It was an old heavy chest that Lupin brought Harry, the morning after Bill's wedding. "Sirius's most prized treasures," The werewolf had explained, "They belong to you now."

Some of its contents were remnants of the Marauder's days at Hogwarts: Banned books, potions, even journals disclosing the petty romances and secrets of young Sirius. Harry pulled each specimen out of the trunk carefully, studied it, and placed it unceremoniously onto the Burrow floor. As a third year these artifacts would have enthralled him, but the past few years had forced him to face horrors and evils that rendered him precociously mature. His future quest, his future fight against unthinkable odds caused insouciance towards life in him; his once blithe outlook had turned rancid and jaded.

One last object remained in the chest. Harry picked up the vial indifferently, but a recognition of its contents sparked mild interest in him. A swirling, silver memory resided in the vial, twisting and curling in its entrapment. Sirius had scrawled a label onto its side:

History of R.A.B.

The now consternate boy studied the vial . Was this the R.A.B. that stole the Horcrux, the person intent on defeating Voldemort?

Harry knew of an old pensieve in the Burrow. Trembling, he sneaked over to it, poured the memory out, and stuck his bewildered head into the abyss.

He landed on the bank of a lake. It was an early summer evening, and a warm, sweet breeze rustled through the nearby trees. With further inspection Harry saw the Hogwarts castle looming above him.

Two figures strolled along the bank in silence. The fight between day and night raged up above them, casting them in a reddish glow. Harry quietly followed them.

They stopped at a large boulder overlooking the shimmering loch.

"Let's sit." One of them said. It was a man's voice.

Harry reached the place where they sat. The man appeared to be in his mid twenties, and was attractive, with a strong build and dark hair. He looked vaguely familiar. His partner was in her late teens, a beautiful, slender girl with auburn hair and dark brown eyes. Her countenance expressed deep sadness and fatigue.

"How are your parents?" the man asked.

"Very well. My dad works for the United Nations now." She responded in a detached, weak manner.

"What is that?"

"It's a new Muggle assembly that represents all of the world's nations. It's wonderful, but with Reconstruction after the War he is staying busy."

"And I hear from Professor Slughorn that you wish to be an Auror."

"Yes." The girl responded feebly. The comment seemed to aggravate her sadness.

"You certainly have the brains and grades for it, Anstice."

"Thank you, Professor Black." She responded feebly

"You're an adult now, Anstice. You may call me Alphard."

Silence resumed.

"Anstice?"

"Yes, Alphard?"

"Something's been bothering you. You used to be so merry, but this past month…What's wrong?"

"I can't tell you."

"Please. We are close friends. You can trust me."

The girl Anstice appeared to be choking.

"I can't become an Auror, Alphard." She blurted, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Why, dear?"

"Because-Because I'm pregnant, that's why." She sobbed, covering her face in her hands. Fighting his amazement and internal jealousy at this disclosure, Alphard Black made a "shh" sound and put his arm around her.

"And I didn't-didn't want to, but he made me…made me… I didn't know whom to tell, because who would believe me!"

A few minutes passed as she cried in his embrace. When Anstice regained her composure, Black entreated her,

"Tell me what happened."

Anstice swallowed and began,"I first met Him at one of Slughorn's parties. Slughorn admired him and me for our grades and prefect status, and, when we were first introduced, He seemed very charming-quiet, but polite and handsome- and I think Slughorn considered me a female equivalent of him; He introduced us with the unspoken intent that we'd someday be a couple, which would certainly be a great asset to Slughorn's collection."

"I caught Him staring at me a few times. We were both put in the same DDA class this year, and, when He wasn't competing with me for the highest grade in the class, He would just look at me, piercingly, as if He could see right into me. We actually talked very little, because we were in different houses, and my friends dislike His-His minions or cronies or whatever the hell they are."

"Then early last month I went down to the Potions classroom-I had a question on my homework- but the professor wasn't there. It was evening, and no one was around. But He was in the dungeon. I asked Him where the professor was, but He just smirked at me. Suddenly, the dungeon door was locked and he had thrown my wand to the other end of the dungeon and He was kissing me- It felt wonderful, but I was shocked and I was dating someone at the time, so I tried to push him away. But he just forced me close to him and he whispered something to me, like, 'Slutty Mudblood, you deserve this.' I panicked, but I couldn't do anything. I thought he would at least curse me in some way, like paralyze me or prevent me from screaming but he didn't…He seemed to prefer watching me try to fight him."

"So, yeah, it continued, and it got…worse…He mentioned something about his father being as filthy as I."

Anstice stopped and drew a deep breath.

