Note: The second part of today's update and the second part of this slightly separate arc. This was actually one of the first chapters I wrote. It's been sitting patiently waiting to be posted for almost a year now whilst I got everything else written that comes before it. I hope you like it.
Chapter Fifty-One
Once a Mother
Bellatrix twirled her wand around her fingers idly as she waited for her companion, looking up at the house that stood in darkness in front of her. Oh, how little its occupants knew what was in store for them. Such a fool, Thorfinn, for ignoring the call in favour of your family, she thought, a smile playing across her lips. And now, we'll make sure that such a terrible lapse of judgement never happens again. The Dark Lord must always come first, Bellatrix thought darkly, and some primal part of her wondered how anyone could see this plain fact any differently. She had not grieved her husband; why should she? He was not her main concern in this life. When, or rather if, the Dark Lord fell, then she would grieve, but for now she would continue to serve him unswervingly.
A crack next to her ear heralded the arrival of the fellow she had chosen as her assistance on this particular mission. It had been an easy choice, but a wise one nonetheless.
"Does it bring back fond memories?" she asked politely.
"Hardly." Daniel Rosier stared coldly at the façade of his childhood home. "The last time I was here I almost strangled my mother." He spat on the ground angrily. "Such a misguided witch… How could she think that my father's death would put me off joining his hallowed ranks?"
Bellatrix smiled wickedly. Oh yes, she had definitely made the right decision in choosing Daniel. He would have no qualms about taking on his own mother, the matriarch that presided over this domain, in combat. Camilla on the other hand, in her very nature as the mother figure of the group, would not be so carefree. Indeed, it would take a miracle for Camilla Rosier to raise her wand against her own son, no matter how much he was estranged from her; no matter how much the rest of her family was threatened.
"Shall we?" she asked, indicating the front door. Daniel grinned.
"Yes… I feel that a little family reunion is in order. Dear me, this is going to be rather interesting. If only my dear sister was here to complete the set."
There was something in Daniel's voice that struck a chord in Bellatrix. It was a note of contentment, a note of triumph almost. It was highly unlikely, in her mind at least, that there would be a full reunion of the Rosier family any time soon.
Without further hesitation, Daniel stepped up to the front door and knocked sharply. Bellatrix remained a couple of steps behind, hidden in the shadows and listening to the sounds of the house. She heard soft footsteps making their way cautiously along the corridors to the door. A smile of satisfaction ghosted across her face. Camilla was afraid, afraid of opening her own front door. She knew how precarious her position was, and her paranoia was commendable. However, it was about to be put sorely to the test.
"Who is it?" asked Camilla's voice through the door, muffled by the wood but undeniably firm and suspicious. Daniel rolled his eyes and Bellatrix stifled a snort. As if that was going to deter any would-be malefactors. As if that was going to deter them.
"It's your son, Mother," Daniel called. "I know it's been a little while."
It was more than a little while, thought Bellatrix. If what she had overheard was true, then Daniel and Camilla hadn't spoken for the best part of three years. There was silence behind the door, and Bellatrix wondered what Camilla was thinking, and which of the conflicting emotions of motherly love and sensible suspicion would win out. Bellatrix herself had never held any sort of maternal urges, and she would freely admit that the concept of a love so strong that it encompassed all else was completely foreign to her. She had seen it of course; her own sister was unfortunately a prime example of the maternal instinct. Narcissa would do anything to protect her son; she had risked life and limb in going against the Dark Lord's word and seeking Snape's help and advice last year. And since Camilla would happily care for any woeful stray that limped across her path, Bellatrix could surely count on her not to shut out her own flesh and blood. As if on cue, the door opened a fraction and Camilla's tired face appeared, peering around the frame. To her credit, she did not lower her raised wand the moment she saw him, it took a full minute for her maternal urge to take over.
"Hello, Mother," said Daniel brightly.
"What are you doing here?" asked Camilla warily, her eyes narrowed.
"I don't suppose, considering the circumstances in which we last parted, that 'I simply wanted to see how you are' is a viable excuse?"
The pained look in Camilla's eyes was all too clear to see. The irreconcilable fallout between her and Daniel was still an open wound, going against her helplessly motherly nature as it did. Daniel was rubbing salt into it, and Bellatrix nodded her approval. It was in this moment that Camilla noticed the others witch's presence in the shadows.
"Bellatrix Lestrange," she said coolly. Her gaze flew from Bellatrix to Daniel and back again. "So this is how it is to be," she said under her breath.
