Chapter 29: Sisters ForeverChapter TextBellatrix and Hermione never did get around to spending the night together in that nice guest room with the big single bed. Instead, they spent the night sleeping in each other's arms on a small hospital cot. Not exactly comfy, but the company had made up for it. On the whole, Hermione had slept like a baby.
In fact, her awakening was quite rude as she heard the crackling of a radio in the distance. Hermione groaned and wiped the sand out of her eyes. She quickly noticed she was alone in the cot and that the sun was rising. Bellatrix, as per usual, was up and about. Fiddling with said radio, apparently.
"Good morning, sleepy head," Bellatrix greeted, without looking up while fiddling with the knob on the radio. "I was looking for some morning music but then I came across a bloke ranting and it sounded hilarious."
"Oh?" Hermione asked.
"Just a moment, trying to find it again… Ah, got it!" proclaimed Bellatrix as she had found the station. Immediately, Hermione chuckled when she heard the strange mixture of slightly accented Russian and rather thick Liverpudlian.
"I see you have discovered InfoWizards," smirked Hermione. "That is your old friend Antonin Dolohov. He is a bit of a crackpot conspiracy nut and that's putting it mildly. Hates the government no matter who runs it, but when Voldemort took over, he was the only one brave... or mad... enough willing to continue speaking out against the Ministry and their policies. Became a bit of a voice of the resistance during the war. No Death Eater was ever able to find him. And believe me, they tried. My friends and I used to love listening to him when we were on the run."
"That's Antonin?" Bellatrix frowned. "He's come long way since his days of student radio, it seems. Good for him."
"Not student radio now," Hermione chuckled. "You know, I met him once, I think. At Tottenham Court Road I..."
A familiar sting started to take shape in Hermione head and she immediately pushed the thought away. "No, that's not right. I must be mistaken."
The two witches continued chatting over the rants, until the voice of Dolohov clearly spoke the name 'Bellatrix Black'. The two witches felt silent, shared a look and quickly turned up the volume.
"... several sightings from independent sources at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Now, I know what you all must be thinking: Antonin, there's been Bellatrix Black sightings going on for thirty-three years and it never amounted to anything. Folks, those were all single sightings or photographs of a random curly-haired girl taken from a long distance. But the sheer amount of witnesses here is staggering. It's the real deal, folks."
"Looks like we've been spotted," Bellatrix crossed her arms.
"Tavern full of people getting ready for a pub quiz. I'm not surprised," Hermione replied.
"Our source within Hogwarts has independently verified that were are indeed dealing with both Bellatrix Black and Hermione Granger. Let that sink in for a moment. Bellatrix Black, who disappeared exactly thirty-three years ago and Hermione Granger, who disappeared exactly three years ago, turn up in the same place on the same day. That is no coincidence, folks."
"He's right, you know," Bellatrix laughed.
"Doesn't it strike you as odd that these girls happen to turn up together just as the pressure on the Ministry keeps heating up? Very curious timing indeed. Does the Ministry think we're blind? Do they think we won't realize it was them who made those girls disappear in the first place?! Merlin knows what those poor girls have been through! And, get this, according to the witnesses and our source within Hogwarts, Bellatrix Black has not aged a day. Not a single day! What has the Ministry been up to!"
"Should we tell him about the murder-unicorn?" Bellatrix laughed.
"He'd probably say it works for the Ministry," Hermione shrugged.
"Meanwhile, the Ministry wheels just keep turning and the same drones keep working the machine. A DARK LORD TAKES OVER AND IT'S BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL. A DARK LORD IS DEPOSED AND IT'S BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL! DOESN'T THAT STRIKE YOU AS ODD?! DOESN'T THAT STRIKE YOU AS INSIDIOUS?! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO IT'S FOR, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY LIVES GET DESTROYED, AS LONG AS IT SERVES THE GLOBALIST CAUSE! We're dealing with a foul cabal who is using children to fight their wars for them! That should tell you enough! Rrragh! IT MAKES ME ANGRY!"
"Hah, he's certainly lively," snorted Bellatrix.
"And then some," Hermione replied. "He's not wrong either. After the war, Kingsley Shacklebolt tried to implement reform but he's being stonewalled at every turn. Hell, he might not even been Minister anymore for all I know. Nothing is happening and it was all back to business as usual for them. Just like Dolohov says."
"Don't let them walk all over you, people. Don't let them fool you. This doesn't change anything. How long has the Ministry been holding on to these girls? What have they done to them? I am as curious as you are, my friends, to the truth behind a thirty year old mystery, but don't let this distract you from what's going on and what they're doing. Even if you disagree with what the Grangers are doing, you have to feel the pain of parents losing their child. Even if you don't agree with the Grangers as wizards, feel their pain as parents! I've said it many times and I will say it again loudly and proudly: JUSTICE… FOR… HERMIONE!"
Bellatrix rubbed her chin. "Huh. Justice for Hermione?"
"I wonder what that's all about," said Hermione, her stomach now growling. "Maybe we should ask for breakfast? After that we can set about to contact our families."
"Sounds like a plan. Hm, need to find Zipper first," Bellatrix muttered. "He flew off into the corridor, but he never goes far."
Hermione shook her head. "He's just as much as a fish out of water as we are right now. Let him explore his new surroundings for a bit. We'll be joining him soon."
Bellatrix raised an eyebrow. "I'll have more exploring to do than you," she chuckled.
"Oh, trust me," Hermione snorted. "A lot can happen in a year. Let alone three."
The first order business was to take a shower in the adjacent bathroom before they would change into the fresh set of clothes left for them. Naturally, they decided to share. When the hot water bore down upon them both, Hermione closed her eyes and let her troubles wash away from her for a little bit, simply enjoying the hot water and the pleasant company.
Pleasant company which was rather lovingly soaping up her back right now. When she was done, Hermione turned around to face a grinning Bellatrix and repaid the favour by soaping up her chest. The two witches kissed merrily underneath the jet of warm water, pressing their bodies together. Bellatrix absolutely wanted to take it further, but Hermione decided against it as they were taking enough risks right now in a public bathroom... even though the school was practically empty.
As if the feeling of soft breasts underneath her hands wasn't enough temptation, Bellatrix whispering "Tease" in her ear sent such a shudder through her entire body that Hermione almost changed her mind.
Once they emerged from the shower, they shared a towel and Hermione took a look at the set clothes. School uniforms, of course, one Gryffindor, one Slytherin.
Hm, if McGonagall was trying subtly message the two of them that they would both be welcomed back among the student body, she had succeeded. Behind her, Bellatrix dried her hair by taking a wand to it and using a spell to suck all the moisture out of her curly mane by twirling the tip of her wand. It collected in a globule of gathered water which she flicked into the sink, leaving her hair ready for brushing.
Bellatrix looked quite striking in her Slytherin uniform, though she purposefully left the neck unbuttoned and her necktie loose. "They remembered my size," said Bellatrix. "Still, I'm not sure how I feel about wearing this uniform after all the things we've done together."
