"Hell is empty and all the devils are here." -The Tempest, William Shakespeare

Malfoy Manor

9th May 1998 11:50 pm

"I can't believe that slippery little whore has managed to once again come up smelling of Roses" Lucius drawled into his almost empty whisky glass.

Narcissa raised her eyebrows, sauntering across the drawing room. The clicking of her heels echoed the high ceilings as she pretended to inspect the paintings that had only today been returned to their proper positions. She used her wand to adjust the first one that she came to, tilting it slightly to the right and stepping back.

"Still not speaking to me, darling?"

Hearing the sneer, Narcissa closed her eyes, took a small breath and turned slowly to her husband. "How long have you been sleeping with her, darling?"

Lucius stopped in his tracks, his drink hovering before his pursed lips, "Are you still concerning yourself with that my love?" He smiled sweetly, taking a slow sip and avoiding her eyes. "It was a very stressful time, the Dark Lord insisted I keep her in…"

"Do not dare try to pacify me with lies, Lucius." Narcissa snapped, "We both know that the Dark Lord forbade you to touch her. And yet you did so anyway…" She continued her slow inspection of the drawing room, running her finger over the large wooden frames to check for dirt, finding none, she returned her attention to her husband. "You will forgive me if I ask you to spare me the details of why her cavernous hole is so tempting for you that you risked your and your family's life for the opportunity to fill that little bitch."

Lucius's eyebrow raised slightly, the ghost of a smile etched on his face he whispered. "She's quite tight for a whore."

Narcissa stared at him, her mouth slightly gape. After a moment of silence she continued "I will ask you again, and because you seem to be too stupid to admit the truth or too fixated on the Weasley girl to remember there were others," her tone reached its threatening peak and she paused. "I will make myself clear. How long have you been sleeping with Tabitha?"

Lucius's face paled at least three shades, "Narcissa, my petal…" There was panic in his voice now as he placed his glass on the small oak side table and began to stand.

"Lies will not pacify me, you have one chance to tell me now what happened, or else I will have to make alternative arrangements for our families legal services." Narcissa pursed her lips and clasped her hands in front of her.

His smirk made her blood boil, "Tabitha is the best in her field," the once adore approached her slowly, placing his hands on her arms. "It would be short-sighted to relieve her of her duties when we are so close to the trial and because of the foolishness earlier, Draco's likely arrest."

"And how do you propose that I continue to accept you working with her when she has been sleeping with my husband?" Acid burned in her throat as Narcissa looked into the face of the man she had once worshipped.

Lucius continued to smirk, his eyes roaming her face looking for her weakness, "I wouldn't call it…" with a raise of her eyebrow Narcissa stopped his sentence short, "Cissy, dearest, you have no need to fear. It was nothing significant, you are aware that Tabitha is a brilliant mind. Over the last few years she has silenced a lot of rumours for me. I had to thank her properly, do you disagree."

"I do not agree that you had to stick your prick in her to thank her, Lucius. We pay her for her services, handsomely might I add, she is thanked once more in her pristine reputation, that I have helped personally build I will have you know. She knew you had a loyal wife and a son and still lay down and spread her legs for you. She is nothing but a whore."

"My darling, had your dear cousin not reappeared from the dead, it would have been Tabitha's conversation with my little Thorn that would have gotten us the desired outcome. Her visit would have been the straw that broke the camels back, and removed the greatest obstacle in our midst."

Narcissa pulled her arms from Lucius's grip. "Your little thorn?" She hissed threateningly, "Tabitha and Draco's visits did nothing but lead to a horrifically public failed suicide attempt. The details of which have led to the entire wizarding population of Britain, having written confirmation of Draco's supposed paternity of that beast she carries." Narcissa walked across the room, "You have destroyed our sons life, you encouraged Draco to go down the same disgusting path as you… my dragon is going to be branded as a rapist"

With an audible scoff, Lucius interjected "She was more than willing, you should have seen it, …"

"Do you not hear how vile you sound?" Narcissa exclaimed "You watched memories of your son.."

"Regardless of your thoughts, Rose is his property, the succession of power after my death in her time means Draco owns her outright, Tabitha has spoken Judge Hesteridge, currently the law is in our favour, altering timelines does not alter ownership of a person. Draco can do as he pleases with my little Thorn in the same way our laws allow a husband to do as he pleases with his wife…" an air of threat teased in his voice.

