There All Along

There All Along: Tara Black, the daughter of the infamous Sirius Black, embarks on her journey through the corridors of Hogwarts and finds herself entwined in destiny, in more ways than she even realizes, with a boy named Harry Potter. Determined to make a name for herself, she will have to grapple with the legacy of her father, her family, and the darkness that is slowly rising all while mastering her magical powers. Currently on Book 1 of 7. 

Rating: M for mature. Harry Potter gets dark fairly quickly. 

Author’s Note: Hate the summary. I will work on that. 

I have had this story in my head for what feels like ages. I just decided that I need to get it down now or forever hold my piece. And of course, I am jumping on the Sirius Black daughter bandwagon, because why not? Anyway, the major plot points won’t start being affected until later books. Tara is going to have an effect, it just won’t be as obvious yet. I know that can get on a reader’s nerves, but I do want it to seem like Tara was there in the books, like Rowing (ugh) just forgot to include her. So changes will happen, but at a snail's pace in the beginning. If that is not for you, you may just want to leave now. You won’t hurt my feelings. 

Anyway, here is the first chapter. The second chapter will be out on Thursday! (I am giving myself a posting schedule and I am sticking to it!) Let me know what you think if you have a moment. 

(I probably will not continue to write Hagrid’s speech the way it sounds, that was SO hard…but spoilers! Read on!)

Chapter 1 - Book 1: Meetings of Fate

“Tara, breakfast!” A small lump under a deep red comforter moved, “Tara, wake-up please, and let River out to eat!” The lump moved again, a low groan coming from within. A few moments later the bedroom door creaked open and a short, thin woman who appeared to be in her early thirties with deep auburn hair and brown eyes smiled at the figure still laying covered on the bed. 

The woman leaned in and clicked on the overhead light, which caused the figure to release another groan and a small, gray, fluffy figure darted out from the bed and ran out the door, tail high in the air. “Wake up honey, breakfast is ready, and we have a busy day ahead of us.” 

“Mum, five more minutes,” the lump groaned as the woman chuckled, moving into the room to sit down at the head of the bed. 

“Well, I guess breakfast will go cold and I can tell Dora not to wait around for you. She was planning to have breakfast with us before our trip to Diagon Alley to get your school things, but you’re right, sleep is obviously more important,” The woman patted the top of the lump that had frozen, as if remembering what the day promised. “I’ll go let her know-”

“Wait!” The cover was thrown away as the figure quickly  sat up. A small, thin girl with long, wildly curly, black hair and brown eyes stared back at her mother, a look of panic on her lightly tanned (from spending most of the last weeks of summer in the lake near their cottage or on her broom flying through the fields) and freckled face. “I’m up, I’m up!” She pushed her hair away from her face. “Dora’s here?”

“Yes,” The woman stood, “Go ahead and get dressed, wash your face, and meet us in the kitchen for breakfast,” The woman patted her daughter's head, smile gentle as she fixed the wild locks her daughter often just tosses aside, “River’s already having his. He didn’t want to wait for his stubborn master to wake up. Smart cat.” 

“Is Uncle Remmy here as well?” The tiny eleven year old stumbled out of bed, moving across soft carpet to a small wardrobe in the corner next to the window.    

“No, yesterday was the full moon, if you remember.” The woman’s face waned a little with worry before she allowed a smile to come back to her face, not wanting to worry her daughter. “10 minutes or I’ll send Dora to find you!” 

“Mum!” The girl whined as the door closed behind her mother, soft laughter echoing down the hall. Tara huffed, scrambling to get ready for the day before her. She couldn’t wait to go to Diagon Alley; I can’t wait to get my wand, finally! 

She pulled on a deep pink jumper and a pair of jean short overalls, leaving one of the straps unbuttoned. Next, she pulled on a pair of white and red striped socks, and grabbed a hair tie, a blue scrunchie that Dora had given her as a gift last time they had gone into Muggle London for lunch. She didn’t bother brushing her hair, knowing it would only make her curls even worse, and flipped her head upside down, gathering her hair into a high ponytail that fell down in a dark, curly river past her shoulders even when up. Lastly, she clipped some small golden studs in her ears, grabbing her white trainers and brown cross body bag before scrambling out the door towards the kitchen. 

“Dora!” 

“Wotcher, Tara!” The older girl, around twenty years in age, was grinning at her cousin, sporting long, bright green hair and brown eyes. “Nice hair!” 

