A.N. / Know the last few chapters have been a bit down and sad. I'm sorry to say that they are going to be sad and then get a little happy and then go back down to sad.

A.N. / I got a review from someone saying that I needed to make up my mind if Harry was a prefect or not. I did. He wasn't a prefect last year, but he is one this year. Read the story right then judge me.

Chapter 36

On November 2nd the Daily Prophet featured a headline story, front page on Mrs. Arabella Black and the new baby Roselyn Mae Black. How the Daily Prophet found out? One of the nurses at St. Mungo's had tipped off the Daily Prophet for a heaping hunk of gold galleons. As soon as Sirius saw the article he set the paper on fire, and started to use fowl language…in which Anthony ran into the room and gave him a scolding about talking like that in front of his new born daughter.

"She's not here!" Sirius yelled back, "I can't take her home for another two days, and hell I don't know if I'll ever be able to bring her mother home! Hell I don't know if she'll make it!"

"You've been drinking this early?!" Anthony yelled back at Sirius, "It's nine in the morning for Merlin's sake! That's another good influence for you daughter. If Lily, James, and Remus were alive they'd kick you in your arse."

"Yeah yeah, and if Bella was awake she'd do it too…but guess what…THEIR NOT!"

Anthony threw his hands onto Sirius's shoulders, "Get a hold of yourself! I don't want to see you go like this! You're like a son to me, hell after you ran away from your parents home I took you into my home. You became James's brother and my son, you even went to Bridget's grave with us when we'd go see her."

"It's the least I could do, even though she passed away when James and I were young, the few years I did know her she was like a mother to me."

Anthony pulled the Daily Prophet out of his pocket, "Now let's see what they've said about our family now."

"Don't read that trash."

"Did you?"

"No."

"See Sirius, then we don't know if it's actually trash. Here I'll read it out loud for the both of us to hear."

"Woo-hoo," Sirius said dripping with sarcasm.

Minister Sirius Black a Widower?

It has come to the attention of The Daily Prophet that Minister Black's wife, Mrs. Arabella (Evans) Black has had difficulties with the new baby. We all know that Mrs. Black was pregnant years back, even before Mrs. Black's sister had James Potter's children.

Mrs. Black had a son for Minister Black twenty years ago, but she lost him to complications. Mrs. Black had a month and a half left until she brought the Black family's newest edition, Roselyn Mae Black.

Mrs. Black started having complications on October 31st, as she did with her first pregnancy. Healers at St. Mungo's prepped for surgery for an Emergency C-Section to bring baby Roselyn Mae Black into this world. Baby Roselyn is doing well and was born a very healthy little girl, and proud Papa Black is very overjoyed with the arrival of his daughter. But there is one problem, Mrs. Black slipped into a severe coma right after she was admitted to St. Mungo's. Even though Mrs. Black's condition has gotten a bit better, but she's no where out of the woods.

Minister Black had no comment for our reporter, but he did warn us to stay out of his family's affairs.

"Wow, you told them that?"

"You bet your arse I did," Sirius said downing the rest of the Firewhiskey he'd been drinking and threw the bottle to the ground. "I told you, the Daily Prophet can never print an honest word."

"They were trying!" Anthony yelled at Sirius, "This isn't a bad story compared to the other bull they've written before."

Life at Hogwarts became difficult for the children, as all they were was worried about Arabella and would she come out of this coma…would they ever see her alive? Of course all the Potter children were equally scared, but they were all taking their grief in different ways.

For instance Adora would at random moments start to talk about what it would be like if they did lose Arabella and start talking about death. Susan was the emotional one, she'd eventually cried in every single one of her classes, and some of the classes had had the pleasure of her crying more than once. Bridget had become the quiet and mysterious one, and you'd just turn you're head and she'd been gone.

Then there was Harry. Harry was the one that was yelling at random people for the littlest thing and as Harry was the Quidditch Captain this year he'd been training the team harder then ever and getting many groans. One day Harry had overhead Ron complaining to Ginny about it and before she could even respond Harry had jumped all over Ron and stormed off to his dormitory. After Ron was over being completely flabbergasted, he asked Ginny if he should go and follow Harry and apologize.

