Another Dark Star

Chapter 28

Sadira was bored. Extremely, completely, totally bored. It was her day off and she had taken the opportunity to sort through the items she had already bought for the baby. She cleared out one of her wardrobes to store them in and had washed and ironed all of the clothes before putting them in the drawers.

Nightshade had gone back to her usual habit of ignoring her owner and Xerxes was out hunting so she didn’t even have company of the furry or feathered kind. She was considering visiting her Dad or Aunt Molly when a Lynx Patronus glided into her front room with a message from Kingsley that she needed to get to the Ministry immediately.

She pulled on her trainers, brushed down her jeans and vest top, and Floo-ed to the Atrium. She arrived just as Fudge, Dawlish and Percy were stood staring at the scene of devastation that greeted them. And Harry, lay on the ground with Dumbledore.

Sadira’s blood ran cold; was that... Voldemort himself? Suddenly, the reality of what her husband was going through and the danger he was in dawned upon her.


When he saw he had company the evil wizard disappeared, leaving the incompetent Minister gaping in shock and fear as the Order members and Dumbledore’s Army appeared on the scene from the Department of Mysteries. It took Sadira a while to take it all in. The sight of Miss Lovegood, Mr Longbottom, Miss Granger and her cousins Ginny and Ron, all with various injuries, flanked by Remus, Tonks, Moody and Kingsley.

“What happened here?” she asked the group.

“Oh Sadie, it was terrible. Death Eaters were everywhere, attacking the kids. We fought them off but not all the Order could get here in time.” Tonks explained.

It took her a moment to work out what was wrong, cold realisation creeping over her skin like ice water.

“Tonks, where’s my Dad?” she asked carefully.

“I am so sorry.” She began, but Sadira had already begun to run down the atrium.

“Remus, tell me the truth. Where is he, what happened?” she asked her father’s best friend.

“I’m truly sorry. Bellatrix hit him with the Avada and he fell behind a strange veiled arch in the Department of Mysteries. He’s gone Sadie.” Lupin said, his voice usually so light and friendly, now devoid of all feeling and tired sounding.

“NO!!” she screamed, as though in pain. She rushed to where Harry was sat looking dazed and knelt beside him in supplication.

“Please Harry. Tell me they’re wrong.” She whispered through her tears. She looked for all the world like a lost child instead of a grown woman and toughened Auror.

He just looked at her with a pained look on his tear streaked face and shook his head. Then she did something which surprised everyone there. She threw her arms around Harry and pulled him to her as they both racked with sobs.

“I’m sorry Harry, it isn’t fair! We were going to be a family at last. He never got a chance...” she sobbed, breaking off and muttering unintelligibly. Harry barely heard the word ‘Grandad’ but didn’t register it at the time, inconsolable as the young pair were. No-one could tell who was providing comfort to whom. Perhaps they were drawing it from each other.

After a short while they settled down and pulled themselves together. She stood and offered him a hand up, barely noticing what the others were doing.

“I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye Harry, but we are still family in Dad’s eyes and we should stick together. If you want me to, I’ll still be the sister to you that Dad wanted me to be.” She whispered. He nodded numbly, barely taking it in.

Dumbledore interrupted them, suggesting everyone return to Hogwarts to discuss what had happened. To make things easier, he transformed a broken piece of the fountain into a Portkey and returned everyone present, including Fudge, to the school.

Messages were sent to the Heads of Houses to meet in the Headmaster’s office. Dumbledore and Fudge had an extended meeting on their own while the others waited outside.


By the time they were finished, the other teachers had arrived and were looking quite puzzled, especially when they saw six students in a bloodied state and the new closeness between Sadira and Harry who seemed to be physically supporting each other. They all tried to fit comfortably in the office, while Fudge left to deal with Umbridge.
Dumbledore conjured a squashy suite of sofas and chairs for the assembled group. Harry was sat between Sadira and Hermione.

“I take it you have been reinstated Albus, what happened?” Minerva asked, surveying the damage to her Gryffindors.

“Indeed! Today, Lord Voldemort made a grievous mistake. He was exposed to the Minister in broad daylight. He cannot deny his return any longer. I am sure the incident will be common knowledge tomorrow, once the blinkers are removed from the press.” He replied.

