i dare the dark to eat me fiercely

“Luck is bullshit,” Mia countered, but that was it before she let it drop. It was New Year’s Eve, the start of a new year, hardly the time to worry about wasting her final breaths of the year on getting the last word in a non-argument that didn’t matter. Then again, this was the most engaged she’d felt in any conversation in days, so maybe it was worth the fight…

She was tempted to immediately tell him he was always bothering her, but it felt false. Not like she worried herself much over the false words that came out of her mouth. It was overshadowed completely by the truth he assessed - she wasn’t looking for a fight. Ready for one, always. But tonight she was more concerned with assessing who was interacting with Jon in what way, and who was challenging the peace pact just a little too much. Technically, she was looking for a fight, just not one to be executed tonight. “Don’t take it personally,” she muttered, raising her glass of sparkling water as the midnight countdown drew to an end. “I don’t appreciate talking to nearly anyone lately.”

When midnight came, Mia was suddenly suffocating and the glass gripped in her fingertips slipped through. It crashed on the grass that hadn’t been there a moment before. She hadn’t been looking for a fight, but one was apparently looking for her and several other guests, including Luca. She was tempted to make a quip before she darted off to find Jon, but it felt too wrong, too childish. She couldn’t possibly know where Jon was in this crowd - the only person whose location she was certain of was Luca’s, standing before her as they emerged on a battleground where no amount of her lies could cover that they were on opposing sides. 

For a moment, she considered Apparating away and recusing herself of whatever was about to happen on that battlefield, but she knew that was inexcusable. In a moment of bravery - or maybe hope or maybe a twisted feeling of trust - she stepped closer to Luca without breaking her gaze before moving around him in search of Jonathan.

Mia offered a small smile but no response. She didn’t expect to ever receive pity from Luca, and it made her sick to try to procure it from anyone, but she couldn’t deny how powerful of a weapon it could be in manipulating someone of a weaker mindset. Maybe it wasn’t just their conversations that were past that point, though - maybe everyone was past the point of pitying her. Plenty of other tragedies had occurred since her wedding. “That should be true, but he’s an old friend. I don’t know how he thinks anymore. And I’m not naive enough to think he’s the smartest person in the room.” 

The words felt blasphemous coming out of her mouth, but she let a deep, sour frown form. This was a step farther than even her first public greeting with Jon in years. That was tense, but planned - this was cruel and off-the-cuff. A knot formed in her stomach as she considered who else might be lurking, listening, and waiting to pass along whatever they might overhear to Jon. She didn’t know all his allies and acquaintances by name or face. She understood it was important to keep the lowest ranks separate, but it still made her uneasy. “Maybe. All that says to me is that no matter what anyone says about hating trouble or violence, everyone is secretly always looking for a fight.” 

The sound of some commotion down the hall reminded Mia this party didn’t just consist of her and Luca in a corridor. She looked toward the main room to see people rushing to fill their glasses, find their friends, and get a glimpse of the large clock that indicated the new year was just moments away. “Well, maybe not always,” she conceded, considering the way the joyous, anxious display completely contrasted her last statement.

Luca got tangled in Mia’s words trying to single-handedly take lies apart from truths. It wasn’t simple. She hardly followed the rules on a liar’s body language, though the words weren’t plausible from where he was standing. It was speculation. ‘’That’s bullshit,’’ he speculated with confidence as she was done separating herself from Jonathan Marks once more. She wasn’t all that meticulous. She was continuously omitting details too. If someone could put together every front Mia put on, every mask that wandered on her eyes and every version of the story, it couldn’t be coherent. Yet, he had no way of proving such things. Maybe he didn’t even care to. ‘’There’s no smartest person in the room. There’s a luckiest one, a best prepared one and maybe a winning set of plans, but they’re all variables for every moment. Don’t sell your old friend short. He might be any of the three for tonight.’’

‘‘I don’t feel think you’re looking for a fight tonight. You seem tense. At least right now. It might be my fault. I might be bothering you.’‘ He looked away for a brief moment while gathering his thoughts. ‘‘Perhaps next time we meet won’t be for conversation. We might have no business talking. And you certainly don’t seem to appreciate it.’‘

Mia pursed her lips slightly and tilted her head to the side, seeing the reason in his words. She doubted Luca was a man who was easy to sneak up on unless he wanted someone to do such a thing. She was vain and proud enough to believe she was someone he might let sneak up on him, and the thought brought about a small smile that unintentionally mirrored his. “I don’t tire easily, especially not during parties. As you might recall, I have more than good reason to be on my toes during any celebration.” She folded her hands politely in front of her and pulled her shoulders back to stand up a little straighter. “Is that the kind of thing that makes you feel something in your bones? The anticipation of something horrible about to happen at any enjoyable event?”

‘‘I’m assuming you didn’t make that recollection for pity, though,’’ he observed carefully, feeling like she was slipping into old patterns of making herself sound like the victim. ‘’Our conversations might be past that,’’ he smiled softly as he reminded her back. ‘’And I wouldn’t suspect you of feeling unsafe considering all the measures your old friend took.’’ If anything, the rest of the world had to expect there would be a catch in there somewhere. ‘’Well, doesn’t that do the trick for everyone? Some fear, some expect, some even like this state of danger. Why? Does it say nothing to you?’’

Mia opened her mouth to clarify her point, but let it fade away with a quiet sigh. “From what I recall, you do know how to dance, so it is an alternative.” She said it quietly, as if she was exposing some kind of secret. As if Jonathon Marks’ “old friend” hadn’t danced with the very Auror she was speaking to in full view of a number of other people at the party. In the memory she pulled up, she couldn’t quite remember who else had actually been there. “And while you do that, who gets to sneak up on you? At some point it must get tiring.”

