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Bella


Nymphadora slowly opened the door to her little boy's bedroom, slipping inside and quietly closing the door behind her. She let out a small sigh as she looked to her eldest son, laid within the blankets of his bed seemingly asleep.

"Teddy?" Dora whispered, hesitating a moment before she walked over to him and sat down next to him. She brushed some of his sandy brown hair out of his face, he looked so much like his father sometimes it was hard for her to see. She took a deep breath as she smiled sadly at the boy, "It's just me Teddy."

"Hey Mum," Teddy murmured, looking up at the woman with his pair of green eyes. She would have sworn the boy was purposely trying to look like his father today, but she knew he'd never seen a photograph of the man.

"Worried Rod's going to come back in?" Dora raised an eyebrow, "He's gone, baby."

"I'm not a baby," Teddy frowned, though he adjusted himself on the bed to lean into his mother's side nonetheless.

"I know," Dora smiled, kissing his head as she wrapped an arm around her son, "you're all grown up. Ready to leave your old Mum to go off to school and have your own adventures."

"Yeah . . ." Teddy murmured.

"It'll be fine," Dora sighed before forcing a grin onto her face and looking down at the boy, "you'll meet new people, see new things, you'll get out of this place—I honestly don't think I'd blame you if you wanted to stay for Christmas too. It's fun, I spent one Christmas at school—I was going through a bit of a rebellious stage and I'd had so many detentions that year I really didn't want to face Mum's wrath. Your Nan can be scary when she wants to be you know, but don't tell her I said that." She winked at the boy as he let out a scoff of laughter before she gave him a look of mock seriousness, "But no getting into detention for you. You can take after your father thank you very much, perfect student he was . . . well, he had his fair share of mischief. But he was still prefect and he got good grades—well, I assume he got good grades if he ended up being a teacher for a bit, I never really asked. He was very clever though. Just like you."

"Mum . . ."

"Yeah, Teddy bear?" Dora breathed, stroking her son's hair as she tried not to reminisce on her dead husband for too long.

"I—" Teddy bit his lip, straightening up for a moment and looking to his mother, "I'm like Dad, aren't I?"

"Very much," Dora smiled, "you're brave, smart, caring—"

"No," Teddy shook his head, "I—" he looked down for a moment, twiddling his hands on his lap nervously until his mother reached out and put her hand over his own.

"You're not like him, like that." Dora said firmly, "You take after me with your magic . . . you're a metamorphmagus, not a werewolf."

"But I—" Teddy shook his head, "I knew that something was wrong before it happened. There was no way of knowing. Even Bellatrix didn't know and I tried to warn Nan but she obviously didn't realise or she wouldn't have shushed me. I . . . It's not normal."

"Teddy Remus Lupin," Dora said firmly, taking her son's face in her hands and looking him firmly in the eyes, "you listen to me. You are not a werewolf. I'm your mother, I think I'd know."

"Then how do you explain it?" Teddy furrowed his brow in confusion, closing his eyes for a brief moment as Nymphadora leant forward and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Well," Dora sat back slightly, thinking for a moment before she continued, "in the war, we had a friend; Bill Weasley. He got bit . . . by the same man that turned your father—but when he did it he wasn't turned. It wasn't a full moon."

Teddy's eyes widened in shock and confusion, "Why would he do that? He doesn't have to—or have the instinct—"

"He was a bad man," Dora said.

"Like Rodolphus?" Teddy asked, glaring slightly as he merely spoke his name.

"I—I suppose, yes," Dora hesitated, "but don't go saying things like that around him."

"But—"

"Let me finish my story," Dora gave the boy a warning look, waiting for him to nod before she continued, "anyway, after Bill got attacked he kind of had certain characteristics, like your father. He preferred his steak rare, very rare, his senses were heightened a bit. But he never turned. Maybe you're just like that, if you were going to turn you would have done it by now."

