Disclaimer: I only own the idea of this fanfiction and Averie.

Author's Note: So, this is my first story I'm publishing in the Harry Potter part of this website. I'm very nervous seeing as I haven't posted anything and choosing a fanfiction area of such can be intimidating. But onto the story:

This was going to be just a prologue type thing. But I'm not sure now. If it was, the next chapter is going to take off at the beginning of the third year. Or I can continue it just like it is going in the first year. Opinions would be nice. Please let me know in a review or PM what you think would be good. Thanks. xoxo.

"You have to take her, please..." a woman's voice cried as she tried not to shake as she handed the small bundle over to the man. "It's what we want...we want her safe; we want her with you."

The man looked down at the little baby girl all wrapped in pink that was now settled in his arms. He looked at his best friend's wife before looking down at the baby girl again. He didn't know what to say or if he should agree to such terms. Raise his best friend's daughter? How was he supposed to do that?

"Nobody can know about her, Sirius..." his best friend told him, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Nobody. She has to be kept a secret; we told nobody but you, Albus Dumbledore, and Remus that we were going to be having twins. It's the only way she'll be kept safe."

"What about her brother? What about Harry?" Sirius asked, trying not to sound deflated or anything of the sort. "Does—will he know about her?"

James and Lily Potter shook their head, tears spilling out of their eyes. Sirius knew that it was going to be hard to take care of a baby—a baby that nobody knew he was going to have or even knew that he was involved with another woman. But this was his best friend that was asking this of him and he knew that he couldn't say no and couldn't turn him down.

"Her name is Averie Lily Potter—but she must now be known as Averie Lily Black," Lily explained, trying not to cry as she looked at the bundle of pink in Sirius' arms. "We love her so much...but we can't endanger her life anymore than we've already...endangered her brother's. This is the only chance she has at growing up with a normal life."

The tears were pouring down Lily's face and Sirius was broken hearted as he clutched the baby close to him, shielding her from any danger that would come to her. He looked down at her and a smile graced his face as the baby yawned before her face returned back to it's normal state as she slept.

"You'll still be around us with her, you know? So we'll get to know her but only as your daughter, Sirius. You have to treat her as your own, don't let her know of anything else," James told him before leaning down and placing a kiss on the baby's forehead.

"Are you positive this is the best idea? What has Dumbledore said about this decision?" Sirius asked, looking from Lily to James.

He was nervous, worried about what would happen if Averie's true identity would come out. And he wasn't sure that he knew how to be a father. He hadn't even thought of wanting to have children and now, here he was about to agree to the terms that James and Lily were asking of him.

"We're positive; Dumbledore has even agreed that this is the best chance for Averie to have a normal life—without the danger of Lord Voldemort in it," James almost whispered before forcing his voice a tad bit higher.

"We know that you will care for as your own, Sirius," Lily soon spoke up, her green, almond shape eyes looking up into his eyes.

"Okay...I'll do it," he finally agreed as he clutched the small baby closer to his chest, the warmth of the love he already had for her filling his chest and his heart.

–

A year and a few months had gone by since Sirius had agreed to care for Averie as his own and he was amazed at how bright the now one year old was and how much he did love her. It pained him a little bit, every time she had uttered the word, "Daddy" to him but he had to accept it; she had to believe that he was her father.

"Daddy!" she giggled as he picked her up to take her to bed, unaware of the events that were happening across town in Godric's Hollow.

"Time for bed little lady," he laughed as he carried her up to the bedroom that he had made hers a year ago.

She just giggled as he tucked her into bed, kissing the top of her head before turning to leave. He stopped, a weird feeling overtaking him and he turned and looked at the little girl, who was already looking so much like her mother.

"I love you, Averie Lily P-Black," he told her before closing the door and heading downstairs to turn on the radio.

