Bella


Nymphadora slept a lot, far more than a normal person would have, but Rodolphus figured it would help her heal and recover from all the memory work the healers had done on her. As it was, she soon developed an anger that showed itself every time she woke up to find Rodolphus Lestrange watching her.

"Are you serious?" Dora groaned about a week after the first time she had awakened in St Mungo's, seeing the familiar figure of the man nearby. "I don't need a babysitter."

"I thought you might welcome some conversation in the few hours you're awake each day," Rodolphus replied coolly. "But you could talk to the ceiling if you like."

"Go away," snapped Dora, half sitting up and looking around at the small table beside her.

Rodolphus got to his feet. "What are you looking for? Do you need something?

Dora smirked as she tilted her head and replied, "I wanted to throw something at you. But…." She raised her hands and Rodolphus barely dived out of the way before her wandless spell hit the wall behind him, leaving a dent. "Get. Out," she said sharply. "I'm tired of waking up to your ugly face all the time just because I'm stuck here. Why don't you bring Elara with you or something? Bring someone I actually care about, because having to see you makes me want to die all over again."

The man scowled at her. "Don't try it," he answered coldly. "I doubt any of your children could get permission to come see you."

"Aw, but you can get them whatever they want, remember?" Dora pouted. "Or is that gone? Is Elara talking to you yet?" She asked this suddenly, confused as to whether her daughter was getting along with him or not.

"Elara is fine," Rodolphus said shortly. "Your cub is in a training session with Delphi, so he may not be doing so well."

"I've heard he's learning very well," Dora nearly cackled with laughter. "Poor Roddy, defeated by a mere child. Though, Teddy's not much of a child anymore, is he? I have to make sure to tell him how proud I am that he defeated such a once powerful warrior—"

Rodolphus made a move toward her, and she prepared herself to put up a shield charm if needed, though she wasn't sure how well she'd be able to get it to work wandlessly. Just then, the door opened and two healers entered the room, two more standing in the doorway. "Perfect, you're awake," the short healer said to Dora. "We have some short exercises for you so we can see how well the treatments have worked."

"I can assist her," Rodolphus began, but the tall healer shook his head.

"It's best if the ones that have the training do the tests," he said.

"You're dismissed, Roddy," Dora singsonged, grinning as she knew the voice she had used reminded him of Bellatrix. "Bring one of the children to see me if you return."

Rodolphus gave her a dangerous look, and her grin only widened. "I don't have to pass along your requests," he said to her.

"No, but the children wouldn't like to be kept away from me unecessarily," Dora answered. "Perhaps your memory is foggy too. They don't like being separated, especially the boys."

Gritting his teeth, Rodolphus said, "We'll see about that." And he turned to walk away, suddenly realising that Dora was attempting another spell and whirling around to block it. "You, stupid—"

"Lestrange, don't harass the patient," said the shorter man. "We need her to be calm for this test."

"I'm perfectly calm," said Dora sweetly. "And I'll be even more calm when I never have to see him again. Now remember, if you come back, Roddy, bring one of the children, or I will curse you."

The healers stood close to Dora as if they were protecting her, and neither spoke until Rodolphus have given them his final glare and departed. "You really shouldn't be attempting curses at the moment," one of the said to Dora conversationally. "You should save your strength for talking and eating, and eventually walking around."

"We do agree that he deserves a few curses though," said one of the two healers that were standing just inside of the now-closed door. "I don't think anyone deserves the shit you've been through."

"What's the test?" Dora asked curiously, uncaring of what the healers thought about her life experiences.

"We need to ask you some questions," the one who had chided Rodolphus answered. "And then we need to put you to sleep so we can look at your memories."

"Can't you do that if I'm awake?" Dora frowned.

The other man sighed. "It's best if you're not."

She gave him a disapproving look. "So you're going to give me nightmares instead? I didn't wake up to be put back to sleep, and I didn't chase Roddy away to not have a few waking moments without him."

"We could try it," one of the men at the door said, and in that moment, Dora realised that the two standing there were more like guards than healers. "If it proves to be too much, we can always knock her out."

Dora wanted to glare at him, but held back, hoping that she could stay awake. "And I want to see my children," she said. "The older ones at least ought to be able to visit."

"We will see," replied one at her side. "Not today, at least. You might be tired after this. Now." He shuffled through some notes on his clipboard and began to question her about how she was feeling.

