Hey everyone! I'm so glad people are liking this story!
To answer a review questions (I meant to go over this before the last chapter, but forgot ...), some quick ages (going to mention Ted Tonks too, because he's important to the story)
Rodolphus Lestrange - b. 1951, graduated Hogwarts - 1969
Bellatrix Lestrange - b. 1951, graduated Hogwarts - 1969
Rabastan Lestrange - b. 1953, graduated Hogwarts - 1971
Andromeda Black - b. Nov. 1953 - graduating Hogwarts - 1972
Evan Rosier - b. 1954, graduating Hogwarts - 1972
Lucius Malfoy - b. 1954, graduating Hogwarts - 1972 (this is canon!)
Ted Tonks - b. 1954, graduating Hogwarts - 1972
Narcissa Black - b. Summer 1955, graduating Hogwarts - 1973
Ivan* Crabbe - b. 1955, graduating Hogwarts - 1973
Sirius Black - b. late 1959, graduating Hogwarts - 1978 (again, canon)
Regulus Black - b. 1961, age: 9 (not in Hogwarts yet, so don't need to mention graduation year)
*I CHANGED THIS NAME, IT'S FIXED IN THE LAST CHAPTER, SORRY IF THAT CAUSES CONFUSION, THERE IS A REASON, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, ASK!
Anyway, that's the 'age chart' for now, there will be more ages soon, when we get many new characters (but not in this chapter!)
Chapter Dedication: yellow 14, Sophie-Shore, BellaPur, LittleLauren, PrimiGrl, amazingtofu
You guys really are awesome, and are the reason I'm posting this chapter :)
Sorry for the long author's note!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling
The rest of the night was uneventful, and soon enough the next day came, and the two girls were getting ready for Diagon Alley.
"Come on Cissy! We have to leave!" Andromeda called to her sister.
"I'm coming Meda!" Narcissa responded coming into the nursery.
"You go first Cissy,"
"Did you tell Mother we were leaving?"
"Yes Cissy".
"Did she give you enough Galleons?"
"Yes Cissy, she gave us plenty of Galleons,"
"Diagon Alley!" Narcissa said getting swept up by the green flames.
"Diagon Alley!" Andromeda echoed, swirling until she ended in Diagon Alley.
"Meda, look," Narcissa hissed at where Lucius Malfoy majestically stood with his father, Abraxas.
"We better say hello" Andromeda sighed walking over to Lucius and his father.
"Hello Mr. Malfoy, hello Lucius" Andromeda said pleasantly.
"Hello Andromeda, Narcissa" Lucius replied.
"Hello Miss Black, other Miss Black," Abraxas said politely, but very uninterestedly.
"We best be getting along Narcissa, Mother said not to be out too late, it's not right for a lady to be out alone past the afternoon," Andromeda told her sister.
"Very well Andromeda," Narcissa replied, milking the part of the respectable pureblood for the Malfoys.
"Goodbye Mr. Malfoy, Lucius" Andromeda said.
"Goodbye Mr. Malfoy, goodbye Lucius," Narcissa echoed.
"I will see you on the train Narcissa, Andromeda" Lucius said curtly going off with his father.
"Even his father is good-looking," Narcissa commented.
"Narcissa Cassiopeia Black!" Andromeda scolded.
"Sorry Meda,"
"Come along, if you want to get to Borgin and Burkes, we have to go to Flourish and Botts first, and Madame Malkins,"
"But Madame Malkins is infested by Mudbloods! Why can't we go to Madame Blishwicks?"
"Madame Blishwicks doesn't sell Hogwarts robes Cissy, they sell top quality dress robes only," Andromeda reminded her sister.
"Look at all those kids crowding around the broom like a pack of Muggles" Narcissa spat as they walked back the Quidditch store.
"It's despicable," Andromeda agreed.
"I'm so glad Father only made us fly that one time at Hogwarts, imagine, a respectable pureblood flying in the air on a broom, in a robe where the whole world can see her knickers!"
"It's a true shame"
"There's Flourish and Botts, oh, look at that gorgeous snowy owl at the Emporium, please Meda?"
