A story about Andromeda Black in her seventh year. Please enjoy and leave reviews!Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, they belong to JK Rowling.

Chapter One

The late summer's sun drowned in the purple sky over Black Manor in Staffordshire on the last evening of August, 1971. The manor, owned by the proud pureblood Cygnus Black, was a handsome three-storey mansion built from dark brown bricks. The grounds were enveloped by thick stone walls and a gravel driveway led to the front door of the beautiful manor, which bore a sign reading 'Black Manor'. In the manor's dining hall on the first floor sat the Black family of four- Cygnus Black at the head of the table looking proud and haughty, his dutiful wife Druella who sat opposite him with the air of upmost strictness, and the couple's two unmarried daughters Narcissa, who mirrored her mother's self importance and Andromeda, who loathed her family's obsession with blood purity. Everyone around the table were awaiting the grandfather clock beside the fireplace to hit seven- that was when their eldest daughter Bellatrix and her husband Rodolphus were to join them for dinner.

'I wonder where Bella and Rodolphus have gotten to', said Druella, although she masked any impatience she might've been feeling for dinner to begin.

Cygnus, who's face was hidden behind a Daily Prophet paper merely shrugged his shoulders before resuming his article on a recent Death Eater attack which occured in the early hours of that morning. Andromeda was tapping the wooden table with her wand impatiently, her stomach grumbling. She hated having to wait for Bella and her husband when they were invited for dinner weekly- they always took their time.

'Andromeda, do you mind making that noise?', snapped Druella, and Andromeda quickly put her wand back in her pocket. Narcissa smirked at her sister across the table- she loved watching their mother reprimand Andromeda whilst Narcissa got away with everything being Druella's favourite.

Andromeda could not wait for tommorow to come- she would be off for her final year at Hogwarts and another year away from her pureblood crazed family. Cygnus suddenly laughed.

'What is it, darling?', asked Druella. Cygnus emerged from behind his paper, his face lit with amusement.

'Another attack on some mudbloods by the Death Eaters down near Gloucester', said Cygnus. Druella and Narcissa smiled, but Andromeda felt sick in her stomach- how could her family celebrate murder? 'As usual, the Aurors failed to capture any of the Death Eaters'

'Good news, darling', smiled Druella. 'It's just what those filthy mudbloods deserve. As long as Bella and Rodolphus weren't involved-'

'What do you expect, Druella?', asked Cygnus. 'Rodolphus and Bellatrix have been in the Dark Lord's service for nearly a year now. Such tasks will be required off them'

Druella seemed concerned and Andromeda knew why: her mother was all in favour of the pureblood cause which had begun last year by this mysterious Dark Wizard, but she was always in fear that Bellatrix or Rodolphus would be caught and sentenced by the Ministry, which would bring shame on the 'good' Black family name in the wizarding community. It was what Andromeda loathed about her family- they were all hypocrites.

'Lucius is also in favour of the Dark Lord's methods as well', said Narcissa, as though the fact that her boyfriend wished to join Voldemort's ranks settled the matter.

'You and Lucius are going to be fifth year this year, and he's already thinking about joining him?', asked a shocked Andromeda.

'Both your sisters care about blood purity, unlike you', said Cygnus darkly, glaring at his rebellious middle daughter.

'And I won't have your usual pro-mudblood nonsence in front of Bellatrix and Rodolphus tonight', snarled Druella. 'I've always maintained it to the world that my three daughters are true pureblood women with traditional ideals- I will not have that broken by Rodolphus telling his family about how you truly are. Am I understood?'

Andromeda knew it was wise to not pick an argument with her stern mother lest she wanted to go begin her term at Hogwarts with a slap mark on her cheek, so she merely nodded. Just then, the family's house elf Finny entered the dining hall- she was petite and very thin, her bones sticking out of the rag she wore. Andromeda was the only one out of her family who felt sympathy for Finny and other house elves like her abused by their pureblood superiors.

'Master Cygnus, Mistress Druella. Mistress Bellatrix and Master Rodolphus have arrived at the manor', squeaked Finny.

'Send them here', said Druella coldly, her long nose wrinkling in disgust at the house-elf's presense. 'And you can send dinner up here now'

Finny bowed and left the room, and seconds later in walked Andromeda and Narcissa's eldest sister Bellatrix along with her husband Rodolphus, both wearing black robes. Andromeda had always been scared of Bellatrix from when they were little girls and Bellatrix would torture insects in the garden just to see Narcissa and Andromeda scream in fear to always jinxing muggle borns in the Hogwarts corridors whilst at school. Even her appearance unnerved Andromeda: although her and Bellatrix looked similar, Bellatrix's hair was black and was tangled in sharp curls, her face was much more pale and gaunt and her excessive use of black eyeliner and black jewelery warned others off. Narcissa was often teased for being the adopted sister due to her bright blonde hair, the light to her sisters' darkness.

