Careful Where You Stand: The Light

One

-The Secrets and Choices of Miss Diana Cox -

The full moon rose high above the treetops, its pale light illuminating the forest with a pearly aura. As beautiful and hypnotic as it was, it filled Diana with an acute sense of apprehension as she ran haphazardly down the length of the rocky pathway. The forest was still, perhaps too still for Diana's comfort. She had expected more noise--more chaos--to follow the news of the Dark Lord's defeat. Perhaps the others had all Apparated by now, or perhaps Diana had been running longer than she thought--It could have been hours, or it could have been moments, there was no way to be certain. All she knew for sure was that she had a way to go before reaching the outer limits of the forest where safety--however brief--awaited her and that time was running short.

She reached a fork in the pathway moments later and stopped, surrendering to the tears that had been threatening to break free from her eyes since the moment she left the clearing. The forest, due to its many enchantments, did not take well to trespassers beyond this point, and the only defense she would have when she ventured further would be to get out as quickly as possible. Of course, this would be no simple task. The moment she chose a fork, her fate would be sealed, regardless of whether or not she made it out of the forest in time. The terrible things that awaited her if she were trapped here could not possibly compare to the consequences she would face if she were caught running away; not especially since she had chosen to take the destiny of many other lives into her hands by doing so.

She sighed deeply and gave one last thought to her choice. Yes, she told herself, this is what must be done. There is no other solution...

Diana wiped the tears from her face with one hand, and with the other tightened her grasp on another tiny, wiggling hand, belonging to her five-year-old son.

"Let go!" he whined hatefully. "I want to go find father!"

The forest floor gave a great lurch, causing them both to step backwards to regain their balance. Diana knew that her son, like the others, did not respect its natural enchantments the way she had been taught to. His presence was going to make it far more difficult to get out safely, but Diana knew that it did not matter. He was her son, despite what he had already become, and she refused to let him go without a fight.

"That's where we're going," she said quietly, "to find your father."

"You lie!" he yelled, staring at her intently.

It was not an accusation; Diana knew that. Just like his father, the child had the ability to read her like an open book.

"Come on," she continued quietly in hopes that he would follow suit. "We have to hurry."

Diana took a timid step onto the left fork and gasped incredulously as the cloudless void of trees and dirt pathway vanished suddenly as a dense, cold fog began to encircle them like smoke. She had not expected the forest to retaliate so soon. Nor had she expected her son to take advantage of her distraction and yank his hand free of hers. She watched, unable to stop him as he took off in a run down the opposite fork, down the pathway leading directly into the heart of the forest.

"No!" Diana yelled, and without another thought, stumbled after him.

The boy, much quicker than his mother, darted down the pathway. Diana lost sight of him immediately, and could hear his laughter echoing heinously through of fog, which was turning to the same consistency as mushroom soup, and making it near impossible to see.

Diana reached into her cloak, her hand sliding across her protruding, pregnant stomach and fumbling in the pocket. She pulled out a thin, willowy wand and held it out in front of her.

"Lumos."

The tip of the wand ignited, but did little in aiding her vision. The only thing that she could see was her own wand light bouncing off the fog. She took short, measured steps down the path as panic began to take hold of her body. This was not supposed to be happening...this would ruin everything! There was no telling how long it would take to find her son, and the thought that she might not be able to swam through her mind, along with the horrid stories she had heard of the forest when she first arrived with her family, seemingly so many years ago. Death Eaters, foolishly believing they knew enough dark magic to fend off whatever they may encounter, lost themselves and loved ones to the unknowable enchantments and creatures who dwelled here. It had even been rumored that both Diana's parents and her sister lost their lives while trying to escape the Dark Lord's punishments. The Dark Lord merely found this amusing. His expectation of servitude was not to be taken lightly, and those who did--namely Diana's father--lost their nerve, tried to escape and were never heard from again. So, why then had Diana chosen to risk her life as well as the lives of her two children? It had become, she reminded herself as she tugged a straggling tree branch free from her cloak, her only choice. Whether she chose to brave the forest or stay behind in the Dark Lord's secret hiding place and wait for the forsaken death eaters to finish her off, death seemed imminent. She felt that, at least out here, she had a chance.

But I don't have a chance anymore, she thought, it's too late...I've gone the wrong way...I'm going to die...

At that very thought the fear of what might happen if she were caught--a fear that sat, pressed against her heart for many months--vanished almost immediately and was replaced with an insatiable desire to find her son. Survival was no longer important. The only thing that mattered was the innocence Diana had let slip through her fingers. There was no turning back now, even though she was so close to safety. She had to find him; she had to set things right.

She moved through the ever-thickening fog, but was soon stopped as the sound of breaking tree limbs and clapping thunder filled the air around her. The ground began to shake violently and she fell to her knees; the tip of her wand darkened as it rolled away from her hand.

"Accio wand," she whispered shakily, careful not to draw any attention to herself in case anyone might have been stupid enough to come looking for her.

The other Death Eaters would no doubt have noticed that she and the child were gone by now and there were some--namely Bellatrix Lestrange--who prided herself in believing that she was the most faithful servant to the Dark Lord, and would therefore risk her own common sense for revenge.

