Soul Bound 18

“Where’s Denis?”Bellatrix asked Andromeda who was sitting on the couch in the family room holding Hermione while Nymphadora played video games and listened to music on Denis’ walkman. Bellatrix wasted no time giving Hermione a kiss on the forehead and stroking her cheek with her finger. Bellatrix smiled when sleepy brown eyes opened and looked at her. She wanted to spend time with Hermione but was to curious about what the letter Sofia wrote to Denis and Jean said. That is if they were kind enough to share with her what it said. Bellatrix wasn’t going to be pushy like she usually was because they were Hermione’s parents and Bellatrix wasn’t going to do anything to upset them. That would cause them not to let her spend time with Hermione and Bellatrix would never do anything to have that happen.

“He’s out back playing with the owls.”Andromeda told her.

“Let me hold Hermione.”Narcissa wanted the chance before Bellatrix got it.

Andromeda sighed. She had enjoyed having time with Hermione without her sisters but knew that it was only fair that they get to hold her when they had been away from her for so long. She held out Hermione for Narcissa.”Did everything go alright at the bank?”

“Other than Hermione getting a new title and Ted getting a lifetime ban from the goblins everything went fine.”Bellatrix looked out the window and saw Jean making her way across the lawn. She hoped that meant they would find out what the letter said soon.

“What do you mean Ted got a lifetime ban and what other title could Hermione get? She is the head of six pureblood houses.”Andromeda couldn’t think of anything else Hermione would inherit.

“Seven pureblood houses and as for Ted when we got there he had pulled his wand on one of the goblins while demanding access to your private vault. He was tackled to the ground by security when he made a move towards the goblin and was dragged out by the guards after being told that if he ever stepped foot on the property again they would have him arrested for trespassing. He actually tried to blame me for the divorce. He said you were happy before I visited.”Bellatrix still didn’t know how she was to blame.

Andromeda took a minute to think over everything her sister had just said.”Why did you say seven houses? Also I’m not surprised about Ted. He’s desperate because any gold we had laying around the house is probably gone. I expect him to start sending letters any day now.”

“Of course he will because he knows that no one will ever treat him like you did.”Bellatrix knew that Ted would never find someone to support him financially like Andromeda did and for a man as materialistic as Ted that had to make him angry and a little bit panicked.

“She said seven because we found out that grandmother Sofia was apparently the rightful Fawley Head of Household but didn’t claim her title. I personally think she didn’t because she didn’t want her husband having access to the estate. Anyway she named Jean’s baby as her heir. When we went to the bank to open a vault for Hermione and Jean did the blood test the title magically transferred to Hermione. If she wants to claim it. She doesn’t have to.”Narcissa couldn’t think of a reason for her not to.

“I think she should claim it so we can see what the Fawley Family Manor is like. A manor that hasn’t been touched for almost a century.”Bellatrix couldn’t even begin to imagine all the treasures the family left behind in their main home.

“I’m confused. I thought the Fawley family died off. How was Sofia the rightful Head of Household?”Andromeda asked.

“We don’t know. All we were told was that Sofia left it all to Hermione. She also left a letter with the goblin for Jean and Denis. I’m guessing they are reading it now.”Narcissa wanted to know what it said.

“The goblin did say that Sofia inherited the title the same way Hermione did. The Last Lord Fawley left it to her before he died. She wasn’t even born yet and didn’t find out about it until she was in her early twenties when she went to open her own vault.”Bellatrix thought it was brave of her grandmother to open her own vault. She could have gotten in a lot of trouble if her husband found out.

“That just adds more questions.”Andromeda said.

“We are just as frustrated as you.”Narcissa told her.

“We did get to see the vault though and Andy I have never seen so much gold in one place before. There were hundreds of piles stacked to the ceiling. That and all kinds of other valuables.”Bellatrix was excited for a chance to go back.

“It’s on the third floor what do you expect.”Narcissa was just as excited as her sister to go back.

