An annoying bang, bang, bang and then thump at the door caused Bellatrix's eyes to flutter reluctantly open.
"For God's sake, get yourselves downstairs! The Aurors will be at Malfoy Manor soon, and we have to get there as well, in case you've forgotten. It's five minutes before eleven! I'm certainly not going to be the one to tell them you're late because you're still at home shagging." The voice calling querulously through the closed door belonged to Lyra, and Bellatrix wondered idly if having a child had been such a good idea.
Bellatrix and Rodolphus lay sprawled together across their bed, happily drifting in that pleasantly exhausted state one achieved just after indulging in quite vigorous and fulfilling shagging.
"I'm sure the Aurors could learn a thing or three from us," Rod said, lips twitching up into a wicked grin. "None of them look as though they know how to shag properly anyway."
With a smirk of agreement, Bellatrix dragged herself up and, pushing her hair back from her face, peered about for her discarded clothing. It, like Rod's, was all over the room. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she rose lazily and began to pick up garment after garment, tossing them on the bed until everything she and Rod had been wearing was in a heap beside Rod's naked, supine form. Rod watched her with a glint of appreciation in his eyes and sighed with regret when she plucked her bra from the pile.
They were dressed and downstairs at exactly one minute after eleven.
"The Aurors are probably at Malfoy Manor right now, bitching," Lyra grumbled.
Rabastan approached before Bellatrix could decide if she wanted to bother with a snarky reply. "While the two of you were...busy, I wrote all the parents to tell them we're having their homes warded today. I asked them to meet us at Malfoy Manor so they can help get it all done faster like Valdez wanted," Rabastan said.
"Thanks, Bro," Rodolphus said, giving his brother a nod of approval.
"Take Lucius, Rabastan," Bellatrix commanded, grasping Cissie's arm. Rodolphus placed a hand on the back of his Acromantula and vanished, Lyra Apparating just after. Soon everyone stood together in front of Malfoy Manor, where as Lyra had predicted, the Aurors were waiting along with Corvus Lestrange, and Cygnus and Druella Black.
"Sorry we're late," Lyra apologized, shooting a pointed glance at her parents.
"An entire minute," Bellatrix said with a roll of her eyes.
"It's fine," Romeo Valdez grinned at Bellatrix, dark eyes glinting with amusement. "One minute, we can work with… Even three. If it edges past five, though, we just leave, and you're out of luck for the day."
Bellatrix found herself smirking back. She liked Valdez in spite of the fact he wasn't only an Auror – she hated fucking Aurors – but Head Auror.
"Grindelwald says he'll show up in the evening with Flitwick to check everything over and add any finishing touches he finds necessary," Romeo said.
Rodolphus nodded. "Thank you all."
Lucius nodded as well, stepping forward to shake Romeo's hand. "Indeed, thank you...thank all of you."
As he spoke, Lucius gazed at all of the gathered Aurors. His smile slipped and his eyes widened as he took in the few goblins and elves in the ranks. Bellatrix wondered if he would have a fit and refuse to have their 'lowly' magic on his home wards, but he remained silent.
Once again she felt almost hypocritical for looking down on Lucius for his attitudes, but he had always been so bloody insufferable. Not to mention, she'd recently witnessed the power of goblins and elves and had surprisingly come to respect them as pureblooded people of magical society. It was truly something she'd never considered before other than when it came to Kreacher. The elf had somehow always been one of them due to Regulus bringing him everywhere, and he was always smarter, more outspoken, and darker than other elves. She could easily see Kreacher as valuable and even an equal of sorts where many others seemed child-like and frustratingly empty headed. Those elves at the Ministry as well as those who'd come to work at Azkaban, while not Kreacher, were more focused and stoic than many others she'd met. Not that she'd met a ton of elves, to be fair.
"Let's get to it, then," Romeo said, breaking her train of thought.
Thus began a long day of warding three houses. After they finished with Malfoy Manor, they broke for a late lunch at the Three Broomsticks. Then it was on to Corvus Lestrange's manor, and the day ended with warding the home of Bellatrix's own parents. There they met up with Grindelwald, Zabini, and Flitwick who came to place finishing touches as promised. Grindelwald looked as tired as Bellatrix felt. The blonde wizard stood erect and alert in long black dress robes embroidered with silver runes and interesting looking sigils. Though he cut a sharp image, his face was strained. Bellatrix itched to ask what was going on elsewhere, but restrained herself as she didn't know how much he'd say in front of those not working directly with the Ministry.
