Chapter 10

"Oh of all the disrespectful things that boy could do to us after everything we've done for him!" Molly Weasley's angry voice was heard in the kitchen as she, Arthur, Charlie and Bill all appeared in the fireplace.

"I know, Molly," Mr. Weasley's voice replied, sounding rather tired.

"When I get my hands on that boy...Oh, I swear, I'll wring his neck!" She stepped into the kitchen and sat down.

Harry looked up. "Mrs. Weasley? What's going on?"

"Oh nothing, Harry dear." Molly said forcing a cheerful smile onto her face.

Harry blinked. "Okay. Um... hi?"

"Hello dear...shouldn't you be at Hogwarts?"

"Professor Dumbledore let me come back for the weekend... Sirius just about begged. He's going crazy with the baby and Lyria's driving him mental."

"Oh that poor dear...I'll go up and see if I can help." Molly said, leaving the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Sirius practically ran down to the kitchen. "Arthur...what's going on?"

Mr. Weasley looked at Harry but continued anyway. "Fudge... has figured out that Voldemort's back, but still thinks Dumbledore's after his job. He gave Percy orders to arrest us. Needless to say, Molly's a bit distressed... Dumbledore told us to come here."

"Fudge must really be getting desperate to pin something on someone then."

Molly knocked on the bedroom door. "Lyria?"

"Fudge is terrified, Sirius. And he doesn't know what he's doing in peacetime."

"It's open," Lyria called out, humming softly to the baby. Connor was staring up at her with wide-awake eyes.

"Is it peacetime?"

Molly entered the room. "How are you feeling?"

"No... but the point is he's got even less of an idea right now."

"I feel alright... Just wish they'd let me up. I've been confined to bedrest because he was born so early..." She shot glittery shapes out of her wand, catching the baby's attention.

"He's adorable, Lyria."

"So he sends his...forgive me Arthur, but he sends his henchmen to arrest you? And you've been a trusted employee of the Ministry for *how* long?"

"Thank you. Connor, meet Molly," Lyria said, kissing her son's forehead.

"But now we're in league with Dumbledore. He also tried to arrest Moody... suffice it to say that didn't work how he'd hoped."

"Well, as long as you're here, they can't get to you or any of us." Sirius sighed.

"I hear you've been giving Sirius a bit of a tough time." Molly smiled slightly.

Arthur nodded. "You've probably done the Order the most good out of anyone just by providing a safehouse, Sirius."

"He's been levitating me to the damn bathroom!" Lyria said.

"Well, it's just about all I can do."

"He's just worried about you."

"Trust me, you've done your share."

"I know but that's absurd." Lyria was still playing with her son. "But he's an absolute angel as far as Connor's concerned."

"I just wish I could actually be out there helping, not cooped up in here."

"He loves you both." Molly replied.

"And so do we, trust me."

"He's the best thing that ever happened to me." Lyria kissed her son once more. "Followed closely by this little guy."

"How much longer do you have to stay up here?"

Sirius sighed.

"Two weeks."

"Poor dear."

"And it's not fair... I want to bring my baby boy to the nursery and set him up with his toys and... well, everything."

"You will. You just have to be strong enough to do so, although I do think that six weeks is a bit extreme."

"And Sirius wouldn't *dream* of bending the rule this time... he's scared."

"Can you blame him though?"

"Yes! I just... I feel mostly fine, occasionally I have a bit of a spell but I *hate* being holed up in here..."

"Well...do you want to try walking around a bit, dear?"

"Sirius'll kill me. I haven't gone farther than the bassinet in four weeks."

"Well I'll be right here if you want to, it may do you some good to get a little exercise."

"The healer doesn't think so. He's almost as paranoid as Sirius, coming up here every time he comes into the house."

"Well when the healer goes ahead and has children, then he can come and tell you how long to stay in bed."

Lyria cuddled the boy to her again. He was still wide awake, cooing happily.

"He looks big and healthy."

"He's healthy, and getting bigger now. He was so little when he was born."

Molly nodded. "Percy was small too. I'm going to wring his neck...." She muttered.

"What's going on with that? I didn't even think to ask what you're doing here..."

"Fudge is getting paranoid again, figured out Arthur has been in league with Dumbledore and sent Percy to arrest us. Can you believe it? My own son."

"Sounds rather like Fudge, though."

"But to turn my own son against me?" Molly shook her head disapprovingly.

"Is exactly like Fudge. Exactly. Warped and foul."

"We've got to somehow get him to stop this manhunt, though. We can't very well fight Voldemort from inside the house."

"That's how Sirius has felt for the past.... over a year now."

Molly nodded. "Sirius has to stay for his own protection. We're going to need everyone's help."

"And yet it all comes down to Harry, doesn't it? Poor Harry."

