The Black Sheep

by thequillofimagination

Andromeda Black has never agreed with her family's stance towards muggleborns. But what will she do when she falls in love with one? Rated T for Bellatrix being Bellatrix

Andromeda Black had never felt like she fitted in.

She was born into a pure-blooded wizarding family, where muggles were considered disgusting and inferior, and any witch or wizard with muggle lineage didn't truly deserve to be magical.

Andromeda never thought like that. Once, when she was about seven, her Aunt Walburga had been telling her about muggles' place in society and how they should be punished. Andromeda had said, without realising at the time just how big a deal this was
"But it's not their fault that they're muggles. We should be nice to them, 'coz I feel sorry for them that they don't have magic."
Her mother and aunt had both stared at her for a minute, open-mouthed. Finally, her mother had recovered herself enough to slap her across the face, explain exactly what she had done wrong, and how it was an awful thing to say. Andromeda still privately didn't agree with how muggles were treated by her family, but she kept quiet. Her mother could slap hard. Eventually, she was sent off to the kitchens to work with the house elves for an hour, so that she could see how inferior races lived. Unfortunately for her mother, Andromeda thoroughly enjoyed that hour, because the house elves were friendly (A rarity in her house, apart from Narcissa, who was quite withdrawn. Bellatrix was not exactly the kind of sister you'd call friendly) and any work that she would have done, the house elves did instead. It was a much nicer atmosphere in the kitchen than anywhere else in the house, so Andromeda found herself spending more and more time down there.

---

When she got to eleven, she got her Hogwarts letter. She had been ecstatic, believing that she would be free of her family's prejudices for most of the year. Oh, how wrong she was.
Her older sister Bellatrix was already at Hogwarts, and had been Sorted into Slytherin. This came as no shock to the family, who didn't even consider any of the children (Cygnus and Druella's three girls, and Walburga and Orion's two boys) being in any house other than Slytherin. Andromeda started to realise that if she wasn't in Slytherin, the consequences at home would be dire. She started to get worried about Hogwarts, and lost most of her excitement. Of course she wouldn't be free from prejudices! In fact, she may be more subject to them than ever, because for the first time, she would actually meet muggle-borns. Apart from the way she was expected to treat them, she was quite looking forward to that, because it would be interesting to see how other people lived.
On September 1st, she got on the train with Bellatrix, who immediately strode off, leaving her on her own. She looked around hopelessly, trying to find a compartment with space. A door slid open, to reveal a skinny fair haired boy.
"Hi," he said, "You can sit in here if you like. I'll help you with that." He gestured towards her large trunk. Andromeda breathed a sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank you ever so much! I didn't know where I was going to sit, or how I was going to move this." They both bent down to pick the trunk up, and with much effort, managed to get it safely into the compartment.
She sat down with a bump, and he sat across from her.
'So, I'm guessing you're a first year too then?' said the boy.
'Yes. My name's Andromeda Black.' She stuck her hand out and the boy laughed at the formal greeting.
'Nice to meet you, Andromeda Black,' he replied, shaking her hand. 'I'm Edward Tonks.' He laughed again. 'Just call me Ted though, Edward sounds too formal.' Andromeda nodded, her brow furrowed in thought.
'Tonks... I don't recognise the name. Are you- are you a muggleborn?' She whispered the last word as if she were saying something awful.
'Yep.' Ted popped the 'p'. 'Hey, wait, do you mean you're from an all magic family? That's so cool!'. Andromeda nodded enthusiastically. She wanted to see what muggles and muggleborns were really like.
'So what's it like being a muggle?' She asked, leaning forward. Ted looked confused.
'Err, it's alright I guess. It's nothing special though, not like magic! Do you already know spells?' Andromeda pulled out her wand.
'Lumos,' she said, and the end of her wand lit up. Andromeda was a bit disappointed with it, because she'd cast it much stronger the last time she'd tried it, but Ted seemed fascinated.
'That's amazing! How did you learn it?' Andromeda extinguished the light and shrugged.
'My family taught me a couple of things.' Ted sighed.
'It must be amazing to live with magic around you all the time.' Andromeda laughed, which she hadn't done in a long time.
'Well, it's a good thing you think that, considering where you're going to be living for most of the next seven years. I just think it's interesting how you live without magic.' Ted looked a little surprised.
'Really?' Andromeda nodded her head vigorously.
'Would you tell me about it?' Ted still looked surprised, but proceeded to tell her about televisions and muggle primary school. She in return told him about all the magic she knew, and about the house elves that she lived with. By the time they got to Hogwarts, they were well on the way to becoming best friends.

'Black, Andromeda.'

Andromeda took a deep breath and walked up to the stool which the bedraggled Sorting Hat had been placed on. She tried as hard as she could not to look like she felt, which was nervous. She reached the stool, and put the hat on her head. The last thing she saw before it slipped over her eyes was Ted smiling encouragingly at her.