Diana's wand came rolling back into her hand and she fought to get back to her feet, noticing that as she did so, the fog around her started to evaporate quickly. As she looked around properly for the first time, she found that the path that she had been walking had vanished, leaving her face to face with a wall of trees. This could not be happening. She knew the fog had impaired her vision, but it seemed unlikely that she had reached the center of the forest so soon. If that were the case, then where was her son? Though he was still incredibly small, he knew better than to venture off the path and into the uncharted abyss of trees alone. Not even he could be that foolish. Diana quickly decided to retrace her steps reasoning that he had taken a turn she had not noticed. As she turned around, an agonized scream escaped from her throat and she quickly clapped her hand against her mouth. The breaking tree branches and the shaking ground had not been coincidental to the ending of Diana's path. The trees had magicked themselves onto the pathway, and in doing so created two new forks, making it look as though she were right back where she started.

It was possible that one fork would lead her straight back to where she ventured from, but there was no way to know for sure. She knew that the forest had the ability to pray upon the emotions of its captives, and accordingly would make it extremely difficult for Diana to find her son, as it could no longer feed upon her desire to leave. She doubted very seriously that simple magic--even if it were gypsy magic--would be any help, yet it proved after seconds of deliberation, to be her only option.

She held her wand out and uttered, "Point me!" in hopes that knowing which direction was north would aid in her decision, enabling her to take the southbound pathway, which would lead her to the heart of the forest and most likely to her son.

The spell, just as she feared it would, proved to be worthless and merely pointed her to the sky, which now swam with swirling storm clouds and flashes of lightning.

All Diana had left was instinct. She would just have to choose one and hope it was correct.

Centering herself in the pathway, she inhaled deeply and gazed at each fork. The first looked as though it contained the only sunny day for miles and Diana could hear the sound of birds chirping in the distance. The second was covered in bright, white snow, strewn with jagged rocks and howling winds. Diana stared at all both paths mournfully as she felt scattered raindrops splash onto her head. She quickly pulled her cloak tightly around herself, drew its hood over her raven hair and moved toward the second path just as it began to downpour. She gasped as she stepped into the snow; the trees magicked themselves behind her, once again sealing her decision and her fate.

Keeping her wand in front of her, Diana moved as fast as she could while listening for any sound of her son. The snow seemed to be deepening with each step she took, even though there were no flakes falling from the sky, and after a few moments she was forced to slow her pace as her breath burned in her chest, turning into thick puffs against the piercing cold air. It was far colder in here than she had first imagined; yet she felt eerily sure that she had chosen the correct path. She pulled the cloak tighter still and wished more than ever that she had remembered to grab shoes, as her bare feet were aching and beginning to show signs of frostbite.

The temperature of the air continued to decline at an abnormal rate, and Diana knew that her time was dwindling into minutes, bordering very close on seconds. She began to run again, as best she could, but did not last long before tripping over a razor sharp rock in the middle of the path. She landed hard on her hands and knees, which burned like acid against the snowy ground. Stumbling to her feet again, her hands sprang protectively to her stomach, instinctively fearing for her unborn child. She sighed with momentary relief after receiving a sharp kick against her bladder and began to wipe the snow from her cloak as it was beginning to burn holes in the velvet lining.

She stopped abruptly seconds later when she heard more sounds of breaking tree limbs. Only this time, there came no shaking ground or trees magicking themselves onto the path. A sharp silence followed the cracking and Diana knew someone was near...

She did not dare ask who it was or make any sudden movements, but looked to the ground feverishly for her wand. Her eyes spotted it immediately against the blanket of white snow; she slowly extended her hand while she began to whisper,

"Accio--"

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Diana's arms snapped to her side and her legs sprang together as she collapsed to the ground like a frozen corpse, her wand lying uselessly at her feet. The familiar sound of beastly and shrill cackling told her seconds later who her attacker hand been. She heard crunching footsteps draw near and two tall women, one with dark eyes and dark hair, the other looking nothing like she could be the first's sister with almost discolored features, came into view.

Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy.

Both formally Blacks and two women Diana had always found easy to get along with, now stood above her, staring at her with pure hate and contempt fixed in their faces.

Bellatrix wore a scathing smile as she approached Diana nonchalantly and slid her hand across Diana's stomach. Diana's instincts were to push her hand away, but the effect of the spell was too strong.

She heard more footsteps, looked past Bellatrix and saw her son standing in the distance looking on with curiosity, without a touch of apprehension; it was almost as if he were anticipating watching something enjoyable.

"My, my, my Diana you're nearly ready to pop aren't you?" Bellatrix said gleefully, looking over to Narcissa who motioned for the boy to move closer.

"It's all right," Narcissa said sounding innocent and motherly. "This won't take long and then we'll be off, off to prepare you for your father's return."

"And he will return," Bellatrix interjected as she stood up, jabbing Diana's stomach hard with the heel of her boot. "Running away wouldn't have changed it Diana. Filthy gypsy."

Diana ignored them and continued to stare at her son, silently begging for help. The boy stared back, but remained as still as a statue.

"Pity isn't it? We found him first," Bellatrix said. "It appears that fate, as you naively call it, is on the Dark Lord's side."

Diana wished that she could point out that the Dark Lord had, just hours before, lost all of his powers to a one-year-old; clearly fate was not truly on his side after all.

Bellatrix seemed to have read her mind and spat at her.

"The Dark Lord will not be gone forever, and his followers will not rest until he has risen again!"

Narcissa stepped forward.

