Disclaimer: Aurora Clementine Badeau, Annalisa Dairine Black, Aberto Adriano Badeau, Alicia Doireann Badeau (nee Riddle), Timothy Durante Badeau, Alfred Cillain Badeau, Holly Caoimhe Badeau, Nicola Sorcha Badeau, Italia Isla Badeau, Thekla Sophia Badeau (nee Metaxas), Maximus Eligio Badeau, Alexander Fidel Badeau, Massimo Cillian Badeau, Dolores Maria Badeau (nee DaSilva), Nikita Gorbachova, Rosaline Amherst, and Delilah Abernathy are all (C) to me :)
Pippa Lupin (C) Ashley :)
The other Lupins that are (C) to no one really. I don't claim to own them and they are not mentioned in any of the HP books. You may do as you wish with them.
All other characters are (C) Jo Rowling.
Aurora lay in the hospital bed, sleeping lightly as Sirius cradled and soothed the waking Annalisa. She cooed and wriggled, making Sirius grin. The Mediwitch had said that she was extremely healthy for a premature baby.
"Of course you are; you're my daughter," he whispered proudly and kissed Annalisa's soft head. While they waited in the Post-Delivery Ward, Lily and James were in the Delivery Ward, awaiting the arrival of their child. Sirius felt so much excitement; he had a very hard time containing it. Aurora mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, her eyes cracking open slightly as she awoke.
"Sirius?" He looked up at her as she called his name softly and he went to her bed, smiling down at her. "Is Lily out yet?"
"No, but I'm sure they're almost there," he answered as he sat down in a chair next to her bed and Aurora smiled softly.
"Is she awake?" Aurora asked about Annalisa and Sirius nodded.
"Yeah. I think she's hungry…" Aurora held her arms out and he gently, and a bit reluctantly, placed his daughter in her mother's arms. Aurora brought Annalisa to her breast and began to feed her, making Sirius flush and turn away. Aurora giggled. About ten minutes later, five minutes after Aurora had finished, James rushed in, jumping up and down.
"A BOY! I HAVE A SON!" he yelled and Aurora grinned, lifting her baby girl up.
"Did you hear that, Annalisa? You have a boy as a friend now! Two boys in fact…Aren't you lucky?" Sirius and James were bouncing around and dancing enthusiastically. They tried to get Frank Longbottom to dance and jump up and down but to no real avail. Aurora laughed and smiled as she watched the two grown men screaming and jumping out of pure joy.
"Lil?"
"Hmmm?" Lily looked over at her friend as they lay next to each other in the Post-Delivery Ward.
"Can you believe that we're mothers now?"
"It's a bit odd, isn't it?" Lily giggled as Aurora nodded.
"I never thought I'd be married and have a baby girl…How can so much joy come at such a dark time?"
"I don't know…I really don't know…" Lily answered as they both gazed at the babies in their arms.
"How is Harry?"
"He's asleep…He looks so much like James."
"Yeah, yeah, he does…but he has your eyes," Aurora said and both women smiled.
"Yes…Yes, he has my eyes."
Three days later, Alice, Aurora, and Lily were released from the hospital, exiting it with two baby boys and one baby girl. They all went their separate ways and before Aurora knew it, she was home again. There was a long, pink banner hanging over the porch with silver lettering which shimmered and moved in the sunlight. They spelled out 'Congratulations, Black Family, On Your New Arrival!' Aurora smiled and kissed Sirius' jaw as her neighbors came out of their houses, clapping and cheering. Aurora blushed and waved at them all.
"They did all of this?"
"I didn't do it," Sirius replied honestly, a grin on his face.
Months passed by quickly; it was now November, and things were getting progressively worse in the world. Muggles were being attacked more and more as wizards and witches began to disappear. Andromeda, Ted, Nymphadora, and their baby boy, Aquila Cepheus Tonks, all went into Hiding again and Aurora was appointed their new Secret Keeper. They had found out that Wilma Cornfoot had been tortured for the information on them and then killed.
