One evening a couple weeks later, Bellatrix had been talking to Dora kindly when she made a startled sound, then said to Dora, "Let's go out, shall we? Someone wants to meet you."

Dora looked sceptical. "Who?" she asked with a frown, unwilling to see any more unfamiliar faces.

"Someone who is also special—not like you're special, but who's really strong and powerful," Bellatrix said in a low, awed tone. "But if he asks you to do something, you must do it, okay?"

"Why?" Dora frowned.

"Because he won't like naughty children," Bellatrix answered simply. "And, he won't be nice like Rodolphus."

"Nice like—" Dora thought this was a strange way to put things, but she nodded, and within a minute, her aunt had whisked her to her room, gotten her ready, and hurried to the front gates with her.

"Bella?" Rodolphus called from down the hall. "Where are you taking her?"

"To Him," Bellatrix answered firmly. "Now Dora, remember what I said, okay? If he asks or tells you something, you must obey."

Dora was still frowning, and Rodolphus glanced at the girl. "She's right, Nymphadora," he told her. "Go, Bellatrix, you know better than to make him wait."

Bellatrix took Dora by the hand and led her from the house, disapparating. They appeared in front of an old house, and Bellatrix went straight to the door, raising her left arm to the gates and glancing down at Dora somewhat nervously. "Dora, please remember," Bellatrix murmured. "Okay?"

"Are you afraid of him?" Dora asked as they walked into the house, and Bellatrix wasn't sure what to say.

"Well, Bellatrix?" came the voice of her beloved master. "Are you afraid of me?"

Dora's eyes widened as she took in the appearance of the man before her. He was tall, pale, and had long fingers and a cold smile that did not reach his eyes. His long black robes reached the floor, and as he drew nearer, Bellatrix breathed, "My Lord" and fell to her knees, pulling Dora down beside her. "This is Nymphadora, Andromeda's daughter."

"I asked you a question," the Dark Lord said in the same tone as before.

"Afraid...My Lord, I am faithful; I have nothing to fear," Bellatrix nearly whispered, knowing that Dora was staring around in curiosity, not knowing how to act in the presence of the Dark Lord. Would he be angry that she had not taught Dora better already?

Dora did not speak, for which Bellatrix was grateful, and the Dark Lord soon ordered Bellatrix to her feet. "She is not a ginger? Or is it her powers?" he asked.

"A Dark ginger, My Lord," Bellatrix smirked. "But she usually keeps her hair black or brown."

The Dark Lord turned his gaze to the child, and Dora stepped closer to her aunt, but did not look away from him. "You can morph?"

Dora nodded, and Bellatrix hissed, "Don't nod, Nymphadora!"

"Yes," Dora said, intrigued with the man and also annoyed at her aunt. "I can be anything I want."

"Show me," he said simply.

Dora glanced at Bellatrix, and the woman said softly, "Morph to look like someone you know, Dora. You know, like you were doing yesterday to entertain Ronan."

The little girl screwed her eyes shut, and in a few moments, Dora had transformed herself into the imagine of her little cousin. The child grinned mischievously, looking rather amusing as Ronan had probably never had such an expression on his face. "Did it work?" she asked her aunt.

Bellatrix gave the child a grin and a slight nod. Dora put her hands on her hips, looking very comical as she said haughtily, "Don't nod, Dora."

The Dark Lord laughed, and Bellatrix seemed slightly relieved at his reaction. "You will train her, Bella?" he asked. "Make her one of us?"

"Of course, My Lord," she replied immediately.

"You are dismissed," he said. "Return alone."

Bellatrix agreed and quickly backed out of the house, taking hold of Dora and disapparating to Lestrange Manor. "Bella," Dora began, but at that exact moment, Rodolphus and Ronan walked into the hall, and both shouted in shock.

"Morph back!" Rodolphus demanded of Dora angrily. "How dare you—"

"She's my twin now!" Ronan said excitedly, running over to the girl and walking around her, looking at her curiously. "Cool!"