"But I've never had heightened senses or liked bloody food or anything like that," Teddy said, worry in his voice, "what if it's just starting—what if it's like puberty."

Dora couldn't help but let out a small laugh despite herself, biting her lip as her son gave her a stern look, she sighed. "Look, you've never had steak so Merlin knows if you like it rare or not. Maybe we'll test that theory one day, I wouldn't mind some steak. The other stuff . . ." she sighed, "as a baby you were always more unsettled on a full moon, even now I check up on you at night out of habit and you always seem to be having a bit of a harder time in the night around that time, your senses . . . you've not really had much of a chance to test it. But when you really think about it, I'm sure both of us could think of at least one occasion where you've been on alert before something bad has happened . . . but there's so much bad in this place it just gets jumbled up in it all . . . You've just got some tendencies, I promise you you are not about to go running around howling stark bollocks naked in the full moon."

Teddy blushed slightly, thinking for a moment and then looking up at his mother, "Promise?"

"Cross my heart," Dora smiled, kissing his head, "Now, are you going to get some sleep?"

"I'm not tired," Teddy lied.

Dora rolled her eyes before with a smirk she laid back on the boy's bed, "Fine. I am though. So I'm just going to lay down here, okay? We can chat until either one of us falls asleep."

Teddy considered the witch for a moment, "Will you tell me stories . . . about before this place?"

"Sure," Dora smiled sadly, holding her arms open and letting her oldest child curl into her.

It was hours later until the door opened again and though Teddy Lupin slept soundly curled into his mother's side, the witch was currently wide awake. She laid staring at the ceiling, absentmindedly stroking her son's hair as she tried to clear her mind of thought. She winced as she heard a subtle knock on the door, closing her eyes as she contemplated following her son's example and pretending to be asleep. Though as the door creaked open she couldn't help but open her eyes again to see who was there to disturb them.

"Dora . . ." Andromeda whispered, "Is he asleep?" Dora nodded silently, watching her mother walk over to her. She looked down at the sleeping boy for a few moments before she looked back to her daughter, "Let him rest, come on."

"He's fine . . ." Dora whispered.

"I know . . ." Andromeda murmured, "but what if Rodolphus comes back and you're in here? He'll disturb him."

"He won't come back . . ." Dora winced at the thought, but after a moment she couldn't help but admit her mother was right. She begrudgingly untangled herself from her son, carefully moving off of the bed before turning to make sure he was covered by his blankets. She hesitated as she watched him turn in his sleep for a moment, then as she felt her mother's hand on her shoulder she knew she had to leave him. She would have honestly have preferred Rodolphus coming for her; she knew what her mother wanted. She followed her down the corridor, letting Andromeda open the door for her as she walked into her mother's room.

"You know," Dora sighed, running her hand over her mother's dresser as she avoided looking towards her "you always amaze me, no matter what the situation you always keep your room so organised—even the communal areas are very up together and I'm sure the house elves have nothing to do with that . . . Where's Roo?"

"In his room," Andromeda said simply, "taking a nap."

"It's a bit late for that, isn't it?" Dora frowned, risking looking at her mother for a split second before returning her attention to her feigned interest in the cleanliness of her mother's bedroom.

"It's been an eventful day," Andromeda stated, "How's Teddy?"

"Convinced he's a werewolf," Dora rolled her eyes, "I told him it's nonsense, I reckon he's just a bit like Bill. You remember Bill?" the younger witch winced slightly before she shook her head, "Of course you do. I mean him and his tendencies . . . Teddy's okay. Just tired. I've decided I need to get him a steak . . . or two. I suppose you'd need two steaks to test the theory."

"Steak?" Andromeda raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

"Yeah," Dora nodded, "Bill—and Remus—had this thing where they liked their steak really rare. I'm sure you made comment on it once, or did that awkward thing where you're trying to be polite and not mention it but mention it anyway and make it more awkward. It's a werewolf thing where you don't necessarily have to be a full werewolf to like really bloody meat . . ." Dora paused, taking a moment before she turned around to face her mother, "But you didn't bring me in here to talk about steak . . . or Teddy or Reuben . . . Did you?"

