"I would like to find my parents if possible." Volans stated, "I want to know if I was kidnapped or if they just gave me over. If staying with them isn't a possibility then I was hoping either the Potters, Sirius or Andromeda Black could take me. I know the last two were blasted from the family tree so hopefully they will be trustworthy."

"Both of them are trustworthy." Ablus nodded, "However Andromeda isn't a black any longer."

"I know, Mother only referred to her as the traitor so I never heard her last name." Volans shrugged, "When will they be here?"

"That spell I used was the Patronus do you know it?" he asked.

"The spell that holds dementors at bay." He nodded, "I can't do it, I don't have enough good memories to call on."

"Again I'm sorry." Albus sighed, "The spell can also be used as a messenger. I sent it to retrieve those members I want here. Remus Lupin is one of the people I'm calling and I'd appreciate if you didn't refer to him as a werewolf."

"Is he safe?" Volans asked, "I met Greyback once and mother had to stun him so he wouldn't attack me."

"Remus is nothing like him." Albus assured him, "In fact very few werewolves are as bad as Greyback is. He doesn't wait for a full moon to attack as you well know. He has in the past positioned himself to punish people he doesn't like. Remus' parents are one example of that."

"So he bites kids to punish their parents." Volans shuddered, "I knew he was an animal but that's just sick."

"That it is." Albus turned to the fire place as it turned green and a man stepped through. He was glad the two of them had finished the conversation before the fire flared, "Remus, how are you?"

"Fine Albus thank you. Am I interrupting something?" he asked looking at the young boy on the chair in front of the desk.

"No, Volans and I were just chatting." Albus smiled, "I will make the introductions when the others arrive. Please station yourself with Sirius."

"We might have some upset?" he asked.

"We might." Albus nodded, "I've also invited Poppy, Andy and Minerva, you met her already." He added to Volans

"Minerva was the woman with the sorting hat?" Volans asked.

"She is the deputy Headmistress. I believe she will be helpful." Albus smiled kindly, "We will leave Professor Snape out of the loop for now."

"Good." The boy sighed in relief.

Remus could see some of the tension leaving the boy but most of it stayed. He was really beginning to wonder what was going on when Sirius arrived and met the same greeting and explanation he had gotten. Luckily they didn't have to wait long for the others to arrive. Andromeda was the last.

"Albus it's rather late." She stated as she entered.

Only Remus heard the intake of breath from the boy so he leaned over and whispered, "Andromeda looks like Bellatrix Lestrange because they are sisters, but she is very nice."

The boy nodded and again let out the breath he was holding. Remus couldn't get over the idea that he knew the boy from somewhere. He smelled somewhat familiar and Remus was still trying to process everything when Albus began to speak to the group.

"Thank you for coming by so late." He nodded at Andromeda, "This is Volans."

"A star name are you a Black?" Sirius asked.

"Not that I am aware of however I have been raised as one." Volans replied.

"Actually his full name is Volans Orion Lestrange." Albus pulled their attention back, "He was raised by your sister Andy, however we don't believe he is her child."

"No I don't think so either." Andromeda looked at him with more thought, "No real family resemblance, although he does look familiar."

"I thought so to. He suggests that he may have been kidnapped. Would you tell them your story please Volans?" he asked.

"I was raised by Mother and Father but since I was seven I've known I wasn't their child. Thankfully." He smiled a little, "I heard them talking about me when they thought I was outside. For the last four years I've been trying to find a way out. I thought it was going to be when I came to Hogwarts. However Mother decided I should be homeschooled instead. So this morning I snuck out and met the train and here I am."

"How did you learn about Hogwarts?" Remus asked.

"It's all Draco has talked about for the last two years." Volans smirked, "It was easy to get him to tell me when and where the train would depart. He also told me about the doorway to the platform. However this morning when I took the floo I ended up right on the platform and I didn't need the doorway."

"Draco Malfoy?" Sirius asked.

"Yes." Volans answered, "Since he found out I wasn't going to be at school he's been holding it over my head saying I was too weak to be selected by the school. He told me everything because he was trying to rub it in that I'd be left behind. It was rather easy. He's not the sharpest knife in the drawer you know."

"Are you friends?" Andromeda asked.

"I guess you could call it that." Volans shrugged, "We've been forced to play together since we were small so I know him well. He threatened to tell lies to my mother and get me punished if I beat him at the games we played back then. I let him win so I could hide behind my half blood status. They don't expect as much out of me. Now though Draco has forgotten that I let him win. He thinks he is better than I am. He's going to get a heck of a surprise if we ever meet face to face again."

