✧DADDY!✧

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Aurora had managed to get all she needed to do in the timespan of a week, it was difficult and perhaps there was too much coffee in her system and little time to socialize with her brother. But she promised countless times that once this potion was released she was going to take a break, yet those closest to her didn't believe it one bit.

Rory worked on a grind, she lived for the stress that work gave her. It was her thrill, her general high in a sense. But in seeing her work aiding other people—Wether that be through a job or by the product itself really made Rory feel worth something.

The only regret is she wished she found the cure for Dragon Pox sooner.

"You know, when you said you're going to be staying for a week. I thought we could, you know, do something together." Regulus said with a high pout, and Aurora put her hands on her hips and rose a brow. "I'm sorry but this wasn't a vacation brother, I have to make money somehow."

"Oi! I have a job!"

"Yes, and what the bloody hell are you doing here then?" She said incomplete in utter confusion.

But Regulus just swipped an apple off the counter and took a solid bite. "I only had a morning class, it's Intro to DADA, Rory. I'm not out to give these children nightmares. Though one lad was very happy to point out that I sound funny."

"You do sound funny, and I swear to bloody Merlin himself if I hear you or your children speaking without our accent so help me god, Regulus." He grinned ear to ear at the sound of his sister worried on losing his Britness but truth be told, it was nearing the ten-year mark, wasn't it?

"Do you really have to leave tomorrow?" He said with his elbows connected to the table and a pout featured on his lips. "Well my potion isn't going to be released by itself, besides, Lori can't keep traveling back and forth. She needs to settle in one place."

"That place could be here, you know."

"If you knew how much she adores her father then—" Regulus threw up a single hand, not wanting to hear another word of it.

"Well it's true, I've been replaced."

"Rubbish. They're all mummy's kids." She rolled her eyes once again, and went back to making a meal.

"Saw you got a parcel from Hogwarts?"

"Oh, yes I was reprimanded by Romulus for talking to Severus."

"Sever—Snape? You talked to Snape?" She turned over her shoulder and nodded before heading back towards her task.

"Gods Rory, you're setting him up for trouble."

"My son or Snape?"

"The bloke's a no good git Roy, sold out the Potters and then tries to switch sides?"
"Oi! Must I remind you how you're here?"
"I didn't get anyone killed! I tried to find what he was hiding, and good thing I did!" She recoiled, tilting her head before coming closer.

"Did you figure out what it is Reg?" He remained silent, making her lock her hands on her hips. "Regulus...?"
"I'm not a child, you don't need to know every damned detail of the war. Not until later. Keep it to a minimal and must know, focus on the children." Rolling her shoulder did she place lunch before her brother and he huffed a chuckle.

"If this comes to bite my arse later on, you're getting smacked upside the head Regulus." 

"Yes ma'am. Now could you sit down, I'm sure the kiddos will be coming soon to—"

"Knock knock!" Aurora sighed, course she saw Aidan most of the week. But at least they always had a different approach when they were at work.

Here in the house however, was an entirely different story.

It was almost like old times as the three of them caught up on all things, not just Aurora but the collective lot of either of them.

But all good things must come to an end.

Or the good in America at the very least, and Merlin was it hard to pry Lori back from their home here. Course it was harder for the youngest Lestrange because this was all she knew, Cara had confirmed that she might've remembered a few things from their home in Britain and confirmed it this summer.

But for Lori it was her entire life, had she been born in Britain and come home to that manor it would've been such a different childhood.

Regulus had escorted the two gals to the MACUSA before leaving a kiss on either of their cheeks. It felt like such a goodbye and no matter how hard Reg attempted to talk himself through his sister's departure—That she would be coming back, he still had this sinking feeling that Rabastan would have a breakdown.

It wasn't unheard of, he's thought of it countless times. That Rabastan cracks and kills his entire family then himself?

Regulus had nightmares turning it into a visual reality, almost taunting him.

However, when the portkey had been settled, and Lori waved her hand as her mum touched the device...Reg suddenly felt empty and alone.

He felt detached to his old life and refused to make sense of it all...Part of him wanted to go back home, to be called Black—Not Blackwell.

To be known as Orion's son, as Rory's brother.

To fight and get Sirius out.

Yet here he was exiting the MACUSA before returning to his happy and healthy family, but he did have a glass of fire whiskey in his at home study. Toasting it to Sirius who probably lost his mind ages ago.

Aurora on the other hand had jumped forward in time with her youngest, and already she felt a massive dent in both her heart and in her skull.

