Chapter 1
Regulus paces up and down the hallway, waiting for his brother to show. The screams of the baby girl 'no baby daughter' he thinks, echo down the stairs from her nursery. He knows that he should get the baby and see what the problem is, but he's only 19! He can't take care of the child. The doorbell of his small apartment rings and Regulus rips the door open. There standing in all his scowling glory is Sirius Black, Regulus' older brother. "What is it. You sounded very urgent in the letter" Sirius growls. Regulus hides a wince. He knows that the hatred his brother has towards him is well placed, Regulus himself hates his brother but he needs his help. "Why is there someone screaming" Sirius yells "are you torturing someone! Has your mind gotten so sick and twisted that you've called me over here so that I can listen to someone being tortured!" Sirius' eyes are ablaze with anger.
"no" Regulus replies "the screams you are hearing are coming from your baby niece".
Sirius' face pales. His eyes narrow at Regulus. Regulus moves to the side, giving Sirius a clear path to the stairs. "would you like to see her?" Regulus asks, his face downcast.
"I'm not going up there" Sirius says as he steps inside the home and closes the door "how do I know that there isn't any of your death eater buddies up there?" he scowled "Bring the baby down here". Regulus sighed and trudged up the stairs. He walked into the nursery where his daughter was screaming. Her face was contorted in a way that sent chills up Regulus' back. The look on her face made him want to run to her, and fix everything wrong with the world just so she could be happy. He resisted the urge. He picked her up and changed her nappy. "you're going to meet your uncle now Amortentia, please be good" Regulus whispered into the baby's ear. The baby's dark skin was a harsh contrast from her father's incredibly pale skin. However, the baby had her father's dark hair and eyes. The baby gurgled a bit and laughed at her father. Regulus cracked a small smile. He hadn't wanted to get attached to his daughter, but he had failed. Magnificently. He loved the baby more than his own life and he would do anything for her. Regulus picked up Amortentia and walked down the stairs. Sirius was still standing in foyer. When the two brother's eye's locked, Sirius ran towards the small child in Regulus' arms. She was so small and delicate that it scared Sirius. "how about we sit down" Regulus suggested. Sirius nodded and followed his younger brother into the dining room.
"how do you get her" Sirius said hoarsely. He was still in shock that his brother had a child, and one that appeared to be about 6 months old. The little girl had dark skin and curly black hair. Her nose was wide and so were her lips. She looked a lot like a boy in Sirius' year level at Hogwarts. Her black eyes pieced Sirius and he couldn't help but think how adorable his little niece was. "do you know Olivia Johnston" Regulus said quietly
"I know her older brother, Andrew. He was in my year and house" Sirius says "wait, you knocked up his little sister?! But she's a Hufflepuff! A blood traitor! How did mum and dad let that happen?!" Sirius yells.
"mum and dad didn't know. She was my friend from our first year and it progressed from there. I tried to leave them Sirius. I tried to leave our family, say goodbye to their bigoted ways-"
"then why didn't you?!" Sirius screamed "you could've stayed with the Potters and I"
"Because by the time that I realized that their views were wrong I was in 6th year. I tried to back out, rebel as you did but our parents got fed up. Bellatrix dragged me to meet the Dark Lord and I became a death eater. I didn't have a choice Sirius. I was never as strong as you were". Regulus whispers. Sirius looked at him square in the eye. If Regulus knew that there were tears running down his face, he didn't wipe them off. "Sirius, I need help. I can't keep Tia" Regulus said. He voice all of a sudden void of all emotion. "I can't put her in danger like that. If my master-" he spat out Voldemort's title like it was the worst thing that he could ever say "-finds out that I had a child with a Hufflepuff, and with a blood traitor no less, I'm afraid he might kill her or me". Regulus looks down at the table. All of his fears about what Voldemort might do to Amortentia just came spilling out. His worries about what would happen if he died and if Voldemort found out about her just came spilling out of his mouth. He couldn't stop them. "Reggie" Sirius said with a sigh "first thing, Tia? I'm guessing that's the baby's name?"
"nick name" regulus sniffled "her names Amortentia. Her mother named her that because A. The Black family has weird names and B. because she knew that this baby was going to be a blessing in disguise, just like love. I wasn't there when she was born" Regulus looked at his daughter. "Ok well that's a start. What do you want me to do with her?" Sirius prompted. "can you find her a home?" regulus said. His voice was so quiet that Sirius nearly missed it. "she can't be around me. She isn't safe"
"Reggie mate, I can't take care of a baby either" Sirius sighs
"I know but maybe you could find a friend that can? Or give her to a good orphanage? I just need her away from me and the danger. I've had Cissy taking care of her while I'm at 'work', but she can't keep her either because the Malfoys are too closely tied to Voldemort" Regulus can hear the own desperation in his voice. "what about her mum? Why isn't she helping?" Sirius asked
"her mum just dumped her on me. She said that she doesn't have the time of take care of the baby. She said that she didn't want to see Amortentia again. She also said that she hopes that the baby will make me reconsider my alliance with Voldemort" Regulus replied
"How stupid is she? Does she not understand that you were forced to join him? And that once you've joined Voldemort, you can't leave?" Sirius yelled in outrage
"no, she doesn't." Regulus said "And I need to keep it that way. I still love Olivia and the more she knows about the death eaters and Voldemort, the more she's at risk. Plus being with me presents a whole other set of challenges. Its good if she isn't in my life anymore." Regulus said firmly. Sirius just shook his head. This was all so confusing. "Ok, I'll take Tia" Sirius agreed, a little bit reluctantly. "but I need information in return" Sirius grabbed Amortentia and held the baby to his chest. "I can't give you any" Regulus said. His mouth set in a thin line. "all of the people under his control except a special few, have had a curse put on them which makes them experience excruciating pain whenever they spread information about Voldemort's plans and such in anyway shape or form and Voldemort himself gets notified whenever that happens. So even if I didn't want too, I can't". Sirius looks downcast. His mouth thins and his eyes narrow. "fine" he growls. All of a sudden, a lot of yelling and loud noises start going off. "what's that" Sirius yells, holding Tia closer to his chest.
"My wards" Regulus yells back, looking startled "Someone tried to break in! Quickly! Go out the back door and apparate away!" then in a lower voice, Regulus leans towards Sirius and says in a low voice "please keep my daughter safe" He pleads, and he shoves Sirius through a door way into the kitchen with a door leading outside. Sirius jumps out the door as he hears arguing and duelling from the front of the house. Hoping to Merlin that the loud noises that the people out the front are making will cover the pop of the aparation, Sirius apparates away to the Potter's cottage in Godrics hollow.