"Right. Well, Morganna, say goodbye to Mummy and Daddy."
"Goodbye, Mummy. Goodbye, Daddy." Morganna walked with slow, unsteady steps across the coral-coloured parlour at Tarnsey House and gave a half-hearted embrace to Narcissa, then to Lucius. Each of her parents looked profoundly concerned, and Lucius dared to question,
"Do you really think she's well enough, Master? She's only been walking for two weeks, and her steps are still unsure."
"Her magic is strong and powerful, and that's what counts," Voldemort said. "I told you that when she began to heal, she was ours, and she would be with us."
Morganna smirked a little at that, gripping the black stone ring round her neck. She had the Elder Wand in a holster at her waist, and it looked enormous on her tiny form. But she whispered,
"I do love you, Mummy. Daddy. Goodbye."
"Please be safe in Mexico, Bella. My Lady." Narcissa shut her eyes as she corrected herself, folding her hands before her and looking very frightened. Her face was even more pale than usual. "Please be careful. All of you. We want you back safely. All of you."
"This is a simple diplomatic mission, Narcissa," Voldemort said lightly. "There is no danger involved. We are not going into battle; those days are past. Those days are behind us. We are going into conversation. Just as frightening in some ways, but -"
"Why must Morganna be present at these conversations?" Lucius interrupted, and Narcissa gripped his arm for that transgression. Voldemort let it slide, and Bellatrix watched as his face hardened.
"Because," he said harshly, "she is our gifted niece and will make for fine conversation herself. A welcome distraction from talks of how allegedly cruel and barbaric I and my government are."
"So she is a pawn?" Lucius challenged, and Voldemort tossed his hand through the air, sending Lucius flying with a nonverbal, wandless Knockback Jinx. Lucius scrambled to his feet, bowed his head, and began mumbling apologies.
"Why did I have to do that, Morganna?" Voldemort asked, and Morganna said quietly,
"Because Daddy didn't behave, My Lord."
"No. Your daddy did not behave," Voldemort said. "Tell him goodbye, that you'll see him soon."
Morganna gave her father a hard, cold stare. "See you soon, Father."
Father. Bellatrix felt a chill go up her spine. Somehow, despite her steps being unsure and there being a tremble in her hands, Morganna seemed stronger than ever in her healing. Bellatrix picked up the Expanded suitcase they were bringing, a monogrammed leather bag that would be their sole piece of luggage. Inside were weeks' worth of clothes for her, Morganna, and Lord Voldemort, along with toiletries and shoes and toys for Morganna. Everything they could need was inside that suitcase and then some. It would be far easier to travel by multiple Portkey with just the one bag, and Voldemort had agreed to hold fast to Morganna to be sure she didn't accidentally let go early.
"Our first one's to New York," he reminded Narcissa and Lucius. "Then to San Antonio, Texas. Then to Oaxaca, Mexico. It'll take us a while to get there. We've all been dosed with Nonemesis Draught for the Portkey sickness. She'll be fine. She's in good hands."
"Of course she is, Master." Narcissa tipped her head up. "Safe travels."
"Goodbye, Cissy." Bellatrix walked over to the table in the centre of the room, where a candle had been made into a Portkey and was waiting. Voldemort picked up Morganna and put her on his hip, and she held onto him tightly. He walked over to the table, eyed Bellatrix, who gripped the suitcase, and asked,
"Ready?"
"Ready, My Lord," she nodded, though she did not feel at all ready. She'd dressed for her arrival at Minister Ramos' villa, wearing a long black skirt and a caped linen blouse belted with a thick belt. Voldemort was in lightweight formal black robes. Morganna was in a short-sleeved black silk dress. They were dark, but ready for the warm weather. Now Bellatrix's heart sped up and her breath accelerated in her burning lungs as she reached in unison with Voldemort for the Portkey.
"Hold on tightly, Morganna," he commanded, and Morganna gripped more tightly than ever round Voldemort's waist and shoulders. She glanced back at Narcissa and Lucius, her silver braid falling over her shoulder. Then they all were whisked away by the Portkey, sucked into a great whirling nothing, spinning, falling, flying, careening. Morganna screamed like mad, and Voldemort called out to her,
"Hold on tightly!"
It seemed to take forever, so much longer than a Portkey within Britain, though it probably only took ten seconds. But by the time they released and landed with an oof on the wet pavement of a rainy New York City, Bellatrix was so dizzy and sick that she could hardly stand. She scrambled up to her feet, assisted by Voldemort, who gently set Morganna down.
