Chapter 22: Project Phoenix
"The deal is done," Lucius voice said.
She guessed he was visiting her. She didn't hear him coming in, not that she was that surprise. Going in and out of consciousness was sort of her thing these days. That and pain.
"So, I'm free. Or will be when I 'die"."
"You're already dead to most of the world."
"You know that's not what I mean."
She was referring to the part about taking the potion. Having this life of hers stripped away from her and becoming someone else.
She knew that a part of Lucius had been trying to convince her to fight for her identity, but she didn't want to.
What was there left?
Yes, there was Siri, Cissy, and Andi, but they deserved to be free of her. Everyone deserved to be free of her, including herself. It might be selfish but a part of her no longer wanted to be Bellatrix. She hadn't been herself for so long and had been such a monster and she just didn't want to be associated with that monster anymore. She didn't want to remember.
She was still flummoxed that the ministry had came up with something so ingenious. The potion would apparently wipe her memories and rewrite them into making her believe she was someone else. It still eerily reminded her of what had happened to her, but at the same time the potion was different.
She had asked Lucius about it and he had seemed just as clueless as her.
"Amelia didn't say much about it and I didn't get to ask questions about it. She didn't even tell me the potion's name. I halfway suspect she doesn't even know."
"It's just that…"
"It reminds you of what happened before, I have thought about that too. If you want…"
"No, don't bother." She said, "There's no need to look into it at this point. What's done is done. That time has passed. And at least I won't be a raging psychopath this time around if it is the same thing."
No, she'd be a vapid socialite or something to that degree per Lucius. The ministry had wanted her to do something that wasn't dangerous which meant she'd probably be as fashion obsessed as Narcissa. Thank Merlin, she wouldn't remember. In a way it seemed pointless giving her the details since she'd soon forget them. Though she had to agree to the blood adoption for the whole thing to work.
She grimaced thinking she'd be related to her brother-in-law.
He would be her half-brother in this new life. Even though the blood adoption would technically make them full siblings. Twins really since it would be Lucius's blood that would be merging with her own should the adoption take. Not that either of them would know it. He would just think of her as the Malfoy bastard from France and she'd think of him as her annoying snooty brother.
Their relationship actually wouldn't that different than it was now.
She was sort of surprised by his offer in all honestly. She thought about not taking it given some of the possible side effects that Lucius had briefly warned her about, but at the end of the day she took it because anything had to be better than being Bellatrix Lestrange. Who even knew if she'd survive all the procedures she had to endure.
They didn't think she'd survive with the number of injuries she sustained. She still didn't know if she survived everything else, she'd have to undergo to be somewhat presentable.
Bella shuddered at how she probably looked. She couldn't see. She had heard them say that one had sustained severe damage when that bitch tried to gouge it out. Her entire face hurt—broken nose, jaw, teeth. The list went on and on and that didn't even take in consideration the burn marks. She knew her hair was gone. She knew that if it wasn't for the pain potions she took she'd be in constant pain.
She never had been as vain as Narcissa, but she had her moments and she was having a lot of them as of late. She was just glad she couldn't see herself now. She could tell just from Lucius reaction and the healers and mediwitches it wasn't good.
"They're wanting to start to do the reconstructive work soon," He said if reading her mind. "They wanted to do the other procedures first."
Meaning, the blood adoption and identity potion.
"This soon?"
"They want to start the procedures and thought it be better if the changes had been made so that the work they did could be catered to your new life..."
"So, this is it. I will not be seeing you again."
"Not after the ceremony," he said. "At least not as Bellatrix Lestrange."
She forgot that a blood adoption required a ceremony to be properly done. Not that she could tell you about the actual ceremony since she couldn't see.
They took the bandages off because they had to draw ruins all over her. Ruins mixed with the donor's blood and her own. Not that she could see them. They then had her sit in the ritual tub filled with the adoption potion which was mostly made with blood while they undertook the ceremony.
Vows were made similar to a marriage, but different. Showing family loyalty and devotion. Leaving behind old life she had as a Black to be a Malfoy.
It pained her to agree to doing this, but…for loyalty to the Blacks she had to agree. She then submerged entirely in the potion and remained there for how long she couldn't tell you. She just knew she couldn't breathe, and she felt like everything was burning again. She didn't remember being taken out of the solution or when they poured the sticky liquid down her throat as well as the other potion…the potion that would remove all traces of Bellatrix Lestrange from her mind.
"Are you alright, Monsieur Malfoy?"
