Chapter 23

She sat in the living room of the Malfoy Manor, her hands rubbing her belly as a smile formed on her lips. It had been about three months since she told the Malfoy's that she was having a baby. Scabior had apologized to her as soon as she got home from her last visit with the Malfoy's, and she forgave him instantly. They were okay again. Actually, Scabior seemed kind of excited for the baby. Sira hoped that it was a little boy, she felt certain that it was, but he wanted a girl. She even had his name chosen. Anthony Sirius Volkov. The thought of the name caused her to smile. "Sira," Narcissa asked softly as she walked into the room, "are you okay?" She nodded, her smile brightening her eyes.

"Yes, thank you," she breathed softly, still keeping her hands on her belly. "He's just moving a bit."

"Really?" Narcissa questioned, a smile stretching across her lips and sparking in her eyes. Sira nodded again, laughing a little bit.

"Come feel." Narcissa came over to her and Sira took her hands, placing them on her belly. Narcissa laughed lightly as her smile grew wider.

"He is!" Narcissa stated happily. "He sure seems like a strong, happy, little baby. Strong like his mother." Sira grinned, her heart filling with warmth.

"You really think so?"

"I don't just think so, I know so."

"Thanks, Narcissa. That means a lot to me, it truly does." She looked down, closing her eyes slowly. "Especially after all that has happened." She could feel her eyes on her; she could feel how tender and comforting her gaze was without even looking at her.

"Do you miss him?" She let out a breath; the hollow that filled her heart seemed to grow a little bigger. "Sirius, I mean."

"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him. There's not a day that goes by that I don't miss him," Sira explained softly, her voice dull but gently. "We wanted so much and we were going to have it all: a house and children." A smiled creeped across her lips. "Four boys and a girl. Orion, Ara, Volan, Aries, and Archernar. We'd call Archernar 'Archer' for short. And we'd be happy with nothing to worry about other than our family and simple things like that."

"You loved him very much," Narcissa stated gently, her eyes gazing at her with kindness. Sira nodded slowly. "I think you'd like to know something though. I never hated my cousin like Bellatrix did. Of course, I was a bit mean to him but only because she forced me to act that way, but I actually kind of liked him, and I thought that you two would be cute together. I'm sorry that you lost him, I'm sorry that he had to leave you, and I'm sorry that Bellatrix kill-murdered him."

"It's okay," Sira whispered, barely saying anything. "I've come to realize that I can't continue like I had been, it was killing me. I can't keep believing that he's still alive, and that he'll come back. He's dead, and nothing can change that." She shook her head, almost scolding herself. "I spent so long believing that, what a stupid and foolish thing to believe. No one can come back from Death, for they now belong with Death, and the silly hopes and the silly fantasies of the loved ones they left behind will do no good for no mortal can bring them back. I am such a fool, a woman convinced by love that the love of her life could ever come back. He can't, he never can, but I led myself to madness believing so.

"Some say love is a disease; some say love can kill you, and I know, believe me. I was deranged, I was an animal, and I'd do anything to feel anything, to feel alive. But all I had to do was accept what happened and continue my life, as easy and as simple as that. I took the hard way, though, and look where it led me. I'm a murder, I'm a filthy whore, and I'm tied in too deep with Voldemort and his Death Eaters to ever escape. I should be hopeless, but like I said," she smirked, "I'm a fool and I do have hope, one little hope." She rubbed her belly gingerly as a smile formed on her lips. "My little Anthony."

Later that same night, Sira sat in the drawing room of the Malfoy Manor with Narcissa, Bellatrix, Draco and Lucius. The air in the room was tense, and they all felt it, the strain and the conflict of the night. Sira's senses ran high, whether from the company or just her pregnancy, she didn't know, but she did know that something awful was about to happen. She couldn't shake off of the feeling of dread. "So, Sira," Bellatrix said evenly, her mouth moving into a little smirk as she said the words, "when are you due to have your-," Narcissa and Lucius glared at her, "your baby?"

"September," she stated flatly, not looking at her. Bellatrix nodded slowly, leaning back in her seat as Draco have Sira a disgusted glance.

Suddenly, a bell tolled and everyone looked anxious.

"Someone must be coming through the gate," Narcissa stated as she rose from her seat to get the door. Bella stalked out of the room silently as Sira looked at Lucius, puzzlement filling her eyes. Narcissa opened the door, "What is this?" she asked her voice cold.

"We're here to see He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!" a man's voice said, the raspy tone of it sent a chill down Sira's spine. She knew who it was instantly.

