Chapter 4

Allestra's second birthday seemed to arrive out of nowhere. While getting her now toddler dressed for the small party, Bellatrix could only think of how fast Alli was growing up. After the little girl was dressed in her black lace dress with a red slip underneath, she was running around her room playing with small training broom she got for her first birthday. Bellatrix watched her daughter having fun and remembered when she helped the girl unwrap that broom exactly one year before.

One year earlier

"Come here sweetheart, you have presents you have to open." A group consisting of Bellatrix, Narcissa, her sister's husband, Lucius, Bellatrix's husband Rudolphus, and Severus Snape, a fellow Death Eater, was gathered at the Malfoy's kitchen table and just finished dinner. Allestra, not being able to sit still through dinner, had crawled out of her highchair and was sitting with a stuffed animal at her mother's feet. Bellatrix reached down and pulled the babe onto her lap as Rudolphus place the wrapped gifts on the table in front of his wife.

"Alright let's see what we have" Bellatrix grabbed the first box and helped the one year old pull the paper off it. It was a book title "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" from Aunt Cissy and Uncle Lucius. Next was a Time Turner from Severus. And finally from her mother and Rudolphus she received clothes mainly consisting of dresses.

"Thank you everyone for your gifts. Say thank you Alli." Alli had been trying to reach the Time Turner her mom had set on the table but was thwarted by her mother pushing it further away. "Tank you" Allestra mumbled as she sank back in defeat. Next came cake, but before Narcissa was able to get it to the table there was a loud pop that startled her causing her to drop the cake. Just as she pulled out her wand and cleaned up the mess, the Dark Lord strutted through the door.

His faithful followers rose as he entered and he motioned for them to sit back down. He was holding a package wrapped in brown paper. Before he said anything he presented the item to Allestra who was still being held by Bellatrix. Voldemort placed the bundle on her lap and kissed his daughter's head then stepped back. Bellatrix looked at her Lord and when he nodded she knew it was a birthday present for their child. It was a Nimbus training broom for kids ages five and up.

"Thank you, my Lord. I'm sure when she is old enough she will have loads of fun flying it." Bellatrix tries to hide the demeaning note in her voice. But all she could think was what was he thinking giving a baby a broomstick. He didn't seem to be angered by her statement but he declared, "She can walk therefore she can fly. The child will learn how to ride a broom starting tomorrow. Snape, as I recall you were a talented flyer so you will be her teacher." At that he turned and shortly after another loud pop echoed throughout the house.

Back to present day

Even though Allestra did fall a few times during that first lesson Severus was always there to catch her. By the second lesson she was able to stay on the broom the whole time and thankfully a training broom doesn't go more than three feet off the ground. Now her daughter was able to kick herself off, make sharp turns, and accelerates to fifteen miles per hour, which was as fast as the broom would go. Usually Bellatrix didn't allow her to fly in the house but as long as she kept her feet on the floor and was just pretending to fly, it was alright.

Lost in watching her little girl play, Bellatrix hadn't realized what time it was until Rudolphus came in and told her her sister and brother-in-law had arrived.

"Thanks hunny, we'll be right there." Bellatrix went over and kissed her husband. He has been so good to her while helping her raise Allestra. He always treated her like his daughter even though she wasn't. He was proud to help raise the Dark Lord's predecessor.

"Bella, is Alli alright?"

"What do you me…?" Bellatrix turned back and found Allestra had discarded her broom and was now huddle in the corner looking truly frightened. Bellatrix rushed over and knelt in front of the child who had tears in her eyes and was shaking. Bellatrix picked her up and also realized her daughter had also wet herself. Rudolphus was standing right behind Bellatrix and asked what he could do.

"Tell everyone that Alli has had an accident and we will be out momentarily." He left the room leaving Bellatrix to focused on her daughter.

"Sweetheart, please tell what's wrong. What has frightened you?" Bellatrix was pleading with the girl, she didn't know what else to do she'd never seen her child so scared.

"Baby?" Bellatrix stroked the child's cheek.

"Daddy… daddy will go bye-bye."

"What?"

