A/N: Sirius's POV. First of all, note that thanks to Apocolips, chapters 21 and 22 are NO LONGER THE SAME (oops). I'd run back and read 21 again, just to make sure you didn't miss it! This is jointly dedicated to Apocolips for heroism and to saramichellegellarfan1 for regular reviews. Sorry about my stupidity!

-C

Andromeda had brought Nymphadora to play with Aludra. She was going to take care of Amy while I went to another Order meeting, hopefully the last of these before Amy went into labor. I hated leaving her, and since what happened with Aludra's birth I wasn't about to leave her alone for such a long time. Thankfully, Andromeda and Amy had overcome their differences and they were simply going to have tea and talk while the girls played, unless there was some sort of problem.

"Narcissa has your old friend Vanessa looking after her almost all the time at these last few weeks."

"What?" I demanded. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Andromeda said, frowning. "I could have sworn I told you. Cissy's pregnant. A son, actually. She's having a hell of a time of it. Well, you know how small and frail she is. Not like Amy, here. Narcissa was lucky to have the strength to carry a child to term at all. And look at our Amy," Andromeda added with a smile. "Carrying two at once!"

"Yes, yes, very impressive of me," Amy said wryly.

"Hang on," I pressed. "How long has she been pregnant?"

Andromeda frowned deeper.

"You know, I don't remember, something close to eight or nine months, though. They're expecting that the child will come very soon. She's huge." She paused. "Not as big as Amy, though, obviously. Just, not handling it as well."

I began to pace, careful not to pace by the girls. The last thing I wanted was to step on fingers.

Narcissa was pregnant, very close to giving birth to a son. And the letter Lucius had slipped me when I bumped into him at Diagon Alley….

Something was going to happen. They were going to try to take Aludra, at the very least.

"Extra protections, then," I muttered, and Amy frowned slightly.

"Sirius?"

I froze.

Since lying to Amy about us winning the war, I'd been very careful about what I told her, what I said, how I presented everything, even the morning paper. I didn't like lying to her, but it seemed the only way. She couldn't handle her fear very well, and I knew that it was eating at her. For her health, for the health of the babies, I couldn't let her know the truth. I couldn't let her realize just how bad things really were.

"Nothing, my love," I said with a smile, kissing her cheek. "Just something I thought of to bring up at the meeting."

She didn't look wholly convinced, but I'd done all I could. I left several minutes later after kissing Aludra goodbye and put three extra wards on the house before taking off for the meeting.

I knew why we were meeting had nothing to do with me, but I needed to bring it up, needed to tell Albus what I was almost certain was happening. There was so much…so much to think about. I shivered.

At least they had Andromeda, should something happen while I was away.

When I arrived, only Remus and Mad-Eye were there.

"Sirius?" Remus asked, frowning. "Sirius, you're shaking."

"The letter," I gasped. "The letter I burned you. I know what it means."

Remus nodded encouragingly as he put some tea in front of me.

"Tell me, then," he said. Mad-Eye just watched and waited.

"My cousin is apparently going to have a child soon," I said darkly. "A boy. Lucius will have a son, which means…."

"He wants Aludra," Remus said, taking a step back and frowning. "He wants Aludra so he can make them marry and have the Black fortune attached to his."

"And to erase the blood traitor influence, I think," I groaned. "If they raise her away from Amy and me…."

"They won't," Mad-Eye growled.

I looked up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Even if they do get her," Mad-Eye said, "which they won't, we'll get her back. Nothing is going to happen to your daughter, Sirius. I swear that on my life."

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and I blinked them away, not wanting to have him berate me for weakness.

Remus patted my back and I drank my tea in silence.

Extra protections on the house, Mad-Eye Moody watching out for my little girl…. There was nothing more I could do to ensure their safety. Switching sides was out of the question from the beginning. I realized that as I sipped my tea. There were many dangers that could arise, but if it came down to that I would go into hiding with them, or send them into hiding and bring them back when the war was over. There were ways I could protect them, things I could do to ensure their safety that did not require such drastic measures.

I was about to ask Moody what he thought about hiding them, confining them, when others started to file in and I decided against it. They would all know soon enough that my daughter was in danger. If I looked too worried about it, it would send the wrong message.

On the other hand, if I wasn't worried enough, it would send another wrong message. I ran my fingers through my hair, desperate for some kind of intervention to tell me that I hadn't done the wrong thing. I just needed to know that I really was doing what was best for Amy and Aludra.

"Sirius," Lily said, sitting beside me with concern in her voice.

Guilt welled up inside of me. She was the one who should be terrified. I was supposed to be feeling terribly for her, not incite her concern. I was only making her problems worse.

"Hey, Lily," I said, faking a smile. "How are you feeling?"