The evil grin that was etched on his face when he said that made Sirius sit up and take notice. He knew that grin. He'd seen it often enough. He looked to his other friend and saw the same look of shock that he felt gracing his own features. They were brought out of their shock a moment later by Albus.

"You think so too don't you?" he was looking at the two men.

"But how?"

"Some more news Volans brings is that Peter is alive, he is a death eater." Albus frowned, "He has seen his mark and knows how he got it."

"How?" the two turned towards the boy.

"He got his mark when he stole the Potter boy from his parents." Volans stated, "I hate that stupid rat but I'm hoping he kidnapped me too. I'd hate to find out my parents just handed me over to mother."

"He's willing to repeat that under Veritaserum if you want." Albus commented.

"When you call him a rat…" Sirius started.

"He is a rat animagus. I always thought it was fitting." Volans frowned, "He uses his form to spy on known Order members."

"Which reminds me." Albus stopped them, "Has there been any word of an attack this evening?"

"Not that I know of." Sirius replied.

"Keep an ear out there may be one yet tonight." He turned back to the boy, "We'll just hope it was a planning session."

"We can hope but it's not very likely." The boy grimaced.

"What are we going to do with him Albus." Minerva spoke for the first time, "He won't be safe if he stays here."

"As soon as she knows I'm gone she'll put a price on my head. But she'll want me back alive." Volans stated, "She prefers torture over just killing. I'd prefer to die than to go back."

"With a little magic we could hide him pretty well right in plain sight." Sirius offered, "Change his hair and eyes and he'll be invisible."

"No sorry that won't work." Albus sighed then waved his hand at Volens.

The boy smiled and changed his hair to dark blond and his eyes to blue. He then lengthened his hair to shoulder length. His grin widened at the shocked looks he received. Andromeda was the first to regain her bearings.

"A metamorph." She breathed out the whisper.

"I only have a limited ability. I'm not sure if I can really be classified as a metamorph. But we can't use it because Mother knows I can. We spent months finding how far I could be pushed. She even tortured me to see if it would help me change more things. It didn't work."

"He may have Black blood in him." Andromeda admitted.

"Families are so interconnected that most everyone does." Sirius commented.

"I get it." She looked at her cousin.

"Is there something you aren't telling me?" Volans asked suspiciously.

"We think we may know who you are." Albus smiled, "We just don't want to come out and say it until we are sure. It wouldn't do well to get your hopes up and have them smashed."

"I think I'll ask for that vow on your magic now." He continued suspiciously.

"I Albus Percival Wilber Brian Dumbledore do swear on my magic that I intend no harm to befall Volans Orion Lestrange. I promise to keep him safe from Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange with all my power. This vow will be the same if his name is found to be another." His vow was repeated by the other four adults in the room.

Volans finally breathed a sigh of relief, "Ok I can wait then."

"You know, I'd call you a bit paranoid but I know Bella." Sirius grinned, "I think I would ask for the same assurances if I were in your shoes."

"You were in very similar shoes." Albus offered, "It is why I called you specifically."

"Aunty Walburga is a nasty piece of artwork." Volans shuddered.

"She died?" Sirius looked excited, "I had no idea."

"About three years ago." He offered back, "Mother was quite angry when she couldn't access the house any longer. If her other portrait wasn't at Lestrange manor we would never have known she died."

"I haven't tried to think of her place in years." Andromeda looked thoughtful, "I can't remember either."

"I know where it is." Sirius grumbled, "Number twelve Grimmauld place."

"Yes that's right." Andromeda looked up, "Why did you know?"

"You must be the heir." Volans suggested, "It's the only way."

"But I'm not, my brother is." Sirius shook his head.

"If he was he'd know the secret and you would be left in the dark." Volans pointed out.

"I guess I need to go to Gringotts." Sirius sighed.

"I'm going to repeat myself. What are we going to do with him?" Minerva interrupted again, "It's late and the boy needs to be in bed."

"For tonight I think it would be best if he stayed in the professor's quarters in the hospital wing." Albus offered.

"Not if Snape can get in." Volans resisted.

"I'll take him home." Andromeda offered, "He can meet Nymphadora. They'll get along very well."

"No offense but if you wake me in the morning I'll have a heart attack." Volans smiled, "You aren't a copy of her or anything but it's eerily similar."

"I can have Ted or Nymphadora wake you then." She smiled back. When she did it transformed her and she looked nothing like Bellatrix.

"If you have to wake me do it with that smile." He softened towards her, "It takes away all resemblance to Mother."

"You should probably quit calling her mother." Andromeda urged, "It will help you get over it quicker if you call her by her name and me by mine."

"You want me to call you Andromeda?" Volans asked.

"Yes." She nodded once, "And shall I address you as Volans?"

"Yes I'd like that."

