Yule Break II

Harry sat at Pounds House in his private study. Sitting on his desk were letters that Walburga had wanted him to reply to. Happy Christmas Harry... He thought to himself as he penned a response to the director of St. Mungos.

The door to his study opened and Andromeda walked in. "You must have known I was writing to your boss..." He said with a smile, "Director Walsh wants me to donate to the development of a long-term ward for victims of spell damage. So, I can't think of any better way to use the money from the Lestrange vault."

Andromeda leaned against the door frame, "That's a lot of money." It was indeed a lot of money. The Lestrange family had been very wealthy, the sheer amount of gold in that vault would be able to fund projects like that for a very long time. "Does Bella know?"

Harry nods, "She was with me before she left to collect Sirius' date." It will never stop being bizarre referring to my mother as 'Miss Evans' or 'Lily'... He thought absently before looking to his letter, "I'm nearly finished with this, did you need me for something?"

"Finish your work, I can sit on the chaise and we can talk..." Andromeda said, sitting down and resting against the back of the soft chair. "I'm taking some leave from my position after the New Year," She told him, "It will give us a chance to make others think that you and I have been intimate."

Harry nodded, "Does anyone outside of the family know yet?"

"Only my superior." Andromeda said to him, "I haven't told Mother or Father yet. Father would be thrilled to have a grandchild, but Mother would insist on creating a marriage contract, possibly with Sirius' first born to bring our family into the Black family more completely."

Harry thought for a moment, "We should probably prepare for scrutiny anyway."

"It's hardly necessary," Andromeda said quietly, "As Lord of Houses Peverell, Slytherin, and Lestrange, you are allowed to take a wife for each in order to continue your line and should an unmarried witch ask it of you, as I have, you may take a Consort for each House as well."

"Yeah, I won't be doing that nonsense. The four of you are plenty." He laughed softly, "As it is I need to arrange something with Apolline to formally name her as the Consort for Slytherin." Harry hadn't spent nearly enough time with Apolline to consider an actual relationship with her yet. If he were honest with himself, he had been hoping that she would feel a connection with another person and leave. He didn't dislike her, he just hadn't spent time with her. She's still here, so I suppose I need to try and meet her halfway.

"Are you still thinking about naming your child Nymphadora if it's a girl?" Harry asked, bracing himself for what is to come. Andromeda Tonks, in his timeline, had been one of the strongest willed people he'd ever met. But, he also knew that wherever Tonks was, she would never forgive him if he didn't try. She'd probably be mad enough that her mum and dad got divorced...

"Why do you hate that name so much? It's beautiful, and it's accurate. 'Gift of the Nymphs'...Weasley's aside, pure-blood witches don't have large numbers of children. She'll probably be the only one I have, especially since I'm tying myself to House Peverell." Andromeda said quietly, "You will have children by Bella and Cissy to name, why won't you let me have this?"

"I just imagine a little girl going to school with the name Nymphadora and coming home in tears because her classmates are little shits." Harry said, "Or when she's an adult constantly having to bite her tongue because those same shits didn't improve with age." He didn't want to think about all the times Tonks had cried in his arms when they'd been able to hide in a safe place long enough to sleep for more than an hour at a time. It hadn't always been about her name of course. She was stronger than that, but it had been everything else. Losing her father had hurt, especially since it had been Bellatrix who'd murdered Ted Tonks, losing her husband in an attack a few weeks later had nearly destroyed her. After Ginny died they had been two broken people who had cobbled together as close to a new normal as they could.

Then she died. Another life was taken by the Death Eaters, another part of his soul ripped out.

"Supposing I were to change my mind, what would you suggest?" Andromeda asked him carefully, "Not that I am changing my mind, but if I were..."

"Maybe something a little less embellished, like Phoebe or Diana..." He suggested, "Even just Dora if you wanted to keep that part of the name."

Andromeda sighed, "I will think about it. But those are all awful choices." She rose and made her way out of the room.

Scene Break

Bellatrix looked at the muggle neighborhood with some distaste. All of these bloody houses look the same... She thought as she walked up to the door and knocked on it. The door opened revealing a girl roughly the same age as Lily. "Can I help you?" the girl asked Bellatrix.

