Grimmauld Place was no longer safe. With Dumbledore's death, all of the people who'd known the Secret had become Secret-Keepers, and they had to assume that Snape would divulge the Secret sooner or later. Legacy and Sirius had stopped by to quickly pack a few things, leaving James at the Burrow for safekeeping. They returned to the Burrow afterwards, as the Order had decided to make the Burrow a temporary headquarters for the time being.

After the murder of James and Lily Potter at the hands of Voldemort, Harry's aunt and uncle had reluctantly taken him in. In doing so, they sealed powerful blood magic that would protect Harry until his seventeenth birthday. This meant that the Order had to smuggle Harry away from there before his seventeenth birthday. It had also been decided that the Dursleys would need to be protected. By that point, there had been another break-out of Death Eaters from Azkaban. It was likely that Voldemort had enough of his people at the Ministry to monitor any use of Floo Powder, Portkeys or Apparition. It had also been decided that the Dursleys needed to be protected as well, and Sirius volunteered them and their home. Legacy suspected it to be a ruse to keep her out of any major fighting, but she decided the ruse could work both ways and agreed. James was fourteen months old at this point, and extremely sociable and vocal. She hoped that the Dursleys wouldn't find having a baby underfoot. A few days before Harry's rescue was initiated, Legacy and Sirius rented a van and a small trailer and went to pick up the Dursleys. Sirius knocked at the door and Legacy stood just behind him, James on her hip. Vernon Dursley answered the door.

"Who are you?" He demanded.

"Hello, you must be Vernon. My name is Legacy. Harry might have mentioned that my husband and I were coming by?" Legacy extended a hand, smiling.

"He might have mentioned it, yes." Vernon said, and he was eyeing her hand as though he expected it to grow more fingers or something.

"This is my husband. Harry might have mentioned him a time or two… he's Harry's godfather." Sirius smiled at Vernon, who shrunk away from him.

"You… you're the convict godfather?" Vernon asked dumbly.

"Convicted no more. The Ministry reviewed my case, and they saw that I was wrongly convicted. My name's been cleared." Vernon didn't stop glaring at Sirius.

"Vernon, dear? Who's that at the door?" A woman asked, and Legacy assumed that it was Petunia.

"The lot that the boy said were coming." Vernon said over his shoulder.

"Well, at least let them in. The neighbors will start to stare soon." Petunia said, and Vernon reluctantly stepped back. Legacy stepped inside and put James down on the floor.

"Don't wander off, now." Legacy informed the boy, who promptly wandered down the hall. Harry met him at the bottom of the stairs before he'd wandered too far.

"Hullo, Sirius. Hullo, Legacy." Harry greeted them with a smile.

"How are you doing?" Sirius asked him.

"I'm doing well. And you?" Harry asked. Sirius opened his mouth to reply, but Vernon spoke first.

"All right, then. He's explained it all to us, but I still don't like this." The man said.

"Whether you like it or not isn't exactly their problem." Harry said dryly.

"So how is this working?" Vernon asked, as though Harry hadn't spoken.

"We'll be leaving before Harry does. We can't use magic in your house – seeing as Harry is still underage, it might give the Ministry an excuse to arrest him. We'll drive out a ways, then we'll Disapparate to the safe house." Legacy said, then turned to Harry. "You'll wait here for your guard. There have been a few last-minute changes to the plan. Mad-Eye will explain it all when he gets here, don't worry." Legacy reassured him.

"We're trying to time their Disapparition with your departure from the house. That way, everyone's safe when the charm breaks, everyone will be headed to safety." Sirius explained.

"Makes sense to me." Harry replied. The Dursleys had remained silent, sending bewildered looks back and forth between each other.

"Well then, this is goodbye, I guess." Vernon said, looking over at Harry.

"Are you ready, Diddy?" Petunia asked her son, avoiding looking at Harry altogether.

"Wait…" Dudley said, speaking for the first time.

"Is something wrong, Popkin?" Petunia asked.

"Why isn't Harry coming with us?"

"What do you mean?" Vernon asked his son.

"Why isn't he coming, too?" Dudley asked, pointing over towards Harry.

"Well, I… he doesn't want to." Vernon replied, and glared over at Harry.

"Not at all." Harry said emphatically.

"Well then, there you go." Vernon told Dudley. "Come along, we're to be off." Vernon turned and had nearly walked out of the room when Dudley spoke again.

"But where's he going to go?" Vernon shot Petunia a worried glance.

"You mean that you don't know where he's going?" Sirius asked. He didn't mention that none of them knew, either. The Order was going to pick him up, and then he was going to be off on some secret mission that had been Dumbledore's last request to him.

"Off with some of your lot, isn't he?" Vernon asked nonchalantly, as though he didn't really care. From everything that Harry had ever said about his family, Legacy strongly suspected that this was the case.

"It's fine." Harry said, standing up. "They've never paid too much attention to anything that has to do with 'our lot'."

"Why ever not?" Legacy asked, frowning. "Don't they understand how much Voldemort's actions can impact them as well?"

"No, they like to pretend as though it doesn't exist. They kind of consider me a waste of space, but I'm used to that."

"I don't think you're a waste of space." Dudley said quietly, and immediately flushed crimson. Harry stared at his cousin for a few moments, disbelief plainly written on his face.

"Well, er… thanks, Dudley." Harry said lamely.

"You saved my life." He mumbled, and Harry shrugged.

"Well, not really… it was your soul the Dementor would have taken…." The group fell into silence, and Legacy sent Harry an annoyed look. "That's like 'I love you' from him." Harry said, and Legacy rolled her eyes.

"Are we leaving or not?" Vernon roared from the doorway. He'd been silent the entire time, and Legacy had quite forgotten he was there. Apparently, so had James, because Vernon's shouting had startled him and he began to cry. Legacy picked up her son and began to soothe him as Sirius ushered the Dursleys out of the house. Once they were out of earshot, Legacy turned to Harry.

"Are they always like that?" She asked, and Harry smiled grimly.

"Sometimes they're worse." He said, and Legacy groaned.

"I'd better get going… Sirius doesn't know how to drive." Legacy explained. "Well, just the motorbike. But anything with four wheels and he's lost." James had quieted down, and was now tugging Legacy's hair. "You take care of yourself, Harry. Hermione and Ron, too."

"How did you –" Harry began, and Legacy interrupted with a chuckle.

"You barely go anywhere without them. You all depend on each other."

"I guess that's true."

"I'll see you at the party, then?" Legacy asked, and Harry raised a brow at her. "After Voldemort's dead. You think there won't be a party?" Harry smiled.

"There damn well better be."

"See you around, Harry."


The safe house that Legacy and Sirius were taking the Dursleys to was their own home, and they'd gone to great lengths to 'Muggle' it. Hermione had explained what they didn't already know, and they felt that they'd done a fairly good job. Apparently, the house passed muster, because the Dursley's didn't have anything untoward to say about it.

"Is there a bus that comes out here?" Petunia asked Legacy. "For Dudley's school." The other woman quickly explained.

"I don't know. I don't think it would be safe for him to continue in a Mu- I mean, you might have to home school him." Legacy told her.

"I don't know how well that would work out, though." Petunia protested.

"I'm sorry, but I don't really see any other options for you." Legacy told her.

"I'll see if there isn't something that we can work out. And it's not your fault, not really." Petunia said. Vernon called for his wife, and she smiled at Legacy before following after him.


A few days later, they received an owl from the Burrow. Somehow, Voldemort had known exactly when the Order had planned to take Harry away from Privet Drive and had attacked. Mad-Eye Moody had died, as well as Harry's owl. George had lost an ear to Snape.

"The bastard strikes again." Legacy muttered, and tossed the letter on a table. She ran a hand through her hair and looked at her son. James was sitting on the floor, playing with some of his toys. Sirius walked into the room, and Legacy pointed at the letter. "Moody's dead." She told him. "And George is short an ear, courtesy of Snape."

"He'll definitely stand out in the wedding photos." He quipped. Legacy picked up her wand and cast a Muffliato Charm. "What's on your mind?" Sirius asked, sitting down next to her.

"I know they've only been here a few days, but I've noticed something. Vernon and Petunia? They don't act like a husband and wife do. They act like... I don't know what they act like. They never show any affection for each other, even when we're not in the room." Sirius raised a brow at her. "I bought a pair of Extendable Ears from the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes last time we were in Diagon Alley." She explained, waving a hand. "I think of Arthur and Molly, and how they are with each other, and I compare them to these two... I wonder if it's a Muggle thing?" Sirius shook his head.

"I think it might be a them thing. I've seen Muggles their age and older walking down the street holding hands. Maybe they're just not comfortable here yet."

