September 1977

"Moony? Can I have a word?"

Remus Lupin looked up from his copy of Hogwarts a History and glanced across the common room to one of his best friends. Sirius Black stood leaning casually against the doorway of the dorm, and looked rather nervous about something or other. Considering this a feat in itself, to get cool, calm and collected Sirius Black nervous, Remus rose without question and followed Sirius up the staircase, leaving behind their fellow Gryffindors - including their two other best friends, James Potter, who was still trying to chat up Lily Evans. And Peter Pettigrew, who was attempting to practise non-verbal spells just three weeks into the school term.

Remus shut the door to their dorm behind him and turned to his friend. "Everything okay, Padfoot? Esther-"

"Esther's fine." The smile that lit up his friends face made him smile too. "The baby's fine, everything's good."

"That's good." Remus paused for a moment. "She's due in four weeks?"

Sirius nodded. "End of the month, we might be having ourselves a Halloween Marauder baby." Sirius grin slowly slid off of his face. "It's about the baby I wanted to talk to you actually Moony, me and Esther wanted to ask if you'll be Godfather?"

There was a moment of silence before Remus's mouth dropped open in shock. "Me?"

Sirius nodded eagerly. "Of course you, who better? Nice, sensible Moony. I'd trust the life of my kid with you anyday."

"But James-"

"I already talked to him about it," Sirius cut in with a wave of his hand. "We agreed that I'll be Godfather and best man if he ever gets married and has kids, while he can be best man and Godfather when you get married and have kids." Sirius beamed as Remus stared, astonished. "Oh, and, when we get out of here next year? You'll be best man, right?"

Remus spluttered for a few moments. "I- of course. I'd be honoured."

"Cheers Moony." Sirius pulled him in for a gruff pat on the back and then stepped away. "This is cause for a little celebration. Hang on-" He opened the dorm door and began to yell. "Oi! Prongs! Wormtail! Up here mates, it's time for a celebration."

Remus didn't find it all that surprising that Peter hadn't been included in the bestowing of Best Man and Godfather privelliges. Probably because Sirius didn't believe he'd ever find anyone willing to marry and have his children. James and Peter quickly bounded in, James with a knowing grin on his face that relieved Remus to no end. Sirius and James were closer than close, he didn't know how James felt about someone else being Godfather to Sirius's first child.

"Here we go." Sirius conjured four glasses, pouring a liberal amount of Firewhisky into each one before sending them to each of his friends. "A toast, to the newest member of the Black and Marauder family!"

The four raised their glasses. Sirius and Remus downed theirs. James sipped his more lesuirely, settling himself on Peter's bed and glancing at Remus. "You agreed, then, Moony?" When Remus nodded, he continued. "Top honour that, you should be proud."

"I am." Remus smiled and gazed into his empty glass. Sirius immediately poured him another drink. "I thank you Padfoot, both you and Esther."

Sirius's eyes grew glassy. "Just think, me with a kid in little less than a month. Who'd have thought it?"

"What are you going to do when Esther has the baby though?" Peter asked with a frown, choking a little on his Firewhisky. "She's nineteen, she isn't at school anymore-"

"Yes, I'm quite aware of that, Wormtail." Sirius snapped briskly. "We've already talked about it. She's moving to Hogsmeade for the remainder of the school year. I'll spend weekends and holidays with them, it'll work out fine."
"But what if the teachers-" Peter cut off after a furious look from James.

"Dumbledore knows," Sirius said with an impatient shrug. "He'll understand. He can't keep me away from my kid. He's lucky I haven't dropped out already, I was sorely tempted to do so."

"You need this year for your Auror career mate." James said with a sympathetic shrug. "Just as well you're a genius. I wouldn't fancy looking after a baby and doing my NEWTS at the same time, that would probably kill me."

"I'm sure what would kill you and not me could fill a bunch of books, Prongs." Sirius said with a smirk, growing glassy eyed once more. "I just can't wait to get out of here and marry her. Do things the right way."

Remus and James shared an amused glance. "I never though you'd be one to moon over a woman, Padfoot."

"Yeah," James grinned. "I thought that was my job?"

Sirius rolled his eyes and flopped down next to Remus. "No bird's like Esther mate, as you fine well know." He grinned sappily over at his friend. "She loves me. She actually loves me and is willing to have my kid, even though I'm still in school." Sirius flopped backwards with a sigh, not caring as Firewhisky sloshed onto his robes. "We'll be a proper family. In four weeks time, we'll actually be a family."

