In the Flames (Harry Potter Fanfiction) Marauder's Era

The Beginning of the Beginning of the End

Hellooooo, folks! This is my second HP fanfic, and it took FOREVER to type up. I hope you guys like it! I have two questions at the end of the chapter. Enjoy! (or else)

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The wind howled in the trees behind Elizabeth. "We must keep going," she panted to the child in her arms. The baby opened her eyes and smiled up at the curly-haired woman. Elizabeth smiled softly back down at the baby girl, her eyes full of love. "You must survive," she whispered. "Avia, look at me. You must survive. I may or may not die, but I would gladly do it if it meant you would live."

Elizabeth gasped sharply. An arrow flew from a hidden archer in the trees and imbedded itself in her arm. Blood pooled from the wound and collected in large pools on the forest floor.

"I love you, Avia," she choked.

The baby girl reached out a tiny hand and tried to catch the stream of blood. She missed, but the scarlet liquid coated her hand. Elizabeth chuckled, but stopped quickly. Her plodding steps got even more sluggish. Clenching her teeth, she drove herself on, thanking Merlin that Avia was light enough to carry with only one arm. 

Elizabeth stumbled into a small clearing. A man stepped out from the shadows. "Hello Elizabeth. It's good to see you again." He bared his teeth in a menacing grin. The crescent moon barely illuminated his sandy blonde hair. His eyes were coal black and glinting with malice. 

"Good to- see you too," Elizabeth gasped for breath. Her vision was going fuzzy around the edges. 

The man grinned wider. "You don't look so well, my dear. Perhaps you should rest- permanently."

Elizabeth braced herself for the inevitable duel. She knew that there was no way she would win. "Avia," she coughed. "Avia, I have to leave you now. Say, 'I love you Mommy'." Elizabeth's mouth felt gritty and dry. 

"Ah luff yeouw Mahmy," Avia gurgled. Elizabeth hugged the baby girl in her arms tightly. Pulling away, she looked up at the man before her. "Thank you, Ivor," she said softly, choking on unshed tears.

Elizabeth set Avia down gently, pulling her wand out. "Proficiscor cavae!" she cried. The spell would have sent the baby somewhere safe, but Ivor had his own wand out and laid his own spell on top of Elizabeth's. Avia disappeared, but she wouldn't reappear for some years later. Three thousand years, in fact.

"Now, Elizabeth," Ivor growled. "Are you ready to die?"

Walburga Black kept a tight grip on the hand of her son, Sirius. Sirius could barely walk, and stumbled every few steps. She would soon have another child, a son. Once he was born, it would be twice as hard to keep Sirius in check.

Sirius managed to yank his hand out of Walburga's and tumble head-first down a hill. Walburga waddled as fast as she could towards her son. Kneeling down next to him, she checked him frantically for injuries, and found none. A glint of silver caught her eye. There was a very expensive-looking, yet filthy, blanket in the grass. Blue orbs of silk complemented the silver word flashing in the middle of it- 'Avia'. Curled up in the blanket was a very pale baby girl. She was either asleep or dead, and it looked like she wasn't breathing. Fearing the worst, Walburga put her hand to the baby's pulse. A slow, steady beat throbbed under her fingers. 

Walburga examined the girl further. She had dark auburn hair that shone golden in the sunlight. Her lashes made perfect dark crescents on her face. She looked to be about the same age as Sirius. 

'She must be a pureblood,' Walburga decided. Drawing her wand, she whispered, "Ostende sanguis puritatem." The baby glowed a bright white, proving that her blood was pure. She shifted in her sleep, and Walburga saw that her left hand was heavily coated in long-dried blood. A bitter wind blew past them, and the baby shivered. Her brilliantly silver eyes opened slowly and took in her surroundings. Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "Mahmy?" she asked.