A/N: yes i posted this story once before, but i decided it needed to be re-written coz it was kinda stupid. enjoy...:) Hunter Orion Black A figure darted from ally to ally, avoiding all lights, he had a small bundle hugged tightly to his chest, it was wrapped in his leather coat. A small boy was in his hands, and he was ready to put down his life for his precious bundle. Thinking of his wife, Gracie and what their love had made and become over the two years of knowing each other. Regulus Black leaned against a wall and looked at the address scribbled into the back of his hand. He didn’t want to give up his son, but he knew it was the right thing to do. He continued down the road. As he went he thought of all of what had happened to him and the three people who he loved, the three who had stood by him no matter what he did. Gracie Black, his wife , and he had stood together ever since they had met in the service of the Dark Lord. They went on assignments and then fell in love, but they knew it was not to be, for she was a vampire and the Dark Lord frowned on interspecies involvement and romance. It was then they had started to doubt the man’s word. In the end the two had run away, leaving family and friends behind, doing everything to stay below the radar. Then ten months ago they had discovered that she was pregnant, a month ago their healthy child had been born. They knew instantly that he was not a normal child. His eyes had a red glow to them and were sensitive to light, he could also see extremely well in the dark, they could tell he would be stronger than most humans and agile, as he was already walking. Gracie had found the mark of the Vampires on her child the small etched ‘V’ just above his Achilles tendon. The child was the second person who had never given up on him, his child had always looked at him with eyes that admired and loved him unconditionally. He had never known the love of his father as he had been born not out of love, but out of need to breed purebloods. He had sworn that his child would know real love. The third and last person Regulus who had never given up on him, no matter what he did was his brother Sirius. He and Sirius had been friends all through childhood, until Sirius had made friends with James Potter. At Hogwarts Sirius’s visions of fairness toward Muggles and half-bloods were increasingly destroyed. Then the last time Regulus saw his brother was on his seventeenth birthday. Sirius had walked in, totally ignoring their parents and walked up to Regulus and said plainly “Reg, I hope you see your mistakes, when you do contact me. Happy Birthday.” with that Sirius had taken off his long leather coat and given it to Regulus, who had now wrapped his child in it. Regulus had sent a letter to be held at Gringotts until Hunter was sixteen and Sirius available. It was for Sirius telling him about Hunter and if Sirius could look after the boy. Regulus stopped walking in front of a large ivy covered stone building. He slowly walked up to the porch not knowing how to do what he was about to do. As if in a trance he placed the bundle on the door step and placed the box and a letter next to it. He brushed the baby’s already long hair away from its eyes. “Bye, Son. I love you.” Regulus stood up silently and walked back to the street turning on the spot to look at the bundle on the porch of the orphanage. He smiled as a familiar sensation swept over him. “Don’t bother, Gracie. I’ve had enough practice at knowing if someone’s there, I don’t need my own wife sneaking up on me.” “Most husbands acquire that skill at some time.” she said stepping out of the shadows and smiling. Her hair was darker than night and her skin was as white as her hair was black. Her ruby red lips parted and Regulus could see the razor sharp fangs that had nipped him so often in the heat of their passion. She wore a long blood red dress, hemmed with black lace. Although he couldn’t see it Regulus knew under that dress would be high heeled knee length boots with a long curved knife in. “Why would that be?” he smiled as he took her hand and pulled her into him, holding her tight, kissing her tightly and passionately, until the parted and both looked towards the bundle on the orphanage porch, a questioning look in his eyes. “We have done right, love. Our Hunter will be safe.” the hypnotic tone in her voice settled his gut. She could always calm him down. “I hope you are right.” was all he could say. “The luck of the vampires be with him all the way.” She murmured. Her hand reaching to where her necklace normally lay, though she now remembered she had placed it in her sons box, for no amount of luck would spare her or her husband. “I hope so, Gray I hope so.” he put and arm around his wife, and they watched as the sun rose (they had to step back into the shadows to avoid her exploding in to flames) and a man stepped from the orphanage and a confused look passed over his face as he picked up the baby and the box of possessions and walked back inside. 