(A/N): Hey Team! Big shout outs to TheGoldenTrioFan, topazgiraffe and excessivelyperky (really enjoy our chats) for their reviews! I'm pumped for all of the follows and favorites and hope to keep you guys entertained. Thank you for the support!

*** Warning***

Implied abuse and not so implied abuse but this will most likely be the most uncomfortable chapter for the pre-Hogwarts years. If you want to skip that section (it's not terribly graphic) then after the page break, jump to the seventh paragraph to "I know Pen. I know.-" You won't miss much.

Just thought it fair to give a warning.

~Yasha's Sis


Lady Black

Chapter 1

Sirius Orion Black

In which a child is found


"Brie! Take this to Mechikoff will you?" Grey eyes rolled heavenward before a skinny arm shouldered the satchel dangling from the butcher's hand.

"When do I get paid for making your deliveries?" A girl's voice shot back. The butcher's hand swatted at her for her cheek.

"Better curb that tongue, lass, 'fore it earns you a hiding." The censure hardly held any weight with the fond smile tugging the lips that spoke it.

"How else am I supposed to be cheeky if I do that, Harper?" Brie ignored his exasperation as she grinned and ran off into the night. She loved visiting Harper's butchery. He was the only one in this part of the city who would slide her his unsold cuts to take back to the other kids. Run an errand here and there and Harper would get them fresh meat where all they would have had were left overs, potatoes and bread. It didn't hurt that his shop was a place that was dry and fairly kind to her.

The young girl passed off the two packages of ground beef and pork innards at Ory Mechikoff's veterinary clinic before keeping the third and heading back to the others. She fixed her woolen cap more snugly over her curly black hair and smiled politely to the matron of the tea shop. Brie learned early on that acting like a street rat got her treated like one, so she did her best to project confidence in her walk and the happy go lucky attitude a normal seven year old would have. It kept the attention to a minimum and prevented harassment from the upstanding citizens of Abbott Park.

After checking to see if she was followed, Brie ducked under a low hanging tarp to slip into the thin service route between the cannery and her "orphanage". Darkness swallowed her as she eased her way down the cobblestone path. Jared had twisted an ankle yesterday when he tripped over a forgotten crate and she didn't care to share the experience. Fourteen steps later, she blindly felt for the latch along a sunken crevice on the left and pressed the hatch open into the servant's quarters. Brie blinked watering eyes at the sudden light but moved forward under the low hanging table blocking the entrance after slowly slipping the door closed behind her. In the wake of the unseen latch falling into place with a soft click, Brie counted to twenty in the silence before edging out from under the table.

No one greeted her, causing her to smile in relief. The last thing she wanted to deal with was Bennett's filthy gaze. She passed the large stove and sturdy stone tables lining the servant's kitchen and moved though the basement floor as silent as a cat. Three doors down, she paused and listened for movement. Hearing the muffled sound of voices, Brie slid her hand onto the handle and jerked the door open with a shout much to the shrieking dismay of the room's occupants. Brie couldn't help but laugh at their reactions.

"Brie!" Dana, a red head, shouted.

Sarah pressed a small hand to her chest and bowed her head. The tussled brown locks swung around her face with the motion. "Christ, girl!"

"What you go and do that for!?" Jared snarled from the far left cot, foot elevated on a pillow.

"Damn it, Brie! Quit scaring the little ones." A higher voice demanded while trying and failing to calm the three toddlers who were still shaking. Brie's amusement wilted at the extreme reaction of the youngest ones.

Dark brows lowered in concern. "What's got them all shaken up?" Sarah looked away at the inquiry when Brie turned to her. "Dana?" Grey eyes met blue. "What's going on?"

"Brie… You can't do anything." Dana bit her lip, blue eyes darting to Jared, before she shook her head. "Promise you won't."

Brie frowned. "I'm not promising anything till you tell me what's wrong."

Jared snorted. "You won't promise shit once you know."

"Jared!"

The boy flinched at the second oldest girl's voice but angrily defended himself. "What, Jackie? You know it's true. The little ones keep crying about Penny. She's gonna find out anyway."

"Find out what?!" Brie demanded as Jackie and Jared glared at one another over the head of the little boy she was holding. "Where's Penny?"

"Bennett took her." Sarah whispered, stilling the raised voices in an instant.

