1 December 1979
"You're absolutely certain?" Dumbledore said somberly. "It is Remus's?"
"There hasn't been anyone else, and yes," Dora said, feeling wretched. "What am I going to do?"
"Does he know?"
"No. Our bond has changed – I can feel it and so can he. But he doesn't know why…he thinks it's because we're back together." She chewed on her lower lip anxiously, wringing her hands open and closed in her distress.
Dumbledore peered at her over his half-moon spectacles and said, "When are you due?"
"You mean if I decide to keep this thing?" she said, scoffing.
"I have a proposition for you, and your due date will help determine this," Dumbledore said calmly.
Dora sighed deeply. "I'm due in late July or early August…I've only just found out."
"Early enough that we could make other arrangements." Dumbledore's electric blue eyes moved quickly, as if he was trying to make up his mind.
"I'm not giving birth to a kid to be used as a pawn, in case that's what you're going to ask me," Dora said, glaring at Dumbledore; he gazed back at her pensively.
"If you choose to keep the child, I will do my utmost to protect his or her life from harm," Dumbledore said solemnly. "But I see an opportunity here for us to move forward with defeating Voldemort."
Dora stopped chewing on her lip and stared down at her flat abdomen. A tiny life was growing within her at the worst possible time, but Dumbledore saw an opportunity.
She forced herself to take several deep breaths. "Okay. Tell me."
"I propose that you marry Rabastan Lestrange and pass the child off as his."
"What?" Dora yelped. "Are you out of your mind?"
"Allow me to explain, please." Dumbledore's hands were clasped together on his desk. He was as infuriatingly calm as ever and Dora had never felt closer to wanting to punch his face.
"Fine. Let's hear this grand plan of yours."
"I propose that we implant false memories in Rabastan's mind to make him think that you two had relations. This will be the only way to convince him to marry you, as I assume you've shown no interest in him?" Dumbledore began.
Dora frowned, shaking her head vigorously, disgusted with the idea of her body anywhere near Rabastan's.
"When the child is born, they will become the Lestrange heir. They will inherit everything in the vault, including the horcrux. Should anything happen to the Lestranges, you and your child will still have access to the vault as Rabastan's relations."
"What if someone learns the truth? It will never be his kid," Dora said vehemently.
Dumbledore put his hand up to stop her. He said, "Even if someone learns the child isn't his, if you're Rabastan's legal wife, you will stand to inherit everything he has. This is why we must pass off the child as his, to ensure he marries you."
"That's all fine and good, but I'd still have to marry Rabastan. How am I going to explain that to Remus…or Merlin, go anywhere near Rabastan physically? He's a repulsive prick."
"You can tell Remus the truth, if you wish," replied Dumbledore. "Although I have my concerns over how this will affect his state of mind…as for Rabastan, allow me a few moments to consider that predicament."
"How do you mean? With Remus, that is?"
"He will be naturally more territorial toward you if he realizes that you are carrying his child. It will be…unpleasant to him…if he learns you are with another man who will raise his child."
"So what - should I tell him it's Rabastan's kid but I'm still in love with him? Also, how am I going to explain to Remus that I'm pregnant with another man's baby?"
"We can suggest it was not mutually desired—"
"—Remus is going to lose his shit if he thinks Rabastan touched me without my permission," snarled Dora. She ran her hands through her hair, scrunching her eyes, and waiting for inspiration to strike.
"This is going to kill us both," she said slowly, "but I think I have it. I'm going to tell Remus that Rabastan and I got drunk, had a one night stand, and I became pregnant as a result. I'll tell him I have no choice but to marry Rabastan, but that I still love him."
"Is he going to believe you? Didn't you say your bond to Remus has changed?"
"Yeah, it's the mating bond with werewolves. He's going to feel it now if he already hasn't…but you're right. We have to get the horcrux in the Lestrange vault." She put her face in her hands and snorted softly, upon making another realization.
"Now I hope this is a boy. If it is," she said slowly, "and I manage to kill off dear old Rodolphus and Rabastan, baby boy Lestrange and I will take Bella's place as mistress and little master of Lestrange Manor."
