Hey guys here we are with a flashback. Please enjoy =) Warning this chapter has no trigger warnings but it is leading up to some. When the chapter drops I will have the warnings in the notes at the end so you can choose to see them if you need to know them before reading. For now, enjoy the fluff and backstory in this chapter. I had fun with this one.
6th of November 1980
5:07 pm
The Lestrange Manor was a beautiful sight to behold, the large colonial home was smaller than most Ancient and Noble family homes, but the Lestranges had always preferred style to size. Their wealth was extensive but they had always held on to the notion the most expensive, or the biggest doesn't mean the best. The white and mahogany building had three main stories, not including the fancy wine cellar and tasting bar in the basement, and the attic, which was just their storage space. A large vineyard could be found on the other side of the 1000-acre land, fully manned with small houses for their workers to live free of charge with their families. The Malfoys had the same set-up, the two families making a fortune from their joint business that their great-great-grandparents had forged together, Portkey Liquor.
The manor had been passed down the generations, firstborn to firstborn. It is home to Rodolphus Lestrange, his wife Bellatrix Lestrange née Black, and their adorable seven-month-old son, Rigel Cygnus Lestrange. His laughter filled the manor with a lightness and joy for the new parents, Bellatrix cooed at her darling boy as he kicked his legs and screeched in absolute glee as he bounced in his baby bouncer. She sat on the floor with him, resting against the large greeting room couch. They were in front of the floo fireplace, waiting for her husband, his father to get home. She sipped her tea, placing it back on the coffee table with her egg salad sandwich fingers before turning back to her son and tickling his tummy. She was delighted at his happy squeals as he wriggled trying to escape her long fingers.
"I love you, Rigel," she told him easily and happily, leaning over to kiss his cheek, grinning as she blew a raspberry making the seven-month-old baby shriek in delight. His hands flew to her face, gripping her wild curls in his chubby fists.
"BA!" he screeched, tugging her hair harshly, not that she felt it, and pulled her down to mouth at her chin in an imitation of a kiss.
"Oh yes," Bellatrix cooed, "you are perfect my little star,"
"Mah!" he declared, happily wiggling side to side.
"Say Mama," she encouraged him, "Mama,"
"Uuk" Rigel asked, whining when she detached his fingers from her curls. "Mah!" he sniffed, reaching out for the inky black hair extremely annoyed he couldn't tug on it anymore.
"Yes, I'm Mama," she nodded proudly, pushing on his bouncer again, grinning when he giggled at the movement. She sighed happily, leaning back to watch her son as he looked around the room. His dark grey eyes came back to make sure she was still watching him and every time he caught her still staring at him, he would grin and giggle before going back to exploring the room with his eyes. He was the perfect blend of her and Rodolphus. His eyes were grey like her and the majority of the Black family, but they weren't the Black family's light grey, instead they were a deep dark grey, similar to Rodolphus' dark blue. He had the same jet-black hair as both of his parents, but to the surprise of his parents, his curls weren't ringlets or as wild and thick as Bella's own. Instead, the infant had soft open curls like his father and Uncle Rabastan, although they knew that could change as he got older. He also had a thin upper lip like Rodolphus and Rabastan, but the manic grin and contagious cackle were all from his Mother.
"You know, giggling like that when you notice someone watching you is a little egotistical," she teased as he yet again looked at his mother, she swore the little tike smirked. "That is all your Uncle Rabastan that is,"
"Uh, rude much,?" Rabastan said in mock offence as he entered the room. His short black curls were a mess, he rubbed his eyes, wiping the sleep from them.
"Hey little man," he greeted his nephew who gurgled a greeting as he waved his closed fist furiously. He slumped on the couch heavily and reached over to nab a handful of the finger sandwiches.
"I'm surprised you are awake already," Bellatrix commented with concern. Rabastan had just gotten home in the early hours of my morning from a two-week-long mission. At 18, Rabastan, Barty, and Regulus had for the first time, been taken with Abraxas Malfoy, Benjamin Flint, Ralston and Reinhard Lestrange to watch them, and learn from the brooms of Diplomacy, International Wizengamot work and Death Eater missions all in one. They had gone under the guise of looking for Allies for the Wizengamot, which they had done, but under Death Eater orders they were looking for Allies for the Dark and Neutral Sections, not the Light.
