A/N: To my regular readers, I swear that I haven't given up on Oddity. This fic was something that has been festering on my mind for a while now and I just had to write it out. Initially, I thought the fic was not something I will publish. I considered it one of my scrap pieces that you write to just get it out of the system.

However, the character of Lyra Black grew upon me. I had to refrain myself from writing more about her. When the fic crossed over 20,000 words I knew this was no scrap and here we are.

This is an OC-insert fic. While it does follow canon for a while, don't expect me to rehash Harry Potter books. I prefer developing my own OCs and giving them room to grow. So, the fic will be following Lyra Black. While the Golden Trio and their adventures will be present in the background, the story will focus on Lyra mostly.

The canon will begin to change when Lyra's interaction with the Golden Trio grows in the later years - specifically year 3 as most of you could guess. It won't be anything major initially, but I am exploring the ripple effect Lyra will have in canon due to her mere existence.

I once again stress that Oddity will be my main focus. And I won't be abandoning it anytime soon.

And do take care of your health and follow safety precautions against COVID-19.

Prologue – The Ripple In Canon

December 3, 1979

To the Dark Lord,

I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret.

I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.

I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B

Regulus Arcturus Black read his letter to the Dark Lord one last time before pocketing it with a sigh. It was uncharacteristic of him to let out that sigh, but he figured that he has earned that lapse in propriety. He could hear his mother, Walburga Black, moving downstairs, raving about how he had at last obtained the favor of Dark Lord himself. If only the woman knew what kind of a monster she had sent his son to. Then again, Regulus was sure that his mother would celebrate such a monster rather than be horrified.

It had been two weeks since he had learned the details of the cave from Kreacher. Ever since then, he had ordered Kreacher not to step outside or reveal himself to others. Then, he had set on to find out about that object that the Dark Lord has taken immense measures to hide. Initially, he hadn't understood why the Dark Lord would hide Slytherin's locket. If anything, it would add more prestige and legitimacy to the Dark Lord.

However, all his confusion became void when he fully figured out what that damned locket housed.

A Horcrux! Merlin's saggy balls! A very real Horcrux!

Horrified, that was what he felt, horrified to the core of his being when he figured it out. And using a sacred object left behind the great Salazar Slytherin himself for such a foul purpose. What wouldn't the Dark Lord do if he was fine doing this?

A shiver ran through his body as he stood up. He had been an idealistic fool to believe in the Dark Lord. Young and naïve. He had thought he would make his parents proud by accepting the Dark Mark. No, he had been wrong. The Dark Lord was no man. He was a monster.

Over the last two years, he had been secretly observing the Dark Lord whenever he had the chance to meet him. In the last year alone, he had seen the Dark Lord change more and more drastically – becoming less human. And he knew the reason now.

The mad monster had created a Horcrux of all things!

No wonder, he doesn't look so human anymore. For the last few months, everything had been too much. He had seen through the Dark Lord's desire and madness. Not just him, but there were a few others too. And they were all becoming apprehensive. They were too deep in to back away. The other side wouldn't accept them now.

A year ago, perhaps yes. But now, the situation is very tense. Curse first and question later. That's the trend these days. And the Dark Lord was becoming more and more extreme. He could vaguely understand why that is too.

After all, the Dark Lord already has created a Horcrux for himself. He isn't mortal anymore. So, he has no fear and hence his actions have become extreme lately. And as a result, the madness was spreading and the war was escalating. As a Black, he knew all too well what madness was capable of.

He felt guilt weigh heavily as he made his way downstairs.

"Regulus, have you prepared?" his mother asked from her comfortable chair with a beaming smile.

"As much as I can," he replied with a stoic face as he sat down beside her.

He knew it wouldn't do to tip off his mother. What if the woman blathered about his actions to someone like Cissy or Merlin-forbid Bella. That would defeat the purpose of his sacrifice altogether.

"I am so proud of you Regulus. Bella just informed me that the Dark Lord is favoring you very highly. If not, he wouldn't have given you this mission. While it may look that three months is a long duration, once you complete this task, I am sure you will move up the ladder," his mother spoke in a sweet voice as she patted him on the shoulder.

He very much wanted to ask her for a hug. He knew that it was the last time he would see her, and whatever she was, she was his mother. One last hug from a mother wasn't too much to ask, was it? But, he knew it would never happen. His mother would look down upon such silly sentimentality and berate him to act as his station demanded. And it hurt him to know that he wouldn't receive that one last hug from anyone he loved.

"When are you leaving?" his mother cut through his thoughts.

"Tomorrow," he rasped.

