Note: I apologize to my seven subscribers to the inconvenience as I gave this story an face lift. Not to mention that I realized that by squishing the first to fourth book in one story might make things congested and that the story would feel all over the place.

Some events will be altered/added so certain things would make more sense.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

TW for reference to rape

18 October 1980

A pale, caramel-haired woman hunches in the corner of the cold stone wall of her cell. Clutching her swollen abdomen in pain as the next wave of contractions, more painful than the last one, seared through her body.

It wasn't as if this was a new experience. It had been a year since she had her son. What was different were the cold and unforgiving circumstances. Surrounded by enemies who would have wanted her dead in any other circumstance. Carrying an infant that was meant to be leverage when he could have gone after her son if it was a vulnerable infant he wanted to hold over her.

This, instead, must have seemed more convenient to him. An infant he could have easier access to, for getting ahold of Andrew might be a challenge Voldemort didn't seem to want to face.

She doesn't look up when she hears the door creak open. She pays no mind who it is as someone bends down towards her.

"It's time?" asked what she could identify as the voice of one Narcissa Malfoy.

"It's probably one of those false alarms. You know what happened the last time you thought it was time."

Her captor had been apoplectic when they realized it was a false alarm. He had given the healer a dose of the Cruciatus Curse before wrapping his hand around her neck. His touch was burning like white-hot iron as he hissed, "The next time you decide to waste my time, I'm going to take the brat out of you myself."

"It doesn't look like it," she said. "Listen, Edythe. I think I can be of assistance."

Edythe casts a glare at the woman. Help? Of all times now, she wants to help. Why couldn't she have done something when Voldemort was repeatedly forcing himself on her with the intent to get her pregnant?

"I know I'm the last person to come to you on this," said Narcissa, "but you're going to have to trust me."

One part of Edythe wanted to call her bluff. What was Narcissa Malfoy to offer her any help when it was clear she'd had no problem with Voldemort's cause? Yet, there was that raw, desperate part of her to accept whatever it was.

To return to Sirius. To their son.

She nodded.

"Well?" Lord Voldemort had demanded to Mrs. Narcissa Malfoy hours later. Her arms around a yellow-clothed bundle.

She took her last breath moments after the child was born," she answered. Hmm, just like that of his own mother. Only it seemed that…thing's sister and blood traitor's wife would rather die than have an infant be used to force information regarding Albus Dumbledore and his precious Order out of her.

Narcissa gazed at the bundle and took a step towards him. "Your daughter and heir, my lord."

Lord Voldemort took the bundle from Narcissa's arms and analyzed the slumbering infant in his arms. Pulling his hand away when one of her tiny hands grasped one of his fingers. One would presume that the child would be useless as she was intended to be leverage to get her stubbornly defiant mum to crack, yet she'd still have her uses.

Technically, he didn't need an heir. Regarding the steps he had taken to ensure his immortality. However, the idea of a follower – no, a right hand – with his blood running through their veins was attractive to the point where he actually danced around the idea a few times, even before the capture of that filthy werewolf's eldest sister.

Though he prided himself on being the last living descendant of Salazar Slytherin, the Slytherin bloodline was too good to have it end with him. If there was any lineage that deserved to continue past him, it was one of Salazar Slytherin.

No, he wouldn't keep this one under his care yet. He never had the patience for infants ever since those days at that wretched orphanage. Maybe when she was seven, then he would be able to have near-total control of her life. Before then, he would make some form of interaction. He wasn't going to be like his filthy Muggle father.

Regarding where to place her, Voldemort wasn't one to put his eggs in one basket. Dear Bella had already put Hufflepuff's Cup in her vault, and he had just entrusted his diary to Lucius Malfoy. He was certain Gaius Mulciber wouldn't object to having his heir under his care. After all, his son had proven to be a viable recruit. She wasn't a literal Horcrux, yet she perpetually might be one. Therefore, he should prioritize her as such.

As for her mother, he was confident that her corpse would be a treat for Fenrir Greyback.

"Nasty times, nasty weather."

Sirius Orion Black shook his head as he gazed at the rain battering the window.

"…and in for the nightly casualty report," droned the reporter. "This afternoon, Aurors had uncovered that –"

"Turn that off, please!" Mrs. Vera Pettigrew hissed. "I can't stand it."

As Peter had set down his teacup and obediently hobbled over to turn off the radio, there came an BAM! BAM! BAM on the McKinnon's front door.

Peter froze as caution rose in Sirius. He could taste the tension as he sensed Marlene and her parents taking out their wands. He raises his hand to stop them. If anyone could take the risk to answer the call at the door, it should be him.

It could be someone running from Voldemort's forces or one of his followers themselves should they pretend to be the former. No one could be sure nowadays. The heart pounds in his chest, gripping his wand tightly as he opens the door. When he sees who it was, every cell of his body freezes.

