Finally remembering to add the next chapter! I've had a crazy couple weeks and the madness isn't over yet. Do enjoy this chapter: we planned one of these ideas ages ago, so I'm excited it's finally here!
Dora
A giggle came from the dark-haired woman on the bed, and Nymphadora grinned down at her mother, shaking her head. "What happened next?" Dora teased, taking Bella's hand in hers.
"Massacre!" Bellatrix grinned. "We destroyed the entire village, killed those who tried to flee and burned the rest. It's a common occurrence, but so much fun, Dora."
"Yeah," Dora said with a sigh, then yelped as Bella pulled her down to lie next to her in the bed.
"I know you're still a little nervous," Bella whispered to her, "about being a Death Eater and all—"
"I'm not!" Dora protested, and her mother smiled.
Bellatrix propped herself up on her elbow. "I may have taught you Occlumency, but you're not that good yet, darling."
Dora looked straight into her mother's black eyes, then sighed. "Fine."
The older witch smiled. "Truth is, Dora," she told her daughter, reaching out and stroking her hair, "you just have to do it. When the Dark Lord calls, your Mark burning fiercely, you must run to him. Dora, he is so much more than you could possibly understand—"
Bellatrix lay back on the bed and closed her eyes, sighing in pleasured thought. "He is magic; he is power," the witch breathed. "Even his Crucios are beautiful. Oh, Dora, I want so much for you to understand this, to be one of the Dark Lord's Most Faithful, as I am!"
Nymphadora squeezed her mother's hand and said softly, "Continue to teach me, Mother, and I will do my best to be like you—the Most Faithful."
A smile of pride touched Bella's lips. "Very good," the woman smirked. "I will—"
Both witches jumped as their Marks burned, and Bellatrix rolled off the bed, Summoning her cloak and mask. The older woman fitted her mask in place, then turned to her daughter, helping the girl put her own mask on.
"Come on!" Bellatrix hissed, her eyes sparkling in anticipation as she threw open the door. Nymphadora hurried down the hall after her mother, barely able to keep up.
"A raid this time?" Dora murmured as they walked into the main hall of Malfoy Manor.
"Most likely," Bellatrix said, moving to the front of the group, Dora at her side.
The Lestrange brothers arrived just seconds later, and Nymphadora couldn't help smirking at them. "Nymphie," Rabastan grinned, his brother seeming to ignore them. "Welcome. So glad you could join us."
She frowned at him. "Don't call me Nymphie!" she said sharply.
Bellatrix slipped her arm around the girl. "Leave my daughter alone, Rabastan," she commanded him.
The man sighed, feigning hurt. "Fine," he shrugged, and Rodolphus motioned them to look forward. "Lucius is leading," Rab smirked.
Bellatrix made a sound of disgust and both men laughed at her all-too-predictable reaction. Nymphadora stepped closer to her mother, reassuring her with a touch. They all listened to the blonde wizard explain the plans of the raid, the maniacal grin returning to Bellatrix's face in spite of her annoyance.
Finally, they were sent off, and Bellatrix told Nymphadora to stay close as they hurried forward to be at the head of the attack. Dora stuck close by her mother, the two soon fighting side by side as they cut down fleeing Muggles. Through the smoke of flaming houses and the people milling around, Bellatrix cackled with laughter and pointed.
"The Order is here!" she shrieked in warning, rushing forward to meet them, spells flying furiously from her wand.
"Mum!" Dora called after her, not really wanting to face the Order so soon. Bellatrix ignored her or didn't hear, and Nymphadora scrambled to catch up.
Other Death Eaters joined them as they took on the arriving Order members. Nymphadora found it strange to be able to look straight into the eyes of her opponent and curse him, though he did not know who she was. During her duel with the man, Nymphadora found herself separated from her mother.
She was slightly concerned, but defeated her opponent before glancing around. Her heart nearly stopped as she spotted Remus Lupin dueling two Death Eaters. The girl was terrified, wishing he would and wouldn't see her, but knowing he wouldn't recognize her if he did.
"Nymphie," someone hissed, and she turned to see Rabastan hurrying toward her. "Your mother's already gone—didn't you hear the call to retreat?"
"No, I—" Dora looked back at Remus, who was now assisting in putting out flames on one of the half burned houses. "No, I didn't hear.
"Well, let's go," Rabastan told her, wrapping his arm around her waist and disapparating. They appeared in his room and Dora sighed, leaning against him slightly.
"Why am I here?" she asked him.
Rabastan smirked at her. "Ah, but I was hoping you would answer that. And that you would stay, as well."
