Inspired by the Bronte's, my love of Wuthering Heights, and the poetry of Sylvia Plath. So yes, there will be angst

Sitting in the attic of Grimauld place is not the most pleasant place to be. This is especially true when you can see the last rays of glorious sunshine fading through the stained windows, signaling the loss of another day of sun to the dark depths of the Ancient and Noble house of Black. Nevertheless, this is how I spent my Friday night, finally clearing the last of the Black clutter out of this murky place.

"Have you found anything interesting, Hermione?" I heard Andromeda Tonks ask from behind me, as she climbed up the rackety staircase with two cups of tea.

"Afraid not." I smiled and thanked her as she handed me one of the full mugs. "Most of the items up here are essays declaring how pure bloods are superior, or mudblood tracking devices, or lists of torturing curses."

"Well, we all know how dear old Walburga and Orion loved their torturing curses." Andromeda crossed the room, easing herself to the floor and to begin the ghastly sorting of another pile of memorabilia, taking care to avoid the house elf carcasses that had my SPEW senses tingling.

I crawled around the pile in front of me, before finally finding something worth my attention; the box declaring 'Sirius' stuff - Keep out' promised to at least deliver a memory of the Marauders which I could pass on to Harry. Sirius Black had been dead for the best part of 5 years, so new memories were a precious gift to my close friend.

I blew the dust off the box quickly, closing my eyes against the particles, before lifting the lid off of it. I smiled lightly as I sifted through his old items - an early version of the marauder's map, handfuls of dung bombs, and an old motorbike magazine with a few of the bikes circled. Then something else, altogether more unexpected, appeared. My hands found their way to an old photo, covered in dust. I brushed the flakes away to reveal an old photo of Remus Lupin, my old DADA professor, sitting idly under a tree with Sirius.

I tutted as Sirius charmed a grass-snake to whirl around the air, enticing a laugh out of Remus. All seemed normal until Sirius closed the gap between himself and Remus, placing a glancing kiss on his lips.

I looked over my shoulder at Andromeda, tempted to show her the photo, maybe she knew more; but Remus was married to her daughter, if she didn't know it could ruin her opinion of her dead son-in-law. However, the photo was too much to keep to myself, and I called her over.

She took the photo from my hands and a rare smile graced her features, lighting her eyes with a melancholic joy. "Oh, I remember this..." I watched her touch the photo, confused.

"So you knew they were together?" I asked, unsure of how to process the information. I watch Andy nod, but she reveals nothing else, so I questioned further. "Could you tell me about it?"

"I don't know much of their relationship; Remus was quite private about their affairs. I will tell you what I know, but you must stay quiet. It was a long long time ago, and if you want my old and tired mind to remember it, you cannot interrupt."

"I promise; tell me everything."

I remember their first meeting as if it were yesterday. Sirius' first day at Hogwarts; Walburga was busy as usual, and so I was sent to see Sirius off in her place. This was around a year before I was burnt off the family tree, you must understand; I was seventeen, just out of Hogwarts and still trusted with the care of little Sirius, although I believe that hag had her doubts about me, even then.

Sirius was in a way warped by his parent's ideals of 'pure blood' and financial power, but even as an eleven year old he had a passionate hate for his mother. Merlin, one of his favourite hobbies was to call her "Wallie", to send her into a furious rant about the importance of respect - not that she showed any to those around her. I suppose I shouldn't be have been suprised about his warped mindset, I'm sure home education with Walburga would make a sinner of a saint; it certainly gave Sirius a superiority complex.

Sirius swaggered onto the station as if he owned it (he probably thought he did), leaving me behind to push his mountainous luggage. His lip curled in distaste as he caught a glance of a boy whose robes were tattered and torn, obviously second hand. Then, in a tone which I could have sworn belonged to my aunt, he said "Merlin, would you take a look at the sort of scum they are letting into Hogwarts nowadays. Not fit to clean my boots."

It was the first and one of only two times I ever saw Sirius resemble his parents. Truth be told, I would not have thought it possible for him to say such a thing, given his hatred of the pair. So I kneeled aside him, bags forgotten, and gave him the most potent advice I can ever remember giving.

"What makes you any different from that boy there, Sirius? Your clothes? The way you do your hair? That little boy is just the same as you are, if a little less cocky, and if you keep saying things like that you will not be fit to clean HIS boots. He may be the devil, he may be a saint, I do not know. But judging him on his clothes and his appearance is the sort of thing your mother would do. In fact I bet if she were here with you, she would tell you to 'avoid that sort of scum at Hogwarts', wouldn't she?"

