Chapter 1 – Tea time with Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange

Author's Notes: This takes place in an Alternate Universe. This is my first attempt at fanfiction, so please go easy on me. This chapter has been revised. I realized I was spelling 'Rodolphus' as 'Rudolphus.' I'd really appreciate some feedbacks. Special thanks to Dayz-n-Passions-luvr, who is my first reviewer ever!

Disclaimer: The whole Harry Potter universe is the creation of J.K. Rowling. It's not worth it to sue me unless you want a week's worth of dirty laundry and this story is solely for entertainment – no profit being made here.

"The Stars know a secret / They do not tell; And morn brings a message / Hidden well." - Edward Rowland Sill, Force

A throbbing headache woke the unconscious Auror. He tried to open his eyes, but found that he could only see through the left one. The other was swollen shut. The soreness in his limbs began to register as he regained consciousness.

This must be what it's like tah have the Knight Bus run over yeh. Back up. An' do it again, he thought. The rope, that bound him to a heavy wooden chair, chafed against his raw skin. He struggled vainly to free himself.

"Glad you could join us in the land of the living. The missus and I were just about to have our afternoon tea," said a man seated on an old-fashioned sedan across the room. Auror Galway recognized the other wizard's silky voice immediately. To his horror, he slowly realized that he had been captured by the Lestranges. Galway knew he was a dead man now. It was only a question of how much agony he'd have to endure before they'd finally allow him to die.

Rodolphus smirked at the bound man and laid down his newspaper on the coffee table. Once again, Sirius Black's mug shot graced the front page. The Ministry didn't have a clue. They couldn't find their own arses with both hands. Well, they say ignorance is bliss. Rodolphus called out to his wife whimsically, "Bella, it's tea time."

The sound of deliberate footsteps caused Auror Galway to groan. It was as though each step echoed and magnified itself a hundred-fold against his eardrums. He hoped the headache would finish him off before his torturers could get to him. No deity answered this silent prayer.

"Let me pour you a cup." Bella reached into the pocket of her black robes and took out a crystal bottle. She removed the stopper.

Rodolphus held the Auror's head back with one hand and with the other pinched the man's nose to force him to breathe through his mouth. Galway tried to move his head to the side his lips tightly shut, but Lestrange's grip proved too strong. Blood escaped from Galway's nostrils. Finally, the Auror opened his mouth thinly for breathe. Rodolphus seized the moment and pried open the man's mouth. Bella poured five drops onto Galway's tongue as he gasped for air. Rodolphus let go so quickly that the man's jaws made an audible clacking noise of bone on bone. Galway was lucky he hadn't bit his tongue in half. He spat out what little spittle he had in a futile attempt to rid his body of the all too recognizable clear liquid that had been force-fed to him.

"How rude," Bella said as she replaced the stopper. "He doesn't like my tea."

"Bitch," the Auror retorted.

"Tsk, tsk, Duncan. Where are your manners? Is that anyway to speak to a man's wife?" Rodolphus wagged his wand chidingly at the bound Auror. He smirked obscenely as he used the tip of his wand to poke the man's bloody arm wound causing it to reopen and gush blood onto the Auror's robes. Galway screamed in agony.

"Better get that treated. Before it festers and rots off." Bella laughed turning to her husband. "Oh, darling, do be careful," she rubbed at the droplet of blood that stained the collar of his white collared shirt. "You don't want any of his dirty blood to sully you," she admonished him.

"I'll be careful, dear," he promised as he pulled her into a rough kiss. Galway felt the distinct urge to wretch at the scene unfolding in front of him and groaned in distaste.

Bella sighed. "Work first," she whispered huskily into Rodolphus's ear. Auror Galway's face had gone slack and his one good eye had glazed over.

"Right, luv." He released her waist and turned back to the prisoner Bella had captured in Knockturn Alley.

The Veritaserum was taking effect. It mercifully began to numb Galway's sense of pain as it took away his volition.

"So Galway, how did you know the rendezvous point?" Rodolphus asked.

"Some bloke sent an owl tah headquarters. Said Death Eaters were meetin' behind Macabee's candle shop," he said in an eerily calm voice.

"What did the letter say exactly?" Bella questioned.

"I didn' read it. Boss did. Told me tah be there," he replied.

"Do you have any idea who sent the letter?" Rodolphus asked as he walked in a circle around the man.

"Nah," Duncan Galway replied, his face expressionless. "Haven't any idea, probably some loon."

"Who is your boss?" Bella queried.

"Chief Auror Alan McCalister," Galway answered.

"Yet another old man to lead the stupid," Rodolphus sighed. "Does the Ministry ever fire the incompetent?"

