Bellatrix.

Theodore sank into the chair his father provided, his legs feeling like lead. He couldn't look Nero in the eye, not when he could feel the weight of his father’s expectation pressing down on him. He was too tired to this, he didn’t know how much to say, how to proceed.

He scoffed and wrinkled his nose as his father reprimanded him about his responsibilities regarding Mia, he didn’t need to be told.

He couldn’t help how he felt, he’d always felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility towards her. They had always been connected, born at the same time, on the same day, everyone had called them spiritual twins. Then both of their mothers had been murdered senselessly, which only brought them closer together.

At least he’d had his father, at least his mother hadn’t been murdered by his father.

Mia was so alone, so lost, she pretended she was ok, she pretended she didn't care, but she did, her saw through it all. Her father had broken her down into a mere shell of a person. There was nothing left inside of her that he hadn’t touched or tainted. Her father was nothing but a parasite, a man who had spent years draining the light from her, all while whispering the lie that he was the very breath in her lungs.

Caring for her wasn't a passive act, it was an endurance test. Theodore felt every twist of the knife her father turned in her soul. He didn't just witness the slow erosion of her spirit: he felt it, like a phantom ache in the part of him that connected them every time she withered.

It was a weight they were meant to share, a birthright of blood and sorrow. Mia felt the same whenever he was hurt, it had been that way since they could remember. They were two sides of the same coin.

He knew he couldn't purge the poison her father had spent a lifetime injecting into her veins, but if he could just shoulder a fraction of the weight, perhaps she wouldn't collapse entirely. He knew he couldn't be her cure, but he refused to let her break alone. He would pour himself into the cracks of her breaking shell, trying to hold her together even as the world tried to grind her to dust.

Theodore let out a sharp, breathy laugh that sounded more like a choked sob.

"Your ward.” he muttered, the word cutting across his tongue like glass.

“You might act as such.” He hissed.

“Act as if you genuinely care, instead of acting like this is somehow inconvenient for you. You talk about being her ward like it’s a duty on a parchment, but look at her." Theodore grunted angrily.

He finally looked up at Nero. His eyes, usually so sharp, were clouded with the weight of his emotion, or the secrets he was keeping for her, and from her.

He knew his father was fishing for a report for the Dark Lord, and the thought made his stomach churn. His distain for Mia’s father was palpable and he was disgusted with his father in this moment for putting his duty to that monster above his care for Mia.

Even seeing her in this state, all his father could care about was the high and mighty. He wanted so badly to spit at the ground and renounce the so called ‘Dark Lord’.

He didn’t do that, instead he snapped at his father,unable to stop himself

“If the Dark Lord wants to know what happened, tell him the truth: his 'poison' is finally working. She’s hollowed out. She’s broken. Just like he wanted, just like he’s spent her whole life working on. Are you going to help me pick up the pieces, or are you just here to count them for him like everyone else?” He spat, though before he’d even finished the sentence he realised it was of no use. The realisation breaking him further.

"Truthfully, I don't know," he whispered, his voice cracking. It wasn’t a total lie, he wasn’t fully sure of the details, how could he be intil he heard it from Mia herself?

“It happened so fast.” He continued carefully, “One minute she was... and then the shadows just seemed to swallow her." He looked up, eyes bloodshot and pleading. "Does it matter whose fault it is? Look at her. She’s fading, and you’re worried about the politics of it? Please, just, wait for the healer to get here." Theodore implored, worried he’d say too much if his father prodded him much more, he was too overtired and emotional for this.

Nero didn’t have the opportunity to sit down, before Theodore was at him. This wasn’t new. It was always Nero who got the brunt of Theodore’s frustration. It was always Nero who had to take the shots meant for the Dark Lord.

“I’m trying to act as such, If you don’t tell me, how would I know?” He asked, his voice smooth. “if you had it your way I wouldn’t even be here. Therefore preventing me from acting as such.”

He sighed, crossing his arms and surveying his son. The boy was a mess, his hair disheveled, dark circles under his eyes as he continued to speak. “If I didn’t care, I would be handling this very differently. I dont know why you’ve always felt this pressure to handle things when youre still a child yourself, my boy.”

“Of course you know more about what shes doing than i do, you're with her in school every day, i can hardly go into the castle and follow her around can i? I was only hoping to know what you knew so i know what the situation is, I've only just walked into this room. He doesn’t know about this. Despite what he is and what he does, she’s my ward and I’d take it seriously regardless. But you know that Theodore.” his voice wasn’t harsh, there wasn’t a trace of anger or annoyance, just a father attempting to lift the fog from his son’s eyes, reminding him he’s not the enemy.

