Harry Potter 1. Prologue : Eyes on Fire

**AN: Hello! This is my first time publishing anything on fanfiction and I am hoping that it turns out okay. My story is going to be set in the time of the Marauders, however my main character will be in her 7th year when Sirius and them all start school. It follows my OC, Ara Black, through Hogwarts and then her life up until her husband's arrest and her subsequent return home after Sirius' escape. The story will be focused on my OC and will get pretty dark at times because all the main death eaters went to school with my OC, so if you have a problems with either things please feel free to leave my story now. If not, have a good day and I hope you enjoy my story! Bye!**

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**Prologue: Eyes On Fire**

_July 1995_

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Harry was staring contemplatively at the tapestry, thinking over Sirius' revelations about his brother, Regulus. Harry was growing to love his godfather more all the time, he admired him and couldn't help but treasure him as if he was truly related to him. This was simply another reason for Harry to admire Sirius, that he had overcome his family's history and stood up for what he believed in. He stared down at the portrait of Regulus as Ms. Weasley called everyone for lunch, the stampede of red heads went ignored however as Harry noticed something strange on the tapestry.

"Sirius," Harry called out quietly.

"Hmm," came Sirius' lazy reply as he gazed darkly at the tapestry.

Harry was staring hard at a portrait of a young girl, her golden thread connecting her to Sirius and his brother. She had the common good looks of the Black family with high cheekbones, hooded eyes, and full red lips curving into a seductive smile. Her wavy black hair and Grecian straight nose reminded him of Sirius, while her luminous blue eyes reminded him of the snarling portrait of Sirius' mother. Harry's eyebrows rose as he looked below her portrait, _Ara Lestrange__._

"Sirius? Did you have a sister?"

Sirius' head snapped over to look at Harry, a look of shock plastered on his face. He quickly turned back to face the tapestry his eyes now glued to the picture of the beautiful young girl. His voice was sorrowful when he replied, "Yes. Her name was Ara and she was magnificent."

Harry tried to be careful with his next question, "What happened to her?"

Sirius sighed loudly, plopping down into an arm chair near the wall, a cloud of dust enveloping him. The Weasleys had all gotten quiet, settling around the room to hear Sirius speak. "Nobody really knows what happened to her. She was my elder sister, by about five years, and I loved her." Coughing he ran his dirty hands through his hair, exhaling loudly before continuing. "She was truly lovely, a picture of pure-blood perfection and more of a mother to me than that old hag. She was Orion's baby girl though, a Slytherin princess who got good grades and hung out with the respectable crowds," he looked mournfully at her portrait, "yet she was not like them at all. She was pure, innocent, with a loving heart and a strong sense of loyalty, and I left her here. I left her alone with them to be married off to some ignorant pure-blooded asshole! Merlin, she was too nice to leave them here on her own, too loyal to to simply walk away, I should have taken her with me." He walked over toward the tapestry and started to pace.

"Fuck!" He punctuated his shout by punching the wall, before collapsing against it. The whole room was silent as they watched Sirius breakdown, careful not to disturb him. He brought his knees up to his chest as he released a harsh chuckle. "Do you know that she was courted by Lucius Malfoy for _three years_? I mean, bloody hell! I could never understand what she saw in him, she was too loving for that cold bastard, yet she stayed with him. The topper is that after I ran away and left her here with them they married her off, not to just any old pure-blood, but to sadistic, _mass murder_ Rabastan Lestrange. They had already married Bella off to the devil so they made her marry his brother. And now she is gone! She disappeared when Rabastan was arrested and no one has seen or heard from her since."

Sirius punched the wall again before he stood up running his dusty hands over his face. "Shit. I'm sorry Harry, guys. I did not mean to blow up like that. I'm just... I'm gonna step outside for minute. Sorry."

The room was shocked quiet as Sirius walked away, he stopped in his room and picked up a pack of cigarettes before walking out to the front porch. He collapsed at the top of the stairs lighting a cigarette and inhaling the tobacco, enjoying the sting as the smoke filled his lungs. He was taking another drag of his cigarette when he heard a loud crack, the sound of apparition. He looked up and saw a woman walking towards his house, heels clicking against the sidewalk. She was beautiful with a curvy figure wrapped in a wine colored dress and dark velvet robes. He looked around trying to figure out where she was going, surely he would recognize her if she was walking towards his house. However, it seemed that she was indeed walking directly towards Sirius, hips and wavy black hair swaying with each step. The closer she got the more Sirius felt like he should know who she was.

"I see you still haven't quit that nasty habit of yours Sirius, I was hoping that your stint in Azkaban would have kicked you of that unpleasant hobby," came a husky voice from the bottom of the stairs.

