Chapter Thirty-Three: Becoming Cedrella

Bellatrix paced on Carmichael's living room, holding her stomach and panicking. Bellatrix Black did not panic. She couldn't put her baby in risk but she had to find the father of her unborn child. She knew there was one person who'd be looking for him with far better resources than her but she couldn't wait to hear news through the underground vine, as informative as it was, she preferred to be a little more intimately involved. And why not? Would she throw her out the house? Call the aurors? No. She was a Black. She'd kill her herself before calling the authorities. But there was that. What if she killed her? Would their blood mean much to her now? Bellatrix couldn't help think of a future where she could raise her daughter in a loving family. Really if she didn't do it now she was delaying the inevitable. Remus would want her to. She was Sirius's cousin. Gienah's godmother. No, there was nothing for it. Bellatrix had to make amends with Andromeda. If she accepted her, invited her warmly to her home then… she could keep an eye on Sirius's progress, have her sister there through the pregnancy and get to know her two nieces.

Bellatrix had been invited to her wedding following her graduation at Hogwarts. A summer elopement. How very romantic. How very Andromeda. She cut off her life long engagement to Rodolphus and Bellatrix was forced to fill her big sisters shoes. It was part of her disdain towards Andromeda. She had left her and Narcissa to fulfil her romantic whims leaving the responsibility of their shoulders to act as daughters of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black should act. But in all those years in Azkaban she reflected and she understood. If the dark lord has asked her to abandon her family she'd do it in a second. But Andromeda hadn't abandoned her family. The Black family had abandoned her because of the blood status of the love of her life. It was unfortunate, but was it worth disowning your daughter over? Remus was a half-blood… unfortunate, but so was Tom and hadn't the fresh blood revitalized the bloodline?

Bellatrix sighed and took off her amulet as she looked into the large gaudy mirror. She needed to make one hell of an apology. Remembering her sister had always loved flowers and had an expensive taste in clothes she thought a shopping trip might be in order. As well as needing something for herself. She wondered what said forgive me and don't call the aurors on me sister.

Bellatrix knocked on the door. The knocker was similar to the one in their childhood home. A golden fox on a black door. The house was small but elegant. Their front garden resembled a rose garden with a black porch swing. The house was made of brick and surrounding by dark green climbing ivy sprouting blood red flowers.

Andromeda opened the door smiling, but her smile froze as she saw the most wanted witch in the country standing on her doorstep holding a large bouquet of flowers with a timid smile.

Andromeda shut the door in her face. Bellatrix frowned. That was the last thing she had expected. The door opened again and Andromeda went pale.

"Andromeda" Bellatrix sang in her rich honeyed voice. "Andromeda Tonks. It's been a while."

"Bellatrix" Andromeda finally breathed. "What are you doing here?"

"To make amends" Bellatrix laughed her loud, lingering and almost always maniacal laugh. Their mother had laughed like that. It was beautifully unrestrained. It was the sound of her childhood.

"Well" Andromeda pursed her lips. "You better come in."

Bellatrix walked in and through the small passageway and into a cosy living room. There was a beautiful piano by the large turret window.

"Me and my daughter were baking." Andromeda said stiffly.

A girl came running out into the living room with flour on her nose and hair and her hands coated with batter.

Lyra gasped.

"Lyra!" Andromeda scolded at the small black haired girl who was looking at her mother then up at Bellatrix.

"Are your mummy's sister?" Lyra asked with round eyes.

Bellatrix knelt down placing the flowers and gifts by her side as she softly looked down at her niece.

"Yes Lyra, I'm your Auntie Bella". Bellatrix smiled kindly at the little witch. "I have a present for you. Would you like to open it?"

Lyra nodded.

"I need to wash my hands first" Lyra ran away and came back in less than a minute, flour still on her nose.

Bellatrix handed her the package. Lyra tore away at the paper and looked curiously at the small round wooden box in her hands.

"It's a Black tradition to give the daughter a music box on her first birthday." Bellatrix whispered as it was a secret. "When you can't sleep or you're scared you wind the lever and open the box and all your nightmares go far far away."

Lyra looked back at Bellatrix with wide eyes, her mouth forming a small oh and slowly she winded the golden lever and opened the box. Out emerged a singing witch whose song filled the living room with a beautiful birdsong. It was enchanting and tragic. Gradually the witches form became grotesque and she became a nightingale. Lyra gasped once again.

