1- The Three Black Sisters
" Andromeda, hurry up! Bellatrix and Narcissa are already down here! " Druella Black shouted through one of the expansive hallways of Black Manor on the morning of September first.
Andromeda Black was running late. She was hurrying around her bedroom, bewitching all of her robes and schoolbooks into her trunk at a ridiculous speed. She knew she should have packed the night before, but she had stayed up late convincing Narcissa that starting Hogwarts would definitely be a good thing. Now she could almost hear her mother's irritation.
Druella Black did not like her children to keep her waiting. In fact, Druella didn't like anyone to keep her waiting. She was one of the harshest women that Andromeda knew.
As her last Slytherin robe fluttered into the trunk, Andromeda waved her wand and followed her now levitating trunk out the door and down the stairs.
" Honestly Andromeda" her mother said irritably when she came down the stairs in her jumper, " You're going to make your sisters late"
" Sorry Mum" Andromeda said sheepishly, her trunk placing itself next to the other two in the sitting.
The other two Black sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa were standing next to their mother, having been waiting for Andromeda to come downstairs.
Andromeda hoped her mother wasn't too upset with her. Out of all three of her daughters. Druella was always the most critical and harsh with Andromeda. Perhaps it was because she was the middle child, or perhaps it was something else. Andromeda never knew, but she learned early that it was best to never get on her mother's bad side.
Bellatrix looked at Andromeda wistfully, " Leave her alone, Mum. She's here now"
Andromeda smiled at Bellatrix, " Thank you, Bella" she told her.
Meanwhile Narcissa was bouncing slightly. She was obviously nervous. She would be starting Hogwarts today.
" Will you stop bouncing, Cissy?" Bellatrix said turning to her quickly, " It's Hogwarts, you'll be fine"
Narcissa bit her lip nervously.
Andromeda couldn't help but notice the differences between Bellatrix and Narcissa's appearances when they stood together like that.
They were both beautiful. All of the Black girls were. But Bellatrix was a dark beauty. With a massive amount of black curly hair and very sharp features. She always looked up at people from beneath her heavily lidded eyes, and her look could be describes as nothing short of a vicious pretty.
Andromeda and Bellatrix looked quite similar.
If it wasn't for Andromeda's straight hair and tanned skin, she and Bellatrix could be twins. Even despite the year age difference. Sometimes it was hard to tell Bellatrix was a year older.
Narcissa however, was the opposite. She had a head full of white blonde hair and a rosy complexion.
She was the essence of white, looking like the complete opposite of Bellatrix.
All three of the Black girls were exceptionally beautiful. Something that had pleased their parents immensely. Now there was no need for Cygnus and Druella to worry. Of course with beauty and breeding like their daughters had, there would be no reason that they wouldn't marry respectable pureblood wizards.
" Alright" Druella Black said extending out both her arms, " Come on, no need to be any later than we already are"
Andromeda clutched onto her mother's right arm, as Bellatrix and Narcissa clutched the other one.
Andromeda couldn't wait until she was old enough to apparate. She only had to wait a year, and then she wouldn't have to depend on her mother to make sure she got to Kings Cross on time every year.
She felt the familiar tug behind her navel as the four women apparated to Platform 9 ¾.
When they landed next to the scarlet train, luggage in tow, Andromeda straightened her sweater and smiled.
She loved the Platform on the September first. The beginning of the year was her favorite time. She couldn't believe she would finally be starting her sixth year at Hogwarts.
" So you three will behave won't this year won't you?" Druella asked her three daughters, eyeing them all with a look of sincerity that they had seen quite often from her.
The three girls nodded. Andromeda wasn't worried. She had never done anything wrong at Hogwarts. She was a prefect and her marks were always perfect. She had entered her sixth year having received outstandings in every subject.
" I'm talking to you, Bellatrix" Druella said eyeing her curly haired daughter carefully.
