Orpheus set down the glass in his hands. He had rearranged the shot glasses on the bar three times already in the past two and half hours. He leaned back on the high backed stool in which he sat and sighed loudly. Why was he so worried about tonight going well? On the surface he could think of nothing which would make him as anxious and as flighty as he had been so far but in the back of his mind he knew what it was that was bothering him.

Laura’s parents had spoken to her by now, of that he was sure. While the family might not have wanted to upset their youngest child, he understood that things could only be put off for so long before Mr. Mulciber risked loosing more than just his daughter. Orpheus again sighed, this time more for himself than out of concern for his friend.

If Laura knew about them then it was only a matter of time before she found out about him. Orpheus took a long sip of water. If she had been willing to date and – he rather assumed, judging from Black’s virtuous reputation – do other things with Sirius Black, who was to say that she would understand about what he believed in. Granted her family was involved as well and they were also the ones who had the final say in what Laura choose but his ego would have preferred that she choose him.

Orpheus stood, taking his empty glass over to the sink. He took out a cloth and after rinsing the glass he had been using, began to towel dry it. As he made circular motions, the green plushy towel pressed against the inside of the glass looking up at him, he wondered what she really thought of him anyway. He knew she liked him well enough; it was just if she considered him to only be a compassionate friend or if she saw more than that in him that he was somewhat concerned about.

Satisfied that the glass was sufficiently cleaned, Orpheus lined it up with the others at the bar and smiled at the bar tender he had hired before going into the other room. The man knew Orpheus was compulsive about things so he had been wise to stay well away from the youth and merely nodded in return at Orpheus’ gesture.

In the other room, Orpheus lit up a cigarette and took a long drag, seriously wondering if it was healthy to be this nerved up over a woman he wasn’t even dating. He hadn’t even kissed her and she already had his knickers in a twist and in an entirely non-sexual sort of way. He blew out, and then looked at the cigarette in his hand before smushing it into one of the potted plants Narcissa had so strategically arranged. Disgusting habit he had picked up. He flicked the crushed cigarette into the fireplace and straightened his jacket. It was nearly time.

A party was probably the last thing Laura needed right now, but she knew it wasn't about what she needed or wanted, it was about doing the right thing. She felt that she owed Orpheus too much to decline his invitation, and with the addition of Anthony's surprising insistence on her attending, she was one of the first arrivals. There was no harm in paying a visit. Besides, a level of interest might give the impression that she cared; an impression that she would like to be displayed to her Slytherin group of friends.

Dressed in simple, white robes, Laura glanced around the room, inspecting Narcissa's work, and slowly led herself to one of the armchairs and sat down. She was curious as to why Orpheus had chosen Narcissa to help with the decor, but not curious enough to ask about it.

Orpheus avoided Laura when he saw her come in. It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to her - rather the opposite actually, but he figured that seeming too anxious and forward was not the way to go. Especially if she had no intention of breaking up with Black or if she had suddenly taken a great distaste to him because of his involvement in the Family Business.

He approached her a little while afterwards, once she was hopefully comfortable and somewhat settled in. He smiled and leaned against the arm of the oversized chair. “And how are you this evening, Miss Mulciber? Enjoying yourself I hope.” He looked at her robes and smiled. “You’re looking lovely as usual,” he complimented, taking the opportunity to admire her briefly before bringing his eyes up to her face. That was important in conversation with women. One had to look at their face, rather than the other womanly parts about them due just south. He had no respect for men who did things like that with respectable women.

She had spotted him, sitting there and smoking a cigarette, but she looked away almost at once, moving uneasily in her seat. To say that she had completely lost her trust in him would probably be an exaggeration; she still remembered how he stepped up and helped her, repeatedly, when he could've easily walked away. But still, if he had been in that room with her father and his colleagues, if he'd known about this and hadn't told her...

Laura looked up when he approached, and let a few seconds pass before giving him a polite smile. This was most definitely not the place, nor the time, to discuss anything of that sort.

"Orpheus, thank you. It was so lovely of you to invite me."

Orpheus smiled in return, but he could read in her face that she wasn't entirely happy with him at the moment. "You're very welcome, Laura. It's a pleasure to have you." He really wanted to ask how things had gone with her family since from the looks of it she was unhappy about something but he figured that would have to wait for the oportune moment, which was not right now.

"Could I offer you something to drink? Perhaps a glass of wine or a cocktail?" He paused, considering. "Or maybe water is more your speed tonight..."

