Disclaimer: Everything in this story belongs to J.K. Rowling. Anything that sounds familiar is hers. I just enjoy playing with the world she created.

Story is named after "Family Tradition" by Senses Fail.

Note: I am very well aware of Andromeda being quite a bit older than her cousin Sirius. However, in my story, they are the same age.

Andromeda Black stood on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, ready to board the scarlet train that would take her to her second home. Her mother, Druella Black, stood next to her, proper and impassive in her long green silk robes, her curly brown hair pulled up into an orderly bun. They both jumped a little at the sound of the shrill whistle of the Hogwarts Express, warning students to get on board.

"Bellatrix, watch out for your sisters," Druella reminded her eldest daughter, "And all of you, give my regards to Professor Slughorn."

Bellatrix nodded, her large, heavily lidded dark eyes solemn. "Goodbye, Mother."

"Bye, Mum." Andromeda spoke without emotion. They were never a family that condoned teary farewells.

Narcissa spoke in her cold but timid voice. "See you at Christmas, Mother."

"Remember that you are of the Black family and make us all proud." Druella gave them all stiff, rather awkward hugs and waved them towards the train.

Bellatrix climbed aboard first and ran straight to the compartment that held her fellow seventh-year Slytherins. Andromeda watched as Rodolphus Lestrange moved over swiftly, making a spot for Bellatrix before anyone else realized she was in the compartment. Evan Rosier watched him resentfully.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. She was used to boys falling all over Bellatrix. She was beautiful, with long, thick, dark hair that fell down her back in natural curls and deep brown eyes framed with long black eyelashes. However, Andromeda hated the crowd that her older sister chose to associate with. They were the creepiest Slytherins in existence, all of them obsessed with the Dark Lord and most likely plotting to join him the second that they were finished with school.

Narcissa, a fifth year, trailed nervously behind Andromeda, looking for her friends in every compartment they passed.

"Narcissa!" called a male voice. The Black sister in question turned to her left and saw Lucius Malfoy gesturing for her to join him and the rest of their friends. Narcissa blushed before muttering a goodbye to her older sister and rushing over to Lucius's compartment, her straight blonde hair flying behind her.

Free of Bellatrix and Narcissa, Andromeda slid into an empty compartment on her right. She slumped into her seat and sighed. She wasn't particularly awaiting her sixth year at Hogwarts amongst her fellow Slytherins. Truth be told, she hated the House, and felt that she had only been placed there because of her family name. The only Black who had been Sorted into another House was considered an outcast. No one talked to Sirius because of his place in Gryffindor and his will to be different. Secretly, however, Andromeda kept up a correspondence with her cousin, who was in the same year as herself. She was jealous of his freedom, as he had run away from his mother the previous month, and in that, was now free of his responsibilities and the numerous pressures of the surname that they shared.

Her musings were interrupted as she heard the audible click of the compartment door sliding open. Ted Tonks and a few of his fellow sixth-year Gryffindors entered, looking wary.

"Mind if we sit here?" Ted sounded unsure.

Andromeda shrugged. The boys took that as consent and collapsed onto the plush seats, talking and laughing as they were before. Ted, however, studied Andromeda intently.

She resembled her older sister, Bellatrix, only slightly. She was just as beautiful, but in a different way. Her hair was just as thick, but fell in softer waves and was a lighter color. Andromeda's eyes were a kinder shape and color and her eyelids were not as severe. She was also quite a bit shorter than Bellatrix.

Andromeda kept her gaze at the window, her face expressionless. She wondered what her mother would think of her, sitting in a compartment with a bunch of rowdy Gryffindor boys, at least one of them a known Mudblood. The thought of defying her family presented itself in her head, and once it was there, it was impossible to ignore.

She turned to Ted and put on a charming smile. "Hello," she said.

He looked surprised at the way she addressed him. Weren't the Black sisters supposed to be extremely prejudiced and stuck-up? But he'd always thought Andromeda was beautiful, unlike her two sisters, one cold as a fish and the other wild and evil-looking…

"Hey," Ted replied, smiling as well. Andromeda noticed for the first time how handsome he was, with his fair hair and light blue eyes.

His friends quieted down, staring at the pair in disbelief. Andromeda Black was talking to a Muggle-born?

"So you're in Slytherin?" Ted gestured to the insignia on Andromeda's robes, the familiar silver and green snake. She found herself hating it immediately and wishing for the red and gold lion that decorated Sirius's robes.

Andromeda sighed. "Yes," she answered glumly and somewhat reluctantly.

Ted was incredulous. "And you don't like that?"

"Well," Andromeda began, not sure of what would be the prudent response, "Slytherins tend to be selfish and prejudiced."

Ted leaned forward, wishing he could record her words to play over and over in his head. "You're not prejudiced?" His voice was soft.

Andromeda shifted in her seat, nervous and fidgety. "I guess I'm not."

Ted grinned. "Well, great. A down-to-earth Slytherin. I never thought one existed."

Andromeda stared at the green hills rolling past them through the window. "Me either," she agreed.

Ted laughed before becoming sober once more. "But aren't you a Black?"

The tension in the compartment became visible. Andromeda clenched her teeth, at a loss for words. She nodded.

"Like Regulus, Bellatrix, and Narcissa?" Ted prodded.

Andromeda smiled bitterly. "More like Sirius."

The doors to the compartment were thrown open with a clang, causing Andromeda and Ted to jump back in their seats. Bellatrix observed them all, looking haughty and disapproving as she studied the people sitting with her younger sister.

"Why are you sitting with this filth, Dromeda?" Bellatrix glared at Ted Tonks meaningfully.

Andromeda dropped her gaze to the floor, looking as if she wished she could be anywhere else in the world.

"We aren't filth, Black," Ted spat back, angry.

"Your blood seems to disagree," Bellatrix scoffed.

Ted's friends jumped to their feet, pulling out their wands and pointing them at Bellatrix, though hers was held ready. She had always possessed a wicked delight in dueling.

Andromeda placed herself in between the outstretched wands, sick of the bickering.

"Let's just go, Bella." She pulled on her sister's arm, willing her to back down.

Bellatrix's eyes were burning in anger, but she took one look at her younger sister's exasperated expression and yielded.

"You're right. Mudbloods aren't worth the effort." She grinned maliciously and pushed ahead of Andromeda, missing the apologetic look her sister aimed toward Ted Tonks.

Author's Note: Please review and tell me what you think! This is only my second FanFiction so don't be harsh! (:

-MQ