An:Wow. Another update. Strange. Well I'm really trying to finish up this fic now...because..well it's been going on fo far too long. Don't you think? Thank you reviewers! And another thing actually. I really don't mind constructive criticism. I like getting it, it helps. But I received a very unpleasant Anonymous Review that was rather unpleasant. And I f you want to see my response to that got to this link: http : // reincarnatedrockstarvamp . blogspot . com / 2009 / 09 / dear . html

Disclaimer:This site is called Fanfiction for a reason...right? So isn't it rather obvious that I don't own it?

Chapter 48-Mrs. Black?

I was sitting on our couch about two months later sniffling. We had entered April and I was now about 24 weeks along. And I felt huge and I was just barely half there. By now I had to turn to maternity clothes and people were really noticing the bump now. Different co-workers and strangers congratulated me and asked to feel the belly too many times to count. It was nice in a way to actually feel pregnant…but it was not nice to feel fat. The reason I was sniffling today was that I had tried on a dress that I wanted to wear to an interview with Witch weekly but it didn't fit me anymore. And I was scooping in ice-cream and sulking. I decided to think about something that would cheer me up.

A couple of weeks ago Sirius and I started to fix the baby's nursery. We had chosen the guest bedroom closest to ours and Sirius had yesterday made a doorway in-between the two. I had shopped furniture with him, Damien and mum and we now had a beautiful crib made out of dark wood with stars on the poles and a matching changing table. We had decided to choose an asexual theme and painted the whole room with a changing blue, both walls and ceiling and Sirius had enchanted it so that starts were twinkling everywhere once you turned the lights off and on the day clouds sailed around the room. It was truly something remarkable. It was a couple of days ago when we were working on the nursery when I felt the baby move for the first time.

I was putting the crib together when I felt this weird fluttering, ticklish feeling. At first I couldn't pin point it but when I realized what it was I started giggling. Sirius had looked at me weirdly and asked what I was up to. Apparently he thought that I had done something wrong with the crib…again.

"I…the baby…I felt it" he stared at me for a while and then he carefully crawled over to me from his spot by the table he was putting together. I put my hand on my belly and I felt it again, I smiled and nodded at Sirius questioning look. He put his hand on my belly and when I giggled again he frowned.

"I can't feel anything" he pouted like a disappointed little kid.

"Ethan said that others might not feel it yet" I smiled at him and stroked his cheek.

"Don't worry though, he said that in a few weeks others might be able to feel it" he still looked put out but smiled slightly.

"Promise?"

"I promise" I said laughing…

I instantly felt better now, thinking about that very moment. Maybe being slightly…bigger wasn't that bad at all. I mean Alice was bigger than me at least. Oh Merlin I am mean. I thought and giggled to myself. But I felt better for it. I was shook out of my thoughts when the flames in our fireplace turned green and Snape's head appeared.

"Severus" I said quietly waiting for him to spot me. His black liquid eyes turned to me and a small smile actually lit up his features.

"Would you like to join me for lunch?" he said equally quietly with a raise of his eyebrow.

"We have some things to discuss" I nodded silently and said;

"Give me a moment" with that I stood and headed for our bedroom, I changed into something more suiting for lunch. When I arrived back in the living room Severus stood watching his surroundings with interest. His eyes landed on a picture frame on the wall. It was from our wedding, featuring Sirius, James, Lily and I. I could see that his eyes were mostly focused on my redheaded friend though. I cleared my throat and he turned around towards me.

"Shall we?" I asked quietly, not commenting on the position I found him in, motioning for the fireplace.

"Let's apparate…we are going to muggle London after all" he said slowly and motioned for the door. I nodded in agreement. We only met once in Diagon Alley. After that we decided to only meet on a muggle base, there was a less chance for anyone we knew to bump into us there, we both knew that being discovered as allies could destroy a lot, for both sides of the war. I didn't even want tot think about Sirius reaction if he found me having lunch with Severus Snape. I hated hiding it from him though, but I knew that it was for the best. Severus held his arm out for me and I took it and then the familiar feeling of apparation tugged my insides. Colours swirled and our familiar apartment disappeared and was replaced with an empty alley. I put a hand on my belly as I regained my sight, it was still slightly blurry.

