A short wait for those of you that have been waiting for this fiction. For those of you who do not know, this is a sequel to my other fanfiction The Purple Black; I highly suggest you give that fiction a read before you read this one.

I hope I can live up to my followers expectations and that you all enjoy this story as much as the last.

I would also like to thank Thespianpoet for helping me come up with the name for this!

Anyway, as always; please read, review and of course enjoy.

August 1977

The summer sun beamed down onto the vast grounds of the manor. It gave the perfect feel that was so rare for an English summer, the feel of being enveloped in warmth whilst still appreciating the cool summer breeze as it tickled your skin with its soothing air. The little girl was running across from the small water feature where she had been peacefully watching a small frog hop back towards the near by pond, her innocent laughter was almost musical as she reached her destination of her favourite collection of flowers in the garden.

She fell forward onto her knees as she threw her hands out in front of her to stop herself hitting her face into the floor. After a few moments hesitation she knelt, inspecting her hands with a grin on her face and a giggle escaping her lips. She was used to falling over, she didn't cry if she got a little dirt on her even if she got told off for it. After she became satisfied that she hadn't hurt herself and was perfectly fine the little girl sat back on her feet and wiped her hands on her dress (it was already muddy so she didn't think she should care if she got it even dirtier).

"You should be more careful, darling." A soft voice cooed out to the little girl.

The child jumped in shock, falling back onto her bum as she reached her hands out behind her to stop herself falling over entirely. Though as she looked up at the tall woman before her a grin soon split across her face, giggling mischievously.

"I am careful, mumma." The little girl pouted, folding her arms in an attempt to seem defiant, something that looked laughable on a four year old child.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." The woman replied, a sarcastic teasing tone in her voice "I forgot that little girls usually fall over five times in the space of ten minutes."

"It wasn't five in ten minutes!" the girl laughed at her mother as she rolled her eyes with an amused smirk on her lips.

"Alright, perhaps it was four."

The child nodded, a playful grin plastered onto her face as she pulled herself up from the ground. She brushed her dress down with her hands, something she had seen her mother and aunt do after playing with her on the floor so had gotten into the habit of mimicking them every time she stood up from the ground now. She carried on with her pursuit of the flowers, ignoring the watchful eye of her mother.

She stepped her foot carefully on a large stone bordering the flowers, reaching out to a particularly deep purple carnation. Leaning forward to pick the pretty flower the little girls foot slipped on the stone, though she barely noticed the slip as with a quick flick of her mothers wand she felt herself stabilise. Bellatrix Lestranges quick reflexes had come in handy for things outside of her dark arts and duelling.

"Nymphadora," Bellatrix gently placed her hand on the little girls shoulder, reaching over her and picking the flower for her and sitting down on the ground next to her. She patted her lap, holding one arm open for the little girl "Come here."

The girl obeyed, setting herself down on the death eaters lap, resting her head against her right shoulder as she looked to the carnation in her left hand. She smiled as Bellatrix handed her the flower.

"Can you match that?" Bella spoke softly to the young girl as she watched her nod.

"Easy." Dora smiled widely before she screwed her eyes shut, the look of concentration on the four year olds face almost comedic as her long black curls began to tinge to match the deep purple carnation.

Bella smiled as the girl opened her eyes again, a small laugh escaping her as she noticed she had matched her eyes to the flower as well. She kissed the girls purple hair as she tucked a stray strand behind her ear.

Dora watched her mother intently, she loved her as much as any other little girl loved their mother and above anything wanted to be just like her. She smiled as she neatened her hair for her, her eyes lingering on her left arm.

"What's that?" Dora reached out, taking hold of her mothers left hand as she allowed her to turn her arm over. She stared down at the tattoo on her mothers arm, her small fingers gently brushing over the raised skin that outlined the skull and snake.

"You know what that is, darling." Bellatrix replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Dora shook her head, still gently stroking the mark, jumping back as her mother jerked her arm away "Be careful Dora, don't press it . . ."

"Sorry . . ." The metamorphmagus murmured, snuggling into her mothers body as she wrapped her small arms around her.

Bellatrix hugged the child back, kissing her head and sighing before she continued to speak "It's called a Dark Mark . . . Death Eaters have them."

"Like you and Daddy?" Dora looked up at the witch, her eyes changing from purple to the dark Black eyes of her guardians.

