Disclaimer: Just playing in JK's sandbox. Some of these quotes are also straight from canon- you'll almost certainly be able to spot them. I'm a poor uni student, definitely not worth suing. I'm doing this for enjoyment, and receive no profit.

AN: Looking for a beta.

It had taken only a few weeks of work to design the spell based on the old specifications. The framework existed in the Arithmancy equations of the modern spell, part of the reason, Lily thought, that the modern version took so much technical skill to cast. The original spell was much, much more powerful, though very simplistic. It effectively created a magical construct in the ether with an imprinted impression, similar to a magical portrait, of those who wished to protect the child guiding its actions. Lily chose Sirius as the Secret Keeper for this Secret for the simple reason that his bond with Harry was as strong as James'. The stronger the bond, the more protective the imprint would be, she thought.

James insisted on Peter for the other spell, though. Lily was very wary of accepting him, especially when Dumbledore put his two cents in favour of the plan. However, she could not think of anyone else she trusted more. Lily really wasn't trusting by nature, and "degrees of distrust" just didn't make a strong enough argument against her husband's unquestioning support of his friend.

Both spells were cast, both sets of Secret Keepers sworn to secrecy. Only Sirius, James, and Lily knew there was a second Secret Keeper at all. Lily knew it was a good idea when, on the evening of Halloween, their world came crashing down.

They had been betrayed.

Though on the inside she was gibbering with fear, Lily stood tall against the threat. The sound of the Avada Kedavra told her she was now alone in the world, and she could only hope that the spell would hold- that, strengthened with her and James' deaths, her baby would be protected against the most feared Dark Lord of modern times.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily begged. Even her dignity and pride were no loss, if she could secure the life of her child.

"Stand aside you silly girl … stand aside now." Voldemort said, and for an instant Lily considered it. Harry was already protected by the Fidelius- he could survive. Maybe. But no. She would not risk her child's life, not when her own could secure it.

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead! Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy… " She begged, throwing herself forward, arms wide. Voldemort would have to remove her to get to her son.

He obliged. The last sight she saw was blinding green light- a wooshing sound- and she knew no more.

~~A few hours later~~

Dumbledore frowned as he heard Hagrid's report of the night's events. The big man had arrived to find the house half collapsed. James had been dead on the lower level, and Lily in front of the crib on the upper. Only robes and baby clothes remained of the Dark Lord and the boy prophesied to defeat him. A check of Hogwarts Book confirmed that there was no Harry Potter on the rolls anymore. The child was, undoubtably, deceased.

What had happened? This had not been the results the wise old man had expected. Where was the saviour he could place to his benefit? Was the Dark Lord's immortality attempts successful, and if so, who was to defeat him? Was the prophecy truly fulfilled so easily?

He sighed. He supposed he would never know. He turned to his paperwork, ignoring the celebrations. His heart felt sick at the thought of his manipulations leading to the death of a baby, as surely as if he had held the wand that had done the deed himself. His phoenix's trills reminded him of the Greater Good that had motivated him, but it was empty comfort.

~~Across the country~~

Sirius Black knew something was wrong when his routine check of Peter Pettigrew's home showed signs of him having rapidly departed. Just as he was about to check on the Potters, his whole world changed. Harry Potter had appeared right in front of him, a bleeding gash marking his forehead. Sirius knew instantly what that meant. He sunk to the ground, railing against the world.

Harry's crying roused him from his depression some minutes later. His first instinct was to go after the Rat, but the child in his arms called for his attention. Pettigrew would have to be taken care of by others. He had bigger things to do.

Sirius had only one sibling and a handful of cousins, all within three years of his age. Aside from the occasional afternoon babysitting Harry, his experience with children was nill. Not the less, he would do his best, in memory of the brother-in-spirit he had had in James.

First, he needed to secure his guardianship of Harry, and protect his identity. There were some benefits to being raised the pureblooded scion of a dark family. One of these was knowing how to set up a blood adoption ritual at short notice. A quick run to a local hardware store for a few candles, a needle, and some chalk later, Procyon Orion Regulus Black was made. The Fidelius immediately went to work, modifying memories, documents, and the Hogwarts book to match the new identity.

