I have finally remembered to update. Sorry it's a couple days late. I do have the remaining chapters mostly finished, so they should all be coming out soon. Thank you all if you've stuck around even this long xD It's been quite a journey.
Trixie Black Lestrange
PS: Currently working on another story idea with my co-author. It'll be going up on our shared account eventually. OBSESSED.
Andromeda had waited up all night for her family and, when the sun had risen and they were not home, she reconciled herself to the idea that they were never coming home.
Around seven thirty in the morning, the chimes rang, and Andromeda rushed to see who it was. The moment she opened the door, she knew something was very wrong. Tempest Black stood at her door, both her children at her side.
"Regulus never came home," Tempest said quietly. "Do you know what's going on?"
"Dora, Laverne, and Rab never came home either," Andromeda murmured. "Come in, Tessa." She ushered them into the house, seeing that Janner looked terrified, and Astrid was scared but holding up well. "There was a battle...Laverne sent me a message to tell me that they were going to be attacking Hogwarts itself...apparently Potter was there."
"But there's been no word?" Tessa asked in disbelief. "You know...Reg sent Kreacher to Hogwarts...I bet he knows what's going on." She called for the elf, but Kreacher did not appear, and she frowned. "He's never ignored me before," she said. "I wonder if something happened to him."
"Maybe he's doing something for Dad," the young Black heir said quietly.
"Oh, perhaps," Andromeda nodded, knowing the elf was fiercely loyal to her cousin.
Both children stayed right next to their mother for the better part of an hour until someone else apparated straight through the wards into the Manor, and Andromeda jumped to her feet, but before she could leave the room, Regulus appeared in the doorway, his wand in his hand.
"Dad!" both his children yelled at the same time, jumping up from the couch and running to throw their arms around him.
"Where were you?" Astrid demanded of him as Janner cried, "I thought you were gone!"
"I'm here," Regulus said softly, hugging his children but looking up at his wife, whose eyes were filled with tears, and Andromeda, who was watching him in trepidation. "Dromeda—"
Someone pushed Regulus out of the doorway and ran into the room, throwing herself at Andromeda. "Mum!"
"Arielle?" Andromeda gasped, staggering backward with a small cry of pain. She wrapped her arms around her youngest child and squeezed her tightly. "I'm so glad to see you again—"
"Mum," Arielle sobbed, and her grip tightened on her mother. "Laverne's hurt, and they took Dora, and—I'm so sorry!"
The entire House of Black turned to look at Andromeda and Arielle, and Andromeda looked at Regulus. "What happened?" she asked quietly over her daughter's heartbroken sobs.
Regulus sighed. "The Dark Lord is gone," he answered. "But the battle was awful. Many are dead, many are wounded—they're still trying to bring some kind of order to the Ministry, because most of the Imperios have fallen."
"Where is the rest of my family?" Andromeda asked in a dangerously even tone, so that Astrid leaned closer to her father and frowned at the woman.
"Nymphadora was arrested at the end of the battle," Regulus murmured. "Laverne was severely injured, and I just got permission to move him—Kreacher will bring him here when I give the word. He's been taking care of the boy."
"And Rabastan?" whispered Andromeda.
Regulus' brow furrowed as he didn't know exactly what to say, or how she would react. "He's gone." Arielle had spoken, looking up at her mother with tears running down her face. "Dora got him, and by Merlin, he deserved it." And the girl buried her face in her mother's dress again.
Andromeda's lips parted slightly in shock. "Dora killed him?" Regulus nodded.
"Also, Arielle tried to fight Bellatrix," Regulus added. "She's gone, too."
"Surely—" Tessa began in shock, but Regulus was already shaking his head. "No, I didn't mean that. Look: it's a really long story. We need to get Laverne home here so that he can have the help he needs. I'm not sure how long Kreacher can manage the curses on the boy."
"Yes, yes, of course," Andromeda murmured, dazed as she tried to think of what to do.
"We'll put him in his room, right?" Arielle asked her mother, taking the witch's hand.
"No, Lauren's there," Andromeda said. "He's got to be in a guest room for now—come quickly, Regulus." She led the way out of the sitting room to the spare room closest to where Lauren was resting. "Here," she told Regulus.
"Kreacher," Regulus said intently.
With a crack! of apparition, Kreacher appeared with Laverne, the boy placed onto the bed immediately. "Thank you, Kreacher," Regulus said, and the elf was gone.
Andromeda stared at her son as Regulus began to place wards around the boy to help him. "What can I do to help?" she asked.
"You have a Potions kit?" Regulus asked. "Let's see it."