“Third floor? That’s got to be a lot of gold.”Andromeda had only been to her own vault before and it was one the 26th floor.

“When we add the contents of the Malfoy vault that one may move to the second.”Bellatrix figured that adding a pureblood vault would need a lot of space.

“The Malfoy vault isn’t as big as the Lestrange one. It’s four floors above yours. Before Lucius started giving the Dark Lord gold it was two floors below it.”Narcissa’s heart broke every time she visited the bank and the vault was a level above what it was the previous time she visited.

“He’s such an idiot.”Andromeda didn’t know anyone who would hand over that much gold willingly like Lucius did.

“I’m going to enjoy testifying against him.”Bellatrix perked up when Jean and Denis entered the room.”Did you find out why she did it and didn’t tell us?”

“Not really. If anything she was more confused then we are.”Jean wasn’t sure what to make of Sofia’s letter.

“How could she be confused if she was the one who left the estate to Hermione?”Narcissa asked.

“Based on the letter she wrote us it appears she was never meant to be the next Fawley Head of Household. Hermione was the one that Lord Fawley wanted to continue his line.”Denis was just as confused as everyone else in the room. Except for Nymphadora who had head phones on listening to music on Denis’ walkman while playing video games. That made it safe to talk.

“How did he know about Hermione?”Andromeda wanted to know how a man who died almost century before knew her soulmate.

“From what Sofia wrote it appears his mother was a seer and instructed him to leave the estate to Sofia. He wrote her a letter where he explained that she was not to take the Head of Household title and that she was given access to the estate so that she had the money to help us and support you three over the years. That being by giving you gifts and taking you places to give you three a bit of happiness during your childhood. She said that she would have done it anyway of course but she wouldn’t have been able to go all out like she did.”Jean told them.

“I always wondered how she got away with spending as much as she did when her husband was extremely cheap.”Bellatrix was beyond grateful for all those gifts throughout the years. Especially the top of the line brooms Sofia made sure she had. Every time a new one came out Bellatrix got it. Even if it had to be delivered to Hogwarts. It made a lot of people jealous of her.

“What does Hermione have to do with this?”Narcissa wanted to know what all this had to do with her soulmate.

Denis shrugged.”Sofia didn’t know. She said that Lord Fawley told her it had to do with magical creatures and that you needed to get Hermione to the point that she could shield her mind from you Narcissa before she went to Hogwarts.”

“When will Hermione find out about all of this?”Andromeda didn’t like the lack of information.

“Sofia said when Hermione accepts the title she will find out everything.”Jean also was not happy about the lack of information.

“I now regret trying to set up a vault for her.”Bellatrix quickly added when she noticed the looks she was getting.”Not because I don’t want her to get the title but because now we know about it and we will have to wait 12 years to find out the answers to all our questions.”

“That’s a good point.”Denis hated waiting.

“Did Sofia say why she didn’t tell us about this?”Narcissa asked.

“She said Lord Fawley told her not to and to leave a letter at the bank for me and Denis.”Jean told her.

“I think we should look into the Fawley family in the mean time. I mean does anyone really know why they died off?”Andromeda thought it would be good for them to know what they could about a family that personally picked Hermione to continue their line.

“I heard someone once say that they became so inbred all the males were born sterile and couldn’t have children.”Bellatrix thought it was a likely reason.

“I’m honestly surprised that’s not what is happening to all pureblood families including squib communities.”Denis would not have married and had a child with Jean if they weren’t soulmates. 

“It seems like they knew the end was coming if his mother a seer told him to leave the family to Hermione.”Bellatrix wondered what the women saw.

“Do you think it’s another prophesy?”Jean hoped not.

“I doubt it because Lord Fawley would have most likely told Sofia her part in it. No, I think the woman had a vision or many visions with Hermione at the center of them.”Narcissa said.

“Merlin.”Andromeda groaned.”Why can’t things just be peaceful?”

Narcissa smiled down at the baby in her arms.”You are going keep us on our toes aren’t you?”

