"My daughter just won the triwizard tournament," Lydia pumped her hands in their, "I'm so proud."
"So am I," Benjy was excited as well, "what an accomplishment."
"Happy birthday my little star," Lydia cooed at her little girl, "you're one year old now."
"I can't believe it's been that long," Regulus agrees, "and she's gotten so big."
"She has, hasn't she?" Lydia turns to Iola, "can you say Uncle Reggie?"
"Unca Wegie," Iola blabbers, and holds her hands out to Regulus, "Unca Weggie!"
"She's so precious" Euphemia had stars in her eyes as she watched her granddaughter.
"Oh come here," Regulus picks the little girl up and twirls her, "I can't say no."
"She has you wrapped around her finger," Lydia giggled, "it's rather amusing if I do say so myself."
"I just hate that she's stuck in the house all day," Regulus speaks passionately, "she's a kid. She shouldn't have a madman chasing her down for something she will potentially do."
"I know," Lydia sighs, "we've been stuck under fidelius for a year already. I didn't understand Frank at first when he suggested it, but seeing how crazy you-know-who is about finding us, I'm glad we did it."
"I am as well," Regulus agrees, "all for Iola."
The two do their best to give Iola a great first birthday. Truth be told, Iola didn't even know what she was really missing.
"It's so sad," Hestia bawls, "they can't leave the house! I'd die of misery."
"You overdramatic girl," Pandora shakes her head, "you'd be fine."
The scene switches to two months later, where Sirius, Regulus, Dorcas, and Lydia are all sitting in Lydia's living room.
"So we'll have the wedding at the Manor," Lydia begins, looking at her notes, "and I'll make arrangements for your parents, Dorcas. They can stay in one of the guest rooms."
"Thanks Lydia," Dorcas smiles, "that makes things a lot easier."
"No need for thanks," Lydia brushes off, "it's Sirius's manor as well. He has just as much a right to it as I do."
"But Monty and Effie left the manor to you," Sirius protested, "they gave it to you because it was your childhood home. They gave me other things. The manor rightfully belongs to you."
"No," Lydia says firmly, "it's just as much my home as yours. There is no need to ask permission for your in-laws to stay here during your wedding."
"So that's what they're planning," Euphemia realizes, "I can't believe Sirius is actually getting married."
"Hey!" Sirius turned to his mother-figure, "that's uncalled for!"
"Truth is hard to hear sometimes," Fleamont put his hand on Sirius's shoulder, "but we're all extremely happy for you."
Sirius sputtered for a while, before giving in to temptation, and slammed his head on the table. Why were they so mean?!
"Thanks Lydia," Dorcas's eyes shone with happiness, "it'll be a huge help." Dorcas leaves shortly after, kissing Sirius on the cheek as she does.
"Are you going on that mission?" Sirius offhandedly asks, "I need to know if I have to account for your martial prowess in the plans."
"Yes," Lydia replies, "Reg is very close to finding the Basilisk we've been looking for. Uncle Newt gave him a few leads."
"I hope we find one quickly," Regulus sighs, "the longer we delay destroying the horcruxes, the longer the war lasts."
"Basilisks are illegal to breed," Newt informs the people around him, "so I really hope that future me really can help."
The scene switches to Lydia returning home a few nights later, dripping in blood. She'd fought off a group of death eaters who were trying to wipe a muggle town out. Luckily the auror task force held them off.
"Hello my sweet," Lydia cooed to her daughter, checking on the little girl. It was time to feed her after all. As she lifted the girl in her hands, she suddenly noticed the blood trickling down her face, and getting all over hands.
"No," she whispers, face shocked, "how can I appear like this to Iola? This will surely traumatize her. She'll start crying any second now." But much to Lydia's surprise, the baby just gurgled and pulled her mother's hair.
"Muma sad!" Iola squealed, "don't be! That makes me sad!"
"She's too precious," Pandora stared star-eyed at her future goddaughter, "I can't believe Lydia raised such a sweet girl.'
"Muma won't be," Lydia's eyes grow hard, "Mama's going to make you a promise my little star. I promise I'll end this war. No longer will children be exposed to war. No longer will death reign supreme in our community. No longer will hate triumph. I will build a world of paradise for you my dear. I'll drag heaven down to Earth for you, my little one."
"What a promise," Molly Weasley admired the younger woman, "if only I could do such a thing for my own children."
"I'm sure you could Molly," Fabian reassured his sister, "you're no slouch of a witch. You may not have chosen the path of a warrior, but your wand can still do some serious damage."
"I agree," Arthur squeezes his wife's hand, "you're extraordinary."
