REUNIONS IN KNOCKTURN ALLEY

"We are mortal—but think we're invincible.
We are fragile—but think that we're fearless.
There is power in weakness and peace within the storm;
Dying means living—living means dying…
Memento Mori."

Though it was well past Easter, the night had turned cold and blustery. Mr. Borgin glanced up from the ledger he was balancing when the wind rattled the windows at the front of the shop. Won't be any customers out on a night like this. Maybe I should just close early. He considered getting up, shuffling over to the door and locking it, but decided to maybe give it another half hour. You never know…there might be a customer yet. With a resigned sigh, he returned his attention to the ledger in front of him, smiling as he noted the increase in the sales numbers.

A few minutes later, Mr. Borgin looked up from his ledger once again, in surprise, as the bell above the door to the shop jingled. A calculating smile lit up his face as he saw William Greengrass entering the shop. "Ahh, my dear Lord Greengrass!" he called, a sly tone in his voice as he rubbed his hands together. "It has been far too long since you have paid us a visit, sir!. Welcome back to our humble shop!"

Borgin's eyes slid to the door again as another person entered behind Greengrass. This person was clearly a woman, as the robes she wore were rather form fitting, delightfully hugging her womanly curves. Mr. Borgin licked his lips at the site. She wore a cloak over the robes and had the hood up, which concealed the top part of her face. He could see her nose and lips, which were turned down as if she were scowling. There was a hardness about her face that sent a momentary chill through Mr. Borgin, his lustful feelings disappearing from his mind.

And indeed, a feeling of dread seemed to follow the woman into the shop as the door closed behind her. Greengrass had moved to the counter, the woman standing at his side and just slightly behind him. Whoever she was she was clearly with Greengrass.

"Good evening, Mr. Borgin," William said. "I understand from…certain people that you have a particularly rare and powerful artifact here in your shop."

The sly, wheedling smile returned to the old man's face. "Ah, my Lord Greengrass. Indeed. In fact, we have many rare and powerful artifacts in our possession. Which one did you have in mind, particularly?"

Greengrass glanced at the woman and smirked. Mr. Borgin noted her lips forming a smirk in response, and once more the chill feeling of dread shot through him. Greengrass turned back and leaned closer to the older man, who leaned closer to William in return. "I am looking for the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange. I wish to acquire it from you."

Mr. Borgin swallowed hard, his mouth going dry. Part of him was ecstatic at the possibility of finally getting the vile thing out of their shop. But a bigger part of him was frightened. How did Greengrass know they had the wand in their possession? It wasn't common knowledge. But more important to Mr. Borgin was what Greengrass wanted the thing for?

"Um, well, my lord, um…yes, we do have that item in our inventory at the moment. But, I must warn you that it is a very dark and dangerous thing. No less than ten people have met their deaths attempting to use Madame Lestrange's wand. We believe she put some sort of spell on it at some point before she was taken to Azkaban, but as of yet none of the curse breakers we've hired have been able to remove it, or even ascertain what the spell is exactly. Um…might I enquire as to why your Lordship wishes to purchase the wand?"

"Because it's mine, you dottering old fool!" The woman with Lord Greengrass hissed. She threw off her hood. Mr. Borgin gasped and staggered back from the counter. There in front of him stood Bellatrix Lestrange herself, and the glare she was sending him looked as though it could melt iron. "And I would very much like to know how it happened to come into your possession, old man!"

Mr. Borgin's face turned white. His mouth grew so dry he could barely sputter, "M-M-Madame L-Lestrange! It—it's wonderful to s-see you again! I-I had no idea you'd been released!"

Bellatrix cackled, then slammed her palms down on the glass counter in front of her, causing Mr. Borgin to lurch backward, bumping into the shelf behind him and almost knocking several items to the floor. "First of all, my name is not Lestrange anymore! It's Black once again. My dear, darling husband and his idiot of a brother got themselves killed a few weeks back. And second, I was not released…I was rescued." Her voice grew softer as she spoke the last three words, and she glanced over her shoulder at Greengrass, the two exchanging smiles.

