Black Night Part Six Rated R Narcissa/Rabastan, Narcissa/Lucius, Bellatrix/Severus

He had realized rightly that he was far to weak for Apparition. Not only had he lost too much blood, but his emotions were also running high and he couldn't risk being splinched. He would have to guess, going from one place to another until he found them.

First, he went back to the Tenement to see what he could find out.

The living room was a disaster zone - there were bloodstains in the carpet and the furniture had been viciously slashed to bits. He looked carefully at the remains of the couch Ted had been sleeping on and saw that the slashing did not seem to be without purpose. The shape the cuts made was, very distinctly, the Dark Mark.

That meant that whoever had done it had had extra time.

Sirius' stomach lurched awfully; suddenly the bloodstains meant so much more and he stumbled over to the window the Death Eaters had broken in and was violently sick into the hedges below.

He was afraid to go back into Nymphadora's bedroom, afraid of what might be there, but he had no choice.

There were bloodstains in this room, too, and Sirius was sick again at seeing the way it appeared blood had pooled around a still form on the ground. Remus Remus Remus Remus Remus and Sirius felt tears run down his cheeks, of frustration, of loss, of anger and sadness is he even alive he's my brother he's my family he's got to be alive he can't die no this is a nightmare it's all wrong wake up -

The Muggle musicbox was playing, having fallen open on the floor and miraculously left unharmed.

IAnd down shall fall baby, cradle and all. . .I

Sirius fled the room.

The next obvious place to check was Narcissa and Bella's apartment. He looked into the jar of Floo powder and his heart leapt in hope.

There was less there than there had been when he'd gone to Grimmauld Place. Could some of them still be alive?

If it was only Snape, Sirius didn't know what he'd do. But he didn't even wish that death for Snape. No one deserved it.

And Death Eaters probably wouldn't kill one of their own, he thought savagely as fireplaces and green flames spun a web around him.

He felt solid ground at last, and felt blackness threatening him again.

This time he fought at it, focusing on the blinding light.

There was someone there, moving towards him. He focused, tried to stand up, and felt hands help him, carefully getting him to his feet and moving him forward.

His eyes finally came back into focus, and he looked around at whoever was helping him.

It was Ted. He felt his breath go out of him in relief and fear, wondering - had Ted been the only one to make it out?

But no, that was Snape glancing up at him from a seat in the kitchen.

"Good God, Black, what happened?" the greasy-haired man demanded, and at the same time Ted said softly, "Where's Nymphadora?"

"Nymphadora's all right," he said, having to force out every word. "I - when I was going for the fire, I tripped. I dropped her, but she was okay, just a bit stunned, and I got this -" he indicated his head, "but Regulus patched it up as best he could. My parents, thank God, were out. I left Nymphadora there. Regulus will take care of her. What happened to Bella and Remus?"

His voice broke at the last words and he steeled himself, vowing not to cry in front of Snape, but the man just stared at him for a moment before saying, "They'll live, both of them."

Sirius sank to his knees involuntarily and gave a shudder. "I went to the Tenement to see what I could find out and I thought - there was blood everywhere -"

"I killed one of them," Ted whispered, looking suddenly pale. "I killed him."

"Death Eaters," Snape said, almost dismissively. "Most of them are worthless trash anyway."

"How are they?" Sirius asked, not seeming to take in anything that had been said.

"Bella was still on her feet when it was done," Snape said, a note of pride in his voice, but then it faded. "I had to stun her when we got here, she was going to make it worse - she got a Slashing Hex in the stomach fairly badly, but she stayed on her feet and kept duelling. She took out three others. As for Lupin. . ." He looked suddenly uncertain. "He's worse off. They Stunned him and slashed him nearly to death. Bella actually carried him, in her condition, running toward the fire. She saved his life. There is no doubt about that."

"Is he going to be. . ." Sirius started to whisper, and then changed what he was saying. "Why haven't you taken him to St. Mungo's?"

"Because," Snape said, slightly unkindly with a twist of his lip, "when he woke breifly, he insisted we should not."

Sirius gaped. There was a long silence, and he stood slowly, then whispered in a trembling voice, "Why?"

Now Snape looked stony; he looked at Ted, who looked uncomfortably at Sirius. Finally, Ted said softly, "All he said when we asked was your name. Then he was out again."

"You should have taken him anyway. He might not have been lucid -"

"He was," Snape said quietly. "He was."

"You should have - have -"

"Sirius," Ted said in a gentle voice, "you have to understand that we had no idea what had happened to you. None of us saw you Floo away, none of us knew where you had gone, and for all we knew you were bleeding to death somewhere with Nymphadora. We might never have found you."

"From now on things have to be different," Snape said quietly. "For the rest of the search. If we separate, we set a time to meet each other again. If we're attacked, we set a place beforehand, at least to send word to if one of us has to go to St. Mungo's." He glared at Sirius. "Agreed?"

Sirius nodded curtly.

"I -" Ted looked suddenly uncertain. "Do you think I should come with you? To look?"

"No," Sirius and Snape said at the same time, and then shot each other identical glares.

"The thing is, Ted, they're after either you or Nymphadora," Sirius said. His voice was still wavering, but he was making an obvious effort to steady it. "It's too dangerous, and if you don't mind, I think you should go to Grimmauld Place. Regulus is strong, but if they attack, if they find her, he's going to need help. And I don't mean any offense, but if Remus and Bella are out of the search for now. . ." Sirius sighed and looked halfheartedly at Severus. "I don't want to have to worry about someone else. You aren't as trained for this sort of thing. I hope you don't take offense at this."

"Not at all," Ted said quickly. "I agree. I'll go. Er. . .your parents won't kick me out, will they?"

"Regulus won't let them," Sirius said, too fast. Snape shot him a look with raised eyebrows.

"Cepheus might not hold for it, Black."

"Tell my father three out of four of your grandparents were magical - if you're three-quarter blood it'll be enough, and if he tries the spell he's been working on - the one to see if someone is pure-blooded - well, it can't tell the difference between Muggle-born and three-quarters blood. It's rubbish," he added, suddenly viciously. "And where do you think you get off calling my father by his first name?" he shot at Snape.

"Would you prefer I said 'Black might not hold for it, Black'?" Snape snarled. "Honestly, if you want to be an Auror you'll have to be better than a -"

Ted cut them off rather nervously. "Do you - er - know where the Floo Powder is? I'd like to get there as soon as possible."

Snape led Ted into the living room, and Sirius started to move away, towards the back hall and the bedrooms.

The light was on in the first one, and he opened the door carefully. Bellatrix was sitting on the bed, and she looked up at him. An expression lit her face of such relief and an icy version of delight that he felt happy himself. "Sirius!" she breathed, and coughed. Her lips twisted. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. You?"

"Severus is making it out to be worse than it is," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "I lost some blood. Nothing I'm -" She cut off, and grinned a bit, shaking her head. Her smile faded quite suddenly.

Sirius moved into the room and sat down next to her. He touched her cheek hesitantly, but with real emotion, and when he pulled his finger away she looked quite surprised.

"I heard what you did," he whispered. "You saved his life. Bella, I know you don't like me, but you're not half as bad as you try to be." He flashed her a smile, stood, and left her sitting on the bed.

"But I am, Sirius," she whispered after the door was shut. "I am."