A/N: action coming to a head in this chapter, thanks to all who continue to read and review even though updates are so sporadic. Real life (balancing mommyhood, full time job, etc) leaves so little time for writing. Will continue to update as I can. Let me know what you think of this chapter. :)

Chapter 25: Discoveries

Sarah woke with a start. She flipped from her side, onto her back and put her hand on her belly, counting the baby's kicks, trying to allow the task to focus and calm hersef.

It was that damn dream again. Over and over- memories of Voldemort plaguing her when she went to sleep. It was a simple enough dream- all they were doing was sitting on the couch in the library of Malfoy Manor. She was pregnant and they were talking, laughing at times even. It was so normal, yet so frightening. Because those dreams felt real, like they were happening at that very moment, but they were so long ago.

Her stomach was enormous these days. Winter had descended upon Hogwarts and the holidays.

And she was waiting.

Andi was gone. Snape and her had another fight and she left. Sarah had urged Severus to try to sort it out with her, but he grumbled that they both need time apart to figure things out and after the holidays they would reevaluate. As much as she wanted to try to persuade him, she knew better than to push him.

But he was cranky, so much so that the first years were quivering again when they saw him. Sarah, while used to this side of him, was even becoming weary of his temper. She went as far as to broach the topic of maybe her spending some time at Grimmauld Place with Harry and Ginny and the boys, but Snape told her that she was far safer here. She tried to argue with him that the home of her best friend who was the Savior, the boy who lived...twice...and who was now head of the Aurors should be counted as safe and that perhaps they shouldn't underestimate Harry's abilities. Snape responded by counting on his hands, recounting each time in depth that she and Harry had gotten into dangerous situations together, his tone matter of fact, but his glare fierce. She really had no good counter to that, so she wisely patted her belly and excused herself to use the loo right as he was getting to the end of second year.

So, Harry visited. Lupin was over often. Hermione came to help her put the finishing touches on the baby's room. Sarah continued to practice her spells, with a diligence and discipline that she had not had before. She became less nimble under the extra weight of her pregnancy, but Lupin and Snape both helped her hone her powers until she felt confident she could at least give a damn good fight to anyone who tried her.

But at night, she still laid awake with the burden of the unknown. She rolled over onto her side. She had to pee again. She got up, used the loo and then went into the sitting room.

She stopped in her tracks, "What are you doing here?" She asked incrediously, before her world went dark.

When she woke up, her head was pounding. She struggled to open her eyes. Groaning, she tried to roll onto her side. It was dark, save a small flickering candle. Sarah grimaced and pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. The baby kicked inside her.

"oh, thank merlin," she whispered. "thank you, thank you," she put her hands on her belly. Gratefulness overflowed in her heart that this child had been spared whatever sinister forces threatened her...at least for now.

At that thought, she swallowed hard, her throat parched as she balanced heself on her knees, trying to accustom herself to her surroundings. She surveyed the room. She knew exactly where she was. She was in Voldemort's manor, in his study to be precise. Her heart began to race wildly. She saw a shadow creep up behind her in the carpet, moving towards her. She started to screech, but a hand covered her mouth as the other reached to grab her by her arm and lift her to her feet. He turned her around.

"You will bother the portrait," the voice chided.

She knew that voice. Her mind raked back to what she knew of the man that stood in front of her- the conversation Voldemort and her had about him, the few interactions she had with this man...and then made the choice with how she should handle it.

Tread lightly, but wisely.

"Dolohov," she looked up at him, "I would say it is nice to see you again, but..." she shrugged, "no offense."

"He always did say you were amusing," his lip curled into a smile, "How is your head?"

"Throbbing," She grimaced, "Where is Malfoy?"

"Attending to some business, I presume. Preparing."

"For what?" she asked, her voice light.

"For us to do the impossible."

"The impossible? That sounds intriguing," She responded, but she knew in her heart, what that impossible was before even Dolohov could express it. "May I sit?"

"Of course."