He listened to the radio like it was his last lifeline; he needed to make sure everything was okay and that he wouldn't hear Lily and James Potter's names on the list of deaths. He thought that he had made the right decision when he told them to use Peter Pettigrew as their secret keeper because he had thought it would have been way too obvious for them to use himself. He had thought it was the best plan that they could have but he was starting to have his doubts and they were settling in.

He jumped when there was a knock at the door and he hurriedly walked over to the door to see Remus Lupin standing there, looking upset. And that's when Sirius knew; he knew deep down in the pit of his stomach that Peter Pettigrew had given up the secret and that James and Lily were dead because of Lord Voldemort.

"They're...dead, aren't they?" Sirius asked a despondent tone taking over his voice.

Remus nodded his head, feeling just as miserable as he was sure that Sirius was feeling. Sirius ran a hand over his face before looking at Remus.

"Can you stay here with Averie? I...have to go..." Sirius asked but he didn't give Remus an option as he grabbed his wand then left rather quickly, only taking a few seconds to fire up his flying motorcycle and then leaving.

Remus sighed as he stood in the doorway, watching one of his closest friends leave the house to go to Godric's Hollow. He knew that Sirius would take it the worst out of everybody. And then there was Harry, poor little Harry who was now orphaned.

–

Remus stood in the kitchen of Sirius' house and listened as Albus Dumbledore relayed the story of Sirius killing twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew and how he was now being taken to Azkaban. Remus didn't want to believe that Sirius had betrayed his best friends to Voldemort. But the facts were there, everybody knew that Sirius was James and Lily's secret keeper but even Remus refused to believe that he had sold them out.

"What—what about Averie? Sirius was her father—well, the only father she knew..." Remus asked, his face paling at the thought.

Dumbledore smiled softly before he himself went over to the playpen where Averie was content in playing with her toys. She stopped and looked at the older man when he came over to her. She smiled as he picked her up and held her before looking at Remus.

"Nobody but the three of us know that she's actually James and Lily's daughter, Remus; everybody that's seen her or knows about her, knows that she is Sirius Black's daughter," Albus started, looking sincerely at Remus. "And as a Black, you know she has relat—"

"No, Albus...you can't be sending her to live with one of Sirius' cousins..." Remus said, looking wide eyed at the older man. "They...won't treat her right, Albus...Sirius would never want that for her. I know he's a mass murderer but he loved her, Albus. And he would never...never want her to live with one of them.."

Albus just smiled at Remus before he handed Averie over to Remus, in which the young child giggled happily as Remus held onto her. The child had always had a fond liking of Remus Lupin, it was a good thing that he had held her in a close place in his heart as Lily and James' daughter.

"I know, Remus so that's why I was hoping that you would want to care for her," Albus informed him, looking at him. "I do not think it is Averie's interest to live with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy because of their interest in the dark arts. I do believe that Lord Voldemort will return one day and if I were to put Averie in their care, it would not be in her best interest or what James and Lily would have wanted."

Remus felt a sense of protection surge through his body as he knew almost instantaneously that he was going to take care of Averie. He knew that he had to care for Averie the best that he could so that she wouldn't have to deal with the fear of Lord Voldemort coming after her.

"Okay, but what do I tell her when she is old enough to ask about her father?" Remus asked looking to Albus Dumbledore for an answer.

"You tell her that her father is Sirius Black and he is in Azkaban for something he is accused of doing," Albus explained softly. "Do not make Sirius out to be a villain. Just explain that he's in Azkaban for doing something that he has been accused of."

Remus nodded his head before looking down at the one year old child in his arms. Soon, she popped her thumb into her mouth and snuggled into Remus' chest. He felt this sense of protection fill him up even more as she snuggled her way closer to him. He smiled down at her before looking back at one of the most powerful wizards of all time.

"I will care for her as Lily and James had intended Sirius to do," he told the man earnestly. "When do we tell her the truth...that her parents are James and Lily Potter and that Harry Potter is her twin brother? She's going to look exactly like Lily Potter...she already does."

