Disclaimer: You all already know this, but Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I only take credit for Aster Black – the daughter of Regulus Black and an unknown witch!

Okay, so I know I have 6 stories going on right now, and I'm not touching 4 of them until I finish Simplest Simplicities and A Brothers War, but I was currently in the hospital for the ending of August and beginning of September, then I had the whole surgery thing, and I ripped out the staples so the healing process is taking longer than it's meant to, so I wrote and FINISHED this story while healing, seeing as how I didn't want to chance touching any of my other ones while in a fragile state of mind! So yes, this story is completely pau already.

Summary: Aster Black is in her 5th year at Hogwarts, and best friends with the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan. She doesn't know her father because he was an eighteen year old Death Eater who got killed when she was a month old, and she doesn't know her mum because she left her with her dad. Aster was raised in an orphanage where she reminded Mrs. Cole of a young boy named Tom, but Aster soon proved she was nothing like young Tom. Placed into Gryffindor, she was known as a prankster with her best friends. 5th year was supposed to be easier; she was a Prefect with her crush Adrian Pucey, and she and her best friends just became Animagis at the ending of the year before. But now everything is ruined when her uncle decided to escape from Azkaban, and the Ministry decides to send Dementors to kiss her before Sirius has a chance to turn her into a Death Eater like him and his brother – her father. Things get weird this year with a werewolf as a professor, an un-registered Animagus by the name of Peter Pettigrew running around, and her uncle thinking she's going to turn out like his brother. Not to mention, she just found out Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy used to babysit her while her dad did Death Eater errands. 5th year is nothing like she thought it would be. Who said Harry gets to have all of the fun?

A Million Years Away

They say that a star is millions of years away from you, and that when a shooting star falls in front of you; you're wishing on a star that fell from the sky millions of years before. Some people choose to ignore the facts because they prefer the idea of wishing on stars… they like the idea of being allowed to wish for nicer things. But fifteen year old Aster Black was different. She didn't like to wish on shooting stars, nor did she stare out of her window every night because she thought the stars were beautiful as they lit up the sky – she watched the stars because she loved the idea of something being millions of years away. If a star was a million years old then it meant that the past must have been beautiful once. Unlike all girls her age, she didn't fall in love with shooting stars; but more so hated the idea of a star falling from the sky… it meant that beautiful things fall. There was no explanation to her thoughts, but just the simple facts that she hated shooting stars, she thought stars were beautiful once upon a time, she loved the idea of the past, and she hated how quickly beautiful things could fall. In Aster's mind, the more beautiful you were the quicker you fell.

Tonight wasn't that different at the Wool Orphanage in London. With her knees pressed against her chest, Aster stared out the window above her bed while the other girls peacefully slept around her. Aster was the only one in the orphanage to return every year. It seemed as if she was born in this broken down home; brought in when she was only a year old. Couples loved to adopt her when she was young, but they always returned her after a couple of weeks because strange things happened when she was around. She didn't mean for strange things to happen, but she couldn't seem to stop them. Mrs. Cole, the elderly caretaker of the orphanage, always sighed with an exasperated look when she heard the stories told to her about the young girl. Then when Aster turned eleven she found out why she was strange.

She was a witch. At least that's what Professor Dumbledore told her. She laughed at him in the beginning, but when he and Mrs. Cole both kept their straight faces on she knew that he was telling the truth. Professor Dumbledore was the one who took her into Diagon Alley to buy her school things, and he was the one who took her into the goblin-run bank, Gringotts, and explained to her that her father had once been one of the wealthiest wizards in the wizarding world. Aster finally had money to pay for things – nice things. She would leave in September, and return in June to find that the home was filled with brand new faces. All of her friends had been adopted while she was in school. This year was no different… she returned from her fourth year at Hogwarts, and saw that the orphanage now had eleven boys and only seven girls. Because of the small numbers, Mrs. Cole gave Aster only two girls to share her room with until it was time for her to return to Hogwarts.