"Good, good," his mother smiled sweetly and turned back to the book she was reading. "Now, I suggest that you retire early to your room to have a good rest."

And there it was, the same demanding attitude that drove him to this predicament. For a moment, he felt like lashing out at her. But, his Occumlency helped him to control his emotions. Still, it was hard to sit in the same room as the woman who drove him straight into the Dark Lord's lap.

"I think, I will take a walk to clear my head mother. I need to think about some things the Dark Lord has instructed me to accomplish," he replied standing up.

"Walk? Why would you need that? Wouldn't the comfort of your room be more fitting of your stature compared to the filth of those muggles outside?"

"True mother," he said gritting his teeth, if she mistook it for his dislike of muggles then so be it, "it is a habit I acquired in Hogwarts. Roaming the castle and admiring the great magic present there used to calm me a lot. But, worry not mother, it isn't as if those worthless fools could even dream to inconvenience me. A simple Notice-me-not would make sure those blind bafoons have no idea of my presence."

Her face mollified at that.

"As if," she let out a snort that morphed into a sneer, "even if they dream they can't inconvenience you. After all, you are the Heir of the Ancient and Noble House of Black. If anyone dares, make sure his screams are long."

"I will mother," Regulus smiled as he walked out of No.12 Grimmauld Place into the chilly December air.

(*****)

As Regulus sat swirling the muggle drink in the glass, he had to grudgingly admit that the muggles did indeed know a thing or two about alcohol. He took a small sip and he savored the taste of the alcohol in his mouth. It was harsh, bitter and even a little hard on his taste buds. But it suited him just fine. Drinking to drown his sorrows, perhaps.

No one would expect the Heir of Ancient And Noble House of Black to be drinking away his sorrows in a muggle bar after all. And the peace it brought him suited him just fine. He didn't know if it was the taste of the forbidden drink, or the pleasant memories he had of this place, or the thought that everything will be over this time the next day, but he knew something about this muggle drink soothed him more than anything.

He had chanced upon this particular muggle bar one day after witnessing Bella torture a muggle-born witch into insanity. The madness that Bella exhibited had frightened him and he needed to get away from anything magical just to calm down. It was the first time he had been alone in the muggle world all by himself. Funnily enough, he had found out that the muggles weren't that different from wizards that day.

Whether it was the discriminations, superiority complex, the difference between the rich and the poor, the varying thought processes and what not; the muggle world had its own share of good and bad things just like the magical world. It had been an interesting revelation. As he had drunk his fill into oblivion, he remembered less than half the things he had done that day.

From the mess of his memories of that night, one particular face stood out though. A charming young woman, who was new to the city just like he was new to the muggle world. The conversation between them had been relaxing, fun-filled, with a little bit of flirting too. And Merlin! He didn't remember when he had smiled like that for a long time. Maybe, it was when things were fine and he and Sirius were still children. Whatever, those were things of past. And it wouldn't do to dwell on them much.

Ah, Sirius. His dear brother. He didn't know what to think of him these days. There was this memory of Sirius standing in front of him taking a Crucio for him. And there was also that memory of Sirius' betrayal when he left him alone in that house. Both love and hurt. Sirius had given him both. While he could understand why Sirius moved away, he couldn't ever forgive him for that. If only he had waited till he was of age too, maybe things would be different and he wouldn't have walked this path of no return.

Now, he and Sirius were in the opposite sides of the war. A meeting between them could leave only one of them alive. Ah, how things had changed. Will Sirius cry for him if he knew what he was going to do? He hoped, he cried. Then, at least, one soul in this world would mourn him.

Regulus smiled sardonically at the thought of his pathetic life. As he left the bar and turned around the corner, he saw an apartment in the distance and stopped. He knew that the young woman he had met a few months ago lived in the apartment. After all, he had walked her to the home after their revelry in the bar. That much he remembered.

As he stood there for a few minutes lost in his thoughts, he wondered if he should go see her one last time. After all, she was the only other human being who had made him laugh like that. Apart from Sirius, that is.

"Maybe, one last look at her wouldn't hurt eh?" Regulus mumbled to himself and walked towards the apartment in the distance.

As he neared the building, he felt as if his stomach was filled with butterflies. He had never felt anything like that before. A mixture of anxiety and nerves took hold of him for the first time. He knew that if his mother ever came to know that he was willingly visiting a muggle, she would be severely disappointed. She would even disown him perhaps. But, something was pulling him towards that young woman.

He decided that he would take one last peek at her before doing the right thing tomorrow.

"Regulus, consider it a dying man's last wish," he chuckled to himself at the irony of the notion.

