Shadow's back! Apologies for the delay.
Dora
"No." The answer was instantaneous, indignant even though he knew by experience that it was pointless to express discontent.
"We both know you will," the black-haired witch said sweetly, grinning at him before she turned and walked to the door. "Have fun."
Bellatrix's laughter rang in Rodolphus' ears as he turned his thoughts to what he had been about to do. It was time for him to take Elara out shopping for her school supplies, as she had just had her eleventh birthday and was ecstatic about joining Delphi and Teddy at Hogwarts. However, when he had requested permission to take her to Diagon Alley, Bellatrix had told him that it was now his duty to take Teddy with him as well, meaning that Nymphadora had to go as well.
This was not sitting well with him, but of course, the only thing to be done was to go taunt the mother of his children about it and get them all on their way to Diagon Alley. He growled under his breath: Bellatrix was always right. He stormed out of the room and quickly walked to Elara's room, finding it empty. He realised with a jolt of annoyance that the girl was most likely with the Dark Lord's daughter, wherever she was.
Rodolphus gave up looking for Elara for the moment and made his way to the Prisoners' Wing. Reuben poked his head out of his mother's room, a huge grin on his face. "Dad!" he yelled happily, running to his father and being taken up into his arms.
"Reuben," Rodolphus said, hugging his son before setting him down again. "Where are your mother and sister?"
"Elara's not here," Reuben shrugged. "She said she was going to see Delphi for a while. Mum's in her room, of course."
"All right," he said to his son. "I've got to go talk to your mother now, so I'll see you in a little while."
Reuben gave his father a reproachful look, then hurried off in the direction of the sitting room. Rodolphus continued to Dora's room, opening the door and letting himself into the room without knocking.
Nymphadora merely looked up at him. "Elara isn't here," she said. "She went to see Delphi. She thinks Bellatrix is still going to try to stop her from going to Hogwarts."
Rodolphus rolled his eyes at her. "I know where Elara is," he said. "And Bellatrix knows very well that she cannot stop Elara's education if the child is to become a Death Eater."
"She won't be what you think she will," said Dora defiantly.
"But she will be a Death Eater," Rodolphus chuckled.
Nymphadora just scowled. "If you're not here for Elara, then why are you here?"
Rodolphus took a deep breath, pretending to show great patience. "Well, Nymphie," he said, "it seems that Bellatrix has already taken Delphi for her school supplies. That leaves your cub." He moved his hand quickly so that she received a magical slap across the face as she tried to speak. "He will go with us to Diagon Alley."
"You and Elara?" Dora breathed, her hand rubbing her cheek where a bright red mark now was.
"You'll go with us," Rodolphus said offhandedly. "Two children, two adults." Dora's mouth fell open, and Rodolphus smirked. "Get ready. One of your less rubbish dresses."
"I...I'll borrow one from Mum," said Dora, flustered. "Mine aren't the best."
"Get moving," Rodolphus ordered her. "And tell your cub to be ready as well. You have fifteen minutes before we have to go get Elara."
Dora rushed down the hall, looking into the sitting room and finding Rueben with Narcissa. She hurried straight to her mother's room, knocking on the door. She was admitted fairly quickly, though her mother looked surprised to see her as she set aside the parchment and quill she'd been using.
"Yes?" Andromeda asked.
"May—may I borrow a dress from you?" asked Dora. "I've got to go out to Diagon Alley with Rod and the children."
"All right," answered Andromeda, getting to her feet and going over to her wardrobe. "What one would you like?"
"Just something decent," Dora sighed. "I don't know."
Andromeda selected a dark blue piece and said, "You can wear this. I'll size it to you if we need." She handed it to her daughter. "Change," she said. "And yes, there's a corset that goes with it, but I can alter it enough that I don't think you'll need one."
Dora obeyed quickly, and Andromeda drew her wand, quickly fixing the garment so that it fit Dora perfectly. "I didn't realise you were that much thinner than me," Andromeda said disapprovingly. "You need to eat more."
The younger witch smirked. "I'm fine," she said. "If you're done, I've got to go tell Teddy to get ready, then go find Elara." Andromeda shooed her out of the room, and Dora walked down the hall to her son's room. The moment she knocked, he called for her to enter.
He gave a low whistle when she walked into his room, and Dora's ears turned red. "Teddy!" she scolded firmly, the boy blushing as well.
"Sorry," he said, getting to his feet from where he'd been apparently burning bits of parchment using his wand. "You look lovely, Mum. Did you need something from me?"
"We're going to Diagon Alley with Rodolphus and Elara," Dora said simply. "Are you ready?"