He blinked not knowing where he was for a second then it hit him why he had been called to Lyon.
Father and his bastards.
Or bastard since she was the only one that he knew of that survived.
The bastard had gotten severally beaten and burned by their boyfriend and he just had been the stupid emergency contact of all people.
Claire Malfoy, he thought. He was a little surprised that Father had given this one his last name until he remembered who the woman's mother was.
Oh, how his father loved veela.
Well, Claire certainly didn't look like she was related to a veela right now. He had blanched when he saw woman who was covered almost head and toe in bandages. The pictures that the healers showed him of the injuries were practically unrecognizable
Not that he really had been around her much. He didn't think they had actually met come to think of. Most if not all of their correspondence had been through owl post.
They had been cordial at least, but he really couldn't remember much about her. He didn't even remember telling Narcissa about her either.
How strange that that made you someone's designated contact person. You'd think being half veela…
Who knew if the gene had even affected her. His mother had been a full blown veela herself. The genetics on such a thing weren't really explored only that it didn't affect men. Which was merciful for him and Draco at least since the ministry almost viewed them as half breeds.
It was one of many reasons Narcissa and him took precautions when they did try to conceive to only have a boy. Besides the potential health consequences to Narcissa should she carry such a child since a regular human woman couldn't exactly carry such a child without complications.
He tried to recall what he could about Claire Malfoy. Beauxbatons graduate, no surprise there it was bloody France. She was well provided for her but a trust Abraxas had set up, but couldn't pinpoint what she did. Or if she even did anything once she came into her trust. Maybe something with fashion or glamour potions. He remembered she always talked about them excessively the couple of times they did correspond.
It wasn't like him to keep up with his bastard sister. He still didn't understand why he was even here. He had a vague recollection of donating his blood for her and he wondered why…why would he do this for a bastard?
Let alone Father's bastard.
"She should be fine," The mediwitch said in French. "The first procedure went okay. The eyes should grow back."
He grimaced knowing that his sister's paramour had done this to her.
Why hadn't Claire defended herself with a wand?
Her solution oddly reminded him of his mother's.
He didn't have a lot of memories of Odette Malfoy only that she had died young. He often suspected Father had killed her. He often thought he killed a lot of his mistresses too. Honestly, he was sort of surprised he left Claire and her mother alive.
"The attacker tried to gouge them out," The mediwitch said. "Clearly, you remember."
"Sorry, it's been a lot." He frowned.
"Indeed," The mediwitch said. " The family strengthening ritual the two of you performed took a lot out of both of you. Perhaps you should go home."
Lucius looked exhausted. That was the first thing Narcissa noted when her husband came home. And he seemed almost dazed.
Was everything okay?
She felt like she had been a terrible wife lately. She knew she hadn't been the most responsive the past few weeks between Bellatrix's death, Harry and now Draco, she had been occupied. Other than their little romp on Valentine's day they hadn't had that much time together.
"Luc?"
"I just came back from France."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I visited my sister."
"Sister?"
"Abraxas had a bastard he didn't kill, I guess I never told you about her."
"No, I don't think you did."
Then again, he never really talked about his parents. Especially Abraxas after what he had done. Most of their talk about his family had involved genetics.
"Perhaps we should take a soak. Then have an encore performance of the other night. Maybe even while taking a soak. I need you."
"I'd like that…" She said she had been wanting him a lot lately, "We both could use one and I need you."
He looked at her, "Another rough day?"
"When is it not? But we should talk about this sister of yours."
He frowned, "Don't ruin the mood, minx. Really, there's not much to say. She's lived in France most of her life. We've exchanged a couple of letters and apparently she put me as an emergency contact which was why I was notified after she was attacked by her ex-boyfriend. She'll be fine"
Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "Will she?"
"I don't know," he said as he threw his robes off and got into the water. "I don't know about any of this. I just it doesn't seem right burdening you with all you have going on."
"Don't say that," She said joining him. "You're hardly burdening me with telling me about your troubles. You are my husband, remember?"
"I know, Cissy, but you've been through so much this year alone. And it's not like I have much of a relationship with Claire anyway. I'm honestly surprised Father didn't dispose of her like the others. I think it's because her mother was like mine."
"Oh," Cissy said. "Is she like Odette?"
In a way it hadn't been that surprising to find out about Lucius's mother's heritage given Lucius light hair and pale complexion. She had heard Mother and Aunt Walburga gossiping about the late Odette Malfoy. They were both relieved when they realized the precautions they took to have a boy worked. They could only imagine what would happen if they had a daughter who had the gene and if she herself had become affected during pregnancy.