'Ah, another Black, I see.' Andromeda's mind involuntarily flinched away from this description. Much as she was afraid of being placed in a house other than Slytherin, she didn't want to be like her family. The Sorting Hat must have sensed her discomfort, because it chuckled.

'Oh, you're not like the others, are you? They all told me to just get on with it and put them in Slytherin. I don't think that's the house for you though, my dear.' Andromeda started to panic. She couldn't be in a house that wasn't Slytherin! Her family would disown her or something!

'Please,' she thought, 'Put me in Slytherin. It's the only thing I can be.' The Hat hmm'd.

'You'd do far better in Ravenclaw. Even Hufflepuff would be better for you than Slytherin.' Andromeda nearly started to cry. She supposed that Ravenclaw wouldn't be too bad, but her family would still frown upon it. She was far too much of a coward, which was, she supposed, why the Sorting Hat hadn't mentioned Gryffindor. The Hat tutted.

'No, Gryffindor is not out of the question, Miss Black. You have the potential to be far braver than you think you are. It would be about as good for you as Slytherin, so I still maintain that you would do well in Ravenclaw. You're a bright girl, and your thirst for knowledge is admirable, especially concerning muggles, considering your upbringing.' Andromeda felt a sudden flash of anger.

' My upbringing? What, exactly, is that supposed to mean?' Even if she didn't like her family that much, they were still hers.

'There's the Slytherin in you. Are you sure? Great things await you in Ravenclaw.' Andromeda refused.

'I-I would love to, but I need to be in Slytherin.' She could almost hear the Sorting Hat sigh.

'Very well, if you insist... I suppose that it'll have to be SLYTHERIN!'

She removed the Hat from her head and looked out into the clapping crowd. Slytherin table was clapping loudly, although Bellatrix looked slightly confused, probably wondering why the Sorting had taken so long. She caught Ted's eye and he grinned at her, not realising that being in Slytherin meant that she couldn't really be friends with him. She felt a pang- her first friendship had not lasted long. She made her way towards the Slytherin table and sat next to Bellatrix. The next first-year was called up as Andromeda sighed and resigned herself to the next seven years.

'Andromeda! Andromeda, wait up!' Andromeda sighed and stood still as she waited for Ted to catch up with her. She owed him an explanation at least. He finally reached her, and they stood still for a second.

'Hi Ted.' She said. She was upset that she was going to have to do this, but if she didn't, a lot of unnecessary pure-blood attention would be focused on him.

'Hey Andromeda! I was just wondering why you didn't talk to me in Transfiguration. I saved you a seat and everything.' He looked so innocently confused that Andromeda felt even worse about doing this. She'd managed to avoid him all morning, but the lesson before lunch was Transfiguration, which the Slytherins had with the Hufflepuffs.

'Well, Ted... It's just that I'm a Slytherin, and I'm pure-blooded... and you're a muggleborn. And the other pure-bloods, well, they kind of look down on muggles, and if I was friends with you, it'd draw attention to you, and I don't want you to get hurt or threatened or anything. So.. I can't really be friends with you.' Ted looked more upset than she'd thought. After all, she'd only met him yesterday.

'Andromeda, that's stupid. The only reason that would make any sense is if you felt like that about muggleborns, and I know you don't, because you were fine with it yesterday on the train.' He folded his arms stubbornly. The corridor had cleared of everybody but them by this time. She sighed.

'I don't think like that, Ted, but my sister does, and so do the rest of my family. I just don't want any trouble.' He kept his arms folded.

'Well, I don't care. I'm going to be friends with whoever I like, and if you won't be friends with me because of this, I'll just keep bugging you. You won't get rid of me that easy.' Andromeda laughed, causing Ted to frown. 'What? I'm serious!'. Andromeda smiled.

'I know that you're serious, Ted. I just couldn't help thinking that you were definitely Sorted into the right house.' Ted grinned back at her.

'So are we good?' Andromeda's smile grew.

'We're good. Now, let's go to lunch. I'm starving.'

'Andromeda! Come here.' Bellatrix's commanding voice cut across the chatter of the common room. Andromeda sighed inwardly and stood up. She had known that this would be coming the moment that Ted had stubbornly insisted on being her friend, but she had been hoping that it wouldn't. She made her way across the packed common room to sit on the floor opposite Bellatrix's armchair.

'Hi, Bella. What's up?' Bellatrix narrowed her eyes.

'I think you know. Why are you associating with that muggleborn?' Now Andromeda narrowed her eyes.

'His name is Ted. I 'associate' with him because he's my friend.' She stared at Bellatrix challengingly.

'But he's a muggleborn! Andromeda, you've only been here for a week, and you're already making trouble.'

'I don't care that he's muggleborn! He's my friend. And I'm not making trouble. Besides, would you rather have me be friends with those idiots?' She waved her hand towards the other girls in her dormitory, who were huddled in a corner giggling and reading magazines. Bellatrix glanced towards them condescendingly and snorted.