"Five minutes," the boy said promptly, heading toward his wardrobe, and Dora chuckled, leaving the room and closing the door on him.
Nymphadora walked back to Rodolphus at the edge of the ward and said, "He's nearly ready."
Rodolphus nodded absentmindedly, reaching out and placing a hand on her waist, entranced at the sight of her. Dora stepped away from him and he grabbed her by the arms, pushing her against the wall so that she ceased to struggle. "You look wonderful," he breathed, his lips against her neck.
"Rod," she said, clenching her fists to keep herself from reacting, "Teddy's going to be here soon."
"And?" the man laughed darkly. "He can't keep you safe, Nymphie. The sooner he knows that, the better."
"He does know that," Dora sighed. "It makes him more determined to stop you. Don't do this right now. If you upset him, Elara will notice."
He let her go, then said in a low voice, "I'm not finished with you, Nymphadora."
She rolled her eyes, walking toward the ward once again. "I'm sure."
"Hey, where are you going?"
They both turned to see Reuben frowning at them. "We're going out to get school supplies for Teddy and Elara," Dora explained with a quick glance at Rodolphus. "Now be a good boy for Nan—"
Teddy hurried down the hall, dressed in some of his best robes, and Reuben said, "I want to go too!"
"Reuben, no," Rodolphus said firmly.
"But why can't I go if Teddy is?" Reuben demanded, looking from his father up to his mother. "And Elara! That's not fair."
"They're at school," Dora sighed, reaching out toward her son though he scooted away from her, still looking at his father.
"But I want to!" the small boy protested. "Elara went out when she was my age. Why can't I?"
Nymphadora went to answer, but Rodolphus stopped her. "Well, if you really want to go, go to your nan and tell her that she's to get you and her ready to come with us. Go on, Reuben."
The young boy turned around and ran off, leaving Dora and Teddy to look at Rodolphus in bemusement. "Can't deny a child of yours anything, can you?" Teddy sniggered. "Even if it isn't good for them."
Dora shot her son a warning look, but Rodolphus glared at both of them. "He has been doing very well this week," he snapped. "Perhaps it would be good for him to see something other than this place."
Ten minutes later, Andromeda showed up ready to leave, a look of confusion on her face and Reuben holding onto her hand. "He says we're to go with you?" she questioned Rodolphus.
"You're to look after him while we're out so we can concentrate on gathering the children's school things," Rodolphus answered with a look of annoyance. "Let's get moving. We've got to pick up Elara on our way out."
"I'll go," Dora volunteered. "It'll be easier for me. We'll meet you by the gates. Teddy, let Rodolphus take you out through the wards."
Teddy scowled at this, but obeyed his mother, allowing Rodolphus to take hold of him and Reuben at the same time. The moment he was through the ward, however, he glared at the man, pulling his hand away.
Rodolphus merely smirked, but Dora reached out to her older son. "Come with me," she said to him. "We'll fetch Elara and be right back."
Teddy fell in step with his mother, still glowering in fury. Dora glanced at him, then said, "Now, Teddy, he didn't hurt you."
"I hate him," Teddy scowled.
"So do I," Dora admitted. "But as I've said twenty times, you've got to be careful around him."
The boy shook his head slightly and morphed his hair brown from the red it had been. "I've been told it's the little things that really annoy Rodolphus anyway," he said. "He hates that I'm going with him and Elara, especially because that means you have to go with us."
Dora smirked at this. "It's true," she said. "Who told you that?"
"Delphi said something about it on the train home last year," Teddy answered.
"Oh dear," Dora sighed. "Always be careful with what they tell you, Teddy."
They approached Delphi's room, and Dora looked down the hall both ways before raising her hand and letting her magic be known to the wards of the room. The door swung open, and Dora entered hesitantly, keeping Teddy behind her.
"Nymphie," Delphi greeted the witch, sitting with Elara on a sofa opposite them. "And Teddy, I see. What brings you here?"
Teddy didn't say a word as his eyes never left the Dark Lord's daughter in spite of his own sister trying to catch his eye. Nymphadora did not notice this, however, and said, "I do apologise for the interruption. We are ready for Elara to go to Diagon Alley for her school supplies and the others are waiting for us at the gates."
Delphi smirked at the girl sitting next to her. "I told you," she scolded her. "Go on now. And behave."
"Bring honour to us," Elara said at the same time as Teddy. The girl turned to stare at her brother and Delphi laughed at them both.
"He knows, too," said Delphi. "What fun we shall have."
"Shall I come back tomorrow?" Elara asked the older girl.
Delphi smiled. "I'll see you at Hogwarts."
