Chapter One: The Early Years

Chapter One: The Early Years

It was a girl. Sirius's first half-sister. She was a beautiful baby girl. Sirius still couldn't believe it. They had said it was a boy. Carefully he picked her up, quietly saying her name.

"Katrina Black. That's you my girl." He whispered, looking into her beautiful violet-green eyes. She smiled suddenly, showing off her ivory fangs. Her mother had been a vampire, and their father was part mermish. The baby was now six months old; six-month's younger than James' son Harry's one year.

Sirius was Katrina' s guardian now. Sirius' father had died two weeks after Katrina had been born, in a horrifying car accident, while rushing home to see Sirius, who had just arrived from America after along business trip had taken him away. Sirius had felt so guilty technically he still did. Katrina' s mother had two months ago, in a fire.

Sirius sighed. Never before had he felt so alone. His parents were gone. His friends were treating him warilyeven Dumbledore had become distant and cold whenever Sirius tried to talk to him.

" Sirius? Sirius where are you?" Two black-haired heads peered around the door jam. It was Kevin and Alex, two of Sirius' younger brothers.

" Hey loves. Come hold your baby sister." The solemn, two-year-old and eleven-year old boys trotted easily over to Katrina' s cradle, where Sirius was standing. Carefully the twenty-year old young man gave Kevin his baby sister.

" She's getting to be very beautiful isn't she?" asked Sirius. Kevin nodded, as Katrina reached up and took a strand of his thick, black hair. Kevin smiled as he handed Katrina back to Sirius.

" I'm going to see Terence," said the two-year old, toddling away.

Sirius sighed as he watched Kevin walk back towards the hall.

" Kevin? Do you want to come to the Potter's with me?" he called, just before he left.

" Yeah!"

"Alex?" Sirius turned to his little brother.

"Uh, no thanks. Professor Sprout gave us half a ton of work to do."

" What about Terry?" Sirius asked.

" He's currently in a hype over the History of Magic paper he's gotta write."

" Guess that rules out baby-sitting," said Sirius gloomily.

He had to go to James's house, but what was he supposed to do with two-year-old Kevin, and five-year-old Jonathan while he was out? He had to take the baby with him, so why couldn't he just put his other siblings into the car too?

That's what I'll do, he thought as he headed towards Kevin's room.

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Half an hour later Sirius was standing on James Potter's home, the three younger kids and the baby securely under his cloak.

" Hey!" said James opening the door and pulling Sirius inside. " You looked like you gained two-hundred pounds" he observed as Sirius carefully set down Jonathan and Kevin.

" Wow!" whispered James as Sirius set Katrina into his arms. " She's grown!"

" Yeah." Sirius said.

Just then Lily entered the room with Harry. She smiled as Katrina and Harry struggled to get loose and play. James set Katrina down with a smile, as Lily did the same with Harry.

" You really should give her a nickname," James commented as the adults watched the children played. " Katrina is a long name for a small girl".

" Yeah," replied Sirius, sipping the juice Lily poured him. " I don't know what to call her though."

" Call her Kit," called Jonathan, coming over and seating himself in Lily's lap. Sirius smiled. All of his siblings were quite fond of James and Lily, and absolutely adored Harry.

" Kit. I like it," said Sirius, tickling his younger brother. Jonathan giggled.

" I personally like Pounce," observed James as Kit jumped easily on Kevin, Harry following example. Lily stood up suddenly and left the room.

"Where's she going?" asked Sirius.

"I dunno," James replied, looking around. A moment later Lily returned a large box of blocks in her hand.

"Hey cool!" said Sirius. "I love blocks!" James shook his head. Lily carefully set the block box down, and the kids all began to build a huge tower with them. The adults watched as the tower loomed higher and higher. Just then the tower began to lean slowly. Sirius started to say something, but it as too late. The tower collapsed on all of the kids, who shrieked in delight.

" Why don't you all stay for dinner? I'm sure the kids are very tired of burnt food," teased Lily.

" Well" Sirius hesitated.

" Ah, come on Padfoot," teased James. Just then Jonathan fell asleep in Lily's lap.

" No, the younger kids are tired because we stayed up last night to look for the planets through our new telescope, and I left Alexander and Terence home alone," yawned Sirius, picking up Kevin in one arm, Katrina in the other, and gently waking Jonathan.

" Are you sure that was a safe thing to do? With you-know-who -out and about more than ever?"

" They're eleven and thirteen, they should be able to take care of themselves. And" Sirius stopped. Even James didn't know that Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, was Sirius' grandfather. James peered at him curiously. Sirius shook his head. "Can't remember what I was going to say," he lied, feeling terrible.

" All right, "James replied reluctantly. " Maybe next time then."

"Yeahnext time for sure," Sirius grinned, glad his friend hadn't questioned him too much. "We'd better get going. Leave you guys alone for awhile."

Lily sighed. "You know we never mind having you here Sirius," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "Nor your large clan," she added, grinning as Jonathan gave her a bear hug.

"I guessbut you've got to admit that sometimes you get tired of us," Sirius responded.

"Yeahsometimes we do," admitted James. Lily poked him in the ribs. "However, to make it up to you, stay for dinner!"

"Nice try," said Sirius wryly. "But two of the brats are at home and I do need to feed them as well."

" Putting the dear brats ahead of us," sniffed James, pretending to cry. "I thought we meant more to you Sirius," he said with a dramatic sob. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Spare me please," he muttered. James grinned.

" We'd better get a-going. Bye you guys. I'll see you tomorrow!" called Sirius as they left.

Little did he know he would never see the older Potters alive again