ALREADY A DRAMA QUEEN
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Rhea Black was born on 8 December 1979. The days following her birth Seraphina barely left her daughter's side. A crib had been brought into Seraphina's bedroom in the Malfoy Manor, allowing the new mother to have her baby close. Throughout the pregnancy, Seraphina longed for the day it would be over so she finally could walk around freely again but once Rhea was born, being allowed on a daily walk didn't matter any longer.
All that mattered to Seraphina at this moment was Rhea.
The first weeks that passed by were both the most exciting and terrifying weeks of Sera's life. Her mind went completely blank as she tried to remember what Molly did after bringing a baby home. She spent days second-guessing every decision she'd ever made, fearing that she'd drop the baby or something.
Lyra and Narcissa continued helping Sera with what they could, but unfortunately none of them had any experience with being a mother. In fact, Narcissa could instead take notes from Sera in a few months because after trying for a long time she was finally pregnant and due to give birth in June.
Seraphina hadn't didn't even realised it was Christmas until she walked down the stairs one day to see the minimal decorations inside the manor. The usual warmth of the holiday season unfortunately didn't survive in the cold environment of the Malfoy Manor.
Christmas Day felt like any other day. The only difference being that Narcissa — because of her baby hormones, Sera suspected — decided to buy Rhea some new clothes. Since Seraphina already felt like a burden to the Malfoys, she tried to refuse the Christmas gifts but in the end she relented. Mostly because Lyra threatened to set all the baby clothes on fire if she didn't shut up, which would have been a waste.
It wasn't until 2 January 1980 that Seraphina realised New Year's Eve had already been. Upon her discovery, Sera spent an entire day thinking about how different this year would be from the past one. A year from now Seraphina's goals for 1979 were getting one step closer to taking Voldemort down — but right now it didn't feel like she had made any progress.
The next day, Sera started leaving her room more. She realised that she couldn't remain hidden from the world outside forever. When Rhea slept during the day, Sera took walks around the manor with Lyra, always making sure a Death Eater meeting wasn't happening when she ventured outside.
"I used to be Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch Team," Seraphina complained as she ascended the stairs towards the second floor. "Now I get winded from going up one flight of stairs."
"I'm no expert on the human body but I think it could have something to do with you only leaving your bed to go to the loo for four months," Lyra said drily.
"I don't want judgement, I want support," Seraphina glared at the blonde.
"Then you should find somebody else that stands to be your presence," Lyra retorted, dragging her nails against the bannister, scratching the paint.
"Why do you stand my presence?" Seraphina asked as they reached the top of the stairs.
"You're less stuck up than my brother and Cissy," Lyra shrugged. "Somehow you are the best choice-"
"Sera?"
Seraphina stopped upon hearing her name, immediately recognising the voice. At the bottom of the stairs, Avery was staring up at her with wide eyes. Of all the people he expected to see in the home of Lucius Malfoy, Sera didn't exactly make the top one hundred. Especially after not hearing from her for almost a year.
"Avery," Seraphina said, her shocked expression matching his. Avery was knocked out of her trance before her and ran up the stairs two steps at a time. Seraphina met him at the top, arms wrapping around his waist to hug him closely. "Merlin, it's been so long!"
The last time she saw him was the night he saved Nicholas from his fellow Death Eaters. "What are you doing here, Sera?" Avery inquired, casting a suspicious glance at Lyra.
The blonde woman rolled her eyes, "She is a guest here, Alec," Lyra said snidely. "The more important question is — why are you here?"
Judging by the few interactions Seraphina had witnessed between Lyra and all her brother's acquaintances, the blonde seemed to despise all of them. To be fair, Sera had yet to see Lyra get along with anyone other than maybe Regulus; the main reason being that Reggie was too composed to even respond to her comments.
"You know why I'm here," Avery retorted snidely. "Sera?"
"It's kind of a very long story," Seraphina smiled sheepishly. Unfortunately, she couldn't tell the actual story, thus began the lying again.
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The first three months of Rhea's life passed by far too quickly for Sera's liking. Her nephews had been born during her school years, which meant that she missed a lot of their first weeks, but with her daughter Sera witnessed every step of development and cherished every step of it.
After the first month, Rhea started to recognise her mother's voice. During her second month the baby started making sounds other than crying, such as cooing and gurgling, and now at three months old Rhea started smiling and grasping everything she could reach.
However, deep down Seraphina knew that she couldn't go on pretending any of this was normal. That watching her baby grow while Death Eater meetings were being held downstairs was a long term solution. Her surprise pregnancy forced her into a side-track, but if she wanted her daughter to be safe, Seraphina needed to get back to her mission. Only now she had to complete it while simultaneously making sure Rhea didn't get caught in the crossfire.