"I am here to collect Lily Evans." Bellatrix said, "You must be her sister Petunia. Sirius mentioned you." The coldness in Bellatrix's voice hit Petunia like a hammer, the disgust that had came up when Bellatrix announced what she was here for vanished, replaced by terror, "A word of advice, for however long it takes for me to get your sister and her bag and then leave you would do well to remember two things: that I do not like you, and that I can easily make you vanish from this world." With that, Bellatrix stepped inside, "Where is Lily's bedroom?" She asked the terrified girl.

Petunia pointed up the stairs, "U-up the stairs to the left. I'm leaving anyway. I don't want to be around f-freaks like you!" With that, the brown-haired girl turned and ran out of the house. Bellatrix smirked and stood there watching her run.

"This isn't a floo, no need to announce your departure!" She called before turning and ascending the stairs to the appointed room. Hmm, I needn't have bothered asking, her name has a plate on the door... She knocked on the door lightly. "It's Bellatrix. I'm here to take you to Pounds House." She called out, "I may have scared your mu- sister, into running off as well."

The door opened and Lily came out with a small leather satchel, "Petunia will no doubt tell Mum and Dad that you threatened to kill her..." She said closing the bedroom door.

Bellatrix laughed softly, "I did. Now, give me your arm." She said as Lily's eyes widened, "Come, come, we haven't all day..." Lily did as requested and Bellatrix apparated them both to the Pounds House apparation point.

Lily felt miserable and stood there for several seconds trying to will her mornings Weetabix to stay down. Bellatrix watched her for a moment, stepping back imperceptibly, "You've never side-along apparated before, have you?" She asked the younger girl.

"N-no. I don't like it very much." Lily admitted, "It felt like-"

"Like you were being pulled through a very small pipe? That's normal for first timers." Bellatrix replied, "Now, let's get you settled in one of the guest rooms. Sirius will be along with Andromeda before too much longer." At the utterance of her boyfriend's name, Bellatrix noticed that Lily became more animated, "You really care about him don't you?"

Lily blushed, "I didn't before. I rather hated all of them, except Remus, he was always kind to me. But Sirius was a prat, not just to me, but to Sev as well." She looked down at the snow-covered ground of the path leading to Pounds House, "But then he comforted me when he didn't have to, he risked his friendship with Po- with James for me.." She smiled then, "I really like him."

That stopped Bellatrix, "You know I met someone once, I was my usual ball of sunshine and good humor self, and he still found me worth keeping. I married him. Sounds like you might have found your future husband..." She said watching the red on Lily's cheeks grow deeper.

"We're only twel- well actually I'm thirteen now," Lily said, "But we still have five years before we need to think about that." Lily didn't really want to think about it if she could help it. Ever since she'd arrived back home she'd had conflicting thoughts about the future. Sirius was the next Lord of House Black, and in pure-blood society, that meant he would most likely have an arranged marriage. For now, any contracts would have to go through Professor Fawkes, but that's not to say his mother hasn't already arranged something... She thought, trying and failing to keep her face from falling.

Bellatrix noticed the look but said nothing. She wasn't the 'sharing' type really, emotions tended to make her deeply uncomfortable so she kept most interactions on the skin-deep level. With that, the pair walked silently up to the house.

Scene Break

Dorea had picked up Regina in the afternoon, just after collecting Lily from Pounds House, like Bellatrix, she had been less than pleased with the neighborhood this part of the Parkinson family lived in, but not because it was a muggle neighborhood. Her problem was that she knew the Parkinson family. They were wealthy, perhaps not in the Sacred Twenty-Eight range, but wealthy enough. It appears that the opulence the 'mainline' Parkinson family enjoys came at the expense of cutting cousins out of the family vault... She'd thought to herself.

Regina had let them in, her mother was home and had offered Dorea and Lily a cup of tea and a biscuit. Dorea had accepted it graciously and used it as a moment to take in her surroundings. The house was small, but it was very clean. Dorea marveled at the amount of work that must go into it, There are no cleaning spells, no house elves, cleaning in the muggle way. Mother and Father used that as a punishment in our home...here it's just the way that things are.