She went over to sink into the couch, tucking one leg underneath her. She bit her thumb. "Did you kill my husband?" she asked in a low voice.

He went to sit next to her, "Did you know that you always intrigued me?" He reached out to twirl a stray piece of her hair. Sarah cleared her mind and willed herself not to flinch, "How could one so little be such a force to be reckoned with? How could one so young, so immature, entice one of the darkest, most powerful wizards of our time?"

She decided it was time to change the topic. "Did you kill my husband?" she punctuated each word.

"Not I."

"Then, it was Lucius?"

"I doubt he would have gotten his hands so soiled," Dolohov laughed.

"So he ordered it," Sarah's voice rose as her temper almost unraveled.

"Not him, I."

Sarah nearly fell off the couch, "Oh, fucking hell. You scared me."

"I told you not to bother the portriat," Dolohov chided.

She bit her lip and looked at the picture, "How did you get out of the ministry?"

"Lucius, my slippery friend, of course," Voldemort said, twining his hands. "Who else?"

"Why now?"

He gave her a small smile, "Little one, why do you think?"

She put her hands, protectively on her belly. She stood and paced around the room, ignoring Dolohov, who was watching her carefully.

Finally, she paused. "I think..." she paused again, studying up at him.

"Yes?" Voldemort prompted.

"I think it is because I'm pregnant."

"Yes."

"But..." she continued to ponder, "I don't think it is for the reasons I thought at first," she mused, contemplatively.

Voldemort chuckled, "I wasn't exactly pleased with you polluting your blood lines."

"I'm sure not," Sarah retorted, saracastically, "But the fact of that matter was that I could pollute my bloodlines."

Dolohov whistled behind her, "She is sharp, isn't she, my Lord?"

"I never doubted her intellect, Antonin."

"No, but you did doubt in those last moments of your life, if I could get pregnant."

"I did."

She shifted her weight and let out a breath, "Bloody hell, there is another horcrux."

Voldemort nodded, "An insurance plan, one concocted when I felt that he was destroying my horcruxes. If I knew that Potter was after them, you should have realized I would have come up with a plan."

"I asked Harry. I grilled him about it. He said there wasn't any way. I knew it couldn't have been that simple."

"You were always the brains behind that relationship. The fact that he has climbed so high in the ministry at such a young age and you are...well, practically a muggle is a travesty."

"One we are trying to right," Dolohov spoke up from his perch on the couch.

"Precisely."

"Why didn't I see this before?" Sarah looked him, carefully, "You are no ordinary portrait."

Dolohov laughed in glee. "She is delightful, isn't she?"

"Very good, dear one. My self is being held here until, the proper spell can be performed. But it can only be performed by one worthy. Lucius and Dolohov have tried to no avail, but we think it must be someone else who is destined for the task."

"And who would that be?"

"You," he said pointedly.

"Me?" Sarah asked, aghast, "It can't be me."

"Why not?" Voldemort asked, his voice patient. "Your spell work is certaintly powerful enough."

"Even if I could, why the hell would I willingly bring you back?"

"Because Dolohov will kill your child if you do not. And that is your weakness."

The baby kicked inside her, seemingly punctuating his point.

Sarah swallowed hard, "He'll have to kill me first. Are you sure he can take me on?"

"My dear, sweet Sarah," Voldemort's voice was low. "Not ordinarily. But you are about to deliver your child. Your burden is great. It would be foolish of you to think that you can perform to your potential in a duel tonight."

He was right. There was no way.

Sarah sunk down into the closest chair. "If that is the case, then what makes you think I can even perform this dark magic that frees you?"

"Lucius overheard Draco tell Narcissa how much you have been honing your magic since returning to our world. He said that you were quite driven to do so. And that you are more powerful than ever, which I believe."

"Draco has always overestimated my skills."

"No, he has never been wrong about you. Naive in other regards, but not when it comes to you."

"May I have some water?" she asked Dolohov, who nodded.

She stood wearily and went over to pour herself a drink of water from a pitcher nearby. She took a long drink.

"What is your plan, my Lord?"