"Mummy she can do what I can do!"

"Lyra" Her mother warned.

"What can you do Lyra?" Bellatrix asked softly.

"Lyra!" Andromeda came towards her daughter and pulled her away from the music box.

Lyra started sobbing and ran away.

"Dromeda." Bellatrix sighed.

"What are you doing here?"

"To make amends." Bellatrix said quietly. "I love you. I want to know my nieces. I want a family. I want my happily ever after. If you could find it in your heart, my dear dear sister, to forgive me. For turning away when you needed me most."

"Will you apologize for aiding the dark lord?" Andromeda asked gazing into her sister's dark eyes, so much like her own.

"No" Bellatrix breathed. "I am sorry that you disagree but the dark lord did no personal injury to the Black-"

"My husband and I lived in fear for years Bella!" Andromeda cried. "You joined a vendetta against mudbloods and so you joined a vendetta against my husband, my children and me."

"I loved him." Bellatrix said pleadingly.

"I'm sorry Bella, that does not excuse your behaviour." Andromeda said finally.

"I won't attempt to convert your philosophy in life, why do you attempt to right mine?" Bellatrix asked.

Andromeda laughed.

"Philosophy?" Andromeda hissed. "Your precious dark lord had a philosophy did he? To justify murder? To justify torture?"

"Perhaps Tom took it too far." Bellatrix admitted. "But it was not purely a pureblood agenda. Muggles are a threat that we must take seriously. To underestimate the advances they have made while we stagnate…"

"Stagnate because we persecute muggle-borns!" Screeched Andromeda.

"I am no longer a death eater" Bellatrix said. "Isn't that enough?"

"You won't kill or harm muggles?" Andromeda said with a snort of derision. "Why Bella? It was your favorite sport - muggle baiting."

"I have come to realize the error of my ways. Petty violence is not the answer."

"Well thank merlin!" Andromeda said sarcastically. "Organized violence is the way forward."

"I was a revolutionary with few options Dromeda." Bellatrix said with her head held high.

"A terrorist." Andromeda retorted.

"Call it what you will. It is neither here nor there. If the dark lord returns I will not join his side. I will fight against him if it means saving the fate of my daughter."

"You're pregnant?" Andromeda squeaked.

"My daughter will be the child of a werewolf and a half-blood." Bellatrix said. "I will not have her harmed in any way."

"You're having a baby with Remus?!" Andromeda sat down.

"What will it take to show you I will do whatever it takes to keep this family together?" Bellatrix asked.

Andromeda didn't say anything.

"Do you love him?"

"I do."

"Then that is enough."

"Andromeda" Bellatrix choked back her tears. "Thank you."

Bellatrix then gave Andromeda her gift. An elegant set of velvet black robes. They brought a bottle of wine out and after Lyra finished baking her very messy, but quite delicious Victoria sponge cake they sat in the living room drinking and eating cake with their shoes off and photo albums splayed out on the floor. Lyra talked for hours, telling her about Gienah and Luna and her friends at school, her uncle Sirius, and all about experimental magic. That her favourite subject in school was story time and how when she finally went to Hogwarts she wanted her very own jabberwocky.

When Ted Tonks came home Andromeda took him to the side and assured him she wasn't going to murder them in their sleep and he came in and politely shook her hand before going into the kitchen to cook dinner. Nymphadora on the other hand was livid.

"I'm an auror! I bring Lestrange in… Do you have any idea what that'd do to my career? If she's found hidden in my mother's house I'd be arrested and my career will be finished."

"She won't be found out." Andromeda rolled her eyes. "This is Bella we're talking about."

"I don't know Bella mother!" Tonks shouted. "I know the woman's criminal history. Every auror knows her file back to front."

"Bella is my sister. She is your aunt. She is pregnant with my niece." Andromeda said heatedly. "And Black's don't betray each other."

"Yeah?" Tonks said. "When they disowned you for marrying dad, what was that? A token of loyalty?"

"You will accept Bella." Andromeda said. "We will not turn away from family."

Tonks walked out.

"That went well" Bellatrix smiled. "Really feel like I'm back at home."

