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You're so great at creating this under-the-surface type tension. It runs throughout this entire chapter, too, from the meeting with Voldemort to the exchanges between Alida and Walburga, and even the conversation with both portrait and real Regulus. My favorite was all of the unspoken words between Walburga and Alida - you've made Walburga so intimidating, and she just oozes power and control with her presence alone. Poor Alida, having to balance both her and Regulus - who is helping absolutely 0% with her transition, even though they're in a similar position, but hers is worse because at least he gets to stay in his familiar home with his family, while she's been taken away from all of her past comforts. I really enjoyed the addition of young portrait Regulus, plus Kreacher's little presence as he mutters about! haha Really great once again!
Hi hi! I'm trying to at least start and review all of the Inky noms I didn't get to during the review event, so here I am, and wow am I glad the venture brought me to this story! I love this opening chapter. You've set such a stage for an epic fic, truly. You write the tension Alida carries with her all day so well, it's so impactful, and you can feel how hard she fights to keep her composure throughout, even though she does a great job of it, and how that panic she's supressed all day just rushes out of her in the end, unable to be kept down any longer. I also love that this plot can go literally anywhere, and most certainly to some dark places, and that feels so exciting to look forward too. And then your writing is just fantastic, it reads so smooth from start to finish, and every moment you want to land certainly does, and you create such an atmosphere of this day, it's really just great.
The way you describe Regulus' motions in the first scene is so chilling. That last line and visual was an extremely striking one.
Then the bit with Narcissa and being pregnant amused me a great deal hah. But then gosh it turned so dark so fast. And those words were used against her. But Narcissa just nags incessantly and I probably would have blurted something out at some point in time myself, ngl.
And ahh...so Evgenia is working for The Order? At least...that's what it seems like from her warning Alice of The Death Eaters arrival and then form what Regulus says to her. But someone killed her?! Oh my gosh I am SHOOOK. Oh what a way to end this chapter! I will need to keep reading at some point in time because I DEFINITELY did not see that coming!
You definitely caught me by surprise with this one!
~ Courtney
The kiss! And him fixating on the kiss! Again he is trying so hard to keep his feelings for her at bay and he's failing. They really do work well together whenever the situation requires some manipulation and finesse.
"The weight in her pocket feels like her ring on her wedding day, dragging her to places she doesn't want to be and never expected to be."
^^ I really loved this! Such a lovely turn of phrase, even with all its melancholy.
Ahh omgawsh! The idea of hiding things in portraits is SO COOL. I loved that bit of magical worldbuilding we got this chapter. And Portrait!Regulus is so eager to please, poor dear. But Alida's rationale for hiding it in the portrait makes a lot of sense!
Eep! We're getting so close to the climax now! I can't stop reading this hah.
~ Courtney
Ahh Alida's frustration is reaching a clear breaking point by the end of this chapter and I definitely don't blame her.
Also, omg the misogyny is real in this fic! But that's what I feel you get whenever you write Pureblood High Society haha. The bit about Alida not being able to have an opinion on the duel made me laugh. Seriously haha? Anyway, the bit at the end with Regulus and her felt very fraught. They're so close to figuring out Voldemort's plan and how they factor into it, but it's upsetting them.
And I really wanna know what's going on with Evgenia and Severus? I mean, I know they met, but it's been brought up again so I'm just burning with curiosity about it all hah. I am sure you reveal what's going on there later on, until then I'm just going to enjoy this extremely fun ride of a story!
~ Courtney
Ooh and Redford first came to The Dark Lord with the idea of a Horcrux? And her grandfather tried to make a Horcrux? Ahhh...l'histoire se repete. And Alida has no clue? Ahhh...that's so intriguing and I suppose from this conversation, this is how Regulus and/or Alida are going to uncover Voldemort's scheme of making Horcruxes?
You show Alida still feels out of sorts in her role in society. And ouch, another comment about Evgenia being better suited to Regulus. I mean, we knew that going into the story as did Alida, but hardly appropriate dinner conversation. And omgawsh, having to defend Regulus to Narcissa and Bellatrix...such a stressful situation. And its in this instance that Alida's perceived ignorance works in her favor. She doesn't arouse much suspicion in them. Minus Alida's lack of Dark Mark. But that seems like a truly Bella trait. Especially whenever she learns that Alida has a close alliance to Voldemort but doesn't appear outwardly committed.
I couldn't help but chuckle at the "a duel might spice up her life."