"I will return to my bodily form. I will calculate my move and overthrow the ministy again. All the pieces are in place. Lucius has slowly calculated and prepared."

"And where do I fit in to this scenerio?"

"You will deliver your child. And become mine. I'm thrilled at the possibility."

"And my daughter?"

"We will put her in safe hands, with her own kind."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because she is part yours. And I am so very fond of you. I understood your need to separate yourself, to find your place. But now...you have grown and matured. It's time, Sarah. You have a destiny to fulfill. We must fulfill it."

She took a deep breath in. "Where?"

"Lucius has to return us to the ministry. It will happen there, under their very noses. But first you have to discover what is missing, why they can't do this and how you will be able."

She looked at the portrait, then at Dolohov and then down at her belly.

"I don't see that I have much choice in the matter, do I?" she asked, resigned.

"I doubt it."

She allowed Antonin to take her by the arm and lead her to Lucius.

"I want to know how you accomplished this," Sarah demanded, when she was alone with Lucius in his office at the ministry.

"It was simple. I had to place a wedge between Andromeda and Snape. I knew that martial problems would distract Snape, make him weak and unfocused. It accomplished it's purpose. With Draco and him suspecting me, they never thought to ward the flat against my entrance. It was so easy it's disgraceful."

"So there was no indiscretion between Snape and Narcissa?"

"Of course not," Lucius laughed, "You really think Narcissa would lower herself by indulging in Snape? It's preposterous."

Sarah snorted. "Narcissa loved Snape for years," Sarah titled her head, challenging him, "Just as Draco loved me. All that must eat away at you..."

"You made my son weak, just as you made Snape weak," Lucius spat at her. "But the Dark Lord wants you. And he is my master. I will not stand in his way." He grabbed her arms and dragged him towards her, "Come along dearest, Antonin was way too gentle with you earlier. He has quite the weakness when it comes to beautiful women. But he doesn't know you the way I know you. Let us away."

He dragged her through the halls of the ministry, past Draco's office, where in the corner of her eye, she saw a flickering light. Dare she hope? She managed to focus her mind, and flick her fingers, willing her wandless magic to work, her patronus slithering out of her fingers.

"What was that?" Lucius jumped.

"I don't know," Sarah fought against his tightened grip, "You are hurting me. And if I am hurt, I can't perform this damn spell. And then your plans will be foiled and your master will be seriously displeased with you, Lucius." She drawled, unleashing her inner Snape on him. "you would have failed him yet again."

He quickened his step and she could only hope that her last ditch effort worked and that Draco was indeed in his office.

She stared at the shelves surrounding her at the Department of Mysteries, a sense of deja vu surrounding her. This was the place where Harry and the other members of the DA and then the Order fought the Death Eaters on that fateful night. The night her life changed forever, the night her father died.

"Why here?" she asked, reeling in her emotions, clearing her mind.

"The Dark Lord believes that you alone are the one that can unlock the secret of his return. Go search, but I am watching. And my wand will be pointed at your child at all times whether you can see me or not," Lucius warned, pushing her down the way. "You are not expendable, but your child is. Do not forget."

"But I don't know what I am searching for," Sarah insisted, but Lucius ignored her, shooing her away.

Sarah walked carefully down the way, staring at the massive shelves. She spent some time just wandering, when her eye caught something- a flicker of gold. She wiggled her fingers and in her hand appeared a golden snitch.

How had this gotten from the Forbidden Forest to here?

Desperation flooded her. She was so alone here, in this battle. She was weakened by her pregnancy and in an impossible situation. She needed the guidance of her parents, of James and Lily. Of Collin.

She swallowed hard. She could buy herself time, but it was risky.

In that moment, she knew that it was a chance she had to take.

And in her mind...

Reducto

Wordless. Wandless.

Nevertheless, the effect was powerful...the room shook and glass started bursting around her, everything toppling down in a heap, as she ran as fast as she could, around the corner. She could hear Lucius shouting for her, cursing at her. She popped the snitch in her mouth and then spit out the stone into her hand.

