Kings and Queens

"Do you know what this dinner meeting is about," Bellatrix asked Regulus and Kreacher once they were settled in the library at 12 Grimmauld. They were having pre-dinner drinks while waiting for Grindelwald and Zabini to arrive. Rather, the Lestranges were having drinks while Regulus and Kreacher looked on politely.

Regulus shrugged slender shoulders in seeming unconcern from where he sat on a dark green sofa with Kreacher at his side. Black may be a bit depressive, but that didn't prevent him from at least keeping his physical appearance in order, Bellatrix observed. Regulus wore a dark gray dress robe that contrasted nicely with his pale complexion and neatly combed shoulder length black hair. Kreacher sported a dark green tunic, providing a suitable contrast.

"Not really," Regulus said casually. "Gellert said it wasn't anything majorly concerning, whatever that means."

"It means though it is concerning, it isn't majorly so," Rabastan said cheekily, and Regulus arched his brows. Kreacher frowned at the younger Lestrange in mild disapproval.

"Thank you, Rabastan. It always helps when you repeat what I just said," Regulus said drily, with a reluctant grin.

Feeling herself losing interest in the conversation, Bellatrix sighed, causing Regulus to glance in her direction.

"What's the matter?" The genuine concern in her cousin's voice had her answering readily enough.

"It's Lyra's blasted man. I think Grindelwald will be interested in his services once he is made aware of them, which means she's won. She was all triumphant about it last night and it galls."

After dinner, Lyra had gloated silently all evening, an insufferable happy expression all over her face for bloody hours.

"What has she won," Regulus asked, exchanging a confused look with Kreacher.

"She's won the right to have him here, and in our lives if Grindelwald wants him here," Bellatrix replied. "We'd all sort of wanted him to stay in Australia...forever and ever!"

"So what will Grindelwald find so useful that would bring him here instead?" Kreacher wondered.

Bellatrix summarized Winterhaven's locking and unlocking abilities and how they could be used on a person's mind. To her annoyance, both Kreacher and Regulus looked fleetingly impressed.

"Even worse, he actually seems to relish us in all our twisted glory," Rabastan complained. Bellatrix and Rodolphus nodded together in glum agreement.

Before Regulus or Kreacher could ask for clarification, the door chime sounded, resounding through the entire downstairs of the manor. It seemed Grindelwald and his man had arrived.

"Well, we're about to discover what isn't majorly concerning," Rodolphus drawled, lounging back on the blood red loveseat.

"I can't bloody wait," Bellatrix said, meaning it. She was far more interested in that than speaking to their glorious blonde leader about Cassius Winterhaven.

When the library door opened, one of the four elves who worked for Kreacher entered first, Gellert and Blaise following. They still wore their Ministry robes and name badges. Like the Lestranges, they'd obviously come straight from work.

"May Stormy offer Mr. Zabini and Mr. Grindelwald a pre-dinner drink," the elf asked politely, and both men nodded.

"Yes, thanks," Blaise said. "That would be nice," Gellert added appreciatively.

The two settled side by side in matching arm chairs near the fire as everyone exchanged general greetings with them. While Stormy moved to the liquor cabinet in the corner to attend to the drinks, Blaise and Kreacher exchanged a few words about some project on which they were working together.

One of the ways Kreacher added to the Black family wealth was to craft magical items with Blaise that were sold in the shop Zabini co-owned with Grindelwald. Blaise had asked Kreacher to work with him nearly two decades ago when wishing to study the ways wizarding and elf magic could mesh to craft powerful magical items.

Even when they were all young, Bellatrix had expected Regulus and Kreacher to go far together, but Kreacher was mainly the one to venture into activities with others. Thus expanding the family wealth and his own credentials and knowledge, while Regulus remained a silent supportive partner. Since his return to wizarding society, Regulus remained subdued. Kreacher on the other hand had flourished with Regulus's return, bringing him into a circle of Dark wizards who saw him as an equal because Regulus did.

When Stormy presented Blaise and Gellert with their drinks, Kreacher and Blaise wound down their shop talk so that Gellert could get to the reason for the visit.

"There is a bit of worrisome news," the blonde began slowly, his gaze moving to the Lestranges. "In light of everything else that we are currently dealing with, it likely isn't that important, but it's still worth filling you all in. The third Shadow Ops member who got the secret orders from Delphini was killed the day the Ministry exchanged hands, probably by Delphini or on her orders. Obviously that means we shall never know what his orders were."

"The one who partnered with Alec and the other bloke when they got the Murtlap and Fire Crab company extermination orders," Rabastan asked, and Gellert nodded. "That's a situation I'll never forget," Rabastan chuckled. "I mean, I've never been forgiven for torturing anyone...then again, I've never apologized for it before either. How's Alec doing anyway?"

