Author's Note: As much as I love my original chapter 1, my muse has actually taken me into this direction. I'll save the original chapter 1 just in case. I know this one's probably not as good as the first, but hey, same premise, just different situations.
And yes, the original disclaimer still stands: this is my first Harry Potter fiction. Yes, I know Sirius never had kids, but it's just one of those ideas I got while reading OotP. The only characters I own in this fiction are Aiah and Adelaide. Makalia's a friend's character. ( for future reference)
Family
Chapter 1 Part 1
Adelaide sat in the sitting room and watched Aiah open yet another birthday gift. That made a total of ten so far. Adelaide received nothing from her Malfoy relatives. Then again, for as long as she could remember, they never gave her anything for birthdays or holidays. It was the end of July, and Adelaide would have rather spent her time sending Harry his birthday party.
"Awww, it is cute," Aiah said, holding up the shirt. "Thank you, Aunt Cissy."
"You're welcome, Aiah. Adelaide, don't you think it's cute?"
Adelaide looked up and nodded, not caring.
"What is wrong, Adelaide?" Aiah asked. "Not getting what you wanted?"
"No, sister, I haven't."
"No matter." Lucius stood from where he sat. "Your mother is bound to be worried about you two. Get your things."
Adelaide stood while Aiah began replacing her gifts into their bags. Adelaide made her way to the foyer where she had placed her trunk and Buster – her Barn Owl – upon arriving at Malfoy Manor.
"Adelaide." She turned to see Draco standing in the foyer holding a wrapped item. "I got you something." He held it up and Adelaide saw the wrapping was silver and green: Slytherin colors.
"Nothing illegal? Or Dart Arts?"
"As much as I pretend to hate you and your friends, I don't wish any harm to you."
Adelaide accepted the gift and opened it. The wrapping reveled a small statue of a man changing into a black dog then back. "Thank you, Draco." Adelaide leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love it."
"This changes nothing between us at school."
Adelaide nodded. "I wouldn't expect it otherwise."
Draco left and Adelaide turned back to pick up her trunk and owl cage. She stood by the fireplace a few minutes later and watched Aiah walk through to Godric's Hallow. Once she was through, Adelaide grabbed some floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace before grabbing her things. "Godric's Hallow," she called and stepped through. On the other side, Adelaide stepped into the small but comfortable sitting room and saw her mother waiting to greet her.
"How was it at the Malfoy's, hun?" Artemis asked.
"Same as last year, mum. Though Draco gave me a gift." Adelaide set the trunk down and opened it, removing the ever changing figure. Adelaide watched her mother's expression change to recognition and wondered what she knew and hadn't told her and Aiah.
"I want you to write a thank you to Draco," Artemis finally said.
Adelaide nodded and took her things upstairs to her room. She wondered why her mother seemed to recognize the meaning behind the gift. Adelaide walked into her room and was greeted by numerous Gryffindor banners, posters of muggle men, and – for some reason beyond her comprehension – posters of muggle contraptions called motorcycles. Those she never could get down, figuring after a while there was a permanent sticking charm on them. Adelaide set Buster's cage down and opened the door, allowing out.
"I do not know how you can live with all of that on the walls," Aiah said from the doorway. "It is disgusting."
"I like it. Better than Slytherin banners."
Why you..." Aiah raised her want at Adelaide.
Adelaide was faster. "Expellimulis."
Aiah's wand blasted out of hr hand and Adelaide caught it.
"You cheat."
"You tried attacking first, Aiah."
"What's going on up there?" Artemis called from the stairs.
"Aiah tried attacking me!"
"Aiah, go to you room. Now!"
Adelaide tossed Aiah's waned back and watched her leave. She looked back around her room then headed for the very small library with the hope to find what she wanted there. It was a long shot, what Adelaide planned to do, but it would help against unwanted entrance to her room.
In the library, Adelaide pulled out a book she believed would hold what she wanted. A shield of sorts, Adelaide wanted to make sure that the shield only allowed her and those she wished to pass through. She didn't want to rely solely on locking the door. Anyone could open it.
"Are you okay, love?" Artemis asked, sitting next to Adelaide.
"Just looking for protection against unwanted room entry, mum." Adelaide marked her spot in the book. "Don't want anyone just walking into my room."
"I see. Anything?"
Adelaide shook her head. "None."
"Come, I'll show you something." Artemis stood and left the library.
Adelaide looked to the book before she stood and followed her mother. She found her mother in her room with a box of old pictures.
"Come sit, Addy," Artemis said, patting the bed beside her.
Adelaide sat down on the bed while Artemis found the one picture she had been looking for.
"Here." She handed the picture to Adelaide, who took it to see a group of people standing in front of a Christmas tree. "That's Lily," Artemis said, pointing at the red head. "And Harry pre-lighting scar." She motioned to the child in Lily's arms. "And James." Artemis motioned to the right of Lily. Adelaide looked at the man who stood next to James who was holding either her or Aiah. "And that's your father, Sirius," Artemis said. "Never pegged him to be a family man, but he loved you and Aiah just as much as James and Harry. He was quite like you, loyal and outgoing. He wouldn't do anything to bring harm to his friend and families."
