Title: Once Upon a December
Author: IamAlionRawr
Fandom: Harry Potter
Character/Pairing: Regulus Black, Walburga Black, Evelyn Black (OC), Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger. Harry/OC eventually, as the series progresses.
Rating: T
Word Count: WIP; 1763
Summary:My father is a hero. All at once the realization hit me. Everything that Grandmother has told me these last thirteen years has been a lie. My father, Regulus Black, is a hero. Book One of the December Series.
Authors Notes/Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, however, that does not mean you may plagiarize my work. In this story some liberties have been taken with the date of death of Walburga and Regulus Black. This story is AU because Regulus has a daughter, but mostly follows canon events.
Regulus fidgeted anxiously, holding on tightly to the small, pink bundle that rested in his arms. This was probably the worst plan that he had ever thought up. It was likely that his Mother, Walburga Black, already knew that he had betrayed the Dark Lord, and would kill him instantly. But, he had to this, it was the only place he could think of that his beloved daughter would be safe. He smiled down softly at the bundle; he couldn't let anything happen to her. Evelyn was the only thing that he had left of his wife.
Cassandra Black (nee Harper) had been the love of his life. They had married straight out of Hogwarts, and only a year afterwards she became pregnant. It had been the most exciting time of his life, but it had all come to a dark end when Cassandra died in childbirth. It had felt so wrong the first time he held his daughter. It wasn't fair to have to exchange his beautiful wife for a beautiful daughter. But, alas, Regulus had never been destined to have what he wanted. His entire life showed that very clearly. If he had what he wanted, he would have never been in this situation at all, because there would have been no Dark Lord.
After another second and another deep breath, he steeled himself and reached out to press the door chime. In his head, Regulus could hear the way the door used to echo in the old house. He could remember the Sunday mornings during the summer when Bella and Cissy would come through the door laughing, and Walburga would send the house elves for tea. When they were younger, Sirius used to come out and have tea too, and after that they'd chase each other around... But then they grew up. Sirius spent the summer in his room, and 'Cissy' and 'Bella' became Narcissa and Bellatrix, who weren't nearly as fun, and didn't visit as often. Instead they choose to spend the days with their beaus, or their friends from Hogwarts. And Regulus? He was left alone in the big house, with no one to pay any attention to him. Sirius used to say that he was the prized son, and that he got all the attention, but he never did. Sirius' schemes, and betrayal took up most of his parent's time.
It would have been better, he thought to himself, if he could have left Evelyn with Sirius. If he had, she would have been raised much better than with his Mother. Walburga Black was a hard woman; she was cold, cunning, and quick to anger. But, she took care of her own, and that was why he knew that Evelyn would be well cared for. Of course she wouldn't be raised properly in the sense that mattered the most. His Mother would give her all the clothes, and toys, and books, that Evelyn wanted, but she would be able to give her what she really needed, love. Although he wasn't sure if Sirius could give Evelyn that either. It was hard to imagine Sirius loving and caring for the child of his hated brother. Either way, he was out of the question. If he had gone to Sirius he would have been hexed on spot and sent to Azkaban. And those dementors... He'd much rather take the chance with his Mother.
All the same, it was hard not to think that if Evelyn was raised by Sirius, that at least he would teach her proper values. Like that blood really didn't matter, and neither did money, or power. That the Dark Lord was evil, and that it didn't matter if you were sorted into Slytherin.
He shook the thoughts out his head. There was no time to get distracted by old memories or silly wishes. The quicker this went the safer it was for everyone.
It was a pity he couldn't apparate in, but Mother had charmed the house with anti-apparition charms, and even if she hadn't it was likely she would have hexed him upon entry. Though she was likely to do that anyways. Floo was out of the question too. It left too much of a visible trail, and besides Mother probably had that disconnected. Ever since the Ministry threatened to start raiding houses of suspected death eaters, Mother had become terribly paranoid. She hadn't listened to him when he told her that disconnecting her floo and locking herself in the house was probably making her more suspicious in the eye's of the Ministry. It wasn't like she had anything to fear anyways, she wasn't marked, unlike him, and it would be much harder to prove any association with the Dark Lord when one didn't have a Dark Mark.