"If I might make a suggestion, Dora…what if you tell Remus the truth? We can bind him – and Sirius, too, if you wish – in an Unbreakable Vow and tell them that although it's Remus's child, you must obtain access to the Lestrange vault?"
Dora darted her eyes around the room rapidly, thinking hard. She had hurt Remus and Sirius enough in the last few years with her dishonesty that being honest now – when it was possibly most crucial – would be the only thing to keep her together.
"All right. But I want them to be here when I tell them," Dora said slowly. "I want you to help explain this. We don't need to tell them about the horcruxes, but we need to tell them about this. It's too important to pass up this opportunity."
"You see why I had this idea," Dumbledore said drily. "With any luck, all three Lestranges can be imprisoned for their crimes, leaving you and your child with rightfully owned access to their things."
"This could work…I might hate it, but it could work," she said, breathing erratically. "But what am I supposed to do about being Rabastan's wife? How am I supposed to go anywhere near him…or convince him he's gotten me pregnant?" She grimaced, disgusted as she was with the idea of Rabastan going anywhere near her body.
Dumbledore brought his hands together and held them up to his lips. He made several soft sounds as he thought, worrying her, but after what seemed like a lifetime, he brought his hands back down to his desk.
"We have a few options," he said slowly. "You can tell me which of these you prefer…the simplest solution is the Imperius Curse, although I do not want either of us to have to resort to that."
Dora's jaw dropped, astounded that Dumbledore would even think to suggest an Unforgivable Curse.
"There is another way." He ran his fingers through his long beard, murmuring to himself. "It will require more work from both of us, and a great deal of luck."
"Hasn't that been a summary of the last eight years?"
Dumbledore arched a brow at her and asked, "Have you ever implanted a false memory in someone else's mind?"
"No, but why would we have to do that?"
"Voldemort is a Legilimens. I assume he will look into Rabastan's thoughts to confirm the account, especially if he is suspicious as to why you'll be marrying a Lestrange so quickly. This will require implanting a false memory into Rabastan's mind." He clasped his hands together and put them on his desk. "To do this, we will need a memory from you…one that you manufacture yourself. It must be convincing enough that Rabastan will believe you two had relations."
"I hate this so much." Dora ran her fingers down her face and then rubbed her eyes tiredly. "But if I can manage to get rid of Rabastan sometime, the memory dies with him…and Voldemort, once he's gone."
"Precisely. The sooner you can fabricate a convincing memory, the sooner we can remove it from your mind and place it in Rabastan's."
"Who's going to put it inside Rabastan?"
"I will, if you'll allow me. I do not plan on viewing the memory, out of respect for your privacy. We will arrange a meeting in one of Rabastan's usual haunts, and I will implant the memory in him after he's had a drink or two. In the meantime, arrange for Remus and Sirius to come here to make another Unbreakable Vow. Once they've been told and Rabastan's memory has been modified—"
"—I'll have to tell Walburga and Bellatrix," Dora said, cringing. "They're the ones who should know first."
"It's up to you, how you choose to tell them," Dumbledore said gently. "I assume they'll want to know sooner rather than later so they can arrange a marriage."
"This is going to mean Remus and I can't be together anymore." A lump formed in her throat and she bit back the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks.
"For now, yes. But it is my hope that when the Lestranges and Voldemort are out of the way, you and Remus can be reunited and raise your child together."
"Let's just get through the next few days…I can't think further than that right now. I need to figure out how to corner Rabastan, get Remus and Sirius here, and tell Walburga I'm up the duff."
"You may want to stop by St. Mungo's with her, or another one of your relatives, to confirm the pregnancy."
"Cissa," Dora said instantly. "She's the only one who won't torture me over it, other than…" She gasped, holding her hand to her mouth. "You have to let me tell my mother and the Scamanders. I need to tell them it's Remus's baby. If something happens to me, the kid's going to go to the Lestranges or the Malfoys. I don't see the Malfoys going anywhere and my child will not be another Draco Malfoy."
