SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT ON EVERYTHING ANYTHING ALL NONE YEH I hate exams and they hate me... Seriously I leave school in a few weeks and GAH I can't wait for the peace and quiet and relaxing time.

Thanks to VeryaTirananniel for the review! and the favourites; jinkxwaters, silverhime, CompletelyMisundertood109! And the follows; jinkxwaters, starsnthemoon, crystal3108, silverhime, CompletelyMisunderstood109! Thank you all! All reviews, faves and follows are noticed and loved by me!


The ticking clock on the fireplace mantelpiece began to constantly annoy Giselle. She thought she had gotten used to it as part of the ambiance of the house but she was very wrong. She would sit on the sofa and listen to it tick loudly like a insufferable reminder that she was wasting time.

Giselle realised that the ticking seemed to be at its loudest whenever Sirius was gone. That didn't make it any easier.

The New Year flew and once again, snow was melting away. Lyra voiced her opinion on the snow and she grew sad when she no longer could play in the slushy white ice because she had taken a liking to the cold but Giselle made sure she wasn't near the ice for too long. Lyra didn't take that too well.

"I miss snow," Lyra whined one night as she sat on Giselle's lap as she read her a book. Giselle stopped reading the book and looked at her, one hand absent-mindedly stroking Lyra's dark hair.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait till next year to see the snow again, honey," She mumbled, turning the page of Babbity Rabbity but Lyra huffed and crossed her arms.

"But I miss it, I love snow!" She whined and Giselle laughed, throwing the book down and scooping her daughter up into her arms, her fingers gently prodding her ticklish sides.

"Gosh, you're such a fussy little devil, aren't you?" Giselle asked as she tickled Lyra and the small girl let out a shrill giggle, nodding.

"But I miss snow almost as much as I miss Uncle James, Aunt Lily and Harry but I don't love snow as much as them," Lyra babbled and Giselle winced, her words sharper than a stab in the chest. She looked at her daughter and watched her pout but her teeth began to chew on her bottom lip. Giselle wrinkled her nose and drew in a large breath.

Dumbledore was going to kill her.

"Do you wanna go visit James, Lily and Harry?" Giselle asked and Lyra gasped, letting her bottom lip go as she jumped up and down in her mother's arms. Giselle laughed and began to wrap Lyra up in thick clothing, gloves and a hat. She shoved on her own coat and quickly scribbled down a note for Sirius if he should return before they did. Knotting the belt to her coat, Giselle heard Lyra shout from the hallway for her to hurry up and it made her smirk.

"Ok, we're going!" Giselle exclaimed and she swooped down to pick up a twitchy excitable Lyra who was grinning ear to ear.

"This is much better than snow!" She told Giselle as she threw floo powder into the fireplace and shouted the Potter's address. The green flames swallowed them whole and as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Lily rush into the room with her wand out.

"Giselle?" She asked in confusion but she blinked hard and stood in front of Harry who was sat on the rug, "What are you – Er, what did I get you for your eighteenth birthday?" Lily asked and Giselle stepped out of the grates, brushing the soot off of herself and Lyra.

"You got me a beautiful pendent which, by the way, has been adopted by Lyra; she thinks it's a piece of treasure," Giselle replied and Lily dropped her wand but kept her smile very stark.

"What are you doing here? Dumbledore's gonna-,"

"-kill me, I know, but Lyra was moaning about how much she missed you," Giselle admitted and Lyra turned around and spotted Lily as if for the first time. She leapt from Giselle's arms and launched herself at her godmother, wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing her freckled cheeks.

"I can see that!" Lily said with a laugh as Lyra hugged her tightly. Her grey eyes scanned the room but she gasped loudly when she saw Harry on the floor with a toy in one hand. Her body slid from Lily's arms and landed onto the floor with soft thump. Harry looked up from his toys and his lips pulled up into an adorable half smile. His chubby hand waved side to side as Lyra sat down and carefully hugged him. She knew she had to be careful with Harry as Giselle and Sirius had told her he was younger and more delicate than her.

"How have you been?" Giselle asked Lily and she gave her a tired smile.

