Disclaimer: I am not, nor have ever been JK Rowling. But I am slightly obsessed with her world.

Prologue

Undisclosed location: Summer 1979

"I can't do this anymore, Father. He is insane. The man is aligned with the purebloods only for their money. I refuse to believe he has wizarding culture's best interest at heart when I lay writhing on the floor under crucio's at his whim," the younger man growled.

The older of the two sighed heavily before running his hands through his dark tresses. "Your mother can not be persuaded to see reason. We need…"

"Father! He used my elf to hide a Horcrux. The lunatic has split his soul. Even one split and he's lost most logic and reasoning capabilities. He asked Lucius and Bellatrix to hide things for him as well," he trailed off in frustration.

The house creaked as the two men spent the afternoon trying to construct a future for themselves that did not involve certain death for both of them.

The younger man pushed himself up from the chair he had rested in and began to pace. The library kicked up dust in his flurry of movements.

"We haven't told anyone yet," the elder man paused, "Eileen is pregnant. Regardless of the situation, I refuse to abandon her. I'm leaving your mother."

"Pregnant father? Congratulations. It is a blessing. Am I to have a sister or a brother?" The younger man grinned at seeing his father so happy. He'd long ago realized how horrible the life was with the woman he called Mother.

"A sister. Eileen has always wanted a daughter." The older man grinned guiltily. "She's been very frustrated, not being able to reach out to her son. The boy is similarly situated as us. I highly doubt Severus would go unnoticed if he were to disappear like you would though. He brought the dark lord the prophecy did he not." The man raised a single eyebrow, knowing he was correct.

"Yes, though no one knows what child it will be or when. The child should be conceived some time this October. We will do what we can for Severus. He does not know Eileen is even alive. Faking her death was something you had to do to keep her safe from that disgusting muggle." The younger man gave a small smirk. The death of Tobias Snape had lightened a heavy burden on his father's lover. Though they had only reconnected at the time as friends, his father helped Eileen out of her abusive marriage.

Finding Eileen a safe house and visiting often led to a quick romance for the two Slytherin classmates that had only been cautious smiles and light flirting from their past. When his father had been contracted to his mother in their seventh year, Eileen had ran off to be with a muggle to get away from the contract her family tried to enforce with a much older man. Neither had spoken to each other, until they each decided to visit a small bakery at the same time in Muggle London outside of the ministry. Eileen had been waiting for Severus to pass his apparition test at the ministry, while his father had just left a Wizengamot meeting.

Since their reconnection, they had been inseparable. Two years later and they were now expecting a daughter. The younger man chuckled.

"Father, I enjoy the idea of you having a daughter more than I thought I would. We need to make the world safe for her. I can not do that as a Death Eater. I think perhaps we should fake my death as well. I hear you're quite good at it?" The man gave the smirk he'd inherited from his father.

"Well, if we fake yours, we may as well fake mine as well. I refuse to be left in this house with Walburga. How do you feel about pretending to be muggles?" Orion chuckled darkly. If his family heard him joke about such a thing, they'd certainly curse him.

"Splendid idea, father. But first, we need to get that awful Horcrux. Kreacher!" The youngest son of the house of Black called his elf. With a soft crack the elf appeared dressed in a tea towel with the Black family crest on his chest. "We need your help. Can you take us to the cave?"

Fall-1985 SIX YEARS LATER

"Daddy, look at the ducks! Did you bring the bread?"

The little girl, curly black hair waving behind her raced towards the pond. The older man followed at a slower pace waiting for his wife to reach them. Just as his wife neared, he heard the scream of his daughter.

Looking around he could just make out his daughter being dragged behind a large shrubbery. Orion took off at a sprint towards his daughter and her attacker. Just as he neared he recognized the large bat like ears and tea towel of his old elf.

"I is sorry for taking little miss. But Mistress sayings she needs little miss." With a crack both Kreacher and the small girl disappeared.

Orion growled lowly before shouting for Kreacher. The elf appeared without his daughter.

"Mistress is forcing Kreacher to go against Master. She is knowing you isn't dead. She be watching you and make Kreacher take little miss. Kreacher is bad elf. What would little Master Reggie be saying." Kreacher flung himself against the hard ground, banging his head against the grass.

"Kreacher, take me to Walburga. NOW!" Orion looked at his wife across the park. Eileen nodded grimly.

