A/N: So, I'm sorry. Within the past week, I've had a concussion, wanted to lead a school-wide riot, cried my eyes out, lost faith in human nature/ humanity, et cetera.

Anyway. School is draining me, so until the week of February 21st (which is a break for me), I'll probably do only two updates a week. I'm sorry. It's my silly English teacher who makes us chuck out essays like nobody's business. It diminishes my muse for writing. Honestly, I like it when I get feedback. It makes me feel like my writing is good.

Aposiopesis! Haha, I love that literary term.

Clues abound. There hasn't been a chapter this long since chapter eleven/twelve.

By the way, if I've mentioned Moody missing a leg before this chapter, please message me and tell me what chapter and time this occurred. Time continuity is of the utmost importance.

Did anyone else realize that Voldemort was like seventy when he died?

The Scribe's Resurrection
Part Two: Chapter Sixteen

Wizarding London, Friday Afternoon, December 22, 1978

Selena hated shopping by herself, but that was the only way to get anything done during the Christmas season. Stupid Sirius had been born in close proximity to December the twenty-fifth, which meant Selena had to buy the equivalent of two extra special gifts. She was at her wits' end, about to give Sirius a sack full of money and say "get yourself somethin' nice." Even though it shouldn't have been, it was downright hard to shop for her husband.

Just when she decided to stop for the day, Selena stumbled into a boutique selling- well, she didn't actually know what the store was selling.

The windows were painted yellow, catching the eye of anyone who passed by, and wouldn't allow anyone to see in, only the insiders to view the goings-on of Harland Alley. The inside, filled with numerous odds and ends, was colored in a flamboyant pumpkin color, but all of the items on the wall prevented from giving the browser a color headache. Not many people occupied the shop.

"Uh, do you have any of the back-scratching shirts left?" A man at the main counter inquired.

"Yes, sir, two left. Red or white?"

"Oh, red."

"Okay. One galleon and two sickles."

Selena examined the shelf nearest to her and picked up a bottle of leafy green ooze. Upon closer inspection, she found the contents to be a luxury soap. Selena opened it to smell, and a waft of Amortentia sifted through her nose. Come to think of it, Selena had seen this highly viscous liquid before in their bathroom. She decided to buy it, and a shopping basket hovered over to her to aid her in her endeavors.

A quill with never-ending, glow-in-the-dark ink, a book of optical illusions, and some assorted chocolates from Switzerland found their way into Selena's basket, and then Selena rounded the corner and moved into the clothing section.

"Oh, perfect!" She whispered, touching a fine, dragon-hide jacket.

"You've got fine taste, Miss...?" An attendant came over.

"Mrs. Black." Something about saying that always made Selena glow inside and out.

"Well, Mrs. Black, you've got exquisite taste. You see, I go to Italy twice a year for our inventory, and I oversee the curing of the hides and the making of the jackets. This one in particular is quite interesting, if you'll let me show you-" He pointed to the shell of the midnight black blazer. "This is Hungarian Horntail, singularly hard to acquire, probably one of maybe a hundred of this quality. And you see the silver stripes on the chest here... And here. They're a different breed entirely. Ukrainian Ironbelly, which is reported to be the largest dragon in Europe. And then, if you'll look at this. This is where it would rest on the waist, just on the hips. This scarlet signature pawprint of Signor De Luca is yet another type, the Chinese Fireball. He marks his work with that breed of dragon. Well, this piece is simply lovely."

"Yes, it is," Selena mused. "How much? I notice there is no tag."

"Ah, ma'am, if you have to ask, you probably can't afford it."

"Ah, and if you have to say that, you can't afford it either." The man cleared his throat.

"Well, three hundred and fifty galleons."

"Oh, that's it? Once you said you had to import from China and everything, I thought you'd say five hundred! I'd like to buy it, along with what's in my basket."

"Yes, Mrs. Black."

Selena wrote a note for her items and left the store feeling very happy with her purchases.

---

9:16 PM of the Same Day

Later that evening, Selena sat in the den waiting for Sirius to come home. She was knitting a hat for herself. It got drafty in the offices of the Department of Mysteries. The Muggle book she looked at gave instructions for patterns.

"SELENA!" Sirius burst through the door. Selena, startled, grabbed her wand instantly.

"What? What happened?"