“You too! Mom, look, it’s green!” 

“Yes I saw,” The older woman replied, setting a plate of toast and eggs on the table for her daughter, “Though I think I prefer the pink we saw you in last, Dora, if I can be honest.”

The other woman laughed, nodding and her hair changed almost immediately to the short, bubble-gum pink that she often wore. “Just trying something different Annabelle.”

“Are you on your way to work, Dora?” Tara asked around a mouthful of eggs, which caused her mother to give her a stern look for talking with food in her mouth. “Sorry,” she spoke, still chewing. “How’s Mad-Eye treating you? Does he still throw random jinxes at you to check for,” she scrunched up her face in a stern glare, “constant vigilance?!” Dora snorted, causing the water she was drinking to spill down her front. 

“Oops, sorry!” 

“Focus on your food,” Annabelle sighed, waving her wand to wave away the mess, “and don’t make fun of Dora’s mentor at the ministry. Alastor Moody is a great auror and she is lucky to have him guide her.” 

“Thanks Annabelle!”  The young woman said, a sheepish smile on her face that the older woman just smiled at before addressing Tara,, “And yes, Moody still does that. But it keeps me on my toes. He says he’s retiring at the end of the year though, and that soon I’ll be ready to handle cases on my own.” She took a big bite of toast, “Are you excited about going to Diagon Alley?”

“Yes!” Tara exclaimed, nearly bouncing in her seat, “I can’t wait to get my supplies for potions from the Apothecary, there’s something I’ve been thinking about trying-”

“Those supplies are for your classes” Annabelle cut across, waving her wand to start cleaning the kitchen, pots and dishes starting to clean themselves in the sink.

Tara continued, “and my wand! Dora, I can’t wait to go to Ollivanders. I wonder what kind of core I’ll have? Dragon-heart strings are supposed to be the most powerful, but unicorns are so beautiful and still contain so many mysteries to their magical properties. I mean, just what the hair does for potions is-” 

“You still won’t be able to use it until you get to Hogwarts,” came Annabelle. 

“I know,” Tara replied, “but it feels like I have been waiting forever for a wand! I mean, I’m a witch, I should have a wand!” 

“Well then,” Dora said, “don’t let me keep you any longer.” She stood up, almost knocking the wooden kitchen table over, and rushed around to hug the young girl. “I gotta get going to work anyway. I don’t want to make Mad-eye mad by being late. Write and tell me all about your wand, okay?”

“By Dora!” Tara said, hugging her favorite cousin. 

“Thanks for breakfast Annabelle,” the pink-haired woman moved towards the older one, catching herself on the counter with a sheepish smile after stumbling over a rug, “lovely as always.”

“Come by anytime,” Annabelle replied, hugging the taller witch in return, “be safe at work.”

“Always! Bye!” The young auror waved and excited out of the back door connected to the small cottage. Not long after, there was a loud snap from her disapparating. 

“Ready to go, Tara?” Annabelle asked, waving her wand which caused the clean dishes to fly to their correct homes in the cabinets. 

“Yes!” Tara replied, pulling her shoes on and moving to stand next to her mom. The older woman reached a hand up and tweaked one of the spirals from her hair. “Are we using the floo or are we apparating?” 

“Well, I thought we would do side-along, but,” Annabell grabbed her purse from the counter, “if you won’t want to, we don’t have to. I know it’s not the most pleasant experience.” 

Tara wiggled back and forth on her feet, “can…can we floo? I really don’t like apparition.”

Annabelle nodded in agreement, Tara grinned and moved towards the small but comfortable living room where the stone fireplace was. There was a small, golden flower pot that held the sparkling, green floo powder. Tara grabbed a small pinch, Annabelle not far behind. “To the leaky cauldron?”

“Yes, you go first and I will meet you there. Go on,” Annabelle pushed gently on her daughter's shoulder who threw the pinch of powder into the fireplace which caused it to burst into bright, emerald flames. She stepped into the fire, not worried that it would burn, and loudly said, “The Leaky Cauldron!” And she was gone in a bright, emerald swirl. 

A few moments later, Tara stumbled out of a large fireplace in the dimly lit bar of the Leaky Cauldron, the first and final stop most witches and wizards took on their trips to Diagon Alley.  “Woah!” 

“Watch your step Ms. Black,” Tara smiled at the old barman, Tom, who had caught her before she hit the ground. 

