For All Those Brave Warriors

The next time Narcissa went to answer the door to new guests, she returned with Blaise and Gellert. Gori greeted them warmly. He exchanged a few pleasantries with Gellert about what they'd had for lunch, and Bella got the impression from their demeanor that Gellert and the goblin got on well.

Bella opened her mouth to complain that they were late, but Blaise handed her flowers, giving her a slight bow as he did so. Then Gellert gave her a quick hug. They both wore green dress robes and looked quite dashing, with Blaise making a pleasing dark contrast to Gellert's fair blond. She blinked from the flowers in her hand to Blaise, wondering just how drunk she was, because this was weird. Zabini bringing anyone flowers seemed…out of character. Then again, how well did she bloody know him anyway?

"Why the flowers? I'm already quite drunk, by the way, but so is most everyone," she warned. Because she was drunk, she had no filter. "Not that I don't appreciate them," she added hastily.

"Thank you. The flowers are from both of us," Blaise explained. "I just happened to be carrying them."

"Because I look too pretty if I do," Gellert interjected with his usual bright grin.

"Hmm," Bellatrix said.

"The party is being held in your honor, so we thought we should bring you something," Blaise explained, as if that ought to be obvious.

"Well, thank you," Bellatrix said, unable to hide her surprise as she smiled at both men. They just didn't generally strike her as the thoughtful gift giving sort...then again who was she to talk?

When Lucy next emerged, his expression warmed considerably when he caught sight of Grindelwald. Rod lifted his glass and made a loud slurping sound as he rolled his eyes at Gellert.

Gellert laughed. "What is that?"

"It's the sound of the ass kissing that is about to commence," Rod explained helpfully, nodding in the direction of Lucius who was gliding over as best he could through the milling throng.

"Aaaaah," Gellert said, nodding in understanding.

Bellatrix snatched up a drink from the nearest floating tray and presented it to Gellert with a slight bow. "You'll need it," she said, then snagged one for Blaise and passed it to him.

"So we're getting drunk," Blaise asked drily.

"I advise it," Bella said and Rod nodded sagely just as Lucius arrived.

"Got it," Blaise said, and smoothly tossed back half of his drink. Somehow, he managed to make such a simple act look elegant and posh. In her drunken state, Bella found herself hoping that she, Rod, and Rabastan looked as noble when they were in the act of imbibing. Sloppy drunks were annoying, after all.

"Mr. Grindelwald. Welcome to Malfoy Manor. It is such an honor to have you."

Gellert glanced idly from Bellatrix and Rodolphus to Gori, as if wondering what the goblin thought of this before finally glancing to Lucius. He gave him a slight nod, and an even slighter smile.

"Thank you. Bella invited me so perhaps you should thank her. Actually, your wife did if we're getting technical, but it's because she knew Bella wouldn't be able to have a party without me," Gellert concluded with a happy smile.

Bellatrix chuckled as Lucius gave her a forced smile. "Then thank you, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix nodded, biting her lower lip to keep from laughing, because Lucius needing to thank her for anything was probably blowing his mind. It was no secret that he considered the Lestranges trouble at best and only tolerated them as family and at one point as the Dark Lord's favorites. If he only knew.

"This is my partner, Mr. Blaise Zabini," Gellert continued, nodding to Blaise. From the blond's suddenly cold expression, it was clear that he was annoyed that his man had been ignored.

"Ah yes, Mr. Zabini," Lucius said. "I attended Hogwarts with your mother."

"Hmm," Blaise nodded, smiling politely. "She's never mentioned that."

Rod snorted back a laugh, hastily raising his glass to hide his face.

"Thanks for allowing us to have the party here, Lucy… Damn it, Lucius," Bellatrix corrected herself, then burst into giggles because she was that drunk. She truly had accidentally said 'Lucy.' As a rule they only sparingly used it to his face lest the name lose its charm or he literally explode.

"You're drunk, Bellatrix," he sneered and she gave him a wide smile.

"Of course I am! It's a party and everyone is drunk." She glanced about for the nearest drink tray and found one floating near Rod's back. Snatching up a glass she passed it to Lucius. "Please have a drink. It may dissolve that stick up your ass for at least an hour or two."

"Half an hour, Bella, be realistic," Rod murmured.

She leaned into his arm companionably as she nodded. "Half an hour," she corrected herself, her mind now mostly on her husband's delicious body.

Idly, she wondered if Rod would want to go shag in Lucy's study or something, because that would be amazing! This was her party, so there should be some perks, shouldn't there?

She was just twisting round to whisper the suggestion into Rod's ear when Arthur came into view, tugging T. Valdez along by her slender wrist. Both opened their mouths at once to address the Lestranges, but at sight of Lucius, they snapped them shut again.

T. wore a shimmery blue dress and a shiny diamond collar that somehow went really well with her short spiked blond hair. The outfit made the haircut far more flattering than the Auror uniform. Interesting the observations one made when one was drunk, Bella thought, and had to bite her lip to avoid a mad cackle. Arthur wore a black suit, which somehow came across as odd… Perhaps because it looked as if it would be difficult to fight while wearing it.