Arriving at his old house, Orion spun around. Orienting himself, Orion realized he was standing in the entrance hall of Grimmauld Place. A large empty frame laid against one wall. The larger troll foot umbrella holder near the door stood empty. A layer of dust had settled onto everything. Kreacher looked nervously at the floor next to him.

"WALBURGA! Get down here now!" Orion, forgetting every pure blood manner ever taught to him bellowed for his wizarding world wife he despised.

The door leading to the formal dining room opened as Walburga Black dragged his precious six year old by her hair through the door.

"Imagine my surprise while going through records and seeing a deed for a house outside of London that isn't my own." Walburga's eyes, glassy with excitement or anger, he wasn't sure, stared at him without blinking.

Orion took a step towards her realizing that anger would only worsen the situation. His daughter gave a small moan as Walburga tightened her grip on the girl's hair.

"You know we were never happy Wally. It is much better this way. I didn't ruin your reputation. Everyone thinks I died. You don't need to hurt the girl." Orion stated in an attempt to remain calm.

"You ran off to be a blood traitor! Pretending to be a disgusting muggle. Tarnishing the house of Black!" By the end of her sentence, Walburga was screeching. She whipped out her wand pointing it first at the small girl and then at Orion himself.

"I should kill you both, instead you live while my precious Reggie is dead and that pathetic excuse of a first born rots in Azkaban for some thing I'm not even sure he was capable. Surrounded by muggle lovers I was! DISGUSTING FILTH! No better than a MUDBLOOD!" The rant continued as Orion inched forward slowly removing his wand from the holder he kept under his muggle shirt.

The girl glanced at the woman as the rant continued. Confused she darted a look at her father and before he could stop her she spoke, "uhm lady, Reggie isn't dead? My brother? Are you his mother? He said you were crazy. I didn't believe him. I guess I should next time." The little girl looked back at her father for confirmation.

Orion sighed knowing Walburga would ruin their plans. He'd have to take care of her. "Walburga if you want to see Reggie, you have to let go of the girl. Let her go."

Walburga in her complete shock at hearing her favorite son was alive and in contact with the small girl, released her quickly. Shoving her to the side, Walburga demanded to see Regulus Black.

With a flick of his wand and a quick Immobulus, Orion had Walburga Black frozen against the wall near the empty frame, "I can't let you leave here Walburga. You know to much. Regulus is working towards wizarding equality within the ministry and you can not ruin that', Orion very calmly stated.

Walburga screeched, "Kreacher! Take me to Regulus."

"Kreacher, as head of House Black, you will no longer obey Walburga Black. You may stay here with her if you choose or you can relocate to a different Black property but you may never speak of what you heard here today." The older man ordered the elf.

"Kreacher be staying with Mistress." The elf folded both ears down in a tight grip. The small girl humphed. She was looking forward to seeing the older elf but now she would not be able to.

Orion raised his wand to Walburga and with a tight flick and a graceful swish he cast, "adhæsit anima imago hominem!"

Walburga Black began to contort and scream. The empty portrait frame behind her shook against the wall creating a knocking. The small girl covered her ears as the scream and knocks grew louder. Orion watched grimly until a blight light flashed across the entry of the house.

The frame fell forward with a crack as the young girl realized that the lady wasn't in the room anymore.

Orion walked forward picking up the now full picture frame. "Hello Wally. How do you like your new home?" I think I'll stick you up in the wall right here. I doubt anyone will come by. No visitors for eternity? Should have minded your own and left us alone."

Orion used several extreme sticking charms and the house wards to place the framed Walburga Black on the wall. "No one but myself will be able to remove you Walburga." He smirked before picking up his daughter, "Now. Hermione, are you ready to go see mummy? She was rather sad you left before we could have our picnic and feed the ducks."

Hermione glanced back at the picture framed Walburga who was shouting nasty words and banishing her wand. Streaks of green and red lights whizzed by in the frame harmlessly fizzling out.

"Can we bring the elf. He shouldn't be stuck with her. She's mean." Hermione glanced at the elf in question.

Orion grinned at his daughters compassionate question. "No Hermione. Kreacher chose to stay with his mistress. If he changes his mind, he can always find you."

With a flick of his wrist, he apperated them back to a quiet corner of their favorite London park. Finding Eileen, the family enjoyed the rest of their outing before heading home for the night.