She slapped her palm to her forehead and groaned. "Great, even better…this kid's going to be the same age as Draco, Harry, Neville…all of them, if they'll even come to exist!" She was ready to go on a rant, wondering how her child's existence would impact the others', when Dumbledore put his hand up to stop her.
"One step at a time, as you suggested. You may tell the Scamanders in writing – I trust you will encode the message properly to ensure no other eyes see it. As for your mother…we will not tell her your identity, but we can tell her that for your safety, the child will be passed off as Rabastan's. I assume that she will understand why her family will disapprove of the union between you and Remus?"
"To put it mildly. I would be better off dead, if Walburga or Bellatrix had anything to say about it. My mum was disowned and she only married a Muggleborn."
"As long as your mother understands she is not to repeat this information to anyone – not even your father – you may tell her," Dumbledore said firmly. "If something should happen to you or Remus, I want to respect your wishes that your child be raised by those you choose yourself."
"This is going to hurt so much. I'm going to break Remus's heart again," Dora said, her chin quivering. "He's never going to forgive me—"
"You are going to be honest with him. He knows you love him and he knows the truth about you now."
Dora wrung her hands quickly. The ground she would tread on would be unstable; the path ahead would be dark and lonely.
"We should start tomorrow," she said, pained. "Can I bring Remus and Sirius here in the morning? At night, we can get Rabastan's memory modified…and on Monday, I'll tell Cissa."
"Once again, I must admire your tenacity and bravery."
"Don't admire me just yet...talk to me in a week, when my life is an even bigger shitshow than it is right now."
"I'll see you in the morning with Remus and Sirius. Do get some rest, Dora."
Dora swallowed hard and stared back down at her abdomen, wondering how she'd make it through her latest catastrophic mishap. She made her way to the Floo, and as she grabbed a handful of Floo powder, she turned on her heel to face Dumbledore.
"I'm going to talk to my mother first," she said abruptly. "I need to know that she's willing to help me. I'll send you a Patronus if something goes wrong…but I can't do this without her."
Dumbledore nodded at her, and she entered the Floo, calling out "Tonks Residence" to bring her to the proper fireplace. She spun around, gathering soot on her robes, and landed in a dusty heap in her childhood home.
"Dora! What are you doing here?" asked Andromeda. "Are you all right? We weren't expecting you!"
"DORA!" Little Tonks came speeding around the corner and ran face-first into Dora, covering herself with soot.
"Hi," Dora said breathlessly. "Andromeda, I need your help with something, but it's a really sensitive matter."
"Nymphadora, can you give your cousin and me a few minutes?" Andromeda said, as a shadow of concern came over her features.
"Mummmmm! Please!"
Dora bent down to meet her younger self's eyes. "I know you want to help, but this is a grown-up matter. I know you don't like that answer, but I really need Mum's help."
"I can't help?" Little Tonks stared earnestly at her, and Dora's heart clenched, wondering how they would explain any of this to her one day.
"Not today, but maybe later. Find Dad and tell him we're here if he needs Mum, okay?"
Little Tonks looked furtively at Andromeda and Dora. She took her time leaving the room, and Dora cast a Repelling Charm, Silencing Charm, and a Muffling Charm on the passageway between the living room and the rest of the house.
"Sit down, Dora. This sounds serious – are you in danger?" Andromeda looked Dora over, making her feel like a child again.
"Not yet. I need your help…I'm pregnant."
Andromeda's eyes flew open. "Whose is it? Is it Remus?"
"Yes…and the family can't find out."
"Have you considered…", said Andromeda, gazing at Dora's midsection hesitantly, "…not having this child?"
Dora winced. "I have…I'm only four weeks along, I think, but I've decided I want it…but to keep myself safe, I've got to do something else."
Andromeda arched her brow. The way she sat – her back straight, her hands neatly folded in her lap, and her gaze steady on Dora's – reminded Dora of stern discussions from her teenage years. She closed her eyes tightly and decided to confess to her plans.
"I can't tell you why I have to do it, but I'm going to marry Rabastan Lestrange and pass the baby off as his."
"What? Have you lost your mind? What would possess you to do something like that?"
