Well, I (Dora) am home from visiting Bella over in England. :D It was awesome actually being able to talk out story ideas in person, and laughing together about different things.

Anyhoo, thanks to our readers for their continued support of our stories, and here's another chapter for your...amusement.

Dora

Rodolphus shook his head slightly, setting down his glass of wine as he glanced out of his bedroom window. Little brother had been a bit too happy about Nymphadora's pregnancy news than he would have liked, though at least this time she might have a chance to carry the child to life. While Rabastan loved his wife and his children, he was completely naive to some situations. These were things that Rodolphus longed to bring to his brother's attention, both for the necessity, and for the laughs.

"Dear Rabastan," Rodolphus chuckled, still shaking his head. "Well, you have to know some time."

He turned from the window and walked to the door, leaving the room to go find his brother. It didn't take long for him to find Rabastan in the library, reading an old book of curses. "Rabastan," Rodolphus smirked, twirling his wand casually as he regarded the younger man. "A word, if you don't mind."

"We can talk here," Rabastan shrugged.

"No." Rodolphus walked closer to his brother, sighing, "I don't think you'll want most people hearing this."

Rabastan frowned in confusion, getting to his feet and following his brother. "This had better be good," he warned him.

The older Lestrange nodded, turning away to hide his amusement at his brother's naivety. He led him to the sitting room, warding it against the rest of the family in case any of them tried to walk in. To his knowledge, Dora was taking a nap, and Andromeda was teaching the children together in their safe room.

Rodolphus sighed, finally facing his brother head-on. "Rabastan, your son is pathetic," he told the man outright." Rabastan's mouth fell open in shock, the man's face reddening slightly, but Rodolphus wasn't finished. "Rigel is spineless, a pushover, and—to be fair, he does have to deal with Delphi—but he needs to man up, and you need to let him grow up."

Rodolphus stood there a moment and waited knowingly until his brother finally yelled, "How dare you talk that way about my son? He is—"

"He is an unlearned child, and he needs our help," Rodolphus supplied. "Help that does not come of refusal to see the problem. He is your heir, Rabastan—he has to lead the House of Lestrange when we're gone, and I can very well see that he is not ready at all. I can't stand aside and watch this happen, because as the older brother, I was charged with making sure our line continues."

"HE IS MY SON!" Rabastan yelled in fury, reaching for his wand.

"He is your son, yes," Rodolphus answered coolly, his own wand in his hand. "But he is the heir of our House. You must agree that the boy does not act as you would expect an heir-in-training to act, do you not, Rabastan? Honestly, I don't expect you to be able to teach him the proper ways, because you were never specifically taught to lead a pureblood house—"

"Fine!" snapped Rabastan, slamming his hand down on the table and nearly knocking the lamp to the floor. "Fine, then! I know he needs work! But I don't know what to do with him! What would you do to help him?"

Rodolphus smirked evilly. "I have a plan."

Rigel walked into their safe room a couple days later to find his father and uncle standing there with Andromeda, watching and waiting. They immediately focused on him the instant he walked in, and Delphi started laughing at him. "Need special help, Rigel?" Delphi teased him.

The boy frowned, his ears reddening in slight embarrassment, though he tried not to let it bother him. His father was about to say something when Rodolphus stopped him, interjecting, "Actually, Delphi, he is getting a private lesson because of his place in our family. Rigel, if you will follow your father and me."

Rigel followed the two older Lestrange males from the room, wondering what his father and Rod wanted from him. They hadn't really ever just focused on him before...unless he counted the times he had to be healed after Delphi had got to him.

"Talk," Rodolphus said to Rabastan as the three stood in the study together.

"You talk," Rabastan retorted. "This was your idea!"

"What's going on?" Rigel asked nervously.

"Well, Rigel," Rodolphus said simply, "the time has come for us to teach you how to lead a pureblood house—namely the House of Lestrange."

Rigel swallowed nervously. "I—I'm not ready, Sir," he said quickly.

Rodolphus nodded. "That's what we're here for, Rigel. We're here to prepare you. But before we begin, I want you to see something that helped me understand these things when my father was training me. Rabastan, the Pensieve..."

Rabastan immediately levitated the Pensieve out near the middle of the floor, and Rodolphus drew his wand, touching it to his temple. Drawing out the single memory, Rodolphus motioned to his nephew. "Go on," he told the boy. "We'll be right behind you."

Rigel took a deep breath and plunged into the memory...

A twelve year old Rodolphus Lestrange was walking along the dark halls of his father's home, watching carefully before he joined his father in the entrance hall. "Are all the girls joining us today?" he asked his father.

