Author's Note: a big thank you to all the readers and also to those who have marked the story as following/favourite. A brand new chapter for you all. Enjoy!

I don't own Harry Potter.

Good day to all!

CHAPTER 2

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, WHITEHALL, LONDON

"Haesal Potter never came to Hogwarts. This time it was the voice of Tom Marvolo Riddle that made his presence aware. Sirius stared at the man in horror and snapped "What do you mean Haesal never came to Hogwarts. Hagrid told me that he had orders from Dumbledore to bring Haesal straight to him."

At his reaction, Riddle raised an eyebrow and continued speaking, "Hagrid never said that he would take Haesal to Hogwarts now, did he?" Sirius paled at the realization, thousands of thoughts swirling in his mind. But Riddle did not stop there, "For what I know the headmaster left school with McGonagall deeming it was an emergency. After several hours he came back and explained what fiasco happened at Godric's Hollow, went on and on how you were responsible for the Potter's death. However, when the question about Heiress Potter and her safety rose, he chose not to tell any details while simply ignored us.

Apparently Heiress Potter was left with her muggle aunt Petunia at No. 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinghing, Surrey. He claims that it is a safe environment for her, a place where fame will not get into her head." With each word spoken colour drained from Sirius' face.

Arcturus narrowed his eyes at the man before him, "How did you know all the details if Dumbledore outright denied you any information?" Riddle smiled at this. Acturus Black was a very intelligent and cunning man; nothing was overlooked by him. His reply to Lord Black was simple, " Nagini might have overheard a conversation between Dumbledore and Snape." Arcturus nodded his head.

Sirius was in his own thoughts. Dumbledore deliberately left Haesal with that vile aunt of her who hated anything related to magic. How could he do that! He had no right to place Haesal there and why was Riddle helping him?

"What do you want?" Sirius asked his former teacher eyeing him warningly.

"I don't want anything mutt! Perhaps I don't want the Heiress of Potter to be raised away from the magical world. She's the saviour after all; her place isn't with muggles. Enough with the discussion now, you should collect her as soon as possible." Sirius wasn't satisfied of his answer but became highly suspicious of his intentions.

"Sirius we should check on Heiress Potter quickly. Other matters can be handled later." With a nod the duo left quickly. Neither of them saw the smug smile on Riddle's face. He was a true snake, taking full advantage of the whole ordeal. He hated Dumbledore to his core, so why not turn Dumbledore's precious student and pawn against him.

NO. 4 PRIVET DRIVE, LITTLE WHINGHING, SURREY

Arcturus and Sirius apparated to the given address. The monotonous neighbourhood made the old wizard sneer in disgust. They could easily sense strong wards surrounding the house. Upon reaching the porch of No. 4, Sirius knocked once twice and the door was opened by a horse-shaped face woman with blonde hair.

She paled at the sight of Sirius and Arcturus immediately understood that things weren't right at all. He silently used legilimency on her while his grandson took charge of the situation, "Hello Tuney dear! I've come to take my goddaughter. He spoke in a sickening sweet voice. Petunia started stammering, desperately trying to string some words together, "She's not here! Why would we want to do anything with your freaky business."

Arcturus ignored her and cast a quick Point me charm. To their immense horror, it pointed towards a broom cupboard under the stairs. Sirius immediately side stepped her, opening the cupboard and gasped in horror. There lying on the poor excuse of the mattress was his precious fawn, sleeping tiredly with tear tracks down her cheeks. And there were definite hand prints on her arms and cheeks bruising her pale skin. In a swift move he grabbed Haesal close to his chest while shaking in rage. Arcturus stared wide eyed at the condition of the baby in front of him and he narrowed his eyes at Petunia.

"We should take the child home quickly, Sirius. I will call on the healers so that they can run full diagnostic test on her. She needs care and potions right now." Arcturus said; he knew he had to do something or his grandson will definitely commit murder right there.