Bellatrix cut off her husband. "The Dark Lord asked her to," she said sharply. "I've got to go back." She gave him a warning look, then rushed out of the manor again.

Ronan was staring at his look-alike in shock. "You saw the Dark Lord?" he whispered. "Really?"

Dora frowned. "The what?"

Rodolphus did not like this conversation. "The Dark Lord, Nymphadora," he said to her. "He is a very powerful wizard that is helping us stop the bad people in the world."

She frowned. "He hasn't stopped you."

The real Ronan let out a shout of laughter. "That's mean, Dora," he protested in spite of his amusement.

Dora seemed slightly confused, and Rodolphus frowned at the girl. "Morph back to yourself," he told her. "You did what the Dark Lord asked of you, didn't you?"

The girl didn't reply, giving her uncle an annoyed look. Ronan sighed and said, "Come on, Dora. You should be yourself."

Dora glared at both Ronan and his father, then morphed to look like a mini Bellatrix, turned, and flounced away, heading to her room.

Early one morning in the Weasley household, Andromeda was in the kitchen making breakfast when she heard Charlie yell, and Percy scream before Will's voice drowned them both out, yelling for their father. Andromeda sighed and glanced toward her twin sons who were lying nearby in the cots.

Minutes later, Arthur walked into the kitchen with Charlie at his side, the boy looking angry. "Morning, Andromeda," Arthur said, kissing her cheek.

"Good morning, Arthur," she answered, allowing him to hold her for a moment before she turned back to their breakfast. "Breakfast is nearly ready."

"Charlie's going to work with me today," Arthur told his wife before turning back and going to get the boys for breakfast.

Andromeda said nothing, seeing her second oldest son sit down at the kitchen table, looking very angry. "I don't want to go," Charlie said, and though his mother gave him an understanding look, she said nothing.

It was only when her husband and son had gone that Andromeda learned from Will that the boy had been mean to Percy and almost hurt him badly. Andromeda simply nodded at this information, and hoped that by Charlie spending time with his father that the boy would be able to calm down somewhat.

Dora had been gone nearly four months, and Charlie could not handle it. The Weasley parents were both at a loss what to do with the boy, even though they both understood his pain. They couldn't just let him be mean to the rest of his siblings, though.

Andromeda kissed her son's head before he left with his father. Charlie didn't say much as they disapparated, though he looked around curiously as soon as they arrived. "I'm just going to sit with you?" he asked his dad.

"Yes," Arthur told him as they walked toward the lifts. "You're the first child I've ever brought to work with me, Charlie."

Charlie was too interested in looking all around him to listen to his father until someone's gruff voice said, "Your son, Arthur?"

"Charlie, the second oldest," Arthur said proudly.

The little boy looked up at the man who was speaking and scooted closer to his father. A gruff-looking wizard scrutinized the little boy carefully, then said, "Not like the girl, hmm?"

Arthur put a hand on the boy's head, then said, "Not exactly. He's recently developed an interest in dragons."

"Well, he'll have to be quick on his feet if he wants to work with them," said the man. "Good day, Arthur."

"Good day, Alastor," answered Arthur, leading his son down the hall and into the office.

"Who was that?" Charlie asked immediately, when they entered the room.

"He's an Auror," Arthur answered with a small smile. "It's his job to catch nasty Dark witches and wizards."

"Like Bella?" Charlie scowled. "He's not very good."

"He's the best," Arthur said quietly. "Perhaps one day, he'll help capture Bella."

"And bring Dora home?" Charlie asked, almost glaring at his father.

"I hope so," Arthur answered. "Now come, Charlie. I've got to get started."

Charlie said nothing, seeming to be thinking very hard about something, and settled in to stay the day with his father.