He took another look at the girl, it was truly a travesty how she’s been treated by the Dark Lord, he just hoped that someone wouldve killed him before this girl gave out. He hoped this was still possible. Nero watched his son’s heart break and his own did as well. He hardly could cop with it at the best of times. “I’m worried for the repercussions she may face. I’m worried about my son and what he’s got to do with this. I’m worried about the million scenarios that could’ve lead to this poor girl laid here like this and the million consequences for each of them.” He looked down again, sighing again before shaking his head, dismissing his own word with a wave of a hand. “But that’s for me to worry about, not you… what I really need from you isn’t information, i need you to rest. I know you haven’t slept…”

“All in good time my darling: good things come to those that wait.” He purred.

Oh he loved having her like this, he wanted her desperate: crying, begging and pleading for more. So lost in her want for him that she couldn’t think of anything but his cock destroying her, owning her.

“That been said, I think you’ve earned a little something.” He mused softly. “But where shall we start?” He mused softly.

“Ive already waited ages daddy, dont you remember? In the wine cellar? In the lift? I can’t wait any longer. I need you…” she pouted, reminding him of their almost-tryst from a few days ago, the reason she’d come up with surprising him like this. Anything to get him to give in and use her how she needed him to.

She sighed sharply when he mentioned a reward, “thank you Daddy, please—“ she stopped short as he asked his question, a million scenarios flying through her lust-filled mind. She wanted both, but she knew he’d call her greedy and punish her if she said that.

“It’s not about your pleasure, it’s about mine.” Remember that. Though I am a very kind Daddy and I always make sure you are well taken care of, don’t I, hmm?“ He questioned, his nails dancing up across her chest, barely touching, just enough to drive her desires further.

She sucked in a deep breath, letting out a shuddering sigh at the sensation of him grazing his nails on her chest “You are…I know you’ll take care of me, yes Daddy” she replied, her earlier rejection dissolving slowly with every second of contact

“Oh I love it when you surprise me.” Lucius purred against her ear, sure to make his breath pepper down her neck. “You just don’t get to moan about having to wait when you brought this on yourself.” He chuckled softly, before biting her earlobe sharply.

“Well, good, as long as you remember, I don’t want you to ever forget” he sighed,, smiling as she kissed his cheek and kissing her forehead in return. He held her firmly in his grasp for a while, rocking her gently in the water, just enjoying having her against him. It felt so right to have her like this, for them both to be together, he was sure he would wake up any moment, he couldn’t fathom how else he had become this lucky if he wasn’t dreaming.

Eventually he spoke once more, “So, now we have got the pleasantries out of the way. I wonder, can you tolerate me washing you and then perhaps, if I may push my luck even further washing your hair hmm?” He asked her cheekily, a big cheeky grin across his face.

She could fall asleep as he rocked her, a sense of calm and safety she hadn’t felt in a long time overtaking her. Bellatrix was not like this, in fact this was so far out of who she was that it should scare her. And yet she found this fulfilling a need she didn’t know she had, like she was discovering an entirely new aspect of herself. And through all of it, Bella knew this part of herself would never have come to light were it not for Lucius. It’s always been him. Always. The fact that he was eagerly coaxing Bella into this was more incredible than anything else. 

“That’s how I want you, I always want you sore, aching and desperate for me. If you’re not then I’m not doing my job properly.” He hissed at her, his voice dripping with lust. its

“But I am claiming you my sweet, you’re completely and utterly filled by me, I should be the only thing you can think about, the only thing you can feel.” He whispered, twitching his hips slightly so she’d be sure to feel him stretching her out as he held her against him, making sure she couldn’t move.

“Please, I need to feel you come inside me, I need to it, or I haven’t done my job properly.” It would’ve been a mischievous tone were she not struggling to breathe. “Please, Lucius please..”

She groaned, her body shuddering violently as he spoke, sitting up to rake her nails down his back, digging hard as he twitched inside her. “Fuck…yes” she breathed, shaking as waves of pleasure continued crashing onto her.

Bella gulped, propping herself up on her elbows, “Lucius, please.” She sat all the way up, her limbs shaking, getting on her knees and crawling down the bed to him. She stood on her knees, her body now in line with his as she met his gaze. Her hands glided down his body, from his shoulders down to his cock, she stroked it slowly. Her lips began kissing up his neck, and she spoke with his earlobe in her teeth.

