Chapter 4: From Bad to Worse

Arielle and Victoria layed in bed together, talking quietly. Although it was late, neither women were the least bit tired. Remus had gone to the cellar hours before, and every now and then a howl would escape from his prison to send a shiver down the sisters' spines.

"How do you think Sirius is doing?" Arielle asked for the fifteenth time that night.

"I'm sure he's fine," Victoria reassured her sister. "Just relax, Arie, you're going to worry yourself to death." Arielle sighed. She knew Victoria was right but she couldn't help but worry about Sirius. He had acted so strange before…

"Ooh!" Victoria shouted, bolting upright.

"What is it?" Arielle asked, concern in her voice.

"The baby," Victoria exclaimed, holding her stomach and looking at Arielle. "It's kicking!" Arielle sat up quickly and placed a hand on Victoria's swollen belly. She felt a gentle kick against Victoria's stomach and she giggled shrilly.

"Does it hurt, Vicky?" she asked, watching Victoria's stomach in wonder.

"No," Victoria answered. "It just fells weird. Oh, I wish Remus was here to see this…"

The two women continued to feel Victoria's stomach when suddenly there was a loud crash from outside. Arielle jumped out of bed in surprise and Victoria gasped. The two of them both ran to the front window to see what had made the noise and were shocked and horrified at what met their eyes.

Sirius, drenched in sweat and dripping blood from his bottom lip, was firing stunning spells and Peter, who was equally sweaty and bloody. The dueling men were both reflecting each others spells, and the spells were ricocheting and hitting things, destroying them completely. Arielle and Victoria both ran outside, screaming at Sirius and Peter to stop.

"Sirius!" Arielle shouted, looking at him in shock and disbelief. "What on earth are you doing? Stop shooting right now!" Sirius glanced over at Arielle, wild fear in his eyes.

"Arie!" he yelled. "You and Vicky need to get out of here right now! Leave!" Arielle pulled out her wand and was about to run out into the fray, but Victoria grabbed her arm.

"Arie, are you mad?" she screeched, her eyes filled with terror. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

"I have to stop them, Vicky!" Arielle protested. "They're going to hurt each other, or worse!"

"Listen," Victoria said seriously, grasping Arielle's shoulders. "I don't know what's going on, but we should listen to Sirius and leave. Something bad is happening and we have to get away before we can't!"

"I'm not leaving!" Arielle shouted, retching herself from Victoria's grasp. "Sirius!" Arielle turned and started to run to him, but before she knew what happened, a stunning spell hit her and everything went black. She couldn't tell who had hit her, and her whole body went rigid as she hit the ground.

"Arie!" Sirius and Victoria screamed in unison as Peter cackled viciously, his wand still pointing at her still body. Sirius and Victoria both ran to Arielle, but Sirius reached her first. He dropped to his knees but before he could do anything, Peter had used this time to hit him with a spell. Invisible ropes wrapped themselves around his wrists and ankles, and Sirius fell over, struggling and cursing Peter.

Victoria reached Arielle and Sirius and stood staring at Peter in disbelief. "Peter…" she said softly, her eyes wide with shock. "What…Why are you doing this?" Peter just smirked evilly as Sirius shouted at Victoria.

"Vicky, run!" he yelled, writhing on the ground, trying in vain to free himself. "Get out of here, now! He's with Voldemort, he sold Lily and James out to him! They're dead, Vicky, you have to leave, now!"

Victoria stared at Sirius then Peter. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, and although Sirius continued to yell at her to leave, she couldn't move. Peter slowly advance toward her, chuckling softly. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this, Victoria," he said, his voice uncannily calm. "You weren't supposed to be involved at all, but old Sirius here had to drag you into it…" He stopped and shot Sirius a cold glare. "Well, I can't have any witnesses, not can I?" he continued, still walking towards her. He raised his wand and before Victoria could do or say anything he shouted "Avada Kedavra!". A rush of green light flew at her, wiping the life from her body. Sirius shouted when she fell, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Tears streamed from Sirius' eyes as Peter walked up beside him. "You bastard," he whispered, hatred in his voice. "She was pregnant. She didn't do anything, she was no threat to you! Remus' baby…" Sirius trailed off, his body shaking from sobs. Peter scowled at him and kicked him swiftly in his ribs. Sirius was sent rolling from the force, and coughed violently.

Peter knelt down beside Arielle, who was still lying unconscious on the ground. He raised a trembling hand and gently touched her face. "Arie…" he said softly, an almost mad look in his eye. "Oh, how long I have waited for this moment…"

"Don't you touch her again…" Sirius snarled viciously, struggling harder than ever to get free of the invisible ropes. Peter ignored Sirius completely, his gaze still fixed on Arielle.

"Such a beautiful woman…" he whispered, his hand caressing her smooth cheek. "I have always wanted you for myself, always hoped you would love me…but you chose that pretty boy, Sirius…Well no matter…You will be mine…one way or another…" His hand slowly began to trail down her neck, her chest, across her stomach, until Peter froze. His face contorted in pain as he slowly fell over. Sirius had finally managed to break through the spell that had bound him and he had shot a stunning spell right at Peter's back.

Sirius stood, gasping for breath, and rushed to Arielle's side. He gently picked her up and carried her into the house, lying her on the living room couch. Tears streamed down his blood-stained, dirty face as he kissed her forehead. He took one last look at her before he ran back outside to attend to Peter. However, when he got outside, Peter was nowhere to be seen. Sirius cursed loudly, then, exhausted as he was, once again changed into a large, black dog, and began tracking down Peter once again.

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