"Yes, darling."

"Can I has one?" Dora looked up at her mother with her puppy dog eyes, perking up immediately.

"Not yet, petal." Bellatrix laughed slightly as she held her close, stroking her head as she spoke softly to her "One day, I promise. When you're older, mummy will train you, she'll teach you every spell she knows and then you can serve The Dark Lord just like she does. You have so much potential, Dora, you'll be so strong and powerful . . ."

"Really? You promise?" Dora grinned, the idea of being anything like her mother a marvel to her at that age.

"Really." Bella smiled.

Dora giggled before hugging the witch tightly, kissing her cheek and burying her head in her hair "I love you mummy!"

Bellatrix sighed, closing her eyes and stroking the young girls hair "I love you too, princess . . ."

The pair stayed in that like that for a long time, Dora curled up in Bellatrix's lap. The older witch would summon a new flower every few minutes whilst the little girl matched each colour with her hair, a bright grin on her face as she knew she had pleased her mother. Nymphadora Lestrange had bright yellow locks when she pouted up at her mother; she had come to recognise when The Dark Lord was calling her merely from the way she reacted to her burning tattoo.

"Don't look at me like that, Dora." Bellatrix stood up, gently lifting the girl off of her lap and setting her down in front of her.

Doras' hair slowly turned back to black, trying to hide her disappointment as the four year old watched her mother summon her mask and a thin black cloak.

"Go find your father, if he's not in there get the elf to floo you to your Aunts." Bellatrix leant down and kissed her on the head before she placed her mask onto her face and walked towards the boundaries of the manor to disaparate.

Nymphadora stood on the spot, staring watching her mother until she could no longer see her. With an indignant sniff she raised her head and walked off towards the manor. Breaking off into a run when she got into the manor she almost fell flat on her face for the second time today as she tripped on the carpet before her fathers study. It didn't take her long to realise that he had left her too as she summoned their elf.

Narcissa Malfoy was sat on the armchair opposite the fire as Nymphadora arrived, she had come to waiting for her whenever her husband was summoned-wanting to be there for the little girl the minute she arrived when her parents sent her to her. It was becoming more of a frequent occurrence of late.

"Hello darling." Narcissa smile sympathetically as Dora crawled up onto her lap without another word she kissed her head and held her.

"Hello Auntie Cissy . . ." Dora sniffled, burying her head in her aunts hair as she had her mothers moments ago.

The girls sat in silence for a few minutes before sniffed and spoke up again "Mummy's coming back right? Mummy's not going to leave me?"

"Mummy would never leave you," Narcissa sighed as she stroked her hair, holding the girl close "not ever. She has work to do, but she'll always come back to you when she's done . . . She loves you."

Dora sniffed and wiped away the beginnings of her tears "I love mummy too . . ."

Narcissa nodded, kissing the girls head as she held her closely, stroking her hair. They sat in silence as they waited for the Death Eaters to return to their families. Nymphadora fell asleep in her Aunts arms, waking up hours later back in her own home, in her own bed. She smiled as she felt the warm arms around her, turning to look up into Bellatrixs' eyes. The two locked eyes, both with small smiles playing on their lips. It wasn't long before the pair were asleep. That was the first clear memory Nymphadora had of Bellatrix.

May 1998

Nymphadora Druella Lestrange sat with her knees pulled tightly to her chest, a shiver running down her spine as she pulled herself from her reminiscent daydream. The mousey brown hair she now sported was a far cry from the deep purple she had spent favouring as a young girl (along with her signature bubble gum pink of course).

The chilling sound of chains rattling could be heard echoing off the walls as Dora moved her left arm, resting her wrist on her knee. She stared at every small detail of the tattoo, her fingertips running across the raised skin. It was the same thing she used to do when she had fallen asleep with her mother, waking up whilst she was still sleeping and spending her time amazed at every small detail of it. The Dark Mark had fascinated her from a young age.

She had only ever seen it as a way to get her mother wherever her Lord wanted whenever he wanted, it was something she wished she had known how to do. She would have done anything for that power. Nymphadora had been highly educated in the ways of Death Eaters from a very young age, she wasn't naïve, she probably knew more about Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestranges Death Eater activity than anyone else in the world (apart from their master of course).