Sweet Merlin, it's never been that bad.

"Mummy? Are you okay?"
"Of course darling, but I think I'll be taking a nap when we get home." The little witch told her mum of the plans that she'd tuck her mummy in and feed her some soup later.

Madam Lestrange was surprised that she hadn't exerted herself from using a floo system, but a grace had settled in knowing that she was finally home.

And a nap sounded wonderful.

"Papa! Papapapa!" Lorelei cheered, her small heels echoing throughout the manor as she went in search for her father.

"Lolli! Oh my beautiful girl, and? How was it?" The babbling lulled Aurora to fall into a armchair and cuddle into a decorative pillow.

"Papa, mummy wasn't feeling good at the ministry. Can we make her soup later?"

"Soup?... Where is your mother?" Rabastan's first instinct was to protect his wife, and so he picked up his daughter and hurried towards the drawing-room with the active fireplace to see that his wife was keenly passed out right then and there.

"Why don't we get your mummy ready for bed Lolli?" The girl nodded quickly and took her mother's purse while she trailed behind her father, who took pride in being able to carry his wife through the manor.

"Are you feeling alright love?"
"Just a headache, sure I'll be fine later." He wanted to trust her, but something deep within him felt rather...Stressed.

When the three of them finally arrived at the master bedroom of the manor, Rabastan had settled his wife gently to the pillow while Lori hurried off towards the shades.

The young daughter earned a smile from her father as he asked her to get a stuffie for her mummy to borrow for a nap.

"I get a headache and suddenly I turn into an inval—"
"Shh love, let me take care of you for this. I've missed so many opportunities to cater." She let out a rather guttural chuckle as she felt her shoes slip off and the start of her dress to unzipper.

"Did you feel ill before the portkey?" She shook her head, her eyes still closed as she hummed into the pillow. Thankful that the light wasn't there to castrate a further sensitivity to her senses.

Rabastan made quick work of undressing her and putting her into some comfortable clothes. She did feel rather hot to the touch, but claimed she was cold.

"Love, let me call a healer."
"It'll pass Raba...I just need to close my eyes for a bit. Promise." He nodded, and the breakaway had been Lori's return to her parents bedroom with a given handful of stuffies.

"Here mum, I brought Padfoot, Edgar, Sessel, and Pepper." Aurora's heart wanted to burst at the sweet gesture her daughter had given, especially when she paired it with such an adorable grin.

"Thank you sweetheart, why don't you go unpack and put on some home clothes." The girl agreed, but not before she kissed her mum's cheek and ran off and out of the room.

"Were Cara and Imara like that...When they were her age?"
"Hmm, more or less. Cara would always team up with one or the other. Wait until it's the three of them, it could be a pile of cuddles." Rabastan's shoulders dropped, he wanted to hear how everything went.

If she enjoyed seeing Elizabeth and Phoebe, how the house was—Salem?

Instead he found himself sitting on the side, on the edge as he rubbed her arm soothingly. Hoping that her pain would go away soon.

"Raba I'm fine."
"I don't like seeing you in pain love." Curling under the comforter further did she turn to face him. Merlin did she look breathtaking.

"We have five children Raba, I promise you. Birth was much more painful."
"And you suffered without me with Lori's birth."
"What is dwelling on the past going to do for us Raba? Come now...You can make it up to me now." Her narrowed his brows in confusion.

But wasn't about to push his luck.

"Who told you about it?"
"About what?" Rabastan bit his lip and allowed his wife to lead him into the bed beside her. His arms wrapping around her so gently that she hummed at the warmth.

"So what was it that—"
"Sleep love. You can see later." She rolled her eyes underneath her closed lids and before Rabastan could even kiss her a second time, she had fallen into a deep sleep.

He found it almost impossible to leave her, his nights had been filled with waking up in a puddle of his own sweat and either in a yelling fit—Or falling out of bed entangled in his blanket.

Kissing the back of his wife's neck lightened the darkest part of his soul, it always had. It was similar to when he had gone on a raid, he would be able to return home and cuddle his wife—Who was either with child or not.

He understood the importance of separating the life now, it was obvious in what Rory was trying to do. This was his safe haven as much as it was hers, how dark of a man would he have turned into if he hadn't been able to melt at the idea of holding Aurora.

His brother would call him weak, his father would surely throw the same amount of nonsense towards him including coward. But he was realizing his faults, his demons however...We're still being uncovered.

And Sirius Black was one of the many that was still in the back of his mind.

