The hardest secret
"Congratulations you have a…. something covered in ick." Sirius told Lily as the healer walked off with the baby to get it cleaned up
"Your really good in these situations Sirius, every word that comes out of your mouth is just so… sensitive and serious." Lily replied
"Well I am Sirius." Sirius replied
"You walked into that one with your eyes open Lil." James told her
"Mr Black can I speak with you?" an elderly witch asked sticking his head around the door
"I'll be Black." Sirius told Lily and James before walking outside into the corridor
"You're hysterical!" James called after him
"If you want your friend's child to live you have to come with me now, and do exactly what I say." She told him
"Excuse me?" Sirius asked shocked and confused at what she had said
"Their child isn't… normal. The Healer who's been caring for your friend has just reported it to the ministry. They've deemed it an abomination and it has to be destroyed. If you don't take the child now they will kill her. Better her kidnapped from the hospital than death don't you think?"
"You're sure?"
"Yes. With the war going on, anything not exactly what the ministry class as normal is considered an abomination, a defect and they kill them." She told him.
This information was hard for Sirius to take in. he understood what she was saying but this was Lily and James's baby. 2 of the most normal people he had met, well Lily was definitely normal.
"Meet me by Big Ben in muggle London in 20 minutes." She told him walking as quickly as she could down the corridor and around the corner
Sirius turned and rested his head against the cool wall while he tried to get his thoughts straight. Everything was bouncing around his head. His friends were just parents for the first time and he was literally stealing their child away from them. Remus was going through excruciating torture because of the full moon and unless he did steal the child then ministry would have it killed. It. they didn't even know if 'it' was a girl or a boy. They weren't even going to tell Lily and James. Likely they just tell them that 'it' died shortly after birth or make up a farfetched story that would seem normal because of the grief, that death eaters had killed the child.
Sirius tried to force it all from his head when he walked back into the room.
"Aww Sirius smile. You look like the night bus just ran over Padfoot." James laughed when Sirius walked in through the door.
"I have to go. I know I said I was free tonight but something's come up." Sirius told them.
"But don't you want to see my kid Pads?" James asked
"Of course I do, but I have been summoned." Sirius sighed
"Make sure you come round and visit as soon as you are done with whatever it is. This is much more important and drag Moony from his bed." James instructed
"Not bloody likely. I know better than to command him to do anything, especially after the full moon. You want to show off, you go and get him."
"Do you think I'm simple?" James asked
"Don't really think you want me to answer that do you?" Sirius smirked at his friend. "I'm sure Lily that Boy or Girl; they'll inherit your good looks, intelligence and wit." Sirius said taking her hand and kissing the back of it. "I will come back and see you later."
"Thank you Sirius." Lily smiled sleepily
"I'd do anything for you and you know it."
"I do." She replied drifting over to sleep.
"Were you hitting on my wife again?" James questioned
"That was one time and you weren't even together then." Sirius replied
"I'm going to keep my eye on you anyway I think." James replied as Sirius stretched. "See you later mate."
"No doubt." Sirius replied leaving
"But how can I look after a child?" Sirius questioned the woman as soon as he saw her
"You won't have to. I will."
"You're sure?" Sirius asked
"Just because people don't know something or understand it they think it's evil, and wrong. When really the evil and wrong things look a lot like me and you. I'll take the child and raise her; I'll go into hiding to keep her safe. Only you will know where she is. And maybe when she's older she can join the rest of the world."
"I don't know how I'm going to keep this from them." Sirius sighed leaning on his bike
"There child will be alive, and yes you know it and they believe her dead, but I fully believe they will know her one day and will thank you for saving her."
"Maybe when they've killed me." Sirius muttered swinging his leg over the seat. "Where are we going?"
"To your friends home. You can get in can't you?"
"I have a key yes."
"Well this is where we will do it?"
"Do what?"
"There needs to be a single place where you can jump planes of existence. 1 place that you always use. It ensures her safety. I would assume that you can come and go at their house without raising suspicion."
"Yes, but planes?"
"You've heard of alternate planes of existence?"
"Yes."
"Well then, let's go."
"What's your name?" Sirius asked. "It's just occurred to me I don't know it."
"Agatha, Agatha Mears, but everyone calls me aunt Aggie."
"I've heard of you. Quite the thorn in the ministry's side." Sirius said taking the child who was wrapped up in a blanket and a shawl, then another blanket and placed in a wicker hand basket
"Did they name her?" she asked
"They don't know it's a she. They never saw her."
"Make sure they know that they had a daughter but go ahead with whatever story the ministry spins."
"Ok." Sirius said handing the basket back to the woman.
"I've heard of you yer know."
"Really?" Sirius asked starting the motorcycle
"Yes, the only son of the house of Black to rebel? Priceless. And a member of the Order no less. Do you see why I chose you Sirius? You have a hidden strength to do the right thing and that is why I have every faith in you keeping her secret until the time is right."
"And when will that be?" Sirius asked
"You'll know it." She replied as they took off.
"James? Lily?" Sirius called as he looked around the house for his friends.
After finding that Lily had been discharged he had come straight here to see what damage the ministry had done. While at St Mungo's he had altered a few minds so it would seem that the Ministry's orders had been carried out and cover the kidnapping.
