With the promise that Nanny would help Delphi, Elara went running from the Prisoners' Ward, straight for the room her father had told her never to enter without special permission. Delphi had told her that the Inner Circle was in a meeting, so obviously Rodolphus would be there, and her mother needed him.
Fear shot through Elara, even stronger than before as she wondered if her mother and Delphi would be all right. The small girl darted around a corner and stopped to catch her breath as she faced the door of the meeting room. With a strong determination that she'd got from both her parents, Elara reached out and opened the door, stepping forward on trembling legs.
"-not long before they are found again," came Dolohov's voice. "Surely they are of little concern as they have next to no power."
No one seemed to notice Elara at first until she plucked up her courage and said, too loudly, "Father?" She could see him sitting further down the table with his brother, and almost sighed in relief as Rodolphus turned at the sound of her voice, his face growing noticeably more pale.
"Delphi-?" Bellatrix cut off her questioning words with a gasp and hiss of anger as she discovered the girl interrupting them was not the Dark Lord's daughter.
Elara swallowed hard, suddenly recalling that the Inner Circle meeting included Delphi's parents. She hurried to her father, her white hair (and presence there) causing murmurs around the table.
Rodolphus drew his daughter close, fear enveloping him as he wondered what would happen to them for what Elara had just done. "My Lord," he breathed, "I have told her never to enter-I will make sure she is taken care of."
The Dark Lord regarded the Lestrange girl thoughtfully. "Elara Lestrange, did you have something to add to our discussions?"
Bellatrix laughed in derision, glaring at the girl in her father's arms. Rodolphus could only imagine what Bellatrix was thinking and planning to do to him and Elara when she got the chance, though he could not dwell on that now.
The white-haired child looked up fearfully and whispered, "Mum is hurt. They sent me to tell you-" she looked up at her father "that the baby is coming."
A shriek of insane laughter escaped Bellatrix at this as panic coursed through Rodolphus. "What? Who's with her?" he demanded of his daughter.
"Cissa," Elara sniffed, fighting back tears. "Nanny went to help Delphi..."
The expression on Rodolphus' face could not have been more horrified as Bellatrix got to her feet in a towering rage. "What did you say?" she almost screeched at the girl. "What have you done?"
Elara clung to her father, filled with terror as Bellatrix stalked toward them, reaching for her wand as she hissed in fury. "Dad?" Elara whimpered, too scared to even cry. He just held her, waiting for his wife's fury to fall.
"Bellatrix..." She halted, still glowering at her husband and his child in rage. "Delphini is in her room: you will check on her now."
Bellatrix left the room without a word, and Elara dissolved into silent tears, her father holding her close.
"Rodolphus, you will be dealt with later," the Dark Lord said coldly. "Go to Nymphie, as you so desire. We will carry on without you, as we do so often now, and so easily, too. It is a shame. Go."
Rodolphus did not hesitate, getting to his feet with Elara in his arms and leaving the room after bowing his thanks. The girl was crying openly now, her arms around his neck as he rushed toward the Prisoners' Ward. The moment he crossed the wards, he set her down, hearing Nymphadora yell out from her room. "No, Elara," he said, pushing her away as she wanted to cling to him. "Hush. Go to your room."
Elara stumbled back from the man, tears streaming down her face as she watched him run off to her mother's room. Turning from the disaster she'd made, she ran to her old room and threw herself onto her bed, crying heartbrokenly.
Rodolphus wrenched open the door of Nymphie's room and entered, Narcissa looking up from Dora's side as he rushed forward. Narcissa began to speak, but Nymphadora yelled out, tears streaming down her face, and Rodolphus said, "I'm taking her to St. Mungo's: I'm not waiting on a Healer."
Nymphadora shrieked in pain as he moved her, her hair pure white as her chest heaved, the girl trying to remember to breathe properly. "I can't leave the house!" Dora cried, her grip tightening on Rodolphus as she shrieked in pain.
