Meanwhile a hundred miles away a different conversation was taking place. But strangely enough about the same small boy.
"Why did you accept his offer Cissy?" Bellatrix demanded to know as she finally confronted her sister in the parlor.
"What would you have me do? Ignore him? I am a Black and a Malfoy and neither are lacking in manners." Narcissa wasn't the least bit intimidated by her sisters temper.
Bellatrix frowned. "I just find his timing to be suspicious. We haven't been back in England for more than six months and he's already calling? He's up to something Cissy you mark my words."
Narcissa agreed whole-heartedly with Bellatrix. "Its Dumbledore when isn't he up to something? He's just coming to discuss tutors and nothing more. You are more than aware that both Draco and Archimedes are showing more and more bouts of accidental magic. They need specialized training that neither us nor their fathers can provide."
"I know." Bellatrix moved over to the large window that over looked the grounds. A little further back she could just make out shapes on the Quidditch pitch. She had no doubt in her mind which was her son when one the figures went into a steep dive and pulled up just before slamming into the ground. "Archimedes is the main reason why we decided to return to England. He was happy in Bulgaria but we wanted him to be close to family, to form ties, loyalties, with the other children from our group. My little snake wasn't happy with our decision but he seems to have bonded with Draco and we do allow him to Owl Viktor and Hugo; the Krum brothers."
"Is that who taught my nephew all those dangerous Quidditch moves?" Narcissa questioned from her spot next to her sister. She too had been watching the Quidditch pitch. "Viktor is quite the Quidditch player isn't he? Already a superstar and he's what? nine or ten?"
Bellatrix snorted. "Nobody has to teach Archimedes anything dangerous. He's got a kind of….affinity…..for things that are not mainstream." She wasn't about to come out and say that her son was a natural at the dark arts. That she, herself, had been teaching him since he was barely out of nappies. "He's such a good boy. Takes after his father he does. Absolutely loves it when Rodolphus takes him into the muggle world for a bit of sport."
Narcissa was noticing the changes in her sister. Growing up Bellatrix was always the wild one. She was always doing things she wasn't suppose to. Why she could remember an incident when they were children where Bella had managed to killed the old caretaker of the house next to theirs; at the time they had lived on a sprawling estate in the country. If she recalled correctly Bella wasn't yet ten at the time and while the Ministry had wanted to pursue an investigation they couldn't since the death had been attributed to a bout of accidental magic. After getting away with murder her sister teetered on the brink of insanity and killed another three people before her Hogwarts letter arrived. Once their eldest child was tucked away in Hogwarts their parents had decided to move into the city and away from the small town that had come to fear them. It wasn't long before Bella became intertwined with the Dark Lord's followers and later the Dark Lord himself. So seeing her so maternal was slightly disconcerting. "I thought the Ministry banned Muggle hunting ages ago?"
"They did." Bellatrix said matter-of-factly. "Just because the Ministry says so doesn't mean they're right. It's a right proper sport if you ask me. And Archimedes is aces at it. He hasn't killed anybody yet but that's more of us holding him back than him not wanting to. He's still too young. Maybe we'll get him a nice muggle all wrapped up for his eleventh birthday." She had an insane, faraway, look in her eye.
"Perhaps." And there was the sister Narcissa knew so well. A chime off in the distance marked the hour. "Dobby! Dobby come here this instance!" She demanded.
The raggedly dressed house elf appeared and bowed his head. "Mistress is calling for Dobby?"
Bellatrix sneered at the little beast and gave it a command before her sister could. "Go fetch the children and make sure they are presentable. Well don't just stand there you worthless creature! GO!" She used her wand to give it a zap in the behind then sniffed in distain once it had left the room.
Narcissa forced her attention back out the window. She watched the figures, her son and nephew, move about the Quidditch pitch with wild abandon. Regardless of what Lucius thought Archimedes was good for Draco. She could hear her sister ranting behind her about the merits of killing a disobedient house elf but her sole focus was on the boys. If she hadn't known better she would have sworn that Archimedes was born of her sister. It was a little known fact but the boy had been adopted from the only magical orphanage in the country. He had been discovered, completely by accident if her sisters account was to be believed, and adopted on the spot. While her sister had never seemed the motherly type she was completely devoted to the boy. After the blood adoption ritual, something she had bared witness to, Bella's devotion grew to the point of obsession. When news had reached Malfoy Manor that the Lestranges were leaving England she had feared that her sisters unnatural attachment might bring her to harm the boy even if by accident. Then when she received an owl six months ago, after eight years of silence, she had to breath a sigh of relief that the boy was not only alive and well but flourishing. Any negative thoughts about her sisters ability to be a parent had been pushed away. "Yes Bella Aunt Walburga had the right idea about cutting off their heads." She answered absentmindly. The only thing that couldn't be forgotten was the boys looks before the ritual; messy black hair and emerald green eyes. Even a complete and utter idiot would have guessed his true parentage but nothing was said and nothing would ever be said.
Archimedes and Draco raced around the Quidditch pitch chasing after the small golden, winged, ball. Both boys seemed to follow it with ease and took turns catching it. But in the end it was Archimedes that proved victorious.
"I win!" Archimedes told his cousin with a slightly insane grin. "But you're getting better!" He praised.
Draco's sour mood evaporated at Archimedes words of encouragement. "Of course I am!" He sniffed. "Malfoy's are quick learners."
Archimedes laughed as he landed and dismounted his broom; snitch still tightly in his grip. "Of course you are." He caught sight of Dobby waiting at the edge of pitch and scowled. "What's he doing here?"
Landing beside his cousin Draco matched his scowl. "Dunno. What do you want?" He demanded to know as they approached the cowering creature.
"Mistress' Bellatrix and Narcissa have send Dobby to retrieve the young masters and ready them for the upcoming meeting with Dumbledore." Dobby told them as he bowed his head so far down that his big floppy ears lay on the ground.
"You're going to ready us?" Archimedes asked with a sneer worthy of the Lestrange heir. He stepped up to the shaking Dobby and placed his foot on his large head and gave him a push.
Draco laughed as the family servant went flailing backward and landed in a puddle. "Good one Archi!" He glared at the prone creature as he and his cousin walked passed and disappeared into the house. Neither saw the old man standing just beyond the pitch, frown on his face, watching the whole exchange.
Albus Dumbledore had arrived early and undetected so that he could observe Archimedes Lestrange. As he watched the two boys interact with Dobby the Malfoy house elf he couldn't help but feel alarmed. The boy was alive, well, and apparently happy, oh yes. But his mannerisms were purely those of a Lestrange. This was a distressing observation and for the first time wondered how big a favor he had done the Potter's by telling them their son was alive? He waited until the boys were out of sight then left so that he might arrive officially and on time.