"It was absurd to think that you could take his heirs, his blood, and hide them."

Bellatrix laughed again.

"Oh my dear sister, that is best part of our good fortune in finding not only the heir, but his pathetic mother as well. The unborn child, the one our master has been counting on, is not really his."

Narcissa looked both alarmed and as though this was the best piece of gossip she had heard all year.

"No!" she said excitedly glancing down at the boy, who watched with keen interest. "Who else among us is such a cowardly traitor? Surely not Regulus Black? I heard rumors that he fancied someone among us, but no, he's been gone too long. Who else could possibly possess the ability to solicit the company of a woman so...exotic?" Narcissa asked.

Bellatrix looked positively bitter. Diana knew that she would have gladly have given her life to be chosen as the one to bear the Dark Lord's heirs, and Diana would have gladly traded places with her any day.

"Yes, such a striking beauty. A beauty that no female death eater could compete with; even I have to admit that. But my darling sister that is why you'll never be able to guess who the father of this child is, for he is as unlikely as you or I," Bellatrix said.

Narcissa looked at Bellatrix as a spark of comprehension flickered across her face.

"No. Surely not! He...he hates everyone!"

"Well, apparently not everyone. But no matter, we will deal with her now--think of how we will be rewarded--and the Dark Lord can take care of him when the time comes."

Bellatrix looked back at Diana.

"Your little attempt at freedom failed miserably, Diana. We would have found you eventually and I assure you, you and your betrayal would have not gone unpunished."

Bellatrix reached into her cloak and pulled out her wand, aiming it Diana.

"In fact, I think I might start your retribution right now. Crucio!"

The pain was indescribable, shooting through Diana's body like an electric shock. She wondered if she would have felt any relief if she had the ability to scream or writher around. Her main concern was, of course, for her unborn child; there was no way of knowing how the curse would affect it. The curse pulsated through Diana body for what seemed like hours, while Bellatrix's laughter grew more heinous and louder with each passing second. All Diana could do was to stare up at Bellatrix's dark, satanic eyes and wait; while Narcissa stood proudly beside the boy who watched his mother's immobile body shake in awe.

Diana's stomach gave a great jolt as Bellatrix finally lifted the curse and it felt as though someone had sliced her insides open. She knew immediately that her water had broken, and a new wave of panic overtook her. With the body-binding curse still in place, there would be no way to give birth; the baby would suffocate.

Bellatrix, unaware of Diana's bodily functions, bent down and grabbed a fistful of Diana's hair, leaning down so that they were nearly nose-to-nose.

"I could kill you myself, you know. I'm sure the boy would be delighted to see what his future entails, but I think I'll let the forest finish you off. It has been so longing for nourishment over the past eleven years that even leper meat, such as yours, will give it some satisfaction. The Dark Lord did not see defeat tonight. No. Not from a mere half-blooded brat! He will return, and when he does, we will have his son waiting for him, trained and prepared for war. Mark my words gypsy...the Dark Lord will have his revenge."

Bellatrix let go of Diana's hair and spat in her face then motioned for the boy and Narcissa to follow her. They did, the boy giving his mother one last triumphant look as he went. He was pleased at the thought of leaving her for dead. It would, after all, give his father great joy upon his return. Diana watched as both Bellatrix and Narcissa hung onto the boy's arm, then Disapparated, leaving behind nothing but an echoing pop!

The only warmth Diana felt were the river of tears on her face and the contracting pains in her abdomen. An overwhelming sense of dread filled her as she lay there, waiting for the forest to take her and her child. She had failed, failed at the plan she had been meticulously working on for months, the one she had been so sure would have worked seamlessly. She had not even been able to save her son from his unintentional fate.

Bellatrix's hate-filled incantation had weakened Diana so, that accompanied with the forest's thirst, it was becoming increasingly hard to keep her eyes open.

There was no fighting it; she was going to die.

As she began to think of the events that had lead her to this point, it all seemed so meaningless. The Dark Lord and his uncanny ability of destruction had taken so many lives into his hands, and without a second thought or care, destroyed them. It had not been Diana's fate to become a pawn in the Dark Lord's plan of seeking immortality, that much, she knew was true. Someone, somewhere had tampered with her destiny and the destiny of her children. It was unfair that this weight was to be put upon her shoulders, and worse still that her baby was never going to be able to take its first breath...

Soon, she could no longer see anything, as her eyes were being forced closed against their will. Drowsiness swallowed Diana's mind and just as her eyelids started to fall for the last time, she suddenly she felt her body relax completely, and the body-binding curse was lifted. She then felt someone's arms slide beneath her aching body and though she could hardly see past her own nose, she knew that someone, a man, was standing beside her. She then felt a pair of strong hands lift her from the ground, and help her to her wobbling feet.

At that moment, only one person came to mind, and despite the magic's strong hold on her body, her mouth fell open involuntarily and she began to mutter incoherently.

"Se--Severus?" she asked, her jaw chattering from both the cold and shock.

The voice that answered back was male and very bitter. Though it sounded familiar, Diana did not have a clue as to who it belonged; or as whomever it was began leading her down the path, where they were taking her.

"No. He's gone. Just like the rest of them."

"Gone...he left...I t--told him to..." she mumbled.

"They're all gone. Gone to find our beloved master, who has apparently been--"

Diana shuddered.

"Harry P--Potter. He lived."

The voice was quiet for a very long moment.