"He can't touch her." Brie answered immediately, eyes staring at the vacant cot beside Jared's propped up form. "She hasn't turned 14 yet. He can't-"

Sarah's head was already shaking in denial. "She's bleeding."

"She's twelve!" The girl shot back violently. Penny had been the first kind face to her when Aunt Tabitha brought her to this place. The other kids thought her odd. She spoke too well and knew her letters. Literacy was a privilege they hadn't been given an opportunity to learn. It wasn't a trait respected in the street rats that lived in this building. Not to mention odd things happened when Brie got really excited or nervous. No one was willing to spend any time with her at first, until Penny. To think that bastard Bennett was ruining the sweet girl who looked at her bright eyes, brown skin, and cutting mouth with friendship made her stomach turn.

"It's true Brie." Jackie sighed. "Sarah was doing the wash when Mrs. Tabitha called her in for the sheets. Penny hadn't told anyone she started her cycle. She's been bleedin' for the past two days and Bennett heard-" The boy started sobbing again and Jackie had to cut off her sentence to sooth him.

Jared picked up the story with a sour look on his face. "He took her little before you came in."

Movement pulled his lowered gaze up and Jared's brown eyes widened as the small girl tossed the satchel she had been holding towards Dana.

"Dana, put that up for me? I'm going to check on the dogs." The other children shuddered at the cool, flat tone of voice the girl spoke in.

"What would you even be able to do, Brie? He bigger than you! Jared can't even fight him off."

The girl in question paused and turned her head back to look at the one who had spoken. "If that was you with him, would you say I should leave it be, Dana?" Dana took a step back at the fierce look in the grey eyes. "I don't know what I'd do, but I know anything is better than of sitting here waiting in fear of being next in line." Then the look passed and Brie smiled that care free smile that eventually eased the hearts of those suspicious of new faces. "Besides, what are you worried about? I'm just checking on the dogs."

"Brie wait!" But the door was already shutting in the wake of her departure.


It wasn't hard to find them. Bennett made it no secret where he would take the girls once they were of age before his father took them to be sold as housemaids and cooks. His father suspected, but the girls never spoke of the abuse and his customers didn't look too hard at a girl if she was old enough to bleed. Smothered sobs made the girl tighten her hold on the two plus feet of piping she found in the tool room beside the staircase. The girl's arms shook as she peek around the corner and spotted the bare back of the teenager as he fumbled with Penny's nightgown and whispered something into her ear.

This is stupid. I'm stupid for thinking I have a chance of fixing anything.

Attacking him would just put the others at risk of being punished by the older boy. Bennett made that threat very clear the day she came here three years ago, and threw a fire log at him after he was harassing the newly developing Jennifer. The then four and a half year old got a busted lip and a week in the hole for her interference while the others were picked on daily by the asshole with harsher chores and less food. This disobedience would be more than just a punch to the face and week getting to know the building's rat population. Less food would be a mercy if Bennett wished to get creative, but-

Penny made a squeak of pain and Brie felt her skin crawl. She couldn't do nothing. She knew doing something would hurt the others but why did they have to sit and take this boy's abuse? Castoffs of society were all the kids saw themselves as because no one noticed their passing and fewer still cared what happened to them. She hated living like that. Hated seeing people look down on the other kids around her because they were filthy or didn't speak very well. She hated how they lay there and take it from whoever would offer them a piece of bread. Penny wasn't like that. They were kindred spirits in that sense and the older girl had taken to Brie with a adamant nature that surprised and endeared her so, perhaps selfishly, Brie was willing to put the others in jeopardy to save the one person who made her feel welcome.

Was that wrong of her? Wanting to help someone she cared about at the expense of another?

A grunt tore the girl from her thoughts and the quiet sobbing rose a notch. Brie swallowed thickly before ducking around the corner doing her best to ignore the sound and the smell and the tear streaked face as she crept closer to the teen. Her hands were sweaty and she fleetingly thought how bad of an idea this was before her hands were rising and Brie whistled sharply.

The piercing noise startled both Bennett and Penny and they turned to the source of the sound.

The moment hazel eyes met her grey ones Brie swung the pipe as hard as she could, snapping Bennett's head to the side with the force of the blow. He toppled over with a yelp of pain baring Penny's shaking, sobbing, half naked form to the younger girl's eyes. Brie hardly heard the metal clang against the ground as she discarded her weapon and rushed to pull Penny upright and standing.