The scene switches to Sirius Black's wedding. The vows are exchanged, ceremony performed, and cheers are heard from the trusted members of the wedding gathering.
"I can't believe my brother is married!" Lydia begins her bestwoman speech. The groom had no bestman. No one could be his guide during his wedding other than his little sister.
"This is going to be embarrassing," Sirius mutters to Dorcas, ready for the embarrassment Lydia was sure to rain upon him.
"Probably for the both of us," Dorcas sighs, "but she wouldn't be Lydia if it was anything else."
"Sirius is my brother," Lydia says, voice eerily serious, "my most trusted companion. My lifeline. He is everything that a person can wish for. Despite our crueler natures, we have risen above it to carve a good life out. There is no one in this world, save for my daughter, that I love more than I love Sirius. All I can say, with my power as bestwoman, is that Dorcas is an extremely lucky woman. I wish the two of you a successful and happy marriage filled with infinite love. To you Sirius, I wish an eternity of happiness. I want you to know that you are forever the brother I always wanted and needed. Thank you for everything dear brother."
Lydia sat down, shocking all present. They had never seen the normally mischievous woman so serious at a normally festive time.
"Was that all true Lyds?" Sirius asked his sister, tears beginning to form in his eyes. He knew all this time that Lydia loved him. How could he not? No person looked at others the way Lydia looked at him. She looked at him with all the love of a sister. But neither her or Lydia were normal individuals. They felt things more intensely. Their minds, calculating as they were, picked up on microscopic details of the other. They could read each other better than couples who had been married for decades. They completed each other in a way he'd seen with no other. But this love, the one burning in his heart, was not nearly as strong as the one in Lydia's. Perhaps because of the inherent inhumanity of her bloodline, but she loved with a passion he knew was beyond most people.
Lydia was the greatest master that Mortem ever had, and likely ever would. Her soul burnt with a fire that was equivalent to a rocket's engine. He knew how devastating her love could be. When she had first experienced loss, a moment that the films strangely hadn't shown, she had exploded with a fury that even Monty had difficulty containing, despite being the master of death. She was a singularity that Mortem himself acknowledged as one in over a billion. Sirius was simply thankful the films didn't show the true sides to her grief. They glossed over it, skipping the likely monstrous damage she brought when she'd lost Benjy. He'd seen how she'd reacted to her auror friend being murdered. That place had never been the same after, forever tainted by the stench of death.
"Of course Siri," Lydia turned her shimmering eyes at her brother, "you are my everything."
"Are you all right?" Sirius asked, shocked, "you didn't even say one embarrassing story."
"Perhaps I'm feeling sentimental," Lydia raised her glass of wine to her lips, "is that all?"
"More like saying my final goodbye," Lydia muttered to herself.
"You asked to speak privately," Sirius and Peter sat in the room in the manor. The other guests were all enjoying themselves, but the groom's absence would soon be noticed.
"I want to switch secret keepers," Lydia smiled sweetly, true emotions hidden, "I want to let you enjoy the honeymoon without the burden." She hated to do this to Sirius, but it was for her baby girl. Sirius would understand. Eventually. She left him a note explaining it all. She hoped he would read it.
"Oh," Sirius' eyes widened, "you're trying to trick you-know-who. everyone knows I'd be the secret keeper, so making Peter the real one will be brilliant!"
"Exactly," Lydia cried internally as she completed the second lie ever to her brother, "now let's do this quickly."
Unnoticed by Sirius, Peter and Lydia shared a look of pain.
"Poor Sirius," Lyetta shook her head, "I know why they're deceiving him, but it's painful to watch."
The scene switches to Lydia and Regulus sitting in the kitchen. "So Newt's agreed to take you," she explained to him, "he's not entirely unaccustomed to skirting around the law."
"I still can't believe that I'm going to get to go to Greece!" Regulus excitedly expresses, "I've barely left this house for two years."
"I'm glad Newt is so agreeable," Lydia says aloud, but wonders if Newt would be so agreeable if he knew why his niece was trying to get rid of the younger boy. She loved Regulus dearly, as her own little brother. She knew Regulus viewed her as an older sister. She only hoped that this wouldn't break him.
"Thank you Mr. Scamander," Regulus thanks the elderly man, "I'm sure my future self had a grand time."
"No problem kid," Newt smiles, "I'm sure I enjoyed myself as well."
The scene switches again to Peter and Lydia.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Peter sighs as he takes his coat from the coat rack, "this is so dangerous. I have no clue why I agreed to it actually."
