The full moon had been anti-climatic in a way. Yes, there was excruciating pain, but it was fleeting. Remus had modified his cellar and James and Peter were already transformed when moonrise came along. There had been a worry that Sirius and Moony would fight but they didn't. James had said there was a lot of sniffing, some harmonised howling, and then when they couldn't go frolic, they slept.

The other Marauders had decided that Sirius needed a new nickname because he wasn't technically Padfoot as a werewolf. He was still a black canine but as a werewolf, he was much larger. Larger at the shoulder than Moony even. They said he'd looked like the quintessential werewolf-shorter snout, tufted tail, human-like eyes-but unlike Moony's rust and grey coat, Sirius's fur was all black. Of course. It seemed he wouldn't ever escape his name. They hadn't come up with anything yet, though.

It was less than a week after his first full moon and he felt good. The aches and pains had faded. The migraines had eased and in their place, he could hear across a noisy pub to the lowest of whispers. He could see farther and sharper and more clearly in dim light. He could pick Lily's scent out in a crowd; he could tell when she was aroused from across their flat, and he could even make out the slight difference in scent around her small baby bump.

Sirius and Lily had estimated that she was eleven weeks along if the Lineage ritual had caused her pregnancy on their first encounter together. They had decided it was time to tell the others that she was pregnant and explain why that was so after the Order meeting this morning.

The Order meeting went on as usual. There were three reconnaissance missions to choose from and Sirius asked James to partner with him. Once that was agreed upon, the meeting was adjourned and they all stood to leave. Before he was even out of the room a woman's voice called his name.

When he turned around, Marlene McKinnon was standing in front of him. His first reaction was to inhale deeply. Her scent was familiar in several different ways that he couldn't place. The second thing he noticed was that she'd gained weight in the seventeen weeks since he'd seen her last.

She put her hand on his arm and gestured with her head to a corner of the room away from everyone. He waved his friends off and followed her. There was silence between them before Sirius finally identified one of the scents around her. The same smell that lingered around Lily's abdomen lingered around Marlene, maybe even stronger. He felt his eyes widen with anxiety. She couldn't... But he couldn't deny the weight gain. Her face was slightly rounder, her breasts heavier. Her dress hid her waist, but he didn't doubt that she'd have a baby bump, probably slightly bigger than Lily's.

He leant down, running his nose on her shoulder and up her neck, scenting her more. The main smell on her was all hers, he recognised her perfume. The other scent was masculine and familiar, but he couldn't place it. "Is it mine?" he whispered as quietly as he dared.

She stepped back and looked up at him. The look in her eyes didn't give away her thoughts. "No. I was wondering if you'd set up a meeting for me, actually."

His brow furrowed. She hadn't denied being pregnant.

"I need to speak with Orion Black."

His breath caught in his throat and an odd pang of jealousy flared in his chest. Maybe Father would be getting a grandchild from Regulus after all. "Did you deny me in July because you were fucking my brother?"

Fire flashed in her eyes at his accusation. "And if I was?"

The emotion in his chest, that he'd finally identified as grief, reached up and squeezed at his heart. "Then my condolences," he paused and added, "I'll set up a meeting with Father but I'm coming with you. He might try to persuade you that getting married, even if it isn't to the true father of your child, is the best option."

"There's no chance of that," she said.

"Still, I think I should be with you."

"Okay. Semi-public space. The Three Broomsticks."

"Later today?"

"Sounds good."

Sirius said he'd arrange it and would send his Patronus to her to let her know what time to meet. When he apparated to James's flat, Lily was the first to ask, "What did Marlene want?"

He leant down and nuzzled his face against her neck, reassuring himself with her scent. "To meet with Father."

Lily pulled back and looked up at him. "She's...?"

"Marlene's what?" James asked, flopping down on the sofa next to Peter.

Sirius pecked Lily's forehead once more before he sat down in the armchair. She sat on the arm of it. "I suppose I should start at the beginning," he said. There was no help for it but to tell them everything.