Bellatrix sighed, " Yes, mother"
" And Narcissa, don't worry" Druella said eyeing her youngest daughter, " You'll be sorted into Slytherin, all Blacks are"
" Not Sirius" Bellatrix pointed out with a cold smile.
Druella sighed and another woman joined them. It was the girl's aunt and Sirius' mother, Walburga.
" Do not remind me, Bella" Aunt Walburga said kissing Druella on the cheek in greeting.
" Hello Andromeda" Aunt Walburga said to her, " you're looking radiant"
Andromeda smiled. She loved her aunt Walburga.
" Thank you, Auntie" she said happily, giving her a hug.
" You're a good girl. Narcissa" Aunt Walburga told the youngest Black daughter, " I have my every confidence that you'll join your sisters in Slytherin"
Narcissa smiled happily. Andromeda was sure that her aunt's words had helped to calm her sister.
" Regulus is over there, Cissy dear. Why don't you join him?" Aunt Walburga said, " you two can chat about Slytherin on the train"
Narcissa nodded and joined their cousin Regulus, who was also an incoming first year.
Bellatrix had already disappeared into the crowd, no doubt joining her friends. She was in her final year at Hogwarts, and even still Bellatrix refused to give into the traditional things like saying goodbye to their mother.
Andromeda scanned the crowd looking for her own friends. She spotted her two closest friends Alicia Nott and and Emma Vanity.
" Mom, I see Alicia and Emma" Andromeda told her.
Druella nodded, " Go ahead, have a good term" she said kissing her eldest daughter's cheek. Andromeda waved goodbye and ran over to the girls.
" Andy!" Alicia called happily as she pulled her into a hug. Emma smiled brightly.
Both Alicia and Emma had been Andromeda's best friends since first year. She had known Alicia since they were little. Their mother's had always encouraged their friendship. And she had met Emma in the dormitory six years ago. Both girls came from Pureblood Slytherin families, just like she did.
" How have you been? How was your summer?" Andromeda asked them both.
Alicia smiled, " I spent almost the entire summer with Evan"
Emma grinned, " You two are adorable"
Alicia had been going out with Evan Rosier, a fellow Slytherin, for several years and they were very close.
Most of the people who knew them. knew that one day the two would end up married, something that both of their parents would be exceptionally pleased with.
Andromeda smiled. She was happy that Alicia and Evan were able to sort everything out. They had been fighting quite a bit the year before.
" What about you, Emma?" she asked her other friend.
Emma frowned, " I spent the entire summer watching Linus, my mom thought it would be good practice for when I had my own kid" she said rolling her eyes.
Emma's mother was obsessed with the idea of Emma becoming a good pureblood wife and having as many children as possible, so she often had her watch her younger brother Linus for practice.
" Come on," Alicia said looking at the dwindling crowd on the platform, " let's go find a compartment before all the good one's are gone"
Andromeda followed her and Emma onto the train, scanning all the platforms looking for empty ones.
" No, not that one" Alicia said to Emma, " It's full of Gryffindors"
" Ugh," Emma said wrinkling her nose at the group of scarlet clad sixth years.
They passed several more compartments. Andromeda saw lot's of people in her own year, but Alicia and Emma didn't want to sit with anyone except Slytherins.
They stopped when they got to a compartment that had only had five other people in it. Andromeda smiled at the people that were in it. They were her fellow Slytherin sixth years.
Evan Rosier, Rabastan Lestrange, Tobias Bulstrode, Thomas Avery, and Erasmus McNair.
Alicia trotted into the compartment and sat down next to Evan immediately.
Emma sat down next to her and Andromeda followed her.
" Hello Andromeda" Rabastan said smiling at her.
Andromeda grinned. Rabastan was extremely handsome. She had known him his whole life and it was common knowledge that their parent's hoped they would get together.
Andromeda could think of nothing better. When Rabastan smiled at her, she felt her heart beat faster.
