October 31st. All Hallows Eve. A date well celebrated in the wizarding community. It was the very night that Bellatrix found herself resenting. She normally resented the date because of the filthy Mudbloods that coveted it from them and turned it into a night of pilfering candy and wearing childish masks. But recently, she resented it because she had spent hours of never-ending frustration and slight agony providing attention for something that she should have gotten rid of when she discovered its very existence.
The very bane of her existence lay swaddled thrice in customary pink and blue blankets in white bassinets. Their cheeks were dusted with pink, eye lashes were dark and long, they bore a button nose and already had full pink lips, no doubt a gene from their mother. They even had Bellatrix's own infamous heavy lidded eyes. Somehow, the Black family had acquired a recessive gene from somewhere down the line and the children had inherited the Metamorphmagus gene. Not unlike Andromeda's little stain. There was one more reason to dislike her children. They all bore the constant reminder of her sister's mistake. She hated it because it made her feel like Andromeda, someone she had cast out of her life years ago. Now she had something in common with her, having a daughter and two sons with a trait like that.
Bellatrix's dark eyes moved from the sleeping newborns to the corner of the dimly lit room which held the numerous 'gifts' from fellow followers. Stuffed animals, blankets, baby clothes. She knew it was just for show. None of them cared about her having children any more than she cared if they did, but Rodolphus seemed to enjoy the pseudo- attention. Rodolphus, the man she secretly detested, would never know that these children were never his though.
Bellatrix could feel nothing for her spawn. Narcissa had told her maternal instincts would kick-in when she holds her daughter and sons for the first time, but all she saw was three screaming beings. The reason she had been unable to assist the Dark Lord for months. She tried; she did, to feel something. She even looked at her own mother for inspiration. Druella had been affectionate, or as much as she could have. She soothed them when they cried, healed them when they were injured, comforted them when they were ill and protected them from the boggarts in their closets. She was a distant woman emotionally, but Bellatrix had seen that unwavering look of affection and pride on occasion. She had grown up with a mother that she knew loved her. As sentimental as that was, however weird one might think it was, she took comfort in knowing that fact.
She knew Andromeda, and if she would do one thing right after her many mistakes, it would be parenting. Andy was always the warmer one, compared to her and their slightly conceited younger sister. But Narcissa had always desired a child. She wanted one. Andromeda could mother, Narcissa wanted one, but Bellatrix herself...she had never wanted one, let alone three. She had never desired a child. And now that she had three...she felt nothing. She supposed they were beautiful to look at; they each had all the Black traits. But...she felt as if the part of her that might have once been able to love a child, was frozen over and dead.
The only purpose the children served to her was that when they were older they could serve her Master and that they were a link to hold onto to keep Narcissa around. They were a reminder, however slight and however much she truly shouldn't like it, of Andromeda. And they pleased Rodolphus and kept him content, which seemed to be more than Bellatrix herself, could do. It was odd, seeing a man who was so cold in battle embrace tiny, fragile creatures in his arms. But he seemed satisfied with having children and an heir, even if he didn't know they weren't his.
Bellatrix could hear the sound of footsteps on the floor outside in the hall of their new home, LeStrange Manor, which had been given to them by her in-laws after their passing. She turned slightly, barely acknowledging the visitor. It was Adeline Thorne, a secret fellow female servant of the Dark Lord and wife of the current Tsar of Russia, Nicolai Thorne.
Adeline was just slightly older than her, thinner, with an almost ghostly look to her. Her pale skin and dark hair gave her that impression, along with her constant air of regal grace in her posture. But her eyes were glinting, almost sadistic looking, and Bellatrix had come to admire the woman. Despite the fact she was due to shortly deliver another son of her own soon, and had Bellatrix and Narcissa not fought just before her own delivery, Adeline would probably not be standing in this room with the title of 'God Mother' of the triplets among other reasons.
"Dhe Dhark Lord 'az called a meeting, Bella." Adeline spoke, her Russian accent flowing breaking with each English letter.
"I shall be there soon then."
Adeline hesitated in the doorway, cocking her head to the side slightly, gazing at the children.
"You are lucky to be blessed with such a beautiful daughter… and sons" Adeline commented adding the last part quickly.
Bellatrix straightened herself and turned then, ushering her out of the room without a reply, leaving the children in the dark.
The two women walked down the winding staircase until they reached the foyer, where Rodolphus held out his hand to his wife. Bellatrix walked to his side and kissed his knuckles gently then walked with him to the dining area in the western part of the manor.
"Dear LeStrange's, where are the beautiful Emily, Rowan, and Ryker?" A soothing voice asked from the dark side of the table.
"Sleeping peacefully, My Lord." Bellatrix called from across the table.
"I see. I must ask you two to do something for me. You see, the Longbottom's have been… up to things and they need to be taught… lessons.
Bellatrix's lips twitched up into a sneer, "Of course, My Lord." Anything for you She thought.