Finally, the door opened a crack, and just behind it Regulus could see the familiar face of his Mother. She had obviously been sleeping, it was very late at night, but she her eye's were narrowed, and she was ready to attack if necessary. Her once blond hair had faded to white, though it was barely noticeable since it had been nearly white before. It hung around her shoulders instead of in it's usual tight bun, but there wasn't a hair out of place. When she saw who was at the door, she opened it enough for her son to enter. She wasn't smiling, although when he thought about it, his Mother never smiled, but she hadn't pulled out her wand, so it was probably a good sign. That didn't mean that she didn't know about his betrayal, though. It was possible she didn't believe them and wanted to give him a chance to explain himself, or she wanted him to get inside quickly, so she could torture him. He hoped she didn't know.
"Regulus," She said, adjusting her hastily pulled on robe, "What are you doing here so late?" His Mother ushered him into the seating room, and gestured for him to sit down on the green couch, "You're going to make my granddaughter sick; it's cold outside and she's only in a blanket. Where on earth is her jacket? The Black's certainly have enough money for you to afford more than a scrap of fabric." She finished haughtily.
Regulus frowned, the blanket was silk for goodness sake, although he supposed that wasn't the point of this visit. It was probably better just to agree with whatever she said, "Sorry Mum." He muttered, "I didn't exactly have time to fetch anything better."
"Didn't have time?" She asked, "Oh dear, have the Ministry raided your place? Do they know you're a Death Eater?" Walburga looked worried, "Are you on the run, Regulus darling? You can stay here if you need to, I have been a little lonely..."
Walburga clearly didn't know. For all her Slytherin cunning, and intelligence, she had never been a good actress. Had she known of his true story, he would already be dead, or locked in a duel at least. This was very good, and even better, she had just invented a cover story for him, and it wasn't that far from the truth. Someone had raided his house, and he was on the run. It just wasn't from the Ministry.
"Yes," He replied, putting on a worried face, "It was the Ministry. I'm afraid they know that I am a follower of the Dark Lord, so I grabbed Evelyn and left. I couldn't think of any where else to go to but here." He stopped for a glance at his watch, and cursed. It had been longer than he thought, by now someone would have picked up his trail, "I can't stay long. It's already past the time I should have left. It won't take long for them to start tracking me."
"Surely you can stay a little longer." She said, "I could help you. I could hide you. The Black family has a lot of influence on the Ministry, you know. Especially me, as I am the eldest of our family, and I have been a generous benefactor..."
"No," He shook his head, "I can't stay, but you can help me with something else."
"Of course, dear." She responded, "Do you need money?"
"I need you to take Evelyn."
His Mother looked shocked, "You want me to take Evelyn? Darling, why?"
"There is a strong possibility the... Ministry... could catch me," He said, "I could end up in Azkaban." Or dead, "And if that happens then you'll have her anyways. I'd rather you take her now. Maybe if I don't have her while I'm the run I can escape."
Walburga paused for a moment and then agreed, "I will take care of her Regulus, for now at least. I want you to the hurry up and get this sorted out, though. I'm too old to be taking care of a child."
"But, would you do it?"
"What?" She was confused.
"If I got caught," He clarified, "Would you promise me that you'll take care of her until she's of age?"
"You don't even have to ask me that." She replied, "Evelyn's a Black, and your daughter, I'd be obligated to do it."
"Then promise me." Regulus replied firmly. Walburga's word was strong, she had never broken a promise that she had made. If he could just get her to promise that Evelyn would be taken care of, then he knew she would do it. No matter how angry, and bitter Walburga would be when she found out that he had betrayed the Dark Lord, she would still raise Evelyn, because she had promised.
Walburga sighed impatiently, "I promise." She snapped, "Now give me Evelyn, so you can leave before the Ministry manages to track you here."
With a brief look at his beloved daughter, Regulus reached down to press a soft kiss to her forehead, "I love you Evelyn, no matter what anyone might say to you in the future." He whispered, quietly so that his Mother couldn't hear, "And I never wanted to leave you, but I have too. This is the only way I can protect you."
Reluctantly he gently passed his daughter over to Walburga. With a final look, and a wistful thought of what could have been, he exited the house and apparated away to what was likely to be his death.