Please read, review and enjoy the latest chapter. We have a fair few of these chapters done now so we're just going to go by the rule of updating every couple of reviews or once a week. :)

Dora


Remus couldn't help but glare at Marshall Avery as he escorted Nymphadora from their room, half dragging her down the hall of their wing. Apparently Bellatrix wanted to play again, and had ordered him to retrieve her niece from the prisoners' wing. He knew how the day would end, knew how his wife would return to him when Bellatrix had finished torturing her.

Their baby boy gave a small cry, and Remus turned away from the hall, Dora and her escort out of sight. He walked back into his and Dora's room, lifting the child from the cot and holding him close before realising the child must be hungry. Remus groaned softly, knowing that they did not have any food for the child.

"Remus?" Andromeda looked into the room hesitantly. "I heard. Teddy picked the exact wrong time to be hungry."

"I hate hearing him cry in hunger," Remus scowled, shaking his head. "He's my son; he shouldn't have to suffer, and he definitely shouldn't suffer for my and Dora's beliefs!"

"Well," Andromeda sighed, walking into the room and shutting the door behind her quietly, "here."

Remus was astonished to see the witch hold out a bottle to him for Teddy. "How did you get this?" he asked in surprise.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "Does it matter? Though it would be wise not to let anyone know you have it...it was sneaked in last night when Bellatrix went back to take care of Delphi."

The man shook his head. "She—"

"Shhh," Andromeda hissed. "Do not put us in more danger."

"We couldn't be in any more danger, Andromeda," Remus said sternly. "Listen: we've got to get Dora out of here. She'll go mad if she's forced to go Dark against her will. She'll fight it, but this place...it will break her."

Andromeda sighed, nodding as she looked down at her grandson. "We've got to get them both out. Do you have a plan?"

Remus frowned, then shook his head. "We'll need a Death Eater's assistance, if we're to escape this wing, unless we're all taken out of here for some reason."

"But then we're always heavily guarded," Andromeda said thoughtfully. "If we had one's assistance—but I doubt any of them would willingly help us—we would have to force them. And I doubt the Imperius would work, the ward would be against that—"

"Andromeda!" Remus said in shock, and she gave him a stern look.

"We are in a Death Eater controlled climate, Mr. Lupin," she said sharply. "We must do everything in our power to succeed if we are to attempt this. And don't talk to me about stooping to their level," she added when he went to protest. "I have done many Dark spells in my past, though I'm sure they all pale in comparison to the least of these Death Eaters' spells. If the Imperius does not work to get us through the ward, then the Death Eater must be convinced to willingly escort us through, however we may have to convince him."

Remus was shaking his head, muttering something, but Andromeda crossed her arms with a huff of annoyance. "Nymphadora has suffered far worse things, and will learn to do them if we do not get her out of here," she said sharply. "Using an Unforgivable is by far some of the least Dark spells out there."

"Don't justify—"

"I am not!" Andromeda half yelled, though she turned away to compose herself as Remus seemed shocked at her shouting. "I am as worried as you, Remus, and I will do anything to save my daughter, you, my grandson, my entire family—I do not care if that means I become a murderess. I...I can't see her become like Bellatrix, Remus. I just can't. I raised her well, raised her to be a Light witch, and I don't want to see her turn Dark. I will do anything to keep her safe."

"I..." Remus hesitated. "Be careful, Andromeda."

"I will," she answered, looking down at Teddy. "I don't want to be a bad influence on Teddy."

Remus shook his head slightly. "We'll have to discuss how we intend to kidnap a Death Eater when Dora returns—though I'm sure we'll have to take care of her first."

Andromeda sighed and nodded, then walked to the door of the room. "I'll be with Narcissa. She was hurt when she returned last night, so I'm trying to keep an eye on her. Let me know when we can talk."

Remus sighed, and the brown-haired witch left the room.


Nearly two hours later, Remus heard raucous laughter and stepped out of his room to see Dora held firmly by Rodolphus Lestrange, the witch's hair white and ragged, her dress torn, blood staining one sleeve.

"Dora," he breathed, rushing forward, and she yelled in fright, jumping back against Rodolphus, who only laughed harder, his arm wrapped around the witch firmly. "Let go of her!"

