Title: Apples, Trees and Roots

Author: Jmaria

Rating: FR-15

Disclaimer: J.K. and Joss own all. I own battered copies of their collected works.

Spoilers: Season 7, book 5, my ficlet Numb the Pain.

Summary: Faith never thought she'd become somebody's family or The collected Black family reacts to their newest 'misplaced' member.

A/N: So it seems like I'm on a writing splurge. I've been in a funk the last couple of months - the weather, the world, my family - it all topped up on me. This story is special. It started off as a one shot with NtP, and so many people were curious about the back story of Faith and Sirius that it infected me with the idea. It became this huge arc of how everyone should interact, how they connect, where they're going. There are two lines that I've been itching to write since I wrote the very first few chapters. The last line of part 17 was one of them.

As for Draco, Andy and Kreacher. Yes, I realize Draco is an ass through the last two books, but those don't happen and having a 15 year old nephew, I know that teenage boys are straight-up jackasses half the time so I'm giving the kid the benefit of the doubt. Andy's story, since Tonks brought out the fact that her mom married a muggleborn, had me so excited to meet her in the last two books, and straight up - J.K. failed me. She was nothing like I had hoped. Narcissa was warmer than her, and it left me wondering why the hell Ted even wanted her. So, I made her how I wanted her. And Kreacher? J.K. is always so puzzled that we fall in love with her 'villains' - I straight up sympathized with Draco, Narcissa, and Kreacher in the last book. They were all victims of abuse of one nature or another, and their actions while being 'bad', I could totally see where they were coming from.

Apples, Trees and Roots

Will It Be Faith or Fear

Harry drew up short as Mr. Tonks led them in through to the kitchen. Two teenage girls, brunette and redhead, sat across the table with sandwiches raised to their mouths. Their eyes creaked toward each other and brows raised and lowered hurriedly before snapping back to face them. Harry offered them a weak smile before he felt Draco step up behind him.

"Ugh, don't tell me there's a Weasel infestation here too," Draco sneered.

"Weasels are mostly cute and would bite your face off if they're cornered, so I really hope they don't have an infestation. Unless it's an infestation of cute, because that would be awesome," the redhead who didn't realize she was being insulted grinned at them, excited by the idea of cute weasels, while her friend set her sandwhich down and studied them like a bug. Her hand on the redhead's arm got her friend's attention and gave her head a little shake. "Oh, no weasels then?"

"Merlin, is it a Muggle?" Draco actually gaped at the two girls.

"He said that in a dirty way," the redhead's eyes finally narrowed.

"It's because he has a bully-face. He reminds me of that jerk-off I went to school with, although, he definitely lacks the body mass," the brunette's eyes slid to Harry. "Your friend always so sweet to the ladies?"

"Only those that are mental enough to figure it's flirting," Harry's chuckle actually surprised him. The brunette smiled at his chuckle. "I'm Harry."

"Dawn, and this is Vi. We're Faith's girls," Dawn said.

"Hi!" Vi chirped.

"Ah, good. See, I told you there was nothing to worry about, Pixie," Mr. Tonks said cheerfully. "Pull up a seat, boys and I'll whip you up some of those sandwiches the girls are enjoying."

"They are killer sandwiches, Mr. T," Dawn's smile got impossible wider at the sight of Tonks' dad. "And I come from a long line of sandwich aficionados. Well, that and tacos. We're a big fan of Mexican take-out. And pizza -"

"Oh, donuts and ice coffees from Timmy Ho's," Vi laughed.

"You said you were Faith's girls?" Harry stepped around the gapping Draco and helped himself to a seat beside Dawn.

"Yeah, Faith's - well, Faith is kind of like a big sister to us," Dawn said slowly. "Do you know Faith?"

"Is that -" Harry glanced up at Tonks, who nodded with tears in her eyes. "No, I - I've never met her. Her father was my godfather."

"Oh, crap!" Dawn's reaction had Harry's head jerking around and Mr. Tonks dropping his plate with a thunk in front of Harry. "I was just really hoping blondie bear over there was the - ow, Vi! You could put out a rib!"

"And you could have verbal diarrhea all over the place. Hello, that's my job," Vi rolled her eyes.

"Eat up, boys," Mr. Tonks shook his head at the girls. "Andy and Faith will be along shortly."

"We should really get her to Diagon Alley and - bloody hell, the hormones are all in one room, Da?" Tonks groaned.

"No, a set of them are in the all, making googly eyes at each other," Mr. Tonks' eyes narrowed at Remus' brightening cheeks.

"Da!"

"Um, code Oz," Vi's eyes blinked at Remus.

"He's very much a code Oz," a dark haired man with a dark patch over his eye.

"You had your ass stuck to the side of a Himalayan mountain for six years?" Vi's eyes slowed the blinking.

"The Carpathians for three years," Remus gave the girl a gentle smile.

"Shut up! I so want to see if Dracula is still -"

"No one's talking about the Master Creeper," Xander snapped, which had the room going quiet.

"Is everything okay with our girl in there?" Mr. Tonks asked, coming to stand beside Xander, Tonks and Remus.

