Hermione's eyes fell to her napkin. Draco shifted in his seat.

"Ginevra." Voldemort's voice was low and amused. "What a jewel you make."

"You flatter me, my Lord."

Voldemort laughed softly, and a freezing chill whipped across Hermione's still waters. She lifted her eyes as Avery and Ginny walked around the table, and caught Bellatrix's lips twisting as they passed.

A chair dragged in front of her, and Hermione watched Avery and Ginny take their seats — Avery to the Dark Lord's left, in front of Draco, and Ginny directly across from Hermione.

Hermione's eyes dropped to her glass.

The conversation began flowing again. The jewels across the table sparkled, drawing her in. Hermione studied the pale bubbles in her flute until her mind was somewhere blue and deep.

The Great Hall filled with sound, boisterous and grating.

A palm slapped the table, and a group of men laughed.

A man across the table whispered in a girl's ear. Her hair was red.

The pale-haired boy next to her cleared his throat. "More champagne?"

Hermione drifted back into her body. "Please."

Draco ordered her glass to fill itself. Hermione reached for it, sipping as she turned to take in the rest of the table. On the other side of Ginny, Rookwood and his wife had taken their seats. They were speaking loudly to the Selwyns, who sat on the other side of Theo. Further down, Crabbe Sr. and Yaxley sat across from one another, staring down into their whisky glasses. Hermione's fingers dragged across her necklace as her gaze moved to her left, where Lucius and Narcissa were speaking lowly to Voldemort and Bellatrix. Rodolphus Lestrange was to the right of Bellatrix, his younger brother next to him. Hermione scanned the Lots on the surrounding walls, but Ron was nowhere to be seen.

At the opposite side of the table, the Carrow twins, the Travers, and Jugson were just settling in.

There was an empty seat next to Narcissa, and just as Hermione zeroed in on it, a thick hand tugged the chair backward, its legs scraping against the stone. She followed the arm up to see Dolohov's eyes focused on her. He dropped his gaze to Narcissa, greeting her with an arrogant smirk.

Hermione turned back to the table, clearing her mind and erasing the feeling of Dolohov's eyes on her.

"Theodore," Avery said. "Brilliant work in Canada." Theo nodded and swallowed his champagne, his fist curling tighter around the stem. "Lucius and Bellatrix as well"—Avery waved his hand toward the two of them—"Congratulations to you all."

"Thank you, Aron," Lucius hummed. A pause. "I do hope you and Berge are working hard on the Fog, Theodore. I look forward to seeing a report on your improvements this week."

"Improvements?"

Bellatrix's voice raked across Hermione's skin. She blinked to see Bellatrix tilting her head at Lucius, her finger circling the rim of her glass. "How so, brother? Did it not successfully penetrate the True Order base?"

"No one disputes that Baffin Island was a success." Lucius's tone was soft and condescending, as if lecturing a child. "But it also had…unintended effects."