Upside Down

Bella with the baby....*smiles* Cuteness and bravery all around. Now....to answer a few reviews....

Cilly - *Hugs* Welcome to the review wagon. I hope you're in for the long haul...

distinctlyME - *shifty eyes* WHo have you been talking to? Is it those damned elves again? Between you and me (And whoever reads this damned little blurb before the chappie) suffice it to say that you are a little early. You've got the wrong Black sister at this point in the story. Think of the one with fair hair and skin... But don't worry....I don't plan on leaving our little warrior princess out of the loop. It's all in the plan...*rubs hands together*

smurphy - yes...she is changing...and it makes for one hell of a story!

Laur - I love one liners! I try to end my chappies with something witty each time. It makes it better, and lightens the mood (sometimes...)

Lopez - o_0 Hn? Fantastic advice!!!

RyGirl824 - Welcome back to the loop!!

nitesfool - you have some interesting ideas....but I think Snape and Sirius are a bit old for Ruby....Hermione would certainly end up slicing off their man-bits if they tried anything.... Ron is alot closer to her age...and I'm still not even sure how I'm going to deal with them. Ruby has some healing to do...and Ron still has to grow up a bit. Just because he's been nice doesn't mean he still doesn't have the potential to be an ass hole. But we'll see how eveyrthing turns out...

Hexa - Thankee, thankee! I know that particular chappie was a bit heavy...but it was necessary. At least I put down the warning...some people don't even do that...and then you're stuck reading the chapter like 0_0 the whole time.
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Dumbledore stared, a bit in shock, at the tiny bundled baby, its face still protected by the bubble-head charm Bellatrix had cast. He hadn’t known about the baby. Vivienne Fairwell hadn’t told anyone she was pregnant. They were active members of the Order, yes, but they had been given a reprieve when their little girl, Shauna, had become ill. Dumbledore twisted his colorful cap in his hands. He would have left the baby to die. If Bellatrix hadn’t heard the child cry…

Bellatrix finally recovered from her coughing, and Vanished the spit from the floor. She then cancelled out the bubble-head charm, and they were all blasted with the infant’s screams. Everyone’s hands flew to their ears, save Bellatrix, who picked up the infant.

“You’re afraid, aren’t you, ducky?” she asked, and jiggled the babe gently. The shrill cries quieted almost immediately.

Rodolphus cleared his throat, looking down at his wife with a serious expression.

“What are you going to do with this child, Bella?” he asked. She looked up from the babe, and looked at her husband.

“I…I don’t know…” she said forlornly. She really didn’t….she had acted blindly when she heard the cries of the baby over the roars of the fire. She supposed a part deep down in her wanted to keep the baby, because she didn’t have one of her own. But any family of the child would have first dibs. “I saved…um…the babe…” she began to unwrap the child from its blankets, just realizing she had no idea what sex the baby was, and hadn’t seen any of the decorations through the fire…Ah! Pink….a little girl. “I saved the little girl…” she amended.

“You are not her family.” Rodolphus said firmly. Bellatrix’s eyes flashed madly, and she drew the infant girl closer to her. “Bella…” he said warningly.

“Doesn’t the baby owe her a life-debt?” Ruby said, looking down as the baby, now silent save for random baby sounds, squirmed gently in Bellatrix’s hold. Rodolphus silently cursed the little American. In a situation where both parents of a young child were killed, and the child had been saved by someone, a life-debt could be called if the life-saver wanted to take the child in. It was binding magic. But most left the bond alone, because the magical world was such a stickler for blood-relation. Adoption was looked down upon…you never knew whose child you were adopting, and if said child might have been related to psychopathic killers.

But when Ruby said that, Bella’s eyes lit up. It was true! She could claim the child, even if there was family about.

The various Order members looked at each other warily. Bellatrix Lestrange was as crazy as they came. Putting a child in her custody might not be conducive to a healthy child….but what they didn’t realize was that her desire for a child was so strong that the baby would be fiercely protected and spoiled rotten in a few weeks.

There was a ringing of the floo bell, and everyone turned just as Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared from the floo.

“Albus…Voldemort is active… There have already been attacks on ten Order families tonight. He was at two of them personally…” he said immediately. “Something has set him off…” he said. Ruby stepped forward, and raised her hand a bit guiltily.

