Disclaimer: The canon characters of this fic are the property of JKR, though the plot is (for the most part) mine.

A/N- Hi again, sorry for the wait, but life is chaotic, and I am running three stories at once. Anyway, this has been redone, so I need to thank Aerospace and Two2feet for their suggestions. Canon events are basically thrown out the window, assume that none of them will happen and we can start from there. Chapters will be titled and set by years after this chapter, so there may be large jumps. Enjoy.

THE LAST HAPPY BUTTERFLY

Prologue Part One

Sirius looked down at the tiny bundle in his arms. The soft blanket curled gently around the tiny face. His black hair was already mimicking James' and peeked out from beneath the red hat he was wearing. As he watched, Harry opened his eyes, and two green lights appeared. A single scar shaped like a lightning bolt sat on his forehead. His face suddenly set into innocent determination and one of his hands wiggled out of the blanket. It latched onto Sirius' thumb, and moved it side to side in an innocent game.

"Are you going to be alright, Sirius?" Dumbledore's calm voice said from behind him.

"I'll-" Sirius wanted to tell the truth. That he would never be all right. That it would never heal. Less than six hours earlier he had been informed that two of his greatest friends had been murdered. Their son, his godson, would never know them. He felt as though everything he loved had been ripped away in one fell swoop. He wanted to tell the truth, but it would never help. "-be fine. Has Remus been told?"

"Yes, he should be here soon."

"Do you have any understanding as to what happened to Voldemort?"

"Not enough. He is gone. At least for a time." Sirius nodded, and Dumbledore turned to leave. As he reached the door, he whipped abruptly back. "There is something else you need to know."

"About Harry?" Sirius asked the question, already knowing the answer.

"Harry is special, more than anything else. It was the reason James and Lily decided to go into hiding. They decided that, no matter what, it was better to be safe. No matter what happens Harry has to stay safe."

"What exactly makes him so special?"

"If we have properly interpreted the signs, then it is possible that one day young Harry may be able to defeat Voldemort. I'm sorry to have to lay this on you, but it is up to you that he one day is ready for that."

Sirius watched as the headmaster walked out of the room and disapparated. Harry made a little gurgle, and fell back to sleep. He walked to the back of his one room flat and conjured a crib. Attempting to do magic when emotionally strained could have severe consequences, as was proven by the dismal imitation of what he had been trying for. It was devoid of blankets, mattress or pillow, but Sirius just dragged some off his own bed to make up for it.

The instant Harry was comfortable Sirius began working. He set every ward he could remember, and was fairly certain he had invented several before he was satisfied. The list of people who could find his home was short, and the sound of knocking at his door had him running down the hall, Harry in hand once more. His wards had worked. They had to have worked. They just had to, which meant that this was a friend.

Upset at being woken and then jostled about by the man carrying him, Harry began to fuss.

Despite his recent precautions, his wand was out while he opened the door. For half a second he prepared to attack, but the black hood was thrown back to reveal Remus Lupin.

They reached out and pulled themselves into a much-needed brotherly embrace. It was a fierce hug, and they would not have stopped but for Harry's increasingly loud protests.

Remus glanced imploringly to Sirius, and upon the responding nod, took Harry into his arms. "Just like him." He said quietly, almost to himself. "How are you Padfoot?"

"I'm fine."

"You're a horrible liar when you're upset. Tell the truth this time, because I doubt you're any better than I am, and I'm in hell."

"I'm fine, or at least I will be. Someday."

"Like shit you will. Sirius, answer me."

"Remus, about six hours ago I was informed that one of my best friends and his wife had been murdered defending their son against a man who wants to take over the world. About four hours ago I found out that Voldemort had disappeared. About two hours ago I found out Harry was still alive. About half an hour ago, Dumbledore handed me Harry, so that I could raise of him. Fifteen minutes ago I found out that he may one day have the power to stop Voldemort, but that I have to train him. And five minutes ago I discovered I know nothing about raising a kid, let alone teaching him. I am twenty-one years old, I can hardly handle my own life, now I have to handle two, so, how do you think I am?"

"Sorry, but it's just that-" Remus stopped as a murmur from a child distracted them both. Sirius looked at Harry who was now awake, but silent since he was no longer crushed between two inconsolable men. He looked to his friend in confusion, and saw him lift a bundle of his own out of a small basket.

"Moony. Who is that?"

"Alex. Well, Alexandra, actually."

"Then may I ask who's she is?"

Remus shifted uncomfortably and muttered under his breath.

"Moony? She isn't yours is she?"

"Well…"

Something vaguely reminiscent of a smile edged onto Sirius' face. He could not have created a real one, but the movement was there. "Alright Wolf-Boy, come with me." He walked to his living room, gestured to a comfortable chair, and sat in one himself. "Who? How old? How long have you known? Where is her mother? And most importantly, is she a lycanthrope?"

"Sirius, I'm not sure she's mine. I'm really not. Rachel McMyers is the mother. Alex is five and a half months. I've known for about three weeks. Her mother is dead. And no, she's not a lycanthrope. Thank God."

"Can I see her?"

Remus looked instantly like a defensive father, but then gave a humorless chuckle. He handed Alex over, and took Harry in turn. Both children argued about the movement, but quieted again once held by the caring men. Sirius carefully moved part of the blanket to see her face. She looked up with a question in her gray eyes, and life in her fair skin. She blinked and stuck out her tongue, and he realized her unusualness. Her hair was pure white.

"Her, um…Remus, her hair is-" he said falteringly to his friend.

"White. Yes, I know. It certainly isn't her mother's. It isn't mine either, but she does have my eyes. I don't know Sirius. If she was mine, she'd…she would be a lycanthrope. They always are, but, she has my eyes, and I knew Rachel, I trusted her, and she…she hadn't been with anyone else. The timing works Padfoot, but the product doesn't make sense." Sirius looked down.

"There are tests, Moony. We'll find out for sure tomorrow."

"Sirius, the tests are very expensive, which is why-" Remus stopped as he looked to the other man. Sirius was watching him, and the look he gave explained that he would pay, that it wasn't a problem, and that he wanted nothing else but to make sure that some of the Marauders were happy in the end. Remus nodded, "Thank you." He said quietly.

For almost an hour they were content to sit, staring at the miracles in their arms. Finally, the babies were asleep and they found the energy to speak.

"Moony, I never suspected you, I never could, but you were the-"

"They changed."

"What?"

"They changed. Right at the end. They changed. It wasn't me by the time it happened."

"Then who? Who else did they trust enough?"

Remus' eyes began to glow with the same anger that appeared in his wolven form. "They changed to Peter. At my request."

The dawn of comprehension, then hatred, radiated over Sirius, and he felt the sudden and strong urge to rush out and find the traitor.

Before he could, Remus had risen and handed him Harry. Burdened with two bundled children, Sirius lurched to his feet.

"Watch her until I get back."

"Moony, you'll need backup on this."

"No, this is mine. And it's my fault. Just watch her until I get back, Padfoot."

One week later.

Sirius stood in the quiet graveyard, staring down at three new markers.

Lily E. Potter.

James E. Potter.

Remus J. Lupin.

Both children were dressed in black clothes and were maturely silent as they sat in his arms.

"I'm watching." He whispered. "I'm watching, Moony. Prongs, Lils, I'm watching him too." He looked to Harry as the boy tugged lightly on his ear. "I'm watching, but I know what has to happen, and I won't let them face this nightmare unprepared."