Anyway, both conversations were absolutely intriguing and I look forward to seeing what happens next!
~ Courtney
Back again for some reviews for the event, Catherine!
Nothing says Pureblood society like having a dinner where there's all these double meanings behind words and gestures. The tension is so fierce! But even with everything that both Regulus and Alida have going on internally there is an undercurrent of tenderness whenever he places the ring on her finger and then chastises himself for fixating on it.
Also, I see it's not just Evgenia who is involved in something but Redford as well. And I feel like Alida's ignorance on the matter and her desire to uncover the truth is going to unearth some kind of betrayal in her. I wonder if it will drive her to rash action. I'm seriously curious as to where this is heading because you are building this up SO WELL!
Another great chapter, my dear!
~ Courtney
This chapter sets up some interesting relationships. First Narcissa Malfoy as a confident. (I was very surprised that Lady Malfoy actually lowered herself to step into a shop and secondly between mother and son. I had already recognized that Walburga thought this marriage much more important than he did (as often is the case in such families) but I was surprised how he seemed to be the one more devoted to the Dark Lord than she. Most people depict Regulus as a Death Eater to appease his family, not because he truly believes. However, given this level of loyalty, I think it will make the journey even more interesting if his death ends up canon.
Alida’s first Death Eaters meeting is very illuminuating. I like your description of Regulus through his talents. (They are both excellent talents if you want to survive the Dark Lord.) I also like the way you compared Narcissa and Alida, both as young, but one, obviously more experienced with hiding her emotions behind a mask.
I was surprised that they wouldn’t tell her where the townhouse was located; however, it really gives us tangible evidence of how little the family trusts her and how she is really only a member by name. I love the stairs cases little rebellion with the splinters. It’s tiny details like that that make a story.
Shockingly, Walburga seems to be the one who is trying to integrate her into the family although I’m wondering if its more to fall flat on her face with the party planning.
Of course, we are seeing this through Alida’s eyes, but I’m wondering what Regulus’s feelings are about this entire marriage—obviously not happy but I wonder why? Is he upset it wasn’t his choice? Did he have no desire to marry? The little scene with the younger Regulus painting was also interesting. Why wouldn’t he tell his painting the truth about Sirius? Is he trying to protect him? If so he’s doing a poor job because obviously the portrait is upset. However, the last line was very telling, trying to blame is wife for everything—wow! He is a mean, spiteful husband.
However, he does let her still work in her family’s apothecary—also surprising. Is this an act of kindness on his part of is he trying to keep her away from the madness that she’s married into? The conversation between her and her sister was very telling. It’s obvious that her sister doesn’t really understand what this marriage is like. She’s under a complete illusion (and I’m not sure if she really understand what Alida is telling her.)
Ahhhhh!!!! Alida!!!!!!
She can’t talk about this - and it’s killing me, but it’s also killing Kreacher, and I’m so sad!
But then you make it so much worse, because everyone is crying and mad about crying in front of each other and they CANT TALK ABOUT ANY OF IT!!! I AM SO SAD!!!
But Kreacher can. And this is the only way Regulus can learn about what happened. And I see what Alida is doing now, because she has to get confirmation that the potion worked.
I hope. I hope this is enough for Regulus to understand what happened and I hope it’s something that brings him closer to Alida instead of something that puts another wedge between them.
This story.
Pix
Distraction. Wow. Regulus is certainly distracted by a lot of things, but his father’s death just seems to be one of them, as well as whatever this is with Peter. Ah, just another job.
Oh Alida! I am so worried for her. Even being with her own thoughts is a dangerous thing now. I can see how she’d get to this point, too. It’s horrific, what this potion is doing to her… that she has to test it on herself. She’s slowly driving herself insane, and that thought is the darkest thought I’ve had all story. Such darkness!
Oh no! And it gets even worse! She has to watch an innocent take the potion she’s created! This is HORRIBLE!!! SUCH DARKNESS!!!
That Regulus was there, and then that he was ordered to leave… Voldemort knows that isolation is what’s keeping Alida in line.
HORRIBLE!!!
But also genius.
Pix
Hey! I’m back for more chapters! This poor little guy! Young Regulus just tears me up, having him realize what’s going on, and being stuck in his state - I just can’t with this. The only consolation I get from this scene is that Alida gets a chance to understand Regulus more, more of who he was before he was roped into the Dark Lord’s allegiance. His purer self, I guess. I love that all the portraits are connected and they talk to each other. I also love that this Regulus WANTS to know what’s going on, and knows that Alida will tell him when no one else will.