"You cannot legally own people and besides Draco used the imperious curse, that in itself is enough of a crime for him to go to Azkaban." Narcissa hissed.

"What can I say, my son is not as far sighted as his father… he will need to learn to think before he acts but I can assure you our son will not see a day in Azkaban. Good thing too, believe me the pampered little prince would not survive…"

As anger flared Narcissa's nostrils and flushed her skin peach but the brewing fight was interrupted by Tippy entering the room nervously rubbing her hands, "Mistress, I must apologise but there is a Mr Themis here to see Lord Malfoy"

Narcissa suppressed an angry groan. "Not now Tippy, we have too much to attend to to see guests now…"

Themis didn't wait to be invited in, he burst through the door as though he owned the manor. His cologne invaded her senses before Narcissa saw him and the booming laugh of "Lucius, my good man," echoed the walls. He stopped on seeing Narcissa, changed his demeanour to that of formality and gave a small bow, "Lady Malfoy it is an honor to be in your presence."

She gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "Richard, I was just informing Tippy that we are currently unable to accommodate guests at this time… perhaps…"

Richard put his fingers to his lips, "The men need to talk sweetie perhaps you have some embroidery to attend to?"

For the briefest second, she wondered if her mind was playing tricks on her. Narcissa allowed herself a glance at her husband, who instead of striking down the man before her as he would have done when he truly loved her, Lucius nodded… Despite everything he had put their family through Lucius had for the longest time treated Narcissa as though she was a queen, now he shooed her away with his right hand and shook Richard's with his left.

She stood, staring as the two men spoke in hushed tones, referencing repeatedly their little problem. Lucius's project. Her dragon…

"Don't worry Lucius, Lucy knows to let me know the second the whining little bitches statement comes in. It won't get as far as the Wizenagamot door, after that Draco will need to show his inner Dragon, I visited the project last week and it's a shambles, the noseless prick has had you tied up so long all respect has gone out the window. Had to dispose of one of the little bitches last week after she told me to go fuck myself…"

"I want to take Draco to France," Narcissa interrupted loudly. The two turned to her, "Your little thorn will have already been persuaded to report the crime he committed against her, I think we should get him to safety before the fall out is too great to fire fight."

Richard and Lucius shared a look. Silent conversations Narcissa could almost hear, "Control your woman…"

Lucius painted a sickening smirk, "I will be taking Draco for training tomorrow, my dearest flower"

"Training? What training?"

"Reports from the compound are that the guards appear to be slacking off with the new girls, I need to show dominance before the project falls apart."

"I want to see your little project," Narcissa said cuttingly. "Before Draco is forced to endure it…"

"It is not a place for ladies Narcissa, you would be better off staying safe or travelling yourself, Merlin knows you deserve a holiday." Richard smirked sitting on the edge of the mahogany table.

Lucius drawled, "Draco will be staying with me, if the ministry becomes stupid and tries to arrest him I will take him to the compound to lay low, besides I think it's time I introduce him to my current favourite…"

Richard sucked air through his teeth, "Oooh little lovey Dovey… she is a sweetheart…" The look on his face made Narcissa shudder.

"Not before Draco," The look on Lucius' face made her feel sick.

St. Mungo's Hospital

Sirius had seen every hour the morning had brought, with little hope that he might miss any of the ones to follow. The sky was growing red in the dawn and soaking the room in an effervescent glow. It would have been beautiful if Sirius had cared to look.

Instead, he watched Rose. Sleeping with her head in the crook of his shoulder, she was the vision of perfection.

It had taken so long for her to fall asleep that it was something to be appreciated that she slept soundly now. At first, she fought to stay awake as hard as she had fought to live, her eyes and head lulling and flying open once more. Her body appeared to run on pure adrenaline; she jittered and juddered at any moment of rest. Each awakening had caused panting and shaking. Sirius had shushed her, stroked her hair again and reminded her this was real, he was here, he was going to stay, and he was watching over her and Romi until her breathing returned to normal. As the fear had left her face, she drifted off again, and they had begun their routine once more. After a few hours, the periods of sleep were longer than the frequency of her awakenings, but Sirius had continued his watch.