“Thanks Tom!” There was a swoosh of emerald fire behind her, and her mom stepped out of the fireplace gracefully, not one auburn hair out of place nor one piece of soot on her pale-blue, turtleneck top. 

“Thank you, Tom,” Annabelle said, using a hand to wipe some ash from her daughter's thin shoulders, who was bouncing in excitement. 

“No problem at all, Mrs. Black, no problem. Will you and young Ms. Black be having breakfast with us this morning?”

“No thank you Tom, Tara and I are off to do some Hogwarts shopping.” 

“Ah, that time already?” Tom replied, “of course, I understand. Enjoy your shopping!” 

“Bye Tom!”

Tara held onto her mom’s arm, bouncing as they walked out the back door into the entryway into the shopping alley. “Can we go to Ollivander’s first?” 

“No, I think we’ll leave that shop for last,” Tara groaned, “we have quite a bit to get for your first year at Hogwarts, so let’s get the less exciting stuff out of the way first and save the best for last. First, your uniform.”

“Fine…” Tara agreed reluctantly, knowing her mom wouldn’t budge. “To Madam Malkin’s?”

Annabelle nodded, pulling her hair behind her ear, “To Madam Malkin’s.” 

The mother-daughter duo walked through the magical street, ignoring a few looks they received from some others who were doing their shopping as well. Moments later the two entered the purple colored clothing store, stepping aside to let another small family out before entering themselves. “Good morning Mrs. Black!” A squat, larger-set woman that was dressed all in mauve witches robes came quickly over to Annabelle and Tara, a wide smile on her face and a measuring tape and scissors following behind her magically, “and good morning to you too as well young lady. What can I help with today?”

“Good morning Madam Malkin, we are here to get my daughter her Hogwarts robes.”

“Oh, first year?”

“Yes!” Tara nodded, looking around the colorful shop, seeing a few kids who looked around her age wondering about with their parents as well as a few that looked a little older. There was a thin, black haired boy with round glasses getting fitted in the back.

“Well, right this way Miss Black, we’ll have you fitted in a jiffy. How many uniforms would you like Mrs. Black?” The shorter woman waved Tara toward the fitting stools in the back. 

“I think 5 will do, one for every day of the week,” Annabelle responded, “Let’s go ahead and have her fitted for a new winter cloak as well, winters at Hogwarts are much colder than at home.” 

“Excellent! Do we want to go ahead and put her name on them for an extra charge, or will you do that yourself?”

Tara tuned the conversation out as she hopped onto the stool. “Woah!” And quickly caught herself before she fell off, hand gripping the arm of the boy on the stool next to hers. The boy with the glasses watched her nervously, a small smile on his face. “Sorry about that! My cousin must have rubbed off on me this morning” She offered the boy a smile, brown eyes shining brightly. “She’s the clumsiest person I know. Can knock a table over just looking at it. Are you in your first year too?” 

“I-it’s fine.” He assured her, green eyes brightening. “Yes, it’s my first year as well. Just found out about it last night.”

“Last night?” Tara gasped, “I got my letter a month ago. I wonder what took so long? Maybe it’s different if you don’t come from a magical family,” She wondered out loud, thinking that could be the only reason why someone wouldn’t have gotten their acceptance letter sooner. Maybe muggleborns had to have someone come and explain everything to them? It would make sense, if the boy was a muggle born, but…wait! “I’m sorry, I made assumptions about your family!”

“It’s fine!” He continued to smile at her, pushing his glasses up from where they began to slip down his nose; they looked too big for his face and were broken. The middle nose piece was held together with what appeared to be plastic, at least to Tara who didn’t know what tape was. “I’m Harry Potter, it’s nice to meet you.”

Tara’s face went slack in surprise. “Are you really?” Her eyes flew quickly to his forehead and saw the thin but jagged, lightning shaped scar that was said to be there, before she forced her eyes to look at his again, brown meeting emerald. “That’s amazing! I was wondering if you would start this year. Sorry, I shouldn’t have been staring.” She shifted on the stool, ignoring the tape measure flying everywhere around her. “Mum says it’s rude.” She didn’t miss how the boy had shifted uncomfortably when she looked at his scar. “Oh! I’m Tara, Tara Black. It’s nice to meet you as well!” And before Harry could respond, both children were interrupted by Tara’s mother.

