***7 January, 1987-5:12 p.m. ***

He found her. He had her at his mercy. Now, what to do with her?

Finding her had consumed his every waking and sleeping moment for these past three months. A number of different scenarios had paraded through his psyche since she rejected him; every one had left her begging.

Begging to be taken back… begging for more…begging for mercy…begging for death.

The only question was, now that he had her, what entreaties did he want her to plead? Kenneth was certain of one thing, he had suffered too long and come too far to leave without satisfaction…and he would get it tonight.

He had located Lucy's classroom and office only three days previously. Kenneth had been spying through the myriad amount windows throughout the castle in an effort to find any sign of Lucy or Snape. He had come across Lucy just off a small interior courtyard. Other rooks and ravens had occupied the trees directly outside of Lucy's room, making easy work for Kenneth to remain inconspicuous.

Lucy had been alone most of that first afternoon as she prepared for her upcoming lessons and Kenneth regretted the missed opportunity. He was fully aware that he was no match for Lucy in his state and before he could act, he needed a wand—and he needed to separate Lucy from her own.

Even if he had his own wand, loathe though he was to admit, Lucy was quite capable of out-duelling him. His only chance to subdue her was to disarm her, and to do that he had to catch her off guard. That was no easy feat with Snape or Dumbledore lurking about. To approach Lucy face to face was foolhardy. To come face to face with Snape or the Headmaster was suicidal.

The opportunity Kenneth needed presented itself to him only early this very morning. A few students had taken advantage of the newly fallen snow and indulged in a pre-breakfast snowball fight. One of the younger children had left her wand lying barely visible sticking out from a snow bank. After the children vanished inside the castle, Kenneth moved quickly to snatch the wand and flew off before the girl had a chance to realise it was missing.

Just out of sight of the heart of the interior courtyard and behind the wall directly behind Lucy's office was a small nook that may have once been part of a long forgotten overgrown flower garden.

The snow had banked up against the castle wall, providing Kenneth with a well concealed hiding place for his stolen prize. A small, round stained glass window that entered into Lucy's office was just above. It was the only window and possible access into her office from the outside.

Kenneth had only to wait, unsure of the time it would take for Lucy to return, but he could afford to be patient. He had a wand, an excellent hiding spot, and he had Lucy in his sights. It was only a matter of time before her lessons would end and she would be alone.

Kenneth had been disappointed as students lingered behind to speak to Lucy after her final lesson of the day and she had escorted one of the upper year teenage boys out of her class without going back to her office. It seemed as if Lucy had no intention of returning. Kenneth decided then, that it was actually the perfect opportunity.

The students were just beginning to return to their Houses and as cold as it was outside, it was unlikely that any students would venture into the courtyard this evening. The low overcast clouds slowly moved across the rising half- moon and hastened the waning daylight in the Highlands. Kenneth slipped behind the tall castle wall without fear of exposure.

Once certain he would not be seen, Kenneth implemented his plan. He had intended to quickly transform back to his human form, use the purloined wand to open Lucy's office window, make use of his avian form once again, fly into the window with the wand and find a place to hide himself until morning. He had not considered what it would like to be human once again.

Upon transforming, Kenneth crashed to his knees, his human legs unused to supporting his mass. He almost panicked, wondering if it would take time to adjust to being human again, just as it had taken time to adjust to being avian.

His human body felt alien to him. His body trembled as he outstretched his arm and leaned in to the solid stone wall for support. It was strange...the feeling of wholeness. A single hot tear streaked down his filth encrusted cheek.

Skin.

How long had it been since he had felt his own human skin? It was dirty and rough and peeling along the bridge of his nose, but it was his own. His grimy had traced the stinging tear down his cheek, and Kenneth felt the rough mat of several months' growth of facial hair. When his hand came across his beard and under his nose, he was appalled at the odour.

He was uncertain how to feel. He was all at once become elated and terrified. The sensations that rushed through his body were almost too intense to process. A very real part of Kenneth wanted to change back into a rook and never have to deal with such consciousness again. Then again...his revenge...and possibly carnal bliss lay only a window sill away.