Adelaide looked at the picture and wondered what life would have been like if the Potters had lived and her father hadn't left. She looked at Sirius and saw that there was a gleam in his eye. "Why'd he leave, mum?"
"He got in trouble at the end of the war."
"Is that why he never writes?"
Artemis nodded. "Go on. And keep the picture. It's yours."
Adelaide stood and left her mother's room. Why did Sirius do that would warrant him to leave his family? Was it so bad to have his owls intercepted? Adelaide walked into her room to see Buster standing over an envelope. She took it and gave Buster a pet before she opened the envelope. Removing the contents, Adelaide saw that it was the supply list for the third year at Hogwarts.
"Hey mum! Got my supply list!"
Adelaide emerged from the fireplace in Number 12. The official home of the Black family, it had fallen into disrepair after the death of Walburga.
"Mistresses have returned," Adelaide heard. She looked down to see Kretcher standing near by. "Is there something Kretcher can get his Mistresses?"
"Not now, Kretcher," Artemis waving the house-elf away.
Aiah merely ignored him and Adelaide shook her head. The only reason Adelaide put up with him was because...okay two reasons... using the Floo Network from Godric's Hallow to Number 12 was the easiest way to get to Diagon Ally. Two was that the house was held in trust for her and Aiah by their mother.
"Adelaide, you first," Artemis said.
Adelaide took a handful of floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. "Diagon Ally," she said as she walked in. She stepped into the Leaky Cauldron and saw Harry there in the main area. "Harry!"
Aiah huffed and walked away from Adelaide. She watched her Slytherin sister head for the door and shook her head.
"What are doing here?" Adelaide asked.
"Ran away from home. Got picked up by the Knight Bus. Saw a dog; a black one."
"What's this about a black dog?" Artemis asked, coming up beside Adelaide.
"Harry said he saw one, mum."
"Untidy fur, like it was wild."
Adelaide looked to Artemis and saw that she seemed to recognize the dog's description. "Mum?"
"Don't worry over it. Harry, do you have everything?"
He nodded. "Got my books this morning."
"We best go get your own, Addy," Artemis said.
"Right. See ya later, Harry." Adelaide followed Artemis from the Leaky Cauldron and out into Diagon Ally. Even before she took five steps, Adelaide saw wanted posters. Walking up to one, she saw a picture of a wild man. She read the details and her face went shock when she saw the name of the wanted: Sirius Black. Below his picture was the message: "Approach with extreme cation. Do not attempt to use magic against this man." She took a closer look at the man and swore that he looked familiar. "Hey mum, come here."
"What is is, dear?"
Adelaide pointed to the poster. "Dad?"
Artemis took one look at the poster and steering Adelaide away. "I'll tell you later."
Back home, Adelaide put her books away and looked around for something to bind the Monster book with. Kretcher had a fit when she tried to use something from Number 12.
"I hope you do not plan on hanging out with that Potter character this year," Aiah said from the threshold.
"Like you really care if I do or not."
"I am merely concerned about the well being of my sister."
"No you're not. Get out."
Aiah merely walked into the room and over to Adelaide's desk. On it was an unopened letter from Hermione.
"You are speaking with that mudblood?"
Adelaide closed the gap to her sister in seconds. "Take it back, Aiah."
"What? Calling that friend of yours a mudblood? Why? People like her should not even be allow to have the knowledge of our world."
Adelaide threw a punch at Aiah, hitting her in the nose. "Don't you talk about Hermione like that. She's ten times the witch you'll ever be."
"Why you..."
"Aiah Mira Black," came Artemis' stern voice. "Come here!"
Aiah, now sporting a bloody nose, left the room and was soon out of Adelaide's view.
Artemis' head appeared in the doorway. "Adelaide, I'm sure there's spells used against unwanted entry by dark creatures in the library at Number 12." Then she followed Aiah.
Adelaide had a confused look on her face. Dark creatures? Unwanted entry? Then Adelaide had the ah-ha moment. There were spells used against Vampires to make sure they didn't enter homes unless invited in. she made her way to the fireplace, hearing voices behind a closed door. With a toss of some floo powder and a step into the fireplace, Adelaide arrived at Number 12.
"Mistress Adelaide has been kind enough to return," she heard Kretcher say when she stepped into the house. "What would Kretcher's mistress say if she knew who comes and goes through the home of the Ancient and Noble House of Black?"
"Hush, Kretcher," Adelaide said. "I'm not here to take anything. Just here to do some research." She made her way upstairs where the library was.
It was large enough for Adelaide's purposes considering the library was comprised of all things related to the Dark Arts. She located an ancient book of spells and sat down in a dusty high wing back chair, kicking up dust, and opened the book. She glanced at the pages as she flipped through them. Finally Adelaide found the spell she wanted.
"Vampirum Incantum," Adelaide read. "To repeal and prevent unwanted entry by vampires and other unwanted visitors." She marked the page and closed the book as she stood. She made her way from the library into the hall.
"Mistress Adelaide stealing from Kretcher's mistress's library," Kretcher said, stalking through the hall.
"Not stealing, Kretcher. My house."
"The unwanted daughter of an undesired son claiming ownership of..."
"Shut up, Kretcher."
The house-elf stopped speaking. The one sign Adelaide had that she was owner in part of Number 12. Adelaide returned to the fireplace and soon back in Godric's Hallow.
