Thank you so much for your reviews so far! I'm in a bit of a hard place at the moment so they really do brighten up my day! As promised, here is the next chapter in exchange for your lovely reviews. (We're still writing atleast two chapters ahead haha)
Please do read, enjoy and review!
Bella
Nymphadora Tonks lay restless in her bed. The nine year old had gone to bed in a sulk, accepting the punishment of no dinner before bedtime as she screamed at her mother to leave her alone. Ever since they had returned home from Diagon Alley a few days ago, her mother had been on constant alert. She wasn't entirely sure why, though she snapped at the girl constantly and would no longer let her go outside to play alone. Dora huffed in her annoyance. It was well past her bedtime—it was well past her parents' bedtime even, but the young girl couldn't sleep. She tried various positions in the bed before she realised that she couldn't sleep: she was hungry. With a mischievous smirk, she realised she knew what she had to do—sneak to the kitchen where she knew there was plenty of food. She eased herself from the bed, slipping her feet on the floor as she rolled up her pyjama bottoms to her knees (she was determined that nothing would slip her up this time and cause her to awake her parents).
Dora bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows in concentration as she slipped from her bedroom, looking twice down the corridor before she decided the coast was clear. She was on a high stake mission and she was determined not to fail. As she finally reached the kitchen, her hair turned pink in triumph, opening the cupboard door and reaching out for a large bar of chocolate before quickly ripping off the wrapper. She giggled to herself as she munched away, chocolate smothering her face. A small glow of light filled the room, making Dora hide the chocolate behind her back and face instinctively to the door, an innocent look on her features. Nobody was there. She frowned in her confusion as the light pulsated. She turned; it was coming from outside. She watched as a small stream of light came from the depths of the garden, headed in the direction of her parents' bedroom. Her eyes widened, but after a few moments, she decided she had to find out the source of the lights. With a deep breath, she placed her hand on the door handle.
"Come on, Dora..." the girl whispered to herself. "It's probably a...um—maybe Mum's wards are playing up..."
Dora nodded to herself as she left the kitchen through the back door, shivering slightly as the cool night air hit her. It had clearly rained in the night as she winced at the mud squishing through the grass in between her toes. She wrinkled her nose as she persevered to the bottom of the garden….
Cygnus Black smirked as he watched his youngest daughter move towards him, nearly within his grasp. He needed to lure her closer: he needed to make this as easy for himself as possible and though he had placed a sleeping charm on Andromeda and her Mudblood, he was unsure if Nymphadora screaming would awake them. He had heard that a child's cry could awake sleeping parents, although Andromeda wasn't actually his child's mother and he was unsure of the strength of their bond.
"Huh..." Dora frowned as she reached the edge of where she thought the wards should be, but Cygnus had altered them. He could not manage to take them down entirely, though he had managed to change the blood tie in the ward that alerted Andromeda if Nymphadora had left the boundaries.
"Maybe I'm imagining things," Dora sighed as she remembered what her father had said about her mother earlier, "turning into a paranoid crazy lady like Mum."
He saw his chance as the girl turned her back on him. He pointed his wand at the girl, whispering, "Stupefy."
Cygnus smirked as Nymphadora was knocked off her feet, landing the ground unconscious. He walked over to her slowly, smirking as her natural features returned in her unconscious state. Her hair turned black, curling as it fell beyond her shoulders, her features became more defined and he was sure if her eyes were open, they would be Black eyes: she looked just like her mother.
"It's okay, Dora," Cygnus whispered as he bent down, lifting the girl into his arms, "Daddy's here."
With that, Cygnus Black disapparated with his youngest child.
Andromeda woke from restless sleep, immediately feeling a change in the magic over her home. "Oh, dear Merlin, no!" she gasped, sliding from beneath the sheets and grabbing a bathrobe as she darted down the hall to Nymphadora's room. "Dora?" she called, attempting not to panic. The child was not there. "Nymphadora!"
The witch raised her wand, a searching spell racing through her entire home, though her wards should have told her if the girl was there. Clearly Dora wasn't, as the spell turned up no one but her still sleeping husband. Andromeda raced to the ward origins, the wall near the front door. Reaching out, she realised that someone had altered the wards.
