Life's been a bit hectic, there will be mistakes in this fic as its only had a really basic read through/edit. I'm one chapter/epilogue from complete.,


The first thing that they noticed when they appeared on the other side of the world was the heat. And as it was coming into the autumn/winter period so it was humid heat. Andromeda actually made a sound of disgust as they stepped out of the magically concealed entry point for the portkey they had just used. Hermione put the duck in her bag and looked around. It looked like they weren't too far from a town. With any luck they would be able to get around a bit with ease. Of course finding people wasn't always amazingly easy even in places like this.

"Now what? Where are we exactly?" Bellatrix asks, looking around.

"We are in New South Wales somewhere. I don't know where but I'd guess not too far from Sydney. Maybe we can get a taxi into the CBD and go from there." Hermione had one goal and that was to find a phone book.

All Hermione knew about her parents now was that they went by the name Monica and Wendel Wilkins and that they had moved to Sydney. She had no idea where in Sydney, or what they were doing with themselves these days. Did they have a cat? Who knows. All Hermione knows is that they are here somewhere and she had to find them.

Bellatrix slipped her hand into Hermione's who squeezed gently and offered her a smile before they followed Andy who had headed towards the town. Andromeda hadn't really acknowledged them too much but she was there and for the right reasons it seems. Though clearly she was quite put out at being in such close proximity to her sister.

Needless to say though their adventures were only just starting. Bellatrix ended up struggling to understand the Australian accent even though Andromeda informed her that they were speaking plain English. Hermione had been entirely amused but the guy in the news agency where they had bought something to drink had not been nearly as fond of Bella when she walked in as he was when she walked out.

They made a call for a taxi and Hermione even found a phone book in the Telstra booth they had called from which she magically copied and then went to sit on the bench nearby with the sisters who sat as far apart as possible. Hermione opened the phone book to the white pages and started looking through Wilkins, she highly doubted this would be the area they were in though, she would need a different one for different municipalities.

Still there was tension between the sisters the whole way into the city of Sydney itself and Hermione pointedly ignored it. Instead she asked asked driver more questions than he likely appreciated but she'd gotten plenty of information. She learned she'd be able to get phone books from post offices and so that was the first place she had him stop. They'd gotten into Liverpool before they'd actually stopped though. Bella and Hermione had gone for the phone books while Andromeda stayed with the taxi.

They'd gotten a few phone books for the surrounding areas and gotten information on where a decent hotel was. That was their next stop, a hotel. They needed a room or two while they searched. Which had ended up being an easy enough step though mildly problematic in so much as the hotel they had found only had one room with two beds in it. The sisters wanted separate rooms for different reasons and Hermione had just let them argue it out behind her as she had booked the room.

"Still no luck?" Bellatrix asks as she closed the door on room service the following morning.

"No but I've only been through the two books so far." Hermione was sitting on the bed she had shared with Bella the night before. Andromeda was in the bathroom taking a shower.

"Can I distract you with food?" Bellatrix smiles rather charmingly and Hermione couldn't help a chuckle as she got off the bed and sauntered over to her partner.

"Maybe if you try with a kiss first?" Hermione purred moving her hands to Bella's arms and gliding them up over her shoulders to cup either side of the witches neck.

Hermione stepped fully into Bellatrix's space when hands settled at her hips and she was drawn in, that charming smile melding with her own soft smirk for the first time that day. Well second if the chaste good morning she'd gotten counted. This was much better though, definitely one of Hermiones favourite things to do with her mouth these days. Not number 1 though, though that would likely be a little while before it occurred again given the sleeping arrangements of this place. Those sleeping arrangements chose that moment to come out of the bathroom.

"Merlin's balls. Do you mind?" Andromeda scowls at the pair.

Hermione leaned back and smiled patiently at Bellatrix, her hands now travelling the same path back down that they'd taken up, stopping just before Bella's elbows. Bellatrix on the other hand scowled immediately and half turned to face her sister.

