Bad Romance

Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Taking Shots

"You were all so cute as little kids! What happened," Lyra asked.

"I am still extremely cute, thank you very much," Rabastan huffed, but his wide grin said that he was amused.

"I think I'm still cute," Rod said seriously. "And your mum is very, very cute, especially with a wand in her hand and a Killing Curse on her lips."

Lyra scoffed. "You know what I mean... What happened? What made you all become so hardened? Why do you like torturing people?" Before anyone could reply, Lyra held up a slender hand. "Wait...I have an idea! Let's play a drinking game. One person asks questions, and the others take a shot. So we go around and everyone gets equally drunk in the end! It's a fun way to get to know one another, and I need to know you lot and you need to know me. I'd honestly rather do this than watch your fond memories of torture, if it's all the same."

"She doesn't like torture," Rodolphus muttered in glum disapproval. "This right here is what comes of not being able to raise one's own child, Bella."

"I don't mind torture if the person did something personally to me," Lyra said, then shrugged. "I mean, I guess I don't mind, I've never exactly done that before, the Mind Ripping aside."

"Bella said 'no drinking' 'cause Delphini and being off our guard," Rabastan said, tone openly resentful.

"Well, we can make an exception for just one night, can't we," Lyra asked, looking expectantly to Bellatrix. "After all, if you want me staying here, you need to give a little."

Bellatrix sighed. "We do have a bodyguard and a ton of wards on the manor so I suppose, but just this one night."

"This is the complete wild child of the Black family, and now she's being all fucking responsible," Rabastan complained. "That right there is scaring the shit out of me more than anything else." Even as he made this complaint, Rabastan was already heaving himself up from his chair to go and fetch a bottle of whiskey and some shot glasses.

"You aren't going to allow the poor spider to drink? That's mean," Lyra said disapprovingly.

"Do you want to drink," Rodolphus asked curiously, turning toward Rhadamanthus who silently crouched in the doorway.

"Though I admit I am curious, it probably would not be professional under the circumstances," the Acromantula rasped back. "Besides...you probably don't have enough whiskey."

Rodolphus chuckled. "Point taken. But as soon as we're able, we'll get a case and get you drunk with us," he promised. "I, for one, would love to see you drunk!"

Bellatrix nodded. "As long as we drink at home, I think we could take the bitch drunk if she came to fight. I have never been too drunk to cast a Killing Curse or stab something, after all."

"I'm sure I could Mind Rip drunk," Lyra said with a grin as Rabastan came back into the library.

Once everything was arranged on the table with the bottle in the center and a shot glass in front of each of them Lyra nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, I ask the question, all three of you pour shots and drink, then answer. Then you can ask me a question, and I'll answer and drink."

Bellatrix felt a thrill of excitement at the idea of getting to know her daughter, and she did enjoy the way they were going about it. It seemed Lyra had fire in her blood after all. Rod poured their shots, and Bellatrix tossed hers back before forming her reply to Lyra's question concerning what had hardened them. "Nothing happened to us. I always had a temper, and I always found the Mudbloods and their sympathizers a frank embarrassment to the wizarding world, not to mention the reason for most, if not all, of the problems throughout history. Give Muggles and Mudbloods a goddamn drop, and they take the entire ocean!"