Her expression remained passive while her eyes searched his, looking for any sign that could help her determined whether he knew and chose not to tell her, or if it was one of the private family affairs he wasn't allowed to hear of. She found it difficult to detect anything, and abandoned her search only minutes later. For now.

And normally, at hearing a question like that, she would've asked for water. Laura didn't like to drink, and she never did, really, except for the occasional butterbeer. It started out as a habit, after being constantly watched by her mother at these sort of gatherings, and continued when Laura decided that she didn't like alcohol at all. So, she managed to even surprise herself when her answer came out as "Red wine would be wonderful, please."

Her answer surprised Orpheus but he stood up and smiled. "I'll be right back then." A part of him was sad that she wasn't the sort of girl he could get drunk but then again that was probably a good thing. He returned from the bar a few moments later with her drink and one for him as well. When in Rome...

"Here you are," he said, handing her one of the glasses and taking a seat beside her. He sat thoughtfully for a moment, taking a sip and pondering over how to approach this. "So how are you?" He figured that was a safe segue.

Laura accepted the glass and immediately took a long sip, cringing inwardly at the feeling the liquid gave down her throat. But seconds later, a comforting sort of warmth started spreading in her body, and she relaxed slightly.

"I'm fine, as usual." There was a kind of emptiness in her eyes when she answered this, like the answers she usually gave her mother. Never her father, and Laura almost frowned at the thought that she might have to start treating her father like she does her mother. She quickly took another sip, and turned to look at Orpheus.

"And how are you?"

She was lying, he could tell but he couldn't figure out why she would lie to him. Well, it could very well be because she no longer trusted him, which if that was the case pretty much wasted all the work he'd done. He rather hoped it wasn't because she didn't trust him.

"I'm doing well, thank you. There's a nice turnout tonight," he made a vague gesture with the hand holding his glass before taking another sip. "It's nice that everyone came." However his voice was empty and there was little conviction behind his words.

"Are you sure everything is okay?" He asked her after another moment. She didn't really look fine to him. 

Laura remained silent for a few minutes, moving her glass slightly and watching the red wine sway from this side to that. She hoped her brother wouldn't catch her drinking. Looking up when she sensed his hand gesture, Laura's eyes went up to his again, and she tilted her head to one side to watch him, looking mildly concerned. He wasn't as happy as he claimed, considering the people at the party, and she wanted to ask if he was missing someone when his question gave her something else to think about.

"Well, it's going to be." She replied softly, holding up her glass to take another long sip, then closed her eyes briefly as the drink made it down her throat.

It will be? What sort of answer was that? Orpheus took another sip of his drink, looking over the rim of his glass at Laura. She was really looking pretty but she seemed so, not sad but just unhappy. She seemed distant.

"Would you like to talk about it?" He asked, trying not to seem as if he was prying. He wanted her to feel better so he could feel better. He hated this empathy thing - it totally sucked and he wished it would stop with this girl. He needed to stop caring what she thought. "I hope it's nothing I've done to upset you..." he continued more quietly.

She couldn't say he'd done something to upset her, because she still wasn't sure about that. And really, the fact that she can't continue her relationship was the upsetting bit, mostly, so it wasn't fair to blame anything on him, no matter how much she was tempted to.

"I don't think it's fair to ruin your gathering by talking about anything unpleasant." Laura replied softly, giving a small shrug.

Orpheus smiled. "Well no, probably not. But this time its me who is starting the conversation so its not ruining anything." He set down his empty glass on the table near him.

"If you don't want to talk out here," he gestured to the doors across the room. "We could always step outside." He thought momentarily that he seemed as if he was pushing her for information and that really wasn't the case at all. If she declined he would drop the subject, he silently decided.

Laura's eyes flicked to one of windows as she allowed herself a moment to consider. In truth, she was itching to know exactly how much Orpheus was involved, and not just for the sake of curiosity. She'd come to realise that she rather needed, no, wanted him as a close friend, and she wanted to know that he hadn't betrayed her in any way.

Finally, she nodded slightly and downed the last of her wine, then stood up slowly, one hand smoothing the back of her robes.

Orpheus smiled and took her arm as they crossed the room. He tapped Alecto, who was standing by the bar, on the shoulder. "Keep an eye on things for me, would you? And if you see Amycus let him know I was asking for him." Alecto nodded, glancing between Laura and Orpheus.

"Sure thing." She raised her glass in a mock toast and downed the rest of whatever alcohol it contained. Orpheus patted her on the shoulder and then he continued to the balcony.