Sirius looked up at the woman in surprise and when his eyes locked on those familiar piercing blue eyes, he couldn't help but gasp. He inhaled some of the smoke wrong and began coughing loudly, his eyes still locked on the familiar stranger in front of him. "Ara?"

"Hello little brother I have missed you terribly these past few years."


	2. Chapter 1 : Pretty Face

**AN: Hey guys. So this chapter is pretty much seen through the eyes of Walburga, the mother of Sirius, Regulus, and Ara. I knew I did not want to start the story with Ara being a little girl, I knew that I wanted to give a glimpse into why Walburga is the way she is with her children, mainly Ara. Thus this chapter was born, it is rather short and I am sorry for that. The next chapter however should be longer and a little more interesting as we meet other Black family members. Also, at the end of the chapter I have little bits of info, kinds of like background info for those interested. So have a good day and I hope you enjoy the story! Bye!**

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**Chapter 1: Pretty Face**

_December 1953  
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Walburga stared dismally into the giant enchanted mirror hanging in her bedroom, the ornate silver frame glinting in the moonlight floating in through the window. She felt uncomfortable standing naked in the moonlight, despondent as she observed her changing body. She had never really contemplated children before but as she stood staring at her lightly round stomach it was all she could think about. Walburga did not have much experience dealing with children despite having two younger brothers and the thought of having her own had always frightened her. Subconsciously she knew that at some point in time she would become pregnant, it was her duty as a pure-blood wife to provide an heir for her esteemed husband, however she never really gave it much thought. Therefore, when she had begun feeling nauseous and started throwing up every morning she did not think much of it. She called upon her personal healer and explained her suspicions that she must have caught the stomach flu from when she passed through disgusting, filth ridden muggle London recently. However, her healer shocked her when she revealed that Walburga was not in fact sick, but pregnant.

Pregnant. The word still shocked Walburga whenever mentioned, the world rotating too fast on its uneven axis as she tried to come to grips with the news. Her head hurt and spun as she ran her delicate fingers over her lightly bulging stomach, there was life growing inside of her. Her. Walburga Black. She supposed she was expected to happy with this news, instead however her thoughts keep drifting back to the ways this child would ruin her. Her long elegant frame would expand, stretching and leaving marks, proof of her nonexistent innocence, that she could already see developing on her creamy stomach. Her dainty feet would swell and her graceful walk would be disintegrated to a mere waddle that conveyed her discomfort. Suddenly she despised this child for what it would be taking away from her. As a woman of high social standing and respected heritage it was expected that she would stay at home and become the lady of the manor, attending exclusive social gatherings and managing the household. However, Walburga was not especially sociable and disliked doing work she felt was more the house elf's duty, which only left her one thing to be admired for, her beauty.

Slowly Walburga withdrew her eyes from her damaged figure and proceeded to redress in her fine silken robes of a beautiful sapphire blue, diamonds sewn into the bodice whose sparkling helped attract attention to her piercing blue eyes. She smoothed bony fingers over her long auburn hair, wrapping the occasional curl around her finger to watch it spring back into place. She smiled at her reflection pleased that she was once again the image of perfection, her full lips curving over her white teeth. Sighing she left her bedroom to walk to Orion's study, trailing her fingers over the blue wall coverings. She climbed the steep polished stairs until she reached the worn, large door concealing Orion's study in her dowry property. Knocking lightly she stared off into space calling on her small reserves of courage as she awaited a response. A light 'come in' echoed out into the hall so she gripped the serpent engraved knob and pushed the door open, stepping into his study as the smell of tobacco smoke filled her lungs.

"What is it Walburga my dear I am rather in the middle of something."

Orion did not even look up from his desk as he rested in a worn high-backed leather chair. Walburga settled herself on the edge of his desk to gain his attention as she delicately ran her fingers the black leather of his chair. Her icy eyes met his stormy grey and she gathered her last little bit of courage to tell him her news.

"Orion, I find myself in possession of some rather pleasant news and felt it my duty to alert you at once."

Curiosity getting the better of him Orion pulled his wife down onto his lap, wrapping an arm around her slim waist.

"And pray tell my beautiful wife what news might that be?"

Walburga allowed her arms to wrap around his neck as she stared into his grey eyes and she felt her body fill with the inexplicable urge to see those beautiful eyes staring up at her from a small, miniature Orion nestled in her arms. Shaking her head fruitlessly she leaned into Orion, bending her head to his ears, her lips grazing the shell lightly as she whispered to him, "I am with child my love."

Orion pulled away sharply to look at his wife, hope and excitement reflecting brightly in his luminous orbs. "Dear please tell me this is true and you are not simply getting an old man's hopes up."