Nymphadora tingled with excitement as he put his other arm around her, drawing her closer as he smirked into her eyes. "So tell me: why are you here?" he asked her as she closed her eyes, slipping her arms around his neck.
"Because...we could both use the company," Dora breathed, then leaned up, her lips crashing into his. They kissed heatedly for some moments, their clothes strewn across the floor as Rabastan lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bed.
"Nymphadora," he breathed as he looked down at her naked body.
She couldn't help smirking at him. "Got the name right."
"Shut up," he muttered, and within a few minutes, the girl was moaning and writhing in pleasure beneath him as he made love to her.
"Rabastan," she moaned, pulling him closer, and he gave a low laugh next to her ear before saying, "Yes?"
"I can't believe I put this off for so long…." Dora breathed, giving a soft gasp at the man's touch.
"I told you you'd enjoy it," he chuckled, then got a wicked smirk on his face. "But I'm not finished." Dora's eyes widened as he sat up, pulling her onto his lap….
Moments later, the two lay panting, wrapped in each other as much as the sheets. Nymphadora pressed her face into the man's chest, clinging on to him as he held her close, his arms wrapped around her firmly.
Rabastan finally spoke. "Was that last bit new?"
Her ears turned red, and he laughed outright before she morphed it away and smirked up at him. "You are a good teacher, you know."
"Yep." He leaned in and kissed her, the girl melting against him as she returned his kisses. "I like you: you're fun."
"Well," Dora smirked, "seeing as we're both single, I see nothing wrong with continuing this."
"Yes!" His laugh of triumph made her laugh too, and then she started up from the bed, Rabastan staring at her. "What? Dora, come back!"
"I've got to go to Mum," Dora breathed, dressing quickly. "She probably doesn't know if I got back from the raid yet. She's probably worried sick—I've got to go."
Rabastan sighed, then sat up, watching her as she got ready to leave. He got up, walking over to her and kissing her cheek as his hands brushed her hips gently. "Don't forget: you can always join me here...or anywhere. I'm sure we both know good enough wards."
Nymphadora grabbed him and kissed him firmly before hurrying from the room, her heart racing in excitement at the thought of her new lover.
The Metamorphagus found her mother with Narcissa, the dark-haired witch nearly hysterical as Narcissa tried to calm her. "Mum…."
Bellatrix whirled to face her daughter and screamed, "Where the hell have you been?"
"I didn't hear the retreat," Dora sighed. "Someone finally told me, but I didn't return here immediately—"
"What if you had been seen?" Bella shrieked at the girl. "What if you'd been hurt, or captured—?"
"Mum, I'm fine," Dora rolled her eyes.
Bellatrix glared at her and Narcissa tried to grab her arm, but the black-haired witch pulled away. "Follow me. Now!"
Nymphadora obeyed without a word, sighing to remember that she'd probably left her mask on the floor in Rabastan's room. She quickly turned her thoughts to other things as Bellatrix led her into her own room and shut the door behind them.
The woman turned to face her daughter, looking pained. "Dora, you've got to come back the instant the retreat is called. You can't go out running all over the city when you're supposed to return...the Dark Lord questioned me about you—he wanted to know how you had done."
"What did you tell him?" Dora asked hesitantly.
"That you had done well, and would be even better with experience," Bellatrix answered, darting forward and grasping Nymphadora by the hands. "Dora, do not—do not—give the Dark Lord any reason not to trust you. You must return when the others do."
"Okay," Dora muttered, looking down. "Sorry."
Bellatrix sighed and pulled the girl into a hug. "I need to teach you more," she whispered in her daughter's ear. "It's not your fault: I should have been able to teach you our place as you grew up…."
Nymphadora sighed too, hugging her mother in return. "Well, I'm here now," she said. "And I'm willing to learn—" she smirked and held back a laugh "willing to learn whatever you want me to."
The witch nodded, then frowned at her daughter. "You still need your things from your old home."
Dora scowled and Bellatrix released her. "It's not really that much..."
"Everything in your life to date," Bellatrix replied. "You were taken without much, if anything, that you possess."
"Well, yes," Dora sighed, "but I—I don't know what to say to Andromeda."
"Tell her she's a filthy whore," Bellatrix shrugged. "I always do."
"Bella!" Dora said in surprise, then bit her lip. "Mum..."
Bellatrix regarded her, seeming a little nervous. "Don't call her your mother, Dora," she murmured. "She isn't—she just…."
Nymphadora nodded wordlessly. "I didn't...I was correcting myself…." She sighed. "Maybe I'll go tomorrow. That's always a good time."