"Just promise me we'll never end up like that. Promise me we'll gross out our grandchildren with our excessive affection." Sirius laughed.

"I promise." Legacy smiled, and he kissed her. "You remember that charm I put down on our room at Grimmauld Place? I put it down here the day we got here." Legacy looked at James. "Come on, Petunia loves the kid. It's gotta be a woman thing. She wouldn't mind keeping an eye on him for an hour... or maybe three." Legacy laughed and went to find Petunia.


Tonks arrived at their home part way through August. Legacy invited her in, and they sat down in the dining room. Tonks told her about Bill and Fleur's wedding. The Ministry was now fully under Voldemort's control, and Harry, Ron and Hermione hadn't been seen since. She also shared some other news.

"Remus and I got married in July." She said, and Legacy was ecstatic.

"That means I can't call you Tonks anymore. Should I call you Nymphy?" Legacy teased her.

"Merlin, no. You can still call me Tonks." She looked down for a moment. "I'm pregnant, and I don't think that Remus likes that."

"Why wouldn't he? You two are having a baby! You should both be overjoyed!" Legacy said. Tonks looked out the window.

"I think he's scared that his lycanthropy can be inherited. And it doesn't help that my parents don't exactly approve of us. I haven't seen him for a while." Tonks sighed. "I love him, and I don't know what to do."

"I think he'll be back. He's probably just scared right now. There are things happening that he never expected to, and he doesn't know how to deal with them. You'll see, he'll come around." Tonks smiled at her.

"Thanks. It just helps to talk to someone about it, you know?" They talked for a while longer and Petunia came into the dining room.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company." Petunia turned to leave, but Legacy stopped her.

"No, it's fine. We're just talking about girly things. Petunia Dursley, Nymphadora Tonks. I mean, Lupin." Tonks stood to shake Petunia's hand.

"Just call me Tonks. I got married just over a month ago." Petunia smiled.

"Congratulations." Petunia said, smiling. Legacy had an idea.

"Petunia, Tonks here is pregnant and came to me for advice. I know that all pregnancies are different, and I was wondering if we could both talk to her about ours to sort of help her out." Legacy gestured towards her growing belly. At four months along, she was beginning to develop a baby bump.

"I was never sick, but I was nauseous every morning for three months. Sirius got Molly to help him make my favorite breakfast one morning and I didn't have the heart to tell him that the smell was making me sick. I forced it all down anyway, and that was the morning that Molly told me I was pregnant."

"That's so cute! I didn't realize he was like that. He seems so... gruff and unapproachable." Tonks said.

"He's secretly a romantic. On our wedding night, he carried me over the threshold and told me to close my eyes. When we got to the bedroom, he'd covered the bed in rose petals and lit a bunch of candles." Legacy confided, and Tonks laughed out loud.

"That is so adorable!"

"Were you sick while pregnant, Petunia?" Legacy asked the older woman.

"Yes, nearly every day." They talked for a few more hours, swapping stories and techniques.

"You ladies having fun?" Sirius was standing in the door way. Legacy smiled.

"Tonks is pregnant, and Petunia and I are telling her all about the joys of pregnancy."

"Congratulations. Who's the father?" Sirius asked.

"Remus and I got married in July."

"You're kidding me. Remus, Mr 'I don't want to pass on my condition'? That Remus?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, that one. It took a while, but after Bill and Fleur, after what Greyback did to him... I was able to change his mind." Tonks smiled.

"I don't mean to pry, but what condition does Remus have? I trained as a nurse for a while, and I might be able to help." Petunia spoke up, and Tonks laughed.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to help with this one. It's a magic thing. You sure you want to know?"

"It's not necessary... if you'll excuse me." Petunia hurriedly stood and left the room.

"She scared of magic or what?" Tonks asked. "I didn't even tell her that he was a werewolf and she freaked out."

"I think it's a Muggle thing." Legacy said. Tonks looked out the window and stood up.

"Shit, it's late. I better get going. Thanks for the chat, Legacy." Tonks gave Legacy and Sirius a quick hug before walking out the door.

"She's right. I'm surprised that James hasn't come to find me yet." Legacy looked around the room. "Where is he, anyway?"

"I haven't seen him yet." Sirius said, and Legacy felt a flutter of fear in her chest.

"He's got to be here somewhere." She ran upstairs and started opening doors. She found her son with Dudley. They were both sitting in front of something he'd called a 'telly', and James was holding something and mashing the buttons on it.

"Hi Mrs Black. James came in here and started watching me playing, so I gave him a controller so he could pretend to play. I hope that's okay." Legacy smiled.

"That's fine, Dudley. I just didn't know where he was, and I got concerned. It's getting late, and I should put him to bed." She walked over and picked up her son, taking the 'controller' thing away from him. "And it's Legacy, Dudley. I'm only a few years older than you."

"But you're married and have a kid and everything. You even have another one on the way." Dudley protested.

"That doesn't mean anything. I'm only twenty, Dudley."

"Oh... well... That's weird." Dudley stammered out, flushing furiously.

"What do you mean? I got married just a while after my eighteenth birthday."

"Well, Mr Black is way older than you."

"He was twice my age exactly when we got married. Age doesn't mean anything if someone's in love."

"Um... okay." Dudley turned his attention back to the 'telly', and Legacy left the room, closing the door behind her.


Legacy was able to draw Petunia out further from her shell as time went by, as well as Dudley, but Vernon was more stubborn and very set in his ways. Whenever either she or Sirius did magic, Petunia and Vernon would look away or leave the room, but Dudley seemed not to mind as much. As Legacy's pregnancy progressed and she became steadily more awkward, Dudley offered more and more often to watch over James. The child liked to play the 'videogames' on the 'telly', and it would keep him entertained for hours. Petunia would cook dinner for the six of them, and Vernon would sometimes sit in the kitchen with her. Legacy had arranged for the Muggle newspaper to be owled along with the Daily Prophet, and although Vernon had never thanked her for it, she suspected that he was pleased by its presence. Legacy's current pregnancy was very different from her previous one. After the first three months, she was sick nearly all of the time, and extremely warm. She would sit in front of the 'air conditioner' contraption nearly all day in an effort to cool herself off. The smell of cooking meat made her nauseous as well. Every morning, Sirius would perform the spell learned from Molly to check on the baby, who continued to develop normally. Petunia tended to stay close, and Legacy wondered if it was mothering instincts or nursing instincts that she was displaying, but was grateful for it nonetheless. Legacy received a letter from Tonks in September, telling her that Remus had returned home. Legacy was glad to hear it, and told her as much in her return letter. The two of them owled each other at least once a week, and sometimes as often as daily. On Hallowe'en, Sirius invited a few people over for a small party. The Dursleys barred themselves in their rooms nearly the entire time, which saddened Legacy. But she wasn't in the mood to go and talk to them about it. In fact, she barely wanted to stand at all. Molly noticed her discomfort, and sat down beside her.

"How are you doing?" Molly asked.

"I've been better." Legacy quipped.

"This one has been rough, I take it?" Molly gestured towards Legacy's protruding stomach.

"My freaking belly button is poking out, Mum. I don't think it's supposed to do that." Legacy complained, and Molly laughed.

"I'm sorry, dear. It's just that I'm not used to hearing you complain about anything."

"Well, I am now. I feel like an Erumpent."

"That's entirely normal." Molly explained.

"Does this mean I'm having a huge baby? I mean, look at me. That can't all be baby, can it?"

"Not necessarily. Some women are huge and have normal-sized babies, and other women have a normal-sized pregnancy belly and have rather large babies. There's no need to worry." Molly said gently, and Legacy relaxed.

"That's good to hear. Now, where's the food at? I'm hungry."


On the third of December, Legacy woke to contractions. Looking at the clock, she saw that it was quite early in the morning, about seven.

"Early riser, huh?" Legacy said, looking down at her stomach. "Looks like I'm going to be busy today." She went down to the kitchen and ate breakfast with the others, remembering how long her labor had lasted for James. Molly had informed her that second children sometimes took longer than the first, so Legacy made sure that she was very well fed.

"Are you all right, Legacy?" Petunia asked her around noon. "You've been making the strangest faces all morning."

"My contractions started this morning, that's all." Legacy said, waving her hand. "It's nothing major yet." Petunia began grilling her for information – how long they were, how far apart they were, and when they had started. "Relax, Petunia. I've been through this before. Once my water breaks we'll have to worry about it. I'll get Sirius to send an owl to Molly when that happens."

"If you're sure about it." Petunia said reluctantly, but she stuck to Legacy's side like glue for the rest of the day. Once Sirius found out, he pawned James off on Dudley and stayed with Legacy as well. Both Petunia and Sirius tried to talk Legacy into staying in bed.