"You Saw it I imagine."

Diana tried to stop walking, as an alarm sounded off somewhere in the back of her clouded mind. How did this stranger, this voice, know she was a seer? No one knew--not anyone associated with the Dark Lord anyway--and clearly this voice was...he had said 'our master'. Was a death eater helping her? That seemed unlikely, and though she knew she should have kept her mouth shut, her curiosity was winning over her precaution. She continued to move with the voice, her head still very fuzzy and burning with exhaustion.

"Yes, I saw it. I s--saw all of it," she said. "I've kn--known for months that this d--day would come...and I was r--right."

It was then that a disturbing realization washed over her like a large tidal wave. She was right...about everything. The truth of what she had been running away from, and the very lie she had managed to construct in order to hide that same truth; it had all fallen apart and Diana knew that it would be so.

"You foresaw the downfall of the Dark Lord, and you never told anyone. May I ask why?"

The voice did not sound upset or the slightest bit accusatory; it almost sounded amused.

"No--no one would have believed me. They--they've never trusted my lo--loyalty," she said, wishing more than anything that her teeth would stop chattering.

"And why should they trust your loyalty? After all you weren't even the one who consented it. That was your stepfather's doing," the voice said.

Diana was floored. Who was this person? How did he know of her stepfather's forcing her into pledging her loyalty to the Dark Lord? And why was he speaking about her deepest secrets so matter-of-fact? She could no longer resist the temptation to ask.

"H--how do you k--know all of this?"

The voice did not answer.

"What was your plan? Once you got out of the forest, I mean?" it asked instead.

"T--to hide. I know Bellatrix is r--right. The Dark Lord will return and I w--wanted to get the children as f--far away as possible and..."

Tears began to roll down Diana's cheeks.

"Oh g--good God, everything's ruined. It wasn't supposed t--to be...to be this way...m--my son..."

"Gone back to wait for his father. I trust no harm should come to him, Diana," the voice said calmly. "He's no doubt already become the pride of the Dark Lord's eye, his favorite prize as it were. No death eater will ever be able to live up to the standards already set by a five-year-old destined to rule the world."

Diana sobbed and felt her knees buckle.

"I...I have to go b--back..." she cried. "I can't...its n--not fair!"

"There's no place to go back to," the voice said gently. "Or at least, there won't be in a few moments. We've got to hurry or we'll be stuck in here forever."

Diana knew that he was right and did not argue. Despite everything, she felt grateful for the help and if she had not felt so close to slipping into unconsciousness, she might have been able to thank whomever it was saving her life.

A sharp pain in her abdomen reminded her of something that until now had seemed to far away...

"My water broke," she mumbled painfully, fighting now with each step to stay conscious.

The effects of the forest and the cruciatus curse were taking their final toll.

"You're both going to be fine. You and the baby," the voice said a bit softer now.

"I'm s--so tired," she yawned.

"Not to worry. Just a few more steps. Everything will be all right. I promise."

* * *

It took Diana several minutes to remember that she was no longer in the forest. She opened her eyes and saw nothing but candlelight dancing across the darkened wall of what appeared to be a bedroom. She sat bolt upright and looked around feverishly as her hands grasped her much smaller stomach. Her memory was, foggy at best; she could have sworn that she had lost consciousness before leaving the forest, yet she could also remember the piercing pains of labor while being coached by the same faceless voice that had saved her life. Who had it been? And where was her child?

"Diana."

A shadow emerged from the darkness, carrying a tiny bundle in its arms. A man smiled at her through a mane of thick black hair.

"We've been wondering when you'd wake up," he said.

Diana's eyes widened as he ladled the bundle into her arms. Though she felt immensely relieved to have her baby, she could not stop staring at the man with disbelief.

"Regulus?" she blurted, "Regulus Black?"

He smiled and held up a hand.

"The one and only."

"Impossible," she said breathlessly. "I mean you're dead!"

Regulus pulled his messy hair away from his face as if it would give Diana more proof as to his identity.

"I don't understand," she said incredulously.

"No I wouldn't expect you to," he said then quickly, as if looking for a reason to change the subject, motioned to the bundle. "It's a girl by the way, and a beautiful one at that...but I suspected you already knew that."

Diana tore her eyes away from him and let them fall down to her daughter for the first time. She was beautiful, sleeping comfortably in her mother's arms, looking peaceful and as though nothing terrible had happened to her at all.

"I did know," Diana said then looked back at Regulus confused. "How did you know I would?" she asked, then remembered their conversation in the forest. "How do you know any of it?"

There was an awkward pause, and then Regulus straightened and moved to the doorway, which looked as though it led out into an even darker hallway.

"Kreacher?!" he called.

Kreacher?

Diana watched Regulus slightly confused, but then gasped a small, ugly creature rounded the corner from the hallway and stopped at Regulus's feet. It took Diana longer in the dark--and because she had never seen one this particularly ugly before--to see that it was a House Elf.

"Kreacher is wanting nothing more than to serve his master, sir," it said bowing so low that its elongated nose was smashed against the dingy carpet. "Kreacher is most delighted to have a suitable master back in the noble and most ancient house of Black."

"Great. I imagine Ms. Cox is starving and I could do with a bite myself," Regulus said.
"Right away, sir. Kreacher is much obliged."

