✧MISTRESS BLACK VS MADAM LESTRANGE✧

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 A startled jump had issued Aurora's panic to her new surrounding, not only was it giving her a strong smell of disinfectant, but the last conscious memory she had her inner mother dragon instincts kick into gear.

"Rory...Aurora love, it's alright." Her eyes had never been wider as she looked to her husband, at first he was taken back to her unresponsive reaction with him being at her. But her hands trailed down to the likes of her tum, as she was seeing flashes of what had happened prior to her loss of consciousness.

"The baby—" 

"Is alright, they're running tests...What happened Rory?" Her brows narrowed as she ran down all that happened and she sighed.

"I was in the baby's room and I started to feel a sharp pain...Right here. I must've collapsed because Loki was..." Her mind was still fuzzy from all that was reacting inside of her, and yet the biggest ringer in her mind was Romulus and will always be Romulus.

Either spouse looked at one another, sharing the same disgust for the hospital as the other. But the difference between one and the other was that she is in pain, and he was in agony at seeing her like this.

"Let me get the healer." Rory nodded, rubbing her eyes before her hands returned to protect over her stomach. She allowed herself this moment alone to pray, how evil were the gods to give her a child only to strip him away from her?

It was harder than Rabastan first thought to find the specific healer, and on top of it all...
He ran into Otto.

For either of the wizards had it turned into a setback to when they were here almost daily in seeing Aurora's condition with her vision and everything that followed.

Otto aided Rabastan in finding a healer as well as scoffed at the idea of her purposefully taking anything toxic. So as Otto went down to the testing labs, Rabastan found his way back to his wife's room.

Only to freeze at the sight before him.

Sirius, visiting in the hospital. How did he find out?

"Rory...It's going to be alright, I'll figure it out soon. You just—"
"Siri?" Rabastan slowly revealed his wand and gritted his teeth, had Sirius done this?!

"Hey sis..." The Gryffindor whispered, and it pained the husband stationed behind him. Ready for whatever the plan entailed.

"You're not here...You're never here." She mumbled, rolling over to the other side reaching over to where Rabastan had been, but now it was apparent that the woman had fallen asleep in the time that Lestrange had taken to find the healer. The second that Sirius had made a move to touch Aurora, all hell broke loose.

"I suggest you leave. Now." Sirius chuckled, even with the threat of a wand directly stabbing the side of his neck. An even darker image was Aurora looking under her heavy hooded eyelids, but the Death Eater expression that rallied on her husband's face was throwing her for a loop.

Especially when the smirk was featured heavily on her brother, this picture was not right in any reality.

"Why brother, I'm being a good sport and sitting with her while you went off and found the healer." This conversation had a means of turning Rory sober, and in doing so did she rise further from her pillow and wiping her eyes from the collected sleep.

"Are you both mad?!" She hissed, and the level of anger washed them both away as she looked beyond enraged.
"Two minutes. Two minutes stop this bloody war with another." Sirius wasn't aware of how much her emotions affected her, it was normal for Rabastan to handle.

But not this outburst.

What Sirius wasn't prepared for was her gripping the hem of his shirt, pulling him as close as she could to get her message across. 

"Myself, nor my baby...Is a pawn." She reinstated, but the hurt that flashed in her brother's eyes dawned on her further...Perhaps he didn't have anything to do with it.

"You think I did this?" His voice was rasp, causing her curiosity to widen. But her husband was far too quick for this.
"This is an odd confession Black, but I suggest you leave. You're causing unnecessary stress on my wife." Sirius snickered.

"Visitations is until eight, and with the technicality of sharing blood I'd like to take this moment to see my nephew." Aurora closed her eyes and leaned back into the pillow, there was no part of her that wanted to form an argument. The poor witch was tired, far too tired to— 

"It was mother..." She breathed, popping her eyes open and scrambling in the bed as though she wanted to rage a storm.

Both wizards were taken back, but it took less time to see the possibilities on Sirius side than Rabastan's.
"...She came over when you were out, fuck." She muttered, and barely a second later had Otto rushed in.

