Sirius looked around, it didn’t look like a safe place for
them to be hiding…but then again, all the safe places were probably filled with
death eaters by now. “Remus?
Tonks?” He called out.
“We’re here,” Remus replied from nearby. The small group was gathered around a fallen
figure in dark robes. Several were
nursing injuries, though
“What happened?” He approached them.
“They found us,” Remus replied, “Before we found them.”
“Everyone okay?”
“Not exactly… Snape’s dead.”
“What? Are you sure?”
The group parted just slightly, making it clear that the
figure in their midst was in fact none other than Snape.
Sirius took a few steps forward and looked down. “Oh no…” He said under his breath before
looking around. “
“I’m here,” the slightly shaken teen replied.
“Although you shouldn’t be.”
“Look, Sirius – “
“When?” Sirius demanded.
He’d just left…Lyria…
“Just now. They’ve
just left the premises… we had to fight them out of there, it was a
nightmare. Two groups, seems like… one
engaged us here, the other attacked there.”
“Anyone hurt?” Sirius
asked, gripping
“Hard to say, they’re trying to clean up… there are
definitely casualties, but I couldn’t tell you who…”
“I’m going back.” He said, holding onto his godson as he apparated them both back to the house.
Sure enough, the house was a mess. Those who were uninjured were helping others
to their feet and trying to assess the damages…
Sirius looked around almost frantically. The most damage seemed to be done to the main
hallway…he could tell from the incessant wailing of the portrait. He pushed open the kitchen door and looked
around. Behind an upturned table he
could see Lyria bending over something…or someone… “Lyri?”
She looked up, startled, tears streaming down her face. “I tried to save him,” she said quietly. “I tried…”
“Who…?” Sirius approached her with a sinking feeling in his
stomach. “Connor…” He sank to his knees.
Lyria was crying, brushing hair from their son’s face. The child’s face was frozen in an expression
of fear.
Sirius shook his head.
His shoulders began to shake as he covered his face with his hands and
sobbed.
~*~*~*~
“Lyndell… can I talk to you a minute?” Sirius requested.
She placed a window pane on the ground and turned. “Yeah.”
“I… It’s about Lyria,” he said, looking… a bit awkward.
“Sirius…she needs time…she saw him die…”
“She’s not *eating,* Lyndell. She won’t even look at me, nevermind talk to
me, she hardly talks to anyone… I think she blames me…”
“She does, Sirius.
You left not ten minutes before they attacked.”
“Well she’s the one that was here. She’s an Auror, she should have been able to
protect him.”
“That’s not fair, and you know it. You can’t blame Lyria. She didn’t let them kill Connor… she got hurt
trying to save him. Hell, Sirius, she
almost died!”
“Well she can’t blame me either!” He snapped, but then paused. “She… she’s hurt?”
Lyndell nodded slowly.
“She got in the way of the Cruciatus Curse. Pretty sure the death eater broke her arm.”
“She didn’t… she’s been hiding that from me too, then.”
“Well maybe you need to go sit with her instead of talking
to me.”
“She won’t let me near her!”
“Then sit on the other side of the room! Do something so she knows that you’re there
for her.”
“She doesn’t want me to be there for her.” He sighed.
“Well you need to be there.”
“We haven’t been married a month and it’s falling apart,
Lyndell, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
"You need to be there for her. Even if she doesn't want it. You just need to be there."
"I guess I can try."
Lyndell sighed.
"I mean...there's no magical solution to this..."
"Yeah... I know."
"I wish there was..."
"Me too."
"You should go see her..."
"I will."
And he headed off to do just that.
Lyndell sighed and finished repairing the window before
heading into the hallway.
"Tonks? Did Remus or
Dumbledore tell you when he'd be returning?"
"No... but he was in charge of the mission, so I
imagine he went to tell Dumbledore and Dumbledore sent him off to do something
else."
"Oh..." Lyndell looked around. "I just think it's a bit strange...that
he hasn't come back yet..."
"So do I, honestly.
But Remus'll be alright."
Sirius entered the bedroom and sat on the side of the
bed. "Lyri..."
Lyndell nodded.
"I know."
She hadn't gotten out of bed yet for the day, and currently
she was curled on one side facing away from him. "What?"
An owl appeared suddenly, flying around a bit and then
landing on Lyndell's shoulder.
Sirius placed a hand on her foot.
Lyndell took the piece of rolled up parchment from the owl
and opened it. "This...no...this
can't be right..."
"What?!?"
She repeated.
"What's wrong?"
Tonks asked.
"Nothing." He said.
"They're... this is Dumbledore's instructions for
Remus."
"Then why are you here?"
"But..."
"Because."
"This isn't...you said he'd already gone to Dumbledore
and gotten his mission."
"Well when he didn't come back, we assumed..."
"Because?"
"You assumed he'd already gone off..." She
sighed. "This...I've got to talk to
Dumbledore."
"Yes."
"Go on, I'll tell everyone where you've gone."
"Because *why,* Sirius?" She snapped.
Lyndell nodded and went outside to apparate to Hogsmeade and
then quickly made her way to the castle.
"Because I want to." He replied. "I want to be here."
"No you don't."
"Lyndell? Is
something the matter?" Dumbledore
asked as she entered his office.
"Yes I do."
She handed him the piece of parchment and nodded. "Something is definitely wrong."
"You blame me."
"Where is he?"
"Lyndell said you were hurt badly."
"I don't know, Professor."
"I'm fine."
"Did he return from the last mission?"
"She said you almost died."
"So what?"
Lyndell shook her head.
"We assumed that he'd come to see you...to tell you about
Snape..."
"So, you were hurt."
"I haven't spoken with him since they left."
"Big deal."
