Papa Don't Preach

But my friends keep telling me to give it up

Saying I'm too young, I ought to live it up

What I need right now is some good advice, please

Papa don't preach, I'm in trouble deep

Papa don't preach, I've been losing sleep

But I made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby, oh

I'm gonna keep my baby, mmm...

Papa don't preach- Madonna

It could have been hours or maybe it was years that passed as Lucius sat on what appeared to be the floor of the world beyond the veil. It seemed to Lucius that life had well and truly deserted him. He would never again feel the air on his face or the sound of children's laughter. There was no way back and no way that he could make amends for what Voldemort had made him had done his very best to divert him but to no avail. The thought of life as it had once been was always lurking in the back of his mind. They talked of everything and nothing but both avoided the topic that haunted them the most. Eventually, when both of them could take no more, Lucius spoke the words that they had been almost afraid to voice.

'Why are we still here? You said everyone else you have known has moved on. This being some sort of purgatory if you will. Why haven't we?' Regulus smiled.

'Ahh, now that is the question is it not?' he replied in the perfect imitation of his aristocratic friend.

Suddenly, a light flew down in a shaft before them. A sound like the roar of rushing water filled their ears and both men looked at each other in confusion. A voice, soft and feminine, spoke to them like a whisper of wind in their ears.

'You remain here because you were not destined to die. The Gods have seen your repentance of your wicked ways in life and have decided to grant you another chance. Step into the light and be free. Choose wisely in this new life.'

A smile the likes of which had never been seen on Lucius' face since he was 13 years old spread across his two of them stepped excitedly into the light and felt their souls lift as if a heavenly hand had been placed beneath them to lift them to heights they had never before experienced. A bell rang out loudly like the sounds of the abhorsen calling them free from death. Soon the voice returned and whispered into their ears her stern parting words.

'On the third toll of the bell you will return to the place from whence you came to this world. Seek me out. If you do not within six weeks of your return, something may befall you which you would do well to avoid. Good luck'

As the third bell tolled loudly a cold wind blew around them lifting their robes to cover their face. When they could see again they were surrounded by a room familiar to them both.

'The department of mysteries' Regulus breathed the words like a prayer. The room was the same as it had always been. As if nothing had changed. But of course, that wasn't true. Everything had changed. A sweet song seemed to play in Lucius' head as if his mind itself were rejoicing his freedom.

'So, to Grimmauld Place?' Regulus asked hopefully.

' Yes, I think that would be sufficient' With a crack of apparation, they were gone. Not even seeing the shocked faces of the unspeakable who had just seen two death eaters come back from the dead.

At Grimmauld Place…

Hermione Lupin, as she had called herself for the past six months, raced into the kitchen of Grimmauld Place and looked around frantically.

'Molly have you seen dad?' she asked, a nervous edge to her voice. Molly looked at the girl she had often thought of as her own child in concern.

'He's in the garden with your mum sweetie. Is there something wrong?' Hermione shot the older woman a reassuring smile.

'Nothing important. Merry Christmas' Molly smiled at the retreating back of the girl she loved as a daughter. She would never understand young people.

'Dad, can we talk? Please' Kimberley looked at her daughter from her place in her husbands lap and smiled.

'Do you want me to go hinny? Is this one of those father-daughter things?' Hermione kissed her gently on her cheek and whispered something fast and incoherent to the outside listener into her mothers ear. Kimberley nodded and placed a cool lipped kiss of her husbands forehead.

'You'd better go to the library for this. They have comfy chairs there.' With that she removed herself from his lap and watched them disappear into the house. When Hermione arrived at the library Remus following shyly behind her, she fell heavily into one of the plush armchairs he had bought the week before.

'Now, sweetheart, what's wrong?' Hermione took a deep breath and asked what she had wanted to ask for quite some time.

'I asked mum how she felt when she found out she was pregnant. But I wondered, how did you feel about having a daughter? Were you pleased?'

' Oh darling. That's a difficult question to answer. You were 11 by the time I even knew you existed. It's hard to say how I felt. I guess I was pleased. I always wanted a child and didn't think I would ever have one especially with someone as special as your mother.'

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief.

'So, if I told you that I were pregnant, you wouldn't be angry?'

Remus gasped.

'You're pregnant? Who?'

She closed her eyes and remembered the night it happened. He had been so sweet but she hadn't expected this to happen. And it wasn't just the baby that worried her, she still hadn't looked at that diary. What if this baby was the one from the prophecy? How could she cope with that?

Remus wrapped his arms round his daughter as her body shook with sobs. He would kill whoever had done this to his baby girl. They couldn't do this to her and get away with it.

'I'm so sorry daddy. We had been clubbing and he was looking after me. He was sweet and I was attracted to him anyway. It just happened'

'And he is?'

'He is Sirius'

Suddenly another voice joined them.

'What was Sirius?'

'Oh my God!'

I know that was a lot for me but I've made you wait so long it was about time.