It was a sight to see, Rodolphus and his little group of prisoners walking down the cobblestone street of Diagon Alley. Reuben was thrilled with the entire experience, barely having ever been out of the Prisoners' Ward before. Everything he saw, he asked about. He spotted the Quidditch supply shop and turned to Elara. "Are you getting a broom?"
"I have one," the girl replied.
"Dora," Rodolphus said, looking around for a moment, "why don't you and Andromeda take Teddy and get his things, and—"
"We should stick together," Nymphadora frowned. "After all, we are your responsibility, Rodolphus. What if something happened to one of us?"
"I'm not sure he'd notice," Andromeda muttered to herself, receiving a quizzical look from Reuben.
Rodolphus frowned for a fraction of a second before he turned and led the way into Madam Malkin's, one of the witches immediately migrating over to greet them. They took Elara into their care, both amused when Rodolphus asked Nymphadora how being a Metamorphagus worked with the length of the robes you owned.
"You learn to charm and transfigure your clothes when you morph," Dora answered. "It's always simpler to have clothes made for your natural form." She gave her daughter a reassuring nod, and Teddy grinned at his sister.
After Elara was finished, Teddy stepped up to have his robes altered, having grown a couple of inches the last year. The thirteen-year-old boy saw the look of annoyance in Rodolphus' eyes, but looked at his mother and grinned in amusement, knowing that Rodolphus had to wait on him no matter what.
"Writing materials," Andromeda said, listing off the rest of what they needed. "Books, cauldron and potions ingredients, and wand. Reuben, put that down this instant." She took a hat out of his hand and placed it back on the shelf, marching the little boy out of the store to wait outside.
Teddy grinned at Elara, and she grinned back, thrilled with the thought of her very own wand. Dora looked over at Rodolphus and said, "Shall we get the writing things next?"
"Yeah!" Elara said, sidling up to her mother and taking her arm. "Let's go!"
"Why don't we keep Reuben for a little while and have Andromeda grab the books," Rodolphus suggested to Dora. "But you've got to keep a good eye on him."
"I know my sons," Dora said to him, rolling her eyes. "Just because you can't manage two children at the same time doesn't mean we all lack the talent."
Teddy laughed at this, holding the door open for them all to go outside. Dora quickly told Andromeda the plan, adding, "We're going to the apothecary right after; then we're off to Olivander's. Hopefully you can meet us before that."
Andromeda nodded, then glanced at Rodolphus, who handed her a bag of galleons and sent her away to get Teddy's and Elara's books. The others continued on, Nymphadora firmly holding onto one of Reuben's hands even though the boy protested this before his father gave him a severe look.
It was simple enough to go into the store and select the parchment, quill, and ink, but it was something else entirely for all of them to receive the strange stares and whispered comments from the other customers in the shop.
Rodolphus didn't seem to notice it until they all heard someone say to their neighbour, "Would you look at that?"
"Why are they staring at us?" Elara asked her mother with a frown, moving closer to her and swatting her little brother's hand away from a bottle of invisible ink.
"Because your dad's a famous Death Eater," Teddy smirked in amusement.
"Teddy, don't make fun," Dora said softly.
Teddy didn't answer, though he stood on Elara's other side protectively as Rodolphus gave several of the people a threatening look. A few of them ignored him, smirks of glee on their faces. "Look, Sal, it's that Auror girl from the Order. You know, the one that always had the pink hair. Seems like she's risen in rank."
Someone else chuckled. "Obviously with Bella's...promotion, there was an opening." Laughter greeted this statement, and Rodolphus growled under his breath, marching the little family up to the counter to pay for their things.
"What are they talking about?" Elara asked in concern, looking up at her mother.
"They're just being nasty," Dora answered, placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. She wanted very much just to guide her daughter outside, but she wasn't sure that it would be much safer if Rodolphus wasn't with them.
Teddy glanced at his mother over Elara's head, then turned toward one of the shelves, consciously morphing his hair gray so that the attention was shifted to him. "And that's the werewolf's child, isn't it?" another witch questioned. "Looks a lot like him. Pity. At least he's got those morphing powers."
Elara's mouth opened to tell the witch off, but Dora gripped her shoulder and shook her head at the girl. "It happens to him at school all the time," she said to the girl quietly. "He can deal with it."
"That's not right!" Elara said in outrage, though she kept quiet and followed her parents and Reuben out of the shop, Teddy trailing behind them.
The girl was still upset when they arrived at the apothecary shop, though she saw her grandmother and grinned, going to her and asking if she'd found all the books. Andromeda said she had, and they all went into the shop together to gather the potions ingredients that the two students would need for the school year.