The House Elf ambled back into the hallway, mumbling something along the lines of, "Kreacher wishes master Regulus would stay longer than usual. Kreacher's time since his mistress's death has been lonely."

"Thank God he's still here," Regulus moaned as he reached to help Diana out of bed. "I can't cook to save my life."

"Still here?" Diana asked, moving slowly to ensure that her daughter would remain asleep. "Where are we exactly?"

"My house. Well, technically it belongs to both Sirius and I, but he never comes round anymore."

Diana looked around the room and into the hallway properly. The floorboards squeaked and smelled of damp cheese, while the doors themselves looked as though they might come off their hinges and the draperies were filled with at least five years worth of dust and grime. She looked back at Regulus, unable to hide her shock.

"This is the Black house?"

Regulus laughed,

"Not what most people expect, I know. It's been empty for a few years now, ever since mum died--well, died isn't exactly the right word for it--I'd say she more or less likes to hang around. At any rate it used to be much cleaner...I'm not so sure it was ever very welcoming."

Diana laughed for the first time in what felt like years. She looked at Regulus in awe.

"I just can't believe it," she said. "I mean, what are you doing alive?" She clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh, forgive me that sounded terrible."

Regulus laughed as they moved slowly down the hall.

"No, it's all right. I was sure I'd be the last person you expected to see when you woke up. You're taking it all rather well considering. How are you feeling by the way?"

The memories of the night's events were less foggy now and Diana could think of only one word to describe how she felt.

"Terrified," she said quietly as they started toward an old, rickety-looking staircase.

"Most Death Eaters are. No one expected this--well except for you that is."

Diana glanced at him with interest; he had said it so nonchalantly...

"Surely you're going to answer my question now."

"Which question is that?" he asked even though she felt it must have been obvious.

"How do you know all of these things about me?" she asked desperately.

Regulus fell silent and lost his smile almost immediately. Diana looked at him for a moment and her gaze slowly fell into suspicion.

"Regulus, please. You've got to give me something. You turn up, not dead, and know things that only a handful of people--all of whom, by the way, are actually dead--know about."

"Diana," Regulus started, sounding hesitant, "I don't think it's a good idea to--"

"That isn't fair," Diana said stopping on the stair above him and looking him square in the eye. "You're the one who keeps bringing it up after all. My own father didn't even know I was a seer. The only people who knew were my mum, my sister and..."

Diana stopped as something occurred to her--something so far-fetched that it was the only reasonable explanation...

"You know." She stared at him.

Regulus did not say anything and carried on with the attempt of helping her down the stairs. Diana, however, refused to move another step.

"You know who I am," she said feeling as though someone had knocked the air from her lungs.

Regulus did not meet her eyes, but nodded and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

It did not make sense. How could he have known? No one, to her knowledge, had ever divulged the secret. As it was, only a select few people knew about it anyway.

"You know where I'm from, what I am...where my mother...and...and..."

Regulus nodded again.

"Yes I do. I know all about it."

Diana fought the urge to go speechless.

"But...how?"

Regulus was silent for ages while Diana's brain buzzed loudly, making her feel extremely lightheaded.

"I'm sure you're starving," he said at last. "Let's go eat, and I'll explain what I can."

Diana felt her feet accept this offer even though her head remained determinedly on the stairs in protest.

She and Regulus reached the bottom of the stairs at last, and walked silently down a darkened hallway until they reached another, but much shorter, flight of stairs at the end of it, leading into what was once a dungeon that had been half heartedly made to look like a kitchen.

Kreacher had already finished preparing their meal, made up some of the most extravagant foods Diana had ever seen. Regulus helped her to the table and sat across from her, immediately reaching for a large bottle of blood-red wine, emptying half into two large goblets for each of them.

Diana reluctantly took a sip, gagging slightly as the thick liquid ran down her throat. She surveyed the rest of the food and was astonished to find that her appetite had remarkably dwindled since leaving the stairs. She felt rather as though she never wanted to eat again.

"You've got to eat, to keep your strength up," Regulus said as he scooped boiled potatoes onto his own plate. "And not just for yourself, but for the baby as well."

Regrettably acknowledging that he was right, Diana took a small helping of shepherd's pie and began to eat it slowly. Her body was grateful for the nourishment, yet more than anything it craved to know how Regulus had come into contact with such precious information. Regardless of what he said next, the fact alone that he knew what he did, was going to change everything.

Regulus continued to eat, long after Diana had pushed her own plate away, clearly unable to bring himself to start the oncoming conversation. At last, after a third helping of rice pudding and custard tart, he set his knife and fork down, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and swallowed a large amount of wine.

He cleared his throat and looked at her with great uncertainty.

"When I heard the news of the Dark Lord's defeat earlier tonight, I knew that above everyone else, you and your son would be in the most danger," he said. "I knew Bella would be keen to keep the boy with her even though I can't imagine what she'll do with him when the Ministry catches up with her."

Diana shuddered at the thought and pulled her daughter closer to her chest as if to protect her. Regulus took notice and motioned to the baby.

"Then I found you, and I couldn't believe it. My regret deepened and my worst fears were being realized. The Dark Lord now has two heirs."

Diana opened her mouth, but stopped herself just as she started to reveal the truth about her daughter. True Regulus had saved her life, but she was not entirely sure she could tell him a new secret; the very same secret that Bellatrix and Narcissa had been discussing in the forest.

