✧FRANCE GETAWAY✧

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From that day forward Aurora made it her mission to figure out if Romulus was indeed a Metamorphic. But alas only Halsey seemed to have taken the liberty of showcasing different shades of her hair.

Or eyes, yet either parent believed that she had an easier time with her hair than anything else.

From there it was far too easy to start teaching the kids colors, as one sound would pop into Halsey's little noggin and stay planted with a memory of what color. She knew from then on that her daughter would indeed love to have long hair when she finally does learn to control this ability.

On the other hand, she caught her husband reading that book in front of her at all times, and when he would catch her gaze or cock a smirk, it would rally on his face while Aurora would turn beet red.

She shared what she wanted to try, and now her husband knew...Hopefully this won't end up as anxiety-ridden as their wedding night.
But it was getting fairly close on her end.

Clarissa was beyond ecstatic to take the kids for a few days, but Rory was not only nervous for France. But leaving her munchkins?

She gained little intel about raids and future plans, but she hadn't seen the Dark Lord in months. And honestly it gave her so much clarity...Though she didn't know Regulus' involvement just yet.

That was a conversation for another day.

On another end, Amelia confessed to trying for a child, and Aurora couldn't have been any happier. As having a child in the same year as a friend?

Perfect. It'd be perfect.

And after the venture to France, either had been in a mess to pick up their children from Senior Lestrange estate. Rabastan hadn't realized how much he missed his kids, or how much they would miss him.

It had always just been Rory who missed him, and of course his own parents when he was away at Hogwarts or hadn't visited in awhile, but this was different, this was new territory in which his daughter wanted to cuddle with him and only him.

"Papa's girl...I think that's a little fitting." Aurora teased, and now he began to understand the likes of what his wife has with her father.

His little bundle of rainbow-colored hair was indeed getting attention, but it was still a waiting game to see if Romulus can figure out how to enact it. Usually it was tied to emotions like the rest of their nexus magic.

Sirius was pinning for her to come and visit after her return from France. She stayed for a decent five minutes as it was so easy to identify that she missed her babies.

Lily shared how much she was glowing, but it was overall an awkward experience in visiting the Order members as she was still fraternizing with the enemy.

Nor was she going to share that she was trying for another baby as she couldn't imagine how Sirius would feel. Regulus would be happier, and her mother would probably be over the moon...

A month later had sparked the same damn scenario as the following year...Currently sitting on the floor of her bathroom where she was waiting for the potion to feature an answer.

Before she looked, she offered the goddess above a small prayer in hopes of being pregnant and if she, then let it be a peaceful pregnancy, without any complications and a healthy baby.

So when her lashes fluttered open as she was met with the same response as the last. A son.

The tears had already begun to spark as she couldn't believe it was true, it had been the smallest hutch...And to be perfectly honest with herself, she didn't expect to get pregnant so quickly. And if anything, she wanted to keep it a secret as long as possible, perhaps it had been a mistake in attempting to use her children and future children to get out of the war.

Was it truly ethical?
Especially if they were going to be the next generation to be under the same standards.

With her still breastfeeding, she did have to be careful with how much she experiments, but now with her pregnant once more it'd seem as though all of the work will be put on halt once more.

Whenever the babies were asleep for naptime, or getting a bath from the elves, then it was usually her chance to get her progress with her said projects.

She was still a bit uneasy about the fact that the elves called the babies master and mistress. Merlin, almost a year old children being called such a title? It sounded so strange and conflicting, and out of everything it was one of the most unwanted terms in their view.

Part of her wanted the kids to grow up knowing that they could do everything on their own and not have to call the house elves to manage it for them.
Simple morals and ethics, that is what she is going to teach her children.

Although she wanted the happy bliss to last for a few more weeks, hiding her symptoms any longer was beginning to become difficult.

And so she decided from the moment after she pulled her head out of the toilet for the third morning in a row, that she would take her little babes to breakfast, and the little potion bottle that she had been hidden away on her vanity would finally be shown.

Granted it wasn't that hidden, but her organization was a mess in Rabastan's eyes so he rarely if ever looked in that direction of their bathroom.

So off she went, following in pursuit of where Halsey and their papa were down in the dining room. Goddess bless that her nausea had ceased with a quick potion, or else she couldn't even begin to hold herself back.