1987 September Hunter was bouncing around the orphanage minibus, as was most of the others. Though he was seven he had not yet been to a public primary school, the orphanage home schooled the key stage one children, while the key stage two’s were sent off to the nearest primary school. Hunter smiled. He loved learning, he loved reading, he loved anything that didn’t have to do with going outside in the daytime. Hunter had found at an early age that his eyes couldn’t stand bright lights. The head of the orphanage had given him medical prescribed sunglasses, which he wore every waking hour not only because of his vision but to hide his strange eye colour. Hunter was strong, clever and sharp, or so said his reports. He was faster and stronger than all of the other children at the home and most of the adults as well, and he had been found reading Charles Dickens at the age of five. The psychologists had found nothing wrong with him, they had just said he liked to read. Hunter at school was an exciting prospect to the staff at the orphanage, they had made bets to see how long it would take for him to be moved up in years. They knew he was looking forwards to the competition at public school, but how much competition he’d get was unknown by the staff. Hunter smiled and looked about him at the other children, he fiddled with the necklace that had been left in a box of possessions left by his parents, it was like a cross, except it had curves and points on it, and the bottom split into two parts. He tucked it into his shirt as the bus stopped and he pulled himself off. Putting his glasses on he looked around, there were children running and playing tag, there were children that were tackling each other, or sat in large groups talking. It was then he noticed not all of his new class mates were playing there was one. This one girl sat all alone in a corner on a bench, she was reading. Hunter was about to go over to her when a woman came out of the school. “Will all Year threes come over here please.” she called. Hunter and the one other child for the orphanage his age joined the crowd into the school. The class crammed into the classroom, taking their seats, picking next to friends they knew from previous years. Hunter noticed as the girl who had been reading came in behind everyone else and took her seat right at the front. Hunter felt a stab of pity for her as he noticed the other children were avoiding her. He and Lee, the boy also so from the orphanage stayed up front and waited with baited breath. Once they were all settled the teacher stood up and smiled at them. “Okay Class, these are the children I told you would be coming, I want you to be nice to them and show them around until they have got their bearings.” she gave the two a look which Hunter recognized as the ‘aw poor dears, no parents’ look. “Hermione.” the girl at the front looked up from her thick book. “I want you to look after…” she looked at Hunter “Hunter was it?” Hunter nodded. “Hunter Black.” he smiled as he walked over to the seat next to the girl. “And Lee, if you could go sit with Jackson.” Hunter watched as Lee went to sit next to a lanky boy. Hunter dismissing Lee turned to Hermione, she was watching him intently. He fixed her with a grin, which the older girls at the orphanage said would have girls all over him when he was older. “What?” he asked innocently. “So you’re one of the new people?” she asked without any hesitation. “Yeah. Hunter Orion Black.” Hunter stuck out his hand. She looked at him calculatingly then nodded. “Hermione Jane Granger, pleased to meet you.” she took his hand and shook. “So what you reading?” he asked. “Christmas Carol. One of my favourites.” she said. She looked as if she expected to explain. “Good book, though I prefer Great Expectations.” he grinned at her astonished face. “You read Charles Dickens? Surely just the picture books.” Hunter scoffed. “No, I like reading the whole story or none of the story. And Charles Dickens is my favourite author second only to Stephan King. I love horror.” “You two stop talking.” the teacher said sternly. “Yes Ma’am.” they said together then grinned at each other. It was then Hunter Black and Hermione Granger became best friends. August 1990 “Come on ‘Mione.” Hunter called, running up the hill, Hermione Granger chased after him, she finally tackled him to the floor and they tumbled down to the hill hitting a tree, him taking the full force of the fall. “Ow.” “Oh, Hun’, I’m sorry, are you hurt? Can you move? Is anything broken?” “No, yes, no. but I’ve lost my glasses.” At this Hermione looked up, she had hardly ever seen Hunter’s eyes as he kept his dark glasses on all the time, what she saw surprised her, she had always expected Hunter to have dark eyes, but instead his whites were blood shot, with intricate black veins winding their way around them, his iris was a strange light gray and his pupils were near glazed over like a blind mans. “Here they are.” she said picking them up and handing them to him. “Thanks.” he slid them back on. “That’s better. Well, we’ve played tag, almost broken our necks what do you want to do now?” “Study?” Hermione grinned. “Maybe not, even I get tired of studying, ‘Mione.” Hunter smiled. “Sometimes, but its okay for you, you know it all anyway.” Hermione smiled affectionately at him. “Nobody can know everything.” Hunter said. “My parents seem to expect me too.” Hermione said, her face suddenly falling. “They should love you for who you really are. I know I do.” Hunter said before realising what had just come out of his mouth. She turned toward him. “W…what did you say?” “I said they should love you for who you are.” Hunter said trying to worm away from it. “After that.” “Urm…” “You said you love me.” she pointed out. “I meant I a friends way.” he said “Oh.” her face falling drastically. All they way home Hermione thought about what Hunter had said to her, she knew that girls feeling matured faster than boys, and she knew what she was feeling for her best friend. Her heart had soared when those words came had from his mouth. Her knocked on the front door, all thoughts of Hunter vanished when her father’s angry face opened the door. “Where the hell have you been?” he yelled. “I’ve been playing with Hunter.” she stammered. “What that Black boy?” her mother appeared at her father’s elbow. Hermione nodded. “Yes mother.” “I don’t like him.” her father said plainly. “Dad, you don’t even know him.” Hermione argued. “You were