Orion Black had arrived home in a foul mood.

"Lucius Malfoy is a complete fool, I have met murtlap with more promise," he paused, recognizing a third presence in the lavish foyer.

"Walburga," he barked to his wife, " What is he doing home?" Orion asked with a sneer on his face.

"The stupid boy tried to kill himself," Walburga responded, almost laughing. Sirius had never heard her laugh before.

"He failed."

"Obviously."

Orion turned to face him, Sirius knew he should be scared, but he wasn't. He assumed that that was the benefit of hitting rock bottom, he just did not give a single shit.

So Sirius stood up.

"Orion." Sirius spoke with all the confidence he had lacked the other times. He had never dared address his father so casually before and the rage that flashed across the older man's face before being concealed was well worth it.

"You do not have permission to address me as such," Orion snarled. Sirius smirked, not expecting the quick hand that slapped him right across his face.

Though it stung, Sirius still did not care. He stood his ground, even with one eye watering.

"Get out, and next time you try to end your pathetic existence," Orion stepped closer to him, "Do it right."

Those were the last words Orion Black said to Sirius before throwing him out onto the streets with the small pack he had brought back from Hogwarts. Sirius was glad to have been allowed to take that with him. Sirius walked away, not paying much attention to his surroundings until he was quite a distance from the house. He sat down on a bench at a small park and began contemplating his next move.

Obviously, he couldn't go home, nor could he go back to school. When he had thought about running away before he had always planned on going over to James's house. In fact, he had been specifically instructed by James himself that he absolutely had to live with him.

He could not do that anymore. He didn't deserve that anymore.

Andromeda. Maybe she would let him crash with her new family. He always liked his cousin, and her running away from the family only solidified the proof that she was in fact not a horrible person.

The only problem is that Sirius was not entirely sure where to find her. He couldn't use magic to cast a Patronus charm or summon her in any other way, he didn't want to risk messing with the ministry, especially considering how he had pranked half the department by enchanting the messenger planes to insert obscenities at random into the messages.

It was then that Sirius remembered that Andromeda had sent him a letter on his birthday including their new address. Sirius fished through his meager belongings, praying that the letter had not fallen out or gone missing somehow. As he pulled out a slightly worn piece of parchment, Sirius felt the tug at his navel of Portkey travel.

When Sirius felt his feet touch ground, he immediately pulled out his wand with one hand, smacking away a hand that grabbed his shoulder. He turned, pinning the hand's owner against the wall.

Silver eyes, almost identical to his own looked back at him.

"Andy?" Sirius said, bringing his wand down and looking over his surprised cousin.

"Sirius? What are you do-," her eyes widened, taking in his swollen eye and bruised cheek, "Oh no. Sirius…"

"What is it? How did I get here? Is this your place?"

"Yes, here come sit down." She led him over to a modest parlour, with a plush couch and two huge arm chairs. Andromeda settled herself elegantly on the couch and gestured at Sirius to take a seat.

"Would you like some tea or," Andromeda looked Sirius up and down, "Perhaps something a little stronger?" Sirius attempted a smile at his favourite cousin, shaking his head despite the urge to consume copious amounts of alcohol.

"How did I get here?" Sirius asked, still disorientated by his sudden change in surroundings.

"When I sent you that letter, I enchanted so that if you ever found yourself with nowhere to go, and you thought of me, it would bring you here," she paused for a moment, looking into Sirius's eyes, "So, what happened to you?"

Sirius exhaled, leaning back into the cushioned chair. It was the concern in his cousin's eyes that made him break. So he retold the whole story, leaving out any werewolf related content as well as any homoerotiscm (though it is possible that that was just in Sirius's fucked up head anyway).

Sirius was exhausted when the long story was finished, he cradled his head in his hands, exhausted. He heard footsteps softly patter towards him, and looked up when he felt a hand gently rest on his shoulder.

Andromeda placed her other hand under his chin, and lifted his head up to hers. Sirius refused to meet her eyes.

"Sirius," Andromeda began softly, "Sirius look up at me." Sirius looked up at her hesitantly.

"I know there is more to the story than you are sharing, but Sirius," Sirius shrunk into himself, afraid of what would come next, "People make mistakes. That is what makes us human. You my dear cousin, made one, it may have been big, and hell it may have even been justified. You're humanity does not make you any less deserving of life, or love. I love you."

Andromeda gave her little cousin a big hug, Sirius was surprised, figuring that this might just be the first time two Blacks hugged each other willingly.

"I just don't know what to do anymore," Sirius mumbled into her shoulder.

"You don't have to, you're still a child," Andromeda reassured him. "Would you like to rest for a bit? We should probably contact Hogwarts at some point."

Sirius sat back, tucking his hair behind his ears, shame and dread filling him up.

"I don't want to go back. I-I can't go back."

"Why? Because you messed up?"

"No!" Sirius shouted, quickly standing, "Because I don't fucking deserve to go back. There's nothing left for me but people who used to love me, people I betrayed, and people who have the good sense to hate me."

Andromeda looked at him sadly.

"Sirius, you know that is nowhere near true. But I do not think you are ready to discuss this any further at the moment," Andromeda stode up elegantly, "Come now, I'll show you to the guest room."