There she was. Her caramel-colored hair and an oversized white shift plastered to her body from the rain. Thinner and paler than the last time Sirius saw her. Dark circles under her sea-green eyes. Sirius couldn't believe what he was seeing, for he and others had feared the worst since she was taken captive two weeks after Andrew's birth.

Edythe?

"Sirius…" she rasps. "Is Remus here? Andrew?"

At her last word, does she fall near the doorway. "No," he mouths as he rushes to stop her from falling to the ground. She was so pale, almost as if she was ill or hadn't been taken care of. What did those monsters do to her?

"Great Godric! Someone, go get Remus!"

18 November 1981

"How was your first term of teaching so far?" asked the new man that had now held his leash as Severus Tobias Snape entered the office. "I have meant to ask you about it, my dear boy."

"I never wanted to snap my wand in half all my life," he spat, his fists clenched. They had already proven to be mediocre at the subject of potions. Not that he resented his former potions professor, but it seemed that Slughorn's bar of expectations was low. For the older years complained that he never taxed them as Severus did.

Worse of all, on the first day, some of the students commented how they remember seeing Potter levitate him in the air with his own spell and removing him of his trousers those few years ago. The only students that did not give him trouble were the Slytherins.

Children. How he despised them.

"Ah, yes," said Dumbledore, with a hint of a smile on his lips. "Don't forget that it hasn't been too long since you have left the school as a mere student. It might take some getting used to."

Hardly, Severus mentally sneers before addressing the subject that bought him here. "Dominic Mulciber and his father were apprehended, I hear."

"Their arrests have been one of the few the past weeks," Dumbledore sighed, "and there are more, I'm afraid. What concerns me is the innocent children they will leave behind."

"Victoria is not their own, as I have relayed to you," Severus pointed out. "The Dark Lord merely put her under their care."

"And what of Mrs. Mulciber? Is she going to keep her under her care after her husband and son's master has vanished?"

Severus swallowed, still remembering the conversation he had with Mrs. Mulciber over the weekend. "She intends on giving her to the care of someone else. Mulciber senior had never told her the truth of her parentage, it seemed. As if the Dark Lord had sworn him to secrecy."

"Has she given you any idea who?"

"It appears that she might be sending her off to the care of Euphemia Rowle the coming week. And Dominic's wife doesn't seem to disagree. Doesn't want her own daughter tainted by an alleged illegitimate aunt, it seems."

The older wizard puts his fingers to his temples as if he was thinking something over. "Now, Severus, I'm certain Mrs. Mulciber wouldn't object if an old school friend of her son made the offer to take the child in instead."

It might have been as if Dumbledore had placed a Confundus Charm on him. Severus shook his head. Was Dumbledore suggesting what he thought he was suggesting?

"Are you saying that I take in the child of the man who's the reason why Lily's son is without his parents?" Severus demanded, his fists loosening up as if they had dropped something. When his tone when he spoke about his experiences in teaching made it clear that he wouldn't stand raising a child, much less teach them? "When she has a mother that would be more than willing to take care of her?"

"When he returns, one of the things Voldemort is going to check up on is whether his child is in the same place as she was when he fell that night," said Dumbledore. "He'd be displeased that she isn't where he last placed her, but he'd be pleased that she was raised by one of his inner circle, even if you had just received the Mark. Of course, you'd never knew of her parentage until I was the one that told you everything that had occurred with Edythe. It would be a step to remaining in his good graces for what we need in the future. After all, he had to have rated you highly even to consider sparing Lily at your request. As for Edythe Black, it might not even be safe for her to have Victoria in her custody for when he comes back."

Despite Dumbledore's explanations, there were still some obstacles. First, it did not help matters that her uncle enabled Potter, Black, and Pettigrew's harassment of him back when they were in school. Second –

"You do realize she might want a maternal figure in her life," Severus pointed out, scratching his curtain of black hair. "Something I would not be able to provide. Not to mention this position of employment you saddled me with is going to complicate things as well."

"Then I am certain that the Malfoys would have no trouble helping you raise her," said Dumbledore, his blue eyes twinkling. "Narcissa would most likely be more than happy to be of assistance, I'm certain."

How was it that Dumbledore always found a way to address what appeared to be an obstacle? Preferably, Severus would rather have had the child be with her mother, who had been revealed to be alive and well. However, as Dumbledore always had a way to find counter-arguments when concerns were raised and if bringing up the Dark Lord's only child would be a way to remain in his good graces when he returns…

"Very well, Albus," drawled Severus, crossing his arms. "I shall speak with Mrs. Mulciber on the matter this weekend.

Even if it hadn't been a done deal at the moment, already it was as if another burden had been placed on his shoulders.

Severus' only hope was that he would not regret it in the long run.

As Dumbledore used the Blood Wards to justify sending Harry to live with his abusive relatives, it wouldn't be totally out of character of him to keep a child from her mother and send said child to live under the care of his double agent in order for that double agent to remain in Voldemort's good graces when he came back.