"Now, now," Rodolphus chuckled, his wand in Nymphadora's side. "Don't be rude. I was bringing her back. Bellatrix was about to kill her...you might want to have a word with Nymphie about not pushing Bella too far. She does kill accidentally when her victims make her overly angry."

"Overly angry," Dora spat, though her hair remained white.

Another door opened and Andromeda stepped into the hall, hurrying toward her daughter. Rodolphus shoved Nymphadora forward, Andromeda catching the younger witch as Dora cried out in pain. "Shhh," Andromeda murmured against her daughter's hair. "Thank you," she said to Rodolphus.

The man shook his head at her. "You should have taught her how to behave, Andromeda," he smirked. "She isn't half so courteous as you."

"I have no reason to be," Dora hissed, twisting in her mother's arms to glare at the man. "I don't care what you think of me!"

"Nymphie," the man chuckled, then turned away from her and left the wing, shaking his head.

The two adults immediately turned to the injured witch. "Dora," Andromeda said quickly, "what hurts?"

Dora drew a sharp breath. "It's just residual pain," she winced as Andromeda helped her into her and Remus' room. "Rodolphus healed me somewhat before he brought me back."

Remus growled under his breath, and Nymphadora looked up at him as she sat down on their bed. "Come here, Remus," she sighed. "It's okay."

"No, it's not," Remus said firmly, then took her chin in his hand. "I'm getting you out of here," he said quietly. "Your mother and I are planning an escape."

"Remus," Dora murmured, her eyes full of defeat, "it won't work."

"Dora, don't say that!" Remus pleaded, sitting down next to her. "You're just discouraged from being around that awful witch. Just listen for a moment to our idea, okay?"

"Okay," Dora mumbled, leaning her head on her husband's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I just feel helpless."

Remus hugged her to his side, looking up as Teddy cried once again, though Andromeda immediately went to take care of the child. "We think we can get us out of these wards," he said quietly. "We'll have to sort of kidnap a Death Eater, or force one of them to escort us out of here. The wards on the gates will be tricky, but I'm sure whoever we choose will have clearance to get in and out."

"Kidnap a Death Eater?" Dora sighed, half laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. "And then I can morph, and Mum can, a little..."

"But you know I don't like it," Andromeda said with a frown.

"But you'd do anything for your family," Remus reminded her, and she glared at him.

"They would know, anyway," Dora said. "Mum has told me that her morph doesn't hold well. I could pretend to be escorting you two somewhere."

Andromeda bit her lip. "I don't want to leave Narcissa and Draco here," she said. "They will not be safe if we run away without them."

Remus sighed. "They were fine before we got here."

"Do you call being locked in their own dungeon 'fine'?" Andromeda hissed, forcing herself not to yell at the man. Remus seemed to not understand what she meant about her entire family. "She is my sister!"

"Mum, please," Dora said softly, "let's talk about the plan, and then you can go discuss it with Narcissa. We've got to make sure we have this together."

Andromeda took a deep breath to calm herself, finally approaching her daughter to hand over Teddy. "We gave him a bottle earlier," she sighed. "But he does need to be fed soon."

Dora took the baby into her arms and prepared to feed him, sighing, "Go on with your idea?"

"We force a Death Eater to help us out," Andromeda said, looking down at her daughter firmly. "Then we either abandon him or force him to come with us, since we are not exactly sure how we'll get past the gates."

"I morph," Dora agreed with a nod. "To Bellatrix, probably, as no one questions her."

"No," said Remus at the same time Andromeda said, "It's probably the safest."

"No!" Remus said in horror, looking at Dora.

"Remus..." Dora murmured, "I need to get out of here. Whatever has to happen, or...I can feel my resolve slipping sometimes when I'm tortured. I want us to be free, for Teddy to be safe. No one is safe here."

Remus covered his face with his hands for a moment, then said, "Dora...I—I don't want you to have to suffer. We'll do what we have to, but...please—" he looked up to Andromeda as well "don't do anything more than you absolutely have to."

The two witches nodded, and Andromeda left the room, saying, "We'll speak of a time later" before hurrying off to her sister's room.


