Chapter 46: Recognition?
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"If only de Cordova hadn't gone with that idiot." Draco muttered. "Merlin, I hate Pansy. All she cares about is her damn clothes and the latest gossip."
…
"Why Draco, some could say the same about you and your hair."
"Hey, some of us have to be good-looking. We can't all be hideous like you."
"Ponce."
"Smart ass."
"Little dragon."
"Hey now!" Draco yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at Aries. "You promised you'd never tell anyone about that!"
"And I haven't." Aries said with a smirk, downing his glass. Haydn and Ivan were great friends, but the relaxed nature around Draco was refreshing.
The two friends from Durmstrang were connections and future allies. Draco, on the other hand, was a friend and would always be regardless of his familial status.
"Aries." Sirius' tense voice cut through their mood like a dagger. "Can we talk?" A short nod to Draco sent him away and there was a silent plea to keep others away from the coming confrontation.
"How can I help you Uncle?" Aries did not keep the edge from his voice. They had avoided each other since the Second Task, though he noticed the distance between Sirius and James had grown as well.
Sirius' disappointment in his actions during the duel had affected him far more than he liked, but it did not change his opinion on what he had done.
"Your actions during your duel with Cedric." Sirius started. "I think you owe me an explanation."
"An explanation?" Aries replied. "Why?"
"You tortured him! You had him beat! A simple stunner would have been sufficient but you used your magic to choke him, cast lightning on him, shattered dozens of bones, and then beat him unconscious!"
"It isn't my fault that he refused to surrender. And for your information, I had planned on just stunning him, until he cast a rather dark curse my way."
"That's entirely different!"
"How?" Aries nearly yelled. "Because it was one curse and not brutal?"
"Yes!" Sirius exclaimed. "So why did you do it?"
"Recognition."
"Recognition?" He repeated. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Our House is weak!" The volume of Aries' voice was rising. "Ever since Grandfather died the respect and fear that our House has instilled in every other has dwindled until now we are nothing more than a laughing stock."
"What the hell does our House matter if we descend into madness?!"
"Everything! Our House is everything! It's the legacy we leave behind to our children and their children. It's a history that they can look back on and look to emulate."
"You look at my actions at the Second Task and you see another Bellatrix. Did I use the Cruciatus? Did I use the Killing Curse? No. I made a point, and a damn good one too. I used powerful magic that shocked and awed and yet Diggory lives."
"He lives. If I wanted that boy dead, he would've died in the first ten seconds. If I wanted to torture him then his screams would still be haunting your nightmares!"
"Not a single spell I used would have killed or maimed or harmed him beyond repair. But no, it only matters what kind of magic for you. Not the intent, which is the only thing that matters."
"The only thing?!" Sirius screamed. "They think you're the next dark lord! They think you're going to replace Voldemort!"
"Maybe I will!" Aries confessed. "And who's going to stop me? You?"
"If I have to." Sirius said softly. "Maybe James was right. I don't know why I thought you'd be the best of Regulus, but maybe you're the worst. Dumbledore was right about you after all."
"So, it's the old man influencing you is it Sirius?" Aries questioned. "Talk to your old friend Lupin, and tell me what he has to say of your champion of the Light."
Aries ignored Sirius' shock, and strode past him. Daphne was waiting for him next to Draco and pulled him onto the dance floor after handing him a glass of firewhiskey.
The music of the Weird Sisters played loudly in his ears as he let himself be distracted by the sway of Daphne's hips and the glint in her eyes.
The night continued and Aries had hoped the drama for the night was over, until he saw Arianna again.
She was drunk, incredibly drunk, but that wasn't what angered him. It was the wandering hands of Kruger that got his attention.
Too often in the past few moments had his hands dipped below her waist or slid intentionally near her chest.
Arianna kept pushing him away but he did not appear to be listening. Aries slipped into his mind and fury unrelenting came forth.
Kruger had been steadily force feeding her alcohol the entire night with one specific intention: relieving her of her virginity in one of the abandoned classrooms, forcefully if he had to.
Aries nodded to Haydn to distract Daphne and Draco to follow him while he dealt with the situation.
Despite her drunken state it was quite easy to pull her into his arms away from Kruger. Her tense state from before relaxed as she melted into his arms.
They danced slowly until he could pull her into the entrance hall and out of the castle.
"What the hell were you thinking de Cordova?"
"I got your attention now, don't I?" She tried to sound seductive, but her words came out slurred.
"You've done nothing of the sort." Aries said sternly.
"You've only embarrassed yourself." Arianna looked like she wanted to cry but Aries refused to look at her.
Draco got the hint and wrapped his arm around her waist to escort her back to her cabin. Aries trusted Draco to do the right thing, despite what much of Hogwarts thought of him.
Haydn and Ivan were waiting for him, their dates amusing Daphne who was giving him a quizzical glance.
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