Many of the European countries who had wanted to align with Tom Riddle Heir of Slytherin, were weary of Lord Voldemort. The first eight years after Tom had lost Myrtle had been horrific for those who followed Tom Riddle and those who stood against him. But he had started to stabilise after a while, keeping the diary Horcrux close to himself and sneaking into Hogwarts to visit Myrtle, he had begun to come back. And for many years it was enough. He was still not the Tom Riddle of Hogwarts who had dreamed of leading the wizarding World into the future, changing the things that weren't working but stuck as status quo. But he was also not the unhinged Lord Voldemort who caused terror just because he could. Unfortunately, this did not last. After the war officially started in 1970 he had begun to slip again. His Inner Circle was most worried about the abrupt changes, and their leader got worse every year the war continued. Now ten years later, many of the allies are holding out on closing the deals and unions until they can be convinced his insanity will not destroy them or their goals.
Although Bellatrix had to admit since her baby sister Cassi had met their Dark Lord Voldemort the year before their lord had softened a bit, she still wasn't overly fond of the idea of her 18-year-old sister dating the Dark Lord Voldemort who was currently 54. Thank you very much Barty Crouch Jr for putting that into her brain. Since their first meeting, the Dark Lord had sought out Cassiopea's company three times in five months. But Bella knew she couldn't rebuke the effect the two seemed to have on each other at the last Ball, they had spent the entire night talking. Ignoring everyone else, and turning scathing on those who were brave, and stupid, enough to try and interrupt them.
"Eh," Rabastan waved off, grabbing some tea and more sandwiches. "I am okay, although I may nap again later."
"Ab" Rigel tried, stretching his arms out for his uncle, only to go unnoticed as his uncle and mother spoke.
"Did the mission go well?" Bella asked curiously, the negotiations had taken longer than previously estimated.
"Yes it did actually," Rabastan grinned, sitting up straighter. "The delegates we met in Bulgaria, France, Italy and Germany are open to working with us and we formed a good strong bond with them there."
"That's great," Bella grinned widely, "You boys must be feeling proud of yourselves."
"Ab" Rigel sniffled.
"Yeah," Rabastan nodded, "Father was also rather happy to see his friend again, even in a professional capacity, although they did go out and get drunk a few times while catching up," Bellatrix snorted.
"Oh, I bet" she grinned. Grigor Krum and Reinhard Lestrange had been friends since they were in diapers. Their mothers had been penpals in their school years, meeting due to an assignment to promote "international magical cooperation". The two boys had gotten into many disasters together growing up, and they weren't much better now even as adults, Grigor with a late-in-life miracle child, 4-year-old Viktor, and Reinhard with his new grandson, 7-month-old Rigel.
"RABBY!" screeched Lestrange child much to the shock of his family who spun their heads to look at the furious baby. He had finally had enough of being ignored and started throwing his body around as much as he could, arms waving in the air his head, screaming 'Rabby' as loud as he could. Tears streamed down his face in frustration.
"His first word," Bellatrix gasped as Rabastan was startled out of his shock and immediately threw himself forward to pick up his precious nephew. He unbuckled the baby quickly before cuddling him to his chest.
"I'm here Rigel," He spoke softly, rocking his body side to side to calm the hysterical baby. "I've got you, little man."
"Rabby" Rigel sniffled, calming down his screams to soft hiccups and little gasps as he was finally in his beloved uncle's arms and had his full attention.
"Who's my smart little guy?" Rabastan cooed. "Who's a little genius?"
"Seriously?!" Bellatrix shrieked, alarming both Rabastan and Rigel as they looked up at the woman, their eyes wide as they were startled.
"I carried him for nine months! I feed him from my breasts!" Her voice was shrill as she cupped her boobs at the word breasts. Grey eyes were dark and flashing furiously as she continued, "My entire body changed for him, only for his first word to be Rabby!" Rabastan grinned at his wild sister-in-law.
"I'm his favourite." he teased, bouncing Rigel in his arms.
"Rabby'' Rigel nodded, raising his arm to pat his uncle's chin.
"Ow!" Rabastan yelled, jumping and clutching his nephew to him tighter when a stinging hex hit his arse. "Why?" he asked his sister-in-law incredulously.
