Her hands shook slightly as she peeled open the thick envelope. She had felt the vile through the packaging, she just prayed that there was the paperwork she so desperately wanted within the present. She let out a whoop of joy before flinging herself at first Sirius, then Remus and then Hermione's parents. With the appearance of this potion and the paperwork she knew that there was an almost identical gift sitting under the tree with her counterpart's name on the front. There were happy tears for the next few minutes as the adults congratulated her on this wonderful gift and she wasted no time in throwing the potion back, feeling the sensation of cold gloop push it's way down her throat. She hunched over, fearing the reappearance of her breakfast and when the experience was over she felt the house magic flare up around her as Sirius swore her into the family, followed by Melania's acceptance.

"Blessed Yule Nightingale." Remus whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Welcome to the family." She cried as Harry hugged her, followed by her new father and emotions were running high in the living room of Caddington Manor. The blood adoption potion was officially illegal to sell, but not to brew, drink or possess. That Sirius had approached Severus with the request, and with Hermione's parent's permission, meant everything to her.

"You've only changed slightly my dear." Narcissa said, holding up a hand mirror for her to study her new features. Her nose and cheek bones now held more shape from Sirius and her hair had grown out past her bum, but to her she still felt like the same girl. Her eyes were the same, as were her lips, which she had inherited from Dorea; her grandmother.

"Do you want to change it?" Sirius asked as he handed her the paperwork. The only box not filled out was her name and she took the conjured quill her new father held out for her and chose her name.

Carina Dorea Black

Luna snuggled into her side, congratulating her and her arm slipped around her youngest sibling. She didn't want to have to wait the rest of the year to enter Hogwarts and she didn't want to start in the castle without Luna. She knew that particular discussion was coming later and for now she revelled in the feeling of her siblings surrounding her, accepting and welcoming her into the group.

O_o_O_o_O

"That went well." Remus said quietly to his mate as Sirius took a seat behind his desk.

"Let us hope that the next one goes as smoothly as that." His mate answered, looking up from the paperwork with cautious eyes.

"You doubt their acceptance." A statement not a question, but the Black lord nodded anyway. Everyone had opened their presents and were having a nap before lunch, Carina staying until it was time to eat. They still had Hermione's gifts to hand out and Sirius withdrew a vile from the drawer, folded it within the paperwork and packaged it, ready for the other girl.

"Harry added his blood last night." He said quietly. "He will be accepting her fully into the house Potter." This wasn't a surprise to Remus, they had both known Harry's feelings on the situation and were prouder than ever at their son for what he was about to do for Hermione.

"Did you add any, in the end?"

"I was going to give her the choice. I will offer three drops. Enough to be a relative, but not enough to change her ancestry." Sirius replied. He had been pondering adding his blood ever since he had spoken to the Grangers, however he didn't want it to seem as though he was pushing it on the girl who was about to become the new heir of house Potter.

"What about Andromeda?"

"I wrote to her and she gave acceptance, also suggesting that Narcissa added enough to become her aunt. She bled last night." Remus smiled at that, whatever Hermione decided to do about Sirius's blood, she would have enough Black in her to calm Carina.

"We should get back then if you have finished here. It's almost time." Sirius nodded and stood, wrapping his arms around the werewolf, seeking assurances he wasn't sure were going to come. Remus smiled against his mate's shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "We will be alright." He whispered.

O_o_O_o_O

In a scene that was scarily parallel to the one three hours ago, Hermione's hands shook slightly as she opened the envelope. She knew what Carina had been given, and she knew that the same choice was going to be given to her, but when she saw the names on the paperwork she cried tears of both relief and joy. This was total proof that Harold accepted her and she flung herself at him thanking him over and over. Once she had managed to de-tangle herself from her younger sibling she thrust both the vile and the papers into Sirius's hands.

"Bleed." She almost ordered through her tears. "I know why you haven't already but I won't shout at you for your stupid reasons if you bleed now." Sirius choked out a laugh, tears in his eyes for the second time that day. As he was was busy bleeding and filling out the papers Hermione turned to her parents, now nervous. "I love you." She said. "I always will, but with Carina now awakened, I need new blood to steady her and to earn her acceptance. You will always be my mum and dad, but I need the name I am entitled to. This will give me that, and protection." Emma held her arms out for her daughter and Hermione rushed to her mum, holding on for all she was worth.