When they began the memory work, they wanted her to lie down and close her eyes, but she refused to close her eyes, her vision blurring slightly as she was led to dwell on old, once painful memories. She could hear one of the healers taking notes about her heart rate and and other things as moment after moment of her life passed before her eyes, though she felt as much as she was seeing in real life, just the cold grey ceiling above her.

"What's your reaction to these things?" she heard one of the healers ask her softly.

"I'm going to kill Rodolphus," she answered matter-of-factly. "It's a matter of when and how."

One of the guard healers chuckled and said, "If the cub doesn't get him first."

"Teddy ought to stay away from Rodolphus," Dora huffed. "The man is an idiot: he obviously has no self-control."

"Don't you know what happened?" the healer who had just been looking at her memories asked. "Between the two before you came here?"

"I...don't remember," Dora frowned, looking over at him. "Is Teddy okay?"

"I guess he's been training with Delphi—it's been the talk of the town for the last couple days. Apparently the boy managed to best Rodolphus in a duel when Rodolphus was trying to keep you from dying," the other healer at her side told her. "And Teddy was only stopped when others arrived with Greer, whom Rodolphus had called to help you. I guess the boy thought Rodolphus had done it."

"Oh dear Merlin," Dora sighed. "I've tried to keep them from fighting, but it's impossible. I have to say, though—" and her face lit up with the biggest grin she'd had in the last few months "I'm very proud of Teddy."

"It's quite an accomplishment," the same man agreed. "Rodolphus was a top notch Death Eater."

"And now he's a joke," Dora smirked. "Talk about a poor excuse for a man, let alone a wizard." The same guard who had laughed earlier, laughed again, and she looked at him. "You don't like Rodolphus much, do you?" she asked.

"I can't speak to that, as there are protocols in place for us," he answered, "but I don't like anyone who has done the things that I've heard that he does."

Dora nodded. "He's an arse," she said. "But he's not going to find things so easy once I get back."

The other healer began to ask her more questions, and Dora lay back again, answering sometimes, but finally shaking her head and telling them that she didn't want to talk anymore. "You're improving all the time," he said, straightening his notes. "We'll bring you something to eat if you like, and then you can have some time alone."

"Thanks," Dora said. "And don't forget to include my request to see the children in your report."

The other guard snorted. "Get the feeling she's been here before?" he said gruffly.

"Maybe a time or two," the first guard said, checking the wards on the door. "Rest up now, girl."

Dora didn't answer, but lay back into her pillows, wondering at what the healers and guards had asked her and told her about her whole situation. She couldn't wait to get out of St Mungo's and talk to her family.


"Teddy!"

The sleeping boy barely stirred until his grandmother laid her hand on his arm. "Teddy, wake up. We've got to go."

"Wha—no," he protested, still mostly asleep.

"Come on," Andromeda insisted. "Rodolphus isn't going to wait forever."

"—the fuck does he want?" mumbled Teddy in annoyance.

"Teddy Remus Lupin!" said his grandmother, and he cringed slightly at her tone, realising what he had just said in front of her.

Teddy sighed and sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What's going on? What does he want? How's Mum?"

"We have permission to go see her, and I don't want the other children to know, because I don't know if they are allowed," Andromeda answered. "Though I'm not sure I want her to hear you talk so crudely."

"She's heard worse," Teddy huffed. "And I'm almost an adult, anyway." He jumped out of bed and moved toward his closet. "I'll be ready in two minutes." Andromeda gave him a disapproving look and smiled at same time and left the room.

True to his word, Teddy joined Andromeda and Rodolphus just before the ward, asking, "Is it true we're visiting Mum?"

"Orders," Rodolphus said shortly, and offered his hand to Teddy.

Teddy ignored Rodolphus and walked straight through the ward, leaving both Andromeda and Rodolphus to hurry after him in shock. "How did you do that?" Andromeda asked him. "You don't have a Mark."

"It's not a Mark-only ward," Teddy said, rolling his eyes. "Delphi added me to the ward a couple days ago so that I can report for training without having to be retrieved."

"Lovely," Andromeda said, and Rodolphus frowned at the boy.

"How do you know when she's ready to train you?" the man asked.

"She has ways of letting me know," Teddy answered. "I'm rarely in the ward anyway nowadays."

They didn't say much more as they exited the manor, Rodolphus taking both of them by the arm and disapparating from the Entrance Hall. In the last second, Teddy sensed someone's present and twisted to see a figure he was sure was Delphi before he was caught up in the apparition and the scene changed.