"He finally stopped. He hurriedly replaced and straightened his robes, and ran out of the dungeon. I was stunned. I couldn't think, or move, but I finally stumbled back to my room and went to bed."

"I'm so sorry, Anstice." Alphard's voice conveyed true concern. His fists were clenched with his rage towards the assaulter.

"Please tell me who this-this heinous attacker is so that I can report him to the Ministry of Magic."

"Please, Alphard, I don't want anyone to know…"

"Tell me!"

"No! I won't!"

"TELL ME, Anstice!"

"You can't guess already!" she cried hysterically, "It was Riddle!"

Harry gasped involuntarily. Did Voldemort really have a child?

Black appeared ready to kill someone. He smashed a flower on the ground with his foot.

"So you are sure you're with child?"

"Yes. Last week I went to the Apothecary in Hogsmeade and she confirmed it. She says that it'll be a boy."

Harry waited restively while another pause in the dialogue ensued.

"I never trusted Riddle," Alphard commented angrily, "Granted he only took two of my History classes, but he was always so cold, and he always had some connection to all the horrible events at this school. He was the real person who opened the Chamber of Secrets, not that Hagrid fellow. Did you know that?"

Professor Black added furiously, "So much power and potential but no empathy. He relishes suffering, seeing his own personal power cause harm and chaos. It is understandable why he did not curse you before he raped you- he savored his worthy adversary's anguish, rejoiced in feeling a part of you-your innocence-die. It is evil."

Black's jumped up off the rock and paced back and forth on the bank.

"Are you going to keep your child, Anstice?"

"I do not know."

"I recommend, and I realize that this would be very difficult for you, but that you do keep this child, and raise him as your own."

Alphard added, now bubbling with enthusiasm, "I'm leaving for France tomorrow, now that the school year is over. I have a position at Beauxbatons. You can come with me; I have a lot of money to spare. You could complete your Auror training and we could raise the baby together and…"

He stopped, embarrassed. But Anstice appeared almost elated.

"What are you proposing, Alphard?" She asked quizzically.

Alphard stopped pacing and looked back at her.

"I think I'm proposing…well, I've known you for 7 years, and you've grown into-into an amazing, gorgeous woman…"

Anstice smiled, lighting up her tearstained face. She got up off of the rock and walked towards him.

Alphard continued, "There is the question, naturally, of reciprocity for-for my emotions- Oh God, You can't possibly be ready for…I'm an idiot…"

"Since the day I entered your classroom, dear Alphard, when I was a first year, I fancied you. How much it meant to me to become so close to you, to become good friends with you! Even when I got angry at you I still…somehow…always loved you."

Anstice stroked Black's hair, smiling serenely at him.

Losing all control, they kissed, only breaking apart minutes later. She giggled as mirth and color returned to her face.

"Will you marry me, Anstice?"

"Yes."

"And so, what are you going to name your baby…I mean ," he corrected jovially, "…our baby?"

He kissed her neck.

"I was thinking Revelin…a strong Irish name that is, Revelin…"

"Will he have a middle name?"

"Alexavier, after my grandfather."

"Revelin Alexavier Black. That's a very attractive name. He'll live in France and attend Beauxbatons and become a much more talented wizard than I." Black laughed.

Anstice returned to seriousness.

"If Revelin's father learned about him, He'd murder him."

"No, he won't find out about him. We'll be far away from Riddle."

"And what about your parents? They wouldn't accept a Muggle as a daughter-in-law…"

"Screw my family. They're cold and wrong, and I love you too much to worry about their petty beliefs."

They kissed once more and, realizing how late the night had become, Professor Alphard Black and the future Auror Anstice Black ran back to the castle.

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The vision faded. Harry returned to the Burrow surroundings, his mind buzzing.

Sirius had told Harry that the Blacks had disowned Alphard; his godfather had said that it was due to Alphard's monetary support of his nephew, but now Harry guessed it was actually due to Alphard's marriage. Revelin, Harry realized, had to have many of Voldemort's powers, just like Harry had. Both the late Dumbledore and Voldemort probably never learned of his existence, even though, as far as Harry could tell, this man was probably as much of a chosen one as Harry. Revelin amazed Harry; somehow even the product of evil could turn good, could betray the evil that so defined its conception.

Harry had always secretly known that he could not find and defeat Voldemort alone, or even with Ron and Hermione's aid. They were too young and too inexperienced. But with the help of an Auror, an extremely powerful Auror…

Harry ran to Hermione and Ron, who were sitting in the Weasley's kitchen, talking and lazily cleaning the dishes with various spells and incantations.

"We should skip Godric's Hollow- We need to find Revelin Black."

Needless to say, Harry's ennui had been fully eradicated.

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