"Do you mind? You've been quiet since we got here and when you have spoken you've been short and snarky with both of us and frankly if i want to kiss my partner im going to blood kiss her." Bellatrix half snarled the words.

"Maybe you could just try and be considerate to the fact i don't need to see you two all over each other." Andromeda shoots back just as irately.

"We weren't all over each other we were sharing a kiss for circe's sake." Bellatrix was getting extremely frustrated.

"Which i don't want to see!" Andromeda shouts.

"Why? Are you some fucking phobe now?" Bellatrix was getting well pissed off.

"Wouldn't that be vindicating if i was. After all you hated me for my choice in partner." Andromedas laugh was cold.

"That's enough." Hermione offered calmly only to be ignored.

"You'd likely do that shit on purpose just to think you were getting back at me wouldn't you. Grow up Andy." Bellatrix hated how she had treated Andromeda and it made her mad that she had no real excuse.

"Me grow up? Look at you flitting around with Hermione of all people, you're probably just using her status to keep yourself out of prison." Andromeda fired back the situation was escalating. Hermione moved back and sat on the end of her and Bella's bed.

"I'd sooner kill myself than go back there but i sure as hell wouldn't use Hermione to save myself from that. Don't be such a cow." Andromeda laughed at this which just pissed Bellarix off more.

"Me don't be a cow? You're an idiot Bella. You think a few good deeds can outweigh the things you did in the past. That you can pull a line about soulmates and everything should just be forgiven because your other half is so deeply entrenched in the light side? You're a joke, and a coward." To think a simple kiss had set this off.

"I am a coward! That's been the problem from the start! You think if i wasn't that i would have let dad kick you out? You think if i wasn't i would have married Rod? Do you think for a minute that if i was any kind of brave id have still followed that absolute fucking maniac? I am a coward! I regret everything." Bellatrix ended softer now and slumped a little. Andromeda stared at her sister but the anger had left just like that.

"I regret everything. The only thing i don't regret is Hermione, please don't shame me for that." Bellatrix sounded so small and defeated it made Hermione's heart clench.

"Bella i… I'm so-"

"Please don't say sorry to me." Bellatrix shook her head and slumped down sitting on the edge of Andromedas bed, her tone was rather broken.

"But…" Andromeda didn't know what to say, she was upset yes but she hadn't even seen Bellatrix like this and it was easier to play ignorant when Bellatrix didn't look like she was near tears.

"I'm going for a shower, sweetheart." Hemione spoke gently, she really felt that these two needed to talk. She grabbed her bag and moved past Bella, kissing her on the head on the way and into the bathroom closing the door.

"I didn't mean to chase her off." Andromeda looked apologetic.

"I think she is just giving us space. Andy i don't know how to make any of it right. I know you don't like me and that's ok but please. For once I'm actually being brave, please don't try and make me feel bad for that." Bellatrix shifted on the bed and drew one knee up to her chest wrapping her arms around her leg. Andromeda took a moment before responding herself.

"The problem isn't that i don't like you. Its that i do. We used to be so close, the three of us but especially me and you. I remember the fun we had as children, the havoc we caused as teenagers. I didn't give into Ted until you got married you know." Andromeda speaks softly finally going over to sit beside Bellatrix who gave her a curious look.

"I knew that i was going the same way, with Rabastan no less. But i saw how that little spark went away when you married him. You were more of a shell of yourself, quieter and less inclined to laugh as you used to be and when you did laugh it was cold and sarcastic. I didn't want to become like that and marrying someone i didn't love… I thought you were the brave one." Andromeda spoke softly.

"What about me being too afraid to stand up to dad and his stupid ideals was brave? I literally rolled over and took it because i was afraid of what would happen if i didn't. What would happen to me? What would happen to you and Cissy?" Bellatrix half shrugged but she actually teared up as she spoke.

"Don't you get it? That's why i thought you were so brave." Andromeda shakes her head.

"You were afraid of what you had to do and you were afraid of what would happen if you didn't. You did it anyways, with everyone but yourself in mind. I thought you were great, but i didn't want to be like you. I didn't want to be sad. I ended up sad anyways." Andromeda sighs.