"I just think that it would be best. You don't want to have a contraction and fall down the stairs, do you?" Petunia asked, trying to guilt her.

"I'll stay off the stairs, then." Legacy replied quickly. "I can't stay in bed all day, I'll go crazy. Even if I just walk around I'd feel much better." They finally relented, but they still wouldn't leave her side. Once Legacy's contractions hit twelve hours, Sirius began to worry.

"I don't think that they should have lasted this long." He said, running a hand through his hair.

"It's going to be fine. Mum said that this one would most likely be longer than James' was."

"How much longer?"

"A few hours, tops." Sirius still looked worried, and Legacy sighed. "If it'll make you feel better, send Ares and ask her to come over."

"I'm not worried about me, I'm worried about you." Sirius told her, but he rushed off to send the owl. Molly arrived about twenty minutes later.

"Sirius said you'd been having contractions for some time now." She commented. Legacy was mid-contraction, so she only nodded.

"Almost thirteen hours now." Legacy sighed once it had passed. "Contractions are coming every fifteen minutes or so. Water hasn't broken yet." Legacy was lying down now, much to the relief of her husband and houseguest.

"It appears to be coming along quite nicely." Molly said, smiling. "I'll stick around, though – it looks as though there'll be another Black in the world within the next couple of hours." Molly's estimate was very accurate – Legacy's water broke around nine, and she delivered her child at nine-thirty. "It's a girl." Molly announced. She cut the cord and washed her before handing the baby to her mother, then she and Petunia left the room. Legacy immediately began nursing her.

"So… I got to name our son, now you get to name our daughter." Sirius informed her. "Any thoughts?" Legacy had thought about names quite a bit, but hadn't been able to decide on one. Looking down at her daughter, however, she finally settled on one.

"Hope." She said quietly, and Sirius smiled.

"That seems fitting." Sirius sighed. "Now it's my turn, isn't it?" Legacy laughed.

"Yes, it is." He frowned in concentration.

"Hope… Molly? Hope Molly Black?" He tried out the name, looking over at Legacy.

"I think she'll be pleased." Legacy replied, nodding. There was a knock at the bedroom door, and Sirius answered it to see Molly standing there.

"James has been sent to bed already… I'm sure that you would have wanted to speak to him, but he was already asleep. The young man carried him to his bed."

"I'll have to thank him in the morning." Legacy said.

"Thank you for your help, Molly." Sirius said, and the woman smiled.

"I barely did anything… this was an easy delivery. The other woman is relieved that the babe is healthy, and that you're doing well."

"I am, too." Legacy replied. "Merlin, am I ever tired."

"That's completely understandable." Molly said, and turned to leave the room.

"We've decided on a name." Sirius told her, and she stopped. "Hope. Hope Molly." Molly turned back to face them, and her eyes were wet.

"Thank you… you didn't need to do that. But thank you so very much."

"But we did, Mum." Legacy spoke up. "You've done so much for me… this was the least that we could do." Molly came over and embraced the three of them, then stood back up and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"I should probably head home… it's getting rather late."

"Good night, Molly."

"Night, Mum."


James wasn't very impressed with the newest addition to the family. They'd explained what was going on as best they could – that Mum had a baby in her tummy, that he was going to be a big brother soon, and that they would still love him just as much as before.

"Small baby." He said. At nineteen months, he was beginning to form better sentences.

"You were this size once too, you know." Legacy informed him, and he shook his head emphatically.

"No! Me BIG!" He stretched out his arms as far as they would go.

"No, you're not that big yet." Legacy said. "You'll get there someday."

"Big boy! Big brother!"

"Yes you are. Just don't grow up too fast, okay?"

"Okay Mum."


On Christmas morning, Legacy awoke to a bouncing little boy in her bed.

"Mum, Christmas! No sleep!" At nineteen months, he was beginning to form better sentences. "Mum, up!"

"Yes James. Mum's getting up. Go bug Dad." Legacy said, standing up. She walked over to Hope's cradle, and the girl stared up at her.

"Dad! Dad?" James was poking his father's side. "Dad, up!" Sirius still didn't move. "Dad!"

"RAWR!" Sirius' hands darted out from under the blankets, tickling James. The boy doubled over in a fit of giggles, and Sirius scooped him up and sat him on the bed. "What are you up so early for?" Sirius asked James.

"Christmas!" The boy exclaimed, clapping his hands together.

"Are you sure? I don't think it's Christmas yet. What do you think, Mum?"

"I don't know." Legacy sat down on the edge of the bed, their daughter in her arms. "I think you might have the wrong day, James."

"No! Come see!" James grabbed Legacy's hand and tried to pull her off the bed. She laughed and stood before picking him up.

"No! Me walk!" James tried to get down and Legacy tickled him. She carried her son down the stairs and set him down in the kitchen. "Presents!" James pointed towards the living room.

"Breakfast."

"Presents!"

"But Mum's hungry, and so is Hope. How about you let us eat, and then we'll go look at presents. I'll make you some breakfast too, in case you get hungry." James ran towards the table and climbed onto his booster seat. Sirius came down the stairs with a poorly concealed smile on his face.

"You managed to get the little guy to eat first? I'm impressed." Sirius kissed the top of her head.

"Yours is on the counter there." Legacy said. As her husband started eating, Legacy looked at him. He'd gotten dressed, that was odd for this time of day. "What are you up to?"

"What do you mean? I'm eating breakfast."

"You're dressed. That in itself speaks volumes." The doorbell rang, and Legacy groaned. "You couldn't have warned me first?" Legacy fled up the stairs to get dressed, Sirius' laughter chasing after her. When she got back, Sirius had let everyone in. The Weasleys were there, Bill and Fleur included, as well as a few other Order members. Tonks was showing by now, and Legacy was glad to see Remus there as well. Molly, Fleur and Tonks had all brought food with them.

"Merry Christmas!" Sirius said to her, and everyone smiled.

"So you all knew about this, and I was left in the dark?"

"Sirius wanted it to be a surprise." Molly told her.

"I thought that a big house like this could stand to have a few more people in it." Sirius told her. "And besides, everyone wants to meet the newest addition to the family."

"I'll go tell the Dursleys." Legacy said. "They seem to trust me more than my ex-con husband." Tonks laughed. Legacy went back up the stairs and knocked on the door to Dudley's room.

"Hey. Merry Christmas." He said, opening the door.

"Sirius invited some people over, and I just thought I'd tell you that you're more than welcome to join us." He glanced down the hall at his parent's bedroom. "You're a young man, Dudley. In fact, if you were a wizard, you'd be considered an adult. You're more than old enough to be making your own decisions." Dudley nodded.

"Just let me get dressed." Legacy smiled and walked down the hall. She knocked on Vernon and Petunia's door, and the woman answered it.

"Good morning, Petunia." Petunia smiled at her. "Sirius invited some people over, and I'm letting you know that you're more than welcome to join us. Dudley already said that he'd like to come down, he's just getting dressed at the moment."

"We might come down as well." Petunia said, and Legacy simply nodded before going back down the hall. Dudley was already there, seemingly nervous about going downstairs.

"Did Harry tell you what happened the night we found out he was a wizard?" Dudley asked, and Legacy shook her head. "The big man... Hagrid. He gave me a pig tail. We had to get it surgically removed." Legacy bit back her laughter.

"If it makes you feel any better, he's not here. He's at Hogwarts. He teaches Care of Magical Creatures." Dudley relaxed a bit before looking at her.

"Thanks. I know that Dad can be... you know. But thanks for bringing us here." Legacy nodded and the two of them walked down the stairs. "Harry's not here."

"No, he's on his secret mission. Nobody's seen him since August." Dudley looked a bit sad, but he walked into the room. Legacy smiled and went to talk to her friends. Vernon and Petunia came down the stairs not long after. Petunia walked over to Molly, and Vernon stared around the room until Bill walked towards him. She couldn't hear what either of them were saying, but Bill extended his hand and Vernon eyed it before shaking the younger man's hand. Everyone was delighted with Hope, and she made quite a few rounds about the room. James was not content with merely socializing, he was very eager to open his presents. He dragged his parents over to the tree and attacked the numerous presents beneath with gusto.

"If we're not careful, he's going to be spoiled rotten." Legacy told Sirius, who laughed.

"He's young." Drawing close to her, he wrapped his arms around her. "And we don't know how many chances like this we'll get." Legacy looked around at the happy, smiling faces surrounding her and smiled.

"You're right. Let's enjoy today, and not worry about tomorrow."


