Bellatrix's Lost Daughter

Ch. 15 The Meeting

I walked over to my mom who was lazily leaning against the wall waiting for my father to arrive and start the meeting. I stood beside her keeping my face void of emotion knowing that our family was feared and I wasn't going to mess up that image for my family. Soon the room was filled with my father's most loyal. They stared at my mother and I with admiration and a hint of fear as we all waited for my dad. My body began to radiate with dark magic but I didn't understand why.

"Baby, are you alright?" My mother whispered.

"I don't know," I whispered back to her. My father arrived ending the discussion with my mother as we both turned our attention to my dad.

"Hello. I brought you all here for one reason, to discuss our plans for Hogwarts in this next year in light of our dark princess's return," my father said sitting on a chair. All eyes fell onto my father not a single person dating to speak. The meeting continued but I didn't pay attention to the meeting as the room swirled around me. The magic inside my body pushing me to the brink. My breath shook as my cheeks flushed. Something was wrong but I didn't have a chance to express it before pain flooded my body causing me to collapse in a heap on the floor.

"Nat," my mother gasped rushing to my side my father jumping to his feet. I wanted to cry out as the agony spread but my body wouldn't allow me to. I had no idea what was happening until the alarms started going off followed by white flashes as members of the order arrived. At the front of the group stood Dumbledore smirking at my body on the floor. He enjoyed the look of panic on my mother's face as I reached for my wand. Whatever Dumbledore had done to me I seemed to be pushing through. I gripped my wand tightly and on instinct a spell flew off the tip of my wand and blasted Dumbledore back and against the wall. I saw him wince as he slipped down the wall and onto the floor.

"Go. They can't find you here," I told my mother as I got to my feet deflecting a spell headed for us.

"Not without you!" She said with her own wand in hand as I glanced at her.

"I'm not leaving Cissy here alone but if they capture you we are all screwed! Go," I pleaded seconds before all the death eaters apperated away leaving only those who couldn't get into trouble. The dark magic in my body had been protecting me from something Dumbledore tried to do and I refused to let him get to me.

"Ashley, come with me and I won't hurt your family," Dumbledore demanded as my eyes flashed red. I bit back my anger before answering his demand.

"Where?" I asked him.

"Hogwarts of course," he said as I glanced at Cissy who Lupin had in his arms tightly. I could see the panic in Cissy's eyes while Lupin held her. Tears of frustration glistened in my eyes as my magic died down. I was out numbered and would probably be taken regardless so I needed to protect my family. Cissy could tell them what happened.

"Fine," I spat taking Dumbledore's arm while Cissy screamed for me not to go. "I wanted to see Draco anyway." Dumbledore apperated us to Hogwarts. I stood in his office while he faced me with a smirk. With a wave of his wand I looked like Ashley again. I hated the thought of the golden hair and blue eyes I knew I had as Ashley.

"You will stay away from Mr. Malfoy and return to acting like my daughter again or I promise you, you won't like the way I will treat you," he said firmly as I turned walking out of his office. I knew I couldn't tell Draco so I went to the only person who I could trust that Dumbledore would approve of. I found myself at Professor McGonagall's office. I knocked once before the door opened to reveal a shocked Minerva. Her mouth was hung open yet no words came out.

"I didn't have a choice in this," I muttered as she ushered me into her office before shutting the door.

"What happened?" She asked as a tear slipped down my cheek.

"The order showed up at Malfoy Manor. I sent the death eaters away knowing that was who the order could punish. Then Dumbledore threatened Narcissa and I knew I couldn't beat Dumbledore without risking my aunt. He said if I went with him to Hogwarts he wouldn't hurt them. The choice was easy to make but hard to live with," I said as tears cascaded down my cheeks continually. "He told me I can't see Draco." In an instant Minerva wrapped her arms around me trying to calm me. I felt my magic beating against me longing to unleash as the emotions churned inside me.

"Breathe Natasha. Deep breaths," Minerva said feeling the energy inside my body. She rubbed my back when a picture on the wall fell onto the floor seconds before all the books in her office fell off the shelves. The final act of magic to happen before my body gave out was every piece of glass within her office shattering. The only thing that prevented me from hitting the floor on the way down was Minerva's arms. The last thing I saw before I slipped into unconsciousness was the concern on Minerva's face.