See first chapter for disclaimers and warnings.

RECAP: Harry and Hyacinth have just learned that their parents are allowing them to attend Hogwarts after their dragel inheritance has come through. They are excited about this new revelation and can't wait for things to get interesting, until the painful inheritance nearly knocks them both out. The Twins wake up to find their parents caring for them and Harry and Hyacinth are reunited as they heal. In the meantime, another young witch is going through her own Inheritance and it's not a pretty sight.

Sirius Black was a Beta. It was the only reason he could survive the Alpha-nature of Remus Lupin and the aggressive Gheyo tendencies of a certain James Potter. Peter had never been a problem because he was a mere wizard, but James had been dragel and Remus was a werewolf and those sorts of things tended to stick in a bloke's head long after he'd sorted it out on paper.

As that didn't leave Sirius with very many options, he'd opted to marry the charming, if somewhat older, witch Madame Rosmerta, but his dear Rosie, as he called her, hadn't taken offense to being one of his limited 'choices'. She'd known him since he was in school and he'd fallen for her since she was a barmaid who had laughed at the jokes and antics he'd done while in James' company. She understood him in a way none of the other witches did and she did not need the frivolity and mushy-ness of the younger crowd that had clamored for his attention when he'd been released from Azkaban. No, his Rosie understood just what that place had done to him and just how much it had changed him, but it hadn't changed her golden heart in the least.

In fact, she'd made him swear a marriage bond, but he hadn't cared about that, after all, now that he had her, there was no need to be gallivanting about with any other witches, never mind what they looked like. He was pleased that she'd accepted his proposal and very proud of her business sense and strong character. She was never too shy to argue and shout with him, but never too outspoken and preoccupied to recognize when he needed a gentler touch. They suited each other just fine and all who saw them together, knew it was a good match.

It had been something of a shock when he'd discovered she was pregnant, after all, he hadn't even considered that, he'd never thought that he was good parental material and Rosie apparently hadn't thought she really could get pregnant after all that time. But she'd forgotten the contraceptive charm and he was thrilled through the roof, so it was alright in the end and that was all that mattered. They had soon welcomed one delightful little girl, Cassiopeia Black, Cassie for short. He was still thrilled through the roof, falling easily into the role of fatherhood without any of the hiccups that James had discovered. Then again, James had twins to deal with while Sirius just had one angelic little girl. Angelic to him, anyway.

His main worry today though, was for his Cassie. Their only child, a girl with all of Rosie's charm and all of his good looks, with twice the mischievous nature. He now understood his mother's once-uttered curse that he would have children exactly like himself. He'd run out of fingers and toes to count the escapades that Cassie had managed to finagle her way through, barely surviving by the skin of her teeth. She was vivacious and life itself, even if she didn't quite manage to get along with Hyacinth Potter. Harry was fairly neutral ground to the two girls and often, he was the necessary buffer that helped them get along civilly.

It was mainly why he was worried now, as she lay tucked into her bed, deathly pale and sweating profusely. Sirius didn't know what to do. He barely remembered his own change—his mother had spelled him to sleep and looked over him—or so she'd said. He woke up to find himself covered in half-scaled skin with heavy claws and broad wings. It had been a terrible shock at the time.

But for Cassie, Sirius shuddered inwardly. He didn't want to think of her going through those necessary pains. He wanted her to be alright, even though the signs staring back at him suggested that she was anything but. Rosie refused to leave her side and constantly charmed the sheets cool. Lily had warned him that he had dragel blood and that Rosie was a witch. She'd then brewed him a potion and given it to him with a grim smile and a warning that the choice was Cassie's—not his.

The potion would allow his baby girl to be a pureblooded dragel, by asking her dragel half to rewrite her in the method of a true inheritance. As a half-dragel, she would not suffer much, but it would depend on the strength of her magic. The Black family had strong magic—very strong magic—but Rosie's side of things hadn't been that promising. He didn't know why he'd kept the potion, he'd intended to throw it out straightaway, after all, he'd managed being a dragel quite well, thank you very much.

But then Rosie had seen it and then she'd made him tell and then Cassie had been eavesdropping and it had all gone to hell in a handbasket. He'd finally put his foot down and they'd all had a terrible row. He hadn't spoken to them for a week—and it was enough of a shock that they'd finally acquiesced to his point-of-view, albeit grudgingly.

Now, he stood, hovering awkwardly in the doorway, watching his baby girl fight against a foe that he couldn't help her battle. Rosie paused in sponging her daughter's forehead to look over at Sirius. The grimness of her smile let him know that something was wrong—terribly wrong. "Rose-?"

"She needs the potion, Sirius. You can't do this to her."

Sirius stiffened. "Rosie-"

"You can't do this to her. I won't let you kill our daughter because you're convinced that she'll turn out like you."

The curly-haired wizard trembled. "Rose—you don't understand. I'm a monster!"

"Not to me you aren't," Rosie turned away from the bedside and crossed the room to take his head in her hands. She cradled his face, gently, then stood on tip-toe to kiss him with all the sweet sorrow she could muster. He groaned into the kiss, his hands splaying possessively over her curvaceous figure.

"Rose…" her name came out like a sob, as it tangled in his throat. "Oh Rose. She's my baby."

"She's my baby too." Rose sniffled. She kissed his cheeks, his forehead, his fluttering eyelids and nuzzled at his stubbled cheek. "She's ours, Siri." She pillowed her head on his chest. "And you can't watch her fade like this any more than I can. You're not a monster—not to me. You're a good and strong man. You're just Sirius. Sirius Orion Black. Please—do this for her, if not me."

But he was already drawing his wand to summon the potion, knowing he could no more deny her than he could Cassie. "For both of you." He whispered in her ear, holding her tight.

They administered the potion, his trembling hand stroking her pale cheek and Rosie's tears splashing over Cassie's face. They managed an awkward three-hug, until the first scream.

Sirius swore his heart tore in two and this time, Rosie cried, soundlessly.

And here's the fourth chapter, a little glimpse at Sirius and his small family. Thank you all SO much for the warm welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying this lighter tale. I'm having fun with it, for sure. Thanks for reading!