Mrs. Cole was an odd woman, but she was the closest thing to a family member that Aster had. She was old enough to look like a walking skeleton, but she had a fierceness to her that made Aster fear her more than Professor McGonagall. Once she learned that she had money, Aster asked Professor Dumbledore if she could switch the galleons to muggle pounds so she could buy something nice for Mrs. Cole. After all the things that she put that poor woman through, she wanted to be able to pay her back. It was evident that Mrs. Cole feared her in the beginning, but after a while she seemed to warm up to the idea of her being a witch. Apparently Aster reminded Mrs. Cole of some boy named Tom. It was Mrs. Cole who accompanied her to Diagon Alley ever since the first year, leaving the orphanage in the hands of Miss Benson, who once grew up in there as well. Mrs. Cole was also the one to catch the bus with her to go to Kings Cross. Mrs. Cole was there for her when she needed her to be, so Aster tried her hardest to behave when she returned during the summer holidays, but it was hard to… especially when she was best friends with the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan.

"Go to sleep now, Aster."

Turning her head away from the window, and towards the doorway that Mrs. Cole was now standing in, Aster took in the patched up grey nightgown and reminded herself to buy a new one before she left for school. "Yes, Ma'am," she grinned.

Trying to keep a serious face, but failing when her lips twitched, Mrs. Cole sighed. "Goodnight, little one."

"'Night, Mrs. Cole."

Lying on her back so that she could watch the shadows from the outside world dance above her, Aster pulled the thin purple blanket up to her chest. It was on cold nights like these that she wished she was allowed to use magic outside of school. It was no fair living in the muggle world where she was the only witch for miles. Fred and George always used magic when their mum wasn't watching them. How was the Ministry supposed to know it was them, and not their mum or dad, or even one of their older brothers?

"Aaaassssttteeeeerrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrr….."

Groaning as her arms were being pulled, and her name was being butchered, Aster opened her eyes. "What, Lila?"

"I want to play outside," the eight year old girl whined, "And Mrs. Cole said that I can't go outside unless you go with me."

"Why can't Jimmy go with you?" Jimmy Brookes was the only other oldest person at the orphanage aside from herself. Jimmy was sixteen years old, and he was brought in four months before Aster returned from school.

"Because Jimmy went into town with Mr. Doyle to get his new school things. Please, Aster. I want to play on the swing."

"Fine," Aster sighed, realizing she would never get to go back to sleep, "Let me get changed."

Sirius ignored the incredulous stares that he got from everybody. He was a large wolfish dog the color of death; of course he was getting stares. Not to mention he hadn't bathed in twelve years so his hair was all matted. But he had also been waiting twelve years for the chance to make things right. It was one of his most horrid memories that the Dementors fed on – he denied an innocent child because he was hurt of the life his brother chose. While in Azkaban he realized that his brother learned his mistakes and wanted to do right with his life… but he turned him away when he asked for shelter for him and his daughter. Regulus was seventeen when he knocked up some pureblooded wench, he was seventeen when she abandoned him and the daughter she gave birth to, and he was eighteen when he died. The Minister at the time arrived at his home with the one year old girl, but Sirius denied her; he didn't care that she was an orphan; he just didn't want the spawn of his Death Eater brother. This was finally his chance to make things right.

Sirius staked out three other places already, but none of them gave off magical energy… until now. So here he was… sitting outside the gate and watching the older girl push the younger girl on the swing. He wouldn't have believed she was his niece – not until he saw her. Everything about her looks screamed that she had the Black bloodline. He didn't know who her mother was, aside from the fact that she was a pureblooded witch, and with the girl's traits he never would be able to tell who she was. The girl took after everyone on his brother's side of the family – she took nothing from her mother.