Gellert shrugged. "Fine, I suppose. I didn't send a counselor around to check or anything."

Bellatrix snickered appreciatively.

"He did give us the name of the third partner who was given the secret orders, and that's how we discovered his death. At least if he was forced to feed Ministry intel to Delphini, he is no longer able to do so," Grindelwald concluded.

"So the good news is he's dead, and no longer able to work against us in any way, and the bad news is if whatever Delphini had him doing was important enough to keep his partners from hearing, we'll never know," Bellatrix summarized.

Gellert nodded, a worried frown creasing his brow in spite of his relaxed demeanor. "Exactly."

"If it was so secret she didn't want the other two Shadow Ops partners to know, it's probably at least mildly epic," Rod stated unhappily.

Gellert nodded. "I have a guess that it involves magical explosives due to visions I have had," he admitted reluctantly.

"Magical explosives! Where," Bellatrix demanded. She knew of some spells that could be magically explosive, and those were only fun when used on others. If Delphini could perform a similar function that one could just stumble upon... Well, that was no good at all.

Gellert frowned. "I'm not sure yet. Perhaps they have not yet been placed. I have placed my own detection wards with the aid of some specialized goblins, though. They should alert us to the presence of such devices if they are placed in the Ministry or Azkaban, as well as the homes of anyone I consider to be important."

Bellatrix frowned and drew herself up, but Gellert was speaking again before she could. "Your house has been covered along with this one, plus the homes of your families as well. Settle yourself."

Bellatrix sank back into the loveseat with a sigh. "Thanks." Grindelwald considered them to be important! That would probably never get old even if they were deserving.

"Sure," Gellert shrugged. "You are useful." He grinned, and Bellatrix found herself returning the smile.

"Damn right we are."

Stormy entered then to announce dinner, and Bellatrix realized just how famished she was. Regulus and Kreacher led the way into the dining room where the Minister was already seated near the head of the table.

When Kreacher and Regulus took their seats, it put her at Kreacher's right hand. The little blonde greeted everyone warmly, as casually as an old school chum rather than the Minister for Magic. Having connections with those in power did have its cozy moments, Bellatrix thought. Not so much for the reasons she would've once considered relevant, though.

Where once she'd valued such high connections to climb the ladder of power with Rodolphus, these days it simply served to make her feel safer. A wall of friendship and loyalty around them in these dark times could only serve each and every person who was a part of that wall. Power meant protection, and mutual trust only strengthened that power. The fact they were all friends meant a lot.

Friends would go further for one another because they cared. In the old days, Bellatrix had only cared for family and had no friends. Getting to know Grindelwald better, and working with this new Ministry, had changed that in ways she had never expected.

"The food smells good," Rodolphus observed. "What is it?"

Plates were already set at the table, and everyone settled down into empty chairs. Blaise and Gellert sat across from Kreacher and Kereston, while the three Lestranges sat in a line at Regulus's other side. Bellatrix lifted her fork, peering at her full plate as she did so. The smell was indeed appetizing, but the layout was not familiar as such. The rice and vegetables were mixed with chicken and pineapple. While she knew each item individually she had never seen them combined in such a way, and the aroma, though oddly appetizing, was strange as well.

"It's Chinese," Gellert answered with a happy smile.

"Pineapple rice, Kreacher believes," Kreacher added thoughtfully. "Kreacher got his elves a Chinese cookbook so that he might surprise Gellert with his favorite dishes." The elf grinned in a satisfied way as Gellert eagerly dug in.

"Your elves got it exactly right! I owe you one, my friend," he told Kreacher after finishing his first bite.

"Not at all," Kreacher assured. "Kreacher is happy to provide."

"It is really good," Rodolphus said, looking up from his own now half empty plate. "I approve of China."

"I'm sure they will be glad to know it," Bellatrix retorted, flashing her husband an amused grin before taking a bite herself. It was very good!

"I never thought of pineapple with rice before as it sounds fucking weird, but it really works," Rabastan announced.

"It's also good on pizza, believe it or not," Blaise said.

"We shagged on a giant pizza once, you know," Gellert shared, then grinned happily at the disgusted expression on Bellatrix's face as she lowered her fork to stare at him.

"Dude, that's fucking nasty," Rabastan cackled.

"Not at all," Gellert assured. "It was delicious."

Bellatrix never thought she'd be eager to bring up Cassius Winterhaven, but if it took the topic off Zabini and Grindelwald shagging on a giant pizza, it worked for her. "We finally met our daughter's man, and unfortunately, you may find him useful."

"Oh," Gellert asked, interest now firmly averted.

Bellatrix sighed and gave a brief summary of Winterhaven's abilities, again. When she finished, Gellert grinned.

"I knew the Lestranges were my favorites for a reason! How soon can you have him here?"