"Siri, would you please settle down," Severus said from where he was sitting at the table grading papers. The little boy had not been still for more than two minutes in the last hour. He had been flitting around their rooms, nothing seeming to hold his attention.

Siri walked over to his father. "Sorry Pop," he replied, crawling onto the man's lap. "When are Harry and Draco gonna be here?"

Severus set down his quill and put an arm around the boy to keep him from falling. "They'll be here after class."

"When is that?"

He glanced over at the clock on the mantle. "In about an hour."

"But that's a long time," Siri whined.

"How about we go take a walk around the lake?"

"Yipee!" the boy squealed, jumping down and running to get his little trainers. He brought the back to his father.

Severus cleared the table and then lifted Siri up to sit on it. "I'm going to get your brothers to teach you to tie your own shoes this weekend," he told his youngest son as he slipped the shoes on the boy's feet.

"Why? You do a good job."

"Scamp," Severus said, his long fingers reaching out to tickle the boy. Siri giggled, trying to wiggle away.

Shoes tied, Severus put him on the floor and gave him a playful swat. He walked over to the door and took their cloaks from the hooks on the wall. Siri took off out the door as soon as his cloak was on, not even waiting for his father.

--

Rae had skipped her afternoon classes, needing time to be alone with her thoughts. Her father had been on her mind a lot the last few weeks, especially since sharing the truth about him with Draco. Beau, the only other person who knew the truth, had chewed her out royally for telling her father's secret.

"Hi."

She turned to see little Siri Black standing beside her. It had been quite a surprise when Professor Snape called a Slytherin House meeting to introduce the boy as his newest son. "Hello Siri," she told him, glancing around for Professor Snape, Professor Lupin, Harry or Draco, knowing that the little boy shouldn't be this far from the castle by himself.

"What'cha doin'?" he asked, climbing up to sit next to her on the rock she had claimed as her seat.

"I'm thinking."

"Bout what?"

"My father," she answered, looking back out at the lake.

"Are you sad?"

"Yes, I haven't seen him since summer," she told him.

Severus had crept up behind them, having gotten separated from his son when the boy had run ahead. "I thought you told me that your father died when you were little," he told her.

She looked up at him. "I meant my godfather sir. He did adopt me, so that makes him my father, doesn't it?" she asked.

"Indeed," he told her, knowing that something wasn't quite right, but deciding not to push the matter at the moment.

"You're 'dopted too?" Siri asked, grinning at her.

Rae nodded. "I am."

"Me, Harry and Draco are all 'dopted."

"I know," she said with a smile. "My godfather adopted some other kids too, so I have two brothers and two sisters now."

"I like having brothers."

"Would you like to see my family?" she asked him, having quickly forgotten that her Head of House was standing there.

"Can I, please?" Siri asked, remembering the manners that his Pop and Uncle Remus were trying to drill into his little head.

She nodded and quickly performed the same charm that she had used to show Draco the picture of Liam and herself. This time a picture of her family, taken this past summer, appeared in her palm.

Severus' heart nearly stopped as he watched his student perform a charm that he hadn't performed or seen performed since his own school days. He had created it in his sixth year with the only friend that he had had during his school days besides Lily: Regulus Black who had also been in Slytherin, though a year below him. Regulus was the only other person who knew that charm as they had never told anyone of its creation. "Miss Kelly…"

The image in her palm flickered and disappeared as she looked up at the Potions Master. "Yes sir?"

"Where did you learn that charm?"

"Everyone in the AMLE knows it, sir. I…I'm not supposed to know it."

"Then how did you learn it?" he asked her.

"I bribed one of Cap's junior officers to teach me, sir."

Severus ran his fingers through his hair and took a seat on the large rock next to Siri. "Miss Kelly, I invented that charm with a friend of mine when we were students here at Hogwarts. We never told anyone else about that charm. Do you have any idea how the…the AMLE came to use that particular charm?"

"No sir. I don't."

"Very well. Come Siri, your brothers should be out of class now," he said, standing again and lifting the boy into his arms before walking back to the castle.