It was when Reuben accidentally smashed a jar of a slimy green substance that Rodolphus turned, cleaned it up, and said to Andromeda, "Take him outside. There are far too many poison and irritants in here for him to be smashing things on the floor."
"Sorry," Reuben said meekly as Andromeda led him away.
"Poor Roo," Teddy chuckled, selecting some fluxweed and other choice items from his school list. "He only wants to be involved. He'll get his turn."
"He's quite a few years younger than us though," said Elara thoughtfully. "But he'll be okay with Nan. She's nice enough."
Teddy just grinned, seeing Rodolphus glare at a couple of witches that were whispering together and staring at their family. "Let's hurry this up," Teddy told Elara. "I want to see what wand chooses you."
Elara giggled and drew her mother's attention back to assisting her and Teddy. "I hope it's beautiful and powerful," she said decisively.
"If it matches you, it will be beautiful," said Dora reassuringly. "Come on. Let's round up Rodolphus, wherever he's gone, and be off to Olivander's."
Teddy and Elara quickly followed their mother outside, grinning at each other excitedly. Rodolphus was nearby, walking back toward them and stowing his wand with a satisfied expression on his face.
"If you're quite done," said Dora to him with a slight smirk, "Elara's ready to go to Ollivander's."
"All right," Rodolphus said, a genuine smile on his face. He held his hand out to his daughter and led her off toward the wand shop as the others trailed after them.
Nymphadora wasn't surprised to see that the wand shop was under new management, as Ollivander himself was in no condition to run the place. Teddy leaned closer to his mother and said, "What do you think she'll get?"
Dora shook her head slightly. "I couldn't guess," she said, holding the door open for Teddy, Andromeda, and Reuben. "Don't touch anything, Roo," she warned her younger son.
Reuben gave her an adorable grin, staying by his grandmother's side. Teddy chuckled, hurrying after Elara and her father to get a decent spot to watch Elara get her wand. Dora and the others gathered around as one of the workers came over to them, seeing Elara and saying, "Ah, a first year. Your first wand, child?"
"Yes," Elara answered reservedly.
"Let's see," the man mused, turning to the shelves of wands, and Dora couldn't help but think that the man had no idea what he was doing. "This one: blackthorn, 13 1/2 inches, with a core of dragon heartstring."
Elara took it in her hand, frowned, then gave it a wave. She yelped when it shot out of her hand, spraying water everywhere as it scooted across the shop. Horrified, Elara watched it until Dora managed to stop it with a spell, though she couldn't help giggling as she picked up the wand and returned it to the man. "I'm guessing that's not the right one."
Teddy chuckled at this as the man handed Elara another wand, unperturbed. "Cherry wood, 9 and 3/4 inches, unicorn hair," he pronounced.
Elara went to pick it up, but the moment she touched it, she withdrew her hand and shook her head. "It's wrong," she said. "It's like when I tried Nan's wand: it disapproves of me."
"Ebony," the man said. "Dragon heartstring, 11 inches."
"That's beautiful!" Reuben said to Elara as she gripped it and waved it carefully.
Elara was shocked when a blast of magic flew from the tip of the wand and knocked over a stack of wand boxes on the counter. "Maybe not," Elara said reluctantly. "It is beautiful, though."
"Try a black walnut one," the man suggested, taking back the ebony wand. "Right there."
"Okay," Elara said. She opened the box and drew out the wand carefully, holding it up with a strange expression on her face. She grinned, giving it a flick, but instead of casting sparks, it knocked Teddy backwards, the boy scrambling to keep his footing before he fell backwards into a wand display.
Reuben doubled over with laughter as Dora moved to help Teddy to his feet, but the boy was already up. "That one's got a mind of its own," Teddy said to Elara, laughing when he saw his little brother's amusement.
"Let's try something special," the shopkeeper said to Elara, and Dora knew that Rodolphus was annoyed with the man. "We've just recently received a shipment of wands made in America...here you are. A sturdy walnut wand made with an unusual core: Thunderbird tail feather. These cores are known for doing curses on their own when they sense that their owners are in danger. Go on, girl, see how you like that."
Cautiously, Elara took the wand from him, an expression of wonder coming over her face before she waved it. Brilliant blue and silver sparks shot from the end of her wand, and Teddy blinked at the light, grinning at her proudly. "That's it!" Elara looked up at her father. "This one is mine," she said.
Rodolphus stepped forward to pay for the wand, looking disturbed about something, and Elara murmured to her mother and grandmother, "Did I do something wrong? Dad looks upset."
"It's not you, dear," Andromeda said, the smallest smirk on her face. "Bellatrix has a walnut wand as well. Your father's is blackthorn, if I remember correctly."
