A/n - Hi everyone, This is an idea for a new story, my first story on this site. However I was thinking about getting it Beta'd but have no idea how to do that. Does anyone out there know, I would be very appreciative if someone did. Anyways, here is the first chapter in theory it the story chronologies from the summer that Marlene McKinnon Meets Sirius Black to 1981, with some skips in between. I have the first section of the story done and am working on the second around a hectic schedule. I read a lot of Blackinnon stories and tried to make mine a bit different so I hope you all like mine.

Oh and Please Review, I will not be able to know what to continue and what not to if you don't. :)

p.s - I know I have horrid grammar, sorry for any grammer nazi's out there. once again does anyone know how betaing works?

Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter, or the movie which I took the majority of text for James' scene from.

Chapter 1:

Sirius Beginnings

June 21, 1968

Marlene Mary-Anne McKinnon

"Marlene you need to get down from there; You could get hurt." The distant voice of Marlene's governess called from where she walked over one of the many small bridges that were on the McKinnon's property.

"I won't get hurt Ma'am, I promise." She called as she continued to walk in an unbalanced fashion with her arms on either side of her. Reynard, the child's red fox plush, was dangling in her arm over the water as she hanging loosely as Marlene only held his paw. The swaying was unneeded seeing as Marlene could walk just fine on the ledge but swaying back and forth was more fun for two reasons. Firstly, she was but seven years old and swaying while walking was a large part of any day, and secondly it terrified her governess which made it even more fun.

Marlene and her governess were walking the grounds at the moment accompanied by a third. The governess' son Peter who at the moment was staring at Marlene in wonder as he often found himself doing wishing he had bravery the small girl did. However he was sorely lacking in that category.

Marlene's hair was short coming only to the girls chin with straight bangs just above her pale eyebrows. The color was that of a lightish red, just a few shades to dark to be considered blonde. Her eyes were a striking blue that was more than just bright, it was slightly unsettling. The rims around her Sirius where stood out as did her pupils. Looking as if the two were a lid capping the unsettling blue behind. She was wearing a white frock and cotton tights with a small black bow on the outsides of her ankles. Small black bar shoes were on her feet. However instead of the buckle these specific shoes were held on with muggle invention velcro. Marlene was at the age where she wanted to dress herself. Meaning most things were equipped with either velcro or zippers, no more than two buttons unless they were in the front. Which as one may guess buttons rarely are.

Mrs. Pettigrew was in a much more understated outfit consisting of a simple dark blue dress that came to her ankles hiding her stockings and black shoes, she had no traveling cloak on because she was not leaving the property.

Peter was more of a plain boy, with pale hair and pale eyes. He was slightly plump from one to many treacle tarts but held kindness in his eyes. He was dressed in brown slacks and a white long sleeve blue and white striped shirt that looked quite dirty and a pair of brown overalls complete with a unbuttoned vest. The smudges of dirt on his face validating the fact unlike Marlene Peter did not have lessons over the summer. So he had been able to play outside in the nearest garden during Marlene's lessons.

"I need you to get down from there Marlene. Now. We can't have you getting hurt." Her governess ordered but it fell on deaf ears as Marlene continued to sway back and forth as she walked.

"I am fine, See." Marlene said twirling on the ledge to prove her point. Her small foot however slipped off the edge momentarily before she placed it back on. Swinging her arms back to balance herself. Seeing this Mrs. Pettigrew had practically ran to her side and snatched the small seven year old from the ledge holding her close to her chest. With a yell of "Marlene."

Finding this display hilarious both Peter and Marlene began to laugh and with a sigh Ms. Pettigrew placed Marlene on the bridge grabbing the girl's hand with her own to make sure she didn't get into any further trouble then calling for the laughing Peter to join them. When they got off the bridge Marlene saw small mud puddles created by the rain last night and decided it was optimal puddle jumping time. Despite her white dress.