"The boy will make Daddy go bye-bye." With that Allestra threw her arms around her mother and sobbed. Bellatrix soothed the youngster enough to change her out of her soiled clothes, but Allestra didn't want to be out of her mother's arms. Bellatrix didn't know what to do; it seemed as if her daughter had gone into a sort of trance, a trance that had terrified her. She couldn't protect her daughter from a trance no matter how hard she tried. All she could do now was allow her offspring to seek refuge in her arms until the child decided she was ready to leave them.

Allestra relaxed more and more as the party continued; however, she still wished to stay with her mother. The guests were the same people as the year before only this time Allestra's little cousin, Draco, had joined the family even though he stayed in his playpen for a majority of the celebration.

Dinner passed uneventful and no one questioned Allestra's strange behavior. Next came the cake which was preplaced at the end of the table in case of another unexpected visit from the Dark Lord. While everyone finished their dessert, Rudolphus brought over the presents. From her Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin Allestra received a Hand of Glory.

"Now Cissy do you really think this appropriate for a two year old."

"That's exactly what I said but Lucius insisted and I lost that battle obviously."

"You are never too old for such objects," Lucius remarked while pushing his plate away. He seemed bored but these visits with her sister made Narcissa so happy that it was the least he could do. Young Draco then called for his father from his playpen.

"Narcissa, your son wants to get out."

"And I believed he asked for you, Lucius. You work so much, he hardly gets to see you." Lucius couldn't deny that so he picked his son up and allowed him to curl up for a nap on his lap.

"Well then shall we continue with the presents" Lucius didn't like to show signs of having emotions, so each time it was evident he tried to change the subject.

"Yes next we have a Remembrall from Severus. Oh thank you Severus I'm sure she'll make good use of through the years."

"Tank you Uncle Sevy"

"Little Alli, I constantly tell you I am not your uncle and my name is Severus." Snape gave a slight smile to assure the child he was not angry.

"Oh come on Severus, she's only two I'm sure in time she'll call you Severus in time. And as for her calling you uncle, I should think you would find it a compliment." Bellatrix loved poking fun at Snape's expense and this time Snape could do nothing but shrug and return to his cake for he knew she was right.

"Finally we have the present from Mummy and Uncle Rudy." Bellatrix watched the toddle unwrap the small box. Inside was held a necklace on a black ribbon. The necklace was identical to the one her mother always wore. It was metal distorted to resemble the skull of a small bird. The cruelty represented by the necklace did not occur to Allestra of course; all she knew was that she now had a necklace like Mummy's.

The hour was getting late, Draco was already asleep in his father's arms, and Allestra was yawning slowly succumbing to the same fate. Narcissa and Lucius were putting their cloaks to leave when the loud pop came from the next room. Everyone was expecting Lord Voldemort and rose to greet him, but all were surprise when a fellow Death Eater entered with a cage and a note. Without saying a work he placed the cage on the floor, handed the letter to Bellatrix, and Apparated out.

"Well what does the note say Bella?" Narcissa was moments from leaving with Draco in her arms and her wand out to Apparate. But her curiosity gave a reason to stay just a bit longer. Bellatrix had trouble opening the envelope because she was still holding Alli.

"The note says, 'For my heir, may she find as much companionship in her's as I do in mine.' That's all that's written." As Bellatrix closed the letter, Snape knelt down and opened the cage door. Nothing came out of the cage and everyone crowded around to see what would happen.

"Put the child on the floor maybe that will bring it out." Snape remarked. Bellatrix agreed and set Allestra at her feet but since the girl didn't want to let go of her mother, Allestra clung to Bellatrix's dress. Suddenly a hiss could be heard from the cage and slowly a snake, not much longer than the two year old, glided out and right to her new master. Bellatrix's instincts told her to pick up her daughter but knowing that she was a Parslemouth and could at least somewhat talk to the animal, Bellatrix allowed the two to interact.

The toddle simply stared at the creature trying to decide what to do with it. Then she touched its head and began to pet the snake. It was an instant friendship that resulted in a simultaneous "Aw" from Narcissa and Bellatrix, who was just happy that her little girl was finally smiling on her birthday.

However, that night Allestra didn't sleep soundly so Bellatrix stayed in her room with her. But the snake, which Allestra named Saharia, stayed curled up next to her bed the whole time.