"You know why," she said darkly, shooting him with another stinging hex.
"Hey! I'm holding your baby here!" he cried, holding Rigel out from his body, dangling the baby with his large hands resting under Rigel's armpits. The infant cackled madly like his mother as he swung his legs freely, head falling back far enough to look up at his uncle's face with joy.
"Don't use my son as a shield!" Bella shrieked as the floo flared with green flames.
"What in Merlin's balls is going on?" Rodolphus asked wide-eyed as the floo dust settled.
"Your wife is crazy!" Rabastan shouted with a wide grin, keeping his nephew in front of him like a human shield.
"Rabastan has been conspiring with our son!" Bella shrieked.
"Um," Rodolphus blinked as he found himself at a loss for words. Bella had always been dramatic, it was the Black blood, and Sirius was the same. Thank Merlin Regulus was somewhat normal. But this had him stumped, she thought her 7-month-old son was conspiring against her.
"RABBY!" Rigel screeched happily, waving his arms and legs around even more, grey eyes staring at his uncle with reverence.
"Ah," Rodolphus sighed, "well that explains it." His dark blue eyes lighting up with understanding, "Bella, darling, I highly doubt my brother managed to conspire with a SEVEN-MONTH-old for his first word to be his name over Mama,"
"You don't know!" Bella refuted, "Your brother has always been shifty, he betrays Barty and Regulus every chance he gets," she sneered, glaring at her brother-in-law who was now outright laughing. He had pulled Rigel closer to him, holding him on his hip, swinging in half circles to keep the babbling baby happy.
"Don't you think you are overreacting?" Rabastan asked with a chuckle.
"Moron," Rodolphus muttered rolling his eyes as he grabbed his wife's arm as she went to hex his brother again. "Why would you make this worse for yourself?" Rabastan laughed in response to his brothers' question before looking at Bella.
"She's the one who thinks me playing double agents with my best friends in a prank battle is the same as betraying people or conspiring against family," Rabastan laughed, "I mean that's just good war tactics."
"Rab" Rodolphus sighed as he snapped his arms out to stop Bella from raising her wand again.
"Yeah, fine." Rabastan snorted, before turning serious and turning to Bella. "Look, I know you were excited for Rigel to say Mama, but I swear on my magic I didn't coach him to say my name first. Even if it does sound exactly like something I would have done."
"Mm," Bella narrowed her grey eyes in suspicion.
"And something I wish I had thought of," he added as a mumble.
"What was that?" Bella asked faux sweetly, twisting her wand in her hand.
"Nothing!" he retorted, quickly, too quickly. Bella narrowed her eyes even more.
"See!" Rodolphus cried cheerily, stepping between them again, "Now that that is settled, I have a surprise for you my darling," he said, turning to Bella, pulling her in close and kissing her cheek while his hands rested on her hips.
"Oh and what is that?" Bella asked seductively. She flicked her tongue, licking her lips, eyes staring at her husband's lips.
"Ew," Rabastan scowled with a disgusted look, lips pulled into a tight frown. "Um, I am still here with your INFANT" he added when Rodolphus slid his hands from Bella's hips to her arse.
"I am taking you out tonight." Rodolphus grinned, "I managed to make reservations at Dragon's Den, and Rabastan is babysitting tonight." Bellatrix's mouth stretched into a wide grin. Dragon's Den is the Wizarding World's most elegant and exclusive restaurant. Even now, six years after its opening it was booked out consistently, and even with Rodolphus and Bellatrix's family names, and friendly relationship with the owners they have to book two months in advance. But over the last year, they hadn't enjoyed a night out. They would book, but then missions or family issues interfered, and finally Bella found out she was pregnant. Then her pregnancy became high risk, and she could only eat certain food, do limited movement, and was eventually put on bed rest for the last two months of the pregnancy. With all of that, it wasn't surprising it had been so long since their last visit.
"Barty and Regulus are coming too," Rabastan grinned, "They haven't seen much of Rigel cause of the missions and training. After he goes to bed, we're just gonna hang out, maybe have some wine with poker."
"Really? You didn't get sick of each other over the last two weeks?" Bella asked incredulously with a smirk.