'No, I wouldn't. But you're a Black, Andromeda. We have standards. If there's nobody good enough for you here, you don't settle for being friends with Hufflepuffs. And never, ever, muggleborns!' Andromeda jumped up, her eyes flashing.

'For your information, Bellatrix, I'm not settling. He was nice to me and helped me with my trunk on the train, something which you left me to handle on my own. And I can be friends with whoever I want. In fact, I might go and make friends with a muggle!' She hissed the last word and rushed up to her dorm, leaving Bellatrix looking scandalised.

She threw herself onto her bed angrily. How dare Bellatrix try to tell her who to be friends with? And what on earth was wrong with Hufflepuff? Despite her resolution to stay out of trouble, she decided to make more friends across the houses, because she certainly wasn't happy here. This thought gave her an idea...

'Professor Slughorn?' Andromeda entered Slughorn's office timidly.

'Come on in, my dear,' he boomed. 'What can I help you with?' Andromeda sat on one of the chairs opposite his desk.

'I was just wondering, Professor, if I could maybe have the password to Professor Dippet's office?' Slughorn shook his head.

'I'm afraid not. The headmaster's currently at the ministry- some sort of meeting about new security measures. After all, with all these rumours...' He seemed to realise that Andromeda was still there.

'Anyway, my dear Miss Black, I couldn't give it to you except for urgent business. Is there anything I could help with perhaps?'. Andromeda hesitated. He was Head of Slytherin, so he might get offended, but then again, he was awfully nice, and it seemed like he was the highest authority that she was going to be able to speak to.

'Well, professor, I was just- I was just wondering, is it possible for anyone to change houses after after they're already Sorted?'. Slughorn looked at her sympathetically.

'Having trouble settling in? It'll feel like home in a couple of months. And I'm afraid that it's out of the question, my dear. Once the Sorting Hat's told you where you should be, it's where you'll stay.' Andromeda felt a surge of hope.

'But the Sorting Hat didn't tell me I should be in Slytherin! It said I should be a Ravenclaw, but I told it I should be in Slytherin, because of my family! But I've changed my mind, Professor Slughorn. I'll be ever so good, I promise, and I'll never ask for anything ever again! I just can't stay in Slytherin, please!' Slughorn looked even more sympathetic.

'I don't think you can move, Miss Black. I'll ask Professor Dippet for you, but don't get your hopes up. You're just going to have to make the best of it.' Andromeda nodded resignedly, already knowing that Professor Dippet would say no. She trudged out of the office, thanking Professor Slughorn, and met Ted outside the door. He grimaced.

'I guess he said no, huh? Tell you what, why don't you come for a game of Gobstones with me and Molly Prewett from Gryffindor? Apparently she's really good, but the way I see it, it's just like marbles. When I said that, she challenged me to a game, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind you joining in.' Andromeda nodded and followed Ted out into the grounds, where they met Molly under the tree by the lake.

It turned out that Molly Prewett was extremely good at Gobstones. She beat Andromeda almost immediately, and it didn't take her too long to beat Ted. Andromeda had been quite surprised that Molly had accepted her, considering the rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, but Molly seemed really nice. She was a pure-blood, and although it was an awful thing, Andromeda couldn't help thinking that Bellatrix would be more satisfied with this friendship, because even if she was a Gryffindor, Molly was at least pure-blooded. She dismissed the thought immediately, because she didn't want to be like her family, who evaluated people based on their heritage.

'Andromeda?' Molly's voice snapped Andromeda back to reality. 'Are you coming to dinner?' She nodded and stood up, brushing off her skirt. She wished that she could sit with Ted or Molly for dinner, but unfortunately, she was stuck with the Slytherins. She regretted choosing Slytherin more every day, but she knew that there was nothing she could do about it.

Over the next week or so, Andromeda, Ted, and Molly grew closer. It seemed that Molly didn't really feel like she fit into Gryffindor.

'I just think that I should have been a Hufflepuff,' she confessed to Andromeda on the way to a Flying lesson. 'My brothers are both in Gryffindor, but I just don't feel brave. And the other girls in my dormitory- They're nice enough, but I just don't click with them.' Andromeda nodded sympathetically.

'Well, at least you're allowed to be friends with whoever you like,' Andromeda pulled a face. 'Bellatrix spoke to me again last night. She told me that I could only just get away with being friends with you, because even though you're a Gryffindor, you're pure-blooded, and related to Aunt Walburga, but there was no way that I could keep being friends with Ted. I asked her what she'd do if I did, and she said she'd write to our parents. I'm surprised she hasn't already, if I'm honest.' Molly patted her on the back.

'Well, your parents can't choose your friends. What are they going to do about it?'

That question was answered the next day at breakfast when the post came. Andromeda's owl, Pluto, landed in front of her with a red letter. Andromeda groaned. She'd never received a Howler before, but she knew what they were, so she grabbed the steaming letter and hurried towards the Entrance Hall, hoping to be clear of the Hall before the shouting began. Unfortunately, she didn't quite make it.