Hermione nodded. "I know what you mean. Seems... mundane, doesn't it?"
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Hermione replied.
"I love you, Hermione," spoke Bellatrix. "It's pretty much the only certainty I have right now. And I'm not giving you up for anything."
"Same. It's jarring enough to miss three years, let alone thirty-three," sighed Hermione. "But, this is at least one thing I know I have. I love you too, Bellatrix, whatever comes our way next."
The two witches shared an embrace and another kiss. The curly-haired witch still held on to each other, Bellatrix gave her a smirk.
"What?" Hermione asked warily.
"You might have denied me in the shower, but, trust me, you'd better hope that nice big bed in our room is sturdy, because we're absolutely going to do our best to completely break it tonight."
Hermione laughed, but admitted to herself she was looking forward to it. She was just adjusting her necktie when there was a knock on the door. "Excuse me?" sounded from the other side. "Is someone there?"
Bellatrix had just thrown the robe over her shoulders without pushing her arms through the sleeves, using it very much as a casual cloak. "Just us!" she called out. A few moments later, a girl in her early twenties, red haired and freckled, entered the room. Susan Bones, a former classmate, stood in front of them, clad in a mediwitch uniform. Curious. Hermione clearly remembered Susan Bones not returning to Hogwarts after the war and yet… here she was. The familiar sting shot through the back of her head, causing her to wince. What was she thinking? Of course Susan had returned to Hogwarts. Though they were never particularly close, they were on friendly terms and chatted every so often. Last time they spoke, Susan had mentioned seeking an apprenticeship with madame Pomfrey. Considering she was still around after graduation, that was indeed the path she had taken.
The now slightly older girl reached forth to grab both of Hermione's hands, squeezing slightly. "Hermione. I was sure we'd never see you again."
Almost automatically, Hermione raised her head and spoke. "How's Lavender?" she asked, not really aware why she was asking.
Susan seemed a bit deflated and led both girls into another room of the hospital wing, which was darkened and smelled of fresh flowers. There, on the bed, lay Lavender Brown, eyes closed and seemingly catatonic. A series of deep gashes, claw marks, ran over her face and down her body, covered up by her sleeping garment but undoubtedly there.
"Whoa," Bellatrix crossed her arms. "What happened to her?"
"Saving my life happened to her," spoke Susan with her usual touch of guilt.
"I remember," said Hermione. "I was there, on the ramparts. We were losing ground to Voldemort's forces, magic was raining down upon us, explosions everywhere. The three of us were separated from our group and were making our way to the gatehouse to try to find some shelter."
"Unfortunately," Susan spoke with some bitterness, a faraway look on her face. "It was already occupied."
Bellatrix looked on with grim curiosity as Hermione closed her eyes and sank into a chair next to the comatose Lavender. "Fenrir Greyback, one of Voldemort's footsoldiers, was already there. He advanced upon us, chuckling. Saying… saying that our mistake had given him three tasty treats. He went for Susan first."
"Because I froze…" Susan whispered softly, her voice laden with guilt.
"It all happened so fast," said Hermione, closing her eyes. "Lavender and I rushed forward to try to raise a barrier… but Greyback was faster. I didn't even see the strike happen. Only thing I knew was that Lavender was airborne and flew over the railing. I never heard her land in the courtyard. By the time I got the barrier up, there were mere inches between me and him. He started wailing on the shield like a crazed animal."
Bellatrix frowned in concern while Susan broke in. "We thought we were done for. Turns out that Death Eaters don't really worry that much about friendly fire."
"A fireball exploded right above the gatehouse," said Hermione, getting a faraway look in her eyes. "We were protected by the shield. He was not. With all that fur, he lit up like a torch in the night. A screaming, howling torch. God, that smell. I'll never forget that smell. He jumped over the parapet, trying to reach the lake I think."
"Never made it," spat Susan. "Broke all his limbs on impact and burned to a cinder. Good riddance to bad rubbish, I'd say."
Hermione's hands started to tremble. Slight at first. But the increasing tremor in her hands soon spread upward through her arms until her entire body started to tremble. She was in that moment again. To a point where she could hear the deafening explosions all around her, the screams. She felt the shockwave of the blasts crash upon her. She could feel the cold of the rain and wind on her skin, oddly enough mixing with the searing heat from the fireball. The smell of burning fur and charring flesh. God, that smell. She would never forget that smell until the end of her days. Susan crying and clutching onto her as they looked over the railing and saw Lavender's motionless body so far below. Lightning… no, magic… hitting the ground near them. Shelter. They had to find shelter.
More than that, there was fear. Deep-seated, crippling terror. Lestrange. Lestrange was on the battlefield here, somewhere. She couldn't bear the thought of facing him again. She would crumble, she knew she would. Hermione was not brave. She was not a hero. She was a little girl about to piss her pants.
Two arms surrounded her from behind. Soft lips on her cheek, near her ear. Bellatrix whispering that it would be alright. Hermione would like to believe that lie, even for a little moment.
Susan offered her a glass of cold water while her tremors started to subside, while Bellatrix still clutched onto her. "Well," spoke Hermione in between sips of soothing liquid. "Haven't had one of those in a while."
Making light of it didn't seem to help much.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that," said Bellatrix. "Both of you."
"Three of us," said Susan mournfully. "I should have died that day, with the rest of my family. I'm the only Bones left alive. Lav is all the family I have left. She's the reason why I'm here. The healers say there's nothing physically wrong with her and that she'll wake up when she wants too. Until then, I'll wait and take care of her."
Meanwhile, Hermione lay a hand on Bellatrix' and squeezed slightly. "I'm fine, Trix."
"You really are not," replied Bellatrix.
Trix could be perceptive at times, that much was true.
Susan chuckled. "We haven't even discussed the real elephant in the room," said Susan, eyeing Bellatrix, "I can't believe it's really you. It's not often when meet a legend."
Bellatrix shifted a little. "I've heard myself mentioned on the radio just now."
"Oh, you have no idea," chuckled Susan. "As for you, Hermione, I just want you to know I don't believe any of it. Just so you know. There are many others on your side too."
That was a rather confusion statement, but she soon connected it to the rather cryptic statements made about her on the radio. Granted, it was InfoWizards and their broadcasts were cooky at the best of times, but still it raised many questions. "What do you mean by that?" asked Hermione.
"Merlin, I wouldn't know where to start," Susan blew out some air through pursed lips. "And it's not my place, really. McGonagall will tell you."
Hermione was about to press the issue when the door flew open. Three startled girls soon saw a house-elf having burst into the room looking as if he had been running all the way. "HEY!" Bellatrix crossed her arms. "Don't you little idiots know how to knock?! We could have been naked in here!"
Hermione made a face, but waited for the elf to catch his breath. "B-begging your pardon, gentle-witches, but Head Mistress McGonagall requests your immediate presence in her office."
Immediately, Bellatrix threw up her arms. "Oh, what have we done now?! We've just woken up! How could we already be in trouble?!"
"Maybe Zipper stung someone?"
