The room was silent, save for the shallow, uneven breathing of the three bodies lying under the thick, twisted blankets. Outside, the world was still, the moon hanging cold and distant in the sky. The peace shattered when Sirius shifted, his body tensing as a sharp pain rippled through his abdomen.

It began as a familiar ache, one he had come to tolerate in recent months, but this time it was different—deeper, sharper, as though something was twisting inside him. His breath caught, panic beginning to claw its way up his throat. His hand trembled as it pressed against his stomach, his heart thundering as dread set in.

"Reg?" he whispered hoarsely, his voice thin and wavering as if speaking might make the pain worse.

Next to him, Regulus stirred, blinking groggily. "What?" he mumbled, before his own face twisted in pain. His hand shot to his abdomen, his breath hitching. "Sirius… no… it hurts." His voice quivered, rising with fear.

Sirius gasped, biting his lip as another wave of pain tore through him, leaving his body trembling. "It's too soon," he choked out, the words barely audible.

Regulus sat up slightly, his face pale and stricken, tears already pooling in his wide, terrified eyes. "No, no, no," he whispered, shaking his head. "This can't be happening. It's too soon!"

Sirius clutched at his brother's hand, his grip weak but desperate. "Don't panic. We—" He faltered as his voice broke. His words dissolved into a sharp cry as another contraction gripped him, this one so intense it stole the air from his lungs.

Regulus whimpered, curling in on himself, his free hand digging into the mattress as his own pain intensified. "Sirius, I can't—I can't do this," he whispered, his voice cracking.

"You have to," Sirius rasped, though the fear in his eyes mirrored his brother's. His body quaked as the pain ebbed briefly before slamming into him again, leaving him gasping and clutching at the sheets. "We can't—wake James yet. Not yet."

Regulus sobbed softly, biting his lip so hard it bled. "It hurts so much," he whispered, his tears spilling freely now.

The sound of their pain roused James from his sleep, his brows furrowing as he turned toward the noise. "Sirius?" he murmured groggily, blinking blearily at the twins. When he saw their pale faces and trembling forms, he bolted upright, alarm flooding his features. "What's wrong?"

Sirius tried to speak, but the words refused to come. Instead, he doubled over with a strangled cry, his hand clutching his stomach. Regulus's voice came, raw and broken. "It's too soon," he whimpered. "James, we're in labor. Both of us."

James froze, his face ashen. "No. No, it's too early." His voice cracked, panic creeping into every word.

Sirius reached out, gripping his arm. "Get Orion," he gasped, his eyes wide and glistening with tears. "Please. James, hurry."

James scrambled out of bed, his movements clumsy and frantic. He grabbed his wand, fumbling as he cast a summoning spell. The words were barely out of his mouth when Orion appeared, his face set with grim determination as he took in the scene.

"They're both in labor," Orion said, his voice steady but tight. He knelt by Sirius first, pressing a hand to his son's stomach. "It's premature. We'll do what we can."

"Can't you stop it?" James's voice cracked as he spoke, his panic spilling over. "Orion, they're not ready!"

"I'll try," Orion said sharply, already working to assess the situation. "But we have to act quickly."

Sirius sobbed as another contraction wracked his body, his hands clawing at the sheets. "It hurts," he cried, his voice thin and desperate.

Regulus clung to James, his body trembling violently as he whimpered through his tears. "I'm scared," he admitted, his voice barely audible. "James, I'm so scared."

James tightened his arms around him, his own tears falling silently as he whispered, "I've got you. I promise, we'll get through this. Both of you."

The room filled with the sounds of labored breathing and muffled cries as Orion worked, his calm composure a fragile anchor in the chaos. And as the hours dragged on, James held his family close, his heart breaking with every pained sound that escaped them.

The room was suffocating, thick with fear and desperation. The once calm atmosphere had collapsed into chaos as Regulus and Sirius writhed in agony, their sweat-soaked bodies trembling violently. The flickering light from Orion's wand carved frantic shadows on the walls, casting their pain into sharp relief.