Andromeda immediately summoned it, realising that Arielle had stayed outside the room with Tessa and her children. "Shall I call the Healer, Reg?" she murmured.
"No," Regulus answered. "I doubt she would know about this kind of curse and magic. They're layered, because he was cursed before the battle."
"Who did this?" Andromeda breathed, seeing Laverne's pale face and the blood on his robes—there was hardly a sign of life in the young man.
"Selwyn," Regulus muttered. "He's had something against Laverne ever since the last escape...but he's dead, and I'm fairly certain that Arielle killed him."
"Really?" she breathed, and Regulus nodded.
"Anymore questions while I'm trying to do this?" he asked her lightly.
"Just one," she said, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "Rabastan is dead?"
Regulus sighed. "Yes, and Rodolphus was arrested."
"Oh." Andromeda frowned, then murmured, "Thank you for your help...are you not to be arrested as well—again?"
"I have to go to the Ministry for questioning sometime this week, or next," the man replied. "But I hope not."
Andromeda excused herself from the room.
The next day, when Andromeda was caring for Teddy, she felt her Waking Charm for Lauren go off. Holding Teddy carefully, she ventured to her daughter-in-law's room.
"Mum," Lauren breathed the moment she saw her husband's mother. "It—it hurts."
"Yes, dear," Andromeda murmured, going over to the girl and checking on her condition. She sensed the girl's panic and said, "You placed excellent wards, Lauren: they worked perfectly."
Lauren's hand went to her stomach. "It's okay?" she breathed. Her mother-in-law nodded, and tears of relief ran down the girl's face. "I haven't told him yet," she whispered.
Andromeda wasn't sure how to explain that she'd spoiled the secret, and replied, "I told him...he needed the encouragement."
"Oh." Lauren looked crestfallen. "Well, where is he?"
"He's here, in another room," Andromeda said softly. "He was summoned with his father and Dora that same night, and there was a terrible battle. Laverne is severely injured, but we're hoping he'll recover."
Lauren tried to sit up, gasping in pain as she moved to get out of bed. Andromeda put herself in the way. "You are in no condition to be making sickbed visits," Andromeda said sternly.
"He is my husband and I will go to him," Lauren screamed at the older witch.
Andromeda raised an eyebrow as Teddy cried out, upset. "Then you will take your potions first," she said. "You have to think of yourself and the baby."
"Is that all you care about?" Lauren asked, her eyes burning into Andromeda's.
"Laverne would want you to be well taken care of," Andromeda said quietly after a moment of trying to recall if she'd given Meira that much trouble. "He asked that I help you rather than him after the Dark Lord tortured us. Right now, there isn't anything we can do for him; Regulus is going to be checking on him every day because the intricately layered curses are more than I understand."
"I want to see him," Lauren whispered. "Can I not sit with him?"
"Potions first," Andromeda said quietly, and magically poured the vials for the girl. She gently bounced Teddy in her arms as she observed Lauren taking the potions. "You see, dear," Andromeda said softly, "I am responsible for the rest of the House of Lestrange just as my mother-in-law was in her time. I am not merely trying to be difficult."
Lauren set down the last vial and gave Andromeda a weak smile. "I want to be there for my husband—my family, even if they don't know it."
Andromeda nodded and stepped back from the bed, making sure Lauren was able to stand and walk before leading the way from the room. "Arielle's home," she told Lauren. "Dora's been arrested, and the Dark Lord has been defeated."
Lauren stopped in her tracks. "Really?" she breathed. "Poor Dora...how unfortunate."
"She killed Rabastan," Andromeda said, glancing at Teddy when he giggled. "And Arielle assisted her."
"What?" Lauren gasped, but Andromeda had already walked on. "Wait—your husband—"
"—is dead by my daughter's hand," agreed the older woman. "Bellatrix is gone, too. I only hope that Laverne will survive, and not be arrested as well."
Lauren had nothing to say to this, and followed Andromeda into the room where her husband lay. The girl's mouth opened, but she made no sound as she went to her husband, taking a seat beside him.
"Are you going to stay with him, then?" Andromeda asked, and when the girl nodded, she gave her a few instructions and left her to it.
Nymphadora sat on a cot, all alone in her holding cell, waiting for them to take her to her permanent residence in Azkaban. It had been a couple days that she'd been locked up at the Ministry, waiting for something to happen. All she could really do was sleep and worry.
What worried her more than anything was that when they came to take her away finally, Lupin was with them, and instead of carting her off to Azkaban, they took her to an empty office.
"Miss Lestrange—"
"I'm not a Lestrange," the Metamorphagus said sharply. "I'm just Nymphadora."