"I'm sorry for Ted. A group of snatchers found him and a few others. They… only reported the deaths not the capture or i would have stepped in and tried to get him out." Bellatrix spoke so earnestly that Andromeda had no choice but to believe her and suddenly she had tears in her eyes.

"I believe you. I just miss him so much." Andromeda choked out a sob.

Bellatrix sniffled, broken hearted for her sister she moved forward and for the first time in a really long time she pulled her sister and best friend in close to her. Holding Andromeda as she sobbed and mourned her husband and the relationship she had lost with her sister so long ago. Bellatrix was her best friend once and she missed her almost as much as she missed her sister.

"You always stuck with Cissy." Andromeda acknowledges softly.

"She didn't need me after she married Lucy, but i was always worried about her after Jeanette passed. They were soulmates, I'm sure of it. Even Lucy thinks so." Bellatrix explained gently.

"That must have been hard for her, i remember how sad she would get when things were quiet. Lucius really was her rock but… you were like the lion crouch behind it ready to tear anyone's throat out if need be. I was jealous of that for the longest time." Andromeda admits softly, the sisters were now leaning into each other at the shoulder.

"You were better off without us. Tell me you weren't happier." Bellatrix smiles gently.

"At times. Ted really was amazing, he was so caring and thoughtful and absolutely wonderful and his family loved me. But i missed my family. You were my best friend." Andy shakes her head.

"Leaving felt like my head had been cut off at times."

"I'm so sorry." Bellatrix murmurs softly wiping Andromedas cheeks and pressing a kiss to her sisters forehead.

"Me too Bella. Can we get past this?" Andromeda sniffles softly.

"I really want us too. I want you to be part of the family again. I want you to get to know Hermione and i want you to see how Lucy really is just a simpering fool for Narcissa. I want you to see how much our little sister is borderline obsessed with my witch and how well they get along. Better than that i would love for you to witness the absolute absurdity of Hermione and Lucius' friendship and I'm sure Draco would love to get to know you and his cousins. He always thought Nymphadora sounded like the coolest person." Bellatrix practically rambles and Andromeda couldn't help but smile.

"How does he even know what he does about Dora?" Andromeda asks curiously.

"Andy… you really think i didn't keep tabs on you? If anything had happened to you, i would have come for you. I was just a few rocks out of your sight but you were always in mine." Bellatrix spoke gently and Andromeda sniffled again before the two were embracing again. This was healing for both of them.

Hermione had found the sisters much easier to be around after their talk while she had been in the shower. In fact it was considerably easier as she was then able to kiss her witch when she pleased without getting huffed at by Andromeda. They had been there for three days now and gathered more phonebooks, they'd sort or sight seen while also looking out for the Grangers or Rabastan but so far there had been nothing. Hermione had moved from the white pages to the yellow pages and was looking through businesses. That was how she found them.

"Belle look." Hermione spoke up interrupting the sisters who had been talking about some experimental potion. Bellatrix leaned over to see what Hermione was pointing at.

Wilkins Confections. Bankstown.

"Bella that's 20 minutes from here." Hermione had nothing but hope on her face.

"Call the number and see if its them." Bellatrix grabbed the phone that rested on the table between the two beds.

Hermione nodded and shifted on the bed she picked up the phone and dialled the number in the book. She held her breath as it started to ring and didn't release it until a familiar female voice answered. Hermione froze up completely and barely managed to thrust the phone at Andromeda who had moved closer before she burst into tears.

"Hello?" A friendly yet confused voice on the other end of the line called.

"Uh, sorry. Dropped the phone. Hello i was just wondering about your opening hours?" Andromeda attempted to act like this hadn't been sprung on her.

"Oh, of course. We are open 8am to 8pm week days, 8:30am til 8pm on Saturdays and 9m til 8pm on Sundays." The woman, 'Monica', explained in her friendly tone.