‘‘You recall correctly, but maybe I don’t want or like to dance. I don’t feel the party spirit in my bones. It bores me, if anything,’’ he shrugged, finding a whole different kind of things worthy of more excitement. ‘’I wouldn’t know. If I knew, they wouldn’t be sneaking. Though I like to think no one does. I don’t feel all that tired yet. Why? Do you?’’ At the end of his words, a mischievous smile broke the monotonous voice he was trying to keep lowered.

“Didn’t think we’d get lucky. If it’s related to the usual suspects–which I know we shouldn’t assume it is–they know how to cover their tracks mostly by now. I’ll take a look at the report on the explosives. You never know, small details, even ones where you feel the elements are mass produced, can lead somewhere. Nathan and I once were able to reopen the Andelina Reska case with a new list of suspects because of lotion on her skin that had been disregarded the first investigation. Not that it’s the best example since when the real killer came forward it didn’t connect, but there may still be something to follow.”

‘‘If you want conventional, the usual suspects - the old usual - are generally linked with Knockturn. You can go two ways from here: A. they wouldn’t attack their territory so it’s only natural the ones holding the castle did - which I doubt, again because it simply doesn’t seem to be their style, discreet and a couple of people - or B. there was a conflict between our usual suspects, namely Jonathan Marks’ supporters, and the owners of Borgin and Burke’s. It doesn’t even have to be related to alignment. Someone wanted Knockturn blown up and they did it. Why will be revealed when we find out who they were.’‘ In that moment, his mind ran to Mia. He could check if they were indeed behind the Knockturn Alley attack, at least to her knowledge, just by talking to her. Luca strongly believed he could read through the woman’s lies and truths and choose the second ones to believe.

Louis was long forgotten by then. Luca wouldn’t feel guilty about it even later on, even considering he was hardly trained to go unsupervised. Still, he worked best without attachments and partners. When Jonathan Marks appeared in front of him, his initial reaction was a natural smile. He made sure the other man wasn’t fighting someone else - it wasn’t about manners or the other man’s comfort, rather than the fairness of this dueling convention - before shooting first, but he did so without mercy. His wand shot three magic arrows his way, magic meant to stab just like a real one, then vanishing and leaving room for the blood to pour out.

He glanced to the right and there stood Amelia, probably out there to defend Jonathan. He gave her a passing smirk, uncertain if she caught sight of him. But his fight wasn’t with her tonight. They would have to catch up with other occasion. Still, it wasn’t the time to get distracted. If it played out right, he was going to have a trophy to bring back to the aurors’ office, after a juicy fight. The thought alone was exciting, even if this wasn’t a treasure hunt with the prize of Jon’s head, rather than his fight for justice coming to a positive end, hopefully.

“It’s a starting point and we can use it,” she agreed as the patronus was summoned.  “Is there any usable, significant physical evidence? Maybe I can start there.” She had to at least know what had been collected. Any other decision could be made later. The possibility of compromising evidence sickened her. 

‘‘No hairs, no DNA in general. Wands and items on the attackers, none lost. To put it sentimentally, only the memories remain.’‘ Luca shrugged faultlessly, though he was intrigued who did it. It seemed pointless in many ways, unless for attention, but he couldn’t understand what they would be drawing attention to... or from. Suddenly, the case became an exciting puzzle. ‘‘You can analyze the explosives if you’d like. Maybe you find something relevant on them.’‘ He doubted that, since he did not. They were homemade or at least bought from someone who did such things for a living, but they had no signature at the bottom and no particular features to point in any direction. 

Mia clenched her teeth against her will when Luca referred to Jon as her “old friend.” It wasn’t untrue at all, but sometimes it felt so trivial and condescending when people brought up her friendship with him - as if it was only a friendship, and only in the past. It was convenient, even if a thorn in her side that was constantly dug deeper. “So, are you planning to spend the entire party moving from hallway to hallway? Sneaking up on people turning human, no matter how inhospitable?”

‘‘I’m not sneaking. I received an invite just like everyone else,’‘ he jumped to his own defense, calmly but firmly enough. ‘’Well, what would be the alternative? Making nice with people all night? Dancing? This sort of social event doesn’t make me feel like home in the slightest. It’s just not my style. So, naturally, I have to adapt, like you said, sneaking up on people turning human.’’

“Oh, don’t lie.” It came out before she’d even turned to look at him. It was the breeziest remark she’d made all night, maybe even in days. Was he seriously lying or joking? She couldn’t tell - it could seem like such a fine line with him, but she’d let the thought fall away by the time she took her eyes away from the mirror. There were more important things to be concerned about with his presence than wether or not he was joking. “I wouldn’t have taken you for someone to lurk in hallways.”

‘‘Who is lying now?’’ he retorted plainly, and, despite its meaning, his tone held no trace of sarcastic or teasing behavior. It was just his usual delivery. ‘’Hallways are more interesting at this sort of parties. Everyone, your old friend more than anyone, wants to make an impression when they’re in the spotlight. Here, we turn human again. Why should I care about blatant displays of hospitality, Amelia?’’

“Yes sir.” Louis stood straighter. “I have been taking it all in and watching interactions. You can tell a lot from body language. Unlikely friends, you say? Who would those be, sir?”

‘‘People converse with each other, but it’s interesting to see who is polite and who is friendly. For instance, that blonde woman seems acquainted with Jonathan Marks. We could learn more of people’s hidden loyalties.’‘ And there she was, Victoire Weasley, greeting an old friend.

“Number magic is not a scam, but this is not that. It’s just even numbers. Everything should be even or it goes off balance.”

‘‘I wouldn’t worry much. It depends on many factors out of which only a few can be reckoned. Balance is determined by more than just numbers. But, anyway, are you enjoying the party?’‘