Bad Romance

Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Birds of a Feather

The rest of the week was uneventful. Bellatrix wished she didn't find that fact so unsettling. It felt as if Delphini was psychologically playing with them, and Bellatrix didn't like to play games that she and hers weren't running. Things weren't just peaceful in Azkaban either. In general, no news came from the Ministry of any new disruptions there or elsewhere. Either Delphini was playing snake and mouse with them, or she was busy with something that would make itself known in the worst of ways when the time was right... or rather, wrong. Either option plagued Bellatrix with a gripping feeling of dread when she allowed herself to dwell on it.

That Sunday, they had a note waiting at breakfast. It lay on the table between Bellatrix and Rodolphus's plates, and it was from Gellert.

"It came nearly an hour ago," Harold divulged as Rodolphus unrolled the scroll.

"Mag left Winterhaven's wand at the shop. Grindelwald says we may pick it up any time today."

"Ooh," Lyra squealed. "I'll write Cassius that it's ready. May we come with you to pick it up? I'd love to see the shop and besides, he'll need to pay for the wand anyway. I doubt you will be trying to pay for anything when it comes to him," she added bitterly, giving her parents a baleful look.

"He's been green with envy over my wand all week," she continued giddily, her eagerness returning.

"I suppose you both can come along," Bellatrix said. "He does need to pay for his own wand, after all."

"I'll just go write him now," Lyra said, springing from her chair after only casting Bella the slightest of dirty looks.

"After breakfast. Finish eating first," Rodolphus said firmly before gesturing Lyra back to her chair.

"Fine," Lyra said and slouched back into her chair. Snatching up her fork, she began attacking her breakfast.

"Eat like a lady," Bellatrix snapped.

"If you don't, you shall have indigestion," Rod chimed in, but where Bellatrix was frowning, he struggled not to smile.

Lyra slowed a fraction, glancing at her mother briefly before returning her gaze to her plate. "I'm just sorry you both forget what it was like to be young," she grumbled.

The comment brought their recent session with Mag to mind with a pang of discomfort, which only caused Bellatrix's frown to deepen.

"Oh, we didn't forget," Rodolphus informed his daughter calmly. "In fact, as far as we are concerned, we are still young."

"Damn right," Rabastan agreed enthusiastically.

Lyra looked up from her plate to give Rod an incredulous glance. "First of all, you all aren't young!"

"Shut your mouth," Bellatrix said, aghast.

"Second of all, do you know how psycho it is to have different rules for young you waaaay back then and young me?" Lyra continued relentlessly.

"Oh fuck, did we say we weren't psycho," Rabastan asked his niece, grinning.

"Tell Winterhaven when you write to be here within an hour, because I'd like to leave soon," Bellatrix said in an attempt to keep the peace by changing the subject.

Lyra nodded, brightening. "Good. The sooner we go the better. I can't wait to look around that shop! I mean Grindelwald owns it and makes enchanted items for it, so it's got to be BRILLIANT!"

Rabastan nodded. "Yep, it's pretty sweet, especially the back room. That's where all the really dark items are."

Lyra hurriedly scooped up the last few bites of her breakfast, then rose. "I'll tell him to hurry," she promised, then dashed off.