To Ron's surprise she shook her head and told Ron, "Just let him be. He's not taking this very well at all. He's expressing this the only way that he can think to."

Sirius had promised Susan he'd write everyday on how Arabella, Roselyn, David, and himself were doing. But as busy and crazy he was over everything. So since Anthony had temporarily moved in to help Sirius out with the crisis he was going through that Anthony had taken up the duty of writing Susan everyday and keeping her up on the current news.

November blew by so fast that it was a surprise to all the Potter children when they were studying for their end-of-term exams and would be going home to the Evans Manor, and even Adora would be joining them as her father was still staying with Sirius.

Sirius had began to chill out and not snap at everyone that asked him about his wife or his daughter. Sirius still wasn't coming into the office, but his Assistant Minister, Anthony of course had taken up and was doing everything. Sirius of course had to make a few appearances at some openings or bill signings but after all the important stuff was done, he'd immediately leave and end up at St. Mungo's by Arabella's bed side.

The day that the kids came home, Anthony was there to pick them up, and of course they were all happy to see Anthony but they were hoping it would have been Arabella.

When Draco was back at the Malfoy Manor, he'd noticed that Catarina was looking to good…in fact she was looking a bit sick, but she promised Draco that she was fine. As soon as Draco left the room, Cat dug under her bed and got our her disguise. She was going to see Arabella again tonight, Sirius had been letting her in to see Bella…and Cat knew she wouldn't be able to go tomorrow as it was Christmas. So Christmas Eve would be the only day she would be able to see Bella.

St. Mungo's was full of Christmas cheer and Sirius was being a big Scrooge. There was a knock at the door and when he turned to look he saw the woman in all black and knew it was Cat. He let her take his seat and he locked the door so she could lower her hood.

"How's she doing?" Catarina asked Sirius not looking up, but staring down at her old friend.

"Still the same," Sirius said rocking Roselyn back and forth.

Catarina looked up and saw the little bundle in his arms, "Is that Roselyn?"

He nodded and smiled with that fatherly pride, "Can I hold her?" Cat asked. Sirius nodded again and handed Roselyn to Catarina.

Sirius and Cat were too busy cooing over the baby to notice Arabella's hand begin to move, twitch her fingers, and her eyes flutter open. But they did hear her cough and when they looked up at her she had just put her hand down beside her. They both gasped and looked straight at Bella in awe.

"Sirius?" Arabella asked in a scratchy voice, because she hadn't used it in over a month.

"Bellie!" He rushed to the other side of the bed and clutched her hand.

Arabella began to cry, "I…I lost her. I lost Jason and…and now we don't have our Roselyn!" She pulled her hands up to her face and began to sob. Bella then looked at Catarina, "You had you're baby?" Cat shook her head no. "Then who's baby are you holding?" Bella asked sniffling.

"Bellie," Sirius walked over to Cat and took Roselyn. "It's our baby, our Roselyn." Sirius handed Roselyn to Bella.

"S…she lived?" Arabella gasped as she looked down at her daughter, and Roselyn grasped her mother's finger. Bella smiled, "She knows who I am….what day is it?"

"Christmas Eve," Cat said smiling. "I'll leave your little family now, the kids will want to know you're awake. And I know how much you hate me." Cat stood up and began to cover herself with her hood.

"No, wait." Arabella spoke up, "Please Cat. I'm sorry about before…I shouldn't have been such a nasty witch."

"No Belle, it's okay you thought…"

"No, seriously. If Sirius trusts you, so should I. You were the only person that helped me out after Jason died. Yes you are married to Lucius Malfoy but you are still one of us, you know one of the good guys. It's not like you married Lucius on your own free will…he probably threatened you and your baby's life."

Catarina shook her head, "No just my life. Lucius said if I didn't marry him he'd kill me after I delivered Bree," She said sighing deeply.

"You don't think he'll arrange to have you killed after you deliver Bree?" Arabella asked worried about Catarina, in which surprised Sirius and Catarina. "What?!" Arabella said looking back and forth between the two of them.

"You're actually worried about her?" Sirius asked amazed.

Bella rolled her eyes, "I'm not a complete heartless witch!" She said breathing deeply and looking back down at her almost two month old daughter, who began to cry.