'ANDROMEDA BLACK!' Everybody in the Great Hall and Entrance Hall turned to look at her. She cringed and tried to get to the door, but there were too many people. 'YOUR SISTER TELLS US THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATING WITH MUGGLEBORNS! THIS IS ENTIRELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK.' At this point, all Andromeda wanted was to sink into the floor, preferably taking the letter with her. FILTHY MUDBLOODS! DON'T YOU DARE CONTINUE THIS BEHAVIOUR, OR THERE WILL BE DIRE CONSEQUENCES WHEN YOU COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. THEY ARE FILTH, AND YOU WILL ASSOCIATE ONLY WITH PEOPLE BEFITTING YOUR STATUS. A BLACK, FRIENDS WITH A MUDBLOOD!' And with this last disgusted exclamation, the letter tore itself up. Everybody in the Hall stared at her as she stood frozen in place. All of a sudden she burst into tears and ran from the room.

'Andromeda? Andromeda, we've been looking for you everywhere!' Andromeda raised her head from her knees. She had been sat in a broom cupboard, where she had been certain that nobody would look for her. Apparently she had been wrong.

'Hi, Molly.' she mumbled. She knew that her face was tear-stained but she didn't really care. Molly sat down cross-legged.

'It's not that bad. I mean, you knew that your parents didn't like muggles.' Andromeda sighed.

'Yes, but it's just so- so frustrating! Not to mention embarrassing. Now pretty much everyone will hate me and think I'm some prejudiced cow who thinks muggleborns are 'filth'.' Molly shook her head.

'Andromeda, that isn't true. No, listen to me. What that letter was saying is that you aren't a prejudiced cow, even though you're being pressured to be. If anything, I think that letter gained you a lot of respect.'. Andromeda smiled at Molly gratefully.

'You have to admit, bursting into tears was pretty embarrassing though. And what about these 'dire consequences?' Molly grinned.

'Okay, bursting into tears was a little embarrassing. But nobody thinks any less of you for it. And as for those dire consequences...' Her grin grew wider. 'Well, we know the solution to that. Just stay here for Christmas.'

Andromeda and Ted pulled her trunk up the stairs from her common room in the dungeons.

'Remind me,' said Ted amusedly, 'why are we doing this? You're staying for Christmas aren't you?' Andromeda rolled her eyes.

'I told you. Bellatrix still thinks I'm going home with her, because if she knew I wasn't, she'd drag me onto the train.'

'Ah, I see. I usually just tune out after 'Bellatrix', because let's face it, I don't think she likes me.' He winked and sighed dramatically. 'Oh, sweet Bellatrix, why do you forsake me?' They both laughed. 'So how exactly are you planning to not get on the train?'.

'Well, I'll just let her see me with my trunk, and get 'lost' in the crowd. She won't notice I'm gone until she gets to Kings' Cross.' Ted nodded.

'Sounds like a plan.' They reached the Entrance Hall. 'Well, good luck. I'll see you later.' She turned and walked to the large group of people who was gathering near the oak doors. Bellatrix strode over to her, smirking.

'Are you ready for Christmas, dear sister?' Andromeda sighed.

'Yes, thanks.' Bellatrix raised her eyebrows.

'Our parents know that you're still associating with the Tonks boy, you know.' Her smirk grew wider. Andromeda nodded. Just then, the doors opened, and the caretaker, Apollyon Pringle, ushered them all out into the brisk winter air. Andromeda managed to get away from Bellatrix near the Quidditch pitch, and slipped out of the crowd. Nobody seemed to notice as she fell behind the crowd, and started making her way back up to the castle. She slipped in through the doors, and dragged her trunk back down to the dungeons. She ran back up to the Great Hall where Ted and Molly were just finishing their lunch. The Hall was mostly empty, with only about twenty people still there. She slid onto the bench next to Ted and Molly, who were at the Hufflepuff table. feeling very aware that she wasn't at the almost empty Slytherin table.

'Hi!' She said, a smile on her face.

'Hi!' They returned. 'I guess it worked then?' Ted asked. Andromeda nodded.

'If not, Bellatrix would be bursting through the doors right about now.' They all glanced up at the door, saw each other looking, and dissolved into laughter.

Andromeda was happier during those first Christmas holidays at Hogwarts than she'd ever been. Of course, she got another Howler from her mother, but there weren't half as many people around, so she didn't feel as bad about it. She didn't get any presents off her family, except her little cousin Sirius, who had accosted his parents' owl and sent her a Chocolate Frog (which, for a five year old, was a costly present indeed). However, Molly and Ted both got her presents, so she was happy.

After Christmas, everything changed for Andromeda. The moment that Bellatrix arrived in the Slytherin common room, she stormed over to her, eyes blazing.