"As long as you go today tomorrow," Bellatrix smirked, and Nymphadora grinned.
"Okay." She reached out and hugged her mother carefully. "I love you, Mum. Are you going to supper?"
"No," Bella said thoughtfully, "I think I'll be eating in my room. You should go, though."
Nymphadora shook her head. "I'm staying with you, unless you really want me to leave.
Bellatrix looked at her for a moment, then conjured a small table and two chairs. "Sit."
The younger witch obeyed, Bellatrix summoning an elf and commanding it to bring them food. Nymphadora sat with her mother until she was sure her mother wasn't going to be upset about her leaving. She definitely had to make sure she kept Andromeda and Bellatrix well-defined in her mind.
It was with quite a bit of convincing the next day that Dora finally set off for her old home. She'd taken quite a bit of time to find a dress to wear, but Bella had finally pulled an old robe of her own out of the wardrobe and commanded her to wear it. Dora had complied just to not cause another discussion about anything disturbing.
She apparated near the end of the street, walking up the lane as discreetly as she could, but the instant she reached the ward boundaries of her childhood home, she realised she was no longer welcome. "Andromeda? Mum?" Nymphadora reached out and touched the wards, feeling something test her blood and magic before the first layer of wards crumbled.
Nymphadora walked closer to the house, more nervous now than before she'd left Malfoy Manor. She had nearly reached the front door when it swung open to reveal the witch she had called her mother for over twenty years in the doorway. "Mum," she whispered, unable to move at the sight of the witch with wand drawn, her hair black.
"I am not your mother, child," Andromeda said coldly.
"Wha—no!" Dora cringed at the witch's harsh tone. "Please, don't—"
"And it would be better for us all if you didn't pretend," Andromeda added. "I know you have the Mark, and I know that you've told Remus off—"
Nymphadora gasped in horror. "No!" It was as if a knife was being driven into her heart. "I just want to talk to you, and gather my things!"
Andromeda looked at the younger witch carefully. "I'm not sure we have anything to say to each other, Nymphadora Black."
Dora stared at the older witch, fury coming over her. "And why wouldn't we?!" she shouted at the woman. "I'm sure I have plenty to say to you!"
"Ah, but you shouldn't be here...except to gather your things," Andromeda smiled slightly. "Your mother would be upset if you stayed to talk."
"I just want to know about when she brought me here, and why you kept me, and all about it," Dora said in a rush. "She—she doesn't talk about it...it upsets her."
"She lives an upset life," Andromeda rolled her eyes, motioning the girl to follow her into the house.
They went upstairs to Nymphadora's old room and the girl sat down on the bed, looking around at how her room had been left. Andromeda hadn't moved a thing. "I know why Bella had to bring me here, but what was she like then?" Nymphadora said softly. "I—I don't remember anything about her."
"I only saw her when she left you here...I thought she'd come to kill me," Andromeda sighed, looking down at the young woman. "It wouldn't have surprised me. When I saw you, I thought she'd stolen someone's brat because I knew she hated the idea of children. That's why I was shocked to find that you, the little girl she was holding in her arms, were actually her daughter. I was hardly surprised to learn who your father was, though."
Nymphadora looked up at Andromeda and managed a small smirk. "He is dead," she said proudly. "You can thank me and Mum, though you did teach me what I needed to know to pull it off—I morphed away his lungs."
Andromeda looked at her for a moment, then sighed and sat next to her. "His time was definitely up," she agreed, then looked down at her fingers curled around her wand. "He deserved a far more painful death, but at least he's gone."
"He—he just had to be stopped," Dora bit her lip. "There wasn't time to torture him."
"Very well," Andromeda nodded. "Bella left you here because she refused to give you to an orphanage, couldn't take you with her, and couldn't leave you with any of her family."
"Why did you agree?" Dora asked.
"You're like me," Andromeda said simply. "You have my powers, and needed to be kept safe. Bella knows me enough to realise that the only blood-traitor part of me is the part that loves Ted. Otherwise, I am fully supremist—I'm sure you know this, Dora."
Nymphadora nodded. "I always wondered, if you hated half-bloods and all, why you would conceive one yourself."
Andromeda laughed bitterly. "Never. I could never do such a thing. And I know my views confused you because you thought I hated your kind. Which I do hate half-bloods, but you aren't one of them. Your blood is as pure as mine."
"So, you were saying about keeping me?" Dora reminded her, getting to her feet and beginning to gather her things into her trunk.
"You had to be kept safe, especially when I heard that you were Cygnus' child," Andromeda shuddered. "I could have been your mother, Dora. It was mere chance that Bellatrix was the one who became pregnant through our father's abuse—I can't imagine what she went through. That's why I kept you, so that she would know that you would be safe."