By February, Hope was beginning to sleep through the night; something for which the entire house was grateful. She was smiling at everything that moved, which brought an answering one even to Vernon's mustachioed face. Sirius and Legacy had recently discovered Potterwatch, a radio program run by Fred, George, and their friend Lee Jordan. They listened to it every night, hoping that they might hear something about Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but to no avail. It had been six months since anyone had seen them or heard from them. Legacy had attempted to contact Hermione's parents, but there had been no answer, and Sirius had stopped by the house only to find that a new family was living there now. No one had any idea where the previous owners were now, or why they had left. Legacy suspected that Hermione had sent them off somewhere under new names, but there was no way to know that for sure. All they could do was wait and see, and hope for the best.

In April, Hope was starting to sit up on her own, babbling at everyone in the house, and was able to feed herself from a bottle. Legacy and Sirius were in the kitchen – Legacy working on supper, and Sirius entertaining the children – when someone began pounding on the door.

"It's me! Remus!" Sirius looked up at Legacy from where he sat on the floor, and she shrugged. Sirius walked over to the door.

"Whose idea was it to create the Marauder's Map?" Sirius asked.

"The original idea was yours, so that we wouldn't get caught as often as we were, but it was James who suggested that we actually go through with it." Sirius smiled and opened the door.

"It's good to see you." Sirius told him.

"Dora had the baby!" Remus shouted, grinning from ear to ear. "A little boy. We're calling him Teddy, after her father."

"That's wonderful news!" Legacy said, smiling. "I'm so happy for you both." Sirius threw his arm over his friend's shoulder.

"Good on you, Moony." Sirius clapped him on the back. "Good on you."

"That's only part of my news. I visited Bill and Fleur, and you'll never guess who I saw there."

"Other than the two of them? No one but Order members even know where Shell Cottage is." Legacy said, frowning.

"I saw Harry, Ron and Hermione there. They were with a few others, as well – Ollivander, the wand maker, and a goblin."

"You've seen them? How are they doing?" Sirius asked quickly. "Are they all right?"

"All things considered, they're doing fine. No one would tell me how exactly they ended up there, but I gather that it wasn't pretty. Ollivander is in pretty rough shape."

"I don't care about the old man, how is Harry?" Sirius demanded.

"The three of them are doing fine. They won't tell me what they've been up to, or where they've been the past while, except that they're on an important mission. I told them that you've had a little girl, and they're all very happy for you. They asked me to say hello for them." Remus said, and Sirius sighed.

"Did they say when they'd be finished?"

"No, nothing like that. They said that they'll stop by at the first opportunity, though." Sirius nodded.

"Well, thank you for letting us know. You should tell Molly, too."

"I'm on my way there next." Remus informed him. "I wanted to ask you something, while I was here."

"Anything." Sirius promised.

"We'd like for you to be Teddy's godparents."

"Are you sure?" Legacy asked quietly.

"Of course we are. We can't think of anyone better."

"We'd be honored." Sirius informed him.

"Absolutely." Legacy agreed.

"Thank you both." Remus smiled at them. He stayed a while longer, but he needed to stop at the Burrow as well. Remus bade them both goodnight and left.

"Well. I never expected to be a godparent again." Sirius said, looking over at Legacy.

"I never expected to be a godparent at all." She replied. "I'm touched that they would ask us."

"It was rather nice of them." Sirius agreed. "Although, Moony did say that I'd make a terrible godfather when James asked me to be Harry's…. he must have changed his mind since then."

"I wonder why?" Legacy asked dryly. She walked up behind her husband and slid her arms around him.

"I wonder if this is how James felt." Sirius said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Sirius turned around to face her.

"Last time. I always wondered how people could start families with… him hanging over their heads, but I understand that part now. I wonder if James ever felt so lost, like there was nothing much that he could do. Like even if he did do anything, it wouldn't really matter in the end anyway." Legacy squeezed Sirius for a moment, and he looked down at her.

"We both know that what James did made all the difference in the world. It's horrible that his life was cut short, but he did make a difference. I don't know how he felt, I can't know. There isn't a whole lot that we can do right now, but we'll be there when Harry needs us, and we'll put a stop to it all. You'll see." Legacy laid her head against his chest. "It'll be alright in the end. It has to be."


On the second of May, Sirius rushed into the living room where Legacy sat with their children.

"Have you seen this yet?" He asked, shaking the Prophet at her. Legacy shook her head, and Sirius began to read aloud. "There was a break-in yesterday at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. At this time, it is unknown what the thieves are after, but eye-witnesses claim that it was Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, as well as an unknown goblin. It goes on to say that anyone who has seen them is to contact the Ministry, not to approach them, blah blah blah." Sirius tossed the paper onto a table. "Do you think it was really them?"

"There's no reason not to. I only wonder what they were after in there." Legacy frowned and tapped her lip. "It must have been important to risk something like that."

"Hagrid might get jealous when he reads it, though." Sirius said with a small smile.

"What do you mean?"

"It says that they made their escape on the back of a dragon." Legacy chuckled and shook her head.

"Apparently, a person doesn't just sneak out after they rob a bank. Any bank." Legacy looked down to the floor, where James and Hope were playing.

"You okay?" Sirius asked, and Legacy looked back up at him.

"Yeah, I guess so. I just feel so… wound up, you know?"

"I do know. I felt like that a lot last time, and I've felt it quite a bit this time, too." He walked across the room and gave her a kiss before sitting on the floor.

"Dad!" James said, smiling.

"What have you got there, James?" Sirius asked, and James showed his father the toy he was currently holding. "Well, that's just swell." The rest of that day was spent with the children. Legacy and Sirius were sitting in the living room, looking forwards to having a few hours to themselves, when a silvery-white wolf passed through the wall and into the room.

"Harry's back at the school." Tonks' voice issued from its mouth. "He says that You-Know-Who's going to be there. The DA has been notified, and we're sending a heads-up to the Order as well." The Patronus faded away, its message delivered.

"We have to go." Legacy said, standing.

"How about you go and ask the Dursleys? I have a sneaky suspicion that they don't exactly like me."

"Don't leave without me." Legacy said before rushing up the stairs. Vernon and Petunia were still awake, so it didn't take long for them to open their bedroom door.

"Legacy, it's rather late, isn't it?" Petunia asked. "Is there something you needed?"

"There's an emergency. Sirius and I need to leave."

"I thought that you were supposed to be protecting us?" Vernon asked from his perch on the bed.

"This is part of it. Voldemort's at Hogwarts, and so is Harry. The rest of the Order is already there, or soon will be. I need to ask you to watch over James and Hope." Petunia's face paled. Legacy sometimes forgot that Voldemort had killed Petunia's sister, and now she found herself wondering exactly how close Lily and Petunia had been.

"Of course we will." Petunia promised. "Take care of yourselves, now."

"Thank you. I don't know how long we'll be gone, but we'll be back as soon as we can." Legacy quickly embraced the older woman then rushed back down the stairs. Sirius stood there, wearing his cloak and holding another one out for her. "I'm glad to see that you waited." Legacy said, stepping into the cloak.

"I'd be foolish to disobey a direct order." Sirius teased. "We need to Apparate into the Hog's Head, the Death Eaters have set up a Caterwauling Charm in Hogsmeade. They'll smuggle us into the castle from there."

"All right. Let's go." Legacy took Sirius' hand, and they Apparated away.

They arrived in the Hog's Head a moment later, and a man was there, who eyed them warily.

"I recognize you, Black. It's been a long time since I've seen you running around. I hope that you're enjoying your freedom." His gaze fell to Legacy. "I don't recognize your girl, though."

"Legacy, this is Aberforth Dumbledore. Aberforth, this is my wife, Legacy." Aberforth had been drinking, and spat it out at the word 'wife'.

"Your wife?" The man howled, slapping his thigh. "Now that's a good one."

"How do we get to Hogwarts from here?" Legacy asked loudly, so as to be heard. Aberforth was still chuckling as he pointed towards a portrait on the mantle.

"It's the only secret way in or out anymore. The Death Eaters closed off all the other ones. Climb on up, and you'll get there." Legacy raised her brows at Sirius, who gestured towards the portrait. Shaking her head, Legacy climbed onto a chair and then onto the mantle, stepping through the portrait. Sirius followed her up, and they made their way down a tunnel.

"Dumbledore?" Legacy asked quietly, and Sirius nodded.

"Younger brother."

"A bit of an oddball, isn't he?" Legacy asked, and Sirius chuckled.

"You could say that, yes." They reached the end of the tunnel, which led to a room full of people. "What is this place?"

"It's the Room of Requirement." Another voice said, and Legacy smiled at Fred, who'd spoken.

"It's so good to see you all!" She said to the room at large. It was filled with students, many of whom she didn't know, as well as a smattering of Order members.

