Halloween was celebrated as per usual at Hogwarts with a feast Ashlynn had snuck away as soon as she could to spend time with Aludra. Sirius had gone with Frank Longbottom to check on Peter and wouldn't be back for some time. She smiled as Aludra crackled with delight as her mother craved the pumpkin.
"Now Aludra," Ashlynn began with a grin. "When Daddy gets home what are you going to say?"
Aludra threw up her hands and cried. "Mummy's having a baby so I can be a big sister!" Ashlynn laughed as she picked up her daughter and spun around causing both of them to get a bit dizzy.
"That's right my big girl!" She said and covered the little girl's face with kisses. Ashlynn set Aludra back on the ground and picked up her wand. With a flick the pumpkin lit up and Aludra giggled.
"Oh mine!" She cried as she reached out for the pumpkin.
"You like it darling? I'm glad." She said as she bent down and kissed her dark hair. "Do you want a little brother or a little sister?"
"A little sister!" Aludra said with a grin. "So she can play dollies with me!"
Ashlynn laughed and was about to put the pumpkin in Aludra's room when three loud knocks sounded on the door. She was just heading to the door when it flew open revealing a harassed looking Minerva McGonagall. "Where is he?" She screamed fear ripping through her voice.
"Where is who?" Ashlynn asked startled. She had never see Minerva act this way and it rattled her to her bones.
"Sirius! Where is he?" McGonagall cried looking about causing Aludra to run into her room and slam the door in fright.
"He's not here. He went to check on Peter. James and Lily were worried about him. And I don't appreciate you storming into my home, demanding to know where my husband is and frightening my child. Now calm down and tell me what is going on Professor." Ashlynn said mustering all her pureblood arrogance and staring down the older woman.
"Oh dear the Potter's…" McGonagall began but then shook her head and changed what she was saying. "Dumbledore is on his way to Surrey."
"Surrey? Why Surrey?" Ashlynn cried.
"I'm not sure Hagrid said he was going to Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey."
"Watch Aludra." She cried and ran out of the rooms before McGonagall could protest.
Ashlynn arrived with a loud crack outside of Godric's Hollow, she could hear Sirius' motorcycle overhead as saw him land not to far away from the muggles that were swarming all over the place. What was he thinking! The muggles would have their memories altered.
Ashlynn cried out. "Sirius!" He jogged over to her tears in his eyes and knew exactly what they meant. "No not Lily and James, Sirius! Please not them!" She cried as she fell into his arms crying.
She pulled away from her husband suddenly horrified. "What have you done?" She cried. "You were supposed to protect them!"
"I didn't do this, Peter. Peter was the secret keeper." Sirius said softly.
Ashlynn shook her head and ran toward the little house now mostly blown away. She was furious, people should listen to her. Why did no one listen to her? She was almost to the house when a muggle grabbed her. "Ma'am you can't go in there." He said as he turned her away.
"I need to get in there my…my…my…sister is in there!" She screamed as she fought him.
The man looked down and sighed. "Ma'am I'm sorry but I can't let you go in there." He said still holding her back.
She grabbed her wand and cried. "Stupefy!" The muggle went down and she ran into the rumble. She saw Sirius climbing besides her and she began digging.
"You shouldn't have done that!" Hagrid called as he climbed up next to her and grabbed Harry.
"Ashlynn what are you doing?" He cried as he got near to her.
"We've got to find them Sirius! They can't be gone, they just can't be!" She screamed.
Twenty minutes later Ashlynn cried out in almost agony. "I…." She began choking back her sobs. "Oh Lily." She cried as she stared down at her best friend whose eyes were wide open unstaring.
Sirius came and pulled her away. "I found James." He said sullenly as he dragged his wife to the curb and sat down. Placing his head in his hands he thought, 'James Potter, the man that was like my brother was gone and Peter had betrayed him.'
"Where's Harry?" Ashlynn cried looking at the house she knew the baby had been there moments ago.
"I've still got him!" Hagrid called from the side and made his way towards the couple. Hagrid choking back tears said. "It's so horrible" as he swung his arm towards the house.
Sirius nodded and then held out his arms. "Give me Harry." He said calmly, trying to not think about how James and Lily had looked in death. It grieved him so much that they were gone.
"I can't." Hagrid said looking down at the sleeping boy. "Dumbledore's orders."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "I'll keep him safe with Aludra and Ashlynn!" He cried. "Give him to me! He's my godson! James and Lily would have wanted me to take care of him!" This time he broke down in tears and fell to his knees. "Please Hagrid let me have Harry."
"I can't do it. If it were my choice I'd give ya him in a heart beat but Dumbledore said to get him to Surrey and I plan on doing it." Hagrid said with a sigh. "I'm sorry." He hung his head and shook it.
Sirius nodded as he stood up wiping his tears away. "Here take my bike." He said as he handed Hagrid the keys to the motorcycle. "I won't need it anymore."
Hagrid nodded and took the keys. "I best get going." He said with a sigh. He ambled over to the motorcycle and started it up.
Ashlynn looked over at her husband and held out her hand. "Come on let's go get Aludra and go to France for a few days love, till things calm down." She said softly her voice shaking.
Sirius looked down at her hand and shook his head. "I can't Ashlynn." He whispered. "I need to find Peter."
Ashlynn sighed and put down her hand. "Promise me you'll come back Sirius. I can't lose you too." She pleaded staring at her husband fear in her eyes.
