"Cecilia?" Esmerelda's eyes were blank, as if she was somewhere else in her own mind. She did not look at Cecilia. She sat on the dungeon's floor, green velvet pooling under her, staring into space. Cecilia could barely see her.

"...Yes. Yes, it's me." Cecilia used the wall to guide herself, carefully inching closer. "What are you doing down here?" This couldn't possibly be what Sirius had planned. What did he think would happen? Esmerelda stared up at her with wide, green eyes.

"I... Sirius put me here, I think." Cecilia opened her mouth to speak, but Esmerelda spoke first. "Cecilia, you... I don't think you should be down here. It's almost time." There was no emotion in her voice. Cecilia took a step back.

"What do you-“ The dungeon door clicked open, filling the room with some light.

"No." Sirius, silhouetted in the light. "She's exactly where she's supposed to be. Sorry I'm late, Cecilia." Cecilia stood, dumbfounded. What was he thinking?

"Siiir," Esmerelda whined, "I hate this light. Turn it off." Sirius snapped and the room's torches flickered on.

"Just for a minute, Esma." He shut the door behind him, entering the room.

"Sirius-" Cecilia was cut off again.

"She's not here. I had her moved to the Carinou prison yesterday." Sirius smiled. "But I am so glad you're here. It would have been quite the waste of time if you hadn't come." Cecilia started towards him, but stopped when Esmerelda laughed behind her. She turned around to see her shaking slightly, grabbing fistfuls of her skirt. She laughed again.

"What did you do to her?!" Sirius grinned, backing closer to the door.

"Nothing, I'd never hurt her. This, dear sister, is biology." Esmerelda was nearly convulsing now, muttering "time, time, time." "Heredity, if you will."

Cecilia's heart skipped a beat. "No." She had scoured the archives for hours to be sure, to prove this to herself. "Mother was- mother was human." Something crunched and Esmerelda screamed. Sirius opened the door, flicking his fingers again and snuffing the torches.

"Mother? Oh, yes, mother was human." Something dark and wet spread across the floor from Esmerelda. It was too dark, now, to see the color. "Father, on the other hand... was not. Goodbye, sister." The door slammed shut and clicked. Locked. Esmerelda cackled from close by, breathing heavily.

"Your time is up. Better run!"