"I need help," she closed her eyes tightly.

"Sweetheart," her mum's voice filtered through. "Open your eyes. Don't be afraid."

She opened her eyes, to see her parents, Lily and James, and...

"Collin."

She began to cry, "I'm so sorry. I caused all of this."

"No, love," Collin's voice was grave, but his face was full of love and compassion. "None of this is your fault. My death is not on your hands, just as your father's death is not on yours."

"He's right, Paddy," Sirius said, "Stop taking it all upon yourself. You got to let go of the guilt."

"Paddy," James spoke up, "We don't have much time. You have to come up with a plan."

"We believe in you, Sarah," Lily added.

"But I don't have a plan. I don't have my wand. This baby is weighing me down. How can I fight Lucius without my wand?"

"Do you need it, Sarah?" Collin asked.

"it simply isn't done," Sarah looked at the five of them. "I can't fight against a powerful wizard, a death eater, without my wand. It is simply not possible."

"There is a first for everything," another voice said, from her side.

"Fred!" Sarah squealed.

"Why would you let him win?" Fred asked. "After all he has put you through..."

"But even if I do thrwart it tonight- there is still a horcrux."

"But that is what Harry and the aurors are for," James said. "Your fight is now, tonight."

Sarah turned to Collin, "Our daughter..." her voice cracked. "What if they..."

"Our daughter will be so very well loved," Collin assured her. "by the best mother in the world. Do not fear."

Her heart soared.

"Go on, now, Sarah," Sirius urged. "We know you can do this."

"We all believe in you, darling," Grace added. "Be strong. Be brave."

Be strong. Be brave.

"Give him hell," Fred added.

"Collin," Sarah looked at him once more, "I love you. I won't ever forget."

"I love you too, Sarah."

The stone dropped out of her hand.

Spells began to fire rapidly at her. Lucius was close by.

She ran again, through the shelves, until she reached the room. The dreaded room..with the veil. She could hear the voices, but she had no choice but to enter. And she knew that she was now trapped.

"Did you really think you could stop this? 9 months pregnant and without your wand?" Lucius asked, mocking her as he stepped out of the shadows. "Dear girl, you are so far out of your league..."

Sarah glared at him and raised an eyebrow, before raising her hand.

Their exchange was rapid and powerful. Sarah even shocked herself by how powerful her spells were, wandlessly and even so pregnant, she could hold her own quite well. But eventually, she did feel the burden of the extra weight as she saw her strength slipping, when...

"Enough!"

Draco's voice echoed through the room. "Father, enough!" he repeated.

"Son," Lucius turned to him, shocked, "What are you doing here?"

"I will not let you harm her, Father."

"Dolohov is coming, Draco. Between him and I, you are not powerful enough to stop us. Join us. The girl is just a distraction. Let her bring him back to power and let him deal with her."

"Dolohov is not coming, Father," Draco said, evenly. "He is dead."

"Dead?" Lucius's face grew pale.

"Dead," Draco said, his wand extended.

Lucius's movement was sudden as he reached for Sarah, trapping her against him.

"We have been here before," Sarah said, "many moons ago. You didn't win that night."

"But you didn't either. Your father died for you," Lucius said. "Will you risk yourself or your child?"

With a surge of power, Sarah broke free from him and she saw Lucius point his wand at her, and his mouth move, but before the entirety of the killing curse could be uttered from his lips, he fell back...back...into the veil and Sarah could hear the words from Draco's mouth,

Avada Kedavra

Draco's wand dropped to the floor, his face white.

For a few minutes they just stared at each other, in shock. Finally, Draco spoke.

"Are you alright, Black?" his voice shook.

Sarah's whole body began to shake under the weight of what just happened. Draco, instantly bent down to retrieve his wand, pocketing it and moved to her side. He put his arms around her. She didn't cry, only stood there, shaking in Draco's arms.

"You're safe," he murmurred, over and over ot her, "Everything will be fine now."

