✧WHAT DOES 𝔽𝕀ℕ𝔼 MEAN?✧

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Although Rabastan had apologized multiple times, twice in just the arrival to the Malfoy manor, Rory had still remained the still ridget self. "Raba I said it was fine."
"Fine is worse, fine is fine?! That means nothing is fine." This meeting was already giving her a headrush, but she was thankful that the meeting would involve Severus as well. And so he kissed her gently before turning to his old roommate.

"Call me when you're done?" She tilted her head and shook her head. "You said emergencies."

"Merlin, Severus?" The man gave an instant nod to the question and now Aurora narrowed her eyes to either man before her.

"I haven't done a thing Mrs.Lestrange—"
"What happened to using my name?" An amused smirk rallied on her potion partner's face as she looked rightly disappointed.

"What happened is your husband simply wanted to know when we are finished. No need to give him a hard time." She rolled her eyes but gave Rabastan a kiss on his cheek saying that she'd call him when everything was finished, and when Aurora had turned away her husband mouthed his appreciation...And off the two potioneers had moved into the Dark Lord's study.

Rory assumed that the dark wizard had to sleep eventually, and that was indeed a proven fact, especially when Bella had swayed her hips out of the bedroom off to the right.

"Cassi!" The witch had barely centered her corset and calmed down her hair before she tackled her cousin. Freshly shagged.

"Halsey and Romulus are going to forget their Auntie if you don't come to visit soon." The woman pouted and nodded eagerly, she had been so downright busy with missions and...Entertaining the Dark Lord that she had forgotten the responsibility to her niece and nephew.

"Of course, I'll come this week...Have you talked to Cissy? She's—" Bellatrix goes by many names, many titles. Heartless Bitch from her own brother in law, Slytherin princess when she was a student and many many more incriminating catcalls.

The Dark Lord looked intrigued by the conversation and turned to the woman he was—intimate with moments ago in demand of an explanation.

"Narcissa was jealous in hearing that Cassi is pregnant." This had Voldemort cock his head in pure amusement to the situation, witches issues always seemed so minor to the rest.

Bella was dismissed and Aurora was beyond thankful, especially with the fact that she didn't want the Dark Lord to intervene. But her wants were minuscule to the humor of the man before her.

"Jealousy is a dangerous trait Cassiopeia, has Narcissa wrong you?" 

"Yes. But I have it under control my Lord." He hummed, creating a half-circle around his follower and seer.

"She hit me, my Lord, in front of my children." Severus had recoiled back at how the situation had actually gone down, and the anger flared in Voldemort's eyes.

"Mother dragon I believe? I heard what you did to your mother come the time she poisoned you." 

"I took my husband by surprise, but it was all your teachings, my Lord." Snape was a third wheel, though that was nothing new. However what he did manage to catch was the Dark Lord's fascination with the Ravenclaw right beside him.

It was sickening. What he could only imagine was an attraction, but more to her knowledge and loyalty to anything emotional related.

Nobody thought that the Dark Lord had emotion. No. Motivation, idealism and all of the above yes.

Most assumed he was wronged, witch hunters had captured his parents, something on that end that would have the hate run so deep.
Though there was no real age depiction of how old he is, yet that didn't stop the wizard in laying with Bellatrix.

Now Severus' friendship with Aurora was returning, the fear of what else she would be used for was worrying. Mrs.Lestrange was married, and he would see it as a game in claiming both Lestrange woman as his own.

Who was he kidding, he's already claimed them enough. Private lessons, his questioning on whatever small issue that she was facing...It was odd, very odd.

"Quiet...I would've loved to have witnessed that display, perhaps when you are returned to your usual stature you'll perform well." Aurora bowed her head at the motion but pulled out the folder of all that the potion had defended again.

The Dark Lord took over these constructs and nodded along, this will surely do the trick. Though he wanted to test it, he did not want to waste a follower on this trial.

"...Severus, you may go." It was evident that the Dark Lord trusted Aurora more than him, and she smiled off to her friend before returning to the conversation before her.

"Do you recall your mission at Hogwarts?"
"Of course my Lord, is that the task once again?" He shook his head in disagreement.

"I wish to hide this...I presume you read the daily prophet Cassi." Aurora had stared wide-eyed at another Hogwarts' founder object. Beside the lost diadem, would be the Slytherin locket...And Merlin did it look beautiful.

"Although not your style or house, you surely can recognize it, no?" 

"Of course, Salzar Slytherin's locket. Much smaller than I would've thought." A hum had followed, but he continued to play with the locket's chains as he thought of the next move.

"I will be taking this and the potion to a secure location, clever brew little Ravenclaw...Your husband will be proud." 

"Thank you, my Lord. Though Severus does earn his fair share as well...I recommend using a pearl bowl sir...If you plan to drown the object." A sickening smirk rose as he took it into consideration as well, but with all that is required he would be setting off to actually set up this hidden object.