" How did you guys get such a good compartment?" she asked them, gesturing to the compartment which was easily the largest one on the train.
Erasmus smiled and nudged Rabastan.
" We got it from a group of Mudbloods" Rabastan said, " they even tried to fight us for it. It was too easy"
Everyone in the common room laughed, but Andromeda felt a knot in her stomach.
She was a pureblood, and she had spent her entire life around people who believed that 'muggleborns' or Mudbloods as they were more often referred to in this company, should be eradicated.
Andromeda didn't know how she felt about this. She knew that her family believed this wholeheartedly, and she didn't like to disagree with them, but she couldn't see what was so wrong with muggleborns.
But she never voiced this opinion. Andromeda and most of the people she spent her time with were all apart of the sacred twenty eight. The only true pureblood families left in the wizarding world.
Everyone she spent her time with thought muggleborns were scum, and that the only good kind of wizard was a Pureblood.
So Andromeda had just learned to adopt these ideals. It was easier than trying to question them. Besides, she was a Black. She and her sisters were regarded as being the most influential Pureblood family at Hogwarts, and that came with certain obligations to the family. Obligations that Andromeda knew were her responsibility to follow.
" So Andromeda," Rabastan said, " I saw your little sister on the train earlier, is she being sorted today?"
Andromeda nodded happily, " Yeah, I'm so excited for her"
Rabastan smiled at her and she felt like her stomach flip excitedly.
" I hope she's in Slytherin" he said.
" As if she'd be in any other house" Emma said with a wide smile.
Andromeda was comforted by the fact that all of her friends agreed that there was no other house her sister would be in.
Every Black for the last three centuries had been a Slytherin. There was simply no other option for a member of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black.
Slytherin was, in Andromeda's opinion, the best house at Hogwarts.
The Hufflepuff's were useless, known for doing nothing. The Ravenclaw's were too smart for their own good, their pretentious nature kept them from going far. And the Gryffindors, well though they all claimed to be the bravest at Hogwarts, had a nasty habit of just being flashy.
Slytherins knew how to get far. They could take any situation and have it benefit them. Something that Andromeda thought, more people should learn how to do.
She couldn't imagine what would happen if Narcissa was sorted into any other house. All she could think about was how Sirius was treated. His whole family despised him for betraying the Black tradition of Slytherin house.
As much as Andromeda loved Slytherin, she couldn't help but think it wasn't Sirius' fault he was in Gryffindor. Either way, she hoped Narcissa wouldn't have to worry about it.
"... so then when we asked the wizard what it was he said it was a Dark Mark" Thomas said excitedly.
" What's a Dark Mark?" Emma asked curiously.
Erasmus and Rabastan snickered slightly, " Vanity, thats You-Know-Who's mark"
"Oh" Emma said quietly.
Andromeda looked up, " You-Know Who?"
Erasmus eyed her curiously, " Surely you know who he is?"
She nodded, " I know who he is, my parent's talk about him a lot"
" Well he's got the right idea" Tobias added, " he thinks that all Mudbloods should be rounded up and killed"
Evan snickered at his comment.
Andromeda felt conflicted. Her entire family talked of You-Know-Who often. They believed as Tobias did, that he had the right idea and so Andromeda tried to force herself to agree with this, despite her aversion to killing.
" Well anyway" Thomas continued, " this bloke with the Dark Mark, he's a death eater, and he told us that soon You-Know-Who would be looking for more supporters, and they would need to be young"
" Like us?" Alicia asked.
Thomas nodded excitedly, " I mean why not, most of us are of age this year"
Alicia nodded realizing that what he was saying was true.
" I'm joining up as soon as I can" Evan said boldly, " my parent's probably will too"
" So would I" Alicia said. She always agreed with Evan.
" What about you, Andromeda?" Rabastan asked, he was eyeing her strangely.
" Would I join?" she asked him.