"The poor dear knows what kind of responsibility he has now... it's such a shame to be laying it all on him, the poor boy."

"But there's not much that can be done for it." Lyria sighed, pulling her son closer. She couldn't imagine such a burden on her child's shoulders.

"No..."

"I guess I just... think about what it'd be like for my own to be responsible for something like that... and realize I can't imagine."

"It's hard to realize that your children have gone and gotten responsibilities... you wish they'd just stay tiny forever."

"I'd be perfectly happy if he'd stay this size," Lyria agreed.

"They are adorable."

"He looks a lot like Sirius... but Sirius insists he looks like me."

"I think he looks like you, but with Sirius's hair."

Lyria smiled at the baby.

~*~*~*~

Lyndell sighed and watched as the basement door disappeared into the wall. She'd have to get Sirius to teach her how to become and Animagus so she could go down there with Remus on full moons. She moved into the living room and settled herself onto the couch.

And then, the room seemed to explode as three ministry hit wizards entered the house.

She jumped to her feet. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You're under arrest, Lyndell Black, for conspiracy against the Ministry."

"What? Have you gone bonkers?"

"You're conspiring with Albus Dumbledore to have Minister Fudge removed from power."

"No, no I'm not."

Lyndell glanced towards the kitchen and back at the wizards. "Get out of my house."

"We'd be delighted, but you're coming with us."

"Like Hell I am."

All three fired stunners at the same time.

Lyndell didn't have time to grab her wand. She fell to the floor with a thud.

One of the hit wizards picked her up.

No one seemed to notice the howling from the basement.

~*~*~*~

Lyndell woke and found her self in a dark, dank cell. The place was cold and she knew at once she was in Azkaban, although the place didn't seem as bad without the dementor guards surrounding her cell. Odd, there should have been dementors lining the hallway, but when she got up and walked to the front, the hallway was empty. Deserted, as if they'd stuck her down here to rot. Or maybe...she was getting a visitor. If it wasn't a visitor...then something must've happened, something big for all the dementors to be called away.

She sat on the floor against the bars. Merlin her chest hurt, and her head was spinning.

Lyndell could hear footsteps coming down the hallway. The footsteps grew louder as they moved closer to what must have been the entrance to the hall, to her. Lyndell stood and every cell in the hall was blown open with a flash of blue light. She started to piece it together as she stepped into the hallway and followed the other prisoners. The lack of guards, the escape. Lyndell followed the group out of what seemed to be a small crack in the foundation of the building down to the shore. There must have been hundreds of broomsticks hidden in the sand. Lyndell grabbed the nearest one and took off.She headed for the Black house and landed in the backyard about four hours later. She threw the broom down and went into the kitchen.

The kitchen, she found, was not empty. Most of the Order had been gathered. "How long was I in there?" Lyndell asked from behind them.

"What the...?" Lyria looked up. "Dell!" She moved to get to her feet but Sirius pulled her firmly back down.

"That's me...or at least I think it is."

"You got out... how?"

"I woke up in the middle of an escape attempt and I left."

"Clearly the Blacks have a talent for getting out of that place," Dumbledore commented with a slight smile.

"How long *was* I there?"

Remus entered the kitchen looking haggard, and then caught sight of her. "Dell!" He rushed to her, whirling her around.

"Couple weeks," Lyria said. "You haven't met Connor..."

Lyndell wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Remus!"

"You're alright..." He kissed her firmly, putting her down once more.

"I'm fine...a little banged up, but otherwise okay."

He kissed her again. "Thank God."

"And who's Connor?" Lyndell said.

"Our son. Your nephew."

Lyria replied.

"I have a nephew?"

Lyria nodded. "He's healthy now... he's gotten big."

"Where is he?"

"Napping." Lyria moved to get up but Sirius stopped her again.

"What's going on? Why isn't my brother letting you up?" She asked Lyria.

"I... the baby was early, obviously, and there were complications and Sirius is paranoid as all hell," Lyria said pointedly, glaring at him.

"Are you alright now?"

"Yes, after six weeks I was allowed to get out of bed."

Sirius got up and returned a few minutes later with a sleepy Connor. "This is Connor." He said proudly.

"He's adorable." Lyndell smiled at the child. "He really is, Lyria."

"Thanks." Lyria smiled proudly at her son, who let out a little yawn.

Lyndell smiled and leaned slightly against Remus when the room began to spin again.

Remus guided her to a seat.

"Thanks." Lyndell sat gratefully.

Remus kissed the top of her head.

Lyria took Connor from Sirius, holding the baby close. He scrunched up his face again and started to cry. "I think I'd better go feed the baby."

"I was worried they might find you." Lyndell told Remus.

"They'd have had a problem if they had."

She nodded. "This is really getting out of hand, they hit me with three stunners in our living room."

"I know..."

She sighed.

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