"Oh! She's hungry!" Sirius said running to Roselyn.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, Belle. I've been around her twenty-four, seven." Sirius handed her a bottle with formula already in it.

She shook her head and unbuttoned her shirt so she could breastfeed Roselyn, and it was as if Roselyn knew just what to do. Arabella looked back up at Catarina, "So you don't think he'll have you killed after you deliver Bree?" She repeated.

Cat shook her head, "No the Malfoy's aren't like that. You don't kill family."

"Draco tried to kill his father," Bella offered.

"Yeah and Lucius killed Narcissa." Sirius said stupidly and Arabella rolled her eyes at her husband.

Cat sighed and began to explain, "First Draco didn't kill Lucius, because he didn't have enough hate built up inside of him. So he hasn't killed his family, besides Draco doesn't count Lucius his family. Second, Narcissa wasn't family anymore…they were divorced and she was married to Remus."

"Oh yeah," Sirius said feeling utterly stupid.

"I should go, I should really let this little family get to know one another. You haven't had any time at all with your daughter and haven't seen your husband since Halloween." Catarina offered.

"Wait, just before you leave." Arabella said as she couldn't lunge out to her, because she was still feeding Roselyn.

"I would like to know if you'd want to be Roselyn's Godmother."

Catarina smiled at her and patted her friend on her shoulder, "Belle. You know I'd love to, but I'm afraid I can't."

"Why not?" Sirius and Arabella asked at the exact same time.

"For the safety of Roselyn's well being."

"What do you mean?"

"Even if we keep it secret, I'd be so afraid that Lucius would find out. If he found out that I was in contact with you two again and that I was her Godmother…I know that he'd come after her. She's already got a big enough target on her little life. With being a Black, an Evans, the Minister of Magic's daughter, and add that she's related to the Potters. So like I said before, I'm flattered that you'd want me to be Roselyn's Godmother but I'd rather protect her then have the privilege of being her Godmother. You're not mad at me are you?"

Arabella smiled and shook her head, "No. Of course not. I'm glad you're thinking of my daughter. Hopefully I'll see you soon at the next meeting?"

Cat nodded her head, "As long as I can get Lucius out of the house."

"Don't lose touch."

"Bellie, I promise I won't." Cat said with a smile before she slipped her cloak back on and covered her face up with her hood and then walked out and was ready to Floo back to the Malfoy Manor.

"Y…you were nice to her!" Sirius said stunned as Arabella was burping Roselyn.

"I realized when I woke up to see her that I needed to let this go. I'm a mother now, and she'll soon be one too; and we should be mature. Or rather I should be mature, and especially in front of my baby daughter."

"Very mature of you my dear," Sirius said leaning down to kiss his wife.

"Don't you think we should alert the nurse that I'm awake…as I've recently found out that today is Christmas Eve and the last time I saw your darling face it was Halloween."

"Oh! The nurse! I completely forgot, with you waking up, and your peace treaty with Cat. I'll go alert the nurse and I'm going to borrow one of their owls to owl the kids."

"Where are they?" Arabella asked looking around waiting for them to jump out and say 'Surprise!' "Their not spending the holidays at Hogwarts just because I was here in the hospital, are they?"

Sirius shook his head no, "No. Their at home with Anthony." Sirius looked down at his feet trying to avoid his wife's eyes now. "Spending as much time as they could with David before…"

Arabella sat straight up and held Roselyn closer to herself, "What about David!"

Sirius sat on Arabella's bed beside her, "David has family in America."

"Wait?! No he doesn't! Albus checked and we were only going to look after David, but Albus found out that he didn't have any family at all. So we became David's guardians. They can't take him away from us!" She began to cry.

"They had a different name and they were trying to hid as much as possible because they knew the threat that the Chang's had been under before they were murdered. They recently found out that Cho had a child, David, and that not only was she murdered but so was her family, David's father and Cedric's parents. They want full custody of David."

"But they can't take him away from us! We're his guardians!"

"They were named his Godparents. Belle, he's leaving the second of January."

"So soon!" She began to cry again, "I want to go home now!"

"Their not going to let you."