“Making new friends already Tara?” The older woman smiled at her daughter, freezing when her brown eyes, the same as her daughters, looked at the small figure of the boy on the stool next to her. It felt like something cold was thrown down her back. She quickly fixed her stance and expression before either child noticed and offered the boy a gentle smile as well. 

“Mum! This is Harry, and he’s a first year too!” The thin, rather scrawny boy shuffled, stepping down from the stool as the tape measure waved him to, blushing lightly. 

“Is that so, are you excited? Tara can talk of nothing else.” Annabelle teased her daughter lightly. 

“Who could blame me?” Tara sassed back lightly, “I’ve only waited eleven years to go to the best school. Let alone finally get a wand. I can’t wait!” 

“Alright dears,” Madam Malkin walked over caring a stack of black Hogwarts robes in her arms, “we have your uniforms right here. I went ahead and added your name onto the tags Mr. Potter, free of charge.” The boy blushed lightly, thanking the older wish. “And here you go as well Mrs. Black,” Annabelle took the robes, passing along the galleons needed, “I shall send the winter cloak to Miss Black once we have it finished, will that work?”

“Sounds just lovely, thank you Madam Malkin.” 

“Thank you!” Tara chimed, grin never leaving her face as she jumped off of the stool to stand beside Harry. She was only a little bit taller than him, she noticed. 

“Yes, thank you,” Harry said as well.

“It was no problem, dearies,” Madam Malkin smiled at the children, before moving away as another set of customers entered, “have a great year at Hogwarts!”

“Well, where shall we go next? Flourish and Blotts to get your school books?”

“Yes! Can I get a few extras, there’s a new potions book I was thinking about,” Tara agreed readily. 

“We’ll see,” her mother agreed, before eyeing the small boy, noting with a twinge of anger the state of his attire and how thin he was, “Harry, do you want to join us? Or are you waiting for someone? Surely your aunt or uncle are here with you.”

“No! I mean, yes, I am waiting for someone,” He blushed lightly again, so flustered he didn't think to think it was weird that she knew he lived with Aunt and Uncle. “I am waiting for Hargrid, he is the gatekeeper at Hogwarts, my aunt and uncle couldn’t come with us.”

“Oh, Hagrid is with you?” Annabelle asked, smiling, “Albus must have sent him then. Do you want to join us while you wait for him to return? I would hate to leave you alone, Diagon Alley can be overwhelming this time of year.” 

“Oh, you should go shopping with us!” Tara encouraged, “Hagrid can come along as well, can’t he mum?” Annabelle nodded, leading both children from the crowding clothing store. “Woah! That is the biggest man I have ever seen!”

“Tara, don’t be rude.” Annabelle sharply stated.

“‘Arry!” A deep, cheerful voice called from outside the shop. A giant of a man was standing next to the doorway of the shop. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of dark hair and a wild, tangled beard that almost completely hid his eyes, glinting like black buttons under all the hair. He was holding a golden colored cage with a beautiful, sleeping snowy owl. “Oh, Annabelle! Didn’ expect ta see you ‘ere. An' is this little Tara? Yer lookin' just like yer mum, y'are!”

Tara offered the much larger man a grin in reply. Annabelle greeted the older man, “Hello Hagrid, what a surprise. Tara and I are getting her Hogwarts supplies and we ran into Harry here.”

“Do you really work at Hogwarts?” Tara blurted out. Hagrid chuckled, nodding. 

“That I do. I’m here helping Harry get his things. Got yer robes all sorted then?” Harry nodded.

“We are going to our course books next, can Harry come with? You can come as well, Hagrid,” Tara said, smiling at the boy beside her, eager to talk with another kid her age and share in the excitement of getting their school things. She loved her mum, and knew her mum was happy for her, but she needed someone who was as excited as she was. Plus, Harry seemed like a really nice boy, if a little awkward. 

“Well, that's up ter you, Harry. Do ya wanna go with 'em to fetch yer school stuff? It's yer birthday, after all.”

Tara gasped, “It’s your birthday? Really? Happy Birthday Harry!” He did nothing but blush again, a small smile on his face in reply. But Tara noted that he appeared to be pleased as well, as if he wasn’t used to hearing someone tell him that. 

“I think I would like that,” Harry said, a pleasantly warm feeling growing in his belly as Tara clapped her hands, grin widening, and grabbed onto his arm to lead him to the large, two store cobblestone building next door where their books awaited them.