Aurora finished writing a letter to Lily and folded it before inserting a picture update of Annalisa and putting it all in an envelope. She sent her snowy owl, Isis, out with it and then went into the baby's room. Aurora peeped over the crib's railing and smiled as Annalisa gurgled and wriggled happily on her bed. Aurora lifted her up, cooing and swinging her gently around. Annalisa gurgled happily again and Aurora grinned before kissing her child and cradling her to her chest. She walked out of the room and went downstairs, calling for Italia.
"Italia?"
"Yes?" The bright young girl sat on the sofa, a thick book propped on her legs.
"What are you reading?"
"Nicola's Hogwarts, A History."
"That's quite a book to be reading at your age…"
"I'm smart," the five year old said matter-of-factly.
Aurora laughed and went into the kitchen, grabbing an apple from the bowl before going back into the living room. She sat down next to her five year old sister. "Where are you?"
"I'm in the middle of chapter eight; The History of the Headmasters."
"Geez…Kiddo, I do believe you are the smartest of all your siblings," she commented and took a bite out of the green apple.
Italia sighed and booked marked her page before closing the book and looking up at Aurora. "When can we see Nicola and Holly?"
"Not till Christmas…It's not that far off, Italia."
"I know…I miss them."
Aurora frowned slightly, shifted Annalisa a bit, and then reached out, patting her young sister on her back gently. "Did you want to visit Papa today?"
Italia nodded her head vigorously and then bounced up off of the sofa and ran upstairs to her room to get changed. Aurora went back to the kitchen to grab her purse and car keys. She settled little Annalisa into her traveling carrier and buckled her in before taking her out to the van and putting her into it, hitching the carrier onto the back seat right behind her. Italia came rushing out and climbed into the van, sitting right next to Annalisa. Italia buckled up and watched as Aurora got into the driver's seat and started the van.
It only took them about an hour to reach the cemetery, making it 5 pm when Aurora stopped the car. The wind was getting cooler as Aurora stepped out of the van and looked around before pulling Annalisa out of her carrier. Aurora held the baby girl close to her and wrapped a soft, thick pink baby's blanket around her; a gift from Dumbledore. Italia walked around the back of the van to join Aurora and together, with baby Annalisa protectively gathered in Aurora's arms, they walked towards the site where their father, grandparents, brother, sister-in-law, and nephews were buried. As they began to wind through the graves, Italia staying quite close to her side, Aurora noticed a figure dressed in a long black jacket standing at her father's grave.
Aurora slowed her walk as they came nearer and nearer. She instinctively glanced over her shoulders as she continued. Aurora could see the man's short hair moving against his head as a cool breeze blew, making Aurora's own hair fly around her face. She stopped and stooped down to Italia.
"Stay right here; don't move," Aurora whispered to the 5 year old and then very gently passed Annalisa to her little arms. Italia struggled a bit but finally got Annalisa to a comfortable spot as Aurora slowly progressed forward.
Aurora was very cautious as she approached the tall man and she had the distinct feeling that he was her older brother, Alfred. As she got to his side, standing about five feet away from him, she peered into his face and was presumed correct. She frowned and looked back around her and motioned for Italia to hide behind a very large headstone. Aurora turned back to him and watched for a few minutes as he just gazed at his father's grave. Aurora followed his eyes and looked upon the white marble headstone that lay embedded in the ground, soft green grass trying to reach over it. She couldn't help the tears prickling in her eyes as she read what the headstone said.
Aberto Adriano Badeau
December 18, 1922- November 5, 1977
Beloved Son, Brother, Uncle, Husband, Father, and Grandfather
In God's Loving Hands
And just next to his name was:
Alicia Doireann Badeau (nee Riddle)
January 1, 1926-
Beloved Daughter, Sister, Mother, and Grandmother
"No Snowflake Ever Falls In The Wrong Place."