"The other members are on their way." Kingsley said as Legacy hugged each of the Weasleys.

"Where are the children?" Molly asked.

"We've left them with the Dursleys. We figured that we were needed here." Sirius replied. Remus arrived, as well as some other students – Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, and Oliver Wood, to name a few. Legacy hadn't known most of them very well, what with them being on the Quidditch team and all. But she did recognize one.

"Cedric!" She threw her arms around her old friend. "It's been ages! How have you been?"

"It's good to see you. You kind of disappeared after the Triwizard Tournament, and I never did get to say goodbye." He smiled down at her.

"I'm sorry, but there were some things that I needed to do." Sirius cleared his throat behind her, and she spun about to face him. "I'm sorry. Cedric Diggory, this is my husband, Sirius Black." Sirius' name still caused some reaction at times, but not with Cedric. He extended his hand, a smile on his face.

"It's good to meet the man she chose. You're a lucky man, Sirius."

"Don't I know it." Sirius replied. "You were friends in school?"

"The best of friends." Legacy answered. "It's only thanks to Cedric that I passed Herbology at all." Sirius nodded, but Legacy knew that something was bothering him. She couldn't ask in front of Cedric, so she filed it away to deal with later. "Where's Harry at?" Legacy said, changing the subject.

"Luna took him up to the Ravenclaw common room. He's looking for something that he thinks might be up there, or something like that. They should be back before long." Ginny told her.

"What about Ron and Hermione?"

"They said something about a bathroom, and they took off just after Harry did." George supplied, and Legacy nodded. Cedric had been called off to speak with someone else, so Legacy had a moment alone with her husband.

"Is something wrong?" She asked him quietly.

"Did you ever date while you were here?" He asked abruptly, his eyes on Cedric.

"What?" She asked, blinking. That was the last thing she'd expected to hear.

"When you went to school. Did you ever date anyone here?" Sirius repeated.

"No, I never dated anyone. There wasn't anyone that I wanted to date here." She smiled suddenly, connecting the dots. "Sirius Black, are you jealous?"

"Not in the slightest." He replied, far too quickly.

"Sirius, you have absolutely no need to be jealous of anyone. I love you, you know that." She took his hand in her own, and he relaxed slightly. He dropped his eyes down to meet hers.

"I love you, too." At that moment, Harry and a small blonde girl burst through the door. He froze for a moment, taking in all the new additions since he'd been gone.

"Harry, what's happening?" Remus asked.

"Voldemort's on his way, they're barricading the school – Snape's run for it – what are you doing here? How did you know?"

"We sent messages to the rest of Dumbledore's Army. You couldn't expect everyone to miss the fun, Harry, and the DA let the Order of the Phoenix know, and it all kind of snowballed." Fred explained.

"What first, Harry? What's going on?" George asked.

"They're evacuating the younger kids, and everyone's meeting in the Great Hall to get organized. We're fighting." Harry informed them, then rushed over to greet them all. "Sirius, Legacy. It's good to see you." Harry said, smiling. "How's James?"

"He's good. We had a daughter around Christmas, I'm surprised that Remus didn't tell you when you saw him."

"It must have slipped his mind. And I don't blame him, the last thing I'd be thinking about on a day like that was someone else's children." Sirius said.

"You're under-age!" Legacy turned and saw Molly was engaged in a shouting match with her daughter. "I won't permit it! The boys, yes, but you, you've got to go home!"

"I won't!" Ginny shouted back. "I'm in Dumbledore's Army –"

"– a teenagers' gang!" Molly retorted hotly.

"A teenagers' gang that's about to take him on, which no one else has dared to do!" Fred said, leaping to his sister's defense.

"She's sixteen! She's not old enough! What you two were thinking, bringing her with you –"

"Mum's right, Ginny." Bill said gently. "Everyone under-age will have to leave, it's only right."

"I can't go home!" Ginny shouted angrily, tears in her eyes. "My whole family's here, I can't stand waiting there alone, not knowing and –" She looked over at Harry, who only shook his head and turned away. Her gaze then fell to Legacy, who only shrugged. "Fine." Ginny spat bitterly. "I'll say goodbye now, then, and –" Everyone turned back to the tunnel at a sudden noise. Someone had fallen out on their way in. He pulled himself up on the nearest chair, and looked around through lopsided horn-rimmed glasses at the room.

"Am I too late? Has it started? I only just found out, so…." Percy had apparently not intended to run into nearly all of his family upon exiting the tunnel.

"Who is that?" Sirius whispered to Legacy.

"Percy." She replied, just as quietly. There was silence for a few moments, and the tension in the air grew thick.

"I was a fool!" Percy shouted. "I was an idiot, I was a pompous prat, I was –"

"A Ministry-loving, family-disowning, power-hungry moron?" Fred asked darkly.

"Yes, I was!" Percy replied.

"Well, you can't say any fairer than that." Fred said, extending his hand to Percy. Molly burst into tears. She ran forward, pushed Fred aside, and pulled Percy into a strangling hug. He patted her on the back, keeping his eyes locked on his father.

"I'm sorry, Dad." Arthur blinked rather rapidly, then he, too, hurried over to hug his son.

"What made you see sense, Perce?" George inquired.

"It's been coming on for a while. But I had to find a way out and it's not so easy at the Ministry, they're imprisoning traitors all the time. I managed to make contact with Aberforth, and he tipped me off ten minutes ago that Hogwarts was going to make a fight of it, so here I am."

"Well, we do look to our Prefects to take lead at times such as these." George said in his best imitation of Percy's most pompous manner. "Now let's get upstairs and fight, or all the good Death Eaters will be taken." As Percy went to meet Fleur, Ginny and Molly came to a compromise – she could remain in the castle if she remained in the Room of Requirement and stayed out of the fighting. The rest of them filed out of the room and down to the Great Hall. McGonagall was already speaking to the assembled students.

"…evacuation will be overseen by Mr Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your house and take your charges, in an orderly fashion, to the evacuation point."

"What if we want to stay and fight?" One student shouted.

"If you are of age, you may stay." She replied calmly.

"Where is Professor Snape?" Someone from the Slytherin table demanded.

"He has, to use the common phrase, done a bunk." She replied, and a great cheer erupted from the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs. "We have already placed protection around the castle, but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore, to move quickly and calmly, and to do as your Prefects –" Her final words were drowned as a high, cold voice filled the Hall, seeming to emanate from the walls themselves.

"I know that you are preparing to fight." There were screams as some of the students clung to each other, looking around in terror for the source of the sound. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter and my daughter, and none shall be harmed. Give them to me, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give them to me, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight." Immediate silence fell. Legacy was immensely grateful that he'd not spoken her name. She smiled as she felt Sirius slip his hand into her own. Someone rose from the Slytherin table and pointed to where Harry was standing.

"He's there! Potter's right there! Someone grab him!" Before anyone could speak, there was a massive movement. The Gryffindors had risen with their backs to Harry, facing the Slytherins. Then the Hufflepuffs stood, and at nearly the same moment, the Ravenclaws. The Slytherins soon found themselves with nearly every wand in the room pointed at them.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson." McGonagall said in a clipped tone. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr Filch. If the rest of your house could follow." The Slytherins left the hall, leaving none behind. The Ravenclaws were next, then the Hufflepuffs, both of them leaving a number behind. Gryffindor was last, and nearly half the table was still there. McGonagall needed to come down and send off some of the younger students. Kingsley took the stand next, laying out the battle plan. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall were going to take groups to the highest points of the school – the Ravenclaw tower, the Gryffindor tower, and the Astronomy tower – to work spells from there. Remus, Arthur, and Kingsley were going to take groups out on the grounds. Fred and George volunteered to safeguard the entrances and passageways into the schools, and then they were split into groups.

"Perhaps we should go with one of the Professors." Sirius suggested, and Legacy shook her head.

"Like hell I am. I'm an Auror, I'm not about to go and hide upstairs when I could make a difference on the front lines."

"I'm just trying to keep you safe." Sirius argued.

"I know you are. But I don't need to be coddled." Legacy walked up to Kingsley. "Send me out on the grounds." She demanded, and he nodded.

"The pair of you?" He asked, nodding at Sirius.

"Of course." She replied before he could respond.


Legacy was finally able to see the suits of armor walk, but considering the circumstances, she wished it could be otherwise. Legacy, Sirius, and a number of others made their way to the Entrance Courtyard. That was likely where the worst fighting was going to be, seeing as both of the other entrances were small, covered bridges, whereas the one that lead here was a larger stone one. The enchanted suits of armor were taking the worst hits from the giants, and Death Eaters were swarming over everything.

