Author's note: It has been a long time since my last update, and I am sorry about that. Unfortunately, I have had writers block and real life has got in the way too. I'm happy that so many of you are enjoying this story and still reading it. I've loved reading all the reviews and messages you guys have sent me. I plan on updating this story more regularly. Let me know what you think of the story so far and what you want for the story going forward. Some of you may have noticed that I have added Sirius and Lottie (OC) as a pairing for this story in addition to Hermione and Fred. This is a Fremione story and they will remain our main pairing however I plan on having Sirius and Lottie as significant characters as we continue this journey together. I don't want to give spoilers, but we will see a lot more of them as the story moves forward.


"Siri wake up," a soft angelic voice whispered, a voice Sirius had dreamed of often as he laid shivering in his cold cell in Azkaban. Was he dead Sirius wondered to himself as the voice he loved so much called his name once more, "Come on Sirius wake up," the same voice whispered, this time Sirius could feel a gentle hand stroking his face, if he was dead then he was in heaven Sirius thought to himself his lips turning up in happiness before turning down into a frown, what if it was another dream that would end in pain as soon as he awoke he asked himself.

"Come on Siri, open your eyes," Lottie's voice whispered, far too many times she had said those words to him as he slept fitfully in his cell and far too many times Sirius had awoke to find himself alone, alone because Lottie was dead and he was responsible for the deaths of their closest friends, he deserved to be in prison forgotten and hated by all who had once loved him," Sirius thought ruefully.

"Sirius," Lottie's voice spoke louder, right next to Sirius's left ear, why could he feel her warm breath, her soft hand still stroking his face, the pressure of her body leaning over his, it felt so real," Sirius mused, maybe he could stay like this, his eyes closed forever never knowing the pain of Lottie's loss again; "I don't want to wake up without you," Sirius whispered.

"I'll never leave you again if that's what you want, I promise Sirius, open your eyes," she urged him her voice choked as her gentle lips descended on his forehead kissing him lightly, a stray tear landing on his cheek. Why did it feel so real, Sirius wondered sadly as he slowly opened his eyes, expecting Lottie to disappear as she had so many times in the past? He expected to find himself in his filthy cell, the cold stone floor chilling his bones, the Dementors feeding off the few good memories he still held dear, or else to find himself dead somehow reunited with Lottie in heaven even though he knew he deserved the fiery pits of hell. What Sirius didn't expect was to find Lottie knelt next to him, on the floor of Dumbledore's office, looking as alive as anyone could be, her long auburn curls tied in a messy bun, her beautiful violet eyes looking at him alight with so much emotion that they made Sirius breathless.

"Lottie," Sirius breathed staring at her in wonderment, one hand reaching up to her lightly freckled cheek, it was warm and soft, dusted with all the little freckles that he remembered as well as a light jagged scar that he didn't.

"Sirius," she whispered staring at him with apprehension, why was she anxious, how was she here alive, it was a miracle Sirius thought his grey eyes still locked on hers. A soft squawk from Fawkes drew Sirius's attention across the room, his eye's passing over Dumbledore's desk, his shelves full of whirling gizmos and a pensive before finally settling on the beautiful phoenix settled on his golden perch next to the entrance of office. Fawkes squawked again and Sirius's eyes went wide turning his head first to the pensive and then to Lottie, as his memories of the previous day flooded back to him; every moment from the second he saw Lottie on the train platform to the moment he pulled his head out of the pensive unable to breath from the shock of the memories that Lottie had shared with him, memories that showed some of the best and worst days of his life, memories that revealed secrets he had never suspected were been kept from him, memories that would change Sirius's life forever.

Sirius stared at Lottie in shock, his eyes wide as his brain tried to process what it now knew, Sirius's mouth opened and closed a few times trying to speak but all that came out were random sounds.

"Breath Sirius," Lottie whispered, Sirius took a deep shuddering breath before slowly releasing it, still staring into the deep violet eyes before him.

"I, I, I'm a father," he gasped out eventually, Lottie nodded, "You're a father," she whispered. Sirius took another calming breath, then another.

"Why," he eventually whispered.

"Why what," she replied just as quiet.

"Why didn't you tell me," he asked this time his voice was louder, laced with an edge of anger.

"Sirius I couldn't, I was in Muggle London without a wand and then you were in Azkaban, you saw my memories," she told him calmly.

"After Azkaban, I've been out of prison for 9 months and you didn't tell me about her, didn't tell me anything," he told her, his voice a strange mix of anger and sadness.

