Author's Note:

I know it's taken a long time, but we are nearly to the end of the second installment in the Adrianna Fawley series! The next chapter will be the last, and part three is ready to begin soon after.

Thank you again to everyone who has stuck with me through this story.

Dragonwing

OOOOOOOOOO

Ch. 15 - The Calm Before the Storm:

New Year's Eve, 1978:

Adrianna sat at the kitchen table in the flat she shared with Sirius and Remus. Her quill scratched across the parchment in front of her as she wished her parents a Happy New Year and filled them in on the progress she'd made deciding on a possible career. The available information on humanoid beings in wizarding text books really was abysmal. There was a chance she could start out writing articles or research papers, and work her way up to academic texts. But first she was going to need the cooperation of a few of her aunts.

She looked up from her letter as Remus' barn owl, a bird that somehow managed the same slightly-shabby look as its owner, glided in through the open kitchen window.

"Hi there, Cocoa." She opened the dish of owl treats they kept on the table and fed him a few tidbits. "No reply again, huh?"

Hooting softly, the owl held each of his clawed feet out for her to inspect, showing that he had indeed been sent away again without a response to her latest letter.

Adrianna sighed, stroking a finger over Cocoa's chest feathers. "It's not your fault, don't worry."

The owl nipped at her hand and flew back out the window to the roost on top of the building. She had a feeling the bird wouldn't be losing much sleep over this.

Adrianna had sent Severus a total of six letters since their return from America, and each time Cocoa had returned without a reply. She knew the letters were being delivered, otherwise the owl would have brought them back, as he was trained to do. Perhaps it was time to charm one of them to notify her when it was opened, at least then she'd know if he was reading them or not.

She couldn't deny it, she was worried about Severus. Knowing what she did about the Death Eaters from her aunts, she could only hope he wasn't in too deep.

The door to the flat burst open. Remus and Sirius rushed in from the cold, arms full of shopping bags from Diagon Alley. They stamped the ice from their boots and shook the snow from the tops of their shoulders.

"Hey Adrianna!" Remus deposited his bundles on the kitchen counter.

"Wow. Did you find everything?" she asked.

"Dear Merlin, I hope so." Sirius stacked his bags next to Moony's. He took off his knit cap and shook his shaggy hair out, then bent down to give Adrianna a kiss. "Hello love."

"Hi there." She grinned. The boys were preparing for James' stag night the following week. Adrianna had no idea what was involved with a wizard stag night, but after seeing some of the items the boys had brought home the last few days, she also had a feeling it was best she didn't know. That was also probably why they were having the party in January, even though the wedding wasn't until early spring. There would be time for any misdirected magic to wear off.

"What time are Peter, Lily, and James coming over tonight?" Remus asked.

"Around eight, I think?" Adrianna rolled up her parchment and gathered her writing supplies. She still had a few things to do before the others came over to ring in the New Year. The letter to her parents could wait until the morning.

OOOOOOOOOO

June 1979:

Adrianna pressed a kiss to Sirius' cheek as he slept. His pale skin was still flushed from their earlier lovemaking. She quickly dressed in Muggle clothing and slipped out of the room.

And if she used a little succubus magic to make sure Sirius didn't wake up, well, there was no one around to see.

She crept through the darkened flat and was reaching for her coat when the refrigerator door opened and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Moony!" Adrianna hissed.

"Sorry, Adrianna." Remus was backlit by the light from the fridge long enough for him to reach in and grab a carton of milk. He shut the door and poured himself a glass full. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"It's alright." Adrianna joined him in the kitchen. "Can't sleep?"

"Not really." He shrugged. "Full moon coming up soon." His eyes focused on her in the gloom and he nodded at her clothes. "Succubus meeting?"

"Yes, unfortunately." She slipped her coat on. "Lilith called an emergency gathering."

"Is it about…?" Remus trailed off.

"I'm afraid so." Her brows drew together. "I know the succubi tend to stay out of wizarding affairs, but something just doesn't feel right about it this time."

"Be careful." Remus took a sip and grimaced. "I don't know why I thought this would help. I don't even like milk that much."

"Come here." Adrianna took Lupin's hand and led him over to the couch. When he was seated in a comfortable position, she stood behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. A thin trickle of silver light passed from her to him, and Remus sagged back against the cushions.

"Thanks." Remus smiled dopily up at her.

"No problem, Moony." She kissed his forehead. "If I'm not back by the time Sirius wakes up, you'll fill him in right?"

"Mmm-hmm…" Remus was asleep by the time the door closed behind her.

OOOOOOOOOO

Adrianna apparated into the meeting point set by Lilith. This wasn't their most sacred or protected place, but the trees around her glowed with succubus magic absorbed over the years, lighting their way even in the middle of the night.

All around her, other succubi were appearing in flashes of bright color.

"Hello, darling." Celeste came into view and hugged her daughter. "I'm so sorry your father and I weren't able to make it to James and Lily's wedding. How was it?"

"Everything was wonderful." Adrianna squeezed her mother. "Although, the photographer accidentally left me out of most of the photos. Apparently my dampening charm was too strong and he kept forgetting I was there."

"Oh dear. Well, perhaps you can take more pictures together this Christmas. I'm sure your father would be happy to help." Celeste linked arms with her before she could reply. They joined the circle the rest of the succubi had formed at the forest's center. Seshat appeared on Adrianna's other side.

Lilith stepped into the middle of the circle.

"Sisters." Her molten gold eyes bore into them. "Last night, our territory in Ireland was invaded by a man. A wizard."