“It seems a group of Death Eaters were sent to the Ministry with the intention of luring Harry there to obtain for them a prophecy made sixteen years ago.” He continued. Harry looked miserably guilty at this.

“The prophecy in question was destroyed and the Death Eaters were apprehended and sent to Azkaban, including Lucius Malfoy. Unfortunately, not all the news is good. Sirius Black fought valiantly for our cause but was killed in the battle by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. Despite the lack of a body and therefore a funeral, we shall be holding a small memorial service for him to honour his sacrifice before the children leave.” Dumbledore decided.

Sadira began to sniffle at the mention of her father and Severus, who was stood behind her, rested a hand on her shoulder in a small gesture of comfort.

“Headmaster, if you have no further need of them, I should like to get my students to the hospital wing.” McGonagall insisted.

“Of course Minerva, Filius too.” He acceded and gestured for them to leave. Harry squeezed Sadira’s hand before he left and was rewarded with a weak smile.

Snape remained where he was until everyone else left, applying slight pressure to her shoulder to imply she were to stay put also. Once alone he moved to sit beside her, putting an arm around her and rubbed her arm uncomfortably when she turned to him and rested her head on his shoulder, fighting back tears. He was unused to providing comfort and was as horribly out of his depth as he had been when her Mother died five years ago.

He didn’t know what to say either. The usual comforting platitudes would have sounded so false coming from him. Everyone knew he hated the man, but he had never really wished him dead. Well... not lately anyway. His poor wife however had just been orphaned for the second time in her young life. Such a cruel twist of fate when she had only just met her father and was soon to be a mother herself.

“Headmaster, following her ... tragic bereavement in her current condition, I wish to request Sadira remain at the castle with me.” He asked uncomfortably.

“Of course Severus, I should have suggested it myself had you not asked. She will be in need of comfort.” Albus agreed.

“Come Sadie, you need to rest.” Snape said softly. She nodded dumbly and stood, not acknowledging anyone or anything around her, lost in her thoughts.


Snape led her to their rooms in the dungeons with his arm wrapped firmly around her, ignoring the surprised stares and pointing of the portraits and straggling students.

Once safely in their parlour, he seated her on the sofa, lit a small fire and poured a very small Brandy, handing it to her as he sat beside her and pulled her against him silently. She looked at the snifter, then up at him questioningly.

“One small drink will not harm the baby and you have had a horrible shock.” He assured her.

She sipped it slowly staring at the flames while he held her firmly against his chest. She set the empty glass down on the table and climbed into his lap, curling herself against him and grasping weakly at his robes like a small child.

“I can’t believe he’s gone. We were going to be a family. He never even saw his grandchild.” She said quietly.

“I know. I realise how much that meant to you and I am sorry that once again you have been cheated of your happiness.” He said, lying back on the sofa and wrapping his body protectively around hers.

“If only the Order had alerted me earlier, I could have been there, I could have helped...”

“Or you could have been killed or injured or harmed the baby. In any case there is no guarantee your being there would have prevented his death and I would have been devastated had anything happened to you.” He interrupted, wiping the tears from her face and kissing her gently, a gesture of affection and comfort.

“You are staying here tonight. You need your sleep and you will get no rest alone in that flat of yours. You will only stay up all night thinking things over.” He insisted.

“You’re right. Thanks Sev, I really need you right now.” She said gratefully, kissing him back.

“Come now, to bed. You should rest.” He ordered, nudging her into their bedroom.

He turned down the bedcovers for her. They undressed quickly and in silence. She curled into him once more, clutching the covers around her shoulders, appreciating the comforting sensation of his warm skin against hers.

“I saw Him today Severus; the Dark Lord. I don’t think I realised truly what you must go up against before. I fear for you now more than ever.” She whispered fearfully.

He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes with a soft expression.

“Do not fear for me my love; I have been doing this since my late teens. I accept this task as atonement for the terrible things I did in his name. You will always know I am safe.” He said, fingering the silver cross that hung between her breasts and holding it close to his own.

The enchanted items glowed faintly in response to the closeness of their counterparts.
She smiled at this, albeit weakly, and soon fell asleep listening to the sound of his heartbeat, exhausted by her hormones and the emotional trauma of the day’s events.

Severus however did not find repose so easily. His expression turned dark and pensive as he stroked her hair, holding on to her tighter, wondering yet again whether he would live to see his first born child.