"No Cissy, Mother said school supplies only"
"But Meda"
"No Narcissa, if you want to go to Borgin and Burkes, then we cannot buy an owl,"
"Yes Meda,"
"Come along, to Flourish and Botts,"
"To Flourish and Botts," Narcissa sighed.
"Take out your list Cissy," Andromeda commanded.
"Yes Meda,"
"Very well, now, you go find your books, and I'll find mine, meet me at the register when you are done, do not dawdle Cissy,"
"Yes Meda" Narcissa walked away and Andromeda began to hunt down all her books. She had found a few when she bumped into something hard.
"Sorry, I should have been looking where I was going" she mumbled, then looked up to see who it was, Ted Tonks.
"That may be the politest thing you've ever said to me," he told her.
"Don't talk to me," Andromeda spat at him.
"You need this?" he asked holding out their new Potions textbook for the year.
"Yes, but not one with Mudblood germs," she grabbed one that was sitting there untouched, then sauntered away, as Tonks stared after her wistfully.
Andromeda finished all her shopping in about an hour, and knowing that Narcissa wasn't done yet, she started looking at books for pleasure reading. She saw a selection of Muggle literature, which didn't look as utterly boring as Muggle writing should've been,"
"That's a pretty good one actually," she heard Tonks comment from behind her.
"What is it with you and following me Tonks?" Andromeda asked rudely. Tonks smiled widely for some unknown reason.
"I saw you looking at that book, Islands in the Stream by Ernest Hemingway, I just read it myself, pretty good if I may say so myself, not his best work, but still pretty good," Tonks told her.
"I would never buy a Muggle book" Andromeda spat, storming away. Tonks grabbed the book and put it in his stack, his parents wouldn't care if he bought one more book.
"Cissy!" Andromeda called, loudly.
"What is it Meda?" Narcissa whined.
"Do you have what you need Cissy?" Andromeda asked.
"Yes Meda"
"Then come on, we're checking out, then going to Madam Malkins, then I'll take you to Borgin and Burkes,"
"I thought Mother said nothing that wasn't needed for school,"
"She wouldn't care if we keep an old family heirloom out of the hands of a Mudblood, will she?" Andromeda asked.
"No Meda," Narcissa smiled.
"Good," Andromeda said dropping her Galleons on the counter for the man to count.
"H-Have a good day Miss Black" he stuttered.
Andromeda and Narcissa strode out of the store and into Madam Malkins.
"Hello dearies, how can I help you today?" Madam Malkin asked. Andromeda had always liked the lady, she was very kind.
"Hogwarts robes," Narcissa said haughtily.
"Don't be rude Narcissa" Andromeda scolded.
"Slytherin I presume?" Madam Malkin asked.
"Yes," Andromeda replied.
"Put these on, I'll hem them for you,"
Narcissa and Andromeda silently put the robes on, then went onto the pedestals.
"This will just take a moment," Madam Malkin said and the pins, needles, and string began whirling around them.
"Yes, yes, here we are, that's 10 Galleons each,"
"Here," Andromeda said dropping 20 Galleons into her hand.
"Have a good year dears!"
"Thank you," Narcissa and Andromeda replied in synchrony as they walked out of the store, and onto Knockturn Alley.
"Listen to me Cissy, and listen clearly, do not say a word, except hello, goodbye, or thank you, got it?" Andromeda said.
"Yes Meda,"
"Good,"
Andromeda and Narcissa strode into Borgin and Burkes.
"Miss Black, and young Miss Black, what a pleasant surprise!" Mr. Burke said.
"Hello Mr. Burke," Andromeda said politely.
"Hello Mr. Burke," Narcissa echoed.
"What can I do for you today? Selling?" he asked greedily.
"No, we were informed you were in the possession of a Max family heirloom," Andromeda told him outright, that was the only way to deal with Mr. Burke, or Mr. Borgin.
"Ah, yes, the Max family locket" he went into his stores and pulled out a locket with a beautiful 'M' written on it.
"How much?" Narcissa asked.
"Well how much will you pay me Miss Black?" Mr. Burke asked.
"Narcissa" Andromeda hissed too low for Mr. Burke to hear.
"Sorry Meda" she said quietly.
"Excuse her, she can be a bit foolish at times," Andromeda apologized.
"The disease of youth," Mr. Burke said.
"What is the value of this object?" Andromeda asked.