Teddy was greeted with the sterile, white walls of St Mungo's, which reminded him of the Hospital—with the exact same unwelcoming detachment. They were taken immediately back into the wings, and found themselves at a warded door. The healer that was escorting them placed her hand against the door, and a moment later, a man opened the door, his wand in his hand.

"She's awake," he said. "Come in."

Their escort left quickly, and Andromeda entered the room first, as Rodolphus seemed to not be the first to enter. "Mum!" cried Dora in surprise upon seeing the visitors pass the guards. "Oh, Mum—and Teddy! Oh, Teddy, I'm so proud of you! Come here!"

Teddy rushed to his mother's side, sitting down and wrapping his arms around his mother tightly, the two seeming to try to hug each other the most tightly. "Mum, we were all so worried," he breathed in her ear as he struggled to subdue his emotions.

"I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"No, Mum, you've been sick for a long time," Teddy interrupted before his mother could repeat any of the things she had done or been through recently. "We just want you back. It's okay. Everything's okay."

Dora held him away for a moment, looking at him with the most searching gaze Teddy had received from his mother in a couple years. "I see," she said. "I've heard you're doing really well in your training with Delphi."

Teddy shrugged. "I don't think she'd say that," he said, "but it takes longer for me to get hurt now." And he grinned, making his mother laugh.

"Might as well learn from the best, as they say," Dora said, half mockingly. She motioned her mother to come to them, completely ignoring Rodolphus' presence in the room. "Mum, how's Roo and Elara?"

"Eager for you to return to them," Andromeda answered. "They have both been very upset for the last couple weeks."

"Elara was mad at me," Teddy said, still watching his mother carefully. "Because I almost—"

"You did what I would have done," Dora answered firmly. "Someone standing over a body always looks suspicious." Teddy gave her a weak smile, and she squeezed his hand. "You're becoming quite the duelist, aren't you? They'll be pressuring you to join up soon."

"I can do it," Teddy told his mother simply, hearing Rodolphus scoff and choosing to ignore it. He opened his mouth to speak, but his mother had flung a spell across the room at Rodolphus, and one of the guards sighed, "Don't harass her. We have orders, remember?"

Rodolphus scowled at the two men and muttered something about waiting outside for them. Once he was gone, Andromeda asked, "How has he been acting?"

"Like the arse he's always been," Dora huffed. "I told him not to come back, but he wouldn't listen. I don't want to see him every minute that I'm awake. He's not pretty."

Teddy couldn't help laughing at this, and even Andromeda smiled. "So how do you feel, Dora?" she asked her daughter. "Any ill effects from the potion, do you know?"

Dora frowned thoughtfully, wrapping her arm around her son as he moved to sit right next to her on the bed. "No, but I know I'm missing memories, and I'm missing feelings from other memories. It's like feeling emotions underwater."

Andromeda was not sure how to reply, and Teddy asked, "What do you remember, then?"

"I remember everything before captivity," Dora said. "But after, a lot of the really bad memories are gone, but I still know that they happened: I just can't remember the scene. It's probably a good thing. I remember arguing with Mum about being a proper Death Eater, and I remember Draco and Ginny fighting—I wonder how she's doing? And of course I remember you and Elara and Roo," she added to Teddy. "I remember being afraid that Elara was too close to Delphi, that Roo was going to die from one of his illnesses, that someone was going to hurt you to control me."

She looked at her son thoughtfully. "You're almost of age, I realised that a few days ago," she said. "Rod didn't like the idea: I don't know why. You remind me so much of your father, do you know that?"

"No," Teddy shook his head. "Do you know when you'll get out of here, Mum?"

"In a few days, I think," Dora grinned. "I think the healers have to do a couple more tests. I'll miss this guard—" she pointed at the one that had let her mother and son into her room "he hates Rodolphus too, but he's not allowed to say that."

"I think most people hate him," Teddy answered. "He's an embarrassment, even Delphi says so. Powerful Death Eater turned babysitter—of the entire Prisoners' Wing."

"Personally," Dora said with a shrug, "I wouldn't trust him to it anymore. Imagine if he was supposed to bring you and your nan here and you both just ran away?"

"They knew we were coming to see you," Teddy answered. "Delphi watched us leave, and I'm sure she knew where we were going."

"She did?" Andromeda asked in astonishment. "Where was she?"

"I think she had charms on her or something," Teddy answered. "But there's a certain presence when she's there, and I guess I've been around her enough now to know it."