"She is furious with you, though," Nymphadora told the woman. "She was in a rage because I thought I was a Tonks, and because I screamed at her that she was a liar."
Andromeda smiled sadly. "I knew from the first that I would have to give you back," she said. "I was supposed to raise you as my pureblood daughter that I'd given birth to before I married your—Ted. Unfortunately, you finally chose to accept me and Ted as your mother and father, when you had hated the very sight of me before."
Dora gave a weak smile. "What do you mean?"
"You came here when you were two years old, so you knew I wasn't your mother," Andromeda told her. "You were angry, you were scared, and you Cruciated me. But you immediately decided that Ted would protect you from me, and became quite close to him eventually. A while later, your memories of Bellatrix had faded, and you began to think that I was your mother, that I had just changed a lot."
Andromeda gave a sigh as she recalled, "You used to have screaming fits of anger when I wouldn't let you Curse me, or morph, or in any way do something I didn't want you to. They ceased somewhat when you accepted me."
"You tricked me."
"It was necessary," Andromeda said earnestly. "Dora, you had to believe us."
"I didn't," Dora said sharply. "I could have been told the truth."
"I wanted to." Andromeda closed her eyes and sniffed a little. "But I was afraid that you wouldn't believe me, or that you would beg to visit your Aunt Cissa. You already wanted to talk to her, I knew, especially after she'd rescued you from Father. I couldn't lose you, Dora—at least, not to anyone but Bellatrix."
Nymphadora stared at the woman, who was seemingly blinking back tears. "I loved you as my own, even though I hadn't wanted to do anything but make sure I kept you safe for your mother at first. I grew to love you as my own daughter, but it doesn't matter: you won't be staying here anymore."
Andromeda drew a small, sobbing breath. "I'm sorry, Dora."
"That is entirely too little to make up for the lies you've told me," the black-haired witch snapped, getting to her feet. "You lied to me about everything, including yourself, and I've had enough!"
"Dora," Andromeda whispered, a tear trickling down her cheek, "Dora, you don't understand."
"I don't want to hear anything about anyone understanding anything!" Dora shouted at the woman, her magic crackling in her hands. "I've had it with you and your 'understanding.' The only person in my life that has ever truly cared about me and loved me in spite of everything is Ted Tonks!"
Andromeda was staring at the witch, tears on her face. "No," she whispered.
"I don't believe you," Nymphadora hissed, slamming her trunk shut as she finished packing her things. "You never showed me that you cared! You only wanted to make sure Bellatrix wouldn't wring your bloody neck. Well, I wish she would."
"Dora!" Andromeda cried out. "No, please—!"
"Where is Ted?" Dora asked softly, staring straight at the woman. "Do you have him locked away somewhere so he can't talk to me?"
Andromeda stared at her, then whispered, "He is dead."
Nymphadora stepped back from the older witch. "What?"
"Ted is gone," Andromeda breathed, looking into the girl's fearful eyes. "Bellatrix—Bellatrix returned to take revenge on me, and mercilessly tortured and killed him before me. I was chained to the wall. Funny how circumstances in life repeat themselves."
"Dad's dead?" Dora cried. "No!"
"Nymphadora," Andromeda began, but the girl had burst into tears.
"Say it isn't true," Nymphadora begged. "Please. Tell me you're lying."
Andromeda got to her feet and went to the weeping girl. "Dora, I'm not," she whispered hoarsely. "It's true: Bellatrix was angry that I had forced you to live as a Tonks, and so she killed my husband."
Nymphadora buried her face in the woman's robe, shaking with sobs. "He was my only dad!"
"I know, dear," Andromeda murmured, "I know. I'm so sorry."
"You're not," Nymphadora said defiantly, fighting back her tears. "You're probably glad he's gone."
"Glad?" Andromeda glared at her. "Don't you ever say such things to me, Nymphadora. I gave up my family, my pureblood life to be with him—because I loved him. If he were here, I'd still be at his side. I adored him, Nymphadora. He was the only person in the world that was ever kind to me!"
"Dad," Dora cried as they wept together. "Why? Why the innocent one? The one that protected me, even from you. The one who rocked me to sleep when I had nightmares. The one who would always listen to me and try to help me. Why? Daddy!" Her shriek of anguish carried magical power, one of the windows shattering.
Andromeda looked at the girl. "You should be getting back."
Nymphadora gulped back her tears. "I can't go like this. I'll say something stupid and hurt Bellatrix!"