"It was Ghalax." He breathed out, his elder form betraying him as the rush from the labs to her room caused him to be out of breath. Although neither of the gents knew what the hell that word meant, Aurora did.

And she was fumming.

"She's dead. She's—"
"Rory, what is it?" Rabastan couldn't rightly curse Sirius in public. But come time for raids, it was surely going to change the pace.

"Rabastan it's a highly illegal and dangerous herb that—" 

"That forces a gender." Aurora finished, still trying to get up. But it was Sirius who shook his head and settled her back down.

"Don't touch me." Her anger was partly due to the scare he and his Gryffindor mates had given weeks prior without any warning, but another party was because her husband was a foot away from it.

Not that Otto heard.

"Aurora...Why would you—" 

"She didn't, she believes it was her mother." Otto couldn't even believe what was happening now, not only was the disowned brother in the room but now Aurora's mother had poisoned her?

After being downright unhelpful with her career she thought that she could get away from this.

"The healers are still running tests on the babe, all things considering it looks better than it should." Aurora breathed uneasily as she shook her head and looked to Otto.

"It could still hurt him later, couldn't it?" Her mentor didn't respond as her hand instantly drew to her mouth, a tired sob escaped her as it was getting exhausting.
Everything that's happened this year was destroying her, inside and out.

"How could it effect—" 

"Illness, magic...It's entirely untested Rabastan. How she even managed to get it is...Is questionable." Sirius was unmistakably the odd man out of the conversation, although Mr.Hanson was confused on his sudden appearance he didn't make a comment nor stay any longer than need be.

What Aurora didn't understand was why Avery and McNair were doing here either, but their dark expressions that locked onto Sirius is what drew her overboard.

"I rightly remember asking for two minutes," Rory mumbled, tears still trailing down the likes of her face. "They're here to escort Sirius out." The first Black heir chuckled.

"You two still doing his bitting, hilarious really." Avery took one look at Mrs.Lestrange and narrowed his attention further to her brother.

"What's hilarious is that you're not recognizing what your presence is doing to her." The recently engaged mate had pinned it perfectly, and Aurora sighed as she looked off to Sirius.

"Leave...Please." It spoke volumes, Aurora blinked as it was a silent phrase of apology. But no part of her wanted him to really leave, but the stress this entire outer problem is true.

"McNair and Avery are going to stay here while you leave." Either of Rabastan's mates were about to question it, however once they were in the line of fire of her seer eyes...
Neither of them spoke a peep of disagreement.

He leaned in for a polite kiss goodbye while whispering "As within..." Before he left the room, followed by the hospital entirely. One thing was certain though, that Mrs.Walburga Black was a dead woman walking.
"...So without." She whispered the finishing words.

*

After a night stay at the hospital was Mrs.Lestrange released just before lunch, and she demanded that her parents both come over.

Ever since their departure from the hospital she had been angry. The news was devastating, though the baby was fine, for now, there would be repercussions and in the event that anything is wrong with the child...
Walburga would be dead for her crimes, whether Aurora do it herself or by taking her mother to court for attempted murder then so be it.

Loki, the blasted mutt had been overjoyed to see his mother walking about and adored the attention. And Rabastan was entirely supportive of the fact that she calmed down in the slightest by his affection.

However, just as he thought she was entirely relaxed, the second the elf popped into the family den she instantly got up and stormed towards the entryway.

"Aurora wait! Just think this through before you—" Their voices carried and startled to the attendants as Orion eyed the couple indefinitely.

Walburga, the smug grin on her face only caused her to lash out further. "Cassiopeia you look—"

"How bloody dare you!" She screamed, all her anger rallied to the woman in front of her. But even Rabastan attempting to block the two witches failed immensely.

Mrs.Black...Not having been talked to like that in decades looked applaud, downright shocked. But the young Mrs.Lestrange didn't care any longer, not even allowing her mother to speak.