His mind and body were flooded with memories...memories of Lucy's dewy soft skin and her gently fragranced hair... how their bodies fit so easily together. His body reacted to the memory. He wanted her, but when the time came, could he take her? He wasn't concerned if he would suddenly have second thoughts and leave her to her life. He only hoped that he would have the physical strength to do what he had set out to do.

Kenneth was under no delusions. If he was to exact his revenge, he had better do it right the first time, for there would be no second.

He had briefly considered outright kidnapping, but it simply was not practical. He thought he might perhaps Imperius Lucy into following him, but that opened up a whole new set of problems. At the moment he was unsure what he would do, only that before he left and spent the rest of his life in hiding, Lucy would sorely regret shunning him in favour of Snape.

He knew he would be a hunted man for the rest of his natural life. But honestly... what did it matter when he was already a hunted man? At least he would know that Lucy, and by extension, Snape, had finally been punished for their sins. Together, Lucy and Snape had ruined his life. It was only fitting that Kenneth returned the favour.

Kenneth had no intention of running forever. As intimidating as the thought of remaining human was, he wanted his humanity back, or something similar to humanity. Once he left the shell of what was once Lucy behind, he would steal the identity of an unsuspecting Muggle, Apparate to Southampton and Confund the captain of an outbound merchant ship heading to South Africa or Australia into giving him employment. From there Kenneth hoped to find a small gold or diamond claim somewhere in the wilderness and never be heard from again.

He began to shiver from the cold and it was enough to snap him back to reality and focus on the task at hand. His tattered prison garb was mean protection against the biting winter wind.

Kenneth withdrew his wand from its hiding with a shaking hand and pointed it at Lucy's window. Surprisingly enough, a simple Alohomora was all it took to open it. It was a small window...barely large enough for a young child to pass through.

He morphed back into a rook, more than a bit confused and concerned that he found the form felt more comforting and safe than his human one. As he flew up to the open window with his wand in his taloned foot, Kenneth was more determined than ever to exact retribution. Not only had Lucy emasculated him, it was also her fault he was slowly losing his humanity.

Entering the office was a bit of a shock. It was warm and the feeling was even more alien than his human body. Assuming he would be alone until morning, Kenneth left the window so the temperature of the room would moderate.

Thus far, fortune had smiled upon Kenneth. There had been no alarm on the tiny window, but he did not intend on pushing his luck. He cast a spell that would disrupt the lighting should anyone enter the office unexpectedly, then cast a Lumos and assessed Lucy's office.

The window, now open much like a port side window on a ship, was along the wall just left of the hearth. Although it allowed for some slight air circulation, it did little to add light.

With the exception of the stone walls and the fact that the space was practically windowless, it was almost exactly like her old office at the university. The monographs and texts she used for her lessons lined the walls to the side and opposite her desk.

Lucy's desk, her prized reproduction of the original Resolute desk, sat proudly before the hearth, taking up nearly a full third of the open space in the office. Kenneth sat on its corner and ran his hand along the smooth mahogany.

He remembered when Lucy bought the desk. She purchased it with her first royalty check from her last book. As proud as she had been, she was upset that she had to settle for mahogany rather than English oak. With a wicked grin, Kenneth remembered how they celebrated the desk. Perhaps he would repeat the performance with Lucy later on.

Kenneth continued to look about the office. Atop the mantle was small rectangular porcelain box. It was cream coloured, with hand painted roses and gold scrolling. He had given her that box on her last birthday. He opened it. She still stored her Floo powder within. Deciding that she had no use of anything of sentimental value from him, he callously tossed the fragile box out the window. Besides, it wouldn't do to have Lucy get her hands on her Floo powder.

He decided to change back into a rook in order to discern if there was any place to hide amongst the broken crevices in the wall. He was investigating a rather promising gap between the hearth and the wall when he heard footsteps approach the office from the outside classroom. He remained low to the floor, his small black form easily hidden by the shadows.

His tiny heart was racing fast enough to beat itself out of his chest. It was Lucy...and she was alone. There was no sign of Snape or any students and Kenneth had decided to take his chance.

Now here he was. He had transformed silently in the dark and had managed to catch Lucy off guard with a barely whispered Petrificus Totalus.

