It was mid August and Charis found herself sitting alone in a dark and damp room. Sirius had reluctantly allowed her to stay. It was weird to think of Sirius as family, Tonks blank point refused to accept it, but Sirius was warming to her.

"You must be hungry." Sirius stated, pulling her from her distant thoughts.

"Huh?" Charis mumbled blinking rapidly. Sirius grinned at her, he was leaning against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest, and for a moment she could see the family resemblance, her mother had the same face, the same nose…

"You're not eating a lot, you must be hungry." Sirius said.

"Not really… I never ate that much." She wouldn't add that she was often punished for her lack of obedience with starvation, days or weeks at a time.

"That's why you are all skin and bones. Molly nearly had a heart attack at the state of you, she told me I needed to fatten you up. And as the closest thing you have for family at the moment I intend to do so." Sirius informed her with a sense of authority, and Charis could feel that swell of happiness in her chest – she'd never had any form of family before.

"I-"

"No. Down stair. Now. Eat." Sirius stressed, practically dragging the fifteen year old down the stairs. "Krecher listens to you, albeit grudgingly, it is at least more then he does for me… Bloody annoying creature."

"Sirius… Do you think my mum would come back, if we got her out?" Charis asked almost ten minutes later as she sat at the dining room table with Sirius, the other order members were out doing things.

"I- Charis, the thing is- you see-" Sirius sighed heavily. "You're mum was a fantastic person, my favourite cousin easily. But, you are-"

"I'm the daughter she doesn't want…" Charis said in a whisper looking down at her food.

"Hey kid, you remind me so much of Andi when she was your age. Tonks was her fathers daughter… maybe Andi will see something in you – but don't get your hopes up, I don't think I could see you fall like that." Sirius said, kneeling down beside Charis.

"She'll not want me, she didn't there, and she won't here." Charis whispered and deep down they both knew she was right, Charis was a reminded of the most awful time in Andromeda's life - the time she was taken from her family to bear the child of a man she hated with a passion so fierce it was a surprise she didn't murder the very child she carried. Something held her back – probably the threats from her father. But it certainly wasn't enough for andromeda to take her back, welcome her into the life she should have lived.

"I want you, kid. You are always welcome to stay here." Sirius assured Charis hugging her tightly. "You're family."

"CARLY!" Sirius shouted up the stairs. "You are not missing breakfast, come on. Downstairs now!" Charis blinked her eyes open and dragged herself out of bed. She shook her head, Sirius had decided Charis was too much for a girl in this day and age and had taken to calling her Carly instead. Close enough.

Almost blindly she made her way down to the basement kitchen and sat down at the table, not caring that she was only wearing a pair of short and baggy t-shirt – nightwear. That is until at least she heard someone snigger. She looked up her eyes wide and found herself looking into the laughing face of a redheaded boy, with pale skin and freckles, and then she realised that there were in fact a number of other people in the house.

She looked around and shrugged.

"Stuff it Weasley." Charis drawled in a bored tone. "Sirius what's with the visitors?" Charis asked as she scraped some bacon onto her plate, and a few sausages.

"Their staying for the rest of the summer, and the order is officially moving in." Sirius told Charis with a grin.

"Do I get to keep my room?" Charis asked, aware she was being glared at by a few people.

"Her room?" Tonks demanded.

"Yes, she's staying with me, I think it's best she has her own room." Sirius said, like he was explaining this to a two year old.

"What's with Carly anyway?" Harry demanded next.

"I don't like the name Charis." Sirius replied simply.

Ginny turned to Charis and grinned.

"Carly… not bad."

"Harry, Tonks, I honestly do not have to explain the fact that I have allowed a family member to stay with me." Sirius stressed, sounding bored and annoyed at the same time.

"I'M FAMILY! MUM IS FAMILY!" Tonks screamed at Sirius.

"Do you want to move in too? I thought you were happy with Remus." Sirius asked, sounding even more bored.

"I am." Tonks huffed.

"Look, Carly is a good girl, she helps me clean the damn place up, she keeps me company, and she is my family, Tonks she is your family too. And you are the one loosing out, because for a girl of her age she is pretty fantastic, and I am going to let her stay here as long as she wants." Sirius said finally, and Tonks and Harry knew there would be little point to arguing with him.

When they were finally gone Charis sneaked into the room and sat beside Sirius.

"Thanks for sticking up for me." Charis said quietly.

"No problem kid, you're family." Sirius said grinning at the girl, giving her a one armed hug. "And you're here to stay."