The descriptives in here are SO GOOD! And AHHH!!! That’s where the fake locket comes from! The tie in to canon is awesomeness!!!
I’m glad that Alida has Narcissa to lean on here. Like her, I wasn’t sure if she should be trusted, but Alida is right in thinking that her paranoia is because of the potion. It’s making her wary of everyone around her, and maybe she should reach out to a friend right now.
Pix
ha, i loved that last part of the chapter - alida's exchange with her father - because finally she's able to voice her opinions and rage at someone, though unfortunately it's in a setting that's...less than appropriate if she wants to keep her head...and it's probably not going to result in anything except maybe just some self-satisfaction.
also obviously i wonder what she's met with?? maybe regulus is hurt or something?
the start of the chapter with narcissa and the whole talk about (not)having children was just chef's kiss in terms of writing both narcissa's and alida's emotions, i especially loved how you manage to show us the menay different faces narcissa wears..i in general love her as a character and you've written her in an maazing way!
looking forward to reading more, fren :D
kris
Catherine, what is up with Evgenia! Ahh...I hope she's not about to double cross her sister. But from the way this second scene unfolds, I'm not so sure that there's going to be a happy ending between the pair of them! And I wonder who she was talking to. You certainly lead us to believe that she is talking about Regulus and Alida, but why? And to who? So many questions in need of answering! I have no doubt as I read on, I will find them, but gahhh...right now I am just living in total suspense!
I thought Alida's reaction to the dinner party was pretty on par. She is in this heightened state, her nervous system cannot catch a break, so how the fuck are they supposed to drink wine, smile, and wear a fancy dress lol? I would be shouting too if I was in her position.
You're telling a really compelling tale, my dear! I look forward to diving back in again! :)
~ Courtney
The tension in this opening where they are all sort of looking at one another and just exchanging one word greetings was so intense, Catherine! I was on the edge of my seat waiting for something mad to happen. Which of course, beyond the exchange of words that could end up deadly and thoughts that Severus might be possibly reading without our knowledge, it was totally fine hah.
Still, I could sense Regulus' fear, his need to keep it all together because he is SO CLOSE to being discovered here.
And then the bit with Walburga at the end. Of course she's drunk and mad at Alida for her incompetency. For all that has changed this story her character remains the same. Which is sad to see the growth stop. But it happens when you're in an impossible situation that you cannot get out, I suppose.
Also, I think the way that Regulus shrinks back from his mother in this scene is also a commentary on growth. We can grow up, become competent adults who make our own choices and build lives from our parents, but sometimes with them the relationship always has us reverting back to our childhood selves. That and when you bent under emotional abuse, you just find yourself exhausted, ya know?
And now there is to be a dinner with the Malfoys. Which will be super uncomfortable since we can no longer trust them.
~ Courtney
I like how this chapter shows us a power shift between Alida and Regulus.
She is silencing him as she gains more insight and the higher ground, position wise in this arrangement. And he's accepting of it. Because else what can he do? This is about survival at this point between them. The intrigue gets more intense and as that builds so does the pressure between them. You illustrate all of that VERY WELL.
"Just like the night of the Summer Banquet, Alida feels a weird vindication that she's actually where her father wants to be. She's the Dark Lord's confidant, she's the one that's invited to meetings (even if it's just to be on Regulus' arm.)"
^^ I thought this line was super significant! Alida is still a pawn in all of this, but she's also sort of paving her own way now. This was just the reminder we needed to show her character growth from the beginning to this moment in the story. I really thought you incorporated that in seamlessly!
And then the ending with Regulus sneaking about and it's not Narcissa but Evgenia! Ahh...this one ends on such a cliffhanger, Catherine and I literally cannot wait to roll into the next chapter!
~ Courtney
Hi Catherine! Here to spread some love in the reviewing event! It seems that I can't keep up with how quickly you update this story! It's such a great quick read full of heavy themes and I am still enjoying it and feel interested in where you will take these characters next with each passing chapter!
There are a lot of heavy themes in this chapter. I think your exploration of the concept of House Elves and how it's not great, is an important critique of the canon. Also it's a great time to see Alida's shifting loyalties. And there is SOMETHING existing between Regulus and her at this moment in time so like yeah, could this be the part in the story where they begin to form a secret side alliance? I am all :eyes: for that happening. Even though I have a feeling this story won't have a happy ending. Still, sometimes it is about the journey and the not the destination. And I feel like that is the case here.
