Bad Romance

Chapter 50

Chapter 50: The Muggles Are Restless

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.