"She'll come round" Andromeda sat down, her cheeks still a little flushed.

"Urm, dinners ready" Ted poked his head out of the kitchen.

The next few weeks Bellatrix made herself at home in their small guest room. They made a new disguise for her as Cedrella Black, granddaughter of the squib Marius Black. They changed her eye colour to a light grey and she lost two inches off her height. They softened her striking features and made her distinguished jaw into a pointed face much like their sister Narcissa. Cedrella Black looked like a relation of Bellatrix and in fact Andromeda resembled her more than Cedrella did. They fixed the transformations onto an amulet and had to explain to Lyra that Bella was the same person as Cedrella but they must call her Ella from now on and never tell anyone her true identity.

"Like my secret mummy?" Lyra asked bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her pigtails swinging as she did so.

"Yes" Andromeda sighed.

"You'll have to tell me one of these days." Bellatrix said.

"I don't know what to make of it myself Bella" Andromeda said.

Bellatrix didn't push her.

Bellatrix returned to Carmichael's house for the next few weeks, hoping to catch him and find Lupin, but Andromeda found out she wasn't going shopping for the baby and after a nasty argument with many tears shed Bellatrix agreed reluctantly to allow Sirius to find his best friend. Bellatrix had nightmares of her time in Azkaban and being forced to live through her darkest hours. Other nights she woke up screaming for Remus. Andromeda worried after her sister who was losing weight rapidly and almost always had dark circles under her eyes.

"That's it." Andromeda said one evening, finding Bellatrix a broken mess in the kitchen after having chain smoked an entire pack of Ted's cigarettes and drank half a bottle of wine.

"You are coming with me to school from now on." Andromeda said briskly. "Merlin knows we need the help and you are going to end up harming that baby, and yourself".

Bellatrix was wonderful with the children. She would sing to them the alphabet and when she told them stories she'd put on the most fantastic voices. Lyra would proudly boast that Ella was her aunt to her friends. Molly, Olaf, and Catherine became quite protective over the witch, completely taken in by her tragic story of being an outcast due to her squib grandfather. Cedrella Black slowly integrated herself back into wizarding society and not the underworld. Those nights were nights of poverty. To forgetting life by intoxicating oneself and listening to the grief of others. Now she was forgetting her old life with happier memories. Dinner at the Weasley's and the Creevy's was a weekly affair. Lyra and Bellatrix were becoming inseparable. What more, her prejudices against muggles began to wane. How could she avoid it when she sat with Ted every night at the dinner table. The man had the biggest heart. Edward Tonks worked part time at St Mungo's in administration though he was also qualified as a medi-wizard. He began part-time work when Andromeda began teaching in the school and now they lived a comfortable life in Wales.

Bellatrix and Andromeda were shopping one Saturday afternoon in a muggle fresh produce market. It was loud and bustling. There were stalls selling fish, cheese, fruits and vegetables. One was dedicated to olives, mozzarella, preserved garlics and so on. Bellatrix diet was becoming stranger and stranger. They had brought eight jars of peanut butter and blackberry jam, and two cartons of ice cream which she would have two times a day in a toasted sandwich. She called it Toasted Alaska and to Andromeda's chagrin, Lyra would request the calorie laden concoction for her school lunches. Bellatrix also craved fish and became sick of meat.

"Ella could you pick out a fresh bouquet of flowers for the dining table" Andromeda asked distractedly as she picked up the mangos feeling their firmness.

Bellatrix bought a large bouquet of Brilliant violet Muscari latifolium and tight blooms of Ranunculus. Bellatrix found Andromeda at the cheese stall next, buying a selection of cheeses.

"Urm, Dromeda." Bellatrix said. "Are we expecting the Weasley's?"

Andromeda flushed.

"No."

"The Creevey's?"

"No." Andromeda walked briskly towards the supermarket where Ted and Lyra had gone.

"Then who?" Bellatrix whined.

"Sirius." Andromeda finally said.

"He'll turn me in in a second." Bellatrix said looking horrified. "He was close to the Longbottom's. He could never forgive me."

"Sirius Black knows more than most what you've already suffered." Andromeda said quietly and continued to walk into the supermarket.