Bellatrix and a group of Death Eaters, including her husband, brother-in-law, and Barty Crouch Jr., captured Aurors and Order of the Phoenix members Alice and Frank Longbottom, Bellatrix and her associates used the Cruciatus Curse to torture them to insanity, a crime for which they were trialed before the Council of Magical Law, and sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban.
After the arrest, the triplets were sent to live with their father and his family; low and behold Bellatrix had gotten to Adeline's husband and was impregnated with the triplets. Now at the time when the triplets came to live with Nicolai, Adeline had become a spy for the Order of the Phoenix under Dumbledore's protection. If Nicolai had found out she was doing work for Voldemort, surely her life will have been terminated. The children: Emily, Rowan and Ryker grew up in Russia surrounded by their father's powerful magic, he was, of course the Tzar.
Nicolai is a wholehearted man who looked aged and worn in the face. He was a skilled wizard and had gone to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was a Ravenclaw but was fast friends with a Gryffindor that was also in his year, Arthur Weasley. Both men had grown together and been best man at each others weddings. Many people looked at them and saw a lifelong friendship. Arthur always tried to make time to see Nicolai as often as he could, even after his inauguration.
The Tsar is loved by all of his people but with his land so vast and mostly barren because of the snowstorms, many other countries tried to invade and overpower him. These in turn led to many wars where Nicolai would have to leave his all children home. Although Nicolai wanted his children safe while he was gone, so he hired a powerful sorcerer to teach them all magic and because of Nicolai's great investments in the ministry and the contributed power and order he brings to the wizarding world, the Minister, Fudge, had no objections.
Adeline grew to despise the only other girl in the household, Emily, because when Nicolai was home he would spend most of his time with his little girl. Teaching her all new sorts of tricks and teaching her to tame the metamorphagi powers she possessed. In turn, she could tech her little brothers when they were ready.
The day that Nicolai had to ride back out of the city into battle was the day Emily's heart broke in half. She was only six and wasn't prepared to lose her father. She stood in the middle of the cobblestone street as the people gathered to watch the soldiers ride past them. It wasn't unusual that they were throwing flowers on the ground for good luck at the horse's hooves. Nicolai was in lead of his soldiers and rode up to his daughter's small form next to the horse.
Emily looked down at her tiny feet in her black shoes, then back up at her father. With one simple step she raised her hand up to her father, in it, holding a small white rose. Loyalty. Nicolai leaned down and took the rose from her tiny hands and placed it in between his collar and breastplate.
"Be safe Daddy, and return home soon." Emily managed to squeak out.
"I will sweetheart" He replied softly, looking out into the crowd, spotting Arthur Weasley and his family. Arthur, noticing his friends gaze, stepped out of the crowd and put his hand on the girl shoulder's
"Don't worry Nic, I'll keep a close watch on her for you." Arthur managed a smile.
Emily looked up at Mr. Weasley and then back to her father. She had met Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley and their children countless times before at all the balls and banquets her father held. Emily much preferred Mrs. Weasley over Adeline any day. She knew Addie wasn't her real mother but no one would tell her who her real mother was.
Rowan and Ryker walked out of the crowd and over to their sister, all holding hand now in front of Mr. Weasley.
"We love you father." Rowan, the older of the boys said firmly.
"Come home soon!" Ryker said quickly.
Nicolai managed a small laugh and got off of his horse, kneeling down he kissed his triplets and gave them a big hug all together. The oldest of Nicolai's son's that is going to war with father, Alexander, strode up.
"Father, we must go now." He stated curtly.
"Of course." And with that Nicolai got back on his horse and gave a slight nod at Arthur, which he gladly returned.
The triplets continued their lessons with their father's sorcerer and began to do simple magic spells without wands. They also learned how to create barrier shields to protect them from spells thrown at them. Then the sorcerer was called to the war and Adeline sent the triplets to the Weasley's at the start of the summer, seeing as she could not care for them and nine other boys plus another boy on the way.
The Weasley clan was happy to accept the children into their home, and the kids weren't treated any differently than the other children. They were the same age as the youngest boy, Ronald and played with him and the twins often. Emily however was happy that the Weasley's had a girl, Ginny, whom she played with all the time. The two were practically inseparable every summer that the triplets would come back to visit.
One summer though, right after their tenth birthday they didn't come back. Arthur could never get a hold of Adeline and it seemed as though they had all vanished. About a year later Arthur had received owls saying she was 'sorry, the family had to go into hiding'. Some of the owls mentioned that the boys would be attending Durmstrang and Emily would be attending Beaux-Batons and that she was sorry that the children couldn't play together anymore. Something told Arthur much of the aforementioned just was not true.
This much was true until the end of the triplets second year apart from each other and it was driving them crazy. They finally received a precarious letter from Professor Dumbledore addressing all three to switch schools and continue their education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; this way the triplets wouldn't have to be split up. Adeline couldn't say no, but they would need a place to stay in England.