Severus stalked through the halls of Malfoy Manor wondering slightly at the air of calm that permeated for the first time in a year and a half. He was beyond exhausted. Hermione Granger had fallen foul of what they suspected was a curse. Not that they had been able to explain how or when or, indeed what curse it was. And that was before they considered the who. No one was boasting, no one was crowing amongst their friends that they'd taken down Potter's mudblood, and truthfully, that worried him more than anything else had. They should have heard something surely? It wasn't like the witch would have done it to herself. And to add insult to injury, she had been sequestered away with a house elf at Albus' command until suddenly, the witch had vanished. And still, no one was taking ownership. Albus was on at him to find her, suspecting foul play and the Messers Potter and Weasley were erratically irrational. Not that there was a huge amount of change there. On top of that, he had Draco to worry about and all of that was before he even began to consider his second bloody job as a spy.
He prayed to whoever might be listening that Lucius was in a giving mood this evening. He might have only been granted the leave to keep up appearances and Albus might expect him back first thing to continue the hunt for Hermione sodding Granger but that didn't mean he couldn't fit in a glass or two of Lucius' superior firewhiskey. He deserved it surely, he was vastly overworked and supremely underpaid and underappreciated. The least they could do is ply him with decent alcohol. Especially as it had been over a month since Granger's disappearance and despite Albus' demands, he had no idea what they thought they were going to find. Nothing good certainly. He felt a momentary pang of sadness for the witch. She was an irritating chit, but she was intelligent, loyal and skilled. She was, whether he wanted to admit it or not, a loss to their world.
He kept walking, a feeling of unease prickling the back of his neck as he realised that the halls were empty and there was no noise that indicated the usual gathering of at least a handful of his brethren. "Dixie." he murmured softly, looking down at the elf when they appeared. "Where is your Master?"
"Master be with the little Miss in the library." the elf replied promptly.
"The little Miss?" he checked.
"Little Miss Aquila is having her story before bed."
"And she belongs to?" he asked, knowing he had never heard an Aquila mentioned.
"The Mistress Bella."
Severus barely bit back a shudder at the thought. "Merlin I had no idea she'd had a child." Quickening his steps, he paused outside the library, startling at the sound of Lucius' voice mixed with childish giggles.
Three sets of eyes swivelled to him as he pushed open the door, his jaw dropping at the sight, of a toddler, not the baby he'd anticipated.
"Severus," Lucius smirked before glancing at his niece, "Princess, can you say hello to Uncle Severus."
"Hi!" Aquila beamed
Severus sat down heavily staring at her. The cheekbones were sharper even in her childish face, the eyebrows slightly more arched but overall, she looked like he remembered. "Why the fuck do you have Hermione Granger!" he blurted.
"Language Severus!" Lucius chided with a smirk, "Meet Aquila Bellatrix Lestrange."
"No." he paled as the implications of that hit him with all the force of the Hogwarts Express. "Christ on a bike. No!"
Lucius shrugged nonchalantly as if insane Death Eaters adopted deaged muggleborns regularly, "Draco get your godfather a whiskey. Severus, behave until I've finished this story."
Draco snorted at the dumbfounded look on his godfather's face, doubling the whiskey just in case.
"Now Princess," Lucius closed the book once he was done, gazing down at his niece with undisguised fondness. He'd always wanted a daughter but given that he wasn't getting one, this tiny witch would do instead. And truly, he got to spoil her rotten and hand her back without having to discipline her. He was enjoying himself immensely. "it's bedtime, who do you want to tuck you in?"
Aquila pouted, "One more please?" she batted her eyelashes at her uncle making him laugh.
"You've had two more than you were meant to, Princess, now come on. Mummy will hex me."
She sighed dramatically before her eyes zeroed in on her cousin. "Will you read me one then tuck me in Draco?"
Lucius watched with genuine amusement as his son folded under the weight of her pleading eyes. "Of course, Princess," he agreed, taking her from his father, "Merlin you are going to be the most spoiled little witch in the world."
Aquila smiled, "Daddy says Princesses need spoiled." she yawned, snuggling her face into his neck. His face softened into unconcealed affection for the tiny witch who appeared to be the key to ending this war.
"Far be it from me to argue with your daddy," he murmured, cuddling her into him, "say goodnight, little witch."
"Night night," she mumbled sleepily, her eyes already closing.
"Goodnight Princess." Lucius smiled as Draco left him alone with Severus.