The man turned to him with a small smirk. "Yes," he said. "You know what is expected of you, Rodolphus."

"Yes, Father," he replied, then turned toward the doors as he felt the 'knock' on the wards. With a similar smirk to his father's, he raised his hands, the gates beginning to swing open at his command.

Rodolphus held back a laugh, always thrilled when his father allowed him to act as the Head for a few moments. He could see his father's proud smile just for him as they stepped forward together to greet Cygnus Black and his family. He gave all three of the Black sisters a polite smile, kissing each girl's hand in turn, though he couldn't help but smirk slightly as he looked into the oldest girl's eyes. "Bellatrix," he chuckled softly. "So good to see you again..."

Bellatrix merely smirked at him before he invited them to join him out in the garden for a bit. He led the three girls out, decidedly ignoring the older two whispering to each other and wondering what on earth he could ever find to say to the little blonde Black. Finally, they were out near the edge of the grounds, quite far from the house, and Bellatrix asked, "So what do you think about having a little brother?"

Rodolphus barely stopped himself from frowning, but answered, "Well, I don't know what growing up with little ones is like, but I guess I'll find out. He isn't too bad, as the elves take care of him most of the time."

Narcissa frowned, and looked up, but Andromeda gave her a warning look, and the youngest girl didn't say anything. "I suppose it's different if there's more difference in age," Andromeda said thoughtfully. "You'll be all grown up before he's through school!"

Rodolphus gave a small laugh. "Yes, I suppose. He's quite a stubborn child, though I have nothing to compare him to."

"I suppose your father is happy with two boys," Bellatrix said, rolling her eyes.

"He has a right to be proud," Rodolphus said, more sharply than he'd intended. She infuriated him. "Just as your parents should be proud of their three lovely daughters."

Narcissa blushed slightly, but Andromeda merely acknowledged his words politely. Bellatrix, however, outright laughed at him. "Don't try to flatter us, Lestrange," she said haughtily.

"I meant that," he said indignantly, but looked out past the edge of the wards. "I try to keep as close to the truth as possible when it comes to these matters. I think anyone should be proud to have any of you ladies."

This drew a smile from Andromeda, and a grin from Narcissa, though Bellatrix scowled at his words. "You should stop talking," she told him.

Andromeda sighed. "Bella," she said softly, reaching out and slipping her arm around her sister. "Rodolphus, do you think we could go indoors? There is a bit of a breeze..."

"What bree—" Narcissa began, though the child shut up as Andromeda gave her a sharp look.

"Of course," Rodolphus agreed, and led the three sisters forward into the manor.

Rigel fell out of the memory onto the floor, Rodolphus and Rabastan joining him almost immediately. "What was it supposed to mean?" the boy asked after a moment. "What does that have to do with what I need to know?"

"Well," Rodolphus said after a moment, "that was one time that my father allowed me to practise what he was teaching me as I was still learning it. Of course, I don't believe you'll have to deal with anyone as difficult as Bellatrix, though you do have Delphi."

"You're lucky, trust me," Rabastan told his son. "I couldn't have put up with Bella like your uncle has."

"Well, you were young enough that Bellatrix found you hilarious when you were old enough to talk back," Rodolphus said with a small laugh.

Rigel grinned slightly at the thought of Bellatrix laughing at a four year old Rabastan. "So what now?" he asked his father and his uncle.

Rodolphus turned to face the boy and answered, "We teach you. Mostly, you will learn things considered boring, but necessary to our family. Otherwise, we want to help you grow into a great young wizard, Rigel. We will teach you the Unforgivables—"

"Andromeda's already taught us those!" Rigel protested.

"Do not speak to your uncle that way," Rabastan said quietly.

Rigel glanced uncomfortably between the two, realising that something had changed between the three of them. "Sorry, sir," Rigel muttered.

Rodolphus squeezed the boy's shoulder. "Look at me, boy." He waited until Rigel had obeyed to say softly, "When you address your father and me, or any person worthy of pureblood note, you must look them in the face—not necessarily the eyes—when you speak. The floor does not deserve to be spoken to, Rigel."

"Then—" Rigel barely stopped himself from asking why his mother did it if he couldn't. He frowned slightly, but didn't look away from his uncle. "Yes, sir," he said.

"Good." Rodolphus withdrew his hand from the boy, and turned, walking over to one of the shelves. "Remember that. And don't look to your mother as the prime pureblood example: she wasn't raised pureblood."

Rabastan's face lit with anger, but Rodolphus ignored him as Rigel agreed, "She wasn't exactly raised pureblood."

