The Next Day: 10:15am…

The solid gold telescope sat against the rainy window. Generally, young witches do not ask for a telescope as an early birthday present. Claire, however, was somehow in love with it.

"You can't see the stars during the day you know."

Claire jumped, for she did not know that her cousin had entered the room. She turned around and nodded. "I'm aware."

Aquila walked across Claire's large bedroom. "I haven't seen you in forever." She chuckled, "As if you had disappeared from the world."

"And where to you expect me to go?" Claire snapped unexpectedly, but her facial expression indicated that she didn't quite mean it.

Aquila shrugged, not knowing the answer. She placed a hand on Claire's wrist. "Just hang in there, alright? I know how you feel…"

Shaking her head, Claire frowned. "I have too much class to have shit talked about me."

"They're not saying anything about you, Claire." Aquila led her cousin to the bed so that they could be seated next to each other on the bottom edge.

Claire did not look at Aquila, but stared at her knees. "Perhaps, but they bloody hate my father, and I think they're starting to hate mummy now too."

As soon as Claire mentioned Narcissa, Aquila remembered why she was at Malfoy Manor in the first place. She stared in silence and quickly filled back up with anxiety.

"So?" asked Claire, confused by Aquila's daydreaming.

The beautiful death eater quickly snapped back into reality. "Oh, right...just keep in mind that those who hate us are those who must be destroyed."

Almost immediately, Claire shivered, but the action went unnoticed by her cousin. This was followed by a brief silence until Aquila stood up from her perch on the bed. "Where's Auntie Cissy?" she asked, going back to her anxieties.

"She ran out…then your mum followed after her." Claire bit her lip. "Mummy seemed angry that Aunt Bella was following her though…"

"Do you know when she'll be back?" Aquila asked impatiently.

"I dunno," said Claire, finally looking up at her cousin. "Why though…did you need something?"

Aquila kept her eyes on Claire's. "I have to tell her something important."

Claire nodded; Aquila clearly wanted whatever it was a secret. But for some reason, however, Claire just couldn't help but ask.

"You can't tell me?" the pale blonde questioned plainly.

Aquila shrugged and began to pace again. "Well…even if I didn't tell you…you'd still find out eventually." She glanced over quickly to see if Claire's facial expression had changed. It had. Claire's were wide and her mouth was open slightly.

"You're pregnant." Claire said softly. "Right?"

Aquila nodded and opened her mouth to speak, but the door shot open. Narcissa was standing in the doorway while Bellatrix stood behind her.

To everybody's surprise, Narcissa ran to Claire and hugged her. She whispered something into the young witch's ear, but Aquila could not make it out.

"Still think you should have listened to me, Cissy," Bellatrix sneered. Her hair was wet from the rain. "At least my daughter still listens." She looked at Aquila and gave a bittersweet smile.

Aquila gave a very small nod that was almost unrecognizable. She loved her mother, but times were darker, and Bella was rougher than ever, even with her own child.

"What are you doing here anyways?" asked Bellatrix, still looking at Aquila.

"I-um…I wanted to see if Aunt Cissa was home, but she wasn't so I'm hanging out with Claire now."

Narcissa, who had started the "pacing trend" a few moments ago, stopped to look at her goddaughter. "What can I do for you, darling?"

Aquila shook her head. "Just forget it."

"You sure?" Narcissa asked, knowing by now when something was wrong with Aquila.

Aquila remained silent and fidgeted with the large diamond on her finger while Claire spoke for her.

"Are you?" Claire asked. Aquila could not hide this forever.

Now giving her cousin the death-look, Aquila spoke slowly. "Don't you think I should tell them on my own time?"

"Tell us what?" Bellatrix asked quickly. Narcissa looked at her sister and then at Aquila.

Aquila's hands were shaking, but she was still able to speak. "Please…don't kill me."

Bellatrix chuckled but kept her stare. "Well you're not a Gryffindor or a Mudblood...so-"

"I'm pregnant." Aquila shot out, just before her mother could finish her thought.

The room was silent.

Author's Note

Hey Readers!

I hope you are all having a nice spring so far. I hope you enjoyed my latest chapter. Please review!

~bellastrange51