A yell of rage came from the woman as she realised exactly who had severed the blood ward she'd made to protect Dora: her father, Cygnus Black. Andromeda turned away from the wall, her hands shaking in rage. She would go, she would get Dora back—who did she think she was kidding? She was a disowned Black; she could never get through the wards at Black Manor.
Ted stumbled into the room. "What's going on?" he mumbled.
"Dora's gone," Andromeda gasped, dashing from the room and hurrying up to the attic. She'd kept certain artifacts from her old home in case she ever needed to contact her family in an emergency. She'd never allowed Ted up in the attic for his own safety—even she had to be very careful now that she was a disowned Black.
"Cissa," Andromeda breathed, picking up the sleeping photograph. "Cissa, please listen. Father's got Nymphadora—he was here, I felt his magic in our wards. Cissa, he must have taken her to his home. Please help me get her back. Bellatrix will kill me—"
The portrait of her sister was suddenly wide awake. "I'll go right away," she said, and the young blonde witch disappeared from the frame.
Andromeda drew a sharp breath, leaning back against the wall in the attic, biting back a small sob. All she could do was wait.
Nymphadora Tonks groaned, clenching her fists as she felt the velvet fabric beneath her fingertips. She pulled herself into a sitting position, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before she blinked them open. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the scene around her. She was in a study, with a large oak desk adorned with delicate silver frames, an emerald green quill with an expensive looking ink pot to its side. Her eyes darted across the room, trying to decipher where she was. It wasn't until she saw the man at the book case that she sat up further, sitting on the edge of her seat.
"Who are you?" Dora asked, trying to hide all hint of fear or nerves from her voice.
The man chuckled, turning to face the girl with a smirk on his face. "Don't you remember me, Nymphadora?"
Nymphadora frowned at him for a few moments before she nodded slightly. "You were with Auntie Cissa...you're Mummy's Father. I'm not supposed to be around you."
"Why would you listen to her?" Cygnus continued to smirk as he walked towards her, stopping a few steps short of her as she shuffled further back onto the seat, the tips of her hair betraying her fear as they slowly turned white.
"Because she's my mummy." Dora glared slightly, still trying to hide her fear.
"No, she's not." Cygnus rolled his eyes.
"Liar!" Dora snapped, her hair instantly shooting red.
"Tut tut, Nymphadora. You've clearly inherited your mother's anger." Cygnus Black sighed, drawing his wand "You do look like her, though…."
Nymphadora stood up, glaring furiously at the older man. "I don't like you. Mummy was right: you're evil."
Cygnus laughed coldly, closing the gap between himself and the child as he grabbed her by the shoulder and pressed her down into her seat yet again. The child struggled for a few moments before he sent Dark magic pulsing through the girl. She gasped in pain as her eyes widened, tears springing to her eyes as she looked up to him fearfully.
"S—st—stop it!" Nymphadora cried.
"Will you behave?" Cygnus asked, an eyebrow raised as he tilted his head towards the child.
Nymphadora squirmed under his grip, gasping out in pain as tears streamed down her cheeks. She nodded as she gripped her fists up onto her rolled up bottoms of her pyjamas. She gasped for air when he released her, reaching up for her shoulder as she hissed in pain at the burn of the Dark magic left there.
"Just like your mother at your age," Cygnus whispered, gently pushing back her hair from her face though she flinched from his touch.
"I—I want Daddy…" Dora shook as she tried to calm her breathing. Even though her mother had sent her pulses of such magic before to scare her into behaving, it was only ever for a split second and never that powerful.
"Daddy's here, Princess," Cygnus cooed.
"Wh—where?" Dora looked around, her hair pure white as she tried to stop shaking.
"Here, darling." Cygnus took her chin in his hand, directing her gaze to his own Black eyes, "I'm your Daddy."
"You're not!" Nymphadora screamed, her uncontrolled rage sending a shock of accidental magic that soon sent the man tumbling onto his back onto the floor. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at him for a few moments before running for the door. The little girl screamed as she soon felt herself being pulled by magic to the other side of the room.
