Prologue

The young, blond girl squirmed slightly as their mother gave them last minute instructions and inspected them for transgressions in their appearances. Having passed her test with only a slight tweaking of her shirt collar she could barely hold in her excitement as her mother gave each of them a perfunctory hug and her father awkwardly nodded, being too reluctant to show any more emotion than necessary.

"Be sure to look after your sisters, Bellatrix, and keep them out of any trouble," her mother stated in an austere tone.

"Of course, Mother." Her older sister nodded and agreed dutifully. With one last supervisory glance her parents turned and disappeared through the brick portal. Quietly, the girls picked up their luggage and made their way to the nearest entrance of the gleaming scarlet engine.

Andromeda held onto her younger sister's hand with a firm grip. She knew from experience that the first ride upon the Hogwart's Express could be a nerve-racking one, and she wanted to be sure Narcissa was with her. As soon as they stepped into the main corridor she began scanning the hallway for an open door, preferably in the middle of the cabin. After a few seconds of searching her eyes found an open door into what appeared to be an empty compartment. She was just about to suggest that they claim it, all of the compartments would be taken soon if they didn't hurry up, when her older sister spoke first.

"Andi, take care of Cissy. You have the money mother gave you for food. I'm going to sit with my friends," Bellatrix commanded as if she were the mother and not merely two years older. Then without another word Bellatrix turned and walked off towards several other fifth-year Slytherins who had begun to congregate towards the end of the hall. Andromeda let out a small sigh as she watched her older sister's black curls bounce against her back as she walked away. It's not as if she minded watching her younger sister, she really didn't. She just wished Bella wouldn't always tell her to do so, as if she was in charge of them. Shrugging off the slight, she turned down towards Narcissa and smiled, giving her hand a quick squeeze.

"Come on, Cissy. I think I see an empty compartment we can sit in," she said encouragingly, hoping her younger sister would forget that they had just been cast off in favor of more popular companions. Narcissa smiled back. She understood what had just happened. It wasn't as if she was a child, she thought to herself. But she, like Andromeda, was used to this behavior from Bellatrix and was only slightly disappointed. Truth be told, she would rather spend the time with Andromeda anyways. Besides, the possibility of a snack had been mentioned.

"Can I get some pepper imps and chocolate frogs?" the younger girl asked as they dragged their large trunks into the empty compartment.

"Do you want to spoil your dinner completely?" her sister replied in mock horror as she lifted the cases onto the rack above the seats. Once she was sure they were safely secured she sat down next to her sister who had already made herself comfortable next to the window.

"Come on! Please. You're starting to sound like mum!" Narcissa pleaded, stretching out the word please as if it had five syllables instead of only two and sticking her tongue out at the end for emphasis. Andromeda just laughed. She was never actually planning on denying her sister her desired treats, but it was amusing to tease her a little. She let out an exaggerated, dramatic sigh.

"Oh, alright. But if you tell anyone I'll turn you into a toad!" She acquiesced, poking her sister for emphasis. The moment of slight fear in Andromeda's eyes made her burst into laughter, shattering the thin illusion of the threat. Narcissa's eyes sparkled with triumph over her won desserts and she began debating out loud whether she actually wanted pepper imps and chocolate frogs or if fizzing whizzbees perhaps sounded better. Andromeda leaned back in her seat and felt a sense of contentment envelop her. Her first two years at Hogwarts had been a bit lonely. She was naturally introverted and she had made little headway in making friends. She talked to people, of course, and was on friendly terms with most of her classmates, but there was no one with whom she could really be herself. However, with her younger sister, and best friend, here now she would finally have someone she could relate to, and this made her believe that this year was going to be alright.

The train ride was mostly uneventful. Other than another third-year stopping by and asking them if they would be willing to sign a petition to entreat the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to end the oppression and abuse of plimpies by merpeople everywhere (they declined), they were not disturbed. They spent their time eating an inordinate amount of candy (in the end Narcissa decided to get all three sweets) and playing exploding snap. Soon enough they were pulling into the Hogsmeade station, not having to change as they had already arrived at the station in their school uniforms. Mr. and Mrs. Black were purists in everything, including clothing, and that meant they refused to dress their children in what they called "horrid muggle garments". As soon as the train came to a stop Andromeda they made their way out of the train, being crammed amongst the dozens of other students all eager to get to the welcome feast at the castle.

