Bad Romance,
Chapter 19, More Security Than London's Lloyds
With all the Azkaban defenses basically torn down, they spent the rest of the afternoon and evening rebuilding them. As Delphini had broken them so easily, and they wanted to keep her out as well as prisoners in, more was obviously needed. It was Bellatrix's concern that the girl may attempt to return to free prisoners in hopes they would follow her, which they likely would for the favor. As Grindelwald and Valdez didn't disagree with Bella's reasoning, they remained to help strengthen the defenses and lay even more nasty traps for anyone who broke them.
"How she got through the ones we had up, I still honestly don't comprehend," one of the goblin Aurors complained, and Rodolphus nodded.
"Morning thinks it took her a while," an elf Auror that Bellatrix took to be named Morning, replied thoughtfully. "She was studying them intently during the first part of her chat with the Lestranges before she approached. It was as if she found the defenses a puzzle to solve...or rather to break," he observed.
"We had Gringotts level security on this bitch," Rabastan complained, frustrated.
"I'll go and get Flitwick to help out," Blaise Zabini said suddenly. "He is responsible for all of the advanced wards on Hogwarts and she wasn't able to get inside. Only onto the grounds when she attacked."
Grindelwald nodded, smiling at his man as their eyes met. "Brilliant thinking again!"
Zabini smiled back then apparated away. Everyone continued laying wards without speaking much, the mood glum and dour considering they still had few answers when it came to how the hell the girl was able to do...basically everything she did. Within ten minutes, Zabini was back with little Flitwick.
At sight of the small charms master, Bellatrix couldn't keep her lips from twitching upward into a small amused smile. The expression had nothing to do with any fondness for the man. He was alright. He knew his craft well and she'd learned some useful things from him. This reaction was more about the fond memory of giving Rod a hand job in the back of Charms class during their sixth year, though.
Of course they hadn't gotten caught. Rod had joked then that it was as close to getting laid as little Flitwick was likely to get. From the grin on his face, Bellatrix could tell that they were wandering down memory lane together. Before Bellatrix could murmur any sort of comment on the matter into her husband's ear, one of the goblins was approaching him. "I had an idea, Mr. Lestrange, inspired by the way you were incorporating wards into the spiders webs. It involves a shield that absorbs any magic thrown at it. It won't be able to use the magic, but it can take it and not break...Rather like with the sword of Gryffindor."
Rodolphus nodded, though of course none of them understood just how the sword of Gryffindor's magic worked.
"Show me," he invited, and he and the goblin moved to the edge of the island. As they went, Rodolphus called for the two acromantulas to accompany them. In no time, the spiders were weaving webs at lightning speed while the goblin cast magic into them as soon as they were formed. As he worked, he explained what he was doing to Rodolphus who used more spells to fortify them. The four moved around the edge of the island, working until the webs were once more encompassing it all.
Meanwhile Romeo Valdez explained to Flitwick what wards had already been done, and the little man listened with a frown of concentration. "I will place evading wards under and above those already in place," Filius decided briskly. "Those work to protect and when one attempts to break through them, the wards actually shift to avoid being broken."
The charms master gave a small smile at the head Auror's impressed look.
"Come and I shall show you," he said, gesturing to Romeo as he walked toward the edge of the island. Zabini and Grindelwald were quick to follow and Bellatrix trailed along as well. She also wished to see how these wards were done. Unfortunately this wasn't to be because she was unable to track most of what Flitwick did. She saw the way the ward began, then it seemed to simply vanish, yet Flitwick was still casting.
Romeo Valdez and the goblin that had come along to watch as well were in the same boat. Even Grindelwald and his Zabini boyfriend had difficulties as well, but asked a few two to three word questions at various points, and unlike anyone else there, seemed to have clarification. "We will break it down for the rest of you later when there is time," Grindelwald commented to the obviously frustrated expressions of the other three.
Bellatrix reminded herself that everyone here, her included, was quite accomplished. Complete genius was on another level, though. Apparently Grindelwald had company in that department with his boyfriend and the short stuff of charms. Before she could continue to brood silently on the difficulty of Flitwick's wards, Gellert turned toward her and spoke.
"I am going to assign...Radamanthus to the three of you as a body guard for home conditions if that suits you. I assume you can make him comfortable in your manor?"