"They probably deserved it, then," Bellatrix sighed. "Best get this shit over with."
"Wait!" Susan blurted out. "There's something you should know before you go, Hermione. It's Cormac McLaggen. He's, well, still at the school…"
Hermione blinked. "Still? He was already held back a year in 1998 and if it's now 2001… How is that even possible?!"
Susan sighed. "Special course assignments," she said. "Anything to make him pass. His family is big in the Ministry and they're keen on saving face. Can't have the prodigal son flunk out of Hogwarts. Officially, he's a teacher's apprentice. Unofficially, he's been in his Seventh year for four terms."
Hermione's jaw was about to hit the ground. "McGonagall went along with this?"
Susan shrugged. "Path of least resistance. It's less of a hassle to keep him around as free labour than to fight a losing battle with Ministry officials."
Bellatrix smirked at her. "If he becomes a pain, I shall deal with him. Now, shall we get underway?"
The two girls said their goodbyes to Susan and made their way to McGonagall's office, the light of day now pouring in through the many windows of the castle. They went up several spiral staircases and ended up standing in the doorway of the office. Bellatrix, ahead of Hermione, suddenly froze like a statue and it didn't take long for Hermione to see why.
Visitors had come. Two women, one man. They stood opposite to an irate McGonagall.
One of the was Malfoy. Of course. Of course that dunderhead was here. Why shouldn't he be? Malfoy was someone she had been glad to leave behind in her past after the Battle of Hogwarts, but the blonde prat seemed to be determined to haunt her.
Then there was Narcissa Malfoy, dressed in her finery. Green dress and a bonnet which cost more money than her parents could earn in a whole year.
Most striking, however, was Andromeda. There was a stark resemblance to the older Bellatrix: same jawline, same dark eyes, though her hair was straighter and dark brown. Clad in a black velvet and satin dress with golden embroideries... literal golden embroideries... as well as several silver protective runes worked into the fabric. It looked to be even more expensive than the already considerably expensive dress Narcissa was wearing. Andromeda looked positively regal, and a far cry from the simple house-witch she had known in... the other time-line.
Hermione hissed, already feeling the onset of stings in head head. Best to not question it. Especially since, judging from her expression and her stance, Andromeda seemed to be on the warpath.
"Why do I have to find out my sister has returned through a radio show?!" Andromeda spoke. "Why was I not informed the moment she arrived?!"
Her voice was powerful. Her presence domineering. She faced off with McGonagall, who refused to be intimidated, but this was a battle of wills between two very powerful women used to getting their way. And, much to Hermione's surprise, in this war of attrition, McGonagall was on the losing side.
"Madame Black, as I've already explained to you, they arrived late in the day and both girls were injured. I..."
"INJURED?!" Andromeda shouted with such force and determination that it made Hermione jump. "All the more reason to inform me post-haste! I will remind you that this school receives considerable donations from House Black! While I ask for nothing in return, a simple courtesy is the least you could do! Do not give me reason to re-evaluate the expenditures of my House!"
"I will not stand here and be threatened in my own school!" McGonagall seethed. "Look, I appreciate that you are upset, but this is a most unusual situation..."
"And she is with the girl whose parents are suing the Ministry?" Andromeda crossed her arms. "What other details are you hiding from us?"
"Whose parents… are suing the Ministry?" Hermione whispered to Bellatrix as the two shared a look. Apparently, however, Bellatrix was too preoccupied with her sisters, smiling with slightly watery eyes. Hermione's words attracted the attention of Narcissa, who looked in their direction and then turned her head back to the conversation with McGonagall... only to snap her head back to them so fast that Hermione worried the Malfoy matriarch might have broken it. "Andie..." Narcissa whispered.
Andromeda ignored her and kept arguing.
"ANDIE!" Narcissa called. Andromeda turned around to see what was going on and simply... stared.
For a moment there, the entire room was silent as all eyes were on the eldest Black sister. Finally, it was Andromeda who broke the silence. "Bella?" she asked, her voice a disbelieving whisper. Not waiting for an answer, she rushed forward and scooped Bellatrix into a fierce hug. "BELLA!" she shouted, tears already flowing.
Narcissa wouldn't be left behind and quickly joined in. Soon Bellatrix was engulfed in a tight, weepy and joyous family hug in which not a single eye was left dry.
While McGonagall was smiling, Hermione and Malfoy simply stood there awkwardly watching the three sisters' moment.
"Granger," greeted Malfoy with a snarl.
"Malfoy," spat Hermione with narrowed eyes.
In a way, the rivalry between Draco and Hermione had never quite ended. Though Draco had shown his true colours eventually, that didn't negate years of bullying and mistreatment. Though she could very easily forgive Bellatrix for crimes against her she would now never commit, the things Draco did to her very must existed and very much happened. She turned her head slightly to again see the heart-warming and tearful reunion of three sisters who loved each other very much. That made her smile, at least.
"Well," Draco pursed his lips, of course having to ruin the moment which his mere presence. "You are only too eager to legitimize yourself, hm? Attaching yourself to a Great Wizarding house and through my long-lost aunt, even. Well, you do aim high."
He sounded even more smug than usual. Odd.
"You're talking out of your arse again, Malfoy," Hermione narrowed her eyes. "But then again, what's new?"
"What else would you call this?" Draco shook his head. "Back for scant a few hours and already making a power grab. You're far more Slytherin than I gave you credit for. And where were you, even?"
"It's a long story," said Hermione. "As for me and Trix, we are two people in love, swine. A rain not likely to rain on your ferret-faced parade."
Draco faked a yawn. "Oh, try something original for a change. Also, you'd be surprised," chuckled Draco, showing off what looked to be an engagement ring. He took note of her surprised look, and then studied her for a moment. "You…" he started, as if he had come to a sudden revelation. "You really have no idea what's been going on, haven't you?"
Hermione glared at him for a moment, but then looked away. "I'm sure you're going to tell me," she crossed her arms.
"Oh, hell no!" laughed Draco. "I'll just let you flop about like a fish for a little while longer. It's going to be hilarious to watch!"
Hermione made a face. Meanwhile, the three Black sisters were finally released each other from the three-way bear hug, though still holding on to each other at arm's length. "Look at you," spoke Narcissa Malfoy. "Bella, you haven't aged a day!"
"You... you two are older than I am..." Bellatrix bit her lip. "Does that make me the baby sister now?"
"I'm sure we'll work something out," smiled Andromeda Black.
"And who is this?" Bellatrix asked, glancing in Draco's direction. Hermione sighed: of course she wouldn't know him.
Narcissa, still having her arms clamped tight around Bellatrix' waist, rather proudly presented her son to her. Though she was shooting glares at Draco the whole time while he was introducing himself, Hermione was quick to see just how close the three Black sisters were. Trix had been quite right when she told Hermione that the three of them had an unbreakable bond and it had certainly persisted through the time-skip. Bellatrix looked so comfortable and content at her sisters' closeness. And to think that, at one time, Bellatrix would pressure her youngest sister into supporting Voldemort and banish her younger sister out of her life.
