A/N) Okay... well I honestly did not expect to publish such a short chapter like this... It is only 1500 words and for me I never really like posting chapters that short, however because of the end of this chapter, it really feels like the perfect place to do so. So that is why this chapter is so short...

Twisting Time

Chapter 37

Leanne was kneeling on the carpet, arms behind her head, execution style. Off to the side were her parents, bleeding and bruised to the face, with Quirrell and Lucius Malfoy with them. But Sirius' eyes were drawn to the monster standing behind his girlfriend.

Voldemort's eyes glinted in triumph and his mouth curled upwards as he pointed his wand at the back of Leanne's head.

Sirius glared, raised his own wand and pointed it very deliberately between Voldemort's eyes. "Let. Her. Go."

Voldemort chuckled. "Why should I? She has been particularly useful in bringing you here. I have only just learned who she is to you but my loyal Death Eater, Lucius, has been well aware of her for a very long time…"

Sirius swallowed. "What?" He couldn't help himself. They had been so careful. How had they known about her? There could be only one reason how Lucius Malfoy had known…

Leanne sobbed harder as the tears rolled down her cheeks. "Sirius… I'm sorry!"

"Lucius… why not explain to our hero why Leanne came into his life?" Voldemort drawled. He was enjoying himself.

James scowled beside Sirius but stayed silent.

Sirius' mind whirled. Had this been a set-up? Had they manipulated Leanne into getting closer to him?

Lucius' eyes glinted as he stepped forward, a smirk on his face. "Only a few people were aware of where you lived, Black. Only one person in the whole Ministry knew your location and it wasn't even on record. I had contacts in every Muggle city, scouring them for you. Eventually my contact in Oxford reported to seeing you in the area a few times. I used my contacts in the Ministry to discover if there were any other witches and wizards living in the area. A few did but most of them did not walk out into the Muggle world. It came to my contact's attention that you and Leanne here knew one another and met up occasionally. You were friends. I disguised myself and confronted the Mudblood –"

Sirius growled deep in his throat. He hated that vile term.

Lucius smirked as Voldemort laughed. The Dark Lord was clearly enjoying this.

"I threatened her parents. If she did not pass information on you to me then her parents would pay for it. They would die. It was unfortunate that your grandfather decided to try to take you down with his ill-timed plan to kidnap your godson right from under your very nose. That didn't end well. Instead it nearly ruined my plan. You left Oxford and went to Reading yet you stayed in contact with your friend…" Lucius continued. "And then you asked her out but I didn't know it was her until recently. Since you moved from Oxford I did not keep up with her but a month ago intelligence reached me that the rumoured Mudblood that you were with was in fact Leanne. I confronted her, demanded to know everything about you but she was useless. Threatening her parents again would ensure her cooperation. And then something changed… You must have told her something to make her panic into risking everything."

Sirius swallowed. He knew what he had done. He'd told Leanne about his true self. Had trusted her because he thought he could but now… Had this happened because of him?

"I never betrayed you!" sobbed Leanne.

Because she hadn't. He knew that. Malfoy had confirmed that she had been useless. They had been looking for more information on his old life, something she had been unable to give, until he had decided to trust her which had led to this… Sirius' stomach tightened. He felt sick. This was his fault. This whole situation was down to his actions alone. All because I couldn't keep hiding from her. He hadn't wanted to keep secrets any longer, not from the woman he loved.

A hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. "She didn't… You tried to warn your parents didn't you? You tried to get them to safety." James asked quietly. "But they knew and came to stop you from getting them to safety."

Leanne nodded. "Yes."

"She was a fool to believe that we would not be ready for such an eventuality," hissed Voldemort, digging and twisting his wand into Leanne's neck.

"I placed listening charms on this household. I was always alerted when she visited. And then on Wednesday morning she arrived here." Lucius' face was glowing now. "I listened in on everything. She told her parents they had to leave and quickly… I wasn't going to allow that to happen."

"We have been here since Wednesday waiting for you to arrive," finished Voldemort.