"Who are you?"

"You know me!" his voice almost whined the words; she's never heard him sound like that. "Fenrir Greyback! We've caught Harry Potter!" Dread filled her and her fingernails dug into the arms of the chair. No, he couldn't be here, she thought,he can't be.

"I know 'e's swollen, ma'am, but it's 'im!" another voice she recognized said rapidly. Scabior. He sounded scared. "If you look a bit closer, you'll see 'is scar. And this 'ere, see the girl? The mudblood who's been traveling around with 'im, ma'am. There's no doubt it's 'im, and we've got 'is wand as well! 'Ere ma'am!"

Even though she was all the way in the drawing room, she could hear the entire conversation clearly, like she was there with Narcissa.

"Bring them in," Narcissa stated, and the sound of multiple sets of footsteps filled the hallway. A few seconds later, they were in the room. Sira refused to look at them; she couldn't if she wanted to, since she was frozen with her fear. She somehow knew that they did have Harry. Her mind raced. If he died now, the war would be over and the Death Eaters would control everything, the battle would be lost and there would be no hopes of ever winning. She'd feel horrible too, because she couldn't stop Voldemort from killing him since she was too afraid of Greyback to do anything. She bit her lip, trying to think of what to do. Lucius and Draco, after glancing at her, stood slowly and looked at the Snatchers.

"What is this?" Lucius drawled as Sira gritted her teeth, fearing that the gaze she felt boring into the back of her head was Greyback's.

"They say that they've got Potter," Narcissa said coldly. "Draco, come here."

"Well, boy?" Fenrir growled deeply. Sira turned in her seat slowly, her eyes looking at him fearfully. He was paying no attention to her for all of his attention was on Harry. Harry's face looked quite swollen and Sira's tension loosened a bit. Maybe they wouldn't recognize him. She glanced over to Scabior, who stared at her. She gave him a warm smile, trying to reassure him, but he shook his head, causing the smile to drop from her lips.

"Well, Draco?" Lucius asked, "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"

"I can't- I can't be sure," he said, terror filling his voice. Sira swallowed hard.
"But look at him, carefully, look! Come closer!" Sira kept watching Scabior, her eyes never leaving his. "Draco, if we are the ones who hand Potter over to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiv-."

Sira looked at Fenrir as he asked Lucius if they wouldn't be forgetting who actually caught him. Thankfully, he still hadn't looked at her. She doubted that he even knew she was there. Sira kept watching all of them; it was like watching a play for no one truly acknowledged her. Maybe they wouldn't find out it was Harry either. Soon, the door opened and Bellatrix entered the room, another actor entering the stage. "What is this? What happened, Cissy?" Everyone's eyes fell on her, Sira almost found the scene comical, but she was too worried about Fenrir and the fate of the kids to think so.

The bickering soon started again. Who was going to summon the Dark Lord? Who had the authority over whom? Who would be claiming the reward? Then, suddenly, all was quiet. "What is that?" Bellatrix asked a Snatcher. Sira thought it was Robbie.

"Sword."

"Give it to me," Bellatrix murmured.

"It's not yourn, missus, it's mine, I reckon I found it."

A bang filled the air along with a flash of red light. The Snatchers cried out and Scabior drew his wand. Horror filled her eyes as she watched him.

"What do you think you're playing at, woman?" he barked.

The Snatchers fell one by one, stunned. Sira looked down as she took Fenrir down, forcing him to his knees. She clutched her belly, choking her nervous tears back.

"Where did you get this sword?" Bellatrix whispered coldly to Greyback.

"How dare you?" he snarled viciously as she closed her eyes. "Release me, woman!"

"Where did you find this sword?" she asked again. "Snape sent it to my vault in Gringotts!"

"It was in their tent," he stated, his voice more raspy than ever. "Release me, I say!"

She waved her wand and Fenrir stood, stalking over to the chairs where Sira was at. Her heart skipped a beat, he was looking at her, but she refused to look at him. His hands gripped the back of her chair. He leaned down, so he could whisper into her ear. "I've missed you, girly," he snarled softly. "Nothing has been the same without you with us." She shivered for his voice chilled her to her core. His eyes fixed on her belly and she fought back the strong urge to scream. "When is our son due?" He kissed her cheek gently, causing her to stiffen in her seat. Her heart hammered in her chest. She desperately hoped he couldn't see her fear.