That never happened here, and Hermione was happy for it. And with her headaches once again on the rise, she was happy to simply be in the now.
"You two know each other?" Bellatrix asked, causing Hermione to snap out of her haze.
"Oh," Hermione narrowed her eyes. "You could say that."
"Granger and I have a history," Draco smirked. "But Granger, honestly, you keep doing this to yourself, you know? I'm not the one jumping into bed with my aunt."
"MALFOY!"
"Draco, please," Andromeda demanded with a stern glare.
"I concur," added McGonagall. "Please keep this civil, mister Malfoy."
Bellatrix, for her part, seemed to be enjoying the show. "Oh," she chuckled. "I like this one."
"You would..."
"I have a nephew that's older than I am," Bellatrix put a finger to her lips. "That'll take some getting used to."
Andromeda turned her attention back to her sisters. "An older niece as well. Nymphadora would have been here... if she could be bothered to get out of bed this early in the morning."
Nymphadora was alive? This caused Hermione to blink, before wincing again when sharp pain shot through her skull. Well, of course, Nymphadora was alive? Why wouldn't she be? The image of the plucky auror shot through her mind, only to be replaced with… she honestly didn't know what. Why was she so happy about a girl being alive whom she had never met? This was all becoming rather odd.
By now, it was starting to dawn onto her that it was mostly thinking of events which happened in the old now no longer existing time line which was giving her the headaches. The whole having lived two lives with contradictory memories was getting more and more confusing, but the pain did give her enough of incentive to try to stop thinking about it too much.
Another thing was that Andromeda would simply not stop glaring at her. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Andromeda didn't trust her, nor did she care much for her. And she truly wondered why.
Bellatrix, however, did not seem to notice this and merrily smiled at her two now older younger sisters, one of which still holding on to her. "Wait. She's not up yet? But it's almost ten in the morning," frowned Bellatrix.
That made Draco laugh. "Oh, that is definitely too early for Cousin Dora. Try again in at least two hours."
"Andie," started Narcissa. "I know we've talked about Nymphadora before, but this…"
"You raise Draco your way. I raise Nymphadora my way," Andie retorted.
"Fine," responded her sister. Hermione could practically hear Narcissa rolling her eyes.
Andromeda sighed through her nose. "She will join us when she's good and ready, but we will be at Catterborough Woodhouse by then. Bella, you have a lot of catching up to do and you should be with your family. McGonagall," she turned to the Head Master. "As school is over for the rest of the year, you will release Bella to us. We will take her home this instant."
That was a demand, pure and simple. Though Andromeda had spoken calmly, her intent was clear: she had taken a decision and would bear no contradiction nor brook any insolence. Though it looked as if McGonagall would protest for the sake of it, she simply squared her jaw and gave her a brief nod.
"Wait!" Bellatrix exclaimed. "Hermione is coming with us!"
"No, she is not!" Andromeda returned, a bit too quickly for Hermione's liking. "Besides, miss Granger has been missing for three years herself. I'm quite certain her parents wouldn't appreciate us stealing her away from them."
Her parents. Oh god, her parents. Andromeda was right: she'd been missing for years and this once again pressed home the thought that they must have been worried besides themselves. Though she was loathe to be separated from Bellatrix, Andromeda had a point there. Both their families had suffered a loss and both of them had to deal with that separately. Hermione was about to say something when a familiar sound was on the edge of her hearing.
By now, Hermione was quite used to having Zipper around and she didn't even flinch when he came buzzing into the office at his usual high flight speed. It quickly became clear that others still had the normal reaction to the fact of a wasp the size of a house cat casually flying into the room.
Narcissa let out a shriek and jumped back, instantly having her wand in hand. Andromeda visibly paled and while she didn't draw her wand, her hand hovered over the holster on her belt. Draco, in the meantime, was his cowardly pathetic self and jumped behind a chair. McGonagall, merely let out a sigh of exasperation.
"AH! WHAT THE DEVIL IS THAT?!" Narcissa screamed.
Zipper, uncaring for all the commotion, merely buzzed around the room, exploring. He hovered in front of a large glass jar, admiring his own reflection, before he dug his head into a flowerpot.
"KILL IT! KILL IT!" Narcissa yelled.
"Don't be such a baby, Cissy!" Bellatrix rolled her eyes and walked towards the flowerpot to fetch Zipper. The curly-haired witch swiftly plucked the wasp out of the air and clutched him to her chest. The wasp was quite happy for the attention and treated Bellatrix to a bit of play-biting.
It was Andromeda who laughed first. She simply stepped forward and pointed her wand at the giant insect. A whispered spell later and Zipper was quietly snoozing in Bellatrix' arms. "You may stop screaming your head off now, Cissy. And Draco, do stop cowering."
"Not funny, Andie," Narcissa huffed, while Draco popped his head out from behind the side of the chair.
"Enough nonsense," said Andromeda, once again taking charge. "Bella, it is time for you... for you to come home. You are thirty-three years late for dinner."
Bellatrix nodded. "Could I have a moment with Hermie?" she asked.
Andromeda sighed and then glared at Hermione for a moment. "Fine. If you must. But make it quick."
With a sleeping wasp in her arms, she motioned for Hermione to follow her. Hermione did so, suffering through Andromeda's glare on the way out. Once they were into the hallway, closed the door behind her.
"Well, I guess we won't be breaking the bed tonight," spoke Bellatrix, a pouty expression on her face.
"It's fine," Hermione smiled. "I can wait."
"You might. I can't," Bellatrix pouted still.
"Our poor families, Trix," Hermione said. "It's only been one year for me, but now that I have also disappeared for years, I'm only now starting to realize just what I've been asking you to do."
"Hey, it's fine," Bellatrix said, raising a hand to lay on Hermione's cheek. It felt good, especially when she softly rubbed her cheekbone with her thumb. "I'll got an idea. Take Zipper for a moment."
After accepting the sleeping wasp, Bellatrix rushed off into the corridor. A few minutes later, she came back carrying two handmirrors. They looked to be simple twin mirrors, with a wooden handle and a glass mirrored surface the size of a cantaloupe. "Hah, I was right. The storage closet was still in its usual place."
"Two-way mirrors?" asked Hermione.
"Yep," Bellatrix grinned. "Just touch the glass and we can talk to each other."
"Hm, just like old times," Hermione laughed when Bellatrix took Zipper and let the sleeping wasp gently slip into a rucksack.
"We'll see each other again soon," Bellatrix said, sliding towards her and laying her hands on Hermione's hips. "Very soon if I have something to say about it."
Hermione smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips touched. It was gentle at first, a mere brushing of lips. Their kiss and their embrace intensified quickly enough, as Hermione parted Bellatrix' lips with her tongue and started an intense exploration of her girlfriend's mouth.
Her girlfriend.
Hermione took solace in the fact that she had achieved all the goals she had set out to do and had gotten even more than she would have hoped. Once, Bellatrix had been a young, troubled girl Hermione had wanted to save from herself. Someone whom had become an actual friend and now undeniably her girlfriend.