Whispers swept through the circle. Adrianna felt her mother stiffen beside her.

Lilith continued. "We do not yet know how he obtained a spell strong enough to break through our barriers. But it appears, he has been sent as a messenger by the orchestrator of the dark currents that we have been tracking these last several years. The wizard who calls himself Voldemort."

Adrianna hissed before she could stop herself. Seshat took her hand and Adrianna bowed her head in apology to Lilith for her outburst.

"Sekhmet." Lilith called. "Bring the messenger."

A green succubus with long chestnut hair appeared next to Lilith. Her hands gripped the shoulders of a bound and gagged wizard in black robes. The scrawny man's eyes bulged out of his skull at the sight of the beautiful, deadly creatures surrounding him.

Adrianna didn't recognize him. Of course, most of the wizards and witches she knew were either from Hogwarts or through her work.

Lilith glared down at their captive. "This Voldemort must believe we are no better than drooling trolls, to expect we would tie ourselves in servitude to a human." Her fangs bared and the wizard strained against Sekhmet's grip. He started to speak frantically, but the words were muffled by the gag over his mouth.

"You have one chance to convince us you are deserving of leniency." Lilith ripped the gag off. "Choose your words carefully, wizard."

"The Dark Lord doesn't want to rule over you!" The man whined. "He wants to share his new world with you, if only you will fight for the cause of the Pureblood-uummmph!" The gag reappeared, cutting him off.

Adrianna instantly knew the man had made the wrong choice.

"You were to speak on your own behalf, not that of your so-called master." Lilith sighed. "You have trespassed on sacred succubus land. You will be punished accordingly. Take him away."

A succubus with skin the color of burnt caramel helped Sekhmet to drag the struggling wizard into the woods.

"We have not survived this long by inserting ourselves into human affairs, wizard or otherwise." Lilith said. "We have seen dark wizards rise and we have always seen them fall. Our foremost concern should be the protection of our own family, and those we have chosen to bring into it." She nodded to Celeste, acknowledging her one sister who was currently pair bonded. "Let them have their magic war. We will take no part in it."

"And what will become of this misguided messenger?" Seshat asked.

"Sekhmet." Lilith waited for the emerald-skinned succubus to step back into the circle.

"Yes Lilith?" Sekhmet's fangs flashed in the ethereal light of the grove.

"Have fun."

Adrianna felt a sharp twinge of pity for the wizard. She'd witnessed firsthand just how cruel her Aunt Sekhmet could be. Even by succubus standards, she had a particularly twisted idea of the meaning of the word "fun".

OOOOOOOOOO

Christmas Eve 1979:

Adrianna stared at the four words scrawled on the outside of the letter Cocoa had just returned to her.

DO NOT WRITE AGAIN

She'd have known that cramped handwriting anywhere. Severus had been getting her letters all this time, though they'd gone unanswered. Now she had received a solid rebuff. Their last meeting at the Portkey station hadn't been fantastic, but was it really enough to end their friendship? Unless…

Crumpling the letter, Adrianna threw it into the fireplace. If that's the way Severus wanted things, then so be it. She'd tried for a solid year to maintain their friendship and it was clear now she was fighting a losing battle.

"Everything alright, love?" Sirius slipped his arms around her waist from behind. "Bad news?"

She turned and wrapped her arms around Sirius' neck. "No, it's nothing." Tilting her head up, she kissed him hard, trying to shake off the hurt that still lingered.

Sirius growled low in his throat and his arms tightened around her.

"Oi! Enough of that, Pads!" James came through the front door holding one end of a fresh Christmas tree. "Give us a hand before Wormtail drops his end."

"You gave me the end with all the needles!" Peter whined from somewhere behind the bushy end of the tree.

"Duty calls." Sirius pecked her on the cheek and whispered, "We'll come back to this later." Bounding across the flat, he relieved Peter from his load and helped James set the tree up in the base they'd set up earlier.

"Watch out, ornaments coming through." Lily and Remus appeared behind them with packages of enchanted ornaments.

"I'm glad we're doing this." said Remus. "We didn't have time to get a tree last year."

"Here, let me help." Adrianna took a box from each of them and they arranged the ornaments on the coffee table.

"It's so good to see you!" Lily gave Adrianna a hug. "Happy Christmas."

It had been several weeks since they'd seen each other. Adrianna's aunts had been sending her all over Europe gathering information from the succubi, and the Order had been keeping the rest of them just as busy.

"Merry Christmas, Lily." Adrianna squeezed her back, and immediately felt a pulse travel from Lily's body to hers. "What the..." Adrianna drew back and stared intently at Lily's face. Her hands slid down to her friend's middle and her grey eyes widened in an unspoken question.

"How did you..?" Lily's mouth dropped open and then she began to laugh. "I should have known your succubus senses would pick something up!"

"What's going on?" Remus asked, looking from one woman to the other.

"Prongs?" Sirius looked at James.

"Well…" James grinned, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

Lily huffed. "We were going to wait for Christmas Day to tell everyone, but since Adrianna has sniffed it out…we're having a baby!"

"What?!" Peter yelped.

"Congratulations!" Remus stepped in to hug Lily too.

"Why Prongs!" Sirius slung an arm around James' neck. "You old st—"

"Sirius Black, choose your next words carefully." said Lily coolly.

"I'd listen to the pregnant lady." Adrianna said, wrapping an arm around Lily's shoulders.

Sirius backtracked. "You…you old, lucky bastard!"