DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. I simply play with the characters. Beta'ed by Astro 2009, who did an awesome job with it.

Prologue

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The loud pounding resonated through the small ranch style house.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

It came again, this time waking two of the three inhabitants in the household. Theodore 'Ted' Tonks sat up in bed, his eyes lidded and heavy as the pounding came again. Next to him his wife was more alert and grabbed for the wand on the bed stand.

"Ted get Nymphadora," At the mention of his daughter, Ted was now alert and grabbing for his own wand.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

They started moving around the room cautiously. Shouting followed the banging, "Andy, Andy! Come on wake up!" Both Ted and Andromeda Tonks stopped moving at the voice, recognizing it as Andromeda's younger sister.

Ted growled. "What did that bastard do this time?" he muttered under his breath.

"Ted, enough," Andy chastised her husband. "She won't leave him and it is not illegal in our world," Andy said with a glare though it was directed at the wizarding world, not her husband. "Check on Nymphadora before you meet me downstairs," she said as the pounding came again followed by more shouting.

Andromeda hurried out of the bedroom and to the front door. As she approached it, she heard crying and cooing. She flung the door open and was shocked to see her beautiful younger sister with black eye and split lip. Unfortunately that did not shock her anymore- what did was seeing her young nephew crying in his mother's arms.

"Narcissa?" Andromeda said as she looked from her sister to her nephew to the trunk behind her.

"The worthless bastard tried to curse Draco," Narcissa replied with a growl before hushing Draco again. Andromeda moved aside and allowed Narcissa to enter. She took Draco from her sister.

"Go into the kitchen and help yourself. "I'll be down when I put Draco in the crib," Andromeda spoke taking Draco into her arms. Andromeda Tonks left her sister on her own and brought the one-year-old up the stairs and was met by her husband.

"Nymphadora's fine, still sleeping," Ted said before eyeing Draco. "She brought Draco?" he questioned.

"And a trunk," Andromeda said with a small smile before she frowned again. "She needs to be healed."

"I'll take Draco and put him in Harry's crib. Go help your sister," Ted said, leaning in to take the now calm one-year-old in his arms. Andromeda smiled softly at her husband and leant in giving him a kiss on the cheek. He smiled back at her and she turned and went to meet her sister in the kitchen.

"I've never seen you drink whiskey. Is it not beneath you?" Andromeda quipped to her younger sister as she walked into the kitchen.

"I spent eight years being beaten for the sake of keeping up appearances," Narcissa replied with a glare but ended in low tones. "I don't care anymore." Andromeda paused, taking in her sister's appearance, looking past the familiar wounds she had healed more times than she could count over the years. Narcissa usually showed up without a hair out of place and nose upturned despite the injuries. This time her hair was all over, sticking up on the left side while flat on the right side. She was dressed in a pink silk nightgown with matching slippers. Well… one matching slipper - the other was missing.

Andromeda sighed and took a seat across from her sister at the table. "I'm sorry that was harsher than I meant it to be." She pulled out her wand and started casting a diagnostic spell to make sure Lucius had not caused any permanent damage, though he usually avoided that. "Do you want to tell me what happened this time?"

Narcissa sighed. "Lucius came home from something with the Dark Lord."

Andromeda nodded, that was usually when it happened. Lucius apparently thought he was more of man after being tortured by the Dark Lord by beating or cursing his wife.

"Only this time was different," Narcissa's voice hitched. Andromeda stopped waving her wand and looked at her sister in concern; Narcissa was usually detached when she spoke of Lucius, not nervous. "He was completely drunk and raging about the Dark Lord falling."

Andromeda stopped in shock, "What?" she shouted before remembering herself and quieting her voice.

"What's wrong?" Ted said as he came speeding around the corner into the kitchen. He slowed down and lowered his wand when he saw only the two women.

"Ted," Narcissa greeted with a nod before gesturing to her face to get her sister back on track. "It's true. To an extent I saw his mark, after I knocked him out. It's faded to almost nothing. Any way he was raging and hit me as usual but then Draco woke and started crying. Lucius lost it when Draco wouldn't stop. He tried to use the cruciatis curse on him. I threw a vase at his head," Narcissa said rather matter of factly.

"I told you watching rugby would come in handy," Ted commented. Narcissa gave a brief smile. "I won't let him hurt my son," Narcissa said vehemently as Andromeda finished healing her. Now all that was left was to clean the blood away. "I'm leaving him!" Narcissa said with finality, though before anything else could be said another frantic banging came at the Tonks' front door.