On Charlie's 5th birthday, Andromeda made him a special cake and did things for him throughout the day to make it special, but the boy didn't take to the celebrations very well. He first asked if it was still Dora's birthday too, and when he was told that, yes, it was, he became very quiet and wouldn't smile for any of his pictures. Nothing Will could do would change the boy's mood, and Charlie soon hid himself away in his room, not wanting to talk about his birthday anymore.

Dora, on the other hand, was given new toys and a few new dresses for her birthday. Ronan was slightly jealous because Dora was older than him, but she merely shrugged and said, "Will's older than me." Her face crumbled slightly and she asked, "Isn't Charlie's birthday today too?"

"Yes, dear," Bellatrix answered gently. "But I'm sure his mum and dad are celebrating with him, just like we're here with you."

"I miss him," Dora nearly whispered. "Can you bring him here, too?"

"No," said Rodolphus, and Dora's eyes filled with tears as she wrapped her arms around herself and refused to look at her presents.

"Oh, don't be sad, Dora," Bella said quickly. "You don't have to share your birthday or your presents with him anymore, and you got far more than he did, I'm sure."

"I want Charlie," Dora cried, tears trickling down her cheeks as she tried to remember playing with her twin, but her memories were getting farther and farther away. "He was my best friend."

Bellatrix wasn't sure what to say, but Rodolphus seemed annoyed at the reaction he'd gotten and left the room. Ronan watched Dora crying over her new toys and sighed, "Don't cry, Dora. It's okay."

Dora's yell of disagreement surprised the boy, and he stepped backwards, nearly falling over as he tried to avoid her trying to hit him. "Dora!" Ronan said, upset that she'd tried to hurt him. "Don't be mean!"

Dora glared at him, and Bellatrix moved forward, separating the two children. "She's upset, Ronan," she told her son. "You've got to give girls their space when they're angry, remember?"

Dora seemed to not care about any of this, turning away from them and continuing to cry softly, whimpering her twin's name a few times. After a few moments, Bellatrix pulled Dora into her arms and held her close until the girl melted against her. There was nothing she could say to help the child, so she remained silent.

A couple weeks later, Rodolphus entered his and Bellatrix's room to see her brushing her hair quickly. "You sent an elf to retrieve me?" he huffed in annoyance.

"I see you got the message," Bellatrix smirked at his reflection in the mirror. "My dear Father just sent me an invitation to the Christmas gathering at their home."

"And?" Rodolphus said impatiently. "We'll go as usual, even though we don't enjoy it."

"It's about Dora," Bellatrix huffed at him. "She's got to be kept away from him, Rodolphus."

"She's a child—"

"I was a child too!" Bellatrix snapped, turning to glare at her husband. "And in case you've forgotten what I've told you about my father, he can't be trusted to keep his hands off of little girls."

Rodolphus did not speak for a moment, then finally asked, "So what are you suggesting?"

Bellatrix scowled at him for a few more seconds, then answered, "We've got to keep a close eye on Dora and make sure that Father can't get her alone. She can't go through the things that her mother and I did—I won't let it happen. You've got to help me keep her safe."

"And you're telling me this now?" Rodolphus sighed.

"Since you don't care enough to remember these things very long," Bellatrix said testily, "perhaps I ought to remind you right after we disapparate, too."

"Bella," Rodolphus said reproachfully, "I remember what you've said. It's just that it's no different. You'll take good care of Dora. I know you will."

"Promise you'll help me." Bellatrix's right hand gripped onto his arm. "No one deserves to be hurt like that, Rod, and I wouldn't take Andromeda's child just for her to be abused by an old man."

"Of course not," Rodolphus agreed. "We won't let it happen, Bella. I promise."

Bellatrix glanced at the mirror, then moved back to her dresser. "That's all," she said dismissively.

Rodolphus left, barely resisting to roll his eyes at her.

A few days later, when it was a couple hours before they were to leave for Black Manor, Rodolphus took Ronan aside. "We're going to your mother's parents' house," he told the boy, who immediately frowned. "You and Dora must stay together, all right?"

"Yes, Father," Ronan answered.

