The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 42- Last Resort

Since Sabrina was in hiding, she couldn't go to the Black's for help.
Kreacher was the only person she had contact with anymore, and it was he who found a letter in Regulus's old bedroom, revealing a secret bank account that he had set up for Sabrina.
Regulus had created the account at Gringotts, after they became death eaters, in case he got killed and couldn't look after Sabrina.
Kreacher took the money out of the vault for Sabrina, so that no one could take it, thinking that she was dead.
Sabrina then had Kreacher turn the money into pounds in Diagon Alley, so that she could use it to buy a small house in a Muggle village.

Unfortunately there wasn't enough money in the vault to keep Sabrina going for very long, especially as she had spent almost all of it on the house.
With a baby on the way, Sabrina knew that she needed help financially.
With no one else to turn to, Sabrina sent an owl to Mr and Mrs Evans, hoping that they would forward the letter onto Lily when they saw her. Since Sabrina didn't know where Lily and James lived.
Sabrina did not know if Lily would get the letter, or if she would even come.
But a week after sending the letter, she arrived in their home town, at the place she had asked Lily to come in her letter, hopeful that her old friend would turn up.

After waiting for several minutes, Sabrina was about to give up and go home, when she saw a figure step out of the shadows.
"I wasn't sure that you would actually come" admitted Sabrina.
"I wasn't sure that I would either. I didn't tell James that I was coming, because he would've told me not to come" replied Lily as she approached Sabrina cautiously.
It had been several years since the pair had seen each other, and they had both changed a lot since their school days.
"Not telling James was a smart move... You look well" commented Sabrina.
"You don't. No offence" admitted Lily.

Sabrina smiled weekly, "It's been a tough few months".
She knew that her hair was a mess, and greasier than normal.
And she was also aware that her bones were more prominent than ever.
"Is Regulus really-" started Lily.
"Dead. Yes" finished Sabrina.
"I'm sorry" said Lily softly, losing some of the harsh demeanor she had arrived with.
"Thank you" mumbled Sabrina.
"A lot of people think that you are dead as well as him"
"Yeah, I know. I hoped they would believe that I too was dead"
"The Ministry also proclaimed that you were both death eaters, in the Daily Prophet. I didn't want to believe it, but James told me that it was true. He said that he bumped into you on a mission last year, and that he let you go on my behalf"
"He saved my life. I wouldn't be alive without your husband".

"Why? They are evil, so why on earth did you join them?" Questioned Lily.
"Would you believe me if I said that I didn't have a choice?" Asked Sabrina.
"We all make choices in this life, but not all of us make the right choices" replied Lily coldly.
"I didn't have a choice. I was a Slytherin in love with a pure-blood, who's family had certain views on blood supremacy. If I wanted to keep him, I had to fit in. People do stupid things when they are in love. Besides, if the dark lord wants you to join him, you do it, if you want to live".

"Most decent people would choose death, over joining him" admitted Lily.
"Well, we aren't all brave Gryffindor's like you and your husband. And some of us don't want to die" replied Sabrina.
"Does your precious dark lord know that you are here now?"
"No one knows that I am here. It is not just the Ministry I have been hiding from these past few months, but him as well".

"Why are you hiding from him?" Quizzed Lily.
"He killed Regulus. The dark lord was testing out his Inferi, and Regulus didn't get away in time" admitted Sabrina, bending the truth slightly.
Although she hadn't recognised the skeleton bodies at first. After some research she realised that they had been Inferi, which were dead bodies that were being controlled by a dark wizard.
"Were you there? Did you see it happen?" Asked Lily.
Sabrina nodded her head as a single tear fell down her cheek.
"I only just made it away in time, but Regulus wasn't quite as lucky" she replied.

Lily stepped forward closing the gap between them, and she gave Sabrina a quick hug.
"I'm so sorry" Lily said sincerely as she took a step back, allowing her hostility to fade completely.
"And I'm sorry for calling you a Mudblood all those years ago" apologised Sabrina.
"It's alright, I know that you didn't mean it. James told me that you only said it, to keep me safe" replied Lily.
"He speaks the truth. I had to keep you safe from this side of my life"
"I understand. But why did you ask me to meet you here tonight?"
"I need your help".

"What kind of help do you need?" Questioned Lily.
"Financial help. It embarrasses me to ask it of you, but I don't have another choice. I know James's parents left him a large fortune when they died last year. Which is why I came to you. I don't have anyone else that I can go to. And I really need help" answered Sabrina awkwardly.
"Is there really no one else who can help you?" Asked Lily.
"I'm supposed to be dead remember. You were the only person I could think of who might not hand me over to the Ministry or the dark lord"
"What about your brother? Can't Severus help you?"
"He doesn't know that I'm alive. I haven't spoken to him in person, since my 18th birthday last year".

"I thought you and him were close" admitted Lily.
"We were, once. But things change. And right now we have conflicting loyalties" revealed Sabrina.
"I see. Well I guess I can get you some money, to help you get by" sighed Lily.
"Thank you. I wouldn't ask if I weren't desperate. But I don't ask for myself, but for another... I'm pregnant with Regulus's child"
"You're having a baby?"
"Unfortunately yes, which is why I need your help".

"Jesus Christ, Rina. You should have lead with that. If I knew you were pregnant, of course I would want to help you. How far along are you?" Asked Lily.
"I'm due in a month or two. I'm not actually 100% sure" admitted Sabrina.
"Really? You're that far along? You don't look like it"
"I haven't been eating very well"
"That's not good. You need to eat properly, to keep the baby healthy"
"Since when were you an expert on babies?"
"Well, for your information, I too am pregnant. I'm due to give birth in July".

"You're pregnant as well?" Gasped Sabrina.
"Yes. I'm not as far along as you are. And the only people who know I'm pregnant, are my family, and the Marauders" revealed Lily.
"Well, congratulations. And don't worry, I'm not exactly going to tell anyone am I, since no one knows I'm still alive" reminded Sabrina.
"I guess not. And I suppose this means that our children will get to be in the same year at Hogwarts"
"If they live that long"
"Don't be so defeatist"
"It's hard not to be, in the current climate... You have James by your side, to help you through this. I have no one. Regulus is dead, so I will have to raise our child by myself".

"You're not alone any more. You have me" announced Lily.
"I don't want to put you in danger, especially now that you are pregnant as well" admitted Sabrina.
"And I don't want you going through this alone. Promise me that when you go into labour, you will send for me, so that you don't have to give birth by yourself"
"Alright, I will send for you then, since it won't be safe for me to go to St Mungo's, or a Muggle hospital. But I still think it will be too risky for you to continue seeing me after my child is born".

"It is not your choice to make, it is mine, and I believe that it is worth the risk, to help you" informed Lily.
"Well, thank you. I appreciate it" replied Sabrina.
"Despite everything you may or may not have done in the past, right now you are a mother, just like me. And mothers have to help each other out, especially in the dangerous world we live in right now" admitted Lily.
"Yes. And I'm glad to have you back by my side"
"Just like old times"
"Yeah, just like old times".