Which explained why he hadn't heard from her. Especially if she and her parents had been held like this for over three days. They must have been terrified.

Sirius glanced over at her parents who had welcomed him into their lives with open arms. Did they know who he really was now? By having a relationship with their daughter, he had placed their lives at risk… He had always put off asking Leanne out because he hadn't wanted to put any person he loved in harm's way from Voldemort's wrath. But he had decided he had to take the risk… And now Leanne and her family were paying the price for his inability to protect them from harm. He had known it was an eventuality that could have happened which was why he had asked Leanne if they could keep it as low-key as possible. He had thought they would be safe…

"But now that you are here, Black, we can get down to business." Voldemort grasped Leanne's hair and tilted her chin back. "Lucius… Quirinus… Kill the Muggles. They do not deserve to live."

The two wizards raised their wands at the elderly couple who flinched. Small cries came from the gag taped around their mouths. They didn't want to die, but who really did want to?

"NO!" Sirius yelled, raising his own wand but he was too late, even as James managed to fire off a curse at Malfoy which Voldemort deflected on his behalf.

But it was too late.

Leanne's parents slumped to the floor.

Dead.

"YOU BASTARD!" Sirius whirled.

Leanne, still held in Voldemort's grip, sobbed even harder, her eyes never leaving the bodies of her deceased parents. When she spoke her voice was dead, pain reflecting within it. "Sirius… I didn't want this to happen…"

Sirius looked at her. He couldn't attack because he'd be putting her in harm's way. He was surprised James hadn't acted rashly to save her either. "Neither did I…" He knew there would only be one other outcome and he couldn't change it. Voldemort had made that very clear.

"I will take everything from you, Black," hissed the Dark Lord. "Starting with this Mudblood." He jerked up on Leanne's hair, dragging her up so she was dangling, feet above the ground, in front of them. "You've taken everything from me. It is only fair I return the same courtesy."

"Voldemort… don't do this," said James quietly, surprising everyone in the room by his calm tone of voice.

"Why not, Potter?"

"Because she's done nothing to you," replied James. "Your beef is with Sirius not Leanne."

Voldemort laughed. "Are you trying to negotiate with me, Potter?"

James shrugged. "Not really. Stalling for time was my intention. It was worth a shot." And then his wand twitched upwards.

Voldemort hissed as an invisible curse struck him. His grip on Leanne's hair slackened and she took the opportunity to pull away before he could tighten his grip again.

Sirius reached forward, grasped her hand and dragging her behind him, pushing her back, protecting her with his body.

Voldemort's eyes glinted. "Clever." A sly smile was on his face, one that did not feel right on his features.

Sirius felt surprise that Voldemort hadn't decided to duel him yet. He knew something was up. What was he missing? Leanne was still in danger. They had to get out and quickly. But had they erected Apparition wards to prevent them from leaving? But just as he was about to reach out to try, Voldemort spoke again. He didn't like the look the Dark Lord was giving him.

"But not clever enough," grinned Voldemort. "You cannot save her." And he Disapparated.

"What?" Sirius said in surprise, instantly knowing what was to come. But he didn't turn quick enough as he heard another pop behind him followed by two fatal words hissing forth.

"Avada Kedavra."

Leanne let out a soft little 'oh' as Sirius turned and then Leanne slumped into his arms as he caught her limp body.

Voldemort was standing in front of him, laughing.

The life that had once shone brightly in Leanne's eyes was already gone.

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

So I am sure I will be told that it was a waste to create an original character only to have her killed off... First, let me just say that when I decided upon giving Sirius a girlfriend, my full intention was or them to live happily ever after. But they are not now as Leanne is dead. I never intended for Leanne to die. My brain gave me the inspiration for it a few days ago and after thinking about it, I realised it was the only way to go.

So, apologies for that...

Voldemort wants Sirius to suffer so killing those he loves is his priority right now. Poor Leanne.

The next chapter will be posted soon and I promise it will be longer!

Until then,

the-writer1988