Two weeks passed by, and soon it was the night before they were due to leave Hogwarts for the summer holidays. Harry's trunk was packed and ready to go. Sirius's office had been packed up, all his books back in his trunk. He was leaving most of his stuff behind, only bringing the stuff that he needed to plan next year's lessons over the holidays. Harry had packed all his books into his trunk, but had decided to leave some of his things in his bedroom in Sirius's quarters.

Harry was looking forward to returning to Grimmauld Place. He couldn't wait to see the house again, to see Remus again… heck, he was even looking forward to seeing Kreacher again. Harry had arranged for Ron and Hermione to come over during the summer every two weeks, which Sirius had agreed to on the condition that they didn't burn down the house. The only thing that hadn't yet been sorted, was Mara.

Harry knew the thought of being away from her for two months would be difficult for Sirius, now that he had gotten to know his niece. Mara was due to return to his Aunt Esme's for the holidays, which she wasn't looking overly pleased about.

"Won't you miss her?" Harry asked Sirius just before the end of year feast.

"Of course, I will but we can write." Sirius answered.

"She can come over with Ron and Hermione." Harry said.

"If her Aunt allows it." Sirius said, closing over his trunk for the final time.

Mara emerged from their bedroom, smiling weakly at them both.

"I'm going to miss it here." She said taking a seat on the couch.

"The summer will fly in, before you know it we'll all be back here." Sirius said, sitting down beside her and putting his arm around her. "Come on, we don't want to be late for the feast."

Sirius may have fooled Mara, but he hadn't fooled Harry. Harry knew he was dreading the summer and being away from his niece for so long. Harry could see why. He had just gotten her back, gotten to know her, and now they were being split up. Two months was a long time, especially to be away from the closest thing he had to a sibling.

Harry and Mara sat at the Slytherin table during the feast, feeling it only right to sit with their house at the end of term. To say they hadn't made a lot of friends in Slytherin was an understatement. Most of the Slytherin's pretended not to notice Harry and Mara were there, while some of them gave glares down the table at them.

"What's their problem?" Harry said, helping himself to a lamb chop.

"Oh, didn't you hear? We're house betrayers now." Mara said, rolling her eyes.

"What, why?"

"Well, for a start, can you remember the last time you were in the Slytherin common room?" Mara asked, her mouth full of mashed potatoes.

In truth, Harry couldn't remember. They had spent most of, if not all, of the year sleeping in their room in Sirius's quarters. Harry had gone into his dormitory to get his things at one point, but he couldn't remember when that had been.

Mara could tell by the look on Harry's face that he knew what she meant.

"And we always sit with the Gryffindor's." she said.

"Can you blame us? They don't give us death glares down the table." Harry said.

Mara laughed, telling Harry to ignore the whispers from the other Slytherin's.

The feast lasted for ages, with Slytherin winning the house cup overall. Mara and Harry cheered along with their housemates, the last thing they needed was to be targeted next year for not showing house pride. After the feast, Harry and Mara got up to leave, but Sirius caught them.

"Dumbledore needs a word with me. Go straight back to my quarters, ok? Maybe get yourselves an early night." He said.

Ever since the stone, Sirius had been paranoid. He demanded Harry and Mara both return half an hour before curfew every night. Harry couldn't blame him. After what Dumbledore had said about Sirius being hysterical after everything, he made a promise to himself never to put Sirius through anything like that again.

"Ok." Harry said, giving Sirius a smile.

Sirius entered Dumbledore's office wondering what the old man had in store for him this time. Sirius couldn't wait to get back home tomorrow, eager to have some time with Harry again. He expected Dumbledore would just want to check on how the kids were doing. Truth be told, they were doing ok, despite everything they had been through. He was amazed at how strong they proved to be, but what he could he expect? This was James Potter's son! If anything, recent events had just made Sirius more certain that Harry belonged in Gryffindor. He was more than brave.

Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk as usual, wearing bright yellow robes that blinded Sirius on a first glance. He was smiling as always, signalling Sirius to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. Sirius sat down, but noticed there was someone sitting beside him. A woman.

She was youngish, the same age as Sirius maybe, perhaps a few years younger. She had long blonde hair tied in a ponytail, dark brown eyes and quite fair skin. She had a stern face that Sirius couldn't help but feel he recognised from somewhere. She was dressed in green robes, a large diamond necklace tied around her neck.

"Sirius, this is Miss Esme Lyndon." Dumbledore said as Sirius stared at the familiar stranger.

Sirius felt his heart pang in his chest. So, this was her, the woman who had raised Mara, who had somehow known Regulus. She didn't look like the type of person that Regulus would have associated himself with, but Sirius had grown used to getting surprised by his brother.