Dora didn't seem to either care or notice as a single tear fell down her cheek at the thought of her mother. With a sniff she rested her head on her knees, not wanting to think about the rest of the world for now. She had been in the holding cell for less than 24 hours, sat chained to a wall in a cramped cell with her father still unconscious from the battle chained next to her and her Uncle silently glaring at the barred door in front of him. It had made the cell rather cramped but she was grateful for the company of her family even if one was acting like a moody teenager and the other was still knocked out.

She supposed the only reason she'd been allowed to stay with them was due to the sheer volume of Death Eaters that must be occupying their holding cells after the battle. The ministry must have correctly assumed that they would have the least hassle from the last three Lestranges' if they were kept together.

It wasn't like they could complain. She was sure that they wouldn't be treated any worse than the prisoners they had kept in their basement for months on end. They'd already been given a large bottle of water to share, that was far more than prisoners in their care had gotten in their first 24 hours of imprisonment. Her uncle had taken one swig of it and practically forced Nymphadora to take a drink herself.

"You'll be fine, Dora." Rabastan looked to his niece, speaking in French "You're strong, like your mother."

Dora couldn't help it as a slight laugh escaped her, the whole ordeal of the last 48 hours still weighing on her. She sighed before she replied "Merci . . ."

Rabastan went to talk again, only getting a few French words out before Nymphadora looked up, raising an eyebrow at him, interrupting him in English "You do realise that it doesn't matter what language you speak, they'll just become more determined to eavesdrop on us."

"You used to love the sound of French when you were a girl . . ." the French murmur came from the stirring form of Rodolphus Lestrange on the floor "It calmed you . . ."

"Father!" Dora threw herself down onto the man, wrapping her right arm around him and burying her head in his chest, getting as close to him as she physically could with the long chain attached to her left wrist cuffing her to the wall.

Rodolphus winced as she held him tightly, slowly lifting his hand to rest on his daughters head, he looked around the small cell before he realised someone was missing.

"Dora . . ." he asked carefully, almost not wanting to know the answer "Where's your mother?"

Doras griped tighter onto her fathers tattered robes, refusing to answer, not wanting to say it out loud yet. Saying it made it real. It wasn't until the man looked to his brother that the realisation of what his wife not being there meant.

"She . . . She's dead?" Rodolphus asked his brother, not missing his daughters tensing in his arms. He didn't need to see the small nod of Rabastan Lestrange to know that his wife hadn't made it.

"You were knocked out . . ." Dora looked up at the man, trying to pull herself together "Mum . . . She was battling Molly Weasley . . . When she- . . ." Nymphadora stopped as she swallowed the lump in her throat, she could say it. "The Dark Lord was defeated."

The man sighed, closing his eyes as he stroked his daughters mousey brown hair. He had guessed that the Dark Lord had been defeated by their current surroundings. He kissed his daughters head, trying to remain strong for her sake, staring out to the barred door of their cell.

The trio had been sat in silence for what must have been at least an hour. One hour of uninterrupted silent mourning; the young metamorphmagus cuddled into her fathers' side as each Lestrange simply stared out blankly at nothingness, each lost for words. It was no surprise when the sudden noise of their cell door being pulled open caused Nymphadora to jump. She sat up straight, forcing herself not to glare at the wizard in front of her.

Two men in blue Auror robes quickly flanked in behind the first man, their wands trained on the Lestrange men as the third walked over to Nymphadora.

"Give them hell, Nymphie." Rabastan sneered, glaring up at the nervous looking Auror who had been stuck making sure the younger Lestrange man was kept in check.

"Dad-" Dora gripped onto Rodolphus' hand, not wanting to leave her last remaining parent-especially when she had no idea where she was being taken to or if she'd be back for that matter.

"It's fine Dora." He squeezed her hand, flashing a slight reassuring look to her before returning his glare back to the Auror who had his wand trained firmly between his eyes.

Nymphadora nodded, standing up before she could be dragged up. She brushed off her skirts and held her head high as she stared the Auror in front of her right in the eyes. The man was noticeably unnerved by the gesture; it had been drilled into her by her mother and she had no doubt that in her morph free form she already looked like her mother.

Be strong. Be strong for her. Be strong for Teddy. Her Aunts advice echoed in her mind as she felt the harsh grip on her arm, she bit down on her lip and dug her nails into her palms to stop herself lashing out at him on instinct as she was pulled out of their cell towards the interrogation room.

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