His mouth curved into a smirk as she began to touch him, he watched her as she spoke, not answering, just letting the silence fill the air, he wanted her off guard, he wanted her vulnerable before he moved. He allowed her another moment of contact before he acted, he gripped both her wrists pulling them tightly, his nails digging into the supple flesh roughly. He yanked them behind her back and muttered a spell so that rope formed, it curled itself around her wrists, tying them tight behind her back: he wanted his hands free.

(See the as of now untitled para between Theodore and Ana for further details)

Theodore couldn’t deny that he had needed the comfort seeing her brought. Oh how he wished she could have stayed, he’d have given anything to have her here with him, holding his hand and helping through - well - whatever this was about to become. He couldn’t be that selfish though, things were about to become even more dangerous than they already were, and she didn’t need to be getting caught up in the middle of that. Anyone caught up in this was going to face serious repercussions  from the Dark Lord, and he wasn’t sure he was going to come out of this unscathed so how could he knowingly put her at such great risk? She meant too much to him for that, so they had spent some time together but with a heavy heart he’d had to send her away once his elf had told him to expect his father imminently. Theodore knew his father couldn’t lie to the Dark Lord and the Dark Lord was going to be looking at anyone and everyone to blame: so she couldn’t be seen there with him, they couldn’t risk it. It was with great sorrow that they parted ways, and he’d promised her that he would update her as much as he could but that she must stay away no matter what, unless he told her it was safe to return.

His heart would always sink down every time time he saw that stationary in his pile of letters. He’ll always remember his dear friends, his own injuries—but more than anything, he’ll always remember his wife…

A small, sharp sigh escaped him; he fucking hated it here.

Such was the case now. His son and his ward spotted here will not end well. The Dark Lord was already not happy with Damia and he hated when she ‘shows weakness’—the fucking bastard. Regardless of why, Nero had to find a better reason than the real one for why they were here. He went through his mental list of prepared excuses, as he turned the corner, finding them all useless without the real reason for her admission here. 

He had to admit, he was worried for Damia, she was volatile enough without her father messing with her head. Perhaps it was serious this time. But he knows she did not leave the clutches of her father with major injuries—this must be self-inflicted. Nero had hoped she was smarter than this. They’d been over this too many times, she knew it would only get worse. 

Nero rubbed his eyes for a moment as he stopped a few feet from the door. He understood. He really did. It wasnt her fault her father does all of this to her, shes not well. Not to mention her mother and…well, all of that. 

He didn’t knock, he never does. Scanning the room, he sees Damia first, looking frail and gaunt crumpled in the bed—it was hard to remember how young she was… 

Theodore waited a few moments before replying, just allowing himself to be comforted so he could summon the strength for everything that was about to transpire.

The man sighed at his son “Theodore, how many times do i have to tell you? I am Damia’s ward, not you. I am always going to end up involved whether you think you’ve handled it or not.” He lead him to where they boy had clearly been sat, ushering him to do so, and summoning a chair for himself. “Right, okay, don’t worry about trying to explain it all to me, i will just wait for the healer to arrive.” He took a moment to survey Damia on the bed—indeed she looked like she’d been attacked by a dementor. Surely such a thing hasn’t happened, the school wouldn’t after the events just two years prior.

“All in good time my darling: good things come to those that wait.” He purred.

Oh he loved having her like this, he wanted her desperate: crying, begging and pleading for more. So lost in her want for him that she couldn’t think of anything but his cock destroying her, owning her.

“That been said, I think you’ve earned a little something.” He mused softly. “But where shall we start?” He mused softly.

“Ive already waited ages daddy, dont you remember? In the wine cellar? In the lift? I can’t wait any longer. I need you…” she pouted, reminding him of their almost-tryst from a few days ago, the reason she’d come up with surprising him like this. Anything to get him to give in and use her how she needed him to.

She sighed sharply when he mentioned a reward, “thank you Daddy, please—“ she stopped short as he asked his question, a million scenarios flying through her lust-filled mind. She wanted both, but she knew he’d call her greedy and punish her if she said that.

“It’s not about your pleasure, it’s about mine.” Remember that. Though I am a very kind Daddy and I always make sure you are well taken care of, don’t I, hmm?“ He questioned, his nails dancing up across her chest, barely touching, just enough to drive her desires further.

