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For most of my family, life was a show where you have to do everything to shine. For me, it was an endless adventure, full of drama, fun and Blacks. As a member of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, I, Andromeda Black, should behave the way a lady does. I can not say that my first years of life were the way I wanted but I can assure that I learnt more of them than any of my sisters… because I have or had sisters. The eldest Bellatrix, Bella, and the one that was most like me, physically of course, and somehow on personality, but that is not the point, she was the incarnation of passion, courage and arrogance. She could have represented what my mother wanted us to represefnt, but she took that "personality" mother wanted us to have, too far. She was if it is possible to say, the Black sheep in the Black crowd. She was tall, with long black hair, and with a stunning presentation, you have to look at her every time, it was impossible not to do so. On the other hand, there was Narcissa, most commonly known as Cissy, was a bit opposite to Bella, born while my parents waited for a man, she grew up thinking that she was not the most expected child, not that any of us really were, but still she believed that. For that, she had a personality that was always looking for affection, and love, or at least the minimal sign of likeness. She was pretty in every single aspect, blond, cold eyes, just like most of my mother's family… the Rosiers. My mother, a blonde, cold faced and a very, very eloquent woman, was born in a pureblood family, she, during her youth was a very "free" woman, had a will force that took her everywhere she wanted. Beautiful as any and fierce as no one, she managed to suppress her libertarian spirit in order to behave like she was supposed to and settle with a pureblood man. Cygnus Black… what can I say about him, tall, with a strong face, very black hair, sad and cold eyes that seem to show both sides of a man, and a voice that if any louder, will seem to be yelling. He was a heartbreaker, loved to be loved and adored, and hated to feel such things. For him, the only thing that mattered was his power and what to with it, but he, in contrary to his beloved sister Walfburga, cared really much about his family, or at least, and I am proud to say so, of me. Aunt Walfburga… I can only say she is Father in a woman, much more girlie of course but as strong as I remember my dad, married to another Black, Orion, who was a little bit worse than her, I do not think is necessary to describe him, but I am going to. He was very handsome, with a pair of cold grey eyes that seem to look beneath you and know what you were thinking, and if it was something against what the family believed, those eyes seem to kill you. This pair of crazy wizards gave birth to Sirius and Regulus, both younger that me, and only one as good as they always expected to have a son. Regulus was the youngest member of that Black family, he was as cool as a baby could be, noisy and smelly, but good looking in a certain way, black haired, a kind of weak face, insecure; as a little child was a little copy of his father, he always tried to impress him, but he never really got to. Sirius, black haired… I think it is a characteristic of most of the Black's… tall, grey eyes as his father's, but his eyes seemed to be full of passion, almost the same passion on Bellatrix's, and I have to recognize, a very, very, very handsome boy. He always seemed to be a copy of what his father hated. He was a rebel and I have to say very attractive because of that. Now for me, I was the tallest of my sisters, very similar to Bellatrix, but with light brown hair, as a little child I was not really pretty but as soon as I turn 6 my mother thought I was the most perfect Black girl. I have to say I was lucky to be born second because that way I did not disappointed my parents for not being the firstborn man they wanted, but did not disappointed them as not being the girl who ruined the last chance of having a boy, which was Cissy. I think that made me arrogant and cynic, and sarcastic, I was so spoiled. That way little by little people started to look at me as the prettiest Black girl, which was boring… but this is not to describe how I was… it is to describe how I become who I am.
The beginningf of my story is located on my 11th birthday. It was going to be such party. Bella has already gone to Hogwarts and Cissy was really young. For my party, Mother let Bella invite her little noisy friends to it, and I have to start getting ready for it, so one day, and despite everything Mother had every taught us… we went to Diagon Alley. I was going to get my birthday robe and I wanted it to be absolutely perfect.
Are we really going?- I asked
Yes, Andromeda, we are going to Diagon Alley to get that dress, and yes Narcissa – at a sad sight of my sister- , you are getting one too. Is it to hard for you to understand it?, because let me tell you I certainly do not tolerate to repeat things to a pair of little girls – Mother responded.
I completely understood it Mother- Bella said.
Well, that is how grown up girls who already attend school should behave Bellatrix, I am glad that at least one of my daughters go to the school because repeating it to three would be too much for me.