In the corridor, Sirius could hear the hustle and bustle of the hospital beginning to rise, but louder still was the soft wooshing of his daughter's heartbeat. During one of her awakenings, Sirius cast the diagnostic charm to reassure Rose that Pup was safe. Seeing her little face again brought tears to both of them, and hearing her little heartbeat lulled her once again. His left hand rubbed Rose's arm gently with the tips of his fingers, his right hand threaded through the slit in the hospital gown she had fallen asleep in, rubbing her stomach just over where Romi slept soundly, on the little picture he watched as she yawned widely, stretching her fingers in front of her face and taking two of them in her mouth sucking gently.

He would say he had missed this, but it would be a lie. There was a distinct difference between being able to watch them both behind glass screens and the feeling of being able to just be in her presence. To comfort and soothe her and feel the life they had made, making the movements he had grown to know so well.

Sirius's eyes burned, and he stifled a yawn, feeling his eyes drooping slightly. Sirius allowed his head to rest on the pillow.

"Good morning."

Sirius's eyes flew open as the healer bustled into the room. The window showed a slightly cloudy day, but it appeared to be much later in the morning despite having only closed his eyes seconds ago. His neck and back were stiff and painful, and sleeping in jeans was close to the feeling of being tortured, but as his heart rate returned to normal and he watched Rose still sleeping soundly, he knew there was nowhere else he would rather be.

Healer Thomas stopped when she saw them together, for a moment, Sirius considered how it might look, the two of them entwined together, his hand in her hospital gown. "She couldn't sleep, so I…" He began in a whisper. But a smile grew across her plump face as she observed their positioning. They must have slept for a while.

Despite the noise, Rose had remained fast asleep, gently breathing with her mouth slightly open, Sirius watched her with awe. She was turned slightly towards him, Pup positioned between them, Rose's arm lay limply over his stomach now, her head still on his shoulder. Entangled together as though scared the other would drift away.

Healer Thomas placed a finger to her lips, "You both needed the sleep, especially the brave wee lassie, I'll come back later or come find me when she wakes, whichever happens first," and slipped from the room.

Rose's sleep wasn't dreamless; her muscles jerked and jumped more than they had before he had gone through the veil. A trauma response, Sirius had watched from behind glass as it had worsened with each passing day. Her body was in constant fight-or-flight mode.

His hand swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear as Rose mumbled in her sleep, conversing with some unknown stranger, her eyebrows arched in question, some unknown fact, before the corners of her mouth raised, giving flashes of a beautiful smile he knew intrinsically. He kissed her open lips so gently that he could barely feel her. But the sparks of magic flew between them as they always did, and she smiled a sleepy smile.

Sirius stifled another yawn and stretched without moving, trying not to wake Rose, failing magnificently, however, as her eyes flew open. He watched as the fear returned just a moment, but he knew that feeling, the few seconds of feeling trapped in that room. She gasped, a sharp, painful breath.

He shushed her gently, placing his hand on her cheek, her eyes, and her breathing calming. "Good morning, beautiful." She stared silently at him, a thousand conversations written on her face. He waited patiently as he had in the hours before.

"It was real, you're here." She whispered gently, tears springing to her eyes.

Smiling, Sirius leaned forward, kissing her lips gently, feeling the warmth of her skin filling his heart. "Very. It's very real."

Rose laughed before immediately wincing in pain and placing a hand on her chest.

He kissed her forehead, "I'll go get the healer, I think you are due a potion or three." Sirius peeled himself from Rose; he rolled himself from the bed, straightening his clothes.

With a series of pained noises, Rose shuffled herself to the side of the bed, swinging her legs over the edge. He had just reached the door when he heard a quiet whisper of "Sirius"

Sirius's hand had just touched the door handle, and he smiled gently and turned. Rose had paled, struggled for breath and shifted uncomfortably towards the edge of the bed. "Are you ok?"

Rose stared at the floor unable to meet his eyes. "When you were gone, I …" The words stuck in her throat but the conversation lingered in her mind, " ... I did a lot of things I'm not proud of," She shifted uncomfortably taking her fingers in her hand, using her nails to pick at the skin and dig at her flesh. "I feel like you should know before we carry on whatever we are going to be…"

Sirius sighed, the weight of the conversation tainted the air of the room. He walked slowly back towards Rose, sitting in the chair situated at her bedside. Her breathing was laboured. The pain in her chest was worsening.