"Thank you! We are hoping to visit so we will likely see you soon. Heard great things." Andromeda offered in her own friendly tone.

"Thanks for calling." Monica offered kindly before the call was ended.

Bellatrix was trying to get Hermione to calm down but it seemed like too much was going on there. In fact Hermione was indeed completely beside herself, emotionally. She had accepted that she had done what she had done and had hoped that it would save them. She hadn't anticipated that they may still be at threat. She hadn't anticipated that she could be so close to having them back in her life yet so impossibly far as well. She was hyperventilating right up until Andromeda moved and then Hermione was asleep.

"Andy." Bellatrix looked worried.

"She will be fine, but she needed to calm down. She also needs the sleep, she hasn't been getting much even cuddled up with you." Bellatrix had to agree with that.

"Let her sleep a while. We can go find them when she wakes up and find out where they live." Andromeda smiled gently with the suggestion and Bella nodded.

"You should sleep as well. Lets not pretend you've been getting much more than Hermione. You two are too in tune with one another." Bellatrix shifted Hermione to lay her comfortably on the bed and then cuddled up gathering the slightly smaller witch in her arms.

"What will you do?" Bellatrix asked as Andromeda got into Hermione bag and found the money purse with the muggle money in it.

"I'm going to find some food that isn't hotel food." Andromeda grins lightly and Bellatrix chuckled.

When Hermione had finally woken up shed been both pleased that Andy had put her to sleep and annoyed as well. Though the annoyance had dissipated when they had explained the plan and it made sense and the food Andy had found them helped as well. She had never had a chicken Parmigiana before then but they were pretty amazing for how simple they were.

After they had eaten they freshened up and called a cab to take them to Bankstown, the drive had been borderline excruciating for Hermione but Bellatrix had held her hand the entire time. Andromeda had explained that they would try to restore the Wilkins to the Grangers using Bella skill with Legillimens and the strongest memory restorative potion Andromeda had been able to find on short notice.

When they finally arrived in Bankstown they got out of the cab two streets down from the shop to give Hermione time to gather herself and walked the rest of the way. It was a busy enough little street with food places and merchandise stores. They had picked a good street it seemed, or that was what Hermione had decided. When they finally got to the little shop Hermione drew in a breath as she took in the outside.

For the most part the buildings along this street seemed rather older of style, most of the stores here seemed to be two or three stories high and from what Bellatrix could figure it seemed a lot of them were only first level stores. She suspected that some where lived in flats above but imagined that mostly they might be used to store stock as was sometimes typical in the UK.

Finally Hermione walked in pulling the sisters with her, she paused just inside the door and looked around at the amount of different confections there were their, they even had freezers for ice-creams. This was so far from what Hermione had actually expected from her dentist parents that it was throwing her for a loop. Right up until 'Wendel' walked towards them with a friendly smile and absolutely no recognition on his face as he looked at Hermione.

"Hello! Are you looking for anything in particular today?" He asked politely and Hermione just stared.

"Don't mind her. She hasn't had much sleep lately, hence why we are here. Looking for some chocolate. Maybe the good Belgian or Swiss kind?" Bellatrix asked smiling pleasantly.

"Of course, just over this way we have a selection of local and international chocolates." Wendell smiled leading them over to the wall of chocolates to the left.

Once they were over there Wendel left them to browse as he went to check the shelves around the store to see what needed stocking and what didn't. Hermione had squeezed her eyes shut and managed a few deep breaths while the sisters crowded in a little on either side of her just in case anyone should witness Hermione staving off a panic attack. Or tears even.

"This is so hard. Seeing them and their not knowing who i am. When i obliviated them they were looking away from me and i just walked out without a second look. I didn't have to see them look at me like i'm a stranger." Hermione's hands were shaking.

"It'll be ok. We will make sure they are safe and… and we will try and get them back ok?" Bellatrix wrapped an arm around Hermione and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Its already nearly seven. Lets buy some of these and go to that little café two stores down where we can watch the place without being obvious." Andromeda spoke gently and gathered three different sorts of chocolate before going to the register, she still had the money anyway it seemed.