Had she not been pregnant she had little debate on whether or not he would bring her along.

On the other side of the manor, Severus was making his way to the terrace to speak to the wizard smoking a cigar, and the almost readily potion master had prepared his sense of smell to that of the tobacco...But was rightly surprised that Regulus was here as well.

"Rory done then?" Snape had shaken his head.

"Rabastan, could I have a word?" Regulus knew what that meant, and with Rory on-premise, he was going to leave anyhow.
Or head to the Lestrange manor to get a moment with his niece and nephew.

"Aurora still in the meeting?"
"The Dark Lord trusts her with the final step or the purpose of what our task was...But what I am concerned, Lestrange, is the fact that your sister had come out of the Dark Lord's bedroom." Rabastan's figure had straightened out in an instant, his cigar forgotten...And complete anger boiling in his blood.

"What are you suggesting?"
"That the Dark Lord takes interests, and it is difficult to say no to him." The back ends of Lestrange's jaw was starting to shoot a jolting pain to his teeth.

But now Rabastan had to think, did the Dark Lord want his wife?

"We're married." He defended, but Severus had responded far too quickly with 'so is Bella.'.

"We have children." 

"Ah, now there's a tactic. But would you put it above him not to? The Dark Lord favors a few things Rabastan. Power and knowledge." And Rory has both...Is what he would've said had his throat not betrayed him.

He was at a loss, but it finally clinked to make sense. The favoritism, the lack of a mark.
How had he been blinded by it all?

"I make no mention of what Aurora will do come time for the situation. However, I do believe her loyalties will always come in defense to you and your children." It was a firm reminder of what was at stake, if Aurora does chose to deny...Who's to say that either she or himself won't be punished?

"He was interested in the spat between Narcissa and herself, Bella made the comment...Though I have no doubt Aurora would've stayed silent about the whole ordeal." A hum followed as Rabastan tried to steady the cigar in his hand, but failed miserably.

Luckily he felt the small burn of his wrist, Aurora must have finished...Thank the heavens.

"Thank you, for helping my wife...On more than one occasion." 

"To be fair Rabastan, I cannot fathom having a conversation about the art of potion brewing with anyone else...My class is laughable if you haven't heard already." Rabastan left the man with a final chuckle as he returned into the manor to fetch his wife.

Who looked relatively well after leaving the Dark Lord, personally he felt ill or even sometimes an out of body experience. But his wife looked to him with a smile, and after all that Severus spoke about...He was suspicious.

"And after that, I think the Lestrange name grew in favor with the Dark Lord." His brows narrowed...Had she—

"C-can we go?" She whispered, and with the sudden change of her attitude, he realized she didn't want to run into Narcissa.

Her entering the manor was not a choice as she was summoned, but no part of her had to talk to her cousin. And with that Rabastan escorted her out of the manor and apprented away, considering the floo network makes her sick.

But in the protection of their own manor her smile returned. 

"I suppose the Dark Lord is proud with your work?" He questioned, and her beaming grin widened further.
"Yes, he's using it as we speak I believe...Though I do still wish I could keep my creations on the medical side." Now he wanted to know what she had created, but he didn't want to put her in the position of sharing what she shouldn't.

"When this one comes and the next, I promise you'll have all the time in the world." His voice was gentle right beside her ear, and after such a spine chilling conversation with the Dark Lord she tempted him with a bath.

And Merlin was it a temptation.

And afterwards it was a lovely time spent with their children, though they were heavily guarded of their mother and their younger brother, the group activity always seemed to be getting Romulus to learn his little ability.

Rabastan couldn't even begin to understand the idea of shifting hair colors or eye-shades, but Rory claimed it'd go further into shape-shifting if they are well practiced.

The both of them!
Merlin was this exciting, though he could already begin to see the issue if they try and blame other siblings and shift into their face.

But they were years away from that.

"Yes, that's your brother...He's coming soon, just you wait." The interest in mum's tum seemed to be growing along with its size. Though not as big as the twin's stomach, but well enough to share that she is indeed pregnant.

Thinking he rose in power before was an understatement, Aurora's aid in the Dark Lord's quest had earned boasting to the Lestrange name.

While Aurora had pain sleeping at night knowing that her potion work was going in support of the opposite side. Goddess did she owl Dumbledore in a heartbeat, but his idea of researching these objects wasn't at the speed that she wanted everything done at.

They were simple Hogwarts objects, he could just be hoarding them and so Albus hadn't looked much more into it.

And unfortunately, she hadn't been present in the Malfoy manor when Bellatrix and Lucius were gifted a goblet and book to protect.

That was her brother instead. And he didn't know what to make of it...As of yet.

