Author's Note: Friends, I don't know if anyone is still reading, but I am back. I hope to update twice a month. Since we were last together I had a serious injury, my mother moved in, I spent Christmas in a hotel in a blizzard and I returned to work full time. I am writing, albeit slowly. Time is a real issue. I hope you enjoy this chapter. These are my favorite characters to write. Thanks for taking time to read and review, MNF
Chapter 3:
Motherhood and Mysteries
1 January 1980
Arcturus Black stepped out of the fireplace and was greeted by his granddaughter. She looked behind him and sadness flitted briefly across her face. "Cissy didn't come?" Anwen asked.
"I tried to persuade her, reminding that it would only be family, but she said it wasn't her family," the man explained. "Reg will be along; he was saying goodbye to his mother."
"I know it will be hard on him to be away from her, but he will be so much safer in Bermuda. My family's home there is beautiful," Anwen said.
"Between us, I doubt he will stay away until the conflict is over, but all I can do is try to keep him safe and alive."
"I know, and I agree. How about I stop by tomorrow to check up on Cissy? I was going to do a few scans if she came tonight," Anwen explained.
"That will do well," Arcturus agreed. "Can you also check Walburga?"
"If she will let me near her, I am more than willing. Not exactly my area of expertise, but what is an adult but a large paeds patient?" Arcturus laughed at her joke. The fire blazed green again, and Reg stepped out, looking more like a pureblood prince than even her husband did. Anwen studied the man before her. Gone were the pudgy cheeks and trunk of little Reggie; now the angular features of the Black family reigned. He was tall, well over six feet, perhaps even taller than his older brother, and he held himself with a regal countenance Sirius deliberately eschewed, at least when possible.
"Reggie," Anwen said warmly before hugging him. Regulus eventually relaxed into the embrace.
"You know you're the only one who gets to call me that," he said to the much shorter woman.
"I'm the big sister, I get to call you what I like," she said stepping back.
"Winnie, there is nothing big about you," he said with a mocking smile. Anwen hated her childhood nickname.
"Fine, Reg, but not more jokes about my shortness. It isn't my fault I stopped growing. You'll find everyone else in the formal lounge. I'm just waiting on the Longbottom contingency." She directed them toward the correct door, although both knew the house well.
Anwen didn't need to wait long before the Longbottoms and Nighmans came through. There were hugs and kisses all around and everyone filed into the lounge, but Alice stayed back to speak with Anwen.
"How are you feeling?" the slightly older witch asked.
"The nausea started this morning, but I had some cream crackers and a Stomach Soothing Potion on my bedside table, so it wasn't unbearable."
"Very smart."
"I am a Healer, and I have a pregnant patient. Just did for myself what I prescribed for her."
"How is she doing?"
"Physically she'd healed, emotionally, she's broken."
"Do you think she'd like a visit?" Alice asked.
"Perhaps," Anwen replied. "I'll let you know. Come on, I'm ignoring the rest of my guests and while Lily is wonderful at mingling and Elba has the food covered, I bet my husband, brother and the rest of the younger gents are gathered around the wireless listening to the Broom Race from Monaco."
"I will not take that bet, as I know you're right," Alice said, and they chuckled as Anwen closed the Floo and they went to see everyone.
Anwen and Lily were the perfect hostesses, and they moved among the room making sure punch glasses and teacups were full. The only complaints when it came time for dinner were from Sirius and James, who wanted to continue to listen to the broom racing. The women did not give in on their ridiculous request. After the main course had been cleared away, Alice, Lily and Anwen stood.
"We wanted to share this news with the family as a whole," Alice said.
"And we are happy to let you all know," Lily added.
"That the Nighman, Longbottom, Potter, Parker and Black bloodlines are all gaining at least one heir this year," Anwen finished. "I did remember them all, didn't I?" she quietly asked Lily, who was closest.
"You left out the Evans family, but as all that's left is Tuney, I don't really care you did. Mum and Dad would have been so happy," she whispered back before Charlus Potter had her in a tight hug.
"A baby with Black, Parker and Potter blood," Dorea said to Anwen as she held her close, "will be a powerful babe. They will have mightily strong magic. You are going to be a brilliant mother, Anwen. Sirius will grow into fatherhood. I was so happy when our families were joined together again by your marriage; but a baby will cement who the Black family truly is. I've almost persuaded Arcturus to throw my wretched brother and his whole line out of the family, then we will invite Andi back in with her husband and daughter. Keep dear Cassie, she's a wealth of knowledge – although some of it is locked in her mind and let Calidora and Harfang remain, of course. Then we can bring Cedrella and the whole Weasley family under our protection and perhaps get their land and fortune back from the Malfoys." Anwen couldn't help but laugh at her great aunt.
"You have it all figured out, do you?" the younger woman asked.
"Of course, my dear cousin just needs to listen to me."
"I will never doubt you, Auntie Dorea," Anwen said, giving the woman another gentle hug before she was pulled out of it by Charlus.
"Two Potter children! Huzzah!" he cheered before hugging her. This went on for all three pregnant women for five minutes, and everyone had hugged them and touched their bellies in a way they would not have done under any other circumstances. Anwen was relieved when Elba popped in to announce dessert and the gathered sat to eat her treacle tart, which James preferred, elderberry roly-poly for Anwen, trifle of sponge cake and peaches for Lily and Sirius' favourite, sticky-toffee pudding. There were also holiday biscuits, hot mulled wine and coffee. For those gathered, be they of blood or not, the new year was starting off in grand style.
Regulus stayed back to say goodbye to everyone.
"You need to stay away," Anwen said as she hugged him goodbye. "I want you alive to greet your niece or nephew."
"Yes, Anwen, I promise," Regulus said before he kissed her cheek. Sirius and Reg hugged each other.