"Hello darling, did you miss me?" he whispered into her ear as he breathed in the scent of her. Even heavy with the burden of a child, he desired her. He felt his erection rising. He no longer had any doubts of what he was capable of...soon Lucy would have no doubts either...

Dear God no!

How had this happened? Kenneth was there...right now...and she was incapable of defending herself.

With the exception of Severus, no one knew where she was, and Severus was supervising detention. He would not be home for hours. Neither would he expect her to be home anytime soon.

Lucy's only hope was that Molly would call Severus when she was late to pick up Harry. But that could take another hour. By then it could be too late.

She could not even move her eyes to plead with Kenneth. Whatever happened, she could not let him hurt the baby. Every inch of her tried to scream as Kenneth's open hand caressed her thigh as he probed into her pocket to take her wand.

"You won't have need for this, dear Lucy," Kenneth lazily drawled as he reached around her and mockingly held her wand in front of her face.

He dropped her wand to the floor placed his hand around her neck. Her wand bounced twice with a soft *tink* of wood on stone. Petrified in place as she was, Lucy was unable to see what happened next, but she heard a distinct snap as Kenneth kept one hand around her neck as the other pointed his wand directly at her abdomen. He had drove down with his full weight on her wand.

Lucy wanted to cry out, but the only thing Lucy think to do was try to remain calm. She was not naive. She knew before it was over, Kenneth intended to rape her. And unless he released her from his spell, she had no way to prevent him from doing so.

Already he began to run his hand down from the nape of her neck. His hand was slowly making its way to her breast. Inside she was trembling. She was alone, wandless...helpless...and Kenneth would continue to have his way with her.

Kenneth pressed against her from behind. Against her lower back she felt his erection grow harder with each passing second.

"As easy as it would be to take you as you are, my dear," Kenneth grunted as he forcibly yanked one of her arms behind her back, "I'm afraid it just wouldn't be very fun."

If she could scream out in pain, she would. Still under the Body Bind Curse, he forced her other arm behind her back. Her motion was limited, and he could not quite bring her wrists together. She felt a rope wrap its way around her wrists.

Once Kenneth seemed to be happy with the security of his knots, he walked around in front of Lucy. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light and she saw him for the first time. She could hardly believe her eyes. This filth matted, emaciated...creature was Kenneth.

As her eyes were just as petrified as the rest of her body, she could not track him and Kenneth had to kneel slightly before her so she could see his hateful face. His once immaculate silver blond hair was closer to a brownish grey with dirt and grime and was matted to his head. Replacing his severely trimmed moustache was a bedraggled beard. His teeth were stained yellow. His skin was peeling...no... sloughing...off of his face in reddened patches.

His striped prison uniform was threadbare, tattered, soiled, and stank of mould and unwashed man.

Kenneth slid his hand under her skirt and began to run it along her bare thigh. "I'm going to release you from the curse, Lucy," he slowly stood up as his hand reached her crotch, and he deftly slipped his fingers under her panties and began to finger her labia. He kept the wand pointed at the baby. He spoke his words directly into her partially opened lips. "If you scream, or attempt anything else equally foolhardy, I will kill it. Do you understand?"

She understood him perfectly. Kenneth referred to Felicity as "it." He did not even see the child he fathered as human. She also understood if the opportunity rose, she would have to kill Kenneth. Any pity or charitable feelings she once had for him were gone. After his last statement, she could kill him where he stood and sleep peacefully at night.

Kenneth clumsily removed her maternity panties, and they fell around her ankles. Lucy's skirts still offered her modesty, but she still felt shamefully exposed nonetheless.

He released the spell and Lucy exhaled a gusty sigh of air as if she had been unable to breath for the last ten minutes. She attempted to step away from Kenneth but collapsed to her knees when she became entangled in the underwear.

Kenneth arose to his full height and moved towards her. "Now that's much better for what I had in mind."

Lucy fell back on her ass and scrambled backwards, her hands still tied behind her back. "Kenneth," her voiced trembled. "Why are you doing this?" She continued to back away from Kenneth until her back came in contact with the stone wall.

Kenneth silkily replied, "I am simply taking back that which is mine."

