Children
Chapter Nine: Children
"Children are a poor man's riches" -- English proverb


Emily spoke to her father via the fireplace that night. They had decided they would meet at midnight so she could tell him about the trip to the school and he could tell her if he had any news regarding Josh or Jimmy. They had decided this a week before.

However, the first thing Emily asked was about her father. "Dad," she started, "did you have any other siblings, besides Orion?"

Sirius eyed her suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"You answer my question and then we'll get to yours, okay?"

The Sirius head nodded, "Yes, I did. First, of course there were my parents, Cassiopeia and Cepheus. Then there were us children. There were my sisters: Andromeda, Mira, Porrima, Chara, Maia, Bellatrix, Capella, and Meissa. Then there were my brothers: Orion, of course, Castor and Pollux, who were twins, Perseus, Eridanus, Hydra, and Phaeton. From oldest too youngest it went: Chara, Meissa, Orion, Hydra, Maia, Andromeda, Castor and Pollux, Phaeton, Capella, Eridanus, Bellatrix, Porrima, Perseus, and finally, Mira and me, who were also twins."

"Damn Dad, that's a lot of siblings!" Emily was surprised.

"15 of them, and don't swear. Now answer my question; why the need to know about your aunts and uncles?"

"Well, we were at supper tonight and Dumbledore introduced the new professors. One's surname was Black, and I though maybe she was my aunt or something."

"What does she teach?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Actually, that could very well be Bella', who was an Auror. She always did love to teach. But, I'll owl Dumbledore about it tomorrow."

"Dad?" Emily asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah kiddo?"

"Am I gonna get to meet any of my aunts and uncles?"

"Well, without including any in-laws, you have 17 aunts and uncles. 15 from my side and two from your mother's. You've met one, Orion, so far…"

Emily cut him off, "Two. I've met Professor Snape as well, but we'll get to that in a moment."

"Alright, two. As far as I know though, Hydra, Porrima, Phaeton, and Capella are all dead, but I may be mistaken. Your mother's sister is also dead, but you already knew that. The others though, don't know I'm innocent. If and when they can be convinced though, you could meet them. Now, when did you talk to your uncle?"

"Well, on the train, I had a little fun with Draco Malfoy. I only told him my first name, and he was flirting with me, as I was with him, and I think he started to like me. But after the Sorting and dinner he came up to me all pissed off that I had supposedly lied to him. All because I had neglected to mention my last name. Then he started badmouthing you and so I decked him. Knocked him right on his ass I did. When he got up, he was about to hit me, when Professor Snape stopped him and told him that if he hit me it would be fifty points from Slytherin and a week of detention. Malfoy was surprised that he would be punished, I mean I was just a Gryfindorr, besides I had hit him first. Snape told him that I was his niece and Malfoy had been asking for it anyway. After Malfoy walked off, Snape looked at me closely for a few moments, told me I had my mother's eyes, then he too walked off. That's it."

Sirius nodded, "Yeah, your uncle never liked me, but he loved your mother. You're her child, and that obviously makes up for at least some of the fact that you're my daughter as well."

The two talked for several more minutes, before disconnecting their respective fireplaces, and each going to bed. Neither Black had any idea of the conversation going on only a few floors above Emily.

To Be Continued

Author's Note: Okay, there is Chap 9. I hope you enjoyed, but even more than that, I hope you review. I also hope none of you were too dense to catch the hint in that last hint. Anyway, I hope to have the next chapter out soon, so until then, I may or may not be seein ya-- Emily