Nearly a week passed before Dora sidled up to her mother as the woman was feeding Elsie and asked, "Mum—Mother, may I write to Ronan?"

Andromeda looked up at her older daughter, having just sat down from taking Percy and the younger twins aside separately to talk to them: the twins for causing trouble, and Percy for always trying to make the twins behave. "Oh, I don't know," Andromeda said, seeing Dora's face darken just slightly at her words. "I don't mind if you do, Dora, but I don't think Desmond would like it. He might not let Ronan have your letter if you sent one."

"Can't I try?" Dora pleaded, though Andromeda sensed that the girl was far more upset than she was letting on. "I want to make sure he's okay."

"Go ahead and write," Andromeda said. "But if Ronan doesn't answer, or perhaps Desmond sends your letter back—"

"He wouldn't," Dora said knowingly. "He'd burn it. Shall I take some parchment from your desk?"

"Oh, I'll get some after I'm finished with Elsie," Andromeda said. "It shouldn't be too much longer, Dora."

The girl sighed, then replied, "I'll be in my room," and turned and left.

As Andromeda sat there, thinking about Bellatrix's son, she realised something that she could possibly do to help Dora—though she wasn't sure it was the best idea. Raising her right hand, she Summoned the two-way mirror that she had and levitated it in front of her, saying, "Narcissa."

Minutes later, Narcissa Malfoy's face appeared in the mirror, and the witch glanced around before saying, "What is it? I only have a few minutes."

"I was thinking of passing this mirror along to Dora," Andromeda said quietly. "And if the other mirror should be misplaced somewhere in Lestrange Manor..." she let her voice trail off.

"Do you think that's wise?" Narcissa asked, immediately concerned. "Ronan's having a hard time, and Desmond can't get him to behave anymore."

"Understandable," said Andromeda. "Dora is also very angry and unhappy. Perhaps the two would do better if they were in contact."

Narcissa merely shook her head slightly. "I'll see what I can do."

"Dora will not call him: he'll have to call her," Andromeda said. "We wouldn't want to surprise Desmond."

"If that is all, I must get back to Draco and his father," Narcissa answered, and Andromeda nodded, cutting off the communication.

Andromeda looked down at Elsie and grinned. She would go to Dora afterward, give her the mirror and the parchment, and tell her how to use it. She only hoped that Narcissa would be able to get the other mirror to Ronan quickly.

"Dora?" Andromeda knocked on her daughter's door.

The door swung open, and Dora looked up from petting her unicorn toy and said, "Have you brought the parchment?"

"Yes," Andromeda answered. "And something even better." She stepped into the room and shut the door after herself, setting the parchment down on the bed. "There's this," she said, pulling the mirror from her pocket and handing it to Dora. "This is a two-way mirror, Dora. Narcissa has the other mirror right now, and they were given to us by Bellatrix."

"I don't want to talk to Cissa," Dora frowned.

"I have asked her to give hers to Ronan," Andromeda told her daughter in a conspiratorial whisper, and the girl's eyes widened. "Now, Desmond won't know Ronan has it, so we can't call him, but he can call you by just saying your name to the mirror. I don't know how long it will be until Ronan has the other mirror, but I'm sure he'll contact you as soon as he receives it."

Dora looked thrilled and concerned all at the same time, and Andromeda said, "You can tell Will and Charlie if you want to, but keep the mirror away from the others, okay? I'll be telling your father this evening. I do know that you might end up staying up late to talk to your cousin sometimes, but try to be smart about that, all right?"

"Yes," Dora breathed. "Thanks."

"Of course," Andromeda smiled.

"Wait—how will I know if he's calling me?" Dora asked quickly as her mother turned to leave.

"You'll hear him calling your name," Andromeda replied. "As long as you're near the house, you'll hear it. Just let me know when he calls, and I'll make sure you have some time alone to talk to him."