"Peter," She called letting go of her the woman's hand and going to grab Peter's. The two then started jumping puddles both feet at a time. Succeeding in making themselves look a fool with clothing coated in the splash of grayish water. Mrs. Pettigrew thought to protest but knew the conversation would go much like the last one. So she decided instead to just smile at the joy the children were having. She decided to pick a pink rose that grew on the edge of the property. Marlene smiled and tugged Peter closer.

"Your Mother's not watching Peter come on." Marlene said tugging on Peter's forearm.

"But we will get in trouble?" Peter asked, he was always worried about being trouble to his mother.

"No more so than normal, come on Peter. It will be fun." Marlene said tugging his hand tighter and pulling him along. Peter looked back at his Mother with a slightly fearful expression but nodded anyways.

Mrs. Pettigrew looked up to see the edge of Marlene's dress disappearing behind the next curve. Showing that the children was getting a bit too far ahead so she picked up the pace to not loose the small girl in the thick of the bushes.

However when she moved closer she saw no sign of the small toe headed child or the head of her own son.

"Marlene! Peter" She called, reaching for her wand that was in the front pockets of her robes fearing momentarily for the worst.

Hiding in the thick of the underbrush Marlene chuckled and Peter gave a small smile. Peter sent a forced smile back. HE knew was going to be in quite a bit of trouble for this; His mother looked quite worried. Marlene gave a sly grin and counted down from three on her fingers.

Both children jumped up at the same time with an exclamation of "Boo!"

Ms. Pettigrew felt her heart stop before starting again. She grabbed the forearms of both children and tugged them from the underbrush.

"Peter, Marlene, do you two want to send me to an early grave." The governess breathed heavily much to Marlene's enjoyment and Peter's fear.

"You should know better than this Peter, did you think it funny." She asked the child with a stony glare.

"No Mother," Peter blushed shifting his weight from one foot to the next.

"Sorry Ma'am. It was my fault. Don't blame Peter, it was all me. I was just playing." Marlene said as an excuse, though it was a fairly loose one. Games such as that where much better played with the likes of James Potter. Her Governess however did not like the game and Marlene knew she should have not disappeared without telling her first.

But you see Marlene Mary-Anne McKinnon was getting exceedingly bored. Since it was summer normal lessons had ended for both both Peter and James, the other boy in their class. While Marlene still had to sit through boring summer lessons. It was even worse when one considered that James', who in fact was the only boy close to her age she ever saw other than Peter, did not ever visit. The seven year old understood however that James was with his family at his Grandfather's bed side because he was sick. That was something Marlene did not want to think about. She still remembered her Mother being sick.

Her Father had left two months ago after being home for only three days giving instructions on the want for his daughter to study more french and bestowing the child with the gift of a bright green dress robe that Marlene hated.

Not because she was ungrateful or because it was not pretty. Not it was the simple fact Marlene hated green.

This had happened often in the seven year old childs life, but that however that did not change the fact Marlene became fairly bored. More than bored really she was dying of boredom. Between lessons with and walks her governess and Peter the only other thing Marlene did was play pretend in the garden by herself or go exploring neither of which where any fun to do with just Peter.

Peter was a worry wart and never played any fun games like Auror and Badguy's and was quite bad at chess. He would much rather play in the dirt and search for lizard, a pastime which Marlene was not partial to.

"Just Playing, I... Marlene," the woman said with a sigh knowing that the girl was having little fun. Peter and Marlene were fairly different in interest and rarely played together.

"When will Father be back?" Marlene asked.

"Your Father will be back when he comes dear, he is after all a busy man. We just must wait. Be patient darling." The woman said grabbing her son's hand in one and her charge's hand in the other turning to walk up the path. Marlene took to kicking a fun looking rock up the path.

"But waiting and being patient is no fun." Marlene sighed and truthfully the woman had to agree on that point.

"It may not be fun Marlene but it is the proper thing to do." Mrs. Pettigrew said strictly before letting out a small sad sigh. Lecturing Marlene on proper behavior was silly in her opinion. Marlene was only seven and should be allowed to act as such.