"Sure," Bellatrix said, wondering if the acromantula was simply supposed to eat anyone he believed to be a danger to them. "How did he get to the Ministry to let you know that Delphini was here," she asked. As far as she knew, acromantulas didn't have the sort of magic to allow them to apparate, but in truth she hadn't exactly paid attention all the time in Care Of Magical Creatures class.
"We made the acromantulas portkey legbands that take them directly into Auror Headquarters at the Ministry," Zabini replied. "They go around the leg like a ring with a blue chalcedony stone in the center where the portkey itself is located."
Bellatrix nodded. "It is good to know the acromantulas can reach the Ministry in times of emergency. Does the Ministry have a night guard in case there are problems after hours?"
"Of course," Grindelwald said, nodding.
"With the Dark Lord in Delphini's body...I fear he may return for us," Bellatrix said, forcing the uncomfortable words out as she met Grindelwald's blue eyes. "In retrospect, I probably shouldn't have stabbed her, but I was hoping we could just take her down and bloody have it over with."
"Understandable," Grindelwald nodded.
"You did well, though," Zabini spoke up. "That blood on the knife is going to be useful to us in many ways. Gellert and I will get to work on it tonight."
Bellatrix smiled. "Good. It helps to know I didn't lose it and make things worse."
Bellatrix didn't lie to herself regarding the fact that The Dark Lord twisting her mind plus the time in Azkaban had quite likely damaged her sanity. Of course most of the time she was fine, and in complete control, but she had her moments.
"What with him apparently inside of her...It's got to be a Horcrux, because she certainly wasn't dying," Bellatrix observed darkly. "Can you imagine what that does to her head? She said she hated him, and considering how dreadful a Horcrux can cause one to feel when just having it on their person...She has it in her person!"
"Can't be good for her stability," Rabastan spoke up. He'd wandered over and now stood beside Bellatrix. "Do you think she knew he was in there before we brought him out with our oh so esteemed presences,' he wondered, and Bellatrix shrugged.
"From the way she spoke of him at first, I would say no, but she didn't appear at all shocked when he began speaking through her, so who knows?"
"Unless she was only pretending to be him," Rabastan said slowly. "To catch us off guard."
"While that is a comforting idea, we still have the matter of my multiple stabbings not hurting her nearly enough," Bellatrix said. Rabastan nodded glumly.
"I'd like some help placing similar wards to these new ones for Azkaban on our manor, please," Bellatrix said, turning to Grindelwald. "I won't feel safe otherwise, as we can't be certain what he will do."
"He certainly has less soul now so is likely even more insane," Romeo pointed out.
Bellatrix gave Romeo her signature mad grin. "Thank you, Mr. Valdez. I feel so much more at ease."
"Always glad to share," Romeo replied dryly. Rod approached then with his goblin and two acromantulas surrounding him.
"Well with Gringotts meets Hogwarts, meets sword of Gryffindor level wards on this place, it should be Delphini proof by now," he said. Bellatrix could see the tiredness in his face though he was holding it back well.
"Grindelwald wants your spider to guard us at home, and he has agreed that everyone can come place similar wards on our manor," she told him.
"Good," Rodolphus said with a nod.
"Me," one of the acromantulas rasped eagerly.
"If you are Radamanthus, then yes," Bellatrix replied. "If not, you're out of luck."
"I am...Radamanthus that is," the spider replied.
"They don't all look alike, you know," Rodolphus told her, mouth twitching as he obviously held back a smile. Bellatrix frowned, uncertain as to if her husband was having her on or not, because of fucking course they all looked alike!
With the newly repaired wards on Azkaban complete, they left two human Aurors there to guard along with one elf, one acromantula (the one who wasn't Radamanthus) and one goblin. Everyone else went with the Lestranges to Raven's Nest manor and covered it with enough wards to hopefully keep ten Delphinis at bay.
"Must we continue at Azkaban now that we've properly served as Delphini bait," Bellatrix asked, gaze moving from Romeo to Gellert.
"We will need to check with Kereston," Gellert replied. "I do know she wanted you three in charge of the prison, but she spoke of other duties for you as well, so likely she did not want you there constantly. Come to the Ministry in the morning, and we'll take it from there."
"I will be returning your dagger then, or providing you with another, depending on the success of our work with it tonight," Blaise added.
Bellatrix nodded, glad her failed murder attempt was at least going to be useful.