The Unsolved Riddle.

Calling Home.

Loud, heaving breaths filled a soft chest as a dark corner was turned. Night raged on around the Muggle homes that surrounded the woman, warm homes were lost in a flash as street lights flickered on and off. The large ticking of a clock was audible all over the small town as quick corners were escaped through and the trees hung all over the alleys that surrounded the streets of Coventry. Loud pops and bangs echoed around as sinister laughs rang from one side of the alley to the next, searching desperately for the woman.

In her arms lay a bundle of white and grey blankets. The fabrics themselves were supported by a laundry bag, the zip was partially undone to allow a small head to poke through the gap in the zip, tiny shuffling and grunts told the woman that the baby would soon wake up and start to scream. Her eyes flared in panic as she tried to navigate through the passageways that she had grown to know. The problem that faced her was that the alley was soon running out and with it, so were her options. Whatever she did, the baby in her arms would have to find a home soon or her efforts had been pointless. For a moment, the world around her swirled as pain echoed from her stomach and then through the rest of her body.

Despite her attempts to stay lost, the end of the alley was soon met, laughs still cackled behind her as tears began to well and fall onto her pale features, blue eyes were glistening in the dark as she watched the features of the baby, her baby. House after house was once again past until a small nook was found, between two bushes was a phone box, the phone box was vibrant red and the paint was peeling from age, rust had filled all crevices it could and the dirty metal below had been exposed. The creaking door swung open and as soon as it closed, a silencing charm was cast on the box, a concealment charm hung over the baby and tears fell from blue eyes, dropping to the floor. The wash bag was pushed beneath the phone and lips fell to the baby's face in a moment, disturbing the already stirring baby as she twitched her face to meet her mother's lips. "I love you, baby, I love you. My little Amour." Her words were barely choked out between tears. The thick French accent she had always carried muffled her words even more as she stroked her baby's cheek one last time. "Au revoir, mon petit." Finally, brown hair swung low as the door to the phone box rang out and just as the door was nearly closed, a soft cry was heard and then lost to the silencing charm.

Running started again as she crossed away to another street. Another set of alleyways were located and sprinted through before she twisted and then a pop filled the air as she seemed to disappear. The alley was left and instead, bare feet landed on the soft, squishy ground as she saw herself in a field. As soon as she arrived, two more pops followed and two more adults stood in the field around her, her running was useless and so, following another pop, she left the field, apparating to yet another street, one she barely recognised. It was the same place that she had appeared when lost before, Spinner's End. Snape's home.

"Valerie, you can run but there is no more hiding." The rough, evil voice that had echoed was loud and deranged as three individuals sprinted down the street, another individual soon arriving to aid in the chase. "You were once so obedient, what happened?" The same deranged voice echoed again, feet only lifted a little faster before a resounding pop was heard and then three more followed. Long dark robes surrounded Valerie everywhere she went but they caught on the leaves and low-lying brick around her, leaving a mark of where she had been. The fabric was soon dropped and with a pop again, sick began to spring up her throat as she appeared in a street lesser walked. Factories sat at the edge of the road and there wouldn't be another chance to escape. Valerie's face was vibrant red, blood trickled down her legs. Her bare feet were rubbed raw from her running and her head was spinning as she stood, her whole body waved from exhaustion.

"Given up already?" A high-pitched male voice taunted as Valerie took in the deepest breaths she could, eventually bending down to try and regain some composure, the cold air was burning her breathing track and her eyes were aching as well.