Returning her gaze and glare to the man behind the counter, Bellatrix raised her chin and added a sneer to her glare. "Now, give me my wand, Borgin, or I'll show you just how good I am at wandless curses!"

Frightened as he was, Mr. Borgin was a business man above all else. The wheedling look came into his face once more. "Well, Madame Les—" he stopped with a gulp as her glare intensified. "Eh, that is to say, Madame Black…the wand has caused us considerable…er, hardship. As I mentioned, several people have died attempting to use your wand, Madame, and we have lost quite a bit of revenue because of it. Therefore, we have been forced to, er, increase the price, as it were, to recoup our losses…say, a hundred galleons for—"

"GIVE ME BACK MY WAND, YOU STUPID OLD MAN!" Bellatrix shrieked, slamming her fists on the glass counter before her, causing several items with in it to rattle.

Mr. Borgin gave a squeak, once more jumping back from the counter. "Er, um, y-yes, M-Madame! One moment!" He scurried into the back of the shop and returned moments later with a thick glove on his hand, gingerly carrying a box which he set on the counter before moving back again.

Bellatrix, her eyes alight, tore the lid off the box and exclaimed "Ahh!" when she saw her wand. She stared at it in silence for a moment before gently reaching in and lifting it out. She felt fresh magical energy surge into her, and she spun around, aiming her wand at a large lamp in the shop. With a cry of "BOMBARDA!" The lamp shattered.

Grinning maniacally, she spun back around to face Mr. Borgin, raising her wand so it was pointed at his face. "Now unless you want your head to end up like that lamp, you'd best tell me how you got your filthy paws on my wand to begin with!"

"Please, madame!" Mr. Borgin exclaimed in terror. "We didn't steal it! I swear! It was an Auror who brought it to us soon after you were arrested!"

William and Bellatrix exchanged smirks. "Just as you figured, my Love," Bellatrix murmured before turning her glare back on Borgin. "And what was this Auror's name, Borgin? I need to know who to kill!"

The poor man was wringing his hands, his eyes darting between Will and Bella and around the shop as if looking for a way of escape. "Well, you see, we can't really afford to get on the bad side of the Aurors, since we sell somewhat dark and dangerous artifacts here, artifacts often of dubious origin at that. If I were to tell you the man's name I'd risk putting our entire business in jeopardy."

"WHAT WAS THE SCUM'S NAME!" Bellatrix shrieked again, reaching across the counter and grabbing Borgin by the collar, pulling him close to her face.

"Dawlish!" Mr. Borgin squeaked. "J-John Dawlish!"

Will frowned. "I know who that is. He's high up in the DMLE. A close associate of that idiotic Moody. He was one of the Aurors Fudge sent to interrogate Mr. Potter after the Headmaster's fiasco about 'Dumbledore's Army' a few weeks ago."

Bellatrix let go of Borgin, who yet again staggered back, clutching at his neck. Still grinning at the man, Bella raised her wand. "I haven't given anyone a good crucio in well over a decade," She purred. "I suppose you'll do quite nicely for my first since they tossed me into Azkaban."

Borgin dropped to his knees. "Please, Madame Black! We meant no harm! We're just poor, honest businessmen trying to eke out a living!"

Bellatrix just cackled, her grin growing wider. She opened her mouth…

"Now, Bella," William murmured. "Mr. Borgin has returned your wand to you. You should be thanking him for keeping it safe for you all these years."

Bella looked at him over her shoulder, an amused pout on her lips. "You never let me have any fun!"

Before she could return her attention to Mr. Borgin, the bell of the shop jingled again. A gust of wind accompanied the newcomer into the shop before the door closed behind them. All three turned to see the newcomer, who also wore a cloak and hood to conceal their identity. The person threw the hood back revealing the face of Narcissa Malfoy, and Mr. Borgin grew even more frightened. Merciful Morgana, now her sister is here too! Merlin preserve me!

The sisters starred at one another in silence for a few moments before Bellatrix whispered, "Cissy?"