"There are many things we need to discuss." Dumbledore said. "The main thing being Mara."

Sirius stared up at the old man in front of him, feeling a nervous sensation in his stomach as he thought about the fact he wouldn't be seeing his niece for two months.

"Miss Lyndon has some things to say to you, Sirius." Dumbledore said.

Sirius turned back to face the woman beside him. She smiled weakly at him before opening her mouth and explaining what Dumbledore had meant.

"She doesn't like being alone in the dark, it scares her. She doesn't eat anything green. She loves to read books by wandlight when you tell her to go to sleep. She asks about a thousand questions a day, mostly about her mum and dad. You have to tell her to brush her hair or she won't, and she has a habit of stealing more advanced books for her age." Miss Lyndon said.

Sirius was confused to say the least. He didn't understand why Miss Lyndon was telling him this.

"I've protected that girl for ten years, Mr Black. Not once has she ever been located or hurt. She's in your care for less than a year and she ends up in the hospital wing twice." Miss Lyndon continued. "But you are her family. And I made a promise to her father to protect her until I knew you were ready."

Sirius's heart dropped into his stomach as he understood what she was saying. He looked back at Dumbledore who smiled at him encouragingly, before turning and looking back at Miss Lyndon in disbelief.

"You're giving her to me?" Sirius said, the words sounding strange in his mouth.

"She is not mine to give." Miss Lyndon said. "She belongs with you. You and the boy are her family, and I know you will look after them both."

Sirius couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Miss Lyndon has offered to do some work for me in Albania. She is leaving next week, and doesn't know when she will be returning. She came to me, hoping to find you and offer you the chance to protect Mara. If of course, that is what you want?" Dumbledore asked.

Sirius was too gobsmacked to speak. In the year, he had gotten to know Mara and in the short time she had been with him, something within him had begun to heal. He didn't know what it was, but he had experienced it before. When he lost James and Lily, a part of him died with them. But then, Harry came into his life and eased the pain inside him. Harry kept him going, gave him something to keep fighting for. But with Mara, it was like the ache he had in his heart for Regulus was somehow healing. An ache he never thought would never go away.

"Of course it's what I want." Sirius said. "But what about the girl? Has no one thought to ask what she wants?"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"I'm sure the thought of living with you and Harry full time would be enough to convince her." Dumbledore said.

"It's not a matter of convincing her, Albus. The decision is up to her." Sirius said.

"Are you suggesting we ask her?"

"The girl belongs with you, Mr Black." Miss Lyndon said.

"And what? You're just so willing to give her up so quickly?" Sirius asked, his temper beginning to rise.

"I care for that girl more than I ever thought possible after I lost my son. But I am not her mother, not even her aunt! You are her blood, her true family." Miss Lyndon argued.

"Families don't have to be related!" Sirius argued. He was thinking about the conversation he had with Harry just after he told him about Regulus being Mara's father. Harry had said that he wasn't really his family because they weren't blood relatives. If anything, Sirius knew exactly how Miss Lyndon was feeling. She had brought up a child who wasn't biologically hers, but had fallen in love with her. Sirius had loved Harry since the moment he was born, and the fact they had different blood didn't matter to him at all. Harry was his kid, and always would be.

"I know that." Miss Lyndon sighed. "But Mara needs to be with you. It was what Regulus wanted. The day he left her with me, he made me promise to protect her… but also to give you that letter. The war was still going on. I knew you were in the order, I would never have been able to get a hold of you. Then I heard about the Potter's death, about how you'd taken Harry on and I couldn't. The last thing you needed were two children to look after. But Regulus wanted her with you, she was only supposed to be with me until he came back for her."

Sirius knew the rest. The harsh reality of it all being he never came back for her.

"Mara cares about you. You can't expect her to just be ok with leaving you." Sirius said, bowing his head.

"I have a condition. You allow me to see her whenever I can, and make sure she writes at least once a week." Miss Lyndon said.

Sirius knew there was no point arguing anymore. He wanted Mara with him and Harry, heck she would be great company for the boy when he was busy. But having her with them meant being able to constantly keep an eye on her, always knowing she was safe. But after this year, Sirius was beginning to doubt whether he could keep them safe after all. They had nearly been killed. But Sirius remembered the day many months ago, when he had sat in this chair and found out his brother fathered a child. Deep down, Sirius knew that Regulus wanted the girl with him. And he couldn't just ignore what his brother would have wanted.

"Come any time." Was all Sirius said. Miss Lyndon smiled, but her eyes were brimming over with emotion. She stood up, as did Sirius, and shook his hand.

