A/N: Hum. This took a long time because of school... and because I didn't know where I wanted it to end. I still don't know when I'll update after this. But I will, because no one can figure out the ending.

I'm deeply, deeply disappointed at how short this is, and I know you will be too. It's because I've decided to omit a very large plotline from the original plan. Moving on.

The Scribe's Resurrection
Part Three: Chapter Twenty-Three

Evening, Tuesday, November 3, 1981

"Mummy, look!" Alrescha called, teetering into the bathroom. "I maded a picture."

"You made a picture? Aw, lemme see."

Alrescha held up a piece of parchment with orange and blue scribbles on it.

"Oh, it's so pretty! Who's it for?"

"Daddy."

"He's going to love it!"

Alrescha nodded and set it down on the counter.

"C'mon, sweetie, bubble bath time."

Selena unbuttoned the child's sweater as Alrescha took off her sneakers. After the woman undressed her, Alrescha was put in the bathtub, much to her content. This would be the first evening where someone wasn't there to help Selena along. Remus, the child's godfather, had gotten Alrescha ready for bed yesterday.

The toddler splashed and chattered as Selena endeavored to scrub her with a cloth. Pretty soon, a water war had ensued.

"Haha!" Alrescha smacked the water, spilling it over onto her mother's lap.

"Silly girl!" Selena returned the favor by pouring a cup of water over the girl's head.

Alrescha calmed down, rubbing her eye.

"Oww..."

"Oh, baby, did you get soap in your eye?"

"Ow."

"Ah, don't mess with it!" Selena pulled her wand from its place and waved it over her daughter's face. "There. All better now!"

"Kiss it," the girl commanded.

"Mmwah." Selena put her hands on a towel. "Ready to come out?"

Alrescha nodded, and Selena sighed; it was about to happen.

Selena lifted the girl from the tub and wrapped her in a towel. As soon as Alrescha's feet hit the floor, the stopper removed itself and the water began to let itself down.

"AHHHHHHH!" The toddler screamed. "TUBBY MONSTER!" She sprinted out of the bathroom, dropping her towel on the floor and dripping water everywhere.

Selena rolled her eyes, wondering how Alrescha had gotten to be afraid of water going down a drain. A loud gurgling noise filled the room as the bubble bath disappeared.

"AHHH! AHHH! AHH! DADDY! DADDY!" And this was the part Selena dreaded. Normally, when this happened, Sirius was ready to take over the bedtime routine. But, of course, now he was not.

"Alrescha, it's okay... There's no tub monster."

"AHHHH!!" The little girl still hollered at the top of her lungs, scrambling in her closet. "DADDY, DADDY, DADDY!"

Selena slowly opened the door to the closet and looked down at the whimpering child.

"There is no tub monster. C'mon, let's get you into clothes. Muffy, can you turn down my bed, please?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"Mummyyy," Alrescha whined as Selena placed her in pajamas. "Why Daddy no come?"

"Daddy can't come right now."

"Why?"

Selena only kissed the top of her head.

"I want Daddy."

"I know."

"I WANT DADDY!"

"Shh, love."

"I WANT DADDY!"

Tears filling her eyes, Selena tried not to cry. Alrescha was bawling. Normally, Selena wouldn't tolerate so much screaming, but she didn't know what to say.

"I want Daddy, I want Daddy, I want Daddy!" The girl chanted. Selena only tucked Alrescha into the part of the bed that was formerly occupied by Sirius.

Selena put her finger over Alrescha's mouth and pinned her flailing limbs down.

"Shh, shh. Daddy can't come back for a really long time. It's just you and me, sweetie. Just you and me." Selena removed her hands from the child.

"I want Daddy."

"I know it."

Alrescha sniffled and sniveled into the pillow; Selena rubbed her back and began to sing the lullaby that Sirius would usually croon.

"Oh, my little dear love,

Pure as a white dove,

Spread your wings and fly.

Journey to the land of sleep.

Give me something that's yours to keep,

For I cannot soar beside you.

Drip into the soft sweet glow.

Venture where I cannot go.

Go and be my sight...

Go and be my light...

For I have been forsaken..."

The toddler fell asleep.

Selena wearily slid off the bed, gingerly placing her feet onto the floor. Gripping her cane, she waved her wand several times while walking into the bathroom. The shower turned itself on, and steam wafted out.

With a sigh, Selena sat on the seat in the shower. The water rushed onto her face, warming her skin. Her fingers traveled across the tile, feeling for a bottle. Once she found it, Selena unscrewed the top; the scent floated out instantly.

"Sirius..."

The running water expertly hid her tears.

Saturday, November 7, 1981

"Yes, I saw them yesterday," Selena replied to Dumbledore's question. "You should see Augusta... All she can do is hold onto Frank's wand and just cry... I can't even cry with her, it's so sad. Such beautiful, strong people. They look the same, but they aren't in there."

"Hmm."

"I haven't visited Sirius."

A few seconds passed.

"I don't think I can," Selena added in a whisper. She glanced over at Dumbledore. She knew that look- he'd worn it a lot in the past week. It was the same look Remus had when he was trying to be brave for Selena. Selena began to recount the past few days.

"Took a bit of me with him though," Moody half-whispered, sitting on the other side of Dumbledore. Selena frowned as she remembered where she was. She had to be here, to see the very last few people. She was responsible for the last. She kept repeating that in her head, over and over. I am responsible for the last. The very last few. I am responsible for the last. I must see the very last few.

And then six dementors entered, accompanying four people. Selena scowled, following them with her eyes.

