"I know," Sirius muttered darkly. Merlin, Malfoy was a sadist. "Believe me, if I could just sit with you, James, and Remus this would be a much more pleasant evening."
He glanced back at the manor, catching sight of his mother and father whirling around the dance floor. She did look lovely tonight, all glittering jewels and charm. No one could say Walburga Black didn't know how to put on a show. She was dazzling, when she wanted to be, and intellegent. He remembered watching her prepare for parties as a child, convinced his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world. She would let him set next to her at her vanity and allow him to fasten her earing...
With a sudden jerk of his head Sirius banished the memories. There weren't many good ones to begin with, it was easy to pretend they had never happened.
"Hopefully she'll just keep ignorning me. It's one of her best parlour tricks."