“I believe it was him losing me, Sir…” she said softly. Kingsley started when he saw her. He hadn’t been in on the plan to retrieve her….

“Miss Grangeford! But how- never mind….best if I don’t know….and that brings me to another point…” he said. He looked up, taking in which of the order members were there. “I’m afraid I must resign as leader of the Order.” He said softly. A great ruckus went up immediately. Kingsley was a great leader! He couldn’t just quit! Especially not when it was crunch-time. The end was nearing, and it didn’t make sense… But Kingsley held up his large hands, silencing the crowd. “There have been people poking around at the Ministry. And as much as I want to stay, if I wish to continue on as Minister I must release my role as leader of the Order. I’m sorry. The Order is an underground society, and I am forbidden from being in such groups as Minister. I was willing to risk it at first…but the Ministry has been improving…I can’t keep leading you. I will continue to support you, but I can no longer lead you.” He said, looking a bit sad.

There was silence. This was a great loss… Kingsley was a great leader. But then again…that’s why he was the leader of the magical world. And he was right…the Ministry had improved greatly under his rule, and being in an underground society could ruin his reputation. As great a loss as it was to lose Kingsley as leader of the Order, him being kicked off of the Minister’s post would be worse.

“Who’s going to take up your post?” Ron asked. All heads turned to Dumbledore, hoping he would re-establish himself as the leader. “What about you, Headmaster? At the rate this is going, you won’t be needed long. I believe the final battle is fast approaching, and soon the entire Order will be either put down permanently, or will rise up and defeat the Dark Lord, and won’t be needed again.” Ron said softly.

Dumbledore’s brilliant blue eyes scanned over each face, absorbing the hopeful looks. Well…he did still have fifty good years left….might as well do something important. The school would do as well as it did before…

“Very well.” He said, and was immediately surrounded by happy, clamoring Order members.

The little girl in Bellatrix’s arms was disturbed, and began to cry. Kingsley looked down to where she sat on the floor cradling the infant, and his eyes went wide.

“I don’t want to know…I can’t know….” He said softly. He then patted Albus on the back. “Congratulations, Albus. Now I have to get going, there’s going to be some major clean-up going on after tonight…” he said, and silently extracted himself from the scene.

There was indeed some major cleanup to be done. Voldemort, in his fury, had ordered the attack on twelve active Order families, and was personally present at three of those, the Fairwell home included.

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“You cannot keep that child!” Rodolphus snarled.

“I don’t understand you, Roddy! I’m not able to have a child for you, but we have this chance, and you won’t let me take it! Why are you being so cruel to me?” Bellatrix asked, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Rodolphus’ hard face softened a bit, and he sat down on the bed beside his wife.

“Bella….she is not our blood. We cannot keep the child of people we do not know. I’m sure that there is family who will claim her…” he said, reaching out to touch his wife. She jerked away from his touch and stood, her black eyes seeming to glow with fury.

“But what if there isn’t? I couldn’t stand the thought of the child bounced around from orphanage to orphanage when there was a chance she could have had something more…” she snapped angrily. Rodolphus stood beside her, and folded her into his arms.

“If there is no one to claim her…then we will discuss it….but there has to be absolutely not one person that will claim her, Bella….not one.” He said softly. He wanted a child too….but this wasn’t the way he wanted it…. Bellatrix nodded against him.

“Okay, Roddy.” She said, and sniffled gingerly.

“Now….Molly Weasley has the child off outfitting her for the gods only know what sort of outfits…and some of the others are off grocery shopping….what do you say to you and I practicing for a child of our own?” he asked, his voice low. She looked up, her mouth twisting into a little smile.

“You’re incorrigible….” She said softly. He chuckled against her, and began to unbutton her blouse.

“No, no, my dear….I’m insatiable….there’s a difference.” He said. She closed her eyes as he stripped her, his hands rubbing her attentively as he bared her flesh.

“Same difference….” She breathed, gasping when he removed her bra.

But then Rodolphus proceeded to show her that there was indeed a difference…
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Hmm....I don't know how pleased I was with that chappie...But I do wish that you will all tell me if I did good or bad. But if it was bad, please word the review into positive critique. I hate flames....they burn, and I'm a total pussy (ha!) when it comes to pain...