--

"I think this is really cruel and unusual punishment," Draco told Harry as they slowly made their way down the stairs from their last class to their dungeon quarters. Draco was being forced to use crutches as he still couldn't put weight on his right leg and Harry's left arm was still in the sling.

"I agree, but it was pretty stupid of us to take the motorbike," Harry replied.

"Maybe. Any idea how much longer we'll take to heal?"

He looked over at his twin. "I hate to say it, but it will probably take you a while to heal. I'm hoping to lose this sling next week."

"Why does my leg take longer than your arm?" he asked, pouting slightly.

"Probably because your leg got caught between the bike and the sidecar, Ri."

"Oh…right…"

"Harry! Draco!" Siri yelled, racing down the dungeon hall toward his
brothers.

"Freeze!" Severus snapped at his youngest son, stalking after the boy.

Siri skidded to a stop, looking between his father and his brothers, biting
his lip.

Severus gave the boy a look. "Don't even think about it, mister," he said,
before lifting the boy up into his arms. "I've told you to stop running
off."

"Sorry Pop."

"Let's see if a time out will help you remember."

"No!" the boy cried, trying to wiggle out of his father's arms.

Severus gave him a light swat. "Stop that."

"Ow! That hurt!"

"I barely swatted you. I think someone needs a nap."

"Don't want one," Siri pouted, crossing his little arms.

"Too bad."

"Want Uncle 'emus!"

"You can see him after dinner, if you take a nap."

Harry and Draco followed behind their father and brother, trying not to
laugh.

Severus opened the door to their quarters, stepping aside to allow his two
older sons to enter. He gave them each a light smack on the back of the head
as they walked past him. "Get started on your assignments," he told them.

After four weeks, the two boys had learned not to complain about starting on their assignments right away, because complaining just meant an extra assignment. They moved to the table and sat down, pulling out their books and getting started. And sometimes if they got their work done without complaining or too much procrastination, they would be given the evening off.

Severus put Siri down and turned him toward the corner. "Five minutes."

"But Pop…"

"I can make it ten."

Siri shook his head and scampered over to the corner. He hated time out. It was boring just standing here staring at the stone walls of the dungeon. He sighed deeply and shifted his weight, sure that he had been standing in the corner for an hour already.

Severus gave the boy's shoulder a gentle squeeze before moving to sit in his chair and wait.

When he was finally allowed to leave the corner, Siri shuffled over and climbed into his father's lap, sniffling. "I'm sorry, Pop."

"I know you are, scamp," he said. "But you need to remember to stop running off."

Siri nodded and snuggled close to the Potions Master. Father had never let him sit on his lap or snuggled, but Pop let him snuggle any time he wanted, unless he was teaching class or had someone in his office. "Do I still have to take a nap?"

"Yes Siri, you need a nap."

"Can you read me a story first?"

Severus looked down at the boy snuggled into his side. "Alright. One story and then you are going to take a nap."

Siri jumped down and ran to his room to get a book. He handed it to his father and climbed back onto the man's lap.

"Siri…not this book again," Severus sighed.

"It's my favorite," Siri told him, taking the book from him so that he could lean his back against the man's chest. Once settled, he opened the book. "Read to me…"

"Demanding little mutt…"

Siri grinned at the nickname. It made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside when his Pop called him that.

Sighing, Severus began to read. "A told B and B told C. I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree…"

--

After dinner, Siri went over to the couch and climbed up next to Remus. He cocked his head to the side as he stared up at his uncle. "Are you sick, Uncle 'emus?" he asked the werewolf.

Remus sighed and lifted the boy to sit on his lap. "Just a little bit, pup, but I'll be better soon."

"What's wrong?"

The werewolf looked across the room to where Sev was grading papers. Severus looked up at him and nodded. "Siri, you know how Harry and Draco call me 'Moony'?" The little boy nodded. "Well, once a month I have to go somewhere to turn into a wolf. It's a…very special talent for a wizard," he told the boy. "But sometimes it makes me a little sick."

"Oh. Alright," Siri said, snuggling close to his uncle. "When do you have to leave?"

"Soon, pup. Soon."

"Can you read me a story and tuck me in first?"

Remus kissed the top of the boy's head. "Sure, kiddo. Go get ready for bed."