"I told you, I can't tell you. I have to do it – there's no other way."
Andromeda crossed her arms over her chest and her bright grey eyes flashed with anger. "Rabastan Lestrange is a pig. He has no business anywhere near you."
"I know, but I'm not here to talk about that. I am asking for your help for something else." Andromeda's nostrils flared with fury; Dora offered her a sheepish smile and continued. "If something happens to me or Remus…I need to know that you'll take care of our kid. Please."
"Me? Not…Dora, why would you assume that I would raise your child if something happened to you or Remus? If the child is going to be passed off as a Lestrange, surely one of them would raise your baby."
Dora cringed; her sheepish smile turned into a nervous chuckle.
"What are you planning?" Andromeda demanded. "Pandora Rosemary Black, you are not a murderer."
"Wow…okay," Dora said, blinking rapidly. "I'm glad you assume the worst of me. I'm not planning murder, but you know as well as I do that they all belong in Azkaban. If we're successful, all three of them will go to prison and my kid won't go with them. If I'm gone…Remus is gone…it's up to you or Cissa to take the kid in, and I choose you. Remus should be fine with it."
"You haven't told him?" Dora's contorted smile gave her away; Andromeda's glare made her feel guiltier.
"I just found out the other day! I'm going to tell him tomorrow – it's a long story – and tell him about Rabastan, too."
"He doesn't know any of this?" Andromeda asked, and Dora shook her head.
"I'm going to explain it to him tomorrow. I think he'll understand why I have to do it like this."
"Didn't he abandon you when you were set to marry Regulus?"
"This is different," Dora said hastily. "I can't explain it, but this time will be different. There's a baby involved."
"You're sure it's his? There's been no one else?"
"He's the only man I've been with in the last few years. There's been no other."
Andromeda put her hand on Dora's knee. "You're sure this is what you want? You don't have to have this baby."
"I know I don't," Dora said miserably. "That's not what I need help with – please promise me you'll take care of my baby if I can't."
"You're not going to change your mind?"
Dora shook her head furiously. "Can you promise me you'll help me?"
"I will." Andromeda tucked one of Dora's long, glossy black locks behind her ear. "Be careful, Dora. Whatever it is that you're doing – you're too young for all this danger."
"I'll be fine," mumbled Dora. "I'm used to it."
"Make sure you go to St. Mungo's as soon as you can," suggested Andromeda. "Take Cissa with you…she's the only one I trust to actually help you."
"That's what I thought, too." Dora sighed heavily and rose from her seat. "I've got to go…long day tomorrow."
"Nymphadora will want to see you before you go."
"I can't….not right now. Tell her I had to go and apologize for me. I'm tired."
"I understand. Take care of yourself first."
Dora hugged her mother tightly, muttering a hasty goodbye, and went back through the Floo to prepare for another long day.
…..
2 December 1979
"I don't like this," said Sirius. "I don't like this at all."
"We're not even there yet," Dora said irritably. "Dumbledore's waiting for us."
"Is this another secret?" Remus said, as he fiddled with one of the buttons of his cardigan. "A big one?"
"It will be. Now c'mon, we're going through the Hog's Head." Dora, Remus, and Sirius all entered the Hog's Head to use its Floo to get to Dumbledore's office. She told them that she had news to share with them that was highly sensitive, and could only be shared with Dumbledore present. As a result, Remus had been skittish all morning; Sirius had brooded over Dora's silence. Now that they were on their way, Sirius became more restless, a sign of his unease, while Remus remained anxious.
They went through the Floo to Dumbledore's office. The Headmaster had already prepared tea and biscuits for them and sat serenely on the other side of his desk.
"Come in. Dora, I presume you spoke to Andromeda?"
"She agrees. She's not happy about everything, but she's going to help us if we need her."
"Excellent. I will assist you in making the arrangements, with Remus's approval," said Dumbledore, nodding in Remus's direction.
"What are you talking about?" said Remus slowly. "Why would you need my—"
"Have some tea, gentlemen," Dumbledore interrupted. "Dora, I've got something else for you." He levitated a cup of chamomile tea for her – an herbal blend safe for pregnancy, she was sure – and presented two cups of tea to Remus and Sirius.