Another great installment!
~ Courtney
Okay, here we are on the morning of the banquet, and our characters have calmed down somewhat, at least in external appearances. But it seems that Alida believes that there is no way back for her.
You express this conclusion in those good lines where she now sees herself as the dark potioneer and whatever was good in her has become totally corrupted. "Her world of ignorance (naivete?)has been shreddedd to pieces by her very hands and there's no way to repair that. Certaain things...they can't be remedied."
How did she find out that Regulus was involved in the disappearance and subsequent death of Evgenia? How indeed? Just by Snape's enigmatic hint that Evgenia's disappearance was a family matter? Why couldn't it have been something else?
They both figure that they will die at the hands of the Dark Lord today. That will put a damper on the banquet.
Why does she think that Regulus wants to kill her? In the scene in Regulus's bedroom Alida is losing it, going off the deep end, just lashing out like a wounded animal. It's painful to see.
The ending section is strong. Regulus offers to switch the lockets and sacrifice himself. We don't see her specific reaction to this offer -- Yes, yes, do it, or no, I don't want you to die. Now we are coming into the home stretch, on the track of the canon story. But how will Alida fit into the final scenes? Will she die also, or will something different be her fate?
This is quite a story.
Vicki
Wow. This is a chapter of desperation, desolation, no way out. Your vision of the Black manor landscaping having gone to weeds looks like a symbol for everything that has happened to the Black family, which we know will eventually go extinct in the male line.
I wondered at first why Alida reclaimed the replica locket from young portrait Regulus. What is she going to do with it? The Dark Lord is coming tomorrow to claim his potion. Is Alida a tragic heroine who wil die for a noble cause, as we know Regulus will do, according to the canon story?
Now you depict her as a crazed woman, in a hellish trap partly of her own making, with no allies anymore. She cannot bring herself to trust anyone. Is it overwhelming fear that has brought her to this state? I sort of feel that it is.
This is quite some story. A Shakesperean tragedy, in which in the final scene everyone is dead.
Vicki
Hi, Catherine.
Yep, we're coming up to some kind of climax, though I can't predict how many more chapters will be forthcoming.
So, Alida is crossing over some more boundaries of what her morals/principles will allow her to do, but I think that considerations of that sort have been left in the dust long ago. Now she will try for the first time to do an Unforgivable Curse, both to get some cursed blood into the potion and to manipulate Regulus into co-operating to 1) donate blood, and 2) tell her about Evgenia.
I notice that when whe proposes using blood, she first suggests that they will both donate, but it looks like that was just a ploy to get him to participate because she never donates any blood.
"She should have looked into this plan more." Good line, good thought, but she's running out of time. So she Imperiuses him and does the deed. Wow. She's going down a dangerous path for her soul's sake as well as his.
Interesting that he knows he's being Imperiused. I never knew (or thought about it) what the victims of that curse are aware of.
Also interesting that when she asks him what happened to her sister, his resistance to obeying that request is so strong that it breaks the curse. Sort of reminds me of when you have a bad dream that is so bad, your subconscious mind will wake you up.
She blames him for ruining her life No, Voldemort did that. She's not going to take any responsibility for for what she did (starting with marrying Regulus)?
Yes, you say it here. She isn't worried about crossing the boundaries into Dark Magic anymore. That is so tragic.
And when he tells her that her sister is dead, will that be the final nail into the coffin of their marriage? No happy ending in sight.
Hi, Catherine.
I was all revved up to hear Regulus's idea about how to make the potion work, but our characters are going off on errands of their own. I had not expected either of them to go to Severus, but here is Alida, trying to get some sort of information from him, but that's hard. She has some specific questions she wants to ask him, but he takes control of the conversation from the outset, and it doesn't go exactly as she wanted. They both acknowledge that what she's doing is no secret --I guess that's progress in the sense of laying their cardds on the table, and he gives her advice about what to try with the potion and where to direct her attention in trying to find her sister. So I guess, in the end, it was a fruitful visit for her.
Regulus did not seem to be as successful. Was he trying to talk with Sirius, to tell Sirius (and the Order) what he had found out about the horcruxes? That wasn't totally clear to me, given that his errand was cut short by the untimely appearance of Peter, and I'm not sure what Peter wanted either. i guess that it was just a coincidence that Regulus just happened to be on the doorstep when Peter arrived to continue playing his secret role of spy for the Dark Lord. So Regulus ended up getting nothing out of his errand.