“She is going to cause me to go grey before I hit thirty.”Jean said.

“I think this is all great fun because we likely are going to meet some magical creatures. I wonder which ones though.”Bellatrix had always been fascinated with magical creatures but didn’t speak to any because of her forced alliance with the Dark Lord. Hopefully with Hermione’s link to the Fawley family it would get Bellatrix some introductions.

“How do we know the link isn’t about a grudge magical creatures have with the Fawley family?”Denis hated to bring down the mood but someone had to say it.

“I don’t think that it’s a grudge. I mean I doubt his mother had visions of Hermione going to war against magical creatures. She may be a baby but none of us are going to raise her to be a bigot.”Andromeda didn’t think Hermione was meant to fight magical creatures.

“The Dark Lord was very vocal about his hatred of magical creatures. The only ones who sided with him were outcasts who were forced out of their clans. Greyback was only allowed to join because he gave the Dark Lord full control over his life. The Dark Lord made it well known that if he stepped out of line even just a little bit he would be killed.”Bellatrix hated that the wolf had lived.

“Maybe she is supposed to make alliances with them.”Jean suggested.

“With the resources the Fawley family left behind she could help a lot of their communities.”Narcissa had only scanned the first page of properties the goblin gave them but some of them and the amount of gold Hermione inherited could help more than one species of magical creatures.

“I think you’re right Jean. Hermione is going to need help toppling both sides and who better to give that help then the very people both sides abuse. I bet that all Hermione would have to do is promise a better future and they will all fight on her side.”Andromeda could easily see the communities siding with Hermione to get more rights.

“With the rest of her inheritance she will be in a really good place to help a lot of people not just magical creatures either.”Denis said.

“It will all depend on what the Selwyn and Shafiq families left behind. We all think they left behind fortunes but if they knew they were the last ones of their lines the former Head of Households could have done something crazy like give away all their gold.”Jean didn’t want to count on a large fortune left from both houses.

“That’s true. Even though I would be very depressed if that happened. Especially due to all the years I have been imagining what they kept in their vaults.”Bellatrix had been trying to guess what was in those two vaults ever since Narcissa found out what families Hermione would inherit. The sisters had many discussions about it and each of them were excited about what they would discover.

“I keep imagining the family manors and all the other properties they were rumored to have left behind.”Narcissa had daydreamed more than once of her and Hermione spending days going from room to room exploring each home discovering what treasures were left behind. Narcissa would be extremely upset if it didn’t happen. At least they would still have the Prewett and Fawley estates to explore if the other two families didn’t pan out.

“I would be depressed as well. I personally imagined all the lost family magic that each family had. That and the books they collected over the years.”Andromeda wanted access to the family libraries to see what types of books the families had as each pureblood house always had their own grimoires where they kept family spells.

“I didn’t think of that.”Bellatrix had been so focused on the vaults she didn’t think of the libraries.”I bet they have some incredible books. Probably ones that are very old.”

“I hope that Hermione appreciates books as much as much as we do.”Denis had always loved to read and learn just like his wife. The sisters as well as he learned they each cherished time spent reading.

“With all of our influence she will.”Narcissa had no doubt that Hermione would be a bookworm. 

“With all our influence she is going to be an exceptional person.”Bellatrix knew Hermione would live up to her destiny.

“I just pray she doesn’t go through some rebellious phase.”Jean said.

“With Bella around it’s a guarantee she will.”Andromeda could already predict Hermione rebelling against all of them with Bellatrix right by her side encouraging her.

“I will always support Hermione no matter what her interests.”Bellatrix corrected herself.”Unless it includes harming herself or dating someone other than us.”

“She won’t want to date anyone other than you. Just the thought of being physical with someone else will not only make her physically ill but you three as well if you thought of someone other than Hermione that way.”Denis never even fantasized about being with anyone other than Jean.

“We have never felt the urges to be with anyone else this whole time but thought it was because we were saving ourselves for Hermione. Are you saying it was actually the soul bond that made us not interested?”Andromeda had never thought of anyone in a sexual way before but assumed it was because she was so dedicated to saving herself for Hermione.

