9. Infection of Fear

"Her! The dog! That's Siria Black!" Petra screamed, waggling a finger as she pointed.

The spell hit Siria before she could react, shuddering with painful shocks through her body. She transformed, curling up on the ground. The second spell hit, freezing her in place.

Run! Run Remy!

Her mouth wouldn't open. Aurors charged at Remy, pulling her coat. Harriet screamed as one of them tugged her out of Remy's arms.

Don't you dare touch my godchild!

"No! No, let her go!" Remy shouted, sparks flashing as she raised her wand.

"Remy, it's okay! It's okay!" Petra called, racing between her and the auror who now held Harriet. Another snatched the wand from Remy's hand but she charged forward, knocking Petra to the side.

"Give her back!"

"Remy, they're aurors! She's safe now, it's okay!"

Fury spun through Remy's face in a way Siria had never seen before. Her fist flew out and she caught Petra with a blow to the face – but only to get her out of the way. The next second she was pushing fast, going for the auror with Harriet.

"Remy, please stop—" Petra said, tears shining on her face. She held one hand against her cheek where Remy had hit her. "Don't hurt her! P-please. You've been lied to, Remy. She killed them." Another sob squeaked from Petra's pale lips. "I thought – I th-thought she'd killed Harriet too. I was so scared, but I knew she'd come for you. I knew she'd lie."

Remy stopped fighting the aurors who held her back. Her expression was oddly blank. Petra rushed forward, skirting around Siria on the ground.

"Remy!" She reached out to hug Remy then seemed to think better of it and stopped short. "I didn't know what she'd told you. I tried to tell the papers that you weren't part of it, I know you'd never betray Jane."

LIAR!

Siria's shoulder twitched out of the spell. Petra's back was to her as she clasped Remy's shoulder.

"You kept Harriet safe. She's safe now. Thank you. It's just the two of us now, Remy. We'll look after her."

NO!

Siria's arm shot out, green light flashing up her wand. It exploded against another spell and her eyes rolled back into her head.

Siria's eyes fluttered open to darkness. She squinted, heart racing. A badly fitting coat had been draped over her. Something was wrong. Where was Harriet? Remy?

A rush of anxiety swirled in her stomach and she dropped to her knees on creaky floorboards. Petra. Petra had Harriet. The aurors had taken her from Remy. Remy thought Siria was the traitor.

Blackness swirled in her thoughts then lifted. She tried to gather herself, stumbling to her feet and swirling around. A cellar. Barrels of beer. Firewhiskey bottles stacked haphazardly along a shelf.

The Three Broomsticks.

She turned to find the door and stepped forward, then the fear hit again. It clutched her heart, squeezing. Visions of Petra handing over Harriet to You-Know-Who danced in front of her eyes.

"No," Siria mumbled. "She's dead. She can't hurt Harriet."

But she'd already hurt Jane and Liam. And the Longbottoms. And Fabia Weasley. Hundreds of muggles. Probably Regina.

Crimson thoughts. Blood splashed up a doorway. Guts spilling out onto the pavement.

She fell sideways, colliding with a shelf. The bottles clinked discordantly before rolling off, crashing on the stone floor. Shards of glass piled around her, drawing fresh blood from her ankles and bare feet. More blood. A little pool.

It wouldn't end. You-Know-Who might be dead, but the Death Eaters were out there. They would never stop. They would tear the wizarding world apart in the name of Lady Valdemmort.

Siria slapped her hands to her mouth for even thinking the name. They shook against her face and she felt tears running down her cheeks, forming crooked streams between her fingers.

Blood.

Tears.

Jane.

"Jane!"

She didn't answer. Of course she didn't answer. She lay sprawled on the stairs. Glasses crooked. Mouth open. Terror in her face.

Dead. Forever dead.

Siria dropped into a crouch, the glass tearing at her feet.

"I'm sorry!"

Her voice cracked. There was no echo. No sound. No one could hear. The darkness in her memories crept down to her heart, infecting and spreading. The cellar spun around her, caving in. She pressed her face into her hands but Jane's eyes glared into her soul.

There was a crack. The darkness wavered. The door crashed open and a silver wolf danced into the cellar, illuminating the room. Siria took a shuddering breath and Remy pushed through. Behind her, a dementor fled.

"Remy?" she croaked.

The terror wavered. The last time she had seen Remy –

"She lied – it wasn't me. I swear Remy, it wasn't—"

"Of course it wasn't you," Remy said, reaching down to put an arm around Siria and pull her up, away from the broken glass.

Siria hissed as the cuts made themselves known, going up on her tiptoes. Tears still ran down her face and she made no attempt to wipe them away as Remy knelt, whispering healing charms. The cuts faded and Siria leaned forward, drawing Remy closer. Her hands shook again, fingers clutching at Remy's back.

"Don't leave. Please don't leave," she mumbled.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

Remy pulled back to press her forehead against Siria's. She held one hand against Siria's cheek and ran the other through her hair – just the way she used to. Her lips pressed softly against Siria's forehead.

"I promise, Siria. But right now – we need to get Harriet."

Only 5 chapters left! :D Thoughts? Hopes? Fears ;) ?