They loved each other and Hermione could see herself building a future with her. Such strange turns life could take.
She was still kissing her when Hermione noticed bright flashes, even behind closed eyelids. Odd. It usually took a greater measure of intimacy for her to see stars. And what were those odd sounds? Both girls opened their eyes, broke their kiss and smiled at each other. Only to notice they were not alone.
Both girls turned their heads and were again blinded by the flash... of several cameras. Two photographers and one familiar looking witch: blonde hair set in elaborate curls, jewelled spectacles studded with rhinestones, rather opulent green dress.
"Rita Skeeter!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Skeeter?" Bellatrix blinked. "The student newspaper editor?"
Before any of the girls could protest, Rita Skeeter started firing off her questions. "Where have the both of you been? Why did you turn up together? How long have the two of you been involved? How did you meet? Why haven't you aged a day? Have you been in contact with your families? Do you know how much has been published about you both? Have you returned because of your court-case, miss Granger? Were you ever even missing? Miss Granger, do you think latching yourself onto a famous pure-blood witch will win you public approval? Now that you are content to have toyed with the affections of famous wizards, have you decided to move on to witches? Miss Black, are you aware that Little Miss Perfect Granger is a known harlot who has used people for her own gain? Miss Black, will you give me an exclusive interview?"
Bellatrix blinked, looking much like a deer in the headlights. Hermione suspected she looked much the same.
A bolt of force passed in between the two girls and exploded outward, throwing the nosey reporter and her two photographers clear across the hallway. Its source was Andromeda, looking much like a force of nature with the runes on her dress growing a bright blue while her wand was raised. "SKEETER!" she shouted. "Step away from my sister, you gormless bottom-feeder!"
McGonagall was swiftly behind her. While Andromeda pulled on Bellatrix, McGonagall pulled on Hermione. "How did you even get in here?" McGonagall demanded. She was, of course, not given an answer.
The girls held on to each other's hands, until their fingers slipped from each other. "Talk to you tonight, Hermie!" Bellatrix managed to yell right before Andromeda spirited her away. McGonagall did the same with Hermione. Just as the young witch was being dragged to the safety of the Head Master's office, she heard the screeching voice of Skeeter calling after her.
"Miss Granger? MISS GRANGER?!" she shouted after her. "THE WIZARDING WORLD HAS QUESTIONS!"
Chapter 30: Homecoming: TrixChapter TextCatterborough Woodhouse, Bellatrix' ancestral home, was much like she remembered it. In fact, it was exactly like the remembered it. Things didn't tend to change much in the wizarding world and the only apparent difference her ancestral home showed outwardly were some newly placed ivy vines. This didn't change when she stepped inside of the foyer where fulls heads of servant staff were waiting to greet her. Sebastian, the family butler, was there, looking aged rather gracefully. Mrs Miggins, the rotund family chef with her warm smile who much liked to sample her own cooking was still there, grayer, of course. Three maids, all of them new faces, were obviously three sisters in their early twenties. Then there was Mr. Graves, their head gardener who would never take off his flat cap for any reason. No house-elves. Seemed as if Manchester Blacks' hiring practices hadn't changed either.
"Miss Bellatrix," spoke Sebastian. "On behalf of all of us, may I say we are so delighted to have you return to Catterborough Woodhouse."
"Thank you," Bellatrix nodded. Truth be told, there was plenty of worries for her right now. Though it was wonderful to know that both her sisters were alive and well, she wondered if this would also be the case for her parents and her other family? What about oncle? What about her annoying cousins? Andie had been frustratingly tight-lipped during the trip home. And then there was the matter of being ripped from Hermione's grasp: when would she see her again?
Thankfully, she had the affection of her sisters: Cissy hadn't been able to let go of her during the carriage ride to the manor. She still had Cissy's arm hooked through hers.
"Bella," said Andromeda. Wordlessly, Sebastian moved to take their coats. "Father is waiting for us in the main parlour."
Bellatrix nodded: so, at least father was alive. This is, what would this mean for her? Sure, she loved her father, but this is the same man whom had wanted to flog her off to Lestrange. If he planned to do that again now that she had returned...
Her happy mood at returning to her beloved childhood home mixed with said anxiety and slowly she felt herself walking stiffly through the corridors of her home, an awkward silence forming between her and them. Her sisters seemed to catch on to what Bellatrix was thinking. It was Cissy who turned to her first. "You'll find that a lot of things have changed in your absence."
Bellatrix snapped her head towards her and gave her a brief nod and smile. The silence remained until they reached the parlour. Again, the parlour looked almost exactly the same as she had remembered it: high ceiling, cozy divans surrounding an ancient table with a marble surface while non-enchanted paintings of prominent Black ancestors lined the wall.
What had changed, however, was father.
Merlin above, she had never seen her father this... frail.
Cygnus Black was a far cry from the powerful, larger-than-life wizard he had been in his earlier days. He had never been a man with bulk, but today he seemed much thinner than was healthy. His had the beginnings of a beard, looking as if he didn't bother to shave every day, which would have been unheard of thirty years ago. It gave him a bit of an unkempt look. The moment he saw her, however, there was a light in his eyes. He struggled to get up out of his favourite chair, leaning on a cane.
A cane. Her father had a cursed wound on his leg from the war, which caused him to have a permanent limp. If he needed a cane, the situation seemed to have worsened for him. Still, Bellatrix rushed to him and welcomed his embrace, being careful not to knock him to the ground.
Merlin, even his most heart-felt embrace felt so… weak.
"Oh, my precious girl," Cygnus Black stammered in a shaky voice. "I... I didn't want to believe it when I first heard..."
Sebastian helped her father sit down safely again, while she and her sisters each took a seat at the divan. She couldn't help but notice that Andie sat down at the head of the table, demanding a position of prestige, much like her father had in the past.
Her father chuckled, apparently having seen Bellatrix' change of expression. "Andromeda is now the head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and has fulfilled that role superbly for the last fifteen years after I could no longer muster the strength and will to do so. With ours being the only extant Black family line left in Britain, a great burden rests on her shoulders. One she has managed beyond expectations."
"Thank you, father," said Andie. "I had plenty of help, though. And we are not the only Blacks left in the world. The Montana Blacks would have word with you."
"Modesty still is your biggest shortcoming, my dear," laughed Cygnus. A weak, rasping laugh.
The only extant... that would mean. Her cousins Sirius and Regulus, as well as aunt Walburga and uncle Orion... were no longer around. Truth be told, she didn't really have much love for the two annoying lads, but she'd never wanted them dead. It also meant they died young. It was then that Bellatrix noticed a rather prominent absence; one which did frighten her to the core. "Maman," Bellatrix asked, unable to keep the fright out of her voice. "Where is maman? She isn't... She can't be..."
The room was suddenly getting smaller and suffocating. Maman… Maman couldn't be dead… but if she was still alive, why wasn't here shere? And where was oncle? Would he be dead too?