He said nothing for a moment, her nails worked their torture on her fingers and the back of her hand before he held out his hand palm up for her to take which she did with a slight hesitation.

"I just think you should have the opportunity to get out if you want to…" Rose looked at their joined hands.

Sirius couldn't stop the smile that crept onto his face. He wasn't keen on having this conversation at all, especially not now, he knew what she was talking about, or more specifically who she was talking about.

While he would never want to admit it to her, watching her willingly give herself to the Malfoy boy had cut his soul into pieces. To watch him kissing her, exploring her body, talking to her stomach as though it was his child growing inside. These were images burned into his mind forever tarnishing parts of his image of her. But as he had reminded himself repeatedly over the months they were separated, she had believed he was dead. She did what she had to to survive.

With a small sad smile on his face he said gently, "Rose, I saw everything. I watched everything." Her brows furrowed, and she bit her lip to stop a sob. "I…" Sirius's voice broke, "I know what happened…" There was bile rising in his stomach, "You didn't do anything wrong."

He squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes. Sirius adored her eyes, so blue, so kind, so breathtaking, full of stories. She watched him intensely with so much expectation, fear and the most important emotion, love. The Malfoy boy had been right, she had never looked at Draco the way she looked at Sirius. Draco had had her body for a brief moment and in those moments he fucked up so monumentally she recoiled from him quickly after that he never got her mind, seven years from now there would not be a single cell on her being that had been touched or tainted by anyone. One day Sirius would remind her of that. But now wasn't the right time. Until then he would cleanse her in whatever way she needed.

She shook her head. "It wasn't just…"

Sirius put his second hand on top of their joined hands. "You thought I was dead… I know you well enough to know that if you had even a tiny glimmer of a thought that I could have been alive, or that Romi was mine you wouldn't have touched him with someone else's."

She nodded, tears took her words now, rolling down her cheeks as her hand gripped his.

"I'm sorry…" She choked.

"Hey, let's put a tab in this conversation, just for now?" He rubbed her hands between his before kissing her gently again. "If you need to speak to me when you are better I'll be all ears, until then…" He kissed the top of her head as he stood once more, "...all you need to know is that I love you and I will love and cherish and adore you, both, every second you allow me to for as long as you allow me to. I am going nowhere, except to get you your potions. Is that ok?"

She nodded, taking several short breaths.

As he left the room, Sirius shook away the niggling thoughts in his head, plastered a smile across his face and strode towards the healer station.

I like Healer Thomas, she smiles with her eyes and calls me 'petal' just like Granny used to. With my new and soberingly close due date so came the allowance to take real medication for my broken sternum. As Healer Thomas watched me desperately glug the potions, she handed to me, she gave a little chuckle as I moaned gently. I felt the icy cold sting spreading across my chest as the bones knitted together once more. The pain disappeared instantaneously.

"I'll have what she's having, right?" She says softly tidying away the bottles as I finish them. Sirius raises his eyebrows, "Oh just ignore me, I live vicariously through muggle movies and it's starting to rub off on me. Sorry Petal, am I ok to just have a feel of baby?"

I nod "I used to love watching muggle movies with my Dad when I was young, maybe I've seen it."

Healer Thomas chuckles again, "When Harry Met Sally isn't a child-friendly movie but worth a watch as an adult." She put her hands on my stomach pushing down and rolling her hands over Romi and making her wiggle in protest, "I normally would have a proper feel of your tummy but the last thing we want is to cause any distress to either of you, little wiggles in there doesn't appear to like being prodded and poked," She summoned a folder of notes and flipped through, "Am I right in thinking you are having a little girl?"

"Romi" Sirius smiles as he nods. It makes my stomach flutter to hear him say her name.

She returned her hands to my stomach, pressing down and rolled her hands over me again in different places. I can feel Romi's body pushing back against the movement, "Ooh lovely, that's not one I've heard before." She waved her wand and a series of runes and words appeared in front of her. "Looking at your notes, is it correct that your water broke a couple of days ago?"

I nodded. Sirius gripped my hand, his face suddenly sullen. "What? You didn't tell me that Rose. Is that bad?" That reaction was what I wanted a week ago… someone to take it seriously.

