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xxxii. THIRTY-TWO
THE THRILL OF IT ALL
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"NOW, SEE, THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT FUN!" BELLATRIX EXCLAIMED AS SHE WALKED AWAY FROM MELORA. It had been a while since the Occlumency lesson in which Melora had been unsuccessful in keeping her summer hideout a secret, and Bellatrix had been oddly excited by it all. Melora didn't know what she'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't for her mother to be happy. If anything, she'd imagined being disowned, or tortured, or something.
But certainly not a laugh and nothing more being said about it.
Yet, Christmas Day rolled around faster than Melora a anticipated (marking one year since that all-important locket had been given to her), and Bellatrix seemed thrilled. It was odd anyway, because Bellatrix Lestrange was never one to celebrate Christmas, but to see her happy after what Melora had done? What?
"We're going to fix the problem that you've made," Bellatrix said that day, striding away from Melora like a sibling of hers, rather than a mother. Melora, feeling absolutely terrified for what that meant, followed her. "We can't have you walking around like you've done nothing wrong, can we, little Melora?"
Melora felt a shiver run cold down her back as she went after her through the halls of Malfoy Manor.
"We'll go, won't we? And we'll fix all your wrongdoings," Bellatrix said sharply, before she turned back to Melora. "There's no point in disowning you, is there? You're useful, unlike all the scum from before."
Melora didn't even know what to think at this point. So she had thought about disowning her, but for the moment, she was safe? Even after hiding with a Weasley for two months, and kissing him? And... loving him? She was... safe?
Bellatrix grinned, before she turned away again, calling out, "We need the werewolf with us!" in hopes of the elf hearing her and informing him about what was going on. "This is going to fun, isn't it, Melora?"
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When the time came, Bellatrix and Melora Apparated to where they would be 'fixing problems'. And even though she was aware that her daughter was capable of Apparition, Bellatrix grasped Melora's wrist tightly and escorted her to their destination herself. Melora caught a glimpse of her aunt out of the corner of her eye before she left, but Narcissa's face remained expressionless, and gave Melora no further clue as to where she was headed.