"I bought myself a Christmas present," he announced, gasping for air. Annoyed, his wife put her ash wand back in the bun of her dark hair. "Before I go on- why do you keep your wand there, anyway?

"It makes sense. I've always got my hair on."

"... Okay. Get up, get up! You've got to see it!"

"Alright, hold on."

"NO. COME NOW." Sirius ripped the yarn from her grasp and threw it on the couch.

"Sirius, you're gonna get it tangled."

"COME ON!" Sirius waited for Selena to put on her magic bamboo slippers and go outside with him.

"Oh Merlin, you didn't!" Selena squealed. She ran to the beautiful black motorbike, tenderly touching it with the tips of her fingers. "Wicked! What is it?! A nineteen seventy-four Triumph?!"

"Seventy-five, actually. Isn't she just brilliant?"

"Uh, yeah! Beautiful work. Beautiful."

"Mmhmm. And get this- it flies."

"Get out!" Sirius nodded solemnly. "Bloody hell. Sirius, this is nice."

"Why thank you. I figured I deserved to buy myself something nice considering that I ran into my mother the other day and held my tongue very well."

"I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." Sirius set his hands on her waist. "Time for a ride."

"No, I don't really think-"

"Nonsense." In one swift motion, Sirius picked her up and placed her on the back of the vehicle. Grinning widely, he sat in front of her.

"Be careful, don't get us killed."

"Oh, please. Hold on tight." Selena wrapped her arms around him, and he revved the engine.

"Oh, it purrs," Selena said.

"Of course." Sirius pressed hard on the pedal and they zoomed out the driveway.

"Ahahaha! WOOO!"

Monday, February 19, 1979

"Are you sure you're well enough to go to work?" Sirius asked, rubbing her back.

"Yeah, I'll be alright. Besides, it's my first full day of being a full-fledged Unspeakable! Who wouldn't want to go to wor-" Turning her head, Selena retched into the toilet again. "Oh, that's disgusting..."

"My poor Selena. I'll go and make you a potion." Grateful to have a reason to leave, Sirius hopped up and skipped out the bathroom.

"Ugh..." Selena moaned. "I hate throwing up." Selena wracked her brain for all the things she had eaten the day before to make her vomit. No, nothing out of the ordinary. Selena's eyes widened, and she grabbed her wand from the counter.

"I knew this spell would come in handy someday... Interrogo gravidus." She pointed to her stomach. Red sparks jetted from the wand. "Hum. A baby," she muttered.

---

Selena stood quietly on the lift, going to level nine. She felt simply dreadful. A dull headache persisted in the back of her skull, probably because of her being sick the whole of that morning. A sound intensified the ache in her head: the lift had opened, and a man stepped on.

"Selena? Is that you?" Selena turned to her left, looking at the man who had called her name.

"Damocles Belby! How're you?"

"All right. You?"

"The same."

"I heard about the wedding. I know it was a while back, but congratulations!"

"Thank you. You work here now?"

"Oh, yes. Level four, Being Division. 'S how I met my wife, Arabella. She was infected with lycanthropy the first week I started, and so... Yes. She's helped me find something I'm really passionate about, too."

"And what's that?"

"I'm experimenting with a potion to not exactly cure lycanthropy, but reduce the effects of it."

"Oh, wow. I always heard you were amazing with potions, too. You were two years above us, right?"

"Yes."

"I've got a friend with lycanthropy, so I know what your wife's going through... Oh, I hope you succeed in that."

"So do I. I've already made quite a start." The lift doors opened. "Oh, this is me. See you soon."

"Bye."

Selena watched him leave, suddenly feeling quite happy.

High Noon on Saturday, March 10, 1979

Oblivious Sirius hadn't noticed that Selena was pregnant for obvious reasons, and she certainly had not told him yet. She was waiting for the opportune moment, and Sirius thought that his Anti-Puking Potion had done the trick. But before Selena could tell him, she had something of great importance to do.

"C'mon, Remus, hurry up- I haven't got all day."

"I don't get why we're at St. Mungo's on my birthday. Are you buying me healthcare? They don't give that to werewolves..."

"No, silly. You never get sick."

"Then why are we here?"

"Because I've got to talk to my doctor."

"And you asked me to come with you?"

"Voldemort's on the loose; we're not supposed to be out alone." Truthfully, as it was Remus' birthday, Selena had been given the task of keeping him away from the Potter's Residence. A surprise party had been planned.

"Right."