Hermione and Bellatrix moved back out of the store then, Hermione had tangled her fingers with Bellatrix'. They had gotten some looks since being there due to their obvious relationship, Hermione had just about no shame and would often steal a light kiss here and there regardless of where they were and Bellatrix wouldn't deny the witch for anything. Their relationship was absolutely no secret.

"You'll be ok, Weaver." Bellatrix spoke gently and Hermione nodded.

"I've killed people, I've been tortured, I've hexed people yet this is probably the hardest thing I've ever done." Hermione murmurs softly, she looked so lost.

"You fought in a war and didn't have to stop and think about those things, once they were done they were done and they haven't been haunting you. This haunts, i understand. But it will be ok. I'm determined to do everything i can to give them back to you. I have a serious question though." Bellatrix was standing in front of Hermione now with her hands on the witches arms.

"Yes?"

"Would you be able to take us to the Slate? All five of us?" Bellatrix glanced back at the store as Andromeda exited it.

"I think so. Why?" Hermione frowned a little.

"The magic of the slate is different to the magic we use. Slate magic is older and there is more of it. If i can use my core magic and channel the Slate magic at the same time then i think with Andromedas potion there is every chance that we can bring them back." Bellatrix explains seriously, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to Andy but Hermione understood.

"You really think so?" Hermione had hope lacing her tone now.

"I really do, beautiful." Bellatrix smiles gently. Hermione wrapped her arms around her witch in a grateful hug.

By the time 8 o'clock rolled around they realised a few things. One being that it got cold when it got dark and only thanks to Bella and her skill with Charms did the ill clad witches manage not to freeze. It was so warm during the day they didn't consider the drastic change of temperature after dark especially with the wind picking up. The second thing was that people tended to turn in fairly early when it got dark, the once busy streets were not sparse and though they had been kicked out of the café a little bit ago the three witches were loitering on the near empty streets.

Third and final was that the Wilkins did indeed seem to be living above their store. They locked up turned the lights out and headed up the stairs at the back of the shop. Lights flicked on in the second floor windows. That was when they made their moved creeping along the street they stopped outside the door and using Alohamora they unlocked it quietly moving inside. The place was, not surprisingly, alarmed but Hermione had silenced that before they had entered.

Quietly the three made their way upstairs to the living space, there was a door between them but they could hear the Grangers on the other side of it. Andromeda would go through first and put the Grangers to sleep as she had Hermione earlier that day. Bellatrix and Hermione followed her into the room the Grangers were in the kitchen just out of sight. Andromeda moved towards the kitchen and stepped in at the same moment she cast. Bellatrix and Hermione moved past her catching both of them and gently lowering them to the ground.

"Are you alright?" Bellatrix asks Hermione who was staring at her mother. The pause was too long.

"Hermione!" Bellatrix almost snapped at the little witch who blinked at her and shook her head.

"Right. I'm alright." Hermione nodded then and closed her eyes, she had to draw on a different magic she wasn't used to to get them to the Slate.

It wad odd and unsettling to enter the time stream the way they had, a phenomenon that Bella and Hermione were only slightly more used to than Andromeda. When they appeared in the deep black nothingness that was the Slate, Andromeda was face first on… well on nothing it seemed. She groaned slightly and closed her eyes, it was disorienting to say the least.

"Move them closer, little love, I need to be touching both of them." Bellatrix explained as she heaved Wendel closer to Monica.

Hermione adjusted Monica as well and Andy looked back at the time stream, she could see the flow of it but she lacked the ability to see events like she and Bella had. As it was Hermione was pretty sure Bella could only see events because she was the soulmate of a Time Warden. When she looked back Bellatrix was waiting for her so she made her way over and handed the potions to both women. The potions were the first thing administered.

"Alright. I'm not sure how long this will take but I am confident it will work." Bellatrix offered looking at Hermione who smiled gently. She had full confidence in her other half.