Andromeda eyed her grandson for a few moments, and said, "You're becoming far too aware of far too many things."

"It's good for him to be so aware of magic," Dora said approvingly. "It's probably going to be a big help to him, whatever happens in the future."

"He's also been put in the wards of the Prisoners' Wing so he can go to and from training without help," Andromeda informed Dora. "Teddy seems to have changed a lot without the rest of us noticing."

"I haven't changed," Teddy said to his grandmother in annoyance. "It was only a couple days ago that Delphi put me in the wards."

Nymphadora gave her mother a look, then said to Teddy, "She's only saying those things because she's worried about you. You know to be careful: you've grown up this way."

Teddy nodded solemnly. "Come home soon, Mum," he sighed. "We need you."

"I've been trying to convince them to release me," Dora answered, wrapping her arm around her son again. "But they won't until they're sure it's okay. I don't think there's going to be a perfect time, but healers are stubborn." She looked up at her mother. "So how did you two get permission to visit? I've been annoying Rodolphus about it, but I didn't think anyone would let you."

Andromeda scowled at this. "Rodolphus woke me up this morning by saying that he had orders to escort me and Teddy here, so I woke Teddy and we soon arrived to see you. I assume Delphi had something to do with it if she watched us leave?" She raised an eyebrow at her grandson, who turned up one of his hands questioningly.

"How should I know?" Teddy asked. "I'm just glad to be here with you, Mum. I'm going to stick closer to you now."

"You're going back to school in a couple weeks," Andromeda reminded him, and Dora rolled her eyes.

"Mum, come here," said Dora. "Sit down. I'm okay, Mum, I promise. I'm going to come back, and things will be fine. I'm more able to fight back, and believe me, it's going to be a completely different situation."

"I really hope so," Andromeda sighed, returning her daughter's slight hug as she sat down on Dora's other side. "You've been through so much...it's a lot."

"Well, like I said, I don't feel anything about most of it anymore," Dora answered. "Except this gleeful rage that reminds of Bellatrix in a very amusing way."

"Was Bellatrix ever as bad as Mum was?" Teddy asked his grandmother. "Mentally, I mean?"

"Not exactly," Andromeda frowned at the question. "But your mother chose not to kill and torture as an outlet for her difficulties. They may yet reach the same conclusion, though. I think it might even be fun." And she smirked to herself, making Dora laugh and Teddy wonder what his grandmother was thinking.

"Stay," Dora said, holding the hands of the two.

"As long as we can," Teddy answered, and Andromeda agreed.


It was not unknown to Elara and Roo that Teddy had left the wards of the entire manor—and with their father. They were both relieved when Narcissa told them (however reluctantly) that Rodolphus had taken both Teddy and their grandmother to see their mother. Roo immediately wanted to know if they were going to go see their mother the same day, and Elara said, "Well, we can ask him."

Roo frowned, but agreed almost immediately, the two leaving the ward as Elara suggested they meet their father upon his return. "Do you think she's okay?" Roo asked his sister in concern.

"I think so," Elara sighed after a moment. "I don't think Teddy and Nan would have been allowed to go see her if she were in bad condition. Either that, or we all would be there."

"I hope they're okay too," Roo sighed as he followed his sister into her room. "Last time father came home from visiting her, he was very upset."

"Have you been having more dreams?" Elara asked her brother suspiciously.

"No," Roo huffed defensively. "Besides, it doesn't matter."

"Oh, well—I didn't mean—Roo, I'm sorry," Elara said, sitting down across from her brother on the sofa.

Roo shook his head. "Dad's been asking me the same thing every so often," he told her. "I can't predict the future: I only realise that I've dreamed about it once it's happening. I mean, I'm almost sure that you and Teddy aren't done fighting, but that's not as clear as when I dreamed about what Mum was going to try to do to me."

Elara hesitated, then said, "Don't tell Dad anything, if you can help it."

"I know," Roo answered. "Sometimes he gets this look in his eyes, and I know I have to be very careful what I say."

"I'm sorry," Elara said again with a burdened sigh. "I don't think kids should have to worry about these problems, but...we do."

"You and Teddy are almost adults," shrugged Roo. "But Dad acts like I'm a baby still." And the boy scowled in annoyance. "I understand more than he thinks I do."

"I know," Elara agreed. "Maybe one day, you ought to just shock him by telling him exactly how much you understand."

