Sequel to Modification
Estela's going back. Back to where it all started. Back to the place where everything changed. She's returning to resume the task she was given six years ago, and this time she isn't going to let anything stand in her way of...
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THE air was particularly warm tonight, but a small fire crackled in the middle of the trimmed lawn nonetheless, casting long shadows that danced and waved across the surrounding area.
Echoes of boyish laughter resounded through the clear night as a group of boys bounced remarks between themselves. As Alden Viridian sat in their midst, he couldn't quite work out whether their jokes were actually getting wittier as the evening wore on, or if it was just the effect of the liquor that made everything seem so much funnier. Or perhaps it was both.
Spirits were unusually high as Avery poured the boys another round of wine, and everyone seemed relaxed and content for once. It was strange to see it. It was a sight so rare for a place like this. During all of his time here, Alden had very seldom seen everyone so calm in the Manor. It seemed as though Riddle's remarkably kind gesture hadn't gone amiss.
This was the second time that Riddle had allowed the Death Eaters to have so much time to themselves to do what they wanted. And Alden didn't know whether he should be sceptical or just thankful.
"So," Abraxas said, leaning in towards the boys, a mischevious look lingering on his pointed face. "I hear Rita Leighton's back in town."
All the boys immediately snickered and cast snide glances in Avery's direction who rolled his eyes at them in response before he took a large gulp of liquor.
"Who's Rita Leighton?" Alden asked them. He'd heard the name mentioned before, but he didn't think that he knew her.
"The blonde-haired bombshell that Avery lusted after throughout school," said Lestrange.
"Also known as the Slytherin tart," said Abraxas evenly, throwing a quick sideways glance towards Avery who tried to remain impassive.
"Ah, so that's why Ave's been paying extra attention to the swooping precision of his glorious blond hair recently," Rosier quipped.
"And I'm sure I caught him speaking to himself in front of the mirror the other day," said Abraxas with a grin. "Practising your chat up lines, were you?"
"Pricks," Avery retorted, a small laugh escaping his lips as he ran a hand through his blond hair.
"Look, he's at it again with the hair, see!" Rosier pointed. The boys laughed.
"I'm sure Rita will think it looks beautiful just the way it is, handsome," Abraxas said with a wink.
Avery scoffed, picking up a handful of dirt off the ground and throwing it in Malfoy's direction, but it just made the boys laugh even harder.
It was strange to say it, but Alden was actually enjoying himself. He was laughing, drinking and joking with a group of Death Eaters that he was secretly conspiring against. A group he was meant to hate. But as he took another sip of wine and took a careful glance around at each the boys one by one: Malfoy, Avery, Nott, Rosier, Lestrange, Dolohov, he realised that these people were not evil. They were just boys - young, clueless and scared to death by a leader who was slowly corrupting them from within. Trapped here out of fear and loyalty - confined to a life they probably didn't deserve.