Dora was surprised that her real mother wanted to help her talk to Ronan after she'd gotten into fights with almost all her siblings, but she was desperate to have some kind of conversation with someone that understood her. She promised she'd tell her mother, then sat back against the wall as the woman left the room, staring at the mirror and hoping that Ronan would call her very soon.

It was nearly a month later that Dora crashed through the back door into the kitchen and panted, "I heard him! Mum—!"

"Go on then," Andromeda said, handing Tommy a cup of juice. "I'll be curious to know how he's doing as well."

Dora ran up the stairs, ignoring the younger twins pretending to curse her with their toy wands. She sprinted to the drawer next to her bed, pulled out the mirror, and lifted it to her face. "Ronan," she breathed, scared and thrilled.

Her cousin looked back at her, nervous but determined, and the moment he saw her, he gave a great sigh of relief. "Dora," he murmured, and she saw that he was curled up in his bed. "I miss you."

"Ronan," Dora whispered. "Oh, me too. I mean—oh, you know what I mean."

"I was told that my mother gave these to her sisters to use in times of need," Ronan said as if conveying a message. "But your mother knows you have this one?"

"Mother gave it to me," Dora answered. "And I know Cissa gave you the other one."

Ronan didn't confirm where he'd received the mirror, but said, "That's awfully nice of your mother."

"Yeah," muttered Dora distractedly. "Ro, are you okay? Did your grandfather hurt you after he sent me away?"

"Well, not really," the boy sighed.

Dora frowned at him. "I don't believe you," she said firmly.

The boy smiled ruefully. "Not because of you," he told her. "After he sent you away, I just stopped doing what he wanted me to do. I've embarrassed him a few times—in front of some important people."

"You're being a rebel," Dora grinned. "Good for you."

"It hurts," Ronan winced, cringing at the memories of his various punishments and scoldings. "But it's okay. I can handle it."

Dora bit her lip. "Are you sure?" she asked. "He was really mean to you the day he brought me here."

The boy shrugged. "He's done worse now," Ronan admitted to Dora. "I made him so angry that he cursed me so badly that I was sick in bed for a week."

"What did you do?" Dora gasped.

"I told Crouch that he should have been a better father," Ronan answered. "He was saying how awful it was that parents had to be separated from their children, and all I could think of was that he could have saved his own son—" Ronan shook with a slight rage. "I don't care: it was worth it to see the look on his face. I think Grandfather was trying to get permission for us to see my parents, but I'm pretty sure I ruined that." He gave a bitter laugh.

"Oh, Ronan," Dora breathed. "I wish I could be there with you. I'm so sorry—I couldn't stop him."

"It's okay, I know," answered the boy. "I tried too. But I'm sure I'll get to see Mum and Dad eventually. You know that Mother believes the Dark Lord will come back."

"My mother believes that too," Dora said excitedly.

Ronan gave her a strange look. "Your mother does? That's weird."

Dora made a face. "She is weird, but...she's nice, even if she can't help me."

"That doesn't make sense," Ronan said, and Dora shook her head.

"I don't know," said Dora. "She's just be a lot nicer than I thought she would be—but I don't like all the other kids here."

"Oh yeah, you have like ten brothers, don't you?" Ronan frowned. "How are they?"

"Do you care?" Dora scoffed.

"No, Dora, I mean 'are they nice to you?'" he huffed in annoyance. "Really."

Dora scowled. "Will's nice, and Charlie's cool—he's my twin. Percy's okay, but I don't like the rest of them. They're too loud and annoying."

Ronan nodded sympathetically, and asked, "And your dad?"

"He's just weird." Dora wrinkled her nose. "I've never seen anyone like him. He likes all this Muggle stuff, and he plays with it out in the workshop—but Mum doesn't know that. He's okay, but I don't know how to talk to him very well."

"No polite conversation?" Ronan smirked.

"No," Dora laughed. "I even asked Mum how girls are supposed to talk to their dads, and she didn't even know."

The boy suddenly because very serious. "Did she ask you about what her father did to you?"