Healer Thomas smiled gently at him, "It's not the best thing that can happen but given the gestational date it's not something to be panicking about." She continued her perusal of the runes in front of her.

"So the water isn't needed?" Sirius furrowed his brow.

"Well the water is little ones' protection from germs and bacteria, it stops the umbilical cord from being squashed and…"

"Is there anything we can do to make it come back, maybe, if Rose drinks more water…" Sirius was pale now, his hand gripping mine tighter by the second. I watch him, feeling the love and worry pouring from him. It warms my heart, I squeeze his hand in return and he looks at me briefly before looking back to the healer.

"I think I should be recommending some steroids to mature baby's lungs as she is a little small, only in the 30th percentile." She wrinkles her nose slightly, scribbling something on a sheet of paper.

"What's a steroid, and what does it mean that she's small? Is she going to be ok?"

Healer Thomas smiled, turning the diagnostics around and showing them to me and Sirius. "Now Mr Black, I know all of this sounds scary but see here…" She pointed to a series of runes, "These tell me your little girl has a very healthy heart rate, the flow of blood to her cord and placenta is perfect and she actually still has a very acceptable amount of fluid around her body, you seem to have resolved the rupture on your own." She pointed to another cluster of words in Latin, "This one tells me that your baby currently weighs 5lbs 6oz which is small but not a worrying small, the steroids will help her lungs mature a little more because the positioning of her tells me she is right on track to getting herself ready to make her appearance sooner rather than later."

"Can you dumb that down for me please?" He says softly. "Are my girls going to be ok?"

"Your girls are going to be fine, Mr Black. Officially you are full term now, your daughter could arrive tomorrow and would be right as rain. As I said she is a little smaller than we would expect, so rest, preferably bed rest but I know being cooped up can drive the best of us mad so take that as instructions to limit walking around, absolutely no stress I cannot stress that enough, pardon the irony. Relax in bed, read a book, watch a movie if you can and eat lots of good food proteins like lean meat…"

I opened my mouth but Sirius got there first, "Rose doesn't eat meat of any kind…" Sirius said quietly, "It's not a choice, she can't stomach it…"

"... so lots of eggs, pulses, beans, soya products, oily fish if this is something you can eat. I know muggles have something called protein powder, I can prescribe a version here but it doesn't taste nice at all. So it might be worth trying to get some different flavours and having a protein shake with each meal to bulk you both up. You are a little underweight yourself Miss Weasley. But watch out as there is a lot of sugar and caffeine in some of them, so have a wee read of the labels. At the moment, she's comfortable and I think we should just leave her to it, and let her decide on when she wants to arrive." She pats his arm gently, "It's just a glimpse of the lifetime of worry she is going to bring to you, but look at that little face…" She waves her wand and Romi appears once again, yawning widely and lifting her eyebrow. "... that little girl will be worth every grey hair she causes."

We watched the image for a moment, taking in the little movements of her eyebrows, and her fingers. "Thank you," I say quietly.

"I'll book you in for a home visit in the next day or so and we can get a plan in place. It's going to be just fine."

And as Sirius places his hand on my stomach giving Romi a little schuggle, and flashing me a nervous smile, for the first time, I think that might just be true.

Sirius, true to his word, never left my side. One of the things I love most about Sirius is how tactile he is and how tactile I can be with him. If he wasn't holding my hand he would be gently resting it on my leg or my shoulder. There is a safety in touch.

A few hours after Healer Thomas left the room she returned cheerfully letting us know we were cleared to go home, sent on our way with a pile of leaflets, medication and strict instructions that stress was to be off the table for the next few weeks.

"Ready to go?" Sirius asked as he slung my bag over his shoulder. I smiled and nodded, and he turned to me, giving me a look that makes my stomach somersault. I feel like I've waited my whole life for Sirius Black. He holds out his hand and I take it. He leads me out the door, along the corridor to the transportation station.

"Are we going back to Grimmauld Place?" I ask tentatively.

"No not yet, the ministry is insisting you were confined to the Burrow," He squeezes my hand tightly. We are both avoiding the elephant in the room, that I don't really want to go back to the tainted haven that I once called home "But don't worry, Molly sent an owl this morning, she's set us up in the Tree House, Kingsley has changed the boundary so it just reaches. It will be nice, a bit of space, just the two of us with some fresh air." He looks genuinely happy at the prospect.

