When Rodolphus arrived home with Ronan, Bellatrix approached and both the boys asked, "Where's Dora?"

Bellatrix couldn't help laughing at the two slightly before answering, "She ran out into the grounds. She's very upset." Ronan turned toward the hall leading to the garden, and Bellatrix said, "No, Ronan, stay inside."

"Why?" Ronan asked, still fired up from what he had experienced. "Is she okay?"

"Don't question your mother," Rodolphus told his son, squeezing his shoulder before moving forward. "I'll go to her."

"She cursed me." Rodolphus turned to see Bellatrix smiling proudly. "She's very confused."

"Come get us if we're not back by dinner time," Rodolphus told his wife, then turned and made his way outside. He found Dora after a few minutes, the girl huddled up next to a tree on the very outskirts of the wards of the house. She appeared to have been crying and looked very cold. "Dora?" he said softly.

Dora glared at him. "I don't want to talk."

Rodolphus nodded slightly, then placed a Warming Charm on the area and sat down next to her at the root of the tree. He looked out over the grounds, instantly reminded of other times he used to sit out under this very tree. "When I was a little boy," he began, "I'd come out here to read."

Dora didn't answer, and Rodolphus asked, "Are you mad at Bella?"

"No," said the child shortly.

"Then what's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Dora said angrily, sniffing slightly.

"If I don't know what's wrong, I can't help you," Rodolphus said softly. "Let me help you, Dora."

Dora's face tightened for a moment before she wrapped her arms around her legs and pressed her face into her knees. "Why would Mum send me away?" she choked.

Rodolphus considered her words for a few moments before answering, "She didn't want to, Dora, but she knew that you'd learn more powerful magic if you were with us. This is to make you stronger, help you grow into a better witch, and you've already improved since you came to us."

"Bella says it's because I'm special," Dora cried, lifting her head, "but I don't want to be special anymore."

"It's hard being different, isn't it?" Rodolphus said sympathetically. "But I like you the way you are, and so do Bella and Ronan."

"You're not my family," sniffed Dora, crossing her arms.

"We want to be your new family, if you'll let us," answered Rodolphus.

"And you won't let me go back," Dora said, tears trickling down her cheeks. "Bella says Mum doesn't want me back, either."

Rodolphus thought very careful for a moment, then said, "Bella wants you to be happy here. She doesn't want you to leave us, Dora."

The little girl scrubbed away her tears and Rodolphus slowly slipped his arm around her, pulling her into his side. "I'm sorry you're sad," he said. "But we love you, and we want what's best for you."

She leaned into him and closed her eyes, doing her best to not cry too much. "Is Aunt Bella mad?" she whispered.

"No," Rodolphus chuckled. "I think she's proud of you—you mean for cursing her, right?"

"Yeah," the child said. "I didn't mean to, but...she grabbed me and I shocked her."

"She'll want to teach you how to do that on purpose soon," said Rodolphus with a smile. "And she'll help you make it stronger, too. I have no doubt that you'll be a very powerful young woman, Nymphadora."

"I'm just Dora," the girl corrected him.

"All right," Rodolphus agreed. "Dora. Now, would you like to come have a cup of tea with me?"

Dora hesitated, then nodded and proceeded to giggle at him when he pretended that he couldn't get up off the ground and she had to help him. "You're silly like Rab, too," she concluded, quite pleased at her discovery.

He grinned and winked, then held out his hand to her, which she took and walked with him back into the manor.

Andromeda was able to convince Arthur to add protections to their home after Orion Black died a few weeks later, leaving her father the only male Black still alive. As she had thought, Arthur was very much against the blood ward until Sirius had once again explained the things that he had heard from his ex-family.

The next time Alice visited, she immediately noticed the new ward and asked about it. Andromeda explained briefly and Alice was horrified, but nodded understandingly. "My family used blood wards," she said, "but Frank doesn't like them."

