Thorfinn Rowle walked uneasily through the halls of Malfoy Manor. Strange things had been happening lately, strange inexplicable things. Despite that, those things had made life better.

He stepped through the door the elf opened for him and came face to face with Rabastan Lestrange, a tiny witchling and a rather alarming cat that had more than its fair share of legs.

"Bast," he greeted, his eyes on the cat.

Rabastan snorted. "Princess, can you go with Dixie and find Draco or Daddy or…"

"Me." Narcissa interjected, stepping into the room, "Nyx informed me you had a guest. Come along darling, let's work on your insults over tea."

"Yes, Auntie Cissa!" Aquila agreed, stroking a hand down Pumpkin's head, "Pumpkin, you stay with Uncle Bast."

Pumpkin yawned, her eyes on Thorfinn as she showed all her teeth.

"What,...I ah…you wanted to see me?" he stammered, paling significantly.

"I did," Rabastan agreed slowly, nodding his head towards the sofa, "Do sit down."

"Right I…right…the cat…"

"Is a wampus." Rabastan finished with a predatory smile. "Vicious beastie, if you're not on my niece's list of trusted people.

"Your niece?" he squeaked at a pitch completely at odds with his giant size.

"Oh yes," Rabastan's smile turned fond, "that delightful little witchling that just left with Narcissa."

"Has a wampus cat?" Pumpkin gave a warning growl leaving Thorfinn rushing out, "I'm sure it's the perfect fit for such a….a…distinguished little witchling."

Rabastan snorted, "Quite," he agreed. Now, do you have any idea why I've requested your presence?"

"Truthfully, no," Thorfinn admitted.

"You have to have noticed some…changes."

"Yes," he agreed slowly.

"We're moving in a new direction. I'll be honest, you are either in, in which case you are going to agree to a vow or you are out. And if you are out we have a few options. None of them are overly pleasant for you, of course but I imagine the rest of us will find them entertaining."

"Such as?" he squeaked.

"Well…Pumpkin needs to test her strength. Aquila needs some more hands-on practice with her aim. And I suppose, we could technically arrange transport to Azkaban, but that's dreadfully dull so I'd opt for a mix of options one and two personally."

Thorfinns hands were shaking, reading the utter seriousness on the other man's face,, "And if I was in?"

"Well that's entirely different." Rabastan smiled, sending a shiver up Thorfinn's spine. "I bind you into an unbreakable vow and you work with us."

"Doing what?" he checked, despite knowing that he'd agree to just about anything to avoid death by wampus cat, despite how small it was currently. He didn't put it past Rabastan to keep him locked up until it had grown.

"Well…incorporating muggleborns into our families, stopping the mindless violence. Disposing of our dear, psychotic, murderous leader." he paused, "And potentially dumbledore. We're not sure if Severus has to do that all on his own quite frankly. Sadly you've missed the rest of the fun."

"Fun?" he checked warily.

"Oh yes," Rabastan's smile grew, a slightly feral look on his face, "Dolores was splendid fun. She disagreed of course, but that hardly matters. Antonin, I believe, was amusing. Aquila spent a long time practising her aim on him. And Fenrir."

"Sweet Merlin, am I to assume that the tiny witchling that just left is Aquila?" He tried not to look as horrified as he felt at the idea of such a small child participating in torture sessions, given the amused, knowing look on Rabastan's face, he didn't think he succeeded.

"Oh yes, Bella is determined she'll be deadly. Narcissa too to be honest, although they have vastly different approaches."

"She's…what…four…five?"

"Three." Rabastan corrected. "I predict by the time she's ready for Hogwarts she'll be terrifying."

"Sweet mother of Merlin," he muttered, barely repressing a shudder. "I…I'm in."

"Splendid," Rabastan's smile was all teeth. "Let me acquire a bonder, and then we can discuss who is left and who our allies are."

"Sirius!" Harry breathed with a grin, accepting his godfather's hug the moment the man stepped out of the floo and into the Burrows's living room.

"Dumbledore said you can come for Christmas," Sirius explained squeezing him tightly.

"Yes!"

"You must return to the Burrow the day after Christmas," Albus cautioned. "Although Molly has invited you both to stay for Christmas dinner."

Sirius waved him off, "Can't I want a Christmas with just me and my godson? There's rather a lot of Weasleys to contend with. And Andy mentioned joining us, it's been years since i had any sort of Christmas with my family."

Albus' eyes narrowed as if he wasn't sure Sirius was being truthful but he nodded, "Do give Madam Tonks my best. Will Nymphadora be joining you?"

"I believe that's the plan. Remus too most likely."

For some reason that seemed to reassure him and he nodded benevolently, his customary twinkle back in his eyes.

"Come on then Pup," Sirius clapped Harry on the shoulder, "let's get out of here."

He locked the floo the second they stepped out of it, nodding to Remus.

"Now?"

"Now."

"Now what?" Harry frowned.

"Come and have a seat Pup, we've a few things to discuss and not a lot of time to do it in."