"Remember child you have been invited to tea tomorrow at the Prewetts." Mrs. Pettigrew said making Peter chuckle at his friends misfortune and Marlene groan. The Prewett's where a part of a group that normally Marlene did not converse with. Not because of any reason other than she rarely left the small group of colleagues her mother had conversed with.

Families like the Talkalots, the Vanity's, the Greengrass', and Marlene's least favorite the Badeaux. The mother's of all the families where a part of the French flock to England during her mother's childhood creating a connection between the mother's that did not extend to their daughters. Apolline Bedaux was the only one that was bearable. However she only talked about herself, and was almost six years Marlene's senior. Needless to say tea was never fun.

"Do I have to?" Marlene asked.

"Yes child, you are scheduled to so you must." Mrs. Pettigrew nodded.

"But I do not want to, can we not say I have fallen ill." Marlene groaned.

"That would be improper. Now come along, I will hear no more groaning about this tea or I shall make you do lessons before it as well." Mrs. Pettigrew said and Marlene howled in unfairness as Peter chuckled.

James Charlus Alexander Potter

James Potter wandered into the room slowly dragging his feet behind him with every step. His Grandfather' had requested to see him, for what reason he did not know. However, his Father had told him to go; so here he was.

Standing at the foot of his Grandfather's bed with a sad smile. He looked so much older now than he had when James had seen him just this past Christmas holidays. Not seven months ago. The eight year old may have felt like Christmas had been forever ago, but even he knew his Grandfather' should not have aged so quickly.

Alexander Potter smiled at his only grandson. He beckoned the boy over, James did as asked and moved to sit on the chair next to his Grandfather's bed.

Alexander's brow creased. "James Charlus Alexander Potter, I am not about to keel over what ever your Father and Mother may believe. Come here boy." He demanded with a soft tone and James scrambled into his Grandfather's lap with a smile. Alexander patted James on the knee with one hand rustling the boys light brown hair with the other. James' hair for the moment was still fine enough to lay flat. But Alexander knew the Potter traits well enough to know that soon James' hair would stand in as many directions as his own. He smiled at the picture and leaned back and fumbled to grab his wand from his bedside table. He was never far from it, something his father in his Aruror mind set had taught him.

Alexander himself was against acts of violence. Seeing as one had taken away his father. But he was no fool and he knew that Charlus was of the opposite mindset and some day James would be too. But he had to pass on a few more words of bias wisdom to his Grandson, because despite the fact he knew it probably wouldn't help, he had to do everything he could to keep the boy safe. Especially as the 'random' attacks Charlus always worried about became more organized with every day. Alexander Potter would not be surprised if soon war fell on the Wizarding War.

Handing the boy the old 12 inch Yew and Unicorn hair wand he watched as the boy marveled it in his open palms.

"James, how do you feel about your father's job?" He asked softly and James turned to look at his Grandfather. James knew very well his father was an Auror, and a good one at that. He personally was under the impression that being an Auror and fighting for those who can not was the best job ever.

"It's Wicked," James supplied in response.

"Wicked, I see. James, let me tell you something very important." Alexander said taking a deep breath.

"Many times wars have come and people have said to us: you must fight, you must kill, it is the only way to preserve the good. But James, you must remember there's never only one way. Remember that. Would you kill another man?" He asked and he saw the eagerness in James' hazel eyes that he was all too worried about.

"I would only kill the bad man." James said, thinking for sure that he had gotten the question right. After all that is what his Father, Mr. McKinnon, and Mr. Moody had told him.

"Only the bad man." Alexander sighed running his hand over the boys back his fingers ghosting over the boys suspenders and red button down shirt.

"I see. And you know these bad men by sight?" He asked and James nodded.

"You are able to look into their hearts and see this badness?" Alexander asked and James went to nod but stopped short. This was different the eight year old noted. This was not the same as when his Father or his friends asked.

"I can see what they do." James supplied as what he hoped would be a subtle answer.

"And having seen you become one of them? Don't you understand? What you take into your hands, you take into your heart; Remember that." He said and James bit his lip.

