Zoë Black: The First Years
"What 'appened 'ere?" someone inquiried.
"JAMES, LILY, where are ya?"
A giant of a man saw the body of one of his closest friends and started to break down. Holding it together, he managed to go through the rest of the house aware of what he might find.
Upon entering the nursery he found a second body. Red hair strewn out behind her on the ground, she's clearly dead. Holding back more sobs the man with crazy hair and beard looked through the rest of the rubble. Finally, he found who he was looking for.
"Little 'Arry, how'd you survive? No matter, we have to get you out of here before the muggles show up to see the damage. Up you go." The man picked up the crying child who immediately stopped when he felt that he was safe.
Off in the distance a motorcycle was heard coming closer.
As it approached the man carrying the child is surprised to see the person on the bike.
"Hagrid what happened? Where are James and Lily? Where are they?" Came the hysterical cries of Sirius Black.
"They're dead," replied Hagrid thru a sob. "They're in the 'ouse right now. Can't do nothing about it right now, got to get little 'Arry to a safe place that Albus has set up."
Sirius freezes. This can't be happening. James and Lily can't be dead. No they can't, not his best friends. No, it can't be true. 'I killed my best friends,' is a line repeated over and over thru his head. I can't believe I trusted the rat. He's going to pay for what he did. Oh yes he's going to pay.
As Hagrid started to leave, Sirius broke out of his stupor. "Hagrid, give me Harry, I can take care of him. Lily and James would want me to take care of him."
"Can't Sirius, I got orders specifically from Dumbledore to bring 'Arry to him," replied Hagrid.
"You're sure about this Hagrid?" He nodded. "Alright well take my bike then, you'll get to Albus faster on it than anything else you have. Keep him safe, I'm going to see about the house. See what I can do about it. Where's Zoë?"
The half-giant shook his head, "Don't know Sirius, looked all over the nursery to find 'Arry and didn't hear another sound in the house. Spect he got her too. Bastard."
"Well I'll add that to my list then," Sirius responded still in a small state of shock. "Keep him safe Hagrid, get him to Albus, go now before the muggles show."
With that Hagrid jumped on Sirius's motorcycle and rocketed away into the night sky leaving Sirius to inspect what was left of his best friend's house.
As he opened the door he found Prongs. His best mate in the world. Lying their motionless with dead eyes. Sirius started crying freely now, unable to hold in the emotions that have been fighting their way thru since Hagrid announced that they were dead.
"I'm so sorry Prongs, I shouldn't have made you change your mind. I would've died for you, instead I killed you, Lily, and Zoë. Sleep well old friend. Enjoy your journey with Lily and Zoë, you definitely earned it."
Sirius closed James's eyes and grabbed his wedding ring, "Harry would love this." He then moved onto the nursery, seeing no point in going anywhere else and digging up old memories. Memories he doesn't need to relive right now, he needs to make sure. Finally he reached the door of the nursery, taking a deep breath he opened the door that was barely hanging on its hinges. The sight before him took his breath away. Lily lying there with her emerald eyes showing no life. Those beautiful eyes that Harry inherited. He'll never see them shining with mischief while she helps the Marauders with another prank. Never again.
Sirius finally broke down fully. He had nothing left to live for. Sure there is Harry, but Dumbledore is taking care of him. No point for Sirius to live seeing as both his best friends and his goddaughter are now dead.
As he is crying his eyes out, Sirius hears something that makes his breath hitch, a muffled baby's cry. He popped up and moved frantically around the nursery trying to determine where it's coming from. Finally he spies a piece of ceiling leaning at an angle that's just enough for someone to hide under. He moved closer and found the baby's cry coming from behind the piece of rubble.
Sirius quickly drew his wand and muttered a spell to remove the pile of rubble off the baby. After moving the rubble, his breath hitched again. There she was, alive and kicking, her hazel eyes shimmering with tears. He quickly ran over to her, snatched her up, and started crying tears of joy. Not everything was lost. He can still go on and raise her; he's found his reason to live.
Now where to go? He wants to find and kill the traitor as soon as possible, but what to do with Zoë? His thoughts go to his favorite cousin, an Andromeda Tonks. He decided to go to her as he heard sirens flare up outside but not before grabbing Lily's engagement and wedding rings.
