Chapter 1: Preface
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Sirius still goes after Pettigrew, but thankfully someone makes sure he gets a trial! Follow Cass, Sirius' daughter, and her sort-of-brother Harry throughout their Hogwarts years.
A/N: This story begins in the Marauder's 7th year for storyline purposes. I feel this part is needed for a background of characters and their personalities. The ending of this chapter is much more rushed, as we all know essentially what happened.
Disclaimer: I like to assume I was a smart baby, but in 1997 at age three I was not having a book published. Unfortunately that means I am not Queen Rowling.
Important!: This story is rated T as of now. I don't want to have it moved to M, but there are certain situations I dealt with in life that I'm thinking about putting in. There won't be any gore or smut, but things will be referenced/mentioned having happened.
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Sirius Black was someone who was known throughout Hogwarts for a few different reasons. First, he was the first in his family to be sorted into Gryffindor. Second, he was a member of the 'Marauders', a group of four Gryffindor pranksters. The final, and most important to some, was that he was every girls' dream.
Sirius was a tall, well-built, and extremely handsome man with fair skin. His black hair was long and lustrous, his eyes a striking grey, and overall he carried himself with confidence. He didn't believe in blood-purity or have a connection to the dark arts, unlike the rest of his family. It was these reasons any girl would say yes to a date, or a night, with Sirius Black.
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"Every girl wants you Sirius but I still can't get Lily to take me seriously. And now we live in the same damn room because we're Head Boy and Girl! The year just started and it's our last here. Help your best friend out Padfoot," James Potter pleaded somewhat jokingly to his best friend. Sirius turned to the boy who was his brother in every way except blood and started to think. He wasn't sure what to say because he never did anything to get girls to follow him; they just did.
"Where's Evans now," Sirius asked, and when James shrugged he decided to grab the Marauder's Map. Pointing his wand at the blank parchment Sirius said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present the Marauder's Map.
Looking at the words that filled the once blank parchment caused Sirius to smile; he and the other Marauder's did an amazing work of magic with it. The map allowed the viewer to see every person's location within Hogwarts, so scanning for a dot that read 'Lily Evans' could have been difficult had Sirius not assumed she was in the library. And according to the map she was, sitting with someone named Alex Thompson.
"So, where is she? Probably the library if I had to guess," James said, putting down the snitch he had been playing with. When Sirius started to move the map away from James' reach he grabbed his wand. "Accio Marauder's Map."
"I'm hungry Prongs, want to get some food," Sirius tried to change the subject hoping James wouldn't look at the map, but it was too late.
"Who's Alex Thompson," James asked, but before Sirius could answer that he had no idea who the bloke was, James was already heading towards the door to leave for the library.
The walk from the head's dorm to the library was quick and the boys were walking fast, but that didn't stop many of the girls from waving to Sirius and batting their eyelashes.
Taking one last look at the map to see Lily's exact location, James pointed his wand and whispered Mischief Managed, clearing the parchment so it was once again blank. While looking down James didn't notice he was about to crash into a bookshelf until two sets of hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back.
"Thanks guys," James said when he looked up and saw it was his friends Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew who stopped him from crashing. Turning to see why Sirius hadn't helped, his question was answered quickly when he noticed him flirting with a pretty blonde Hufflepuff.
"Moony, do you know who Alex Thompson is?"
Remus looked confused at his friend's question but nodded his head, "Why do you ask?"
"Sirius and I," James began, putting emphasis on his friend's name so that he would come back to the group, "were looking for Lily and the map said she was with a bloke named Alex." The jealous look on his face made Remus burst into laughter, while Sirius and Peter looked at their hysterical friend questioningly. "Prongs, you…the map…," Remus was trying to explain his laughter, but he was having trouble articulating a full sentence.
"Sirius, let's go. Moony clearly doesn't want to help." James' anger caused Remus to laugh harder, so he stomped towards the far right corner where the map said Lily was. When he was three bookcases away he stopped, took a breath to calm himself down, then continued towards her table.