Cissy patted her hand. "Maman is... very much alive," she spoke, in Bellatrix' instant relief. "But she is... fragile."
"Indeed," said Andie. "We've been shielding her from the news. Thank Merlin she wasn't listening to the wireless. We'll need to... ease your return into her. Oncle is looking after her right now."
Relief. Instant relief. But it raised more questions than it gave answers.
Noticing the questioning look, Cygnus motioned to Sebastian to fetch something. While the butler left the room, he bent forward. "My dear, when you disappeared over thirty-three years ago, you made a lasting impression on the wizarding world. You are the daughter of a great house, wizarding royalty in all but name. Your disappearance made waves. Naturally, we contacted the school and the Ministry when you went missing."
"We saw you in the forest," said Andie. "You're not as subtle as you think, Bella. Cissy and I watched you at the strange magic pool when you disappeared."
"But nobody believed us," said Cissy, not being able to mask a brief glare at her frail father. "We were two young girls so lost in grief and fear for our missing sister that we fled into our own fantasies. Or, that's what the DMLE officers kept telling us."
Cygnus nodded. "For what it's worth, you have been vindicated," said Cygnus. "At the time, though, it was not something we considered. We simply couldn't corroborate the story. Still, the fact remained that you had gone missing. For weeks the Forbidden Forest was turned upside down by the largest search-party in the history of the wizarding world. Your story was broadly painted in headlines all over the wizarding press. People came from other countries to help search for the 'poor missing girl'."
"As the weeks dragged on," said Andromeda. "There were more and more speculations. Theories. Some outlandish, some more reasonable."
"One newspaper claimed that you had been kidnapped by goblins to become their king's trophy wife," chuckled Cissy. "Ludicrous, of course, but it caused a bit of racial tensions for a while."
"As time passed," said Andromeda. "It was obvious to all of us that you weren't returning. Not anytime soon, at least."
"More crackpot theories emerged," said Narcissa. "But three prevailing theories remained. First, you made an elaborate escape plan to flee from your arranged marriage and covered all your tracks expertly. Which does sound like something you might do."
Bellatrix put her fingers to her lips. "It does. And I did consider it."
"Second, closely related to the first," said Narcissa. "Is the theory that you ran off with a secret lover to start a new life elsewhere."
"Hah, actually rather close to the truth, that one," Bellatrix said.
Andromeda pursed her lips. "The emergence of that theory might have been my fault. You mentioned a girl by the name of Hermione and I had been looking into her. I was young at the time and didn't cover my tracks properly. Though I did manage to keep the name to myself, my actions were noticed by the press and they ran with that angle. I have since learned from that mistake."
"The third," said her father. "became the most prevalent and likely one, especially after it was revealed that Headmaster Dumbledore had recruited you to spy on the Dark Lord. The theory goes that Rodolphus Lestrange found out about your activities, murdered you and buried you in an unmarked grave in the Forbidden Forest."
Andromeda nodded. "When the first wizarding war started and more and more atrocities came to light, that theory became more and more likely. Though Lestrange was eventually captured, he has always denied your murder."
"As murderers tend to," said Cygnus. "That man is not innocent by any means, but with your return, it is proved that he was never responsible for your death. Up until today, I never believed him. I believed that the eldest of my three fierce daughters had her life snuffed out and her remains tossed into a shallow grave."
Tears were in his eyes now. "Part of me expects to start awake in bed in a few moments, and all of this a dream. To say I was incensed at your apparent murder is an understatement. I cut off all ties with the Lestrange family and... though I never openly supported the Dark Lord, I did support him financially. I withdrew my funds and my support, much to his chagrin."
That made Bellatrix laugh. "Seriously?! You funded a charlatan with a circus tent?"
"Hah," Andie snorted. "Father's money likely paid for that circus tent."
"He sent representatives, of course," Cygnus snorted. "Tried to mend the situation. Claimed Lestrange never committed the murder. Claimed they searched the Forbidden Forest as well. Claimed they tried to find you, without success. Then came the pleas to keep fighting for a pure wizarding world. When that didn't work, came the threats. I, naturally, showed them the door and told the Dark Lord that if he wanted to see the biggest threat to wizarding kind, he would only have to look in the mirror."
A silence fell over the gathered family and, at first, Bellatrix felt the awkwardness as all three of her family members here seemed lost in their own thoughts. There was more to this story in the years that followed her disappearance, but all of them seemed reluctant to talk about it. Cissy seemed particularly agitated.
"A father should never have to bury his children," Cygnus spoke with a crack in his voice. "It put things in... perspective."
"You'll find a lot of things have changed for and in our family," Andie chuckled. "Like I told you in the carriage."
"Though I thoroughly believed you to be dead," said Cygnus. "Your sisters and your mother never gave up hope. Never stopped hoping."
It was then that Sebastian returned with what looked to be a gramophone player. Her father gave the butler a nod and he put a vinyl record. Andromeda took her hand while Cissy sat closer to her, which made Bellatrix wonder what was going to be played. It was soon revealed to be a radio recording. Her father reached over to squeeze her hand. "Bellatrix," he started. "What you are about to hear will likely shock and sadden you. But it is not meant to make you feel guilt. It is to make you understand the fragile state your poor maman is in and just how careful we're going to have to be."
"Bellatrix," sounded the tearful voice of her mother through the copper horn of the device. "Please, chouchou. If you are hearing this, know that your family misses you. Your sisters miss you. Please, Bellatrix. We won't uphold the marriage contract with the Lestranges. I promise you this, chouchou. You will be free to do with your life as you please. There's no reason for you to keep running away from your family. S'il te plait, come home!"
It took a few moments for Bellatrix to realize just what she was hearing, but when she did she found herself trembling. What she had heard was the terrified and shaky voice of a grieving, desperate mother.
"Maman never really got over it," said Cissy. "None of us did, I suppose. She never stopped searching until she became unable to. She... blamed herself and father for pushing you into an arranged marriage that ended up with you either running away or murdered. There were times when we had to collect maman from the Forbidden Forest in the dead of night, walking around holding a lantern and crying out your name."
"Now you see why we have to ease maman into your return," Andie said. "Oncle Achille is with her now, preparing her for it. With any luck you'll see her tomorrow."
The mental image of her poor mother roaming the dangerous forest forlorn and alone in the dead of night became too much to bear. Though the room she was in was exceedingly large, the walls still felt as if they were rushing in on her as the full weight of realization what her absence had done to her family crushed down upon her. Her hands started to shake and her breathing increased sharply. Apparently her sisters had anticipated this and shuffled closer to her.
"Hey," Andie let a hand run over her back. "None of that. It was never your fault."
"I'm so sorry," sniffed Bellatrix. "I... I didn't want for any of this to happen. To just... leave without an explanation. I... wanted to come back. I wanted to explain. I... when Hermione told me what would happen to me, I..."
"Ah, yes," Andie replied, her voice growing much colder. "Her."
Bellatrix gave her a questioning look.