"May we speak to the two of you alone," Arthur asked, nodding at Rod and Bella.

Bellatrix sighed, because her shag plans were drifting away, at least for the time being.

"Yeah, sure," Rod said.

She didn't miss the curiosity in his eyes as he excused them to Gellert, Blaise, and Lucius. Putting an arm around Bella's shoulders, he followed Arthur out of the room. Their favorite Muggle was still practically dragging T. along by the wrist, and she was beginning to squirm, twisting said wrist in a pointless attempt to extricate it from his grip.

"Behave," Arthur chastised, and she gave him an indignant glare as she twisted her wrist again.

"You behave," she shot back. "I wasn't doing anything to you. In fact, I was minding my own business, but you, in fact, were not."

Rod grinned. "This is sounding good already," he said happily.

Arthur frowned. "You were stealing books from a home to which you were invited! That is wrong. Do you lot have no morality, or what?"

"Hey what'd you get," Rod asked, interested.

Bellatrix laughed and Arthur's scowl grew. "I thought I was being nice to allow the two of you to handle it without bringing it to the attention of the Malfoys."

"We are handling it," Rod assured, then returned his focus to T. "So..."

She sighed and shook her head. "I wouldn't steal from the Malfoys… At least not unless they did something illegal. Then I could get away with it."

She shot Arthur a dark scowl and he frowned defensively. "I heard Romeo commenting once about her stealing books, so when I found her skulking in the library, I was concerned."

T. shrugged. "My brothers and I were book thieves from a young age. My brothers said that the Aurors always got the best opportunities to claim rare contraband legally, so I decided that's what I'd do."

Bellatrix chuckled. "Yes, I knew I liked you for a reason."

"So Romeo is down with stealing," Rod asked, clearly intrigued by the idea of future prospects.

"When I rescued him from that school, I was actually there to rob the library. I sort of became an Auror after that."

Arthur stared in confusion. "What?"

T. chuckled. "Sorry. You wouldn't know about all that, so I'll quickly catch you up. Romeo and some other students in a school in Spain called El Lobo were being tortured by Death Eaters. This was in Voldemort's last year of life. I helped them escape, then went into Auror training after that.

"I'd broken into the school to steal some books from their library. Romeo stopped me from stealing the books and ranted about how there were enough bad things happening in the school. When I asked what he was talking about he told me how the professors were tormenting the students in various ways until they gave up their magic by means of a dark spell.

"The professors were apparently planning to give that magic to Voldemort in order to make him stronger. So I went and turned the school in to the Spanish Ministry, and they took me in for training. I decided to go for the training because of what my brothers said about how I could legally steal things if I did. So that's my story. Romeo knows I take books, and he thinks it's cute. He says there are lots worse things in the world. And now I only take from crime scenes...mostly."

She grinned and the Lestranges chuckled. Turning to Arthur she added, "Keep up with the honorable thing, and we'll have to make you an Auror...the first Muggle one ever!"

Arthur shuddered. "No thanks."

"Smart man," Rod praised, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Bella!" Narcissa's call floated to them through the partially open door, and they all turned in that direction.

"Yes?" Bella called back. She was already moving down the hall toward the door as she spoke. It appeared their little interlude was over, and it was probably time to return to the party.

"I'd like to make a toast in your honor," Narcissa called back.

Bella flashed a quick look to Rod, T., and Arthur, wondering what that was going to be about. "Coming," she called back.

Rod came up to walk at her side, sliding his hand into hers, and she smiled. Any party, any moment, was always made better with Rodolphus at her side. Love was great, and not just because she was drunk! Ooh, and speaking of that, a toast meant they could get another drink which sounded fantastic and caused her to speed up her steps.

"It feels so weird being here," T. Valdez whispered, snatching Bellatrix by her upper arm as she hurried along behind her. "Makes me want to make up a joke that begins, a Muggle, a Malfoy, and an Auror walk into a bar..."

Arthur snickered. "It won't end well."

"Yeah, but that's the funny part," T. said, grinning over at him.

Apparently the two were friends again, which was nice. At times it still felt more than a little odd to be rubbing elbows with any Muggle or Auror. Then again, Bella reminded herself, the Aurors in this particular incarnation of the Ministry were different and Arthur...well, he'd allowed her to ruin his precious car without question due to his sharp instincts, so he was practically adopted.

As their little group rejoined the party, her eyes fell on Wulfric with his girlfriend the goblin, chatting with Lyra and Cassius. Hobnobbing with Aurors if they were a different breed and connecting with a special Muggle who was the closest they'd get to bloody King Arthur were fine and good, but socializing with Dumbledores… Well, that was rather odd even now. Wulfric was darker than his father, but even Albus was alright. They'd have invited him and his wife, but they were away on vacation.

