"We got them all," Kingsley eyed the occupants of the manor warily. "Dolores Umbridge is missing."

"Pity," Corban drawled. "Now I assume there will be trials?"

"Yes." Kingsley agreed. "Starting after the new year."

"And mine?" Sirius checked

"We thought you first, before the real horrors. I've spoken to Scrimgeor, given him memories, Harry and Ron have given memories and after some…persuasion, so has Severus. He thinks it'll be cut and dried."

"Which leads us on to pardons." Rodolphus prompted.

Kingsley groaned. "I honestly have no idea how we're managing that without imperiusing someone. No!" he barked when Bella visibly perked up. "We cannot Imperius the Minister for magic."

"Pity, we were going to invite you into the job," Rabastan smiled blandly.

"Me?" he frowned.

"On our side, reasonably morally flexible with enough of a spine to keep Bella from running roughshod over everything."

Kingsley paused, his head cocked to the side. "Scrimgeor did mention wanting to return to the Aurory."

Corban grinned, "Excellent, lets help him make a firm decision on that shortly."

"Once Tom is gone."

"Yes yes," he waved him off. "We've given you the rest. Have a little faith."

Kingsley stared at him incredulously, "Less than two months ago you were causing chaos and trying to murder us. Forgive me if I'm still a little sceptical."

" I wasn't murdering anyone. I was schmoozing and blackmailing Department heads," Corban responded primly.

"Oh because that is so much better," Kingsley drawled. Putting on his most winning smile, Corban beamed back at him.

"Are we sure this isn't an ambush, Mother?"

Bella snorted at the strident voice of her niece as they stepped out of the floo. Merlin, they really needed to look at reopening Lestrange Manor, that way she could lock the floo when she needed peace. Cissa had informed her it was rude in someone else's house. Which was a shame really.

Whatever Andromeda had replied was lost when Dixie appeared offering to take them to the sun room.

"Sister," Andromeda's drawling greeting held just a hint of mocking, "Do stop skulking in the shadows like a boggart and come and meet your niece."

Bella sighed heavily, stepping away from the wall, running her eyes over the pink-haired creature in front of her, entirely ignoring her sister's husband. "If my daughter meets you and wants pink hair I will personally shave yours off."

Andromeda sighed, the picture of exasperated disappointment, "I believe the traditional greeting is hello, Bellatrix."

"Hello," she sneered.

"Mummy! Uncle Bast says we can go to the Men…men…"

"Menagerie?" Bella suggested, her entire demeanour softening.

"Yes, Mummy!" Aquila squealed excitedly, throwing her arms around her mother's legs.

She hummed, "You have to stop mummy murdering some people first, little star."

Her head cocked to the side, "Who?" Bella nodded her head at her sister, "Auntie Andy!"

Andromeda smirked "Hello to you, little miss."

"You bring the puppy?"

"Ah, sadly Cousin Sirius had something else to do today," Andromeda lamented, glaring at the husband when he let out a disbelieving snort.

Aquila looked at him with a slight frown. "This is your Uncle Ted," Andromeda supplied, reaching for her hand, "Can you say hello?

"Hi," she whispered, attempting a clumsy curtsy the way Narcissa had been teaching her.

"I hate that that's adorable," Dora muttered as Ted returned her curtsy with a bow and a kiss to the back of her hand making Aquila giggle.

"And this is your cousin Nymphadora."

"Nymp…Nymph…"

"Dora's fine kid, your Auntie Andy was not in her right mind when she named me."

Nymphadora!" Andromeda growled, "There is nothing wrong with your name."

"It's bloody awful." Dora retorted.

"Your hairs pretty," Hermione mumbled in response. Dora turned immediately pale, her hair turning dark and curly to match Aquila's own. Her eyes immediately blew wide, "Can I do that!"

"Unfortunately, little witch, our Dora was born like that, she can change anything," Ted whispered conspiratorially, "Do you have a favourite animal?"

"Oh…Oh…elephants!"