"Can we come by in the morning to visit?" Sirius indicated himself and Remus.

"Yes, come by I'll feed you." She teased him back.

A few minutes and a floo ride later Volans found himself in a cozy home that was the farthest thing he could imagine from Lestrange manor. It wasn't tiny by any means but it was very obviously a home, something the manor was not. He was introduced to a man named Ted.

"This is my husband." Andromeda smiled.

"Oh, the muggleborn." Volans grinned, "I have so many questions for you. I've been fed a diet of pure blood crap for years and I always wondered how muggles got around without magic."

"Quite well." Ted laughed at the boy's enthusiasm, "Have you seen a car yet?"

"I don't think so." Volans looked thoughtful, "Although if I had I wouldn't know what it was called."

"Well come to my garage and I'll show you." He stood and turned to go.

"Ted, not tonight." Andromeda admonished, "It's late he needs to be in bed."

"Oh, right sorry. Tomorrow I'll show you all around a car." Ted promised, "Shall we get you settled in?"

Volans followed the man up the stairs and continued to ask questions. Ted dutifully answered all he could and helped the boy settle into the room. Without thinking Volans pulled out his suitcase and waved his wand to enlarge it and lift it onto the bed.

"Son, you aren't supposed to do magic outside of school." He admonished, "You'll get a letter from the ministry."

"No I won't." Volans grinned, "I have had the Black family secret used on my wand. But I won't do any if you don't want me to."

"You shouldn't until you've been trained up a bit. You could hurt yourself." He had no idea what the Black family secret was but he was sure he'd ask Andy later.

"Not likely." Volans chuckled, "I've been using my wand since I was three. Levitation, shrinking and enlarging were my first few spells. But I won't do it any more if you don't want me to."

"Do you need any help getting ready for bed?" he asked.

"No I'm fine." Volans smiled at the offer, "Thank you."

"Ok, well goodnight then." Ted turned and left him alone.

Volans grabbed his pajamas and tooth brush and headed to the bathroom Ted had pointed out. When he reached the door he heard Ted.

"What is the Black family secret about wands?" he asked.

"That means the trace has been lifted on it." She replied, "My wand had the trace for about ten minutes before my parents removed it and began to teach me magic."

"How old were you?" he asked.

"Seven, why do you ask?"

"He's been using his since he was three." Ted replied, "I would think that would be dangerous."

"Actually in that house I think it would be more dangerous for him to not to have one." Andromeda replied.

"What kind of house would it be safer for a three year old to have a wand?" Ted sounded shocked.

"My sister's house." She replied, "He was kidnapped and Bellatrix raised him."

It was silent for several moments and Volans thought they were done. But he froze when he heard Ted's voice again.

"How could that nice kid be raise by that monster?" he gasped.

"I think he is like Sirius." She responded, "He just knows they're wrong and has hid his disdain for them to protect himself. Sirius wasn't as good at hiding it as Volans seems to be."

"I know this is going to sound awful but I have you and Dora to think about." Ted sighed, "Do you think he's acting for us and then going to turn us over to her?"

"No I don't think he would do that." She sighed, "I just have a good feeling about him."

Volans returned to his room and grabbed his wand and went down stairs, "Ted I know I promised no magic but I'm going to do one more spell. I Volans Orion Lestrange, or whatever my real name is, do solumly swear that I will not give Ted and Andromeda Tonks or their daughter over to any death eater most especially Bellatrix Lestrange."

"You didn't have to." Ted smiled, "I believed Andy."

"I know but if I were you I'd want assurances." He nodded, "In fact I made them all promise a similar one for me."

"Goodnight Volans."

"Goodnight." He went back and got ready and then went to bed.

The next morning Volans was woken by Ted, "Morning sleepy head."

"Morning." He grumbled in return and then sat up quickly, "I really did it. It wasn't a dream."

"You really did it." Ted agreed and smiled back at the huge grin that lit up the boy's face.

Volans threw his arms out wide and flopped back onto the bed, "I did it. I never have to go back and face her wand again. Thank Merlin."

Ted chuckled, "Well you better get up and dressed. Andy is making pancakes and Dora always seems to know when that's happening. When she arrives you'll want to meet her right away. Andy filled me in about your story."

Volans hopped out of bed and gathered his things. Within ten minutes he had reached the kitchen, "What do I need to do?"

"Nothing, you are a guest today." Andromeda smiled and waved him to the table, "Grab a seat before the others arrive and leave you standing."

He laughed and took a seat beside Ted. He had his first pancake on his plate when the others arrived. It was a mad dash to the kitchen for two of the three people who arrived. A crash was heard before Sirius slid easily into the seat across from Volans.

"What was that?" he asked.