"Then you bring him here to me. He turns one tomorrow, and I want a birthday party thrown for him tomorrow here…since I can't leave this place! And everyone has to open their Christmas presents here. Oh no! I wasn't able to buy presents for anyone!"

"It's okay. I found your list that you had started to write down, and I bought a few other things for all the kids."

"And Anthony?"

"Of course, he's like a father to the both of us."

"But I didn't get you anything Sirius."

"Belle just you waking up is the best Christmas present that I could ask for."

"That's sweet Sirius, now go alert the nurses and go get the kids."

"Right-o my wife," he leaned down to kiss Bella on the lips and kissed Roselyn on the top of her head as Bella began to rock back and forth to help put Roselyn to sleep.

At the Malfoy Manor…

Draco sat at the kitchen eating some French toast that the house-elf had made him for breakfast when he heard someone coming through the fireplace from the Floo Network. The person slipped off a black hood from her face and it appeared to be…

"Catarina? What the hell? Where were you? Father's been looking all over for you, and I had to lie for you and tell him you had a doctor appointment for the baby."

"Ah!" Came a voice from behind the both of them which happened to belong to Lucius Malfoy, "There you are Catarina my dear. So what did the doctor say about the baby."

Catarina smiled, "The doctor said our little baby girl is as healthy as a hippogriff."

"Anything else?" Lucius asked.

"Yeah I've got to go see the doctor in a week."

Lucius nodded, "Very well. I have a meeting with the Dark Lord, don't expect me home until late tonight." Catarina nodded and Lucius went on, "Draco you keep your stepmother company."

"Yeah," Draco waved as he kept eating his French toast.

"Alright," Lucius nodded while rubbing Catarina's belly. "You be careful and make sure nothing can hurt her." Then he apparated out of the kitchen.

"Bastard," Draco said with a mouth full of French toast.

Catarina popped him in the back of the head, "What?!" He yelled.

"Don't talk like that."

"Why not? You hate father as much as I do, so why can't I talk about him?"

"I don't want to hear that kind of language, the baby might hear you." She said with a smile as Draco formed a smirk. "You going to Susan's today?"

"Yeah…how did you know?"

"Figured it, but you might not want to go right now…she won't be there."

"And why won't she?"

"Arabella woke up today and I imagine their all at St. Mungo's all happy and around Arabella."

"How do you know she's awake?" Draco asked raising his eyebrows at his stepmother.

"I was there, that's what the hood was for. I wanted to see her and Roselyn…I knew Sirius would be there. She woke up while I was there."

"She didn't go crazy on you?"

"No. She apologized for how rude she'd been to me," Cat smiled. "She even asked me to Roselyn's Godmother, but I declined."

"WHY?!" Draco asked.

"That baby already has enough of a target on her, and if your father or You-Know-Who found out…I don't want to think what could happen to her."

Draco nodded, "I agree."

"So what do you want to do today?" Arabella asked her stepson, "You know since your girlfriend will be busy visiting her aunt today…so how about you and me do something?"

"Like?"

"Let's get in a disguise and go get some ice cream in Diagon Alley, Bree here wants ice cream and is bugging me to feed her some icecream. So what do you say?"

Draco smiled at her, "Lets go!"

Back at St. Mungo's…

"Bella!" Susan screamed as she charged into Arabella's room like a charging bull and lunged on her aunt, thank goodness Sirius had been in the room first and had Roselyn in his arms.

"Susan!" Bella giggled, "I can see you missed me."

"Are you kidding me?! I about died! But my prayers came true! We've got our Christmas miracle! You're awake!" Then the rest of the kids and Anthony entered the room, all looking excited but not as crazy as Susan.

"Okay Susan get out of the way, the rest of us would like to see her." Bridget said shoving on her older sister.

"Yeah, yeah." Susan said getting up but going to Sirius and took Roselyn so she could hold the baby now.

"Hey you guys," she said with a pained smile.

"Did the charging bull give you a hernia?" Harry said with a chuckle.

"Ha, ha; four-eyes." Susan said rolling her eyes at her older brother.

All of the Potters and the new Black family got reacquainted with Arabella, and had a very Merry Christmas Eve…and Christmas was just going to be so much sweeter.