Bellatrix then lay a hand on each person's forehead and closed her own eyes. At the same time she reached out to them with her own magic, touching their minds with Legilimens she also pulled in from the Slate drawing the ancient and almost tangible magic into herself to expel along the lines of her own magic. It seemed to be entirely reasonable to use time magic in order to restore memories. Already though she could tell this wouldn't work without the Slate Magic.

It took a while, longer than she thought but then she supposed she was going back almost 20 years repaying every little black spot in both of their memories and filling it all back in with Hermione. It was like a huge puzzle that she had to piece back together and every piece that went back together sealed and healed a little of that love that went with the memories. When finally she did pull out it was only when she had decided there simply wasn't anything else they could do.

When she pulled back out it was to the sight of Andromeda staring open mouthed at the Old One who had apparently made herself known to them. Hermione was just leaning back from a hug with her when Bellatrix stepped up. The Old One smiles fondly at Bellatrix drawing her into a hug next before turning to regard Andromeda curiously.

"I realise that the humans are some of my own, your parents, little one? But who is this?" The Old Ones silky voice held curiosity.

"Mother, this is my sister Andromeda." Bellatrix offers smiling gently.

"Andy this is the Old One, the Origin of Time." The older woman explains to her sister.

"You're one of the unlucky ones. Lost half of your soul too soon. But don't worry you will be with them again in time." The Old One smiled gently at Andromeda and the middle Black sister looked surprised.

"He was my soulmate?" Andromeda looked close to tears and Bellatrix gently moved closer.

"Indeed, Healer. You will live a long time but his soul will wait for yours for rebirth." The Old One smiled gently. Andromeda let out a little sniffle.

It was around this time that there was a light groan behind them. The Old One moved beside Hermione and wrapped a light arm around the little witch as Hermione looked to her parents. Emma sat up slowly and looked around taking in the blackness of the place and then clearly seeing the time stream. Frank on the other hand was looking at Bellatrix.

"Say… i remember you. You're the young woman who held Hermione that day on the street. You were so sad." Frank stood up and Bellatrix shifted but gave a small and surprisingly shy smile.

"Yeah that was me. Thank you. I learned later that she is my soulmate. Holding her changed my life that day." Bellatrix explains gently.

"I had such a weird feeling that day. Like there was two of you and you made the wrong choice and the right one." Frank frowns a little.

"Because you're a dragonborn Time Warden. You couldn't remember the practice but Slate magic flows through you. My choice to walk away and my choice to stay and hold her caused a split in the timeline. That was how Hermione and i came together. The Old One let it go long enough for me to be able to convince a much older Hermione to accept me and her role as Time Warden to be able to weave the timeline back together. Its not really important though, at least not right now. Hermione's been beside herself with worry lately." Bellatrix gestured just off to the side of her where Hermione was staring at Frank worriedly. Emma had walked over at this point and was looking at Hermione with a loving yet sad smile on her face.

"I'm so sorry you felt you had to do that." Emma spoke gently and a sob tore out of Hermione's throat a moment before Frank and Emma gathered their daughter close.

Bellatrix shifted, she hated seeing her partner so distraught but she also knew that Hermione needed her parents right now. Instead she and Andromeda and The Old One moved back to give the three of them a little space. Andromeda had hoped to heal them first, they would end up with a horrid migraine otherwise. But she supposed it could wait.

"You've done well, child, using the Slate to boost your raw talent with memory magic. I would suspect that brewing here would absorb the magics making it possible to create restorative memory potions. I could think of a few of your mates friends who would benefit such a potion." The Old One smiled at Bellatrix.

"You'd let me brew here? Is that even possible?" Bellatrix queried a little excitedly.

"It is when your soulmate is a Time Warden and yes, i would let you utilise the Slate magic in such a way. You are one of my children now and the Slate is endless, timeless, it is a source of magic that will never deplete." The Old One regarded the eldest sister.

"You and my daughter can give much to each other, but you can both give me the company i didn't realise i have missed so much. I would be happy to have you both spend time here in the Slate." Bellatrix smiled fondly.