"We just want you to be happy." She whispered. "We knew that this day would come when Andromeda handed you over. We are just glad that you have such an amazing family to take care of you."

"You are my family." Hermione replied, pulling back. "I just now have a brother, and a new aunt and uncle."

"This is what you want?" Dan asked, placing his hand on her shoulder. She nodded fiercely, her brown curls bouncing around her shoulders.

"More than anything daddy."

"Then how can we say no to that?" He asked, a smile breaking out on his face. Hermione threw herself at him and held on with everything she had, until Sirius cleared his throat behind her. She turned to see the vile of potion, which she took without a second thought, much like Carina had done and then her heart stopped as the paperwork and a quill was thrust into her hands; one box empty. She sat down in front of her new brother and reached out for his hand.

"I want to honour the woman who should have bore both of us. Will you allow me your mother's name?" She asked. Harry nodded, unable to answer and Hermione hugged her brother before sitting at the side of him and filling out her new name.

Hermione Lillith Potter

O_o_O_o_O

The rest of the day had passed easily, Hermione being welcomed into the family, as Carina had been, and the Granger's being offered permanent residence within the manor, pleasing everyone with the suggestion. Hermione wanted her parents safe for what came next and Sirius's assurances that no one, not even Dumbledore could get through the wards, went a long way to convincing Dan and Emma that this was for the best. Alice was delighted to have other female company, and Melania's announcement of moving back in lifted spirits amongst the group even more.

"Now Arcturus has gone, I find myself rattling around the manor with nothing to do all day. I can be more of use to the family here."

So it was settled. Hermione was given the adjoining room to Carina, with the promise of being able to decorate it herself, the Grangers were given rooms next to Frank and Alice and Melania moved into a room on the top floor of the manor; with the intention, it seemed, of having a couple of the rooms up there converted into extra sitting and sun rooms to accommodate the rise of numbers within the manor. Plans were made and the atmosphere within the manor had failed to pass below elation all day.

O_o_O_o_O

"Hermione?" Harold whispered as he pushed open the door to his sister's new bedroom. They had all collapsed into bed, exhausted a little after midnight, however he had found himself unable to sleep so he had made his way to the first room he thought of.

"Can't sleep either?" The girl asked from the bed, and he shook his head in the darkness. He closed the door and slipped under the covers, sighing when Hermione snaked her arm around his waist. "You didn't have to let me take Lily's name earlier." She whispered. "We can still fix it if you have changed your mind."

"That is the last thing on my mind Hermione. You have paid our family a great honour tonight, and I want you to know how much I love you." He replied softly, hugging his sister. "I have been so scared of what was going to happen to the Potter name. Now I don't have to make those decisions alone. You have no idea how much that means to me."

"Yes I do. You have the weight of the Black name on your shoulders Harry. You and Neville both. Without a name I was nothing. Now I have two of the most powerful names in the world and it's all thanks to you and Uncle Siri. Let me carry the burdens of House Potter. Concentrate on what you have to do and let me take care of the rest."

"I'm worried about Luna." Harold whispered. "With the blood and the name she carries she is under protected in Hogwarts. I want her to become a Black like us and I know that Father and Uncle Remus feel the same. Xeno is difficult though, he loves Luna more than anything but can't see what he is doing to her."

"It is something for the adults to worry about Harry." Hermione whispered. "We can protect her better than any name, and when Carina enters Hogwarts next year, nothing will stop the five of us. Not names, not blood, not even damn dark lords. We will show the world what it means to be a Black. Blacks stick together and we will not be parted from each other. Ever."

"You sound like Aunt Narcissa." Hermione grinned, her white teeth flashing in the darkness and Harry found himself relaxing. They fell asleep ten minutes later, snuggled together in Hermione's huge bed.

O_o_O_o_O

"You have to think about Luna's happiness." Sirius growled at the blonde haired man. "You saw her face today, watching Carina and Hermione. If Severus's predictions about their bond and their powers are correct, the metamorphagus gene will spread throughout all five of them. What will you do when Luna shows up at home for the first time, with jet black hair and purple eyes, looking more like a Black than a Lovegood?"

"Do not lecture me on my duties to my daughter." Xeno snapped back. "I know what it is she wants."