"How dare you, how did you do it?! In the food?! In my tea?!" The expression had instantly framed her as Rabastan no longer tried to settle his wife, and the blame had been pinned now.

Orion came further into the center of the conversation, almost in equal support with his son in law, attempting to take into consideration what is causing his daughter to be so angry. So he whispered out his concern, as it hurt him to see her so distraught.

"Cassi what is—" 

"Mother slipped something into my food, isn't that right mother?" The question continued to silence her mother through and through, but Aurora cracked in the instant as a sob rallied out.

"I COULD'VE DIED!" She screamed, raising her wand and pointing it directly to the woman. Not even needing to say the word as one of the three unforgivable curses laid waste to the elderly witch.

She took the Goddess name in vain as she curled up on the floor and looked up to her daughter in a pleading manner. "Cassi I hadn't meant for—" 

"FOR WHAT?! That an illegal herb wouldn't do anything?! That it wouldn't cause harm?!" The hand on her shoulder had startled her, but it had been a small reminder of comfort.

Rory was never one for violence...But this?

He could've bet all the money in his value and never predicted this sort of outcome.

"My heart almost stopped mother, if Rabastan hadn't found me then...I might never be able to have any more children after this, and that's if he survives...Because of what you did." Nobody in the room could breathe, neither Rabastan nor Aurora had repeated what the healers had said.

Out of all the things that could've happened, that was the one that struck a nerve in Walburga Black's mind.

"W-what?" She coughed, feeling the aches and pains of the curse subside. Neither could feel the pain that Aurora was dealing with, but she'd be damned if she didn't try to cast it to her mother.

"You couldn't be patient, you couldn't...Your greed just cost me the one thing I had left." It had been barely a moment of preparation but the curse had fired again, yet this time it had been her father who interrupted the gesture.

His hand cupping his daughters face in an effort to stop the madness, but after seeing the immense struggle of her internal battle, and what all that aggravation was causing her... It broke his heart further.

Walburga found her footing, but the second she had managed to get to her feet entirely, it caused Orion to stand in attention to protect his daughter.

"How many times have I told you to leave well enough alone?!" He hissed, and for the sixth time today was the women left silent.

Not knowing what to say or what excuse could be used at the moment, nor did it work. She had no control any longer, the kids were older and now stronger.
Even Aurora at half health threw a mighty strong curse.

"You are no longer welcomed in my home." She stated after all had been said and done, but that was one line drawn too far. "I am your mother, you will show me—" 

"The respect I had for you is long gone...You're not understanding the picture, you poisoned me. You risked the safety of myself and my child." The pedestal that Walburga Black planted herself on had been shattered, especially when the eyes of her family had been filled with such anger and hatred.

"I hadn't meant to—" 

"Just like you hadn't meant to cast Sirius out?!" Now it was the medication talking, bringing up a forbidden topic such as this. But Orion knew all too well how much it had hurt his daughter to see him go.

And he agreed, though completely hidden to the rest of society...It was more or less his wife's doing.

"That hasn't a bloody bit to—"

"Doesn't it?! Look where he lies now! Because he couldn't get far enough away from us that he had to go and join them, all to prove his point! To get back at us. You chased him away...Just like you have with me." Aurora finished, breathing in one last time before she threw her mother's wand to the floor and managed to leave the room without so much of a glance back.

"Burn me off the tapestry, see if that settles your anger!" Her voice echoed as she had continued to walk off towards their shared bedroom in hopes of calming down her jittery hands and healing the burns her wand had created.

As she had left the group downstairs, the master of the house turned to look at his mother in law. "I think my wife asked you to leave Mrs.Black, and I do think it's best we stick it to invitation only...And when she is not home alone." She did not favor that at all.

"Some nerve you have Rabastan." She spat and now Orion had a side to pick as well. Although his son in law had more control over his emotions at the moment, his wife had already had her arse handed to her.

"And who are you to force your daughter to something deathly illegal?... I suppose it's not the first time you put her health under her image, isn't that right?" His question rang and once more had it intrigued Orion.