"And if anyone takes Dora away from you, or tries to, come tell me, okay?" Rodolphus continued. "It is very important that you stay with Dora whenever we're at their house."

"Yes, Father," repeated the boy. "But why?"

"Because I said so," Rodolphus replied firmly.

Ronan nodded, and when Bella and Dora joined them in the Entrance Hall, ready to leave, Ronan took his place beside his cousin without hesitation, making Bella give Rodolphus an inquisitive look. Neither of the boys said anything, and Rodolphus offered his arm to Bella.

Dora held tightly to her aunt's hand as they disapparated, fairly nervous about visiting yet another pureblood house—especially her aunt's parents' house. Bellatrix had instructed her to be very careful, and not to go anywhere by herself, but Dora wasn't at all sure what her aunt was going on about.

The Lestranges and Nymphadora were greeted by Cygnus Black, and Dora moved closer to her aunt, nervous to meet any more new people.

"And this is Andromeda's daughter?" Cygnus mused, peering at the little girl.

Dora did not speak, keeping a hold of Bellatrix's hand. Bellatrix merely smirked at her father. "This is Nymphadora," she said simply. "My niece."

Cygnus raised an eyebrow. "Teaching her proper pureblood manners, are we, Bella?"

"Mum taught me first," Dora said, fixing her grandfather with an insolent stare.

Cygnus opened his mouth to reply, and Bellatrix merely smiled and said, "She's far more like me than her mother."

A smirk curled the man's lips. "Good to know," he replied.

Bellatrix's face flushed as she wrenched her hand away from Dora and went for her wand. The girl gasped as Ronan pulled her back just in case, but Rodolphus stepped forward. "Surely the gathering isn't to take place in the Entrance Hall?" he said calmly, but with a note of warning.

Cygnus didn't seem to notice the stir his words had caused, inviting them all into another room while Ronan glanced up at his father, wondering what Cygnus had said that had made his mother so angry. Dora walked at Bella's side, not taking her hand again as she wasn't sure her aunt wanted her to.

The little girl was very cross when she found herself the center of attention, and Bella, sensing this, said, "There's only a few minutes until the feast, beautiful."

"I don't want to be here," Dora whispered to her aunt, looking around. "Why are they staring?"

Rodolphus shushed her warningly, and the child glared at him, the roots of her hair turning red, which sent off a round of murmuring in the room. Bellatrix was about to say something when someone else approached, and Dora looked up with a ready glare at the offending wizard.

Dora's eyes widened for a moment, and she opened her mouth to speak before hesitating, and finally asked, "Who are you?"

The young man seemed surprised that she had spoken to him, but answered, "I am Regulus Black. You must be my little cousin, Nymphadora."

"Regulus!" It was Walburga Black's scandalised voice. "She is filth—"

"Her blood is pure, and she is a child," Regulus answered evenly. "Whatever else she may be, I doubt Bellatrix would take custody of her without good reason. Perhaps Nymphadora is better off without certain other influences."

Dora was slightly confused by this talk, but looked at the young man and asked, "Aren't you Sirius' brother?"

Bellatrix saw Walburga's face and wished more than anything that she'd been able to foresee this problem in Dora meeting the rest of the family. As it was, Regulus looked down at the little girl and replied before his mother could. "We don't talk about Sirius, Nymphadora," he told the child. "He ran away from his family, so he isn't one of us anymore."

"Oh," said Dora, considering this. "Mum didn't like him much either. They always yelled at each other when they thought I wasn't listening."

"How do you know about him?" he asked her.

"There's a picture of you and him in Mum's book," Dora answered earnestly. "You were laughing. You look nice when you laugh."

Dora saw the ghost of a grin on the young man's face before Regulus held out his hand to her politely. "I'm glad to meet you, though, Dora."

The girl quickly responded, shaking hands with her cousin. "Thanks," she said softly, and nestled back into her aunt's side. The girl was not pleased when, after the meal, the children (meaning her and Ronan) were sent to play together in a separate room while the adults talked and had a few drinks.