"I...don't know," Roo frowned. "I don't want him to be mad at me."

"You're his son," Elara sighed. "He shouldn't be."

"Shouldn't," Roo pointed out. "And yet he gets mad at you—especially when you were mad at him."

"I'm still mad at him," Elara said with a smirk, fire in her eyes. "He made Mum get sick by hurting her."

"I know," Roo said insistently. "He doesn't just hurt her with magic, or hit her with his hand. He makes her sad, and he makes her angry, and because she couldn't do anything to stop him, she got sick."

Elara was surprised at this, coming from the nearly seven-year-old boy. "Yes," Elara said slowly, "and he blames her for things that aren't her fault. He blamed her for you being born early, and for you being sick all the time when you were really little."

"He did?" Roo asked, horrified.

Elara nodded. "And it was actually my fault, because I pushed Mum into a ward that she couldn't cross, and it made her have you early. He blamed Mum, and she never told him because she didn't want him to be mad at me. Mum has protected us so much, Roo."

"Why would he blame her?" Roo asked in confusion. "I'm fine!"

"I don't really know," Elara scowled. "Besides, he doesn't like Mum, so he probably just wanted to be mean to her."

"Did he ever like her?" Roo frowned. "Aren't Mums and Dads supposed to like each other?"

"He made her be our mother, Roo," Elara murmured. "They hate each other."

"He made her?" Roo was trying to understand this when Elara jumped suddenly.

"They're back," she said quickly, suddenly realising what she had been about to tell her little brother.

Roo was still focused on what his sister had just said. "So Mum didn't want us?" he breathed. "Because Dad was mean to her?"

Elara bit her lip very hard, trying to figure out how to repair the situation she had made. "No man should make a woman have babies when they don't want to," Elara nearly whispered. "Mum was scared at first, but of course she loves us and wants us now."

"Is that why Teddy hates him so much too?" Roo asked, still refusing to leave the room.

"Mostly," Elara said. "Come on, Reuben. And please don't mention this to Dad: he doesn't want you to know, and he'll be furious if he knows that I told you accidentally."

"You didn't mean to tell me?" Roo scoffed. "Yes, you did."

"Reuben, I'm serious," Elara said sharply, and his eyes widened at her tone. "I am not joking when I say that Dad will be furious. Do not talk about this, do you understand?"

Roo finally nodded. "Okay," he said. "I know he pretends to be nice, but—"

"Come on," Elara said, opening the door and walking out of the room before he was finished talking.

"Elara!" he protested, running after her and slamming the door. He didn't catch up with her until she arrived in the Entrance Hall, finding Andromeda and Teddy leaving as they arrived. "How's Mum?" Roo asked Teddy hopefully.

"She's so much better," Teddy said, sounding immensely relieved. "Elara, Roo, she's a little different, but she's so much happier, and she's not as quiet or sad as she has been for the last few months. She was talking to me like normal."

"She was laughing, and joking," Andromeda told them with a smile. "I guess she's friends with one of the guards."

"Why does she have guards?" Elara asked. "Do they think she'll run away?"

"Do they think she'll take poison again?" Roo asked almost at the same time.

"I'm not sure," Andromeda answered. "I think the guards are there to keep everyone safe and to reinforce the Healers' orders. They're not Death Eaters, as far as I know."

Roo turned to his father, who hadn't said a word. "I want to go see Mum. Take me to see Mum."

Teddy glanced at Rodolphus in slight amusement, but kept his mouth shut for the moment when his grandmother gave him a warning look. Rodolphus finally replied, "Not today, Reuben. I had specific orders to take these two to see your mother, and visiting time is over."

"Not fair," Roo huffed. "I haven't seen Mum in weeks, and even before that, I wasn't allowed to see her by myself! I want Mum."

"The healers said no more visitors today, Roo," Teddy said gently, seeing how upset his brother was becoming. "Look: I'll come to your room and tell you all about it, okay? I'm sure they'll arrange a visit for you soon."

Reuben Lestrange was not at all happy with this idea, but rather than make more of a scene, left the room with his brother. Elara looked at her father and said, "Are you going to ask if we can see Mum too?"

"Of course I will," Rodolphus told her. "You ought to know that if Teddy's allowed, there's no reason you and Roo can't see your mother as well. We just have to make arrangements."

"Please let us know as soon as you know," Elara said. "Roo is getting really upset...you saw."

Her father nodded. "I will," he said, and moved off toward his own room in the manor.