"Stay close to me." Sirius said, squeezing her hand. Legacy nodded mutely. She pulled out her wand and began to cast spells at the giants. They provided better targets than the Death Eaters themselves did. She was so focused on the giants that she didn't see one of the Death Eaters appear beside her until Sirius Stunned him.

"Thank you!" She shouted over her shoulder at him.

"Legacy, you have to pay attention! I didn't come this far to watch you die now!" She reached out for his hand and held it tightly. She directed most of her spells at the giants, but she now watched for Death Eaters in the courtyard.

"Fall back! Take cover!" McGonagall was shouting, and the students began to run inside the school. Legacy looked around and saw that the teachers and Order members were standing firm and smiled. Sirius' hand slipped from hers and she spun around. He'd been hit by a rock from an explosion and was on the ground. She pulled him to his feet and threw his arm over her shoulders before heading inside.

"No, go back... I can still fight." Sirius mumbled.

"No, you can't. I won't let you. You can barely even stand on your own." Legacy sat him down in the Great Hall and checked him for injuries. He had a cut on his head, but it didn't look too bad. He hissed when she pressed on his ribcage. She began to unbutton his shirt, and he laughed.

"I think this is the wrong time for that." Legacy smiled up at him.

"At least you didn't hit your head too hard." There was no bleeding on his chest, but it looked like he had at least one broken rib. "Sit up straight for a moment." She gave him a moment before waving her wand. Sirius gasped as his bones melded back together.

"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery." The voice echoed through the building and onto the grounds. "Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. And, daughter… I hope that I will not have to come in and drag you out of there. It would be unseemly. One hour." Legacy sighed and wiped the blood from Sirius' face.

"We have to find Harry. He'll run out trying to protect us all if we don't stop him."

"So will you. I'm not letting you out of my sight." Sirius promised, and Legacy smiled.

"I know you won't." She kissed the top of his head before helping him to his feet. Legacy and Sirius entered the Great Hall, where it appeared that everyone was gathered. The house tables were gone and the room was crowded. The injured were being treated on a raised platform by Madam Pomfrey and a group of volunteers. Legacy thought she might have even seen a centaur lying there, but she couldn't be sure. The dead lay in a row in the middle of the Hall. Legacy saw the Weasleys gathered there, and a cry tore from her lips. George was kneeling, Molly was laying atop someone's chest, her body shaking, and Arthur was stroking her hair while tears streamed down his cheeks. Legacy slowly crossed the room and saw that it was Fred lying on the floor. She fell to her knees and draped an arm across Molly's back. She looked over at George, stone-faced and dry-eyed. He appeared to be too shocked to grieve. Hermione was standing with Ginny, and Ron stood with Bill and Fleur. She didn't see Harry anywhere nearby. She looked across at the bodies of the others who'd fallen, and saw that Sirius was kneeling beside Remus. Legacy went to stand, but Molly grabbed her arm.

"You can't go out there." She said hoarsely. "I'll not lose another child tonight."

"Mum, I'm so sorry." Legacy threw her arms around the other woman. "I'm so sorry. This should never have happened."

"You can't go out to him." Molly repeated.

"I have to go see to Sirius. Remus…" Legacy left the sentence unfinished as Molly nodded.

"I understand. He'll keep you safe." Molly released her.

"I love you, Mum. All of you." Legacy looked around at the group standing close. "I just want you all to know that." Legacy walked over to where her husband was and knelt beside him.

"Why them? They just had a baby…. Why did they have to die?" Sirius murmured. Legacy frowned and looked to his other side where she saw Tonks.

"I don't know, Sirius." Legacy replied. "I can't know that."

"He… he was like a brother to me."

"He knew that, I know he did. Just like Tonks was a sister to me, and Fred was a brother to me, Remus was a brother to us both." Sirius didn't reply, he merely stared down at the body of his oldest friend. Legacy sighed. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she turned to see Harry standing not far off. He nodded towards the main doors, and she nodded in return. "Grief comes after vengeance." She whispered to herself.

"You can't go after him." Sirius said, turning to her at last. "You don't know what he'll do to you."

"I know what he'll do if he doesn't get me. And besides, Harry's going to have a plan, I know he will."

"He can't go either. Voldemort will kill him." Legacy sighed and shook her head.

"I love you, Sirius." She said, and laid her head on his shoulder. "I always will." Sirius turned to face her, and she kissed him. When they broke apart, she waved her wand and he fell asleep, but remained balanced on his knees. Legacy stood then, and walked towards Harry.

"You ready to go, then?"


On the way to the Forbidden Forest, Harry gave her a brief summary of the mission he'd been given, as well as the new information from Snape's memories.

"So I'm coming down here to die."

"Horcruxes. And the Hallows." Legacy shook her head. "After what happened in the Chamber of Secrets I did some research. I thought maybe one Horcrux, maybe two, but not this many." Legacy ran a hand through her hair.

"You picked up some of his nervous habits." Harry commented.

"I guess so." They stopped at the edge of the forest, and Harry put something to his mouth. Legacy saw a rock in his hand and he started talking to the air. Legacy raised a brow at him.

"The Resurrection Stone." He handed it to her. "Flip it over in your hand." She did so, and Remus, Tonks and Fred appeared in front of her.

"Remus... Tonks... I'm so sorry, I wish I-"

"Girl, wishes are for Muggles." Tonks interrupted, smiling. "I don't regret a thing. And I think Sirius will forgive you... just give him some time."

"Teddy is at his grandmother's house. We know you'll take good care of him, the both of you." Remus said, and Legacy laughed.

"You seem to think that I'm coming out of this alive."

"It'll be all right, you'll see." Remus promised. Legacy then turned to Fred.

"I'm so sorry, Fred."

"You don't need to apologize to me." Fred said, waving his hand. "When you get back, keep an eye on George. He's going to grieve the most. I know he needs to grieve, but he also needs to live. Help him live, sister."

"I will... brother." She turned to Harry.

"Put that thing in the lake the first chance you get." Harry told her, gesturing towards her hand. They stepped into the forest together. There were some lights further in, and they walked towards them.

"Perhaps they are not coming, my Lord." Legacy heard Bellatrix saying.

"I do not know about the girl, but I do know about Harry. He will not stand idly by while those he cares about are harmed."

"The hour is nearly done, my Lord." Legacy and Harry stepped into the small circle of light, and Bellatrix's face split into a sickly smile.

"The Boy Who Lived... and my Legacy. Come to me at last." Voldemort said, turning to face them.

"No! Harry! What're yeh doing 'ere?" Hagrid was there, chained to a tree. "Legacy?"

"I see you've not shared your secrets with everyone. Does your dear husband know?"

"Leave my family out of this! He's none of your concern!" Legacy spat.

"He is my concern. After all, are we not family now?" Voldemort laughed, and the sound grated on her ears. "What kind of husband would let his wife walk off into who-knows-what alone?" Voldemort flicked his wand, and manacles appeared on Legacy's wrists and ankles. "None of the same fire we had at our previous reunion? My, what a shame." He flicked his wand again, and pain blossomed on Legacy's back. Legacy felt tears beginning, but she refused to let them show.

"What kind of man beats a woman?" He flicked his wrist again. "A woman who is bound, no less, and with magic?" Legacy laughed, and this time the pain drove her to her knees. "A coward is what you are." He walked towards her and struck her across the face. She nearly toppled, but pulled herself back up at the last moment. "Nothing but a coward!" She didn't see the blow coming that time, and she flopped to the ground, spitting out blood.

"Perhaps that will teach you something."

"Yeah, you've got a helluva right hook." She pushed herself back to her feet.

"Crucio." She barely heard him utter the curse before pain spread through her body. Legacy crumpled and fell to her hands and knees. She refused to scream, biting down on her lip until she tasted blood. Finally it stopped, and she drew in shuddering breaths. She spat out more blood and lifted her head. Voldemort had turned to Harry. She scanned the clearing and saw the snake. Even if she attacked Voldemort, any efforts she made would be in vain and likely end in her death. She still had her wand, but she wouldn't be able to move quickly with the manacles. "Avada Kedavra!" There was a bright flash of green, and Harry fell to the ground. Voldemort also collapsed, not a moment behind him. Legacy crawled over towards Harry in the momentary confusion, but she didn't get very far.

"Get away from that." Bellatrix said, and Legacy was flung away from him. "Wait for your father. He'll have a plan." Legacy ignored her and gazed over at Harry, not feeling the tears pour down her cheeks. She had known that Harry would die if he came out here – he'd reaffirmed that – but knowing and seeing, it seemed, were different. "My Lord, are you all right?"