"Mine is made of aspen wood," Teddy told her, looking up at his mother. "And Mum's is poplar."
"Walnut is often found among powerful wizards and witches, Elara," Andromeda told her. "But a Thunderbird tail feather core is very unique. It's a combination to be proud of."
Elara smiled, slipping the wand into her pocket and tucking the box into the bag her father held out to her. As they left the shop, she said softly to him, "Dad, don't be mad."
Rodolphus glanced at her for a moment before giving her a small smile. "I'm not," he said, turning to glare at Teddy when he heard the boy scoff at him.
"It's okay, Elara," Teddy smirked. "You're just as good as Bellatrix, anyway. Or do you want her to be better than Bellatrix?" he turned and asked Rodolphus. "Or at least more faithful."
"There is none more loyal than Bellatrix," Elara insisted, frowning at Teddy in confusion.
"Of course," Dora said, motioning her daughter to join her as she gave Teddy a severe look of warning. The boy ignored her as the family gathered around Rodolphus, ready to apparate back to Malfoy Manor.
The moment they were back through the wards, Elara ran off toward her room with her packages, thrilled at how the day had gone. Rodolphus was silent as they made their way toward the Prisoners' Wing, calling to Teddy, who'd run on ahead a little way: "Don't get lost, cub."
"Nonsense," Teddy called back. "I can sense the dungeon of despair from anywhere."
Reuben grinned, then pulled his hand away from Andromeda's and ran after Teddy. Dora bit her lip slightly, but Andromeda simply watched them go. Rodolphus huffed impatiently and hurried after the boys, both Nymphadora and her mother having to stifle giggles at the man's expense.
When the two witches arrived at the Ward, they found Reuben waiting outside, a grin on his face. "Where are your father and Teddy?" Andromeda asked the boy, but Nymphadora immediately rushed straight through the ward, her wand drawn.
She found Teddy sitting against the wall with his head bowed, his arms wrapped around himself, Rodolphus standing over him with his wand drawn. "More?" the man asked coldly.
"What are you doing?!" Dora shrieked at him. "Rodolphus, he's a child!"
Rodolphus turned to Nymphadora, a very dark look in his eyes, but before he could speak, Teddy raised his head defiantly and breathed, "It was...nothing." The boy used the wall to pull himself to his feet, though he trembled for a moment before walking away toward his room.
Nymphadora glared at her abuser with a fury that she'd never known before and hissed, "If you curse my son again, I swear, Rodolphus Lestrange—"
He grabbed her by the wrists and slammed her against the wall, one of the stones jamming into her back and knocking the breath out of her. "He is an insolent brat, not unlike you," he snarled at her. "And if he wants to play the game, then he will take the consequences and you cannot save him. He knows what he is doing: he is more aware of the way things are than you were when you first arrived here. That child of yours has been at school for two years; he is no longer naive, Nymphadora. He even knows about us."
"There is no 'us,'" the witch snapped at him. "You're a hateful, abusive old man, and that's all."
He looked at her for a moment, then gave a chuckle of pure evil. "We'll see," he said. "I'm being Summoned, but I'll be back, Nymphie."
Dora stood there until Rodolphus brought Reuben into the ward, Andromeda following them, then said she was going to see if Teddy wanted to train a little bit and hurried off to her older son's room. Teddy readily admitted her, and Dora tiptoed in, finding her son lying flat on his bed, looking up at the ceiling.
"Teddy," she began gently, and he swung his gaze to her. "Um, well—"
"First of all, it's not your fault, so don't apologise," he told her. "I don't need to tell you what he did, or that yes, it did hurt."
Nymphadora moved closer to her son, unsure what to say. "I can't really protect you anymore if you continue to antagonise him, Teddy," she breathed. "And he will hurt you."
"He can't hurt me anymore than he hurts you," said the boy simply. "I'll risk a little pain just to annoy him. One day, I will stop him from hurting you."
"It's not like that," sighed Dora, though she asked the boy, "Do you want me to heal you from the Curse he did?"
"I don't care," Teddy answered, though he gave a sigh of relief as she moved to help him. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"I won't," Dora promised. "Just be careful, Teddy. It's very dangerous to cause trouble here. Stories of our transgressions can go straight to the Dark Lord, so we must always think about what we're doing."
"I'll be careful," said the young Metamorphmagus, gazing at his mother. "I've got to take care of you, after all."
Dora smiled and took his hand in hers. "You will always remind me of your father," she said fondly. "I love you."
"Love you too, Mum," the boy replied as she rose from the bed and left him alone in the room.
Loving the little spats between Rod and Teddy xD I'm loving Teddy more and more as this story continues.
Dora