Ronan led Dora to the playroom, but she was very unhappy with being at the manor and practically threw herself down on the floor, refusing to look at any of the toys. "I want to go home." Dora wrapped her arms around herself and glared at the wall. "I want to go home."

"Dora, come play," Ronan pleaded. "It'll be over soon. Mum and Dad never stay long because Mum doesn't like to be here either."

"I want to go home," Dora repeated shakily. "Why do we have to be here by ourselves?"

"The adults always talk too long," Ronan sighed. "Usually there are other children, but it's just our family today."

Dora refused to play for several minutes until Ronan turned away and began to play with something that she couldn't see. It surprised the children nearly a half hour later when someone entered the room unannounced, and Ronan looked up at his grandfather in trepidation.

It had been a while, noted Rodolphus Lestrange, since Cygnus had excused himself for a few minutes. Narcissa had pulled Bellatrix away to talk to her, and Rodolphus was concerned that the old man had actually gone after Nymphadora.

Surely it couldn't be, Rodolphus consoled himself, because Ronan would have come told him if someone had taken Dora away from him. Ronan was a reliable child—Rodolphus had a sudden terrible thought—unless Cygnus had silenced the little boy. Getting to his feet, Rodolphus also excused himself, his heart pounding, and slipped out of the room and down the hall. He met Ronan rushing down the hall, and the boy gasped out, "I forgot where the sitting room was. Grandfather took Dora—"

"Go that way and the third door on the left is the sitting room," Rodolphus ordered, pointing the way. "If you see your mother, tell her I'm after Dora, okay?"

Ronan hurried off without another word and Rodolphus drew his wand, walking as quickly and as silently as he could toward Cygnus Black's study. He paused outside the door, feeling the wards, and his anger kindled toward the man, because more than anything, Rodolphus hated people who purposely harmed children.

Rodolphus raised his wand and blasted down the oak doors of the study, charging forward in case the man attacked him. To his surprise, Cygnus Black let out a yelp as Dora managed to either bite him or hurt him in some way, and the girl scrambled away from him, crashing into Rodolphus full force.

"Don't let him—" gasped Dora, her hair white as she clung to her uncle. "He was—I didn't like—I want to go home!"

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

Bellatrix had appeared in the doorway, looking livid, and Cygnus Black raised an eyebrow at his oldest daughter in spite of the debris around them and replied, "Your husband broke into my study, Bellatrix."

Rodolphus wrapped his left arm around Nymphadora, who was clinging to him in fear. "We all know that's not what matters right now," Rodolphus said coldly. "You, Cygnus Black, are truly despicable."

Both Bellatrix and Rodolphus looked ready to kill, but at Dora's fearful plea of "I want to go home," Rodolphus lifted the girl into his arms without concern for what the other purebloods would think, and carried the girl from the room, saying, "Come on, Bella. We're leaving."

Bellatrix stepped into the sitting room and retrieved Ronan, the four moving toward the Entrance Hall. Narcissa followed them, asking Bellatrix what was happening, and the black-haired witch whirled around, her eyes burning in rage. "What do you think happened?" she spat at her youngest sister. "What's our father's favourite pastime?"

Others were filing into the Entrance Hall, but Bellatrix and Rodolphus turned their backs on the rest of them and marched out of the manor, disapparating home. Ronan was silent, afraid of how Dora was acting and very worried that he hadn't obeyed his father properly and caused Dora to be hurt.

Dora was now tearing up, her fists gripping onto Rodolphus' shirt as she curled into his arms, whimpering. "Dora," Bellatrix breathed, "Dora…." But the girl didn't answer.

"Bella," Rodolphus said quietly, "we need to go to your dayroom and sit down with her, okay?"

"Oh—yes," Bellatrix said, many thoughts flying through her mind as she wished ever so much that she had practised Avada Kedavra on her on father. She led the way down the hall, and Ronan called after them, "May I come?"