"What in the name of Merlin is going on!" Severus exploded the minute the door was closed.
Lucius shrugged, "She appeared in Bella's room. It's the most bizarre thing, she shouldn't have been able to get through the wards, yet she did. It's…Bella is, for the most part, sane. Or as sane as any Black ever is."
"Pardon?"
"Bella. Sane. I truly do not know why Aquila made a difference but she did."
"She is not Aquila! She's Hermione sodding Granger!"
"Not any more," Lucius shrugged, clearly unconcerned that they'd essentially stolen a child. "Bella and Rod blood adopted the witch. She's now Aquila Bellatrix Lestrange, as I said."
"Holy fuck," Severus breathed, looking horrified.
"It's done now," Lucius dismissed, "She's a delightful child. I can only imagine how much more formidable she'll be with the Black family training alongside her previous power. Narcissa has already begun. I believe Rodolphus intends to teach her as he would a son. He is utterly besotted despite not wanting her originally."
"Can you hear yourself!" Severus demanded, his mind whirling as he attempted to figure out what the fuck he was going to do. He couldn't tell Albus this! Merlin's saggy left tit! Maybe someone could obliviate him and he could remain in his previously blissful ignorance.
"Yes," Lucius agreed, continuing briskly, "Now. Along those lines, we're moving in a new direction."
"What?" Severus gaped at him, wondering, entirely seriously, if he'd been given something hallucinogenic. He didn't have any other explanation for this lunacy.
"New direction," Lucius repeated as if he were an idiot. "We'll let you look over the plan of course. If nothing else you'll have more insight into The Order's thinking."
"The Order?" he repeated.
Yes, we're going to give them Tom. And Greyback, Umbridge and likely Mulciber. If you have others you think they'll want, do let me know."
"Bella!" he shouted.
"Well they cant have her," Lucius dismissed with a careless wave of his hand. "We'll obviously provide proof of Miss Granger's well being and we'll continue with the changed message. We've found all his horcruxes and dealt with them, with the exception of that bloody snake. That's unfortunately with him. We'll need to deal with that once he returns."
"His what?" Severus wheezed.
"Peter!" Lucius shouted, apparently randomly. "That was the name we forgot! They can have him. Now, we've begun repopulating Diagon Alley, returned Ollivander to his rightful place after a thorough medical see too and we've called back the snatchers. We've disbanded Madam Umbridges idea of a muggleborn registration, instead we're gong to implement a swap system."
"A what?" Severus was acutely aware he was beginning to sound like a broken record…but seriously! What in the name of all the Gods was happening!
"Muggleborn for a squib," Lucius explained as if it were perfectly reasonable to be discussing swapping out children. "Bring the muggbleorns into this world via the book of names, which we will need you to acquire for us."
"You're…you're stealing babies."
"And replacing them where we can. Those we can't, we'll have to obliviate the parents. Keep the magic in our world, prevent the issues with muggles speaking out of turn."
"And those who marry a muggle?" Severus checked, trying desperately to gather his scattered wits.
"Why would they?"
"Free will." he retorted sardonically.
Lucius frowned as if the idea had never even occurred to him, "Will be discouraged, I imagine."
"How do you propose to work alongside those that not two months ago you were trying to murder?"
"They will accept the assurances and concessions we are willing to give or they will not. But if they do not, there will be laws detailing punishment. I want you to set up a meeting with Shacklebolt, Lupin, Mcgonagall and potentially my erstwhile sister-in-law."
"Is that wise?"
"That child has won over Bella and both Lestrange brothers in a month. Rodolphus is utterly besotted. Draco adores her. There is no way Andromeda is standing up to that. Lupin will also be allowed in her life if he can behave civilly. We would like to discuss werewolf rights. Draco pointed out that removing Greyback and giving them some was probably wise. Yaxley mentioned getting Mcgonagall onside given Dumbledore's imminent death. Narcissa made me aware of your vow."
"Hes dying anyway," Severus sighed, his head spinning with the utter insanity of this conversation.
"Yes I gathered. Draco mentioned his hand. Make them aware so they dont turn on you."
"And Potter? Albus thinks hes a horcrux."
"Good gods," Lucius muttered, "Well. We arrange for a showdown, either Potter dies and we can then dispose of Tom or Potter deals with Tom, fulfilling the prophecy. We win either way."
Severus nodded slowly, "I wonder if this is what insane feels like."
"Wait until you remeet Bella," Lucius muttered quietly.