A/N: You'll note in this chapter that Sirius' father is mentioned. I gave him the name 'Talon'. I got the name from a story I read once before and I thought it truly suited the man who would be Sirius Black's father. Unfortunately, I don't remember the story, nor the author, so I can't give credit where credit is due. If anyone knows the story or the author, I'll gladly give credit.

Disclaimer: All characters of the Harry Potter series (hereafter known as 'legal property') are the sole ownership of J.K. Rowling (hereafter known as 'owner of said legal property'). No infringement on any copyright of owner of said legal property of the legal property is knowing intended. Published by author (hereafter known as 'other') for entertainment purposes only. No monetary or personal gain was knowingly made by other with the publication of this story, which was based on ideas and characters created by owner of said legal property as they pertain to legal property. No plagiarism of legal property or of any ideas of the owner of said legal property was knowingly intended by other. This statement is fully transferable and is legally held binding for all chapters of the story Family Relations as they are presented under different chapter headings and titles for individual chapters.

Chapter Six: Family

Harry woke up that night with a start. In a moment of panic he didn't know where he was as he looked about the strange room. It was larger than his room at the cottage and everything was in the wrong place.

But as he sleep-fogged brain woke up a little more, he remembered where he was...and why.

Sighing to himself, Harry laid back down on his pillow. But after what seemed like endless attempts to go back to sleep, he finally got up and, pulling his robe around him, padded his way down the carpeted corridor towards the stairs.

Making his way downstairs, Harry eventually found his way to large main room, with the fire burning low in the fireplace. But it still cast a friendly glow about the room. Harry seated himself in the well stuffed sofa and settled down to watch the fire for a while, hoping he would eventually just fall back asleep.

He was just finding himself lulled into a half-sleep when a voice behind him woke him with a start.

"Bed's not comfortable enough?"

Harry turned about and looked over the back of the sofa to see Orion standing in the doorway. Without answering he turned back to the fire and sank back onto the sofa.

Orion came around the side and sat down next to him.

"So, couldn't sleep?"

Harry continued to stare at the fire as he shook his head.

"Care to talk about it?"

Harry shook his head again.

"Look, Harry," Orion said, "I know I'm not the greatest company. And right now I'm little more than a glorified baby-sitter..."

"I don't need a baby-sitter." Harry replied bleakly.

"No. But you do need protection."

"From what?"

"You honestly have to asked that?"

"Then you shouldn't have taken me away from Sirius and Arabella. They were protecting me and were doing the job just fine."

Orion sat silently on the sofa staring back at him.

Harry sat on the sofa for some time in silence, staring once again at the dwindling fire. A thousand questions were running about in his mind, but one more prominent than the rest.

"Why did you take me away from Sirius and Arabella?" He asked finally.

"I've already told you, Harry. I can't answer that for you. Not yet."

Harry sulked back down into the sofa.

Orion sighed quietly in the growing darkness. "Harry, I didn't want to do what I did. I promise you that. More than anything in the world I hope the day comes, and very soon, that I can take you back to Sirius and Arabella. They have waited so long, and worked so hard to get custody of you." Orion paused as he stared down at his hands. "I remember when your parents were killed. All Sirius talked about was how he was going to 'get you away from those muggles'. You were his godson, he used to tell me. Said he should be the one raising you. Then suddenly he was the one standing accused of their murders. Shortly after that he was accused of killing Peter Pettigrew and all those muggles as well."

"Did you think he did it?" Harry asked softly. "Did you think he was a murderer?"

"My brother?" Orion chuckled softly. "Never. Sirius was a lot of things. But he was no murderer. I knew that for a fact."

"You knew for a fact? How?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Harry. But I did know without question my brother was innocent."

"Then why didn't you tell someone. Try and get him out?"

"Harry, I tried for years to get my brother released. Right up to his escape."

"But you said you knew for sure he was innocent."

"And I did."

"Couldn't you have told whatever it was you knew to someone. I mean, this was Sirius' life. He might have died in Azkaban."

"Don't start trying to re-write the past, Harry. Sirius didn't die in Azkaban."

"But he could have. Why didn't you tell the ministry what you knew?"

Orion started at Harry for a moment. Then he sighed quietly. "Because the source of that information would not have been accepted by the ministry."

"Why not?"

Orion sighed again as he turned to the fire. "Because the information came from a Deatheater, Harry. So you see, it wouldn't have made any difference at all."

Harry thought over the information. "But you believed them." He said finally. "And you're an Unspeakable. They might have believed you."

"It wouldn't have matter to them if I was the Minister of Magic, Harry. And for myself, I had very good reason to believe this person. Reason that didn't extend, unfortunately, to the ministry."