A short apparition away finds himself in front of her house with his goddaughter bundled up in his arms. He quickly moved up to her house and knocked on her door. While waiting for an answer he took a quick glance at the baby in his arms and was startled by the sight of emerald eyes staring back at him. "What in the world?" he wondered as the door is finally opened.
"Who are you?" asked a little girl.
"Nymphadora, I can't believe you can't remember me. It's your favorite cousin. But I need to talk your mother real quick."
"Sirius? Well why dontcha come on in then. Mummy, my favorite cousin is here and wants to talk to you. Oh and by the way don't call my Nymphadora."
A beautiful woman with black hair walked in and sees her younger cousin looking like he just ran through hell and back.
"Sirius what happened? What are you doing here? And with a baby no less, you dog you never told me you were a father," Andromeda stated while trying to make the mood at least a little lighter.
"I'm not," Sirius replied fighting back tears again "I need your help Andy. Mind taking care of the little one while I take care of a pest problem?"
"No problem Sirius, but first you need to explain what happened and whose kid that is."
"It's James' and Lily's Andy, they're dead." Sirius responded as his breath hitched again.
Andromeda's stunned, "That can't be right. No, not Lily and James. I thought they were in hiding? You're lying to me Sirius, why would you lie about something like this?"
"Dora, I think it's time for you to go to bed," Andy's husband Ted stated from the doorway. "I'll make some tea while we get things sorted out."
Sirius doesn't know what to think. He needed to get the rat before he got further underground. He needed to go and kill the rat before it became impossible. But he needed someone to watch over little Zoë while he did it. He trusted Andy to do a good job, so he reluctantly went into the kitchen following a stunned Andy while holding Zoë.
"Now let's hear this story Sirius before you leave that wonderful little baby for us to watch over," said Ted.
"Alright," responded Sirius, "As I got to the their house I saw Hagrid preparing to leave with Harry. I begged Hagrid to give Harry to me after he said that Lily, James, and Zoë were dead. Hagrid wouldn't have anything with it, said Dumbledore sent him on a mission to bring Harry to him. So I told Hagrid to take my bike while I went into the house to see for myself. I found James at the base of the stairs, could hardly stand it, seeing him there like that. But I knew I had to continue on after I grabbed his wedding ring.
"I then moved up the stairs into the nursery, that's where I found Lily. At that point I just wanted to curl up and die. I had nothing to live for anymore, both my best friends dead, their son taken away from me, and their daughter dead along with them.
"While I was wallowing in my self-pity, I heard this little one crying under some of what was left of the nursery. I found her, grabbed Lily's engagement and wedding rings, and apparated here to where we are now."
By the end of the story Andromeda was crying freely into Ted's shoulder while he was fighting back tears of his own. Sirius on the other hand had tears running freely down his face. He couldn't stand another retelling of the story again and had to take care of his rodent problem before he blew up on everyone that was around him. He was grieving no doubt, but underneath that grief, there was anger that anyone short of Voldemort himself would be afraid of having unleashed against them. It was an anger that was directed at a rat that needed to be taken out.
"Give Zoë to us Sirius, we'll watch her while you take care of your business."
"Thanks Andy, I knew I could count on you. Keep her safe, and use your maiden name for her. For her to use Potter would be too dangerous. Too many death eaters will be looking to take out anyone that was still alive in that house when Voldemort left. Move them to the top of his good graces. Use the name Black. I'll make her my heir and give you the key to my vault. Hagrid believes her dead, so by now I'm betting the news has reached Albus, which works out better for the little one. Say you found her on your doorstep in the morning. Don't tell her about her true heritage, or her being my heir. I'll tell her when I get a chance. Promise me that you won't tell her anything except her last name is Black. I'm sure the goblins won't have any problems with her being my heir or you being in control of my vault, no matter what happens to me."
"What are you going to do Sirius? What's going to happen to you?"
"Truthfully I have no clue Andy. I just know that I might be in big trouble if I don't catch this rat. That's all I can tell you right now so please don't ask any questions. I have a date with some goblins to get the necessary paperwork done. See you later Andy."