Once they were outside and he had closed the glass doors, he gestured to one of the chairs. "Make yourself comfortable."

Laura could only smile slightly at Alecto, because her mind was too busy trying to decide what to ask Orpheus first. She knew she couldn't mention anything about Death Eaters without a conformation that he did know about this, and that she had to find a more settled to put it.

She snapped out of her thoughts once they were outside, and since taking a seat seemed like wasting a few more precious seconds, she remained standing, her gaze piercing.

"Do you know how Uncle Maurice died?"

Orpheus had to give it to her that she was quite sure of herself. He choose not to sit down as well, feeling somehow that if he did, he might be giving her an unfair advantage at, well, at something, he just wasn't sure what exactly.

"He died honorably in his service to your family," Orpheus ventured. He wasn't sure how to go about this entire thing. "You know that."

"What kind of service?" Laura insisted, wanting to hear him say it. Hinting and giving out idle signs wasn't good enough anymore, she was tired of thinking, weighting options and getting to conclusions. This time, she wanted it straight and simple.

She folded her arms against her chest, looking determined.

"In service to the greater good," Orpheus answered almost automatically before looking at Laura and seeing that it wasn't going to be enough this time. He was just so used to skirting around the issue. It wasn't something people talked about - you either knew or you didn't.

"Maurice died in service to the Dark Lord," Orpheus said in a low tone.

She didn't even attempt to look surprised when he said it. Sure, she wasn't completely certain that he knew, but she'd suspected it.

"And how do you know that?" Now that was a question that she had no idea how to answer. Laura forced herself not think about it, because any wrong assumptions were bound to cause great damage. 

Why was she putting him in this position? Orpheus raked his hands through his hair, trying to think of a way to diplomatically put into words what he had never been ashamed to admit but now seemed uncertain.

"I'm an associate of your father's." That made him seem more important than he really would like to think he was. "Well, actually he and my father work together. I work for them." IE he came up with ideas and Orpheus did as he was told.

Laura swallowed uneasily, but her expression remained sharp and attentive. He hadn't said it, and his play of words was going to drive her mad.

"You're a Death Eater?" It came out more of a statement than a question, but she was sure he'd correct her if it was false.

Orpheus stepped forward and grabbed Laura by the shoulders. He didn't mean to scare her but if she wanted information then she needed to learn what sort of responsibilities come with it. He brought her face close to his.

"We prefer the term 'the Knights of Walpurgis'. He paused and looked her in the eyes, his own sharp and piercing. "It's less tacky." His voice was hard and unkind as he set himself to work mode.

It was with a lot of effort that Laura had stopped herself from cowering away when he stepped closer, and despite the fear she felt bubbling in her stomach at the change that had happened in him, she maintained an intense glare. She took a firm step backward, pulling away from his reach with a disbelieving expression on her face. Less tacky? That's what he was worried about, sounding tacky?

"So you've known about my family all along and simply chose not to tell me."

Orpheus advanced on her anyway. "When you say it like that, Miss Mulciber," her name slid off his tongue like honey but there was nothing sweet about it, "you make it sound like I've done something wrong."

Still, his features were cold as he continued. "It wasn't my place to say anything to you concerning you're family." 

Laura did not like this new face Orpheus was showing her. She preferred the calm, kind, reserved one that he often had, which was quite difficult to remember as he came closer. She took another step back, clenching her fists at her sides hard. So hard in fact, that her knuckles were turning white.

"I do think you've done something wrong." Laura replied boldly, holding her head high. "As a friend, you were supposed to tell me. Or at least give me some kind of a warning- not continue lying to me."

Orpheus took another step forward, ignoring the look in Laura's eyes. She needed to be made to understand. "I didn't lie to you. There are things that a father needs to tell his daughter that are out of my control." The way she was holding her head was laughable in the face of the likes of him but it amused Orpheus.

Continuing forward, Orpheus put his hand under her chin. "As my friend," his voice softened, "you've put me in a very difficult position."

"I would've told you if the roles were reversed." Laura turned her head to the side, moving away from her touch. Why did it bother her so much? Why was she more upset about the fact that he wasn't honest with her rather than about him being a Death Eater? 

Orpheus took her chin in his hand again and gently turned her to face him. He had hurt her, he realized. "And what would you have done if I had told you? What would you have wanted me to tell you, Laura?" His voice was nearly back to normal and the hard glare was gone from his eyes.

"Why is it so hard for people to say the truth? When I asked you about it after the funeral, why did you have to lie and make up a story about his ministry job?" And again, Laura moved her face away from his touch. She did calm down a bit, after he lost the coldness in his tone, but not enough to put off her guard completely.