Narcissa was lying on her bed, her son sitting by her side as she tried to rest, though the pain of the curse Bellatrix had done was keeping her awake. She barely looked up as Andromeda entered the room.

"Cissa?" Andromeda asked softly, approaching the bed. "Are you sure you don't want me to see if I can remove that curse?"

"Leave it," Narcissa breathed. "I don't know what it is—it's some sort of monitoring spell, I think."

"Oh." Andromeda frowned, then stood there awkwardly for a moment. "May I speak with you?"

Narcissa sighed, closing her eyes. Finally, she said, "Draco, if you would give us a few moments."

Draco got up from his chair after shooting a resentful look at Andromeda before leaving the room quickly. Andromeda frowned after him, annoyed with the boy, though she understood his frustrations.

"What is it, Andromeda?" Narcissa said wearily as the older witch took Draco's chair.

"Narcissa," the brown-haired witch began softly, "we have a plan."

The blonde witch immediately looked alarmed, and as Andromeda opened her mouth to speak, Narcissa reached out and pressed her fingers to her sister's lips. "Shhh," Narcissa said. "Do not speak of it to me."

Andromeda caught the witch's slender hand in her own, pulling it away from her mouth. "Cissa, I want you to come with us."

"Dromeda," Narcissa said in a near whisper, "I cannot go with you."

"You can," Andromeda insisted. "You can be free, and so can Draco. We can all—"

"No," Narcissa said almost harshly. "This place is my home and I will not leave it. There is too much danger to leave. If I become part of such a plan, I put Draco in danger. I will not lose my son, Andromeda."

Andromeda bit her lip, looking down at the witch. "You won't go with us?" she whispered. "With me?"

Narcissa closed her eyes, a lonely tear trickling down her cheek. "My place is here," she breathed before she reached out and grabbed her sister's hands. "Andromeda—good luck. Stay safe out there. But don't tell me anything, and don't even hint at anything to my son."

Andromeda nodded, reaching up and wiping the tear from Narcissa's face. "I love you, sister," she whispered. "Be careful yourself." She turned and left the room, her heart filled with sorrow.


Later that evening, Nymphadora tiptoed into her mother's room and breathed, "Mum?"

"Yes?" Andromeda asked, sitting up slightly.

"Next time Bellatrix has me brought to her, be prepared when I return," Dora answered, and Andromeda bit her lip, nodding in agreement. "Did you talk to Narcissa?"

"She...isn't going," Andromeda said, lying back in her bed. "And don't mention any of the plans to her or Draco. She asked to be left out of it for her own reasons."

"Oh." Nymphadora looked down for a moment, then said softly, "I'm sorry. I know you still care about her."

Andromeda took a deep breath and nodded. "She has to protect her family, and I have to protect mine."

Nymphadora leaned down and hugged her mother tightly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'll make sure Remus knows not to let them know anything."

"Thank you," Andromeda said, hugging her daughter back before almost pushing her away. "Go rest, Dora. It will take strength to complete this task."

"Good night," Dora whispered before leaving the room and returning to her husband.

Remus wrapped his arms around her as soon as she crawled into the bed next to him, pulling her close and kissing her head. "Dora," he murmured, "I love you so much. No matter what happens to us here, or after we escape, remember that I love you."

She looked up, leaning closer to him as she pressed her lips to his firmly. "And I love you, Remus Lupin," she whispered. "Just wait. We'll be safe soon."

Remus nodded, closing his eyes and leaning his head against hers, the two falling into a restless sleep.


Andromeda was startled awake several morning later by someone yelling Nymphadora's name down the hall, and a door slammed open, the girl crying out in shock. Quickly throwing on the nearest dress, Andromeda looked out into the hall, seeing two Death Eaters standing outside Dora's room.

"Bellatrix wants to see you," one of them called through the door. "And while we'd like you to come out here willingly, we'd have no problem with dressing you ourselves..." They laughed together and Andromeda frowned, not recognising the two Death Eaters. She wondered if that's why there were two of them, because Nymphadora could not be trusted to one alone.

"Ready," came Dora's best haughty voice as her room door opened once again.

"About time," one said, and Nymphadora stared at him for a few moments, her hair shooting bright red.

"You?" she yelled in shock. "You!"