Dora rolled her eyes goodnaturedly, transforming her nose into a trunk. Aquila jumped on the spot, her entire body vibrating with excitement, "Oh, oh oh! Can you do a duck!"

Obligingly Dora gave herself a beak.

"Keels! Where did you disappear to, your Daddys looking for you," Draco's voice called as he rounded the corner, stopping comically at the sight of everyone looking back at him.

"Draco! Cousin Dora has a beak!"

"So I see," Draco agreed faintly.

"Nephew," Andromeda nodded.

"Aunt," he returned warily.

"Draco?" Aquila frowned, her brows furrowing as her eyes darted between them before she took a step back, reaching for him.

Draco blew out a sharp breath, settling her onto his hip, using the weight of her to ground him. "Did you know that i've never met Cousin Dora?" he offered, poking her side to make her giggle and remove the pensive look. She shook her head, her curls flying. "I'm a bit shy," he whispered.

One small hand came up to cover her mouth as she fought a laugh. "No you're not Draco!"

"I am!" he protested, fighting a smile despite his unease, feeling the weight of all of their stares as he focused on the smaller of his two cousins.

She sighed heavily despite her smile in a move that was so perfectly Lucius, Bella actually laughed "Your Uncle Luc is corrupting you little star."

Aquila shook her head, giggling, "You come with me Draco."

"Oh but of course, my Lady" he agreed, setting her back on her feet and taking her hand.

She led him to Ted first, "This is Uncle Ted," she informed him imperiously, staring at him for several beats before prompting impatiently, "Draco you bow!"

"Merlin Princess, no more lessons with Auntie Cissa."

She scowled, "Bow, Draco!"

Giving a helpless laugh, Draco did as he was told. Ted very seriously bowed back. "Now Dora, Draco!"

"Merlin, are you going to expect me to curtsy, mini dictator?" Dora checked eyeing Aquila warily.

Her eyes narrowed, "It's polite," she growled, glaring until Dora returned Draco's bow with an unsteady curtsy.

"How are you so cute and yet utterly terrifying?" Dora muttered.

"It's a skill," Bella replied, looking thoroughly entertained.

"What's a skill?" Rodolphus asked, rounding the corner, "Ah Princess, there you are! Why are we congregating in the hall?"

"Being both adorable and terrifying," Draco replied dryly, "Aquila appears to have it mastered."

Rodolphus snorted, looking down at his daughter fondly, "Of course she has. Now, I assume everyone is moving…elsewhere?"

"I imagine Cissa will be expecting you," Bella dismissed, looking at her sister "Dixie? Please take them to your mistress."

"You're not joining us?" Andromeda asked disingenuously.

Bella froze, clearly looking for a way out of that. "I have ah…"

Andromeda smiled blandly, hooking her arm through her sisters, "Nothing on, I am so glad. Come along sister."

Dora and Ted shared a look deciding to keep their mouths shut as they followed Dixie.

"Were you heading out Uncle?" Draco asked Rodolphus almost desperately.

"Yes, Bast and I are taking Aquila to the menagerie."

"You know, I really need owl nuts for Hermes. Mind if I join you?"

"Your mother will avada you!"

Draco whined. "But I don't want to sit through that meeting!"

"How sad for you," his uncle smirked. "Come along Princess, let's find your Uncle Bast."

With a pout, Draco stomped in the direction of the sunroom.

Aquila's eyes were round as she took in all the sights in Diagon Alley, skipping in between her father and her uncle.

"It's unbelievable isn't it?" Rabastan murmured, his eyes darting down to his niece.

"Slightly," Rodolphus agreed with a hint of a smile. "I..I was so against it, but I cannot imagine her not being here."

"No," Rabastan agreed softly.

"We get ice cream, Daddy?"

Rodolphus hesitated, it was still unwise to be out for long periods of time and while he had changed some of his features, there was still a risk that someone would recognise them.

"What if we get ice cream to take home to Draco, Princess? It might make him feel better about being forced to have tea with your mother and aunts."