Lucy tried to move sideways as Kenneth knelt down on the floor beside her. He pinned her to the wall with his outstretched arms and swung his legs around to straddle her. She had not seen what he had done with his wand and he kept her in position by brute force.

"You do recall, it was I to whom you so willingly gave your flower," he said in a tone that might have been seductive without their history. He then pushed against her, forcibly kissing her.

Lucy struggled with her whole body. Her legs were pinned under his weight and her screams were muffled from his probing tongue. He was trying to grind his erection into despite their clothing, but the position with her against the wall made his advances awkward at best. Lucy managed to throw him off balance, but it only made her position more precarious as she fell to her side. Once free from his stifling kiss, she pleaded through her tears, "Kenneth, please don't do this. You don't have to do this."

Kenneth sneered. Mercy was obviously something he would not consider, "What's the matter, Lucy? Has dear Severus turned you off to sex? You used to have such a wanton little cunny. I thought pregnant women were supposed to be especially horny."

He tried to force himself on top of her, but she managed to squirm her way a bit farther from his attention. "Kenneth, you don't understand," she tried not to sound as if she was begging, but she was doing a poor job of it. She had to get away; she could feel the baby protest from the stress. "You don't have to do this. The Ministry pardoned you. Please, Kenneth...I won't tell anybody you were here...just go away and leave us alone...I promise, I..."

"Do you honestly take me for such a fool, Lucy?" Kenneth scoffed. "The Ministry is not about to pardon an escapee from Azkaban."

Without warning, Kenneth lunged for her. Lucy screamed in terror and managed to turn just in time to keep him from landing directly on the baby. It was an awkward dance on the floor as he clawed and ripped at her blouse and she continued to scream out tried to kick at him to keep him off her.

Kenneth backhanded her hard across the jaw, "Bitch, you're making it harder than this has to be!"

Lucy continued her fight despite the searing pain throbbing through her face. She was afraid it would be a losing battle as she did not know how much longer she could fight before the baby was in serious distress.

Suddenly, Lucy felt the knot in her bindings slack. Using all the strength she could muster, Lucy freed her hands and shoved Kenneth off of her. From her position behind her desk, she was closer to the Floo than the door and she made a run for the mantle. She was nearly overwhelmed by panic when she realised her Floo powder was gone.

She heard the contents from atop her desk hit the floor and before Lucy could make a run for the door, she was grabbed from behind and Kenneth slammed her into her desk, forcing her to bend over the side.

Sharp pains shot through her belly. Kenneth had her trapped underneath his full weight and the baby was beginning to protest in earnest from the abuse.

Kenneth had managed to pin her left arm under her body. Her right arm was useless as all she could do was flail it behind her. Despite her kicking and manoeuvring about, Kenneth was able to force her skirt up around her waist, fully exposing her.

"I don't see what your problem is, Lucy," Kenneth panted through the exertion as he caressed her naked buttocks with his hand. "It's not as if we haven't done this before."

She felt Kenneth wiggle behind he and realised he was undoing his trousers as she continued to scream in vain. She did not have much time.

Her head was almost hanging over the back of her desk when she remembered the doll inside. She waved her free hand across the front of the top drawer and it popped open. She blindly searched for the doll thought all the clutter. It was a Herculean task as she still thrashed about to keep Kenneth from entering her.

Lucy could feel his naked penis pressed against her thigh. She was in pain and exhausted from the fight. She would not be able to hold him off much longer. Just when she thought hope was lost, she found the doll in the corner of the drawer, along with the jagged chicken thigh bone Michele sent with it.

Lucy stopped fighting just long enough to aim true and Kenneth took advantage of the opportunity to spread her legs, but before he could drive himself into her, Lucy drove the chicken bone home.

"ARRGH! WHAT THE FUCK!" Kenneth rolled off of her and fell hard to the floor, proactively cupping his now limp penis and testicles.

Miraculously, Lucy's aim was true. She nailed the doll right through its little puffy red balls. She hurriedly slid off the desk and made a run for the door.

She almost made it to freedom.

Just has she reached for the door handle, her portal to freedom turned into a solid wall of stone.

