Destiny is a choice

November 3rd 1981

Regulus was not expecting a summons to Gringotts. Even more so when he found out it had to do with a secret reading of a will left behind by James and Lily. He got ready, and grabbed Aurora and her little to go bag. Honestly, he expected to see other people here. Like Remus or anyone from the order. Any of their friends who would take over the care of Aurora and Harry. What he didn't expect was to be ushered into a room alone. Braisiolox entered the office with a goblin named Griphook who was in charge of the Potter affairs.

"Lord Black, we have brought you here today because James Potter and Lily Evans had inserted a secret clause to their will. This extra bit was to be kept secret and only brought to light once all other remaining listed guardians for one, Harry James Potter, died or became unavailable." Griphook speaks, shuffling some things on the desk.

"Now with both parents gone, Sirius Black in azkaban, Peter Pettigrew proclaimed dead, the Longbottoms needing long term care at St.Mungos. This has enacted this clause to come to light." Griphook carefully slides a paper across the desk towards him as he finishes speaking.

Final will and testament hidden clause left by James Potter and Lily Evans.

Should all listed guardians of one Harry James Potter die or be deemed unfit to raise our son. We leave him in the care and charge of one Regulus Arcturus Black. We also leave behind a letter and the appropriate paperwork for an adoption or godfather status. Regulus Arcturus Black is to read the included letter before he signs any of the paperwork.

It is so simple and straight to the point. A simple addition to a will that is hidden away. To only be revealed as a last effort to protect their son. It makes him a little nauseated to think about why they had to enact such a hidden piece to their will.

"And what of the actual will?"

"Unfortunately the Chief warlock has closed the will. It can't be opened till the heir is of age to take his inheritance test. The clause in the will is a special kind that can't be sealed and is activated once conditions are met for said clause. It is an interesting bit of magical law. One I am sure the chief warlock did not count on."

Regulus takes a deep breath. It's just one after another. He feels another crack in the ice around his heart. It hurts. It hurts. They had been right to not trust Dumbledore. Another closed letter slides across the table. With a deep breath he opens it.

Dearest Stardust..

Regs, if you are having to read this it means something went wrong. It means we have died and I am sorry for that. It means that your brother is gone. It means that something happened to the Longbottoms. It means Peter is gone and Remus would never be allowed to take him, to take them. It means you are the final option for us, for him, and for her.

I know it was asking a lot when I gave you our daughter. I know it is now a bigger task with us gone and unable to take her back. I know you didn't plan on ever having kids. I know. I understand. It's one of those big reasons why things couldn't work out between us. I am sorry. I am so fucking sorry to have to do this. I have to ask..

We have been kindred spirits for years now. I have always been here for anything and everything you wanted or needed. For once, I need to ask. For once I need something from you. I need you to please, pleaase take care of my son too. You do not have to be his father. I leave this choice to you. You may adopt him, you may be his godfather, or you can simply walk away. Either way, I won't be mad. I understand. This is a lot. All I can say is please.

Yours always,

Soleil

Aka James Potter

Regulus can't breathe. It hurts to breathe. The carefully placed ice on his heart has simply disappeared. It beats, it aches, it longs. It misses. He looks down at the bundle in his arms. His daughter. Because yes, that is what she is now. She is his. Maybe that is how it was always meant to be. He looks at the brown flecks in her eyes and wonders how he didn't realise sooner. Those little flecks are the same colour as James. The green is two different shades. Regulus and Lilys. She is all three of them. All the other Potter (the hair doesn't count since he tamed it) and Evans features have disappeared except for those flecks, those little bits of colour mixed in the silver. Hidden in plain sight.

He has a choice. James and Lily left him a choice. To be a father to both. To be a father to one and a godfather to the other. To keep one and walk away from the other. See, the funny thing is.. Regulus can't walk away. Not from Harry. But he can't be Harry's father. Harry already has a father and mother. No, he won't walk away. Instead he grabs the godfather forms to sign but his hand hesitates before signing. It has a small shake to it. A breath of uncertainty.

Regulus does not want to be the father of Harry. Hell, he didn't even originally want to be the father of Aurora but here he is. The truth is that custody could still be taken from him as a godfather. They could still find a way to remove Harry from his care. As his adopted father they would hit many barriers and would be hard pressed to actually find a way to remove said adopted child.

With a soft sigh he rips up the godfather forms and instead reaches for the adoption forms. James and Lily gave their lives for him, for her. They even added a secret clause to their will to insure that Harry wouldn't be at the mercy of whatever Dumbledore decided. No, Regulus had to sign the adoption papers. So he did. His hand stayed steady this time.

"Where can I find him?"

"I believe he was taken to his muggle relatives."

"How long till I can go collect him?"

"We can send a letter when it is time."

"Who all is going to be informed?"

"If you like we can keep it between us, you, and the muggles."