It even lifted the suppression of her stomach in actually wanting to eat. A blessing in disguise, but soon she settled Romulus firmly into her lap just like Halsey was with her father, as she liked sitting with him while reading the paper. 
And Rory couldn't get enough of the sight before her.

"Anything interesting in the prophet Halsey?" Rabastan had sipped his coffee to the side in worry of sipping on his lil girl.

"Mummy's Quidditch team won against ours...Nono, that doesn't deserve a giggle."
"Maybe she'll play for the harpies," Rory said, drinking her own tea.

Tea that would settle her stomach further.

"No Rommy you don't want this, how about some water?" She took a small sippy cup that Aurora believed Narcissa had gifted. And although it would be used for milk, it was currently filled with some cool water.

But of course, the second the brother had something Halsey had to have it as well.

"When are they going to sleep in their own rooms?"
"You mean not in the nursery or not together?" He shrugged again but reworded his question.

"I remember I was terrified the first night and sleeping without anyone, I ran through the hallway trying to find his..." Rabastan's wife had been smiling throughout her little trip down memory lane, however it sparked far too much emotion as she sighed.

"Really hope nothing comes between these two."
"Love nothing will, honestly I never understood why Sirius had left other than not agreeing with the idea of mudbloods, but it was also your mother...And she could make anyone lose their mind." She offered another smile but held Rommy closer than before as she began feeding herself.

After Rommy had ate, he was perfectly content on sitting on the floor with his sister while Nymeria and Loki kept them entertained, while the parents ate without catering to the kids.

Rommy however began patting up to his mum again and so she plopped him back into her lap and returned the cup of water.

"I did want to show you something love." She started, putting the small potion out of her pocket, and of course it caught her son's attention more than her husband.

"Is it wrong to show our son a contraception potion?" He was somewhat confused as they were trying for a third child...Weren't they? But she shook her head and aided the baby to be stabdubg . on his legs. 

"Rommy do you want to tell papa what we figured out?" Rabastan rolled his eyes, but he secretly still adored whenever she pulled out the baby voice to talk to the kids. Especially when the little wizard giggled in response.

"And what did you figure out Romulus?" He spoke, and the young son caught the gist of his father stating his name and stuck his tongue out with a gurgling response and a bright smile.

"Ajuauah." Completely untranslatable but he nodded along anyway. 

"That he's going to be getting a lil brother soon, isn't that right Rommy? Now you're a big big brother." The baby, of course, didn't have a reaction, but seeing their father in distress had been more or less amusing to both the mother and son looking to him now.

"W-what?...A-a—another son?" He coughed out, looking back to the potion in confusion had he finally recognized the damn concoction to be the one she showed him last year.

"I still don't know how accurate that gender prediction bit is but I—" 

"Daisy!" He shouted, interrupting his wife and setting her to pout. Though now it was her turn to be caught in confusion as her son was offered up to elf...As Rabastan wanted nothing more than to lavish his wife after being given this type of news.

Another baby. A boy.

It was starting to look a lot like the Black family with a son, daughter and son line. Though this child will only face a single year apart and not two.

Unfortunately he was not allowed to boast for a few more weeks, and he groaned into the pillow after the celebratory shag.

"You are the most impatient person I've ever met." She laughed, and he turned up from the pillow in an attempt to argue it.

"You didn't even walk us up here, you apprented us. Not that I'm complaining about this but I swear if you tell one single soul we're going with my name idea." He wasn't entirely mad at the idea, but leaned in further to hear the name.

Ronan.

"That's going to be his name, Ronan Lestrange." 

"But he still can't give him his father's name." He huffed once again and shifted his stance. Then they would go with Orion as the middle, already a few hours after knowing was he struggling to get by without telling anyone.

So Rory pushed the date to less than before, but it still wasn't enough.

"Rabastan, no. I get that its hard love, but I didn't tell you right away either." 

"Yo-you what?" She blinked off to her husband who had been reading a reference book at his desk, but now it clapped shut as he walked on off towards her.

"I wanted to make sure it wasn't a false alarm, but the healers said they're right and healthy..." Her hand already went to her the makings of her tum, and she sighed in relief. "And there's only one babe in here this time." 

"The jump from none to two was a bit much." She hummed once again but smiled.

"Did you send the pictures to your brother?"
"Yes, my brother is a proud uncle and godfather of Halsey...He wants to come and visit soon." The witch nodded, but evidently what they accomplished was tiring as she rested her head against his chest and hummed a bit more.