"You're not poisoning us, are you?" growled Sirius, sniffing at the tea. "This isn't a trap?"
"No, it's not. Sit down, if you please." Dumbledore gestured for the three of them to take their seats, but Dora shook her head, preferring to stand to be able to face them both. Remus and Sirius sat down, taking sips of their tea, and Dora steadied her breathing, preparing for what was to come. "Whenever you're ready, Dora," Dumbledore said quietly.
"Right. I'm just going to say it, and then we'll talk about what happens next." Dora gazed at Remus; his young, unlined face, still-sandy brown hair, and earnest, golden brown eyes made her weak in the knees, even after all their trials and tribulations.
"Remus, love, I'm pregnant…with your baby."
Sirius yelped something unintelligible while Remus's eyes flew open. Sirius sputtered, squawking at Dora, while Remus's jaw dropped. Several moments passed when neither Remus nor Sirius could say anything coherent.
"That's impossible," Remus said, after opening and closing his mouth many times. "You've been with someone else."
"I'm four weeks along," Dora replied softly. "Who would I have been with other than you?"
"Anyone – anyone else!" Remus's face grew red; he stood, suddenly sniffing at Dora aggressively.
"It's yours. You've felt our bond change, haven't you?" Remus's jaw clenched. He was no longer sniffing her, but his eyes were now fully golden. His eyes traveled down to her stomach. He was breathing erratically, staring at the space that would grow round with his child over the next several months.
"What have I done?" he whispered. "I've ruined you…you need to get rid of it…it will be like me…it's going to kill you." He took her by the shoulders, staring into her eyes. "Get rid of it."
"Remus," Dumbledore interjected. "If I may, it is not so bleak."
"How can you say that?" he demanded. "I've ruined her! I've ruined – whatever is in there!" He gesticulated wildly in Dora's direction, reaching up to his hair to pull at it frantically.
"Moony! Calm down!" Sirius ordered.
"Calm down? Calm down? I've created a monster!"
"Remus, please calm yourself." Dumbledore's calm, authoritative voice filled the room. "Sit down and we will discuss this."
"Why am I here for this?" asked Sirius. "Why are we here?"
"We'll address that in a moment," replied Dumbledore. "I'd like to address Remus's concerns first. There is no evidence that suggests your child will be anything but human, Remus. You haven't ruined anyone's life. Dora plans on going to St. Mungo's to confirm her pregnancy, and the Healers will attest to what I have personally researched. Your child will be human."
Remus slumped into his chair, looking dazed. He twitched his arms, legs, and eyes, seemingly struggling to maintain his composure.
"Wait – my family," Sirius said abruptly. "Is that why I'm here? Am I supposed to pretend that's my—" He shuddered, as Remus growled at him.
"She's mine," Remus snapped. He inched closer to Dora and she gaped at him, terrified that the news of her plans to marry Rabastan Lestrange would go as poorly as she expected.
"Albus," Dora said softly. "I don't know if we can—"
"We will give it our best." Dumbledore sat serenely at his desk, as if no catastrophic news had just been shared in his office.
"Can you do it then?" she pled, taking hold of Remus's shoulder to reassure him.
Dumbledore nodded and sat back in his seat. "Sirius has a point, Remus. It is unlikely that they will accept the news of Dora's pregnancy with a werewolf. There is a solution that will protect her and your child—"
"—whatever it takes," Remus said quickly. "Keep her safe. Keep them both—" He choked on his words and pressed his hand on Dora's stomach, exhaling sharply. "They're mine."
"This solution will keep them safe, but it will come at a cost," Dumbledore continued carefully. "It will also help us defeat Voldemort."
Upon hearing this, Sirius and Remus's jaws fell open. Dora held her breath as Dumbledore explained the entire plan to plant a false memory into Rabastan Lestrange's mind, convince the Black and Lestrange families to arrange a marriage between Dora and Rabastan, and slowly undermine the Lestranges to allow Dora to return to Remus. Dumbledore delicately, but strategically described that to defeat Voldemort, there was a certain object that needed to be retrieved from the Lestrange vault at Gringotts. This was the only guaranteed method of ensuring Dora could access the vault without raising suspicion, particularly given her frequent contact with Voldemort.