The tea was fine if a bit sweeter than she liked. The biscuit was a crumbly muggle confection, not to her taste, but she hid that fact behind the polite mask she'd developed over decades of dealing with parties hosted by trophy wives, the worst of whom she felt, had to be the Lady Parkinson. Virginia Parkinson was, in all fairness, probably the worst person Dorea had to be around in her capacity as ICW liaison. Virginia Parkinson is far too haughty for a woman who had to retake her N.E.W.T year... Dorea thought with a smile as she finished her cup of tea.

Regina came into the kitchen with her own suitcase, "I'm ready Lady Black," she said, "Thank you again for picking me up." Regina had barely slept the night before, she'd been far too excited about going to her first high society event. And seeing James again... she admitted to herself. Somehow, James Potter had managed to get under her armor. Maybe it was the fact that he was actually willing to apologize to her when he did something wrong, whereas with almost everyone else he would play it off as a joke or a prank. Maybe it was the fact that she thought his bum looked nice in his robes. She wasn't sure and she didn't really care either.

Regina hugged her mother and then Dorea apparated them, first to Potter Manor, and then once everything was left in the capable hands of the Potter house elves, Dorea took them next to Diagon Alley.

Regina had studied the effects apparation had on the passenger and had prepared the night before by drinking ginger beer the night before and the morning of her trip. It kept the nausea at bay long enough for her to take several steadying breaths.

Dorea was impressed, "You take to apparation very naturally Regina, I think you will be a natural when you get your license." She led the girls to a small shop a few streets over from the alley proper, "This is Master Sartor's shop, The Discerning Eye has been outfitting the Potter and Black families since the late seventeen hundreds," She winked playfully at the younger girls, "Master Sartor has probably been there since then as well. The man was positively ancient in my youth and that's been far longer than I care to mention."

Once inside, Regina was poked and prodded by the old man in a way that reminded her of being fitted for her wand by Mr. Ollivander the year prior. "Green velvet with silver lacing perhaps..." the old man said to himself as his tape measure flew up and down the girl's body of its own volition, "No no, dreadful, common colors for a girl from Slytherin, everyone would expect it..."

Eventually, the color was decided upon, a light buttercup yellow dress with slightly deeper gold accents. The gold made it appear as if the designs were only there if you were looking for them. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen and when Master Sartor gave the price Regina felt her heart drop.

"It's beautiful..." Lily exclaimed.

"It's far too expensive-" Regina began only to be cut off with a raised eyebrow from Dorea.

"Nonsense, I won't have another word. The Parkinson family might not treat your branch as deserved, but there's at least an outside chance that you'll be my niece one day, so I say I'm buying it and you will just say 'thank you Aunt Dorea' to get into the habit."

"Th-thank you Aunt Dorea," Regina said, cheeks reddening as she took the box containing her new dress from Master Sartor. The two departed, only to come face to face with Virginia Parkinson and her daughter Patricia.

"So good to see you Dorea," Virginia simpered, her eyes flicking over to Regina and Lily then back, a flash of disdain marring her artificially beautiful features, "Doing some charity work today?"

"It's 'take your mudblood shopping day'?" Patricia said glaring at her cousin. Patricia Parkinson hated everything about Regina. She was, to Patricia's mind, no better than the muggleborn beside her. Worse, Regina insisted on excelling in classes, not having the common decency to be terrible so Patricia could ignore her.

"Now now Patricia dear, there's no need for insults. She's not worth them." Virginia said, "But I am curious why she's with you, Dorea." That was what Dorea had secretly hoped to hear from the woman.

"Not that it's any of your business since none of the Parkinson family was invited except Regina, but she will be attending the wedding of Lord Slytherin to Narcissa Black." Dorea said, before taking Regina and Lily's hands, "Come along dear, there's the faint reek of old bitch here." With that, the trio vanished, arriving back at Potter Manor. "I hate wretched cow," Dorea said to Regina, "I always have."

"Why do they hate me so much?" Regina asked, "I mean besides the fact that Patricia has never gotten a better grade than an 'Acceptable'..." Regina stopped, "Bragging isn't ladylike, I'm sorry."

"It's not. But there's no shame in being proud of your accomplishments. You just have to remember that not everyone is worth your time. Time speaking to the wrong sort is time wasted." Dorea smiled at her, "I'll take you to your room, then we can put away your dress until the wedding." Regina held the box closer to her as the trio went up the stairs.