"He thinks it's Dark magic?" Andromeda asked knowingly, and Alice smiled in agreement, turning as some of the children entered the room.

"Will, Charlie," Alice greeted the two boys. "Happy birthday to you two! You're six and seven now, aren't you?"

"He's six; I'm seven," Will answered with a grin. "We'll be off to Hogwarts soon!"

"Oh, soon enough," laughed Alice. "You've got a couple years left; don't run off too soon, dear."

Andromeda heard a yell and turned to see Regis' hand swelling out of control, the little boy looking shocked while his twin watched in amazement. "Oh!" said Andromeda with a little groan before she rushed to the boy's side and stopped the child's magic from continuing to morph him. "Regis, you need to be careful," she sighed.

Silas laughed and clapped his hands. "Again!" he cheered on his brother.

"No, Silas," Andromeda said firmly. "You need to be older to do that."

"No," the child said, and crossed his arms, turning away from his mother.

Andromeda ignored this behaviour, turning back to Alice and the older boys. "They've begun to morph, but they don't understand what they're doing," she explained. "They don't know how to stop it once it starts."

"When did Dora know how?" Will frowned. "She was really good, wasn't she?"

"She was about two and a half when she realised that she could change herself, and she was nearly three years old when she learned that she could change others," Andromeda smiled reminiscently.

"Do you think she remembers trying to be a dragon?" Will asked his mother and Charlie, who decidedly ignored him.

"Oh, probably," his mother answered. "It would be hard to forget her stay in St Mungo's."

"Poor Dora," Charlie muttered, turning and walking away.

"Do you think the new baby will be like Dora and the other twins?" Will asked his mother.

Andromeda looked alarmed. "I don't know," she said. "To be honest, I hope not. Three kids who can morph into anything they want is already a lot."

Will nodded. "That's why they took Dora, isn't it? Because she can do all those cool things?"

Andromeda considered her oldest son for a moment, then answered, "Yes, dear."

Will looked alarmed. "Are they going to take Silas and Regis, too?"

"I don't think so," Andromeda answered. "Rodolphus wouldn't want another boy in the house besides his own son."

"I don't like Rodolphus," Will said. "But Bella's worse, isn't she?"

"Mostly," Andromeda answered. "I'd stay away from both of them, if I were you."

Will nodded seriously, and Andromeda saw Alice holding back a smile before she turned and walked to the twins to see what they were doing.

Nymphadora was doing her very best to be the perfect little girl as she sat next to her aunts in the sitting room of Malfoy Manor. Dora was bored and annoyed because Rodolphus had taken Ronan and gone away to talk with Lucius, but she was trying her best not to say anything and not to act like she would much rather be anywhere else.

Narcissa seemed to be smiling a lot more than usual, and Dora was not the only one who had noticed. Bellatrix eyed her sister suspiciously. "What are you up to?" she demanded of the blonde witch.

"I—" Narcissa began, and Bellatrix gave her such a look that she smiled again. "I'm pregnant," she whispered.

"Oh." Bellatrix looked at her with an expression that said, "That explains everything."

"What?" Dora said in confusion, looking from aunt to aunt.

"I'm going to have a baby, Dora," Narcissa said, blushing furiously.

"Really?!" Dora said, her eyes widening. "Oooh cool!"

Bellatrix eyed her sister, then asked, "When are you due?"

"May or June," Narcissa answered breathlessly. "I'm so excited, and I can't wait until he's here."

"He?" Bellatrix inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course," said Narcissa. "I have the potions to produce a boy or girl, whatever we want."

"And of course we only want boys," scoffed Bellatrix. "You're as bad as the men."

"I am not!" snapped Narcissa, surprising her niece. "It is an honour—!"

"Yeah, yeah," Bellatrix said. "So I've heard—from my own husband. And how many more children will you have?"

Narcissa gave Bellatrix a reproachful look, then said, "We'll see, but perhaps just the one."