Veelas weren't viewed as lesser beings like werewolves or vampires were, but magical Britian still looked down on them especially in pureblood society. Lucius had confided in her that his father had been horrible to Odette and likely got away with in part because of her heritage.
What an awful man.
Obviously, he was the closest of friends with her parents. Cissy shuddered.
"Are you cold?" Lucius asked seeing that she was chilled.
The water was scalding hot. Lucius liked it that way.
"Just thinking of the past, your father in particular." She said, "I'm surprised he let a child of his actually live."
"You and I both," Lucius said.
"I'm surprised you…"
"Never mentioned her? Honestly, Narcissa, I almost forgot she existed."
The pain got worse. She remembered being emerged in all that blood. As her insides felt like they were on fire again. Maybe even worse than when her body was on fire. She felt her body shifting.
There was no other way to describe it as everything began to change. She couldn't move. Couldn't scream and then…something else was poured down her throat and she felt like she had all those years ago.
Nothing made sense.
Her name….her name….
Lestrange. Black. Lestrange. Black. Lestrange. Black… Black. Black.
That wasn't right she thought as memories of her life began to fade away and transform.
She could remember growing up with Maman wondering about her father. They moved often. Usually, after Maman separated from her latest paramour.
It would always end bad for Maman.
People looked so harshly on Maman…
Fake. Fake. Don't listen. Fake.
The voice faded away as she remembered how Maman told her she was a veela and she could be one too. " You won't know for sure until puberty, mon chéri. If you are one, women will judge you harshly. Men will view you as just a plaything. You are not a plaything and ignore the sneers. Be you."
She remembered going to Beauxbatons. Finding out that Maman had been killed her second year. She had been so sad, so upset. The school had allowed her to stay to study. Her Charms and Potions professors had been particular encouraging with her work on beauty spells and potions.
Charms. Dueling. Flitwick…
Dueling? That was ridiculous. Why was she thinking that? Not that she would've had much better luck with that. Finding a placement had always been difficult with Maman's line of work.
How she had not known but should've known. How she had thought about going into that line of work herself….
The Dark Lord's whore.
The Dark Lord? She had never slept with any dark lords or hand done any of that sort of work, though she had been thinking about it at the time her brother's letter found her.
Her inheritance…. the fact that Father had somehow given her one. His name. She could have a place in society. She could follow her dreams. She didn't have to be someone's whore unless she wanted to be.
No brothers. Sisters. No brothers. Sisters….
How she was able to make a life for herself. Falling in love with Jean Luc.
Siri. It had always been Siri. Siri. Siri. Siri. Their babies…
Siri.
Joh Luc. They were to get married. They had been so happy. Her telling him she was with child only losing it when she lost him.
Baby….not her baby…no more, no more!
Her ending up with him. Him making her feel like a cheap whore. Him destroying her….trying to kill her. She felt his hands on his throat, trying to gouge out her eyes….
Claire Malfoy's eyes snapped open eying her room in France for the first time.
"Mademoiselle Malfoy, it's good to see you're awake." The healer whose voice she had heard for so many days said.
"Healer Corbin," She said. "I can see you."
Somehow her voice seemed different to her. Sweeter. Lighter. Disgustingly sweet. This had always been her voice. But her accent was perfect.
Of course it was, she was French.
It wasn't just that though it just…she couldn't explain it.
"Good, good," The Healer said responding to her remark about being able to see.
She grimaced as she remembered her Raul trying to gouge them out that awful night only it felt off.
Like everything else did.
"I'm going to do a quick exam," The healer said. "Make sure your vision is all in order and if it is we can proceed with working on your jaw and teeth next.
Inwardly she grimaced remembering she hated skelegrow she always told him….told him what?
The only time she had ever taken Skelegrow before was when she had gotten into an accident on her broom back during third year. She was always awful at flying….
"Vision is good," Healer Corbin said. "You have such beautiful eyes, mademoiselle. A very unique color."
"Oh," She said not thinking her eyes were really that interesting. Everyone in the family had the same color…gray. He just said hers were always cat like whatever that meant.
"Yes, such an interesting shade of violet."
Violet her eyes weren't violet. Weren't they?
Chapter 23 Preview: Sirius and Harry reunite, Andromeda questions Lupin, some insight about the potion Bella took is discussed.