* . * . *

Telling the Marauders everything went smoother than Sirius had anticipated. He had to explain Lineage to Peter, but James and Remus had had their fathers explain it to them so they understood the basics. That led into the reason both Lily and Marlene were pregnant. James hadn't freaked out like Sirius expected him to, which eased the weight Sirius felt on his shoulders.

Lily had wanted to come with Sirius to see Marlene but he'd told her no. The conversation between Marlene and Orion was bound to be awkward enough, especially with him there and he wanted to spare Marlene any more anxiety than she might already be feeling. Lily had frowned, pouting, but agreed her consent.

Orion was reserved but Sirius could almost taste his father's excitement. They Apparated in tandem to Hogsmeade and entered the pub. The room was crowded and the smells of stew wafted up from many of the tables. Sirius located Marlene in the corner by scent alone. They sat at the four-person table, Sirius taking one of the chairs against the wall so he could watch the crowd. His father took the other one.

She looked up at them when they joined her. "Marlene, this is my father Orion Black, Father, Marlene McKinnon," Sirius introduced them. She shifted and the masculine smell was stronger on her now. He wondered who she'd hooked up with since Regulus had died. It was obviously someone she felt comfortable enough with to fuck.

There was silence at their table as Marlene looked back and forth between him and his father and they watched her. Orion broke the ice. "Muggle-born?" he asked, no hint of distaste or hatred in his voice.

"Half-blood, but my father was Muggle-born," she answered, a slight edge to her voice like she expected him to start slinging slurs immediately.

Instead, he chuckled to himself and muttered, "Both of my sons," before continuing, "You requested this meeting, Miss McKinnon. Am I wrong to think that perhaps you had sex with my son Regulus and have found yourself pregnant with him nowhere to be found?"

Sirius turned his head to look at his father and glare. Marlene didn't seem to notice how rude Orion's statement was.

"I am pregnant, by Regulus, but that's not the real reason I've asked to meet with you. I was curious to know your true allegiance with regards to the Dark Lord."

Sirius couldn't help himself from the sharp intake of breath. Even he hadn't had the courage to ask his father that and here was Marlene, almost a complete stranger to his father, doing what he couldn't. He waited for the fallout.

None came.

Orion hadn't moved. Sirius wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. Finally, he spoke so softly Sirius wondered if Marlene could even hear him. "I, myself, have never supported that man. It was at my late wife's insistence that we show fealty. With her suffering and death laid at his feet, I find myself thinking... that maybe..." he stopped and looked around.

Someone was heading towards their table, Sirius hadn't noticed them at first, mainly because being in the corner had stagnated the smells around him or because he'd been so intently listening to his father. The stranger wore a concealing black cloak with the hood pulled up. He pulled out the last chair at the table and sat down without a sound.

"Excuse me, but we-" Orion spoke harshly, glaring at the newcomer.

The robed stranger didn't speak, but he slipped his hand from under his sleeve to show off his knuckles. On them was the Black family ring that had been given to Regulus as heir after Sirius ran away. Both men recognised it and had pulled their wands on the stranger.

"How dare you-"

"Not here," Marlene spoke over Orion. "Now it's time we retire somewhere with the utmost privacy."

"Where do you suggest?" Sirius asked, unsure of his emotions. Regulus was dead. That's why Marlene was pregnant, right? How could this stranger have come to own his brother's ring?

"Grimmauld Place," she answered.

"If you think-" Orion started.

The stranger had reached out and grabbed Marlene's hand, the Black crest stark against their light skin. Both stood. Marlene gave a slight tip of her head, "We'll meet you there," she said before turning her back on them and walking out, holding the stranger's hand.

"What the hell was that?" Orion turned his anger on his remaining son.

"I didn't know she would blackmail you. Us. But that ring belongs to our family and I'm going to get it back. Whoever is under that cloak knows where Grimmauld Place is. I want to know who's responsible for Regulus's disappearance. His death. If the man with Marlene isn't his killer then he knows who is."