"Tonks, I believe your father's name was," Lupin agreed, and she scowled at him. "Dora, since you saved my life, I have asked for your freedom in exchange for you and Teddy to come home with me. You will be released on that condition only."
Dora raised an eyebrow. "Surely you cannot expect me to take up a living situation with someone I don't know."
Remus smiled. "That never kept you from much before, did it?" he asked. "Besides...I want to see my son."
Dora frowned at him for a moment, then shrugged. "Come see him. I'll have to gather my things and say goodbye to my family. You might as well come along."
They all got to their feet, and Remus told her, "We'll take your chains off once we've arrived."
"Aw, you don't trust me?" pouted Dora. "Fine then."
When they had gone down to the apparition point, Dora held out her hand, apparating the four of them straight into Lestrange Manor. There were two immediate screams of surprise, and she looked over to see Athena and Lauren staring at her, Remus, and the two Aurors.
"Dora!" Athena breathed, her hand over her heart for a second before she took her son back from Lauren. "What are you doing here?"
"Moving," Dora sighed dramatically. "Where's Mum?"
"With Laverne, and Regulus," answered Lauren. "Laverne's starting to stir slightly once in a while, but he hasn't awakened yet."
"Oh." Dora paused, thinking of her brother. "And is Arielle still here?"
The girls nodded, all of them turning as they heard footsteps from down the hall. The moment Arielle saw her oldest sister, she ran to her, hugging her in spite of the chains. "Are you staying?" Arielle asked immediately.
Dora smirked slightly. "No, I believe I'm being kidnapped, much like Mum was," she said. "I'm here to collect my things and announce that I'm leaving."
"Wait—" Arielle looked scandalised, then turned to Remus in outrage. "You can't make her go with you. She's not yours! She's my sister."
"Well, if she isn't properly disowned, or if you'd want to anyway, you could visit each other," Remus told the girl. "Don't worry."
"You can't take her," Arielle said angrily.
"Arielle, what's wrong?" Andromeda asked, walking into the room and seeing the girl's hair morph. "Dora!" She then realised that the Aurors and the werewolf was there, and drew herself up to speak to them, but Dora spoke first.
"Mother," said Nymphadora. "I'm being sent to live with my victim. I've come to gather my things, and will probably be back for Teddy in a few weeks."
Remus turned to say something to her, but Nymphadora glared at him. "Whatever home you have is certain to not be safe for a child, and I will not bring my son into such a place until I know that he will be safe. I didn't face the Dark Lord and do all that shit to simply lose my son to your carelessness."
He didn't answer, though he asked, "May I see the child?"
Dora held out her arms. "Take these chains off, and we'll go to him."
The Aurors seemed uncomfortable, but they obeyed, and Dora pointed them to the door. "I know my way around, thanks," Dora said sweetly. "Don't you have other people to harrass?" She motioned Remus to follow her and walked off, her mother close behind her.
Dora opened the door to her son's room, going to the crib and lifting the child into her arms. "Shh, baby," she hushed when Teddy stirred slightly. "Mum's here." She glanced at her own mother. "Is he still on the same schedule?" she asked.
"He's not really got one at the moment," Andromeda replied. "A lot has been happening recently."
"He's beautiful," murmured Remus, watching his son sleeping in Dora's arms.
"He has your name," Dora said nonchalantly and continued after a moment, "Teddy Remus Lupin."
Andromeda was horrified. "Dora, what if people had found out?"
Dora shrugged. "Legally, he's a Lestrange, but neither one of us would pass the blood test." She lay Teddy back down and said, "Well, let's go get my things."
"Did you want to see Laverne before you leave?" Andromeda asked her.
"No," Dora began, then sighed. "I guess I should. Okay."
Andromeda led them to her son's room, but gave Remus a look and told him to wait outside, taking Dora into the room. Nymphadora was shocked to see her brother lying in bed, seeming weak and half-asleep but with his hand holding firmly to his wife's hand.
Lauren looked up at them and said nothing, but the moment Laverne's eyes focused on Dora, he stirred and seemed to want to speak. "Don't sit up," Andromeda said quickly. "It's okay, Laverne."
"Dora," he breathed. "You're...free?"
"No," Dora whispered. "I—I've come to retrieve my things. I'm to take Teddy and go stay with his father, or they'll send me to Azkaban."
Laverne frowned for a second, then simply said, "Sorry."
Dora walked forward and knelt at her brother's bedside, lay her head against his side. "I have to do it if I want to be free," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. "I wouldn't, I swear."
A few moments passed, and she felt his hand rest on her head. "Visit," he whispered back. "Sister."
