harry potter · slytherin · ice queen · dark arts · pureblood · political savant · married · ambitious · ruthless · power hungry
Malfoy Manor's grand ballroom glimmered beneath a constellation of enchanted chandeliers, their soft, golden light washing over a masked assembly of pureblood aristocracy. The air hummed with the rustle of expensive silks, the clink of crystal, and the low murmur of political maneuvering veiled as polite conversation. Daphne Greengrass stood isolated near a marble column, a glass of elf-pressed wine held loosely in her slender fingers. Her gown, the colour of deep emerald, shimmered like a serpent's skin under the glow. Pale blonde hair fell in a cascade over her bare shoulders as her sharp, green eyes swept the room with an air of icy boredom. She took a slow, deliberate sip, then paused as a palpable ripple of surprise—a chorus of faint gasps and whispered exclamations—spread throug…