"Then why not give it to her?" Remus asked gently, changing tack. They had been at this for over an hour now. The rest of the manor was asleep but they had found little rest whilst their youngest charge's happiness was bottoming out. "What are so afraid of? Luna is bonded to all five of those kids, she is their sister in all but blood, Sirius is not asking to become her new father, just like Narcissa is not asking to become her new mother, they just want to be able to provide enough blood to tie her closer to the family, giving her the protection you cannot."

"I will not have her mother's looks, stripped from her like an old sheet cover."

"That will happen one day, whether you like it or not." Sirius replied sharply. "Whether it's through blood adoption, which will still leave her with features from both of you, or whether it's through her future abilities, with which she may strip away all her features from either of you. A least with adoption she might have the chance in accepting all of herself. She has Black blood Xeno, stronger than anyone I have met, who is not of immediate family. I will not deny a child of Black their birthright."

"No." The Lovegood lord scoffed. "You would just turn any child you come across into one of you." Remus had to place his arm on his mate's shoulder to prevent Sirius from drawing his wand. Murdering the Lovegood lord in his own study would certainly cast a downer on their Christmas.

"Daddy?" The door to the study creaked open to reveal that Harry wasn't the only one who had been wandering. Luna was looking at her father with the wider eyes than Sirius thought possible and he nodded at Remus to know that his anger was under control.

"Luna my dandelion, you should be in bed."

"I couldn't sleep." She whispered. "What are you shouting at Uncle Siri for?" Sirius cursed under his breath. This could go bad.

"Nothing love, go back to bed and we I shall see you in the morning." Remus moved over to lift Luna into his arms, when it became clear that Xeno wasn't going to give the girl the affection she so badly needed right now.

"Come on little Dove." He whispered. "Let's go and get a mug of warm milk and get you back to sleep." He nodded to Sirius as he made his way out of the study and the Black lord stood from behind his desk to tower over the pale haired man.

"Luna is one of us." He said quietly. "Whether you believe it or not. You can either start accepting that and we will welcome you into the family with open arms, as we have done the Grangers, and Longbottoms. Or you can fight us for her. Which will not only destroy any chance of being a part of this family, but also risk destroying Luna. It is your choice. I suggest we continue this conversation in the morning. You may now leave my presence." The man had gone deathly pale at Sirius's words, knowing that he would lose any fight against the Backs, political, legal or magical. His mind was made up. These people where dangerous and he would be taking Luna at the first hint of dawn and leaving the country.

O_o_O_o_O

"Uncle Moony?" Luna whispered from the werewolf's lap.

"What is it Little Dove?" Remus answered, stroking her hair away from her face. They were sat in the warmth of the kitchen, two mugs of lavender laced cocoa sat in front of them, cooling.

"Is daddy going to take me away from you?" Remus didn't know how to answer that. He didn't want to give her false hope, however if it ever came down to a fight for the little wonder currently sat in his lap, Xeno would undeniably lose. "I don't want to go." She sobbed, when he hadn't answered straight away. "I won't go with him. I want to stay here, with you, and Uncle Siri. I want to stay here. I won't go, I won't go, I won't go." She started shaking her head against his chest and he rushed to soothe her, stroking her hair and whispering to her to calm her down. He couldn't promise that Xeno wouldn't try to take her away, and deep down she knew that, it didn't stop it hurting any less.

"Hush Little Dove." He whispered. "Hush now and listen to me." She pulled back and stared at him with red rimmed eyes. "You know that I can't promise that he will not try to take you away. He is your father and he has rights." He could see her bottom lip trembling and rushed to get his next words out. "But, it will not stop us fighting for you with everything we have. Your brothers and sister would tear worlds apart to get you back. Do you honestly think you wouldn't end up back with us eventually? I don't know what is going to happen little one, I do not have your gift or the gift of a seer. Remember this though, we will always come for you. No matter where you are, no matter who with, we will always find you Luna, I promise you this." She nodded and leaned back against his chest, finally exhausted.

"I love you Uncle Moony." She whispered.

"I love you too Little Dove." Once her breathing had deepened, signalling her descent into sleep, he carefully lifted her back into his arms and carried her straight to Draco's rooms. If any one of her siblings would notice her missing, it was the notoriously light sleeper; Draco. Remus carefully laid her down at the side of the boy and pulled the covers over them. The mercury eyes flickered open and Remus smoothed his hair back from his face. "Look after her Drake." He whispered. Draco nodded and was asleep again in seconds, his arms now wrapped around the girl, whose usually bright light had dimmed in her exhaustion.