"What do you think it is?" Mr. Burke asked.
"I-" Narcissa began, but stopped at a sharp look from Andromeda.
"Mr. Burke, if I may be blunt, I don't think it is wise to play your customers, you don't want me telling my Father that Mr. Burke overcharged us, do you?" Andromeda asked with a look that made her look almost identical to Bellatrix.
"300 Galleons" Mr. Burke choked out.
"200," Andromeda argued.
"275,"
"250 is the highest we will pay" Andromeda told him.
"250, for such a heirloom! The Max family is practically extinct!" Mr. Burke shrieked.
"Meda," Narcissa warned.
"I'll have you know that the blood of Ella Max flows through these veins and I will not settle for being overcharged for a family heirloom coming back into our possession where it rightfully belongs," Andromeda hissed looking more like Bellatrix by the second.
"Fine, fine, 250 Galleons" Mr. Burke agreed and Andromeda smirked contently.
"Here you go Mr. Burke, have a nice day," Andromeda said dropping the Galleons on the table, taking the necklace, and leaving the shop with Narcissa on her tail.
"You better appreciate this Cissy," Andromeda hissed angrily stomping out of Knockturn Alley.
"Thank you Meda!" Narcissa squealed.
"You're going to inform Mother and Father where we got that and how, and why, do you understand?"
"Yes Meda,"
"Good, now, do you want ice cream?"
"But Mother told us not to eat ice cream, especially you Meda, with your engagement coming up!"
"Fine Cissy, I just thought I would give you a treat, since Mother and Father aren't here with us," Andromeda sighed, the truth was she was craving ice cream as well.
"Yes, but Meda, if they found out, we would be in huge trouble!"
"Very well Cissy, let's get back to the house," Andromeda said taking Narcissa into the Leaky Cauldron to Floo home.
"Black Manor!" Narcissa said and the green flames swallowed her up.
"Andromeda, wait!" she heard Tonks call.
"What Tonks?" she spat.
"Did you get Head Girl?" he asked.
"Black Manor!" she yelled letting the green flames surround her and take her home.
"Andromeda, what took you so long?" Narcissa asked.
"Sorry, had to say a quick hello," Andromeda lied.
"Well come on, we have to tell Mother or Father we are home," Narcissa said.
"Mother!" Andromeda called and Mother came walking in.
"Hello Andromeda, Narcissa, are you set for Hogwarts?"
"Yes Mother" the responded together.
"What is that?" she asked pointing to the box from Borgin and Burkes, "I thought I said only school supplies Andromeda,"
"I'm sorry Mother," Narcissa responded, "It's an old Max family heirloom, and I thought we could go look at it, and-"
"Max family heirloom did you say?" Mother was suddenly interested.
"Yes Mother," Narcissa replied.
"How much did Mr. Burke charge you Andromeda?"
"250 Galleons" Andromeda said.
"250? Mr. Burke is losing his touch,"
"No, he tried to charge me 300, but no one takes advantage of a Black"
"That's a good girl, now, give me that" she said taking the box out of Narcissa's hand, "And you two go up to the nursery,"
"Yes Mother," they replied together and ran upstairs.
"Meda, do you think Mother was mad at me for buying the locket?"
"No Cissy,"
"But why did she take it then Meda? If I bought it, I should be able to wear it,"
"She most likely took it to show Father," Andromeda replied.
"But Meda -"
"Get ready for dinner Cissy, it's a Friday, that means Father and Mother will be eating with us in the dining room,"
"Yes Meda," Narcissa replied going into her room to get ready. Andromeda followed and went into her room, putting on a nice pair of dark violet dress robes.
"Andromeda! Narcissa! Your Father is waiting for you!" Mother called and Narcissa stepped out of her room to meet Andromeda. She was wearing light blue dress robes that nicely complemented her skin tone.
"Shall we?" Andromeda asked.
"We shall" Narcissa replied and the two walked down the stairs and into the dining hall.
"Hello Andromeda, Narcissa" Mother said.
"Hello Mother," they replied together.
"Andromeda, Narcissa," Father nodded at each of them.
"Father," they said together.
"Sit down," Father commanded and Andromeda, Narcissa and Mother sat down, as Hoppy brought the food out.