Dora bit her lip, wishing he hadn't mentioned it. "No," she answered. "I don't think she knows."

"Cygnus wanted Grandfather to send you to him," Ronan whispered, and Dora's mouth fell open, shocked and horrified.

"No!" she gasped.

"He did," Ronan continued intently. "Dora, Grandfather said that Dad told him if something went wrong, he was to send you back to your mother. He must have told Grandfather what Cygnus did."

"Wait—your dad said to send me back?" Dora breathed. "Desmond said that when he brought me here!"

"Yes," Ronan nodded. "Dad must have known that Cygnus would try to get you, and sent you back to your mother to keep you safe."

"He should have told me," Dora grumbled.

Ronan smiled slightly. "Dad wouldn't have told a girl that," he said.

Dora scowled. "Your dad doesn't think much of girls," she huffed. "But Aunt Bellatrix was more powerful than he was."

"I don't think so," Ronan replied. "They were pretty even: I saw them duel quite a few times…." His voice trailed off in memory.

"I hope you get to see them soon," Dora sighed. "And tell them I said hi."

"I can't," Ronan answered. "Grandfather."

Dora huffed angrily. "We can't even see each other until Hogwarts, and that's three whole years!" she complained. "And Will gets to go in two years, and it's not fair!"

"We will wait," Ronan said quietly, and Dora's eyes met his, the girl nodding in agreement.

"We will wait," Dora murmured.

The two continued talking until Ronan had to leave to appear at lunch, and Dora reluctantly stowed the mirror in her nightstand drawer. Making her way down the stairs, she found her mother outside the back door, calling for the boys to come in and eat lunch. "Oh, Dora," Andromeda said in surprise, nearly tripping over the girl when she turned to go back into the house. "I didn't know you were there; you're so quiet. Are you finished talking?"

Dora nodded wordlessly, her heart and mind too full to say much, but her mother didn't ask any questions until that night as she was saying goodnight. "So how was Ronan?" Andromeda asked softly.

"Oh," Dora frowned. "Well, he says he's okay, but he misses his mum and dad."

"Yes," Andromeda said. "But you're going to keep talking to him, right?"

"Yeah," the girl nodded. "Thanks for the mirror. I think he's a little happier now."

Andromeda smiled slightly. "Good," she answered. "Children shouldn't have to go without their parents."

Dora sighed sadly and nodded. "Mother, do you think that Bella and Rod should have been left with him?"

"Well, they've hurt a lot of people, Dora," Andromeda murmured. "I wish he could have them, and I would never have turned in my own sister, but they have done terrible things. They tortured my best friend and her husband into insanity."

"Wait," Dora said in surprise. "Alice was your friend?"

"Yes," Andromeda sighed. "And years ago, you knew her and liked her too."

"Really?" Dora asked. "I can't remember anything about being here before—well, except Charlie. And maybe Will."

"But not me or your father?" asked Andromeda, unable to help herself.

Dora screwed up her face in an attempt to remember. "Well, I remember thinking Bella looked like you. And I always screamed at them that I wanted to go home, but Ronan always told me that he wanted me there."

Andromeda smiled. "He seems like a really sweet boy," she said.

"He is," Dora said. "Much nicer than his dad."

"I'm sorry you got taken from us," Andromeda told her, and Dora shrugged.

"It's okay," she said. "I learned magic and things from Bella, and Ronan and I got to play together a lot. And Rodolphus helped me...sometimes."

Andromeda held back a laugh at the girl's expression and answered, "I'm glad you had some good times with them. We were really worried."

Dora looked up at her questioningly, then smiled weakly. "It was okay. I wasn't happy, but Bella wasn't mean to me. Ronan was right: she only wanted me because the Dark Lord wanted me for my powers."

Her mother drew a breath of surprise, and Dora merely shrugged. "It's okay," Dora said. "She does everything for Him."

"She does," Andromeda agreed quietly. "I'm sorry that you were one of her targets."