"If I say you are leaving, you are," Rodolphus hissed in her ear. "We both know it's too early for the baby to come. Don't you dare fight me, Nymphadora. Merlin knows you'll need more than one Healer as helpless as you are these days."
"Go now," Narcissa hissed at him. "Don't delay!"
"Cissa," whimpered Nymphadora. "Mum..."
"You'll be fine, Dora," Narcissa said insistently. "Remember to take deep breaths."
Rodolphus adjusted his grip on Nymphadora and performed a half-apparition, flying from the ward and out of Malfoy Manor. He felt only slightly relieved once the Healers had taken Dora and begun to work with her. Having missed his daughter's birth, he had no idea what to expect from Dora with his son's birth.
He watched her shriek and cry, the witch's hair just as white as Elara's had been moments before. He caught her eye for a single moment and saw terror in her eyes. "Rod," she cried. "Rod, come here. Please!" She shrieked in pain, but he obeyed her, reaching out and taking her hand in his. She gripped his hand very tightly as she struggled to bring his heir into the world, and though he murmured words of encouragement to her, she mostly ignored him.
It was hours later, and a lot of screaming from Nymphadora before the child was born, immediately taken away by the Healers. Nymphadora went limp on the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks as she weakly moved her fingers against Rodolphus' hand for a moment. "Is he...okay?" she breathed, struggling to keep her eyes open as she looked up at the man.
Rodolphus didn't answer, but one of the Healers said, "The baby is breathing, but it is very weak, as it is severely premature. We are doing everything we can for it."
Dora's head fell back onto her pillows, her eyes closing as everything went dark.
Nymphadora woke in pain, completely alone. The very next second, she was in a panic as she remembered the birth of her second son. "Is there anyone here?" she asked weakly. "Anyone?"
She knew she was in St. Mungo's, though it had changed a lot from how she remembered it. She was in a private room, and it seemed heavily warded, as there was no sound from outside and she was sure it was warded against her leaving.
Dora wondered about her son, if the tiny little baby had survived the birth, and whether Rodolphus was still at St. Mungo's. She was forced to recall (with a shiver of fear) that Elara could be in a lot of trouble for whatever the poor child had accidentally done to Delphi. She could only hope that Andromeda had managed to reach Delphi in time.
It seemed like hours before anyone showed up, and the Healers assisted her to the bathroom. Neither of them said a word to her, no matter what she said, but they gave her something for her pain and left her all alone once again.
Nymphadora turned her face to the wall and cried.
Rodolphus Lestrange did not leave his son's side until very late in the morning the next day. The man was afraid that the moment he was not with his son, something would happen. He eventually had to return to the Manor for some sleep, though he decided he needed to check on Elara first.
He approached the Prisoners' Wing with distaste, understanding why his daughter would be hiding there, but being annoyed with it all the same. He raised his hand to open Elara's door when he felt someone else enter the wards. He stopped for a moment, waiting to see who it would be.
"Rodolphus." Andromeda stopped in the hall, putting her hand against the wall to steady herself. "How is Dora?"
"Alive, last I knew," Rodolphus growled before frowning at her. "What happened to you?"
"Bella doesn't like me," Andromeda said simply. "And what of your son?"
Rodolphus glared at her. "I don't have time for your games, Tonks," he spat at her. "Go on about your business and leave me alone."
Andromeda merely smirked. "How is the child, Rodolphus? Is he...sick? Have you failed after all?"
He reached for his wand, and she whispered, "It's not as if fathering a child by a half-blood really counts as an heir, anyway. Everyone knows that, Roddy."
He growled, flinging a Curse at her, but she jumped out of the way with a small hiss of pain. "Don't be mad," she told him as he glared at her, waiting for the right moment. "It was your decision, and you'll never be anything more than the worthless, abusive man you are right now. You've more than lost your standing with the Dark Lord...no more favours for Rodolphus Lestrange."
