A/N: Sangria tastes like overly sweet grape juice.

And as always.....,

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Although this story is totally original in concept, the general set-up and background is so plagiarized, it isn't even funny. If you see anything related to the Harry Potter series, know that it is the property of JK 'Look, people, if you don't like what I do, don't read the books. Like that will really hurt me and my millions and millions of dollars. Pfffft!' Rowling and her 'But it will hurt us, please buy the books' publishers.

Chapter Twenty: One More Room

Katlin cautiously allowed herself to be directed down the hallway. From behind her, Orion was guiding her direction as he held his hands over her eyes.

"Orion!" She complained for the third time. "Now this is really getting annoying. When do I get to see?"

"Just a few more seconds." He promised in an eagerly happy sounding voice. "Just keep walking."

It had been just a under a month since she had told him about the pregnancy, and she was starting to wonder just how good an idea it had been. Since she had come to live with him, whenever he was home, he had hardly let her out of his sight. He had even suggested that on days she went to the lair, that she allow him to come and collect her to take her home. A suggestion that met with strict refusal. But all the constant attention was getting to be a bit more than she could handle. She simply wasn't use to someone always being at her elbow.

Katlin felt herself turned in a new direction and carefully maneuvered into a certain location.

"All right?" Orion announced. "Are you ready?"
Katlin folded her arms across her chest and huffed. "I've been ready for the past several minutes."

Orion pulled his hands away from her eyes.

Katlin was utterly speechless at the sight that greeted her.

Laid out before her was a completely furnished nursery. Perfect down to the last detail.

"Orion!" She squealed in delight, spinning about as she hugged him around the neck. "I can't believe you did this! You are so wonderful!"

"But do you like it?" He asked with a smirk as he watched Katlin immediately spin back around and start off looking around the room. After a few minutes she settled into a large, comfortable rocking chair that was set by an elegantly carved, wooden crib, a small stuffed hippogriff in her lap. Her eyes, sparkling with delight, turned back to him as he walked over to her and crouched by her side.

"Well?" He asked again.

"It's beautiful." She said, hugging the stuffed toy to her as she looked around the room again. "But," she added, noticing the soft pink color of the room suddenly, "what if it's a boy?"

Orion pulled out his wand and flicked it at the ceiling. A shower of light flew up and hit the ceiling, then spread out over the ceiling and walls, turning them a pale shade of blue.

"But you started with pink." Katlin observed. "You're not casting favorites, I hope?"

Orion shrugged happily. "A little girl would be nice. But a boy would be easier when he gets to be a teenager."

Katlin gave him an incredulous look. "And how do you figure that?" She asked.

Orion smiled, then leaned up and kissed her cheek. "Because a girl will undoubtedly turn out to be as beautiful as her mother. And I'll spend all her teenage years fighting the boys off my doorstep."

"Whereas you're just going to let your son run wild?"

Orion smiled at her. "Boys will be boys, Love."

"Well, I see proper upbringing will be left to me."

Orion got to his feet. "He'll have the Black genes."

"And what does that mean?"

"We're scoundrels, Love. Every one of us."

Katlin gave him a disbelieving look. "Well, no son of mine is going to be known as a scoundrel."

Orion shook his head as he helped her to her feet. "It's genetics, Katlin. You can't fight it."

"Watch me! And if all the men in your family are scoundrels, what are the females?"

"Oh, well, that's where you come in, you see. Your genes will win out then, and she'll be more like her mother. Happens every time in my family."

"Well then, I'm pulling for a girl."

"Girls are nice."

"Or a boy."

"Boys are good too."

Katlin turned to him. "You have no preference whatsoever, do you?"

Orion smiled at her. "Just 'healthy'. Past that, I don't care."

Katlin settled back in the rocking chair, falling into a nervous silence.

Orion tugged at the sleeve of her robe. "Hey." He asked. "What is it?"