The dark-haired witch smirked. "I'm in shock," she said. "We'll see how you manage that."

"Why can't you just be happy for me?" Narcissa said in an uncharacteristic huff.

"Oh, I am," Bellatrix said in a lofty voice. "Proud that Cissy's doing her duty, proud that you're keeping old Lucius happy. I'm just surprised it's taken you so long. But congratulations, dear. I only hope you survive it all. Babies aren't fun, you know."

Nymphadora frowned. "Mum likes babies," she said.

Bellatrix let out a snort of derision before she could stop herself, and answered the girl, "Well, that's a good thing, because she's had so many."

"I didn't like Percy," Dora told Narcissa, "but Mum told me he'd grow up and then he'd be okay."

"Yes," Narcissa said with a smile. "And you do know, Bellatrix, that Andy is pregnant again? She's due in a few months."

Bellatrix was horrified at this prospect and sputtered, "But why? She's got five, or six, or however many! There's no need—!"

Dora looked up at her aunt. "Mum's having a baby too?" she asked in a very small voice.

Narcissa hesitated, then said, "Yes, dear."

"I daresay she wants another girl," Bellatrix muttered. "She's being stupid: look at her record."

"Mum's not stupid!" Dora snapped at her aunt, the roots of her hair shooting red.

"Of course not," Narcissa soothed her gently. "Bella just doesn't understand why your mother likes children so much."

Dora scowled at Bellatrix, then crossed her arms and shut her mouth again. In her opinion, Bellatrix had no business talking about her mother when Bellatrix didn't even like her. "Don't talk about Mum," she said unhappily.

Bellatrix opened her mouth to say something, but Narcissa gave her a look of warning. Nymphadora was glad when Rodolphus and Ronan came back, the boy immediately sensing that Dora was upset. "What's wrong?" he asked her very quietly, but she merely shook her head slightly, and by the time she had left Malfoy Manor, they had forgotten about it.

"Are you serious?!" Andromeda gasped, staring at her best friend. "Oh, congratulations!" And before she could even think, she'd grabbed Alice in the best hug she could manage at 30 weeks pregnant. "When are you due?"

"July or August," Alice breathed, wiping her eyes and smiling. "I just found out; I'm only like five weeks or so."

"I'm so happy for you," Andromeda told her friend, also wiping her eyes. "Oh, that's such good news! I assume your husband is excited too?"

"Yeah," answered Alice. "He is. I'm going to need your best advice, Dromeda."

Andromeda smiled. "I'll do what I can to help you," she promised. "Have you seen a Healer yet?"

Alice nodded. "I wanted to make sure it was real," she said. "I do have the normal Anti-Morning Sickness potion, but I just wondered if you would have your own version."

"I don't," Andromeda laughed. "I can't believe it though; that's such good news."

"Yeah," Alice grinned, seeming proud of herself. "We'd been trying for a while, and I'm glad it finally worked."

"I'm so happy for you," Andromeda said again. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," giggled Alice. "I haven't had much of a struggle yet, but Frank's mother told me that I'm bound to be miserable eventually."

"Well, in modern times, there are ways of dealing with things," Andromeda said haughtily, making Alice laugh. "You know, I'm also glad you're so happy."

"Me too," Alice agreed. "I always thought pregnant women were a disaster."

"Am I a disaster?" smirked Andromeda.

"Well," Alice smirked in return, and Andromeda merely shook her head patiently at the younger witch. "But I have plenty of time to become a disaster," she shrugged. "Months to go."

"True," Andromeda finally laughed, turning to see Percy entering the room. "What is it, Percy?"

"I heard her come in," Percy answered. "Mother, the twins have been morphing again."

"Are they changing form, or just their hair?" asked Andromeda with a sigh.

"Well, one of them has blue arms," said the boy, frowning. "But they're the same."

