Author's Note: I'll be doing a small experiment with this story – I'll be posting it on both and my new account on AO3. I'll then compare the responses from each website.

This is a story that evolved from a small idea. I've noticed a few parallels between Sirius and Ginny and I really wanted to explore them. As the weeks passed, I began to think about them forming a father-daughter relationship. One thing led to another and this story was born!

Summary: Ginny Weasley is becoming quite annoyed with her family. The other Weasleys either ignore her or treat her like an infant. Yet when she moves to Grimmauld Place during the summer before her fourth year, she meets a man who knows just what it's like to hate his family. And as time goes on, Sirius and Ginny find a family in one another. NO-SLASH.

Chapter One

Ginny Weasley couldn't sleep.

Or rather, she didn't want to.

Besides, there were much more pressing matters to attend to.

She sat up and threw her blankets aside, scowling at the dark room.

She really hated this house.

They had moved in several days ago, though nobody had told her why.

Ginny had been quite happy to return to the Burrow after such a chaotic year, which had ended with the worst news that she possibly could have received. And yet, she had quickly realized that she hadn't returned to a peaceful household. Her father and one of her brothers had been drifting apart for quite some time. And on the night of their return, there had been a huge row. It was one of the few times that she had ever heard her father shout. Percy had moved out and her mother had cried for days. And then, one week after the term had ended, her mother had woken her up at the crack of dawn. Mrs. Weasley's demands had been quite frank: Ginny was to pack all of her things and she wasn't to ask questions.

Her brothers had looked just as confused as she had been. Were they going after Percy? The sleepy-eyed redheads had barely had time to comprehend what was happening before they had been forced to touch a portkey. The familiar kitchen had disappeared and they had landed in a grimy Muggle neighborhood. Their parents had finally informed them that they were to be moving into a house at the request of none other than Albus Dumbledore. Ginny had received quite a shock when her mother had informed her that the house was owned by Sirius Black. Apparently, he wasn't a mass-murderer after all! Apparently, he was also Harry's godfather!

Who knew?

Everyone but her, it seemed.

The only thing that Ginny knew was that moving here had something to do with a secret organization known as the Order of the Phoenix. Her siblings seemed to have some idea of what said organization was. Ginny, on the other hand, had no clue. She just knew that a lot of people were in it. Even a few of her professors had come knocking yesterday. Her mother had quickly sent her to her bedroom, keeping her in the dark both figuratively and literally.

'Not for long,' Ginny thought.

She leapt to her feet and tiptoed into the corridor. Her eyes swept every inch of the house as she carefully made her way downstairs. She didn't see anything remarkably unusual, aside from the severed house-elf heads. Her pulse quickened as she passed them.

She made it to the corridor on the ground floor, deciding to head down to the kitchens.

That's where the meetings were held. She felt her way along the wall; it was quite dark and she didn't want to turn on the lights. She would just go down there and…

Ginny gasped as she accidentally tripped over a loose floorboard.

She fell to the floor with a marvelous bang.

A high-pitched wail immediately filled the corridor.

She staggered to her feet and glared daggers at the howling portrait. It had frightened her the other day. Now, it was just bloody annoying.

"BLOOD TRAITOR! SNOOPING AROUND IN MY HOUSE! THE HOUSE OF MY VERY FATHERS! GET OUT! OUT, I SAY!"

"Oh, shut up!" Ginny boldly snapped.

A door to her left opened and someone cried, "Well said!"

Ginny gave a start as Sirius Black raced over and grabbed the curtain.

He turned to her and grunted, "Give me a hand."

She hesitated for a split second before bounding over.

She grabbed the curtain and pulled as hard as she could.

The two fought like mad and managed to cover the horrid woman.

Ginny's chest rapidly rose and fell.

"Nice work," Sirius Black cheerfully said.

"Thanks," Ginny gasped.

She glared at the hidden painting and muttered, "Vile old hag."

Sirius smirked and said, "I couldn't agree more."

"Who is she, anyway?" Ginny curiously asked.

His smirk deepened and he said, "My dear old mother."

Ginny paled and stammered, "I…I'm sorry…I didn't…"

Sirius raised his hand and gently said, "Trust me, you were spot on. I don't believe that we've formally met. Ginny, right?"

"Err…yeah!"

Ginny was genuinely surprised.

People were always giving her the wrong name: Jenny, Ginger, Genevieve, etc.