"Bella," Narcissa whispered back. Then her hands flew to her mouth, and she exclaimed, "Oh, Bella!" The two rushed at one another, enveloping each other in a crushing hug, clinging tightly and talking over one another in their happiness of being reunited at last.

"Mr. Borgin," Will said, getting the old man's attention when his terrified face turned to face Will. "Let's give the ladies a bit of privacy, shall we? After all, they haven't seen one another in almost a decade and a half."

He gestured the older man into the backroom and drew the curtain. Borgin collapsed into a chair, mopping his brow. "This has been a most surprising evening," he muttered, more to himself than William. "Most surprising indeed!"

"Mr. Borgin, I have been pleased with our business transactions over the years. It is not my desire to steal from you, sir. Ms. Balck was, of course, fully within her rights to take her wand back, as it was stolen from her when she was incarcerated. And we both know that it should have been put into evidence storage at the DMLE instead of…ending up at your fine establishment."

Mr. Borgin gulped, wondering where Greengrass was going with this.

"However, in light of the afore mentioned business transactions I've had with you and Mr. Burke, I feel that I should give you a little something for your troubles." Will pulled up another chair and sat down across from Mr. Borgin.

"Let me not waste either of our time," Will said, lowering his voice. He didn't mind throwing a few galleons at Borgin, but he wasn't certain Bellatrix would take kindly to giving the old man anything. "How much did you give that Dwalish character for the wand when he brought it to you?"

"A hundred galleons," Mr. Borgin replied. "He wanted more, of course, for such a rare artifact; but we reminded him that in effect he had stolen it—just as your Lordship pointed out—and therefore we would have a most difficult time re-selling it. We also reminded him that it wouldn't do for him to be caught with it in his possession. So he agreed to the hundred galleon price."

Will nodded. "And, how many…unfortunate people did you say lost their lives attempting to use Ms. Black's wand?"

"Ten that we know of…perhaps more." A wheedling look was returning to Mr. Borgin's eyes.

Will smiled. "Well, then Mr. Borgin. I shall pay you the hundred galleons you yourself paid for it initially, as well as ten galleons for the deaths it caused. I think one galleon a piece is sufficient, since no doubt anyone wanting to possess and use the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange most likely had rather nefarious intentions and were therefore not the most pleasant of people. Wouldn't you agree, sir?"

Will's voice had turned cold, and Mr. Borgin gulped again, deciding not to attempt getting a higher price out of Greengrass. "Y-yes, Lord Greengrass, I do believe one hundred and ten galleons is a…fair price." At least we're breaking even on it…and getting ten galleons above the original price. Mr. Borgin was ever a business man.

Will grinned and took two small bags from his pocket. He counted out the agreed on amount of galleons from one bag, dropped it into the other bag, and set it on the desk in front of Mr. Borgin. "As always, it is a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Borgin."

Will moved toward the curtain. Placing his hand on it, he paused and turned back to Mr. Borgin. "Oh yes, there was one more thing. So silly, so trivial that I'm certain I need not even bring it up!" His smile was wide yet cold and devoid of compassion. Almost feral. "I trust to your discretion that you will not repeat a word of what you saw here this evening regarding Bellatrix, Narcissa, and myself. Not even to Mr. Burke, mind you."

Will didn't make any cliché threats. But he let a silent and ominous warning hang in the silence between the two men, his feral grin never changing, his eyes boring into Mr. Borgin's. "N-no, o-of course not, L-Lord Greengrass. Not at all. You have my word!" Mr. Borgin knew what Greengrass was capable of…which was horrifying enough, but adding Bellatrix into the mix assured that Mr. Borgin would never utter a word about this visit to his shop.

The grin disappeared from Will's face. With a nod of his head, Will stood and went back out into the shop, leaving Mr. Borgin to sigh deeply and mop his forehead again; frightened as he was, he was also delighted to have the vile wand at last out of his shop for good.