There was never that minimum glimpse of emotion on what Mother said, everything was just emotionless, it does not matter if she was angry, or happy, because you could never tell, and I wanted to be like that, I wanted to have control over what I say, not like another witch of the family.
When we walked through the door of Madame Malkin's Robes for all Occasion store, we saw Aunt Walburga.
Oh!, Druella, dear, you managed to come, that is just great – contrary to Mother, everything that Aunt Walfburga said was full of, what seemed to me… hate. I always thought that she could not really stand that her precious brother married a Rosier, because for her women on the Rosier family were completely brainless.
Yes, Walfburga, of course I did. And you brought your children, how surprising.
Well, they needed to be dressed for the occasion, do not they Andy?
Is Andromeda, actually Walfburga –
Of course it is Druella, right ANDROMEDA? –
Yes, aunt Walfburga – I responded trying hard not to laugh at aunt Walburga's attempt to make my mother show any kind of emotion.
We spent 3 hours on Madame Malkin's, Mother bought for herself a gorgeous red wine robe, with silver incrustation on the sleeves. It was long enough on the front, but seemed to be longer on the back, with more silver incrustations. Under the robe, there was a silver dress, elegant as many of the dresses that mother had but with a style that I never saw on her before… it was more shining. For Bellatrix, Mother found a pretty dark green robe, with a big emerald necklace and a green of the same color dress. It was not the most impressive robe, but my sister managed to make it look as if it was. For Narcissa, Mother found a dark violet robe, pretty enough for a girl of nine. For Sirius and Regulus a pair of dress robes. Aunt Walfburga got a black robe and dress. And finally, for me a dark brown robe – golden dress, it was a very striking colour, and matched perfectly with my hair. It was a long sleeve dress with a touch of dark brown and it looked perfectly stunning for me.
As the party was getting close I started to get nervous but controlled my emotions as Mother always did with hers. Finally, for the party's day I was on perfect state, relaxed and exited as an eleven year old Black girl is allowed to be. The party began and… there were lots of boys who I have never met before, but I managed to meet a few of them, those who my parents found as possible candidates for marrying me. However I was much more interested on a tall, brunette man/boy who just arrived and who seemed to have a special interest in Bella. His name was Rudolphus Lestrange. My interest on him was not because of him, it was because despite the fact that he was older than her for around 2 years, and was brother of one of Bellatrix friends, he seemed to find her much more attractive than any of his women fellows. But what I found even more interesting than that was that Bellatrix ignored him, and she did not ignored him the way she might have ignored me or Cissy, she looked as if she was doing that for flirt. Just in that moment I realized how different things were going to be now that I was starting Hogwarts. The party was about to get over, when a family arrived.
Hello, Druella, what a wonderful party – the woman said.
Thank you very much, Morgana – Mother answered without really feeling thanked.
And, where is the miss Black? – Morgana, a woman with really light blonde hair and icy blue eyes.
Here she is – my Father responded in a proudly way, as if I was really his girl.
Good night to all of you – I said.
Wow, she is really the most gorgeous girl the Black family has got; you have to agree with that Druella despite you are a Rosier. Cygnus, you have to expect a very good marriage for her. Now, this is my son, Miss Black, Lucius Malfoy – Abraxas Malfoy told.
Nice to meet you – the boy said in a very politely way, he was two years older that Bellatrix, which means that he was about 15 so far. Tall for his age, sturdy, with grey eyes… everybody seemed to have grey eyes for me, and a long blond hair. He was, as my sister Narcissa always said, stunning.
Speaking of Narcissa, she managed to meet all of the guests of my party, behaving in a way that only seemed to captivate them, she was absolutely good at it, she was eloquent, like Druella Rosier, because after all, she was more a Rosier than she was ever a Black.