The girl was tall and slender, but there were the Black womanly curves in there. Her skin was pale like all of them, and her hair fell to her waist in thick, long, raven colored ringlets. Her eyes were large and round like his cousin Bellatrix's, and the same silver color that both he and his brother shared. When she smiled, Sirius saw the same dimples that Regulus always had. It was the rest of her that had Sirius groaning at the idea of having a niece instead of a nephew. But she definitely took it from her convict uncle. Dressed in white colored athletic shorts, the girl wore a simple black tank-top, and Sirius could see that she was painted with tattoos. It was obvious that she did them all illegally, because you must be eighteen in order to get a tattoo unless you have your parent or guardian with you; which was obviously not the case. And it wasn't just tiny, simple tattoos either – she had tons of them…

Behind her left ear, Aster had a black raven's feather that reached to just above her neck. Starting from the front left side of her chest she had grey swirls that held two large sized butterflies: the butterflies were both black and silver; looking more like beautiful moths. It started from just beneath her neck and ended just on her left breast. Sirius couldn't make it out, but her entire left forearm seemed to be covered in words, while the word Love adorned her left middle finger, and a tiny heart was tattooed on her ring finger. Behind her right ear seemed to be a trail of tiny stars that wrapped around to the back of her neck, and when she bent down to fix the little girl's fallen slipper he could see that it ended inside of her shorts. On her right shoulder was an empty birdcage. Right below the empty cage were the words, You're only as free as your mind… then she had more tiny written words on the inside of her right wrist. Her right pinky held the word Promise, while the side of the back of her right hand had a large infinity sign. Sirius could see something sticking out from her left ribs, but he couldn't make it out because her shirt was covering it, and he could barely make out a large black tiger across her lower stomach. Her right thigh had a picture of a crow chasing a butterfly on it, while her left thigh held a song bird that looked as if it belonged in the cage on her arm. The song bird seemed to be bordered with hearts and stars keeping it a prisoner. There was a stick person on the inside of her left ankle, and the phrase Make your own path on the side of her right foot.

Sirius had to admit that he was quite impressed with the girl's tattoos. He knew that his brother would be rolling around in whatever grave he was tossed inside, but he was impressed. Regulus had always hated tattoos; the dark mark being his only one. At least the girl didn't follow in his steps…

"Ooh, look Aster, a doggy."

Sirius heard the little girl acknowledge him, so he put on his best doggy face and panted for them. "Lila," his niece calmly said, "Lila, why don't you go inside and bring out a bowl of water for the dog."

Jumping off the swing, the young girl ran without her slippers. "Okay, Aster. Make sure you watch the doggy, okay."

"I will, love," Sirius noticed the darkness take over the girl's eyes. She pushed back her hair and moved close enough for him to see that she had at least four holes in each ear where there should be earrings. What was it with this girl and needles? Aster sniffed the air, and she growled at the dog. "I don't know who you are," she warned him, "But I suggest you leave."

Sirius was confused. How did she know he wasn't human? He watched the way her lips curled in disgust while her nose continued to take in his scent. Whimpering, he tried to tell her that he wouldn't harm her. He was her uncle; he was there to protect her.

"I mean it," she growled again. Glad that anybody watching her would think she was playing with the dog, Aster leaned her head against the gate separating them. "I think that Professor Dumbledore would like to know that there's an un-registered Animagus running around near the orphanage, don't you?"

Sirius's confusion only deepened. How the hell did she know he was unregistered? Unless…

"You have three seconds to either show who you really are or leave these streets, or I'm going to use my wand on you," Sirius continued to sit there; filled with pride at how brave his niece was against him, and at how smart she must be if she accomplished becoming an un-registered Animagus as well. "One…" his eyes filled up with doggy tears, earning a frown from her, "Two…"

With a bark, Sirius jumped up. He reached his paw out touch her at least once, but she jumped back as if on instinct. Attempting to curl his lips to smile at her, Sirius ran off; ready to confront the son of James and Lily. At least his niece was safe where she was at, and she seems to be pretty happy. Curious as to what animal she could turn into, Sirius was also confused as to why he couldn't sense her as a creature. Back when he was in Hogwarts, once he, James, and the bloody rat all succeeded their transformations they could sense each other even in human form. So why couldn't he sense her?