"Your regret?" she asked instead. "Forgive me for sounding harsh, but what does this have to do with you anyway? Surely you're not a child of a..."

"No, I'm not."

"Then how..."

Regulus stood up quickly and began to pace the length of the table.

"Diana, did it ever occur to you that you were deliberately chosen to mother the Dark Lord's heirs?" he asked.

Diana thought for a moment.

"Well I wondered, considering--"

"Considering there were people like Bellatrix, desperate to please her master, no matter the cost."

"Yes."

"And you...you were clearly--shall we say--entertaining other pursuits?"

"Yes and--what?"

Diana froze as her heart did a sort of back flip up into her throat.

"What did you just say?" she asked.

Regulus chuckled.

"Come off it, Diana. You forget I was in Slytherin. Everyone in our house knew Snape had been in love with you from the very first moment he saw you."

Diana could not keep herself from blushing. She cast her eyes down to the baby.

"You knew Severus while we were in school?" she asked quietly.

"Of course, though we were never what you might call friends. I always figured he hated me because of what he endured from my brother, but I knew things about him, just as I knew things about my other housemates. Good as he was about hiding his emotions, Snape always become increasingly transparent when it came to you. Why do you think he did so well in potions? You shared that class with him, did you not?"

Diana nodded as though she had just remembered a forgotten memory.

"Yes, I did. But what does potions class have to do with it?"

"I overheard you pay him a compliment about it one night at dinner. He became obsessed with potions from then on out, every night pouring over books in the common room and the library, or going to Slughorn for extra lessons. I expect everyone caught onto it eventually, though I don't think they cared much. You know as well as I do that Snape was a loner."

Diana felt a slight pang of indignation toward Regulus at his remarks, but did not say anything and waited for him to continue.

"My suspicions were confirmed one night when I asked Snape to help me with some homework and noticed something he had scribbled on the cover of his potions book about you. When I asked him about it, intent on convincing him to say something to you to the effect of asking you to the next Hogsmeade visit, he of course got angry, stowed his book out of sight, stalked out of the library and never spoke to me again. It didn't keep him from staring at you all through breakfast the next day though," Regulus said laughing at what was apparently a very fond memory. "The look on his face when you walked by..."

Diana straightened and cleared her throat, feeling that there was no necessity in speaking ill of someone who was not even there.

Regulus took the hint and sat back down, taking another drink of wine.

"Sorry. But I think it's safe to agree that I'm correct. You and Snape were--"

"Yes," Diana said quickly, "we were--together--in the forest. Well, that is until the Dark Lord stepped in the middle," she added bitterly.

Regulus nodded excitedly,

"Exactly my point. You were otherwise occupied and there were plenty of other people dying for the opportunity to be held in high esteem. It wasn't like the Dark Lord to meddle in the love lives of others, and I daresay he knew what was going on between you and Snape," Regulus said thoughtfully. "But surely he didn't feel threatened by Snape, as not a lot of people do, and therefore would have no other, obvious reasons in destroying both your lives. So, the question remains. Why did he choose you?"

Diana looked at him with mock interest. She could not tell if he was being sarcastic and her patience (as well as her stamina) was wearing thin.

"I haven't the faintest," she said dryly. "But I'm sure you know."

"I do," Regulus said ignoring her tone.

"Then would you please tell me!" she said exasperatedly. "You still haven't told me how you know all of this! Who told you?"

Regulus looked down at the table, appearing as though he were about to tell her the worst news imaginable.

"Victor."

Diana flinched.

"Victor? My mother's Victor--my stepfather?"

Regulus nodded.

"Did he ever give you any reasons for coming to the forest?"

"No," Diana said slowly. "I knew he was keen to join the pureblood superiority movement. He tore me away from school in order to join up with the Dark Lord. I had to leave after my fifth year, and Victor never said why, but I didn't think he knew anything about--"

"He knew, and up until the end, was very selective in who he told," Regulus said. "Your mother had confided in him, unknowing that he would soon begin showing signs worthy of only a true Death Eater. In order to reach the desired outcome of 'most revered', Victor told the Dark Lord of an ancient, Greek temple where--"

"The Oracle," Diana gasped.

Regulus looked at her curiously.

"You know about it?"

Diana felt as though a large weight had fallen into her stomach.

"I should have known," she moaned. "My mother took us to Greece the summer we came to the forest. It was the year marking the Oracle's seven hundredth birthday, a very important pilgrimage year, especially for those who possessed the Inner Eye. Anyway, Victor came along with us. I imagine Mum must have told him after our visit, because the Oracle took great interest in my Mum, my sister and I. She seemed to know without being told who we were, and marveled at the fact that Mum had two daughters, which according to her was incredibly significant for a Cox girl. I hadn't a clue as to what the Oracle was talking about, but my Mum and sister seemed to understand everything. When I started asking questions, they ignored me or told me to mind my own business. Whatever Mum told Victor, it was kept private, I never knew anything about it until it was too late..."

Diana wiped her eyes and shook her head in disgust.

Regulus ran another hand through his hair.

"Victor was eager to please his master with this very valuable information. In the Dark Lord's pursuit of total power and immortality, an Oracle would prove rather useful. He decided to visit Greece and when he wished to enlist the help of one of his servants, I regrettably volunteered," he said quietly.

"You went with him to see the Oracle?"