That evening Ted and Andromeda made a stuffed sea bass on a bed of green leaves and vine tomatoes. The starter was baked camembert with homemade bread, and dessert was a blueberry and raspberry eton mess. Bellatrix was wearing her amulet as she nervously set the table when the bell rang. Lyra ran to the door followed by Andromeda.

"There's my favourite little girl in the whole wide world" Sirius's voice was deep, masculine and kind. Lyra giggled as he tickled her before lifting her up and placing her on his hip.

"Mmm, that smells delicious Andy" Sirius kissed her on the cheek and walked into the living room.

They stared at eachother for a moment. Bellatrix adjusted her muggle summer dress which skimmed her slightly protruding belly.

Sirius gently put Lyra down and walked closer to her. Grey eyes meeting grey eyes.

"Another Black?" Sirius said.

Bellatrix nodded.

"My pleasure." Sirius took her hand and kissed it.

"Sirius, this is Cedrella Black." Andromeda said nervously. "Grand daughter of Marius Black. She's living with me for a while."

"Well, well, well." Sirius chuckled. "Looks like the Black family won't grow stagnant after all."

"Yes, but you are the sole Black heir." Bellatrix finally spoke up. "The pleasure is mine Lord Black."

Sirius raised an eyebrow as she bowed her head and brought her grey eyes to his.

"You look remarkably familiar Cedrella Black" Sirius murmured. "As if I knew you as a child."

Andromeda laughed a little too loudly.

Ted entered in perfect timing, and Sirius tore his eyes from Bellatrix and shook his hand heartily, and offered him a glass of wine.

"How is it going?" Andromeda finally asked as they retired to the living room.

"Carmichael is out of the country according to his offices and no trace of Mary Jane."

"Mary Jane?" Cedrella asked.

"Yes, a woman who suspiciously disappeared the same night as Remus." Sirius said, no laughter in his eyes now. "Gienah and Snape are coming home this evening to assist with the search. I'm sure we'll find him in no time."

"Genna!" Lyra said tiredly. Lyra was resting her head against Bellatrix's stomach, stroking her belly. She was told her cousin was growing inside her and soon she'd come out into the world.

Bellatrix and Lyra gasped.

"Ella?" Andromeda said, rushing to her sister.

"The baby kicked!" Bellatrix said, smiling.

"You're pregnant?" Sirius asked. "Congratulations."

"Can she hear us Aunt Bella?" Lyra whispered.

Sirius frowned.

"Bella?" Sirius said quietly. "Bellatrix?"

Andromeda had stood as soon as Lyra had made her mistake. She drew her wand and guarded Bellatrix and Lyra.

"What the hell Andy?" Sirius hissed, his wand too drawn.

"Bellatrix is reformed, Sirius." Andromeda said loudly. "I have offered her my protection."

"But she is answerable to the one Lord Black" Sirius retorted. "You're words are not binding. Step aside."

"You will attack a woman that has done you no harm? Who is with child?" Andromeda challenged him.

"She's a death eater" Sirius spat out.

"A former death eater." Andromeda corrected him. "I thought you of all people would underst-"

"HOW DARE YOU?!" Sirius roared. Lyra began crying.

"I was NEVER a death eater." Sirius said. "I never tortured people into insanity. I never murdered in cold blood. I never ever took the dark mark."

"We all make mistakes Sirius" Andromeda said coldly. "You impregnated your best friends wife on their honeymoon. I never once judged you."

"I- you- You can't compare a moment of- carelessness to- to willingly and consistently carrying out murder, torture…." Sirius muttered.

"I am only pointing out, Sirius, that we all have moments in the past that we regret. That does not show the best of who we are. Bellatrix happens to have many moments of regret and wishes to start a new life and leave her past behind."

"And you believe her?" Sirius snided. "How do you know she isn't waiting for Voldemort to regain strength and offer her child in his service?"

"I trust her." Andromeda said. "That's all you need to know."

"Sirius." Bellatrix stood up, holding her swollen stomach and gently pulling Andromeda aside. "I give you my word."

"Your allegiance is with the dark lord." Sirius said.

Bellatrix took off her amulet.

"Then I pledge my allegiance to you."

"What?" Andromeda said. "This is madness, you can't-"

But Bellatrix had already knelt before Sirius and summoned a stone basin from the kitchen.

