The next month passed swiftly, mainly due to it being uneventful. As it turned out, the Lestranges found making the Draught of Life rather simple. Everyone was more than happy to breathe their last into a tiny glass bottle if it made the torture stop. Dolohov was permitted to pass from this world once all the names he'd given them were found, confirmed, imprisoned, and allowed to give their lives so that others might live longer. Considering they'd served Delphini, the Lestranges considered it the very least they could do to apologize.
Arthur was slowly wrappinging things up in the States for his inevitable move to London. Though he wouldn't be moving for a few more months, he enjoyed visiting with the Lestranges at least once a week, usually on the weekends. During those visits, they showed him about, allowing him to get a feel for wizarding society and the magical side of things. They even went as far as to introduce him to the Malfoys, mainly to annoy and horrify Lucy. This was smoothly accomplished by bringing him to Sunday tea at Malfoy manor.
For her part, Narcissa treated him like some novelty, a rare animal cultivated from a far land and turned into a well-trained pet by the Lestranges. Fortunately the interaction seemed to amuse rather than offend Arthur.
"So you are able to be Apparated without feeling too frightened or angry," Narcissa asked him, her blue eyes fascinated.
Arthur grinned. "I never experienced those feelings when it came to magic, actually. It's more a sensation of being in a dream, or on some weird trip, but it all turns out to be real. That sort of state of mind is becoming less and less frequent, though. I suppose I adjusted rather quickly."
"What is a… Oh, is a trip some sort of Muggle thing," Narcissa asked, struggling out of pure politeness not to wrinkle her nose, though it did twitch.
Arthur flashed a perplexed look to the Lestranges. "No…anyone can trip if they take the proper substances. It's not a thing I care for much, in truth."
"It's our thing, though," Rabastan, always willing to share information with trusted sources, spoke up.
Narcissa nodded, expression smoothly, politely blank. "I see." Turning to Bellatrix she suddenly smiled. "Bella! I nearly forgot to say...we're having a party for you, myself and Mother, that is. It was my idea. After all, you did with that Muggle car to help bring down Delphini! It was so heroic."
Bellatrix blinked in surprise. "I… Well, that's...that is...thank you, Cissy."
She didn't feel heroic, but the pride in her little sister's eyes as she smiled at her was nice. It felt good. She knew she and the Lestrange men had made enough mistakes, and that their families weren't likely always proud. They'd turned that around in the past twenty years, but, in part, that was not specifically their choice to do so. They hadn't sought out work in Shadow Ops, but rather it was forced upon them for their freedom.
Narcissa smiled. "Good. Because I've had Mother write Mr. Grindelwald for a list of your friends from the Ministry so I can invite them too."
Did she have friends, Bellatrix wondered. There were people she did not hate, and even said hello to when she passed them in the halls now, but were Gori and T. Valdez actually friends?
"I assume the two of you shall be kind and give Lyra her verbal invite from me as well," Narcissa said, turning to Rod and Rabastan.
"Of course," Rabastan said. "It's not just girls, is it? As in we can come, yeah?"
"Of course you can come," Narcissa said. "Bella never goes far without Rodolphus, and I'd never make it an all-girls event anyway. Bella doesn't get on with most women well enough to make it more than a party of four or so, which is far too small for the celebration I have in mind."
Bellatrix flashed a smile at her sister. "Agreed."
Cissy dominated most of the rest of the visit with polite small talk, asking the Lestranges how things were at Azkaban now that they were running it and questioning Arthur about the various fighting styles in which he trained his students. As he spoke of Taekwondo, Karate, Krav Maga, and others, Cissy's eyes practically glittered with fascination. When he spoke of training those with a smaller build like hers to flip a far larger man over their shoulder, she leaned forward, her gaze literally mesmerized.
"In fact, I've talked the Lestranges into allowing me to train them up a bit once I've moved here," he concluded. "It's like I told Rod, if there comes a time when you lot can't use magic, knowing some defensive or even deadly moves would be wise."
Narcissa, who had been without magic for a time, nodded her fervent agreement. "Would you consider teaching me as well," she asked eagerly. "And Lucius?"
"I hardly…" Lucius began, but Narcissa silenced him with a steely glare. She was polite enough to refrain from stating the obvious aloud in front of everyone, but they all knew that Lucy's magic had not yet been restored.
"We should at least watch him train the Lestranges if they will allow it. Then perhaps you will warm up to the idea."
Lucius gave a tight nod, and Rodolphus finally broke and released the snicker he'd been holding back with a supreme effort of will for the past several seconds.
"Of course I am glad to train anyone who wishes to learn," Arthur answered Narcissa with a kind smile. "As soon as I've moved and set up a dojo I'll begin training the Lestranges, and you are both welcome to join any time."
"Wonderful," Narcissa gushed. "We're looking forward to it."
"I think learning more forms of self-defense is a grand idea," Bellatrix said, smiling at her sister.
That was true, and Lucy was still scowling, so giving Cissy a bit of support felt necessary. While some may find it strange that delicate Narcissa Malfoy wished to learn to fight, Bellatrix knew that her sister, though admittedly a flower, had a stem of steel. Push her enough and you'd find that out.