'Andromeda,' she said in a falsely sweet voice, 'won't you join me for a walk?' It wasn't really a choice, as Bellatrix grabbed her by the arm and dragged her out of the common room. She marched to an abandoned dungeon and shoved Andromeda into it. She slammed the door shut.

'What on earth were you thinking?' Andromeda shrugged timidly. 'You have humiliated the entire House of Black. You've disgraced us, and what for? So that you could spend Christmas with your precious little mudblood and your little ginger Gryffindor friend. Well, Mother and Father have told me to use any means necessary to stop you seeing them again.' A wild glint entered Bellatrix's eyes. 'I intend to do just that.' Andromeda cringed away from her.

'Bella-' Bellatrix raised her wand, and Andromeda's eyes widened. 'You wouldn't! I'm your sister, Bella, you wouldn't!' Bellatrix's mouth curled up in a twisted grin.

'Oh,' she said softly, 'But I would.' She took a step back from Andromeda. 'Crucio!'

Andromeda screamed for help, hoping against hope that someone would hear and rescue her, but who could? The dungeon was far from the common room, and even if somebody found them, who would dare to stop Bellatrix when she looked like this? With a jolt, Andromeda realised what she had known all along- That Bellatrix was enjoying this, enjoying the pain on her own sister's face and in her screams. After this, Andromeda could no longer think coherently, and could only register pain.

'Andromeda!' She didn't turn, she wouldn't turn. 'Andromeda!' She couldn't turn, she couldn't. 'Andromeda Black, turn around right now, or I swear I will use that floating charm on your bag!' She stopped and closed her eyes.

'What do you want, Molly?' She put as much venom in her voice as she could muster, hating herself.

'Look at me, Andy.' She turned and opened her eyes to see a hurt looking Ted and an angry looking Molly. 'What I want is to know why you're avoiding us. You've not spoken to either of us for a week and a half, and we want to know why.' Andromeda sighed and tried maintain her haughty demeanour.

'Perhaps, Molly, I've just realised how far below me you both are. You're bad enough, a Gryffindor. Not to mention the mu-muggleborn.' She couldn't bring herself to say mudblood, no matter how much she was trying to be a proper Black. Neither Molly nor Ted seemed to pick up on her hesitation- they simply looked shocked.

'Andromeda?' ventured Ted. He looked so hurt that Andromeda nearly relented. Nearly.

'Just stay away from me.' She whirled around and strode down the corridor, trying to emulate the arrogant air that Bellatrix always had. After all, it was all that she could do now.

'Slytherin first-years, this way. Follow me and the other prefects.' A group of timid looking eleven year olds shuffled towards. Andromeda was certain that she hadn't been that small in first year. But then, she usually tried not to think about her first year at Hogwarts. 'Come on guys, down to the dungeons.' Some of the children following her cringed and she exhaled. Really, what had they been expecting? Luxury penthouses? Besides, now that she was in her sixth year, the common room had become like a second home to her- she actually liked it.

They arrived at the common room and she gave the password (purity). She led the first years into the common room.

'Okay, girls to the left, boys to the right. Try to make friends with the people in your dorm, and remember to get as many points for Slytherin as you can. Goodnight!' There were a few mumbled replies, and her charges departed to their dorms. She sank into her favourite armchair tiredly. She didn't really want to go to her own dorm, where her tiresome room mates would be giggling over their holidays. Really, she thought, some people never changed. She'd never made friends with her fellow Slytherins- she was civil to them, but since she'd eschewed Ted and Molly in first year, she'd pretty much kept herself to herself. Of course, there was Bellatrix, but she had never been a friend, and Narcissa was now in fourth year, but it would just embarrass her to hang out with her. Bellatrix had graduated last year, so this was the first year that Andromeda didn't have the threat of the Cruciatus hanging over her- although, she wouldn't put it past Bellatrix to tell some of the other Slytherins to keep an eye on her.

She had gotten her OWL results over the summer- she'd gotten all Os. Of course, she didn't have any friends to distract her from her exam revision, but still she'd been pleased with them. All of the teachers seemed to like her a lot. She didn't make trouble in class, and worked diligently, never so much as whispering to another student, even in History of Magic. But she was absolutely miserable.

She didn't understand why she couldn't just be a normal Slytherin, making friends with the 'right' people, looking down on anyone who didn't have pure blood. She tried her best, but she just couldn't think that way. Luckily, she was an excellent actress, so everybody else in the school saw her as an aloof sixth year Slytherin. She bitterly regretted asking the Sorting Hat to put her in Slytherin, and often wondered what she'd be like if she had gone into Ravenclaw.

She shook herself from her musings, and pulled herself up out of the armchair. It was time to face the start of another year.

'Andy, can I come in?' Her little cousin Sirius poked his head around her bedroom door. She grinned -Sirius was her favourite family member.

' 'Course, Sirius.' He bounded into the room and jumped onto her bed to sit next to her.