"NOOO!" She slapped her hands against the wall. The door was gone and so was the Floo powder. Her wand lay on the floor snapped in two. But being trapped with Kenneth was the least of her problems. She grabbed her belly as another sharp pain coursed through her side. She had to get to Poppy before something happened to the baby.

Lucy heard Kenneth gasp from behind her, "What... what did you do to me?"

Lucy turned quickly, keeping her back against the wall. Apparently, when he fell to the floor, he landed close to where he laid his wand. He had pulled his trousers back up and was pointing his wand directly at Lucy even as his other hand held fast to Lucy's desk for support.

Though he was in obvious pain, he let go of the desk and took a shaky step towards Lucy. "Answer me you stupid bint! What did you DO TO ME!"

Looking around for anything she could use as a weapon, Lucy grabbed a book from her wall shelf and lobbed it at Kenneth.

"Stay away from me!"

Kenneth swatted the book away with his wand like he would a fly and though he had to hobble, he continued to advance on Lucy.

"Reverse the curse, Lucy!"

"NO!" Lucy screamed as she threw another book at him. She then attempted to dart for her desk. She needed that doll again and she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. This time she would aim for the heart.

She was only two steps from her desk when her books began to cascade from the shelves, pummelling her in her back.

She was knocked to the floor, landing on her stomach with her full weight, pain ripping through her midsection. She rolled on her side, cradling the baby inside her. Something was wrong...she was afraid to even articulate it in her brain.

Lucy saw Kenneth's feet approach and she managed to turn herself just in time, to protect the baby, but Kenneth still managed to kick her in the kidneys.

It was something he immediately regretted, because she heard him cry out in pain from the effort.

She rolled over to face him, to plead for mercy, but the words froze on her lips. Instead, Kenneth stood unsteadily over her, his wand pointed at the baby while his other hand held his groin protectively. His stare was as cold as a Dementor's kiss.

"I've had enough of this," he gasped through his pain and frustration. "It ends here."

"KENNETH, NO!"

"CRUCIO!"

***6:45 p.m.***

Severus was grading holiday homework whilst his detainees busied themselves with their second bucket of frogs. One more and he would release them. He had no intention of keeping them past nine o'clock. He only wanted to instil the fear of Snape in them.

Had they not interrupted Severus and Lucy when they had, he would have released them after the second bucket. But unfortunately for the Badgers, Severus was not feeling magnanimous.

Lucy had been correct. She could not live her life in fear, but it was too soon to assume Musgrave would leave her alone.

Perhaps he could convince Albus and the board of a legitimate reason for a potion's class to go on a history outing.

"Severus?"

The voice emanating from his office startled him out of his grading. The two teens who had been busily plucking frogs eyes stopped, and looked around for the owner of the disembodied voice.

"Back to work, unless you intend to spend the night here."

Without a word, Ramsey and McGillicutty went straight back to their task.

Severus knew who was in his Floo, but what would Molly want with him this time of night? If there was a problem with Harry today, Lucy would tell Severus when he arrived home. Both of Molly's sons were exemplary students. He could see no problem there.

"Severus?" Molly called out again. There was definitely a note of concern in her voice.

"I'm here, Molly," Severus answered before he reached the Floo. "Is there a problem?"

"I'm not, certain," said Molly uneasily. "However, Harry is insistent that something is wrong."

"Harry? Isn't Harry with Lucy?"

Harry's shrill voice echoed from somewhere behind Molly. "Mummy never came, Daddy! Something's wrong. Mummy would never leave me without saying something."

"Harry, dear. I'm sure your mummy is just running late." Molly said reassuringly to Harry whilst at the same time, looking to Severus for reassurance.

Alarm bells went off in Severus' head. Harry was right. Lucy would never leave him without letting Molly know what was keeping her.

Keeping his voice steady so not to scare Harry any more than he already was, Severus said, "I'm certain she just stopped by Aberforth's and lost track of time. Molly, do you mind...?"

"Not at all," Molly cut in. "I'm about to feed my lot. Harry's more than welcome to join us."

"Thank you, Molly. I apologise for the intrusion."

"Not at all. I'm certain your right and Lucy will be here any moment."