"Eh," Rabastan shrugged, "The first six days were fine, then day seven to eleven we hexed each other every chance we got, and now we are back around at fine and having fun again."
Bella stared at him blinking before shaking her head and deciding she didn't care enough to ask for more details. She turned back to her husband and kissed him gently.
"So what time do we leave?"
"You've got time to shower and get ready," Rodolphus grinned, "Want to save time and shower together?" Rabastan gagged as Bellatrix and Rodolphus grinned and ran off together leaving Rabastan with a giggling Rigel. The infant was completely unaware of what his parents said, but because his Mother and Father had left the room laughing he had joined in, laughing madly.
"Your parents are disgusting," he told Rigel, the baby giggling further at his uncle's serious tone and face, patting his cheek with a chubby hand.
"Rabby," he nodded as if he agreed with his beloved Uncle.
"Fun is here!" Barty Crouch Jr shouted as he stumbled out of the floo fireplace, the only reason he didn't fall and faceplant straight into the coffee table was Rabastan had managed to catch him. Rigel laughed hysterically from next to the coffee table, he was now in his blue Jolly Jumper with a baby mobile floating around him. The magical mobile was a model-sized quidditch team and the balls were charmed to play around the jolly jumper and wind around the stand supporting it.
"Do you think you will ever master floo travel?" Rabastan teased his best friend.
"Nope," Barty grinned cheerfully, dusting himself off before ignoring his friend, instead sitting in front of Rigel.
"Hey, kiddo!" He greeted him. Rigel giggled as Barty took his tiny hands in his own and wiggled the baby with a grin. "You look very happy just bouncing here." he chuckled, emphasizing the word very.
"He hasn't stopped giggling since I put him in it." Rabastan laughed.
"Not going to lie," Barty chuckled as he stood back up, "I'm kinda surprised Bella and Rodo made such a happy baby."
"Right?" Rabastan laughed. He loved his brother and sister-in-law, but they weren't exactly cheery or happy people, nor were they ever described as 'joyful' but Rigel was just pure happiness.
"Although when he finds something hysterical he has Bella's cackle," Rabastan added with a laugh, it was a bit unnerving hearing the Black cackle coming from such a tiny and adorable baby.
"Oh," Rabastan continued, "and if you don't feed him fast enough he has Rodo's scowl." Barty laughed heartily at that as he could picture it in his mind.
"Oh, I have to see that,"
"See what?" A velvety voice asked from the lounge entryway. Barty grinned as he looked up from Rigel to Rodolphus.
"Hey Rodo!" he greeted the older man happily, "You're looking stellar!" he added as he took in the sleek look the man was sporting. Rodolphus grinned as he ran his hands over the black acromantula silk robe and dress pants, the accents and sewing a beautiful silver, paired with a blood-red shirt. The Lestrange house colours had always looked dashing on the Heir, the dark red and silver making his dark and intense blue eyes deepen and shine. His black curly hair pulled back into a half-up ponytail, his beard trimmed to a shadow.
"Yes I am aware how great I look," Rodolphus smirked, making his brother roll his eyes.
"Arrogant much," Rabastan scoffed.
"It's not arrogance if it's true," Rodolphus countered.
"Yes it is," Barty shot back brows furrowing in confusion, "Arrogance is about pride, not based on if something is true or false," he blinked his baby blue eyes and scratched his dark blonde hair. He blinked again when Rodolphus sighed and shook his head as Rabastan laughed.
"Don't ever change Barty," Rabastan chortled. He shook his head as he clapped his friend on the shoulder with a grin.
"Okay?" he asked baffled, before shrugging, deciding it wasn't worth it to understand the brothers and turning back to baby Rigel.
"Your family is weird," he said to the happy baby who gurgled in response, fist in his mouth as he gummed down on a finger.
"Oh, baby again?" Bella cooed as she entered the room, only to take a look at her son and swooping down beside him. She placed her hand on his cheeks and forehead.
"No fever thankfully," she sighed in relief.
"Ah? What?" Barty didn't think he had ever been this confused before.
"He is gumming his finger again," Rodolphus explained, even though it explained nothing. Thankfully Bella noticed his confusion which her husband had only added to.