Rodolphus glanced around at his son, then nodded and hurried on after Bellatrix. Ronan hurried to follow, and Dora soon sat curled up on the couch with Bellatrix and Rodolphus nearby, crying with her legs drawn up and her arms wrapped around herself as Ronan looked on in concern.

"Dora," Rodolphus said very gently, so that it almost seemed to her that he was a different person, "what did he do to you?"

"Ronan should not be in here," Bellatrix said sharply.

"He needs to understand," Rodolphus answered firmly. "I saw what was going on: Cygnus didn't have time to do anything."

Dora finally let out a sob, and Bellatrix breathed, "Dora, I'm so sorry. Cissa wanted to talk to me and I—"

"Bella," Rodolphus interrupted her, and turned back to the little girl. "Cygnus took you out of the playroom, Dora?"

"Yeah," Dora cried, her fists pressed to her face. "Ronan tried to stop me, but he said he had a surprise, and so I went with him." Another sob escaped the girl, and Bellatrix carefully took Dora's hand in hers.

"And he took you to his study?" she asked in a carefully controlled voice. "What did he do?"

"He—he was—touching me," Dora said, and began to sob harder. "I didn't like it, but he wouldn't stop!" An anguished sound escaped the child, and she pulled her hand away from Bella to touch her face again. "And then there was a boom, and Rodolphus came in—and I ran to him. Aunt Bella, I don't want to go back there!" Dora sobbed pleadingly. "Don't make me go back!"

"We won't." Rodolphus was looking straight into the girl's eyes, kneeling in front of her. "That man will never touch you, harm you, hurt you, or bother you ever again, Dora. We will keep you safe."

Dora looked up at him, still crying in earnest, and sniffed, "Promise?"

"I swear it on my magic," Rodolphus told her without breaking his gaze.

"Mum says we shouldn't swear on our magic," Dora gulped.

"I would only say that if I really, truly meant it," Rodolphus answered. "We will protect you, Dora. You're as good as our little girl."

Dora's eyes overflowed with tears, and she flung herself into his arms, crying, "Thank you, Uncle Rod."

He held her tightly, feeling both his wife's and son's eyes on him, and after a few moments, said, "Bella, why don't you get her a bath, all right? She ought to be all cleaned up before bedtime."

"No," Dora sniffed, clinging to him, and he carefully lifted her face so she would look at him.

"It won't take long," he promised. "Go with Aunt Bella, okay?"

"Can—may I come back to you after?" Dora asked, and Rodolphus gave her the first little smile he had ever bestowed upon her. "Of course, Dora."

When Bellatrix had taken Dora away, Ronan looked up at his father. "Did he really hurt her, Father?" he asked.

Rodolphus hesitated, trying to choose his words very carefully. "Men can hurt girls and women very badly, Ronan," he said quietly. "You remember when I told you that there are certain places you do not touch people?"

Ronan stared at his father. "He did that to Dora?" he gasped in horror. "He's evil!"

"He is," Rodolphus answered. "But I will never leave Dora without an adult I trust ever again. You know I didn't like her when she first came here, but she's actually really sweet, and kind of funny. I feel sorry for her."

Ronan looked just as shocked at this revelation, and Rodolphus muttered, "Don't tell her I said that."

Ronan grinned slightly. "She's my sister now."

"Not exactly," Rodolphus said in alarm. "She's a cousin."

"But you said she's yours and Mum's now," Ronan answered. "That means she's my sister."

"I'm not sure she'd like that idea very much," Rodolphus frowned, trying a different tactic. "She's rather attached to her old family."

"But she likes all of us now," Ronan said eagerly. "Maybe she'll be more happy with us now that you're not mad at her."

Rodolphus looked affronted. "I wasn't mad at her."

Ronan raised an eyebrow at his father. "You were mean to her," he said. "You were mad."

Rodolphus did not push the issue, but told his son that he was also going to go have a shower, and left the room.