"Like what?"

"Don't look so worried, Harry," Remus soothed. "It'll be alright in the end."

If anything Harry looked even more shaken. "Right, I want to start this with you checking we are who we say we are," Sirius began.

"Why?"

"Because I imagine what we're about to tell you is going to be difficult to hear so I'd like to get that bit over with," he admitted.

"What..what ah…what was my mum's patronus?" Harry stumbled over the question looking bewildered.

"A doe." Sirius replied, "Now Moons."

"What form does my boggart take?"

Remus smirked, "A dementor."

"Right so you're both you…" Harry gestured impatiently.

"Hermione is alive." Sirius blurted. Harry froze, a look of pained longing on his face.

"Is she alright?"

Sirius gave him a gentle smile, sitting down next to him, "She is the most spoiled little witch in the entirety of Britain."

"You've seen her?"

"Yes, I've seen her. I read her what felt like forty stories last night before she allowed me to put her to bed."

"Oh, she's still three then?" Harry whispered, swiping a tear away impatiently "Where is she?"

"Yes she's still three and this is where I'm going to ask you to trust me." Harry nodded warily, "We were contacted by Snape, me, Minnie, Kings, and Andy at the behest of the Malfoys, Lestranges and strangely Corban Yaxley."

"The Malfoys have Hermione?"

"After a fashion. Sit down!" he barked when Harry jumped to his feet. In return, Harry stared at him in disbelief.

"We have to get her! She isn't safe!"

"She is safe." Sirius blew out a breath. "I will take you to see her."

"You will?"

"Yes. If you sit down and actually listen."

There were several beats of silence before Harry sat back down slowly, despite remaining visibly tense. "Go on."

"Thank you. Bella is…sane. Or as sane as any Black gets. She and Rodolphus adopted Hermione."

"No!" Harry howled.

"Yes," Sirius grimaced, "It's not what I'd have chosen for her but…I wasn't kidding when I said she was spoiled. That entire house dotes on her. They have agreed to allow us to be in her life with some conditions."

"Such as?"

"Mainly allowing them to tell her about their pasts, agreeing to work with them."

Remus cut in quickly before Harry could open his mouth, "Harry, all of the Death Eaters are dead or in Azkaban. They worked out how to remove the Mark. They have a plan in place for Tom and they are committed to ending this war with no more bloodshed. I…i know it is a lot to take in. Merlin knows I was sure I was hallucinating, but I helped them remove Marks last night. I have been at Malfoy manor twice now and no one has attempted to murder me."

"How do you know they won't?" Harry demanded.

"Because I also…removed Greyback from the equation. After Christmas I intend to visit the packs. Werewolves are pack animals, as much as it pains me. I took out their alpha. They will know. It makes me the next alpha and i very much intodnt to move them in a different direction. Lucius Malfoy intends to introduce some werewolf laws to help."

"Why would he?" he scoffed.

"Because he knows exactly what terror a feral wolf can wreak," Remus replied gently. "Tom was living in their house. They haven't said much, but what little they have said paints a rather bleak picture."

Harry inhaled deeply. "You believe them?"

"Yes," Sirius admitted, "I don't trust them completely, we got several things in writing under specific vows."

"And…Hermione's really safe?"

"Yes," Sirius agreed, "I would never have left her there if she wasn't."

"Can I see her now?"

"Let me just check in case his lordship has returned, Dixie."

"Yes Master Sirius?"

"Harry's asking to see Miss Aquila, can you check if that's possible?"

"Aquila?"

"Oh, they renamed her Aquila Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry stared back at him helplessly, completely lost for words.

Half an hour later saw Sirius and Remus striding through the manor, Harry trailing behind him, his eyes darting nervously.

"Breathe pup," Sirius commanded,"it's not as bad as all that. Ah cousin!"

Draco rolled his eyes from his perch on the floor, a handful of dolls surrounding him, a tiny curly-headed child sat across from him on the lap of Lucius bloody Malfoy of all people.

"Puppy!" Aquila squealed, barreling into his knees.

"Ooft, little witch! My knees!"

"Sorry!" her gaze switched to Remus, and she beamed, "You come meet my cat?"

"Another one?" Sirius checked, looking at Lucius, "I was going to return Crooks."

Lucius smirked, remaining silent as Aquila hoisted her kitten into her arms, "Meet Pumpkin!"

"Holy mother of Circe," Remus breathed, "Is that…"

"Of course it is," Lucius agreed.

"How…."

"What's wrong with the cat?" Harry ventured, stepping out from behind Sirius.

Aquila froze, "Who're you?" she demanded. Pumpkin growled.

Immediately Sirius's hands came up placatingly. "This is Harry, little witch. He's your…he's another cousin."

"Oh," her tiny face scrunched before she turned to her cat, "Pumpkin be nice." Sirius and Remus relaxed until she continued, "for now."

"That cat's a wampus cat," Remus murmured under his breath to a confused Harry. "They're lethal. So for melins sake do not provoke it or anyone here."