"Even with magic, there are times when using said magic could have us noticed when we don't wish to be," Bellatrix added.
Arthur nodded. "I'm glad to see you coming around to the idea, Bella."
At first she'd strongly objected to learning Muggle defense, but the more Arthur talked it up the better it looked, especially as Rod seemed keen on the idea.
After tea at the Malfoys, they headed to Diagon Alley. Arthur was curious about the wizarding parts of London, and thus far the Ministry was the only exposure to it he'd had.
"Remember not to behave like a Muggle," Rod whispered to Arthur as they slowly walked down the row of shops.
"We aren't supposed to have Muggles here. While the Minister won't mind, she can still catch hell for it from others, so we must have a care."
Arthur nodded. "I will be careful not to stare, and I will hold back on any questions until later, Boss."
Rod grinned. "Very good."
"The Lestranges out for a stroll with a Muggle?" The words were hissed like a whisper, but far too loudly not to be easily overheard. Bellatrix whirled to see a gaggle of Weasleys with the Granger Weasley stuffed in the middle like some bushy-headed overgrown plant on legs. The shock must have been clear on her face, for one of the redheaded weasels flushed under her stare.
"Extendable ears," he explained in an embarrassed mutter. "From the joke shop."
Bellatrix blinked, confused and still trying to process what was actually unfolding here. She was facing down her enemies and couldn't kill them! She'd regained her standing in society and couldn't risk losing it by causing the stir such would make for the Ministry to deal with. Even with friends in high places, there was only so much they could get away with.
She breathed in and out, aiming for slow but the shocked constriction in her chest made it difficult. Gods, this was hard!
"Bella," Rabastan warned, properly interpreting the signs of her silent struggle to keep it together. He pressed a hand into the small of her back, his other reaching for her shoulder.
Where Rodolphus usually reacted along with her in tandem, Rabastan, at times, could remain cool headed while the other two slipped into a haze of violence. Rather than turning to look at him, she shrugged and silently nodded, indicating that he'd been heard and heeded.
"Is it common practice in London to go about eavesdropping with joke shop gadgets?" Arthur suddenly spoke up, addressing the Weasleys. "And you lot say we Americans are uncivilized," he drawled.
"Listening to what witches and wizards talk about while shopping does provide a bit of entertainment," one of the redheaded Weasleys admitted almost shamelessly. Almost because he did have the grace to appear very mildly embarrassed to be caught out.
"I hardly think it could be as offensive as anything these three do on a daily basis, though," he added, jutting his chin at the Lestranges. "The fact they aren't torturing you is actually shocking. Don't count on it lasting."
Bellatrix felt tears spring to her eyes at the indignant glare Arthur gave their enemies. "Those are what you lot call wizarding trash, is that right," he asked, turning to Rodolphus, who nodded sagely.
"You are learning quickly, making me proud. Now if you just stop eating that Muggle trash snack food, you will be splendid."
Arthur chuckled. "Your brother likes chips."
"Just for getting drunk," Rabastan defended, as if that changed something.
Bellatrix shook her head in disgust, exchanging a look of shared indignation with Rodolphus.
"Did they tell you they tortured me for being Muggle-born?" At last the bushy-headed overgrown plant on legs stepped forward to toss her hat into the verbal sparring ring.
If only the sparring could be real, all of them would be dead now, and the Lestranges would be satisfied, Bellatrix silently lamented. She sighed, turning a withering glance on Granger. "It was also because of the company you keep. Get it straight, do."
"I know how the Lestranges feel about Muggles, and I know why. I know far more about them than you do, and while they aren't perfect, they are human, with motivations that history has instilled into them. As you appear to remain unharmed, I wouldn't bother myself about it were I you. Instead, were I you, I would be glad they are part of the team of wizards keeping you safe from people like Delphini. You all, and your lot, were unable to truly deal with her, after all." Arthur gave a slight smile, and Bellatrix was so very proud of him in that moment, and honored that he called them friends. Of course he was bloody king Arthur! Naturally, the Weasleys weren't nearly as impressed, but there was no accounting for the low class.
Granger-Weasley shook her head in open disgust. "They've really got the wool pulled over your eyes. That or you're as bad as they are." She tossed her bush of a head. "Either way, be warned. I don't care what the papers say about how they were forced by Voldemort. They're still bad people. They served him, and they haven't changed. Watch your back."
Turning, she gestured for her redheaded gaggle to follow her, and they did. Arthur and the Lestranges watched as they headed off down the street in the opposite direction. Once they were out of sight, Bellatrix let out a breath. "It was so hard not to kill them. It isn't fair!"
"I know," Rodolphus crooned, reaching to draw her into a hug.
Shivering with the toll that self-restraint had taken on her, Bellatrix sagged against his chest. "Thank you, Kid," she said, grinning as she glanced at Arthur.
Shrugging, he nodded. "It seems we're all one another's people. We stick together. And besides, I meant it. Other than the wizarding trash bit, that is. I truly have no idea about all that, I just thought it's what you all would call them and though I am a nice guy, I had to defend my people."
Rodolphus grinned. "Just like a good king should."
"I'm not," Arthur began and Rabastan shook his head, grinning.
"Don't bother."