"Excuse me, is Healer Kincade here today? I have a quick question for her."

"Down the hall and to the left." The Welcome Witch jabbed her thumb in the air.

"Thank you."

"Uh-huh." Selena dragged Remus along.

"What's all this about?" Remus asked. Selena paused mid-step, bit her lip, and turned to her best friend.

"Sirius and I are with child," she said simply. "Do not tell him."

"WOW! REA- What? Why not?"

"Because I want to tell him."

"Why haven't you already?"

"Because I needed to go to the doctor first."

"Why're you telling me?"

"Because you're getting on my ruddy nerves," she growled, knocking on a door. Remus shut up.

"Come in!" Selena pushed open the door and walked in. Remus came in behind her.

"Hello, Healer Kincade. Er, I don't know if you remember me, but-"

"Ah yes, Selena Riviera. Muggle boys shot you down from the sky with death metal objects. Nasty breaks. Sit down, both of you."

"Yes. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Well, Miss Riviera, what can I do?"

"Oh, it's Mrs. Black now, ma'am."

"Congratulations!" The Healer seemed to know that the man sitting next to Selena was definitely not Mr. Black.

"Thank you. Well, I'm in the early stages of pregnancy now, and I was wondering if my leg would, uh-"

"Oh, if your leg would be able to handle the extra weight. Hmm. I certainly wouldn't recommend walking while pregnant with your condition. Stay off it as much as you can, don't try Apparition past five months, and soak the leg. It'll get really painful, worse than it hurts in the winter. Wear comfortable shoes- oh, you've got nice ones on now. Make sure you don't go distances alone, and come back every so often so I can reinforce the magic that's on your ankle. Weight gain on a magical body part seems to weaken the magic."

A paper airplane zoomed into the room and into the Healer's hair. She took it out and scanned the parchment.

"Well, excuse me," she said, "I've got to tend to my patients. People really ought to stop swallowing Remembralls and trying to Summon them out. First thing we learned in Healer Training- nothing in the body can be Summoned out unless the body's dead."

"Well, then." Selena cleared her throat. "Thank you for your time."

"You're very welcome. Good day." Healer Kincade rushed out of the room.

"That must've been why Peter had to go up to the infirmary that one time after James magically shoved a sock down his throat."

"Wha-?"

"Well, Sirius told Peter to 'shove a sock in it,' and well, James thought it'd be funny... Wasn't so funny when Peter started to suffocate when I tried to Accio it out."

"I'm sure."

A Quarter Past One O'clock in the Morning of Sunday, March 11, 1979

Selena could tell he was tense as he landed the motorbike on the paved driveway of their house. She knew why- she announced her pregnancy only five hours before in the Potters' kitchen. The young woman was going to have a hard time with him tonight.

"I'll take this," Sirius murmured, taking the food dish from his wife's arms. As she hobbled up the walk, he stayed behind her, and that worried Selena.

He always led the way, so this meant he was especially down or angry. They walked inside, and Selena went straight up the stairs while Sirius put away the food.

A few minutes later, Selena was in an ivory chemise, brushing her hair as she sat on the bed. Sirius walked in, unzipping his leather jacket Selena had given him two months before. It was now his favorite garment.

With great dexterity and swiftness, Selena French-braided her hair into ponytails and pinned them in place. She, putting her hands down, pursed her lips as her husband took off his shoes.

"Want some tea?" Sirius asked. She shook her head. He was trying to put off the question he wished to ask. Selena put herself under the sheets and two comforters, laying her head on her pillow. She curled up, watching Sirius undress and haphazardly putting his things away.

Moving to his side of the bed, Sirius rounded the room. Selena's eyes did not follow his movements. She felt the pressure of him getting into the bed, and he sighed heavily. Five, four, three, two, Selena counted. One. Her husband tapped her exposed shoulder.

"You aren't asleep yet," he said.

"No, I'm not," Selena answered him, even though what he said was not a question. She didn't turn over to face him.

"Selena, love, why didn't you tell me you- we- were having a baby?"

"I was waiting for the right moment."

"You told Remus first. I know because he wasn't surprised, and he was watching my face before you announced that you were 'expecting.' How far along are you?"

"This is the fifth week," Selena replied.

"There were dozens of times you could've said."

"I know. They didn't seem right, and I wanted to be sure that it was what I wanted."