"They abused her grandfather. Beaten her up." Sirius whisper yelled.

"And they will pay the price, but right now the safety and health of Heiress Potter should be our priority." Petunia just stood there dumbfounded while shaking in extreme terror. Before she could protest a wand was raised in her direction and she fell unconscious.

BLACK FAMILY, CHATEAU ,FRANCE

Arcturus brought Sirius to their family home in France and immediately called upon house-elves and his personal healer to check upon Sirius and Haesal. Sirius sat on one of the couches tired and utterly exhausted. His day had been hectic. First he had been presented in a court full of wizards who treated him like a bloody murderer of his own brother. Had Sirius not been able to prove his innocence because of his grandfather he would still be in that rotting cell. Two weeks of Azkaban had already done enough damage and he very much liked to stay away from that hell. He had got the final blow when he was informed Haesal's living condition.

He held his head in his hands while tears down his face as images of Haesal lying in the cupboard, all helpless and alone, kept flogging his mind. He couldn't believe how anyone could even think of harming Haesal, much less hurting her. Rage rose in his chest for the muggles who had hurt his baby. How could Dumbledore leave her in that place!

Hearing footsteps he saw Arcturus enter the room with a thunderous expression on his face. Merlin the man could be scary when needed to be! Following him closely was healer Marston who quickly cast diagnostic spells on Sirius, gave him the necessary potions and left hurriedly. The frown that was on the healer's face all the time didn't go unnoticed by Sirius. As soon as healer Marston left Sirius asked, "What happened, grandfather? What did the healer say?"

"The great leader of the light Albus Dumbledore bound her magical core. He paid the muggles to abuse her. No wonder the child is tired and unwell." Arcturus spat

Sirius stared at him wide eyed, blinking rapidly to make sure what he heard was real. He jumped to his feet, ready to barge into Hogwarts and strangle Dumbledore by his bare hands when the voice of his grandfather stopped him in his tracks.

"Your instinct to act without thinking has brought you in this condition, Sirius. You let the prejudice among the houses get to you. The rivalry at Hogwarts between Slytherin and Gryffindor didn't help matters either. You assumed that all Slytherin's are evil and all Gryffindor's just. You let Dumbledore's word become your own and because of that you lost your brother." Sirius' head bowed in shame. His grandfather was right; he had failed his brother and the promise to keep him safe.

"You forget that you are dark wizard and not evil. Your best friend, Remus Lupin is a dark creature and not evil. And your other supposed best friend, Peter Pettigrew was Grindelwald's most loyal even though he was a Gryffindor.

Start using that cunning brain of yours and think wisely. What do you think will happen when you go and confront Dumbledore about this? For what I know he must have already concocted a good reason to defend himself and why he sent Heiress Potter to those vile creatures and bound her magic. I'm very sure he must be waiting or an opportunity to bring you back to his side. Salazar knows the old coot is manipulative with words!" Arcturus said calmly trying to talk some sense into him. Sirius just stood there letting the words sink in.

He moved to the guest room the house-elf had prepared for Haesal. Peering down the playpen he brushed her hair out of her face; his little bundle of joy sleeping peacefully. He stood in her room for a long while. Surely he has lost Lily and James, but now his main priority was Haesal. His pup will never feel unloved or uncared for. He will rip the world to shreds if anything happened to his goddaughter. He will make her a force to be reckoned with, not a toy to be manipulated by Dumbledore. He also needed to apologise to Remus for doubting him. Haesal was Moony's cub too, after all.

"I'm going to make it alright my pup. I'm not going to fail Lily and James this time." Kissing her forehead, he made his way to his grandfather's study.

"Grandfather, I want to adopt Haesal."

The smile on Arcturus' face suggested that he already knew what decision Sirius was going to take.

"I will inform the goblins of our visit tomorrow. Unfortunately the magical bound can be only removed by them. And then we can do the blood ritual." Nodding to this Sirius left to take some well needed rest letting morpheus claim him.