"ANDY! TED!" was heard from the direction of the door where the pounding strated up again.

"That's Sirius," Ted said before rushing to the front door. He threw it open to find his wife's cousin with torn robes and smears of ashes on his face, holding a familiar baby and baby bag. The little one was crying fiercely and clinging to his godfather. "Sirius! What happened?" Ted exclaimed at the disheveled sight and hysterical one-year-old.

"He killed Lily and James! Wormtail! Dumbledore's trying to take Harry! Are the wards up?" Sirius's words came out in a jumbled rush.

Ted held up his hands. "Sirius, calm down and come inside," Ted spoke patiently and soothingly. "The wards are up." Ted placed an arm on Sirius's shoulders and ushered him into the Tonks' home.

"Daddy, what's going on?" A small voice said from the stairs before a squeal followed. "Uncle Siri! Harry!" The little girl with bright pink hair ran from the stairs and hugged Sirius around the legs. "You smell funny. Aw, what's wrong little Harry?" Nymphadora cooed to the little baby boy. Harry quieted in response and Ted nodded for Sirius to hand Harry to Nymphadora.

"Nymy," the little boy said quietly, causing the girl's hair to turn dark red. The little boy giggled and started to calm in the girl's arms.

"Sirius, what's going?" came the voice of Andromeda who was now standing in the entryway of the living room with a still-bloodied Narcissa.

"Auntie Narcy?" Nymphadora questioned from her spot holding baby Harry on the couch, looking at the blood on her aunt's face.

"Narcissa?" Sirius questioned, blinking owlishly in surprise. Narcissa straightened and held her high head while nodding to her stunned cousin.

"Dora, will you take Harry up to his crib and stay with him and Draco for a bit?" Andromeda cut in before anything could be said. "We need to have some grown up time," she said, ushering her daughter up the stairs while glancing worriedly at Sirius who managed to look stunned while tears were on his face. "Ted get Sirius a drink and make sure he does NOT leave," Andromeda said as she helped her young daughter up the stairs and into the nursery that was set up for Harry when the Potters visited.

"Why don't you read a story to Harry?" Andromeda suggested to her daughter. Her hair turned to a bright turquoise at the suggestion and she nodded eagerly. Andromeda placed Harry in the crib next to the now awake Draco. Draco and Harry starred at each other then both started babbling before they quieted and just starred once again. Nymphadora picked Tales of the Beedle the Bard and flipped to a story. Both boys turned to Nymphadora, and Andromeda left the room seeing they were okay.

Andromeda paused before once again entering the kitchen. She heard Ted arguing with Sirius, trying to get him to stay seated while Narcissa was blessedly remaining quiet instead of her usual barbed comments.

"Enough Sirius!" Andromeda reproached him as she turned the corner into the kitchen. "Now do you want to explain to us what happened to Lily and James?" She forced herself to remain calm as Sirius's eyes teared up at the mention of their friends' names. "Last I remember you were their secret keeper?" Her tone was harsh as she spoke the words.

"I was," Sirius croaked. "But a month ago we all decided to switched to Peter." He growled out the name. "We thought I could serve as a diversion. I went over to the Potter's tonight to celebrate with them." Sirius paused to gather himself before continuing.

"The house was blown apart," his voice caught. "Part of the upstairs was missing. I ran inside and Jam.. James was lying dead in the hallway. Harry was screaming upstairs so I left James to get to him." His voice was breaking as he spoke. Andromeda and Ted both had tears in their eyes while Narcissa sat stoically. "Lily, oh Gods, Lily was laying dead in front of Harry's crib and the wall was blown out of Harry's room. Harry was standing in his crib crying, trying to reach her." Sirius was crying again as he relieved the finding of his godson. "Harry was bleeding from that odd lightning bolt wound on his forehead and there was a pile of black smoking robes across from him."

Narcissa's head snapped up at the lightning bolt comment but she stayed quiet as Sirius continued his study.

"I picked him up and cleared the blood away. That was the odd part –it stopped bleeding almost immediately. I heard the door slam and picked him up and ran down the stairs with my wand out, but it was Hagrid. He… he tried to take Harry from me. He kept saying Dumbledore needed Harry. That I had to hand Harry over before I did something I would regret. He just kept repeating Dumbledore needed Harry," Sirius said with a growl, angry over the accusation that he would hurt his godson.