Severus quickly said good bye and Floo called Albus. After discerning that Lucy was not with him, Severus called home whilst Albus called his brother.

There was no answer from Lucy in his Floo-call home and he was very nearly ready to panic. Where the hell was Lucy? Severus was about to try her office when he remembered he had detainees in his classroom.

Severus stepped into the classroom and with a wave of his wand, the frog buckets were empty, much to the surprise and elation of Ramsey and McGillicutty.

Without explanation, Severus abruptly said, "Leave," and turned back into his office, leaving the stunned teens sitting at their workbench with their mouths agape.

As soon as he turned back into his office, Albus and Aberforth stepped out of his Floo without introduction.

"Have you found her?" Aberforth asked anxiously.

"No, I was just about to check her office."

The elder wizards stepped aside and Severus once again cast his Floo powder. He stuck his head into the green flames. "Lu...," he turned to Aberforth and Albus and said in near panic, "Something is wrong in Lucy's office."

Severus stepped through the fireplace and for a fraction of a second, the flames flashed an eerie green glow on a scene of chaos before the room went dark again.

When Aberforth and Albus stepped through, there was enough light for Severus to make out a human form sprawled across the floor on the far side of Lucy's desk.

"Lucy!" Severus cried out nearly tripping over rumpled books and an upturned chair as he rushed to kneel by her side. Before Albus brought up the lights, Severus knew he was kneeling in a pool of blood. Not only could he feel the warmth of it seep through the knees of his trousers...he could smell it.

When the light came up, it was Aberforth who exclaimed under his breath, "Dear god."

Then brilliant white light illuminated the room where Albus had cast a Patronus. Severus stopped less than a second to think why Albus would cast one.

Severus was shaking as he tenderly put Lucy's head in his lap and checked for a pulse in her neck. "Lucy," he choked through his horror and grief.

Lucy moaned weakly in response. He thanked every benevolent deity he could think of that she was still alive.

She was unrecognisable. Her face was bruised black and purple from a severe beating. Her eyes were swollen shut and caked in sticky half-dried blood. Her right arm looked as though it had been broken several times, possibly in a vain attempt to protect the baby.
Severus' heart sank.

The baby!

Below her waist, Lucy was saturated in blood. Unless Poppy managed to do something quickly, there was no hope for the baby.

"Severus," she quietly whimpered.

"I'm here, Darling. " He was trying not to cry for Lucy's sake, but he could feel the hot sting of his tears welling in his eyes.

"Ken...Ken...Cr...Cruc..."

"That bastard cast a Crucio on her," Aberforth choked bitterly as he cast a simple diagnostic spell over Lucy. Now was not the time to wonder how the old barkeep had learned such a spell.

Severus had not even noticed Aberforth kneeling beside Lucy, gingerly taking hold of his great-granddaughter's bloodstained hand. For the first time ever, Severus thought he looked every bit of his one-hundred plus years.

As much as every fibre of his being want to hunt down that son-of-a-bitch, Musgrave, Lucy needed him, not to mention Harry when he found out what happened to his mummy.

"Ugh..." Lucy moaned weakly, "Severus...the baby...not time."

Severus caught Lucy's meaning. She was going into premature labour.

With Lucy's head cradled in his lap, he turned to the Headmaster. "Albus, where the hell is Poppy? If something isn't done she'll deliver the baby right here on the floor."

A visibly shaken Albus, knelt down next to his brother, placing his aged hand on his younger brother's shoulder. A blanket appeared out of nothingness and gently wrapped itself around Lucy in a belated attempt to keep her from going into shock. "Lucy's Floo powder is missing. I had to send a Patronus. It should have reached Poppy almost immediately. I don't know what's taking her so long."

Severus made to caress Lucy's face in an effort to keep her calm, but she jumped at his touch. The cuts and contusions on her face where more painful than she was letting on.

How did Musgrave do it? It was obviously a well thought out ambush. He looked about the room, trying to discern how Musgrave would have gained entry without Lucy's knowledge. Did Musgrave access a Floo from another office? Doubtful- but not impossible...

A high-pitched wail coming from Lucy brought him out of thoughts of 'how.' Severus had to focus on 'now.'