Surely Aurora knew that Sirius had nothing to do with the Dark Lord, but did she know it was that rat, Wormtail? That disgusting bloke that truly rose in status.

Lori was very demanding in wanting to get soup to her mother, but when the Elf asked which type of soup...It caused the little girl to want to go ask.

"Yeah, your mother's a little picky."
"Mummy likes potato soup, but Auntie Phoebe says that it's heavy. I don't know what that means, so I need to ask mummy if she wants heavy soup." Rabastan chuckled and explained that the term 'heavy' meant on the stomach, that it might be too much if Rory's stomach wasn't feeling up for a 'heavy' meal.

Rabastan peeked his head into the room, only for his attempt to be quiet to fall flat as Lorelei had other plans. She pushed the door open and went directly to climb onto the bed, but then pouted. "Mama's not in bed."

That was strange in Rabastan mind, hadn't she—

As sickening sound had come from the bathroom and he hadn't waited another moment before sitting beside his wife and holding her hair back.

"Raba..." She breathed, and he sat patiently for her to speak. To tell him what to do, what would help her.

"H-hos-pital." She choked, and he nodded in the instant as he went back into the bedroom to Lori.

"Lolli, I need you to come with us...We have to take mummy to the healers." His daughter must've seen the urgency in her father's eyes and rushed to get off the bed while Rabastan grabbed the spare travel cloak and wrapped his wife up and into it.

Considering she was wearing her normal sleep attire.

After making sure she was securely into it, he lifted up his wife and made sure that Lori was hugging his leg tightly before apperenting off to Saint Mungo's.

Lori made quick work to move off her father's leg and follow his long strides as he found the first healer. "My wife traveled by portkey this morning and she's sick." It hadn't taken that long before the Lestrange's were separated and Rabastan was left standing with Lori in his arms.

She stopped crying just a few moments ago, and truth be told, Rabastan felt like doing the same.

How long was she sitting there heaving up everything in her tum?

"Mr.Lestrange?...Your wife was given a sedative, you and your daughter can go in. A nurse and another healer will be with you shortly." He thanked the witch profusely, and he hardly managed to get two steps in before Lori wiggled her way out and rushed towards the bed.

"Mummy?...Mum!"
"She's sleeping Lorelei, she needs some rest." The young witch looked up to her father and pouted again, it was a pure threat of tears starting to come. So Rabastan took a seat down beside Aurora's bed and opened his arms for Lori to come and cuddle with him further.

Course it helped sooth her worries, but seeing how pale Aurora is sent him back to a decade ago to when she was in the Academy's potion explosion.

A knock at the door was followed by a women peeking in before getting the confirmation to enter in fully. "Evening Mr.Lestrange, I'll be taking over your wife's treatment. Her vitals are looking good, and she should be allowed to leave by tomorrow night if they continue this rate. Is there anyone you'd like me owl?" While he thought of McNair, for the sake of taking Lori for the night—He decided in calling Otto Hanson, which was quite easy considering his connection to the hospital and he knew the fellow wouldn't mind taking care of Lori.

Every moment that followed after the healer's departure was agony, he realized he wasn't good at entertaining a child with other more than his wand—So he humored her well enough, much like learning the ways of a chess board, he attempted to show her the basics of wand edict.

It had managed all of ten minutes before Lori moved along and started people watching out the window, though he recalled the day he went out to eat with the family—That she would color at the dinner table, he rightly didn't have anything else on him.

Otto received word and within the hour arrived, consulting those taking care of Mrs.Lestrange and explained to Rabastan in normal phrases that she would be recovering soon, but it meant no hard traveling for the next few weeks.

Meaning going to America wasn't an option.

Mr.Handson said he was going to consult a few of his friends in the hospital as well as call his wife to come and take Lori...A hospital was no place for children, especially when their mother was unconscious.

He took up the game 'eye spy' to people watch down below, and it passed better than teaching her about holding a wand. However it was the knock at the door and the abrupt opening that caused either Lestrange to turn and look, and Lori gasped at the sight of the wizard who suddenly—And uninvitiely appeared.

"Look papa! It's daddy!" Lori yelled, wrapping her arms around Aidan's waist as she missed him greatly.

But Aidan looked in dread from both Aurora's sleeping form to Rabastan's livid expression.

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Date Posted: 10-31-2020

Time: 8:35

Words: 2845

Lori, bby, I think you just signed Aidan's death😂
Also I couldn't help myself with the title😬