"Why would Dumbledore want Harry and how did he even know it happened?" Ted asked Sirius with a questioning glance. Like most muggleborns he held the Headmaster on a pedestal.

"Dumbledore…" Sirius paused and his voice hardened. "Dumbledore has been making questionable decisions about the war. James and Lilly haven't trusted him for a while which is why we had Alice Longbottom perform the Fidelius Charm. He apparently has a spy in the Death Eaters."

"But to become a Death Eater you have to kill someone." Narcissa spoke for the first time since Sirius began his story.

Sirius glared at her in response, "Why are you here, Princess?"

Andromeda snapped at him before Sirius could respond. "Use your eyes, Sirius!"

"What? Lucius not the prince you thought?" Sirius snarked, taking in the blood, in no mood to be charitable.

"Sirius!" This time it was Ted that rebuked him.

Sirius lowered his head, "My apologies, but why are you here? The last I knew you cut ties with Andromeda."

"I never cut ties with her. I just kept quiet about. I've visited her and Ted here and she's healed me whenever Lucius-" she growled the name, "-decides I make a good… what's the word, Ted?"

"Punching bag," Ted growled with distaste.

"Yes. Well, tonight he seemed to believe the Dark Lord had fallen and beat me before trying to curse Draco."

"What do you mean believed? There is nothing left in that room except Harry, Lilly, and Harry's crib," Sirius asked.

"Lucius's mark is still present," Narcissa said calmly. "It's based on runes and charms and I know runes." Sirius nodded at that well aware that Narcissa was a Runes mistress. "If the Dark Lord had died, the mark would have left Lucius's skin completely. Was there a body or his wand?"

"No, just a burnt pile of robes. The aura coming off the robes was sickening," Sirius added as almost an afterthought. "I need to get Harry out of here."

He moved to stand but was stopped by Andromeda who placed her hands on his shoulders. "You don't need to do anything tonight. Rest here tonight both of you." Andromeda said to both Sirius and Narcissa.

Sirius took a bit more convincing but eventually capitulated to Andromeda's wishes. He chose to sleep on the couch while allowing Narcissa the guest bedroom. Sirius sighed as he sat heavily on the couch. His thoughts turned to his friend Mooney.

"Oh Gods, I'm sorry," Sirius said quietly to himself before he broke down crying. He stood and lit his wand softly and made his way to Ted's liquor cabinet. He pulled out a bottle of the strongest proof he could find- it ended up being a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum. He made a face at the liquor but opened the bottle and quickly downed a gulp.

"Oh Shite!" Ted sprayed coffee across the paper he was reading.

"What?" Andromeda said, rushing to her husband's side. They were in the kitchen fixing tea while Sirius was passed out cold on the couch. Ted scougified the paper before handing it over to his wife. The titled of the lead article glared out at her; POTTERS MURDERED; SON, HAILED AS BOY-WHO-LIVED, KIDNAPPED! SIRIUS BLACK WANTED; BOUNTY 10,000 GALLEONS!

"Wake Sirius's sorry arse up while I get Narcy," Andromeda said as she left the kitchen throwing the paper down on the table.

Ted moved into the living room where his cousin-in-law was out like a light. He thought about ways to wake the drunken fool. An envenerate would do the job but Ted figured a lesson would be more appropriate given Sirius's responsibility for Harry now. He conjured a bucket of ice cold water and grinned. He cast a noise dampening charm around the room so as not to wake the children and dumped the water bucket and all on to the dog. Sirius jumped off the couch into the air with his wand at the ready and bucket on his head. His wand glowed red with a spell before Ted spoke from off to the side.

"It helps if you can actually see what you're cursing," Ted calmly spoke. Sirius whipped the bucket off his head and growled, reminiscent of his animagus form. Ted held up a hand to silence him before speaking in a tone filled with more venom than Sirius had ever heard from the man. "I know you've just lost a piece of your life but you have a responsibility to that child upstairs. Getting hammered into oblivion is no longer an option for you. Especially with this." Ted thrust the paper into Sirius's hands.

"WHAT!"

Andromeda moved softly up the stairs and to the guest room. She knocked but received no answer and opened the door partially sticking her head in but found the room empty. She moved down a door to the nursery and found Narcissa sitting in a rocking chair watching the two one-year-old boys. Harry was sitting up looking at a stuffed stag that was prancing around the crib ramming the sides every once in awhile. Draco was giggling like mad at the stag.