"I, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, pledge allegiance to the Lord Sirius Black and the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black thereby cutting all ties to the dark lord. I give you my life, my property and my children in exchange for your protection. I bind myself to you in blood."

Bellatrix cut her wrist and the blood dripped into the basin.

"Sirius!" Andromeda cried.

But Sirius had knelt and slashed his wrist.

"I, Sirius Orion Black, accept your pledge and offer you the protection of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. I accept your life, property and children. I accept your binding, in blood."

"Andromeda" Bellatrix pleaded.

"No"

"I trust Sirius." Bellatrix said impatiently.

Andromeda looked into her eyes, then Sirius's unrelenting ones.

"I, Andromeda Black Tonks, do bear witness to the pledge of allegiance of one Bellatrix Black Lestrange to the Lord Sirius Orion Black and the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. By law, by blood, by magic. So have I sworn, so mote it be."

The blood in the bowl whirled in the magic emitting from all three wands and it rose in the Black Family Crest before fading all together.

"Wow" Lyra whispered from behind Andromeda's leg.

"Will you accept me?" Bellatrix said, now on her feet.

"You were mad enough to pledge a blood oath." Sirius said, unable to look her in the eye. "Have the ministry confiscated the Lestrange vault?"

Bellatrix nodded.

"Excellent. Half your gold will be placed in the vault of Neville Longbottom as reparations for your crime. The other half will be donated to the Janus Thickey ward in St. Mungos."

Bellatrix nodded.

"Are you planning to continue under the identity of Cedrella Black?" Sirius asked.

"Yes" Bellatrix said.

"Then I will draw up the papers for the recognition of your name and a vault for personal use."

"She's working at the school with me" Andromeda added.

Sirius nodded.

"I will contribute a personal allowance as tradition dictates for Black widows. I trust you will be divorcing Lestrange."

"I will." Bellatrix said.

"And you will be living here throughout the pregnancy?" Sirius asked.

"She will." Andromeda interrupted.

"The house isn't very large, no offence intended-" Sirius started.

"I understand. Once the baby is born I will see to buying our own house. Near here." Bellatrix said with a smile at Andromeda.

Sirius sat down, looking grimly into the distance.

"I need a drink."

"I think we all do." Ted said. He had been standing by the door in the entirety of the conversation and now summoned a bottle of firewhiskey.

They all silently sipped their whiskey, Bellatrix and Lyra had lemonade.

"Wait… the father can't be Lestrange." Sirius suddenly said in confusion. "Unless Azkaban started doing conjugal cells after I left…"

"Lestrange isn't the father." Bellatrix said nervously.

"The lowlife left you to raise the child alone?" Sirius frowned.

"He's- compromised." Andromeda said.

"Hmph." Sirius grunted.

Gienah returned to school the following week just as the exams had finished. She hadn't told anyone that she'd be coming back deciding to surprise them instead. She had spent the last week spending time with Lupin. Hearing about his burglaries and drunken nights with Dung. But not once did he mention Mary Jane. When she asked he said quietly, I will tell you but first I must find her. Gienah mourned that night knowing she was no longer the single object of her father's affections. She curled up with Sirius that evening and asked him what would happen to her if he fell in love. Would he love her more than her? Sirius looked at her, his silver eyes molten as he replied roughly "Never".

"Gienah?" Hermione saw her first. They were sat under their favorite tree by the lake. Hermione, Ron and Harry. Her three best friends.

Gienah smiled.

They spent the last few days retelling adventures from the last two weeks. Apparently Gienah wasn't the only one saving lives.

"And we had to take Buckbeak away just at the right moment." Ron was telling the story in vivid detail. He made the right sound effects and the right facial expressions as he described how they had rescued the hippogriff from the fate promised to him by Macnair's axe.

"You did WHAT?" Harry said when she told them about how she had sliced Carmichael's hand clean off his arm.

With Cedric there was less talking as they spent the final night in Hogwarts together.

"Goodbye Miss Black" A girl waved as her mother walked her out the school gates.

"Bye Eloise!" Bellatrix waved and returned to the school.

"Andromeda, these kids are running me off my feet." Bellatrix sighed, sinking into a beanchair.

"Hmm." Andromeda she said as she cleared the classroom.

"Something on your mind most dear sister of mine?" Bellatrix sang.