"Reason?"

"Personal reasons, Harry."

Harry turned to the man sitting next to him. "But when Sirius escaped from Azkaban, he came to you for help. Dumbledore said he left because he was afraid you were going to turn him over to the ministry."

"And did I? I can't help what my brother thinks, Harry. And quite frankly, when he came to me that night, I don't believe he was thinking very clearly at all. You never saw him his first days out of that place. He was more animal than human. I could hardly even talk to him or make him understand me. I think at the time Sirius only understood two things. Friends and enemies. If you weren't one, you were the other. No gray areas."

"But Dumbledore said the ministry came to the house, and you told them if Sirius came there, he wouldn't be welcome."

"And where was my brother at that time, Harry? Did the Headmaster tell you that as well?"

Harry shook his head.

"Sirius was hiding in the attic. I was giving him shelter in the house. An act that could have landed me in a cell right along with him. And believe me, the ministry went through this house with a fine tooth comb. But they never found him."

"Why not?"

"Because he had a concealment charm placed on him. A very powerful one. It's not easy to conceal a small object, like a person. Contrary to how people would look at it, the larger the object, the easier it is to conceal."

"How come?"

"That's just the way the spell works, Harry. When it was originally developed, it's purpose was to conceal wizarding activities from muggles. Large things, like castles and buildings, were where the spell was to be placed. So as the object gets smaller that you want to conceal, the more adjustments needed to make the spell do what you want it too, you see? To conceal a person takes a great deal of focus and skill. Fortunately the person who placed the charm was very good at such spells. Unfortunately, Sirius wasn't very good at the time in understanding we were trying to help him, and he was prone to run when he saw strangers. So I was forced to put a binding spell on him as well at the time. He viewed that as a hostile move on my part. And after I released him as soon as the ministry was gone, so was he.

I didn't see my brother again until a full year later, when he came to see me shortly before the start of your fourth year."

"He came here?"

"No. I was on a mission at the time in Scotland. Sirius apparently saw me and followed me to where I was staying. No small wake-up call, let me tell you, to open your front door to find your Daily Prophet being held by a set of very large white teeth attached to a very large black dog. I guess bringing me the paper was his way of making a peace offering."

"Why did he come to see you?"

"Said he just wanted to talk to me. He explained why he had run that day from the house. Why he hadn't contacted me in the past year. But mostly he talked about you. Merlin's Beard! The man couldn't stop rambling. I felt like some poor soul trapped in at a social gathering by a man eager to tell anybody he could corner about his pride and joy. You'd have thought you were his only child."

Harry smiled slightly at the description. "So, what sort of things did he say about me?"

Orion's face broke into the first genuine smile Harry thought he had seen on it. "My, my. Aren't we suddenly very interested in the conversation."

"Well, you know...sometimes Sirius exaggerates. How do I know if what he told you was the truth?"

"Well, he said you were the splitting image of your father. He got that right, I assume you'll agree?"

Harry frowned and nodded. "So someone's always telling me if I stay in one spot too long."

"And he said he had seen you playing Quidditch. Said you were a natural flyer, just like..."

"...my dad." Harry finished. "Yeah. Heard that one too."

"Well, he said you had your mother's..."

"...eyes. Heard that one too." Harry finished for him.

"And he said you nearly killed him when you first met."

Harry sat silent for a minute, unsure of how to respond.

"Not right?" Orion asked.

"No." Harry said after a minute in a slightly small, embarrassed tone. "That's true as well." He looked back up at Orion. "But at the time I didn't know who he was. I believed what everyone had told me about him. That he had been responsible for my parents being killed by Voldemort."

"He also said you saved his life. The Minister already had the Dementors at the castle. They were on their way to give him the Kiss when you helped him escape."

Harry sat silent again. He wasn't sure if he should admit to an Unspeakable that he had helped a wanted convict escape.

Orion seemed to again easily sense his concern as well as the reason behind it. "I'm not going to turn you over to the ministry for it, Harry." Orion promised. "If anything, I'm very grateful to you for saving my brother's life. If I had known the danger Sirius was in, I doubt I'd have done less for him."

"Did you know any of what was going on?" Harry suddenly asked with a keen interest.

"I knew my brother had escaped Azkaban, of course." Orion answered, staring at the ceiling as he thought. "Especially since he spent his first few days of freedom under my roof. After that I had no idea where he went when he left the house. Then there was the report of him turning up in Hogwarts, nearly killing that boy in his bed."

"Sirius wasn't attacking Ron!" Harry quickly defended his godfather. "He was after Ron's pet rat, Scabbers...ummmm...well, Peter, who was hiding as a rat."