"May we come in, Camilla?" asked Bellatrix plainly, pointing her wand at the corridor behind the door. Camilla looked her visitors up and down, and Bellatrix could see the effort that it took her to speak the next simple word.
"No."
She shut the door in Daniel's face and Bellatrix heard it magically bolt itself.
"How rude," said Daniel, taking a step back. "Well, since it is technically my house, I feel no qualms about a little material destruction in the pursuit of our goal." He raised his wand. "Shall we?"
Bellatrix nodded, and the front door flew off its hinges with the combined force of their spells. They stepped into the house together and immediately had to duck the curse that flew over their heads, missing them by a fraction of an inch. Rowle was standing in the hallway and Bellatrix cursed her foolish miscalculation. She had not counted on Rowle's presence, although since his non-attendance at the Dark Lord's side was the very reason for their mission, she couldn't explain why it had slipped her mind. She and Daniel were now outnumbered three to two. She cast a glance across at her comrade as she threw a hex back. He didn't seem to be at all perturbed by this sudden setback, in fact his eyes gleamed, relishing the challenge.
"Well?" he said to Bellatrix. "What are you waiting for? Give them any longer and they'll slither away."
Bellatrix launched herself up the stairs, to the source of the other sounds within the house, namely the grating cries of an infant in distress. She blasted the doors open until she found what she was searching for.
Bellatrix had never met Mareike Rowle. She had not expected her to be quite so small, nor so young. She was barely a child herself; little wonder that Camilla has taken her under her proverbial wing. And, in the split-second after making this assessment of the woman in front of her, Bellatrix realised that she had not expected Mareike, for all that she had heard about the shy and fearful girl, to be quite so violent. She only just managed to deflect the vicious hex that was sent her way as she entered the room. But, as Bellatrix reflected, hurling a curse of her own, she should really have known better. After all, Mareike was a mother, if a very new one, and mothers, as she had witnessed first-hand, were notoriously protective.
"Don't you dare come near my baby," Mareike hissed, and she went to cast a stunning spell. Recovering from being taken by surprise, Bellatrix smiled. Mareike was defending purely with offence, letting her angry heart rule her head. She was leaving herself wide open for…
"Expelliarmus," said Bellatrix leisurely, and both Mareike and Camilla's wands flew into her waiting hand. Mareike, for all her youth, didn't bat an eyelid. Her face held no signs of fear, only anger and determination. Camilla, on the other hand, was petrified, but not for herself. She was thinking of those she cared for. The two women were trapped and defenceless. Bellatrix laughed as she advanced towards them, taking her time. This was going to be extremely easy.
"Cam," said Mareike, backing up towards the older woman, who was cradling the still-grizzling baby against her chest. Mareike's stance was curled in a slight crouch, as if she was preparing herself to launch into a frenzied physical attack on the woman who held her wand,. It was truly amazing, the stupid lengths that some women would go to in order to protect their offspring. Presumably Mareike was aware that such an action would be an effective death sentence? Bellatrix raised an eyebrow; perhaps motherhood had made her think herself invincible. "Kamin," she finished. Bellatrix didn't understand German, but Cam's eyes flickered towards the empty fireplace.
"Mari…" she began.
"GEH!" howled Mareike.
"Oh no," said Bellatrix, and she felt the familiar thrill begin to race through her veins as the words of the unforgiveable formed on her lips. Powerless to assist, since throwing herself in front of her younger friend placed the baby directly in the firing line, Camilla closed her eyes. In the same moment as Mareike fell in a blaze of green, Bellatrix felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck. She spun round and found herself face to face with her sister.
"Cissy?" she asked in disbelief.
"The door was open," hissed Narcissa. "I believe that was your doing, Bella."
"What are you doing here?" asked Bellatrix, truly surprised to see her sister. Had she followed them to Camilla's house? What possible reason did she have for being here? There was no way in which it could be a coincidence. Narcissa didn't deign to reply, instead launching a hex at Bellatrix and forcing her older sister to retaliate in kind.
"Cam!" Narcissa yelled as she deflected Bellatrix's curse and sent one back. "Get out of here!"
Cam stood petrified in front of the fireplace, her eyes fixed on the doorway. Both of the warring witches turned to see what had captured her attention. Daniel stood in the frame, black robes stained darker still with blood that was most definitely not his own. There could be no doubt that the child in his mother's arms was now an orphan, or as good as. He smiled and raised his wand directly towards Camilla and the baby, turning his head on one side as if he was considering the most entertaining way to kill them.
"Daniel," said Camilla warily. "You've killed Finn; what's the point of killing us? What will it achieve?"