"The whole wide world, and all things in it, sits on her shoulders and… and…" Lyra frowned.

"He's been back for two weeks Bella." Andromeda finally said. "Sirius says he's been out most nights since Gienah's returned to Hogwarts and won't tell him where he's going. Sirius knows he's looking for Mary Jane."

"I know" Bellatrix said quietly. "What if he's changed his mind? Who in their right mind wants to have a baby with a fugitive?"

"Others would ask who in their right minds would want a baby with a werewolf." Andromeda shrugged.

Bellatrix didn't say anything.

"Gienah's coming home on Saturday." Andromeda said. "I've invited Remus and Sirius for dinner tonight."

"Dromeda!" Bellatrix stood up. "I need to get ready, I need to…"

Andromeda smiled as Bellatrix grabbed Lyra's hand and ushered her out of the classroom.

Bellatrix adjusted the flowers for the third time and twirled her hair nervously.

"You look beautiful." Andromeda said as she set out the wine glasses. "Go do something useful. Check on the vegetables."

Ten minutes later Ted answered the door.

"Good to see you back old chap" Ted hugged Lupin.

"Good to be back I'll tell you" Lupin laughed, clapping him on the back.

Lupin came through first and dropped the wine on the floor when he saw her.

Bellatrix wore a dark green dress with a low neckline and exposed shoulders. Her hair was piled messily on her head with a jewel encrusted comb holding it in place. Her eyes were more defined than usual. Merlin, she was beautiful. Lupin eyed her swollen stomach and his heart ached. Lupin ran to her and kissed her with raw unrelenting passion.

Sirius looked horrified.

"Yuk" Lyra said.

"Yuk indeed." Sirius said grimly, folding his arms. "Mary Jane?"

Bellatrix untangled herself from Lupin's embrace.

"Don't tell me you're the father of her child?" Sirius said weakly.

Lupin grinned and kissed her again, then knelt down and kissed her stomach.

"The world cup's this summer." Ron grinned as he put down the newspaper. "Dad might be able to get tickets. What d'you reckon Harry?"

"Definitely." Harry nodded. "Dad's brought his tickets already. Courtesy of Crouch."

"You never told me!" Ron frowned.

"I'm telling you now." Harry laughed.

"He's got a private box." Gienah said. "You can come if you want. I think there's three more seats in there."

Gienah was sitting on Cedric's lap in the crowded compartment.

"Hermione?" Harry said. "Fancy going to the world cup?"

"Ooh yes please!" Hermione said.

"You're coming aren't you?" Gienah twisted in Cedric's lap.

Cedric nodded, pressing his nose against hers.

"I'm going to miss you." Gienah whispered as the rest of the compartment talked about the upcoming world cup.

"Your dad's invited me to dinner." Cedric coughed.

"Which one?" Gienah widened her eyes.

"Sirius Black."

"How dare he ask you without informing me!" Gienah huffed.

"I'm sure we'll get along fine" Cedric soothed her. "If he approves I can visit you more often. And we'll continue with date night."

Gienah sighed and leaned back into the corner and played with his soft hair and eventually dozed off, drooling against Cedric's chest.

"Gienah" Cedric whispered.

She opened her eyes and blushed when she realized she'd drooled over his shirt.

"Oops" Gienah said.

"Time to get off" Cedric laughed.

The carriage was empty and she heard the commotion outside. Gienah bit her lip, her eyes flashing mischieviously.

"Not yet" she murmured.

Gienah brought Cedric's mouth against hers and kissed him lightly. Her teeth pulling at his lips. Her tongue flickering at his parting and her hands in his brown hair. Cedric stroked her side softly, the other hand wrapped around her back. Gienah pulled away and looked in his darkened eyes.

"I don't think I've ever told you how beautiful you are." Gienah whispered.

Cedric raised an eyebrow.

"Funny. I was thinking the exact same thing." Cedric kissed her lips lightly.

Gienah stood up as Cedric brought down their trunks and left the compartment. They walked out onto the muggle platform and looked around. Their families were waiting for them and it looked like they were the only ones. Sirius was looking moodily at Cedric, folding his arms. Lupin glared at him. Cedric's mother was looking impatient.

Cedric turned and kissed her on the forehead.

"See you next week" Cedric murmured.