Rabastan finally sighed, "No, she wasn't. But she's done a much better job than most witches in her situation, as she allowed me to teach her how things are supposed to be."

"I thought Andromeda taught her," Rigel said in confusion.

"Of course, of course," Rabastan rolled his eyes. "But you know the truth."

Rodolphus hid a smirk, saying, "Now, I know we've been a bit remiss in your training, but I'm sure you will learn these things easily. After all, Rigel, you're very privileged to be the Lestrange heir, you know."

A small smirk broke across the boy's face. "I know," said the young heir. "And I'll do my best at it."

The two older Lestranges exchanged glances, both knowing that their plan was well on its way.

Delphi walked into the dining room a few minutes later than usual one evening, halfway through a sentence of Parseltongue, when everyone turned to look at her. She could feel Marvolo's amusement as he slithered around her arm, reminding her that soon he would be too big to hide inside her sleeve.

Nymphadora merely shook her head, but Rabastan was frowning at her, and both Rodolphus and Andromeda had lowered their forks and given her disapproving looks. Rigel looked up at the girl with a frown. "Forget what time it is, Delphi?"

"Don't be rude," Delphi said haughtily, tossing her hair.

"What have you been up to?" Nymphadora asked with a suspicious frown.

"I was tidying my room," Delphi answered, sitting down beside Rodolphus and looking straight back at her pregnant sister. "I lost track of time." She hid a triumphant smirk when they all turned away from her, going back to their food as her food appeared in front of her.

She knew that she hadn't been tidying her room, but that instead she had been in the study of the house, trying to find other memories she was sure that Dora and Andromeda hadn't showed her. She had taken Marvolo along, as he was her constant companion, and she had wanted someone she could discuss things with.

Delphi ate quietly, and was about to get up from the table when she saw Rabastan jump in shock, reaching for his wand. "Delphini Riddle!" he snapped, his face lit with anger. "What is that you're hiding?"

"I am not hiding anything," Delphi said sharply, getting to her feet and facing the man squarely.

"I saw it move!" Rabastan yelled at her.

Rodolphus got to his feet at the same time as Andromeda, both looking at each other carefully and making sure Dora stayed back away from it all. Rigel got to his feet, looking very nervous, but determined as he moved to put himself between his father and Delphi.

Rabastan stared at his son. "Get out of the way, Rigel."

"Father," Rigel said nervously, "don't do anything to her. It's just—just a friend of hers. Just leave him alone."

"A friend?" Rabastan said, reaching out for his son's shoulder to pull him to his side, but Rigel stepped back toward Delphi.

"A friend," Rigel agreed, a more confident look settling onto his face. "She's got a serpent, Father. His name is Marvolo."

"What?!" Rabastan yelled, staring at Delphi over his son in alarm. "No! She can't be trusted with a serpent!"

Dora sighed, moving to step forward, but Rodolphus walked forward to stand beside Delphi. "He was a gift to her," Rodolphus said quietly. "They get along quite well, and I would like to say, that you are the only one who is averse to him. Even Andromeda has handled him without harm."

Rabastan looked from his brother to Andromeda in shock, then glanced at Nymphadora, who bit her lip slightly. "Dora?"

"She needed a friend," Dora breathed as Andromeda slipped an arm around her. "Someone she could talk to, Rab—we were all sort of shutting her off back then."

"When did this happen?" Rabastan asked, his voice dark and dangerous, but Rigel did not move from between his father and Delphi.

"She got him for her birthday," Rigel said evenly, looking straight at his father. "He hasn't hurt a one of us, and I don't believe he will unless Delphi is threatened! We knew you wouldn't like it, which is why we couldn't tell you at first! Father, Marvolo is fine here with us."

Rabastan began to try to yell something, but Andromeda said, "You can blame me later, Rabastan. But we have something else to deal with—"

Nymphadora bit her lip and looked sheepishly at her husband, clutching her stomach with both hands. "I have amazing timing," she sighed before giving a small gasp. "Rab, stay with me..."

Rabastan's expression completely changed, the man nearly running to his wife's side and helping Dora from the hall. "Rodolphus, keep the children," Rabastan yelled over his shoulder, Dora jumping in shock before taking a sharp breath.

Rodolphus rolled his eyes. "I've got it," he called back. "You just take care of Dora."

Rigel turned to watch his father and aunt take his mother off to their room. He didn't really want to know what there was to know about babies, but he'd been told his parents and Andromeda would be occupied for a while. He turned to see Rodolphus giving Delphi a careful look.