"I never leave a job half-done, Mother," Daniel mocked. "You yourself taught me that."
"CAM!" screamed Narcissa, and this time the older woman needed no encouragement, grabbing a handful of powder from the mantel and stepping into the roaring green flames that it created in one fluid motion, not caring as to her ultimate destination. Bellatrix, who had been morbidly fascinated by the exchange, just had enough time to dodge her sister's next curse. She had to hand it to Narcissa, she was and always had been a skilled duellist, but not skilled enough to take on two Death Eaters well-practised in mortal combat.
"Daniel," she called, hoping that he would take the hint and join her in her fight, but there was no reply. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and finally managed to subdue Narcissa's ferocious attack with a well-placed burning hex, allowing her to seek out her comrade. She turned to see Daniel's eyes flickering between the fireplace, still glowing green, and the two witches. "Daniel!" she repeated, sharper this time, "help me with Narcissa; it will only take a second…" Narcissa had the gall to laugh at this suggestion.
"You do realise that if you kill me Bella, you'll sign your own death warrant?"
It was Bellatrix's turn to laugh.
"I hardly fear the retribution of a wandless man, Cissy."
"Oh, Lucius won't need his wand. He'll murder you with his bare hands."
Bellatrix ignored her sister momentarily and called back to Daniel once more, but he wasn't listening to her. He had already run across the room and flung himself into the fireplace as the green flames died, catching onto the tail of his mother's disappearance, intent on following her to her destination, wherever that might be. He was going to follow through on what it was that he had been tasked with, despite the fact that what Camilla had said was true – there was no point in disposing of Rowle's child to assure his future acquiescence now that he himself was dead, or as good as. But, there again, Daniel had his own methods, and Bellatrix was ninety per cent certain that he had followed his mother with the intention of catching up with her alone; his reasons completely unrelated to her newborn charge. Of course, it would be a shame not to make a clean sweep of it…
Narcissa was recovering from the burn and Bellatrix raised her wand to cast again but her sister was quicker, a strong shield, invisible but tangible, springing up between them. There was nothing that Bellatrix could do now except cast moderate spells to weaken the shield, a tiresome task, but at least Narcissa could not attack back without breaking the protection that held between them. And, reflected the older witch, this did give her a chance to find out precisely how her little sister had managed to arrive in exactly the right place at precisely the right time.
"You never answered my question, Cissy," she said, casually launching a hex at the shield. It shimmered slightly but it held fast. "What are you doing here?"
"I had a feeling you would be coming here when you and Daniel left tonight." Narcissa was panting, winded thanks to the effort of creating such a complex, impenetrable shield. "I'm sorry I didn't arrive sooner." She was staring at Mareike's body, slumped face down on the bedroom carpet in front of an empty crib. Bellatrix laughed cruelly at the sorrow that was etched into her sister's face.
"I still don't see why you felt the need to follow me," she said, but before Narcissa could reply, a noise from the doorway made them both look round.
"Mari…"
Rowle was standing there, leaning in the frame and covered with blood, scarlet smeared all over the glossy woodwork where he held it. He had evidently dragged himself up the stairs from where he had fallen at Daniel's hands. Bellatrix cast a simple spell to finish him off but it ricocheted off an invisible forcefield and was finally absorbed into the shield. Oh, clever Cissy… The shield was not merely a line between the two of them; it had encompassed Bellatrix completely like a cage. She watched as her sister crossed the room towards Rowle.
"Mari…" he repeated as he stumbled into the bedroom, his eyes fixed on his dead wife. As Narcissa reached him, he seemed to notice the witches' presence for the first time. "Where's Susie?" he asked, choking on blood.
"Cam has her," soothed Narcissa. "She's safe."
It was a bare-faced lie, of course she wasn't safe when Daniel had chased after her, but Narcissa's pathetic side wasn't going to let this small detail disturb Rowle in his dying moments. He smiled weakly, blood trickling in a thin rivulet from his lips, and he too slumped but a few metres from Mareike.
There was silence and stillness for a minute.
"You asked me why I felt the need to follow you," said Narcissa, not looking up from Rowle.
"I did."
"All I can say is that I am a mother, Bellatrix, just as Cam is, just as Mareike was. Once a mother, always a mother. And a mother…" she finished coldly, facing her sister and raising her wand, the stunning spell so sudden and so unexpected, ripping through her own shield, that Bellatrix didn't have time to deflect it before it hit her squarely in the chest, "… will always protect a baby."
Note2: Onwards, to the conclusion of this mini-saga!