Andromeda took a deep breath and turned to climb the stairs to check on Silas and Regis. "Good luck with your children," she said to Alice. "Try not to have multiple twins."

Alice gave her a sympathetic look. "Well, it doesn't run in our families, so it shouldn't happen."

"Lucky you," Andromeda smirked, and continued up toward the twins' room.

Bellatrix scowled. "I would rather not set foot in Malfoy Manor at the moment."

Her husband shook his head at her. "Well, it's not about what we want, Bella," he said. "We don't want to give Ronan and Dora any reason to protest going to other places."

"They don't have any problem with it," Bellatrix huffed. "I don't want to have to put up with Cissa and her hormones."

"She's not nearly as hormonal as you were," Rodolphus said, jumping back as she tried to slap him. "It's true!"

"Just wait," Bellatrix warned him. "She's barely begun, but I know she'll be the tearful sort instead of the sort that threatens to cut off her husband's bits." She giggled in spite of herself.

Rodolphus frowned at his wife. "What if she wants your sisterly advice?"

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow. "Neither of my sisters have listened to me," she said, "so I'm leaving them to deal with the consequences. If Cissa really wanted advice about children, she'd ask the one who's got about twelve."

Rodolphus seemed about to laugh, though both adults turned to the door of the room, hearing running footsteps. Ronan appeared in the doorway and gasped, "Mum, Dora needs help. She...she tried to be a cat."

"She—what?" Rodolphus said in exasperation, getting to his feet.

"Come on, Roddy," Bellatrix said, hurrying after her son.

Dora was sitting on the floor in the playroom, looking terrified as she tried over and over to reverse the morph. Bellatrix hurried over to the girl, kneeling down beside her as she had already spotted the problem. "Aunt Bella!" the girl cried. "I messed up my arm!"

"It's okay," Bellatrix told the girl, drawing her wand. She reached out for Dora, who flinched. "Ouch!" said Bella, yanking her arm away and looking at the red scratches on the back of her hand.

"Sorry," Dora sniffed. "I didn't mean to."

"It's okay," Bellatrix said, quickly healing her hand before cautiously reaching out to Dora again. "Just relax, okay?"

Rodolphus didn't say anything, but merely gave the little girl a reassuring look. After a couple minutes, Bellatrix was able to restore Dora's human arm, and Dora breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry," said the little girl again.

Bellatrix merely hugged the child. "It's okay," she said. "You're just trying new things. Next time you want to morph to something that's not human, let me know, okay? Then we can be there to help you."

Dora nodded, then looked up at Ronan, who grinned at her slightly. "She was meowing," he laughed. "It was cool."

Rodolphus turned and walked away from the playroom, wondering what else Nymphadora would attempt that might hurt their family. Dora looked up at her aunt and said, "He doesn't like it when I morph. Why not?"

"He's worried you'll hurt me," Ronan told her.

"I wouldn't," Dora said, crossing her arms. "I wouldn't even hurt him."

Bellatrix laughed. "I know, Dora. It's just the things that might happen accidentally that he worries about."

Ronan shook his head. "Dad worries all the time," he told Dora. "Don't worry about it."

"Go on with your playing," Bellatrix told the two. "Ronan, remember that your father expects to see you in the study after dinner."

"Yeah," Ronan sighed, glancing at Dora and seeming to be asking her not to be upset.

"And I'll be working with Dora," Bellatrix said with a smirk, seeing the two six year olds' expressions. "She'll be learning things from me."

"Because she's a girl?" Ronan asked his mother.

"Yes, and we can't have her left out of learning magic, and of course your father wants to teach you because you're his heir," Bellatrix smiled.

Ronan rolled his eyes. "How could I forget?"

His mother laughed and got to her feet, stowing her wand. "Exactly. So perhaps save some energy and concentration for this evening, you two."

The children chorused their agreement and Bellatrix left them together, heading to her dayroom as she did not want to be trapped into discussing the Malfoys with her husband again.