To the girl's surprise, the evil man laughed as he rose from the floor with ease. "You are powerful. Truly The Purest of Blacks, as I believe your mother once put it."
"Y—you're a liar...leave me alone—I want Mummy." Dora sniffed as she curled in on herself, trying to comfort herself from her pain.
"Ha!" Cygnus stared down at the girl for a few moments before kneeling down next to her. "Sweetheart, your 'mummy' is the biggest lying bitch I know, and as for your real mother—well, I doubt she can help you right now."
Dora stared up at the man, her eyes burning with a renewed fury, her hair a mixture of white and red as she pulled herself into a sitting position. "I'm not listening to you. Mummy said you're evil. Evil clearly means mean!"
"Well obviously." Cygnus rolled his eyes.
Nymphadora glared until she growled in her fury, kicking out her legs as she collided with the man's shin. He yelled in fury, pointing his wand at the girl. "You little bitch! You will learn manners! Cr-"
"Father?" Narcissa's magnified voice rang throughout the manor "Father? Lucius and I have come to talk to you."
Nymphadora cried in shock and the pain as Cygnus threw a stinging hex at her. She held herself tightly again as she dared not to anger the evil man. He glared down at her. "Stay here and don't even think about trying to get out."
She squeezed her eyes shut so she could only just see the man's feet walking away from her as he exited the room and locked the door.
Cygnus walked down to the main entrance of Black Manor, forcing a neutral expression as he greeted his daughter and son-in-law. "Narcissa, Lucius. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Lucius hesitated for a moment before Narcissa wandlessly sent a gentle hex in reminder to her husband away from her father's gaze. She had jumped into action the moment her portrait self had summoned her. She had no idea that Andromeda had kept a copy of her portrait, though she was secretly thankful. Andromeda was right; Bellatrix would kill her the minute she had a chance if her sister failed in looking after her child. Narcissa was just about to leave her own home when Lucius found her, stopping her in her tracks as he asked where on earth she was going. Half an hour and a heated discussion later, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy arrived at Black Manor with a plan in place.
"Well?" Cygnus prompted. "Your mother isn't here, Narcissa."
"It's I that wanted you, sir." Lucius looked up in sincerity "What with everything that is happening at the moment—with Bellatrix—I thought we had better discuss how to best protect our respective families and their reputations."
Cygnus looked over the pair for a few moments before he nodded. "Reasonable...but I'm busy at the moment. Return to me later."
"Father." Narcissa stared up at her father with her best innocently scared eyes. "Please, I can't sleep...it would make me feel so much safer, so much more at ease if you two were to talk."
"Very well." Cygnus rolled his eyes. "Lucius, the day is fair. Come join me in the gardens."
Lucius nodded before placing a kiss on his wife's head, following his father-in-law. Narcissa waited until the men turned down one of the corridors before she sighed a breath of relief. Her father really was stupid and naïve at times.
"Right." Narcissa took a deep breath before she ascended the stairs. She was unsure of where her niece would be, though she had decided the bedrooms would be a good place to start.
"Dora...?" Narcissa whispered as she walked the halls, scared of being overheard. "Nymphadora…" Narcissa drew her wand, tempted to do a charm to search for the girl, but was afraid it would set off any alarms her father had put in place. It was only by luck that she walked past the man's study, for the muffled sobs of a child could be heard from the corridor. The sound made her heart break slightly; if only Bellatrix knew that after all she had done to protect her little girl, her father had still managed to harm her—no, she could never know. Not from her at least. She pressed her hand to the oak of the door, pressing her forehead against it as she tried to compose herself.
"Nymphadora?" Narcissa called out, still trying to keep her voice hushed. She could hear shuffling behind the door, though her niece did not reply. Narcissa gasped. Nymphadora had clearly touched the door on the other side: the older witch could feel the child's magic radiating out, frantic in the her panic and hurt. "D—Dora...stand back. Okay?"