"Bored, very bored. I feel so useless," Lily explained and Giselle nodded, knowing exactly how she felt.

"I know, I feel awful watching Sirius leave when I'm at home looking after Lyra. I just hope this is all over soon and we can be a proper family with no worry of the war or the Death Eaters or…" Lily nodded and the pair stood in the kitchen, sipping their hot drinks while they heard Lyra chat happily to Harry who was making small noises as he tried to talk.

"Exactly. I don't know how Dumbledore expects us not to visit each other when the others are out fighting the goddamn war, it's ridiculous. He hasn't even told us why we're the ones hiding," She said quietly and Giselle nodded but she wrinkled her nose.

"It's something to do with Barty, I can feel it," She told Lily and Lily frowned, putting her mug down and pulling Giselle into a hug. She didn't know why the hug Lily gave her was relieving but she understood when a lump in her throat grew and tears prickled behind her eyes.

"Don't think about him, Elle. He is not coming near you, or Sirius, or Lyra, ok? You're going to be fine because we're here for you if that bastard tries to hurt you, I will personally hunt him down and kill him." Giselle let out a watery laugh and hugged Lily tighter.

"I try but I can't stop. I know he's gonna do something, You-Know-Who is using him for something and I'm scared. I know its stupid-,"

"-it's not stupid-," Lily added.

"It is stupid because I know he hates me but I can't help but hope he changes his mind and amends his mistakes yet I know he won't. He never will," Giselle mumbled but just as Lily opened her mouth to respond, the front door opened and James and Sirius walked in. Giselle glanced out through the kitchen door and held her breath as Sirius came storming over with a dirty look on his face.

"Giselle, what the fuck-," Sirius began, storming into the kitchen and Giselle frowned, wrinkling her nose and Sirius grabbed her and pulled her into the other room.

"I came home and you weren't there, I was worried sick-,"

"I left a note, Sirius-," She began but he shook his head, seething.

"A note? You don't think a Death Eater can easily forge a fucking note? Dumbledore told us to hide for a reason and you're here gallivanting around as if being killed is nothing to worry about! Think about our daughter, for crying out loud, you could have put her in severe danger," He shouted and Giselle glared back, her arms crossed.

"Don't you dare accuse me of endangering Lyra! We're sick of staying inside, doing nothing Sirius. You're always out-,"

"Now it's my fault?" His laugh was cruel, "I'm fighting this war for us, Elle. I'm out there fighting for you and Lyra but you're not taking this seriously. Merlin, I can't fucking believe you." Giselle stared at Sirius and breathed out deeply. She blinked away all of her tears and grabbed her coat off of the stand and shoved it on, avoiding his stare.

"Where are you going?" His voice was tired but Giselle sighed and brushed her fringe out of her eyes. Hoping not to burst into tears, she cleared her throat and looked up at him.

"I'm going home, I can't… Just stay safe and be careful," She croaked and quickly pecked his cheek, "Don't be too late."

"Giselle," Sirius began, reaching out to grab her but Giselle threw the front door open and left the Potter household. The cold hit her face like a thousand knives and the wind was a bitter scold but she hugged her torso and span. The suffocating stopped short as Giselle arrived at the entrance to the forest by Ember Cottage. It was the safest way home.

Twigs and mud squelched underneath her tough boots and she tried to ignore the eerie ambience of the forest. Her breaths came short and fast, the evidence fogging in front of her but the snap of a branch nearby caused her to flinch.

Somebody was here.

Her wand was quickly in her wand as she turned on the spot and the tip lit up strange shadows of nature. Giselle looked up into the bright flash and saw him staring back, barely shading his eyes from the light.

"What are you doing here?" Giselle breathed. She wasn't sure whether her limbs were shaking from the cold of from fright.

Bartemius Junior stared back and summoned a weak excuse for a smile. He took a step closer, the sticks crackling loudly as his cloak brushed the forest floor, but Giselle retreated from her younger brother.

"Is this how you greet your dear brother after months of no contact?" Barty asked and Giselle frowned and gripped her wand tighter.

"Funny, Barty, real funny. Answer me – what are you doing here?" Her voice never shook but she knew her whole body was.