The second Death Eater, who had called out the other taunts, brandished his wand. "Walk," he said to her firmly. "I have better things to do than escort Bella's toy back and forth to her playroom."

Nymphadora fumed in silence as she allowed herself to be roughly marched down the hall by the two, not looking back. She couldn't believe the wizard walking on her left, though she had seen him betray them at the Battle, seen him cut down some of their best. She hated him.

"Guard your mind," chuckled the second man. "It's screaming anger and revenge. I do hope it's not Bellatrix: you've got no chance of succeeding."

The witch growled under her breath, sure if she replied she would snap and try to curse them both, probably ending up in trouble before her training session started. She remained silent as they knocked on the door to Bella's special room, then opened the door and shoved her forward.

Nymphadora walked into the room, aware that her hair was still bright red. Bellatrix giggled with glee upon seeing her, then tilted her head curiously. "Did they wake you, Nymphie?"

"He—he was a Hufflepuff," Dora muttered, shaking her head. "Just a few years younger than me, and he made all the wrong decisions."

"Oh, yes, I forgot you probably knew him," Bellatrix shrugged. "They are particularly gullible, though you aren't. But you have your mother to blame for that." She sighed as if it were a heavy burden, then grinned. "But it makes you more fun to play with," she said, drawing her wand. "Come on, Nymphie. Let's dance."

Nymphadora found it much easier to duel the witch as she used her anger to fuel her energy, her sense for the Dark Arts Bellatrix was using. It did not entirely help her, however, and Nymphadora soon found herself yelling in pain on the floor, struggling as Bellatrix crossed the room and pinned her to the floor.

"Nymphie," Bellatrix smirked, leaning over her as she intensified the curse by placing her hand on the witch's side, "you will always fail when you fight me. You cannot possibly ever be better than I."

"I don't try!" Nymphadora half yelled, knowing well what she had to do, even in the middle of her pain.

"You should," Bellatrix hissed, but shrugged. "Don't make me use my knife, little Nymphie. You wouldn't like that, would you?" She stroked a cold finger down the girl's face, smirking as Nymphadora wrenched away from the woman's hand, shrieking in pain at Bellatrix's next curse. "There could always be a little more blood in the floor," she said. "It adds to the room."

"I hate you," Nymphadora spat breathlessly, pretending to be suffering even as she was free from curses at the moment. "You're a sick, twisted bitch."

"Of course," Bella smirked. "Tell me more, Dora."

Nymphadora turned her face away from her tormentor, ignoring her, and screamed out, her hair finally shooting white as Bellatrix decided to just torture her again. Much too long later, Dora lay writhing on the floor, tears streaming down her face as Bellatrix watched her with a look of pity.

"Dora," she pouted. "Why do you want to go to Mummy? If she fixes you, I can always break you again. And I'm more fun than she is."

"Don't be—jealous," Nymphadora gasped, crying out as Bellatrix finally rolled off of her, sighing as she watched the injured witch.

"Silly girl," Bellatrix smirked. "I in no way envy your disowned, widowed, imprisoned, and disgraced mother. Well, if you want her that bad..." She waved her hand at the girl. "You can go to her. I have other things to do for now, but I'll have you back tomorrow."

The witch tried to gather her legs under her, but merely collapsed back against the floor, leaving Bellatrix to stare at her in astonishment. "Weakling!" Bellatrix shrieked with laughter, giggling as she sat on the floor a few feet away. "You know, Nymphadora, if you were any more helpless, you'd be dead."

Nymphadora turned her face away from the witch, pretending to cry from defeat though it was very easy to cry over her pain. "I won't be dead until you're tired of playing," she breathed. "And I know that's a long while, but—I—I can't get back to the wing on my own."

"Oh dear," pouted Bellatrix with a sigh. "Well, that's a problem." She seemed to rub her arm for a moment, and soon a knock came at the door, Bella waving the door open. "Ah," she said. "Good. Take the brat back to the prisoner's wing. Poor Nymphie can't even walk after my easiest curses. I didn't even get to experiment today!"