Zabini remained, as always, at Grindelwald's side. His dark face was impassive and distracted, as though his mind were elsewhere, even while he laid skilled wards over those set in place by Flitwick.
"Thank you," Bellatrix said, approaching the three men. "We really appreciate the help."
Grindelwald nodded distractedly, turning a brief glance to her as she moved to stand at his side. "We already visited the Malfoy and Black residences to place these final wards, so it is all done."
"That's right," Zabini drawled. "If Delphini kills any of you, it won't be while you're at home."
"Good to know," Bellatrix retorted, shooting the tall, lanky wizard a dark look before returning her attention to Grindelwald. "What's happened," she asked quietly. "Am I allowed to ask that here, or should I wait until we're at the Ministry tomorrow morning?"
Gellert sighed, shaking his head. "There is nothing to report. Not directly, anyway."
Bellatrix frowned. "Why is it then that you don't look your usual chipper and mildly obnoxious self?" she demanded. "And your man looks even more removed than usual."
Blaise made a choking sound that may have been muffled laughter as he glanced down. Flitwick didn't bother to hide his quick grin of amusement.
"I believe by mildly obnoxious you meant perfect or even god-like?" Grindelwald corrected, smiling for the first time since arriving.
Bellatrix shook her head. "No. Definitely not. I meant mildly obnoxious," she assured.
Gellert's smile widened, and he chuckled, tossing back his blonde locks. "Everyone makes mistakes. The term that best describes me is PER-FECT. Not obnoxious but PER-FECT," he enuciated unnecessarily.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well, what has you looking so singularly un-perfect right now?"
"The Muggles… Or rather what we suspect Delphini is doing to the Muggles," Grindelwald replied with a sigh of his own.
His shoulders slumped briefly in frustration. Straightening almost at once, he continued speaking, gaze scanning the area as if for threats. "Millicent has continued to bring us disturbing reports from the Muggle internet of their increasingly strange activities and mental behaviors."
"Alright, but what's that got to do with us? The Muggles are always doing something. That's why any self-respecting witch or wizard wants them dead," Bellatrix snapped. "They are a plague in human form, and we all know it!"
"Not that I particularly disagree, but this isn't where you go all psycho, is it," Zabini asked, arching a brow.
Bellatrix decided it was no wonder he was with a man. No woman would put up with that mouth for more than three sentences before slapping him!
"The concern is that the Muggles are being stirred to a frenzy of epic proportions," Grindelwald answered before she could decide how to answer his obnoxious man. "It isn't just a disagreement between a few countries. It is far more strange and chaotic than that. It is the majority of the Muggle world at odds over not just one or two major issues of import but many small and ridiculous ones instead."
Bellatrix recalled the Millicent girl reporting some strange news concerning Muggle activity at that first meeting of the revamped Ministry. "It's gotten worse, has it," she asked, still trying to sort out why it should matter to them.
"As I said, it isn't countries fighting among themselves for territory or rights or money. It is factions. Liberals and Conservatives are divided across the world no matter the country. Their problems mainly seem to lie in what they call social justice. It seems to create far more problems than it solves, which is why we fear Delphini's hand. If she stirs the Muggles to mentally deteriorate into emotionally driven insanity, she can probably control and use them. For what, we do not yet comprehend. As we have no spy in her ranks, it appears as though we'll just have to wait for her to make the first strike." Grindelwald scowled, eyes darkening with a mix of anger and frustration. "I hate that! I hate just waiting, and I hate giving her the first move, but we can't make a decent strike until we see her plan!"
"What the fuck is social justice?" Bellatrix demanded.
Blaise shrugged. "That is rather unclear, but the end result appears to be a desire to tear down a working society. If this happens, the Muggles will descend into anarchy. How she can use this against us is unclear, but it would appear she's banking on turning the Muggles on us somehow."
"They seem to consider the act of being offended the worst possible violation that can happen to them," Flitwick finally spoke up, expression grave. "This exaggerated and emotionally fragile state makes them extremely susceptible to magical influence."
Bellatrix blinked, suddenly confused and annoyed by that fact. "What? I don't understand! That...well, it makes no sense."
Flitwick smiled, nodding. "Precisely!"
"Her magic feels very chaotic at best, so we believe her influence is heavy here," Grindelwald said. "The Muggles appear to be embracing chaos right now, and they are tearing down and restructuring facts to validate their feelings. These feelings, it appears, are likewise heightened and exaggerated, so again we see Delphini's influence. She is planning to use them for something…something she can draw magical fuel from. As we have no idea what, though, there is nothing to report, and unfortunately no direct action to take."