"It will be nice to go for a walk without having to keep you on a lead" I smile coyly remembering sneaky walks we took around the Angel park.

I can just feel my face begin to ache from smiling, as the first flash explodes in front of me. The formerly empty hall fills with people, journalists, photographers, so many greedy grabby people talking to me, questioning me that I freeze. The flashes blind me and the smoke sends me into my spiral.

"Mrs Riddle…" "Rose…" "Mrs Weasley…" "Is it true you are carrying the Malfoy heir?" "What do you say to the rumours you had an affair during your marriage?" "Is it true you tried to kill yourself?" "You tried to kill your child Mrs Riddle, do you have anything to say to us?" Voices questions all at once, shouting, whooping, hollering, demanding… I stand stoic.

Sirius drops my bag to the floor, throws his arms around me, and shielding my face. My heart races and I feel sick, invisible hands grab at me, the scar above my eyebrow stings. There are cries of "Help" I hear them above me, underneath me, all around. My arms cover Romi.

"What will you do when your son asks about his father?" "Will you want the same path for him… Dark evil overlord…" There were only ever a few journalists at the balls and parties held at the manor. They were annoying but nothing compared to this. "... or blonde Deatheater scum…" "Is it Lucius or Draco Malfoy? Which one is the Daddy?"

Sirius shouts expletives at them, and then yells for help once more. Footsteps thunder down the corridor. More voices join the pack, I squeeze my eyes shut, so tightly that stars spring into my vision.

"Mr Black…" "Mr Black, aren't you worried that your recent overturned conviction is being put into disrepute by you being involved with Mrs Riddle?" "Are you in a relationship with Miss Weasley, Mr Black?" "You've moved on pretty quickly Rose… Another man so quickly after your husband's death…" I hear struggling. "... and when you are pregnant by a third man… makes people question the reliability of your rape claims…"

"Move." Booming voices shout in unison as the footsteps recede. I hear people being dragged away. "... it doesn't look good for you Mr Black."

I hear Sirius's ragged breathing steadying, he stands slowly. I can't move, my head feels fuzzy, faint, I open my eyes and the light is disorientating, Sirius holds me gently, his hands on my arms, so he can look me over. "You ok?"

Am I allowed to say no? At what point can I say yes and it's not a lie, the air is still peppered with the smell of smoke and it consumes me in a way I haven't experienced before. I can see the paper, hear the headlines already. Sirius being dragged down with me, the accusations of adultery, the doubts about every word I say. They question her paternity, they question which Malfoy, my daughter, if they tar her with the Malfoy name this could follow her throughout her life. Sirius touches my chin, kisses my cheek as my heart rate steadies. "Talk to me Rose"

"Bloody vultures, a lot of them," A familiar voice comes from behind us. I turn in time to see Neville Longbottom approach us. "Rose, are you ok? Should I get a healer?"

I shake my head, but Sirius isn't convinced. "Neville, it's good to see you." I choke. As much as I am glad to see him, the words taste false.

"You must be Sirius," Neville said with a newfound confidence. Sirius nodded, shaking Neville's hand and looked him up and down. "We briefly met in the ministry before…" Neville appeared to rethink his statement. "... well you know…"

"Neville, as in Neville Longbottom? You're Frank and Alice's boy aren't you?" Sirius had a glimmer of pride as he shook Neville's hand.

Neville nodded. "Yeah, I'm actually just visiting my Mum and Dad." Neville turned his attention back to Rose. "I saw the article in the Prophet, Gran was furious they would be allowed to publish those photos she's written to the minister to tell him how disgusted she was. She's making my uncle and aunt's do the same. Seems to think if lots of us kick up a fuss he might do something."

I nod. I want to thank him, to show appreciation for having another person fighting my corner but I stumble over my words before Neville places his hand on my shoulder. "Hey, you don't need to say anything, just know you aren't on your own anymore."

I smile and glance at Sirius, in time to watch his face dropping. A woman in a pale pink dressing gown and white slippers shuffles towards us, her hair is short and brown and well-kept, she looks kind, her face held in a permanent smile… but something about her upsets me. Her permanent smile is not because she is happy. Far from it, the woman is in her own world, she is trapped there by trauma. She walks the earth as though she is a ghost, existing in a plain between our own world and some far-off place we cannot imagine.