"I've just come to chat," He said and Giselle scoffed.

"We've never chatted before in our whole lives," She spat.

Barty laughed, "You know that's not true, Giselle. Honestly," He pocketed his wand and held his hands up as if he was innocent, "I want to talk to you."

Giselle glared back. "I have no time for your tricks, Barty. I'm going to ask you once more and I want an honest answer – what do you want?"

"Please 'Elle. I want to talk to you," He muttered with the wind and Giselle's wand arm faltered.

"About what?"

"Are you happy?"

She stared at him in silence and felt her brows cramp from frowning and the cold wasn't helping.

"Of course I'm happy-,"

"The tears down your face say different," Barty said and took a step towards his sister. This time, Giselle didn't retreat. He was close enough for her to make out this dark eyes and the outline of his slim figure. She barely smiled as she noticed how tall he had grown.

"You deserve a lot more and I can give you that," He murmured, reaching out and moved a strand of hair from Giselle's face but she couldn't react. She stood there, staring at the brother she knew she had lost to the war.

"No, Barty, don't you dare-,"

"Please Giselle, I don't want to lose you – join us and fight for what's right."

"I can't believe you're doing this again. I have a family now," She whispered.

"But I'm your family, I always have been-,"

"Not since you made the terrible mistake in joining the Death Eaters. It's going to kill mother if she finds out the truth." Barty snorted and dropped his gaze.

"I know, that's why she can never find out. I never cared for Father," He spat, "but Mother, on the other hand…" He rubbed his gaunt face and sighed, "Please, Giselle."

"Barty, no."

"Giselle?"

The Crouch siblings looked towards the source of the newcomers and Giselle gasped, wrenching herself from Barty's reach and running over to Sirius and Lyra. It was one thing for her to have contact with Barty but giving her brother the chance to meet her daughter was another thing. He was a monster and nothing was ever going to change that.

"What is he doing here?" Sirius spat, his grey eyes dark and glaring at Bartemius who had faced the family of three and plastered his sickening façade onto his face.

"Ah, here they are Giselle, your family," His tone had risen and spiked the air with disdain. Giselle took Lyra from Sirius' arms as he revealed his wand and stared for Barty.

"How fucking dare you turn up here?!" Sirius roared and Barty smiled, taking his wand out from his pocket and readying himself for any potential duels.

"Can't a man visit his sister and," His eyes narrowed as he spotted the hiding lump in Giselle's arms, "his young niece who he hasn't had the pleasure of meeting?"

"No chance, Crouch," Sirius spat and shot a bright red spell at Barty. He reflected it and grinned, refusing to fight back.

"Don't worry, one day I'll have your precious fucking family and there's nothing you can do about it, Sirius." Bartemius chuckled and disapparated from the forest. Sirius and Giselle stared at the spot where Barty had disappeared but before Sirius could turn around, Giselle ran into his arms and pushed him towards the direction of Ember Cottage.

"Giselle, I'm sorry I overreacted-,"

"Not here, Sirius, please," Giselle sobbed, trying to stay calm for Lyra's sake and Sirius nodded. He kissed her temple softly and led his wife and daughter towards their safe haven.


Bartemius landed perfectly in the dark manor without as much as an echo. His cloak brushed the mahogany floor where the floorboards squeaked softer than a baby mouse. He entered the gigantic dining room and approached the head of the table that was currently surrounded by many hooded faces and glistening silver masks.

"My Lord," He said quietly but his voice was heard by them all, "I visited my blood traitor sister and I have seen her." A pair of scorching red eyes flicked and illuminated the dim darkness as he stared straight at Bartemius Crouch.

"Ah, the pureblood daughter?" Lord Voldemort asked, his slim fingers twirling a yew wand around like a delicate baton.

"Yes, my niece Lyra Black," He summoned a dark smile, "She's perfect for the ritual you describe."

Lord Voldemort rose to his feet and pushed the chair backwards harshly. He strolled over to large window pane behind him and stared out over the shivering night down in the valley. His thin lips pulled up into a smile and he narrowed his eyes.

"Excellent…"