Narcissa stood by the door for several minutes, greatly tempted to simply apparate back to Malfoy Manor before anyone knew that she had ever been there. There was still time to back out of it, leave everyone in blissful ignorance, carrying this all-consuming burden by herself. She could list a thousand reasons why she should leave and only one for why she should stay, but the weight of that one reason was enormous.
Lucius didn't know that she was here, she had told him that she was going to Diagon Alley to get a new dress, a simple enough request that he had acknowledged it with little more than a nod. He was a broken man, that much was clear. Her husband used to walk into the room assured that he was far superior to everyone else, yet now his head stayed bowed as if he still lived.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the door in front of her, a creaking that left her facing a woman she had been unable to communicate with for decades.
"Narcissa." The woman who looked so much like Bella said plainly, but she could see that Andromeda was holding back a flood of emotions.
"Hello, Andy." The estranged sisters stood facing each other for what seemed like an eternity, neither one quite knowing what to say. Eventually Narcissa took the initiative and asked: "can I come in?"
Andromeda stepped backwards to let the younger woman enter, and Narcissa found herself having to duck to fit through the door. The house was smaller than she had expected, a hut in comparison to both their childhood home and the manor. Despite this it looked remarkably cosy, a log fire burnt away in the corner, photos and trinkets decorating every available inch of space.
"How quaint." She mused, trying and failing to sound genuine.
Her sister sighed and crossed her arms. "What are you here for? You've ignored my existence from the moment I was disowned, but now you decide to become reacquainted, I can't help but find it odd."
Narcissa knew that a hostile tone was to be expected and so tried to move past it. "I didn't come to ask for forgiveness, I have no right. This isn't about me and you, it is far more important."
"You're right," Andromeda spat, "you have no right to ask for forgiveness. You may not have been the one to kill my husband, my daughter, my son-in-law, but you were complicit in it all. You stood by and allowed your niece to be killed by that monster that was your sister."
"Please Andy, can we put aside the hostilities for one moment, the matter is quite urgent."
Her body visibly softened as she let some of her anger dissipate. Both sisters took seats, and Narcissa struggled to be comfortable on the old, worn sofa.
"Before we begin I have to ask that if you decide that you want nothing to do with what I'm about to tell you then you don't tell anyone. I was trusted with this secret and the only reason I'm even considering telling you is because it relates to you just as much as it does to me." She explained, knowing how delicate the situation was.
"I can't make any promises." Narcissa realised that this would probably be the best she would get out of her.
"Last year, Bellatrix became pregnant." She knew that the story was far too shocking so had to be revealed gradually.
Judging from Andromeda's face she was clearly shocked, her expression frozen in disbelief. "How did no one know?"
"It was hidden from almost everyone. None of the Death Eaters knew, in fact it was only Rodolphus, Lucius and I who knew."
"So… she had a child?" Andromeda wondered out loud. "I could never imagine her having a child, she would have been a terrible mother."
Much to her surprise, Narcissa voiced an agreement. "I think we can all agree, no matter our differences in opinion, that she lacked any semblance of maternal instinct."
Andromeda scoffed, "it's no wonder that it took that long for her to be pregnant."
"Well the years in Azkaban didn't help, as did the fact that she and her husband hadn't shared a bed since the first year of marriage." She silently cursed herself for revealing too much.
"Yet she had a child." Andromeda had evidently noticed her words and was questioning further.
"A daughter."
From the sadness that had suddenly overtook her features Narcissa assumed that she was thinking of her own daughter, Nymphadora.
"Where is the child now? Why doesn't the ministry know anything about the baby?"
"This is where the situation becomes a bit more complicated. Of course, Bellatrix was adamantly opposed to the mere concept that her might lose, she could only imagine a world where Potter and his friends failed. She made no preparations for if the girl became orphaned. Rodolphus on the other hand, he was less naïve. He knew that if they lost then the first place that the aurors would be raiding would be the manor, and so they would have discovered a baby there who very much resembled a Black." Narcissa paused in her story, allowing Andromeda to process the new information.
"Why were they so concerned with anyone knowing about the baby? Surely they wouldn't have done anything to her." Andromeda questioned, confused and lacking much of the vital information Narcissa hadn't disclosed yet.
"I'll remind you that you said you wouldn't reveal any of this information to anyone."
Meeting her eyes with a steely gaze. "I made no such promise."
Continuing regardless, Narcissa announced: "The child, Delphi, was not fathered by Bella's husband. Like I said, they hadn't shared a bed in years."
"So, who then?" Her voice trailed off as Andromeda gradually seemed to make all the necessary connections. "Voldemort?"
Even now, Narcissa couldn't help but tense at the name. Her silence acted as confirmation.
"Voldemort has a child. That child is our niece… Merlin's Beard this is too much." She struggled to process.
"Yes, but please, I wouldn't be asking unless I was truly desperate. I need your help." Narcissa couldn't help but lean forward in her chair, pleading in a way that was unseemly for a Pureblood lady of her status.
Andromeda couldn't help but be shocked with the desperation in her sister's voice. From her childhood memories, she couldn't recall a time when Narcissa had ever raised her voice or let even a hint of emotion into her voice.
"What do you need?"
"Rodolphus made a deal with a woman named Euphemia Rowle. In the chance that the Potter boy would succeed then Delphi was to be taken to her, raised way from family, given to a woman who only cared for the money that Rodolphus is insuring goes to her every month."
Guessing, Andromeda asked: "If the child was known to be Bellatrix's then I'm sure there would be those who would make the connection as to her parentage. Even I knew that she had been involved with him, though I didn't know it had continue after his resurrection."
"If she was raised as a Rowle then there would be no reason to suspect anything else." Narcissa confirmed, feeling visibly calmer from being able to share the burden that was her knowledge.
"So why do you need me?"
"Whether or not you want anything to do with me, this girl is your niece and my niece. She is family, and can't be held accountable for the actions of her parents. I want her back with family." She explained, attempting to appeal to her sister's kindness.
"Then go to her house and take her back, it shouldn't be too difficult-" Andromeda was cut off.
"There is no way that the Ministry of Magic would allow the child of Bellatrix Lestrange, even if they don't know who her father was, be raised by Malfoys, known associates of him. They would fear that we would raise the next Dark Lord."
Andromeda suddenly seemed to realise what her sister was asking of her. "You want me to adopt her?" Narcissa simply nodded. "You seem to forget that I am also raising my grandson who would be a similar age. Remember thanks to your family I have no one else left."
"She had no one else. Andy, please, I'm begging you, look past whatever I have done to you and focus on what is best for the child. Euphemia Rowle doesn't care for Delphi, she isn't being paid to love her. I can't bear to watch our niece grow up without anyone in the world who cares for her."
It took what seemed like lifetimes for Andromeda to gather a response, most of her time was spent staring at a photograph above the fireplace. It was of a young woman with bright purple hair, Nymphadora, as well as who Narcissa realised was her husband, Remus Lupin, and in their arms was a newborn baby, probably only a few hours old. Tuffs of blue-green hair sprouted from the baby's head and smiles covered all of their faces.
Finally, Andromeda looked back at her sister, her mouth thin with determination.
"I'll do it. But not for you, not out of any affection for our sister, but for her, for that little girl who could have so easily been in Teddy's position if the war had gone a different way."
And so, the child, Delphi, would not have to grow up without love, but with a loving family, in particular two aunts who would risk everything for this little girl.