Chapter Nine
"I'm going to stay at mine tonight." May spoke softly in the morning. She was up early and ready for work. "Let you get reacquainted with Harry."
"Are you sure?" Sirius asked as he watched her brush her long hair. He lay in bed with the covers to his waist.
"Yes. Just for a few days. Let him have his hearing and then I will talk to him. Sorry, we will talk to him." She started tying her hair into a long French plait. "I'm so nervous."
"What about Cee?" He asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. "She could probably stay here. She's very settled here. But I don't want her to meet Harry properly before me." She chuckled. "You could just tell him that she's your daughter. But nothing more."
Sirius sighed and nodded. "Okay. That's fine with me." He watched her as she applied a little make-up. "When will you be back?"
"When is Harry's hearing?" She asked as she pulled on her sandals. The weather was still hot and working in an apothecary made it hotter.
"The 12th."
"I could come back on the 13th and we can talk then." She gave him a smile as she stood up and walked over to the bed. "Hopefully, he will have good news and my news won't seem so bad." She bit her lower lip as she sat next to him. "He won't be angry, will he?"
"I don't know. I really don't know." He sat up and pushed a small strand of her hair behind her ear. "We'll come to that when the time comes." He kissed her softly. "Go away and make money. You're the bread winner of the family now." Sirius smirked and kissed her again. "Send me or Cee a note when you are finished."
"I will." She kissed him once more before quickly leaving the room.
The 13th of August came and it was late into the day. May still had not returned to Grimmauld Place. Cecilia had been staying with Sirius since her mother left. She loved staying with Sirius but she was missing her mother. They had been sending each other notes. Cecilia had been introduced as Sirius' daughter to Harry. The boy said nothing more about it. Only the adults knew Cecilia's true identity and they were not allowed to tell the children at all. "Dad? I thought Mum was coming back tonight." She looked up at the clock.
"So did I." Sirius spoke slowly. He looked up at Remus, who was listening to their conversation. "Go and see if she's all right. I thought she'd be back by now." Remus nodded and left the kitchen quickly. "I don't like this." He stood up and moved to his drinks' cabinet. He poured himself a drink and downed it before pouring another. "I can't lose her again." He mumbled to himself, sipping his drink.
Cecilia watched her father as he constantly looked up at the clock. She was worried about her mother. It was nearly 9. Her mother would be back by now. "I hope she's all right." She stood up and left the kitchen. She loved her father but she hated seeing him drinking. She always left the room if he picked up a bottle of whiskey. She walked up to the library and found her favourite book; Quidditch through the Ages. She also claimed one of the comfy chairs by the fire as her own.
"Um hi Cecilia." A young male voice spoke from a corner.
Cecilia turned to see Harry hiding behind a bookshelf. "Oh. Hi Harry."
"Hiding?" He asked as he walked around the bookcase and slowly approached her.
"Sort of. Dad's worried, so he's drinking. My mum is missing." She closed the book and placed it on the table next to her. "Remus has gone to look for her."
"I hope she's all right." He gave her a small smile as he sat in the other large chair opposite her. "Is your mum married to Sirius?"
Cecilia nodded. "Yes. They married a few months after she finished at Hogwarts."
"Oh right." He nodded. They sat in silence for a moment. Neither knowing what to say to the other. "You don't look a lot like Sirius."
She laughed a little. "Mum says I do. So does Remus. I have the same eyes as him." Shrugging her shoulder a little. "I have his curly hair but it's nearly as long as Mum's."
Harry gave her a little smile but was about to speak when the front door opened loudly, followed by shouting. All the noise caused Mrs Black's portrait to start screaming. "What the hell?" The two were on their feet and out of the library. They caught a glimpse of Remus carrying a bloodied May up the stairs. "Was that your mum?"
"Yes." Cecilia croaked, barely able to speak at the sight of her mother.
Remus reached Mr Mulpepper's apothecary and found the door locked. "May?" He knocked on the door. The shop was in darkness. He stepped back and looked up at the living area, which was also dark. No signs of her at home. "May!" He knocked on the door harder. He pulled out his wand and unlocked the door. He pushed open the door. "May?"
"Remus?" A small voice croaked from behind the counter. "Help... Me..."
He rushed around the counter and found her badly beaten, face down on the floor. "Oh shit!" He knelt next to her and turned her onto her back, on his lap. "What happened?"
"Malfoy..." She muttered before falling unconscious.
"Bastard," he hissed and lifted her up. He carried her out of the shop, quickly locking it before disapparating back to Grimmauld Place. "Nearly there, May." He whispered in her ear as he rushed up the stone steps into the house. He kicked the door open. "Sirius!" He yelled. "Molly!"
