Ⓙust a Ⓛittle Ⓢtrange

p r o l o u g e

"Cissy," Bellatrix Lestrange's shout echoed through the Manor.

"Narcissa, where are you?" Bella repeated, trying to get her sister's attention. Time was ticking and Narcissa hadn't answered her calls, so Bellatrix took it upon herself to walk through the manor to find her. As she walked up the grand staircase, Bella heard Lucius and Narcissa arguing.

"Just because the Dark Lord has been defeated does not mean that we are protected from the Aurors," Narcissa spoke frantically to her husband.

Lucius replied with, "Relax, I won't end up in Azkaban. The Malfoy name is too respected for any of us to be in prison, without any evidence of course."

"I just want Draco to be okay and to grow up in a safe environment away from the dangers of remaining death eaters. And also-" Narcissa paused when she saw her sister in the doorway.

"Rodolphus and I are departing to that Auror's house soon. We are meeting up with Rabastan and Crouch's kid there, and I need to talk with you first about something," Bellatrix said.
She led Narcissa into the downstairs grand foyer where one-year-old Draco Malfoy was building a tower of blocks with his cousin Danica Lestrange, who was the same age.

The two children looked very different from each other. Draco had wispy blonde hair with light grey eyes while Danica had inherited her mother's thick dark locks and deep brown eyes. Danica concentrated very hard on trying to build her own tower out of blocks that inevitably fell over. She balled up her fists and looked as if she was going to start crying. Bellatrix went over and picked up her only daughter to calm her down before speaking to Narcissa again.

"Now Cissy," Bellatrix started, "I don't doubt my own abilities for cursing those Aurors, but I believe that if worst comes to worst, we could be caught and punished severely for it. I mean, those Longbottoms are well-respected Aurors so I do not know how well Rodolphus and I could flee that situation."

The thought of her sister being a prisoner in Azkaban dawned on Narcissa.

"What I'm trying to say is that if Rodolphus and I don't make it, just take care of Danica for me. I know that you and Lucius would do a brilliant job of educating her on the basic beliefs and giving her a good life," Bellatrix ended her speech and looked at her sister's frightened visage.

Narcissa looked into her eyes and spoke slowly, "I promise Bella, she'll grow up knowing how powerful her parents are and there's no doubt that once she goes to Hogwarts, Danica will get into the Slytherin house. Just please be safe tonight, and say goodbye to her."

Danica had become bored in her mother's arms and struggled to get free. Bellatrix promptly put her on the ground and crouched down to get to her height. She pushed Danica's bangs away from her face and looked into the eyes of her young daughter. It could be the last time that they saw each other, at least this way. Bella was never a person that got emotional or "lovey-dovey", but she did feel a pang of regret in her, knowing that she would be the sole reason that Danica would grow up without her parents.

After their brief moment of silence, Bellatrix broke it by saying to Danica, "Your father and I will be going away for a while on, let's just say a business outing. Now I want you to remember where you come from as you grow up. You are a Lestrange and I don't doubt that your Aunt or Uncle will forget to mention that to you." She glanced up at Narcissa at that part.

When Bellatrix and her husband would be out doing assignments for the Dark Lord after Danica was born, Narcissa would watch Danica and keep her safe. And in return, the summer that Draco was born Bellatrix was on a brief break period to help her sister care for her new child and care for her own, too. Much to everyone's (and her own) surprise, Bellatrix was somewhat good with kids. Mainly because this was one of the first times she actually had feelings of love for someone and she thought that if she was a great enough influence in Danica's life that she would follow in her footsteps. So, Bellatrix would be gentle with her daughter, never wanting to upset her; Danica was the most recent heir of the Lestrange family so she was ideal, for if in the future she might have to be arranged to another pure-blood.