"Well, no," Andromeda said, "but you've always had a tendency to ramble when you're nervous, I thought I'd let you get it out of your system so we could have a sensible conversation."

"Charming," Dora scoffed, sitting herself down on the edge of her mother's bed.

Andromeda watched the woman for a moment as she resumed her plight to avoid her gaze, staring at the floor as she picked at the material of her blanket. "Why didn't you tell me, Nymphadora?"

Dora winced, looking up from the floor though she still did not look her mother in the eye, "I— . . . I didn't think it mattered."

"You didn't think it mattered?" Andromeda gave the girl an incredulous stare, waiting for her to look at her for a moment before she simply walked in front of her to meet her gaze, "It matters."

"You think it matters," Dora sighed, "you were raised like that. Get married, have babies, having babies is the most important thing, carry on your line and all that. I didn't want to upset you or make you feel upset for me. It's not upsetting."

"You think that's why I'd care?" Andromeda scoffed before glaring at the girl, "I don't care about that. You know I didn't raise you like that, you're not some poor married pureblood witch born to be nothing but a mother. Besides that fact, if you really wanted to go down that absurd line of reasoning then surely you would have been intelligent to realise that you have three children, two sons, you've had more children and have done your duty for more than I ever did. It's ridiculous!"

"Then why do you care?" Nymphadora raised her voice, standing to meet the woman's glare, "You just said it's not about that so why on earth do you give a shit? It's my body! It's my body they fucking violated. If anyone should care about this it's me and honestly, I'm over it. It's a good thing, if anything." Dora shook her head, trying to calm herself, "I don't have to spend every fucking day worrying if I've got another baby to worry about, or going off to Bellatrix to beg her for a measly potion because she can't control her bastard husband."

"And that's why you should have told me!" Andromeda yelled, "I spend far more time worrying about you than you realise, girl. Ever since Reuben was born I've been terrified that you were going to come crying to me telling me about another baby you don't want to have. Watching you fall to pieces and having to be there to hold you together because I can't watch you lose your mind. I can't watch you be forced to give that man anything. Do you not think it would have been nice to know that I at least didn't have to worry about that?"

"Yeah," Dora ran her hand through her hair, trying to keep her mousey brown locks from turning red as her voice dripped with sarcasm, "I suppose as I was having a mental breakdown, thinking I was worthless and that I may as well not live anymore, I should have thought to myself—well at least Mum will be happy. Best go share the news!"

"That is not what I meant and you know it!" Andromeda snapped.

"I know," Dora nodded, her voice breaking slightly as she failed to control her emotions, "it would have been worse than that. I would have had to see that look of pity on your face, just like I did with Elara, just the same as Reuben. That face you give when you just feel sorry for me and there's nothing you can do about it. At least this time it wasn't like having a child; it's easy to hide and I can pretty much get away with never mentioning it—until you decide to piss Rodolphus off and leave me to him. Great plan there, Mother."

"Nym—"

"No!" Dora snapped, "You can't come at me all high and mighty because I didn't tell you something! I didn't tell you this because I didn't want to think about it! I wanted to pretend it didn't happen, ignore it, it was easy enough to do. It didn't hurt anyone. I'm getting older now, a few more years and you could blame it on early menopause or some shit. But you," Dora pointed an accusatory finger at the woman, her hair now fully red as she glared at her, "you could have helped me. You could have told me about this stupid fucking 'Lestrange weakness'. Do you not think that, as I'm worrying about covering for Elara because truthfully it is her fault I went into labour early and up until now I thought maybe whatever I got hit with may have hurt Rueben, or as Rodolphus is blaming me, punishing me because he puts all the blame on me, do you not think that that little bit of information would have helped me!? You do not get the moral high ground here mother!"