Narcissa looked up with a small smile, "Draco was crying. Harry did that," she gestured to the stag prancing around the crib, entertaining her son. She had a look of awe on her face as she watched the one-year-old concentrate his magic on the stag.

Andromeda spoke softly, "He's been doing magic almost since he came out of the womb. It scared the hell out of Lily and James." Her voice caught at the mention of the Potters.

"That explains the rune scar," Narcissa said in a quiet voice almost as an afterthought.

Andromeda gasped. "A rune scar!" She looked sharply at her youngest sister. "I know I do not know as much about runes as you but those are supposed to be legend."

"Yes, yes, the last known person with a rune scar was Merlin," Narcissa said with a wave of her hand. "However I suspect more than just Merlin had a rune scar- the founders perhaps. It was rumored that Slytherin and Ravenclaw may have had them. Either way there is no doubt in my mind that is a rune scar. Little Harry Potter has been marked with a rune of power. He is going to be able to tap into an untold amount of power. After all, the most powerful gods and goddess throughout history have been marked with the thunderbolt," Narcissa trailed off.

Andromeda looked pensive before softly saying, "No wonder Dumbledore wants him."

Narcissa's head turned to look at her sister for the first time since she entered the room, "That would be very bad." Andromeda's reply was cut off by a very loud yell from downstairs.

The stag stopped prancing as the yell startled little Harry and made Draco cry. Harry turned towards the open door with a smile, "Pa'foo." he said in his little voice.

"Yes Harry, Padfoot," Andromeda said with exasperation before moving over to the crib and lifting Harry out into her arms. "We have a problem," she said turning to Narcissa who took Draco into her arms shushing him.

"What's happened?"

"Sirius is wanted for murder and kidnapping and there is a bounty out for him," Andromeda sighed.

This time Narcissa gasped. "With a bounty he'll go straight to Azkaban."

"I know, we need a plan," Andromeda said and together they changed the boys and then took them downstairs.

"Sirius needs to leave the country, as does Narcissa!" Andromeda spoke, ending the hectic discussions going every which way in the kitchen. The two one-year-olds' heads were ping-ponging back and forth from the adults talking.

"What? Why do I need to leave the country?" Sirius asked incredulous, upsetting Harry in his arms with his tone.

"Sirius, use that brain that is somewhere in your head," Narcissa snapped, causing Draco to cringe and reach a little fist up to his mum's face. Narcissa took his hand and gave it a little kiss before turning back to Sirius. "You're an auror what have you all been doing to Death Eaters as soon as you arrest them now?

"We throw them in Azkaban for a few days until trial," Sirius muttered.

"And if Dumbledore wants control of Harry, do you really think it will be that hard to make you disappear in Azkaban? The Daily Prophet has practically declared you the Potters' murderer. He isolated Remus from you and as a werewolf, he won't be able to take Harry anyways. The Longbottoms are still in hiding. You are the only one with a viable claim to Harry right now." Andromeda summarized the situation. "Once you're in another country, preferably one that allies with the Blacks, you can prove your innocence from asylum."

"And I need to be out of Lucius's reach," Narcissa said.

"And what country is that going to be?" Ted said pointing out a flaw in the plan. Most allies of the Blacks were pureblood maniacs. Silence reigned for a few minutes before Sirius smiled a decisively evil smile.

"Narcissa, what does Lucius do when he's hungover?" Sirius asked.

Narcissa snorted, "He's probably still passed out and when he does wake up he'll be with whatever mistress he's with this week." She didn't sound bitter –more resigned or even relieved.

"Good. You're going to open an account at Gringotts under Narcissa Black and transfer all of Lucius's vaults into it except for a single knut in each vault. Then as head of the Black family I'm going to divorce you from the bastard for line theft."

"Sirius, you're not the head of the Black family. Walburga burned you from the tapestry just like myself," Andromeda said quietly.

"My dear old bitch of a mother," -Sirius was smacked by both Andromeda and Narcissa for his language before he could continue-"may have burned me from the tapestry but I wasn't disinherited. My father had only two boys and no nephews. He didn't want one of your husbands inheriting the Black family. Regulus was made the heir while I was left on in case anything happened to him. I could have taken the Headship anytime this past year since Regulus's death but I didn't want it. If it will help us help Harry, I'll take it."

Suddenly Narcissa started giggling like a schoolgirl, "Aunt Walburga's going to have a heart attack." Andromeda joined at that comment and Sirius smiled stupidly. Ted looked at the family members wondering if he should take the children and run lest the Black family madness get them too.