Dora's eyes filled with tears. "I love you," she said. "Thank you, Laverne."
He clumsily patted her shoulder before his hand fell to the bed. "Love you," he said. "Be careful."
"I will," she promised, looking up at him. "Get well, please, Laverne. I'm sorry you got tangled up in all this—it might have happened anyway, but I still feel like it's my fault."
He gave her a weak smile, and she reached out, clasping his hand. "I'll come back when I can," she said, then turned and left the room.
She walked straight past Remus Lupin, snapping, "Come along" and marched to her room, summoning a bag and beginning to pack all her things. The very thought of never again living in her family home saddened her more than anything, and she couldn't help being angry when she thought about being known as the captive of some stupid werewolf.
When everything was packed, she turned toward the door and stopped when she saw Arielle standing in the doorway, watching her. "You're going with him?" the girl asked quietly.
Dora's shoulders drooped. "I have to, if I want to take care of Teddy," she whispered.
Arielle stepped closer to her sister, looking up at the older witch and saying, "Mum sidetracked him so we have a few moments." She glanced around the room and sighed, "I don't want you to go, but I understand. I'll miss you."
"I don't even know if I'll be allowed to visit," Dora sniffed. "I don't know what's going to happen."
"I'll come see you, then," Arielle promised. "He's not keeping us apart, Dora."
Dora nodded, sitting down on her bed. "This was always my home," she whispered. "But I don't belong here."
Arielle gripped her sister's hand firmly and answered, "Yes, you do. We'll always welcome you back, no matter what. Dark Lord, or no Dark Lord—it doesn't matter. You're our sister."
"I don't want to go," Dora cried out, her heart aching as she doubled over and wrapped her arms around herself. "I don't want to go with him!"
The fifteen-year-old girl patted her sister on the back. "I know," she said quietly. "We're going to try to get you back, but we'll have to see. In the meantime, don't attack him or anything."
"I hate him," Dora whispered in agony. "I'm so stupid—I should never have done what I did—but there's no help for it, is there?"
"If he tries to hurt you," Arielle began, her eyes lighting up in anger, and Nymphadora shook her head.
"No one would care," she said. "I did it to him first. Besides...it's like I'm supposed to belong to him."
Arielle looked outraged. "You are not his! You shouldn't be required to stay with him—you don't even care about each other!"
Dora shook her head, almost sick to her stomach. "It can't be helped," she whispered. "It's like I'm his battle prize."
"We don't need any more prisoners of love," Arielle snapped.
"I know, but I can't stop it!" Dora cried softly. "No one can." She dashed away her tears, trying to keep control of herself. "I have to go and do it for Teddy's sake, to hopefully give him a chance to grow up with a family of his own—I don't want him to be fatherless like I am, even if it hurts me terribly."
Arielle looked at her sister for a second, then nodded. "Did you really suffer, not having a dad?" she asked tentatively.
Dora closed her eyes and nodded, still hunched over as she sat on her bed. "I am the daughter of someone I don't know, because Rabastan murdered him in cold blood. I'm a half-blood daughter of some sweet Hufflepuff Mudblood that Mother swears up and down she loved and left her family for. Do you know how much I wish I could have met him even just once?"
"He probably would have been really kind, if Mum wanted to be with him," Arielle admitted. "That's why she likes Regulus."
Nymphadora raised her head, giving Arielle a bit of a smirk, and the girl rolled her eyes. "That's not what I meant," she said. "Why don't you ask Mum about your father?"
"She doesn't remember," Dora muttered. "She doesn't really remember anything except when he died right in front of her face. I still wonder why she wasn't any more traumatised by that experience."
"She did it for you," Arielle said. "Rab offered to protect you, and so Mum tried to please him. It's almost the same thing for Teddy. You'll do what you have to to take care of your child."
"It's too late for anything else," Dora whispered. "Merlin help me—I don't want to do this."
"Mum knows," Arielle said, catching hold of her sister's hands. "That's why she having a talk with him right now."
"Nothing's going to change," Dora said hopelessly, looking up at her sister.
Arielle squeezed her hands. "But I hope he'll be more understanding," she answered. "Look: let me and Mum know if you need anything, okay? I'll be visiting you after a couple weeks if I don't see you soon."
Dora agreed and got to her feet, wiping away her tears and morphing away the redness and swelling in her face. "Thanks," she said. "You're the best."
Arielle hugged her sister fiercely. "He's nothing you can't handle, Dora," she said. "You've got this."
Nymphadora looked down, recognising her wand, and smiled weakly at her younger sister. "Thanks," Dora sniffed, dashing away a couple more tears before leaving her room and making her way down the hall.