"Dora," Andromeda began, and Dora clung onto her, crying into her shoulder. After a moment, Andromeda slipped her arms around the girl and cradled her gently in her arms. "He said to tell you that he loved you as his own, too, though he supposed you wouldn't want him to claim you anymore."
"He was the only Father I ever had," Nymphadora sniffed as tears streamed down her face. "How could she just—?"
"It had to happen," Andromeda breathed, and Dora stared into her eyes, willing her to explain. "You have to be freed from ties with us...Ted would be that. You loved him most."
Dora squeezed the woman tightly, whispering, "I loved you both...you raised me. How could I not be at least grateful? I'll miss you both, Dromeda."
She looked slightly startled. "I—I guess I must be called your aunt now, if anything."
Nymphadora looked at her for a moment, then said, "I think I'd rather call you 'sister.'"
Andromeda's eyes widened slightly, and she whispered, "Thank you, Dora," then pressed a kiss to the girl's forehead. "I'll leave you to finish and see yourself out. I love you, Dora."
Dora sniffed a little, then hurried to put a Weightless Charm on her trunk, shrinking it and putting it in her pocket. She disapparated to Malfoy Manor, striding through the gates and hurrying to her room. She dropped off her trunk, then went in search of her mother, knocking on the witch's door. Bellatrix was nowhere to be found, and Dora finally sat down in the library, sighing at the thought that her mother must have gone out.
"Nymphadora?" the girl looked up to see Narcissa walking toward her. "Dora, you're back," she sighed. "Did you run in to trouble?"
"No," Dora answered, then frowned. "Where is Mother?"
"Bella…." Narcissa sighed slightly, then continued, "Bella is hiding from you."
Confusion crossed the girl's face. "Why?"
Narcissa regarded her for a moment, then said, "She is terrified that you will be angry with her for what she has done. She doesn't dare speak to you of it. It's about the Mudblood—surely you know by now. Your face is tearstained…." Narcissa reached out and wiped a stray tear from the girl's cheek.
"She killed him," Dora murmured. "Dromeda says she tortured him to death in front of her." Dora closed her eyes in pain at the thought. "I can't imagine...but I'm not truly angry with her...she just knew what would hurt Andromeda the most."
"You need to talk to her," Narcissa said. "Please, Dora. She's been hysterical, and then she was sure that she needed to put a Memory Charm on you, and then she wanted to go destroy Andromeda and her whole home, too. She needs you."
"How do you know?" Dora frowned.
"She's crying your name," Narcissa told her. "She wants you to be there, but she's afraid to go to you. Go to her."
"That's hardly fair," Dora complained, and Narcissa pulled the girl up from her chair.
"Come on," Narcissa said.
The two witches walked down the hall to Bellatrix's room, Narcissa placing her hand against the door so that many of the wards questioned her blood and magic before receding before her. Narcissa motioned her to go on in, the girl hesitating as she heard low moanings and mutterings from the woman on the bed.
Nymphadora finally approached the bed, and Bellatrix saw her at the last second, shrieking in surprise before retreating to the far corner of the bed. "Dora," she whimpered.
"Mother," Dora sighed. "Come off it."
"I'm not sorry," Bellatrix hissed at her. "Just—just sorry it hurt you too." She glared at her daughter defiantly.
"I know," Nymphadora told her softly. "Look: it's okay. She deserved to be punished somehow for failing in the job you gave her...though she did her best."
Bellatrix was shaking slightly, and Nymphadora slid onto the bed, motioning to her. "Come here, Mum. It's okay: I understand."
When Bellatrix dared to move closer to the girl, Nymphadora wrapped her arms around the disturbed witch. "It's all right," she murmured, kissing her mother's head. "I understand. I love you, Mum."
A second later, Bella muttered, "She loved the Mudblood, didn't she?"
"...yes," Nymphadora agreed softly. "And he loved her."
"Perfect," Bella sighed contently, and Nymphadora forced herself not to shiver as she hugged the slightly mad witch and stroked her hair gently. Dora stayed there with Bellatrix until the witch fell into a troubled sleep, waking up every so often with cries of fear.
Finally, Dora sighed and held the weeping woman close. "Mother, what is it?"
The older witch just stared at her, unable to explain her nightmares. She shuddered, clinging to her daughter. "Stay with me," she begged. "Please. I'm sorry I'm keeping you up...please stay."
"I will," Dora promised, brushing the woman's hair back carefully. "I'm not leaving you tonight. I'll watch over you as you rest."
"Thanks," Bellatrix whispered, reaching out and touching her daughter's dark brown locks. "Thank you."