"Right," Harry muttered, looking quite frankly terrified. "I ah….gods this is strange."

Aquila glared at him, stepping back, burrowing herself into the safety of Draco's lap.

"I don't like him," she muttered.

Draco smirked before he schooled his expression into one less antagonising, knowing instinctively that if his cousin ever regained her previous memories she wouldn't thank them for not at least trying to salvage this situation.

"He takes a bit of getting used to," he admitted, "but maybe give him a chance?"

"Why?"

"Well…" Draco floundered.

"Because Auntie Cissa wants a family Christmas, Princess," Lucius interjected, looking like it pained him, "And unfortunately…Mr Potter is…family."

"Oh," she scrunched up her nose.

"Maybe we could start over?" Harry offered at Remus increasingly pointed nudging, barely holding back a reaction at Lucius calling him family. It was an utterly horrifying thought.

She scowled, "You bow?"

Harry's eyes darted to Sirius who nodded, "Right I…right." he bowed looking supremely awkward.

"You're supposed to tell me your name!"

A hint of a smile appeared on his face, "Some things don't change, little miss bossy boots." he bowed again slightly sarcastically, "Harry Potter, my Lady."

Still looking suspicious she stood, giving a wobbly curtsy, her eyes remaining on him the entire time, "Aquila Lestrange"

He hummed, "And your ah…cat?"

She brightened considerably, "This is Pumpkin."

"Of course," he agreed, reaching a hesitant hand out to stroke her. The cat tolerated it for a few seconds before wriggling to be put down.

"You come and play?" Aquila checked.

Not looking sure, he nodded, sitting down beside Draco. Sirius let out a relieved breath as he watched them, wanting to laugh at the way Aquila bossed Harry and Draco who's dolls were clearly her underlings and the way Lucius escaped quickly when her focus was split.

"Not a fan of dolls?"

Lucius snorted, "That little witch is terrifying."

"And you love it," Remus finished.

"Yes I do." he admitted, "I always wanted a daughter and now I have a niece. It's delightful getting to spoil the tiny witch and hand her back to someone else to parent."

Remus snorted, "Gods she's going to be a holy terror."

"Bellatrix is that witchlings mother, nothing I can do can be worse than that."

Sirius inclined his head, "Let's just stay on her good side, yes?"

"Gods yes." Lucius muttered, "nowhere else is safe."

They all startled at the excited cry of "Cat!" that tore through the air as a blur of curls barreled towards the floo sending five panicked wizards to their feet with a shout only for her to skid to a halt in front of a ginger monstrosity that was purring loudly, rubbing his head against her legs.

"Mother of fucking Morgana!" Sirius swore, "I think she just shaved forty years of my life."

A pale Lucius nodded silently, one hand pressed against his chest where his heart was threatening to give up.

"Keels…." Draco wheezed. "I…Merlin little witch. You can't…"

Aquila frowned, bending to pick up an unusually compliant Crooks, trying to hoist him into her arms and failing miserably; the cat was almost the same size as her. She settled for dropping to her knees so she could cuddle him instead, turning back to her cousin, "It's a cat, Draco!"

"So I see," he agreed faintly.

"His name is Crookshanks," Harry offered, still shaken looking.

"Cooks…crooks…hanks?" she attempted, struggling to pronounce it.

"We call him Crooks." Remus interjected.

"He's yours?"

"Ah well…technically he's yours."

"Mine!" she squealed. "Pumpkin, come and meet your new friend!"

Scooping up the wampus cat, Draco carried her over, tugging his cousin onto his lap in an attempt to convince himself she wasn't about to set herself on fire. Harry watched him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Crooks and Pumpkin eyed one another before Crookshansk stalked up and sat down on Aquila's lap, much to her clear delight, clearly staking his territory. Pumpkin looked miffed and hissed at him, until with a look that could only be called disdainful, Crooks growled and batted the kitten on the noise. Looking startled, Pumpkin stared back. Clearly deciding that everything was decided and he was absolutely on top, Crooks turned rubbing his face against Aquila's jaw, making her laugh as she wound her arms around both him and Pumpkin and gave a happy little sigh, a look of utter contentment on her face that remained for the entirety of Harry's visit.

"The goblins sent an owl," Lucius informed the table over lunch. "They cannot interfere with Tom or Nagini but they are willing to look at Potter for a fee. They speculate that as long as the horcruxes are viable, Tom can survive magic suppression cuffs. What they are not sure of is whether it will be his wraith or his construct that remains."

"It's something, at least," Rodolphus mused. "No magic suppression just in case much harder to contain a wraith"

"No, sadly not. Doxie warded the room?"

"Yes."

"Then let us work on a containment and lure for Nagini."

"Shame we didn't keep a body," Lucius muttered, "That would make luring the beast easier."

Rodolphus snorted but did not disagree, instead, he began drawing up a list of alternatives, while silently wondering if there were people they had forgotten to dispose of that could perhaps be of use. Sadly, he concluded eventually, they had gotten everyone they needed to.