*

Aurora held an urgent parcel for her husband to read, though of course he was having a gents night in the 'snake pit' or that's what she called it anyway.

Which Sirius thought it was hilarious.

With this she had to hide her stomach as Ronan was starting to gain visibility. So she simply wore a warm and baggy shawl over her shoulders and around her stomach as she had a plan.

And one failed view had her chuckle as she was correct in assuming that there would just be clouds of smoke. Honestly how can they even see the cards in front of them?

"Rory! Care to join us?" Avery laughed into his drink and cheered out, rather drunkenly as he too was hiding the secret of Amelia being pregnant.

She simply shook her head and waved away the smoke out of her way with her wand. "Cass—"

"I'm sorry brother that I took away the masculinity in the room, but your niece and nephew don't like cigars." Rodolphous simply lowered his own cigar from his mouth as he stuck the end into the ashtray and offered a kiss.

Rory declined but still ran a hand through his in spite of everything smelling like tobacco. "Everything alright?" She slipped him the parcel and kissed his cheek.

"Don't forget to freshen up before bed, rather not be sick the entire night."
"Course...Goodnight love." She also whispered a hint as to what his brother had as in his hand and allowed him to win against the given cars she had taken a peek at.

Rabastan was suspicious about how good his wife was at cards, but the same skill Regulus possessed. So he assumed rightly that it was one of the few games they played in the manor to humor themselves rather than go outside.

The game had been long over, but the Death Eaters found this ample time to just hang out. It was hard to believe most times, but the eldest Lestrange was only thirty.

Thirty was unheard of without an heir, and the strain was relevant as it was obvious how Rodolphous wanted children. A daughter more than anything, as he was downright obsessed with his lil niece.

However, without her husband tonight she was in for a long bedtime ritual. Not that she didn't have it down pat, but it took more time as two babies wanted attention, and Halsey was always set on seeing her papa before sleeping.

Raising two children was indeed a big step for her, and in general the nights were awfully tiring. Rewarding above all else, but it still didn't help with her exhaustion rate, on top of being pregnant.

Rabastan still had work, but made time as much as he could. Especially now that they were expecting, he did miss his wife, but seeing her as happy as ever reminded him of his growing little family.

And once the babes were older everything would slow down immensely.

Had it been the opposite of her never being able to have children, he didn't doubt for a moment that his wife would've changed entirely.

The card game had been given a pause as he wanted to go check on the children and his wife, and although it caused a high bit of laughter and taunts.

He couldn't care less.

The nursery had been empty when he checked, so he could only believe that she took them to the master bedroom instead. Hearing the noises did indeed confirm his suspicion, but when he arrived he realized that Aurora had changed their bath into the play zone for either of their children.
Rommy and Halsey were splashing the water up and down, at one another or directed at their mother.

The toys filled the tub, and he watched silently as Rory washed them until they were squeaky clean.

"Rory, you know the elves are right here to help." She turned back and smiled up to her husband. 

"Course, they've always been here. But look, really look at them. They adore the water." She giggled, observing her children with the large and every loving eyes as she splashed them in revenge of getting her wet as well.

Rabastan, curious to the entire thing kneed down. Which caused either child to look up to their father with a sense of longing, Aurora knew that the kids missed their father when he was away and working. That and he was a new face compared to her own, which caused him to roll up his own sleeves after shedding off his first coat to splash back at his son and daughter.

The two instantly started babbling to one another, random nonsense but Master Lestrange was still very much used to it.

As there was a bit of a rhythm to the idea, he soon understood why Aurora took to these tasks herself. Rather than let the elf do it for the hundredth time and yes perhaps not every day but once in a while, this should be one of the brighter things to look forward too.

Especially seeing his son, curled up butt naked in a towel hugging his mum.

"How about mummy reads you a book? Hmm?" Rabastan had left the party downstairs to check in on his family, although he did aid in drying off the two of them before he continued downstairs. Aurora was once again able to have a bit of privacy with her little munchkins, drying them up and finding a cute little outfit before getting them set ready for bed.

As luck would have it, Rommy was out like a light, but Aurora still managed to read through another two pages in hopes that Halsey would follow in pursuit. 

But she was waiting for her father, and she was indeed out of luck.

So taking the moment to tuck in the little lad, before Rory return to her stubborn munchkin and humored her. "What is it love, why can't you find sleep?" The baby responded, but not in so many words as she would've hoped. Instead the mother continued to read on, though it only woke the babe up further as she stared at the images.

