"Mr. Black? I'm delighted to say you have a healthy baby girl,"
Sirius's face lit up with pure joy as the small bundle was passed over to him. Tufts of black hair stuck out on the baby's head and as she yawned she opened two brilliant blue eyes. He held the baby for a minute longer before allowing Remus to see his god daughter. Sirius turned back to the nurse.
"And Serenity? How is she?"
The nurse's face grew grave and she pulled Sirius into a nearby room.
"I'm very sorry to say this, Mr. Black, but your wife didn't survive childbirth,"
Sirius shook his head in disbelief.
"No!" he shouted, "Where is she?"
The nurse pointed sadly to a set of drawn curtains and Sirius ripped them apart. On the bed lay a very pale woman, with long dark hair. Sirius fell weeping onto the bed clutching at his wife's cold hands.
--------LATER--------
"Sirius, come on,"
"No!"
James sighed and pulled his best friend away from his dead wife. Sirius's eyes were red and bloodshot, his usually immaculate hair, rumpled. He allowed himself to be dragged away into a busy corridor and barely noticed when James apparated them back to his flat. Remus was already there, feeding the newborn baby with a small bottle.
Sirius fell heavily into a chair and gulped down the proffered fire whiskey until steam came out of his ears. He immediately felt more awake, but began crying afresh when he looked around, seeing so many memories of Serenity.
"Hey Padfoot," said James softly, "I know you need to grieve, but there are more pressing matters at hand,"
Sirius looked up, puzzled.
James Sighed again,
"Your daughter, Padfoot," he murmured as Remus passed Sirius the baby.
Sirius looked in wonder at the tiny baby in his arms. After a long silence he spoke, his voice breaking.
"I can't look after her; not alone, in the middle of the War. She'll be in constant danger. I'll have to send her away, to Serenity's family."
James nodded to show he understood but Remus spoke up,
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Pads. I mean Ren's family are wonderful, but, well…"
"A little strange to wizards," finished Sirius and chuckled weakly. "But the elves will keep her safe," he sighed again, "When the war is over, I'll go and get her,"
"Next order of business!" said James banging an imaginary gavel, "Names Padfoot,"
"Serenity!" blurted Sirius, "I want her middle name to be Serenity,"
He picked his daughter up and pulled her blanket from around her head to get a better look, and Remus gasped as it fell off her shoulder.
"A Moonmorph!" cried Remus.
"What?" asked Sirius, glancing around the room.
"Sirius, your daughter is a Moonmorph! Every full moon she'll turn into the animal that suits her best. They're really rare, like metamorphaguses!"
"Will it hurt her?" asked James quietly, as Sirius examined the star shaped birthmark on his daughter's shoulder.
Remus shook his head.
"No, it's like an animagus transformation. There's not much other information about it,"
"Is it like the werewolf curse, Moony?"
"No. She'll initiate the change but it will get uncomfortable if she doesn't change quick enough."
"Selene,"
Sirius spoke so quietly that James and Remus didn't hear him.
"Say again, Pads?" said James looking over.
"Selene," Sirius repeated, "Moon. Appropriate, don't you think? Selene Serenity Black"
As if recognising her name, the newly christened Selene woke up and turned to her father. A tiny hand escaped her blanket and softly brushed Sirius's cheek. He smiled weakly, and then placed her in a nearby bassinet.
"I'll sort out what she needs. We don't know how long this war is going to last, and she can't come back until it's over,"
With that the three friends hurried off to complete their tasks and prepared to send the young girl far away from the wizarding world. Unfortunately, because of the sudden rise in War casualties and the fateful Halloween that caused the fall of the Dark Lord and the events that followed, Remus. J. Lupin completely forgot about his goddaughter until seven years later when there was a light knock on his door, early in the morning.