Orpheus threw his hands up in disgust. "Again, what would you have wanted me to say, Laura?" His voice rose but as he continued it became darker, softer and colder.

"Would you have wanted me to tell you how he died?" Orpheus stepped closer to her. "Would you have wanted me to say that they were talking about how to get revenge in that room?" He grabbed her shoulders again. "Answer me. What would you have wanted me to tell you? That he was murdered?"

Laura shrunk back against the wall, staring up at him with fearful eyes. It was getting impossible for her to keep the brave, tough posture, and she suddenly wished that she hadn't agreed to come out with him in the first place.

She wanted to answer him, she wanted to shout 'Yes' angrily, but she didn't want to egg him on. She wanted him to calm down, so she forced her gaze down and remained silent, pressing her back into the wall.

Orpheus stepped closer to her still. "I mean it. What he hell would you have had me say?" He put his arm out to the wall to steady himself and looked down at her.

"What did you want me to tell you, Laura?" As he said her name, Orpheus looked down into her face and into his reflection in her eyes. He had been about to continue but he stopped.

He looked like a monster in her pupils. He took his arm off the wall and put it on her shoulder. Orpheus could just imagine the look on his face shattering and he put his forehead against her shoulder where his hand was.

"Oh my god..."

It was the absolute last thing she'd expected him to do, and Laura's body tensed, her breath got caught in her lungs and her eyes went wide in shock.

She just didn't know what to think. In less than ten minutes, he had turned from the kind Orpheus she knew, to someone even scarier than John, and now, with his head against her shoulder and that look he gave her... He almost seemed vulnerable, in a way, and she didn't know what to think.

She stood still, her breath short and shaky, and just waited.

Orpheus had his eyes closed as his head rested forward on Laura's shoulder however he suddenly wondered if he opened them, he might be able to see down her shirt. Ah, the old Orpheus was back. He abruptly stood up straight and turned away from her, going over to the other side of the balcony. He faced out, his back toward her, his hands on the rail, looking off into the city.

"The truth isn't always easy," he said at last, unsure if it was for his own benefit or really as an answer to her original question. "Sometimes people don't tell you the whole story because they're protecting you."

It wasn't exactly clear to her why she was feeling safe again, or why she decided to take a seat rather than go back inside with the other guests. Something in his stiff posture and the tone of his voice was making her wonder if there was something more to this, if he was hurting over something else she didn't know about.

And the look he gave her before he leaned on her shoulder... It was threatening to haunt her if she just got up and left.

"The truth can't be kept for long, and the longer you keep it the more it hurts." She commented softly, her eyes fixed on his back.

Orpheus stared out at the city lights, contemplating his answer. His shoulders were hunched forward as he leaned over the railing and picked at some ivy that was making its way up the building.

"I never meant to hurt you. I didn't tell you because I thought it was the right thing to do. Please don't think I don't trust you. Because that's not it at all. You're a close friend of mine. I care a lot about you. Laura, I-" he stopped. He what?

Orpheus bit his lip and stayed with his back toward her.

It might have been very foolish of her, especially after his recent outburst and after learning that he's a death eater, but Laura didn't think twice before pulling herself up to her feet and walking over to stand next to him. She placed a light hand on his forearm, directing her gaze forward and away from him.

"I believe you. But please, promise me you'll be honest with me from now on?"

Laura surprised him by touching his shoulder. He turned to look at her, his eyes searching her face.

"I promise." Was there something he was missing?

Laura gave a slight smile and nodded, before moving back to the other end of the balcony. Her brian was going to have a busy night mulling things over, it seemed.

She said something then walked away. It was no wonder, Orpheus thought, that she drove him insane. He ran his hands through his hair, trying to stop letting her get to him the way she did. What the hell was wrong with him?

He turned around to face the balcony now and watched her for a few minutes, trying to figure her out. She really was something else. His stare was intense but not hostile as he continued to look for something he couldn't identify.

She avoided his gaze for a few moments, but when his stare lingered she looked up with a questioning expression.

"What?"

The response that it was nothing was on the tip of Orpheus' tongue but the fact that he had promised honesty just moments before made him un-inclined to lie to Laura at that moment. He had better wait at least a few hours before breaking it.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, giving her a little shrug with his left shoulder.

"Ok." Laura nodded, not wanting to push it. He'd tell her if it was urgent, or at least, that's what she hoped, so there was no point in nagging.