Rabastan nodded. He was leaning against the wall of the compartment. He had rolled his sleeves so that his tanned arms were visible.
" I don't know" Andromeda said biting her lip, " I'd have to think about it"
" Come on, Lestrange" Alicia said crossing her legs, " Andromeda overthinks everything!"
" I do not" Andromeda said to her, despite the fact that she knew there was some truth to Alicia's words. She often overthought things.
Andromeda always felt like she was slightly out of step with her friends and her family, as if what she was thinking and what she felt differed from them. So she was always careful to think about everything before she did or said something. It was security for her.
" Well, I think it's a good thing" Rabastan said, " better she do that than say everything that comes to mind like you, Nott"
Alicia drew her wand, ' Say that now, Lestrange"
Rabastan only laughed, knowing she was bluffing.
He caught Andromeda's eye and winked. Andromeda began to blush slightly, letting her glance drift off to the opposite direction.
" Well, I'd like to meet this You-Know-Who, before I make my decision" Emma said boldly.
Everyone snickered.
" What?" Emma demanded.
" Come on Vanity" Erasmus said shaking his head, " he's one of the most powerful wizards of all time, he isn't going to just meet with you"
Emma shrugged, " Then I guess I won't join then"
" You're one stubborn bird, Vanity" Thomas said in disbelief.
Emma smiled proudly, " Yes I am"
They rest of the group launched into a discussion about Avery's father's new job and Andromeda let her eyes wander out the window.
She watched the passing miles of farmland and suburbs and found herself thinking about the muggles that lived there, and how they didn't know that at that exact moment, a train full of wizards was passing them by.
The train continued on, and before she knew it, it was time for the Prefect's meeting.
Andromeda and Evan were the sixth year Slytherin Prefects, so they both got up from the compartment and headed to the Perfect's carriage at the front of the train.
It was a tight squeeze with so many people in one compartment. Each of the houses were represented with fifth, sixth, and seventh year prefects as well as with the Head Boy and Girl.
This year the Head Boy was a Gryffindor named Maxim Wood, a Half-Blood. The Head Girl was a Ravenclaw named Faren Malby, and she was Muggle-born.
Andromeda saw the look of distaste on Evan's face as he eyed their new Head Girl and when they sat down with the other Slytherin Prefects, she wasn't surprised when he leaned over and whispered, " Great, now we're taking orders from a Mudblood?"
Andromeda tried to nod in agreement with Evan, but she was conflicted.
Her parent's had always told her that being Pureblood meant she was better than other blood status. That she and the other Purebloods were better and more qualified to do magic, but being at Hogwarts had always made her wonder if this was true. There were Slytherin Purebloods in seventh year who this Faren had beat out for the spot as Head Girl. Didn't this mean she was more qualified? Her parents would tell her no. They were convinced that the Hogwarts Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, was a no good Mudblood Lover who was determined to take down all of the Purebloods.
If Bellatrix had been made a prefect, she was sure she would be livid with the choice in Head Girl, so Andromeda assumed she should be too.
But looking at Faren now, Andromeda didn't know what to think, so she agreed with Evan, making the decision that a Black would.
" So this year we have decided to create you're patrolling schedules for you" Wood said handing all of the Prefects pieces of parchment.
" We've found it work's easier this way" Faren added.
They had already given the introductory speech. Andromeda had been too busy thinking to hear it, so she snapped her attention back to the Head's.
Wood handed her one of the pieces of parchment and she unfolded it with a sigh.
Out of the five nights a week she patrolled, she only had one shift with a Slytherin, and it was with Evan. The rest of them were with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs.
If there were two houses that Andromeda disliked the most, it was Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. At least the Ravenclaws she could stand for long periods of time, but the other two houses were so full of showy, boastful people she couldn't take it.
Both Wood and Malby spent the next hour talking about the new patrolling procedures and how it was still necessary for Prefect's to dock points if anyone was out of bed after hours or breaking any rules.