Denis nodded.”From the books that Sofia gave us over the years about soulmates we learned that you are so attuned with your soulmate that you would never even consider cheating on them. In some cases any type of physical contact would cause your body to punish you.”

“I like the idea of not having to worry about Hermione cheating on us but I am not sure about the fact that her body could hurt her.”Narcissa didn’t want Hermione to be hurt no matter what.

“It’s all about intent. If it’s just a friendly hug then nothing will happen. If one of you hugged someone that you were for some reason trying to be sexual with then it would hurt you.”Jean explained.

“Can I borrow the books Sofia gave you?”Bellatrix wanted to read up on soulmates.

“Of course. Most of them came out of the Black family library. Others she either bought or stole from other pureblood families.”Denis had no problem letting Bellatrix borrow the books.

“Our grandmother stole from the houses of pureblood families?”Andromeda wasn’t sure she believed that.

“She did and was really proud of the fact she never got caught.”Jean told her.

“I really wished we had known Sofia like you both did.”Bellatrix was sure she would have enjoyed the person Sofia was with the Grangers very much.

“She would have loved to let down her guard with the three of you but it wasn’t safe. You were always watched and it wouldn’t have been right for people to see her acting like her real self.”Denis had seen the pain it brought Sofia having to keep herself hidden from her granddaughters.

“She was still very kind and loving to us even if she didn’t show us her true personality. All we knew was hate and abuse growing up and she was a light in the darkness.”Narcissa didn’t even want to imagine what she and her sisters would have turned out like if it wasn’t for Sofia’s role in their life.

“True she was the reason we became the people we are today because without her support we would have been molded into the people our parents wanted us to be.”Sofia’s actions had many times kept Andromeda from giving up when things got too much by reminding her that there were good people in the world.

“When this is all over I want to do something big to honor her for all her sacrifices and efforts to keep us all safe so we can save the world.”Narcissa wanted her grandmother to get the recognition she deserved for her role in what they were doing.

“We gave Hermione Sofia as her middle name but it would be nice to do something big.”Jean had wanted to name Hermione Sofia but she and Denis decided that it would be safer for Hermione to not have that name so no one could link the two women.

“I was planning on naming one of our children if it was a girl after her.”Andromeda told them.

“That’s a good idea.”Bellatrix was going to stay with the constellation theme and if Andromeda was going to name her child after their grandmother then she would be able to.

“Let’s not worry about what to name your children until Hermione is at least graduated from Hogwarts.”Denis didn’t want to be a grandfather for at least a couple decades.

“We aren’t planning on Hermione having children that young. It’s just something we have all thought of when dreaming of our lives in the future after we get married and can have a family with our soulmate.”Narcissa had already picked out a couple names for children as well but wasn’t planning on having any until the next war was over. She didn’t want her children growing up in a world that dangerous.

“You can’t really blame them Denis. You and I would talk all the time about what our daughter would be like while we were growing up. If it wasn’t for Sofia telling us to wait we would have had Hermione before we finished high school.”Jean and Denis had been excited about the idea of having a child and would have had Hermione years before if they could.

“Did she tell you why you had to wait?”Bellatrix hated that the couple did because if they hadn’t Hermione would have been in her life earlier.

“She told us that it was of the upmost importance that Hermione be born when she was to put her in the best position to win the second war.”Denis had hated waiting but trusted Sofia.

“If you think about it it makes sense. If Hermione had been born sooner we wouldn’t have been safely able to be with her. She definitely would have been targeted by both of your husbands and likely our parents as well. Then there is the fact that we wouldn’t have been able to save her from Dumbledore when she came of age to go to Hogwarts. I am also pretty sure that Hermione will likely encounter important people throughout her school career that she will gain alliances with.”Andromeda told them.

Bellatrix could see that would be the reason.“It is still annoying that we had to wait.”