"I'm okay," Dora sighed. "Ronan's the one that's not okay. Have you already told dad about the mirrors?"

"Yes," said Andromeda. "He wasn't sure that it was the best idea, but he agreed that if Desmond didn't know, it could only help Ronan to be able to talk to you."

"Good," Dora said in satisfaction, lying back on her pillow.

"Goodnight, Dora," Andromeda said, placing her hand over Dora's right. "We love you."

"Goodnight, Mum," Dora answered, and curled into the sheets the moment her mother left the room.

Throughout the next few weeks, Dora did her best to stay out of her family's way and to also make sure she was available to talk to Ronan every time he called. Will and Charlie were annoyed that Dora was talking to her cousin instead of playing with them, but they also understood that she wanted to keep in contact with him.

One afternoon, during which Silas and Regis made too much noise for Tommy to nap, Elsie also refused to nap and was consequently very fussy and clingy. Charlie and Dora were playing chess together, which had been an interesting event to begin with because she was used to the version Bellatrix had—which entailed the characters using the Unforgivables on each other. Andromeda had quickly explained to Dora that that was disabled on the chess set that they had, and indeed, most chess sets in the world.

Will and Percy were discussing a book that their father had brought home and given to them, and Andromeda was trying to quiet Elsie enough to be able to set her down and go get lunch made for the rest of the family. A few times, Andromeda had gotten Elsie quiet and tried to put her down or have one of the boys hold her, but the little one had always started crying again. Finally, as Will reluctantly took Elsie again, Dora scowled at the little girl in annoyance, daring her to cry.

They had barely ten minutes of quiet before Elsie started crying, and Dora scowled at her. "Shut up," Dora hissed at the baby, and Will gave Dora a helpless shrug.

Elsie ignored her big sister, and Dora got to her feet, making Will step back in alarm and Charlie look over to see what would happen. "Shut up!" Dora nearly yelled at the girl, her fists doubled up. A burst of light flew from her and hit the baby, her cries immediately silent.

"Nymphadora Weasley!" Andromeda's voice of anger and fear shocked all of the children, who froze and made no noise as their mother took the motionless baby into her arms.

Dora was shaking slightly, seeing her mother draw her wand, but she did not step back. She had not backed down from Bella and Rod, and she would not be afraid of her own mother. She saw her mother seeming to check on Elsie and sigh in relief.

"She's only asleep," Andromeda said, sounding relieved and slightly emotional. "Dora, please don't do spells on your brothers and sister. You could hurt them really badly."

"I wouldn't," Dora snapped, her hair still red with anger. "Rodolphus said we don't hurt children."

"Babies cry, Dora," Andromeda sighed. "It can't be helped. We just have to be patient with them. All of you were like this."

"Yeah, Tommy was, too," Charlie said. "If anything, he was worse. And be thankful Elsie's not twins. Silas and Regis were not fun when they were babies."

"Hey!" the twins complained, but Charlie ignored them.

"Then make her sleep," Dora huffed.

"It's not a good idea to use magic to make anyone go to sleep all the time," Andromeda said, her heart still pounding from her concern for her baby girl.

Will was looking at Dora carefully. "We aren't supposed to use spells against our own family," he said. "Mum and Dad do sometimes to help us or protect us, but we aren't supposed to do magic against each other."

Dora huffed. "I didn't hurt her."

"No, Dora, you didn't," Andromeda said, giving her sons a look that meant for them to be silent. "It is a courtesy that we exercise as a family." She shifted Elsie in her arms and said, "I'm going to finish lunch. Please behave." And she looked around at all her children before turning and leaving them in the living room.

The girl scowled after her mother, but as Charlie simply said, "Your turn," Dora turned her attention back to the chess game and settled for slaughtering Charlie's poor chessmen.

When Dora told Ronan about what had happened, the boy laughed. "I'm sure your mum wasn't happy," he said. "I'm almost glad I didn't have little brothers and sister—though Mum once asked me if I wanted a sister, and I think she meant you."