"Yes, and from that moment on, the Dark Lord's number one obsession was to create an heir; to ensure that his blood, his name, and his powers would live on no matter what." Regulus stopped speaking for a moment, in which he seemed to be gathering all possible courage in order to continue. "The advice of the Oracle was specific to a Cox girl."

Diana swallowed with difficulty and felt her heart settle somewhere in the region of her ankles.

"Of course, you and your sister were both--I suppose--eligible, and so the Dark Lord asked me to do research on your name. He wanted to know what made the Cox women so special," Regulus said. "I happened to know someone who had just been hired as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries, who had access to loads of information on ancestries. I found bits and pieces of information in assorted ancient documents, but it wasn't until I questioned Victor himself, that I got the truth."

Diana looked away.

"At first it seemed that your sister was to be chosen. She led the Dark Lord to believe that of the two of you, she possessed the greater power. Victor, however, told the Dark Lord otherwise and your sister was killed," Regulus said.

"She--she sacrificed herself?" Diana stammered, doing her best to stifle the sob welling up inside of her.

Regulus nodded, looking dejected.

"She wanted to give your mother enough time to get you out of the forest safely--why Olivia wasn't able to do it, I'll never know--and keep you from suffering all of this. She died bravely Diana, and I know it would be important to her for you to know that. Victor of course died a coward's death. When he watched Sofia die, he immediately regretted what he'd done and tried to run away. The Dark Lord killed him of course, and I was left to carry the burden of knowing what was to come, unable to stop it."

Diana watched as Regulus began to rummage through his pockets, pulling out a tiny glass jar corked shut and filled with a bright, silvery cloud-like substance.

"This is for you, my memories of that time, preserved for when you need them. I don't believe they'll provide you any comfort, but they might at least help answer some questions."

Diana looked determinedly away and sat quietly for a long time, staring at her untouched wine with strict concentration. So, it had been her stepfather who had betrayed her destiny, accompanied with the man who sat before her. She had once imagined finding great relief when she at last learned this truth, not this sort of evaporated emptiness and fury.

"What's in that bottle will show my sister's death and the gallant struggle she fought right up until the end? Will it show you discovering my secrets and ratting me out? Will it show how the Dark Lord was free to come after me?" she asked coldly. "You discovered the truth from Victor, who I'm sure would have eventually told if you hadn't, and handed my life over to the Dark Lord. Worst of all you want me to watch it?"

Regulus looked at her without changing his expression; he seemed to know this would be coming.

"I didn't tell him everything," he said darkly. "I told him enough to pacify his inquisitions and kept the rest to myself. For instance, he knew nothing of the significance in the fact that your mother had two daughters instead of only one." Regulus pointed to the baby. "Or that that indicated history was about to repeat itself."

Diana once again pulled her daughter closer to her chest.

"Surely he must have known something of a daughters importance. Why else was he pressed to have a second child when the first turned out to be a boy?" she asked.

Regulus shrugged.

"Perhaps someone else knows and told him, but rest assured that I did not, and that my regret will never be satiated in this matter."

The disdain-filled laughter escaped Diana's mouth before she could stop it.

"Your regret? Yes, please enlighten me as to your regret Regulus. After all, you're the one who, only moments ago, discovered that the reason you bore two children with a man you absolutely loath is because of some other person's foolishness and fear!"

"Diana--"

"What? Are you going to tell me now that you'll somehow make it up to me? My life is forever changed, ruined in fact! I can't be with the man I love, my son is off God knows where with God knows who and my daughter, who doesn't even have the faintest idea of what's taking place, is doomed to live a life of secrecy!"

"Diana, I'm sorry. I thought I was helping."

"Helping? How is this helping?" she asked defensively.

"I always thought you were an innocent bystander in all this. I figured you knew nothing," Regulus said coolly, though Diana could tell he was beginning to lose patience as well.

"Regulus, if you're trying to be subtle with me, I suggest that you abandon the hope that I'll eventually catch on," she said icily.

"Fine, I'll get straight to it! Why did you stay in the forest after the heir was born? Why didn't you run away? Your mother disappeared, abandoning you--"

"She did not abandon me," Diana said looking shocked. "She was killed."

"That's what the Dark Lord wanted you to believe! Do you honestly think she would let herself die given her circumstances? After all, I'm here aren't I? Everyone thinks I'm dead too."

Diana glared at him. She did not want to believe that her mother had abandoned her, chosen to leave the forest under the pretense of death (such as Regulus had done) to save her own life and leave Diana defenseless against the Dark Lord and his minion Death Eaters.

"Why aren't you dead then?" she snapped.

Regulus sighed and looked for a moment as though he might not tell her, wishing to end the unpleasant conversation before it got any worse.

"Well...ironically, because of Snape," he said at last.

Diana gaped at him.

"Severus?"

"He was the one ordered to kill me."

Diana's fury was extinguished and immediately replaced with the familiar curiosity she had felt earlier in the forest, wanting to discover Regulus's identity. It was as if, by saying Severus's name provided her with an eerie sort of comfort.

"Kill you?"

"Yeah. He caught up with me one night at the Hogshead Inn. Apparently, he'd been spending a great deal of time around Hogsmeade and Hogwarts then. We had a few drinks, and he confessed what he had been ordered to do."

"Why didn't he go through with it?" Diana asked though she felt she already knew the answer.