"Faith and Andromeda needed a girl to girl chat," Xander looked relieved to get off the subject of Dracula.

"Faith has something to see to for the moment," Andromeda called from the doorway. "And we need to discuss the rules for the house. Hello girls, you must be the trainee watcher and slayer that Faith told me about. I see Ted's treated us all to his world class sandwiches."

"I so want to be her when I grow up," Dawn grinned at Harry and Vi.

"Ditto."

Andy had pulled the door closed behind her, leaving Faith alone in the study. She had to summon Kreacher to her to bind him to her will. It left her stomach in knots to bind another living being to her, but she knew that it was the only way to keep everyone safe. Andy had told her to whisper Kreacher's name and the house-elf would come running or popping or whatever.

"Kreacher," Faith said with her eyes closed, picturing the little elf in his black toga. There was a loud popping that had her eyes jerking back open, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge. He stood uncomfortably in the bright room, his back pressed against the corner.

"Mistress Faith has summoned Kreacher?"

"Yeah, Kreach."

"Will Mistress punish Kreacher now?"

"What?"

"Word has come that Master Sirius is -" Kreacher blinked several times, his voice rasping lower. "The Master Sirius is dead. Unless it is as it was with Master Regulus -"

"He's really dead, Kreach," Faith's own throat tightened.

"Then Kreacher shall punish himself for bringing this upon the Most Noble House of Black -"

"No. No punishing yourself, Kreacher," Faith snapped, pushing herself off the chaise, and strode to crouch down in front of me. "Kreach, look at me."

"Kreacher has broken the most basic of tenets that a house-elf must uphold - nothing is to befall the family that the house-elf serves based on the house-elf's actions," Kreacher retreated back in on himself.

"You psychic, Kreach?" Faith reached out a hand to his shaking shoulder.

"No - no house-elf has that gift. It is for wizard-kind alone."

"Right," Faith gave him a gentle squeeze. "Now, we're at a crossroads, Kreach."

"Mistress?"

"I know you're bound to the house my grandmother owned, but there's some issues with the house -"

"Kreacher will do anything to protect his mistress's home," Kreacher's wrinkled face perked up at the need to be useful and productive.

"Even if this is your mistress's home?" Faith asked.

"Not Grimmauld Place?" Kreacher frowned.

"This is my home," For now, Faith silently added. "Am I your mistress?"

"Master Sirius and Master Regulus both instructed that Kreacher look after the young mistress."

Faith felt his words like a kick in the chest. Other than Angel, Dawn and Giles, how many people had actually wanted to look out for her? And it seemed it had been her old man's dying wish. Son of a bitch.

"Then I need you to do something for me, Kreach," Faith pushed the thoughts of her dad down.

"Anything, Mistress."

"I need you to swear fidelity to the New House of Black."

"Mistress?"

"You swore fidelity to the Old House of Black: Narcissa Black-Malfoy, Bellatrix Black-Lestrange and Sirius Black. I'm the New House of Black."

"But Master Regulus, Master Draco and Master -" Kreacher grimaced before continuing, "Harry Potter. Are they not of the House of Black?"

"They are," Faith wasn't sure how to go on. "As are Ted, Andromeda and Nymphadora Tonks."

"But they are traitors -" Kreacher seemed to realize that he, too, had at least in part betrayed his House and clamped his mouth shut.

"Lot easier swearing fidelity to just me, ain't it?" Faith chuckled. "Draco, Harry and probably Regulus will be living here with us. I'm not saying don't do the small stuff if they ask - nicely - for you to do. If you swear fidelity to my House of Black, that includes those six people. You don't do big stuff, like contact Narcissa or Bellatrix. You don't zap them away from this house unless I clear it. All the big stuff, comes through me. I don't care how big or small it may seem, you come to me first for my okay. And you always tell me the truth. Can you do that, Kreacher?"

"Kreacher will do whatever his Mistress commands of him," Kreacher didn't even hesitate.

Andromeda liked the two young girls immensely, and they seemed to put Harry at ease. Draco was oddly silent as she sat between the two boys. Ted leaned against the counter while her daughter, Remus and Xander all talked amongst themselves. It was time to set the expectations before the boys.

"Now, I'm not certain what you were expecting upon arrival in my home, but I'm going to set your minds at ease about it."

"I was expecting to be at Malfoy Manor," Draco said thickly, his mouth pursed in anger.

"The Ministry eagerly seized the property this morning while Professor Dumbledore broke the news of your new situation, Draco," Andromeda said gently. He flinched at her words. "I am sorry for your loss. I might not have been close to Narcissa over the years, but I do know she loves you dearly. But there are many young girls, such as those two girls, that your mother did a great disservice to over the years. She knew what would happen to her should she ever be found out, and she is now reaping the consequences of those actions. And we, all of us, have lost a loved one to this new outbreak of war. You are not the only one to be touched by this grief."

She watched him closely, and noticed that Dawn's eyes had flicked over to watch him. Hmm. He seemed to feel her eyes on him, and he'd kept bottled whatever it was that he was about to retort.