"Hey Evans," James said with a smile, running his hand through his messy black hair. Lily looked up with a slight grin. "Hello Potter, Sirius. What are you two doing here?"
James looked at his friend, not sure what to say. Hoping to save his friend, Sirius pulled out the chair in front of Lily and smirked. "Do we need to have a reason Lily? Maybe I just missed you." The girl sitting next to Lily laughed, causing him to look at her for the first time. She had brown hair that fell to the small of her back and eyes that were such a deep brown it was differentiate her iris from her pupils. Her nose was dainty and had a small stud on the right side. She wore mascara and somewhat-heavy black eyeliner as well as deep red lipstick. The lipstick emphasized her perfect lips and showcased her flawless teeth. Overall, she was gorgeous.
Grabbing her hand, Sirius kissed the back of it. "Hello beautiful. My name's Sirius. What's yours," he asked with a wink.
Lily smacked her head and apologized for her poor manners in not introducing everyone. "James, Sirius, this is Alex Thompson. She's in Gryffindor too, just a year below us. Alex, meet James Potter and Sirius Black."
Sirius and James now realized why Remus had been laughing earlier. James had been jealous over a sixth year girl.
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That night the four boys sat in front of the fire in the lounge of the head's dormitories, drinking butterbeers and talking about the 'library incident'.
"So now that we know Alex is a girl, what do you think of her?" Sirius asked with a small mischievous grin.
"I always knew she was a girl," Remus pointed out. "She seems nice," Peter added.
"She seems okay I guess," James muttered, still slightly upset about how he almost embarrassed himself in front of Lily.
"You boys know that's not what he meant." A female voice caused them to turn their heads to the door. Alex stood at the entrance with a smirk on her face with a giggling Lily standing beside her. When the boys continued to stare, Alex turned to Lily and whispered something that sounded like dolts. The girls then made their way to Lily's bedroom, and as she closed the door Alex winked at the boys."
"I think I'm in love," Sirius chuckled.
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A week later Alex cornered Sirius outside the Gryffindor common room. "Black, I don't know what you did, but I want to know how you did it." Sirius had a feeling he knew what she was talking about, but decided to play dumb just in case.
"Don't act like you don't know. How did you get Lily and James together?! I've been telling her to ask him out since the beginning of this term!" "Well Alex, it wasn't easy," Sirius laughed. Walking into the common room, Sirius found a couch for them to sit and told her what he did, how he did it and who he had to trick, then showed her the bruise on his hip from the book Lily threw at him when he walked in on them snogging.
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The four best friends sat at a table in the Gryffindor common room talking and coming up with new pranks. "I'm going to ask Alex out. What do you guys think," Sirius asked suddenly. "I think you better get on it Padfoot, there she is," Moony said with a look across the room. Alex was almost at the exit when Sirius caught up to her.
"Hey Alex," Sirius called, getting the girl's attention and stopping her from leaving. "Hey Black. What's up?" Sirius smiled, one that he learned flustered many girls, and leaned casually against the wall. "It's a Hogsmeade weekend, and I don't have plans. Would you like to do something together?"
With a large smile on her face, Alex leaned up towards Sirius' cheek. After giving him a quick kiss that caused a shiver down his spine, she moved her hands to his hair and pulled his face towards hers. When her lips were a hairs-width from his she finally answered, "No."
Letting go of him, Alex turned towards the Marauder's and waved, then left. Sirius didn't move at first, not sure if he heard correctly. After another minute he made his way back to the table where his friends sat, all with identical grins. "Well…? What'd she say," Peter asked with a failed attempt at a wink when Sirius still hadn't spoken.
"She said no."
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Sirius had never been rejected by a girl before, so he wasn't sure how to handle the situation with Alex. In fact, her turning him down made him want her even more. Over the next few weeks he tried a handful of methods to try and forget what occurred.
