Grindelwald had written back by the time Bellatrix and Rodolphus were finishing their second cup of morning coffee.
"He thanks us for the information and plans to look into it today," Bellatrix said. "He also wishes us to work at Enchanted Odds today. He says it's fine to arrive at ten. This leaves us time to stop in at Azkaban, and let them know we'll be away for today."
Rodolphus nodded. "Sounds good."
Rabastan gave a whoop of glee that caused Lyra to start. "No fucking Azkaban today!"
Bellatrix grinned, sharing his sentiment.
"That means I'll be working with Parvati," Lyra said. "I bet it'll be interesting."
"Not as interesting as us working at the shop all day, and looking at all the intriguing items as much as we like," Rabastan countered.
"Probably not," Lyra admitted.
"How shall I ever fit into the shop," Rhadamanthus asked in a worried tone.
"You can hang out around back," Rodolphus said. "You'll hear us screaming if there is trouble, then come on. Damaging the shop would be the least of our issues if we are screaming for help." He smirked and the spider grinned.
"I see. That sounds fine. What about lunch?"
"I'll have Harold bring it," Rod said, glancing at the elf who was picking up the breakfast dishes. "Can you handle that?"
"Of course," Harold answered easily from behind his plague doctor mask.
"Thanks, you're a champ," Rod told him. "You can come along with us this morning to Enchanted Odds so you'll know where it is." Harold nodded.
"I'm sorry," Lyra said. "That means you'll have to see Azkaban first at least for a minute. Just thinking of that place dirties my Aura." She shuddered.
"There are no Dementors there, and now it feels fine," Bellatrix assured Harold, who shrugged.
"Harold was not concerned," he said.
"Thanks for the lunch," Rhadamanthus rasped to the elf who nodded before exiting toward the kitchen, the stack of breakfast dishes floating in front of him.
By the time everyone had polished off their final cups of coffee, Harold was back and ready to go.
"Try to at least shield yourself from that place," Lyra told him worriedly, and the elf gave an uncomfortable shrug.
Perhaps she was learning to read Auras a bit, Bellatrix thought drily. She had no other way of being so certain the shrug was an uncomfortable one. One couldn't see the elf's expression under the mask, after all.
The family left the manor together, and went their separate ways outside the front door. Lyra Apparated off to the Ministry to work on Auras with Parvati and the Aurors. Everyone else went to Azkaban. Harold remained silent the entire twenty minutes they were there.
Rodolphus gave his Aurors instructions while everyone else waited. The elf stuck close to Bellatrix's side but did not appear to be bothered by the place. Though the plague doctor mask hid his face, his body posture was relaxed.
When Rodolphus had checked the wards over to his satisfaction, they Apparated to Enchanted Odds. As they had when going to Azkaban, Rodolphus Apparated Rhadamanthus and Bellatrix Apparated Harold. Rodolphus had his hand on the door of the shop to push it open when Rabastan grasped his arm. "Wait...I gotta get ready."
Bellatrix scowled at the holdup and Rod arched his brows. Rabastan wordlessly shifted into raven form. "Now you can go in," he croaked.
"Bloody thanks," Bellatrix replied as Rodolphus pushed open the door.
Rhadamanthus moved around to the back of the shop as the others went in. Rabastan flew directly to Parvati who was behind the counter. He landed on her wrist and let out a wordless caw of greeting.
"Good, you're all here," she said, rising from her stool and giving a quick smile. "I put a pot of tea on for you, and there are random snacks in the cupboard in the back near the tea pot."
"Is it trip tea," Rabastan asked, cocking his head to the side in obvious interest, black eyes gleaming.
Parvati laughed, flicking her wrist to toss Rabastan into the air.
He flew to Bellatrix as an automatic response, claws catching in her dress as he scrambled at her shoulder. "That wasn't nice," he squawked, giving Parvati a wounded look.
"Neither is tripping at work when you're supposed to be looking after the shop," she laughed. "And no, it's just ordinary black tea with a touch of honey and cinnamon. I make quite good tea, though, even if it shan't cause you to see anything."
"I wouldn't trip at work...unless you provided the trip, in which case, that ought to be different," Rabastan croaked haughtily.
"Thank you all for holding down the fort so I can work a bit with Lyra," Parvati said as she moved toward the door.
"How is it all three of us are needed for doing the job of one, anyway?" Rabastan demanded. "Do Grindelwald and his man think you're better than three Lestranges or something?"
Parvati gave a short laugh, pausing with her hand on the door. "Of course not. He just knew the three of you don't like to separate. Also, he is aware that you all hate working at Azkaban and wanted to give you a break."
That was nice, Bellatrix thought, touched.