"Yes Andy."

"And what is our motto, Sirius?"

"Listen to what Wallie says, and then do the exact opposite." I remember Sirius glancing at the boy again, with much less malice in his eyes, and less venom in his words. "I suppose he can't be that bad...And if mother would hate him, I am sure we will get along like a house on fire!"

"That is the spirit, Sirius! Now, have you thought about what house you would like to be in?" I knew Sirius would not want to be in Slitherin - my sister was too keen on him being there, and he hated doing things that would make her happy - but nevertheless his answer shocked me.

"Griffindor is where I am going to be!" He smiled - even at that age you could see he was going to be handsome - and took the bags off me. "Now if you will excuse me, Andy, I have a train to catch, and some little scruffy ruffian to befriend!" And with that, the little devil placed a kiss on my cheek and ran with his bags to the small boy, and over the roar of the train and the goodbyes of the crying parents around me, I could hear Sirius' booming voice. "Sirius Black's the name, it's my first year. What is your name? Remus? Thats different. Come on then, lets get on the train. I can't wait to get to Hogwarts, it's going to be brilliant, isnt' it?" I never heard the answer; dear Remus was too softly spoken to compete with the barks of the engine and the calls of the children, but as I watched the two of them hop aboard the train, I had a feeling it would be brilliant for the two of them. Brilliant indeed.

"It is getting late Hermione. I best be going back to look after Teddy, it is past his bedtime." Andromeda told me stoutly, wrapping her shawl around her shoulders protectively.

"Oh, please Andy!" I cried, grabbing her loose hand with both of my own. "I am dying to know what happened!"

"I am sure you know as much as I do about what happened during and after the train journey. Sirius and Remus became friends, along with James Potter. All three were placed in Gryffindor, along with a boy of the name Peter Pettigrew. Walburga was not in the least happy about that turn of events, I can assure you - placed in Gryffindor AND friends with a Potter! - but there was little she could do about it. Unfortunately I have little knowledge of what happened after this; I was disowned shortly after Christmas, when my affair with Ted became public, and I moved over to the Americas. Sirius' old owl could not make the flight, and years later he told me that he thought his mother had killed me when his letters were returned unopened. But I did live, albeit on the other side of the Atlantic. My next contact with Sirius was over 4 years later, during my return to England for the Christmas break. Now, I shall tell you about this another day."

"Please Andy, stay a while, or can I at least come to yours and hear a little more?" I watched Andy debate this internally, before a swift nod indicated I could come. "Oh, thank you Andy. I will help you with Teddy if you like?"

"No, no. I may be getting old, but I can handle my Grandson, don't you worry Hermione. Let us get to mine now; I'm sure Ginny is sick to death of babysitting him - Teddy can be a handful when he wants to." I watched Andy apparate quickly, before following suit myself.

We arrived at the house and bid Ginny goodnight as she handed over Teddy and returned to her own brood. I stood at the door as Andy put Teddy to bed.

"Sirius sounded so posh when you described him." I told Andy, thinking about the Sirius Black I knew.

"Oh, in his youth he was, all Blacks were. We were raised with the upmost manners and conversational skill. You can only imagine how boring our family get togethers were!" I smiled as Andy talked relaxedly. "He had lost all formality by our next meeting; I believe he thought of it as a sign of prudishness, and that it made him less like a Black if he talked colloquially. I must admit, my speech still resembles that of a Black; I never had the same all consuming hatred of the Blacks that Sirius had. After all, I was in Slytherin, and although I did not follow the 'Toujours Pur' idealism that most Blacks held, I was not as left-wing as Sirius. I never had the urge to sever the ties with my family, they were the ones who thought it necessary to disown me." I watched Andy place Teddy in his crib, looking over at me with an intense gaze. "You cannot help who you fall in love with, Hermione. The Blacks do not believe in love. They marry for power, for money, for heirs. It is why my family could not understand my relationship with Ted, and it is what set me and Sirius apart from the rest, what gave us a rebellious streak. Now, will you go and put the kettle on please, I do believe that I am in need of a cup of tea before I continue."

This will be a relatively short passage; I am aiming for 10 chapters. I do not expect it to be as popular as my last RLSB story, it is not as good. I wrote this for me; if any of you actually do enjoy it, you have no idea how happy you have made me. Thank you.