"Penny, we have to run! Get up and go to the room! Penny!" Shaking her did little to snap the girl from her horrified staring. Brie felt her own throat tightening in fear as a groan came from the sprawled teen on the ground. We don't have time for this, Penny. Brie's hands tightened painfully so with the thought, the pain drawing Penny from whatever state she had fallen into.

"Brie. God, Brie. He kept- he kept-" The dark blue eyes began to fog in fear again but Brie pinched her trying to force them to stumble towards the door with their arms grasped.

"I know, Pen. I know. We need to leave before he- AHH" Pain centered at her head as the girl was dragged backwards by her scalp in a punishing grip.

"What the hell were you thinking, you little shit!?" Was snarled into her face as Bennett threw her to the ground back beside the ratty mattress he had previously occupied. Brie scrambled over the bedding as he took lumbering steps towards her. Blood marked the handsome face from his right temple and covered his eye and cheek. The hazel eyes were squinted in pain and anger as he gingerly touched the gash across his forehead. Wincing on contact, his wrath was quickly redirected towards the cause of his injury.

"Bennett, please leave her alone!" Penny begged somehow catching hold of his arm as he started to raise it in retaliation. The boy sneered at her and shoved her away sending the slight child to the ground with a gasp. The scrape of metal against stone reverberated through Brie's ears as Bennett almost drunkenly grabbed her discarded weapon.

"I don't think I made my point clear to you last time, tart. Lesse if I can be a better teacher."

Fear more powerful than any Brie had ever felt gripped her as she pressed against the crates behind her like an animal cornered in a trap, frozen as her eyes tracked the lead pipe. If I could just get rid of the pipe-

"Bennett, NO!"

Brie squeezed her eyes shut as the raised arms swung down in a two handed grip... but the scream of pain that issued forth was not hers.

Grey eyes snapped open when the teen screamed bloody murder as he cradled his hands to his chest. Brie caught sight of charred flesh before they were tucked away and her eyes dropped to the molten pool bubbling against the concrete floor.

The pipe… melted?!

Brie looked at Bennett in disbelief. Movement caught her eye and she relaxed almost instantly as she noticed Penny was walking but her relief gave way to confusion as the girl backed away from the room staring not at Bennett in horror, but at her.

"Penny?" Brie's voice must have startled her because the younger only saw fear flicker in her friend's eyes before she turned and ran out the door. Hurt cut deep at the unfamiliar look directed at her but it was rapidly overtaken by anxiety when the master of the shop barged into the back room holding Penny by the arm and demanding to know what the hell was going on.


"Up, girl!" Light slashed across her eyes, blinding as the sun, as Aunt Tabitha pulled the box's lid open. Brie grimaced as her arm was roughly pulled up and forced her weakened legs to stand lest the stocky woman dislocate her shoulder.

"Time's up?" Brie rasped before coughing violently as her parched throat disagreed with the sudden use. She hadn't spoken for days. Her aunt grunted once, finally tugging her from the box then made a face.

"I wish it were sooner. You smell foul girl. Did Bennett forget to get Jackie to take you to the baths again?" If Brie hadn't been so disoriented from the sudden influx of color and sound she would have scoffed. That bastard never forgot. He ignored his duties to her since she was the source of his current punishment. His father had not been pleased with learning of Penny's midnight rendezvous with his son and took his sputtering denials of forcing her with little faith. Brie was glad Bennett got his hide torn but wished the head of the house had done more than relegate him to guard and shop minder. Bennett wasn't allowed to be alone with the older girls and if the master caught him, Bennett would wish the ruined hands and knocked up noggin were all the injuries he'd ever endured. What was unfortunate was Bennett's father had not appreciated Brie's assault of his son, no matter how justified, and felt a month in the hole would be just desserts for her disobedience.

Brie was pretty sure it was so long because she hadn't told him how the pipe burned Bennett's hand almost to the bone. It wasn't like she could say anything on the matter. She had no idea what happened. No one did, but it somehow became universally understood that it was Brie's fault it happened. All this her Aunt had no sympathy for, in fact, when she learned of the circumstances the woman just about washed her hands of the situation. Her Aunt's only interference was to make sure Bennett fed her. Two days was the longest the boy had gone without giving her any water and when the lid had pulled open she had thought that was him tossing down a water jug with her Aunt watching him like a hawk the whole way. It seemed there was something else planned.