After all, who would expect the Heir of The Ancient and Noble House Black to have such a bizarre last wish? With a lightened mood, he walked towards the street where her apartment was located.

(*****)

As he stood under the lamppost overlooking her window, he could feel that something was wrong. The window was open, and the lights were on too. But, something felt off to him. If he could strain his ears, he felt that he could hear weeping sounds. Something about that didn't sit well with him.

What if Bella had found out about their last meeting? His mad cousin wouldn't even consider that it was a chance meeting and would think the muggle was the one overstepping her place in the world. That would be disastrous.

There was only a slim chance for something like that to happen. But, his two years under the Dark Lord's service had taught him to never dismiss those slim chances. Several wizards and witches whom he had thought would never bow before the Dark Lord once upon a time had bowed before him in the last two years. There was nothing that could be considered safe from the reach of the Dark Lord.

'What if the Dark Lord was keeping tabs on me and had found out about the muggle girl I had shared laughter with? Surely, he would want to eliminate anything that would influence one of his followers. And who better to send than Bella to clean up their own family mess?' A shuddering thought went through his mind.

Hastily, he whipped his wand out and walked towards his apartment having his eyes peeled for any nasty surprises. But, if Bella was here, he stood no chance at all. Still, he couldn't let someone who made him laugh be punished for a mere coincidence.

As he neared the door of her apartment, he could hear muffled sobs. Heart pounding, he silently let himself inside. The apartment was sparse. He wouldn't even call it a house. There was only a single hall and a small kitchen, apart from the small bedroom from which sobs were coming from. Who would live in this hovel? Maybe he could help her with a little money and set her up in a nice house as repayment for her ordeal.

But, that's for later. Now, he had to make sure she was alright.

Slowly, he opened the door to the bedroom – magic made it very easy to infiltrate any house of the muggles after all. He saw her lying face down on her bed and sobbing. Did Bella do something? But, considering Bella, this would have been light.

"Eh, are you alright?" he asked softly not wanting to startle her.

She jumped up like a cat and fearfully retreated clutching her covers. She hastily pulled out a - wait was it some kind of a weapon – wooden stick and brandished looking around for the owner of the voice. Regulus slowly stepped out of the darkness pocketing his wand and gave her a small smile to reassure her.

"You!" she looked at him in shock with her mouth agape.

He nodded slightly, "Are you alright?" he asked slowly fearing the worst.

Her reaction to his presence had indicated that it was indeed his fault. He wondered what Bella had done and hoped that she had just intimidated the girl to stay away. If she had cast some dark spell, then it would be hard.

"You have some nerve to come here after what you did last time," she growled.

Confused, he stated, "I am not entirely sure what you are talking about, Miss …."

"Oh my god, he doesn't even remember my name. I was such a fool. I was such an idiot. Mama was right. How could I be so stupid? Now, all is lost,"

And the tearworks began confusing him further. Is forgetting her name that bad? As he looked at her as she babbled hysterically, he could find no evidence of any dark curses being cast on her. She looked healthy, even a bit richer if he had to say. A dark curse would suck out her life. So, she obviously wasn't cursed. Then why was she crying and what does he had to do with it?

"Ahem…" he lightly coughed to get her attention. "Can you tell me what's all this about?"

"You jerk, arsehole," he blinked at the name-calling for no one has been so vulgar to him like that, "how can you be so heartless? It's all my fault. I should have listened to mama. You swine, you will definitely rot in hell."

"Damn woman," he hissed with his anger rising, "will you tell me what I had done?"

"You, you, you, heartless bastard," she spat causing him to flinch back, "you really don't know what you have done."

"Miss…," he still couldn't remember her name, "can you please explain?"

She looked at him as if he was a dementor and sneered, "I'm pregnant," she spat.

He blinked in confusion.

"With your child,"

And his whole world turned upside down.

"What!"

"Don't you what me, you heartless bastard. It's all your fault," she screeched like a banshee.

"But… but…."

And once more the sobbing began with a heartrending wail.

He didn't know when his hand moved to his wand. The next thing he remembered was stunning her. As the sobbing stopped, he took a deep breath. He looked at his wand pointing towards her and let out a huge sigh. All thoughts of propriety were thrown out the window. He couldn't care less about that now.

He started pacing the room as he slowly digested her information. He felt as if his head was spinning. He could feel his panic overwhelming his Occumlency defense and ruthlessly crushed it. He paced for a while deep in thought. Then, he left with a pop.

(*****)

"And what do we have here, dear cousin?" Andy scathing voice sneered at him as she looked at the stunned woman in front of them.