The baby began to kick against Draco's arm and he jolted his arm back, surprised. His shock softened and he gently put his hand against her stomach, "You'll be fine too. We'll all see to that. I promise."

"Sarah!" she could hear Harry calling for her, followed by Snape's voice,

"Sarah, where are you?"

They raced into the room, both pausing at the scene in front of them. Sarah pulled away from Draco, but didn't move away from his side.

"What has happened?" Snape asked, his voice low.

Neither answered and Harry spoke,

"Where is Lucius?" he asked.

Sarah couldn't bring herself to say it, only point to the veil.

Draco cleared his throat. "Black," he said, "your wand." he took her hand and put it in it. "Dolohov had it in his pocket."

"Thank you," she whispered, still trembling.

"Are you hurt?" Snape went over to her side and began to gently began to look her over, checking for injuries. He waved his wand over her, "Your magical levels are severely depleted. It's a wonder you are able to stand." The baby jolted her stomach at the sound of Snape's voice.

In spite of the graveness of the situation, Snape's lips formed a small smile, "hello, little one. I see you are just fine," he said.

Harry also moved to Sarah's side. "Can you talk? Just say something, Black."

Blue eyes met emerald and still she said nothing. Harry reached to rub his fingers against her cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I failed you. I'm head of the damn aurors and I couldn't keep my promise to one of the people who is dearest to me in the entire world."

Sarah's lip trembled as tears started to cloud her vision, "It isn't your fault. But here is so much to process." She tore her eyes away from Harry to Snape to Draco and then back to Harry. "There is another horcrux."

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

"How?"

The questions came at her rapidly. She began to cry earnestly now, cradling her stomach with her arms.

"It isn't over. Don't you see? It will never be over."

"We need to talk," Harry said, gravely. "Do you think you can tell me everything that happened?"

"Not here," Draco interjected, gruffly. "Let's go to your office. She needs a cup of tea or something. She fought my father without her wand. I don't know how the hell she did it."

"Did you really?" Harry titled his head towards her. "All of this, of what we saw of the damage , did you do that without your wand?"

She nodded, "I did."

Snape let out his breath, "Merlin, you never cease to surprise me." His arm was still tightly around her, "Let's go, Sarah. I'll apparate home to get you some replinishment potions. You are still trembling. It's no wonder that your magical levels are so low. 9 months pregnant to do what you did tonight- I'm enormously proud of you, sweetheart."

"I couldn't let him return. I just couldn't...not with her," She hugged her stomach with her arms.

"Of course you couldn't" Snape soothed. "Let's go away from here. This is the last place you need to be."

Back in Harry's office, after two cups of tea and rounds of potions that Snape dosed out to her, she told them everything. They spent the next few hours debating the horcrux, where it was, and what it could be. Finally, Snape insisted that while he was more than happy to stay and continue to brainstorm and plan their next move that Sarah go home and rest, worried about her flushed face and delicate condition.

"I'll take her home and stay until you can return," Draco said, quietly. He looked at her, "If you don't mind, Black."

"I'd appreciate that," Sarah said, her voice low in return. She ran her hand through her hair. "I'm so tired."

"You have had quite the ordeal," Harry said, "I'm so sorry, Sarah."

Sarah shrugged, "I don't even know how to process what happened. It just seems par for the course."

"We won't let him return," Harry said, adamently. "And we can still protect you and the child...with Lucius and Dolohov..." he paused, "gone, there should provide us time to plot our next move."

"Of course, you are right," Sarah said, "I just hate that this is hanging over all of our heads. And what are they going to think that it is me that they thought could bring this about? I will be targeted by both sides."

"Nobody will know about that," Harry insisted. "No one. It doesn't leave this room."

"Absolutely not," Snape agreed.

"There is just one more thing," she glanced at Draco, "Lucius's death. I'd like to take the blame for that."

"Sarah," Draco let out a long breath, "I can't let you do that."

"I'm worried it will strip you of the right to your inheritence."

"That doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," Sarah insisted. "Harry," she turned to Harry. "convince him."