"I think we could both be amenable to that. After all, it takes no time to spend it with you." Bellatrix gave a little grin actually making the Ancient Dragon laugh.

"If you do, i will teach the little one how to harness her inherent time magic and everything that goes with it. The way it can change with her, for her. For you." The Old One offered a little smirk and Bellatrix blushed at the insinuation.

"She's talking about sex isn't she. You've gone all red." Andromeda grins brightly at Bellatrix who huffs at her.

"I am indeed, specifically in so much as my little weaving dragon is going to give Bella babies." The Old One grinned and Bellatrix might had been pleased at the shortening of her name but for the topic of conversation.

"You've always wanted kids." Andromeda says looking at Bellatrix.

"I found out I was barren the day I first met the Grangers. When time split." Bellatrix gives a sad little smile.

"Mother has gifted me with these Gods awful cramps but at least I'm producing eggs." Bellatrix added a little more happily now.

"I'm really happy for you Bella." Andromeda grins brightly.

"Belle?" Came the soft voice behind them and Bellatrix turned and smiled at her young love. Because that was definitely what Hermione was. Her love.

When she moved over to them Hermione immediately pulled the older witch too her with a smile and pressed a kiss to her cheek before looking back at her parents. The parents in question were watching the two curiously with small smiles on their faces. Frank was regarding Bellatrix a little more warily though. The older witch shifted slightly, she was only a couple of years younger than her partners parents after all.

"Bella I want you to meet my mum and dad properly. Frank and Emma Granger. Mum, dad, this is my partner Bellatrix Black." Hermione smiles happily.

"Hello Bellatrix, it's lovely to meet you properly. Of course we remember you from years ago. You were the first person outside of family we let hold Hermione." Emma smiles fondly and Bellatrix returned it.

"That day changed my life. It changed everything. Thank you, for trusting a stranger with your child." Bellatrix offered genuinely.

"You seemed so lost." Frank smiled gently.

"I was. I'd just been to a muggle doctor and found out I couldn't have kids. The one thing I truly wanted in life." Bellatrix gave a half shrug.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry." Emma sounded absolutely appalled at the idea the woman had lost her chance at children.

"It's actually OK. The Old One has given me the chance to carry children and thankfully since I'm a witch I've quite a few years left before nature denies me again." Bellatrix smiled more happily then.

"So you and Hermione are going to give us grand babies?" Frank asked after a moment and Bellatrix blushed brightly.

"In due time. I have to learn how first." Hermione says grinning brightly.

"You surprise me with your absolute lack of shame." Frank says looking at his daughter amused.

"I am absolutely not one little bit ashamed to be attracted to this woman which means I have no shame about the amazing sex with her either." Hermione was still grinning and Emma couldn't help a laugh.

"Wedding bells in your future then?" Emma asks almost excitedly but mostly just curious.

"Maybe but honestly I've not put too much thought into it. I haven't had my trial yet and could still be sent back to Azkaban. The wizarding prison." Bellatrix explains with a low sigh.

"Why are you on trial?" Frank was frowning now.

"Because I was on the wrong side of the war. No matter how reluctant I had been for the most part I was still too much of a coward to make the right choice until it was almost over." Bellatrix offers the admission honestly.

"They won't put you back in prison. I won't allow it." Hermione scowls at the mere idea of her witch going to prison.

"Well If anyone was going to be able to do it it would be you." Bellatrix smirks at Hermione who nodded simply because she would do all in her power.

"Worst case I'll just bring you here. No one can get you here." Hermione shrugs like that was simple enough.

"Where exactly are we?" Emma asks then.

"We're out of time. This is called the Slate. That… that's the timestream. Look." Hermione moved over to the moving whiteness and placed her hand on it, it seemed to clean and then stop and suddenly they could see time before them though Hermione was careful to show them only backwards.

"Incredible." Frank murmurs softly.

"You'll tell me all about it wont you?" He looked to his daughter who smiled brightly and nodded.

"Of course." Hermione beamed.