"So... he's missing." Lyndell sank into a chair.
"It is, Lyri."
"We'll find him.
I can send Sirius..."
Lyria shrugged.
Lyndell shook her head.
"He needs to stay with Lyria."
"
Sirius sighed.
"Whoever it is, I want to go as well."
"Certainly, if that's what you want." Dumbledore paused. "How *is* Lyria?"
She was silent.
"Bad."
"Tell her I asked for her, will you?"
Sirius moved a bit and settled himself against the pillow.
"Of course."
"Go away," Lyria said after a moment.
"Thank you. I'll
keep you posted on who goes to look for Remus."
"Why?"
"Thank you, sir."
"You're more than welcome, Lyndell."
"Because. I
don't want you here."
"He's my son too.
And I want to stay with you."
Lyndell nodded.
"I can't say I care."
Dumbledore paused.
"Is there anything else I can help you with, Lyndell?"
Sirius simply shrugged.
She lapsed back into silence.
Lyndell considered a moment.
"Someone in the Order is a spy."
"I know. Do you
have any idea who it might be?"
Lyndell shook her head.
"Is there anyway I might be able to find out? And also...we should set up some extra wards
around the headquarters."
"I'll have Lyria and Sirius see to the wards, as I'd
say it's safe to assume neither of them is the spy. And I'll have Alastor start searching in
earnest for our double agent."
Lyndell nodded.
"It might be good to set up an apparation monitor. We might be able to narrow it down by when
certain people come and go."
"Agreed."
~*~*~*~
Lyria was sitting quietly in the drawing room, poring over
an enormous old book.
Sirius found her and paused. He wanted to talk to her...fix
whatever damage had been done...
"What do you want?" She didn't look up.
"Nothing, I want nothing, I just feel like standing
here, do you have a problem with that?"
"Maybe I do, actually."
"Well that's just too damn bad."
She pushed the book aside. "Just get lost,
alright?!?"
"No."
"Just leave me the hell alone! It's *your* fault he's
dead, and I don't want to look at you!"
"Why is it my fault? You were the one actually
here!!"
"YOU LEFT US! YOU LEFT US TO DIE!" She screamed.
"I DIDN'T! AND YOU KNOW THAT! I HAD TO GET
"WELL IT'S FUNNY, BECAUSE
"AND HOW DID HE DIE?"
She burst into tears.
Sirius blinked. He'd only seen her cry maybe once or twice
before, if that... "Lyria?"
"They just opened the door... it could have been you
coming back... and then they were in the kitchen, and he was screaming, crying,
I jumped in front of him to make them stop hurting him..." She sat, tears
freely falling.
"Lyri..." He sat next to her, but hesitated to
wrap an arm around her.
She slid away. "They had to drag me away, they dragged
me away from him... they made me watch... the reinforcements came then, but it
was too late... it was so bright, but I watched, I had to... and he fell, he
didn't even get to scream..."
"Lyri...I'm sorry...I'm sorry." He repeated.
"You could have helped us... saved him."
"I'm sorry..."
"You could have... he'd still be here..." She was
still sobbing.
"I'm sorry...Lyri...if I had known..."
"I had to watch..."
"I'm sorry..." He repeated. It was starting to
become something of a mantra.
She simply continued to weep.
He put an arm around her. "I'm sorry..."
"Our baby..."
"I know...our little boy..."
"But
"Is she?"
Lyria nodded a bit.
"Good..."
Lyria was silent, not sure what to say.
"I'm sorry, Lyri.."
"I miss him..."
"I know...me too.."
"He was growing so fast... and he was just such a happy
baby..."
"I know..."
"He was talking already..."
Sirius nodded. "Our boy..."
Lyria tried to wipe away a few tears.
"I'm sorry..."
"I had to blame someone besides myself..."
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't, I didn't... I didn't mean it..."
"Shh..." He pulled her a bit closer.
She let him, but made no attempt to encourage.
"I am sorry..."
"I know."
He sighed.
"But you never said you didn't blame me."
"I don't, Lyria. I didn't know I had to say it..."
"You were pretty adamant about blaming me."
"You were about blaming me, too."
"And I told you that I don't."
"And I don't blame you either."
"Alright."
"Have you eaten anything?"
"I'm not that hungry."
"That wasn't my question."
"Well that's my answer."
Sirius sighed.
"I'm fine, Sirius."
"Are you?"
"Yes."
"Because you said you'd gotten in the way..."
"Yes, I did. But the baby's fine."
"And you?"
"I'm fine."
He sighed again.
She kissed his cheek. "It's nice of you to worry."
"Of course I worry."
"You needn't."
"I love you Lyria, yes I do."
"Well I'm fine."
"So you said."
"And so I am."
He didn't reply.
"What?"
He shrugged. "I didn't say anything."
"Alright."
"Do you need anything?"
"No... I'm alright."
"Sure?"
"Yes."
"Alright."
"What about you?"
Sirius shook his head. "I was just going to stay here..."
"Alright."
"Are you going to stay?"
"Yeah."
"Okay."
She paused and then scooted closer to him.
He smiled a bit.
"We should put up better defenses around the
place."
"We are."
"Good. I don't want... I don't want it to happen
again."
"I know."
"Maybe... maybe we should... send them someplace safe,
but I don't want to do that either..."
"We won't have to...the new wards will be set up
soon."
"Good."
Sirius nodded.
She sighed.
Sirius rubbed her back gently.
She closed her eyes.
Sirius kissed her cheek.
She winced a bit when his hand strayed toward her shoulder.
"What?" Sirius asked, noticing her expression.
"Just a little sore."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
He kissed her shoulder gently.
She sighed.
He just held her close.
She leaned against him.