Author Note: Greetings, readers. It's been quite a while since I last posted... anything on this site. "The Lord Slytherin" appears to have fallen into a deep coma within my mind, and has no intention of leaving it. As such, I shall be writing this in its stead. Before going any further, I would like to apologise to anyone who likes the Harry/Ginny pairing, as this story not only rejects that, but completely ruins it for any other stories. You have been warned.
The same messages I gave at the start of The Lord Slytherin still apply (Don't bother flaming; this story is mine to write and mess up, not yours; etc.). I hope you will enjoy it, I know that I do (at time of writing) and will attempt to keep it alive for a little longer that TLS.
This story starts by only changing one thing, and writing what could have been but wasn't mentioned in the actual story (giving a total of three starting differences from canon).
1. Sirius doesn't chase Pettigrew in 1981, keeping Harry instead of giving him to Hagrid. (Change)
2. Lily Potter was a descendent of the Slytherin family, with the Evans family being a squib line. (Clichéd, yet an unmentioned / very vague possibility in canon)
3. Harry... well, you'll see in the last paragraph of this chapter. (Unmentioned possibility)
Everything else are results of these. So, without further ado, let us begin. (Apologies for the overused title of this chapter, but it fits.)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise, or anything else mentioned in this story (other than the few things which I may create myself). This applies to the remainder of the fanfiction as well. (I shan't bother to write it anew every chapter).
Prologue: The Twins Who Lived
Sirius Black was terrified. He'd just gone to visit his close friend Peter Pettigrew, only to find his front door open and nobody inside. They had all known that the Death Eaters were after them, hence their use of the Fidelius Charm on the Potter residence in Godric's Hollow. With Peter dead or tortured into giving away the secret, however, the charm would no longer work. Fearing for his friends' lives, Sirius rushed to Godric's Hollow.
Upon arrival, he was filled with dread. The roof of the Potters' home had caved in on one side, and the front wall of the house had a gaping hole where the door once stood. Inside, lying motionless on the ground, was his lifelong friend and brother in all but blood (and name), James Potter. Eyes welling up with tears, he entered the building and ascended the stairs, hoping that the remainder of the Potter family had somehow managed to evade the Dark Lord's onslaught.
His next sight dashed those hopes.
Lily Potter, dead, slouching against a wall. He could no longer hold it in. Sirius cried. Sirius screamed. Sirius begged that it was all just a bad dream, but it wasn't. He was prepared to just curl up and lie on the floor, when he heard something. Movement, coming from the crib behind Lily. Daring to hope that they were alive, Sirius Black moved toward the edge of the room, slowly making his way to what may or may not have been his godchildren.
He peered into the crib.
He gasped.
They were alive! Lily's backup plan had worked! He rushed toward them, engulfing them in a hug and whispering consoling words, feeling immense regret for his ideas whenever either child asked for their mother or father, but not allowing himself to slip into depression. No, they needed him, and he would be there for them. James and Lily had trusted him enough to make him their godfather, and he would not fail them again.
Picking them up, he rushed out of the house, only to be stopped by Hagrid, who had come to take his godchildren away on Dumbledore's orders. Hah. As though he were ever going to allow that to happen. Carefully climbing onto his bizarre, flying motorcycle, Sirius left Godric's Hollow with the remains of his family, hurrying to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, a property of his old one.
Unlocking the door and stepping inside, he spoke. "Your parents may no longer be with us, but I'll be damned if I let anything happen to you two. Welcome to your new home, Harold and Ginevra Potter."
Well, I did say that it would completely ruin one's idea of a Harry / Ginny pairing. I can't speak for you lot, but for myself, making two characters into siblings then makes everything else morally impossible, even in other stories (even if said "other story" is canon). I know that this chapter was short, but I think that it made for a rather good prologue. I'll probably start writing the next chapter as soon as I finish writing this, but I don't know if I'll post them at the same time... Oh well.