"It wouldn't have helped you," Andromeda spoke calmly, "if you threw that at him it would have been ten times worse."

"You could have told me," Dora shook her head, "my son is sick. Sometimes I wonder if he'll even make it to be old enough to go to Hogwarts and I think of how Elara still blames herself—she comes to me sometimes you know. She sits in my room and she'll cry, saying how it's all her fault and I have to tell her it's not but honestly part of me used to wonder . . . I could have taken that away from her. I could have at least told her it's not her fault and know for certain it wasn't a lie. She's a strong girl, really strong, but when she sees her brother suffering and it breaks her heart . . ."

"She can't know," Andromeda said.

"Why not?" Dora asked, "Why can't I give her that?"

"I considered it," Andromeda frowned, "honestly I did . . . but think about it. If she knows—at such a young age—that there's a curse in her family like that . . . she'd start to worry she's next. I know that's not true, you know that's not true, but as strong as she is she's still a little girl. You can't give that sort of information to her, she'll twist it and worry about it."

Dora continued to glare at her mother, until eventually she sighed, shaking her head. "You're right . . ." Dora mumbled, "don't let it get to your head."

". . . Perhaps we should have both been more honest with each other . . ." Andromeda said, "We can't keep secrets from each other in this place, intentionally or not . . . we've only got family, Dora. We need to be there for each other."

Dora gave a small nod, morphing her red hair to a short blonde, "I'm going to check on Roo . . ." Dora said, ". . . I'll see you for dinner?"

The witch waited for a mother to nod in response, "Just—" Dora rolled her eyes, "don't tell anyone about . . . the thing. I don't want anyone's pity."

"Okay . . ." Andromeda agreed, watching her daughter for a moment before with a small forced smile and a mumbled goodbye Nymphadora left her room, leaving the older witch alone to her own thoughts.


"Mum," Teddy couldn't help but laugh slightly as he watched his mother going through his case, "Mum it's all in there, honestly. It's fine."

"It doesn't harm anyone for me to check it now, does it?" Dora sighed, rolling her eyes as she saw his wand tucked into the upper compartment of his case, "You need this."

"You're not allowed to do magic outside of school," Elara said, tilting her head slightly as she watched from her position perched on the end of her brother's bed, "Delphi said so . . . she also said that the rules don't apply to us, but I don't know if that means Teddy . . ."

"The train doesn't count, sweetie," Dora smiled slightly, taking her son's wand out of the case and passing it to the boy, "Keep it on you."

"Fine," Teddy rolled his eyes with a small smile, pocketing his wand and laughing slightly as his mother walked over and gave him a hug, "I'll be fine, Mum."

"I know," Dora murmured, still holding the boy close.

"Mum, I don't think he can breathe like that," Elara giggled.

"Oh," Dora shook her head, standing back from the boy after giving him one last kiss on the head, "sorry, I—"

Elara frowned as her mother paused, "What?"

Dora shook her head, quickly striding across the room and opening the door. Delphini Riddle stood with a smirk on her face as she lowered the hand she had raised to knock for the woman, "Nymphie."

"Delphi!" Elara grinned, blushing slightly as the girl merely gave her a smile and a nod in return.

"I—" Dora frowned, "I thought I felt your mother enter the wards."

"You did," Delphi said simply, "but I told her to wait by the entrance whilst I came and got you."

"Is she taking us?" Teddy said, unable to keep the hint of nerves from his voice.

"Yes," Delphi said, "Mother is taking us, Father thought it was best to take a few spare Death Eaters too after the little incident in Diagon Alley," she rolled her eyes, "they'll meet us in the main entrance hall. Oh and your Mum, too."

"I'm coming?" Dora asked in surprise.

"Well, yes," Delphi frowned, "I thought Teddy would want his mother to see him off at the station. Do you not Teddy?"

"Yes!" Teddy exclaimed, rushing to his mother's side though as Delphi let out a small laugh he couldn't help but blush, "I mean, yes, I would like that. Thank you."

