Work Text:
"Let me out!" Nymphadora screams as she hurls herself against the wards this cruel woman has put up. Again and again until her already frail body cannot take it anymore and she slides against them, her head hammering. Slowly she pulls herself to her feet. She will not be knocked down.
The woman smiles and starts to walk away. Steps later, she turns, raises her wand and levels it at Nymphadora. "Any last words?"
"I'm going to be an Auror when I grow up," the four year old says, though her breath is shaking. She's going about this all wrong, and she knows it. Calm, patient, not wild and stubborn. There's a noise in the other room -- Ted and Andromeda coming for her?. She opens her mouth to scream, pushing against the wards as hard as she can, trying to will herself free.
She screams as loud as her tiny frame will allow her to. No one seems to have heard. The woman is laughing -- and Nymphadora can't hear her. Another scream; the woman continues to laugh. She beats on the walls of her prison -- her parents are back, she's not supposed to be here, where are they? Why haven't they dashed up to rescue her already? Her shoulders sag as she realises it's not her parents -- why haven't they realised she's not where she's supposed to be? That this woman came and scooped her away from her neighbour's, claiming some 'family emergency' involving Ted and Andromeda?
"Goodbye," her aunt says, waggling her fingers at Nymphadora before heading back to the parlour to entertain her guests. She has used her wand against the little girl in ways that will leave no mark. Using simple spells and wards to wear the daughter of her blood-traitor sister down. She will keep her here as long as need be. Until Ted and Andromeda actually do realise to come rescue her. But they wouldn't look here -- no, Nymphadora is still tight in her grasp. Besides, they've got their own assignment gone wrong to handle.
Nymphadora screams, pounds, cries -- all in vain. With tears streaming down her face she sinks back to the floor of the damp earth cell, waiting. Finding her eyes drooping, she tries to fight it, pinching herself to stay awake, shuddering from fear of what will happen if she does sleep.
She's been at it for a while, staying awake that is, when a shadow falls across her prison. Terrified now that she's been caught with her guard down, Nymphadora leaps to her feet, standing with hands on hips to greet this new stranger.
It's a man she's never met before trying to speak to her. She shakes her head; she can't hear any of it. He pulls out his wand and she takes a step back -- unconsciously. Now mentally kicking herself she takes a step forward and suddenly she can hear his voice.
"Shhh …" he says, kneeling down so he's on level with her. "You're Nymphadora aren't you?"
She nods, afraid to ask who he is.
"I can't get you out; her wards are too good," he says, and he looks so sorry she thinks maybe she can trust him for this one. "We're trying Nymphadora, all right?" He's scared for her -- he hasn't heard from Ted and Andromeda in over seven hours. They were only going on a quick expedition. Easy in, easy out. He looks at Nymphadora and smiles -- he can see so much of Andromeda in her it almost breaks his heart to think of what'll happen to her if Ted and Andromeda don't come back.
"Whe -- where?" Nymphadora asks, shaking now. It's the only word she can manage now that she's found her voice. She's scared of crying again, but she's about to some more and he won't let her out -- can't get her out -- whatever, same difference. She's still stuck.
"Would that I could tell you Nymphadora," he says quietly, placing his hand on the invisible ward barrier, whether to test it himself or allow her some form of comfort, he's not sure. He grins as she tentatively steps forward and places her hand on the barrier, right in front of his. "We're trying sweetheart, all of us. Just hang --"
They both hear someone coming and she retreats into the shadows. He stands, wand out. The woman laughs.
"Sirius, you are too cute."
"Bellatrix."
"Entertaining the blood-traitor's child?"
"She's your niece."
"She's little more than a house-elf. Merlin, I hope whatever you're worried about happening to her pitiful excuse for parents has happened."
"Bellatrix, why not let me take her? She's too much trouble for you."
"Never."
"She's just a child."
"She'll be my child. I'll teach her to love the Dark Side."
"Her blood isn't pure."
"Are you saying I should kill her?"
Nymphadora hears the words and sees the wand raised. Forgetting she wasn't supposed to hear that -- she's only four after all, she screams.
The woman laughs, "Oh, Sirius, you thought you'd take the Silencing Spell down? Now I really do need to kill her."
He moves quickly, standing between Nymphadora and Bellatrix. Nymphadora has nowhere to hide. So she curls in the corner closest to the doorway, watching, waiting.
"You are a stupid, stupid boy."
"She is only a child. An innocent."
"Don't act as if you've never killed innocents before."
"You're not taking this one."
"Oh, little Sirius blood-traitor wants to fight me now? Would you die for her?"
Nymphadora has huddled herself tightly in the corner of her prison, willing herself to fade into the clay earth. She looks down at her skin and is surprised at how … brown it is.
Sirius doesn't get to answer -- there's two sharp cracks of Apparation, a muttered incantation, and warm hands reaching in to pull her out. She clings to Sirius; her parents grab for her.
"Thank you," Nymphadora manages, falling into her parents' arms.