"What do you mean, what you wanted?" Selena didn't answer. "You weren't sure if you wanted to have children, is that what you're saying?"

"Sirius, how old are we?"

"I'm nineteen, and you're a week shy of being the same. We are not too young."

"I never said- I just-" Selena sighed, thinking her way through this, and still not turning over to look at him. "Having children is a big thing, and I wasn't sure if I could have them."

"Why wouldn't you be able to?"

"Look at the world we live in, Sirius. Everything is just so messed up right now with Voldemort and the state of the Wizarding world. I don't want my child to have to fight the same fight we're fighting."

"Of course you don't. I don't either! Besides, I don't think you answered my question," he said. He swore loudly. "Why can't you stop keeping secrets? Why can't you just say things? I'm supposed to be your husband, the person you rely on for everything! Do you want to just marry Remus instead of me? 'Cause you seem to tell him more stuff than me." Selena violently pulled herself up, glaring.

"Okay, Sirius, you want the truth? I wasn't sure if I could bear children with this stupid leg of mine! In case you haven't noticed-" Selena removed the covers and exposed her damaged, scarred leg. "-I AM A CRIPPLED PERSON. I CAN'T WALK LIKE YOU CAN. IT TAKES ME TWICE AS LONG AS YOU TO TAKE A DAMN SHOWER!"

"OF COURSE I NOTICED! WHY DO YOU THINK I'VE BEEN MAKING YOU THOSE GODDAMN SHOES!?"

"YOU CAN'T FIX ME!" Selena took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "What happens when I've got an extra forty pounds on and it's the middle of winter? What happens if I'm going to work and I slip on ice on my way in? You can't really Apparate when you're pregnant you know. The reason why Remus knew before you is because today I went to the doctor to see if my lame leg could withstand the weight gain, and he was there! He wanted to know why it was his birthday and we were marching into the office of a Healer!" Selena breathed in, her nose flaring. "If I gain too much weight, the magic in my ankle will dissolve. And you can't fix that."

"You still didn't tell me. I would've gone with you to the doctor the moment you found out, you know that." Sirius looked her dead in the eyes. "Why do you act like I'm just your friend? You know you're shutting me out again, don't you?"

"Well, what do you want to talk about, Sirius? I can't talk to you about work. I just don't have anything to say. I'm not a person who just blabs on and on you know."

"I know that. It's just... I miss how you acted when you were my fiancée, and when we just got married. You were so different."

"I don't understand how I was different."

"It's like... When you became an Unspeakable, you just put on a different persona, that's all. You can't talk to me about anything now. I get bored at home all on my own. Yeah, I get stuff from Dumbledore to do, and I do things too. And I tell you about them, even though I'm not supposed to. We are married. Doesn't marriage trump work every time?"

"It's not work, it's my-"

"Duty, I know. It's your duty to keep secrets from me. It's your duty, as a wife, to trust me with something. Are you going to sacrifice our marriage for the sake of work?"

"My dad told me that there's a difference between what is right and what is easy. It's not easy to keep things from you. Honest to God, I love you with all my heart, Sirius, and I would never choose anyone to be with other than you. I'm sorry. If you don't want me, I'll understand. I wouldn't want me either. Only a fool would want me."

Sirius stared at her for a moment, focusing his grey eyes only on her. Selena was waiting for him to walk out, because the communication barrier on her end was built up high.

"I'm your fool then," he said finally. "Why would I ever not want you?"

"I work too much, don't make you feel appreciated, and I'm as silent as a mouse."

"Rhetorical question," Sirius sang. He pulled her to him and kissed her head. "So, is it a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know, it's too early to tell..."

"I'm sorry I got mad. I should know by now that if you keep something from me, it's important."

"And I'm sorry for not telling you."

"I think we should paint the nursery pastel blue if it's a boy, and soft pink if it's a girl."

"Sirius?"

"Yeah, I'm serious." Selena began to laugh.

April Fool's Day, 1979

"You know something?" Sirius mused. He was walking behind Selena, for he and the other people around him were in formation.

"What, Sirius?" Selena whispered.

"I just realized how weird you dress, Quicksilver." James and Lily sniggered.

"Oh, shut up," Sirius' wife hissed. "Now is not the time to be joking."

"Sorry. It's just an uptight atmosphere." Selena looked down at her sequined gypsy skirt, wondering if that comment was frank. She didn't think she looked weird. Selena shook her head, clearing her mind. They were supposed to be doing something for the Order.

