friends and he knew Greta had only good intentions on the matter. She was big on family and friends, of course, she wouldn’t want to be the cause of him missing out by standing by her side all night.
He’d almost called it quits on the rounds he was making around the party, figured he’d been gone long enough, made enough conversation to please Greta on his return. However, his plans immediately changed when he spotted a familiar figure, albeit a bit bigger than when he’d last saw her, but his cousin was pregnant that was part of the whole deal.“Not even late pregnancy can keep you from the duty of showing up to a Pureblood party, huh?” He asked, approaching not to think if she’d recognize him with a mask or not, after all, he’d been able to pick her out.
...
Alice was just beginning to eye the tables on the far end of the ballroom, thinking about giving a rest to her aching feet, when a familiar voice floated towards her. Turning to find the source, her face broke into a wide smile as her eyes landed on her cousin Evan. He may have been wearing a mask, but she would recognize him anywhere. Of all the cousins on her father’s side of the family, Evan was probably her favorite. Andromeda was beginning to grow on her too, and Annalise was always amusing to be around, but none of them had the easy charm and cheer that Evan seemed to possess, a remarkable feat considering how harsh her uncle always acted towards his only son.
Alice laughed, shaking her head. “Well, ten years is a lot to celebrate,” she pointed out, motioning toward where their cousin Bellatrix stood across the room. “Besides, you know as well as I do that if any of us happened to miss this, Aunt Druella would bring it up in the most passive aggressive way possible for the next ten years.” Taking a slight step back, she gave him a quick once-over, smiling. “Now you look quite dashing tonight, Evan. Do you have a date you need to get back to, or can you keep your old pregnant cousin some company? I was just about to find a place to sit down and rest my swollen feet.”
dorcxsmdws:
@alicelxngbottom
She was grateful for people like Alice – the ones who both knew her and that she could still speak publicly too. The event had just begun, and people were still milling in the main room when she spotted Alice from across the dance floor. Grabbing a glass of water and a cup of champagne for herself she walked over to where she was standing – she passed her the water and smiled. “A nice turnout, don’t you think? And still so early in the evening.”
She didn’t know Alice well, not really. She had worked with her. She trusted her. But she didn’t know her – she didn’t know her favorite color or how she took her tea or her third favorite dragon. It was a small distinction, but it was an important one for Dorcas, who had never been great at opening up to most people. “How are you doing? I’m sure it’s a bit uncomfortable, but there are lots of people who are glad you made it, I’m sure.”
...
Alice was grateful for her status as a pureblood cousin of Bellatrix Lestrange that got her an invite to this party, but she was wishing (not for the first time) that Frank were back from his mission and here with her. As an Auror and a high ranking member of the Order, Alice was no rookie when it came to dangerous situations, but the eight month bump she was sporting made her feel exceptionally nervous about the mission she knew her fellow Order members were currently executing. Somehow she had managed to avoid suspicions about her loyalty from her father’s family, and with her firstborn child about to arrive, it seemed necessary to keep things that way. But if something were to go wrong and one of the Order members were caught, Alice knew she couldn’t just stand by and watch.
So she was feeling a little on edge as Dorcas Meadowes approached her with a glass of water in hand. Relieved for a bit of company (especially from one whose position was similarly delicate), Alice smiled in welcome to the younger woman. Gratefully taking the water, Alice nodded. “I’m glad to be here too,” she replied quietly, her gaze once more sweeping across the crowd for any familiar figures. “I know I’m not much use right now, but it feels good to just be here.” She motioned to her belly with a slight laugh before turning her gaze back to Dorcas. “How are you? I’m sure this is all very nerve wracking for you.”