"I am not convinced of her good intentions," said Andie, with a cold, harsh stare though not aimed at her. "Not in the slightest!"
"Andie," Cissy hissed. "Not now!"
"My three girls together again," said Cygnus. "Fiery and full of life. As it should be. You'll be happy to know I cancelled Andromeda and Narcissa's arranged marriages, though our Cissy married her intended anyway. By choice, of course."
"Yeah," Bellatrix frowned. "I met my nephew and I heard I have a niece. What was her name? Nymphadora? Who is your husband?"
"Ted Tonks," replied Andromeda. "You haven't met him yet, because he is visiting family in Wales. I sent out an owl and he'll be returning shortly."
"Tonks," said Bellatrix, thinking it over. "That's not a pure-blood wizarding name I recognize."
"That's because he isn't a pure-blood wizard," chuckled Cygnus. "Our Andromeda dropped this bombshell on us when she came of age and spoke of her intent to marry Ted Tonks when she'd turn twenty."
Bellatrix frowned. "No disowning?"
Cygnus shook his head. "No. Your mother threatened to leave me if I exiled her, but there was no need for it. I was not in the mood to lose another daughter. And I'm glad that I didn't, for now I have two wonderful grandchildren to dote over. Nymphadora is quite delightful."
"One of the reasons why she's as lazy as a sloth," Narcissa rolled her eyes. "For Merlin's sake, it's two in the afternoon and she still isn't up?! I worry about that girl..."
Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "Cissy…"
"Fine!" Narcissa held up her hand.
Bellatrix chuckled. "Sounds like not having me in your lives made it better from the way you tell it," she said. She had meant it to be a joke, but her sisters certainly weren't laughing.
"Don't say that!" Andie huffed. "You don't know that. Nobody can know that! Wonder why? Because you skipped thirty-three years! Nothing else could have happened, because you simply weren't there for it to happen!. How can anything your Hermione whispered in your ear be true when she herself can't know because she was the one who caused you to skip those years in the first place?!"
Bellatrix frowned and rubbed her chin. "Is... is that how time-travel even works?"
"I believe Hermione is using you for her own devices and I urge you…"
"Andie!" Cissy hissed again. "NOT NOW!"
This caused Andie to grumble, but Bellatrix definitely took note of this reaction. Yes, Andie mistrusted Hermione. That much was obvious.
"Girls, girls, please," spoke Cygnus. "I, for one, would like to hear Bella's side of the story. Bella, what happened to you? Where have you been the past thirty-three years?"
Ah, now it was her turn. While tea and biscuits were being served by Sebastian, Bellatrix sat up straight to tell her grand tale. And tell she did. She started with finding a magic pool in the middle of the forest in the dead of night, meeting Hermione and learning she was a girl from the future. She talked about their chats, their hopes, their dreams. How they slowly developed feelings for each other. How, together, they had find a way to breach the surface of the pool and meet up in a realm far beyond anything imagined. She described the adventures they had had, the dangers they had endured and the love they had found. The story ended after they arrived in this year, in 2001.
Apparently, she had spoke with some adoration for Hermione and it didn't pass unnoticed that Andromeda was getting increasingly agitated whenever the brown-haired witch was mentioned.
"Well," said her father after taking in the story. "I would very much like to meet this Hermione."
"So would I..." spoke Andromeda, almost under her breath with a tone that was almost a snarl.
"It's a shame that I left all the journals and samples with Hermione, but I do have plenty of photographs," said Bellatrix. "And I do have some other proof, at least," she added, reaching for her pack.
Instantly, Cissy froze up and shifted a little away from her. She reached into her pack and lifted out Zipper. The wasp has been sleeping and rather drowsily flapped his wings. However, the moment he realized there was sugar to be had, he buzzed over to the tea service and started lazily snacking on lumps of sugar.
"I take it that is the giant wasp from your story?" asked her father, studying the wasp intently as it ate.
"He's a friend," said Bellatrix. "And he'll be staying with me."
Bellatrix adopted a tone which strongly suggested this was non-negotiable. Meanwhile, Cissy was starting to fan herself with her hands.
"Pfft, don't be such a baby," Bellatrix pouted.
Cygnus checked the clock. "Ah, it is already five o'clock," said her father. "Your incredible tale has enthralled us for hours, Bella. I assume you might like to rest and wash up before dinner. We have left your old room exactly as it was. We can talk more over dinner, as a family."
"In concur," said Andromeda. "The Black sisters are together again and this cause for celebration. Feast and champagne it is. That should please Draco and Nymphadora. Will Lucius come over as well, Cissy?"
"I'll make sure he does," said Cissy. "Though it feels wrong to leave maman out of the celebration."
"We'll just have to do it again tomorrow evening," Andie chuckled. "Sebastian, would you kindly escort Bellatrix to her room?"
That caused Bellatrix to frown and cross her arms. "Andie, I've lived here for seventeen years. I think I remember where my room is!" she pouted.
Andie chuckled at that. "I'm certain you do, Bella, but it is for maman's sake. She sometimes wanders the mansion aimlessly and we don't want to risk maman seeing you before we're prepared. When you arrive at the East wing, we ask that you stay there for the moment. Please. For maman's sake."
Bellatrix nodded. She was feeling quite tired and enjoying her own bed sounded rather good. She got up from her seat and joined Sebastian at the door with Zipper lazily buzzing along behind her. It was then that she realized that she was the only one who had gotten up from her divan. After turning around, she could see that none of the others have left their seats nor were intending to.
"This way, miss Bellatrix," said Sebastian as he closed the double sliding doors behind her. It was obvious that her family wanted to speak. And, it was also obvious that those words were not intended for her to hear. Almost instinctively, she stepped towards the double doors and was about to lay her ear on the wood when Sebastian scraped his throat.
"Ah," she smirked. "I don't suppose I could order you to let me drop some eaves?"
Sebastian gave her a brief smile. "I'm quite afraid that mistress Andromeda's orders, as Head of the Household, quite supersede yours by a not insignificant margin."
"Fair enough," Bellatrix sighed. The two of them walked through the corridors and talked a little about current events. Bellatrix had, after all, missed thirty-three years of history. On the walk to the East wing, Sebastian filled her in on a couple of things and promised to bring her some current history books and newspapers for her to read after dinner. And so, Bellatrix was left to her own devices while Zipper started to explore the room and found perch on the ceiling.
Her old room was almost exactly the same. It was as if she had stepped right into a time-capsule and she found it quite welcoming to find such a familiar sight. She let out a sigh and let herself fall onto the bed, among the army of plushies still gathered around her pillow. It was still bouncy and soft. Odd how a bed could feel so much like home. She rolled to her back and looked around the room: all her posters were still there and Eleanor Snowbell was still prominently displayed over her fireplace. She took out her wand, aimed at the fireplace and soon a cozy crackling fire lit up the room with pleasant warmth.
Now, if only she could have Hermione lain out on the bed with her, that would have been perfect.
Two things occurred to her. One was just how much she missed Hermione: they hadn't been apart from each other in weeks and certainly not since they had started to explore their feelings. Now that it was quiet and she had time to think, Hermione's absence was palpable.