First, he pretended it never happened and tried to go about everyday life. Unfortunately, now that he knew who Alex was, she seemed to be everywhere. And because she was friends with Lily, who was now dating James, she seemed to be hanging out with his friends more often than not. Pretending wasn't working.
Next, he tried hooking up with a bunch of girls, not at the same time of course, to try and push her from his memory. Sirius was not someone who was against casual sex, but even he began to feel he was having too much. This lasted about ten days.
Finally, he tried to make her jealous by dating someone else. He chose to ask his friend Marlene McKinnon, a Gryffindor in his year and Lily's best friend, to be his girlfriend. Marlene was also a girl with whom he'd casually hooked up with every now and then for the last two years. Before he asked her publically though, he did pull her to the side to explain that he didn't want a real relationship, just to make Alex jealous. Sirius may have been a heartbreaker on occasion but he wasn't an asshole. Marlene agreed to be his 'girlfriend' on the condition that when they 'broke up', he would be the one getting dumped.
Sirius and Marlene would walk to their classes holding hands, go on dates in Hogsmeade, sit together in the great hall, cuddle (something he never did with any other girl) on the couches in the Gryffindor common room, and publically display their 'love' by snogging as frequently as they could. However, Alex never showed any signs of different feelings towards him.
After three weeks Sirius decided it wasn't worth it to continue the fake relationship. Marlene 'broke up' with him in the Gryffindor common room, telling him they needed to end their relationship because his heart wasn't fully devoted to her. The fact she didn't embarrass him in front of everyone staggered Sirius, but he was even more grateful to have Marlene as a friend.
A few days later Sirius was sitting by the black lake watching the sunrise, smoking a cigarette and using his wand to skip rocks across the water. His record had been twelve until a rock from his right side skipped sixteen times. He turned to see who joined him, and was shocked to see it was Alex. Her hair was pulled up into a sloppy bun on top of her head and she wasn't wearing any makeup, and Sirius felt he'd never seen her look more beautiful.
"Those things'll kill you," she said sitting next to him. "Got another?"
Sirius was still in shock and didn't trust his voice, so instead he just nodded his head and handed her the box. Alex took one and used her wand to light it, said thanks and turned her attention to the lake in front of them.
Sirius finally gathered enough courage to speak and, still looking at her, said, "I thought you just said you didn't like these?"
"I never said that. I said they can kill you," Alex chuckled. "Big difference." After a moment of somewhat uncomfortable silence, she continued, "I wanted you to know I thought it was really nice that you let Marlene be the one that ended your relationship. The fact she chose not to embarrass you shows what a good friend she is."
"Yeah, she is," Sirius replied, turning his attention to the rising sun. Then, after a moment of quietness, his brain put together everything she had just said. With a shocked look on his face he turned back to her and half shouted, "Wait, you knew it was fake?!"
Laughing at his confusion Alex turned her head to look at him. "Of course I knew. You may have only just noticed me Mr. Black, but I've known who you were for the past six years. You may be someone most of the girls at this school lust after, but Marlene was never one of them; at least not for anything serious."
Sirius continued to look at her with a puzzled expression, so she said, "It's not that I watched you, that'd be creepy. It's just…you have a reputation. You're known for never having a girlfriend, just someone for the day and, most likely, the night. Some girls are okay with that, and I don't judge those who do. That's just not who I am. But I didn't want to be one of those girl to you."
"But you wouldn't have!" Sirius yelled out before he realized how loud he had been. Slightly embarrassed he lowered his voice, "I don't know you Alex. I don't know what kind of girl you are. But you're cute." She began to interrupt, but he didn't stop speaking. "That's not the reason I asked you out though. I'll admit it's what caught my attention. I shouldn't have even said cute. You're hot if I'm being completely honest. Like, god damn look at her hot. The head turning, double take, making people drool kind of good looking. And that's what made me watch you. You are so much more than that though.