"Wait Sirius, stay the night. I'm sure you're exhausted."
"Sorry Andy, the more time that passes gives the rat more time to get away. I'll be in contact with you as soon as possible. Thanks again for taking in Zoë, I really appreciate it. Oh yeah there might be a chance that she's a metamorphmagus. When I picked her up after I moved the rubble off of her, her eyes that were hazel, like her father. Then right before 'Dora opened the door when I got here, I looked down and she had emerald eyes like her mother, you might want to look into it." On that final note he went outside past the anti-apparition fields and apparated to Diagon Alley.
When he got there, he walked purposefully towards Gringotts and inside to a still open counter.
"I need to change some things in my will and change my heir," Sirius stated to the goblin at the counter.
"Follow me to my office and we'll get it done." The Goblin then jumped off the stool he was sitting on and motioned for Sirius to follow him. He complied and soon found himself in a small office.
"To whom are you changing your heir too?" inquired the goblin.
"First I'm going to presume that you've heard the news about James and Lily Potter dying tonight?" The Goblin nodded. "Then a one Zoë Potter, she's living with my cousin, Andromeda Tonks, right now. I want my will to state that she is my heir and will receive all my assets when I die. I want it also to state that since she is my sole heir she will take the name Black as her own. As her godfather and current guardian I will place all my custody privileges in the hands of a one Andromeda Tonks if I should be incarcerated, die, or something happens to me that makes me physically unfit to perform my duties as her godfather and guardian. Finally I'm going to presume that this is all confidential and will only be shown to me, Andromeda Tonks, and Zoë Potter, and only by their request?"
"Of course, anything else would be unbecoming of goblins. Let me just get that on parchment that you can sign and you will be all set."
An hour later, the necessary changes were made and the will of a one Sirius Orion Black was changed to show that a one Zoë Potter was now the sole heir of the aforementioned man.
"Time to go smoke out a rat," thought Sirius.
He then proceeded to go to places that Pettigrew liked to visit. Various bars, parks, everywhere he could think of. Then finally around midday of November 1st, Sirius caught the scent of the rat.
He followed it into Knockturn Alley, which surprised him; he never knew that Peter had the gall to walk down this alley. Still Sirius followed his scent to a bar at the end of the alley. He sidled in and scanned the area only to find Peter sitting at the bar. He took the seat next to Peter and struck up a conversation.
"Hello Peter, fine day outside isn't it?" Sirius stated, trying to keep the conversation light.
"S-S-Sirius, how are you? Shouldn't you be in hiding?" replied a shaking Pettigrew.
"I could say the same thing to you Peter."
"What do you mean?"
"Well you dense person, you are sitting here in this bar in broad daylight. What are you thinking?"
"I was thinking I was thirsty and needed to get my mind off of things."
"Really?"
"Yeah, by the way did you read the paper today? Amazing article that states that 'lil Harry survived the killing curse and the Dark Lord is no more. How did he find them Sirius? I wonder if the secret keeper said anything Sirius?" stated Peter with a slight smirk barely able to keep his composure.
Right then Sirius lost it. He didn't care about using his wand. He just wanted the rat to suffer as much as he harmed suffered during the last day. He drew back his fist and clocked the rat right in the jaw. He then jumped on the fallen man and started trying to beat him senseless.
Seeing this, the barman barely managed to pull Sirius off of the rat. The rat than seized his opportunity and started to apparate. To his dismay though, Sirius threw the barman off of him and grabbed Wormtail at the last minute.
Disoriented from the punches to the head, Wormtail was still able to transport the two of them to the middle of a busy muggle street. He then proceeded to banish Sirius off of him.
Sirius was surprised at first, then with a determined look on his face, he proceeded to walk toward Wormtail, all the while pulling his wand out.
"How could you do it Sirius? How could you betray James and Lily like that? You were supposed to be their friend. How could you?" Wormtail whined hysterically.
Sirius looked at him like he was growing a new head then proceeded to raise his wand. The killing curse was forming out of his mouth when three things happened in quick succession.
First, Wormtail cut off his left index finger with a cutting curse behind his back.
Second, Wormtail then used an explosion curse to blow up the street around him. Sirius was barely able to shield himself from the blast.