Rhea tugging on her uncle's signet ring brought Sera out of her thoughts. "No, we don't do that," Seraphina scolded, carefully prying the ring from her tiny little fingers. To make sure her baby didn't take it again, Sera hid the necklace inside her sweater.
When Rhea let out a displeased cry, Seraphina gently rocked the baby in her arms. "Already a drama queen," she chuckled. With a deep sigh she added, "Just like your father."
It pained Sera that Sirius missed out on all of this. He couldn't witness their daughter's growth because he was oblivious to the fact that he even had a daughter. She didn't even want to imagine how he'd react when he found out the truth.
Rhea gurgled again, making Sera smile as a pair of innocent blue eyes — that became more grey for each day that passed — stared up at her curiously. Seeing her mother's smile, Rhea tried to mimic her expression.
"Such a pretty smile," Seraphina cooed, leaning down to rub her nose carefully against Rhea's tiny one, prompting her daughter to let out a pleased gurgle. Too focused on her daughter, Sera didn't realise Tom had stepped into the room until he announced his presence.
"Indeed," he agreed.
Seraphina's attention snapped up to him, "Tom, I didn't hear you come in," she kept a light smile on her face. By now it was a habit. She no longer needed to force herself to act natural around Voldemort; it was a survival instinct by now. "What brings you here?"
"How is she fairing?" Tom asked, doing their usual dance of her asking questions and him ignoring them to ask his own.
"Good — I think," Seraphina said, smiling down at the baby. "She eats well and sleeps well." While he asked, Sera suspected he didn't care for details.
"That is good," Tom hummed. He walked closer but stayed at a respectable distance away from her; Sera had a suspicion the Dark Lord didn't know how to act with babies.
A slightly awkward silence followed. Seraphina didn't know why he'd come to speak with her, but she decided to take this opportunity to ask something she'd pondered over for a long time. For weeks she'd considered the possible repercussions this inquiry could have.
"I've been thinking," Seraphina said, making sure to keep her tone light. "It's been nearly a year since I contacted my family in any way. I know what I agreed on when I joined you — and I do not regret it in any way — but they will start to worry soon, if they haven't already."
"Probably," Tom nodded, his entire demeanour passive.
"None of us will benefit from them asking questions about my disappearance," Seraphina said, "so perhaps it is for the best that I pay them a visit. Not even a long one, just to make sure my face doesn't end up in the Prophet under the column about missing people.
"Is that the only reason?" Tom questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Like I said, I do not regret my choice," Seraphina sighed, hoping he bought her act. "It's just — with everything that has happened these past months I miss them. My nephews especially. They are still so young and I feel like I've abandoned them."
Hopefully, claiming to miss her nephews rather than brothers or friends could work in her favour because they were still young and impressionable. In Voldemort's eyes her family were blood-traitors but he also valued pure magical blood above all else.
The silence that followed made Sera wonder if she'd reached too far with this request. Though she tried her best to hide it since showing the wrong emotion could ruin her entire act. "As I told you before you gave birth, you are not a prisoner here, Seraphina. You may come and go as you please."
"I can?" Seraphina asked, a little surprised. She had assumed her newfound freedom was limited to the Malfoy family's property.
"Of course," Tom smiled — though it seemed rather unnatural, "you are my ally, not my prisoner. Your safety is the only reason I wished for you to remain hidden during your pregnancy but you have always been free to do what you want."
"Thank you," Seraphina said. "For future references, I prefer clear orders because apparently I'm not very good at interpreting what you mean."
"Noted," Tom said. "To clarify, you can come and go as you please. And do not worry — I am certain Miss. Malfoy and Mrs. Malfoy will be delighted to watch over young Rhea when you are out."
The message between the line was clear — Sera could go as she pleased but Rhea would remain here.
During her pregnancy, Narcissa once mentioned how the manor had an Anti-Disapparition Jinx casted on it which prevented people from apparating out of the area. Meaning Sera had no way of getting Rhea out of there without either using violence or asking permission.
Unfortunately, if she ever asked Tom if she could take Rhea he could see that as her making a run for it which would blow her entire cover. Seraphina gave birth to the perfect hostage for the Dark Lord to take to ensure her loyalty.
"I appreciate that," Seraphina said with an easy smile.
Did she suspect Voldemort to have ulterior motives for allowing her to leave unsupervised?
Definitely.
Much like every other step she'd taken since graduating from Hogwarts, Seraphina needed to be careful about where she put her foot. Because each choice she made had consequences and at the end of the day, she had to live with them.
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💫In celebration of Harry Potter Day, marking the 26th anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, here is a double update 💫