"I wanted you to recover and get used to been out of prison, I didn't want you to have to be distracted or to feel obligated to care for Cassie," she informed him, her lower lip worried once more between her teeth, the way she had done countless times in the past.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME, YOU SHOULD HAVE LET ME DECIDE WHAT WAS A DISTRACTION OR NOT," Sirius bellowed, Lottie flinched, seeing this Sirius took yet another calming breath before speaking quieter, "I understand why you never told me about her before I was imprisoned, of course I understand, you must have been terrified without your wand after going through what you went through but you should have come to me when I was released. I would never have turned you away Lottie, I would never have hurt either of you. You aren't an obligation, you are family; family is the most important thing to me. We have a daughter, a beautiful daughter, I've only seen a few of your memories of her and I already love her. I can't believe we made her, you should have told me Lottie," by the time Sirius hand finished speaking his voice was no more than a whisper filled with raw pain and sadness, as tears streamed from his eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Lottie whispered, her own eyes streaming. Sirius not knowing what to say simply pulled her into his arms, both silently crying for the lives they never got the chance to live, clutching each other on the floor of Dumbledore's office.

"Do you hate me," Lottie eventually whispered once their eyes had run out of tears to shed.

"I could never hate you Lottie," he reassured as he pulled her tighter to his chest, kissing her hair as she relaxed deeper into his arms.

"You must have so many questions," `Lottie stated, turning her head so she could see his face.

"I do," he told her quietly.

"What do you want to know," she asked him, what did he want to know Sirius though thinking of everything that he had learnt so far.

"Reggie, he's alive," Sirius eventually settled on.

"I think so, but I don't know, someone rescued me that night, I was that out of it so I don't know if I can rely on my own memories. If Regulus is alive, he's in hiding, I never saw nor heard from him after I awoke in Muggle London," She whispered to him.

"So, you live with my Grandaunt Cassiopeia," he asked her next.

"Yeah, I didn't plan to stay with her for so long, she was the only relative of yours who I trusted, I went to her after I found out about your arrest hoping that she could help you. She wouldn't let me leave after that, she's a godsend really. She's helped me raise Cassie," Lottie told him.

"What's wrong with her," Sirius asked softly.

"She's an old lady with lots of different ailments, she caught a bad case of Black Cat Flu a few years back that has left her lungs irreparably damaged. She gets by but some days are worse than others. She doesn't like to worry us but recently she's been having a lot more bad days than good," Lottie told him sadly.

"I'd like to see her, she's taken care of my family when I couldn't," Sirius whispered.

"She'd love to see you," she told him earnestly.

"I want to meet Cassie too," he told Lottie confidently.

"She's here at Hogwarts," she told quietly.

"She got her Hogwarts acceptance letter," he asked proudly.

"Not exactly, we live in France, so she was accepted into Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. Her birthday was last week on the 25th of August, so she only got her acceptance letter then. She begged me to go to Hogwarts instead. She's good friends with Annalise's daughters Hannah and Hollie Abbott so it wasn't difficult to get the equipment list. I put her on the train, and I planned to come up to the school and speak to Auntie Minnie so everything would be alright. I didn't plan for you to see me first and have Moody follow me for hours. She must have caused a massive commotion at the sorting ceremony," Lottie told him her voice sounding mortified, Sirius couldn't help but laugh.

"Indeed, she did," a voice called from the doorway, Sirius stopped laughing, Professor Dumbledore was stood in the doorway to the office with a pleasant smile on his face, a familiar sparkle in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry for the trouble I've caused Professor Dumbledore, I'll collect Cassie and tell her she has to go to Beauxbatons," Lottie told the older wizard as she hurriedly stood up.

"Please calm yourself Lottie, there is no need to panic, young Cassiopeia is more than welcome to be a student here. I dare say we need more vibrant sprits like hers in the castle. She's already been sorted into Gryffindor House. There are a few forms you will have to fill out, but young Cassiopeia can stay," the headmaster told Lottie cheerfully.

"Where is Cassie now," Lottie asked quietly.

"I dare say she will be downstairs at breakfast with the other student's, I'm heading down there myself but first I wanted to see how the two of you are doing," the older wizard asked.

"As well as can be, we have lots of things left to discuss but first I want to meet my daughter," Sirius told Dumbledore as he raised himself off the floor to stand with Lottie.

"Wonderful, why don't I head down to breakfast, the two of you can use my bathroom to get more presentable and I will have one of the House Elves bring you up some breakfast and coffee. After Breakfast is finished young Cassiopeia will be brought up here to meet you," the older wizard told them waving his hand, a wooden panel in the wall below the portraits of previous heads of Hogwarts opened reviling an entrance to his bathroom, Sirius could see a porcelain sink from where he stood.