"We'll have to figure out some other means of transportation soon…apparation is not harmful, but not good for you either" Snape's voice drawled from beside me. Even if he didn't want to let it on I could hear an undertone in his voice that showed that he cared. On some level, a very small level, but still. I nodded silently and gratefully kept a hold of his arm as we walked out on the bustling streets and towards a small café. We walked in silence and then sat down and ordered our food; it was relaxing to have lunch with someone who didn't want to order for me. Meaning Damien and Sirius, Damien had given Sirius a list of things he didn't think I should eat; Ethan had unknowingly helped him come up with it.

"Dumbledore is hiding something" Severus said quietly and I looked at him.

"Indeed he is, I just don't know what" I shook my head, frustrated. I had trusted Severus with everything I knew about Dumbledore and he had in return told me everything he knew. But we both knew that we were missing something…something important.

"He won't tell me anything, he doesn't trust me that much yet" he said as he put some of his food into his mouth. I nodded in agreement, how could he?

"I know. But I suppose he will trust you more as time goes…" I replied bitterly.

"Time that we don't really have" he shot back knowingly looking at my belly. I put a protective hand over it and said;

"True. But he's not going to tell me either. He doesn't trust me enough…he thinks I'll do something, stupid…he's frightened that I already know too much and will interfere" here Severus actually smiled slyly and answered with hidden laughter in his voice and some strangely cheerful malice;

"Well, is he wrong? Wouldn't you do anything to save those friends of yours? Even if it was a stupid and rash decision?" I looked at him and was about to tell him how wrong he was but stopped…and nodded in defeat. He let out a small chuckle, something that wasn't very common and really out of character when it came to Severus Snape. I smiled lightly at the man I could now call a friend…well almost. We discussed Dumbledore and his plans a little bit more, both of us getting more frustrated by the minute. So we decided to stop, or well Severus decided that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. We discussed life in general, Severus asking about my business, my doctors appointment, believe it or not. He thought very highly of Ethan since they had met once or twice and Severus provided him with some rather difficult potions from time to time. I asked him about what he was doing, but he only gave me small and less detailed answers. It was very unsatisfying. But I didn't press him. When we stepped up to leave I noticed how gaunt he really was. I looked at him and then decided to do something I never even would have thought of two years ago. I quickly stepped up to him and hugged him. He stiffened in surprise but I held onto him until he relaxed. I stepped away and smiled at him.

"You need to eat more Severus" I told his surprised face and then I apparated. I arrived at home giggling to myself. I set off into the bathroom when the fire turned green and a sound admitted that someone was calling us through the flu-system. I watched as Izzy's face appeared in the flames and she grinned at me.

"Why hello Mrs. Black, to what do I own the pleasure" I said smiling at her. She laughed and said;

"Well I was wondering if you would like to join me for a shopping trip dear Mrs. Black" I giggled and nodded. I stepped into the fire and was quickly transported to Diagon Alley, where Izzy was waiting for me.

"Where were you earlier? I stopped by but no one was home."

"I was at work, helping Damien" I answered smoothly and motioned for the door. We started browsing the street and said hello to a lot of friendly familiar faces. And one…not so friendly familiar face. We were walking through the crowds just talking when I laid eyes on a familiar face. Even if I had only actually met her once, I would recognize that face anywhere. Walburga Black.

"Let's go the other way" I said quietly and motioned to the woman in front of us. Izzy's eyes widened and she nodded quietly. But before we could turn my brown eyes met the nearly black ones of the lady that was clad in the finest clothes money could buy. With her nose in the air she started walking toward us.

"Well if it isn't my sons little wives" she sneered at us and gave us a look that suggested that we were like the dirt under her shoes.

"So it's true then…well I didn't expect my family tree to be lying but I was hoping" she glanced at my stomach and I put a hand over it.