Rodolphus sent another Curse, but Andromeda dodged it once more. "Perhaps you'd better go to Elara now," Andromeda mused. "Bellatrix is furious that your precious daughter crushed Delphini's legs. Easily mended, of course, but the very idea of your children attacking Delphi...they might rethink their decision to let you keep toying with Nymphadora. They might decide the House of Lestrange has become a threat. You should go spend some time with your daughter before it's too late."
"How dare you?" Rodolphus snapped, advancing on the witch. "You have no idea what Bella and the Dark Lord are planning!" He moved too quickly for her to get out of the way and she merely looked into his face as he dug his wand into her neck. "Insolent woman." Andromeda grinned.
"Father?" The call came from inside Elara's room, and he jumped away from Andromeda as the door opened. The young girl looked up at her father, her face streaked with tearstains. "Dad," she sniffed, hurrying to him and wrapping her arms around him tightly.
"Elara," Rodolphus murmured, stowing his wand as he lifted his daughter into his arms. "Your hair is white."
"Is Mum okay?" Elara whimpered, her hands clenching onto her father's shirt. "She was hurt..."
"She's hurting, but she'll be fine," Rodolphus answered, hiding his annoyance at her concern. "And you have a brother now, Elara."
"Oooh, and what is his name?" Andromeda asked curiously.
Rodolphus looked up and said, "Reuben Lestrange." He gave Andromeda a sharp look and carried his daughter into her room.
"Wait!" Elara said, turning back to her grandmother. "Is Delphi okay?"
Andromeda nodded after a moment. "She's fine," Andromeda told the girl in spite of everything she could have said. "Delphi's okay; she's strong."
Elara sighed in relief, letting her dad shut the door. "Elara," Rodolphus said almost immediately, "what did you do to Delphi?"
"Well, she was bored," Elara began, a very solemn expression on her face, "so we went to her mum's room and got a couple of her wands."
"What?" Rodolphus said in shock. "What wands?"
"The ones in the box," Elara winced, remembering Delphi cutting her hand. "Delphi wanted to get a couple wands to teach me how to do some spells."
Rodolphus refrained from commenting that Elara was not supposed to have a wand in her possession and that Bellatrix was sure to be furious when she realised the two little girls had been handling her trophy wands. His heart nearly stopped when he realised exactly what Andromeda had meant by her words: Bellatrix already knew, and something was happening.
"Listen!" Elara insisted, grasping her father's hand. "Delphi was teaching me how to make things explode, but something scared me and I...hit her with the spell."
Rodolphus stared at her in horror. "And it shattered her legs?"
"No!" Elara protested. "It only dented her ankle! But then she sent me to get someone before the Inner Circle was done with their meeting, but Mum was hurt, so I had to come get you! I didn't mean to tell Delphi's Mum I hurt her!"
"Elara!" Rodolphus groaned. "You shouldn't be playing around with things that you don't understand!"
"She said it would be all right!" Elara said pleadingly. "But I wasn't trying to tell Bella...it was an accident!"
"Oh, Elara," he said, hugging her closer. "I know." He swallowed hard, making sure that his daughter did not see his fear. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help more."
Elara slipped her arms around her dad and clung to him. "She's going to hurt me," Elara whimpered. "She was angry."
Rodolphus drew a steadying breath, then said, "She will not touch you at all if I can help it, Elara. Delphi will be fine, and accidents do happen."
The little girl was just going to tell her dad that she wanted him to stay while she slept when he suddenly flinched, swearing under his breath. "Elara darling," he said softly, "I've got to go, but I'll be back, okay?"
"The Dark Lord wants you?" Elara sniffed, looking up at her dad before drawing away from him. "I'm sorry," she whispered in guilt.
He kissed her head, then got to his feet. "I love you," he murmured, and left her all alone.
Rodolphus could not deny his fear as he followed his Summons, only becoming more worried when he realised he was being led to the Dark Lord's private chambers. He hesitated for a moment before placing his hand on the door, and it swung open to admit him.
He shivered slightly when he passed Nagini coiled up by the fire, hearing her hiss softly and wondering what she was saying. He walked further into the chamber, quickly kneeling before the Dark Lord, who was silent for several minutes, leaving Rodolphus kneeling uncomfortably on the floor.