"What is this I hear about a trip to Knockturn Alley?" Father asked.
"I heard they had a Max Family heirloom at Borgin and Burkes Father," Narcissa responded timidly.
"Andromeda, how much did Mr. Borgin charge you?" Father asked.
"We spoke with Mr. Burke Father, and he charged us 250 Galleons,"
"Mr. Burke? Fascinating. I'll be checking if that heirloom is real, or a counterfeit, do you understand the consequences if it's a counterfeit?"
"Yes Father," the two girls said together.
"Good, now, Druella, did Mrs. Parkinson enjoy the tea you two had today?" Father changed the subject back to politics, and Andromeda and Narcissa just nodded along, like they always did.
"Andromeda, Narcissa, you are excused" Father told us and the two of them sprinted upstairs.
"I hate those dinners so much!" Andromeda said.
"Why Meda?" Cissy asked.
"Just venting Cissy,"
"I'm going to bed now, I want to be wide awake when Bella gets home,"
"She won't Floo in the middle of the night,"
"You never know with Bella," Cissy said going off to her room. Andromeda sat quietly in the nursery, and a few minutes later an owl flew in. Only a few people knew how to get owls straight to this room, so that narrowed down who could've sent it. Andromeda opened it quickly.
Andie,
I got my Hogwarts letter the other day! I'm not a Squib as Mother would like to believe! Isn't that great Andie? That's not why I'm writing though, I'm writing to inform you that I will be at Uncle Alphard's on August 27th, I convinced Mother to let me visit him before I leave, since I normally visit him a lot during the year. You should join us Andie, I don't think Uncle Alphard would mind! Hopefully I will see you then, and if not, I'll see you at Hogwarts.
Your Favorite Cousin,
Sirius Black
Andromeda was excited. A day at Uncle Alphard's, with Sirius, would definitely be a nice change from the attitude around the Black Manor. But, to go, she would have to ask Mother or Father first. So, she went down the stairs and found Father sitting there.
"Father?" Andromeda asked.
"Yes Andromeda?"
"I was curious, could I spend the day at Uncle Alphard's tomorrow? I'm afraid he's getting terribly lonely, especially because Sirius won't be able to visit him during the school year,"
"I will ask Alphard, and give you an answer, now, run along to bed, and make sure Narcissa is sleeping too," Father said shooing Andromeda out of his room. She went back upstairs and found Narcissa sitting on the floor in the nursery staring at the Floo.
"Bella's here!" Narcissa squealed and Andromeda looked to see Bellatrix's head coming out of the Floo.
"Hello Bella," Andromeda said.
"Hello Meda," Bella replied and smiled.
"I know you're wondering Meda, so yes, I got home earlier than expected. I can't Floo all the way over, I'm sorry, Rodolphus wants me to spend the night with him, but I would like to say hello, and that France was fabulous, and I'm happy, so don't worry about me!"
"We're glad you had fun in France," Andromeda replied sincerely.
"Have a good time at Hogwarts Meda, Cissy, I'll write to you," Bellatrix said and her head left the fire place.
"See? She's fine Cissy," Andromeda said.
"But Meda-"
"Father said to go to bed Cissy,"
"Yes Meda," Narcissa replied going into her room, and Andromeda into her room.
"Andromeda!" Father called a few minutes later.
"Yes Father?" Andromeda asked walking out of her room and into her Father's presence.
"Alphard expects you at eleven tomorrow, and you can stay until four in the afternoon,"
"Yes Father,"
"I understand Sirius is going as well?"
Andromeda feigned surprise.
"Is that so Father?"
"Remind him of his values, and where he belongs at Hogwarts,"
"Yes Father,"
"To bed,"
Andromeda scurried upstairs and fell asleep quickly.
That's my longest chapter yet!
Hope you guys like this chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it!
Let's see ... REVIEW!
That's all that will be said on that matter :)
And ... we got some mention of a certain Hufflepuff!
DID ANYONE SEE THE DEATHLY HALLOWS TRAILER?
One word to describe that. Epic.
If you're going to see Eclipse tonight at midnight (I know I am, crazy obsessed friends of mine dragging me with them), then, tell me what you think!
Anyway, I won't bore you with my inner ramblings anymore, hope you liked this though!
-dancergirl7