Walburga smiled at her husband's excitement pleased that she was the cause of his sudden happiness. "It is a promise Orion. I am about three months along according to the healer and perfectly healthy." Suddenly her world was spinning as Orion picked her up and spun her around in joy. Walburga's usually cold face lit up with laughter at his enthusiasm, gripping him tighter to hold onto his broad shoulders.

"This is the best Christmas gift you have ever given me love, thank you."

Walburga smiled before extracted herself from his warm muscular arms, smoothing down her dress and elegant ringlets and composing her face back into its usual apathetic mask. While she could not share his enthusiasm for the child growing within her, she was glad that the child would have at least one parent who loved it. Her own parents were rather strict and cold as was expected from any self-respecting pure-blood family, they were not supposed to be loving and childish lest their children pick up the undignified behavior. However, Walburga could see now that Orion would be kinder to their child, not necessarily as free as those disgusting Weasleys but nicer than her own raising would allow.

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A girl. What had Walburga done in this life to deserve such injustice? The fact that she had just gone through several hours of torturous labor to give birth to child that she did not even want was pain enough. Now however she was faced with the healer telling her that her child was a girl, that disturbing wrinkly bundle was a girl, and here she had thought that she could not hate her child more than she already did. Walburga had sacrificed her beauty and youth to provide her ecstatic husband an heir and now she was discovering that it was all in vain. Her narrow hips had widen, her slim stomach was now scarred and bulging lightly, her feet had gone up a size, and she was just hold that she would have to do it all over again. Her full lips curved up in disgust as she was handed the small pink bundle to gaze down at the thing that had caused her so much misery.

The child was small with warm pink skin and a tiny button nose that was scrunched up as she let out a little yawn, small pouty lips similar to her own curved into a delicate 'O'. Walburga found herself contemplating how beautiful her child had turned out before she banished the thought, running her hands through the child thick black curls. She guessed that she had to named the little creature, her and Orion having already decided to continue that Black tradition of naming children after stars. Names rolled around in her head as she contemplated which ancestor should donate their name to his child. However, her thoughts were stopped as the little girl in her arms opened her heavy lidded eyes and grazed back at Walburga with familiar ice blue eyes.

Suddenly she knew what name belong to the little disaster in her arms, Ara Violetta Black. Violetta after her grandmother and Ara per her husband request that the child be named using the stars. The name Ara suited the child perfectly she later thought, as she was sure that her husband would worship the very ground this little girl walked on knowing his weakness for women. The door opened as the healer walked out of the room and let Orion in behind her. He walked gently towards Walburga, stopping to stare down at the bundle in her arms.

"A girl," he asked questioningly, his eyes never leaving the child.

"Yes dear. Ara Violetta Black."

Orion extracted the little girl from her arms and she watched his face softened as he gazed down at the little girl with his black hair. "Ara," he whispered reverently. The bundle let out a little mewl and opened her eyes wide to gaze at her father. He sucked in a large breath as he gazed at her blue eyes entranced, slowly smiling as he stared down at his little girl, his baby. Walburga felt an irrational burning of jealously begin in her stomach as he gazed lovingly at the child. Orion had never looked at her with such awe, such love. She felt her hatred towards the little girl grow as she realized that in his eyes she had been replaced. That little girl would grow to be the light of her father's life and would leave Walburga in the dust, surpassing her in beauty and benevolence.

Walburga hastened to remove herself from the room to relax in a bath of calendula, lavender, and dianthus. She knew that the only way to solve her problems would be to provide her husband with an heir, distracting him from his daughter and drawing his magnetic affections back to her. Suddenly, she knew what she would be spending her time doing the next few months and called Kreature to collect a fertility potion from the closest apothecary. Pleased that her life would soon fall back into place she relaxed in her soothing bath and drifted off to sleep.

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**Side notes for interested minds: **

**-Violetta Bulstrode is a real character who married into the Black family and was truly Walburga's grandma according to the official Black family tree. **

**-Ara is a southern constellation between Scorpius and Triangulum Australe, it contains part of the Milky Way and is south of Scorpius and thus it has very rich star fields of beautiful colors. Its name is Latin for "altar", hence Walburga's comment.**

**-Calendula, Lavender, and Dianthus are all actual ingredients used by practitioners of green witchcraft in soothing and calming baths. I plan to use several reference to actual practiced witchcraft from the muggle world in this story as I feel it will give it depth and help establish a little bit of my own mythology and magic in my story.**

**-The title comes from the song "Pretty Face" by Soley which I listened to the entire time I was writing this. Also the previous chapter title came from the song "Eyes On Fire" by Blue Foundation which I listened to while writing it.**


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