Narcissa was unsurprised she got no response from the 9-year-old though she felt her retreat into the room. Narcissa stood back, looking each way down the corridor before she cast a silencing charm on the surrounding area so that her father could not hear them. She pointed her wand at the door lock, knowing that a simple Alohomora wouldn't unlock her father's charms: Bellatrix had soon shown her that growing up. It was only fitting she would rescue Bellatrix's daughter using the witch's own childhood trick to get out of rooms. "Bombarda!"
A yelp of fear came from the other side of the door as Narcissa stormed into the room, quickly turning around and muttering repairo as she watched the door fall back into place. With a sigh of relief, she turned to see Nymphadora Black sat in the corner of the room. The small girl was hugging her knees as she stared up at her aunt, her hair a mix of red and white wild curls. Though to her surprise she watched her hair return to what she recognised as her natural state: black curls like her mother with Black eyes to match.
"Y—you're Aunt Cissa." Dora spoke quietly as she released her legs.
"I—" Narcissa nodded, unsure what to say. She hadn't seen the girl since she was a mere toddler and so much had changed since then, not only the clear difference in both witches' appearances as each grew older, but with their situations too. She hesitated before she spoke again. "Do you remember me?"
Dora nodded. "You're Mummy's sister...she showed me pictures, plus I—I saw you the other day in Diagon Alley. I wanted to go talk to you, but Mummy said no."
"Oh..." Narcissa tried to hide her disappointment as she realised the child had no recollection of her true life, her real life. Bellatrix would be heartbroken. "Well," Narcissa slowly walked over to the girl, kneeling down next to her and holding out her hand, "Mummy sent me to come and get you."
Narcissa was taken back as the child rocketed at her, wrapping her arms around her neck as she gripped onto her tightly. "Okay! Let's go! He keeps trying to say he's my Daddy but he's not my Daddy! That man is evil!" She nodded as she buried her face in Narcissa's hair. The woman hesitated for a moment before she hugged her back, kissing her head as she closed her eyes.
"Charming." The cold voice came from the doorway.
Narcissa gently removed Nymphadora from her before she turned around and stood to face her father, glaring as she gripped onto her wand tightly. "I'm taking her."
"No, you're not," Cygnus glared.
Before Nymphadora knew it, spells were being fired around the study as she dived behind the desk. She whimpered as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the battle raging around her. It seemed like it would never stop—at least until she heard the blood curdling scream. She hesitantly stood, peeking over the desk as she tried to see what was going on. Aunt Cissa was on the floor, squirming and writhing in agony as she gritted her teeth to stop another scream from escaping. Nymphadora stood tall, watching in horror.
"I will not have one of my brattish daughters failing me again, Narcissa!" Cygnus yelled "You will not disobey me! Nymphadora is mine!"
"NO!" Nymphadora screamed, launching herself at Cygnus as she jumped onto his back, the man soon releasing his spell as he yelled in fury, trying to grab hold of her.
As Narcissa tried to gain control on the floor, she looked up. "Dora, no!" It took far too much effort, but Narcissa managed to get to her wand again, waiting for the girl to release her father before Cissa threw a curse to knock him away. Nymphadora looked down in shock before she saw her aunt on the floor, quickly running over to her and helping her stand. Narcissa took her hand in hers as she quickly regained her pureblood stance, looking down at her father with a glare both of her sisters would be proud of.
"Narcissa, don't you dare," Cygnus growled, pulling himself up again. "You dare leave this manor and you will never return. I will disown you."
"You will not," Narcissa spat. "You wouldn't dare risk the shame on your family. Two daughters disowned and the other in Azkaban? Try if you wish, but I highly doubt I'll be severed from the tree anytime soon."
"You are my daughter," Cygnus glared. "You must respect and obey me."
"As far as I'm concerned, you have no daughters." Narcissa quickly threw a curse at her father, throwing him into the wall one last time as he hit his head and slipped into unconsciousness. Narcissa looked down at her niece, the girl's eyes wide as she stared at the man. With a small sigh, she squeezed the girl's hand as she led her from the room, stepping over her father on their exit. "Come on, Dora. Let's go home."