"Think of it as my way of thanking you," Delphi winked, "come on then, let's go."

Dora didn't hesitate, turning to the boy's case and putting a weightlessness charm on it before picking it up by its handle. She turned to leave again, watching her two oldest children say their goodbyes as Delphi walked out of the room.

"Say bye to Roo for me?" Teddy asked his sister, who nodded silently as she tried to hold back her emotions of her eldest sibling leaving her for Hogwarts, "See you, Elara."

"Come on!" Bellatrix's voice echoed through the corridor, causing Teddy to jump and Nymphadora to wince before turning to her son.

"Don't speak unless spoken to, okay Teddy?" Dora whispered, giving her son a reassuring smile as he nodded in agreement. "Come on," she walked out of the room, gesturing for her son to walk after her.

"We don't have all day," Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the pair.

"Oh, let them have their moment," Delphi sighed, taking her mother's hand as the older woman narrowed her eyes at her niece, "Teddy's probably nervous."

"I'm not," Teddy piped up quickly, biting his lip as he remembered what his mother had told him.

"Sorry," Dora said simply, not breaking eye contact with her Aunt until the older woman simply made a sound of disapproval at the witch and held her hand out, ". . . What?"

"What do you mean, what?" Bellatrix rolled her eyes, "Are you dim?"

"You can't take Teddy out of the wards," Delphi said, letting go of her mother's hand, "Mother has to do it."

Nymphadora hesitated for a moment, giving her son's shoulder quick squeeze of reassurance as she could see his nerves before giving him a gentle nudge towards the woman. Bellatrix stared at the boy for a moment before she rolled her eyes, "For Merlin's sake boy!" Bellatrix snapped, striding forward and grabbing the boy's hand. She rushed through the wards of the prisoner's wing, practically throwing the boy from her as she reached the other side, "There! Not that difficult, is it?"

Teddy struggled to find his footing, though his mother was quickly at his side again, glaring furiously at the dark witch as she looked ready to yell at her herself. But thankfully Bellatrix was not paying attention, instead drawing her wand and quickly sending his case zooming down the corridor.

"I don't have time for this nonsense!" Bellatrix snapped, "Come on!"

Delphi sighed, catching up to her mother as she quickly walked off towards the entrance hall, she slipped her arm in her own and leant her head into her side. "Sorry, Mum," Delphi whispered, sickly sweet as she felt the woman relax slightly, "I'm the one that wanted them here. It'll be worth it though, promise."

"It's fine," Bellatrix sighed, squeezing the girls hand before both of their demeanours quickly changed as they reached the top of the stairs.

There were four Death Eaters stood waiting for them, one of the men holding Delphi and Teddy's cases and looking less than impressed. Though Teddy was sure he had seen at least three of the men around before there was only one that he recognised by name. Elara's Uncle Rabastan was the only man with a slight smirk on his face as the group approached them.

"Ready?" Rabastan asked, raising an eyebrow at Bellatrix.

Bellatrix gave a small nod, "You can take Nymphie and the cub."

"Lucky me," Rabastan scoffed.

"Play nice," Delphi added, smirking as the man muttered his agreement before walking over to the Lupins.

Teddy looked straight to his mother as the man took hold of his arm, the woman giving him a reassuring look before within the blink of an eye for the second time in his life he felt the constricting feeling of side along apparation take over him. As quickly as the sensation had started, it was over and Teddy Lupin couldn't help but take in a large gulp of air as he felt Rabastan let go of him. As he looked at his new surroundings he couldn't help it as his jaw dropped slightly in awe. There were people everywhere, parents saying goodbye to their children, first years nervously looking around just as he was, older students meeting up with old friends again though he couldn't help but notice the small nods and nervous glances thrown their way. He looked to Bellatrix and Delphini, both witches wore the same smirk upon their features as Bellatrix looked out towards the crowds around them whilst they quickly stood back to make a path for the front of the train. Delphi looked to the boy for a moment, giving a small wink to the boy.

