Fic: Masquerade: The Last Yuletide of Regulus Black for alley_skywalker

[genficsanta]

Title: Masquerade: The Last Yuletide of Regulus Black
Author: hikarievandar
Written for: alley_skywalker
Rating: T
Length: 1021 words
Character(s): Regulus Black, Narcissa Malfoy, Barty Crouch Jr, Bellatrix Lestrange, Lord Voldemort
Warnings: Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author's Notes: Even though it took me a while to think of what to write for

Comments

[lareinenoire]

Stunningly gorgeous prose. I love all the glimpses we get of the Blacks in all their dysfunctional glory. I love, too, the contrast between Regulus and Bellatrix, and his kinship with Narcissa (both survivors of the House of Black, indeed!). What a lovely piece.

[akatnamedeaster]

This is a beautiful piece of writing, really puts forth a real feeling of corruption and decay under all the Pureblood glamor and the utter isolation that Regulus feels surrounded by it, knowing that this will probably be the last time he sees most of these people. A really wonderful take on Regulus, thank you for this.

[reg_flint]

The words almost seem fragile and to decay as I read them leaving nothing but a sad, corrupt beauty behind, with a sliver of the idealist still there no matter how hidden in sadness and opulence.

[sassy_cat]

That was absolutely wonderful. I want italicize half of the lines because I can't decide which part I enjoyed most. You've taken so many small things that we know of canon and woven them into this beautifully, making the entire thing feel as magical as the setting. Sublime, truly.

[delphipsmith]

Oh my, this is positively luscious in its darkness. I love the ambience you create, a bright, bejeweled surface hiding some very nasty things indeed. Your Regulus is very well done: I can believe that this is how he would be feeling, what he would be thinking, on this night.

they are as much themselves as they can bear to reveal -- beautifully said

It's tricky to use punctuation to convey an actual meaning, as opposed to pacing -- it can easily look artificial or contrived -- but I love what you've done with parentheses here and there, hiding Regulus' truth in them the way he himself hides behind his mask. This one is particularly good:

There will be hexes later, curses and accusations, but for now they are a part of a greater, glittering (rotting) whole and the smile that curves her blood-red mouth is (practised) adoring.

Very well done indeed.