They emerged onto the platform and were immediately struck by the crisp night air of the September evening. The weather was a bit colder than either of the Black sisters were accustomed to, and the breeze made them pull their black clocks tighter against their bodies. After a brief look around at the simple station Andromeda gave her sister a quick hug and directed her to follow an ancient looking wizard in a set of disheveled, green robes to a fleet of small rowboats that would take the first years in their traditional voyage across the lake. Once Andromeda had made sure that her sister was heading in the right direction, she turned to secure her transport to the castle: the 'horseless' carriages.

When she arrived at where the carriages were located she took a moment to look up at the castle that would be her home for the next several months. It was an impressive sight to see. The spindly turrets imposed their outlines on the black night sky, the structure looked unshakeable even from this far distance and best of all, the multitude of windows glinted with a cheery yellow light that betrayed the fires roaring inside. If ever there was a place to teach magic, truly, this was it. Andromeda smiled as she imagined the bewilderment and awe that her sister was probably experiencing at this very moment. She remembered what it was like for her to see Hogwarts for the first time, just two short years ago, and knew this was a special moment in every young British witch and wizards' life.

Once she had finished musing about the magical castle she looked around briefly to see if her older sister had waited for her. She had not. Apparently she had taken a ride with her friends and had left Andromeda to fend for herself. Andromeda was not incredibly surprised by this and was not overly concerned. It wasn't as if she hadn't done this before, even if it was only once. She stepped up to the nearest carriage and found it occupied by two other students who had apparently just boarded it as well. Smiling politely, she asked if they would mind her joining them. When they stated that they did not, she climbed up the few steps and settled in the closest corner to the door. A few seconds later the carriage, or rather the thing guiding the carriage, must have decided that three occupants was enough and began making its way toward the castle and the feast. Unaccustomed to making small talk with strangers Andromeda fiddled with the buttons on her cape as a distraction against the stares of the other two occupants. After a brief moment of awkward silence one of the other students spoke up.

"Hi. My name is Rosamund and this is Brianne. We're fourth years. It's nice to meet you. What's your name?" introduced the taller, brunette girl, motioning to her shorter, blond companion. She smiled in an open way and stuck out her hand in a handshake. Andromeda smiled shyly back and timidly shook the proffered hand.

"I'm Andromeda. Third year. It's nice to meet you too," She replied, somewhat enjoying the company but at the same time wishing the necessary niceties would just be finished sooner rather than later.

"What house are you in? Brianne and I are in Hufflepuff, but I don't think we've seen you around before." Rosamund asked next, moving along the list of questions that every Hogwarts student asks each other when they first meet: name, age, house, hometown and sometimes, depending on who was doing the asking, blood status. Andromeda instinctively withdrew into herself, preparing herself for the inevitable fallout.

Among the four houses of Hogwarts there was an unwritten rule that Slytherin was the outcast. It was the troublemaker. While the other three houses generally got along, save in the Quidditch and House Cup competitions, Slytherin was the one that stuck out. That's not to say that the other houses didn't respect Slytherin, perhaps even fear it, that was very true, but they also distrusted it and those in it more than anything else. This unspoken law did not bother most of the Slytherins. In fact, most of them reveled in the power that the fear and reputation gave them. They did not concern themselves with whether or not the other houses liked them; it was enough that they recognized their power. Andromeda, however, was different. She cared, though she often wished that she did not, about what the other students thought of her. To be more specific, she did not wished to be judged solely on the basis of what house she belonged to, but that is what happens, which lead her to become sensitive about the subject. Thinking back, she remembered her sorting and wished, not for the first time, that she had known what she did now.

Andromeda was so focused on her breathing that she was barely aware of the other students around her. The pounding of her heart sounded like the solemn clang of a church bell, reverberating in her head so loudly she could scarcely hear anything else. Her stomach felt as if it was determined to climb out of her throat, and she was pretty sure that her lungs had shrunk to half their normal size for all the air they would let in. She knew that she should not let her nerves get the best of her. She knew she should not believe the wild stories her sister had told her of the grueling and humiliating tasks the professors of Hogwarts used to decide their house placement. She knew that she would be sorted into Slytherin, as all of her ancestors had been. She knew all of this, and yet, against her better judgment, her vision continued to blur and the ringing in her ears increased to the point where she was mostly reading lips to understand what was going on around her. Fortunately for her, she wasn't incredibly interested in what was going on, as she couldn't read lips very well. From somewhere far away, as if through a long tunnel, she heard a voice.