It was the same speech every year, but this time, she did notice that Wood kept throwing nervous glances over at the Slytherins on the opposite side of the compartment. No doubt in disdain.
Wood was a Gryffindor, so by nature he despised the Slytherin House, but he was also on the Quidditch team and because of Slytherin's legendary victory over Gryffindor the year before, he was still holding a grudge.
Something Andromeda thought made him a sore loser.
When the meeting ended, both Andromeda and Evan walked back to their compartment and found it had grown in attendance.
Bellatrix was now sitting in there with her friend Elizabeth Merlin and her long term boyfriend, Rabastan's brother, Rodolphus Lestrange.
Andromeda opened the door and took her seat next to Alicia.
" How was the meeting?" Bellatrix asked from her position in Rodolphus' lap.
Andromeda shrugged, but Evan got very excited.
" You know the Head Girl this year is a mudblood?" He told Bellatrix quickly, his voice echoing his obvious disgust.
Bellatrix rolled her eyes, " A Mudblood? God this place is going to the dogs isnt it?"
Rodolphus snickered and went back to playing with her hair.
" And the ruddy schedules" Evam said continuing his complaining about the meeting, " I swearr I got all Gryffindors"
" Don't complain," Andromeda told him. " I got Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs".
Her face scrunched as she said the latter. Andromeda wasn't very fond of Hufflepuffs.
" They're so useless" Bellatrix complained, " and I swear there's not a Pureblood among them"
As the conversation drifted again towards the Pureblood families among Hogwarts, Andromeda let her mind wander. It's not that she wasn't interested, but the conversations always seemed the same and frankly it could be a little boring to her. Just once, she wished that they would discuss something else.
A few hours in Andromeda heard the dessert trolley roll by.
" I'll get everyone something" Rabastan said getting to his feet. The rest of the group barely looked up. The were all too immersed in what they were doing to acknowledge his words.
" Do you want help?" Andromeda asked him, desperate to get out and stretch her legs a little.
Rabastan nodded and they walked out of the compartment and to the trolley. There was a collection of student's gathered around it, all buying their snacks.
A group of Ravenclaws were gathered in front of them. They were discussing something in hushed voices.
Rabastan rolled his eyes and she found herself wondering what it was they were talking about.
They group cleared and Rabastan bought several snacks from the trolley, handing the witch several galleons.
Rabastan handed Andromeda some of things he had purchased and together they carried it back to the compartment.
" How'd you know what everyone wanted?" Andromeda asked him.
Rabastan shrugged, " Well this is what they're getting since no one answered me"
Andromeda let out a small laugh as he slid open the door to the compartment.
In their absence, Alicia had taken to french braiding Emma's hair and the boys were engaged in a very angry conversation about this year's quidditch team.
Andromeda's ears perked up at this. She was on the Slytherin Quidditch team as a chaser, and she loved every second she was on the field.
" Andromeda?" Evan asked, " have you heard about who the new chaser is on Gryffindor since Bagman graduated?"
She shook her head. She hadn't even realized that they had a new opening on the team.
" Well let's hope they're a rubbish player" Rabastan added. He was on the team too, as a beater.
The Slytherins had so far won the House Cup for the past two years, and Professor Slughorn, their head of house, had made it very clear that he liked having the cup remain in his office.
Andromeda sat quietly for the rest of the ride to Hogwarts. She was very tired and couldn't wait for the feast and to go to sleep in the dormitory. She really should have gotten more sleep last night. She was already exhausted.
When Hogwarts came into view, they all changed into their robes. Andromeda admired the small Slytherin emblem on hers, thinking that she was lucky that green happened to look good on her. She couldn't imagine how any of the Hufflepuffs enjoyed wearing that gaudy yellow.
The train pulled into the station and everyone poured out of it in search of the carriages.