Whenever she would call them out on it, they would simply reply that there were too many Weasley children to keep track of.

"Short for Virginia?"

"Ginevra."

Sirius made a face.

Ginny laughed and said, "I'm not fond of it, either!"

Sirius stuffed his hands in his pockets and said, "So, Ginevra—"

Ginny scowled and he smirked before continuing, "—Isn't it past your bedtime?"

"You're joking?" Ginny cried, "I'm fourteen!"

"Relax," Sirius laughed, "I am joking. What're you doing up, anyway?"

Ginny suddenly flushed.

This was, after all, his house.

And she had been prowling about, sticking her nose where it didn't belong.

"I was exploring," Ginny admitted.

"It helps to see when you're exploring," Sirius wryly pointed out, "Why weren't you exploring with your brothers earlier?"

"They told me to bugger off," Ginny retorted, "I was going to hex them but Ron pointed out that I would be expelled."

"Oh, don't worry," Sirius replied, "The Ministry can't detect magic here. My father took care of that."

"Really?"

"Yep," Sirius laughed, "Hex away."

Ginny smirked at that.

"In the meantime," Sirius continued, "Feel free to explore. This old house is riddled with hundreds of secrets. There has to be at least a dozen secret passageways."

"Brilliant," Ginny cried, "Thanks."

She hesitated before slowly saying, "Can I…err…can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Sirius immediately said, "Anything."

Her eyes widened and she cried, "Really?"

"Mmhm."

She leaned forward and whispered, "What's the Order of the Phoenix?"

It was Sirius' turn to look surprised.

His brow furrowed and he cried, "Nobody told you?"

She shook her head.

"What the hell were they thinking?" Sirius muttered, "You need to be prepared…"

He hesitated before asking, "Do you know what happened last week?"

"Yes," Ginny immediately said, "Tom Riddle returned."

Of course she knew.

It had been on her mind ever since.

Sirius looked perplexed for a moment before saying, "Yeah. Dumbledore created the Order of the Phoenix to fight him. It's an army of sorts."

"Can I join?" Ginny immediately asked.

"Sure," Sirius wryly said, "With parental permission."

Ginny sighed.

The day her parents gave her permission to join the Order of the Phoenix was the day that Snape handed out sweets to his students.

"Then again…"

Ginny looked up as she realized that Sirius had grown solemn.

"Maybe it's better if you don't join," Sirius gravely said, "There's not much of the original Order of the Phoenix left…and history has a way of repeating itself…"

Ginny carefully surveyed him.

"Sorry," Sirius apologized, "You oughtn't be hearing that."

"No, it's okay," Ginny slowly said, "I…I want to hear it."

Sirius' eyebrows shot towards his hairline.

Ginny took a deep breath before explaining, "Everyone is always trying to shield me from the world, even though I've faced things that they couldn't possibly imagine."

Sirius' eyes flashed with curiosity but he remained silent.

"Mum has this habit of sweeping bad things under the rug," Ginny continued, "She thinks that the less we know, the better. But I disagree. I think that we need to be prepared. It's sort of like being in a room with a monster. You can try to close your eyes but…but that's not going to make the monster go away. Do you know what I mean?"

Sirius thoughtfully nodded.

"Anyway," Ginny sighed, "Thank you for telling me."

"You're welcome, Juniper."

Her head shot up and she repeated, "Juniper?"

He nodded.

"Well," Ginny eventually said, "It's certainly the most unique nickname that I've heard."

He laughed and Ginny jumped.

It was an unusual sound – almost like that of a barking dog.

"Well, Juniper," Sirius yawned, "I'm turning in. Feel free to keep exploring."

"Thanks, Mister Black."

"Oh, don't call me that," Sirius snorted, "Sirius, please. Or Padfoot."

"Padfoot?" Ginny repeated.

"Mmhm," Sirius sleepily said, "Old nickname from school."

Ginny tucked a piece of hair around her ear as she asked, "Did you make a map when you were at school?"

Sirius looked up.

Ginny beamed as she realized that he had.

"Yes," Sirius finally admitted, "My friends and I made it. How did you…?"

"Fred and George found it in their first year," Ginny explained, "They spent years using it to explore the castle before finally giving it to Harry."

"Harry has it?" Sirius excitedly asked.

Her smile widened and she nodded.

Sirius looked like Christmas had come early.

It was the first time that she had seen him genuinely smile.

She smiled back and said, "Well…'night."

"Take care, Juniper."