"I have arranged for Mara's things to be taken to Grimmauld Place for your return tomorrow." Dumbledore said, also standing and walking around the desk.

"Thank you, Dumbledore." Miss Lyndon said, also shaking the old man's hand.

"My pleasure, my dear. Keep me updated on your work in Albania as often as you can." Dumbledore said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Miss Lyndon walked out the office, her footsteps echoing on the floor. Sirius stared after her, confusion overwhelming him.

"I'll see you later, Albus." Sirius said, and he hurried after her.

He ran from the room, down the spiral staircase and into the hallway. He saw Miss Lyndon at the end pf the corridor.

"Miss Lyndon!" He called.

She stopped and turned around. Sirius ran right up to her.

"Don't you want to say goodbye to Mara?" Sirius asked.

Miss Lyndon smiled. "No. If I see her, I know I'll regret my decision."

"What am I meant to say to her?" Sirius asked, grabbing Miss Lyndon by the arm to stop her walking away.

"The truth." She said.

Sirius released his grip on her arm, staring at her.

"Back in Dumbledore's office… you said you had a son?"

"Yes." She said, her voice stiff and full of emotion.

"What was his name?" Sirius asked, trying his best to sound gentle.

"George." She whispered.

"If I can… I mean if you don't mind, can I- "

"-Ask what happened to him?" Miss Lyndon finished. "He was only a baby when he died, four months old. My husband and me both worked in the ministry, he was training to be an Auror. We had George not long after we left Hogwarts. There was a threat made against us, by death eaters. We moved far away, up to the other side of the county. But it didn't work. They found us. They tortured my husband into insanity and burned the house down… my son, still inside. I was saved by the mercy of a death eater. He arrived last minute, killed the two other death eaters who had tortured my husband. He got me out, my husband, too, not that he remembers. He went back in for my son… but it was too late. The same death eater showed up on my doorstep a year later with a small girl, how could I not save his child when he tried so desperately to save mine."

Sirius was shaking. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. That's why she had taken Mara. Regulus had helped her, tried to save the most precious thing in her life. And in return, she saved the most precious thing in his life.

"I know what it's like, Sirius. To love a child so deeply as if it was your own, but they're not. But it almost makes you love them more. It makes their life so precious, because you owe it to their parents to keep them safe and protected. I can see by looking at you how much you love Harry. You would be willing to die for him, maybe even more. That's what Mara needs and I can't give it to her. You can." Miss Lyndon said, and without another word or glance, she turned on her heel and walked away down the corridor.

Sirius walked back towards his quarters, his mind racing and his heart beating. He was partly excited to tell Mara of how she was coming to live with him, but dreading telling her how the woman who raised her had left without saying goodbye. Harry and Mara were in bed when Sirius got back, but still awake. They were laughing and giggling together, and Sirius felt a pang in his chest as he thought of how he was going to destroy that. He walked fully into their room, both turning around to smile at him.

Harry's eyes were shining like emeralds, his hair untidy as usual. Sirius thought about what Miss Lyndon had said, and looking now at the boy, he knew there was nothing he wouldn't do for him. She was right. It was possible to love a child that wasn't your own so much that it hurt. Then he looked at Mara. He immediately saw his brother staring back at him in her eyes, her mouth spread wide in a grin just like how his had done when they were children.

"I see you didn't destroy the place." Sirius said, taking a seat on the edge of Harry's bed. Harry crawled over to sit next to him, Sirius wrapping his arm around the small boy. Mara sat opposite them, smiling.

"Course not." She said, rolling her eyes in a jokingly sort of way.

Sirius smirked back at her.

"Guys, there's something we need to talk about." Sirius said. He was thinking about talking to Mara separately, but now thought it was better for Harry to hear it all too. They both looked at him, their eyes full of concentration.

"Mara, your Aunt Esme was in Dumbledore's office." Sirius said.

Mara raised her eyebrows. "Why?" she asked.

"She's… She's been asked to go to Albania for a while. Her and some others from the ministry." Sirius said.

Mara stayed quiet, not saying anything, only watching.

"She asked me to look after you." Sirius finished.

"What? You mean like come and stay with you and Harry?" Mara asked.

"I mean come and live with us." Sirius said.

"Oh… but what about Esme?" Mara asked, hurt obvious in her voice.

"She'll come and visit you. She wants you to write to her at least once a week." Sirius explained.

"She just… left? Without saying goodbye?" Mara said, her eyes glassing over.

"I don't think she could have said goodbye, Mara, even if she really wanted to." Sirius said.

"Why not?" Mara said, her voice quivering.

"It would have hurt too much." Sirius said, holding Harry close.