"Because I asked," Lydia answered slowly. She knows she should feel bad. She's manipulating one of her best friends into being nearly directly responsible for her imminent death, but she couldn't let her resolve crack. She had to carve a new world for those she loved. A world where Sirius can create his picture perfect family, where Remus and Lily can have another child, without the fear of Voldemort's looming eyes over there heads, where Peter can live without stress, thus not agitating his disease, where Panda can raise little Luna in peacetime, where Amelia will never lose another family, where Regulus can live his cursebreaker dreams, and most importantly, her little Iola will know war no more.
Peter trembles as he walks to the meeting point. He was about to come face to face with the devil himself. He would need all his occlumecial power to deceive the tyrant. Luckily that was his strong suit, likely why Lydia had asked him in the first place.
"So you weren't lying," a hissing voice is heard, "you really have come with the Potter girl's location. Who knew that a supposedly light and confident gryffindor could so cowardly submit to me?"
"PETER!" Lydia's friends who hadn't picked up the context shouted, "how could you?!"
"Lay off him!" Lydia rose to the poor kid's defense, "he did nothing wrong. Finish watching the stupid scene!" All the well-meaning individuals sat down reluctantly.
"You cannot blame me my lord," Peter fake stuttered, presenting a mask of fear, which wasn't entirely fake, he truly was terrified, "your power is far too great. I don't want to die!"
Minutes pass, with Voldemort staring directly into Peter's eyes, trying to discern his intentions. Finally, it seems Peter's bluff works, because Voldemort extends his hand. "Tell me the location."
The scene switches to Lydia packing her house up. "Mippy, please take these to the manor," Lydia's voice is soft, and she is eerily calm in the face of what is planned for that halloween night. It was the best timing, a night of death. Fitting for what that night's purpose was.
"Are you sure Mistress?" Mippy hesitantly questioned her mistress, "why are you packing the house up of all the important things?"
"Reasons," Lydia dismissed, "please hurry up though. It's imperative this happens as quickly as possible. And make sure those letters are delivered. Follow the owls if you don't mind."
"I can't watch," Euphemia cried out bitterly, "I can't watch my daughter burn!"
"Nor can I!" Fleamont clutches onto his wife, "how cruel of our granddaughter."
"Doxxy!" Lydia called, and the small house elf popped in. "Please take Iola to Amelia. Tell her absolutely nothing. Simply that I asked her to watch Iola for a bit."
"Yes mistress," Doxxy does as she's told. No matter how much it hurt.
"Please come forth Mortem," Lydia commanded, eyes painted silver.
"I'm here little enchantress," Mortem cooed to the girl, "what does my mistress require?"
"I'm dying within the next hour," Lydia bluntly stated, "I don't want my daughter to have to be the mistress so early. I appoint Sirius as a temporary regent until she reaches her death maturity."
"Very well mistress," Mortem bowed, "I will go and prepare your palace in the afterlife. It's rather kind of you to let me know in advance."
"Make sure Benjy is waiting," Lydia commands strictly, "I wish to immediately reunite with him." Mortem bows again, and finally leaves.
"The moment is drawing closer," Sirius grabbed onto Lydia. He was not going to let go. He would need her to soothe him. He needed strength to watch her death.
Lydia takes all the horcruxes out, and lies them under a blanket. She is ready for the confrontation. She can hear the click of the lock as it's broken, and she begins casting silent anti-apparation wards. Many of them. She MUST keep him inside to burn.
"Lydia Potter," Voldemort's hissing is heard as he enters, "it's a pity that such talent was wasted on you. You could have blossomed in the dark. There is still a chance, however. Hand your daughter over and I will spare your life."
"I'd rather die," Lydia valiantly says, wand drawn out, "in fact, that's exactly what I'm going to do. However, I won't be going down alone." Lydia reveals all the horcruxes from under the blanket, "You'll be joining me for this journey. Pestis Incendium!" Voldemort paled at the sight of his horcruxes, and paled even further at the roaring flames. He tried leaving, but Lydia cast barrels of spells. Voldemort began screaming as the horcruxes caught fire, body spasming as parts of his soul were being destroyed. As the house burnt, and their fate became clearer and clearer, Lydia crouched down to whisper to the dark lord.
"Have you ever considered that the prophecy could be about someone else?" Lydia's voice took a cruel edge, "I myself was born as the third month dies. My parents faced you three times. I am the true child of the prophecy."
"It can't be!" Voldemort's eyes widen almost comically."
"But it is," Lydia's eyes glowed silver, "and the power you know not is death. I am its mistress. And I have personally reserved a special place in hell for you."
The scene ends with the house in Godric's Hollow burning.