Orion clenched his jaw and nodded. They stood and slipped out the door into the night and Apparated.

Marlene and the stranger were standing on the stoop leaning on the railing casually. They waited as Orion lowered the wards and unlocked the door. He stepped in first. Marlene and the stranger stepped in next and Sirius followed, closing the door behind him.

The stranger was slightly shorter than he was; still tall. He stood very straight as he waited for an attack.

"The parlour?" Orion offered, uncomfortable with having Regulus's potential murderer in his home. He led the way and sat stiffly in his armchair.

Sirius flopped into the second one feigning casualness he didn't feel.

The stranger stood at the door and they saw him shift, almost like he was struggling to take the cloak off. Marlene reached up to help him but the man spoke and in the quiet of the parlour, his voice carried. "I can do it, Marlene," he said.

Sirius sat up immediately, questioning his ears. He stood and in his periphery, he saw his father stand too. He swallowed as the cloak slipped off the man standing at the door, pooling into Marlene's arms as she backed away.

Sirius's eyes widened as he looked at the man before him. The stranger who wasn't really a stranger.

He had black wavy hair that hung to his chin, dark grey eyes, and several days worth of scruff. The same nose, the same lips. Fine clothes-though slightly worn in places.

Orion whispered his name and the man looked up, giving his father a sad little smile.

"Reggie?" Sirius asked, still disbelieving. Then the man turned and Sirius's eyes zeroed in on the one thing that was absolutely wrong with the entire picture in front of him. Regulus's left sleeve was folded short and pinned back, ending at his elbow. The air left Sirius's lungs as his mind tried to catch up to what he was seeing. "Reggie?" he asked again, sure that might be the only word he felt capable of saying.

Regulus shrugged and the half-limb swayed with the movement.

"What happened, son?" Orion asked, that same soft tone that he'd used when Sirius had told him about being bitten. True concern and worry and maybe a hint of love.

Regulus smiled brightly and stepped closer. "I got scared." When Orion just shook his head, confused, he added, "The Dark Mark is connected to him. After the first summons, the pain gets worse and worse. I'm pretty sure if he'd wanted to, he could have killed me just through the Mark."

"You mean you did this to yourself?" Orion asked, gesturing towards his son's missing arm.

"Technically, Marlene did it," Regulus answered, smiling.

"You asked me to," she answered quickly, like she was worried Orion would attack her for maiming his son.

"Why? What made you change your mind?" Sirius asked, shocking himself with his ability to string together words.

"I learned how deep his obsession with immortality ran and how far he would delve into the Dark Arts," Regulus answered. He shrugged again, "And he poisoned Kreacher and left him for dead. I have something that needs to be destroyed, something to help bring down the Dark Lord. I just needed more help."

Marlene was smiling as she stared at Regulus; love seemed to shine from her eyes.

Sirius had slowly been making his way closer and now he was within reach of his brother. Without warning, Sirius grabbed Regulus by the shoulders and pulled him close, squeezing so tightly in his hug that Regulus tapped him on the back.

"When did you get so strong?" his brother asked, laughing. He squeezed Sirius's bicep with his hand at the question.

Sirius snorted. "When I got bit by a werewolf last month."

Regulus's eyes went wide. "What? No," he said in disbelief, his eyes darting to their father.

Orion nodded. "Can't hide anything from him now," he joked, stepping closer.

"You're not... you're not angry?" Regulus asked. "At him for... Or me? I know how you felt about tainting our bodies and-"

Orion rushed at them and wrapped his arms around both Sirius and Regulus. "My boys, my boys, I don't care. You're alive and safe. That's all that matters," he muttered. He kissed Regulus on the top of the head and brushed his lips against Sirius's temple. "That's all that matters."

Sirius returned his father's embrace and then stepped back. "So... How do we destroy the Dark Lord?"

Regulus laughed. "Well, first I have to explain about Horcruxes..."