'Can I ask you a question?' Andromeda nodded. 'You have to keep it secret.' He raised his eyebrows at her. She nodded and got up to close the door and cast a charm to stop anyone from hearing them. Once she'd done it, she turned around, a teasing smile on her face.

'What have you done this time, then? Did you steal some of Uncle Orion's firewhiskey again? You know that makes you sick.' Sirius shook his head.

'No, I need to ask you something.' He looked uncharacteristically serious, so she sat down next to him.

'What's up, Sirius?'

'Well...' He looked up at her and she smiled encouragingly. 'What happens if the Sorting Hat tells me I shouldn't be in Slytherin?' She was taken aback for a minute. Sirius was starting Hogwarts at the beginning of September, in Andromeda's last year. She hadn't even thought about him being in a house other than Slytherin, although he didn't really fit the house. He seemed to take her silence as a bad sign, because he started rambling.

'I mean, I don't feel like a Slytherin, and I know I will be a Slytherin, but what if I'm not? What if the Sorting Hat says I should be in a different house?' Andromeda stood up.

'Sirius Black, promise me, promise me, that if the Sorting Hat offers you a different house, you will take it. Okay? Don't worry about the family, don't worry about other people, but do what the Sorting Hat tells you. Promise me.' Sirius looked shocked at this outburst from his least violent family member.

'Okay, I promise. But Andy, I thought you liked Slytherin?' She sat back down.

'Sirius, you can't ever tell anybody this.' He nodded, his eyes round. 'I hate Slytherin. When I was Sorted, the Hat told me that any house would suit me better than Slytherin, but I was too afraid of what our family would do, so I begged it to put me in Slytherin. And then I made friends with some people from other houses and one of them- one of them was muggleborn, but because I was a Slytherin, our family wouldn't let me be friends with them. They hurt me because of it. They- they used the Cruciatus,' At this, she sobbed. 'And I don't want you to be as lonely as I am, which is why I want you to do what's right for you, not what's right for anyone else, okay?'. Sirius flung his arms around her and hugged.

'Okay Andy. And don't worry, I'll always be your friend.' Andromeda smiled fondly down at her little cousin.

'I know you will, Sirius.'

'Black, Sirius.' Andromeda crossed her fingers under the table. As Head Girl, she could help him even if he did end up in Slytherin, but she fervently hoped that he didn't. He strode confidently up to the Sorting Hat and plunked it on his head. After a second, the Hat opened wide.

'GRYFFINDOR!' It roared. The Hall was stunned into silence. Never in living memory had a Black been in a house other than Slytherin, let alone Gryffindor. Andromeda was the first to break the silence. She stood up and caught Sirius' eye, smiling proudly, before starting to clap. She didn't care that she shouldn't approve of this- she didn't care that she was shattering her image of a haughty, uninterested Slytherin. She wanted to show Sirius that she thought he'd done the right thing. After a minute, most of the rest of the hall joined in her applause. The Slytherins all sat with their arms stubbornly crossed, glaring up at her.

She continued to smile at Sirius until the next name was called, and as she swept her gaze back to the front, she caught Ted's eye. He smiled at her. She quickly looked away, confused- neither Ted nor Molly had tried to communicate with her since third year, when they had made their last attempt to befriend her, and she was a little surprised that Ted had acknowledged her. She supposed that it was because she'd just openly shown that she didn't hold the ideals that she'd been pretending she held for nearly six years. She made up her mind to talk to him- after all, if her eleven year old cousin could go against his whole family, she could talk to one muggleborn, who was, after all, a prefect. Really, she'd just be doing her duty as Head Girl.

'Ted!' He stopped and turned around, raising his eyebrows when he saw who had spoken.

'Well. The elusive Miss Black talking to a lowly muggleborn. I suppose that it's about the prefect rotas?' She flicked her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation.

'Ted, just listen to me. Meet me in the library by the Herbology books in ten minutes.' She strode down the corridor, leaving a suspicious Ted Tonks behind her.

'Ted! You came.' She had actually been pretty certain that he wouldn't, and was extremely relieved when he did.

'What do you want, Andromeda?' He folded his arms and didn't sit down next to her. She took a deep breath.

'Well, I've been thinking... I don't know how to- errr-' He sat down next to her, his expression softening.

'Do Herbology?' He grinned at her. 'You always were a bit thick.' She smiled gratefully.

'Yeah. I think what I'm saying is that I've been quite stupid for a while now, and I want to start being more... clever.' He nodded.

'Well, it's going to take some work you know. And I think you should ask Molly to help you too.' Andromeda nodded earnestly.

'I was going to ask her anyway. I just thought I'd ask you first, because she can be... terrifying.' Ted chuckled.

'I agree.'

It turned out that Molly was incredibly happy to make friends with Andromeda again- She still didn't quite click with the other Gryffindors, although she had been getting closer to a certain Arthur Weasley, something which Andromeda thoroughly intended to quiz her about when she had been friends with her a little while longer.