"I know the story, Harry. You don't need to defend my brother's actions to me. Sirius may be a little reckless, even foolhardy at times. But he's not insane, and he's no murderer."

"Why didn't you come to Hogwarts when they saw Sirius there?" Harry questioned. If Orion cared so much for his brother, Harry reasoned, he would have thought the Unspeakable would have rushed to try and locate Sirius before the ministry or the Dementors.

"Because Fudge was a step ahead of me." Orion stated with a slight harshness in his tone. "Don't ever mistake the man for a complete fool, Harry. I know a lot of people think he is. But he's not. Fudge knew I would try and find Sirius first. And if I had gotten hold of him before the ministry, he'd have disappeared like smoke in the wind. They would never have found him once I got done with him. I could have sent him anywhere in the world as anyone. Or I could have hidden him under Fudge's nose and he'd still have never found him."

"So why didn't you come looking for him?"

"Because Fudge arranged to have me sent out on an 'extended' mission just after Sirius' arrival at Hogwarts. Made sure I was nowhere in the area or had a chance to be. Sent me off with a whole group of other agents. Man must have thought I was utterly daft not to see the cloak being pulled over my eyes with that one. I knew well enough he wanted me as far from Sirius as he could get me and he wanted me watched to make sure I stayed there. And he managed it." Orion sighed quietly in the growing dark. Harry could see how solemn his face suddenly became as he thought back over those days. "Sometimes," he said after a long silence filled the room, "I wonder if Sirius ever knew how worried I was then? How frightened I was for him? How very much I wished he would show up on the doorstep one day."

Harry sat silently staring at the man next to him.

Orion finally turned to his stare, giving him a slight smile. "Not really, huh?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "Sirius never mentioned you. I didn't even know he had a brother until we came to live at the house this summer."

"Oh, that's lovely." Orion said half-heartedly. "Exorcizes me by ignoring I exist."

"Well," Harry began slowly, "I think Sirius sort of thinks you're mad at him or something."

"Mad at him?"

"Whenever I asked questions about you, Sirius just sort of mumbled his replies and changed the subject. Most of what I learned about you I learned from Professor Lupin."

"Remus Lupin? Rotten source of information. Hardly knows me."

"He seemed to know an awful lot." Harry admitted.

Orion smiled slightly, turning back to the fire. "Of course he would. Werewolf has his nose in everybody's business half the time. Always did."

Harry looked stunned. "You know Professor Lupin's a werewolf?"

"Of course." Orion answered. "That's part of what I do, Harry. Hun...track werewolves. Things like them. Stuff like that." Orion finished quickly.

Harry suddenly felt a growing surge of dislike for the man sitting next to him.

"Professor Lupin doesn't need 'tracking'." Harry replied heatedly. "He would never hurt anybody."

"Then he's the exception, Harry. Look," Orion stated, "I didn't mean to imply anything or insult your friend. But you've only known one werewolf, am I right?"

Harry paused, then nodded.

"Believe me, their not all soft and cuddly or teach your favorite subjects. Most werewolves are dangerous, ferocious creatures who wouldn't think so much as once, let alone twice, about ripping you down the middle because you were in their way. Now, I know Remus Lupin is a good teacher and well liked by his students. But I've also seen what a werewolf can do. And there's nothing cute or cuddly about it. That's one of the reasons the ministry keeps a registry of known lycanthropes."

"So what do you do with the werewolves you track?" Harry asked.

"Just that." Orion answered flatly. "We track of them."

"Why?"

"The werewolves we track, Harry, are ones who haven't registered. And there's a lot more of them out there than you would imagine. And usually the ones that don't register are the ones who need to. They're usually the most dangerous. And there are a few misguided souls out there helping them. A man by the name of Aaron Richards is probably the worst of those people. Runs a regular Underground Railroad for werewolves. Helps them resettle if they need to. Gets them jobs, houses, even new identities if necessary. All to keep them out of the registry."

"Why?"

Orion sighed as he turned to the teenager sitting next to him. "Because they think that we're trying to hurt them, Harry. And all we're doing, in fact, is trying to keep society safe. And if the lycanthropes would just think for a minute, they would realize the registry is for their benefit too. It lets people know if there's a werewolf in the area. That way, people know to be more careful in that area around the full moon. And we can check up on them as well. See that they're all right. Make sure they're adhering to the laws. For their safety and others. It also helps us keep better track of where they are. So if one attacks someone, we'll know if there's one in the area and we can stop him before someone else has to be hurt."

"But Professor Lupin..." Harry jumped to his former teacher's defense again.