'Ah Bellatrix, Rodolphus. Please sit down', said Cygnus as Bellatrix sat to Andromeda's left, Rodolphus to his wife's left.

'Thank you for inviting us to dinner', said Rodolphus in his pompous tone, which masked the murders and other atrosoties he had commited. 'It is most kind'

'Never mind, Rodolphus', said Cygnus with a wave of his hand. 'You're practically a part of our family'

'And a honour it is to be a part of the noble and most ancient house of Black', said Rodolphus. Andromeda raised her eyebrows as her parents and Narcissa smiled socially at Rodolphus, all clearly flustered at the compliment regarding their high status.

'Stop flirting with my parents, Rod', snapped Bellatrix, and Andromeda struggled to supress a giggle.

Soon, the dinner appeared on the table sent up by Finny from the kitchens directly below the dining hall- it only hightened Andromeda's excitement about Hogwarts as that was the exact method the house elves there used to bring food up to the Great Hall. Dinner was rather enjoyable for Andromeda (roast chicken with potatoes) if not for the conversation around the table regarding the 'benefits' of the reported muggle attack in Gloucester or Bellatrix recounting how she was part of the Death Eater attack on the muggles and how she enjoyed using the Crutiatus Curse on the poor, unsuspecting campers. It made the food in Andromeda's stomach threaten to vomit itself out. Once dessert was finished, the conversation became focussed on Narcissa and Andromeda.

'Off to Hogwarts tommorow, you two?', asked Rodolphus with the air of feeling pleased with himself.

'Yes', said Narcissa. 'I'm going into my fifth year, and Andromeda in her seventh'

'I'm sure I can speak for myself, Cissy', said Andromeda, feeling annoyed that her younger sister had a habit of acting like her keeper, despite the fact that she was sixteen and Andromeda eighteen.

'So OWLs for you, Narcissa, and NEWTs for you, Andromeda', said Rodolphus.

'They're no big deal, these stupid exams', said Bellatrix dissmissively. 'Once the Dark Lord takes over soon, one's place will be determined by their loyalty to them, not based on whether they got an Outstanding in Defence against the Dark Arts'

Bellatrix laughed, whilst Rodolphus and Cygnus nodded in agreenment. Druella glared at her eldest daughter with a most stern look upon her face.

'Exams are still important girls', said Druella. 'I expect nothing less than all Outstandings, to get grades below Exceeds Expectations would only be expected from mudbloods. Even though you will be getting married after you graduate, Andromeda, I still expect you to exceed in your academics'

Andromeda felt as though a brick fell through her stomach. In the excitement of going to Hogwarts and re-uniting with her secret boyfriend, Ted Tonks, the marriage proposal made by Andromeda's parents between her and Rodolphus' younger brother Rabastan had evaporated from her mind. Andromeda had only met Rabastan on a few occassions: he was a year above her at Hogwarts and was known to be Slytherin House's womanizer, and from what Andromeda heard from Bellatrix's constant boasting about her Death Eater career, Rabastan was already an expert in muggle torture. The idea of marrying someone as vile as him and breaking Ted's heart was something Andromeda could never contemplate.

'Ah yes, Rabastan is looking forward to the wedding', said Rodolphus. 'He can't wait for it next summer'

'Two of us sisters at Lestrange Manor, Dromeda, eh?', smirked Bellatrix. 'Cannot wait to show them what we're made off together. Don't look too jealous, Cissy. You'll be off with Lucius Malfoy'

Narcissa blushed, and Druella looked most disapproved at the turn in tide of the conversation.

'And of course you can become a Death Eater once you've married Rab', said Rodolphus eagerly. Andromeda nearly fell of her chair- her becoming a Death Eater? She could barely stand her family's views on the inferiority of the 'mudbloods' and their gratitude to the Dark Lord for beginning the noble cause of 'purifying' wizarding society, let alone become the wizard equivilent of an extremist.

'Er son, I'm really not enthusiastic of the idea of Andromeda becoming a Death Eater', said Cygnus, his brow creasening.

'As good as the Dark Lord's work is, I have a reputation to maintain. The name of Black would be bismirched in dirt if one of it's daughters were imprisoned in Azkaban'

'But father, I'm a Death Eater!', snapped Bellatrix. 'And I'm doing much more than any of you lot! Yes, it's alright being in favour of the Dark Lord's uprising, but why not actually go out there and do something? Why not give Dromeda a chance to fight for her pureblood society, and rid our world of those revolting pests?'