Her tiny face scrunched before she nodded, "He likes chocolate Daddy."

"I know," he agreed dryly. "We'll pick some up after we've been to the menagerie."

"Ok," she grinned, tugging them in the direction of the shop.

Inside was a cacophony of noise and Rodolphus felt his daughter clutch his hand tighter in response, clearly overwhelmed.

"Why don't we go and see the kittens, Princess?" Rabastan suggested coaxingly.

Behind the counter, the shopkeeper smiled, "First pet?"

"Hopefully," Rodolphus agreed, forcing his body to remain relaxed.

The man hummed, "Well, let me know if you need anything. And if you want to see something special before you leave, just shout."

Intrigued, Aquila turned to him, her curiosity palpable. "Something special?"

"Oh very special little miss," he grinned, "We had a stowaway in our recent shipment of crups."

"What's a sto'way?"

"It means something that's snuck in that shouldn't be there," Rodolphus supplied. "I'm sure if you ask Mr…"

"Oh, Coulson," the man grinned.

"If you ask Mr Coulson he'll show you."

"Will you please?"

"Of course little witch, bring your Daddy and we'll go and take a peak."

With a ripple of unease, Rodolphus followed him into the back room where only one cage was occupied. "We have the cages for sick animals," Mr Coulson explained at Aquila's curious look upon finding them empty. "So we can help them get better."

"Oh," she breathed.

"Now, here's our little stowaway"

Rodolphus peered into the cage at the same time as Aquila, spotting a curled-up ball of fluff. He frowned wondering what was special about a kneazle kitten before the beast yawned and stretched revealing an extra pair of limbs. "Is that a wampus cat?" he exclaimed, turning to look at the shopkeeper in horror.

"It is indeed. I can't sell it so I'm trying to arrange to get it sent back to the States."

"Good Gods," he murmured, turning back towards his daughter, his heart freezing at the sight that greeted him, "Aquilla! No!"

Aquila stilled immediately, her arms cradled around the kitten and a guilty look on her face. The tiny cat was purring loudly, batting its head under her chin. "But Daddy look!" she offered finally, holding up the kitten as well as she was able.

"I can see," he replied faintly wondering how he was extracting them from this situation without tears.

"I have this one, Daddy?" Aquila looked up at him hopefully.

"They say that wampus cats who bond to an owner as a kitten are far less violent." the shopkeeper offered wearing a look of patent disbelief.

"Far less is not not at all!"

"Well no, but they tent to turn it protective see, your little witch will be well looked after."

He groaned, "But…Merlin your Aunt is going to murder me."

Mr Coulson grinned knowing he'd won. "Might I suggest you start with some kneazle supplies?"

Twenty minutes later, the newly christened Pumpkin was purring in her new mistresses arms, her head resting on top of Aquila's shoulder surveying her new kingdom in the hallway of Malfoy manor.

"Lets take Draco his ice cream." Rabastan suggested with a wicked grin before turning to his brother, "I know Bella wasn't for a pet, but she might actually approve of this one."

Rodolphus snorted, shaking his head. "Perhaps."

They found Draco in the sunroom, the Tonks' still there, Bella scowling in the corner. "We brought ice cream!" Aquila announced.

"And a kneazle I see," Draco pointed out, sounding amused before he froze. "Ah…Princess, your kneazle has extra legs."

"Extra…" Bella stood swiftly, stalking over to her daughter, "Good gods. Rodolphus Lestrange is that a wampus cat?"

"Well..yes."

"Yes! They are vicious!"

"Apparently not if you train them young," he countered, gesturing at the cat, "And does that look vicious?"

Bella arched a brow, reaching out a hesitant hand; the creature snarled, bearing its teeth.

"Hush, Pumpkin!" Aquila scolded, "That's Mummy!"

Pumpkin froze, before pushing her head against Bella's hand. A slow grin travelled across Bella's face, in direct contrast to the fear on everyone else's, "Well…this will be interesting."