That summer, Loralei returned to work again. She couldn't stop being an auror because she was a mother now. She needed to make the world safe for her daughter. She didn't want Snow growing up in a time of war.

On the last day of July Loralei brought home a cake from a bakery. Bill and Charlie were playing on their toy broomsticks outside while their brothers either watched or played on the ground in the garden. They followed Loralei in when they saw the pastry box in her hands.

"What's this for?" Molly asked as she saw the package in Loralei's hands. She was almost at full term with her and Arthur's newest child. Arthur was sitting next to her, trying to get Snow to mimic the faces he was making. Ron was playing with some toys on the floor.

"It's Harry's first birthday." Loralei told her. "Sirius is over there celebrating with them, and I thought I'd get this for us."

Molly nodded. "Do you need a candle."

"I got that too." Loralei smiled sadly. "Might as well give the boys a treat, right?"

Molly nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"Have you guys already had dinner?" Loralei asked, nodding to the dishes washing themselves in the sink.

Molly nodded. "Do you want something? We have leftovers."

Loralei shook her head. "No, we had a meeting and they brought sandwiches in for us."

"As they should. Is there anything going on right now that I can know about?" Molly asked, slowly.

Loralei shook her head slowly. "If there were, I'd tell you to get out of the country."

"Let us hope it doesn't come to that." Arthur said.

"Agreed." Loralei said, putting the cake on the table and opening the box. "Bill, can you get a knife to cut the cake? Charlie, can you get some forks and plates?"

"Yes, Auntie Lore." Bill said before he and his brother did as Loralei had asked.

So they lit a candle, blew it out and Loralei cut the cake in nine pieces before serving it to them all.

"What's the cake for?" Fred asked.

"It is my nephew's birthday." Loralei told him. "I can't celebrate with him, so I thought we would."

"Where's Sirius?" Bill asked.

"He's with them." Loralei said.

"Why aren't you?" George asked.

"It's not safe." Loralei told them. "And with my safety I try to give you guys yours."

"Oh." George said, looking down.

Loralei smiled sadly, taking her daughter from Arthur. "Don't worry, George. We'll be together again. You'll meet him one day."

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"Loralei?" Sirius called from the doorway.

"In here." Loralei called back. She was in the living room with the kids. Molly and Arthur were at the hospital. Molly went into labor and somehow it wasn't as big of a drama as before. They had left Loralei with the kids until they returned. Loralei wasn't surprised, their child was coming a few days early, but Molly had been acting odd since the day before.

"Where are my girls?" He asked, entering the room before scooping Snow up from Loralei and dropping a kiss on Loralei's forehead. "Did you go to work today?"

Loralei shook her head. "I haven't seen you there in a while."

"Been working nights." Sirius told her. "Less people are willing to take that and all I usually have to do is answer calls for suspicious activity, which is usually a cat."

"Cats are evil little buggers." Loralei muttered.

"Yes, I know." Sirius sighed. "They make me actually leave the desk at four in the morning. It's not nice."

Loralei laughed. "So how is the Potter family doing?"

"They're going a little crazy, you know, being kept in one place. They're all good and healthy. I left harry a little broomstick to practice on."

"Is he going to be a chaser like his father?" Loralei asked.

"I don't know. He better be something. It's in his blood."

Loralei nodded sadly. "Too bad he can't play outside on it. He's not going to have a normal childhood, is he?"

"I don't think so, but what is normal? At least he has his parents."

Loralei nodded. "At least there is that. He will always have family around him. You're godfather, I'm his aunt. Even if something happens to his parents, he has us. We'll protect him."

"You bet your little blonde head." Sirius said, sitting on the couch beside her. "How's our girl doing?"

"Good. I should be putting her to bed soon." There was a tapping at the window. "Or not..." Loralei looked up, seeing an owl in the window. Loralei stood and opened the window to take the letter from the owl. Loralei sighed as she read it. She apparently needed to get to St. Mungo's to collect evidence. She wondered who was hurt now. If she knew them. If they were okay. How many years of therapy would they need.