"You have a sense of humor and are smart. You seem to be sure of who you are, and confidence is an attractive feature. You are a great friend to Lily and I'm sure to your other friends too. You get along with my friends and-" Sirius' rant was cut off by Alex kissing him. It wasn't timid or unsure; she kissed him with passion and caused a shiver down his spine. As she began to pull her head away she took his lower lip into her mouth and gave it a bite before moving back and looking ahead at the lake with a smile.
"We should do that again sometime," she said with sincerity, and whatever she was going to say next was cut off by Sirius turning her back towards him and kissing her in a way he'd never kissed a girl before - he kissed her with the hope that they would be together, that she would be his and he hers. He kissed her with a passion that would one day become love.
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January 17, 1978 - "I love you Alex." "I love you too Sirius."
June 24, 1978 - "Alex Jeanne Thompson, will you marry me?" "I wouldn't want to marry anyone else."
September 1, 1978 - "Your last year of school and I'm not there. What ever will you do?" "I'm head girl and you have a map of Hogwarts and how to sneak in. You really think I don't know I'll see you tonight?"
March 4, 1979 - "I'm pregnant." "You're pregnant…are you sure?" "I'm positive. Are you okay?" " I'm…I'm…I'M GOING TO BE A DAD! Where are the guys? Prongs! Moony! Wormtail! We're going to be parents!"
June 30, 1979 - "Congratulations graduate. Let's head home and celebrate."
September 2, 1979 - "The baby's almost out Alex, you're doing great. Just a few more pushes." "SIRIUS ORION BLACK WE ARE NEVER HAVING ANOTHER ONE!"
January 17, 1980 - "Two years ago today I told you I loved you. I had never said that to anyone else before. And somehow, I fall in love with you more every day. I love you forever Mrs. Black." "Sirius, I love you too. More than I think you'll ever know. But shut up. We only have about ten minutes until people start to wonder why the bride and groom aren't at their own reception."
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November 1, 1981
"What do you mean my husband is in Azkaban?!" Alex Black was furious. Her best friends James and Lily had been killed the day before and now her husband Sirius was in prison. What the hell was going on?
"Your husband is in prison for murdering twelve muggles and Peter Pettigrew after disclosing Lily and James Potter's location to He Who Must Not Be Named. We found him in the street after blowing up Mr. Pettigrew, looking at the spot where he had just been standing. All that was left of the poor man was one of his fingers," said the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Barty Crouch. "He is where he deserves to be."
Furious could no longer describe Alex's anger; it had continued to escalate, but what Crouch just told her is what finally pushed her over the edge. "My husband would never align himself with Voldemort! You are scum for even suggesting such a thing," she screamed, causing Crouch to slowly back away in fear. "When is his trial? When will this shit show be over?"
The panic evident in his eyes betrayed his attempt to look assertive against the woman yelling at him. "Albus Dumbledore feels a trial is not necessary."
After smacking Crouch across the face Alex left, walking to the office of someone she knew would help her.
"Amelia? Are you here," Alex stuck her head into the dark office. Amelia Bones, one of her friends from Hogwarts, was currently working her way up in the DMLE. She had only been working in the ministry for a little under two years, but her skill and dedication towards her job helped her become the Senior Auror for one of the teams in that time; a position that normally took at least five years to achieve.
After hearing a muffled noise that sounded slightly like come in, Alex closed the door behind her, sat in one of the chairs in front of her friend's desk, and explained everything that Barty Crouch had just told her. Together the girls came up with a plan to get Sirius the trial he deserved to prove his innocence.
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"The next case for the Wizengamot is the trial for Sirius Black."
A tall Auror with dark skin and colorful robes walked Sirius into the center of the courtroom. He placed him in a wooden chair that locked the prisoner's arms and legs. Sirius sat with a blank expression, looking forward at Barty Crouch who was sitting in one of the two seats in front of him.
