Chapter 91: The New Romantics
"Do you think we mentally flog ourselves for the shit we did in the past? I mean the following Voldemort shit," Rabastan asked Bella and Rod as soon as they all Apparated into their own library after the group therapy session was over. "You'd think mentally flogging ourselves would be more fun if we did," he complained.
"I don't think we do," Rod said, shrugging.
"Bottling," Bellatrix hummed under her breath. She tried not to laugh.
"He's here," Lyra sang as she darted through the door of the library. "He insisted on staying at the stupid Three Broomsticks so as not to annoy you lot, but I really don't think that's safe."
Lyra's narrowed eyes screamed blatant manipulation and Bellatrix frowned. "So what if he isn't?" She could comfort herself with daydreams over someone wiping Winterhaven out before he could take away their baby.
"Well," Lyra said. "Grindelwald wouldn't like it if something happened to his potential golden boy before he even got to use him."
Bellatrix scowled because her daughter was right.
"Sorry," Lyra said, almost seeming to mean it. "My point is still valid, though."
Pointedly staying out of the conversation, Rabastan sauntered over to his favorite armchair and settled into it to watch the show.
"Well, the boy isn't shacking up with you here, and that's that," Rodolphus said firmly. "I'll write Grindelwald, and tell him where Boy Wonder is. I will also ask if he wishes him to be placed elsewhere."
"I'm going to stay with him wherever that is," Lyra announced belligerently.
Rodolphus laughed. "Oh no, you are not. If you want him breathing, you will conduct yourself properly, and in case you were curious, properly means as we tell you to do until you are married!"
"I am well above legal age," Lyra nearly shouted. Her chin, so like Rod's own, was set in that angry stubborn way her father adapted when especially angry, and at the moment they looked very similar as they glared at one another.
"Still my baby," Rod announced implacably and Bellatrix nodded. "Please, Lyra," she said, suddenly tired. She sighed, struggling to keep her shoulders from slumping as she gave her daughter a pleading look. "Just...we aren't ready to let you go yet."
Lyra sighed as her face relaxed, the anger suddenly draining away. "I'm not going anywhere. But the two of you are going to have to realize that I am an adult. I will be spending private time with Cassius. He loves me, and I love him. And considering the two of you were animals at sixteen you shouldn't talk."
Rodolphus turned pointedly away and walked over to the desk, presumably to write Grindelwald about Winterhaven's accommodations. As far as he was concerned, the conversation was obviously over.
"Where did Winterhaven arrive," Bellatrix asked Lyra.
"He came in through the Ministry Floo from the one at The Australian Ministry. When he applied to the Ministry for his travel visa on our end, he had to explain that he was requested by Grindelwald. The Australian Minister was impressed and wanted to speak to Kereston, so she came through with him." She grinned. "Made him feel important traveling with the Minister, which you've got to admit is impressive."
Bellatrix shrugged. "If you say so."
"I was there working with the Aurors so I got to see him for a bit, but he insisted I come home and he go to The Three Broomsticks," Lyra complained.
"He is wiser than you," Bellatrix said.
She wandered over to the sofa and sank down upon it, idly wondering what the Australian Minister was like and how useful her country would be to theirs in this crisis. Delphini was a worldwide threat, so it was comforting to know more countries were willing to work together against her. One single little girl really should not be such a threat, but with the Dark Lord, or a sliver of him, inside of her and whatever abilities she inherited from her serpentine mother, she presented quite the horror.
It didn't take Grindelwald long to respond to Rod's note. When the reply came, Rod read it at once, giving a slight smile and nod of approval. "He wants Winterhaven to stay at Malfoy Manor. He says there, he can keep an eye on Lucius to make sure all remains on the up and up with him. I like that."
"How are we supposed to explain that to Lucy and Narcissa, though?" Rabastan wondered.
"He's writing them a request that they harbor Winterhaven," Rod said. "When they agree, we will be contacted, and will go fetch him from The Three Broomsticks to Malfoy Manor."
"Good. I shall get to see him again today," Lyra said smugly.
"He shall have the opportunity to see me and my fist as well," Rodolphus said just as smugly.
To Bellatrix's satisfaction, Lyra's pleased smile slipped.
An hour later, they'd gotten the go-ahead from Grindelwald and were Apparating to The Three Broomsticks to pick up Winterhaven.
"We shall ask Madame Rosmerta to fetch him from his room," Bellatrix said as the four Lestranges entered the warm, crowded pub.
"No need," Lyra said, excitement flashing in her dark eyes. "He's right there at the bar."