Molly was the first to reach him and saw the state of May. "Get her to a bed." Remus rushed up the stairs as Molly disappeared to the kitchen. "Sirius, May's been found. She's been badly beaten."
"What?!" He abandoned his drink and ran up the stairs. He found Remus placing May on their bed. "May?" He knelt beside her. "Who did this to you?" He spoke to her even though she was unconscious. "Who did this to her?" He asked, looking up at Remus.
Remus gritted his teeth for a moment. "Malfoy. That's all she said."
"Bastard." Sirius growled as he turned his attention back to May, who was slowly waking up. "Baby? You're safe. I'm here." He kissed her hand softly.
"Sirius!" She gasped. "It was Malfoy! He... He..." She closed her eyes and pulled her hand from his.
"Right! Out! Both of you!" Molly ordered the men. "I need to clean her wounds."
"I'm not leaving her." Sirius growled at Molly.
"Just go." May whispered softly, turning her head away from him. "I want to talk to Molly." Her husband nodded and left the two women alone.
"Right," Molly started and helped May to sit up. "Let's get you dressed into clean pyjamas."
"I'm pregnant." She said suddenly. "I think I am. I hope I am."
"You want to see if you still are." She nodded and raised her wand over May's stomach. "You'll have to stay in bed for a while to recover." May's stomach glowed. "You are pregnant. Strong heartbeat too." The sound filled the room. "Come on." Waving her wand again, making the glow on May's stomach disappear. Molly helped May to dress into cleaner clothes and to clean her wounds.
The door opened slowly, Molly was just about to tell the person to go away, when, "Mummy?" A small voice spoke.
"Come in." May smiled softly as she leaned back against the headboard. "Hello love." She tapped the bed for her to sit next to her. "Are you all right?" She asked as Cecilia sat next to her.
"I was scared, Mum." She lay against May's side. "What happened?"
"Get your Dad and Remus. They need to hear this too." May kissed the top of her daughter's head.
"We're here." Sirius spoke quietly as he entered the room, along with Remus. Sirius walked around the bed and sat next to his wife, kissing her hotly. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine." She smiled a little. "A little sore." She rested her cheek on the top of Cecilia's head. "It was Malfoy. No one else. He came in with the wrong intent." She looked up at Remus. "Cee, you may not want to hear this."
"I want to know, Mum."
May raised her head and nodded. "It's not nice." She looked up at Sirius, who nodded. "Lucius Malfoy has had a strange obsession with me since my second year of school. I nearly died when he attacked me. He came into the shop today with the same obsession." She gave a small smile. "I may have kicked him between the legs to stop him. That's when he gave up and started using his fists."
"But why did he stop?" Remus asked.
"Someone tried to come into the shop. They scared him off. He had locked the door when he came in. He just apparated out."
"I'm glad you're all right, Mum." Cecilia wrapped her arm over her mother.
"Remus, I need to talk to Sirius and Cee alone." May looked up at her friend, who nodded and quietly left the room. "Well, I don't know what to say. I found something out last night." She looked at Sirius more than Cecilia. "I'm pregnant."
No one spoke for a moment. It was Cecilia spoke. "I'm not surprised! You two are ridiculous! Constantly at it."
Sirius burst out laughing. "My 14 year old daughter, ladies and gentlemen." He shifted closer to May. "Are you really?"
She nodded slowly and smiled broadly. "Yes. 6 weeks I think. Maybe 5." She rested her hand on her stomach.
"That's brilliant, Mum." She rested her hand on top of her mother's. "I'm going to be a big sister." She looked around May at her father. "Dad? Are you all right?"
"Yeah. Yes." He didn't know what to say. "I'm... I..."
"Sirius Black, are you speechless?" May asked him. He was just staring at her stomach. "Pads?"
He finally looked away from her stomach and looked up at her. "I can't believe it." He raised a hand and gently ran his fingers down her cheek, which was red from Malfoy's fists. "Is that why you asked to speak to Molly alone?"
She nodded slowly. "I wanted to be absolutely sure and to make sure that I was still pregnant." She wrapped her free arm around Cecilia, wincing as she moved. "I am."
He kissed her hotly, cupping her cheeks as he did. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Excuse me?! Have you forgotten me already?" Cecilia pulled away from her mother. "I'll leave you two alone." She kissed her mother's cheek before leaving the room. She couldn't believe that her mother was having a baby but she was happy that she was back safe and sound.
"I can't do it." May groaned the next morning. She was going to speak to Harry and tell him who she really is. She grabbed a pillow and placed it on top of her face. "I can't." She mumbled against the pillow.