Remus smiled and raised his glass. "To family."

"To friends." Peter added.

Remus glanced at him with a smirk. "To me, my friends are my family."

"Here here." James raised his glass and drained it. "Now, if you'll excuse me mates, I need to get back to chatting up Evans."

October 31st 1977

"Moony Moony Moony Moony!"

Remus grinned and waved his hands like a madman. "Yes, Padfoot, I'm here."

"A girl." Sirius cried out. "A baby girl!"
"A beautiful baby girl." James grinned, and even Lily couldn't help but smile. She'd found out about Esther's pregnancy by chance, after overhearing them in the library. Considering she was a friend of both Esther's and Remus', she'd been invited to the party in the Shrieking Shack, where James and Remus had worked together to attempt to make the building a little less werewolf looking. Esther was in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, resting alongside her baby daughter, and Sirius had decided that a few drinks - certainly more than a few - were in order to welcome the newest Marauder into the world.

"Perhaps you should be getting back to Esther, Padfoot." James reminded him. They'd been drinking and singing and dancing for almost two hours, and Sirius was definitely on the high end of the drunk spectrum.

"I shall." Sirius stood up, then fell back down again, letting out a little whoop of joy. "Another toast, lads, another toast."

The five of them gathered round, glasses raised in the air. Sirius glanced to each one of them, beaming with happiness and joy. Remus could still see the traces of tears behind his eyes. "To Rachel Sirius Black - the first of the next generation of Marauders!"

"To Baby Black!" James cried out.

"To baby Black!" Was the combined reply.

*
Sirius knew something was dreadfully wrong the moment he entered the Hospital Wing. A quick sobering tonic supplied to him by Lily had allowed him to gather his bearings once more, and he didn't like what he felt as he approached the end of the wing where he knew his girlfriend and baby girl peacefully slept-

"Sirius," He turned, coming face to face with Madam Pomfrey, who was looking upset. "Sirius, perhaps you better sit down-"

"What is it?" He turned upon hearing footsteps to see Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster himself gazing at him with a mixture of sadness and pity. "What's happened? Where's Esther?"

"I'm sorry, Mister Black," McGonagall said with a sniff. "Some complications arose after the birth-"

"I saw them two hours ago!" Sirius replied hotly. "They were both fine."

"The baby is fine, Sirius, she's resting peacefully-"

"And Esther?" The silence that greeted him caused his heart to constrict. "No."

"I'm sorry, Sirius, there was nothing anyone could do."

"No!" He backed into the wall, sliding down till he rested on his knees. "I saw her, she was fine. She was talking. She told me to go get drunk for christ's sake!"

"Sirius, please-"

"NO!" Sirius screamed, burying his head in his hands to try and block the tears. "She can't be, she can't be dead."

"Madam Pomfrey, a calming draught, perhaps?"

"Of course, Headmaster."

Hearing the matron bustling away, Sirius quickly scrambled to his feet. "The baby-"

"Is alive and well." Dumbledore said with a nod. "If you'll follow me..."

Sirius felt numb as he walked forward, approaching the small crib that held his daughter. He heard faint cries coming from inside, and reached down, tenderly lifting the infant out and cradling her tiny body in his arms.

"Shhh, it's okay." Sirius cooed. "It's okay... Daddy's here."

"Perhaps we should leave you two alone." He heard McGonagall speak, felt her pat his arm. But he didn't even acknowledge them. Instead, he sank onto the nearest chair and continued to stare at his baby as tears streamed down his face. He could hardly dare believe it. In just a few short hours, he'd gained a person he loved more than anything else in the world, and lost one at the same time.
Life could hardly be so cruel.

"I'm here, beautiful." Sirius kissed the soft downy hair, which was jet black, on top of the baby's small head. "I'll protect you."

Outside, a bolt of lightening lit up the sky.

*

October 31st 1981

The pounding on the front door of Andromeda and Ted Tonks's home brought the young couple running, wands drawn, hearts hammering as they called their security question and quickly undid the bolts and enchantments that kept their family of three safe from intruders. Andromeda stood waiting as Ted finally unlatched the lock and pulled the door open, and she gasped as her cousin fell in the door, his four year-old daughter snuggled in his leather jacket.