The fugitive couple continued their interrogation of the high-ranking Auror. The Ministry was clueless as to how the Death Eaters had managed to escape Azkaban. Fudge was desperate to boost popular support for himself. Rumors had been circulating for weeks that they needed a tougher Minister. The escape of ten Death Eaters, less than a year after Sirius Black had accomplished the same feat, did not bode will for the current Minister's prospects. Aurors were instructed to follow up on every tip no matter how dubious to reassure people that Fudge was taking a hard-line against the fugitive Death Eaters. Fudge, the buffoon, had deluded himself into believing that the Dark Lord was dead. He was fool enough to believe that it was Black who had masterminded the escape. He even disregarded the eye-witness account of the accursed Harry Potter.

It had been sheer luck that McCalister had assigned Galway to follow up on the anonymous letter, which had turned out to be true. Even the Chief had doubted that it would lead to anything. And Galway had been so sure it was a bunch of baloney that he'd sent his junior partner home early.

Bella tapped the tip of her boot against the stone floor impatiently. The interrogation had goneon for over two hours. They were almost done. Then the real fun would begin.

"Is there anything else we should know from you?" asked Rodolphus.

"Yes," Galway said slowly as though the words were being pulled from him like teeth. "I – know 'bout – your baby. Not dead – like they told yah."

"Liar!" Bella cried out in fury.

"No! Wait, Bella!" Rodolphus shouted, but it wastoo late.

"Cruciatus!" Bella shrieked.

A jet of red light shot out of her wand and hit the Auror in the chest.

"THWACK!" The chair had flipped backwards andhit the hard ground. Blood poured out the back of Galway's head, dyeing his sandy blond hair an unnatural color. The dark red liquid quickly formed a puddle on the cool gray stones.

"Ennervate!" Rodolphus tried to wake Galway. "Damn it, Bella," he muttered as he cast healing charms to stop the bleeding.It would have to do for the moment. There was nothing more he could do. He wasn't a damned Healer for Merlin's sake. Theman's skull was fracturedand there wassubstantial internal bleeding. Bella released the chords that had bound the Galway, so Rodolphus could lay the man down flat. Tense minutes later, the Auror's breathing steadied and his left-eye opened once more.

"Are you saying that our baby wasn't stillborn?" Rodolphus barked at him.

"Yeh, Boss I'll do it," Galway said hoarsely. "I'll take the Lestrange baby to him… Sturgis'll Obliviate the Healer after he tells 'em its dead." The Auror's previously blank demeanor gave way to a look of pity. "Poor little girl. Death Eaters fer parents."

"It was a girl?" Bella asked fervently. She was now kneeling beside her husband, who was trying to stop the internal bleeding. "Where did you take her?" She demanded.

Galway didn't answer. He linked his arms together as though he were carrying something.

"Ah, don' cry," he cooed and tried to reassure the imaginary babe. "Yeh, don'cha worry none. Yer going somewheres faraway. Decent people will bring you up. Not Death Eaters that's fer sure," Galway pointed a finger toward the imaginary babe. He made a mirthful face – smiling down at his empty crooked arm. "C-cute as a button ain't yah." His arms linked again and then he raised them upwards. He was handing it over to someone. "Here yeh go, sir."

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU GIVING OUR BABY TO?" Rodolphus shouted.

But the Auror was beyond hearing. "Give her to some good folksss," he slurred the last word as blood coming up from his lungs began to clog his throat. He turned to his head to the side. "Remember, t-tell'em it died. Yeh. Some r-revenge… for Frank 'n A-al." He made choking noises as he coughed up blood and bile. It spilled out of the sides of his mouth. His legs jerked involuntarily and then he was still.

Bella shook him violently. "WHO DID YOU GIVE MY BABY TO?" She cast Ennervate several more times. "Wake up, damn you! Where is my daughter?" She cast spell after spellin a futile attempt to awaken Galway.

"Stop, Bella!" Rodolphus roared. Hegrasped her by the shoulders. "It's your fault he can't tell us!Damned, temper of yours." He let goof her and stood up. Bella remained on the ground."Fucking Aurors," Rodolphus cursed as he kicked the corpse and paced the room in frustration.

Bella brushed her dark hair back behind her ear. It was matted against her neck from her exertions. "We got the informationour Master wanted," she said defensively.

Rodolphus noticedher hand tightly clenched over her wand. He helped his wife backup to her feet and held her against his chest. "Sorry, luv. It was a shock." He rubbed her back in a soothing gesture. A smile crossed his gaunt face. "A baby," he said the words with amazement. "Just think. After all these long years, we have a child together."

"Yes," Bella agreed. "Our baby is alive... somewhere."