"Do you really believe Snape capable of killing anything?" Regulus laughed slightly, but quickly turned it into a cough upon receiving Diana's reproachful look. "I played on his hidden soft side you see, and I too confessed that I'd had second thoughts about my servitude to the Dark Lord. He talked a long time about Dumbledore, and how forgiving the headmaster had been, especially after he discovered Severus was the reason the Dark Lord went searching for the Potters in the first place, and how guilty Severus had felt because of it. I told him things that I knew about the Dark Lord, secrets that only a select few had been privileged to know about. Suffice it to say, I left the pub later that night with my life and a whole lot of information that I immediately put into use. Dumbledore hasn't been the only one fighting against the Dark Lord's ultimate plan of immortality, and I expect we can be adding young Harry Potter's name to that list now too."

Diana shuddered and looked once more at her sleeping daughter; the last thing she wanted to talk about was Harry Potter.

"So, I was right about that too," she said after a moment. "I knew Severus was up to something. I had a feeling that he'd reconsidered; especially when he found out I was pregnant. Spying on the Dark Lord for Dumbledore, while at the same time, spying on Dumbledore for the Dark Lord, and now..." her voice drifted off and her eyes lingered for another moment on the baby. "Poor Severus."

Regulus sneered.

"Poor Severus indeed. I imagine he's quite comfortable tonight in his sanctuary at Hogwarts. Where was he when you needed him the most? He should have known you would be in danger. I'm beginning to think Sirius had something on him. Once a coward always a--"

"I told him to leave," Diana interrupted, her voice sounding hollow. "He wanted to stay, he wanted to help me, especially after..."

Diana stopped herself again. Her anger with Regulus was beginning to resurface again, but she also knew that he had taken a big risk in coming to her rescue as well as telling her all that he had. Severus had spared his life for a reason, and if he trusted Regulus despite his obvious dislike of the Blacks (most especially Sirius), then certainly Diana could too. She looked up to Regulus's bemused expression and sighed heavily.

"Especially after I told him that the baby was his," she said quietly.

Regulus blanched and there was a long pause while he collected himself.

"Excuse me? Did I just hear you right? You said this child belongs to Snape and not the Dark Lord."

"Well...yes. I mean you knew Severus and I were together. Is it really that surprising?" she asked blushing at her own question.

"No, now that you mentioned it, it really isn't," Regulus laughed. "I can't believe it! I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier! You know what this means? This is fantastic!"

Diana stood up from her seat unable to explain why her temper had risen so high so quickly.

"It isn't fantastic! Things were not supposed to be this way!" she cried.

Regulus stared at her.

"Diana I--I didn't mean to--I just--"

"No, no more! I can't listen to anything else! It doesn't matter anyway! I'm leaving this God forsaken house before things get any worse!"

Regulus was rendered speechless as he watched Diana tear from the room so quickly he thought for a moment that she had Apparated.

Diana moved quickly back to the stairs and ran into the bedroom, looking in all directions for her cloak. Blinded by tears, she almost immediately gave up her search and sat on the edge of the bed, cuddling her daughter, and sobbing uncontrollably.

Only a few moments passed before Regulus came through the door, holding out a handkerchief. Diana took it and dabbed her eyes, unable to meet his gaze.

"Bellatrix knows about Snape and the baby, and when they found me she told Narcissa. That's why they left us for dead."

Regulus did not respond.

"I think it's safe to assume that the rest of the Death Eaters will know before too long, and so when the Dark Lord returns he too will discover how I've betrayed him. The fact that Bellatrix and Narcissa believe I am dead will help keep us hidden, but not forever."

Regulus still remained quiet.

"The Dark Lord will discover that we're alive and you know as well as I do, Regulus, that he will not rest until we are found." Diana paused and wiped her eyes again. "I shudder to think what will happen to Severus then."

"Snape can take care of himself," Regulus said at last.

Diana continued to cry as she looked down at her daughter.

"She's in tremendous danger and she must never know why," she said. "The Dark Lord will not only want revenge, but he'll want to use us for his own personal gain."

"Do you honestly think keeping such a secret from her is wise?" Regulus asked softly.

Diana looked at him, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"There is no other way. I couldn't do anything to save my son--though I don't think I could have convinced him otherwise anyway--but I do have a chance to save her and I can't afford to lost another moment."

"I understand," Regulus said. "But, before you run off into the oblivion, I think it might be a good idea to have a backup plan."

Diana eyed him.

"A backup plan?"

"Yes, for if the worst should happen and they come after you. I daresay it seems far more important for her to remain the safest she can possibly be. You should have a place to send her."

Diana thought for a moment then nodded slowly.

"Right. That will be crucial."

"I think I've got an idea of where she could go," Regulus said. "And this," he pulled out the bottle filled with his silver, wispy memories and slid it into her hand. "I have a feeling it will be useful in one way or another."

Diana looked at him finding herself feeling less angry and even less terrified. She felt secure in the fact that she could formulate a new plan, one that--if she could help it--would not go astray.

"Thank you Regulus, for everything," she said.

Regulus smiled and looked down at the baby, who for the first time all night, had opened her eyes and was beginning to fuss.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" he asked.

"Yes. I've known from the minute I knew I was pregnant what her name would be," Diana said. "Caitlynn. Caitlynn Enora."

Regulus laughed and smiled knowingly.

"Caitlynn Enora Cox," he said. "It's got a nice ring to it."