There had been hushed whispers when the six walked down the open staircase that led into the ballroom of Malfoy Manor. Tom had opted for a shimmering dark scull-mask that covered the upper part of his face. His robe was of an opalescent black. Barty complimented that with a horse-mask in light grey. Rider and steed were not the most expected pairing, but it got the point across. Harry stood at Tom's right shoulder, mirroring Barty. His black raven-mask swallowed the light, as did his robe. Ron and Hermione walked behind them, identical costumes in light- and dark-grey. Severus was last, a raven-mask not unlike Harry's own, anthracite robes that shimmered black in the right light. The Potion Master had dreaded the event, unwilling to entertain the thought of embarrassing himself in some random costume. But the Dark Lord – or more Barty – had proven impeccable taste. Their costumes complemented each other with their cuts, and the pairings were quite obvious.