She sucked in a deep breath, letting out a shuddering sigh at the sensation of him grazing his nails on her chest “You are…I know you’ll take care of me, yes Daddy” she replied, her earlier rejection dissolving slowly with every second of contact

“Well, good, as long as you remember, I don’t want you to ever forget” he sighed,, smiling as she kissed his cheek and kissing her forehead in return. He held her firmly in his grasp for a while, rocking her gently in the water, just enjoying having her against him. It felt so right to have her like this, for them both to be together, he was sure he would wake up any moment, he couldn’t fathom how else he had become this lucky if he wasn’t dreaming.

Eventually he spoke once more, “So, now we have got the pleasantries out of the way. I wonder, can you tolerate me washing you and then perhaps, if I may push my luck even further washing your hair hmm?” He asked her cheekily, a big cheeky grin across his face.

She could fall asleep as he rocked her, a sense of calm and safety she hadn’t felt in a long time overtaking her. Bellatrix was not like this, in fact this was so far out of who she was that it should scare her. And yet she found this fulfilling a need she didn’t know she had, like she was discovering an entirely new aspect of herself. And through all of it, Bella knew this part of herself would never have come to light were it not for Lucius. It’s always been him. Always. The fact that he was eagerly coaxing Bella into this was more incredible than anything else. 

“That’s how I want you, I always want you sore, aching and desperate for me. If you’re not then I’m not doing my job properly.” He hissed at her, his voice dripping with lust. its

“But I am claiming you my sweet, you’re completely and utterly filled by me, I should be the only thing you can think about, the only thing you can feel.” He whispered, twitching his hips slightly so she’d be sure to feel him stretching her out as he held her against him, making sure she couldn’t move.

“Please, I need to feel you come inside me, I need to it, or I haven’t done my job properly.” It would’ve been a mischievous tone were she not struggling to breathe. “Please, Lucius please..”

She groaned, her body shuddering violently as he spoke, sitting up to rake her nails down his back, digging hard as he twitched inside her. “Fuck…yes” she breathed, shaking as waves of pleasure continued crashing onto her.

Bella gulped, propping herself up on her elbows, “Lucius, please.” She sat all the way up, her limbs shaking, getting on her knees and crawling down the bed to him. She stood on her knees, her body now in line with his as she met his gaze. Her hands glided down his body, from his shoulders down to his cock, she stroked it slowly. Her lips began kissing up his neck, and she spoke with his earlobe in her teeth.

(See the as of now untitled para between Theodore and Ana for further details)

Theodore couldn’t deny that he had needed the comfort seeing her brought. Oh how he wished she could have stayed, he’d have given anything to have her here with him, holding his hand and helping through - well - whatever this was about to become. He couldn’t be that selfish though, things were about to become even more dangerous than they already were, and she didn’t need to be getting caught up in the middle of that. Anyone caught up in this was going to face serious repercussions  from the Dark Lord, and he wasn’t sure he was going to come out of this unscathed so how could he knowingly put her at such great risk? She meant too much to him for that, so they had spent some time together but with a heavy heart he’d had to send her away once his elf had told him to expect his father imminently. Theodore knew his father couldn’t lie to the Dark Lord and the Dark Lord was going to be looking at anyone and everyone to blame: so she couldn’t be seen there with him, they couldn’t risk it. It was with great sorrow that they parted ways, and he’d promised her that he would update her as much as he could but that she must stay away no matter what, unless he told her it was safe to return.

His heart would always sink down every time time he saw that stationary in his pile of letters. He’ll always remember his dear friends, his own injuries—but more than anything, he’ll always remember his wife…

A small, sharp sigh escaped him; he fucking hated it here.

Such was the case now. His son and his ward spotted here will not end well. The Dark Lord was already not happy with Damia and he hated when she ‘shows weakness’—the fucking bastard. Regardless of why, Nero had to find a better reason than the real one for why they were here. He went through his mental list of prepared excuses, as he turned the corner, finding them all useless without the real reason for her admission here. 

He had to admit, he was worried for Damia, she was volatile enough without her father messing with her head. Perhaps it was serious this time. But he knows she did not leave the clutches of her father with major injuries—this must be self-inflicted. Nero had hoped she was smarter than this. They’d been over this too many times, she knew it would only get worse. 

Nero rubbed his eyes for a moment as he stopped a few feet from the door. He understood. He really did. It wasnt her fault her father does all of this to her, shes not well. Not to mention her mother and…well, all of that. 

He didn’t knock, he never does. Scanning the room, he sees Damia first, looking frail and gaunt crumpled in the bed—it was hard to remember how young she was… 

“All in good time my darling: good things come to those that wait.” He purred.