"Sirius, what's wrong? Is everything okay?" Andromeda tried to get a better look at the child, but Rachel was mostly hidden by leather, and from what she could see of the child's face, looked rather sleepy, as though she had only just woken up from a long nap. The three adults moved into the sitting room, where eight year-old Dora sat drawing by the fire. Andromeda was tempted to order her out of the room, but Sirius was already talking, and looked to be in a hurry.

"I have to go away." He was saying, unzipping his jacket and pulling the little girl closer to him. Andromeda watched as Rachel gazed up at her father in adoration and then glanced around the room, recoiling slightly as she noticed Dora, who was staring back at her with equal interest. "It's not safe for me to be here. He's after me, and I don't want to have to cart her halfway around the world."

Andromeda and Ted shared a glance. "You want us to look after her?"

"Just until I'm settled." Sirius's gaze was pleading. "I'd leave her with James and Lily, but they're in enough danger as it is. I'll understand if you can't it's just.... you're the only family I trust."

Andromeda felt a tug at her heart and glanced to her husband, who was already nodding his head firmly. "We'll look after her Sirius, don't you fret."

His entire form slumped with relief. "Thank you, I'll rest easier knowing she's in good hands." He subconciously kissed the little girl's hair before placing her down in front of him, a little pink suitcase appeared next to her.

"Listen to me baby, daddy has to go away for a little while okay?" Rachel scowled at him, and Andromeda couldn't help but marvel how much of a Black the child looked.

"I come too?" Rachel asked hopefully.

Sirius bit his lip, and Andromeda could see he was trying hard not to cry. "No, baby, you can't come just yet. Daddy needs to go into hiding, to protect you and baby Harry. Keep you safe."

Rachel frowned. "Don't go daddy. I no want you to go."

Sirius let out a strangled cry and pulled the little girl into his embrace. "I don't want to have to leave you either baby girl, but I have to." He pulled back and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll come back for you, I promise."

Andromeda knew the child was too young to even begin to understand what had been happening all around her, but her heart warmed when the child clung to her father and whispered. "I love you daddy."

Sirius closed his eyes in anguish, and Andromeda could only begin to imagine what was going through her cousin's head. "I love you too, baby." He pulled away and kissed the child on her cheek, before turning to his cousin and pulling her in for a hug.

"I don't know how I'll ever repay you for this Andie." He whispered. "Please take good care of her."

"When will you be back?" Andromeda asked worriedly.

"Hopefully I'll only be gone a few months." He ran a hand nervously through his hair. He was more jittery than she'd ever seen him. "I have to go. I have to go make sure Lily and James are still alive."

Ted and Andromeda shared an alarmed look. "Still alive?"

"I can't talk about it, I'm so sorry." He pressed a kiss to her cheek and shook Ted's hand, crouching down to kiss Dora on the cheek. "Take care of my baby Nymph, okay?"

Dora nodded and smiled as Sirius once more picked up his daughter and crushed her in his embrace. "Bye Rachel."
"Bye daddy." Was the muffled reply. Sirius handed the child over to Ted and made for the door. "I'll come back for you Rachel, I promise."

"Bye daddy, I love you." Rachel waved as Sirius stepped out into the Halloween night. He paused and turned back, extracting a small square box from his robes and handing it to Andromeda. "Here, I almost forgot. Happy birthday baby."

Rachel smiled as Sirius twisted and vanished into the night.

"Daddy." The little girl pouted and turned to Ted, observing him with bright, dark eyes. "You Teddy?"

Ted chuckled and kissed the little girls cheek, moving back to the sitting room as Andromeda re-warded the front door. "Yep, I'm Teddy, and you're Rachel, and that's Andie. And this," He turned and settled down next to his own daughter. "Is Dora."

Later on that night, the two little girls lay in bed and stared up at the sky. Dora had opened the curtains and had begun pointing out certain stars.

"There's your daddy." Dora informed the little girl, who seemed charmed yet intimidated at the same time by her colorful relative. "That star's called Sirius."

Rachel's eyes lit up and she craned her neck to see. The necklace that adorned the young girls neck glowed slightly in the dark, the moonstone shining from the light of the stars. Inside the stone was a small imprint of a dog's paw, and a deer's hoove. The small worm-like creature she never really understood at first.

She was ten years old when she finally found out what her father had done, and had ripped the stone from her throat and threw it into the bushes.

Three years later, she unearthed the necklace and placed it in her jewellerry box, never to be touched again.

Another three years later, when she learned of her father's escape, she started wearing the necklace once more.