He gritted his teeth unable to reply. She was the only one he could think of to bring here. Bella and his mother would have murdered the young woman on the spot. Cissy would have cooly suggested to wipe her memory of him. Though it was the ideal solution, it didn't sit well with him.

That left the other half of his family whom he hadn't contacted in a while. He didn't know where Sirius was. And even if he knew, he didn't feel like contacting him. That left, only Andy.

She almost hexed him when she had found him standing outside her wards. It had been years since he had contacted her. Ever since she had married that filthy mudblood Tonks, there wasn't much contact between them. And she knew who he was supporting. It was a wonder that she hadn't killed him already, for Andy's protective streak was well known to the entire family.

Finding a known Death Eater outside her house where her little daughter was staying, it was indeed a damned miracle for her to give him time to explain. Even then, he didn't know how to tell it. It took an unbreakable vow to make her to trust him enough to come and take a look.

"Well, why did you bring me here?" Andy repeated with her eyes narrowing.

"Its…." He struggled to find the proper words.

"Merlin's saggy tits. Regulus. You will tell me why you brought me here or I will leave this minute. If Death Eaters attacked my home when I was away, I assure you I will make you beg for death," she glared.

"No Andy," he spoke in a hurry. "I don't have any ill intent. Merlin's balls, Andy, I made a fucking Unbreakable Vow."

"That's the only thing keeping me from blasting you to pieces, Regulus."

"Give me a moment, Andy," he snapped at her, "I don't know how to begin."

"Then, for starters, you can tell me what you are doing in this neighborhood. This is no wizarding area. This is a muggle area. And who the hell is she?"

"She's…. I met her a few months ago in a bar in this neighborhood."

Andy's eyebrows rose.

"Well, we were both drunk. We got acquainted," he mumbled.

"Well well well, isn't this wonderful to hear. I would love to see how dear aunt Walburga reacts to her precious son befriending a muggle."

He glared at her, but her mirth never left her eyes.

"So, why am I here then?"

"She's…. she's pregnant," Regulus managed to say with huge difficulty.

"So what? If she's pregnant, take her to a muggle doctor. What do I have to do with that? And since when did you care about muggles anyway?"

"Andy," he gritted out, "she said she is pregnant with my child."

He watched Andromeda Tonks become speechless for the first time.

"Explain," she hissed.

"I don't know, Andy," he pulled his hair in an uncharacteristic fashion, "I have only met her once. It was a few months ago. We were both drunk. I don't even remember half of what happened that night. She… she made me laugh Andy. That was the only reason I remembered her. I just wanted to see her face tonight. And now this…"

"You fool, you blithering idiot, don't you know who you are? Who you support? How can you do this to her? Have you gone mad like my dear sister?"

"Andy, please, not now," he begged her. "I need to know."

She looked at him angrily for a few moments, "Fine," she huffed.

She waved her wand in a complicated motion.

"If the fetus inside has the blood of Blacks, her stomach would grow green. If not, red," she explained absentmindedly.

Regulus waited with bated breath. He didn't know what he would do if the child was indeed his as the woman claimed. It would be better for everyone if it is not, but if it is then all hell will break loose. He was supposed to die tomorrow. And the eve of his planned death was not an ideal day to receive the news that he had become a father at 18 years old. That too with a muggle woman as the mother.

Before he could think any further, green glow emitted from the young woman's belly.

Regulus Black nearly fainted from shock.

(*****)

Her name was Mary Graves. A simple, common name that would have been very considered ordinary at best, unlike his. Unlike her name though, her personality was anything but common. She was vivacious, headstrong, outlandish and never took no for an answer. It was one of the reasons she was staying alone in muggle London at the tender age of 18. If he hadn't decided to take responsibility for his actions, she would have probably browbeaten him into it.

Just like him, she was the eye of the apple of both her parents. But, that was where the similarities between their families stopped. Unlike his, Mary's was a very loving family. Both her mother and father doted on her very much. When they heard the news that their darling daughter had gotten pregnant with a wayward youth's child (it still irked him to be assumed as such), they arrived on her doorsteps ready to rip him into pieces.

The fierce protectiveness of Mary's father nearly gave him an aneurism. He rode it out like a responsible young man. The stinkeye delivered by Mary's mother was really troubling to deal with. Yet, he managed to overcome it too. All for that little baby growing inside Mary.

He knew what it was to be abandoned to be by one's own parents for something else. He didn't want to do that to a little child who was yet to be born. Once he assured Mary and her family that he will shoulder his responsibility without any regrets or reservations, things became normal once more. As normal as it could be in the mundane, boring world of muggles.

