The dark, hazy clouds floated over across the dull, grey skies over the Spinner's End. The only sound that broke the deadly silence of early morning was a newborn's cries.

"It's a girl!" squeaked the mid-wife excitedly, holding the child in her arms.

Ruby, who was covered in cold sweat, would have cursed Ho for being a bad witch if she had any energy to do so. The Immobulus spell didn't work out quite well and she was nearly unconscious.

"Ruby…?" she heard someone call her, slapping her cheek lightly.

Ruby opened her eyes and saw straight into the old witch's eyes. The fat face slip into a wide grin, bearing yellowed and rotting teeth. "Cheer up, Ruby. You are a mother now."

Mother. That word filled her with a newfound happiness that she wished from a long time. But this also came with a few compromises. Nevertheless, that never stopped her from smiling in her thoughts.

Ho helped the weak woman sit up. "Take care of yourself." She patted her shoulder and turned to go.

Ruby saw her leave when her eyes caught sight of an old wizard standing in a corner. He looked through his half-moon glasses into a bundle of blankets in his arms.

"Albus?" she said, barely louder than a whisper.

Albus glanced at Ruby and walked upto her bed. She stretched out her trembling arms and accepted the bundle of blankets he offered. Holding her child near her, she peered down at her and the wizard sat on the edge of the bed.

The infant's skin was white and soft like tallow. So thin, that Ruby could see her cheek bones. One of the hands slowly curled around the blanket's edge. But she slept as still as a log, making her appear like a doll.

"She looks just like her father." Albus said, absorbed in the newborn's adorability. Not before long, he realized he made a mistake.

That broke Ruby's heart. She closed her eyes, swallowed and opened them to give an injured look to him. They were filled with tears. "Why do you need to?"

"I am extremely sorry."

"You know she might never get her father's love…"

There was long silence between them. Albus could hear people go about their business outside, when she got to the main point. "It isn't about my daughter or her father that I owled for your help."

"Then?"

Ruby looked across the room at an old study table and Albus followed her eyes. She picked and pointed her wand at the furniture and a piece of parchment flew towards them. The old wizard watched with amazement as it carefully balanced itself on the tip of the wand.

"You have certainly became a better wizard after leaving Hogwarts." he said, snatching what appeared to be a letter.

Albus read and rereads it. A frown appears on his face.

At last, he dropped the letter on floor and turns to Ruby. "OK, this is a straight forward death threat for you and your daughter."

"It is infact." She kept her wand between herself and Albus. "Thanks to Severus, You-Know-Wh-"

"Voldemort" he cuts in, grimly.

Ruby stiffened and quivered at same time. Pulling her daughter closer, she wondered why he insisted on calling the Dark Lord by his name even in such a serious situation.

"Yes-him…" she continued. "…he came to know that I wasn't on his side to fight this war. Nor anyone else also, thankfully. Like a straight refusal in his face. And now, he is coming here, to kill and punish me for my betrayal."

"And leaving Spinner's End is not possible. There are couple of Death Eater around here. I was able to see them in the crowd."

"Exactly." Ruby was feeling dreaded at the notion that she might have to die to save her daughter. "Albus, I thought of something."

She pulled out a small vial from under her pillow and handed over to the wizard.

Turning it around for some time, he stopped and looked at his friend. His blue eyes shined. "Isn't it 'Invisero'?"

"Indeed, it is. I wasn't completely successful in brewing up this complex potion, but it can make drinker invisible for Death Eaters and fully trained witches and wizards."

"For how much time?"

"Forever", she said, feel guilty to do this to her daughter.

Albus found this a bit difficult to accept. But now, something was better than nothing. He understood quite well if this they could save them it will be better. "I think it might work for now, even when it can create problems later. That means both can escape death by Voldemort."

"Not both Albus. Only my daughter." Ruby looked back at her, slowly caressing her soft cheek.

"What! No." The wizard protested. "This is foolishness. We can save you both."

"Albus, trust me." she insisted. "I can convince the Dark Lord that my child was born dead. I can't let my daughter die."

Ruby couldn't hold back tears now. They ran down her cheeks and stained her pretty face. She turned her pleading eyes at Albus. "Please."

Totally stuck in a dilemma, the old wizard stood and paced around. He never wanted his friend to die. She was a powerful witch. Her changing side against Voldemort surprised him initially as she was a Slytherin but she gained his trust. But now, he needed to think from a mother's point of view.

"OK" he said, after a few minutes. "I can get her out of Spinner's End. But keeping her in Hogwarts castle is not feasible, since Severus will be there."

"Keep her away from that overgrown bat." she snarled. "I don't even want the shadow of that man to fall on her, the one who snatched all happiness from my and her life."

"I thought she can be with my brother, Aberforth in Hogsmeade. She will be taken care by him."

Ruby dried her face with a handkerchief and saw Albus sitting back in his place. "Why would he agree to take care of her?"

"Because…I will defeat him in a dual and as a bet he would have to take care of her."

"Then you might need these."

Ruby stretched out her hand. There were two monocles in her palm. She explained that they are used to see an "inviserofied" person through it.

After this, there were no more questions asked. They set to work.

Ruby shed some more tears and kissed her newborn daughter goodbye, before pouring the potion down her throat. Within moments, she was gone with her blankets.

Putting monocle on his eye, Albus lifted the infant off her mother's arm and placed her inside a picnic basket he found. Closing the lid of it, he turned to the witch. She shut her eyes tightly, probably stopping herself from crying again.

Albus squeezed Ruby's shoulder and she looked up at him. "Make sure my child reaches safe and sound."

He nodded. "Make sure you convince the Dark Lord."

Grasping both the cane handle, he hoisted the basket into air. Tilting awkwardly to balance its weight, he walked to the door.

When his free hand wrapped its fingers around the doorknob, Albus turned around. "What should be your daughter's name?" he called out.

Ruby took a moment to process, a little longer to think and a second to tell. "Let you brother decide that."

Feeling a bit stupid, he yanked open the door and step out. Back in the room, the mother went back to her praying. "May god save my child."