Aunt Tabitha half carried, half dragged her to the baths and scrubbed the girl down so hard she was sure there wasn't any skin left. Then her hair was given equal thorough treatment as it was brushed and platted into nine braids with the bottom half of her hair free to curl thickly down her shoulder blades. All inquiries as to why she was being dressed like a doll were met with cutting comments and demands for her silence. After being swatted with the brush for the fourth time she decided she'd wait for better company to question.

Food and drink were promptly placed in front of her and Brie was nervous to realize it was a real meal, one she would have had to help cook for the guests in the upper levels.

What was going on?

After eating a slow and incredibly awkward meal with Aunt Tabitha lecturing her on proper etiquette (again), Brie followed her Aunt silently until they passed the upper kitchens leading to the guest reception area. Penny and Dana were kneading bread on one of the stone benches and Brie couldn't stop the excited greeting that spilled from her lips despite her Aunt's warning to be proper.

They're ok! Penny's even well enough to work! The thought cheered her significantly.

Both heads shot up and Brie grinned, glad to see her friends looked relatively unscathed, if not safe. Penny met her gaze only to just as quickly look away and put her head back down to work. Hurt, Brie gave Dana a questioning look. The red head seemed to swallow something sour before shrugging one shoulder and sending a brief apologetic glance before she too ignored her.

Why did they keep looking at her like that? Like she was something strange and dangerous? Why was everything changing?!

"They're afraid of you." Brie started at the voice and turned up to her aunt who was looking straight ahead. "Happens when they don't know what to do with something they can't explain."

What's that supposed to mean?

"Why are they afraid of me? I haven't done anything odd." Her Aunt's responding glance was mocking.

"Come now girl, even as ungifted as I am, I can recognize the oddness of you. Don't play stupid, Brie." The dark woman pursed her lips in displeasure causing Brie's mind to shift to the bubbling metal that appeared out of nowhere.

"But…." It was an accident.

Pinched brown eyes shot a bitter look down. "Your mother enjoyed the reaction, I'm mildly surprised you don't." Brie smothered a scowl at the degrading tone of voice.

She didn't know why her mother put Brie with her half-sister when DD died. For whatever reason, her mother went from being thankful she was still alive to saying she couldn't take care of her and dropped her off with a kiss on the forehead at dinner. Brie supposed she should be grateful she hadn't gone to an orphanage (mostly) but the only thing her aunt would speak of in regard to her parents was how much of a disgrace her mother was when she dumped Brie at Aunt Tabitha's house as if she hadn't a four year old child to care for or responsibilities to hold.

Still, the woman took care of her. Raised her when the woman who bore her wouldn't so much as acknowledge her presence so she shouldn't think too poorly of her. Didn't mean she would let her Aunt equate everything she did as being reminiscent of her mother.

"Of course I don't. There's nothing fun about scaring people." Brie took a breath to calm herself. "But even if I am… odd. I'm still me. Those things happen but it's still me." She didn't want the people who were supposed to be her friends shunning her for something she couldn't control. Something that wasn't harmful to them.

Her Aunt was silent for a time then she paused in front of a double door and stooped to straighten the pleat of Brie's skirt. "Be grateful you needn't get used to it, child." More confused than ever, Brie opened her mouth to respond but the stout woman's eyes were silencing as she knocked on the door.

Brie swallowed thickly when Bennett's father called for them to enter and the seven year old was shoved into a room with a low table and a craft of water with three glasses. She took a brief moment to take in the room before grimacing and focusing on her feet.

The décor was as gaudy and trite as only one who recently came into wealth could do. It practically demanded others recognize it.

Brie followed behind her Aunt's path and bit the inside of her cheek as Master Jefferson gave her a once over like he would the older girls just before they were sold. The action blared alarm bells in her head.

Brie hadn't thought she was on the market! For one she wasn't old enough, for another- Brie sent a pleading glance to her Aunt in vain. Her own family was here! Brie thought she'd have to work with her Aunt until she found a way of leaving and supporting herself. She hadn't even considered-

"Will that be all Master Jefferson?" The tidy man smiled widely at the matronly woman before nodding his head.

"Yes, yes, thank you Tabitha. You've done a splendid job. Don't you think, Mr. Black?"