Siri climbed down and ran toward his room.

"I've never seen him so eager to go to bed," Severus told the werewolf.

"He just wants Moony to tuck him in," Draco said, looking up from where he and Harry were playing Wizard's Chess.

"And he'll probably be up again as soon as I leave," Remus replied. "But if he wants me to tuck him in, I will."

Severus nodded. "That's fine, Remus."

"Uncle 'emus!" Siri called from his bedroom. "I ready!"

Chuckling, Remus got up and headed into the bedroom that had been added to the Potions Master's quarters for little Siri. "What book do you want me to read?"

"Goodnight Moon!" Siri chirped.

"Why that book? You ought to know it by heart as often as you've asked one of us to read it to you," the werewolf told him, though he grabbed the book and sat on the boy's bed.

"I like when you read that book to me."

Shaking his head, Remus opened the book and began to read. After he finished the children's classic, he set it on the bedside table and stood to tuck in the little boy, handing him the stuffed dog that looked like Padfoot. "Good night, Siri," he whispered, kissing the boy's forehead.

"G'night, Uncle 'emus."

--

Several nights later, Severus was pulled out of a deep sleep by a persistent knocking on the door to his quarters. He stumbled out of bed and toward the door, tying on his robe as he went. "This better be good," he growled as he opened the door.

"Sorry to wake you Sir."

He rubbed his eyes. "What is it, Miss Harper?" he asked the seventh year prefect.

"It's Kelly, Sir," she told him. "She's had a nightmare…and says that she needs to talk to you."

"Alright. Where is she?"

"In the common room."

He glanced over his shoulder toward Siri's room. "Bring her to my office."

She nodded and disappeared back down the hallway.

Severus closed the door to the hall and opened the door between his quarters and his office so that he could hear if Siri woke up. He then opened the door between his office and the hall.

Moments later, Harper appeared with Rae. Harper nodded to the Potions Master and then stood out in the hall, waiting.

"You wished to speak with me, Miss Kelly?" he asked the young American witch.

She nodded. "I…uh…I kinda lied to you the other day…down by the lake. And before too, sir."

He took a seat. "I see. And what did you lie about?"

"About my father. He's not really dead and he's not a Muggle," she said, not really sure why she was telling him this. But now that she was telling him, her conscience was starting to leave her alone.

"Would you like to tell me about him?" he asked, gesturing toward the sofa.

She sat down. "You met him, sir. Daniel Cole is really my father. He…uh…he…" She reached into her pocket and pulled out something on a gold chain. Rubbing her thumb over the object on the chain, she continued. "He fought in the war over here, but went to hide in America a couple years before it was over. He gave me this…he said that the real one was destroyed because someone had made it a Dark artifact, but it had historical significance so he had a replica made of it."

"What is it?"

She put it on his desk. "Good night, sir," she said, hurrying out of his office.

He watched his two students walk back down the hall toward the Slytherin dorms before turning to see what she had placed on his desk. It was a heavy gold locket with an 'S' on the front, inlaid with emeralds. He reached over and picked it up. The locket was obviously very, very old.

Something about the locket was very familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He stood up and closed the door to the hallway, before heading back into his quarters, locket still in hand. Running his fingers over the tiny emeralds, he started pacing the living room of his quarters.

The pieces were starting to come together. A charm that only two people knew was being used by the MLE in America. Now he had a student from America whose father had fought in the war before running to hide, though she hadn't said what side he had fought on. In his hand was an ancient locket that was familiar.

Stepping over to the bookshelf and pulled out his old copy of Hogwarts, a History. Flipping through the pages, he found what he was looking for: a sketch of Salazar Slytherin. That's it! He knew he had seen that locket before. The locket had belonged to Salazar himself. Only this wasn't the real locket…the real locket had been destroyed by her father because it had been made into a Dark artifact.

He turned the locket over in his hand and stumbled back to his chair. There were initials carved into the back of the locket that he would know anywhere. He had seen them often enough during his school days because he and his only friend besides Lily had always signed the notes passed to each other with just their initials. He ran his fingers over the three letters: R. A. B.

Regulus Arcturus Black.

Siri's brother was alive!