"Now Poppet, I want you to throw it like this." Bella demonstrated her throw with a slightly sadistic grin, hitting Dolohov just above his knee, the knife embedding in his flesh. She smirked at his silent scream.
Aquila frowned, "It hurts, Mummy."
"No, Poppet," Bella cooed, "When you're very very naughty it doesn't hurt, this is just letting the naughty out."
"Oh" She nodded then, attempting to copy her mother's stance.
"That's it, aim for near Mummy's."
She missed, the knife embedding in his other leg. "Close enough," Bella nodded, "Now again, he really was very naughty."
Half an hour later, she handed Aquila over to Rodolphus, "I'll just…."
"Leave him," he snarled, his eyes darting back down to his daughter who was watching him with wide eyes. "Staunch the…leakage. I'll be back to deal with him later."
"Very well," Bella pouted, "But I want in on some of the fun."
"Fine." he agreed with a sharp nod, "Come along Princess, let's get you changed. Auntie Cissa said Rosies got some special cake in."
"Ah good!" Narcissa beamed as she caught them sneaking into the kitchen. "I was going to organise tea. Come along."
Biting back a groan, Rodolphus heard the command for what it was. "Very well," he grumbled.
"We still get cake?" Aquila checked.
"Yes Princess, Auntie Cissa is just going to make us use the good cups."
"Oh! The pretty ones? With the flowers?"
"Only the best for you darling," Narcissa cooed, smiling down at her niece. She truly was the most delightful child, so curious, quick to learn and, thankfully, with a wonderful vicious streak she very much intended to nurture, even if less overtly than her sister. After all, no one suspected the society wife of quietly removing their enemies. Narcissa allowed a feeling of smugness to flow through her. More fool them. If she had her way, Aquila would be as deadly as any other Black witch, with the reputation of a delicate flower. The same as she had.
"Now, you sit here darling, Daddy will sit next to you. How do we begin?"
"With tea, Auntie Cissa," Aquila replied as if confused as to why she was being asked to state the obvious.
"Well yes," Narcissa allowed, hiding a smile, "but who begins?"
"You?" she hedged.
"Quite. As host, I pour, now who do I pour first?"
"Daddy" she voiced with certainty, before continuing, clearly having memorised a response, "Because wizards think they're important but they're really just children."
Narcissa stifled a laugh at the outrage on Rodolphus' face, "Correct darling, but we weren't meant to tell them. They get very upset."
"Sorry Auntie Cissa!"
"It's quite alright.
"Is this what you're teaching my daughter?" Rodolphus demanded.
"Yes." she agreed, pouring his tea.
He glowered, "We'll be discussing Auntie Cissa's thoughts later, Princess," he muttered mulishly.
"OK Daddy, but may I please have the cake?" He sighed, sliding the plate over to her, "Thank you, Daddy," she beamed before turning to her Aunt, continuing at a volume both adults suspected she thought was a whisper, "Auntie Cissa, is this what you meant by wizards being upset?"
"Yes darling," Narcissa smirked, biting back a laugh at the way her brother-in-law's scowl deepened, wisely redirecting her niece back to the expected social niceties.
"What did Gringotts say?" Bella demanded the moment Lucius stepped out of the floo. She felt antsy, not liking not feeling in control of all the pieces. And while dispatching Dolohov earlier had been a welcome distraction, it had been short lived. She had almost owled her cousin to find out how he'd got on with Pettigrew and Merlin knew she hadn't owled Sirius voluntarily in years.
"They are willing to look into it and have passed on the Potter boy's issues to one of their healers. They'll be in touch shortly."
"How shortly?"
"A week at most for the Potter boy, they thought. As for our other issues, who knows. They were unsure whether they wanted to get involved. Despite that, I have to admit the idea was inspired. Perhaps Lupin isn't the worst ally to have.
"No. Aquila seems to like him," she allowed reluctantly, "I assume we're aiming to have him lead the packs?"
"Ideally. He isnt an unknown."
She hummed, "And the Ministry?"
"We need an interim minister," Lucius mused.
"What about Shacklebolt?" Rabastan voiced wandering into the room. "We need someone on our side who the Order will trust."
"But can we trust him?" Bella demanded.
"We can if we bind him into a vow." Rabastan smirked.
"Perhaps we sound out Severus first. He knows him better than us." Lucius replied.
"Very well. Now, timescale for sending people to Azkaban?"
"I'd suggest now." Narcissa supplied, settling herself daintily beside her husband. "Even the most idiotic must realise something is happening, the last thing we need is Him to get word sooner than we'd like."
"Right. Let's round them up then." Bella stood.
"After we've discussed Christmas, sister," Narcissa spoke pointedly, arching her brow.
"What about it?"
"I want a family Christmas."
"Mother of Merlin," Rabastan laughed, trying not to look at Bella lest the expression on her face set him off properly. He could well imagine how distasteful she'd find the idea. "Well…it'll be entertaining if nothing else. You've three days to persuade Andromeda."
"We're meeting Ted and Dora tomorrow. We've ample time." Narcissa waved him off.
"And your cousin?" Lucius hedged, also studiously avoiding looking at Bellatrix.
"Yes, he is rather more challenging," she admitted. "One also assumes he comes with the Potter boy. I don't see that going well."
"We can ask tomorrow." Lucius soothed, before a flash of mischief stole over his face. "We'll invite Severus too."
"You just want to see a duel over the turkey," Rabastan taunted.
"They wouldn't dare!" Narcissa growled in response.
Wisely, no one, not even her sister contradicted her.
While the details of Christmas were being ironed out, Draco had commandeered his cousin and coerced her into the gardens.
"Draco do we have to?" Aquila eyed the broomstick in his hand with clear trepidation.
"All good little witches fly, Princess."
"But why Draco?"
He paused, "Ah….well…."
"They just do, Princess." Rodolphus appeared beside them. "There's nothing to be scared of." She remained pensive, making Draco snort, well aware that Hermione Granger had never been a lover of flying.
"Just think you can say hello to the birds."
"Birds walk on the ground too," she muttered.
"Alright, enough of this," Rodolphus laughed, summoning his own broom, arching a brow pointedly at his nephew who took the hint and copied him. "Draco and I will come up with you." he smirked, "We'll give you ten minutes to find your wings and then last one to Uncle Luc's birdhouse doesn't get pudding tonight."
Aquila's jaw dropped as she eyed her laughing father before her tiny eyes narrowed and she thrust her arm out over the broom Draco had set down for her. "Up."
Draco tried exceptionally hard not to join in with his uncle's laughter, having a horrible feeling his new cousin was going to coerce her mother or bat her eyes at his father and commandeer retribution.
The smirk she sent him over pudding that night left him in no doubt he'd been correct. A feeling that was compounded when his uncle turned into a pigeon at the table, sending his father into a fit of laughter, muttering to the bird that he should remember that witches were merciless, vengeful creatures and that he really should be grateful she hadn't also requested a cat to eat him. Bella had never looked more proud.