"Come on, Teddy. You can sit in my carriage with me," Delphi said, ignoring the face of disapproval her mother gave her.

He followed the girl and her mother without question, only stopping slightly to let his own mother fall in step beside him. They paused as they reached the front carriage of the rain, his feet seemingly plastered to the ground as he watched the men get their cases into the carriage before Bellatrix said her discreet goodbyes to her daughter.

"Hey," Dora whispered, looking to her son she put a hand on his shoulder "write to me, okay?"

"Okay," Teddy nodded, hesitating for a moment before he gave his mother a hug.

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his head, "You'll be fine, Teddy bear."

"Aww," the sickly sweet voice of Bellatrix Lestrange came from the side, causing the boy to quickly let go of his mother, "isn't that sweet." She rolled her eyes and nodded towards the compartment, "Get in, your mother and I have prior engagements."

Teddy tried to ignore the small shudder his mother gave, giving her hand one last squeeze before he walked towards the train. He gave Bellatrix as wide a birth as possible, looking away from her smirk of amusement as he pulled himself into the carriage. The door shut behind them and he jumped at the suddenness of it. He watched as Bellatrix took her mother's arm, both women looking towards their children for a brief moment before within the blink of an eye they were gone. He sighed, silently hoping that his mother wasn't about to get hurt, though deep down he knew she would, she always seemed to be hurt in one way or another.

"She'll be fine," Delphi said simply, leaning back in her seat opposite the boy as she looked to him with the smallest of smiles, "Mum's been told to be on her best behaviour today. Besides," She rolled her eyes, "she hasn't got any business with your mother today, she's got to see father. Honestly, I think she just says stuff to try and scare people for the fun of it."

Teddy couldn't think of anything to say that would not risk offending the girl, so he simply nodded, turning his head and looking towards the carriage door. "Is he just going to stand there the whole trip?"

"Rabastan?" Delphi tilted her head as she looked to the man for a moment, "Yes. He was supposed to be sitting in here with me, but I thought you might find that a little awkward. Mother came up with me last year. Though after an incident with the trolley witch I don't think she'll be doing that again any time soon."

"Your own personal bodyguard . . ." Teddy sighed.

"Pretty much," Delphi sighed as she looked back to the boy, "apparently I can't be left alone on a train full of children."

"Well," Teddy frowned, "what if someone came onto the train? I—I mean, I'm sure you can defend yourself against someone but . . ."

"Well, I have you, don't I?" Delphi couldn't help but laugh a little as Teddy blushed.

"I'm not a Death Eater or anything," he mumbled, "I couldn't defend you."

"You did a pretty good job of it last time," Delphi raised an eyebrow.

"I got struck down in one hit," Teddy shook his head, "not exactly grade A material there, am I?"

"Well," Delphi shrugged, "you could be in time. You have potential."

"Really?" Teddy couldn't help but scoff.

"Really," Delphi laughed, "as much as everyone berates Nymphie to her face I've heard mother say she used to be a very good duelist—I think that's part of the reason she gets so annoyed at her. Apparently, they dueled a few times in the war, and she dueled other Death Eaters, she used to handle herself pretty well. Also, I heard your father was pretty good in his time. So you have potential."

"Thanks," Teddy said, shifting awkwardly on his seat.

"You just need a bit of training," Delphi mused, "I'll help you there."

"Y—You want to train me?" Teddy stuttered.

"Don't seem so shocked," Delphi scoffed, "not right away, eventually though. For now, don't think about it. This is your first time at Hogwarts, you should be excited, having fun."

"Right," Teddy nodded, looking out of the window as the train began to make its way out of the station.

"Relax," Delphi said, getting up and going to her case, she rummaged around in a compartment for a moment before without warning she threw a chocolate frog at Teddy. She bit her lip to stop her laughter as it hit him on the head though he thanked her nonetheless. She was determined to get to know Teddy Lupin a little better.