Regulus's face twisted with torment, tears streaming freely as his shaking hands clawed at the bed. His voice came out broken, barely more than a whisper. "James… I-I can't… something's wrong." Each word trembled, gasped out between ragged, pained breaths. His body jolted with another contraction, and a strangled cry ripped from his throat.

James gripped Regulus's hand so tightly his knuckles turned white, desperate to anchor him. "You're okay, Reg. Orion's here. Just hold on," he said, though the crack in his voice betrayed his own spiraling panic.

Orion knelt beside Regulus, his jaw clenched tightly, sweat beading on his brow as his hands moved with practiced urgency. "The baby's breech," he muttered, his tone taut with concern.

James's eyes darted to Orion, his voice pitching higher with fear. "What does that mean? Is—Regulus—he's going to be okay, right?"

"It means I have to turn the baby manually," Orion replied sharply, his composure fraying at the edges. "But it's going to hurt—a lot." He locked eyes with Regulus, his expression grim. "I need you to stay with me, son. Can you do that?"

Regulus let out a sob, his body trembling violently. "I-I don't think I can," he whimpered, his voice cracking under the weight of the pain. "It—it hurts so much!"

James pressed his forehead to Regulus's, tears sliding down his cheeks as he whispered, "You can, Reg. I'm right here. I won't leave you."

Regulus cried out again, his scream raw and hoarse as Orion began to gently shift the baby. His whole body jerked, his back arching off the bed as the searing pain tore through him. "Stop! Please stop! I can't do this!"

James clung to him, his own tears falling freely. "You can. I know it hurts, Reg, but you're so strong. Just a little longer—please."

Across the room, Sirius let out a weak, pained groan, his body curled in on itself as he clutched his stomach. His skin was ghostly pale, his breaths shallow and erratic. He tried to speak but could only manage a faint whisper. "James… I-I feel like… I'm going to pass out."

James's head snapped toward Sirius, terror flooding his features. "No, no, no," he stammered, scrambling to his other side. He grabbed Sirius's face, forcing his unfocused eyes to meet his own. "Stay with me, Sirius. Please! You can't pass out—you can't!"

Orion glanced toward Sirius, his worry deepening as he cast a stabilizing charm, but even that wasn't enough. His voice, usually so steady, cracked as he muttered under his breath. "We need help."

Pulling his wand from his pocket, Orion summoned a Patronus, his voice trembling as he sent the urgent message. "Abraxas, I need you. Please, hurry."

Moments later, the sharp crack of Apparition filled the room, and Abraxas Malfoy stepped through, his composed demeanor slipping as he took in the scene. His eyes lingered on Orion for a brief moment before moving to the boys. "What do you need?"

Orion's breath hitched, his voice faltering. "I-I can't handle this alone, Brax. Reg's baby is breech, and Sirius—he's growing weaker. I need you."

Abraxas placed a steadying hand on Orion's shoulder, his voice calm but firm. "You're not alone. We'll handle this together."

Orion nodded, his hands trembling slightly as he turned back to Regulus. "Reg, this is going to hurt, but I need to turn the baby. Just hold on—please."

Regulus sobbed, his grip on James tightening as he felt the pressure shift. When Orion began the maneuver, a blood-curdling scream ripped from his throat. His body convulsed, the pain unbearable as he cried out, "I can't—James, I can't!"

James's voice broke as he clung to Regulus, his own tears falling freely. "You can, Reg. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Just a little longer. Please, just hold on!"

Abraxas, working swiftly by Sirius's side, cast diagnostic spells and murmured soft incantations to stabilize him. His calm precision was a stark contrast to the chaos around him, though his hand occasionally lingered on Orion's, offering silent reassurance.

"We need to keep Sirius awake," Abraxas said firmly. He glanced at Orion, his voice softening. "You're doing great. Focus on Regulus—I'll take care of Sirius."

Orion nodded, his composure bolstered by Abraxas's steady presence. He returned his focus to Regulus, his hands moving with careful urgency. "I'm almost there, Regulus. Just a little more, and the baby will be safe."

Regulus sobbed, his body trembling as he endured the agony. James held him tightly, whispering broken reassurances as tears streamed down his face.

And through it all, Orion and Abraxas worked tirelessly, their calm determination the only thing keeping the fragile hope in the room alive.