His cousin, Andromeda Tonks nee Black dropped by occasionally to see how things were growing. By the fourth or the fifth visit, he could feel that her animosity towards him was beginning to fade. She brought news on what was happening in the wizarding world, keeping him updated on things.

(*****)

By March, it looked like the war raging more and more on. It seemed as if things were reaching a crescendo. Andromeda advised Regulus to stay away from the Wizarding world and see how things played out. And Regulus agreed with her. If indeed the Dark Lord was victorious, he would need to make some plans for the unborn child and Mary.

As much as it grated him to admit it, Regulus knew that the muggle was growing on him. Her ever-present laughter, constant mood swings which pregnant women were prone to, witty banter which relieved him from his dark thoughts, the glow on her body that motherhood brought her and whatnot was slowly eroding his heart. Especially, when she used to soothe him after one of his nightmares like Sirius did when he was a child.

Sometimes, Regulus thought how peaceful it would be to live like this forever. He didn't even miss his magic, which was something surreal. His wand had never left his pocket after the day he last visited his mother and lied to her about going on an extended mission.

(*****)

By the time July rolled around, she was well into her pregnancy and she was expected to birth the child in a month or so. Regulus didn't need to convince Andromeda much to be the midwife, but he had to go to great lengths to convince Mary's parents. A Confundus charm might have been involved, but he didn't fret much.

Andromeda had looked at him disapprovingly when he revealed to her that he hadn't yet told Mary the truth about him. But, she had understood when he had told her that he didn't want to shock Mary with the truth this close to childbirth.

Regulus had to admit that he had some selfish thoughts occasionally when he wanted to just wipe the memory of Mary and take the child and leave her alone with her life. But, when those thoughts were banished to the back of his head whenever he saw her lovingly caress the stomach, which was far too frequent. He didn't have the heart to rip a child off from its mother's hands.

He decided that he would tell Mary the truth after the child was born. If she accepted him, then he would figure out how to proceed from there, like whether he wanted to let his mother know of Mary and the child. If she didn't, then it's for the best too. He could simply make her forget the existence of the child and him. One way or the other, he would the child would remain with him. For it was what showed him a light from the darkness.

(*****)

When July ended, Andromeda brought him some worrying news. It seemed as the war was at an all-time high. She said the Death Eaters were more and more active and they were beginning to push back the Order of the Phoenix. It looked as if Dumbledore's side was losing the war quickly. News about Sirius and Bella battling a couple of times also reached him, making his heart jump.

He knew Sirius was good, but Bella was mad. She was entirely different from your normal witch. The Dark Lord had taught his favorites a vast variety of dark arts. As one of his highly favored, Regulus knew that his abilities had skyrocketed in just the two years he had served under the Dark Lord. Then, there was no need to mention about Bella, who was his most favored.

While he still resented Sirius for abandoning him when he needed him the most, he didn't wish him to die before they could reconcile one of these days. But, Regulus can't come out in the open now. He had refused to answer the Dark Lord's call several times already. If so much as a single hair or hide of him was seen by anyone, the Dark Lord would hunt him down. The Dark Lord never forgave the deserters after all.

He was still surprised that the Dark Lord hasn't sent anyone after him. Maybe, it was the fact that he hadn't cast any magic or maybe it was something else, whatever it was, Regulus was grateful for it.

(*****)

August was basically a myriad of emotions. First was the news that Sirius had become a Godfather for the Potters' son. Next, came the dreaded news of people searching for him. Cissy had paid Andy a visit to know whether he had come there. Even Sirius had enquired Andy. Apparently, both the Dark Lord and Dumbledore were keen on finding about his whereabouts.

Kreacher too had popped in one afternoon when Mary was sleeping. Regulus had convinced Kreacher that he was fine and had informed him to not state his location to anyone, even his mother. He had also berated the well-meaning elf for leaving the house. When the elf had asked if his hiding had anything to do with what he had done, he had solemnly nodded stressed him that it was imperative that no one knew of his location. The elf had been a bit teary, but Regulus had consoled the elf and asked him to return to his mother.

But, everything was shoved to the back of his mind when Mary went into labor on the night of August 14. A quick message to Andy was delivered causing her to rush into the apartment. The labor lasted for over nine hours.

In the early hours of August 15, at exactly 3:48 AM, Lyra Mathew Black, his princess, was born with a loud wail that threatened to overpower the Silencio cast down by Andy.

As he took her in his hands, he knew he would burn the entire world to keep her happy.