Sirius pulled her to his chest, hugged her tightly as he leaned down and kissed her gently. "I'm coming back Ashlynn. I'm not leaving you I promise you that. I love you above all else." He said as he brushed her hair out of her face.
"I love you too." Ashlynn whispered as she cupped his hand and stared into his eyes. They stood like that for a long moment before Sirius pulled away.
"We'll meet in Poole and then go to your grandparents' home for a while. Get Aludra and you all packed up and we'll meet at the ferry." He said as he walked backwards his eyes searching for the confirmation.
"Okay Sirius, we'll meet there." She said as she watched as he turned around and was gone in the blink of an eye.
Tuesday past and Sirius didn't go to Poole to meet Ashlynn had he promised. In the cold November air that Wednesday he finally found Peter. He was exhausted and mad with rage when he saw the sniveling bastard dining at a muggle café.
"Peter." He yelled.
Peter jumped up and raced down the street as Sirius took out his wand. Sirius was just about to cast the stupefy spell when Pettigrew shouted. "Lily and James, Sirius, How could you?"
Without a warning the street rocked and Peter was gone. Muggles ran screaming from the area as Sirius stepped forward towards the bloodstained robes and a finger. That little rat knew how to play set him up. As he leaned his head back and started laughing he dropped his wand.
It wasn't his normal chuckle no this came from deep down in his stomach and it sounded evil. He stood there laughing even as the Magical Enforcement Squad came to take him away.
Ashlynn sat on the pier in the chilly November air for the second day in a row. Sirius had not contacted her and Petrie had come back with the letter for him attached. She sighed as Aludra cried to get out of the stroller.
"Just a little bit longer hunny, Daddy will be here soon. He promised he would be here and Daddy doesn't break his promises." She said more to soothe herself then to soothe her daughter.
She sat there staring around waiting for anything to happen when she saw him. She shook her head and refused to make eye contact with him. If he was here that means Sirius wasn't coming, and if Sirius wasn't coming that would mean he was dead.
Remus stopped in front of her and sat down. She didn't look at him just closed her eyes and willed him away. Maybe he was a figment of her imagination she hadn't gotten much sleep last night and it could be it. "Ashlynn." He said after a few moments of silence.
"Go away Remus." She said softly. "You can't be here, if you're here Sirius isn't coming, and if Sirius isn't coming that means he's dead. So just get up and walk away."
Remus sighed and placed his hand on her shoulder. "He's not dead Ashlynn. He's been arrested." He said.
Ashlynn's head snapped up and stared at him. "For what?" She asked in a whisper.
"For the murder of Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles." Remus said softly as Ashlynn looked up at him tears in her eyes.
"He killed twelve muggles?" She questioned. "That doesn't seem like my Sirius. He didn't do this!" She screamed.
"There's a hearing in a few moments Ashlynn we have to get there." He said quietly.
Without another word Ashlynn took Aludra from the stroller and ran down an alley with Remus by her side.
They appeared in the atrium of the ministry of magic. They raced through the hallways towards courtroom ten. Remus carried Aludra as they entered in the back of the room. The whole Wizengamot was in session and Sirius was chained up. "Sirius Black this is not a trial. Your guilt is proven by the testimony of numerous muggles who witnessed the crime, and Cornelius Fudge the first on the scene."
Ashlynn gasped she turned to Remus. "No trial? This isn't fair." She whispered to Remus who shrugged.
Remus leaned forward and said. "With the disappearance of you You-Know-Who they are trying to find all of his Death Eaters, they think Sirius is one." He said with a frown.
Ashlynn closed her eyes as the Chief Warlock continued. "For the murders of Peter Pettigrew and twelve muggles we sentence you to life in Azkaban prison!"
As he pounded his gavel three Aurors sprang into action and Ashlynn screamed. "No!" She raced out of the seats and towards Sirius who frowned at seeing his wife. "He's innocent let him go!"
She felt Remus' arms around her waist pulled her away. Her eyes locked on Sirius' and with tears falling down she mouthed. "I'll always love you."
Sirius bit his lip and nodded as he mouth back. "And I'll always love you Ashlynn." Ashlynn was pulled from the courtroom as Sirius was taken out the other exit. Remus released her after a moment. He slipped back inside and got Aludra as Ashlynn fell to the ground holding her stomach. "Are you okay?" Remus asked as he got down near her.
She shook her head sobbing. "He's gone! Gone!" Tears rolled down her face as she looked at Remus. "He's gone and he'll never know I'm carrying his son. Sirius is to have a son, a son he'll never meet."
Remus pulled Ashlynn into a hug and slowly rocked her back and forth as he rubbed her back. "It's going to work out darling, Dumbledore will get him out. We'll save Sirius."
Ashlynn cried and shook her head. "No, he's gone. How am I supposed to do this by myself?" She screamed as the tears came harder. She buried her face in Remus' robes sobbing. Her life was changed forever, no Sirius and two children to take care of.
"You won't do this by yourself Ashlynn. I'm going to be here with you as much as possible. I'm going to help you raise your children. I promise you that. Do you trust me?" He asked softly.
Ashlynn nodded and looked up at Remus. "It's just me and you now Remus. You're the last of the marauders." She mumbled.
Remus nodded and helped her up. "Come on Ashlynn. Let's get you home and tucked in. Everything is going to work out I promise."
That's it! That's the last chapter! Did I do it well? Please Review! I was thinking about a sequel so tell me your thoughts on that! Thank you for reading the whole thing!! - Lena Knight!