Miss Black,

I'm not sure if you've heard it on the muggle news or not, but it seems that Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban. We do not know his purpose for leaving, but seeing as how he is dangerous and he knows where you are currently staying, we see it prudent that you leave the orphanage immediately. Arthur and Molly Weasley have both agreed that you could stay with them for the remainder of the holidays. I will arrive shortly to escort you to their home.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore

Blinking as she re-read the letter, Aster could feel her temperature rising. That had to have been him. It's been three hours since she's seen the strange Animagus hanging outside of the orphanage, and now she was reading a letter from Professor Dumbledore telling her that her uncle had escaped Azkaban. She didn't know much about him, except that he was in Azkaban. She didn't know much about her family at all, actually.

Well, she knew that her dad was Regulus Black, and that he had her when he was seventeen. She knew that she was taken to the orphanage when she was only a year old because Regulus turned against Voldemort and was killed – apparently her dad was a Death Eater. Aster knew that Draco Malfoy was her cousin because his mum and her dad were first cousins, and she knew that aside from her uncle Sirius she was the only pureblooded Black to be sorted into Gryffindor. And she also knew that her uncle Sirius was currently in Azkaban – the place he had been for the last twelve years. Why he was in there – she had no idea, but he was dangerous apparently… at least according to Professor Dumbledore's letter. Oh, and she knew that her uncle didn't want her after her dad died because he thought that at only a year old she would kill him for her Dark Lorded Master… Aster didn't know much but about her uncle, but what she did know sickened her.

"Hullo, Aster."

Turning around, Aster blushed when she saw her headmaster enter the messy bedroom. "Hullo, Professor."

"Have you finished packing all your things?"

Looking down at the trunk she was currently sitting on, Aster nodded her head. "Yes, Sir."

"And your owl?" he asked, looking around for the large storm colored owl. "Is he ready to go as well?"

"I sent Frost to Fred and George already," Aster assured Professor Dumbledore. "Once I got your letter, I thought it would be best to just have him fly there."

"Ahh," Professor Dumbledore grinned. His hands ran through his long white beard while his constantly twinkling blue eyes stared down at her. "Very well then. Are you ready to go? Molly is currently setting up a bedroom for you."

Blushing at the idea of staying with Fred and George's family for two weeks, Aster nodded her head. "I told Mrs. Cole goodbye already, because she had to take Jennifer to the doctors. We can leave whenever you want to, Sir."

She didn't know why, but when Professor Dumbledore asked if anything exciting had happened to her during the holidays so far, Aster shook her head. The genius in her wanted to tell him that Sirius Black is an illegal Animagus and came to her earlier that morning, but the Black in her wanted to run into her uncle again. None of it made sense to her that's why… her dad was the evil one, not her uncle. It was her dad who worked with Voldemort, not Sirius. So what made Sirius dangerous enough to be put into Azkaban for twelve years, and why did he suddenly decide to escape after twelve years of being a prisoner? And why the hell didn't he attack her when he had the chance? If he was so dangerous he wouldn't have left when she warned him to, he wouldn't have curled his lips in a doggy smile or wag his tail when he saw she acknowledged him, nor would he have looked confused to see her.

Something inside of her told her not to mention Sirius… not now at least.

I know some people don't like when OC's have too many tattoos, but I promise they all have a meaning to it. So please just give this entire story a chance before you judge it because of her appearance. I have a thing for details, so yeah… Also, the chapters get so much longer. Next chapter is 11 pages long!

Please review! I want to know what you guys think of it so far. This is my first time really focusing on the twins only, and using Regulus at all. If there's any mistakes you see, just let me know and I'll fix it up. I'm really eager to post this whole story up, and see what you all think of it. It'll get more interesting over time – this one was mostly just introducing Aster.