(XXX)

Meanwhile, as Will had discussed business with Borgin, Bellatrix and Narcissa had been busy reacquainting themselves with one another. "Oh, Cissy, you have no idea how badly I've missed you!" Bellatrix cried into Narcissa's shoulder.

"And I have missed you terribly as well, Bella!" Narcissa replied. They were still clinging to each other, and both were crying.

Bellatrix finally broke the embrace and stepped back, wiping her eyes with one hand whilst still holding on to Narcissa's arm with her other. "Oh, Cissy, you're still so beautiful! You've hardly aged a day in fourteen years! It's a good thing that idiot Lucius took care of my baby sister. Now I don't have to crucio him." She cackled. Bellatrix and Lucius had never gotten on well together in the past. They had merely tolerated one another's existence for Narcissa's sake.

Same old Bella Narcissa thought with a smile, although she noticed that the manic look was gone from Bella's eyes, and her smile widened. But then her smile turned sad, as she thought of all the years she had missed spending with her big sister. And at that moment, she determined once more to do everything in her power to make certain Bella was never taken back to Azkaban.

"I guess that your dear old Luci is still taking up with…with You-Know-Who?" Bella asked with a smirk.

Narcissa sighed and nodded her head. "Yes, sadly. Which is why you can't visit the manor. He'd turn you over to the Dark Lord without hesitation." Her voice was tinged with sorrow. "And Will says I shouldn't be a frequent visitor to the Greengrass estate either, what with the floo network being watched so closely. But Bella, I need to spend time with you so we can catch up!"

Bellatrix gave her sister a soft smile, placing her hand on Narcissa's cheek. "We'll figure something out, Cissy…because I want to see you as often as I can!"

She grew serious, almost timid, which was a side of Bellatrix that Narcissa had rarely seen since they were children. "Cissy…um, I should tell you that…" Bellatrix's voice faded, and she looked away for a moment, as if she were afraid to say what she had been about to.

"What is it, Bella?" Narcissa prompted after a few moments of silence.

Bellatrix looked back at Narcissa. "Well…it's just that, Andi and I have…patched things up. We—we've spent a lot of time together since Will broke me out. I—I didn't think Andi would want anything to do with me after the way we all treated her. But Will says she was the one who first encouraged him to rescue me from Azkaban. I hope you're okay with that. Oh, Cissy—wouldn't it be wonderful for all three of us to be together again?"

Narcissa saw the hope shining out from Bella's eyes, and her heart softened. She still wasn't sure how she felt about Andromeda, but if Bellatrix, pureblood extremist extraordinaire, of all people, had made it up with their other sister, maybe she could as well…eventually.

"Let us catch up a bit first before we try for all three of us," Narcissa said with a smile. "I'm not certain that Andi would want to patch it up with me even if I wanted to with her."

Bella's face lit up and her eyes shown. "Oh, but she will, Cissy! I know she will! She's told me so herself, more than once!"

"She—she has?" Narcissa stared into her sister's eyes, trying to see if Bella was being serious or was still somewhat manic and delusional. And while perhaps a bit of the manic Bellatrix did linger, the delusional issues seemed to have been dealt with.

Bellatrix gave a vigorous nod. "Yes, several times!" Then her expression and tone of voice softened. "But, okay, Cissy…you're right: it is a good idea for you and I to get caught up first. Then we can all be on the same page." She cackled again. "Well, for me to get caught up with what's been happening in your life. My life didn't change much for almost fourteen years!

"But how, how to go about it," Bellatrix murmured. Letting go of Narcissa, she began to pace back and forth and chew the tip of her thumb. Narcissa's smile returned as she watched. This was the Bellatrix she remembered. The problem solver, before she became the lunatic who just charged in without thinking.

"Floo network is under surveillance," Bellatrix muttered. "I can't go to Malfoy Manor because of dear, sweet Lucius…you shouldn't be a frequent visitor at Will's home…can't keep meeting in Knockturn or Diagon…" She paused a moment. "What about at Liz's house? She and I had the most wonderful visit together on St. Stephen's Day!" Bellatrix sighed, her expression turning wistful. "It was so nice seeing one of our old gang again, Cissy. Maybe Liz wouldn't mind if we used her house?"

