Breaking Black (A Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 94

May 8, 1980

Cassiopeia Ara Black was born.

My daughter became my whole world the second I laid eyes on her. I've never seen Sirius cry the way he did when he held our little girl in his arms. She was beautiful and perfect in our eyes.

The name was traditional. Although Sirius cut all ties from the Black family, we decided to keep the constellation tradition alive, naming our baby girl after two Greek constellations. We immediately agreed to call her Cassie, for short.

Cassie already had dark, black hair, just like Sirius and me. Her facial expressions and features seemed to change each day, to where Sirius and I argued about who she resembled more. It was only when James made a joke that Cassie looked like himself that Sirius and I agreed our daughter looked like a perfect combination of her parents. We couldn't wait for her eyes to become their true color and make a final resemblance decision- either Cassie had her father's steely grey eyes or her mother's sky-blue orbs.

After a long discussion, Cassie's godparents were chosen. Lily, of course, was the godmother. Against Sirius' every request, I asked Remus to be the godfather. Remus had been there for most of my pregnancy, and I knew he would be supportive, protective, and a great, intelligent role model for Cassie throughout her life. Sirius begrudgingly agreed, telling James he could work with Lily on the godmother duties, and, if Remus died, James could take over as godfather. Remus, however, was ecstatic when I told him the news.

When we brought Cassie home, everything seemed almost normal in the world. Sirius and I started to adjust to our new lives as parents, learning each day. And the joys and cute, lovely perfection that came with new parenthood lasted-

For about one month.

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As soon as possible, I rejoined the Order.

As much as it hurt me deep in my heart to part from my lovely daughter for a few hours, I needed the release.

Dumbledore did not advise me to jump in to any large missions fresh off maternity leave, but that was exactly what I wanted to do and what I did. Alastor Moody loved my return, and immediately invited me on a plan to arrest a couple Death Eaters. He wanted me, because I had a personal vendetta against these criminals. The plan was to arrest Wilkes and Rosier- two Slytherins and Death Eaters I went to school with. They also happened to be two of the people who helped kill my brother and his family.

A plan was made, in secret, so Sirius didn't worry. I hired a very reliable Muggle babysitter, Lillian, to watch Cassie while Sirius was supposed to be spending an afternoon with James. I would go to the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade, where Rosier and Wilkes were known to frequent, and lure them outside to Moody, so we wouldn't cause a scene. How would I lure them outside? I still had a lock of precious platinum blonde hair to impersonate none other than Death Eater Sterling Spies.

We used the gate of Hogwarts to get ready for our mission. Moody already had the Polyjuice Potion ready for me. All it needed was a few strands of Spies' hair. When I threw the blonde locks in the potion, it bubbled and turned a sickly, dark green color.

"Here goes nothing," I swallowed, nodding a head at Moody as he watched me.

My mouth didn't even want to swallow the potion as soon as it touched my tongue. A sour taste, like venom, filled my mouth, and my lips puckered. In a moment of panic, I wondered if the potion could kill you if the person was foul enough. I managed to drink the whole potion without vomiting and started to feel my body change.

I grew a few inches and my hair receded into my head while dramatically lightening. My feet felt crunched in my shoes and suddenly, my arm seemed to prickle, just below my elbow. I lifted the sleeve of my robe and shuddered at the Dark Mark tattooed on my very pale arm, a red mark on my inner left forearm. Moody whistled.