And then there was the matter of her family. In particularly, maman. After hearing about just how fragile her mental state was, she was getting more and more worried about tomorrow. Worse yet, she felt responsible for said mental state and felt her heart constrict with guilt. Merlin, the sound of her maman's voice on the the recording. The desperation. The sadness. The fear. It was heart-rending.
She looked at her pack and fished out the handmirror. She almost contacted Hermione to talk to her, but decided against it: she was probably still with her parents and those were likely as overjoyed to have her back like her own family. They'd talk again later that evening, certainly.
Bellatrix realized she was still wearing the school uniform she'd been given, so she hopped out of bed and headed to the closet. Delighted to see that all her clothes were still there, she picked out a nice black sequin with matching cloak. After twirling around and making it swish for a bit, she felt much better. She went to the other side of her closet to pick out something nice from her considerable collection of hats.
Curious, however, were the sounds coming from the edge of hearing. Soon enough, she discovered they weren't sounds at all, but rather vibrations. In fact, all her hats seemed to be vibrating in their cubbies. It seemed as if someone was using a silencing charm, but the sounds were still so loud that the vibrations weren't blocked anymore. Bellatrix decided that she should investigate. She got off the bed and exited to the common room, feeling the vibrations and trying to trace it back to its source. She passed through the common room… the old sofas where she and her sisters had spent so much time chatting and gossipping in the past were still there, much to her delight. After following the vibrations for a bit, they seemed to be coming from Andie's old room.
Curious as she was, she threw caution into the wind and simply opened the door.
Instantly, her ears were assaulted by the sounds of muggle music and the word 'THUNDERSTRUCK!' was etched in her mind through battered eardrums. Andie's old room was a far cry from the soft pastel clad girl's room: now, the walls were painted a fierce red and dark black while posters of men and women clad in leather and wielding guitars adorned every wall. Above the chronically unmade bed, where once hung the sisters' hidden poster of the Beatles, now hung a large black poster sporting only the letters 'AC-DC'.
Muggle music playing in the house without a riot breaking out? Things really had changed for House Black.
Another thing was that the room was filled with a rather odd smelling smoke. It made Bellatrix cough loudly and wave around her. Producer of said smoke was sat in a beanbag near the window. It was a girl, older than her, clad in the same leather and jeans much like her muggle musicians were. What stood out most was her hair, shoulder length and five different seemingly shifting colours while barely covering ears which were filled with far too many silver rings through the entire upper helix to count quickly. There was an oddly shaped cigarette in her mouth, one she took out of her mouth before puffing more smoke into the air. The girl noticed her, scrunched up her face in a stare and then pointed in her general direction. "I know you from somewhere…" she muttered.
"WHAT?!" Bellatrix yelled, almost tripping over something on this impossibly cluttered floor.
The girl turned down the radio. Just a little.
"I know you from somewhere," the girl repeated.
"Who are you and what are you doing in my sister's room?!" Bellatrix demanded.
"Sister?" the girl frowned, but then her eyes lit up before laughing merrily. "Ah, you're my runaway older younger aunt! My mum told me you were coming. Nymphadora Black. Pleased to meet you."
"Nymphadora?" asked Bellatrix. "That's an usual name."
Nymphadora's hair turned a single colour, that of blood red, as she glowered. "Hey! I'm proud of my name! I'll make you a deal: you don't make fun of it, and you will leave this room without squinting. I'm normally very mellow, as long as you don't make fun of my name!"
Bellatrix crossed her arms. "I'd like to see you try! And I never said your name was bad. Come on, you are talking to someone named 'Bellatrix'. I know all about usual names and bastards making fun of those."
Nymphadora chuckled. "I like you," she replied. "Come. Share a spliff with me."
The curly-haired witch warily strolled over to Nymphadora, waving away some smoke around her with her hand while suppressing a cough. "So has mum been lording over you already?" Nymphadora asked.
"She's certainly... assertive," said Bellatrix. "Much more assertive than I remember."
Nymphadora handed her a lit cigarette. Of course, Bellatrix had tried a cigarette a few times, back at Hogwarts. So she took it in her fingers and took a puff... only to immediately cough up a lung. As she hacked up more and more, Nymphadora chuckled.
"Okay, this is definitely not tobacco," Bellatrix grimaced, sighing through her nose while squeezing her eyes shut.
"Hah, you just came in from the 60s," smirked Nymphadora. "I thought you more experienced than this. Then again, this is my own personal mix and it might be a bit... advanced. Next time, I'll make you a nice mix with some beginner strains. It'll help you relax. And trust me, you're gonna need it. The entire wizarding world is about fall over itself and right on top of you. So many people will want to know your story, auntie. You've had more 'sightings' than Elvis Presley."
"Don't remind me," said Bellatrix. "I'm more worried about maman. The rest of the world can get stuffed."
Nymphadora took another puff of smoke and laughed. "Yeah, I can respect that. And nan... yeah. I worry about her too. She turned your room into somewhat of a museum, you know?"
"Did she?" Bellatrix asked. "Does she... go there sometimes?"
"Quite a lot," Nymphadora sighed. "Hear her crying sometimes. Go in to hug her. Calls me Bellatrix. I never bother to correct her. She cries. I try to keep my eyes dry. Doesn't always work. She knows I'm not you when she gets like that, I think. But I'm happy to play along."
Bellatrix closed her eyes and sighed. "Fuck," she muttered.
"Yeah," she replied, taking another puff. "I sometimes do go in there to randomly shift objects around. Drives the maids crazy."
The grin on her face said it all. Bellatrix handed her back the spliff, which Nymphadora took and swiftly puffed on. More smoke was produced. "Today is surreal."
"Quite," replied Bellatrix. "I've become the aunt of two people who are older than me."
Nymphadora laughed. "My long lost aunt returning to from the dead is one thing. But to find out she's also fucking the girl whose parents are suing the ministry? That makes it mind-blowing."
Bellatrix pursed her lips, waving more smoke away. "What is up with that, anyway?"
"Hm, long story," said Nymphadora and pointed to a small mini-fridge near the bed. "Tell you after dinner. When we have our bellies full and we have room for cold beer and... special brownies."
"Chocolate brownies?" Bellatrix asked eagerly. Some alcohol mixed with some sweet treats sounded very nice right about now.
Nymphadora gave her an odd look. "Sure, whatever floats your boat."
At that moment, Zipper came flying in through the still opened door. The moment the giant wasp hit the smoke, he started flying around in circles. Circles which became ever more erratic, until the wasp angrily started to chase his own stinger. The circles became more frantic, accompanied by angry buzzing until he finally lost control and crash-landed onto Nymphadora's unmade bed and promptly fell asleep.
"Hah!" Nymphadora laughed before taking another puff. "Cool bug."
Yes, so far, Nymphadora was already endlessly more agreeable than Sirius. Again, it made her wonder just what had happened to him. Some gossip with her niece would keep her busy until dinner, at least.