"Draco, move this scum outside," Bellatrix said, looking towards the unconscious Snatchers. "If you haven't got the guts to finish them, then leave them for me in the courtyard." Draco's eyes fixed on his aunt's face. He looked uncertain, and hesitant.

"Don't you dare speak to Draco like-." Narcissa screamed.

"Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!"

Sira kept watching Draco as he started to move the Snatchers out of the house and into the courtyard, rage flickering within in as it replaced her fear of Greyback. She stood as quickly as she could, giving glares to both the werewolf and Bellatrix, and stormed out of the room. She followed Draco, moving close behind him while still keeping her distance. To her, it seemed like some of the Snatchers were now coming to their senses and stirring a bit.

"Draco!" she yelled furiously, finally catching up with him in the courtyard. He turned to face her, his eyes livid with his rage. "Don't you darelay a finger on Scabior, or you will be sorry! I can't believe you'd do this! That you'd hurt them when they haven't done anything to you!" The rage in his stern grey eyes burned brighter as a scowl creeped across his lips.

"This is none of your business, halfblood," he snarled, stepping closer to her. Sira moved back, trying to keep some distance as he drew his wand, placing the tip of it under her jaw. "It was never your business, especially what you did to my family." Her back hit the wall of the manor and she knew there was no escaping him. Her anger vanished as quickly as it had come.

"How? How did you find out?" she asked softly, her eyes looking deeply into his.

"One day, I was at Calypso's house on the Dark Lord's orders and I found your memories. Curiosity got the best of me and I went through them," he hissed viciously, "all of them." A smirk stretched across his lips: cocky, over confident, and bloodthirsty. "I have to say, you're quiet the little whore."

"Those were private," she stressed. "You had no reason-."

"Oh I had a reason, Sira Volkov." He jabbed the wand harder under her jaw. "Or should I say Sira Black? Sira Malfoy? Sira Greyback? Sira whatever-Scabior's-last-name-is? It seems like any of those would work for you since you've slept with all of them." She looked down, closing her eyes as she did so. "Admit it, Sira. Admit that you had an affair with my father!"

She stayed silent, but she did open her eyes, just to see that Scabior was finally stirring.

"Answer me or I'll kill them one by one!" he barked as he pointed to the Snatchers.

"You're not a killer, Draco!" she snapped back at him.

"I'll gladly become one for you, bitch!"

She looked down, sighing slightly. There was no way out. "Yes, I had an affair with your father," she breathed quietly. She could only focus on Scabior; she could only hope that he wouldn't be too upset about what was happening. He already knew her secrets; she just hoped he wouldn't try to hurt Draco for forcing them out of her. She had to answer his questions truthfully, thanks to the Vow she made what seemed like ages ago.

"And did you ever think about what it would do to my family?"

"Yes, especially afterwards…" Irritation flickered in his eyes.

He rattled off a few more questions, all of which her answers were yes. Scabior was now awake and watching her, puzzlement shining in his eyes. "Do you love that filthy blood traitor, Sirius Black, more than you love you fiancé?" All eyes were on her, waiting for her answer, the answer she didn't want to say. The seconds seemed like hours. Her eyes found Scabior's just before the tears welled up in them. "Answer me!"

"Yes," she breathed so softly she barely said anything at all.

"What did you say?" Draco whispered, jabbing his wand into her jaw hard, causing her to wince.

"Yes, I love him more," she said, just a little louder than his whisper. He jabbed her again.

"Louder! So they can hear!"

"I love Sirius Black more than I love Scabior!" she yelled, her tears streaming down her face. Draco stepped away from her, smirking ever so slightly as he moved back into the house. Scabior looked at her, tears shining in his eyes.

"Sira," he whispered as she slid down the wall, putting her face in her hands. He went to her, pulling her to her feet and pulling her into him. She started sobbing lightly as he stroked her hair. "Sira, it's okay. I know 'ow much you love 'im and I'm okay with it. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But- but you deserve someone w- w- who loves you and who doesn't love someone else," she said as she sobbed and he held her tighter, shutting his eyes.

"I don't care about that," he whispered gently. "You love me, we both know that." Sge nodded slowly, her tears still streaming down her face rapidly. "You didn't do anything wrong... I still love you, Sira."

"I- I love you too," she whispered back as sge rubbed her face on his shirt. "You make my life so much better."

He held her close, as if she'd leave him if he let her go. He'd never do that, he'd never let her go.

"I want to go home, Scabior. I'm tired... I want to go home." He nodded, still keeping his eyes closed.

"Okay, my beautiful," he breathed, just before they both disappeared with a soft pop.