Albus looked at the young girl and noticed the many similarities that she did indeed share with her biological mother. He just smiled at Remus before looking around the room.

"I expect she will put it together herself but until then, we need not worry about what we cannot control until then," Albus mused before waving his wand and packing up everything that Sirius had bought the infant. "I expect that you will need help...when you take form, am I correct?"

Remus swallowed hard and nodded his head, agreeing with what Dumbledore. He knew that it was going to be hard to take care of a young girl if he kept changing into a werewolf under the full moon. But he wasn't above asking for help.

"I will have somebody stop in on the nights there is known to be a full moon, you have my word, Remus," Albus informed him before disappearing with a crack.

–

The day had come faster than Remus Lupin had expected and now, here they were at King's Cross Station waiting to get onto Platform 9 ¾. Remus was nervous because Averie was now eleven years old and headed off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry. He had considered sending her to Beauxbatons but that was a just a thought that ran through his mind; he knew that Hogwarts was the best place for her to be.

"Oh Uncle Remus! What if I'm in Slytherin?!" she asked, worriedly turning to look at her uncle—well, the only father figure she'd ever known.

"Then Slytherin you'll be, Aves," he told her, smiling down at her before looking at the platform before helping her run into the middle of the barrier and onto the platform.

Averie's eyes widened as she saw a bunch of other wizarding students and their families buzzing around the platform and she looked at Remus before looking at the train. She was nervous about going to Hogwarts but she knew that she belonged there or that's what Remus had told her when she expressed her worries to him. He had been the best fatherly figure that she could ever hope for but she had wished so many times that her father, Sirius Black would be cleared of what he was accused of.

Suddenly, Averie flung herself around Remus' waist, hugging him fiercely the tears starting to cascade down her pretty face.

"Are you sure I have to go?!" she asked again, looking up at him the tears still on her cheeks and still pooling in her bright green eyes looking up into his.

"You'll be fine, Averie, I give you my word," he assured her before hugging her again to try to squash any doubts that she had. "You can write to me every day if you'd like and I will be most happy to write you back.
Averie smiled before wiping the tears away and then giving him a hug again. He responded by kissing her cheek in return. He waved at her as he watched her disappear onto the Hogwarts Express, ready to start her adventure at the beloved school. He watched her find an empty compartment before he waved back at her before turning to leave King's Cross.

Averie sat in the empty compartment, twisting her hands nervously before closing her eyes. She felt that she had a connection with somebody, somebody that she didn't even know. But when she was upset or mad, she sometimes could swear she could hear somebody else's thoughts. She didn't understand what it meant and she had tried to ask her Uncle Remus once but he just blew the thought off and told her she was imagining things. And maybe she was but at this moment, she swore she could somebody else's thoughts expressing the same worries that she too had about the upcoming school year.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted when the door to the compartment opened and she looked up to see a boy with messy black hair and wire framed glasses. She looked into his eyes and she was startled to notice that he had the exact same color and shape of eyes that she had. But that could just be a coincidence, right? There wasn't any other explanation but just that, a coincidence.

"Oh...do you mind if I sit here too? All the others are full," the boy explained and Averie just nodded her head. "Great, thanks. I'm Harry Potter."

"The boy..who lived," Averie mused out loud but didn't ask to see the scar. "I'm Averie Black...it's nice to meet you, Harry."

I must not ask him about the scar; I'm sure loads of people already do she thought simply to herself. She had known that her Uncle Remus was a werewolf and she knew how painful it was for him to tell people. So she figured that the same thing applied here.

"Excuse me, what did you just say about my scar?" he asked and she looked at him, quite confused because she hadn't said anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't say anything," she quipped a bit in a high pitch.

She was well aware that she had thought the thing about his scar and hadn't said it aloud. But before she could question anything else, the door open and a red haired boy stood there and asked the same thing; if he could share the compartment as well.