Andromeda was far happier than she'd been in first year- this year, she didn't have Bellatrix hanging around her, and besides, she was Head Girl, so nobody really challenged what she did. She sat next to either Ted or Molly in whatever classes she could, and soon, they were as close as they had been in their first year. By Christmas, Andromeda had decided to stay for Christmas again. As well as herself, Sirius was staying. Andromeda had had quite a lot to do with Sirius since his Sorting- not necessarily always for good reasons. Sirius and a few other boys had formed a group that basically went round pranking people, and being Head Girl meant that she had to deal with them after some of their exploits. Of course, when she was the one meting out the punishments, they always got off pretty lightly, because when Sirius gave her that cheeky grin, she was reminded that it was him that had given her the courage to make friends with Ted and Molly again.

Ted was staying for Christmas; However, Molly was going home, because with the tension always growing in the wizarding world, most people wanted their children with them. Christmas was a merry affair- Ted, Andromeda, Sirius, and Remus Lupin all stayed. Remus was one of the boys that Sirius was friends with. He always seemed the quieter one of the group to Andromeda- lovely boy, very intelligent, but there was just something about him that seemed a little off. They had a nice Christmas together, and had some brilliant snowball fights out in the grounds.

On New Year's Eve, the Fat Lady allowed Ted and Andromeda into Gryffindor Tower so that they could see the new year in with Sirius and Remus. They sat in front of the fire, a little bored, until Sirius came up with an idea.

'Why don't we play Truth or Dare?' Andromeda rolled her eyes.

'Do we have to?' Sirius nodded firmly.

'Yes. And, to make it more interesting...' He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial.

'What is that?' asked Ted.

'Veritaserum,' said Sirius with relish.' So you can't lie.' Andromeda grabbed it off him.

'Why on earth are you carrying round Veritaserum?' Sirius shrugged and exchanged a look with Remus.

'Just in case.' Ted took the vial.

'Well, I'm in.' Andromeda sighed but declared herself in.

A while later, it was Ted's turn to ask.

'Andromeda, truth or dare?' She laughed.

'Truth, I guess. My next dare would probably be to jump off the Astronomy tower or something.' She took a sip of Veritaserum. 'Go on then.'

'Andromeda,' Ted started, 'What's the real reason that you stopped talking to me and Molly in first year?'

Sirius started frantically miming for him to stop, but it was too late. Andromeda tried to stop herself from answering, but the Veritaserum forced her to.

'It was... It was Bellatrix. She tortured me with the C-cruciatus curse...' She broke down in tears and ran out of the Gryffindor common room.

Ted, Remus, and Sirius stared at each other for a minute. Ted jumped up and glared accusingly at Sirius.

'You knew this?' Sirius cringed.

'She made me promise not to tell anyone.' Ted continued to glare at him.

'You should have told me. She should have told me...' He rushed out of the portrait hole after her.

'Andromeda!' She turned around, her eyes red.

'I- I'm sorry for running off, Ted.' He drew her into a hug.

'Don't be. I wish you'd told me, though, Andy.'

'She made me swear not to tell anyone. I only told Sirius to warn him about Slytherin.' She sniffed, 'I didn't want to keep anything from you.' He hugged her tighter.

'I know. It's okay.' A bell chimed through the castle. 'It must be midnight.' The bell chimed a few more times and Ted drew back from her. 'Andromeda,' She looked up at him, her eyes still red.

'Yeah?'

'Happy new year.' He leaned forward and gave her a swift peck on the lips, before turning and heading to the Hufflepuff common room. Andromeda stood there for a minute, shocked. She raised her hand to her lips, her expression confused. She blinked, composed herself, and marched to the dungeons. It was, after all, late. She must have imagined it.

Andromeda was sat in the library, doing some revision for Transfiguration, when Ted walked in and sat next to her.

'Hey, Andy,' he said quietly. She looked up, blushing.

'Hi Ted. How are you this morning?' He shrugged.

'I'm alright, I suppose. Molly'll be coming back tomorrow, so that's good.' Andromeda nodded.

'Yeah, it'll be nice to see her again.' They sat in silence for a minute.

'So, what are you working on?' She happily launched into a description of the Transfiguration she was revising, and he happily helped her to revise, and they both thoroughly avoided mentioning anything to with the fact that it was new year's.

'Molly!' Andromeda rushed to the redhead and hugged her. 'I am so glad you're here.' Molly hugged her back, a little confused.

'Why, what's wrong?' Andromeda drew back with faked insult.

'What, can't I be glad to see my best friend without something being up?' Molly raised her eyebrows. 'Okay, I really need to talk to you. Alone.' Molly looked bemused but followed her into an empty classroom.

'So, what's up, Andy?' Much to Molly's surprise, Andromeda blushed to her roots. 'Somebody catch you under the mistletoe?' If possible, Andromeda blushed even more. Molly gasped. 'Ooooh, spill.'