"I do not require any assistance." Voldemort roughly pushed Bellatrix away from him and climbed to his feet. "The boy – is he dead?" Silence pervaded the clearing. Nobody approached Harry, the Death Eaters appeared to almost be afraid. "You!" Voldemort said. Legacy heard a bang and a small shriek of pain, then looked up. "Examine him. Tell me whether he is dead." Narcissa slowly crossed the clearing then knelt beside Harry. Legacy saw her pull back an eyelid, then reach down and put her hand upon his chest. She could have sworn she saw Harry's mouth move fractionally, but she shrugged it off as a trick of the firelight. Narcissa removed her hands and sat back on her heels before announcing,

"He is dead!"


Legacy was forced to march back to the castle at Voldemort's side. He held her chains in his left hand, and Bellatrix walked on her other side. Hagrid bore Harry, sobbing all the while. It was a wonder that he could see where to place his feet. They paused a moment at the edge of the Forest so that Voldemort could address the defenders.

"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents and children, your brothers and sisters will live, and be forgiven, and you shall join me in the new world we shall build together." There was no response from the castle.

"They'll never give up." Legacy said. "Anyone who ever knew Harry knows that you've lied. Some will turn, but we'll never stop fighting you." She spat at his feet.

"Then they will all die." Voldemort replied. "And you will show respect for your father."

"My father's up there at the castle, and so is my mother. My real family is fighting you." Bellatrix actually hissed, baring her teeth at Legacy. Voldemort merely yanked the chains, nearly pulling Legacy's feet out from under her. They continued in silence until they arrived at the castle's outer courtyard. The open doorway was filled with people, the survivors of the battle come out to see the truth of Harry's death for themselves. Legacy scanned the crowd for Sirius and saw him at the top of the steps.

"Legacy!" He shouted, running down the stairs. Arthur tried to stop him, but Sirius pushed past him. It took Bill, Kingsley, George and Aberforth to stop him running for her.

"I'm sorry, Sirius." Legacy called out to him.

"Why? Why did you do this?"

"I had to –"

"SILENCE!" Voldemort shouted. "You see? Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!" Voldemort laughed, and the Death Eaters echoed him. Legacy took a half-step away from him, but he noticed quickly. "Where do you think you're going?" He asked, tugging on her chains. Legacy stumbled, but didn't fall.

"Leave her alone!" Sirius shouted.

"Or what?" Voldemort said. "What do you think you can do about it? Since you've done such a wonderful job of keeping her safe thus far…" Sirius struggled to free himself, but thankfully, the others maintained a tight grip on him. "There is no need for you to draw breath any longer." Voldemort raised his wand, but Legacy stepped in front of him.

"Don't hurt him. Please, don't hurt him." She pleaded, falling to her knees. "Please, I'm begging you."

"Why shouldn't I?" Voldemort asked.

"I'll do anything you want. I swear it. Just please, let him live." Voldemort's expression never changed as he flicked his wand. Legacy spun around just to see Sirius fall to the ground. "NO!" Legacy forgot about the chains and tried to run towards Sirius but she fell to the ground. She remained on the ground, sobbing. Legacy heard a bang and saw a flash of light, but she didn't pay any attention to it. She didn't care about any of it anymore. Not without Sirius.

"Dumbledore's Army!" She looked up at last, and saw Neville standing in front of the defenders, carrying a sword, of all things.

"He's not dead!" Another voice cried, and Legacy looked over her shoulder to see Harry standing beside Hagrid, casting spells at the Death Eaters. One of them was rapidly approaching her, and she didn't move. The Death Eater knelt beside her, and she recognized Narcissa. The other woman waved her wand, and Legacy's chains melted away.

"Here." Narcissa returned Legacy's wand, then shook her head towards Sirius. "He didn't use the curse. There's still a chance for Sirius." Legacy stared up at Narcissa for a moment, then leapt to her feet.

"Thank you." Legacy said, then ran to where Sirius was lying. He was bleeding profusely, but he was still breathing. The ones who'd been restraining him hadn't been able to do much, and had now gone to join in the fighting. Aberforth, however, had remained at his side.

"I figured I'd try and keep him safe. Didn't want to move him, though." Aberforth said, and Legacy nodded at him.

"I'm here, Sirius." Legacy murmured, and he looked up at her.

"How –"

"Not now. You need to conserve your strength. I'll take care of you. Make it all better, you'll see." Legacy's eyes were filling with tears, and she angrily wiped them away. She tore his shirt open only to see that his chest was covered with gaping wounds. "Dammit." She murmured.

"Not to rush you or anything, but that snake is getting pretty close." Aberforth said, and Legacy turned around. Nagini wasn't far off, and was drawing nearer.

"We have to get Sirius inside, now." She slipped one arm under Sirius' shoulders, and the other beneath his legs. It was a bit of a struggle, but she finally got him off the ground.

"You sure you got him?" Aberforth asked.

"Yes. Just keep everyone away from me." Legacy took off at as fast a pace she could manage for the castle. She was unused to carrying so much dead weight, and her arms screamed to be relieved, but she pushed on. She didn't see that the stones that made up part of the courtyard were no longer level and her foot caught on the edge of one, sending her to the ground. Legacy was able to prevent Sirius from hitting the ground, but she was sure that she'd injured herself in the process. When she tried to rise to her feet her knee refused to support her weight and she fell again.

"Behind you, Black!" Looking over her shoulder, she saw that the snake had ignored Aberforth and was headed towards her.

"Leave me be." Legacy commanded it, but it ignored her. Legacy wondered how well-trained or even enchanted this snake was. "Begone from me." It continued to ignore her, drawing ever closer. She drew her wand as best she could, and pointed it at the snake. "This is your last warning." Just as the snake launched itself into the air, Legacy saw a flash of silver followed by Neville. The snake fell to the ground in two pieces.

"You two all right?" He asked.

"I think we'll be better now, thanks." She smiled up at her unexpected savior. "I need your help with something else, though. I'm not strong enough to carry Sirius inside." Neville handed her the sword he'd been carrying then picked up Sirius.

"You coming?" He asked.

"I'm right behind you." Legacy promised. Neville headed up the great stone steps, and Legacy tentatively put weight on her injured knee. It held long enough for her to stand, and she used the sword as a makeshift cane to get inside. Neville had carried Sirius to the front of the Great Hall, with the rest of the gravely injured, and was on his way back.

"You don't look so good." Neville informed her.

"I figured as much." Legacy began to hobble her way across the room. Neville took her arm and helped support her weight. When she was beside Sirius once more, she immediately began tending to Sirius' wounds. Some of them were beyond her power to heal, but not all. "Vulnera Sanentur." Legacy healed wound after wound as best she could. Sirius would have some scars, but at least he would be alive. Just as she healed her own leg, Legacy heard a loud bang nearby and raised her head to see that some of the battle had moved into the castle. The Death Eaters were being overwhelmed by the defenders – everywhere she looked, Death Eaters were falling. Legacy saw that Bellatrix was dueling Ginny, Luna and Hermione all at once. She looked down at Sirius for a moment – his color had begun to return, and his breathing was even. She pressed a kiss to his lips before rushing into the fray, directly towards Bellatrix. Legacy cast a curse at Bellatrix, drawing her attention away from the girls.

"Do you want to play with Mummy?" Bellatrix cackled, and Legacy cast another spell at her.

"Get out of here, girls." Legacy told the three of them, and they quickly ran off. Legacy and Bellatrix circled each other, neither taking their eyes off the other.

"My daughter, my Legacy, just forget all this. These blood traitors, and these MudBloods-"

"You carried me to term, that just makes you a beast of burden," Legacy interrupted with a snarl. "Molly Weasley has been more of a mother to me than you ever have, or ever could have! These blood traitors? They're my family. These MudBloods? They're my friends. And I will not brook any threat towards my friends and family!" A snarl left the other woman's mouth, and she pressed her attack. Legacy blocked spell after spell, waiting for an opening.

"You're not fighting very hard to defend your family." Bellatrix laughed. "Perhaps when we're done here, I'll go and collect my grandchildren."

"Duro!" Legacy's spell hit Bellatrix square in the chest. She stumbled back, then looked down at her chest. Lines of grey were rapidly spreading from the center. Before Bellatrix could do more than raise her arm, she had been entirely turned into stone. "Bombarda!" Bits and pieces of stone flew through the Great Hall, and Legacy quickly cast a spell to prevent them flying any further. Looking around, she didn't see Harry or Voldemort, and it was obvious that the defenders were winning. She smiled and headed back to where she'd left Sirius, who was just opening his eyes.

"Hey." He croaked, and Legacy's smile grew wider.

"Hey." She took his hand in her own. "I'm glad you're awake. It was a close call there, for a while."