"Now I am sure you have heard enough of this senile old man for one day am I right James my boy." He said with a smile throwing James off as he helped the boy down and kissed his head.

"I love you James Charlus Alexander Potter, and I always will." He said with his lips against the boys head. James nodded and left the room silently with a small smile and a promise to ask his Father if he was allowed back tomorrow.

Remus John Lupin

Laughter, he could hear it all the way from behind the glass of his families new house. The other kids in the neighborhood were all outside playing and having fun. He raised a hand up to his forehead and fingered his newest cut. The healers at St. Mungos had told his parents that this scar in particular probably would never heal. They told Remus that it would be gone in no time. He didn't have the heart to tell them that he could hear them outside of his room.

It had been eleven days since transformation, he had nineteen days until the next full moon. Nineteen days until he was a monster again. No before he was himself again. For he was a monster, a monster in sheep clothing. He was no longer a boy, he had not been a boy for years. He was a creature a dark horrible creature everyone was scared of. He was like that muggle fairy tale from the book his parent's did not know he had read before they snatched it from him. It was about a girl doing a good deed when she and her sick grandmother were killed by the wolf. A person like him.

He had thought often about escaping his prison on a full moon and finding others like him, other monsters. He was quite done with pretending to be a boy at this point. He knew he would never get to be a real boy anyways so why even pretend. He would never get to go to primary school like his mother had, or have a tutor like his father. He would never get accepted into Hogwarts so really why did he stay.

"Remmie bud, get away from the window." His mother called stepping into the room. Hope Lupin nee Howell was a beautiful woman who seemed to loose a bit of life in her eyes every day as she watched her once perfect son disappear right in front of her. She did not morn for what he was. She took the curse in stride trying to help the small boy as much as she could. However she knew the one thing that would help the most for Remus would be friendship. People who did not see him as a monster, who he would actually listen too. Lyall and she could only do so much, Remus was of the impression parents lied to children to make them happy and that they would never tell him the truth, the truth that he was a monster.

"Bud why don't you go see what is in the kitchen, your father left you something." His mother said with a smile, hoping the small boy would enjoy the surprise his father had prepared for him.

"You should stop buying me things. I don't..." Remus began.

"Remus John Lupin don't you dare say that. You are the most important thing in the world to your father and I and we love you." Hope said kneeling down and taking her sons shoulders in her hands.

"No you don't, I'm a monster, no one loves a monster."

Sirius Orion Black

Eight year old Sirius Black stood outside the door of his father's office, ear pressed firmly to the wood as he tried to overhear the conversation his parents were having. He knew that there was no doubt that about him. His darkening brown hair was cut much shorter than he like it and gelled back in a 'proper' way he hated. His mother had only cut his hair the night before much to the eight year old's chagrin.

He wore a version of expected of him. Seeing as he started to pull at his clothing the moment the guests had left. His waistcoat now undone and his tie hanging very loose around his neck. His shirt was untucked in the front and hanging wrinkled over his trousers his feet were clad only in his black socks already rid of the horrid black leather shoes he had been made to wear despite the fact they pinched his feet. His gray eyes that seemed to be a gradient from the black pupil to the whites of his eyes. They were set slightly too far apart and held a mischievous glint to them. Though at the ripe age of eight Sirius got in to very little deliberate trouble. Oh no, you see the Black Heir was so good at getting into non-deliberate trouble. But as Frank always told him, he rarely had to try.

Take for example the fact he hadn't meant to trip walking down the stairs. He was just walking, a bit too quickly mind you, but by no means running, and he just tripped. For another example he had not meant to spill Rudolphus' drink while trying to grab his own. It just had happened. He doubted either parent would take that as an excuse though.

Especially since Rodolphus Lestrange was being introduced to his parents by Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Durella. Because of that small fact Sirius had not only succeeded in making the fool of himself but of his parents as well.

One should not be surprised though, for you see the boy rarely ever behaves correctly, and it is a real miracle if he behaves correctly in the right company.