"Thank you, Professor," Lottie told the man quietly.

"I haven't been your professor in nearly 15 years Lottie call me Albus or Dumbledore please dear," Lottie nodded.

"Excellent, I best get down to breakfast then," Professor Dumbledore told them before exiting his office.


On the morning of the second of September 1992 Hermione found herself incredibly amused and 25 galleons richer as she sat the Gryffindor table eating her porridge and pursuing the class timetable Professor McGonagall had provided her with. The 25 galleons had come from the previous nights, sorting bet, Angelina had happily announced that she was the winner as soon as she had sat down at the table, to the disappointment of Ron and the other Gryffindor's who had been playing the game. As for the source of her amusement that was the conversation happening opposite her. They'd barley been sat at the table for five minutes when a dark haired, violet eyed whirlwind of a First year had skipped into the hall and plonked herself down on the bench next to her best friend, Harry's emerald eyes had narrowed with uncertainty as his godfather's daughter smiled happily back at him.

"Good morning Harry," Cassiopeia had chirped happily.

"Morning," Harry had replied slightly subdued, as he turned back to his plate of scrambled eggs; his eyes glaring daggers as his godfather's daughter preceded to talk to him despite his unwelcoming attitude.

"I didn't get much sleep last night, I was far too excited for classes today Harry, how did you sleep, what's your favourite class," She had asked her friend, Harry had stared across the table pleading with Hermione to help him but she had pretended not to notice, preferring to watch their exchange, beside her Fred had chuckled and pulled her into a discussion on his and George's latest prank; Hermione's eye's still strayed to the two on the other side of the Gryffindor's table, her ears listening to their awkward exchange, to Hermione it seemed that Cassie as the first year insisted she be called had no filter as she fired question after question at her spectacled friend, not at all put off by his often monosyllabic answers;

"What's your favourite colour," she asked him, Harry replied that it was "green", and she'd told him hers was magenta, when asked what his favourite food was, he'd told her it was treacle tart and she had told him she loved pesto pasta. The questions continued throughout breakfast, Cassie continuing to provide her own answers despite Harry showing little interest in the conversation.

"Harry what's my dad like?" Cassie asked, this time her voice was quiet, timid. Where before Cassie had been a bouncing in her seat happily trying to get to know her godbrother this time, she was meek, shrinking in her seat as she looked nervously at Harry, nibbling her lower lip between her teeth, and absentmindedly tearing the toast in her hands into minute pieces.

Harry sighed and set down his knife and fork, raising his eyes to look at Hermione across the table. Harry was one of her best friends and she could imagine how he felt right now; he'd been raised by horrible relatives who had hated him only to be given for the first time in his memory the love of a father figure when he had met his Godfather Sirius the previous year. For the first time, Harry had someone who put his needs before anything else, someone who cared about him and loved him like a son. Harry had craved affection and had finally got it. He was loved, and Hermione knew that no mater what happened there was no way Sirius would get rid of Harry; but Harry probably felt unsure of his place in Sirius's life now that Cassie was here. Hermione could see it in his eyes, the emerald green darkened with worry. No matter how silly it was Harry was worried that with a child of his own; made from his own flesh and blood, Sirius would no longer want him. Hermione smiled reassuringly at him across the table, and gently took hold of his left hand, squeezing it tightly, her eyes full of understanding. Harry nodded his head at her and for the first time since her arrival at the breakfast table he turned his head to look at the first year at his side. Cassie still looked worried and her eyes widened when Harry gently took hold of her hands; stilling them from their repetitive action of tearing up toast; Harry gently squeezed them in reassurance, and he offered a slight smile to the young girl.

"Sirius, your dad, he is amazing. I haven't known him long, but he took me in and he's kind and funny; he likes pranks and jokes, he tells great stories about the past. Sirius always has a glass of Firewhiskey before bed and often forgets to filter his sentences so he will swear and then Narcissa or Remus will berate him for it. He's a good man though, he's had a difficult past and that does make him sad at times; you can tell when he's reliving Azkaban or the war because he becomes tense and serious but he's working on getting better. The most important thing to Sirius is family; he's rebuilding the house of Black and he's taken in me and to an extent Draco and he's helping us with the responsibility of been the heirs to house Potter and Malfoy. He's a good Man." Harry told Cassie; Hermione smiled at the sight.

"Do you think he will like me Harry?" Cassie asked quietly.

"I think he will love you," Harry answered just as quietly.