Sirius was already regretting his choice of name. Procyon meant Little Dog, and was one of the only constellations besides his own namesake he remembered from Astronomy. While its meaning was alright, it was a bit of a mouthful, and didn't lend itself well to nicknames. If he'd had more time...but he hadn't. Orion and Regulus, for his father and brother, neither of whom he would ordinarily name a dog for. Sirius had fully intended to be the last of the Blacks, considering it the best possible revenge on the family who had been as black as their name. That plan, too, was lost.

Baby goods were bought, and little Harry was settled in a corner of Sirius' bachelor pad. Arrangements would be made in the morning for a home. Sirius settled into a night of restless dreams of the Potters.

~~Early morning, November 1st~~

Sirius woke to the sound of fireworks, and a quick peek out his balcony showed that the sky was raining stars. Harry woke and began to cry. No- Sirius needed to call him by his new name, even in his mind, yet a glimpse from a Legilimencer reveal his identity. Occlumency shields were not fool proof, even augmented by Ministry-restricted rituals Sirius had used in his youth.

As Sirius rocked Ro (he'd decided it would do as a nickname, for the time being) to sleep, he reflected on where he should go from here. He had inherited Grimmauld Place from his recently deceased mother. While a very dark house with bad memories for him, it was one of the most secure homes in the Wizarding World. It's wards surpassed even Hogwarts, partially because it didn't cover as much area, and partially because each generation added layers of protection.

Every Black could qualify for the first few levels of Warding apprentice before arriving at Hogwarts simply from the experience gained from strengthening the wards almost daily from childhood. Sirius had found it was a habit that carried into adulthood. Even in Hogwarts, he had not felt secure sleeping without a few wards he strengthened religiously for several minutes each morning. Though he never mentioned it, most of his roommates figured out his part of the room was warded, if only for their inability to cross his bounds if they had ill intentions, even if they were just planning a prank. Had any of them meant harm to him...well, Sirius would have been explaining the exploded body of a classmate before the Wizengamot.

Ro was also now the Black heir in blood as well as name. Entailed properties, titles, and holdings Sirius would have been unable to pass to him otherwise had now become his birthright. Sirius found it was suddenly much harder to make a decision to completely sacrifice the traditions of generations when he had a son to think of. Ro would have to interact at the highest echelons of society. He, more than most Black heirs, would need to be able to defend himself. Sirius had never opposed Dark Magic, having practised it himself from an early age, but avoided it for expedience. He found it a hard time anyway to fit in among the Light families who shared his political views on rights, if not on magic. While he had no intention of letting his son become a blood snob, he should still know his history.

The decision was made. Sirius would come back to the traditional seats of the Black House.

"KREACHER!" He shouted. Immediately, Ro returned from the sniffles to full blown wailing.

With a pop, Kreacher appeared. Taking in the wailing child, he immediately took charge. "There, there little Black Lord." A snap of fingers summoned a bottle and milk, and a second snap warmed them. He retrieved the child from Sirius, inserted a bottle, and only then looked to his "master" disapprovingly.

"Has the nasty Blood Traitor master finally done his duty then? Produced an heir? Kreacher is pleased, Kreacher is."

Sirius took a deep breath, and calmed his temper. "I do have an heir, Kreacher, and I'll thank you not to speak of me in such terms in front of him. We will be returning to Grimmauld Place tomorrow. By that time, I expect it to be in a state to be lived in. Any object that is a risk to a child should be moved or destroyed, as appropriate. Prepared at least three bedrooms, including the Master Suite and Heir's Suite, and close off the excess, making sure to do the appropriate preservation rituals to ensure they can be opened as needed in the future. All common areas of the house should be restored to a condition I can make use of them safely. Buy appropriate numbers of elves to run the place. A nanny, cook, and maid, at the least. You have permission to access my Gringott's vault for that purpose. Notify the portraits of the return of the family, and deliver calling cards for polite society, letting them know of my reentrance, and the public introduction of my heir."

Sirius had a plan. Lily and James were no longer around, but that just made it more important for him to make Procyon's childhood the best he could manage. He would raise their son to be a man they could be proud of. He would be cultured, educated, well-connected, and have all the advantages birth could offer him. A private muggle elementary school would keep him grounded, unprejudiced, and well rounded. Sirius would also love him as best he could, in memory of the friends he loved, and tell him stories of how they watched over him still.

AN: The next chapter should take us through Hogwarts, which is when the fun really begins.