Katlin sat for a while, then shook her head. "Orion, we can't keep this a secret forever." She said softly, turning to him. "What are we going to do when I start to show? Voldemort is going to realize I'm pregnant eventually. What I'm I going to tell him?"

Orion shrugged with a happy sort of smile. "He's about to become a grandfather...sort of?"

Katlin gave him a small smile, but it quickly faded as she turned back to the toy in her lap. "What am I going to tell him?"

"Aren't you allowed to be pregnant?"

"He'll asked who the father is."

Orion paused before he went on. His next question was one he hadn't even considered before, and it didn't leave him any too comfortable. But nor did he like even asking it of her. "Could it be someone else?"

Katlin gave him a shocked look. "No! Why would you even ask me that?"

"Katlin, I'm not trying to be insulting, but Love, you're not mine exclusively. I know that. I always have and I accept it."

Katlin turned back to the stuffed toy again, saying nothing.

"Katlin?"

"It couldn't possibly be anyone else's." She said quietly. Slowly she turned to him. "There hasn't been anyone else. Not for a very long time."

Orion's expression suddenly brightened. "Really?"

"Oh, stop looking so pleased."

"But wouldn't Voldemort become a bit suspicious about why you've gotten so selective lately?"

Katlin stared back at him. "Hardly! Despite what you may think, Orion Black, Voldemort is not my pimp and I am not his whore. I do not sleep with men because Voldemort tells me to. I do so of my own initiative because sometimes it is the best way to get what I need."

"So tell him your not sure."

"Right. That doesn't make me sound cheap."

"Then tell him the truth, Love."

Katlin gave him a searching look. "I'm sorry. And how long do you think you'll stay alive after I divulge that little tidbit to him?"

Orion thought for a moment, then shook his head with a small laugh. "I don't know. Interesting mental picture though."

Katlin leaned back in the chair. "What is?"

"Lord Voldemort, the most feared and powerful dark wizard of the past century, ripping down my front door to kill me, not because I'm an Auror, not because I'm a royal pain in his backside, not because I'm hated by 99% of his followers, and not because I've put a large number of his loyal Deatheaters in Azkaban, but....," he stated, pausing for effect, "because I got his favorite Elite pregnant."

Katlin giggled at the statement. "Yup. That would be interesting to see."

Orion sighed as he hugged her. "I'll tell you what, Love." He offered. "Let's worry about it when we have to, all right? Maybe you can just take a little leave of absence or something? We can go on a nice long vacation to Spain or something."

"Spain sounds nice."

"You'll like it there."

"I don't think I'd want to have the baby there though."

"Austria's nice too."

Katlin shook her head again. "Here."

"Pardon?"

"Here. I want to have it here, Orion. When the time comes, I want us to be here."

"Why here?"

"Because it's home."

Orion smiled as he wrapped her in his arms. "Yes, it is, Love." He replied. "Yes it is."

Q&A

Sailor Sol: Katlin has many ties to Voldemort. But the strongest is, of course, the fact that in her most impressionable years, the man was her sole instructor. So what she learned, she learned from him. And what was her first lesson? If someone hurts you, you strike back harder.

Well, we do know Lupin will make it to the sixth book, since he survived Book Five. The series has, tragically I feel, gone from 'What will happen to Harry this year?' to 'Who will survive this year?'. Not much of a children's book if you ask me.

I have high doubts that Dumbledore will survive the series. And I think for that we will get the same 'I'm so sorry, but it was necessary for the plot' bit.

I guess we'll have to wait and see.

As for Lupin coming back as the DADA teacher, I have my doubts. the running gag in this series seems to be seeing who the new DADA teacher will be each year. Personally I think in the end of the series one of two people will end up with the job. Lupin or Snape. Although there is a large popular vote that Harry will be the DADA teacher at the end. In that regard, I think Harry will end up as the new Headmaster. But that's just me.

Werepup: No, no, Dear. Not THOSE kind of lemons.

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Have a nice day! (Just leave me out of it.)