Bellatrix looked round to see the psychotic sort of skyline the Muggles had built in Manhattan, which was across from a bridge from where they stood just now. There was a food stand nearby, and a Muggle was shouting at people to buy his wares. Someone else went whizzing by in a much larger automobile than the sort they saw in Britain.
"So this is America?" Morganna marveled. "It's so different. So… enormous."
"Don't get used to it; we aren't staying. Besides, New York city is a disgusting hive of everything wrong with the world, both wizarding and Muggle," complained Voldemort. Morganna just nodded. Everything Voldemort said was true to her, so she just nodded. Voldemort reached for a newspaper that had been discarded nearby, and a rat went scurrying out from under it. Bellatrix curled her nose up. The three of them made an escape into a nearby alley, and Voldemort began performing the necessary spells to transform the newspaper into a Portkey.
The trip to San Antonio was just as dizzying and nauseating as the one from England to New York had been. The distance seemed just as far. When they landed, it was blisteringly hot. They stood on a desolate street corner in a city called San Antonio, and Voldemort used something he informed them was a soda can to make the last Portkey. This one would go directly to Ramos' villa in Oaxaca, and it made Bellatrix more nervous than either of the Portkeys that had come before. This was it. They were going to land in hostile territory, outside the home of the man who wanted to place sanctions on their country because of the actions of her husband.
She felt so sick when they landed in Oaxaca that she rushed to place a Nonemesis Charm upon herself. It was only when she looked up that she realised they were far outside of town. They were among forested mountains, and Bellatrix could hear all manner of tropical birds about them. She stared up at the enormous white plaster building with its red tiled roof, and her breath caught just a little.
"Ready?" Voldemort asked, and he took Morganna's hand, which seemed to be a very deliberate move. They had not informed Ramos that they would be bringing their niece. Bellatrix nodded silently, and she followed her lord and master up to the front door of the villa.
Painted on a tile sign above the door read, "In cuitlapilli, In atlapalli - Somos La Puebla." Bellatrix frowned at Voldemort, and he cleared his throat as he said softly,
"An ode to the common people."
Bellatrix felt her stomach sink. She raised her shaking fist and knocked very firmly on the beautiful wooden doors, five times, using the wrought iron knocker. The door opened, and a rather happy-looking House-Elf stood there smiling.
"Bienvenidos. Welcome Villa de la Puebla. You come inside?"
"Thank you very kindly," said Voldemort tightly, and Bellatrix remembered that he would not sound anything like himself during this summit. The House-Elf offered,
"I take bag, I put in rooms set for you?"
"Oh. Erm… yes. Thank you." Bellatrix handed over the Expanded suitcase. They'd been careful not to bring any valuables. Everything of worth was on their person.
"Lord Voldemort and the Lady Bellatrix!" Bellowed a loud voice, and suddenly a handsome, tall, mustachioed wizard appeared in the foyer of the lovely villa. His voice echoed off the white marble lining the place. Behind him stood an elegant witch in red robes, and she immediately bowed her head and said in heavily accented English,
"I am Imelda Ramos. What an honour it is to make your acquaintance."
"Imelda is local, from here in Oaxaca," said Minister Ramos lightly. "She was born to… how you say, Muggles… here in Oaxaca. She'll be so glad to show you the city."
Bellatrix's stomach flopped. She saw spots. Imelda Ramos was Muggle-born? Oh, no.
"And who is this lovely little flower?" asked Imelda, and now Bellatrix could see that her smile was painted right on. Voldemort's voice was tighter than ever as he introduced his ward.
"This is our niece, Morganna. She is profoundly gifted in magic, but has recently been ill, and we care for her, so we did not want to be away from her during her time of healing. We hope you understand…"
"Oh, of course. What wondrous fortune to have her here. And she's got a wand!" Ramos seemed almost amused. "I hope she is feeling much better."
"I blew up a tree, and it fell on me and crushed my spine and legs. They said I'd never walk again, but my magic is much too strong for that nonsense," said Morganna. Imelda and Fernando Ramos were silent in shock for a long moment, until at last Imelda laughed awkwardly and said,
"Well, my sweet, we are just glad you are healed now. Shall we have a tour of the villa? Let's let your uncle and my husband talk for a moment, hm? Madam Bellatrix, if you would like to come with us?"
"Yes, all right," Bellatrix said blandly, feeling dread course through her veins. And she was right to be worried, as it turned out. The moment she started to walk away with Imelda and Morganna, she heard Fernando Ramos, still standing in the foyer of the villa, ask her husband,
"So, Lord Voldemort. Tell me, why are you murdering people for saying your name?"
Author's Note: Oh, my. This summit could go very badly. Any chance of saving this disaster? Thanks as always for reading, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take a quick moment to leave a review. Thank you!