"That's fucking insane," Sirius said, as soon as Dumbledore finished explaining. "No. There's got to be another way."
"No one will touch her," Remus snarled. "She's mine."
"No one will have to do anything with me," Dora said lightly. "I plan on keeping Rabastan at more than an arm's length with some well-placed potions."
"You're going to drug him?" Sirius said, astonished. "How?"
"I've got several ideas. I have no plans on keeping him anywhere near me, if I can help it."
"Please don't do this to me again." Remus's eyes were welling up with tears. The wrath that had been radiating off his body had given way to profound anguish. "Dora, please don't leave me for another man."
"I'm not…I'm not going to leave you. I love you, and only you. I have to do this, and when they're all in prison – or dead – I'll return to you."
"What if that never happens?" A tear fell down Remus's cheek. "Dora, I can't keep losing you…and now…"
"Can the Order help?" Sirius asked. "If it's this important to get rid of the Lestranges, I'll help. I'll do whatever I can."
Dumbledore peered over his spectacles to meet Dora's gaze. "They should help. We need to wait until I've been married to Rabastan for a few months so it's not too suspicious," Dora murmured. "Maybe in July, before the baby is born."
"Please, Dora," Remus repeated, as a dry sob escaped his throat. "Please don't do this to me again."
Dora put her hands on his cheeks. "It's not forever. I'll be okay and I'll see you when I can…but this is the only way we can defeat Voldemort and keep me…us…safe." Remus's soft, warm breaths tickled her thumbs. She felt the wet tears on her palms, and wiped them gently away. "I'll return to you, Remus. We will return to you." She brought one of his hands to her stomach and let it rest there. He leaned forward to rest his head against her, pressing his ear on her stomach.
"I can hear its heartbeat. It's faint, but it's there." He inhaled deeply and held her close, burying his nose into her jumper.
"We can do this, Remus. We'll find a way."
"How long do I have with you?"
"Albus?" asked Dora. "Rab's going to be at the White Wyvern tonight. If all goes as planned, I'll be going to St. Mungo's tomorrow with Cissa."
"Narcissa Malfoy?" Remus gasped, staring at Dora's abdomen. "Why?"
"You need to trust me. Of all the people in my family, the only one who will be able to help me with the family is Cissa." Dora cleared her throat and slapped her palm against her forehead. "I forgot to tell you earlier! I spoke with Andromeda last night. If anything happens to either of us, she and Ted will be our child's guardians. I hope you don't mind."
Remus stammered incoherently; Dora feared she'd said too much too quickly.
"We can talk about it another time," she added hastily. "But I'm afraid that we don't have much more time together at all until this is all over."
Remus wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "Is there no other way?"
"If I think of something else, you'll be the first to know," Dora said softly. "Please forgive me…but you deserve to know the truth. Both of you." She looked up at Sirius, whose brow was knit. Whether it was out of anger or fear, Dora wasn't sure.
"Gentlemen, if you're willing, I ask that you both make an Unbreakable Vow. This is for Dora's safety," Dumbledore stated. Sirius rolled up his sleeve, ready to make another Vow.
"Remus, love? I promise I'm coming back to you. We'll be together again." She ran her fingers through his hair gently, relishing in the security of his body next to hers. "Give me a little time, and I promise I'll return."
Remus extracted himself from her. His eyes were red and puffy; the tip of his nose was pink and his cheeks were stained with tears. He rolled up his sleeve, and took Sirius's hand in his own.
Dumbledore made the incantation, and golden strings encircled their hands, binding them in the Vow to keep the truth of Dora's pregnancy – and the plans to hoodwink Voldemort through her marriage to Rabastan Lestrange – to themselves.
The only reassurance Dora could give herself was knowing that Remus knew the truth. She hoped it would be enough for the stretch of time that awaited them both.