–

Averie stood in the entrance hall shivering and soaking wet as some boy named Neville Longbottom had managed to tip the boat over that they had shared. She felt a twinge of annoyance towards the boy who clearly had no sense of balance in his body. But she tried her best not to lash out at the boy; he seemed terrified and more so than anybody else that was huddled up in the entrance hall.

"What happened to you?!" Harry asked once he realized that Averie was soaked from head to toe and shivering.

"Yeah," Ron quipped up as well. "You look bloody cold."

Averie wanted to narrow her eyes at Neville but she chose not to as she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"It was an accident; the boat that I was in tipped over," she explained, not indicating any names but there were only three students altogether that were soaked; her, Neville, and a girl named Hannah Abott.

Soon, Professor McGonagall walked back into the entrance hall to lead all of them into the Great Hall to be sorted. She looked at the group of students and Averie noticed the professor's eyes stopping on Harry and then Averie herself.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."

The group of first years followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall and Averie's eyes widened as she noted all of the other students and most importantly, the night sky of the Great Hall. She must not have been the only one curious about the Great Hall, because she could hear the whispers and murmurs.

"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History," a girl named Hermione Granger whispered to Harry.

Averie watched as Professor McGonagall placed a four legged stool in front of them and then, on top of that she placed a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty; Averie wasn't sure if she wanted that placed on her head. But then another thought entered her mind and she was sure it wasn't her because it said this:
Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it.

She frowned. What a peculiar thing to think and who would think that? She didn't understand and it confused her to even think about that. What would they even do with a rabbit if they pulled one of the hat? It made no sense. But soon, she didn't have time to think about what to do with the rabbit as the Sorting Hat launched off into a song about the four houses.

During the song, Averie noticed that Professor McGonagall had attained a long roll of parchment and she could only assume that it was a list of all of the first years on it.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," Professor McGonagall instructed as she stepped forward. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Averie watched a girl stepped forward with blonde pigtails to sit down to be sorted. Averie was amazed but it didn't take long for the girl to be sorted and placed into Hufflepuff. Averie didn't have much time to think about what house she really wanted to be sorted into as she heard this:

"Black, Averie!" Professor McGonagall called out, interrupting the young girl's train of thought.

Averie swallowed hard and took a few steps forward before looking at the hat then at Professor McGonagall. She grabbed the hat, placed it on her head, and then sat down on the four legged stool, feeling her heart racing in her chest. She had never been so nervous in her entire life.

"Interesting, very interesting. Another Black do we have here? Should we put you in Slytherin like most of your family has been in? Or should I put in Gryffindor like your father?" the hat quipped in Averie's mind. "Or do we put you in your own house like Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? I know you've been raised by Remus Lupin, I can see it here in your head. But of course, he too was in Gryffindor, just like your father was. You'd do well as a Slytherin though, I can sense your thirst to do well. But I can sense a bit of goodness about you too; courageous and strong-willed already and you're only eleven years old. Interesting, very interesting."

Just make a decision she though impatiently. She wasn't fond of the hat digging through her mind, trying to sort out her characteristics to sort her into a house.

"Alright then," the hat quipped before it shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Averie smiled as she took the hat off and bounded over to the table that was cheering the loudest and she suffered through many introductions. She smiled brightly as she looked at the teacher and then grinned at Professor Dumbledore, who clapped his hands at her. Her eyes then fell onto the Professor that had black greasy hair but he didn't seem to have noticed her quite yet.

"Percy, who's that?" she asked, pointing at the professor who was talking to another professor.

"That's Professor Snape. He'll be your Potions teacher and he's the head of the Slytherin house," Percy explained to her.

Almost as soon as Percy had said his name, Professor Snape looked up and over at Averie. He froze in his chair as he noticed the eyes that were identical to one Lily Evans. He didn't even have time to notice that her hair was the same shade as Lily's until just then.

"Lily?" he asked loudly, silencing most of the Great Hall as he spoke.