Winterhaven was taller and wider in the shoulders than Bellatrix expected him to be from the baby face and angelic curls she'd seen in the fire. The face and curls were the same, and his eyes lit up when he caught sight of the four of them. Rather than standing, he eagerly waved them over.
"I've just met Wulfric Dumbledore and his girlfriend Graven," he said excitedly. "Wulfric's father is nearly as famous as the three of you," he told Rodolphus, Bellatrix, and Rabastan enthusiastically.
A pretty faced young man with the red hair and blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore gave them a slightly confused smile. From the way he swayed slightly on his bar stool, Bellatrix wagered a guess that he was drunk.
A bad boy unlike his overly studious father, she noted rather gleefully. The goblin girl at his side wore a long black dress and corset in a style similar to Bellatrix's own, though the goblin's was a bit lower cut. Wait, was Dumbledore's boy dating a goblin?
Bellatrix cackled, idly wondering what old Dumbledore thought of that. Then recalling how exceedingly badass goblin Curse-Breakers were, she decided he quite likely approved of having that power close.
"We're getting Cass drunk," the goblin said, giving a happy laugh as she lifted a hand in a wave of greeting. Her black nail polish flashed with the gesture. Then she blinked, a slow look of shock and mild horror crossing her face as she took in who they were.
Bellatrix knew that look. It was the 'Oh shit! Are they going to start torturing us right now?' look they'd seen all too often. She supposed the girl may have the right to look uneasy because often the answer was yes.
"Cass, you didn't tell us that your girlfriend was a Lestrange," she half groaned, turning away in either fear or embarrassment, Bellatrix was unsure which.
Lyra drew herself up as she marched up to stand directly in front of young Dumbledore and his little girlfriend. "It isn't my fault that my parents are criminally crazy. If you're going to be awful to me, just get it over with," she said resentfully.
The goblin girl blinked in confusion, and it was then that Bellatrix noticed that her eyes didn't look quite right. Could she be high as well as drunk? This was too good!
"I hate it when girls babble for attention," she grumbled with a sigh. "Sit your ass down and stop babbling."
"I didn't want attention," Lyra stated sullenly, but she took a seat on the other side of the goblin girl.
Bellatrix, feeling petty, was rather pleased that the Dumbledore boy and his girlfriend sat between Lyra and Winterhaven, as Winterhaven sat on the other side of Dumbledore who was sitting beside his girlfriend.
"You made friends quickly," Bellatrix told Cassius with a smirk.
"We heard him ordering his dinner, and noticing he was from Australia, we struck up a conversation," Dumbledore said. "Graven and I have spent the last year traveling, but we haven't gone to Australia yet, so..." He trailed off, seeming to have forgotten he was speaking at all.
"Sorry, we're really high," the goblin girl said with a laugh. "There is this pain killing potion and one swig has you in the sky way up on a happy cloud. Add a few drinks to that and...that's us right about now."
"Sounds like a great place to be," Rabastan said. "What's old Dumbledore think about it, though?"
"He mostly pretends not to notice," Wulfric said with a slightly embarrassed grin.
Graven looked thoughtfully over at Wulfric. "Do you think it's because he's all stressed out over the Delphini thing?"
He considered then nodded. "Probably so."
"Are we going to have to be the responsible ones and get you lot home," Rabastan asked, a look of mild horror on his face that made Bellatrix smirk.
"Oh no, we have a room here," Graven assured. "But thank you."
"Speaking of rooms," Lyra said. "Cassius, we've made other arrangements for you, because I didn't feel you were safe here."
"It's quite safe here," Graven protested.
"Just as Hogwarts was safe when Delphini..."
"Lyra," Bellatrix warned. "Be careful what you speak of in public!"
Wulfric nodded. "She's right."
Lyra turned to him, face lighting up as she seemed to realize who he was. "Your grandfather is Albus Dumbledore, right? I got to meet him when we did shields and stuff at the Ministry! He's very talented, and it was an honor to learn from him."
Wulfric chuckled, shaking his head. "He's my dad, actually. My mum is the Headmistress of Durmstrang, and they met when she sought an alliance between the schools right there at the end of Voldemort. Dad came to Durmstrang after faking his death so I grew up there."
Bellatrix bit back an amused smile at Lyra's look of embarassed horror.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She turned to her parents, horrified look still in place. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Rodolphus shrugged. "You didn't ask."
Wulfric chuckled. "It's really alright," he assured. "We should hang out more as you're both new here," he added, turning to Cassius with a friendly grin. "We can double date or something."
Cassius grinned back. "Hey thanks, man! That'd be great."