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Chapter One
A low growl passed the parched lips of the dark haired woman laying prone on the four poster bed. Sweated beaded on her brow as one hand clenched the sheet covering her top half. Her other hand clutched tighter around her wand as another sharp pained tore through her.
"Breathe through the pain, madame, and you may push on the next." The wizened medi-wizard offered in soothing tones.
Her sister, ripe with her own child, stood beside her bed, watching as another pain ripped through her. She pushed, cursing the Dark Lord for insisting on her being used as a brood mare. The pain hit again, and the medi-witch accompanying the wizard patted her hand. Glaring, she raised her wand and through clenched lips uttered the curse, killing the kind woman with a flash of green. The medi-wizard looked up in shock, but the wand was pointed between his eyes and he forced himself back to the task at hand.
She felt the head push free from her and continued pushing through the pain. Soon a wail echoed through the room and the wizard held up the child. He magically cleaned the baby and brought it to its mother for inspection.
Bellatrix Lestrange looked down at the small bundle the medi-wizard had placed against her breast and thought it looked rather tiny to have caused so much pain. A tuft of dark hair sprouted from its rather pointed head and it was still screaming. This, she thought, was what the Dark Lord had felt was so important. This squirming bundle of obnoxious crying. She darted a look back to the man who had helped in her delivery.
"What is it?" She asked, wishing he'd call a House-elf to tend to the creature.
"It's a girl, Madame Lestrange." He said, bowing and turning to pack up his instruments.
"A girl," she said, her lip curling. If she'd had to have a child, she'd have preferred a boy.
"Shall I call for Rodolphus?" Narcissa asked, quietly looking down at the daughter her sister had just given birth to. Such a lovely little girl, she thought.
"I suppose," she said. "And a house-elf, Cissy. To tend to the..." She motioned toward the bundle, who having cried itself out was asleep.
Narcissa bent and took the baby from her sister. She cradled it to her breast and hoped her own baby would be half as beautiful. She walked to the door, waiting for the medi-wizard to follow her. Together they walked downstairs to the library where two men sat talking by the fire.
"Rodolphus," Narcissa said, drawing their attention to the medi-wizard and her presence. "You have a daughter."
Lucius stood, ignoring the wizard with his wife to see what a child of Bellatrix would look like. She was smaller than he'd have thought possible, thinking that such a fervent support of his Master would have given birth to a larger, more powerful child. Silky, dark hair covered her crown, and her full lips were closed in something of a pucker. He wondered if she'd be a replica of her mother and sobered at the thought.
Throughout Lucius' inspection of the child, Rodolphus stayed seated. A daughter, he thought with a grimace. He'd expected a son. He supposed he should go check on his wife, but could hardly think of a more displeasing visit he could subject himself to. Then he thought of the Dark Lord and corrected himself. Sighing, he stood and walked to where his sister and brother-in-law were standing. Dismissing the medi-wizard with a wave of his hand, he looked on his daughter. She looked just like his wife. Dark hair, full lips, her eyes were closed but he was certain they'd be the same dark depths. Bloody hell, was there anything of him in this child?
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Narcissa asked in a low voice. She rocked the tiny bundle when a small whimper escaped. She looked at the medi-wizard and recalled the dead witch upstairs. "Rodolphus, before the good Healer leaves there's something to take care of upstairs."
Rodolphus, accompanied by the Healer, went upstairs to see his wife. And to dispose of loose ends.