Rodolphus began to wonder what the Dark Lord wanted from him, and what was going to happen because of everything that had happened with Elara interrupting the meeting after injuring Delphi. "My Lord?" he asked after the silence had begun to hurt his ears.
"Your daughter..." came the Dark Lord's cold, thoughtful voice. "Such an innocent little one to misbehave so terribly. Do you think that's the mother's influence?"
Rodolphus did not move, fear gripping his heart as he tried not to imagine what was in store for him. "I...am not sure, My Lord," he murmured. "I did not train her to obey as well as I thought I had. She is more than aware of her mistakes, however. She's afraid..."
The thought of his daughter's fear hurt him, and Rodolphus clenched his fist as he wished he could be with Elara to calm and reassure her. It didn't matter that it had been an accident: she'd messed up in the worst way possible and he had no way to protect her from the consequences.
"Perhaps Nymphadora was not the best choice for a mother, hmm?" the Dark Lord said, and Rodolphus thought he sounded almost amused. "Do you think your second child will be any better than Elara? Word has reached me that your son is not expected to live through the week."
A sound escaped Rodolphus, though he couldn't describe what it was, although he wanted to call it back the moment he heard it. "The Healers have been doing everything they can, My Lord," Rodolphus breathed. "I can only hope he will be all right. He was fine when I left him..."
"But the state of things can change so quickly," the Dark Lord sighed, walking forward. "Just as you have become weak and unreliable instead of the strong, steady Death Eater that used to stand beside Bellatrix."
Several things rushed through Rodolphus' mind before he answered, "I serve only you, My Lord, whatever the cost. I do not waver in your service; I am faithful."
The Dark Lord smiled thinly. "Faithful. While you allow your attentions to be diverted to Nymphadora, and now to your children, who have already proven to be a nuisance. I believe allowing your second child was a mistake; however, there will be no more children from Nymphadora. That is being corrected now, while she is at St. Mungo's. I'm sure two little Lestranges is quite enough, now that they are part rebel."
"They will not become like Nymphadora, My Lord," Rodolphus said firmly. "I will teach them to be better than her. They will become strong warriors for you, with the powers Nymphadora withholds from us."
"So thoughtful of you to offer up your children before they can even control magic properly," the man smirked. "Rise, Rodolphus."
Rodolphus got to his feet, a little sore from kneeling so long. The Dark Lord watched him for a moment, then said, "Such anger you hold now..." Rodolphus did not speak, though his heart sank as the Dark Lord continued, "Your daughter will be punished, though we shall wait for Nymphadora to join us before that happens. She must take responsibility as well."
"Yes, My Lord," Rodolphus barely whispered.
The second he was dismissed, Rodolphus left the room as fast as properly possible. In place of fear, dread now filled his mind as he trudged down to the Prisoners' Ward.
The moment he entered the ward, Nymphadora's other brat hurried out of the sitting room. "Where's Mum?" the boy asked.
"She's ill," Rodolphus snapped at him. "At St. Mungo's. Go back to your aunt, boy."
"Dad?" Elara stood in the hallway behind him, looking confused at the anger in her father's voice. She hurried forward to claim her father's embrace. "Will you take me to see Mum tomorrow?"
"No, love," he answered quietly. "She'll be home soon enough. We don't have to go see her."
"Okay," Elara pouted as he carried her toward her room. "Was the Dark Lord mad?"
"No, Elara," Rodolphus murmured, kissing her forehead as he set her down on her bed. "Don't worry about it. It's okay."
Elara nodded trustingly, but reached for her father anyway. "Stay."
Rodolphus obeyed her request, murmuring, "All right." He allowed Elara to curl into him as he lay down on the bed, and both of them fell into a restless sleep.
Oh, the drama. Poor ickle Nymphie. Poor Elara. Poor Rodolphus. Their whole poor family. XD hehehe more drama to come: don't hold your breath.
Dora