"First year students please line up in a single file line. You will follow me into the Great Hall where the sorting process will begin. When I call your name please step forward and sit on the stool. Once you have been sorted you should sit at the appropriate table. Quickly, please! Quickly!" Andromeda turned and saw that the woman addressing them was a tall, beautiful young witch in deep purple robes. She had on small glasses and her hair was pulled up in a loose bun, but this did little to hide her beauty. At this particular moment, however, she was looking more stern than anything else, and the students moved quickly to obey her instructions.

Once they were in a semblance of a straight line, the older witch led them out of the small room they had been nervously waiting in and through the large wooden doors into the Great Hall. Andromeda's first glance of the hall was so astonishing that she momentarily forgot her nervousness and stared in wonder, along with the rest of her classmates, at the long tables where the older students were already seated, the beautiful tapestries that hung on the walls each depicting the four house crests, the candles that hovered a few feet above the tables and the clear night sky that twinkled down on them from the enchanted ceiling. It was breathtaking and glorious, especially to the group of small eleven-year-olds that were making their way to the front of the hall with all eyes upon them. Through the haze of wonderment, Andromeda was aware of the eyes that were following them as they walked down the main aisle. She blushed self-consciously, but didn't have too much time to get nervous again because before she knew it, they were at the front of the hall.

Now that they were in the front and it was painfully clear that every other person, living and dead, in the room was staring at their small group her nervousness came back in a crashing wave. She desperately began hoping that she would be able to walk to the stool when her name was called, assuming that she heard her name in the first place. She was at least grateful that her last name began with a 'b', and she would be spared the long, excruciating wait.

After ensuring that all of her students were quietly waiting, the purple-clad professor fetched a rickety, old three-legged stool from the side of the room and set it where everyone had a clear view. Placed on top of it was an even worse-for-wear hat that was patched all over and frayed in several places. The way she handled it, however, you would have thought it was made of pure gold. Andromeda nervously bit her lower lip, wondering what exactly they would have to do with this hat. While she was contemplating the varied, increasingly terrifying possibilities the hat suddenly came alive and a face became visible. Then, in a hushed tone at first, but growing increasingly louder until it boomed across the wide expanse, a gruff voice began to speak.

"I remember quite a while back,

In misty times of lore,

Four travelers met upon a time,

Dreaming of something more.

Each sorcerer had a goal, a plan,

A vision that combined their wills:

To create a school where young magicians

Could learn to use their skills.

High up in fair Scotland's hills

An institution they soon had made:

A castle filled with magic and lessons

Through which the students must wade.

Young sorcerers came from far and wide

Four houses thence were groomed.

Each Founder chose their students

And hence the pupils bloomed.

Godric valued courage above all else

Thus the lion became his emblem.

Helga loved those with generous souls

And chose the badger to represent them.

Rowena prized a love of learning and a sharpened wit

And thus preferred the eagle.

Salazar chose those who sought after their goals

And so picked the snake as his symbol.

You may be wondering what I am

Or what you have to do.

It's a very easy process

And soon you will be through.

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And although I've begun to fade

I still know how to sort, you know.

So sit on down, don't be afraid!

Perhaps I'll put you with the Gryffindors

Where courageous friends you'll find,

Or maybe with the Slytherins

Among those who know their mind.

Perchance you'll be a Hufflepuff

Where the hard-working always thrive,

Or in the house of Ravenclaw

If it's for knowledge that you strive.

Don't be afraid I'll sort you wrong

I've not yet been misguided.

Just put me straight upon your head

And your house will be provided."