"When he chews his fingers like that, producing that much saliva," Bella spoke, pausing to summon a blue reusable baby wipe and clean her son's hand of saliva. "It usually means he is teething."
"Ohh," Barty nodded, 'okay that makes sense' he thought.
"Maybe we should cancel?" Bella fretted as she hovered over her son.
"No," Rodolphus shook his head. "Bella darling, you haven't left the home since he was born. This is the first night we have just to ourselves."
"We can look after our nephew for a few hours," Rabastan added, he knew how anxious Bella was about being a good mother and how even the thought of going out while leaving Rigel at home was hard for her.
"And we have Nanny Elf Blemmy to help," Barty added, jumping when said elf appeared as if called. She was older now, having looked after Bellatrix as a baby, and very bossy and controlling, being secure in her job with the family.
"Blemmy shall look after Master Rigel," she says strongly, glaring at Barty and Rabastan. "Youse is only helpings because I allows it" she sneered as she passed a small jar of teething gel and a frozen dummy to Bellatrix.
"Thank you Blemmy," Bellatrix smiled as she stuck a small dollop on the end of the cold dummy before giving it to Rigel who had perked up when he had seen the bright yellow dummy. He shook hands in the air and let out happy shrieks only to stop when he got the dummy in his hands, stuffing it into his mouth and immediately gumming on it hard.
"We've got this," Rabastan reassured Bellatrix again, but the group was startled as the floo flared up, interrupting their conversation. They watched Regulus Black step out of the floo with a grace Barty couldn't even dream of, barely pausing as walking from the fireplace into the lounge.
"Reggie!" Bella screeched, turning from her son and throwing herself forward, hugging her favourite cousin tight.
"Can't… Breathe…" Regulus gasped playfully as he hugged her back.
"Good to see you cousin," Bella whispered. It hurt having her family fractured, split on either side of the war that was waging. Both sides claim to be the right side and refuse to back down. She hadn't spoken to her sister Andromeda in nine years, she hadn't spoken to Sirius even longer. So she took what comfort she could from the family she still had on the Dark side, accepting the love they had to give, slowly gluing her heart together.
"You look beautiful," Regulus grinned when she finally released him and he could see her all dolled up. A blood-red satin dress hugged her curves, at mid-thigh it flared out, the front stopping just below her knees, and the back reaching the floor. Paired with black high heels, a thick necklace of black gems and a small black clutch purse. Her make-up was heavy, seductive and smokey with a bright red lip, and hair pulled into a loose curly bun.
"Why thank you," Bellatrix grinned, stepping back to spin showing off the twirl of her dress. She let out a breathless giggle and smiled when Rodolphus, Rabastan and Barty whistled and clapped. It had been a while since she had felt this beautiful, not having had reasons to dress up while staying home with an infant.
"Are you ready my love?" Rodolphus asked with a smile, holding his hand out for her to grab.
"Sweep me away," she grinned back, her small hand in his, he pulled her into his side to kiss her deeply. Pulling back he wrapped his arm around her waist and walked her to the floo.
"Remember Blemmy is in charge," He said over his shoulder as they entered the fireplace.
"Wait, why?!" Regulus argued.
"because the last time I trusted you three you burnt down half the house!" he shot back making Bella cackle at the memory.
"We were sixteen!" Barty cried in their defence.
"It was an accident!" Rabastan defended himself at the same time.
"No one died!" Regulus refuted belatedly after his two friends replied, causing them all to look at him. Rodolphus and Bella were baffled while Barty and Rabastan looked amused, pursing their lips to hold their laughter.
"That's your standard?" Rodolphus asked incredulously. "No one died? yay, that means success?" Bella snorted
"Yeah that's pretty much how Black's look at it," she giggled.
"Don't burn my house down," Rodolphus ordered the three teenagers as he pulled out the floo powder from the vase.
"Ow!" Rabastan shouted as Bella sent one last stinging hex at his stomach, he bent over with a gasp as Rodolphus laughed.
"Dragon's Den Reception" he chanted, dropping the floo powder before Rabastan could retaliate. The green flames enveloped the couple and then they were gone, the fire died out leaving only a small amount of ash.
"So," Rabstan grinned and turned to look at his friends, "you won't believe what Rigel's first word was.."
I hope you all enjoyed this !
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