Andromeda watched the first years crowd into the boats. She potted Narcissa's white blonde hair instantly. She was sitting in a boat with Regulus and two boys Andromeda didn't recognize.
Andromeda climbed into the carriage with Emma and Alicia and let herself feel excitement for the feast. There was nothing she loved more than the first night at Hogwarts.
The carriages pulled the students through Hogsmeade and up to the castle, where everyone crowded to get into the Great Hall.
It was strange for her to think that this was her sixth welcome feast at Hogwarts. It felt like yesterday that she had been sorted.
Alicia, Emma and Andromeda walked over to the Slytherin table at the far left corner of the room and were joined soon by the boys.
The entire hall was soon filled with chattering students, all anxious for the sorting to begin so that they could dive into the marvelous feast.
Once all of the older students were sitting down at their respective houses. Professor McGonagall came into the room, with a line of first years behind her.
Narcissa stood in line nervously, staring directly in front of her.
Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on the stool in front of her and it opened it's wide brim and began to sing
" Welcome students to another happy year,
please lend this old hat your curious ear,
When Hogwarts was first founded hundreds of years before,
Four founders decided to teach the magical lore,
No one more humble and honest than Helga Hufflepuff,
Or Godric Gryffindor who loved the brave and tough,
And I dare you to find someone smarter than Rowena Ravenclaw,
Or perhaps Salazar Slytherin who was as cunning as the law,
These four founders then all created me,
To serve the school and sort all of thee,
Four houses, all made different and unique,
I sort all, the brave, the cunning, the smart and the weak,
So students young and old,
Place me on you're head and go where you are told.
For I am the only hat you'll find with a face,
and who can tell you where's your place"
The hat closed it's mouth and Professor McGonagall opened a large scroll of parchment, reading the first name.
" Anderson, Mark"
A small brown haired boy approached the stool and sat down. He was instantly sorted into Ravenclaw.
" Benzel, Amaryllis"
A small dark haired girl was sorted into Hufflepuff.
" Black, Narcissa"
Andromeda watched as Narcissa approached the stool and sat down. From the Slytherin table, Bellatrix and Andromeda caught each other's eyes for a moment before turning back to Narcissa.
The sorting hat fell on her head and rested there for only a moment before the hate opened it's mouth and shouted " Slytherin"
The entire Slytherin table clapped as Narcissa joined it at the front. Both Andromeda and Bellatrix were standing up and cheering. Andromeda felt an upsurge of pride as her sister was now a member of her house.
" Black, Regulus"
This was the other sorting Andromeda was nervous about. Regulus was a Black, so the general thought was that he would be a Slytherin. But Andromeda worried that Regulus would follow after Sirius and be sorted into a different house.
The other houses weren't awful but Andromeda had seen what Sirius' change had done to him and how his family now viewed him, and Andromeda wanted more for Regulus.
The sorting hat dropped onto Regulus' head, and before it even touched his hair fully, it opened it's mouth and shouted " SLYTHERIN".
Andromeda let out the breath she had been holding in, as Regulus joined Narcissa at their table.
Aunt Walburga was going to be so thrilled. Now she had at least one of her son's in her former house.
Andromeda sat happily through the rest of the sorting and was excited when the final student sat down at their table and the food appeared on the tables.
The Hogwarts feast was what she had dreamed about all summer. Even the large feasts provided by the Black's house elf Libby could not compare to the delicious assortment of food that had appeared in front of her.
" I love Hogwarts food" Alicia said biting into a piece of pheasant that was on the plate in front of her.
" You have no idea how much I've missed it" Andromeda said, agreeing with her.
" You know," Emma said casting a glance down the hall at the Gryffindor table, " It's a shame your cousin Sirius is such a blood traitor, because he is quite attractive"
Andromeda let her glance follow Emma's to the Gryffindor table, where her cousin Sirius was engaged in a very animated conversation with his friends.
She noticed he was talking quite happily with James Potter, who had been his friend for the last four years at Hogwarts.