"You have been brought here before the Council of Macical Law," Bartemius Crouch, Sr. said clearly, "so that we may pass judgement on you, for a crime so heinous-"

"Father! Father, please!" Selena's frown deepened as she watched Barty Crouch, Jr. ask for mercy. Bartemius Crouch, Sr. continued.

Selena stared furiously at the four people, the people who took the minds of her friends away: Barty Crouch, Jr., Bellatrix, Rudolphus, and Rastaban Lestrange. The boy pleaded with his father, even after the dementors came for him. His poor mother had fainted.

The four villains were ushered out by dementors, and Selena took a deep breath and stood.

"My offer still stands," Dumbledore said, also standing.

"I'm sorry, sir, I don't think I can just now. Give me a few years, will you? I've got... Some loose ends to tie up."

"Of course. Just know my offer will always stand." Moody, Dumbledore, and Selena began to walk out of the room.

"Well, I suppose now's a good time to tell you," Moody began. "I'm retiring."

"I thought you would," Selena mumbled to herself. "Too much." Alastor Moody nodded.

"What do you plan to do, Alastor?" Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Sit at home and take up some hobby, I guess."

"Doesn't sound like you to take up knitting," Selena retorted.

"Humph, knitting. This is me," he grunted, pointing to a hallway.

"Goodbye, Alastor."

"Dumbledore." He shook Dumbledore's hand, and then turned to Selena. "Constant vigilance, eh?"

"Of course. That's how you and I got Crouch, isn't it?"

Monday, December 7, 1981

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed."

"Get me out of here." Sirius' voice was hoarse, and his face was covered with hair.

"Oh, Sirius, I can't..."

"You love me, don't you? Can't you see this is killing me? You don't want to see me hurt do you?"

"No, baby, I don't..."

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed."

"Then help me!"

"Sirius, you're in Azkaban, I can't!" Sirius broke into tears.

"I'm so hungry," he whispered through chapped, broken lips.

"I know."

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed."

"I'm so tired... The dementors come in my dreams. I have no peace. EVER!"

"I know."

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed." Sirius grabbed the bars of the cell, frantically looking at Selena.

"I didn't do it! Lily and James! I didn't do it! You believe me, don't you?"

"Of course, baby, I know that." Selena did not reach into his cell to touch him.

"WHY DID YOU LET THEM PUT ME HERE!?"

"They wouldn't believe-"

"BULLSH-" Sirius clutched his head in pain.

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed."

"MAKE THE VOICES STOP, SELENA, PLEASE!"

"Haha... If you hadn't made him Secret Keeper... Lily and James would be alive! You are to blame!"

"There are no voices."

"YES, YES THERE ARE!" Sirius wailed. "They keep telling me it's my fault. I should've been Secret Keeper."

"It's not your-"

"Get me out of here."

"Sirius, we've been through this, I can't-"

"I hate you! You're supposed to be my wife! Don't you love me?"

"I do-"

"I HATE YOU!"

"Sirius, you don't mean that-"

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed."

"Please make them stop talking to me. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Selena looked around to see if anyone was watching. No one. She reached into the cell and put her hand on Sirius' forehead. He whimpered at her touch.

"You shouldn't touch me," he said. "Remember what happened last time."

"But you need to feel something warm."

"How's our baby?"

"She's with Remus right now."

"How old is she now?"

"Almost eighteen months."

"I'm so sorry I won't be there."

"It's fine. I'm happy you're alive."

"I bet she'll be so smart..."

"Of course. She's got your blood, doesn't she?"

"She's got a wonderful mother, I meant."

"Visiting hours are almost over."

"I don't know what to do... I'm going to lose my mind. You really shouldn't visit me. It hurts even more when you leave."

"I know. I just wanted to tell you that I'll try to get you out. I've already written to Crouch about an appeal, but after what happened to his son, he's got no power."

"What happened to Crouch's son?"

"He's a Death Eater."

"Ugh." Selena did not have the heart to put more weight on Sirius' already heavy heart, so she skipped the bit about Frank and Alice being tortured into insanity. She cupped his chin, and brought his face closer to hers.

"I love you," she said.

"I love you too." He paused. "How are people treating you? Tell the truth."

"Like I'm a convict. The people I work with don't care, though. Some people come to the house and throw dungbombs, ha..."

"No," Sirius gasped.

"Yes... I'm getting a reputation, throwing people off the lawn..."

"I'm sure you are..."

"I have to go now."

"Don't come back soon. Please. Only come when it's important... I don't like you being here."

"Okay."

"Send letters. I think you can send them..." Sirius sighed. "I'm going to try going into my Animagus form, to see if it'll make a difference."

"Okay." Selena kissed his mouth, murmuring her love for him against his lips.

"Love you too," he replied. Selena let go of him, and he winced.

"Sirius?"

"Get me out of here..."

"I'll try."

"If you loved me, you'd get me out."

"I have to go, Sirius." Selena backed away from the dank, dark cell.

"NO! Don't leave me here! SELENA!"

"I'm sorry, baby. I love you so much..."

"Peter's a traitor, a traitor, a traitor... Peter's a traitor, a traitor, indeed."

"Make the voices go away... Make them leave..."

"I can't, I can't... I'll come back for you."

"Come soon! SOON! I can't take this..."

"I know... If you change into your dog form, you'll be okay."

"Really?" He quickly transformed and curled up. Selena turned away and left.

She reached the Apparation point and went back to her house. Before turning the doorknob to go inside, she took a deep breath, calming herself down.