Ted cleared his throat, "Back to where you're going to go…"

"Bulgaria," Sirius answered.

"Bulgaria?" Narcissa asked.

"The Krums," Andromeda said realization dawning on her. "They're a relatively light family with no love for Dumbledore or the Malfoys."

"Vladimir and I have worked together as aurors. He'll welcome us." Sirius said.

"Narcissa and Sirius need to get to Gringotts as soon as possible," Andromeda said. "I'll call Vladimir while you're doing that."

An hour later Sirius, holding Harry, and Narcissa, holding Draco, stepped through the floo at auror headquarters in the Bulgarian Magical Ministry.

"Sirius." A tall thin man with a goatee in dark blue robes greeted him with a strong handshake.

"Vladimir," Sirius greeted with warmth. "I'm sure you remember my cousin, Narcissa Black and this is her son Draco." Sirius's introduction was smoothly given, with all the pomp and circumstance his parents drilled into him, surprising Narcissa.

"One cannot forget a beautiful woman like Narcissa Black," Vladimir said and took her offered hand and brought it to her lips. It had been years since the two had met at a Black party for the winter solstice; in fact they had still been in school. Narcissa remembered a lanky young man who needed to grow into his limbs. He had grown into them -he was handsome in a rugged sort of way with dark closely cropped hair, dark eyes, and a curved nose; the opposite of Lucius.

"Horn dog," Sirius muttered causing Vladimir to send him a smirk.

"If you vill follow me, I'll show you to my office. Vhere Miss Black can make herself comfortable vhile ve deal vith you," Vladimir said with another smirk at Sirius.

"Thank you Auror Krum," Narcissa said with a small smile.

"Please call me Vladimir," the man said and led them to his office. "Make yourself at home." He gestured around the rather spacious office.

"You got promoted?" Sirius asked, with a raised eyebrow as he looked around the room. There were various awards for service to the Ministry and pictures of some of his comrades, including one of Sirius, Vladimir, and James. Behind his desk was a large leather chair that Narcissa promptly sat down in with obvious comfort. She had one boy in each arm. Vladimir pointed to the badge on his robes with a smirk.

"Auror captain," Sirius read. "Bullshit already?"

"Vladimir, hit him for me," Narcissa said offhandedly.

"Gladly ma'am." Vladimir punched Sirius in the shoulder.

"Hey," Sirius rubbed his shoulder. "Not so hard, thank you."

"Come on, Mutt," Vladimir said pushing him by the shoulders, "My bosses are vaiting to take your statement under veritaserum." Sirius nodded as they left Narcissa and the boys in Vladimir's office. Sirius and Vladimir spoke in Vladimir's native tongue as they moved to his superior's office.

Sirius was met with the Head Auror, Emil Ivanov, another auror captain, Yordan Zanev, a potions master and an official stenographer.

"Lord Black take a seat," Emil Ivanov spoke gruffly, standing at attention. Sirius nodded and sat in the chair offered to him. Emil proceeded through a spiel to make the process legal beyond any doubt before asking, "Lord Black vill you take veritaserum?"

"Yes sir," Sirius replied concisely. The potions master verified the veritaserum and then administered the potion to Sirius.

"Name?" Yordan Zanev barked out the question.

"Sirius Orion Black," Sirius answered in a monotone.

"Date of Birth?" Zanev roughly questioned again.

"September 21, 1959," The same cold monotone reply came from Sirius.

"Were you James and Lily Potter's secret keeper?"

"No."

"Who was?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Are you now or have you ever been a Death Eater or supporter of Lord Voldemort?"

"No."

"Administer the antidote," Emil Ivanov spoke with less gruffness than before. Once the fog cleared from Sirius's mind he was greeted by a small smile from Ivanov, "Lord Black, welcome to Bulgaria."

A/N:

So this was posted on fandom for leukemia charity site. They requested it not be published until Dec. 1 but I wanted to wait until I was done or very nearly done with Thanks to a Snake. It was published under the title A Foreign Harry. So this is just the short prologue not sure if I'm going to start the next chapter in first year or fourth yet but it will be for the most part complete different from cannon unlike Thanks to a Snake.

Add on- (this might re update the story sorry) If anyone has the artistic ability or photoshop ability to send me a picture for the story featuring Fleur and Harry I'd appreciate it.

Hope you enjoy,

AM

P.S. I'm going to try and get a beta for this one so chapter might be slow.