Alphard felt sick with guilt over Bellatrix. He knew he had done her wrong by keeping his distance from her after learning of her future. She was still just a girl here, despite what anyone else said. She had yet to live through the future that had been revealed, but it was still shocking to learn. Alphard could still remember the day she was born, holding the little bundle that was her with it't tuft of dark hair and big, darling eyes. How could such a wonderful creature grow up to become a murderer? Alphard knew that the pressure from within their own family probably had much to do with it. It had been horrible in his own time. With the added pressure of a war (...) he couldn't imagine. Even with that knowledge though, it was still difficult for him to look past or understand her role in the death of his beloved nephew.
Knowing that his sibling's children would grow up in such an awful environment, one that would breed such hatred between them, broke his heart. What would become of Bellatrix and Sirius both, of all his nieces and nephews, it killed him. He didn't understand it. Why he had allowed it to happen? Had he even bothered to step in? What had happened in his own life that he just sat idly by or did his behavior mimic what it had here?Had it just been so difficult and impossible to grasp that he kept his distance? It was a shameful thought. One he hoped was false. He would rather die than continuously fail them.
Though he still had not settled his feelings on the matter of her future, Alphard loved his eldest niece. He was ashamed it had taken such a cry for help on her part to actually move him to action. He could only hope she would forgive him. Arriving at the cafe promptly, Alphard scanned the sea of tables before spotting his niece towards the back. Weaving in and out of the tables to arrive there, he greeted her with a soft smile. Normally he would hug her, but he did not want to cross any boundaries so he kept it simple. "Bellatrix. Thank you for coming, sweetheart." he said, taking the seat across from her.