Oh he loved having her like this, he wanted her desperate: crying, begging and pleading for more. So lost in her want for him that she couldn’t think of anything but his cock destroying her, owning her.

“That been said, I think you’ve earned a little something.” He mused softly. “But where shall we start?” He mused softly.

“Ive already waited ages daddy, dont you remember? In the wine cellar? In the lift? I can’t wait any longer. I need you…” she pouted, reminding him of their almost-tryst from a few days ago, the reason she’d come up with surprising him like this. Anything to get him to give in and use her how she needed him to.

She sighed sharply when he mentioned a reward, “thank you Daddy, please—“ she stopped short as he asked his question, a million scenarios flying through her lust-filled mind. She wanted both, but she knew he’d call her greedy and punish her if she said that.

“Well, good, as long as you remember, I don’t want you to ever forget” he sighed,, smiling as she kissed his cheek and kissing her forehead in return. He held her firmly in his grasp for a while, rocking her gently in the water, just enjoying having her against him. It felt so right to have her like this, for them both to be together, he was sure he would wake up any moment, he couldn’t fathom how else he had become this lucky if he wasn’t dreaming.

Eventually he spoke once more, “So, now we have got the pleasantries out of the way. I wonder, can you tolerate me washing you and then perhaps, if I may push my luck even further washing your hair hmm?” He asked her cheekily, a big cheeky grin across his face.

She could fall asleep as he rocked her, a sense of calm and safety she hadn’t felt in a long time overtaking her. Bellatrix was not like this, in fact this was so far out of who she was that it should scare her. And yet she found this fulfilling a need she didn’t know she had, like she was discovering an entirely new aspect of herself. And through all of it, Bella knew this part of herself would never have come to light were it not for Lucius. It’s always been him. Always. The fact that he was eagerly coaxing Bella into this was more incredible than anything else. 

“That’s how I want you, I always want you sore, aching and desperate for me. If you’re not then I’m not doing my job properly.” He hissed at her, his voice dripping with lust. its

“But I am claiming you my sweet, you’re completely and utterly filled by me, I should be the only thing you can think about, the only thing you can feel.” He whispered, twitching his hips slightly so she’d be sure to feel him stretching her out as he held her against him, making sure she couldn’t move.

“Please, I need to feel you come inside me, I need to it, or I haven’t done my job properly.” It would’ve been a mischievous tone were she not struggling to breathe. “Please, Lucius please..”

She groaned, her body shuddering violently as he spoke, sitting up to rake her nails down his back, digging hard as he twitched inside her. “Fuck…yes” she breathed, shaking as waves of pleasure continued crashing onto her.

“PHOEBUS SALAZAR MALFOY, just how stupid are you? Have you been dropped on your head? Have you had some kind of accident that we do not know about that has addled your mind? If you think that he will let his daughter be near anyone without finding out every last detail about them, then you are sorely mistaken. He is obsessed with her Phoebus, obsessed, he killed her mother, because he was jealous she would love her mother more than him. He’s killed people just for looking at her the wrong way. There is noone that is allowed to come above him, he has to be her everything. It is unhealthy the obsession that man has over his child. He doesn’t see her as a daughter, he sees her as a possession, and all he will see is you taking something that belongs to him, and how do you think that will pan out hmm? It will end up with you dead, along with your parents, your grandfather, and I. Oooh, you can live with your plan, just as long as it keeps everyone alive? Well guess what? It won’t, because it is already falling apart around you, do you know where your little girlfriend was earlier? You obviously don’t, or you wouldn’t be standing here so brazenly defending yourself. Your mother was summoned before the Dark Lord earlier, for him to inform her that his wonderful daughter is keeping something from him, and she has been ‘punished’. He tortured her, because he felt she was hiding something from him, about you. He felt she was too attached to you, at the cost of her loyalty to him. You are just lucky she knew nothing of your true identity to give him, whilst he punished her, or if indeed he also read her mind.

“Tori, I;m so sorry–I truly am. But please believe me when I tell you that I love this family more than everything, and I say that because Damia is family to me now, she’s my life–I hate that this all blew up like this, I really didn’t want to love her, I hated myself for being unable to stop. But I love her, I love her more than I thought I’d ever love someone. I need to find her, if she’s in danger I need to be with her–mum, Tori, please understand, I would die without her. I have to go, I;m so sorry" 

Vittoria barely had time to react before she heard Bella screeching desperately behind her. She turned around pulling Bella into an embrace and soothing her hair, 

“It’s ok, we’ll find him. He’ll be ok. We’ll figure it out. He’s lost to her, he’s not thinking straight. She’s clearly worked her magic on him. We’ll get him back, we’ll make him see sense.” Vittoria sighed exasperatedly. 