Aberforth put his hand on Lucy's belly. "The bairn is coming, like it or not. If Poppy doesn't show soon, we'll have to deliver it ourselves."

"No..." Lucy pleaded. "No...It's too soon...Severus, don't let them..."she begged through her tears. She grabbed Severus' right hand with hers and squeezed until he thought he lost all circulation.

"ARRRGH!" Lucy suddenly threw her head back, her face a picture of agony as she tried to fight a contraction.

Severus felt helpless. He could not stop the inevitable...and where the hell was the blasted mediwitch...

Before he finished cursing Lucy's midwife, Poppy stepped out of the Floo, directly followed by a severe looking dark wizard in a lab coat.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner," Poppy apologised as she shooed away Albus and Aberforth. "I had to summon Healer Swansea. He's a specialist in neonatal trauma."

Aberforth and Albus stood off to the side, unable to lend any practical help. Albus was a fair hand at potions and healing most minor injuries, but this was far beyond his scope of expertise. All he could do was hold on to his grieving brother, offering him comfort whist seeking the same from Aberforth.

Poppy and Healer Swansea took up positions on either side of Lucy. Healer Swansea passed his wand over the baby, casting a series of long and complicated spells. When he was done he looked at Lucy and Severus with something akin to pity. He then looked to Poppy and gave a slight shake of his head.

"Lucy," Healer Swansea said in a deep voice meant to soothe her, or perhaps convince her, "I'm going to need you to push."

"The baby?" Severus asked, doing a poor job of keeping his panic in check.

"No..." Lucy protested, at the same time desperately trying to fight off the inevitable. "Please...stop them."

Poppy was fighting back her own tears, knowing there was nothing to be done to grant Lucy's fervent wish. "Lucy, I'm sorry. There is nothing to be done. We need you to push."

"Lucy darling," Severus pleaded. "You must do as the healer says. Please, push." There was no stopping his own tears. He had already lost his daughter and he was perilously close to losing Lucy too.

Lucy let out a scream fraught with such pain and anguish, Severus thought he would die from the hearing of it. "NooOOO...UUGGHH!"

"She's crowning," the healer said urgently to Poppy. "A couple more and we're there, Lucy. Just hold on, Lucy."

Lucy buried her face into Severus' chest and wept piteously. "I can't...I can't..."

"Lucy, yes you can-and you must," Severus insisted. "I'm here with you, Lucy. I promise I won't let go. I have your hand and I promise I'll never let go."

Lucy was losing her battle with the inescapable reality that she had lost Felicity. Her energy was draining quickly and Severus was afraid she would not have the strength to make it through the delivery.

Lucy struggled through the final push and collapsed one more time into Severus' arms. She was too weak to cry.

Severus had to turn away as Healer Swansea placed Felicity's battered and lifeless little body into the blanket in Poppy's outstretched arms.

Poppy was crying openly, as they all were...that is everyone with the exception of Lucy. Severus looked down at Lucy, trying to find words that would comfort her, but he couldn't think of any.

Lucy weakly turned her head up to him and he cradled it on his strong hand for support. She was looking into his eyes with a sadness he could scarcely bare.

She was attempting to raise her hand in an effort to touch his face. Knowing that she was too weak, Severus brought her tiny hand to his face and held it there. He needed to feel her touch as much as she needed his. Her lips moved, trying to form words that she did not have the strength to articulate. He was in his own world with Lucy, unaware of all that was said and done around them.

Severus was about to tell her to sleep when Lucy suddenly twice gasped for air, her eyes open wide looking somewhere beyond.

"Lucy?"

Looking into her eyes, he watched as her light faded away. Through trembling tears he called her again, "Lucy?"

Lucy's eyes shut as her head fell back and her arm dropped to her side.

"Lucy?" Severus continued to cry as he patted Lucy's face in an attempt to revive her. "Lucy, wake up!"

Lucy didn't wake up.

"Lucy, no!"

Immeasurable grief gripped Severus' heart like a vice. He sat there alone on the floor with his Lucy. His body shook violently he clutched Lucy's limp body to his and pitifully wept into her blood soaked hair.