She was pale as death, and James didn't look much better. I didn't know why they'd brought a vastly pregnant woman to the meeting. Well, I did know. It was about her and James.

"I've certainly been better," Lily said with a weak smile. "I know we've still got about a month, maybe two, but I feel like this pregnancy is just a cruel sort of torture." She sighed. "Anyway, I'm sure Amy has it worse."

"She does," James said solemnly. "Sirius won't even let her brush her own teeth."

"Lies," I hissed.

I did let her brush her own teeth. It was everything else I took issue with.

It was good, though, to see Lily and James smile and laugh a little. All of the conditions of our lives had collapsed in on us at once and made it more than difficult to smile about things, especially at meetings.

"Let us begin," I heard Dumbledore say, and I turned to look at him, not wanting to hear what he had to say. I already knew what there was to say. What point was there? I wanted to be home with Amy, to hold my daughter, to make sure no one could take either of them from me.

"Before we move into your news," Mad-Eye said gruffly, "Sirius has discovered that there's some plot to kidnap his daughter."

There were gasps and all eyes turned to me. I felt Lily grip my arm as I stared at the wood grain of the table.

Leave it to Mad-Eye to cut straight to the chase.

"I see," Dumbledore said darkly. "What do you suggest, Mad-Eye, to foil this plot?"

"Kill Malfoy," Remus growled beside me. I just hid my smile behind the pretext of sipping my tea.

"Right," Mad-Eye said. "That's not a bad addition to the plan. I'll buy drinks for whoever pulls that off in a way that isn't legally frowned upon. But in addition, I have a new plan of protections, and I think we should have constant patrols of his neighborhood."

"That seems reasonable," Dumbledore said with a nod. "Sirius, would you feel prepared to take more drastic measures such as going into hiding?"

My heart was pounding in my chest and I could feel James's eyes on me. I could still feel the weight of my lie to Amy, but what else could I have done?

"Not yet," I said softly. "Not yet."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. I knew he was thinking I was a fool, but if we went into hiding, who would look out for Lily and James?

And speaking of Lily and James…

"Now, James, tell us what has happened this time."

Attention turned to the couple and Lily took her hand from my arm to James's as he cleared his throat.

"They came to our home," he said softly. "It was Malfoy this time, and Avery."

I shivered slightly.

"The way he looked at my stomach," Lily said slowly. "Avery…. It was strange. He asked about Alice and Amy as well. I don't understand what the obsession is with the pregnant women, to be honest."

But she did know. They were after a child for a prophecy. What bothered me was that they still seemed to be after my family in spite of the fact that none of my girls were able to fulfill that prophecy.

"They came for us as well," Frank said, running his fingers through his hair. "This is three times now they've tried to recruit us."

"Us too," James said, blinking and frowning.

Was I imagining it, or had Dumbledore sat up a bit straighter at this?

I could feel my stomach turning again. No one had actually tried to recruit me.

And then I realized why, in that awful moment. For whatever the reason, they didn't want me to be a Death Eater. They didn't want Amy and me, or at least me, to be a part of their organization.

They wanted everything I had, and then they wanted me dead. They wanted my daughter to marry Malfoy, and then they wanted to ensure that I couldn't have a son to usurp Aludra's inheritance. They wanted to indoctrinate my daughters into their ways, to stamp out the blood traitor tendencies. And if Amy was lucky, they'd remarry her to some Death Eater to bear more pureblooded children.

I felt sick to my stomach. It really wasn't long ago at all that my family had been hell-bent on keeping me, on making me change my ways and join the Death Eaters. Voldemort himself had apparently been very keen on having me in his ranks. Now, now all they wanted was my fortune, my wife, my daughters….

"There is a rumor," Frank said slowly, "that Avery's wife is barren."

My stomach dropped as I pulled myself back into the conversation.

"Avery's wife?" I choked out. "That's Vanessa, isn't it?"

Lily nodded. She was still pale as death, and I was sure the blood had drained from my face, as well.

If Jack Avery could not have children, it would not look good either for his family or for the pureblood cause. Vanessa would have no use to them.

They…. They….

I felt sick to my stomach. Malfoy wanted my daughter, my fortune, but Avery wanted my wife.

Tears were welling up in my eyes and I tuned the conversation out again, thinking of ways to protect Amy. This wasn't going to happen. No one was going to take her from me.

"Sirius?" Professor McGonagall said from across the table, a frown on her face. "Are you all right?"

"F-fine," I managed to splutter, not bothering to wipe my eyes. There was no way to be discrete about it with everyone looking at me. "I just…."

Lily put her hand on my arm.

They thought that the fear for Aludra was hitting me. They had no idea, no idea at all, how terrified I was. And there was nothing more I could do but go into hiding. Suddenly, the idea was looking much more attractive. Maybe if I talked about it with Amy…

But she thought we were winning. The lie made me feel even sicker.