Scene Break

It had taken the loss of their paperwork and their boat being designated as 'lost at sea', but Lucius Malfoy and the Carrows were no longer guests of the Ministry on their way to Azkaban. They had been met at their boat by Barty Crouch Jr who had killed the Auror assigned to them before modifying the paperwork and sinking the boat in the deep waters of the Ministry's harbor off the Scottish coast.

Now they were back with their kind and to Lucius, it felt like a modification of his death sentence. He didn't yet know how right he was.

Voldemort himself had greeted them, leading them into the ritual chamber of Avery's home. Among the assorted Death Eaters were two women Lucius didn't recognize. "I would like to introduce the envoy to the Wiltshire vampire coven, Lady Alice Declan and her assistant-"

"Her name is unimportant, my Lord. She hasn't yet been given a proper name, she only has her wretched mortal name at this point." Alice said looking at the three, "So, this one is Malfoy, I presume?" She asked, looking at Lucius, "Yes, I remember his father," her gaze turned to Lucius, "You have his eyes."

"Lady Declan actually worked for your father many years ago, an interesting bit of shared history isn't it Lucius?" Voldemort said, "She has worked her way up the ranks of the coven and is here today because I wished to make an alliance with her people. She has agreed to all of my terms, provided I give her something."

The air was thick with tension as Voldemort stepped closer, "Did you know, Lucius, that the diary I gave you, my own personal journal from my Hogwarts years, has somehow vanished from your home? Someone, managed to get into your home, a home that should have been locked down as you, the only surviving Malfoy was being held captive at the time." Voldemort's eyes were cold and dead as he continued to speak, "You gave them permission to enter the house, didn't you?"

Lucius tried to close his mind, but Voldemort's probe was like a battering ram, "I see," Voldemort all but hissed, "You gave that miserable Alastor Moody permission, and even told him what to look for..."

Voldemort stepped away, "I'm afraid that betrayal can only be met with retribution Lucius, Lady Declan has asked that you be given to her, as payment. Not just for your crimes against me, but for your families crimes against her." The vampire came closer, in an instant her hand was at his throat with a grip like iron.

"Your father took me into his study and used me. Over and over he used my unwilling body to slake his pathetic lusts. Then, he threw me into the forest for the wolves. But the wolves didn't find me...my own master did." She said, her voice low and even, "I was shown the beauty of the night and the power that blood truly has." She lifted him off of the ground, pressing him against the wall of the ritual chamber. "Has fear silenced you?" She asked him, her voice turning oddly playful, "It makes no difference..."

The others watched in horror as the life of Lucius Malfoy was taken by the vampire. His throat ripped out and his blood drank by Lady Declan, the ruined body was left to drop onto the floor. Lucius watched with wide, helpless eyes as Alice lifted her wand and cast a familiar curse upon him, "Corpus Uri!" Alice shouted as the spell began to reduce the dying Lucius into a pile of ash.

Voldemort turned to the others, "Never forget that I own you. If you betray me, I will kill you. If you fail me, I will punish you. If you do well, I will reward you." Cantankerous Nott was pushed into the center of the chamber by one of the others at a look from Voldemort, "Mr. Nott here has been busy putting his few talents to good work, he has been keeping my personal library in good order, I must say that he makes a better house elf than a wizard."

A few of the more sycophantic Death eaters laughed at that, and then Voldemort continued, "But, he has performed admirably enough. Nott, you will accompany the Lady Declan to Wiltshire as my envoy. Continue to perform, and you will be rewarded, fail and you have seen the punishment."

As the trio left, Voldemort turned to the Carrows, "Alecto, Amycus, you seek payback for the injuries and humiliation thrust upon you by the soon-to-be Mrs. Fawkes, do you not?"

"Yes my Lord," the twins said as one.

Voldemort allowed his lips to curl into what an insane person might consider a type of smile, but looked more at home on a predator, "You shall have it. Regrettably, we cannot infiltrate the Fawkes home as we did before, instead, you will work here and assist Avery in preparing some very special potions. There's going to be rather a large explosion in the Alley very, very soon."