"Yes, I think that is best for now. I look forward to getting your letter."

"Have a good day."

Regulus goes home and informs Kreacher that they are going to be expecting another. That once again a new addition is joining them in hiding. That Kreacher needs to go out and buy some things for another baby, a boy. For Harry. That they need to make room in the nursery. Regulus thinks that once both of them are old enough, he can move them up to his and Sirius' old rooms. It means he is going to have to redecorate Sirius' old room. He had put it off but maybe that room can see better times. Maybe, the laughter from Harry and his smile can make it bright. She can have his, she can make better choices. She can have the options he never did. They can be so much more, have such a better story. To have a better middle and hopefully a good ending. Despite their rocky start.

7th November 1981

Regulus is on his way to number 4 privet drive, to the muggle home of the Dursleys. Where Petunia Dursley lives with her husband and son. He feels a bit nervous. He has no idea on if taking Harry is for the best. He doesn't know anything about Lily's family or what they are like. James had only mentioned them briefly a handful of times. For all he knows they could be heartbroken at losing their nephew. Yet, he has this feeling. Surely, if they were suited to watch Harry they would have been listed for guardianship before being give to Regulus. He honestly doesn't know what to expect.

His apparation point was a bit of a walk, it was a tad on the boring side. Every house was identical, the most individual thing about any of them was the garden. In which case they either went all out or had nothing. Pureblood society was all about the flare. The Malfoys had peacocks, and the finest rose bushes. The Lestranges had a thing for castles. The Blacks had a townhouse for their ancestral home located in London, a small castle for a summer home in Scotland, and a manor in France. Really these muggles are boring. No flare.

As he steps closer to the house. He feels it ripple around him. A magical ward, a powerful one. What surprises Regulus the most is the fact it is blood magic. It seeps with magic that feels like Lily Evans magic. The focus of the magic is a bond between Petunia and Harry. However, if Harry moved in with them the blood ward would easily be held at grimmauld since Aurora is his sister. Regulus can't help the grin that slides across his face. Evans really was the brightest witch of her time. With a deep breath he steps up towards the door.

Knock knock knock

The door swings open and before him stands a very ordinary woman. Her eyes narrowed at him.

"Oh. I suppose you are here to pick up the boy. Wait here and I'll grab him."

She turns around and walks into the house. Leaving the door wide open behind her. What shocks him is he hears crying, and it is the fact the crying is coming from a cupboard. He doesn't breathe. He just watches. He watches as that terrible woman unlocks the cupboard and pulls Harry out of it. She just drags him along behind her. If his heart still had ice around it, it would have melted with the rage burning inside him.

Old memories flutter to the front of his mind. The Haunting ones of when Walburga had started losing her mind and locked them in a cupboard without light or food. The closest punishment started at the age of seven. He at least had good years to remember before his mother started losing her mind. Damn him to hell if anyone thinks he is going to just let this slide. Without hesitation he walks into the house and picks up Harry. Getting him away from that horrid woman.

"I told you not to come into this house. Freaks like you don't belong here."

Rage. Burning. Regulus takes a slow breath. He straightens his back and moves towards the woman. Forcing her to back up against the wall.

"The only freak here is you. At least I have the decency to know better. To know locking a child up in a cupboard is wrong. Be happy I don't hex you where you stand. That I at least have the better sense to walk away from you. You are not worth the effort. Lily Evans would be disappointed in you."

He turns and leaves without a glance back. Harry has wrapped his arms around his neck. Sobs shake his entire body. He runs soothing circles on his back, making soft shushing noises. Stepping outside, he uses wandless magic to at least slam the door behind him. He walks towards the end of the sidewalk and apprates back home. When he appears just outside the house Harrys wails get louder.

"Shhh, it's okay. I know. It'll pass."

He continues the soft circles, hoping the child does not throw up down his back. He is a tad young for such travel but the nearest floo was far from that house and he needed to leave before he did something stupid. They walk up the stairs and he prepares himself for the reality that he is now raising two kids, twins. A brother and sister. The children of James and Lily. Potter was right. Regulus didn't want children. He always just wanted to be the fun uncle, the uncle who went to exotic places. The uncle who spoiled. Never the father, never the dad. Never papa. Nothing is going according to the plan. Everything has flipped and flopped. Tossed and turned. He has a daughter, whose parentage is being kept secret. A son who is famous and has nothing left of his old life.

He could tell the truth. He could tell the world who Aurora really is but his gut tells him that it is not the right time. It tells him that the right choice was to be the adopted father of Harry. It tells him that this is how it has to be. It also tells him to stop panicking. To just take the crashing waves. That this is his life, to be a boat at sea. To hope he survives the storm. That is what scares him. The fact that he feels like an impending storm is going to try and destroy him. To take away the two little babies left in his care and all he can do is brace himself.