Andromeda Black jolted awake. She blinked at the dim light coming in through her curtains and looked to the clock on her bedside table. It was seven am. There was no point getting up yet. Breakfast wasn't until eight for the children. She smiled anyway. It was the first of September.

Andromeda got herself out of bed and tiptoed across the room to where her brand new trunk lay, already packed full of the robes and books and cauldron that had been ordered from Diagon Alley. She wasn't allowed to go there, of course. Mother said only commoners did their shopping in person. It wouldn't be befitting of a Black's status to lower themselves to enter a shop with people when you couldn't know the state of their blood. She remembered Mother's constant lectures. She knew that you couldn't always tell if someone had tainted blood. ("The Mudbloods always stand out like a sore thumb, but sometimes you get a half-blood who has been raised properly and manages to hide their dirty blood. It always comes out in the end though, girls. Never forget that blood matters. Yours is pure. Do not sully it by mixing with filth.")

The one item she was allowed to buy in person was her wand. They had apparated directly to Ollivander's, where Mother had booked a private appointment. She held her wand now, loosely in hand, stroking the complex patterns edged into the smooth wood. It was aspen, twelve and a quarter inches, with a core of unicorn hair. Andromeda had never been prouder than when the wand-maker looked at her appraisingly, and told her that the aspen wand that chose her was a wand fit for a revolutionary. She didn't tell Mother what he said, due to an intuition she would have gone into a rant about Andromeda's future prospects. ("Marriage is the only suitable prospect for a Black.") She couldn't wait to learn how to use it properly. As long as it was fit for her, she didn't mind. She sat for half an hour, her back to the trunk embossed with her initials in silver, ("A name to be proud of.") polishing her wand and wondering about the future.

Before she knew it, she heard the quiet pop that meant Grinchy, the Black house elf assigned to the children, had apparated outside her door. He knocked on the heavy door and it slid open before you could answer. The small elf bowed his head then looked up at Andromeda.

"Mistress Black would like you to wear the black velvet today, Missy 'Dromeda."

Andromeda nodded absent-mindedly. The dress in question materialised onto the end of her bed with a click of Grinchy's fingers. The elf was gone a second later.

Andromeda shrugged to herself. That was her decision for what to wear solved for her, although she didn't really like this black velvet dress. It was itchy. No-one would see it under her outer robes anyway, and once she was on the train she could change into her new school robes. Nothing so minor was worth defying Mother for.

Andromeda took her time dressing, and ensured her dark hair was plaited carefully into neat braids. As soon as she left the room, and turned to go down the corridor to breakfast a hand grabbed her wrist from behind.

"Rommy!" cried the small blond girl. Andromeda jolted, and almost tripped over.

"Cissy!" said Andromeda forcefully, before relaxing. "You shocked me. Let go. You're hurting my arm."

Narcissa pouted and let go, but her small sulky mouth soon resolved itself into a smile.

"You're going to Hogwarts today! And it'll be me soon too!"

Andromeda rolled her eyes at Narcissa's excessive excitement. She couldn't help a small smile coming onto her face though. Her little sister was just so exuberant at times. It was hard to believe she was related to Bella. She retook Narcissa's hand, and they walked down to the dining room together. It would be her last breakfast with her youngest sister for three months, after all. Narcissa would be lonely with Andromeda gone, and she had another two years at home before she would be joining her sisters.

They planned to arrive at the train station for half-past ten. Bella was grumbling under her breath about being far too early, but even she daren't defy their father, who would be apparating Andromeda, as her special treat. Mother would take Bella, and the house elves would take their trunks. Narcissa was to be left at home, a fact at which the ten-year old was most displeased.

Before they left, Cygnus Black, most distinguished benefactor to the Ministry and father of the three Black girls, pulled Andromeda to the side.

"Andromeda." He looked her up and down, pausing on the black ribbons in her hair, and the black velvet dress before looking into her bright green, excited eyes. "You must remember your position as a Black. Do the family proud, Sort into an acceptable House, and make sure your marks befit a daughter of superior bloodline." He frowned slightly, but his face held the ghost of a smirk. "Be sure to follow your sister's example only where wise." Andromeda couldn't help but think Father knew she would not be following Bella's example in those regards. She was much more placid than the fiery eldest sister.

Bella's first term at Hogwarts had been filled with antics unfitting of a daughter of the House of Black. On return home at Yule, her response to Mother's anger at the several letters sent home was to shrug and claim that "the mudbloods deserved it". Mother hit her across the face with her wand, but Bella bore the bruise with pride, and Andromeda sensed that Mother was slightly proud of her daughter, although in Mother's eyes, duelling a mudblood involved being far too close to a mudblood. Andromeda could see her across the room giving Bella a reminder of the type of behaviour a girl should not exhibit if she wanted to marry well.

She focused back on Cygnus and nodded.

"I'll try my best, father," she said, holding her back straight.

"And a Black's best is always enough," said Cygnus, before guiding Andromeda back towards the other two. The clock on the mantelpiece showed twenty-eight minutes past ten. Cygnus nodded at Druella, and they each held onto a daughter's arm. The four Blacks turned in an elegant pirouette of synchronised robes, disappearing from the drawing room of 2 Caustus Avenue with a light pop.

They appeared onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters immediately. Andromeda felt the earth spin at her feet, and would have fallen if not for her father's firm hand holding her up. Once steady, she looked around her in wonder. The platform was still fairly empty at this time, which was one reason they had arrived so early, as well as a meeting Cygnus had with the Minister at eleven. The gleaming scarlet train stood there nonetheless, and smoke billowed around the platform. There were a few other parents seeing their children off. Andromeda could see two tall red-haired boys, both hand-in-hand with a small girl with matching hair, as they led her onto the train.

"Andromeda!" chastised Bella, poking her sharply in the ribs. "What are you looking at them for?"

Andromeda turned back around without saying anything, then felt Mother straighten one of her plaits.

"Goodbye, Andromeda, Bellatrix." said Cygnus. "We will see you for Yule." Druella nodded, but didn't bother adding her own farewell. They both disapparated without a further word. Andromeda looked immediately for Bella, but she had already gone, slipping away into the billowing smoke.

"Bella!" called Andromeda in panic. "Bella! Where have you gone?"

Bella didn't reply, and Andromeda couldn't see where she had gone. She looked to the train instead. She could find her own compartment. There'd be plenty of empty ones this early. She would just have to find Bella later.