Finally the day arrived, the day when I was going to Hogwarts. I was a happy for it of course, I knew I was going to control the school, Bella always said that:
Andy, you are going to be loved, everybody knows our name, and everybody wants to be with us… you just have to be a Slytherin, ohh you are going to love it Andy. But you can not talk to…
the mudbloods I know that Bella... – I completed
exactly. Besides you have got the fame… everybody knows that the gorgeous Black girls is finally going to Hogwarts. Everybody knows you like that, read it:
The second Black-Rosier girl throws her 11th birthday party
In the Black manor, the second daughter of Cygnus and Druella Black got finally 11, a girl that captures all the beauty of the Rosiers, with the elegance and port of the Blacks, throw a magnificent party that can only be compared to the one thrown by her eldest sister Bellatrix Black two years ago, and soon to her youngest sister little blonde Narcissa.
With a beautiful golden dress, the girl of the brown long waved hair and a cold, distant look, received her guests, where the highlights were of course, her Father's sister, Walfburga Black, husband Orion and children Sirius of 8 and Regulus of 5, Abraxas, Morgana and Lucius Malfoy, this last one of the most likely to marry her candidate. The French heirs Rudolphus and Rabastan Lestrange, also we saw important families like the Yaxleys, the Crabbes, Goyles, Mcnairs, and others.
The now little woman Black, known as the "most gorgeous girl of the Black family", is about to start in Hogwarts this September, and we are sure that she is going to capture everyone in there.
How silly article – I said
Oh, "most gorgeous girl of the Black family" come on, it is okay. Actually it is very good, comparing to what they said of me… a "girl with a port that can only be compared only to the only Rowena Ravenclaw". I mean… why did not they say to the only Salazar Slytherin? – Bellatrix said.
Oh I do not care, I do not want to be known as a gorgeous girl, I want to be admired for my blood and my status, not only for my beauty.
Oh Andromeda shut up, that is a plus on your curriculum.
Whatever
Andy, that picture of you is so pretty – Cissy said
Cissy you are going to have one too… I started
Get out of here you brat, this room is for girls who are attending Hogwarts, meanwhile you can go and ask Mona for sandwiches.
I hate you Bellatrix – she responded.
On September 1st, Mother and Father took us to Platform 9¾, and to be honest I was completely excited. But my parents did not seem to, especially Mother. She looked like anyone in there was completely good, and looked around with certain air of superiority. Father was not that rude, he talked to one or two men in our way to the train, where we found the Malfoys. Morgana Malfoy looked just like Mother, looking around as if some people were just crap.
The platform was full of people of every kind, tall, short, those who looked like rich people, those who looked like poor, blondes, brunettes and a few red-haired ones that seemed known to me.
Look at the Prewetts- Abraxas told my Father in a voice that only I could hear.
Blood traitors – Father answered
Exactly, I thought they were your family –
Yes, they were, my brother in law's sister, Lucretia, married that Prewett, anyway they where burnt of the family tree –
Very wise –
The other red-haired I saw were the Weasleys, they were a lot and as far as I could hear related to both Malfoys and Blacks, but blood traitors in the same way of the Prewetts.
When I got on the train people looked at me as if a was a famous witch or something and I did not look back, I know now that they thought that I was made of ice, and had the same evil sense of Bellatrix but in a cold way. I managed to find a sit on the train, two compartments before Bellatrix's, but it was perfectly fine for me… and the people who started trying to get in it. However in the moment they saw who was in it they ran away, as if they thought I was going to hex them. Anyway, Lucius Malfoy came in…
Miss Black –
Hello Mr. Malfoy
Call me Lucius
Call me Miss Black
Great Miss Black, what are you doing here along, while you can be right now with the rest of the Slytherins
I prefer quietness if you know what I mean
Of course I do, however a girl like you should be with, you know the rest of us- there was something in that boy's voice, as if he was so sure that I was going to do exactly what he wanted, and for me that was a horrible thing, and he seemed to notice it, but instead of hating me for not liking him, he seem to enjoy it, lets say that Lucius Malfoy was not used to rejection.
Look LUCIUS – I remarked his name as much as I can – I do not know what do you want, but I am not interested on keep listening, so it does not matter my age I know a few spells that can make you not want to talk to me again. EVER. So if you please, please shut up, I would appreciate it – I said this with such a cool voice that I think of me as an evil person, but I liked it, I liked the effect it had on people.