So she sobbed—more like screamed—into Victoria’s shoulder, letting herself get it out for a few moments before straightening herself. She took a deep, shaking breath; summoning herself a cloth to clean her face and vittoria’s clothing. “Sorry” she whispered, both for her actions and her earlier thoughts, as she dabbed Vittoria’s silken robes.

“The Dark Lord will ask questions if he disappears. He wouldn’t buy me saying I’d done away with him and his family on my own—we’ve set the Falmoy up as benefactors.” She said after a few more moments of silence. “I’ll—we need him back here right now. Merlin knows what she’ll do with Phoebus now, I don’t know exactly what the Dark Lord has done, if he’s changed her mind about him or not…” she sighed sharply, struggling to keep herself from losing it again.

She summoned an elf, the little thing popping into view, “Go to Hogwarts, bring Phoebus here. Don’t let him get away, if you much sneak up on him then so be it, i want him back immediately.” She stated, making the elf gulp as it bowed, disappearing as quickly as it’d come.

“I’m not sure where he’d go. I feel like I don’t even know him any more. How can he stand there and say she’s family? I just don’t know how this happened.” She sighed deeply, “We were so careful, we tried everything. How could this have happened?” She mused, more to herself than anything else. 

“We can’t let him continue this charade can we? Surely the Dark Lord will see through it and then he’ll kill us all. How are you going to explain to him about the boys parents? Oh stupid, stupid boy. How could he possibly believe that this stupid plan would be anything other than a suicide mission?” Vittoria groaned. 

The elf popping back into the room startled her and she jumped a little, 

“The master isn’t at Hogwarts, I couldn’t find him anywhere within the castle, I looked across all the castle grounds as well..” The elf squeaked anxiously, bowing its head.

“We…I don’t know.” She thought if she started that sentence shed think of something, but the answers didn’t come. Bellatrix began to pace, her heels echoing through their foyer. “We need to know more. If he’s found her and he’s not walked into a trap, then we need to catch him and learn what he knows. That being said, The Dark Lord was suspicious of Phe at best, he didn’t ask me for his head he asked for information. We’ve made a point for years to establish the Falmoys as anonymous benefactors, so in his mind he’s not completely in the dark… Okay, right…” she stopped, the elf stopping her train of thought.

“Of course not.” She rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips “He left because he learned she was hurt… I know she’s really hurt this time, the Dark Lord doesn’t need an excuse to hurt her, he wouldn’t take her to the hospital wing. He wouldn’t take her to St Mungos—you dont think…” she met Vittoria’s gaze, hardly believing such a coincidence. “Do you think he’s taken her to Saxarba Airottiv? Would we be that lucky?” She asked her mother-in-law.

“The fact that he asked you at all is positive, at least he doesn’t know of our involvement, yet. He still trusts you. We need to keep it that way. He won’t just keep accepting that they are anonymous, if he demands you find them, then you will have to set up a meeting. Perhaps Axe and I could use a glamour spell to change our appearance and meet him to appease him? We did help to raise Phoebus after all. We wouldn’t look like us, so the people he’d be trying to find in the event he wanted to kill them, would be untraceable.” She suggested. 

“No, that will be all thank you. We will call for you again if we need you. Speak to no one of this, not even the Masters, do you understand?” Vittoria asked, before waving the elf away. 

She pondered what Bella had said for a moment, wondering if her grandson would really do such a thing for this girl, 

‘He’s got no idea what he’s asked of me, no. Thankfully we planned for this day—to some degree.” She shook her head as Vittoria suggested glamouring herself, “hopefully we’ve established their need for anonymity enough to have him think they might pull their money out of the cause if he prodded too much. He’s asked about them before… hopefully it’ll be enough to keep him from prying too much.”

Bellatrix nodded as she watched the woman give instructions to the elf. It was prudent to not have Lucius find out they’d ‘lost’ Phe. The last thing she needed was her husband making a scene, wrecking everything in his path to look for this boy he’s supposed to not know.

She drew in a slow breath as Vittoria mentioned Nero—she’ll need to send for him soon. With any luck he may know where this girl is. Before any of that, they needed to exhaust their own resources before involving more people into danger. It was bad enough that tori was caught in all of this. Bellatrix nodded in agreement, she also couldn’t be seen hunting Phe down, even though she was instructed to by the Dark Lord, she doesn’t know what shell do when she sees him. Best to keep a wide berth for now.