Nymphadora couldn't help shuddering at her aunt's words, though her hair soon shot red again as she realised who was to help her back to the prisoner's wing: Cedric Diggory. She grit her teeth as he put a Weightless Charm on her, lifting her easily from the floor. She gasped in pain, glad that she didn't have to walk, though half afraid of what injuries she did have that she wouldn't be able to have remedied before her family was to make their escape.

The young wizard refused to look down at her as he carried her back to the wing, and Dora leaned her head against his arm, half amused at her attempts to appear helpless. She couldn't stand to think of the man carrying her as a Death Eater and a former Hufflepuff, all in one. "You...you were a Hufflepuff," Dora whispered almost inaudibly. "Why would you turn, Cedric? You knew me."

"Don't ask for favours," he said emotionlessly.

"Like I need any you could give," she shot back, sure her hair was red again. "You are a disgrace, do you know that?"

"No more than you," he replied.

"I remember you as a school boy," Dora reminisced, well aware that he could hurt her for anything she said. "You were the best of all of us, so kind, so helpful. Just because you were embarrassed over something like—" she gasped in pain as he hexed her "you don't have to go bad because of it!"

"Tonks," the man said, glaring down at her. "I am not like I used to be, and you are a prisoner of the Dark Lord, of all the Dark. Nothing you say will change my mind, or take me back."

Nymphadora turned her head away from him. "I thought better of you."

He chuckled, and she was unnerved. "Nymphadora," he said quietly, "when you are shamed before everyone, beyond anything you can handle, you will understand how it breaks you, how those like you and I can crumble into nothing."

She shook her head painfully, feeling them cross the ward boundaries. "It didn't have to be this way," she said. With an expert leap, she fell from the man's arms, his wand in her hand as she rolled to her feet, binding him quickly. A door banged open and her mother and her husband joined them in the hall as the Death Eater stared at Dora in shock. "You're fine!" he accused her.

"Shut it," she said warningly. "Now, Ced—isn't that what your dad used to call you? He must have died of shame when you were the cause of the fall of the Light. Funny how Hufflepuffs can do that. Anyway, you will take each of us out of the ward and tell us the best way to go through the manor."

"You'll never make it," the man told her, shaking his head. "Don't try it. You're better off being obedient prisoners."

"I have never been obedient, and never will be," Dora retorted, wondering at her ability to control the man. She looked to her side to see her mother there, her right hand raised toward the boy.

"Nymphadora, give his wand to Remus and let's get out of here," Andromeda said firmly.

"I won't help you," Cedric glared at the three, realising the little baby in the older wizard's arms. "The baby will get hurt—think of him!"

Nymphadora rolled her eyes at him, but Andromeda interrupted. "You should worry more about yourself, and less about us," she said coldly. "Now get up."

The man didn't move, and magic crackled through Andromeda's hand, the man screaming almost instantly under her Curse. "Mum," Dora whispered in shock at her mother's easy use of a wandless Cruciatus, and Remus looked at her in an I-told-you-so way.

"Stop!" Cedric begged after a few moments. "I—I'll help you out of the ward."

"You are the pathetic one," Andromeda said coldly. "Weak. Cowardly. Now get up before I lose my patience, boy."

The Death Eater got to his feet, still seeming shocked at the turn of events, though he took Remus and Andromeda through the ward before going back for Nymphadora. When they came back through the ward, Nymphadora turned to her fellow Hufflepuff. "You have served your purpose," she said, and Andromeda sighed, almost in disappointment as she Stunned the boy and dumped his body in an out of the way spot. "Mother, stop it," Dora said warningly.

Andromeda gave her a small smile. "I could get used to this. I was born for the Dark, but your powers are what they want."

Dora glanced over at Teddy and Remus, the man saying, "Dora...morph now."

"Ugh," said the witch before screwing her eyes shut to concentrate. "Do I look hideous?" she asked when she was finished morphing her body and Transfiguring her dress.

Remus shot her a weak grin. "I'd say you're always beautiful, though I don't think that looks good on you, Love."

Dora shook her head, giving a small gasp as her black curls fell into her face. "Ugh," she said again. "Come on. The sooner we're out of here, the sooner I can be beautiful again."

Andromeda sniggered as the three began to cautiously make their way toward the main part of Malfoy Manor, none of them sure what to expect from the house or its other occupants.