*

Rabastan had been awake for a few moments, and a quick glance at the clock showed that he wouldn't need to wake for morning anytime soon. However he realized soon enough that he woke up due to his wife shifting beside him, flinching every once in a while. The husband soon rose up, looking down at his wife with a wide grin on his face.

She was indeed adorable at every normal task she'd complete. Especially her waddling around the manor was surely the cause of the new title of penguin.

However the second a choking sob came out he fell back down beside her with a light kiss on her shoulder as he rubbed her gently.

"Rory...Kitten, just a dream." The only issue in saying that is he couldn't tell the difference between vision or not. But after a few moments, her small flinches had stopped and the hand he had secured around her tum had suddenly turned interlocked with her hand now as she gave a gentle squeeze.

"Just a dream?" His voice had echoed in her mind and her smile pulled up ever so gently.

"Just a dream." She confirmed, now going to turn on her back to look on up to her husband.

Her night gown's sleeve to remove the tear. "A good dream actually." Curiosity lingered in his eyes as he nodded for her to continue. 

"We were in your common room, like what we used to do. Studying beside the fire...I miss that." He chuckled, kissing just behind her ear as he hummed along.

"We'll do it tomorrow, rest your feet before the party." Rabastan watched as she struggled to stay awake once again, her waves of tiredness were going to be her downfall once again.
"The book says it's the baby finding these dreams and resharing them with me..." Her voice was airy, and a very cutting grin reached Rabastan's face after she fell back into sleep with that being her last thought.

It was only times like this, complete and utter exhaustion that she would look completely calm. But part of him theorized that even then in her dreams would she be brainstorming.

It seemed like everything was demanding Aurora's attention. From helping Regulus study for his NEWTS, entertaining the children and working on her projects. Honestly, he didn't know how she managed the day to day, nor was he prepared for a third child.

Mentally or Physically.

He's already found another elf for when the babe comes, she threw a fit of course but that wasn't new. Instead he humored her and found the perfect position with the two babes listening to him read.

Though he thought his wife favored it more than the munchkins in his lap.

However currently he was aiding his wife, as he was taking the healer's orders very seriously on her minimal use of magic. And trying to button up a dress without the aid of magic was near impossible. Though he too could use his wand, it was an even better sort of teasing to have a hand rise up her spine.

"Are you still feeling ill love? We don't have to go if—" 

"I'll manage, besides you wanted to see Avery and McNair." That is what he had said in the beginning, but there was a slight part of him that wanted to show off the fact that his wife is pregnant. Again.

Though he didn't want to say Narcissa was entirely right in terms of her reaction. The fact that her younger cousin had already managed to be with child surely had given further questioning to Cissy's status of fertility.

And the shit-eating grin he'd give Malfoy at meetings was far too easy. On the other end, Bella had been rather...Soft on her cousin, whether she was taking the blame for her sister or otherwise he couldn't rightly understand. But whenever he thought of Bella, he thought of what Severus had told him at the last meeting his wife had with the Dark Lord.

The woman before him, waddling along like a penguin due to her growing stomach was not...and could never cheat on him. Merlin how could he even think that?

His precious little kitten, his Ravenclaw.

Speaking of his wife, she hobbled out of the bathroom once again as the babe was starting to give her trouble. And one look over to her husband she huffed.

"If I feel like shite I promise to tell you."
"You swear it?" She rolled her eyes and smirked.

"I solemnly swear it. Now please? We're already late." Was her excuse, and although Rabastan had ignored the widening grin on Aurora's face, she was surely thinking back to the Marauders...

Hopefully she would be able to see them soon.

The party was like all others, dancing, food and drinks.
Socializing, all of the bloody above.

But for a pregnant woman or a new mother... It was all in focus on her children and or her newest babe. The first time she hadn't had Amelia beside her going through the same inner battle, but now they stuck by each other and shared tips.

Or Aurora shared the tips and Amelia provided the snack combinations.

It was Hogwarts all over again.

Izzy was currently beside her boyfriend, Corban Yaxley. Aurora was betting with her own husband that they were going to get married soon. Though Rabastan had hardly seen it yet, as the man was...Silent. He was one of the Death Eaters that rarely spoke, but when he did it was slow and steady.

His voice was incredibly deep, but he wasn't at all an innocent soul. He was a brute, his physical strength and endurance was a hefty weapon. Though he wasn't the smartest of souls, Aurora claimed that he was just sorting through a lot.

And in that instant, Isabella shared that the hat was in favor of sorting him into Ravenclaw, though he begged for Slytherin not to disappoint his family.

So why hadn't the hat picked her for Slytherin?

Had she been in Slytherin, the entire Hogwarts journey would've been different. As well as she doubted that she'd be allowed to play Quidditch.

Aurora had spotted Narcissa the moment they appeared at the manor, though Rory was unfamiliar with the family hosting on a proper basis. It had to do with some odd distant cousin relation, the family tree was simply getting far too difficult for her to understand it fully.