Brie blinked as a fourth occupant came into her vision. The man was fair of skin and had dark, stylishly tossed black hair that curled at the nape of his neck. He dressed well, with a dark grey suit and tie that was of the highest quality cut and displayed his wealth in a subtle, dignified manner. Clear grey eyes met hers and he smiled perfect teeth in a roguish grin.

"Quite a pretty lady, I must say." The man returned, eyes scrutinizing her with an intensity that made her nervous. Was this what all the other girls had to endure? He was handsome, fine, but she didn't know him. She didn't want to work for him. What if he was like Bennett: a pretty face with a cruel streak a mile wide? Aunt Tabitha placed a hard hand on her shoulder and pressed her thumb painfully into the muscle of her weakened traps at her silence.

"He offered you a complement, girl." Brie shot her a poisonous look, much to the amusement of Mr. Black, but dipped in a curtsey.

"Thank you, sir."

"No harm done, Ms. Weinwright." Mr. Black winked. "Right, little missy?" Brie felt herself want to smile and bit her cheek to quell it. She didn't want to trust this man. How did he know her Aunt's name anyway?

"As you say, as you say." Master Jefferson bobbed his head in agreement. He gave that vague practiced smile again. "You are dismissed, Tabitha." The old woman sketched her own curtsey after sending a significant look at Mr. Black that Brie couldn't help but wonder at.

Tabitha Weinwright placed a lingering hand on the back of her niece before turning around and walking out of the room without a glance back.

Although Brie didn't like her very much in large doses, the woman was still family and familiar. Brie had known no other face as well since her father's death and her mother's abandonment. Anxiety turned the nervous beating of her heart into a frantic patter. She couldn't believe Aunt Tabitha left her that easily!

Oblivious to her nearing meltdown, Master Jefferson smiled oddly again with a gesture to the only free seat near the table.

"Have a seat, my dear. Would you like a pastry?" Brie gave him a suspicious look then glanced warily at the chair. Something felt wrong about this situation and as she edged closer to the chair she realized it was Master Jefferson. The man did nothing but smile vacantly since her aunt left and be exceedingly accommodating to her. The other man, Black, merely watched her as she moved to the seat and sat down, cautiously taking the offered sweet after sniffing it and shooting compelling looks at the door.

Brie frowned when Master Jefferson asked her, again if she wanted him to get her any milk. "What's wrong with him?" The girl asked finally edging slightly away from the eager bespectacled man. Black smiled.

"What makes you thinks something's wrong with him?" Grey eyes flickered to his face before shooting back to the previously known factor.

"He's never this nice to me. And I'm sitting in his favorite chair, while he's standing. Plus the smile," She winced slightly as said smile widened. "It's creepy." Black laughed, startling the young girl from her inspection.

"That's enough, Jeeves." The man said with a grin and pulled out a smooth looking stick. He flicked it in the direction of Master Jefferson. "Go ahead to your room and keep your wife occupied. I'm sure she misses you." Brie gave him an incredulous look for thinking to order Master Jefferson around. The man may have been a bit touched in the head at the moment but he'd never obey a stranger's request of that sort. Besides, the older women had running bets of the two Jeffersons ever sharing a bed and doing anything other than sleeping in it. But to her shock, the owner of the house straightened and bowed.

"Mr. Black I hope you can excuse me. It seems I have an urgent matter to attend to. Please feel free to call Tabitha if you need anything else." With that the man waltzed out of the room happy as a lark, leaving the young girl dumbfounded.

"How did you-"

"Compulsion charm, sweetheart. A pretty strong one if I do say so myself but nothing like the Imperius. I've had my taste of dark magic and don't much care for it."

Did he just say- "Magic." Brie said faintly, staring at the stick in his hand as he twirled it between his fingers.

"Yep." The man flicked his wrist and a chair-see throne- materialized out of thin air to land with a light thump on the Oriental rug. Brie jumped and spilled her tea over the armrest and on to the floor.

He gave a rueful smile. "Guess I'm laying it on a bit thick, huh? Sorry. Let me start again." He rotated his wrist briefly before snapping it down and the mess along her chair and the floor vanished.

"My name is Sirius Orion Black, and I'm here to introduce you to the Wizarding world."


(A/N): Alright! And there's the meeting of Sirius and his kid! We'll get a look into Sirius's head next chapter.

I wasn't happy with the flow but I couldn't figure out a better way. Apologies for that.

Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?

~Yasha's Sis