"When the Chief Warlock is ready the trial may begin," said Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Auror who brought Sirius into the room. With that said Albus Dumbledore, the residing Chief Warlock and his former headmaster at Hogwarts, walked in and took his seat next to Crouch. "Sirius Orion Black you have been brought before the Wizengamot for your crimes committed this past 31st of October as well as being a Death Eater. How do you plead?" "Not guilty. Give me veritaserum. I'll tell you everything."
Most of the jury did not expect him to ask for the truth telling serum, instead assuming he'd try and blame the imperious curse for his actions as many other wizards and witches who'd been accused of following Voldemort had.
Once the veritaserum was ingested Dumbledore began his questioning.
"Please state your full name."
"Sirius Orion Black."
"Are you a Death Eater?"
"No."
"Have you ever been one?"
"No."
"Do you now or have you ever supported Lord Voldemort and his actions?"
"No."
"Did you tell Voldemort where James and Lily Potter were hiding with their son Harry?"
"No. I didn't know their location, and even if I had I never would have betrayed them."
"Weren't you the Secret Keeper for the location?"
"I was going to be but they decided to switch to Peter Pettigrew."
"Why did they change Secret Keeper?"
"Your suggestion that I may be too obvious and to pick someone else caused them to rethink who should be the only one to know of their location. They felt your idea of using Peter made sense."
The courtroom broke out into whispers over this new information and Dumbledore began to sweat with nervousness.
"You knew Peter was the Secret Keeper?"
"Obviously."
"Is that why you killed him?"
"I didn't kill him."
"Then who did?"
"I don't believe he's dead."
"Then explain everything. What happened that day?"
"When I heard James and Lily died I went to go find Harry. They named me his godfather, so he is my responsibility. When I was leaving the remains of their house with Harry in my arms Hagrid came to me and told me you wanted Harry. I told him no, but when he insisted you needed Harry I handed him over and loaned Hagrid my motorbike so he could get to you quicker. That was when I decided to find Peter.
"I found him on a muggle street not too far from their house. I don't remember everything I said but when he asked what I would have done in his position I know I told him I would've died before I betrayed my best friends. I called him a traitor and a coward. Then he killed the twelve muggles who had seen us fighting and stopped to watch. I believe he then cut off his finger and fled."
The room had become so quiet you could hear a pin drop. That was when Crouch decided to take over the questioning.
"How could he have left? All that was found was his finger and no one has seen him."
"You were looking for the wrong thing."
"What on earth does that mean?"
"You were looking for Peter. You should've been looking for a rat."
"Is that supposed to be a joke? You need to remember you are on trial Mr. Black!"
"It is not a joke, I know I'm on trial, and I'm currently filled with veritaserum. I couldn't lie if I wanted to."
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Crouch pressed on, "Why would he be a rat? Human transfiguration is very difficult to master, and based off of his N.E.W.T. scores I don't think Mr. Pettigrew would be capable of doing it."
"He's an animagus. We all are."
"We? Who is we? And that is not possible, there is no record of him registering as one."
"There's no record because we didn't register. In fourth year James, Peter and I decided to become animagi to help a friend who suffers with lycanthropy. James became a stag and I became a dog. This allowed us to stay with and help control him when he transformed without getting hurt. Peter became a rat. His small and nimble form allowed us to get past the Whomping Willow each month. If you look for a rat missing a toe, you'll find Peter."
Sirius' final statement caused an uproar in the courtroom and it took the jury almost no time at all to declare Sirius innocent. Alex was wrapped up in her husband's arms when she noticed Minerva McGonagall, their professor and head of Gryffindor house at Hogwarts, trying to get their attention. Taking her husband's hand, the two followed her into an unoccupied office. The usually stern woman took one look at her old student and began to cry.
"I am so sorry, I should have done more," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "I should have never let him take Harry."
Sirius let go of his wife's hand to hug the woman in front of him. "It's okay, I'm out now Minnie." Sirius hoped using the nickname the Marauder's came up with for her would make her laugh, and he was happy to see that it did. "Can you take us to Harry, please?"