"Delphi, I know you've been up to something," he told her.

"Is it because I'm my mother's daughter?" she smirked.

Rodolphus paused for a moment, a faraway look in his eyes before he said, "Well, you had a gleam in your eyes earlier. When Dora asked you where you'd been."

Delphi sighed. "I'm not getting into trouble," she told him earnestly. "I just want to learn about Mum, so I've been reading, and talking to some of the portraits, and all."

The three looked at each other for a few moments, and then Rodolphus smiled innocently. "Want to hear stories about Rabastan as a child?"

Both children laughed, following Rodolphus into the sitting room for a good long chat.

"Nymphadora," Andromeda said sharply to the shrieking witch, "you've got to do this. I know you can."

"No, I can't!" Dora yelled, lying exhausted on the bed. "I'm too tired, too—" She screamed out again, turning away from both her husband and the other witch after her pain had eased again. "Ahh, I can't do it!"

Andromeda knew Dora was exhausted, and was fully aware of the fact that the baby should have been born by that time, but nothing seemed to be wrong at all. She could sense Rabastan's concern, though she was almost sure that it stemmed from Dora's losing the last baby.

"Nymphadora!" Andromeda snapped, reaching out and gripping Dora's leg just below her knee. "Listen to me! You need to stay calm. The baby's just taking a little bit longer than usual—"

"A LITTLE BIT?" Dora screamed at her, tears pouring down her cheeks. "I'll give you a LITTLE BIT. You've never had children. What would you know about it from this point of view anyway! You've never actually been a real mother!"

Andromeda knew the girl was yelling merely out of her pain, but couldn't help getting angry at the girl anyway, mostly because of her concern for Dora. "I have no children because I took care of you, and out of respect to YOUR mother, there was no way I could ever have children of my own!" Andromeda yelled back at the girl, almost glad as her magic crackled, quite sure her hair had tinged red. "You should be glad I'm here to help you!"

Rabastan was staring at her in shock, Nymphadora still shrieking in pain, though the witch looked a bit frightened at the sight of Andromeda glaring at her while she was so vulnerable. All three of them were relieved that, less than ten minutes later, Nymphadora gave birth to her baby girl.

Andromeda couldn't help huffing in annoyance as she wrapped the squalling infant up and handed her off to her father before turning back to take care of Dora. "Bloody Bellatrix Lestrange," she muttered to herself, ordering Nymphadora to hold still. "You had better let me take care of you, Nymphadora, because if you die on me, then none of us will be happy. Hold still."

Nymphadora lay still, tears still running down her cheeks until Andromeda had cleaned her up and given her some strengthening and pain-reducing potions. "Call me if she needs to get up," Andromeda warned Rabastan before kissing her daughter's head and walking toward the door. "I will not let the children visit until tomorrow, after I check on you. Get some rest, Dora. Keep a close watch on her, Rabastan: that was a difficult birth."

"Sorry, Mum—Andromeda," Dora whispered, sniffing back tears.

"It's fine," Andromeda said, shrugging off the girl's words. "Women in labour scream many things they wouldn't otherwise."

"Sorry," Dora sniffed.

"Shh," Andromeda told her. "See baby Bella for a moment, then rest. I won't let the children in tomorrow unless I see that you're strong enough."

Nymphadora nodded, subdued, and Andromeda left the room. The witch looked up at her husband. "I think I made her angry, Rabastan. Rab?"

Rabastan was looking into the face of his innocent baby girl, a kind of unsure happiness on his face. "I don't know why I agreed to having a daughter named Bellatrix, but I suppose it'll be all right," he said finally, looking down at his wife. "You did well, my Love." He leaned down to kiss her cheek, then said, "Here, hold her for a few moments. I want you to rest as soon as you can, but I'm sure you want to hold your daughter first."

Nymphadora's mouth opened slightly in awe as she took the tiny dark-haired child into her arms. "...she's beautiful," she said with conviction.

"She had better be," Rabastan smirked. "You're the mother."

"Rab," Dora sighed, and he chuckled.

"Sorry," he said. "I suppose you're not much for joking right now. I just want you to know that I'm proud of you, Dora."

Nymphadora gave him a slight smile. "Thanks," she said. "I guess it worked out, even if it was a bit more difficult."

Rabastan nodded, looking down at the child again. "You have ten minutes," he told her. "Maybe less if I change my mind, and then you must rest."

Dora rolled her eyes at him. "Yes, dear husband."

He grinned. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said with a smirk, lifting her face for him to kiss her lips. "I can't wait til the children meet her..."