Her imagination surely growing.

"I personally think she misses her uncle." The attention of both gals had met up to Rodolphous and he cut his own wicked grin, though it was for his sister, it soon fell straight down to his niece.

"Is that right? Did you know he was here?" With a new face, Halsey was sure to gain favoritism with did her hair turn a deep green color to establish who she wanted.

Blue meant mummy, green meant papa. Though her father wasn't here, the similarities in the brothers were little to none, and it wasn't as though she could differentiate the difference between elder and none.

"Are you being difficult for your mum?" 

"Jauu...Jauah." How this rising Death Eater could turn to actual puddy because of a child was beyond Aurora's knowledge.

"If I didn't know any better, you might take her for the night." 

"C-can—" Aurora shook her head slowly, destroying that thought in mere seconds. "When she's older of course, when mummy and papa want a break." 

"Completely unfair, mother got to." Now he wasn't the brightest wizard in the world, but he was simply inexperienced. "Again, when they're older. And I believe you're missing a card game downstairs." 

"Bastard brother took me out of the last match soo—Oh Hals I'm sorry darling." However the babies knew what swears were, they showed their sour face instantly and threatened to cry.

"That just means uncle Rolph is going to get you the biggest gift for your birthday." 

"The biggest and the best." A yawn escaped even though Rory protested against it, and Rodolphus sighed.

"Are you getting enough rest love?" 

"Not at all, but that's alright...I'll get some sleep eventually." He sighed, taking a seat on the spare rocking chair that Cissy had put in.

Rory was starting to think of what to do now that Ronan was going to be younger than his siblings. Another nursery surely will have to build for him and his twin.

"You know you can come any time..." 

"Yes yes, but with the Dark Lord's tasks and attempting to make my own, there's very little time." As if Halsey was channeling her mother's exhaustion, the babe too took a fitful yawn, causing her uncle to settle her closer to his chest and tiptoe into the bedroom of the nursery.

A minute later her brother returns with a playful grin on his face. "Normal for the babe to have their bum up in their air?" 

"Course, my favorite is when they're sprawled out...I'm sorry brother but I think I'm going to get that sleep now." He kissed her on the cheek now before departing, and Rory couldn't make it to her room fast enough to pass out on the bed.

Not even wearing a nightgown, nor get under the covers.

Leaving Rabastan, half-drunk to maneuver his pregnant wife to something comfortable and her head to the pillow. He was going to have to get that extra elf, with the extra child there would be the need of another domestic helper.

Aurora looked more than tired as curled up and held her pillow tightly. Rabastan laid down beside her before wrapping his arm up and around. She hummed delighted by his contact and settled herself further into his hold. But he knew she was partly awake now, so he kissed her cheek which enacted a smile.

"Rommy alright?" 

"Out like a light, suppose the bath wore the fellow out. Rodolphous had to help with getting Halsey into bed." The amount of content that he saw in his wife felt more than perfect as she was explaining it to be.

"But how's my wife is the question?" Her eyes peeked open for a moment before she turned fitfully around to look to her husband.

"Ronan's here for sure, but not as tired with the twins." He kissed her again, and perhaps it was the drink that was getting him addicted to her perfume, he added another kiss.

"Raba you impatient man, later...I know I've neglected you but we both need sleep." He sighed, but his breath was still heavy on her neck.

"But I recall I have a birthday gift to make up for..." She rose a brow but remained silent, leaning in for a settling kiss to his lips, but ultimately he managed to drag it out further and further...And Rory only realized how far it had come to as she was fully draped over his body, and his strategic dry humps would appear every now and again.

"Raba...You bastard." He hummed again and again, knowing that sometimes even his wife couldn't talk herself out of certain things. "I'm tired Raba, I'm afraid I won't be much fun with—"

"That's a lie and you know it Rory, you're not even trying." He motioned to her flawless position of stranding his waist.

"Right you are, however, you have gotten me into this predicament...Best get me out." She winked, thus enacting a rare and giddy version of Rabastan. He too was tired, but the amount of love radiating off the two was enough to be with one another just for a bit before falling asleep. Very nakedly. 

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Date Posted: 10-02-19

Time: 9:27

Words: 3935

So I had some inspiration for new covers for the series...Should I change or keep them the way they are?