"Did I say I was putting you to bed early so I could go chat up your friend?" Orion asked pointedly. "I know Remus Lupin, Harry." Orion went on. "And I would no more suspect him in a crime like that than I would...well, Sirius."

Harry turned his attention quickly to the fire.

"Look," Orion pointed out, "I'm not some...werewolf hunter. That's not what I do. But for heaven's sake, boy, don't go out into the world thinking every werewolf you come across is going to run up and throw his arms around you. They're not all Remus Lupin, Harry."

Harry turned to Orion. But his expression remained set in a hard stare.

"Listen, I can't be all that bad." He added quietly. "After all, Sirius did give you over to me to take care of, didn't he? And you trust Sirius?"

"Sirius didn't exactly seem very keen on you this summer." Harry replied flatly.

Orion sighed again. "I know there are people, Harry, who think my brother and I don't get along. They thought it all through school because of...a certain event that happened between us. And I know it may seem at times that Sirius would rather walk right back into Azkaban than even think of spending one hour in a room with me. But remember this. Sirius is my brother. And there is no one in this world that I love more than him. And no one I would protect more fiercely. He always is, always has been, and always will be, my little brother. And I hope more than anything in this world that someday his name is cleared, as it should be, and we can finally put our family back together."

The word suddenly caught Harry's attention anew. "Family?"

Orion turned to him. "Well, that's right." He said suddenly brightening at the thought. "You have a whole family you don't even know about yet, do you?"

Harry shook his head. Truthfully, he was happy to leave the other subject behind. He had suddenly found himself knowing more about Orion Black than he wanted to. But the new subject promised to be far more interesting at the moment.

"Well?" Harry prodded hopefully when Orion didn't continue.

"Didn't Sirius mention anyone to you?"

Harry shook his head again. "There were a lot of pictures around the house." He remembered. "But Sirius didn't say much about the people in them."

Orion reached over to a small framed picture sitting on the table by the sofa. "Well, Harry, I think it's time you got to know your new family." He said.

Harry quickly moved over to look at the picture. In it were a group of people, most of who were smiling and waving happily.

"This," Orion pointed to a tall, thin, woman, "is your grandmother, Adrianna Black."

"Grandmother?" Harry asked in a low, but excited tone. He had never had a grandmother before. And he never imagined one quite so pretty. In fact, the word didn't do her justice. The woman was, in Harry's opinion, absolutely beautiful. In the picture she wore a bright green robe, trimmed in thin gold lines. Her face was a flawless piece of sculpted perfection, crowned by a long flowing mane of raven black hair.

"She's very pretty." Harry whispered almost to himself.

"Just don't call her a grandmother right off. It'll take some getting used to for her. She was quite sure between all of us she was going to remain...ah...grandmotherless." Orion added, testing the validity of the word.

"Whose that?" Harry asked, pointing to the man standing by his newly acquired grandmother. The man was only slightly taller than the woman he stood next to, and wore a set expression on his clean-shaven face. He wore elegant black robes that hid most of his body, so Harry wasn't sure if the man was thin or fat. But his shoulders were extremely broad under the robes and his arms, as far as they showed under the robes, seemed equally well-toned. Of all the people in the picture, he was by far the least animated of them as he seemed to simply stand and stare out at them. Like the woman, his hair was raven black, which he had pulled back so Harry couldn't tell how long it was. If he was any role model, Harry was betting it made it past his shoulders at least.

"That," Orion announced, " is your grandfather, Talon Black."

"Looks kind of stern." Harry put in.

"Then he looks kind of right." Orion answered. "Dad's no slacker in discipline, that's for sure. Tanned our hides more than once. But nobody could love you more either. He'll just be wild about you, that's for sure. Like mum, was pretty sure there were no grandchildren in his future."

"Well, I'm not really..."

Orion waved off the comment quickly enough. "Won't matter to them." He stated. "If you're the reason Sirius gets married and settles down, they'll proclaim you a god and build an alter to you. Since they always swore that's what it would take to perform that miracle."

Harry stifled a laugh as he looked at the rest of the people in the photograph. "Who are the rest?" he ask.

"Aunts and uncles, all on Mom's side."

"What about your father?" Harry ask. "Aren't there any aunts and uncles on his side?"

Harry swore he could practically see the light go out in the man's eyes. Although he still stared at the photograph, he suddenly seemed a thousand miles away.

"No." he answered finally. "There's just my father. He had no siblings."

"Well, have I got any great uncles or aunts?" Harry ask curiously.

Orion placed the photograph back on the table beside the sofa. "I think that's enough history lessons for one night." he stated, his tone offering no room for argument. "I think it's time you went back to bed, Harry."