Andromeda turned back to Emma and shrugged. She really didn't mind Sirius, in fact she found him to be quite was by far his favorite cousin, something he told her often.
But she rarely mentioned this.
The girls continued to eat until the tables cleared themselves and everyone looked up to see Professor Dumbledore at the podium in the front of the hall.
" Welcome Students, to another wonderful year at Hogwarts!" he said proudly, gesturing to all of the student's in the hall.
Andromeda liked Dumbledore a lot, despite what her family thought. His appointment to Headmaster at Hogwarts was one that some people in Slytherin were wary about, but she believed he was the perfect person for the job.
" I know you are all quite tired and ready to get a good night's sleep for your first night of classes, but before you do, I would just like to let you all know that we have quite a lot planned for you this year and look forward to another year of magic ahead of us"
Everyone in the hall clapped happily.
Dumbledore smiled broadly at the collection of student's before him, " So off to bed you go! I'll see you tomorrow for your lessons"
Everyone got up from their house tables quickly, ready to go back to their dormitories.
Andromeda, Alicia, and Emma walked out of the Great Hall and towards the common room.
Andromeda could do this walk with her eyes closed. As they approached the dungeons, the air got slightly colder. It was familiar to her.
As they approached the stone wall, the group of seventh years in front of them said the password loudly.
It was Pureblood. Andromeda shook her head, it was always something like that. In all of her time at Hogwarts she had only known the Slytherin Common Room to have about ten passwords that it regularly changed.
The stone wall moved and allowed all of the student's access to their common room.
It has been three months since Andromeda was here and it welcomed her like an old friend.
The Slytherin common room was a dimly lit chamber underneath the black lake. It's location caused it to be chilly all of the time, but she felt it was comforting. All of her memories were twinged with green from the light that seemed to give the whole room a permanently emerald glow.
The three girls walked down the girl's hall to the sixth room and entered their new dormitory. They were always the same. They Slytherin dormitories were large spacious rooms with five four poster beds and a fireplace in the middle.
" Have the beds gotten bigger?" Alicia asked jumping onto her bed.
" I doubt it" Andromeda said picking the bed she always did. It was the one on the farthest wall.
Emma sat down on her bed too, looking happy to be back in the dormitory.
" So, Andy" Alicia said turning to her friend happily, " I couldn't help but notice that Rabastan has taken quite a liking to you, huh?"
Andromeda blushed deeply. She had thought she had noticed this too, but hadn't wanted to comment on it in case she had been wrong. Nothing would make her happier then ending up with Rabastan.
She allowed herself to smile slightly, " I hope so"
Alicia grinned, " I would too if it were me,"
From her bed, Emma giggled and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, " Andromeda loves Rabastan"
Andromeda rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at her.
The door to the dormitory opened and all three girl's heads shot up, as their fellow Slytherin dorm mates entered the room.
Lucia Relvers and Eudora Marx walked into the room quietly and sat down on the two beds closest to the door.
Alicia rolled her eyes as they did, and exchanged a quick look with Emma.
Lucia and Eudora had been their dorm mates since first year, but neither Emma nor Alicia liked them.
They were both half-bloods and the other girls were always raised to believe that this meant they were not as worthy to be in Slytherin as they were.
" I'm going to bed" Alicia said quickly, and Andromeda watched as her blonde head disappeared behind the bed curtains she pulled closed.
Emma had done the same, so Andromeda followed their lead. She thought she saw Lucia throw her a furtive glance before she closed the bed curtains.
Andromeda had trouble falling asleep that night. She kept having the same nightmare. Her mother and father were staring down at her and telling her that she had failed all of her N.E.W.T.s. She tried to remind herself that this wasn't going to happen, but there was no use. It terrified her just the same.
Disappointing her parents in any way was Andromeda's biggest fear. So far she never had, but she didn't know that soon, she would be the biggest disappointment in Black History.
