A Different Beginning

Chapter LXXXV - Loose Ends

She sat at his feet, her long hair, the colour of blood, tangled down her back. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she trembled. The chains on her arms and legs hurt from where they had rubbed at her skin and she couldn't move from the pain of it. She didn't want to look up at him, the scary man with the red eyes and the so very white skin. He was creepy and mean and she was afraid. His wand pointed at her and she felt her head move towards him not of her own will.

"Mira, I am getting tired of these little games," he replied, his voice cold and sharp and his eyes flashing.

She whimpered and tried to cover her face with her hands but the chains were too heavy.

"I'll have to punish you again if you don't tell me what it is I want to know."

She didn't understand what it was that he wanted but he didn't listen to her. She heard the whimpers but she refused to look towards the doorway. His long-fingered hands grabbed her, forcing her to look at the naked man as he was dragged across the floor in chains. His hair was dark brown and scraggly as it hung down his shoulders. He was dirty and there was blood on his arms and legs. She watched in horror as the pretty black-haired woman nailed him to the wall. The man screamed and screamed. She tried to close her eyes to block out the scene but He wouldn't let her. She watched as the woman pointed her wand at him and horrible things happened, horrible things that she didn't want to see.

"STOP!" She cried out, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Voldemort smiled as he turned to look at her, his hands caressing her head. "That's right, Mira; tell the lord what you saw in that pretty little head?"

She gulped and closed her eyes, trying to tell him the truth that he never believed. "I don't remember." Then she screamed when pain erupted in her body until she blacked out.

********

Sirius watched his wife sleep soundly in the big bed as he held the tiny baby in his arms. He couldn't believe that he was a father. It had only been two days and he was still so overwhelmed. She was so tiny, smaller then either Harry or Daniel had been. He was afraid that he was going to break her. Her tiny hand held onto his finger and he grinned. She was beautiful; the most beautiful little baby that he had ever seen. Of course, he wasn't prejudiced, he just knew these things.

Her hair was as black as his but Lexy said that it might change colour and her eyes were a bright blinding blue. He was told that those might change as well, which he found odd. Why did everything change on a kid? Why couldn't they just stay the same? He shook the thoughts from his mind and climbed back into bed with his wife, moving Keira so that she was snuggled comfortably against his heart, his arms wrapped around her.

Lexy turned to grin at him. "Morning."

"Good morning. I heard her wake up."

She laughed. "More like you woke her up. She seems content though." She moved closer and ran her hand over her daughter's back. Sirius hadn't been able to stop touching her and kissing her and holding her. She had already caught him twice just watching their daughter sleep with a look of pure happiness on his face. She knew that Keira hadn't woken up on her own. "Right, sweetheart?" She murmured, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Keira yawned and Sirius grinned, lifting his head to kiss the top of hers. "She's beautiful. I can't believe we have a daughter."

Lexy grinned and kissed her husband softly. "We do and she's wonderful. Thank you."

"For what?" He asked, giving her a puzzled look.

"For keeping me sane and putting up with me these last weeks and everything."