The quote beneath Aberto's name was decided on by his parents, Massimo and Dolores. And Alicia's quote was decided upon by Aurora, with help from Tim. It was a quote that she always said to them.
They stood in silence before she caught him moving slightly out of the corner of her eye. She immediately plunged her hand into her jeans, her fingers wrapping around the handle of her holly wood wand. She had it pulled out and discreetly pointed at him as they both turned to each other. She heard Italia squeak but Aurora just glared at Alfred.
"Why are you here?" she asked venomously. Alfred just glared back, his hands slowly rising in surrender, no wand in either of them.
"He was my father too, you know, Aurora…" he responded quietly and Aurora had the sudden urge to spit in his face. She glowered at him, her wand becoming more discreet.
"You gave him up, if you don't recall, Alfred; to me, that cancels out any right you had as his son," she snapped, her eyes flashing.
"I didn't kill him, Aurora!"
"You might as well have! You gave him to Voldemort without a second thought! You just said 'Oh here, Uncle' and handed Mum and Dad to him on an effing golden platter!" she hissed, her jaw clenching. Alfred looked away, his own jaw clenching. "You can't tell me that you're feeling remorse now? Not after what you also did to our grandparents…and what you did do Tim and his family. Do you honestly feel guilty now, for killing your own twin brother and your sister-in-law?" He didn't answer. "Al…Alfred, you could become a spy…" She said it without really thinking.
The thought of her brother feeling remorse for what he had done sent an exhilarating wave of joy and hope coursing through her veins. Maybe, just maybe, she could convince him to become a spy or go into Hiding as Dumbledore or herself as his Secret Keeper.
He barely looked up at her, his eyes almost unreadable. "A spy? Do you think I'm a complete nutter?"
"Alfred, if you're having second thoughts about what you've joined, like Regulus did, than the Order can help you! You could become a spy for us and pretend that you're a spy for them! Or, if you don't want to be in that much danger, you could go into Hiding! Dumbledore, or I, could be your Secret Keeper!" She couldn't keep the slightly excited tone out of her voice as she spoke, her eyes glittering.
"You're loony, you know that? Spy against the Dark Lord?! Impossible! No. I won't become a spy." He turned from her and faced Tim's and Thekla's graves now. Aurora took a few steps forward, her left hand reaching out to gently rest against his beck. She felt him tense and she removed her hand, walking around to face him again instead.
"Then go into Hiding, Al. You'll need to convince Dumbledore to trust you, but it shouldn't be too hard…Please, Al, please. At least think about it." She sounded urgent and hopeful. She didn't quite know what to make of her sudden change of heart. Perhaps it was the prospect of getting another family member back that made her so overjoyed or perhaps she had always hoped that this day would come.
He kept his eyes adverted from hers and suddenly she knew that he had never felt remorse; no guilt. He was here to mock them. A tense, pregnant silence stretched between them; his eyes remained strained away from her as she stared at him incredulously.
After about eight minutes, she finally broke the silence, speaking her assumption. "You only came here to mock them, didn't you? You came here to gloat that, here you are, alive and well, while they're buried…dead." His eyes snapped to hers and she knew she was right. Her heart seemed to solidify in her chest, her eyes becoming cold and hard, almost dark. "Leave."
Without a word, he twisted and, with an audible pop, was gone. Aurora glared stonily at the spot that he once stood. She suddenly felt a small hand grab and gently pull on the hem of her jacket. She looked down to see a crying Italia and a sleeping Annalisa. Aurora knew that Italia understood. She knew that Alfred was just as lost to them as their father, Tim, grandparents, sister-in-law, and nephews were.
Thanks to eloquent-dreams for the add! I hope everyone liked this chapter. Please review! Thanks -Siriusgrl88
P.S. I will be in Cali this next week so I probably won't update until the week after (I'll try for Tuesday!). Sorry about that! But we're almost done and then I can start posting the sequel. Ciao.