“PHOEBUS SALAZAR MALFOY, just how stupid are you? Have you been dropped on your head? Have you had some kind of accident that we do not know about that has addled your mind? If you think that he will let his daughter be near anyone without finding out every last detail about them, then you are sorely mistaken. He is obsessed with her Phoebus, obsessed, he killed her mother, because he was jealous she would love her mother more than him. He’s killed people just for looking at her the wrong way. There is noone that is allowed to come above him, he has to be her everything. It is unhealthy the obsession that man has over his child. He doesn’t see her as a daughter, he sees her as a possession, and all he will see is you taking something that belongs to him, and how do you think that will pan out hmm? It will end up with you dead, along with your parents, your grandfather, and I. Oooh, you can live with your plan, just as long as it keeps everyone alive? Well guess what? It won’t, because it is already falling apart around you, do you know where your little girlfriend was earlier? You obviously don’t, or you wouldn’t be standing here so brazenly defending yourself. Your mother was summoned before the Dark Lord earlier, for him to inform her that his wonderful daughter is keeping something from him, and she has been ‘punished’. He tortured her, because he felt she was hiding something from him, about you. He felt she was too attached to you, at the cost of her loyalty to him. You are just lucky she knew nothing of your true identity to give him, whilst he punished her, or if indeed he also read her mind.

“Tori, I;m so sorry–I truly am. But please believe me when I tell you that I love this family more than everything, and I say that because Damia is family to me now, she’s my life–I hate that this all blew up like this, I really didn’t want to love her, I hated myself for being unable to stop. But I love her, I love her more than I thought I’d ever love someone. I need to find her, if she’s in danger I need to be with her–mum, Tori, please understand, I would die without her. I have to go, I;m so sorry" 

Vittoria barely had time to react before she heard Bella screeching desperately behind her. She turned around pulling Bella into an embrace and soothing her hair, 

“It’s ok, we’ll find him. He’ll be ok. We’ll figure it out. He’s lost to her, he’s not thinking straight. She’s clearly worked her magic on him. We’ll get him back, we’ll make him see sense.” Vittoria sighed exasperatedly. 

So she sobbed—more like screamed—into Victoria’s shoulder, letting herself get it out for a few moments before straightening herself. She took a deep, shaking breath; summoning herself a cloth to clean her face and vittoria’s clothing. “Sorry” she whispered, both for her actions and her earlier thoughts, as she dabbed Vittoria’s silken robes.

“The Dark Lord will ask questions if he disappears. He wouldn’t buy me saying I’d done away with him and his family on my own—we’ve set the Falmoy up as benefactors.” She said after a few more moments of silence. “I’ll—we need him back here right now. Merlin knows what she’ll do with Phoebus now, I don’t know exactly what the Dark Lord has done, if he’s changed her mind about him or not…” she sighed sharply, struggling to keep herself from losing it again.

She summoned an elf, the little thing popping into view, “Go to Hogwarts, bring Phoebus here. Don’t let him get away, if you much sneak up on him then so be it, i want him back immediately.” She stated, making the elf gulp as it bowed, disappearing as quickly as it’d come.

“I’m not sure where he’d go. I feel like I don’t even know him any more. How can he stand there and say she’s family? I just don’t know how this happened.” She sighed deeply, “We were so careful, we tried everything. How could this have happened?” She mused, more to herself than anything else. 

“We can’t let him continue this charade can we? Surely the Dark Lord will see through it and then he’ll kill us all. How are you going to explain to him about the boys parents? Oh stupid, stupid boy. How could he possibly believe that this stupid plan would be anything other than a suicide mission?” Vittoria groaned. 

The elf popping back into the room startled her and she jumped a little, 

“The master isn’t at Hogwarts, I couldn’t find him anywhere within the castle, I looked across all the castle grounds as well..” The elf squeaked anxiously, bowing its head.

“We…I don’t know.” She thought if she started that sentence shed think of something, but the answers didn’t come. Bellatrix began to pace, her heels echoing through their foyer. “We need to know more. If he’s found her and he’s not walked into a trap, then we need to catch him and learn what he knows. That being said, The Dark Lord was suspicious of Phe at best, he didn’t ask me for his head he asked for information. We’ve made a point for years to establish the Falmoys as anonymous benefactors, so in his mind he’s not completely in the dark… Okay, right…” she stopped, the elf stopping her train of thought.

