Hello, everyone!

Here's chapter one of Memories, I hope you like it.

Enjoy!

-Estelle

They all sat along the dining table, waiting eagerly for the food to be laid down. The Order meeting had just finished, and Snape, McGonagall, Dumbledore and a few others had departed, meaning the remaining people could sit down for dinner.

"It's been a rather boring few days, hasn't it, Forge?" Fred asked.

"Definitely has, Gred." George replied.

Sirius snorted, "If you think that, then imagine my plight. I live here."

"We pity you." George assured him.

"Don't encourage him to continue his brooding, boys." Tonks said, with a shake of her head. Her hair was long and brown that night, "He's already sullen enough as it is."

"I am not. Ask your Mum how torturous it used to be here when we were kids." Sirius retorted.

"You know Tonks's mum?" Ron asked, sounding impressed, "Wow. Only one and a half years out of Azkaban, and you've already met the Order Families?"

"Ronald." Mrs. Weasley sighed exasperatedly, laying down various dishes on the table, "Don't bring up such pessimistic topics during dinner. Tuck in, all of you!"

"No worries, Molly." Sirius said, serving himself a generous amount of pasta, while everyone else gladly helped themselves to the food.

"He should know better than to bring up Azkaban." Molly said sincerely, "Shouldn't you, Ron?"

"Yes, Mum." Ron muttered irritably.

Hermione and Mrs. Weasley exchanged another exasperated glance. Ron turned to gape at Harry, mouthing 'what did I do this time?', to which Harry shrugged.

"It's okay, Molly, really. This place and Azkaban are practically the same thing, minus the dementors. Though Snape can make up for one or two of those. Git tried to throw me back into Azkaban couple of years ago, but now that Dumbledore's told him not to, I've got to deal with seeing his revolting face on a weekly basis. Lucky school starts soon. He won't be able to make it as much." Sirius said moodily.

Remus frowned and opened his mouth, but Sirius turned to Ron, "I've known Tonks's mum since I was born."

"Really?" Ron said, "How?"

"She's my cousin. She's four years older than me."

"Wait...then that means Tonks is your niece!" Ron realized.

"Er...something like that. I prefer 'distant cousin'" Sirius said, "Her calling me an uncle makes me feel ancient."

"What a surprise. Je ne savais pas que vous avies les cousins." Fleur said with interest.

"Tonks de la mere etait la seule decent hors du lot." Sirius replied. The others stared blankly.

"I zaid I never knew 'e 'ad couzins, and 'e zaid zat Tonks's muzzer was ze only decent one out of all 'ees family." Fleur explained.

"You know french?" Ginny asked Sirius.

"Mais bien sur." Sirius said, "But of course. As a member of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Blacks, I must know French, Latin, Spanish, Greek, and all the rest."

"That's very impressive." Hermione said approvingly.

"So what's your Mum's name, Tonks?" Ron asked.

"Andromeda." the metamorphugus replied.

"And the other cousins?" Ron prodded.

Both Sirius and Tinks looked uncomfortable as Sirius spoke again, "Um, I had a little brother. He was a death eater. He died fifteen years ago. And Andy has two sisters. One of them is in Azkaban with her husband and brother-in-law."

There was some silence.

"Oh." Bill finally said, "No wonder you lot never got along."

"Yeah.." Sirius sighed.

"What was your brother's name? And the Azkaban Cousin?" Fred asked.

Sirius snorted, "You know, to Andromeda, I'd be the Azkaban Cousin."

Fred rolled his eyes, "Answer the question, mate."

"My brother was named Regulus. My cousin is Bellatrix Black. Now Lestrange."

Bill choked on his soup, "Bellatrix Lestrange? She's- She's your cousin?"

"Oh, yeah, and Tonk's aunt, might I add." Sirius said while Mrs. Weasley glared at her eldest son, "She's a right madcap. Looks a bit like me-"

"She's the female version of you, Sirius." Remus interjected.

Sirius looked wounded, but continued, "I got a brief glimpse of her in Azkaban."

Harry nodded sympathetically, having already heard this story.

"Bellatrix, Sirius, Regulus, Andromeda, Nymphadora..." Hermione said thoughtfully, "Aren't they all constellations, or stars, or something like that?"

"Blacks are named after stars and constellations." Mr. Weasley said helpfully, "Sirius is the brightest star in the sky."

"The Dog Star." added Remus fondly.

"Coincidence that his animagus form, patronus and name are all basically the same thing." Tonks said.

"Hey...you said Andromeda had two sisters. Who's the second one?" George asked curiously.

"Oh, yeah, you might have met her. Harry's mentioned her son in a couple of letters. Not in the best light, but still." Sirius said conversationally.

"So does your cousin have a name?" Ginny asked wryly.

"Course. Narcissa Black-Malfoy."

Ron dropped his spoon, Hermione let out a squeak, and the twins let out horrified 'Blimey!'s. Ginny looked revolted.

"So you're telling me..." she said slowly, "That Draco Malfoy is your nephew."

"Unfortunately." Sirius said, while Remus laughed, "But I was disowned for running away when I was sixteen."

"Where did you go?" Mr. Weasley asked, alarmed. Harry grinned.

"James's house. Took me in like another son, they did."

"The Malfoys are vile." George said in disgust, "Dad got into a fight with Lucius Malfoy once. A muggle duel."

"Alright! Well done, Arthur!" Sirius said in delight, while Arthur beamed.

"Sirius! Arthur! George!" Mrs. Weasley thundered.

"Sorry." they chorused immediately, and everyone laughed.

"What could have possibly possessed Narcissa to marry that horrible man, I don't know." Tonks said, "I'm sure she could have found someone way better."

Sirius got an odd look on his face, and Remus was suddenly rolling on the floor, laughing.

Harry had never seen his ex-professor like this. It warmed his heart.

"What is so funny?" Mrs. Weasley asked sternly.

"Nothing!" Sirius said immediately, but none of them bought it.

"Tell us!" the twins chorused.

Remus sat up, still gasping for breath, "Oh, we have to tell this story. We have to. Shut up Sirius."

Sirius turned to Remus in horror, "What?!"

"It's funny." Remus grinned, "Times are dark. We needed something to laugh about."

"Find something else."

"No, now we definitely have to hear this." Ginny said, and everyone nodded in agreement. Even Mrs. Weasley seemed to preen a little.

Sirius shook his head vehemently, "No. Absolutely not. It's humiliating."

"Too bad." Remus said, and everyone leaned forward to catch the story, "Okay. So, it started after the summer of our fifth year..."