"Andromeda! How dare you! That filth! That disgusting, scum of a Mudblood! It was bad enough you being in Ravenclaw, but a Mudblood?!"
"Don't call him that! He's sweet and kind and funny and I love him!" Andromeda Black – soon to be Tonks – ran from the room, not bothering to hide her tears. She Apparated to her bedroom and started to pack – magically, of course – muttering and occasionally stabbing her wand furiously into random piles of clothing. She had nearly finished when a teenage boy's voice called through her door.
"And'? You alone in there?"
Andromeda sniffed angrily, then shouted back, "Well, who else would be in here? Who else would be consorting with a muggle-lover?"
Sirius winced from outside, then pushed the door open cautiously, watching out for any stray jinxes that could be flying around – he knew his cousin's temper. When he was sure Andromeda hadn't put any jinxes in the room, ready to catch out unwary snoopers, he spoke again.
"Charmed, I'm sure. What's up with you?"
Andromeda sniffed again, but this time it didn't sound quite so murderous. "Sorry, Sirius. It's not your fault – Mother's just found out about Ted."
Sirius sidled in and sat on the bed. "Ouch."
"Yeah, ouch." Then Andromeda threw her head back proudly. "I don't care! I'm leaving now! Ted's asked if I – if I'd like to move in with him."
Sirius looked surprised. "Really? About time too, if you ask me. Never thought he'd get round to it – me and Prongsie had a bet on that he wouldn't ask you before the end of the Christmas holidays." Sirius rubbed his hands together. "Prongs owes me a galleon."
Andromeda looked outraged. "Sirius! You've been betting on my – ! Ooh, just you wait!"
Sirius backed away – he'd been on the receiving end of Andromeda's hexes before – then held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "No! It's okay! Just – just kidding!" He smiled hopefully, but he needn't have bothered. Andromeda had gone back to her packing.
A year later, Andromeda and Ted's first child, Nymphadora Tonks, was born. Needless to say, none of the Blacks – except Sirius – attended the christening.
***