Sirius rolled his eyes and pulled the pillow away from her. "I'll be there. Don't worry." He bent down and kissed her softly. "Get up. You need breakfast. Molly said you are strong enough to leave the bed."
She gave a small chuckle and sat up. "Fine." She groaned as she climbed off the bed. "If I ever see Malfoy again, I will kill him myself." She groaned again as she tried undressing. "Sirius, give me a hand."
"Happily." He chuckled and kissed her neck as he helped her pull off her pyjama top off. He was now able to see the extent of Malfoy's beating. Her back was covered in red welts. They would turn into nasty bruises. He helped her dress into a light summer dress. "Have you closed the shop?"
"No. I've asked Fiona to work. I'm paying her double to be on her own." She slipped on her slippers and followed him out of the bedroom. He wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her down the stairs. "Ow," she grumbled.
"You need to go to hospital," insisted Sirius, "and get yourself examined." He placed his hand on her stomach. "I can't believe we're having a baby."
"I can." She laughed as they walked down the stairs, which led into the kitchen. "Let's just say, we barely rested since we started having sex again."
Sirius laughed, "very true." He kissed her cheek. "Morning all," greeting the room as he helped May to her seat. "Tea?"
"Yes, please." She smiled up at him and reached for a piece of toast. "Ow," she groaned again, holding her ribs.
"Mum?" Cecilia spoke from the doorway. "This is Harry. He said he wanted to meet you." She and Harry walked in and sat down at the table.
May's heart seemed to stop. She could have sworn that James had sat down at the table. He looked exactly like James but his eyes. He had Lily's eyes. "Hello," she managed to say. "I'm May."
"Hi." He smiled nervously. "Have we met? You seem so familiar."
She gave a nervous smile. "I don't know. I've never met you before." She picked up her toast and took a small bite. "Thanks," she said to Sirius, when he placed a cup of tea in front of her.
"You're welcome." He smiled and kissed her cheek. "Right, Harry. Since I am your Godfather. That makes May your Godmother. Sort of."
"I see." Harry nodded.
"So, we think it would be a good idea to have a talk. Meet us in the library in ten minutes?" Sirius asked Harry. He leaned back on his chair and rested his arm over the back of May's chair.
"Um... Okay." Harry said nodding. "I just need a shower and I will be there." He stood up and gave Sirius a small smile.
In a low voice, May spoke to Sirius, "how can I tell him? I just don't know if I can. I'm so nervous."
Sirius rubbed her back gently. "You'll be fine." He reached for his coffee with his free hand. "Come on. Let's go now." She nodded and smiled. The two of them stood, so did Cecilia. "No, Cee. You stay here for now. You can meet him properly afterwards."
"Okay Dad." She smiled. Her smile broadening when the Weasley twins entered the kitchen.
"Oh Merlin." Sirius groaned when he noticed her smile.
"What?" May asked as he helped her up the first flight of stairs.
He chuckled, "I think our daughter has developed a crush on one of the Weasley twins."
"Oh no!" She laughed. "Don't you turn into James." Laughing as they entered the library. She gave a groan as she sat down on a low chair. "Don't be completely overprotective of her." She put her feet up on a low foot stool. "Ah! That's better." Leaning back against the chair. "I'm so nervous."
"Shut up, woman." He laughed as he stood behind her chair, rubbing her shoulders. "Come in Harry. Could you shut the door?" He said as he saw his Godson in the doorway. "Sit down."
"Okay." Harry gave a small smile as he sat in the chair opposite May. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I've fallen off my broom." She chuckled softly.
Harry chuckled. "You used to play?"
"Yes. I was chaser for a few years but I was mainly a seeker. I heard you were too." She smiled at him proudly.
"Cecilia said you were in Gryffindor. So you knew my parents?" He asked curiously. Sirius knew that Harry was always happy to talk to people who knew his parents.
"That's what we're here to talk about." May spoke slowly. "I knew your parents very well. James more than Lily. Though Lily was my best friend, I knew James better than anybody. More than your Mum. More than Sirius." She kept her focus on Harry. "James and I were family. Very close family."
Harry looked at her in confusion. "What? Do you mean we're related?"
"Yes. I'm your aunt. James was my brother." She spoke softly, afraid of what his reaction would be.
"What?" He could not let the information sink in. "My aunt?" He stood up and looked down at her. "No." He shook his head and left the library in a temper. Leaving May and Sirius alone.
A/N: The truth is out! What did you think?
Responses from chapter Eight:
warewolf-princess558750: I know I'm evil. ;)
Lalina92: You'll have to see about Harry's proper reaction.
Harryginny92: You're welcome. Hope you liked this chapter. :)