"Yeah, me too." Sirius squeezed her hand. "You're still in trouble for that stunt you pulled, though."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Legacy heard shouts coming from the courtyard and spun around, wand at the ready. However, these shouts were unlike the ones she'd been hearing all night… these ones were happy, triumphant, cheerful. A crowd of people flooded into the Hall, carrying Harry.

"Harry did it!"

"We've won!"

"It's over!" Their cheers filled the hall, and Legacy turned back to Sirius, her face absolutely glowing. He smiled up at her in return.


Tonks, Remus, Fred and Snape were only a few of the casualties of the Battle of Hogwarts. More than fifty people had died defending Hogwarts, and Legacy suspected they might never find all of the dead. The bodies of the defenders were magically preserved and lined along the wall in the Great Hall. Voldemort had done them all a favor and turned into a pile of ash when he'd died. Some of the defenders were giving her a wide berth after learning about her parentage, but she honestly didn't care. The war was over. Her family would be safe, forever.

"Legacy, you look horrible." Ginny said, standing beside her.

"I don't doubt it. Covered in filth and blood... I doubt anyone here looks their best. And if they do, kick their ass. They shouldn't be dolling themselves up when there are dead and wounded to care for." Ginny nodded.

"How are you holding up?"

"With what? The fact that I killed my mother? The fact that my father is a pile of ashes in the courtyard? Or both?"

"I guess just everything in general. But if you need to talk, I'm here."

"I found out who my mother was around Christmas in my fourth year." Legacy leaned against the wall. "Everything I could find out about didn't exactly serve to endear her to me. I found out about Voldemort during the third task of the Triwizard Tournament. I... reacted poorly." Legacy shook her head. "The both of them were nothing short of evil, and I didn't want to be associated with that. It came in handy once - remember your first year?" Ginny nodded. "Well, Tom Riddle was the last heir of Slytherin. He went on to become Voldemort. That made me the heir of Slytherin, so the basilisk obeyed me. That's the only time this has ever been what one could call 'remotely useful'. Yes, I killed Bellatrix. She threatened my family, so she needed to die."

"Did you mean what you said about my Mum and the rest of us?"

"Yes. Completely. I wouldn't trade what I have with you and your family for all the Galleons in Gringotts." Ginny smiled and embraced her.

"Thanks again for coming to the rescue."

"Not a problem... sister." Legacy squeezed the girl in return before Ginny had to go. Legacy put a hand in her pocket and felt something in there. She pulled out the Resurrection Stone and remembered her promise to Fred. Putting the Stone back in her pocket, she went looking for George. Harry was telling Sirius, McGonagall and a few others about what had transpired since Bill and Fleur's wedding, so she was alone for now. She found George sitting with Fred's body and sat down beside him.

"Hello, Legacy." He said numbly.

"Hello George." They sat in silence for a moment. "I want you to come outside with me for a moment. There's something I think you should see."

"Fred's not going anywhere, is he?" George said bitterly. He got to his feet and helped Legacy to hers. She'd healed her knee herself, not wanting to occupy Madam Pomfrey or another for such a slight injury. She took George's hand and led him out of the castle and down to the lakeside. "What did you want to show me?" He asked when they stopped. She placed the Resurrection Stone in his hand.

"I'm going to give you a moment. When I'm far enough away, flip the Stone over in your hand." He frowned at her. "Trust me. I think this will help." She walked towards the forest and sat on a log, watching George. He looked down at the Stone in his hand and finally turned it over. She watched as tears fell from his eyes and he began to talk to someone she couldn't see. Legacy couldn't hear what George was saying, and she hoped she was doing the right thing. George fell to his knees, sobbing. Legacy stood and walked over to him, knelt beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. George threw his arms around her and wept on her shoulder. Legacy held him as he poured out his grief and anger.

"I'm sorry." George said, pulling away and wiping his eyes.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for, George. You needed to let yourself grieve." She said softly. George put the Stone back in her hand.

"If that's what I think it is, you should be careful with it."

"I agree." Legacy waited for George to stand before she drew her arm back and threw the Stone as far into the lake as she could. It barely made a ripple as it slid beneath the surface. "If you would like, you can come and stay with us for a while. If you need to get away from your memories at home."

"You know, I just might do that." A small smile graced his lips before disappearing. "Come on. If we're gone too long Mum will go nuts." When they re-entered the building, George went to talk to Molly. Looking around, Legacy saw that Sirius was still with Harry, so she went to help with the injured. The most grievously injured had been treated first, and others had needed to wait. Now that people had rested somewhat, more people could be healed. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't hear the sound of feet behind her, and she jumped when a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Hey. All done talking to Harry?" Legacy asked her husband.

"Yeah… a lot of things happened this year." Sirius sighed and sat down beside her.

"How are you feeling?" Legacy asked, studying him. His color was still slightly pale, but other than that he appeared to be well.

"I feel old." He admitted. "But there's also a sense of relief, you know? No more Voldemort. No more Death Eaters. It's finally over."

"James and Hope are safe." Legacy said. "We don't have to hide anymore."

"I'm sick of hiding anyway." Sirius said with a small smile. "By the way, how's George taking things? That's got to be hard on a person."

"He's well enough, all things considered. I invited him to come and stay with us for a while if he wanted to."

"That's perfectly fine with me. With everything that the Weasleys have done for us, this is the least that we could do in return."

"That reminds me, we're going to have to take the Dursleys back to Surrey. They're probably dying to go home."

"I'm going to miss having a babysitter on hand at all times, though." Sirius said, smiling.

"We'll just have to make do on our own." Legacy teased him. Sirius reached for her hand and threaded their fingers together.

"We need to talk about that stunt you pulled." He informed her, and she nodded. "When I woke up and you weren't there…" Sirius shook his head, seemingly lost for words. "And then you were with him, in chains… Harry told me what happened out there. I don't know what it is… was… with you and him, that whenever you saw him it was like you had a death wish." Legacy hung her head, but allowed him to continue. "When I saw you with him, when we thought that Harry was dead, I don't know if I was more relieved, scared, or angry. Relieved that you were alive, scared about what he meant to do with you, and angry because you ran off." He put his hand under her chin, and Legacy raised her head to look at him. "I understand why you went. I wish you hadn't, but there isn't anything I can do to change that. I'm just so… I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that we're both here, safe, alive, and happy." Legacy threw her arms around Sirius, tears falling down her cheeks.

"I thought you were going to be so angry with me…"

"I'm definitely unimpressed, but I'm not angry. Not anymore, anyway."


There had been a memorial en masse for all of the defenders that had died, and the bodies had been either picked up or sent home for private funerals with their families. Legacy and Sirius went home, and George arrived a few days later. Molly had understood why he wanted to get out for a while, and she thanked them for inviting him. The Dursleys stayed another month before they went back to Privet Drive. Legacy sent an owl to Tonks' mother, asking if she wanted Legacy to pick up Teddy, and she arrived the next day with the child in tow. She was getting older, and didn't want to raise another child, even her own blood. Legacy was a bit worried about having three young children in the house at once, but George turned out to be a great help. Harry came to live with them that summer as well. There was some confusion when it came to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, foremost among them being schooling. They'd skipped their last year of school and saved the wizarding world, they were adults, but in doing so they weren't technically qualified to take jobs within the Ministry. It was eventually decided that they would be allowed to choose for themselves. Harry and Ron were invited to join the Aurors by Kingsley Shacklebolt, who was appointed as Minister of Magic, and they accepted. Harry eventually became Head of the Auror's office, and married Ginny. Ron later decided that he didn't want to be an Auror, and went to work with George at Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. He later married Hermione, who had decided to return for her final year of schooling and found employment with the Ministry, furthering the cause for the better treatment of house-elves before being promoted to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Legacy returned to the Ministry as an Auror, while Sirius remained at home. Legacy had thought that he might want to pursue a career, but he was content with being a stay-at-home dad. Every year on May second, witches and wizards from all over Britain and beyond gathered at Hogwarts to honor the dead. Life was good.


Thank you so much to Liz the Reader, xQueen Nothingx, Akg36, RadicallyTVD, Royal-Penguin, ShadeMidnight, Tangolikeoak, Teddy1994, Thawk6, lucky n drake .c7c7, xlovelytinkx, Kate Elizabeth Black, SakuraDagger15, and Turquoise Waffles! I apologize for not thanking each and every one of you individually; this was/is my first fic, so I wasn't entirely sure on protocol. You guys made my day, every time I came back and saw that someone had reviewed, faved or followed my story. Thank you so much!

I will post one more chapter after this, but it isn't story related – it's the timeline (dates, important events, etc) as well as a list of the spells used here, as well as in the movie and the J.K Rowling book series, for anyone that may want them.

It is the quality of one's convictions that determines success, not the number of followers. - Remus Lupin