"Bella," Cissa called, waving at her from where she stood at the head of the long banquet table in the front of the room which held all the food that wasn't already floating around the room on charmed serving trays. "I need you up here, please."

Bellatrix nodded, suddenly feeling nervous. She didn't want to be up in front of everyone! What would Cissa expect her to do? She snaked a hand around Rodolphus's upper arm, nails involuntarily digging in. She was only made aware of this by the low growl of pleasure he gave as he flashed a desire-filled smile her way, before beginning to walk her up the room toward her sister.

She attempted not to stare at what felt like far too many people who appeared to be staring at her as she and Rod threaded their way through them. These were all her friends to one degree or other, she reminded herself. There was no reason to be nervous or to feel strange. It was then that she realized she still held the flowers from Blaise and Gellert in her other hand! Where had her drink gone? The situation was becoming dire! Her sister wanted her in the front of the room, and she had no drink.

"A toast," Narcissa called and the room fell silent. "Everyone get yourself a drink." As she spoke, she extended a crystal goblet to Bella.

Bella opened her mouth to ask what was in it, but decided she didn't care. If she didn't like the drink, she'd just chug it quickly and get another. She stuck the flowers into her hair in order to free up her hand. T. Valdez laughed and clapped. Yes indeed, they were all drunk, and it was good.

Narcissa began to speak as soon as Bella took the goblet from her. "I wanted to have this party for my sister, because she deserves it. She is...is the strongest woman I know, and I am so proud of her."

Narcissa's voice began to crack and Bella gripped Rod's arm harder in panic. Her little sister was crying! Even worse, somehow Cissa was making Bella's own eyes sting!

"She survived Azkaban, then stood up to the evil creation of the man who broke us all, especially her, Rodolphus, Rabastan, Regulus, and Kreacher. She is a credit to all women, and I'm proud to call her my big sister. Thank you, Bella, for...for just being you. We all love you!"

Tears were streaming down Narcissa's face and Bellatrix realized she was crying too. Why? That was annoying!

"So we drink to Bellatrix," Narcissa called out, and glasses clinked.

"TO BELLA!" Gellert bellowed, and Bellatrix found herself laughing through her tears, because he sounded quite drunk. That had happened impressively fast. Lucy must have been extremely annoying, or boring.

Bella peered blearily up into Rod's face as she touched her goblet to his. Though he was smiling proudly at her, his eyes were oddly soft and tender. "That's my girl," he said proudly, and it made Bella's chest hurt.

"I love you, Roddy," she said, sobbing briefly into his excessively delicious chest as she embraced him before rushing to throw her arms around her sister. "And you too, Cissy. I love you too, so very much."

Narcissa laughed as she squeezed Bellatrix in return. "I know. I have one more toast," she added, raising her voice on that last bit so that the room would fall silent again, which it did. "Though this party is for Bella, it's also for everyone who is here for her, because you are all...we are all brave. We have all stood up more than once against evil, and disappointment, and things that we believed to be one way, turning on us and showing themselves to be another. Each and every one of us here has experienced this in one form or other, and we have all come back from it each time to stand strong. So I raise this next glass to all our brave warriors! To all of us!"

"To us!" everyone shouted.

Then Bellatrix was being hugged a great deal. First by her parents, who she was somehow too drunk to notice earlier. "Mummy! Daddy! I love you both, and I'm so sorry I was such a prat about Voldemort."

"Don't apologize, baby," Cygnus said and Druella nodded, pressing a tear-streaked cheek against Bella's own as she held her close.

Bella doubted she'd be sorry the next morning. Really, all their parents probably should've noticed something, but tonight, the world was soft and rosy, and everyone loved her and she loved them. So, for right now, she felt very sorry for being mean to her parents, who were really good parents when it came down to it. Speaking of good parents, Corvus was next, embracing her and then Rod, before Rabastan made his drunken way into the throng.

"Love you guys!" he bellowed, clapping Bella on the shoulder with one hand and Rod on the shoulder with the other. Regulus and Kreacher hugged her at once like some freakish four armed monster, and she hugged them back hard, because they were her freakish four armed monster.

"We did it, Bella," Regulus whispered into her ear. "We survived it all, and we'll keep surviving."

She nodded, smiling at her favorite cousin.

Next came Gori, Loughness and Hydra, Gellert, T. Valdez, Romeo, and even Wulfric. Lyra was last, and like Cissy and Druella, she was crying.

"I'm sorry, Mummy," she sobbed. "For being such a prat."

Bellatrix laughed as she held her daughter close. "You'll probably change your mind tomorrow. I just said the same thing to your grandma, and I'll probably change my mind tomorrow."

"Yes, but we shouldn't," Lyra said, laughing through her tears.

The party went on long into the night, and it was glorious! It was more fun than Bella could ever remember having. She'd had a lot of fun, so that was saying something! This was special, though. It was a coming together to celebrate strength and victory and unity. It came with its own high that, in its way, was sweeter than torture.