Harry sighed and took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. When he put them back on, he said quietly, "she's right, Draco. Sarah will be a sympathetic figure. No one will question it. Plus, we can dig into Lucius's work and I'm sure he has left a trail if Voldemort said all the pieces were in place at the ministry. But it is delicate work. I'll need your help and Lupin's and George. Everyone in the Order that we know we can explicitly trust."

Draco met her eyes, "Are you sure about that, Black?"

She nodded.

Snape cleared his throat, "Draco, go ahead and take Sarah home. Harry and I will work out the particulars of all of this."

"Very well," Sarah said. "Draco, I may need a boost up."

Draco gave her a small smile and offered her his hand, pulling her up. "Let's go, Sarah."

Sarah kissed Snape and then Harry goodbye before walking with Draco to the lift.

"Draco," Sarah's voice cracked as she tried to clear her throat, "I'm so sorry. So very very sorry."

"It's not your fault," Draco said, staring ahead, "Do not worry over it."

"But I do worry. I worry about you."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but didnt say anything else, them going onto the lift together.

"Draco," Sarah's voice was low, pleading. "Please talk to me."

"We are both too tired to get into this right now," he said, reaching to press the button and the lift moved. But suddenly it shook and jolted still.

"What the hell?" Sarah asked, jumping in surprise and moving closer to Draco.

"It's okay," Draco put a hand on her to steady her.

A voice came onto the speaker, "This is a lockdown of the ministry building. Proceed according to protocol 36, section 58, line 10 through 12."

"For Merlin's sake," Draco pounded the side of the lift with his foot, "not again."

"Does this happen often?" Sarah asked.

"There must have been breach."

"A little late for that, huh?" Sarah commented, "the breach would have happened hours ago when Dolohov entered."

"Well, the ministry's timing has always been poor," Draco said. "always a step behind reality. Bloody hell."

"Fabulous," Sarah waved her wand and cast a cleaning spell, "This disgusts me, but I have to sit. Everything is sore."

"You don't look so good," Draco said, his forehead creasing in worry. "You haven't this entire time."

"How long does this usually last?" Sarah asked, sliding down to the floor.

"It can be a while." Draco's frown deepended, "Why are you asking?"

"Well, I hate confined spaces, you know that...and" her voice trailed off.

Draco narrowed his eyes, "What aren't you telling me?"

Sarah was silent for a few minutes, her eyes closed.

Draco pressed again, "Sarah" he insisted.

Sarah opened her eyes and let out a breath, "I have been having steady contractions for a while now."

"What?" Draco glared at her, "Why didn't you say something? How did we not know?"

Sarah shrugged, "They haven't been awful, not very painful, but they are getting worse." She waved his hand at him, "It will be fine. I'm sure it's nothing. I have been having them for days." She shifted again and then groaned, "Oh merlin," she put her head in her knees. She pushed herself up with her hand and stood, beginning to pace.

"I thought you said you need to sit," Draco asked, confused.

She paused and then looked down at her feet. "Yeah, that's not good."

Draco jumped back. "What is that?" he eyed the floor.

"I think that would be my waters breaking."

She closed her eyes and then cried out as another pain hit her, "it's really starting to hurt."

Draco just stared at her, shocked.

"Don't look at me like that," Sarah finally snapped. "I've been up all night. I'm shattered. And now I am going to have to labor and deliver this child. With Bella's curse, we don't know how this will play out. I could die even if I had all my strength. So bloody hell, don't just stand here and stare at me. Help get me out of this damn lift."

Draco's shock faded from his face as he swiped his wand, cleaning up the mess. He strolled over to her, determined, "You wil not die, do you hear me? Erase that possibility from your mind. I almost lost you tonight. A split second later and it would have been you. I won't lose you again. I wouldn't be able to bear that, Sarah. So get that thought out of your head right now."

Sarah looked in his eyes and they stared at each other for a few charged moment.

And in those moments, even as she was about to deliver another man's child, she knew that the story between her and Draco was far from over.

A/N: please review. :)