This would be Selena's first time directly participating in the fight.

"Stop," murmured Alastor Moody. "Selena up front."

"Me? Why me?"

"You know magic that'd make their heads spin," he said, thrusting his head in the direction of Frank, Alice, James, Lily, and Sirius.

"You've been talking to Dumbledore too much," she replied, moving next to him. She rolled up her sleeves. "What do you want me to do?"

"There're four Death Eaters on the other side of this door. They can't hear us, and we can't hear them."

"Enchanted door, yeah?" Selena prompted. "Smart to do it in a Muggle house."

"We know they're in there. They're waiting for Voldemort. He's scheduled to be in sometime today."

"And how do you know that?"

"Intelligence," Moody said simply.

"Alright, give me two minutes. When I'm done, cover me- they'll see us before we see them." Selena flexed her fingers and began meticulously tracing the door with her hands. "Bloody hell!" She finally exclaimed happily.

"What, you can't open it?"

"Oh, I can, it's just, I'd really like to have this door." She turned to Moody. "The Muggles're on vacation, right?"

"Mmhmm."

"You have to have a special key to open this door. A Muggle wouldn't even notice, 'cause when he opened it, he'd see what's supposed to be on the other side. But if you're a wizard, and you know how to open it right, it'll lead wherever you want." As she spoke, Selena pulled the obsidian hair stick that her father gave her from her hair. She took a deep breath, looked back at them, and then began outlining the doorframe with the tip of the stick. A gold line bordered the door, and then the seven members of the Order heard yelling.

"They can see you!" Selena said, exchanging her hair accessory for her wand. Sirius jumped in front of her.

"Protego!" A flash of light missed them.

"Dammit, why can't we see them yet?" James yelled.

"It's the door. It's breached. Just go through!" Moody went first, followed by Lily and James. Sirius and Frank ran in front of Alice and Selena.

As they all dueled, Selena wondered why in the world they needed seven people when the other side only had four, but then she heard a cackle behind her.

"Voldemort," she said, whipping around. She was closest to him, as she hadn't really cleared the entrance to the room. A spark jetted out of his wand, and Selena stepped swiftly out of the way.

"Very quick, even with that leg of yours," he drawled. "But I suppose those boots are providing some sort of magical protection."

"Maybe." Selena backed into the room, only focusing on the snake-like man in front of her.

"Shame though. That spell wasn't for you." Selena raised an eyebrow, but then she saw the people behind him.

"AHHH!" She panicked, backing up further. Almost twenty Inferi trudged into the room, passing Voldemort. Alice responded the fastest to Selena's outburst, casting a spell.

"Incendio!" Fire flicked out of the blonde's wand. Selena saw how the nearest one fell apart, so she took up fire against them as well.

"Incendium increbresco!" A jet of flame ensnared the Inferi, choking them and dissolving them to ash.

"ARGH!" Selena heard a cry from Alastor Moody, and she turned to look at him. Somehow, he was wandless, and his wand was pointed at him.

"Diffindo!" A Death Eater flourished Moody's wand.

"No!" Selena cried. A flash of light blinded her for a moment, and then when she saw Alastor Moody again, he was crimson. The ugly bearded Death Eater threw Moody's wand on the floor, and Selena's breath caught in her throat as Sirius rushed to Moody. The Death Eater stepped away and went to help his leader.

"He's alive, but it's time to get out of here, Selena," Sirius yelled.

"We can't! He's closed and blocked the door!" Selena tried to explain. "We're not in London anymore! We can't just Apparate! I don't know where we are!"

"Oh, damn," Sirius moaned. James and Lily had engaged Voldemort in a duel, leaving Alice and Frank to sort out the other Death Eaters.

At this moment, Selena's head began to cloud, and her legs seemed to move by their own accord. She felt drawn to the skirmish staged near Voldemort, close to the door. By this time, the Dark Lord had his wand up in the air, pointed at James.

"AVADA KED-"

"EXPELLIARMUS!" Selena bellowed, directing her ash wand towards Voldemort. His curse ricocheted into the door, blowing a hole straight through it.

"APPARATE NOW!" Selena yelled upon seeing the break in the door. Ear-splitting cracks sounded into the air, and once she confirmed that all of her friends had escaped, Selena Apparated as well, narrowly missing Voldemort's grasp for her cloak.