Oh Andromeda dear, you surprise me, you are just a little Bella, but I do not doubt that you can cast very powerful spells, yet you forget I know how to repel them, more if they were taught by Bella, anyway leave that Black attitude to the moments you talk to the mudbloods, here I am your friend and after knowing you more, I think I am going to be a house fellow.
Well I hope you are wrong, not because I do not want to be a slytherin, but because I do not want to be near you.
And just like that I left, but that marked the moment in which the way Lucius Malfoy saw Bella and me changed. Now I was not only a pretty Black girl, I was a pretty slytherin bad tempered Black girl, who not only fit his ideals, also went over them and I did not like him. I seemed to be his perfect woman.
We finally arrived to Hogwarts by the lake, and it was not the most pleasured trip of my life, but I remember that I was astonished by the view of the magnificent castle. When we got in, we waited for Professor McGonagall to let us get in to the Great Hall. When we did I was nervous I have to agree, and I lose all my temper and nerve, I could not feel my feet, it never came to my mind the possibility of not getting into slytherin. Of course I had to, but what if I did not.
Professor McGonagall started calling names… I can not say I remember many of them right now because I was lost in my own thoughts… I do not even know if there was somebody before me on that list…
Black, Andromeda –
The Sorting Hat on my head…
Mmmm… a Black, but you are not like the rest of them, are you? You do not seemed absorbed by their ideals
Well I am – I thought
Interesting, you are decided, and brave, but you can do whatever you are pleased to do with that braveness, you are getting where you want… but what do you want right know?
I do not have to tell you, do I? You know where should I be, the only thing is that you can not believe that you can not make me change my mind.
It's always a pleasure to select a Black for… Slytherin.
I have to recognize I never really understood what that old hat meant, but it was the most interesting arguing I ever had, but I finally managed to get in the house I wanted, the Slytherin one. For what I heard, Slytherin was the best house for a pureblood, Ravenclaw was not that bad, but it was more for intelligence with no ambition according to Bella, Gryffindor was for blood traitors and Hufflepuff was for those who did not fit anywhere else.
When we got to our dorms, which were down in the dungeons, I felt relaxed for the first time since I have got there. I just lie on my bed and fell asleep.
For some, the first school day was the most exciting day of their lives, for me, it was the day when I learnt about true magic, not simple spells as Bellatrix taught me once. No, there I could manage to use my wand, because I had a wand, to do anything I want. My beautiful wand was made of holly and ebony and dragon heartstring core. It was 13½ inches long, and it was supposedly made to give unsurpassed magical energy and immortality, and apparently very good for duelling.
Mr. Ollivander, what do you do think my daughter is going to be doing? –
Ohh, Mrs. Black, is the wand who choices, not the wizard, remember?-
I remember, girls we are leaving –
I bet I'll see you soon, little blonde –
Yes, I remember too.
During breakfast, on my first day of school, our schedules were given. For the first day I had Transfiguration, Charms, and I do not remember what else, I have to say it was years and years ago. Anyway, Charms was going to be for Slytherins only, but Transfiguration was with the Gryffindors. On Charms class I worked with Alecto Carrow, a short red-haired witch with lots of freckles. She had a brother I heard, but I never met him. She was not brilliant but not really stupid at classes, so it was an average partner. There were also Madeleine Yaxley, cousin of Arnold Yaxley, Bellatrix's friend; Eva Rookwood and her twin, Augustus; Vienna Bonheur, who was daughter of a French wizard and a British witch, Albert McLaggen, a brilliant Slytherin boy, Roblain Parkinson, and Fausthe Byrne.
During that I class I discovered that I was really good at charming, and got a few points for my house.
So, you are not only good at throwing parties, you are also smart – Madeleine Yaxley told me.
Of course not Madeleine, I am good at hexing, my sister Bellatrix taught me a couple things
After that comment, Madeleine and I became friends. She had a low profile on hating mudbloods, for her it was laissez-faire, like Vienna said, despite the little tiny fact that she hated mudbloods more that many of my school mates. A mudblood stole her sister, but everybody knew that she fell in love with one.
I was not really sure of how good my magic was until I got to my Transfiguration class. Professor McGonagall was a very strict witch, but somehow I liked her. She knew perfectly well what was she doing, and as soon I started to transfigure things, my mind realized that charms and transfiguration were what I liked.