"James and Frank will escort you, but you should be safe by leaving from here and landing on our own property. It has every enchantment the three of us could think of, and some from the Potter family Grimoire. Stay safe, and I'll visit soon." Regulus nodded and the three stepped out into the yard, to the one small Disapparation location near the house, and then were gone.
"I should be taking him," Sirius said.
"No, because if anyone is monitoring the house, they won't think of one Black signature leaving but two would be suspicious. We don't know how deeply they have infiltrated the Ministry," Anwen said quietly. Sometimes it felt like Voldemort and his Death Eaters were everywhere and in every part of their lives.
Linfred Hall and the Potter keep beneath were quite safe, having layers of ancient protections around the property, and more on the house itself. The keep beneath had never been breached in the five hundred plus years it had been here. Much like Oakgrove, the Longbottom family home or Stargazers Summit, the Black family estate, no one would be getting through at those in the houses. The people who lived in the houses, however, only felt safe Flooing between them. It was getting worse, and Arcturus and Charlus believed it would be worse before it was better.
"How are you doing, sweetheart, tonight was a big night," Sirius asked his wife.
"I'm fine, although my feet are killing me from these shoes," she said, lifting her long skirt to show off the crystal-like three-inch heels. Anwen slipped her feet out of them, and waved her hand, sending them to her dressing room. The chiffon skirt of her yellow gown was now dragging on the marble floor of the entryway. Sirius lifted her bridal style, causing Anwen to let out a little 'eep' of surprise. They went into the informal sitting room where they found Lily, Alice, Remus, and Eva. Pete had strangely not shown up tonight, although he said he and his mother would be there.
"So, it looks like nineteen-eighty is going to be an interesting year for us," Remus said.
"Is Eva suddenly pregnant too?" Sirius asked.
"Bite your tongue, Sirius Black!" Eva hissed at him.
"Sorry," he answered, looking at his friend in a peculiar way. "Fatherhood, something I wasn't expecting," he said, taking a deep breath. Anwen looked at him shocked. "Not yet, luv, but now I can't wait! Honestly, a little one who looks like you, with your button nose and kaleidoscope eyes."
"Nope, this baby is going to have your mutable eyes and luscious hair. I would not curse any baby to my hair like bark and my eyes like moss. Honestly, you could take me out to the forest, and I'd blend in." Anwen had always felt her looks were wholly inferior to Eva's eyes of the sea and wild blonde hair or Lily's fiery locks and shockingly green eyes. Even Alice, with her pixie like features was somehow otherworldly compared to her.
"You, my darling, don't see yourself through my eyes," Sirius said gently. "You are the most stunning creature on the earth. Your eyes dance with wonder and excitement at everything. Your mouth curls up like a bow on cello you love to play when you think no one is listening. But the most delightful thing about you is your heart, which was large enough to love a grumpy, sometimes sullen and angry boy and has loved him since the day he first laid eyes on you." He then kissed his wife gently while rubbing his hand over her still flat stomach.
"Could you give lessons on romance to your best mate?" Lily whinged.
"Lily, my brother is as dense as they come," Anwen replied. "I'm quite certain Sirius, Remus and Frank couldn't get through to him."
"I was hoping he wasn't completely hopeless."
"I don't understand, he used to go completely over the top for you," Alice said.
"They're married," Eva said, "he thinks he doesn't need to work so hard at it."
"I'll talk with him on our next night out, Petal," Sirius said, and Remus nodded his head that it would be a conversation on the next full moon.
"Speaking of full moons," Remus said, "any idea if Peter will show?"
"You think I see him any more than you do?" Sirius quipped back. "Between ongoing advanced duelling lessons with Frank and Moody, patrols and trying to be home occasionally when my wife is, I don't have time to go chasing him down."
"There isn't much chasing, Pads. He works in the Crup registration office, five days a week, eight to four," Remus said with a less than well-hidden smirk. "Must be nice to have connections for that cushy job." Remus had lost his on-campus job at the library due to a particularly bad full moon in December and him needing a few days to recover.
"Why do you say that?" Lily asked.
"Because he gets paid for full time work when usually there are only fifteen to twenty Crups registered a month. If they were dog licences, no one would staff the office and someone from motor vehicle services would just step over when it needed to happen," Anwen said in annoyance. "I have been peed, pooped, vomited, bled and who knows what else for just a bit less than Pete gets paid."
"I've seen him in the canteen on occasion," Alice said. "Go find him there."
"You're not a first year Hit Wizard, Alice, you get to eat lunch. I spend most of my lunch hours on Diagon Alley attempting to keep the peace. Lily, now that you're pregnant, will you please send a house elf to get your supplies?"
"It's that bad?" Eva asked. Most people knew not to tangle with Lily Potter, lest Lord Potter and Heir Black come calling. If their names and the prestige said names carried didn't make you second guess your actions, the legend of their magical prowess did.
"It isn't even safe for me to go to the Alley anymore," Remus said. "Malfoy was there, claiming he was going to call out the 'dog catcher' so that I could be put down. Severus came out of the potions shop, saw the two of us and turned away. Malfoy followed him. I honestly don't put it past him to call a few of his cronies and come after me."
"I just don't know what happened to him," Lily said sadly. "He was so sweet when we were kids."
"That madman with the made-up name has made the world go topsy-turvey, Lils," Anwen said softly to her friend. She then yawned loudly.
"Time for you and munchkin to go to bed," Sirius said, picking her up as she was already on his lap.
"Are you on tomorrow, Eva?" Anwen asked even as she was taken toward the door.
"Yup, eight to four, just like you. Paeds ward," the half-siren replied.
"Excellent, we can see who ends up with more gross stuff on our robes."
"I don't see how that's fun," Alice deadpanned, and the rest laughed.