September 1st, 1958 - age 5

Out in the clear flat fields behind a grand manor house hoots and hollers could be heard as a tall lean sandy hair man held onto a kid size broomstick. His five year old daughter, Andromeda who was the middle of three, sat unsteady on its small seat. The two of them laughed heartedly as Cygnus ran beside the broom still holding onto it.

"Ready for me to let go, Annie?" He called out to her using his special nickname for her as her curls flapped gently in the late summer breeze. He started to pull his hand off the broom stick.

"NO!" The five year old called out, hands moving to clamp his back down. A hundred times she's been on this broom, and a hundred times she had fallen off it. Cygnus sighed but kissed her temple loving nodding. "Just tell me when you are ready." He said as he walked with her picking up speed slowly.

As he ran with her, hand still on her broom, they were soon almost flying before she finally shouted out to her father. "You can let go now, Daddy! You can let go. Oh, I think I'm ready to do this on my own."

"Are you sure sweetheart?!" He called back to her, hesitantly unwrapping his hand around the broom.

"Its still a little bit scary, but I want you to know I'll be okay now, Daddy." She said smiling at him all brave, tasting freedom for the first time completely. Her eyes got big with excitement as she whispered into the wind "You can let go."

He finally let the broom go and watched with tearful pride as she flew up into the air by herself for the first time. After flying around him for what seemed like hours to the two of them she came in to land stumbling some before he ran to catch her. Laughter continued to fill the air as the two laughed at Andromeda's antics about how awesome flying was and collapsed down onto the green grass.

Cygnus pulled her to him and hugged his little girl tightly to him before lifting her up into his arms and caught the broom heading back to the house.

"Don't tell your mother that I taught you how to fly, she'll curse us both." He said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Deal daddy" came back a cheerful reply, the five year old leaning her head on his shoulder. They walked into the house and spoke nothing of that day ever again except for the few hours of complete freedom the two had without his wife and other daughters.

June 30th 1972 - age 19

The nineteen year old bride stood before a mirror in the bridesroom, dressed in a beautiful white wedding gown. She looked scared to death, it was all wrong crossed her mind. Her father and family should have been there. Sisters busying themselves around her to do up her hair. But she made her choice, her family or the man that they would never accept.

Andromeda looked down at the bouquet of red roses and white lace and baby breath, she smiled softly to herself not noticing the soft pop. When she looked back up she saw an aging man behind her and tears threatened to fall as she turned and ran to be in his arms.

"Daddy!" she sobbed out in happiness as his strong arms circled around her in a tight hug. Pulling away from each other a few short minutes later, the two smiled sadly at each other.

"You look so beautiful" He whispered to her as he took in the vision she was. "Don't cry my Annie, you'll ruin your make up" He said chuckling as he kissed her forehead.

"Why" she whispered "Why are you here?"

"Shh," He shook his head, "I have to give my little girl away now don't I?" He told her as the knock came to the door. Taking her arm the two elegant figures walked out the room to a shocked party member. Sirius stood there as he watched his uncle escort their Meda out the room. With a nod from his cousin, he ran back to sit with his friends.

As the bridal march began, all eyes were on the bride while Meda's eyes went from the two loves of her life. To one she'd been a daughter and to one she soon would be a wife. Never before had she been so happy yet sad at the same time in her life. Once she reached the alter, she looked at her father who didn't want to give her up just yet.

"Who gives this woman?" said the preacher, as all eyes feel onto Cygnus Black, a pureblooded Death Eater standing in a room full of muggles and the lot about to give away his perfectly pure daughter to what he thought was filth. But the only thing in his mind was the last nineteen years of his daughter's life from the day she was born to now.

"You can let go now, Daddy." He smiled sadly as he heard his daughter whispered those words to him again "You can let go. I think I'm ready to do this on my own." Looking down at her as the tears finally flowed from his eyes his fingers going up to stroke her chin. "Its still a little bit scary, but I want you to know I'll be okay now, Daddy." She said smiling as happily as she could before she leaned her face into his fingers, her voice catching a bit

"You can let go." He looked at the preacher then to Ted and said clearly that he was and handed his darling girl to another man. He moved to sit beside his nephew and watched as the wedding commenced. Within an hour later, his Annie was no longer his Annie, but now a married woman, but all he could see was his five year old little brainy beauty playing dress up. He had to let her go completely now.

December 24th 1979 - age 26

Fifty year old Cygnus Black lay dying in St Mungo's wasting away hanging onto life. His wife and daughters, Bellatrix and Narcissa and their families had no clue who he was holding on to for. Mean while in the same hospital stood a young healer, leaning over to check her patient as her father's night nurse came in. Smiling softly at the young boy she moved out of the room to talk privately. Tears flowed from Andromeda Tonks' eyes as the nurse told her what was happing.

"He's only holding on for you, Meda, he whispers your name at night" Her friend said to the grieving woman. Allowing the woman to take her clip board she slowly walked down the three flights of stairs, tears ruining her make up as she came to stand before the room.

Pushing it open she paid no heed to the deadly looks that she was giving from the other members of her family. Sitting beside her father, she stroked back his whiting hair sobbing as he weakly took her hand in his. The sight of him nearly killed her there, her heart breaking.

"My Annie" He managed to get out, as she nodded and brushed her tears away as she gave him a brave smile. Looking over her shoulder at her mother and sisters before she cupped his face and gazed into his eyes. She knew what he was waiting for her to say to him.

"You can let go now, Daddy. You can let go. Your little girl is ready to do this on my own. It's gonna be a little bit scary, but I want you to know. I'll be okay now, Daddy."With a weak and breaking voice the words poured out of her mouth "You can let go"