"Mum…" Neville's face softens. Mildly and with no malice, he rolls his eyes. His shoulders grow heavy and he leaves us to approach her slowly. "You know you can't wander, come on, let's take you back to your room."

I've seen that look before. The one painted on her face. In the main halls. The girls were so tormented by horrors I couldn't even fathom, at that point, not now for that matter. Seeing them once was enough. They walked around the edges of the room with that look plastered on their faces. Permanent dissociation. I remember towards the end of my time in the compound, being jealous of them, they were not quite dead, but they had been so close it had driven them to the edges of purgatory.

There was a difference between those tormented girls and Neville's mother though. She focused on me, her eyes meeting mine, and I could see a spark of something behind the daze.

Sirius loosened his grip on me. "Alice…" I hear him breathe, his voice hitches as another mountain of grief appears for him to climb. I had almost forgotten that they were friends once.

Alice reaches into her pocket just as she reaches me. She stands, stares, watching me unblinking.

"Come on mum, let's not bother Rose… she's been through enough." Neville touches her shoulder. He's so gentle with her, my heart breaks for him having to see her like this. Her closed fist bumps against my stomach. "Careful mum,"

Sirius tries to pull me back a step, but I gently pull my arm away. I do not fear Alice Longbottom. She is no danger to me, just a fellow tortured soul who needs something. Her eyes plead for something. But what that is I can't begin to guess. Her hand reaches out again.

Not to touch me this time, she grips something in her hand. Holding her closed fist towards me. I offer my hand to her.

She takes a moment to allow herself to remain in her half-world for a moment, savouring the moment before placing something in my hand.

Her skin touching mine blew me away, it was the strongest connection I've ever experienced. My eyes roll and my mind hurts immediately. Like a knife plunging through my skull. It's clearer than any of the memories I trawled through for Dumbledore. Clearer than anything my eyes have ever seen. I slammed to the ground consumed by the past, landing flat on my front in the corner of a large living room, the smell of fresh bread made my mouth water.

I see a young woman with a pretty pixie cut holding a chubby blonde baby boy wearing a dragon onesie. She held him close, spinning him around, dancing to a song that played on a record player.

"I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, That much is true, But even then I knew I'd find a much better place, Either with or without you"

The overwhelming feeling of happiness hits me like a train on the tracks. The little boy watches the woman with adoration, cackling with wicked melodic laughter as his mother makes funny faces at him along with the lyrics.

From the corner of my eye, a man with dark hair and a friendly face claps along to the beat of the music. She walked across the room to join the man, who smiled brightly at the boy. "He's a clever lad, our Nev eh, Alice… got the brains of his mother and his father's dance moves."

I knew then that this was Neville's life being shown to me through Alice's memories. It breaks my heart that this is what his life should have been.

The Longbottoms were happy. They may have been the happiest family I had ever seen.

There is a knock at the door and Alice hands Neville to his father and Neville snuggles himself into the crook of his neck. She laughs to herself as her two little men dance around, before she leaves Frank places something into her hand, she opens it to reveal a chewing gum wrapper. "If you are passing the bin…"

Shaking her head she reaches the handle smiling wider, but on opening the door the air leaves the room, an ice cold worse than death. Bellatrix Le Strange stands at the door wand in hand.

"Alice Longbottom… I think we need to have a little chat…"

As I am dragged back to reality Alice takes a deep breath as though she had been under water, and she stares wildly at her surroundings.

She ran to Sirius, grabbing his arms tightly. "Sirius, they have Frank…" She hyperventilated, gripping his arm so tightly that her knuckles were white. "Lestrange, Crouch… they have Neville and Frank…"

Alice Longbottom, who had been tortured to insanity, stood before Sirius pleading for help as though not a single hour had passed since that fateful night. She turned to me huffing loudly when Sirius remained silent holding her arms gently instead of hearing her pleas.

"Please, please you don't understand, you have to help me." She turns her head surveying her surroundings "I don't know how I got here but they have my Neville, Frank, please."