Finally we see Alida in the apothecary again, and it looks like she''s trying to utlilize Severus's suggestion. But her mother arrives, worried sick about Evgenia, who has been missing for a week now. The two of them, Alida and Mrs. Sellwyn, can not longer avoid the conclusion that something is terribly wrong concerning Evgenia. (Yes, we know...) I haven't been keeping track of the passage of the hours, so I'm not certain how much Alida and Regulus have left of the 48 hours that the Dark Lord has given them to fix the potion.
The feeling of desperation is back in the chapter again, and the only ray of hope is that Severus's suggestion will work. We'll see. I have the feeling that we are getting close to the climax of this story.
This has been quite some story!
Vicki
Hi, Catherine,
I'm back to polish off the final five posted chapters of this fabulous story. It's very well constructed, which makes it easy to follow the story ine here.
Part one, Regulus and Alida are back in the aoothecary, feeling frustrated ad desperate because they're running out of time and have no good ideas left. The way you form the dialogue really gives a good picture of their desperation. They're sort-of working together, throwing out ideas, possible courses of action that have the ring of desperation in them -- ask Severus to help -- run away and hide - tell the members of the Order what they have found about horcruxes. Ideas proposed and then shot down. Getting nowhere. But they keep trying, like throwing spaghetti against the wall, hoping that at least one strand will stick.
Then they finally get off dead center. (Hooray!) His idea: Tell me about Fowey. Her idea: Use Legilimens to get past the moemory block Voldermort placed on her.
Finally he can see the trip to the lake and he knows what happened there.
And then the exciting line: "I think I know how to fix the potion." *Sound of trumpets*
Interesting to note that Voldemort wants Alida to brew the potion perfectly and eliminate the flaws, but by blocking her memory he made it impossible for her or Regulus to see what the problem was. Lucky for Regulus that he was able to get past the block (no thanks to idiot Voldemort).
I am eager to proceed with all haste to the next chapter and learn what Regulus has found out. One cam't help loving him. I hope Alida does love him.
Vicki
Hi, Catherine. Well, maybe we could have expected this. Now Alida and Regulus are really in a pickle. They have 2 days in which to re-do the potion, to make it impenetrable by hand if it is only partially drunk, and perhaps not so deadly as to kill the drinker before he/she drinks it all. (Is that second quality a necessary one also, if the purpose of the potion is simply to prevent anyone's stealing it?)
The Dark Lord is furious because the potion has this flaw, and I actually expected him to inflict more pain and damage on Alida and Regulus than he actually did, there in the apothecary. Not enough to incapacitate them, of course.
Not being privy to the Dark Lord's thinking/plans, I don't know why these deadlines for potion completion are so necessary. Is it just that the Dark Lord is impatient, and he wants what he wants Right Now, or does he have some kind of timetable that he is trying to meet?
Alida is ready to give up. She doesn't have any more ideas for how to fix the potion, within 2 days or ever, and what's the point of trying if the Dark Lord will just kill them both once the potion is perfected? She just wants to run. Surely there is some place where they can hide. Does Regulus really know for sure that it would be impossible to hide?
What in the world is going to happen in the next chapter?
Vicki
Hi, Catherine. This is certainly a tense, grim chapter. And you don't pass lightly over anything. Instead, you wring the full horror out of every passing moment, every little action. And the horrors are made worse for us because we know, although Alida and Regulus do not, about the cave and the lake and what the potion does, and who is in the lake.
Regulus's well-meaning attempts in the apothecary to help Fowey endure the drinking of the potion (as Kreacher had done before) seem pitifully inadequate to us now, but Regulus doesn't know that. He can't know.
What must he have thought when he realized that the Dark Lord was taking Alida and Fowey to heaven-knows-where while he, Regulus, would be left behind in the apothecary.
The events in the cave are pretty much exactly as we suspected, having read the Half-Blood Prince, so we are not shocked, but Alida certainly is. Has any other person ever been a bystander, a witness to this process but not a participant? Like a journalist at a battle or at the scene of a disaster? I can't think of anyone, except, now, Alida. And the Dark Lord feels confident that she will never tell anyone? Or is the Dark Lord simply planning to kill her very soon, if he is satisfied with the potion?
It is very interesting to see how you re-interpreted this well-known scene in canon to serve the purposes of your narrative. Well done!
Vicki
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