never like this before you met him, he’s a bad impression on you. I don’t want you hanging around with him anymore.” “Dad.” Hermione’s eyes started to water as his words sank in. “Don’t dad me. Hermione Jane Granger. I don’t like him, I’ve already asked your teacher who is a friend of mine, she has agreed to move you and Hunter apart. When you go back you are to spend your time in the library and studying, then straight here and study some more.” “Dad.” Hermione started openly crying. “He’s my only friend. He helps me in class, he’s smarter than me.” “Lies.” her father snapped. “He’s just fooling you into thinking that. Any child that grows up in a home like that is a delinquent. I don’t trust him. You will not see him any more, do I make myself clear?” “Dad.” “DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!” “Yes Dad.” And so it started. Hermione didn’t see Hunter for the rest of the summer. When school started she was moved away from him in class and she was made to go to the library at lunch and break. Hunter couldn’t understand it. Hermione was avoiding him, she had been his friend, was it when he rejected her, had he hurt her feelings that much, he didn’t know but he had to find out. It went on all through the school year, her parents and the teachers seemed to be making it harder for him to get to her. It wasn’t until July 1991 that he managed to get her alone for a few seconds. July 1991 Hunter sat on the bench in the park, leaning back a bottle of coke in his hand, he had become more and more lonely since Hermione had started ignoring him, he spat and wiped his eyes which were starting to tear. He smiled and wondered what his birth parents would think of him. “Probably somewhere hot not thinking about the kid they left behind.” he answered himself. Hunter’s abnormality had increased over the year, he could hear unnaturally well, he could use his finger tips to sense power potential and his speed had increased ten fold. The nurse at school couldn’t find anything, nether could the doctors at the hospital the orphanage used. His balance was near perfect so was agility. It was dusk as he emptied the bottle and smiled, time to head back to the orphanage. It was then he heard a small sob come from behind a tree a few metres away. Curious he made his way to it and peered round, there he saw. “Hermione?” The girl looked up at him, her eyes were rimmed with red and her face stained with tears. She looked up and burst into tears again. “’Mione, what’s wrong.” Hunter sat next to her and put an arm around her. “I’m going away, Hun.” she said between sobs. “Mum and Dad are sending me to a boarding school.” “’Mione. Why did-” “I ignore you all year?” she finished. He nodded. “Mum and Dad made me. They said you were a bad impression on me, they got the teacher to move us apart.” “God, ‘Mione. I’m sorry.” Hunter took her in his arms and hugged her. “All year I was thinking horrible things about you…and now you’re going away.” “I’m sorry, Hunter. I should have told you sooner.” “Don’t go, stay, talk to your parents.” he pleaded. “They won’t listen.” “I wish I could come with you.” he looked down. “Hunter, I love you.” she said quietly. “How do we know what love feels like, ‘Mione? We’re only eleven” Hunter reasoned. “I just feel something. Don’t you?” “Yeah, yeah I do.” Hunter drew her in and kissed her gently on the forehead. October 1994 Hunter ducked the punch and brought his own fist up, his blood was pumping and time was going slower. The punch connected and the boy flew backwards. Smeltings school was a pain in the ass, he had decided this the second he had gone to it. He had managed to get in by a scholarship, while all the others had rich daddies who could afford it. Dudley Dursley was the main problem, he used every opportunity to hit Hunter. The boy brought down his cane and whipped Hunter across the calf, Hunter buckled. The stick came again, Hunter rolled and caught it ignoring the pain in his hand, he snatched the cane away and snapped it with one hand. He threw the bits away and advanced on Dudley. Dudley puffed himself up to look menacing. Dudley swung a meaty fist, Hunter ducked and rolled, missing the fist by centre meters, he then swung his arm up and smacked Dudley’s upper arm, making the boy scream in agony. Smiling Hunter pulled round and kicked Dudley hard in the gut. “Come on, Lard ass.” Hunter taunted. “I thought you were meant to be the boxing champ of the school.” Dudley bellowed in rage, charging at Hunter. Hunter side stepped, held and arm out and hit Dudley in the face. Hunter pulled his arm down, Dudley’s face still attached. Hunter slammed him down to the floor, where he lay panting for breath. Hunter took a breather and looked down at the boy. “I ain’t someone to be pushed around mate.” He turned and walked away. July 1995 “What the hell do you mean expelled?” Leo, the head of the orphanage yelled. Hunter rolled his eyes. “I have been expelled for fighting, expelled, thrown out, kicked out on my ass. Take your pick.” “Who were you fighting, was it that Dursley boy again?” Leo snapped. “Tubby deserved it.” Hunter muttered. Hunter had just gotten back from the boarding school Smeltings. Only next year he wasn’t going back. He had gotten into another fight with Dudley Dursley. This time just because Hunter had dated, kissed and other things with the girl Dudley liked. Hunter grinned at the repulsed look on Hannah’s face as Dudley proclaimed his undying love for her. “Hunter, I’m going to have to send you to the local school next year. Please no more fights.” “I don’t start them, I finish them, I won’t take shit from anyone, especially lard assed, up themselves wankers like Dudley Dursley.” “Fine, just stay out of trouble.” “I’ll try.”