“She is here now that’s all that matters.”Narcissa looked down at Hermione smiling when she saw the baby sleeping soundly in her arms. She loved the fact that Hermione felt safe and comfortable enough to sleep while Narcissa was holding her.

“Speaking of your husbands. How do you think Lucius’ trial is going to go? It’s going to start tomorrow.”Jean wished she could go and watch the entire trial but she didn’t feel comfortable enough to do it. It was one thing making a trip to the bank it was another having everyone’s attention on her while she was with the sisters who were going to be the main subject of interest throughout the entire trial.

“I think being the first trial that they are going to go all out. Mine and Cissa’s records are going to be the biggest piece of evidence they will present. Then they will speak to witnesses that are really only there for show because me and Cissa are the ones that are going to be the reason he will be convicted.”Bellatrix was going to make sure that she made the most impact she could.

“The newspapers have been buzzing about it since it was announced you both are testifying for the prosecution.”Andromeda had seen multiple articles every day about her sisters taking the stand.

“At least with Dumbledore publicity declaring us innocent most of those articles are on our side.”Narcissa had thought the public would have completely turned on them but that hadn’t been the case. When Dumbledore made his public statement after the Dark Lord was dead he mentioned that she and Bellatrix were innocent and provided critical evidence that would convict many of the Dark Lord’s followers. Most of the public believed him and other than the random glaring the sisters hadn’t received any backlash.

“He is desperate to get on your good side.”Jean knew that Dumbledore announced it when he did for no other reason than to make the sisters feel like they owed him.

“It won’t work. We aren’t going to join his Order of idiots nor are we going to give him gold. No matter what reason he comes up with.”Bellatrix would never give Dumbledore anything. The man wasn’t entitled to her vault just because he vouched for her and Narcissa.

“I wonder how he is going to justify keeping them together? It’s not like he has an active enemy for them to fight.”Andromeda said.

“He could make up another enemy.”Denis suggested.

“I wouldn’t put it past him. The man craves power and without the Order to do his bidding he only has Hogwarts to control. The ministry is still run mostly by pureblood families even if a lot of their members are going to be put in Azkaban. That being something that I doubt will change either.”Narcissa didn’t think that the ministry was going to change regardless of who was put in prison.

“There is no way those families would give up their seats without a fight.”Bellatrix knew she wouldn’t give up hers if she was them. A seat being something that she and her sisters were planning to take once Hermione claimed her titles. The girl would need someone to represent her while she was underage. They just hadn’t figured out how it would work with them teaching at Hogwarts.

Hermione crying stopped any reply. Narcissa rocked her gently.”What’s wrong sweetheart?”

“Diaper change. She ate before you both showed up.”Andromeda had enjoyed feeding the baby.

“I’ll take care of it.”Narcissa volunteered before Bellatrix could.

“It so nice having you three around because Jean and I never have to change a diaper.”Denis joked.

“We love taking care of Hermione. It doesn’t matter if it’s just changing a diaper.”Bellatrix didn’t mind changing diapers because it gave her a way to take care of her soulmate.

“I’ll take her upstairs.”Narcissa said as she made her way out of the room. She didn’t wait for a reply fearing if she did that her sisters would somehow take the chance to change the diaper away from her. Narcissa was also hoping that Hermione would need a bath and she would be able to give one to bathe the baby by herself. She also needed to figure out how to be the first one to claim Hermione’s room for the night. After catching on to what she was doing Bellatrix and Andromeda had started requesting the chance to sleep in Hermione’s room as well. If Narcissa knew it wouldn’t cause panic she would just ward the room so they couldn’t come in. That wouldn’t be a good idea though because not only would her sisters not like it Jean and Denis wouldn’t either. Narcissa gave a mental shrug. She would come up with a full proof plan. She always did. Then she would spend the night in her soulmate’s room and wake up the next morning to go to the first day of Lucius’ trial. Narcissa smiled just thinking of the fact that she was one step closer to her husband going away for the rest of his life.