Finally, Wormtail changed into his animagus form and followed the other rats into a now exposed sewer line.
Sirius stood there stunned. Wormtail got the better of him. The only time in his bloody life that Wormtail gets the better of him has to be today. Not only did he want revenge for the traitorous bastard killing Lily and James. He needed to rat to clear his name seeing as most of Lily, James, and Sirius's friends expected and probably were fed the same story about the fact that Sirius was the secret keeper of the Potter fidelius charm.
To put it simply Sirius is now screwed. He was framed for not only the murders of his best friends, but now the murder of the traitorous rat and twelve muggles. All he could do was laugh. It started as a chuckle, and then proceeded into mirthless maniacal laugh. Oh the irony, the most loyal one is getting pinged with the murders of half of the marauders while the traitor will probably get an Order of Merlin for trying to stand up to him.
Sirius continued his laugh while standing in the middle of the crater that was caused by Wormtail's curse. Laugh and laugh he did as the aurors finally made an appearance on the scene. All they could see was a young Sirius Black laughing in front of a mess of robes.
By now everyone had seen the news about what happened the previous night and word had passed by mouth that the Potter's were under the fidelius charm with Black as their secret keeper. Word had it that James and Lily were dead along with their little Zoë. How Harry survived no one would know, but they did know that they thought responsible for three deaths the previous night was standing in the middle of a blown up street looking helpless. But always laughing.
They pulled Sirius away from the scene and took him straight to the ministry where Bartemius Crouch, the rumored future minister but current head of the Department of Law Enforcement, sentenced Sirius to life in Azkaban without so much as a trial the same day.
November 2nd
Andromeda Tonks was woken by the gentle cooing of a little girl by the name of Zoë. She proceeded to pick her up and take her into the kitchen where she would make some food for three of the most important people in her life.
In the middle of making some of the best bacon, eggs, and toast she'd ever made, there was a slight tap-tap-tap on the window.
Andromeda went over to the window and opened it. In flew the Owl that held her subscription to the Daily Prophet which promptly dropped its charge in front of Zoë and proceeded to depart after it got its customary knut. Upon reading the front page, Andy just about fainted.
Conspirator in the Murders of the Three Potters two Nights ago Caught
Longtime friend of James Potter, Sirius Black, has been caught and charged with the murders of James Potter, Lily Evans-Potter, and Zoë Lily Potter.
He was caught yesterday in the middle of a blown out street. Eyewitness reports say that a short fat man, believed to be James Potter's other friend Peter Pettigrew, cornered Sirius Black and proceeded to shout 'How could you do it Sirius? How could you betray James and Lily like that? You were supposed to be their friend. How could you?'
After Pettigrew said this the explosion occurred. His body hasn't been discovered yet, but there are wizards combing the area looking for it.
Further proof of Sirius's guilt of changing over to you-know-who's side is the fact that he was laughing after everything was over. Laughing his head off in the middle of the crater he created in the middle of the street.
Pettigrew's life wasn't the only one forfeit during this attack. Twelve muggles were also killed in the blast with Sirius being convicted of their murders also.
Sirius is now in Azkaban serving out a lifetime sentence.
"Sirius how could you?" was the only thing Andromeda could say after she finished reading the article.
"Well Zoë, looks like we have to get down to Gringotts, we have some business with the goblins."
Deciding it was better to be done sooner than later, Andromeda wrote a short letter to Ted and 'Dora stating that she was going to the bank and placed it on the day's newspaper.
When she got there, she learned of all that Sirius had done at the bank the previous night, and proceeded with his plans, though not really believing he was innocent of all the things he was charged with. Thus Zoë Lily Potter became Zoë Lily Black, and started her life anew.
A/N My first foray into fanfiction so please be gentle. Give your views on what you think about this story so far. I'd love to hear them. Oh yeah this is going to be following Zoe Black through the years. First and Second years aren't going to be very detailed, but every year after that will be more detailed. I'm going to keep this as accurate to canon as possible. No clue if there's going to be any ships in it yet, I'll decide that later. But one thing for sure is that it's probably going to be a trio of Zoe/Harry/Hermione. No clue on how Ron is going to fit into this story.