I got to go home soon after, thankfully, and I'd composed myself by the time I returned. I put a few extra protective charms on the house and resolved to look up some more as I went inside.

"Hello, ladies!" I said happily. Aludra was babbling to Nymphadora as they stacked blocks and Andromeda was making tea. Amy, my beautiful Amy, relaxed on the sofa, looking up at me as I entered with a smile on her face.

I almost burst out in tears again.

They weren't going to take her. They couldn't.

"We've all eaten, Sirius," Andromeda said, smiling at me. "There's food for you in the kitchen."

I nodded, retreating to the kitchen to gather my thoughts. I ran my fingers through my hair, dishing up some chicken and rice. Andromeda followed me in, a frown on her face.

"What's wrong, Sirius?" she whispered, closing the door. "Amy's too tired to notice, but you looked like you were about to cry in there! Are you in danger?"

"It's complicated," I sighed, cutting the chicken and staring at it. "I suppose I am, but the Death Eaters… They want my girls, Dromeda."

Andromeda knew, I could tell, from the look on her face, exactly what I meant. She was sharp, and she'd been raised just as odiously as I had. She shook her head, looking at the door.

"What are you going to do?" she whispered.

"I don't know," I sighed, falling into the chair. "I can't let anything happen to them, but the Order, they need me. And I can't be without Amy. If I send her into hiding, I'd have to go with her and I can't leave the fight."

"If you stay you could lose them," Andromeda reasoned. "What matters to you the most?"

I buried my head in my hands.

I didn't know what to do, and that was what terrified me most. Shouldn't it be easy? Shouldn't I give up everything else to save my family? Wasn't that the right thing to do, the right thing to feel? What was wrong with me?

"Sirius, you don't have to decide right away," Andromeda said gently. "You and Amy need to talk."

"I lied to her," I choked. "I told her we're winning the war. And I don't think I can admit to her that it was a lie. I don't think I can take that piece of mind from her."

Andromeda sat beside me, petting my hair as she had done when I was a child. So much had changed since then, since she'd petted my hair when I had nightmares. We were different people with different goals and different fears. Everything was bigger, more real, and so much more complicated. Nightmares were bad, but they weren't real. It was easy to deal with them.

This, this was very much real, and there was nothing easy about it, even though I felt like it ought to be. I bit my lip, looking down at my hands.

"Why don't you finish eating," she said gently. "Calm down a little, and then come play with the girls. You won't be able to do anything until you're a bit less distressed."

I nodded, watching her leave the kitchen before I tucked in to my meal, wolfing it down like it was the last food I'd ever see.

Depression was an incredible appetite boost.

When the chicken and rice were gone I poured a cup of tea and returned to the front room, watching Aludra and Nymphadora fight over the blocks.

Amy smiled as I sat down beside her, drinking my tea quickly so I could get on the floor with the girls.

"How is everybody?" she asked.

"Oh, Lily and James are anxious for their baby to hurry up and arrive," I said, smiling a bit tightly. "Much like I want these girls to hurry up and get out here."

She laughed. I finished my tea quickly and got on the floor.

"Oh, Sirius," she laughed. I closed my eyes and smiled. Her laugh was so beautiful. "Can't you let the children be children by themselves?"

"Never," I teased, sticking my tongue out at her before putting Aludra on my lap. "Hello, princess," I said.

"Dadada," Aludra babbled happily handing me a little blue block. I gasped.

"Sirius!" Amy said, smiling. "She's using the blue ones!"

"Apparently she likes triangles after all," I teased, kissing Aludra's cheek. "She was just saving it as a present."

"Is he always like this?" Andromeda said with a snort. "He's absurd."

"Always," Amy said solemnly, although I could tell from the way her neck convulsed that she was fighting laughter. "He's absolutely ridiculous."

I turned back to the girls, my cousin's daughter and my own daughter, who were now the more important thing in the room. They and their block playing demanded my attention. I reached out to pick up a yellow block and Nymphadora swatted my hand away.

"No," she snapped.

Andromeda raised her eyebrows.

"Nymphadora!"

"It's all right, Dromeda," I said honestly, "Dora doesn't like the yellow ones. I should have remembered."

"Still," Andromeda sniffed. "She shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

"I think it's good for me, sometimes," I sighed, bouncing Aludra slightly on my knee. "It's nice to be reminded that I'm not allowed to do things."

Amy laughed outright and I smiled again.

No, if I did decide on hiding, I would have to go with them. I could not be parted from my lovely girls. And that was what making what should be an easy decision hard. I had seen the look on Lily's face during the meeting. I knew how much I was needed in the war effort, and I didn't want to hide for the rest of my life, even though we could. Voldemort had to be stopped.

I just wasn't sure if I could outlive him long if I lost my girls. What would be the point?