"Indeed, he will, Mr Potter. Miss McKinnon-Black, if you have finished breakfast would you please follow me, to the Headmasters office; Miss Granger please hand these out to your fellow Gryffindor's," Professor McGonagall spoke briskly handing a pile of timetables to Hermione and one off the top of the pile to Cassie. Cassie stood up quickly and Hermione nodded at her head of house who swiftly turned away from the table leading Cassie out of the Great Hall.

"That was very kind of you to reassure her Harry, you know Sirius will love you no matter what," Hermione told him as she stood up, passing the timetables out to her housemates you had not bothered to go and collect their timetables from Professor McGonagall that morning, as she had before sitting down to breakfast.

"I know he will, but I've just got him and now, he has her too. I have an irrational fear that he will like her more or decide that I'm too much trouble." Harry told her worriedly.

"Your right it is irrational, you told Cassie yourself, the most important thing to Sirius is family and you are a part of that family Harry. You are entitled to your feelings but remember that you are loved. Talk to Sirius, Harry, this is new to him too. He's probably feeling uncertain about the future too," She told him as she handed the last timetable to Oliver with a smile at her Quidditch obsessed friend.

"Listen to Mione, she's always right," Fred told Harry, as he gave her a hug goodbye.

"That she is Freddie, now off to class we go, Freddie and I have Ancient Runes to get too upstairs while you little Second years are heading out to Greenhouse three for Herbology," George said grabbing his twin and pulling him out of the Great Hall.

"I don't think I will ever get used to the Twins caring about school, I always thought they'd wing everything," Ron told her and Harry as the trio followed the twins out of the Great Hall.

"They're both incredibly smart Ronald and can do anything if they set their minds to it" she replied.


Cassie nervously followed Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall and through the school, her eye's taking in every detail as they passed; moving paintings, suits of armour and many statues as they moved through the school to the seventh floor. Eventually Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a large grey Gargoyle that was set into an arch.

"Lemon Drop," Professor McGonagall told the Gargoyle swiftly, Cassie watched wide eyed as the gargoyle moved aside reviling a moving stone spiral staircase leading up to a tower. Professor McGonagall paused looking at Cassie with a tender smile on her face.

"Cassie, your arrival here yesterday has made me incredibly happy, your mum and I were remarkably close, she was my best friend's daughter and my goddaughter. I was devastated when, by what happened to the McKinnon family. I am overjoyed to know that the both of you made it out that night. I want you to know that you can come to me if you ever want to talk about anything. You are going to have lots of changes in your life more than the typical first year at any rate. In addition to starting at a new school and been away from home you are going to be getting to know your father and other family members too. I'm not just your professor but your family. I'm here if you ever want to talk. You look so much like your mother, you have the same face and eyes, but those curls and the large personality you displayed last night is all your father. I'm going to enjoy getting to know you, both of your parents are incredible, and I look forward to seeing what you are capable of. Look at me an old woman talking your ears off, go on up the stairs dear, your parents are waiting for you," Professor McGonagall spoke softly to Cassie and gently pushed her forward onto the staircase, where she raised through the tower coming to a stop in front of a closed wooden door.

Lottie raised one trembling hand and knocked three times; before she could knock again the door was ripped open by a man, that Lottie had only ever seen pictures off. He looked older than the pictures her mum had at home and he looked healthier than he had when she had seen his photograph in the paper all those months ago when she had first learned of his release from Azkaban. His grey eyes looked wild and were filled with so many emotions as he stared at her. Cassie could see that he had laugh lines near his eyes set above his chiselled jaw line. He had a slight stubble to his face and his nose was sharp, his hair hung loose around his face; dark onyx and curly just like her own, matching onyx eyebrows sat prominently above his eyes, eyes that roamed over her face taking her in in the same way that she looked at him. She watched as his mouth curve into a full smile, his eyes crinkling, sparkling with unshed tears.

"Dad," Cassie whispered, her lips trembling along with the rest of her body, as her own tears burst forth from her eyes. Not saying a word, her father stepped forward and cocooned her in his warm embrace, his own tears falling unashamed from his eyes, landing in her hair where her head rested against his chest. A gentle sob to their left alerted Cassie to the presence of her mother, her dad released one arm from around her body and pulled her mother into their cuddle, his arms wrapped around both her mother and her securely as all three of them cried over the years they had missed out on together and in happiness that they were finally reunited.

Behind the family reunion on a wall filled with the previous Heads of Hogwarts, Phineas Nigellus Black wiped a tear from his eye as he looked down at his Great-Great-Grandson. The boy had been through a lot, but Phineas had a feeling that Sirius would do his house and his family proud and make it the best it had ever been.