"I guess…some sort of congratulations is in order. Not that there's much to celebrate…I mean the fact that my disgrace for a son is polluting our family with creating another mud…" I held up my hand and said;

"Don't you dare finish that sentence" I glared at her and she glared right back.

"How can you say that about your own…your own grandchild?" I asked in disbelief. She recoiled slightly at the word grandchild and the sneer vanished from her face. I don't think she ever thought about it in that way until that very moment. But soon the sneer was back but something strange was in her eyes when she answered back in an icy but strangely shaky tone;

"That is no grandchild of mine." I raised an eyebrow and was about to reply when a voice interrupted me.

"Mrs. Black?" a young boy holding a parchment that I recognized from Sirius department stood behind me.

"Yes?" I said at the same time that Izzy timidly and Walburga ground out the same word. He looked just as surprised as the three of us did. It was the second time in the matter of minutes that Walburgas' mask had fallen from her face. I smiled slightly and said;

"I think he was referring to me" I thanked the confused boy and took the letter I turned to Izzy and we both watched as our mother-in-law stomped away with as much dignity as she could.

"Well…that was certainly interesting" Izzy said and I smiled at her and nodded. I quickly read the note and told Izzy that Sirius wanted to know if we would like to join the others at James and Lily's for dinner. Did he really have to ask?

The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. I grew bigger every day and soon summer was upon us. Voldemort was on a warpath and everyone was frightened and some even fleeing the country. People were getting married left and right and fear was the common feeling. And yet, life somehow went on. When I wasn't convincing Damien that I was able to work, worrying about Sirius when he was out on raids, attending order meeting, meeting Severus or having appointments with Ethan I was trying to remember every single detail from the future that was getting closer and closer. Mum was frequently stopping by and checking up on me, this was one of those days.

"Mum believe me I'm fine, really" I said smiling at her as we sat in the kitchen drinking tea one morning in June.

"Oh darling, you know I worry about you and my grandchild when that husband of yours is out on those raids…" she muttered something else that I couldn't comprehend. I sighed slightly and shook my head. She hated James and Sirius choice in work right now when they were always in danger.

"I mean for Merlin's sake! You are 35 weeks pregnant! Shouldn't he be more careful!?" she ranted on and I smiled at her.

"Mum…it's his job." She sighed and continued to rant and I was starting to regret inviting her for dinner tonight.

"Oh!" I said suddenly surprised and put a hand on my belly. Mum quieted immediately and asked me if everything was alright.

"Fine. Baby just surprised me with an extra hard kick, that's all" she smiled gently and said;

"So that's started now, eh?" I laughed lightly and made soothing circles on my belly trying to get the kicker inside to calm, it wasn't working.

"Yeah…sometimes I think something's going to burst right through" she chuckled and stood.

"May I?" I gestured for her to go ahead and she put a hand on my stomach and laughed loudly;

"Well that's quite the kicker! A wild one that…well at least it's certain that it's Sirius' child" she laughed and I couldn't help but laugh too.

"Oh, mum you're dreadful" she laughed again and I started to set the table with her insisting to help. Soon Sirius entered the room and greeted us with an;

"Well isn't this a sight for sore eyes! My three favourite girls and dinner!" he walked over to mum and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi mum" she looked at him strangely and said;

"Three? Sirius have you gotten hit in the head so you can't count anymore?" she smiled and he chuckled as he walked over to me. With a roll of my eyes I answered;

"He's absolutely convinced that it's a baby girl"

"And I know I'm right" he said and pecked me on the lips.

"Yeah, well your baby girl has been kicking up a storm all afternoon" he bent down and placed his hands on my belly and started talking to it…oh boy.

"Have you been kicking mommy, love? You should calm down so she can eat at least" he rubbed the place where the baby was kicking and like a miracle…it stopped.

"How do you do that?" I said smiling brightly at him as he stood up again smiling smugly.

"I'm just that great" he answered with a grin.

"Great. Now he's even more big headed than usual" mum said laughing. We all laughed and Sirius declared that we should eat. A pretty normal night in June. Too bad July wanted to outdo her sister…