'Bellatrix, do not interrupt your father', began Druella sternly. 'One daughter becoming a Death Eater is fine for us. If all three of you girls join the Dark Lord's ranks there's a higher chance of us being exposed'

'Mother, I am married now, I am no longer under your control', snapped Bellatrix. Andromeda and Narcissa gasped at their eldest sister's rebellious outburst against their formidable mother- it was a sign that Bellatrix was now far beyond control of her parents who had tried so hard to enforce the importance of blood purity in their three daughters but keep them at bay from the criminal underworld. 'And besides, once Andromeda's married, it'll be her choice as to whether or not she wants to join the Dark Lord's council!'

Druella's lips were pursed, and the atmosphere around the table was suddenly as thick as cold custard.

'Perhaps it's time for a nightcap?', asked Narcissa with the air of wanting to avoid a massive argument. 'I'll call Finny up here to bring us some eggnog'

'You're right, Narcissa', said Cygnus, smiling at his favourite daughter who maintained a good balance between believing muggles were filth and yet straying away from commiting crime. Finny was soon summoned to bring six glasses of eggnog and whilst the Blacks and two Lestranges awaited, conversation soon turned to Rodolphus' family. Andromeda was forced to bear Rodolphus' long winded speeches about the excitement of his parents and brother on doubling the strengths between House Black and House Lestrange, and the image of her dressed in those infamous black cloaks and reducing a Muggle or Muggleborn to nothing with the Crutiatus curse burnt in her mind.

Once everyone around the table finished eggnog, Rodolphus and Bellatrix announced their departure from the manor and Druella had mysteriously disappeared- it was clear that she was furious with her eldest daughter for speaking out against her at the dining table. Andromeda entered her room on the second floor and collapsed onto her bed- she was sick of the constant appraisal of Voldemort and wanted to get back to Hogwarts as quick as possible, and to enjoy her last year of freedom with Ted. Just then, Narcissa entered.

'Mother is really angry', said Narcissa solemnly as she sat down at the end of Andromeda's bed. 'Says she won't be speaking to Bella for a long time'

'She deserves it', snapped Andromeda. 'I don't know what thrill Bella gets out of torturing innocent people, but it doesn't mean I share her views'

'I don't agree with their methods, but-'

'But what?'

'They're mudbloods, Dromeda. They deserve it. They drove us into hiding, treated us like we're filth, and notice that's something we haven't been taught in History of Magic thanks to Albus Dumbledore's love for the mudbloods. The Dark Lord is merely re-establishing the natural order, and it's only fools like Dumbledore and most of the Ministry who are trying to stop him'

'Don't let mother hear you say that', said Andromeda. 'We all know what hypocrites our family are, supporting the Dark side whilst remaining in the shadows. And you're only saying all of this because of Lucius Malfoy's influence'

'So?', said Narcissa coldly. She always had a habit of clamming up whenever someone brought her beloved boyfriend up in an argument. 'Lucius is right, after all. And at least me and Bella have good partners, men worthy of our name and status. Who, or what do you have? That filthy mudblood?'

'Sshhhhhh!', snapped Andromeda, startled. It had been bad enough that Narcissa always made snide references regarding Ted ever since she found Andromeda and Ted together in an empty transfiguration classroom last year. 'Mother and father hear that and they'll kill me!'

'Good thing I care about my sisters enough to keep them from being banished', said Narcissa in such a formidable manner that it made Andromdeda believe her mother stood before her. 'And if I catch you and the thing at it again this year at Hogwarts don't expect any mercy from me. I've already put my place in this family on the line to keep you from getting banished'

Andromeda rolled her eyes and began to stare at a poster of the weird sisters plastered on the purple flowered wall. Hidden behind the poster, however, was a Muggle poster of the Beatles, Ted's favourite band. Andromeda relished at the thought of rebelling against her family even in small ways like that- it was the only thing which gave her a sense of power in the dark world she lived in. Perhaps she'd listen to a song of the Beatles on the vinyl player gifted by Ted hidden under the floorboards once annoying Narcissa left...

'At least you'll be married off to Rabastan next year', grinned Narcissa. 'The ceremonies will put the filthy mudblood out of the picture, won't it?'

And with that, Narcissa left the room, her long green robes billowing around her as she slammed the door shut. Andromeda yelled in frustration as she got out her wand and shot a stunning spell at a horrible vase gifted to her by Rodolphus which shattered into a million pieces. She then turned to the grandfather clock beside the window who's hands read ten past eight, and wondered if the next day in which she'd escape to Hogwarts would ever come.