The song ended with thunderous applause from the students and professors alike. With little more ceremony, the young professor unrolled a long scroll and began to read off a list of names. "Aldridge, Amelia," the young professor called after she had set a three-legged stool at the front of the hall, right beneath the steps that rose to the platform where the rest of the teachers were sitting. A short, blond hair girl stepped away from the group and made her way to the stool. Once she had seated herself on the stool, the ancient-looking hat was placed on her head, and the entire hall went quiet. The silence was palpable as everyone in the room held their breath and waited for the first sorting of the year. Ten seconds. Twenty seconds. Thirty seconds. Finally a tear appeared in the front of the hat.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" A roar went up from left table in the middle. Amelia happily jumped off the stool and walked quickly to her new home. Andromeda let out a small sigh of relief. While she wasn't exactly looking forward to being the sole focus of the whole school, even if only for a few seconds, it was not nearly as terrifying as the scenarios Bellatrix had concocted for her.

After "Atkins, Emily" (Gryffindor) and "Bamberg, Zachary" (Ravenclaw) it was Andromeda's turn. She hesitantly walked up to the stool and climbed on, the stool wobbling slightly as she seated herself. She felt the ancient hat being placed on her head and took a long breath to steady her nerves. Suddenly she heard the same rough voice from before, except this time it was speaking directly to her mind and she was sure no one else could hear it.

"Well, well. Who do we have here?" The hat mused to itself. "It seems I have another Black to sort. You know of course that I have seen and sorted every member of your family before you. Most recently your sister Bellatrix, I believe. So the question is do you belong where they did?" Andromeda's heart beat a little quicker at this last question. She was afraid of the answer. "I see you have your family's will, stubborn to a fault. You're clever, but humble. Now that is something you do not share in common with your sister. You are not afraid to work hard and have great ambition. True, it is hidden, but it is there nonetheless." Andromeda blushed slightly at the last statement. She knew it was true, of course, and yet, it frightened her. Her inner musings were interrupted by the hat suddenly laughing. "Well that is amusing, very amusing indeed! You begin to doubt. Still, your loyalty is strong. It will not break easily. Since that is the case, I will go with SLYTHERIN!" The last word was shouted across the hall, so all the students could hear, and the cheers from table to the far right were loud and exuberant in celebration of the first Slytherin of the year.

Andromeda was roused from her recollections by the intent, inquiring stares the two other passengers were giving her. Apparently she had let her mind wander longer than she had realized. She gave them a hesitant smile and tried to reply nonchalantly, as if the matter was of little importance.

"I'm in Slytherin, and I'm not really involved in any clubs." She finally answered, hoping the topic of conversation would soon change. There was a brief second of uncomfortable silence and then Rosamund spoke up again.

"So do you know Alicia? She's a fourth year, so a year above you. We're all in the charms club together." Andromeda smiled. She should have counted on Hufflepuffs to be accepting when others were not. She liked them for that reason.

"I know who she is. I don't have any classes with her of course, but we've run across each other in the common room." Andromeda replied, happy to have even a slight mutual connection. The girls nodded in acknowledgement and then the blond one, Brianne, spoke for the first time.

"So what do you think of the new professor? Isn't he dreamy?" She asked, giggling in the ways girls do when they gossip about boys. Andromeda laughed slightly, blushing a little as she nodded her assent. The rest of the carriage ride was spent in similar discussion of boys, classes and the normal things that preoccupy the minds of teenage girls. Once they reached the castle she parted ways with her new acquaintances, giving them a small wave of farewell, and made her way to Slytherin table while she waited for the sorting to begin.

Andromeda clapped enthusiastically and smiled even wider as her younger sister hopped down from the same three-legged stool she had sat on two years ago and walked quickly to the table on the far right. She stood to greet her and gave her a warm hug when she finally arrived. By the time she was finished she noticed that another figure was standing with them, her arm resting on Narcissa's back. Andromeda looked up to see Bellatrix genuinely smiling, not the sarcastic, mocking smile she normally used, and squeezing Narcissa affectionately.

All three Black sisters sat down at the table with Bellatrix's friends, and admirers, who had repositioned themselves to allow for the extra bodies. Bellatrix beamed as she proudly showed off her youngest sister to all of the people around them, and Narcissa happily accepted the attention, clearly revealing in the excitement of the moment. Andromeda, squished between Narcissa and one of Bellatrix's friends, was content to sit, watch and smile at her two incredibly different, and yet similar, sisters. For the first time in a long time she felt like part of a family, and tonight, she was happy to be a part of that family.