Andromeda took a breath.

'Well... I'm gonna start from the beginning. So, we were all in Gryffindor common room, playing truth or dare- ' Molly tutted.

'Oh no, this isn't something where you were dared to kiss someone, and you saw sparks fly when you did, is it?' Andromeda snorted.

'You read too much.'

'Impossible.' Andromeda rolled her eyes.

'Anyway, we were playing truth or dare, when somebody (I won't tell you who yet) asked me why I stopped being friends with you and Ted.' Molly frowned.

'Actually, that's quite a good question. You obviously don't really feel that you're better than us, so why-'

'I'll tell you in a minute. So, we were using Veritaserum, and... the answer is... Molly, you can't tell anyone.' Molly nodded.

'I swear.'

'Well, Bellatrix... Cruciatused me.' Molly gasped and her hands flew to her mouth.

'Andromeda! That's horrible,' she rushed towards her and enveloped her in a hug. After a minute she withdrew. 'Are you okay?' Andromeda nodded.

'Yeah. So anyway... reliving that kind of upset me, so I rushed out, and the person came after me, and hugged me... And then the clock struck midnight, and- and he kissed me.' Molly grinned.

'Go on then, who was it?'

'Don't say anything, okay?' Molly nodded eagerly. 'It was Ted.' Molly squealed.

'Oh, I knew it, you two are so perfect, and- wait,' she flung her hands up in a 'Halt everything' gesture. 'Why is that a problem? What happened afterwards? You like him, don't you?'

Andromeda shrugged helplessly.

'I don't know if I like him that way. I don't even really know what happened. It was just like a peck sort of thing, and then he just walked off. We've kind of been avoiding the subject since.' Molly sighed dramatically.

'I'm going to have to sort this out, aren't I?' Andromeda shook her head vehemently.

'No, Molly, don't. I just needed to talk to someone.' Molly rolled her eyes.

'Fine. But you can't just ignore it, you know.' Andromeda sighed.

'I know.'

Alas, that's just what she did. For the next month, the tension between Ted and Andromeda was almost palpable, until Molly finally confronted Andromeda again.

'Come on, Andromeda. You have to do something- it's not fair on him.' Andromeda looked down at the floor.

'But I don't know what to do.' Molly sighed impatiently.

'Well, do you like him?' Andromeda thought for a minute.

'I really don't know, Molly. I mean, he's my best friend- apart from you. I just think it might get a bit weird.'

'It's only weird if you think it's weird, Andy.' Andromeda raised her eyebrows.

'Or if Ted thinks it's weird.' Molly rolled her eyes.

'Andy, he kissed you. I think it's safe to say he'll be fine with it. Besides, he's liked you since abo-' Molly clamped her mouth shut and flushed red. Andromeda took a step towards her.

'What?' Molly shook her head. Andromeda took another step forward. 'What were you going to say, Molly?' Molly sighed in defeat.

'Don't tell him I told you this, okay? But he's liked you since about first year. Why do you think we were trying so hard to be friends with you?' Andromeda sat down heavily. It didn't seem to matter to her that she was in the middle of a corridor.

'Oh. Okay, then.' Molly crouched in front off her.

'Andy? You okay?' Andromeda nodded.

'I just... I just thought it was because it was New Year's...' Molly grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

'Come on. You can't just sit here on the floor.'

'Hi, Ted.' Ted looked up from his Charms essay and flashed a grin at Andromeda.

'Hey. What brings you to the library?'Andromeda sat down next to him and took a deep breath.

'Well,' she said, 'You, actually.' He frowned confusedly.

'You can't tell anybody this.' Ted nodded cautiously.

'Okay...'

'Well, er, do you remember New Year's Eve?' Ted inclined his head affirmatively, his eyes widening.

'Well, I have been doing quite a lot of thinking, and, er, I was thinking, that maybe if you wanted to, you know,-' Ted cut through her stammers, a grin on his face.

'Why, Miss Black! Are you asking me out?' Andromeda blushed.

'I- I suppose I am.' Ted's grin grew even wider.

'In that case, my answer is yes.' Andromeda's grin matched his.

'Good,' she replied, 'Because us Blacks can be very tenacious, and I don't know what I would have done if you'd said no.'

To the House of Black,

By now, you will have realised that I am no longer in your midst. I take great relish in the thought that I will never be in your midst again.

I'm marrying Ted- That is, Edward Tonks. Do you recognise the name, Bellatrix? He's a muggleborn. Frankly, I don't care. You can blast me off the family tree, never speak of me again if you want, but my surname was still Black for eighteen years. I hope that I do ruin your reputation. I'm only glad that Ted could see past all that.

I'm marrying him for love. None of you have that- Not Mother and Father, not Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion, certainly not Bellatrix and Rodolphus. You can be as high in society as you like, but you'll never have what Ted and I have.

With my regards,

Andromeda Black (soon to be Tonks)