“Of course not.” She rolled her eyes, her hands on her hips “He left because he learned she was hurt… I know she’s really hurt this time, the Dark Lord doesn’t need an excuse to hurt her, he wouldn’t take her to the hospital wing. He wouldn’t take her to St Mungos—you dont think…” she met Vittoria’s gaze, hardly believing such a coincidence. “Do you think he’s taken her to Saxarba Airottiv? Would we be that lucky?” She asked her mother-in-law.

“PHOEBUS SALAZAR MALFOY, just how stupid are you? Have you been dropped on your head? Have you had some kind of accident that we do not know about that has addled your mind? If you think that he will let his daughter be near anyone without finding out every last detail about them, then you are sorely mistaken. He is obsessed with her Phoebus, obsessed, he killed her mother, because he was jealous she would love her mother more than him. He’s killed people just for looking at her the wrong way. There is noone that is allowed to come above him, he has to be her everything. It is unhealthy the obsession that man has over his child. He doesn’t see her as a daughter, he sees her as a possession, and all he will see is you taking something that belongs to him, and how do you think that will pan out hmm? It will end up with you dead, along with your parents, your grandfather, and I. Oooh, you can live with your plan, just as long as it keeps everyone alive? Well guess what? It won’t, because it is already falling apart around you, do you know where your little girlfriend was earlier? You obviously don’t, or you wouldn’t be standing here so brazenly defending yourself. Your mother was summoned before the Dark Lord earlier, for him to inform her that his wonderful daughter is keeping something from him, and she has been ‘punished’. He tortured her, because he felt she was hiding something from him, about you. He felt she was too attached to you, at the cost of her loyalty to him. You are just lucky she knew nothing of your true identity to give him, whilst he punished her, or if indeed he also read her mind.

“Tori, I;m so sorry–I truly am. But please believe me when I tell you that I love this family more than everything, and I say that because Damia is family to me now, she’s my life–I hate that this all blew up like this, I really didn’t want to love her, I hated myself for being unable to stop. But I love her, I love her more than I thought I’d ever love someone. I need to find her, if she’s in danger I need to be with her–mum, Tori, please understand, I would die without her. I have to go, I;m so sorry" 

Vittoria barely had time to react before she heard Bella screeching desperately behind her. She turned around pulling Bella into an embrace and soothing her hair, 

“It’s ok, we’ll find him. He’ll be ok. We’ll figure it out. He’s lost to her, he’s not thinking straight. She’s clearly worked her magic on him. We’ll get him back, we’ll make him see sense.” Vittoria sighed exasperatedly. 

So she sobbed—more like screamed—into Victoria’s shoulder, letting herself get it out for a few moments before straightening herself. She took a deep, shaking breath; summoning herself a cloth to clean her face and vittoria’s clothing. “Sorry” she whispered, both for her actions and her earlier thoughts, as she dabbed Vittoria’s silken robes.

“The Dark Lord will ask questions if he disappears. He wouldn’t buy me saying I’d done away with him and his family on my own—we’ve set the Falmoy up as benefactors.” She said after a few more moments of silence. “I’ll—we need him back here right now. Merlin knows what she’ll do with Phoebus now, I don’t know exactly what the Dark Lord has done, if he’s changed her mind about him or not…” she sighed sharply, struggling to keep herself from losing it again.

She summoned an elf, the little thing popping into view, “Go to Hogwarts, bring Phoebus here. Don’t let him get away, if you much sneak up on him then so be it, i want him back immediately.” She stated, making the elf gulp as it bowed, disappearing as quickly as it’d come.

“Well, good, as long as you remember, I don’t want you to ever forget” he sighed,, smiling as she kissed his cheek and kissing her forehead in return. He held her firmly in his grasp for a while, rocking her gently in the water, just enjoying having her against him. It felt so right to have her like this, for them both to be together, he was sure he would wake up any moment, he couldn’t fathom how else he had become this lucky if he wasn’t dreaming.

Eventually he spoke once more, “So, now we have got the pleasantries out of the way. I wonder, can you tolerate me washing you and then perhaps, if I may push my luck even further washing your hair hmm?” He asked her cheekily, a big cheeky grin across his face.

She could fall asleep as he rocked her, a sense of calm and safety she hadn’t felt in a long time overtaking her. Bellatrix was not like this, in fact this was so far out of who she was that it should scare her. And yet she found this fulfilling a need she didn’t know she had, like she was discovering an entirely new aspect of herself. And through all of it, Bella knew this part of herself would never have come to light were it not for Lucius. It’s always been him. Always. The fact that he was eagerly coaxing Bella into this was more incredible than anything else.