"In here Pads." James called voice flat and shaky.
Sirius walked slowly into the bedroom not sure what he would find and when he saw Lily curled up, against James and crying her eyes out his heart broke all over again
"They killed my…. Child." Lily struggled to get it out.
"I just came from the hospital. I couldn't believe it when they told me."
"How can a child be an abomination?" Lily asked Sirius. "It was only a baby."
"I have no idea."
"I don't even know… they wouldn't tell me if…"
"You had a daughter." Sirius told her sitting down next to her on the bed
"A daughter." Lily whispered as she buried her face in Sirius's shirt and James in hers.
"I want to call… wanted to call her Hailey." Lily said quietly
"It's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Sirius said softly, rubbing circles on her back to calm her down
"I wanted Harry for a boy." James said
"Harry James no doubt." Sirius replied
"Yeah, had a nice ring to it I thought." James smiled
"Hailey what?"
"Potter, are you simple?" James asked
"Her middle name you plank." Sirius replied
"Morgan." Lily said smiling as she fell asleep. "Hailey Morgan Potter."
"Beautiful." Sirius said settling back as Lily fell into the beginnings of a peaceful sleep and James soon followed.
"Everything I do for you is for the best. I know it doesn't always seem it, but it is." Sirius said softly lying Lily's head on a pillow as he got off the bed. "I promise I'll keep her safe." He said before kissing her forehead and leaving the house after putting a charm over the house to keep them safe for the night.
"You look like death." Sirius said as Remus opened his eyes after smelling the cooked breakfast wafting through the house
"So do you." Remus replied. "I have to say, your cooking skills have come along way since I've known you."
"Especially the cookies." Sirius said putting the huge plate of cookies on the bed next to Remus while he scoffed his way through the breakfast
"So? Am I uncle fury?"
"The ministry deemed her an abomination and killed her." Sirius said quietly.
"How are Lilly and James?" Remus asked instantly concerned, trying to get up but finding his limbs wouldn't cooperate so he sat back against the pillows
"About as well as can be expected. They didn't even see her. Didn't know they had a daughter until I came around the house to see how they took the news and... How could they not tell them?"
"This is the ministry. Not meant to run on common sense or sensitivity." Remus replied. "So because she wasn't cookie cutter normal they killed a defenceless baby?"
"Yeah." Sirius replied. "One of the healers has given an on the record interview about the procedure and they country is up in arms about it."
"Enough pressure to rescind the order?"
"Probably. The minister will end up resigning and we'll end up with idiotic Cornelius Fudge as Minister."
"Malfoy will love that."
"Malfoy is under investigation at the moment. Someone let something slip during interrogation which gives us enough reason to go after him, but there's only me, James and Madeye that know what was said."
"In case it comes back to hit them in the face they don't want it leaked to the paper."
"Exactly." Sirius said taking one of the cookies
"I know that James and I founded the 'I hate Malfoy' fan club, but is he really that bad?"
"Depends what colour robes he's wearing and if he has a mask on." Sirius replied. "He's not completely evil I suppose. But anything good he does is wiped out by what he does when he dons the mask."
After leaving Remus asleep at the flat they shared, Sirius decided that now would be a good time to check up on Hailey. He went upstairs to check that James and Lily were still asleep and when he pushed the door open slightly he saw James holding Lily, tear stains all over his blue t-shirt. Closing the door again he instantly felt the guilt well up and knew that this would continue to happen ever time he checked up on the young Potter.
As he walked into the back bedroom, a room that had been decorated in every bright colour imaginable with no really theme to it other than the stars enchanted to shine softly at night. The nursery. It felt wrong to be in here but something inside him knew that this room would never be redecorated or given away.
He closed is eyes and let himself go limp and thought about his destination and felt himself being pulled through a small tube until he reached the alternate plane.
"I wondered how long you would stay away." Aunt Aggie said walking towards him
"Hailey Morgan." Sirius said. "That's what she's called. I never want to hear her called it again."
"I would never have been so insensitive. Eventually, you realise, you will have to find someone to look after her who is a fully trained wizard or witch to watch her as she develops in case there is unique trait that comes to surface. I am old and I'm not going to live that much longer."
"They are destroyed." Sirius said slipping into one of the armchairs. "They didn't even know they had a daughter."
"You told them I hope." Aggie said putting the bundle into Sirius's arms.
"Yes."
"At least they know now. I know it's hard to be so close to them and not tell them, but its because your so close its easier. Would they wish her dead rather than in your care?"
"No, never." Sirius said as Hailey began to wriggle
"Keep your voice down." Aggie chided. "They will thank you in the future. Its hard to see now, but… it's obvious to see you love them, and I doubt you would do anything to wrong them."
"I'd give my life for them. I'd give my life for her and for Remus."
"Remus?"
"A friend."
"You are a good man Sirius Black." Aggie said passing him a bottle
"How do I do this?"
"Hold the bottle to her mouth, the rest is her instinct." Aggie said standing by and watching him
"This feels strange."
"Have you ever held a baby before?"
"No."
"You'll get used to it." Aggie smiled watching him as she sat opposite him on the sofa.
"Your not going to make me change the diaper are you?"
"No." Aggie laughed