"Really?" Dora smiled slightly. "Well, I like Charlie, and Will, but you're like my other brother. You know me."

Ronan nodded. "So what else has happened?"

"The other twins got in big trouble for morphing Tommy," Dora said, rolling her eyes. "They ought to know better than to do it to him: Tommy doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut—and he's afraid of everything. Oh!" She giggled maniacally. "Ro, they turned his teddy bear into a spider, and now he's terrified of them."

"They—" Ronan shook his head, laughing at the idea. "You know, maybe you should play with them and get on their good side."

"I'm not afraid of anything," Dora scoffed. "I don't need them."

"Yeah, but they could be useful," insisted Ronan. "Twins, both with your powers!"

"You sound like Charlie," Dora huffed. "Be nice to the twins: they can be mean. Try to get along with Silas and Regis: they're really helpful sometimes. I don't like them. They're annoying."

Ronan shrugged. "Well, at least you've got people to be with. I've only got Grandfather—and the house elves."

Dora snorted. "My parents don't have house elves," she said.

"Oh yeah!" Ronan laughed. "One of ours scared you when Mum brought you here, I remember."

"It's not funny," the girl huffed.

"So why are your parents so poor?" Ronan asked. "Mum and Dad never told me that your family didn't have money."

"I don't know," Dora scowled. "But it's not my fault."

Ronan sighed. "Dora, I wasn't blaming you," he said. "I just wondered."

"Mum says it's because Dad's dad left everything to his older brother, and that we lived in the old Weasley home a long time ago," muttered Dora. "But I don't know. I don't remember any of that."

"No," Ronan agreed. "So is it this year, or next year that Will goes to school?"

"Next year," Dora sighed. "He's excited, of course."

Ronan grinned in agreement. "I can't wait," he said, then frowned. "You'll be in Slytherin, right?"

"Of course," Dora huffed, rolling her eyes at her cousin. "My brothers will probably all be Gryffindors, but I'll be no such thing."

"Oh," Ronan said. "What does your mother think about that?"

"I don't think she likes Gryffindor," Dora giggled, "but she doesn't really say awful things about them in front of Dad. All of us know she was a Slytherin, and she wasn't exactly happy when Dad told her that she was the only good Slytherin."

"Ha," said Ronan. "I don't know how your mother could be my mother's sister and be 'good.'"

Dora grinned. "No," she agreed. "But Mum waited until he was gone, and then talked to me and Will and Charlie and Percy about the different houses. She doesn't really care what we do, but she told us that she didn't mind us being in any of the houses, as long as we didn't disgrace the family."

Ronan raised an eyebrow. "As if she didn't disgrace hers," he sputtered.

"It's not her fault," Dora snapped, her hair shooting red, and Ronan shrugged apologetically. "Cygnus gave Mum to my dad," she told the boy. "Mum didn't choose to be here."

"But she didn't run away," Ronan pointed out. "And you'd think if she wasn't happy, she wouldn't have given him so many kids."

"Mum likes kids," Dora scowled. "And if Bella hadn't stolen me from her, Mum wouldn't have had Tommy or Elsie."

"How do you know?" Ronan asked in surprise.

"Will told me," Dora answered. "He said Mum was very upset when Tommy was born because she'd wanted a little girl. And then Elsie was born, and I came back right after that. If I hadn't left, they wouldn't be alive."

"That's not your fault," Ronan said.

"Of course not," Dora huffed.

"Your mother must have really missed you to want two more kids," the boy mused. "Well, you would have been the only girl at the time."

"I don't know," sighed Dora. "I don't like them."

"No," Ronan agreed. "Well, I've got to go. I think dinner's supposed to be soon. Be careful, okay?"

"You too," Dora answered, and the two dropped the call.

Dora curled up with her pillows for a few moments, sadness washing over her as it always did after she talked to her cousin. One day, she would see him again, and it couldn't be soon enough.