"Mummy has to go to work." Loralei said, not looking up. It seemed like she had been saying it a lot lately. "Can you get them all in bed in the next two hours? They need me."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. Of course. Be safe."

"I will." Loralei ran up the stairs to put on work clothes before running out the door, and aparating to St. Mungo's. She found Moody in the waiting room. She had a really bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like there was something much worse than she was ready for waiting for her.

"Potter. Great." He said. "I need you to collect evidence from the Longbottoms."

"Did they already do the job for me? I'm not an owl. I'm sure they can log it themselves." Loralei stated. She was a little upset that he would waste her time like this.

"Loralei...they didn't take evidence. They have it on them. They were attacked, Potter." He said this slower, not as rough as he usually said things.

Loralei paused, not fully believing it. "If they were attacked, why did you choose me to come here? I've known them since school started, Moody."

"Greene is off tonight. You're the only other one with blonde hair that isn't doing something else tonight." Moody told her. "I didn't want to bring you in for this, Potter. I have no choice. Everything is still fresh."

Loralei schooled her features. "How are they? What happened?"

"They were tortured. We don't know how badly, but no one with dark hair can get near them. They don't know how to control their magic anymore." Moody told her as they heard a scream from down the hall. "That's Alice."

"Where's Neville?" Loralei asked. "Where's their son?"

"He was with his grandmother." Moody told her. "He's fine. He's safe. But I'm sure he will be very grateful if you can find out who tortured his parents to insanity."

"They're insane?" Loralei asked, her voice quiet. She couldn't imagine it. They were both so smart and young...so full of life...

"As far as we can tell." Moody stated. "Please. The faster you do this, the faster it can be over." It was the first time he ever said, 'please' to Loralei before. He was effected by this too. Not even the aurors could protect themselves anymore. How were normal people supposed to.

"I will do my job." Loralei turned and started to walk down the hallway as Moody called to her what room to go to. The scene she walked in on was almost too much for her to handle.

Alice had pieces of hair missing from her head along with pieces of scalp, with black hair sticking to her fingers with blood. They were being pinned down on beds by healers. The lights were flickering. They were screaming, trying to reach each other.

"I need everyone with hair darker than mine out of the room and get people with grey or blonde hair to take their places." Loralei said, her commanding voice cutting through the screams.

Those who could left without question. They wanted to get out of there as soon as they could.

Both of the tortured aurors looked at Loralei. Their eyes were blank, looking straight through her.

Mummy has to go to work.

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The moment Loralei had sent the evidence she found off, she slid down the wall, exhausted emotionally and physically. The friends she once knew were gone. She doubted she would see them again. Two more lives taken in the war. Loralei would rather be dead than live like they were going to. What was going to happen to their child? Growing up without parents. He was practically an orphan.

Would this be the same fate that James and Lily would suffer if they were found? Would they have their lives taken from them, though their hearts still beat?

Loralei curled into herself and began crying. She had to let some of it out before she went home. The children couldn't know. They had been touched enough with their uncles being taken from them. They didn't need to hear about Loralei's demons. They couldn't know about all the horrors of the world. Mostly if the younger ones would be going to school with Neville Longbottom.

No. Loralei would only tell those who had to know. She had to tell Sirius. He would find out at work anyway. If not there, then at least the Order would tell him. All Loralei knew was she would be haunted by this.

She would always be haunted by this.

A/N: So around noon today, I was going to upload this. Little did I know that with one mistyped letter I deleted the entire chapter. THE ENTIRE CHAPTER. So I had to write this quickly to still upload on a Friday. I was so upset I wanted to cry. So if it's a bit rushed, I'm sorry.

Griffinclaw: I have to! I know exactly where it is going to end! I'm sorry about that. It has to be done. I'm sorry.

Her-My-O-Knee: I'm sorry! This site has been doing weird things to me lately! I hope this one comes out okay! Thanks for letting me know, though. Otherwise I wouldn't have found it for a while!

Blue Luver5000: Thank you! I love her too!

C.B. Weasley: Thank you!

Please review! They make me so happy!

Kat