"For the next two years, you will both be my wards. Faith, Sirius's daughter, is also my ward until she comes to grips with her magic. For everyone's safety, I'm afraid there will be no friends over this summer. I'm not denying you your friends for selfish or evil whims, it's purely for everyone's safety. We can, of course, arrange some outings to Diagon Alley or other safe locations. Ted and I both have work, so we'll have to arrange them ahead of schedule. I wish I could give both of you the freedom you're accustomed to, but it is necessary. That said, you'll never be idle, I'm sure. You will both be given weekly chores to earn spending money. There's a nice little village just down the road that has a market we frequent every Saturday morning."

"A Muggle village?" Draco's eyes widened at the idea.

"There are very few Wizarding villages around here, and you know why. Ted, he enjoys visiting his family down there on occasion," Andromeda smiled. "As I was saying, you'll be expected to keep up with your chores and schoolwork. You'll be expected to clean up your rooms at least once a week, and make your beds everyday. Nymphadora, Remus and Faith will all be fixtures in this house, and both of you will be expected to follow any rules or do anything they ask. Are we understood?"

"Are we expected to be your slaves -"

"Give it a rest, Malfoy," Harry finally snapped. "A little hard work won't kill you."

"Boys," Andromeda snapped a hand in front of their face, stopping the row before it had a chance to blossom. "It's not anything less than what I set my own child to over the years. And she grew up to be an Auror, so I can't have done everything wrong. What I'm asking of you is very little more than what you've been doing for yourselves at Hogwarts the last five years. Now, all I expect of you boys today is to finish this meal, meet Faith, have supper, and go to sleep. Ted and I will set up a schedule for you in the morning and we'll go from there."

"Whatever," Draco muttered, turning his face down to his sandwich and ignoring the rest of them.

"Does she know?" Harry asked quietly. When Andromeda only stared at him, he fidgeted in his seat and looked away. "About Sirius's death and whose fault -"

"From what I was told, Bellatrix is the one who took the shot."

A dark haired woman stepped past Xander, Remus and Tonks. She wore muggle clothes, dark jeans and a ribbed tank top under a fitted flannel shirt. Black combat boots covered her feet, and her dark hair rippled past her shoulders. The hair, the shape of her brow, and the way she held herself all reminded him of Sirius. So much so that it tightened his throat at the memory of watching him fall back into nothingness. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught as he saw Kreacher standing behind her, his hand on the woman's leg.

"What's he doing here?" Harry rasped out, anger building in his chest.

"Cool it down, Harry," the woman stepped in front of Kreacher.

"Harry, put the wand away. The dispensation hasn't yet cleared for the training of underage wizards," Andromeda's voice had him frowning. A glance down to his hand proved that he had, indeed pulled his wand on Sirius's daughter and the house-elf that had betrayed him.

"Me and Kreach, we have an unbreakable understanding. Sirius and him? They didn't have the understanding we do," Faith said firmly and evenly, her eyes never leaving his. "To quote y'all, the Old Most Noble House of Black is dead. Long live the new House of Black. Which pretty much includes everyone in this room."

The words were abrupt and startling. Harry lowered his arm and gaped at her. He barely processed Vi's excited words.

"That would be a kick-ass band name. And does that include me, Dawn and Xander? The Most Noble New House of Black? I am your sister-slayer after all."

"You're a vampire slayer?" Draco's shocked words registered even less to him.

"Yeah. So's Faith."

Regulus knew he was dreaming. After sixteen years of sleep, one would imagine that one had had enough of sleeping, but apparently it only made one more tired. In his dream, he sat upright in his hospital bed, a young boy sat cross-legged in front of him.

"I don't really look like this, you know," the boy bopped along to some imaginary music that only he could hear.

"You never grew so much, I know that," Regulus said sadly, speaking to his son's spirit.

"But I did. I grew, and I grew until I couldn't be contained anymore. Then I was given away. But I don't remember all of that unless I dream that memory," the boy said confidently. "One day, I'll have to know. And I think that day is coming closer."

Regulus knew that his mind was asking for the impossible. The child had died, Talia had told him so. Hell, Faith had told him what had happened to his son. But before he could speak further to the boy, he was replaced by a much older and worn Sirius.

"I suppose my subconscious is feeling spectacularly guilty today," Regulus shook his head.

"Bellatrix was always a right bitch. That never fell on your shoulders, little brother," Sirius grinned at him, that devil-may-care grin that he had never been on the receiving end of for nearly sixteen years. "And you were in a coma, so you couldn't control Kreacher. But the boy doesn't lie. You're only talking to one dead person, and that would be me."

Regulus jerked upright in his bed. Esteban, who had since removed him to the Van Houghten estate with the assistance of Charlie Weasley, had his wand out at the movement.

"What the hell, man? You scared the crap out of me," Esteban prowled around the room looking for whatever it was that had agitated Regulus. He didn't seem to notice the ghostly form of Sirius Black in the corner of the room giving his brother a jaunty wave.