Lost One

Chapter 1

1955. 

March 20th, the first day of spring. 

Ten fifty-four in the morning. 

The snow was starting to melt, leaving the outdoors moist and foggy. Because of the new season's start, much greenery could be seen springing up through the melting snowflakes. The air scented with fresh plants, all ranging from dandelions to poppies to narcissus. An alley of rose bushes dusted with snow could be seen leading to what seemed like a back entrance to an extravagant estate. The entrance door was quite large, squeaking whenever opened, and had four small window panes at the top. Leading away from the estate, one could see two pairs of small footprints followed by the laughter of young children.

Meanwhile, a woman's screams could be heard, like a bell ringing throughout the Black estate. It mattered not what room Cygnus Black waited in, whether or not he was close to the master bedroom; he could hear the screams of his wife as if he was right beside her. Luckily he had sent Andromeda and Bellatrix outside so he wouldn't have to endure their complaints, but now more than ever, he wished he had joined them for a bit of peace and quiet. Cygnus already waited hours while Druella was in labor, but he knew the second he went outside, the newest addition to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black would be born.

As he was seated within the drawing-room, his eyes were glued to the doorway, waiting for this unbearable noise to end. Realizing that this was getting him nowhere, he drifted away, fixating his stare on the grandfather clock standing between the fireplace and the entrance. Tick, tock, tick, tock, his patience was running low as he watched the seconds drag by. As he continued to stare at the grandfather clock, Cygnus could barely see his reflection on the glass covering the clock's face. He could barely spot the blueish-purple hiding under his eyes, and the wavy strands of hair that hadn't been held down by gel, floating around his face. Master Black could barely see within the reflection of the glass the stubble on his keened jawline that had been growing over the past day or two. Finally taking his eyes off the reflection and onto the actual time he became more agitated with his discovery.

Eleven o'clock. It officially had been five hours and fifty-two minutes since Druella's water had broken. Cygnus knew after Druella had Bellatrix and Andromeda that labor was no quick task, but his two previous daughters had not nearly taken this long. Since he already had two daughters, Cygnus prayed there would finally be an heir to carry on the Black family legacy. His prayers for a boy had been denied twice before; with this child, he wasn't expecting a miracle. But the possibility swirled around in the back of Cygnus's mind. Why not a boy? He already had two daughters; another girl would be preposterous. What would the child's name be? Druella and him had thought so little about names. Would the child live to carry on the bloodline? The Black family, along with many other purebloods, had been known to resort to incense rather than mix with mudbloods or even half-bloods for that matter. As these questions plagued Cygnus's mind, the never-ending screaming had stopped just as it arrived.

Just as the silence had ended, one of the Black family house-elves apparated into the drawing-room. Olly, one of the older house-elves, appeared with her same old raggedy pillowcase. Her facial expression showed enough for Cygnus to tell the labor was over. Mixed along with excitement, Olly was equally nervous about giving the news to her master.

"Master Black, the healer said everything went perfectly. Your-" Olly had been interrupted by Cygnus's short patience.

"My wife, is she awake?"

"Yes, Master."

"And the child, is it dead?" Cygnus stared down upon the petit servant. His dark graze continued to pierce into Olly's large, ball-shaped, hazel irises until she gave an answer.