The Aurors come the next morning, just like Granger said they would. Draco observes their arrival from behind a window. Potter is with them, but she is not.
They do not storm the house like they did last time. They come inside the hall and inform them that they will be taken to the Ministry for questioning. Narcissa replies that they can't all leave the house, that there is a child within their walls.
Shacklebolt doesn't know what to say at that. One of the Aurors, a slender woman, demands proof of this. Draco brings Delphini downstairs, hoping the hostility in the air won't spark her magic. Granger had owlled them at the crack of dawn, a spell on a parchment. He had used it on his cousin and it seemed to bind her powers just enough to keep her magic contained in her little body.
The big, wide eyes under heavy lids and the black, already unruly curls leave no room for guessing. All of them believe her to be Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter, and so they assume she is Rodolphus'. No further questions, the fact that none of her parents or ancestors had green eyes escapes them. Draco rests at ease then. He had considered transfiguring her eyes to match her supposed father, but feared she could break that spell and the one binding her magic if she decided to morph her features at some point. She does just that, mimicking Shacklebolt's skin colour at the sight of him. The audience remembers Tonks for a moment, and the memory of the fiery witch killed by this Metamorphmagus' mother erases all suspicion there could ever be.
Bella always had a way of swopping all the attention in a room. Narcissa remembers the many times she did just that. Who would think of Mad Witch Lestrange husband when Delphini was before them? No one, her sister keeps her smirk to herself. And no one does.
The same Auror asks if the girl has been registered. They answer that the papers are all there, everything's in order, but that they were never filed as Bellatrix and Rodolphus feared someone may try to use the child as leverage. They believe that too. Fools! Like his sister-in-law wouldn't sacrifice her child for her Master's superior interests. But only her child, never His. Lucius is all too aware that these people do not see past Mad Witch Lestrange. And so he brings forth the papers. Her birth certificate, filled by Rodolphus own hand, stating her full name.
Delphini Celaeno Black Lestrange, born on the 28th of July, 1997.
The Aurors raise eyebrows at that. "Two surnames?" a man inquires. Narcissa simply informs him that Bellatrix was too proud to let her family name die. That gets them thinking about Sirius, the last male of the House of Black, another victim of hers, dead without an heir. And so they drop that issue too.
Under her parents' names, the Malfoys are designated her legal guardians. At the very bottom, both their signatures as witnesses and the Lestrange seal attest the veracity of the certificate. No other possibility ever crosses their minds. How could it? It never crossed the minds of those outside the Inner-Circle.
There is uproar when they discuss whether the Malfoys should be allowed to raise this child. "A Death Eater child, raised by Death Eaters? Are we trying to groom a Dark Lady this time around, Shacklebolt?" is an Auror's quick answer. Potter does as he said. He stands for it. After half an hour of going nowhere, during which, fortunately, Delphini entertains herself by mimicking the look of everyone in the room, the acting Minister determines Mrs. Malfoy will be questioned at the house, immediately, so that she can stay and care for the child. The men will be taken to the Ministry as soon as they determine who should stay behind, guarding the house, questioning Narcissa and keeping an eye on the baby. Potter volunteers to stay with Delphini, and everyone abides by his will. Four more will stay, one guarding the house, two searching it for Dark artefacts and one more for the interrogatory. As soon as the decision is made, Aurors move towards the Malfoy men. Draco places his cousin in Harry's arms, and walks, head held high, alongside his father, to the Apparating point.
Narcissa makes sure Delphini is settled in a living room, surrounded by toys, her pearl white blanket on a chair nearby in case she falls asleep. She orders Wabby to check regularly and to bring the baby's meals to this room and not the nursery. Then she follows the remaining Auror into an adjacent room and answers all his questions for hours.
When she returns to Delphini, she is sleeping peacefully on the floor, head over a stuffed animal, beneath her blanket. Potter looks up to her from the armchair and apologizes, but she flashed her hair and her eyes some twenty different colours when he tried to put her to sleep on the sofa. The Auror leaves to help wrap up the searching and she asks about Hermione.
"With Ron and his family… They lost Fred, yesterday." He leaves it at that. She nods. They all lost someone. She thanks him for his care, looking into his eyes and silently thanking him for much more. "You saved my life in the Forest. Draco saved my life after that, when he tossed his wand at me. You shouldn't be thanking me."
When they are all gone, she lays on the floor, next to Delphie. She levitates a pillow towards her and conjures up a blanket to cover herself. They have succeeded. She is a Lestrange to the world now. She watches the child sleep for a long time before she too succumbs to exhaustion.
Author's Notes: Do not freak out about Delphini's date of birth. I am well aware that the Battle Over Little Whinging took place on the 27th and that Bellatrix no way fought while nine months pregnant. This is an AU, Bella simply wasn't there in this verse. I'll explain myself later.
I am truly surprised, and very very grateful, by the hits this story is getting. I would like to thank all of you reading it, particularly those leaving feedback.