"She wouldn't mind…but Richard probably would." Will stepped out of the back room and drew the curtain across the opening. "He still thinks I was wrong to break you out of Azkaban last Autumn."

"Damn Ravenclaw," Bellatrix muttered, folding her arms across her torso and scowling.

"Listen ladies…Narcissa is obviously free to visit the house. But not often, and there needs to be an ironclad excuse for both of she and I to give people if anyone happens to notice her visiting. It would be even better if we could come up with a lie for needing to stretch the same reason out for multiple visits. But still, with Vol—"

William paused as Bellatrix shot him a frightened look.

"…with the Dark Lord on the loose," he continued, "Narcissa will be under increased scrutiny from both sides. Moody already wants to kill us and toss the girls into Azkaban." Will's face darkened as he spoke. "Muggle London could possibly work, but then if people noticed they might wonder why a pureblood like you was spending time amongst muggles. There's got to be somewhere…" his voice trailed off as his mind searched for more options. The room was silent as all three thought about hwere the sisters could safely meet.

An idea struck Narcissa then and her face lit up. "I know! The old Black villa in Monaco! No one has been there in years, but the elves still maintain the place. We can floo there from your house, Will. It's a private floo, protected by wards of the Black family magic and only allows members of the Black line to pass through. We'd be safe there. And eventually Andromeda could join us since she's a Black as well."

Then she frowned. "Now we just need to come up with a reason for me visiting on occasion. It's…regretful that you and Lucius don't get along anymore, Will. I know you men were of opposing minds concerning the Dark Lord, but I wish you two were still on friendlier terms. We all got along together well at Hogwarts."

Will gave her a sad smile. "We were young and naive then, Cissa. All of us thought we knew it all. And now we see how wrong we all were."

"Let's not get depressing, please!" Bella pleaded. "I was so happy about seeing Cissy again, and now I'm depressed!"

Both Narcissa and Will turned to her in concern. Narcissa pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Bella," she murmured.

"All our children are in Slytherin," Will said. "Perhaps I could work something out with Severus…perhaps he could say it was some kind of Slytherin business, and we meet at my house since it's neutral ground. I'll owl him when we get home." He smiled at Bella. "You'd best remind me, though love…otherwise I'll forget."

Narcissa's eyebrows rose. "Severus? Severus knows about Bella being with you?"

"Yes, he swore an unbreakable vow to not tell anyone in exchange for me helping him with a couple of…issues that are plaguing him."

Narcissa frowned in worry. "That could get him in serious trouble if the Dark Lord ever finds out."

Will chuckled. "Severus Snape knows how to save his own skin no matter what. He'll be fine, I assure you." He glanced at the sisters. "Well, ladies, if you are both ready, I believe we should leave before someone sees us. Cissa, we'll go first. You wait five minutes then leave. We'll contact you once I have something set up with Severus."

The sisters hugged and murmured to one another, before Bella raised her hood once more. She entwined her arm with Will's, and the two left the shop, stepping out into the still blustery night.

(XXX)

It took a little bit of time to work out a plausible enough lie with Severus for Narcissa to make repeated, if not frequent, trips to the Greengrass home. The sisters had gone alone to the Black villa in Monaco four or five times for several hours each visit, before they both agreed to include Andromeda, and Bellatrix sent Andromeda an owl to inform her.

Andromeda was exceedingly happy and excited about the prospect of a reunion between the three sisters. And yet she was a bit nervous as well. Alright, perhaps she was more than "a bit" nervous. She was scared to death, yet determined to go through with it. But before the time agreed on by the sisters for their first meeting in fourteen years, Fate stepped in and changed the plans of everyone in magical Britain….

A/n: Ugh…once again, FAR too long since I've updated. But, here you go. Hope whoever reads it enjoys. Never been one to beg for reviews, but whoever has questions or thoughts can review or PM me if they'd like. Opening lyrics are from the song "Memento Mori" by the band Tourniquet.