Harry took one last look at the picture before pulling himself up from the sofa and headed back up to his room.

Q&A

FAMILY RELATIONS

TheGodfatheroftheBoyWhoLived:

Dear! Shorter names? Does it mean anything to you!

Anyway, thank you just the same. Always nice to hear from my readers, no matter if their names are just about as long as most countries alphabets.

MasterLupin:

Oh well thank you for say that I play the role of psychologist, I am honored. I work in my high school theater department, though I am not an actor. Any way the reason that I thought that Orion would not make a good parent was that. One he dosen't seem to be doing this from the stand point of Harry's best intrests, more his own gain. Two he is never at home apperintly, I don't know what single parent would leave a teenage boy such as Harry(or any teenage boy for that matter) alown in a home that he would rather not be in, but in another with someone else. Three it's Harry, he has never had any sort of real parentage (more like a very nice form of Auschwitz) he could take anything that Orion dose the wrong way; and I doubt (although I am not the author and do not know) Orion really understands that. Post again soon, I like the crazzy house elf who likes spy movies.

I don't know, Dear. The field just seems to fit with your name. I sort of always saw Lupin as Hogwarts unofficial school consulor.

Anyway, on to your comments.

There is nothing in this for Orion unless the man gets his fun from late nights, early mornings, and more trouble than a lair full of Deatheaters could ever get themselves into. (Let's face it, raising a teenager isn't fun.)

Next, you're sort of right. Orion's work does keep him away from the house a great deal of the time, just as Tets said. However, considering that Harry is his job right now, Orion will likely be sticking to the boy like proverbial glue.

Oh, Dear, you have this wrong I'm afraid. First, since Harry isn't use to 'real parenting', he should fit right in, if Orion was that way, which he isn't. Orion is, in fact, a very good father. Even his own five would (begrudgingly) admit that.

Next, what teenager is going to take anything an adult says the right way? As for Harry, Orion isn't mistreating the boy. At worst, he's looking at him for what he is, his assignment. But Orion does care about Harry, who is his potential nephew, and he's nt going to let anything happen to him.

Tets is as much a favorite as Bo sometimes.

Skahducky:

Oh dear, I haven't been here to check for updates in a long time, and I'm sorry to say that I won't be able to continue to do so for another month. I'll be sure to get back to fanfiction in September, though. I was sort of hoping that Katlin would send Harry back to Sirius and Arabella, but I don't think she'd have done it even if Harry asked. When's Harry going to find out about Katlin and Orion being married? Anyway, this is a great chapter. Please update soon!

I will miss you, Dear. Hurry back.

Katlin knew that if Orion had Harry, there had to be a reason. And Orion had to have gotten him by taking him from Sirius and Arabella. So, following logic, she decided the best thing to do was to send the boy back to who he was last with and let them sort it out. Hence, Orion. And no, had Harry ask to be sent back to Sirius and Arabella, Katlin would still have sent him back to Orion.

Oh, now there's an interesting question. When is Harry going to find out Orion and Katlin are married? Well, he will find out in this story, I'll tell you that much. But not for a while. But consider how that will go over. The boy certainly has an interesting step-family. His mother and father were Aurors, his step-father is an Auror, his step-mother is an interrogator for the Ministry of Magic, his uncle is an Unspeakable, and his aunt is an Elite Deatheater. It's gotta make Christmas interesting.

Silverfox:

Poor Harry, once again under house arrest without actually having done anything wrong. Are you sure Orion has any experience raising kids? Looks to me like he'd be more comfortable with Auror recruits.

Lol! Tets is back! I hadn't even realised I missed him! That house elf sure is a perfect death eater identification system: If he thinks someone is a death eater, they definitely aren't.

Yes, Dear, I'm very sure Orion has experience in the child rearing department. He has five of his own. Three of whom are teenagers.

On any given day Orion would rather be heading up a group of green Aurors than walking in the front door of his house, you bet. Nothing caps off a hard day at work like coming home and being immediately hit with an enthusiastic twelve year old girl starting her greeting with, 'You'll never guess what (insert name of any older brother) did!'.

You know, I never thought about it, but Orion probably would do a lot better identifying Deatheaters if he simply went after everyone Tets was sure wasn't one.

FAMILY LIFE

mr.mistoffelees:

Thank you, Dear.

gatermage:

TENSE? dang, if that's tense, i don't want to see angry. anyway, petunia liked sirius! that's...scary.

Well, why not? Petunia was a teenager once too. And Sirius was a good looking teenage boy who hung around her house. But I agree...scary.

All reviews are as of 07/31/2005.

And remember;

Happy birthday, Harry.