"What are you--What is he talking about?"
"Oh nothing Orion, just that your wife thought it best eating as little as possible would give her the best form to...Attract men...is that how Rory described it?" He pondered for a moment, but it was Walburga who felt betrayed now, none of the men realize what the women in their circle do and to what standards.

It is simply what she was taught and what she was told to pass down to her daughter.

"Sirius was right..." Orion whispered, looking sickly to his wife at the mere idea, mere notion of it all. 

"You lied, you lied about giving up this devotion in getting Cassi pregnant and now this? How—" The anger in Orion had gone to the point of gripping his own squeezing hands to stop himself from harming her.

"It was to get to have a son." Rabastan had to hold his hands behind his back as well after hearing this, scoffing at the notion that it was entirely to have a son.

"Whyever you disbelieve the healer's diagnosis then that is your own issue to work out...Whatever prophet you think you've seen this time did not place you in the Dark Lord's favor I'm afraid." Now that stilled the wife even further, caught in an attempted murder and the fear of the Dark Lord.

"I hadn't meant to...to poison her Rabastan, you must understand..." It hadn't sounded genuine at all, pushing Mr.Lestrange even further.

"I'm afraid I can't even apologize to you or begin to understand how your obsession had taken you this far, hurting not just your daughter anymore...But my wife and my son." He smirked, seeing how worrying the women was getting.

Rabastan Lestrange was living up to his family name at putting Mrs.Black in her place.

"When the tests return perhaps we will owl you...Or when he's born we shall tell you. But otherwise, I don't see why you should stay a second longer...Orion, would you like to stay for a drink?" Orion's glare had lingered on his own wife before looking softer to his son in law.

Earning the favoritism back.

"If it's not too much stress on Cassi...Go home, I'll be there later tonight." The women now felt strongly out of place as she opened her mouth to protest, but Rabastan was far too prepared to counter each and every single thing that fell out of her lips...And it was so easily readable from his darkening eyes.

"Refrain from telling my mother and father, that is a conversation I wish to tell them...And it's important to keep in mind, Mrs.Black, that Rory had struggled to merely get up this morning...Yet that curse looked damned strong from where I am standing, I wouldn't want a repeat of that. She's turning into a fine mother dragon." Walburga understood the reference, that she was the reason why Aurora's magic had turned offensive so easily.

It was the virgin rites.

He now offered his hand out to lead Orion and the idea of a drink has never been more appetizing. He settled himself to have a drink before he excused himself to follow where Aurora had gone.

He knew it was upstairs, and at first he thought it was their son's room but it wasn't. Nor could he even enjoy his second time in his son's room.

It was perfect, utterly so...His broom and Aurora's were on the opposite wall hanging on hooks in a beautiful display.

Somehow she managed to design an intertwine of Slytherin and Ravenclaw. But now all of this could think of is if this room will actually occupy anyone, if his son will be able to make it to the day to live here with them.

He then hurried to their bedroom, he knocked politely to get a warning across to her that he was entering, but nothing was getting through her head at the moment.

She was sitting in the middle of the bed, Loki wrapped up and her as he attempted to stop her jittery hands and rocking. Her Black family features were so loud at that moment, the similarities to her siblings and cousins were all the more promenade as she looked younger, like a child.

Yet he rushed over and encased her within his hold, and even then she hadn't stopped shaking.

Bloody foolish of him to allow her to walk off after her first throw of the curse, he remembered so heavily how much the adrenalin had almost ruined him the following hours.

But now it was a question of how much she had drained her magic and if she was weak or injured considering her hands.
"Shh shh, darling she left...Your father is downstairs still." She nodded in confirmation of hearing but there wasn't anything she wanted to say, or do, or think of.

All she wanted was this nightmare to be over.

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Date Posted: 09-09-19

Time: 11:40

Words: 3417

I meant to post earlier before class but my friend warned me about a surprise quiz!

Anywhoooo, sending prayers out to Aurora and Romulus 🥺🙏💕