Mrs.Lestrange had just been talking absentmindedly on her children's growing ability on being metamorphic, to top it all off, her children had been gifted with a shape-shifting ability.

In addition to having twins, a son first, they were shapeshifters.

And Mrs.Malfoy had been in hearing range the entire time.

In a bonus, Cissy find that Cassi was tiring herself out. So in hopes of rekindling the situation between herself and her cousin, she made her way from her own social group off to the younger ones.

However, whatever whiff of food had hit Aurora's nose had instantly turned her gag reflects on as she held her hand over her mouth.

"Rory? Are you alright?" Clem asked, and the concern rallied as she gained attention from surrounding members. Since Rabastan was present, there was no need in wearing the betrothed necklace.

However, purebloods were extremely overprotective of a pregnant witch.
Especially non-bastard children.

Unfortunately Narcissa was making her way over at the wrong time as Aurora had shoved her glass to Amelia as she darted off in the direction of the bathroom.

Narcissa had barely gotten her cousin's name across before realizing how ill she had looked. And so she followed in a direct line off to where Rory had charged into the bathroom.

Taking the first stall and puking all that remained in her stomach.

"Miss?... Are you alright?" Rory finalized with one last spit as she hummed.
"Just fine..." Cissy had become lost in terms of where the bathroom had been, thus having her question a waiter for directions.

Though it was enough for the mistress of the house to summon her elf with a glass of water.

The witch was worried on her guest suddenly becoming ill, however when she noticed the tum, the mistress kicked into gear.

"It was one of the passing platters, I'm feeling much better now." She claimed, though now it was time for Cissy to peek her head in.

"Cassi, I saw that you looked Ill, everything alright?" Internally Aurora felt nauseous, hopefully her husband brought one of the potions like he had last time.

"Let me get Rabastan, dear...Mrs. Malfoy, would you stay with her?" The platinum blond woman had followed in pursuit and bent down inharmoniously to her cousin. Taking a napkin and wiping the tears off her face.

"Cassi I wanted to apologize directly, it was wrong of me to say and do what I did...Your first pregnancy was a miracle after what your mother did...And no matter what my own mother had tried to do, it doesn't compare to what happened with what yours has done. I'm no better to fault in being able to produce heirs—"

"Cissy it had nothing to do with producing heirs, it was the fact that you marched into my manor and hit me in front of my children. They didn't leave my side for days, they wouldn't even take their father as a distraction." Aurora's eyes had already betrayed her from having to throw up everything in her stomach.

Now she was facing her cousin who was trying to apologize, all of which was too much.
"Please Cassi, I beg you." She closed her eyes and summoned her strength to remain as calm and collected as possible.

"Had I attacked you, magic or not...What sort of person would that have me? Had I used magic you would've surely still been sporting an injury...I forgive you Cissy, but I am not letting you near my children." She spoke, and though it irked Narcissa in not being allowed to see her godchild whenever she wished or see this new babe...It was better than nothing.

This was the start of acceptance.

Mrs.Lestrange had risen on two unsteady feet as she made her way to the exit of the loo, only to find the mistress of the house and Rabastan a few paces ahead.

"Rory love, how are you feeling?" It was purely evident that his wife was feeling Ill, and she so easily came and crashed into his chest.

"Can we go home?" She whispered so softly, and he nodded at once. He was adamant about coming this to the party and now he felt tremendously guilty in her making the effort in coming, though the second Narcissa walked out of the bathroom, it caused Rabastan to squeeze his wife even tighter.

"I'll owl you later Cissy." She whispered, even then it hadn't stopped Mr.Lestrange from throwing a cutting glare in Mrs.Malfoy's direction.

"Please rest Cassi, I'll tell the Ravenclaws that you're heading home." Raba had been instantly taken back by this exchange, though he remained silent as he escorted his wife back home.

And almost instantly she fell ill once again.

"Here, please take this...Please." It was a struggle for him to get her to use any potions. The potion mistress afraid of taking potions, there was too much irony in that.

"But I feel better, it's—"
"It hasn't passed, why do you torture yourself?" Rory didn't rightly want to rely on potions throughout her pregnancy, and nothing was as worse as carrying the twins.

Perhaps she wanted to feel the pains of still being alive?

She took the offered bottle and downed it within two gulps, but now she was utterly exhausted as one of the side effects of being pregnant and under the potion caused for fatigue and calmness.

It was alright all things considering, the mother had taken a small nap with the babies in their shared bed...And for the first time ever, had the four of them slept all in the same bed together.

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Date Posted: 10-07-19

Time: 8:59

Words: 4037

Is Narcissa getting off easy? 
Do you think Aurora made the right choice in forgiving her cousin?
Let me know ;)