Bad Romance

Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Your Head Is Running Wild Again

"We'll be at Malfoy Manor to begin the wards at eleven," Romeo said. "All of you including the Malfoys should be there to help. Lucius and Narcissa can at least provide refreshments and do anything else they can to help that doesn't require magic. Then they can do the same at all of your parents' homes."

Rabastan grinned. "Fuck yeah, make them work for it!"

"Damn right," Romeo agreed, grinning back at the younger Lestrange before dropping his eyes back to the form on which he was scribbling. "The more civilian help we have, the fewer Aurors are out doing this. If Delphini strikes somewhere and we're all out protecting homes, that won't do at all."

Grindelwald nodded in approval. "Indeed."

"We'll see you at eleven then, at Malfoy Manor," Rodolphus said before draining his coffee and tossing the disposable cup into a corner wastebasket.

"Thank you," Bellatrix nodded to Grindelwald and Valdez before turning to Rod. "I'll just pop into the lady's. I'll be right back."

She hated Apparating on a full bladder and right now hers had some coffee to get rid of. She tossed her own empty cup into the wastebasket to join Rod's on her way past.

Pausing at the desk of a young female Auror with spiky blonde hair, she asked for directions to the closest lady's.

"Well there is one right down the hall, but..." the young woman paused, leaning toward Bellatrix and speaking in a hushed whisper. "Fat Penny Pug just went in there to drop a massive poop, and you really don't want to experience that."

Bellatrix felt her eyes widen as an incredulous laugh escaped her.

"So I'd go down a floor to level three, just to be safe," the girl advised. "There, the lady's is just a hall over on the left. I'll have to wee in about five minutes tops, and trust me, I'll be going there as well." She gave Bellatrix a wink.

"But how do you know she went in there to do that," Bellatrix asked.

"Because she left five minutes ago, and she isn't back yet," the young woman said, glancing pensively at the clock as she spoke. "Penny takes a long time to drop a poo and trust me, it's bloody toxic!" She covered her face, giving a heartfelt shudder.

Bellatrix noted the young woman's name tag said Valdez. "Are you Romeo's sister or wife," she asked, recalling the man had one of each.

The spiky haired blonde grinned. "Wife."

"Ah, you're the one who can't cook," Bellatrix said with a chuckle.

The young woman gave an indignant squawk. "Romeo been talkin' shit again, has he?" she demanded.

Bellatrix laughed. "Trust me, I can't cook either. There's no shame in a lady having better things to do."

T. Valdez grinned appreciatively. Thanking her for the lady's room tip, Bellatrix gave a little wave and Apparated down a floor as the woman had advised. The lady's was indeed down the first hall on the left, as promised. Not one to go in a public restroom if she didn't have to, Bellatrix was relieved to find this one decent enough. It was quiet and pleasantly warm with a reassuringly clean smell. It appeared she had the place to herself. Hurrying into the nearest stall, she slid the lock on the door and was settling down to void herself of too much coffee when the door to the lady's opened, and by the sound of it, several women entered.

"I mean!" one of them squealed. "They're just letting those Lestranges walk around loose among us! I'm just holding my breath waiting for them to stop playing nice and slaughter us all!"