"What are we to do with him then Walburga, we can not just ship him off, until he starts Hogwarts," His Father said with an irritated sigh that Sirius thought might mean that his Father did not want to be away from him for the next three years. His heart soared, he had always strived to make his parents proud, and really how much of a disappointment could he be if they wanted him to stay.

"What will everyone else say?" He heard his Father add and Sirius' heartfelt twenty times heavier than it was supposed to.

Of course, it was not that his father wanted to keep his Son. No it was to make sure that the others thought highly of 'him'.

Shipping him off. They were thinking about shipping him off. Actually they were doing more than thinking about it they were talking about it.

They had never talked about that before. But he heard from Lucius Malfoy (who was of Hogwarts age so of course knew everything) that when kids get shipped off it is usually to muggle places. And it usually only happens to squibs.

However at the same time Frank Longbottom, Sirius' only friend in the pureblood elite world, told him that Malfoy was spewing a load of rubbish.

Sirius thought Frank was right, The eight year old knew he was not a squib. Godric, he had been having controlled bits of accidental magic since last year.

He remembered it well because he had scoured all of the first year books he could convince Andromeda, his favorite cousin, to let him borrow and learned as much as he could to make his parents proud. He had spent hours, which was a lot for an active seven year old, reading and trying to make the spells work without a wand. He had shown his parents who had been proud of him for a glistening few days. Then there was a party were both Orion and Walburga became painfully aware of the fact there eldest son did not fit the mold he was supposed to.

"I don't mean till he goes to Hogwarts Orion. I meant for the summer. Alphard is always complaining how large his house feels sometimes, he sure would not mind company." Walburga expressed. Sirius stepped away. Uncle Alphard, he had only met the man once or twice. No one in the family actually liked the old man.

He had a few blood traitor friends but none that were overzealous about the fact. However seeing as nothing went past pure formality Alphard had yet to get himself taken off the family tree.

"You're going to get in trouble Sirius." Came the calm voice of his brother who was now standing across the hall. Regulus was standing too straight than was normal for a seven and a half year old. His clothes where everything that Sirius' was not. His waistcoat fastened his green tie so tight it seemed as if it were choking the boy. His hair short the way mother had always liked it and his shoes polished and still on his feet. He was the spitting image of his father with his small arms was crossed over his chest and one eyebrow was raised mocking the position that there father held so often. The only thing that though it off were his black eyes that he had received from his mother's side of the gene pool.

"Come on, Mother and Father will retrieve us when they come to a decision." Sirius groaned and wanted to hit his younger brother. He loved Reggie, he really did but he slightly resented his younger brother. Everything seemed so easy to the youngest Black. Manners, proper etiquette, public speaking, dancing. It seemed as if Regulus barely even had to try. Were as Sirius tried with everything he had and still was a disappointment .

"I didn't mean to trip," He told his younger brother trying to explain to the only person who may.

"Well then you shouldn't have." Regulus said as if it were the simplest thing in the world. If one did not mean to do something, then they should refrain from doing it. That is how simple it was for him. He did not understand why his brother was any different. To young Regulus Sirius' inability to act proper was no more than simple defiance.

Not an hour later Sirius' house elf informed him he would be leaving in the afternoon and that his bags were already packed. He had flopped backward on his deep bed sheets after that and curled under his deep green comforter. (His entire room was done in different shades of greens, the Slytherin way of course.) He rubbed his four fingertips, excluding the thumb, from his temples down his nose around his eyes and up to rest on his hair. He intertwined his fingers and allowed his elbows to fall back against the mattress.

He stayed like that staring up for a while until he decided to get changed for bed. But soon after he did change he crawled back in bed and closed his eyes. He was far from tired but at this point he just did not want to be awake anymore. So he closed his eyes and hid his face deep within his overly fluffed pillow willing himself into sleep so he could forget about being sent to the last place he ever wanted to go.

Uncle Alphard's.

A/N - So here is my first chapter of the story. I hope you all like it.