Chapter One ~ A Visit From Sirius
Sirius Black had this awful feeling all day long. It was 31st October, Samhain, Halloween, and Harry was officially a year and three months old. There was a pit in his stomach that slowly grew throughout the day, but he wasn’t sure why this feeling was there. He was pacing in his flat, which was in Vertick Alley, connected to Diagon Alley. With his wand in his hand, he thought of all his friends, where they were, and that they were safe. Sirius thought of James, Lily, and Harry in the cottage at Godric’s Hollow and that they were fine. He thought of Remus and Peter, in their own flats and houses and that they were okay. Sirius suddenly stopped as he realized that he could remember the cottage, his mind raced as he thought that he shouldn’t be able to remember it due to the Fidelius Charm that was on the house, with Peter as the secret keeper.
Sirius readied his wand and apparated to Godric’s Hollow immediately. He could see most of the wall and roof missing for Harry’s room. He could see the forest green paint that him and James painted, and the frantic magical animals that Lily had carefully created and painted moving across the green. Sirius could hear the wails of his godson and bolted into the front door that was just barely hanging on. He raced up the stairs and his eyes went wide and he fell to his knees. On the ground was his best friend, his brother, James Potter, Prongs. The boy who changed his life. Sirius could feel the warm wet tears run down his face, but another wail from Harry broke his stupor. He stood again and ran towards the nursery, only to arrive and see Lily lying on the ground, just like James. He felt his blood run cold. James and Lily, dead at the hands of Voldemort, at the hands of Peter. Sirius made his way over to the crib and picked up and soothed a crying Harry. With a quick incantation and wave of his wand, some stuff from Harry’s room and a few other things in the house started to fly into a bag. Once everything was inside the bag and Harry was soothed and asleep, Sirius made his way downstairs. He apparated just as Hagrid arrived.
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Lyra Iris Black was sitting by the fireplace in an old Black family home. There were only three people alive who knew that she was in the house. Her mother Astrid, father Miriam, and cousin Sirius. She was hoping for another night of peace and quiet, another night to join the many that had previously come. Her son, Atlas, slept upstairs in his crib, unbothered by everything in the world at this moment. Lyra’s eyes drifted towards the stairs at the thought of her son. Her precious son, the current Heir Selwyn. She started to stand to head to bed when there were frantic knocks at her door. Fearing the worst, the dark-headed woman snatched her wand off the table next to where she had sat. All drowsiness was gone as she prepared for anything. Quietly sneaking to the door, she flung it open with her wand pointed towards whoever had interrupted her peaceful night. Gray eyes met gray and she realized who was at the door.
Sirius Black stood at Lyra’s doorway, eyes rimmed red as he held a sleeping baby in one hand, his wand in the other and a bag floating behind him. Lyra’s eyes went wide as she quickly let her cousin inside, shutting the door and adding a few more wards before spinning around and seeing Sirius setting the bag on the counter and walking towards her.
“Take him, and keep him safe, please.” Sirius spoke quickly, but quiet and stern. “He is my godson, Harry Potter. Come morning, go to Gringotts and adopt him into the Black family. No one can know who he is, or why I was here tonight. If anyone else asks, he is my son, my heir that I have kept secret and entrusted to you. I will be back as soon as possible. I’m sorry Lyra, I’m so sorry.” And with that, her cousin handed her the small baby, gave them both a sad look, spun on his heel and apparated away.
Lyra looked down at the messy haired child that was currently held in her arms, her eyes wide and mind racing with nothing but questions and concerns. Why had Sirius left Harry Potter in her arms? What happened tonight and why did Sirius have Harry? The last she had heard from Sirius, the Potter’s were still being kept under the Fidelius charm for safety. Gray eyes moved from the baby in her arms, to the stairway, before she swiftly, but carefully made her way up them, speaking to herself.
“I will not wait till morning, not while Gringotts is open now and there will be no one there. It will most likely be chaos come morning and I need to get there now.” She continued to mutter to herself as she transfigured her night shirt and pants into a simple pair of slacks and a button up. Making her way to her own son's room, she summoned the bag from downstairs. Setting Harry down into the small bassinet that sat near a rocking chair, she levitated an extra blanket from the closet and transfigured it into a plain muggle stroller meant for two babies. Carefully picking up Harry and setting him into one part, and lifting Atlas and setting him into the other, Lyra made sure her wards were strong, and that she had everything else she’d need before leaving with a crack for Diagon Alley.