"Everything has a price tag on it, so just charge them and put the money in the register there," Parvati said, gesturing to the large metal monstrosity on the far end of the counter. "It's not hard at all. Everything has anti-theft charms on it, and if someone is asking stuff you don't know the answer to, just tell them to come back when Gellert and Blaise are in. That's what I do, because they're the Enchanters and when people want to talk trade I'm not expected to have any idea."
The three Lestranges nodded. It seemed simple enough.
When Parvati exited, Rabastan took to the air, claws catching in Bellatrix's dress a final time again.
"You little shit," she snarled as he resumed human form.
"I'm a big shit now," he quipped, giving her a cheeky grin.
"You're an idiot," she returned darkly.
"I didn't want to change back in front of her," Rabastan said. "Somehow it just didn't seem...cool."
"And it seemed cooler to land on me and piss me off by ruining my dress?" Bellatrix demanded. At last Rodolphus laughed, and she shot him a glare.
"You were closer than Rod and Harold is too short. I'd not be able to see everything if I landed on him. You know, I'd be giving up my bird's eye view."
The elf in question was browsing the shop, curious to see what sorts of things Zabini and Grindelwald crafted.
Perhaps he'd actually find something he wanted to buy, Bellatrix thought. They paid him and he never seemed to buy anything so he should have a nice nest egg squirreled away. Rodolphus moved around the counter to take a seat on one of the three stools lined up on the far side. They were comfortable looking padded velvet with high ornate brass backs. Bellatrix could easily picture Blaise, Gellert, and Parvati seated there on the days the two men weren't working on something in the back.
Feeling a bit in awe at the concept of sitting in Grindelwald's shop, she moved to take the stool beside Rodolphus's. Rather than joining them, Rabastan began to browse with Harold. When the door chime rang, Bellatrix turned in that direction, hoping they'd know what to do for the first customer. Suddenly, she felt a shot of nervousness. She wasn't really a people person.
Not at all, in fact, and nervousness was quickly transfiguring itself into panic. Normally, she'd tell Rod to deal with whatever she didn't want to handle, but in this, he wasn't much better. Perhaps Rabastan could be the one to deal with the day's first customer! If only she'd told him that before the bloody door had opened! When it was only Grindelwald and his man, she actually let out a sigh of relief.
She could face down a room of Aurors back in the day with a smile on her face and a laugh in her heart, but not a fucking customer in a dark magic shop? She sighed in self-disgust as Grindelwald gave them a cheerful smile before rushing into the back. "I just stopped in to grab a new voice box I made," he called. "We're off to the cave and I want to try to communicate with Merlin once we get there to see if it's the right spot."
"What's the matter with your voice box?" Rabastan wondered. "Seems to be working fine."
Blaise made a sound that was almost a laugh. "It's something Gell made to project his actual voice into wherever Merlin is. He is hoping to project what he is seeing as well in hopes that Merlin will recognize the cave. If he does not it means it isn't his, of course."
Gellert returned with a small shiny metal box in his hand whose lid slid open and closed rather than flipping back on hinges. It was currently open, protruding from one end, allowing Bellatrix to see that the box itself was empty.
"You're just going to talk into it," she asked, and Gellert nodded.
"In part. There is a little projection magic involved as well, but that's already woven into the box. We're off, wish us luck."
"Good luck," everyone said, even Harold.
After Zabini and Grindelwald were gone, Harold asked, "What, exactly, are we wishing them luck for? Luck that it isn't Merlin's cave that was defiled, or luck that it was and they find something useful?"
Bellatrix shrugged. "Perhaps either."
Harold browsed for a few more minutes, then left to make lunch without buying anything. Did he simply need more time to decide on something, or was he just not impressed with anything Grindelwald and his man had made, Bellatrix wondered.
With nothing to do, she found herself restless. The counter top was empty save for the register since most of it was glass, covering items of enchanted jewelry. As there was no book to read, Bellatrix found herself scanning the tag of each piece.
There was a bracelet that made its wearer drunk without drinking, which likely meant no hangover. There was a mood ring that could literally change the wearer's mood. There were green beaded anklets to promote speed and a square crystal necklace that promised to energize the wearer. There was even a warning to take it off in order to sleep.
"So..."Rodolphus said. Bellatrix looked up to see him regarding Rabastan. "What's got you behaving so oddly around that Parvati girl?"
Rabastan turned from a shelf of wands and shuffled his feet a little before speaking. "Nothing. I just like to show off, I guess."
"Hmm," Rodolphus said, clearly doubtful. "I've never seen that side of you."
"We can grow new sides," Rabastan said. "She just seems mellow and a bit unimpressed with most things." He shrugged. "Just getting noticed so I can get laid is all."
"Speaking of getting noticed," Bellatrix said, artfully turning the conversation to what she actually cared about. "When a customer comes in, you deal with them."