I opened my mouth to speak but Neville stepped forward with tears in his eyes. "Mum…"

Alice fell silent. She stared at her son, so many emotions flittering over her face. Her mind appeared to swim with the memories, and she reached into her pocket, fumbling for a moment before bringing out an empty chewing gum wrapper. We watched as the final pieces slotted into place in her mind. "Oh Neville," She flung her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry…"

It takes a moment to realise my heart is racing. The healer's words of absolutely no stress left to become a mere whisper in the back of my mind. My head spins as I try to focus but the stabbing pain in my cranium is all I can think about.

"Alice, what are you doing wandering away…" Another new voice chastised from the end of the corridor. Augusta Longbottom walks briskly towards us, her green hat equipped with large matching plume reminds me of the white peacocks at the manor.

A kind-faced healer accompanies her tuts loudly and approaches us at a fast pace. "Come on Alice back to bed now."

Alice smiled as Augusta reaches her, "Look at my Neville Augusta, look how wonderful he is."

Both Augusta and the healer stopped in their tracks.

"You're not going around the twist…" Alice laughed, wiping a tear from her cheek. "I was trapped for so long… but I remember every day…" She returned her attention to Neville who stared at his mother as though in a dream. "...I wanted to speak to you every visit, to hold you, tell you how proud I am of you…" He threw his arms around her, allowing himself to sob into her shoulder. She rubs his back, shushing him gently, as though he was the toddler she had held in her mind moments before.

"How is this possible?" The healer is the one who breaks the silence.

Alice reaches her hand for me, looking at me over Neville's shoulder, I pull my hand away, the last thing I want to do is remind her of more. Or should I say, a little selfishly, that the pain is too much to bare. She understands smiles and nods at me. She understands, she doesn't want to see any more either.

It's Neville who asks the question I dread, "Do you think that would work with my Dad?"

I nod expecting Sirius to stop me, to jump into his protection, but he instead wraps his arms around Alice as the healer begins guiding me down the corridor. "I can take you to him dear."

She hurries me along as though I might change my mind, and as I wipe the blood from my nose I understand why. I know this is a bad idea. But Frank Longbottom deserves a chance to be free from his prison too, who am I to deny him that chance at life?

It works, of course. Frank returns in much the same way as Alice, kicking and shouting trying to protect his family, until he remembers each and every day he has been trapped.

As Frank hugs his wife the room begins to spin, I don't remember anything other than waking up back in the same hospital bed I had just escaped.

There's the weight of someone sitting next to me and as the room comes into focus I feel someone wiping a soft tissue below my nose. It's Sirius, I know it is without seeing his face, but as he comes into focus I notice how pale he is. As I try to sit up further he gently sweeps a strand of hair behind my ear, and uses his forearm to subtly stop me from moving forward. "You gave us a bit of a scare there, beautiful" his tone is filled with concern as I lay back against the pillow. I close my eyes and focus on the throbbing in my brain, Sirius shuffles his way up the bed and takes my hand in his.

"What happened?" I croak. My throat crackles and my mouth sticks. The taste of metal lingers in my mouth; Sirius hands me a glass of water, his hand lingers under mine as I take a drink. His eyes inspect every inch of my face as I bask in the blissful cool of the water in my mouth.

"You collapsed after you helped Frank, we are just waiting for test results to see why."

As I lower the glass my hand shakes slightly, he takes the glass from me and places it on the side table. The light above hurts my eyes so I allow myself a moment to rest my eyes, feeling my breathing steady but every cell in me vibrates, I try to ground myself. The smell of metal invades my nose. He doesn't hesitate for a single moment, the tissue is wet, and I don't need to open my eyes to know there is blood. But I can relax knowing that he is here to care for me. The soft fabric brushes lightly above my lip.

"Thank you," I can't manage much more conversation than that. The exhaustion feels like a ton weight pressing on my body. Like every moment of sleep that I have fought against, been denied, been deprived in my life time is waiting for me just around the corner.

Sirius leans forward, kisses my cheek. "Don't speak, just sleep," he whispers softly. Sleep peeks from behind her corner, beckons me with a tempting finger. "You have done enough." His fingers trace runes on my arm. Gentle hands, lull me as sleep shows herself, she walks slowly, allowing me to revel a few moments more in the conditionless love that Sirius offers. "I'm right here."

Sleep takes me with the same gentle hand that he offers, wraps me in warmth and I drift into rest.