"Sirius!" Rang out a strong, strident female voice. "So that's where you got off to!"

James and Sirius both turned at the sound. James was more than a little surprised to see that the person calling Sirius was a startlingly beautiful girl of at least seventeen, tall, slender yet curvaceous, with long, silky blond hair, pale, flawless skin, and seemingly perfect bone structure. She did not look all to happy with Sirius, however, for she stood with her hands on her hips, lips drawn back into a disapproving frown, as she was glared at him, her gray eyes of a shade so dark they were almost black, flashing threateningly.

"Now, Serious, why were you hanging out with me all this time when you could have been hanging out with her." James remarked jovially.

Sirius frowned at him, confused. "Come again, mate?"

"Well, you didn't tell me you had such a looker for a girlfriend."

"James…no." Sirius moaned softly, shrinking back a little.

There followed a few seconds of terribly awkward silence, in which James realized he must have said something wrong, horribly wrong.

The beautiful girl's dark gaze swept from Sirius over to him, her eyes narrowing as she looked him up and down, her expression severe. Finally she spoke, her tone icy. "Sirius." She commanded. "Tell me he didn't just say what I thought he said."

"Androm—" Sirius began weakly.

"Because if he did in fact utter such a thing, a good hexing would be in order."

"He didn't mean—"

"Oh, didn't he?"

"Er…can someone please clue me in as to what I've done wrong?" James interrupted.

The girl gazed at him once more, with a look so powerfully angry James had the feeling she would have wished him nothing more than the utmost physical harm. James held his ground, however, impudently staring right back at the older girl, so impressively beautiful, yet so very fearsome at the same time. She slowly glanced away again, slightly inclining her head to Sirius, as if allowing him to answer.

"Um, James, meet Andromeda. Andromeda Black. My cousin."

"Cousin?" James echoed, confusedly, the new information taking a moment to fully sink in. "Oh!" He exclaimed. "She's your cousin?"

Sirius nodded his head. "Yeah." He replied, glancing warily in Andromeda' direction. "Yeah, she is."

"Oh." James paused, the awkward silence settling in again. "Sorry." He added, sheepishly.

Andromeda simply glared at him, wordlessly, for another few seconds; James had a strong feeling it was just to let him squirm. Finally, the corners of her mouth twitched, and she could no longer hold her severe demeanor any longer. Losing all composure, she began to laugh, a tamer version of Sirius' own bark-like laugh. Sirius, too, began to chuckle, nervously at first. James, embarrassed, not sure what he should do, gave a small, forced smile, as his face flushed. Looking at her more closely, he could now see the subtle similarities in appearance between her and Sirius…those stormy grey eyes, that chiseled jaw line, that haughty expression…

"I must say no one has ever had the daring to insinuate that Sirius and I were…an item." Andromeda remarked, giving James a smile eerily reminiscent of Sirius' own ever-ready grin.

"That's probably because you would have hexed them into oblivion." Sirius responded.

"Well that, and because I daresay that you are not my type, in the least."

"Why, because I'm not a muggle-born?" Sirius taunted, grinning back at her, seemingly having regained his daring.

"Shut up!" Andromeda snapped, glancing quickly around her. "You are so lucky your mother wasn't here just now."

"Actually, I would imagine you are the one who's lucky my mum wasn't just here. She would have disowned you on the spot."

Andromeda glared at her. "Don't think there aren't things I could rat you out about."

"None of them are as bad in the eyes of the family as marrying a muggle-born." Sirius retorted, obstinately.

Andromeda ground her teeth in vexation. "I'm sure if I tallied up all the bad things—"

"Nuh-uh, I've never truly defected from the family, unlike someone who shall remain nameless—"

Andromeda glared at him. "Fine, just shut up, OK?"

"Why would I when it's oh-so-much fun to see you all freaked out?"

"Do you really want to provoke me into hexing you like I did Bellatrix last Christmas?"

"OK, OK, I'll drop it!" Sirius replied quickly, falsely contrite. Under his breath, he muttered so only James could hear, "at least for now, anyway…"

"Well c'mon then, you've got to say goodbye to the family."

"But I don't want to!" Sirius protested.

"Tough. You're gonna." Andromeda barked. "Hurry up."

Sirius gave her a defiantly sulky, petulant expression. "They don't care if I say anything to them."

Andromeda rolled her eyes, clearly irritated and in no mood to put up with Sirius' complaints. "Fine, go to school without any of your things then, Sirius, I don't care."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What I said. You left your trunk over by Uncle Orion and if you're not going to go back and get it, I certainly am not going to retrieve it for you."

Sirius glanced from James, to the Hogwarts Express, to Andromeda, looking torn. Finally, with a loud sigh and a stamp of the foot, he turned expectantly to Andromeda. "Why do you have to be like that?" Sirius griped, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because it's fun." Andromeda replied simply, smirking at him.

"But you know that I hate them."

"And?"

"Andromeda!"

"You'll get no pity from me. Just grow up, give leave to your little friend, and c'mon already."

Sirius turned back to James, arms still crossed over his chest, jaw jutting out in defiance. "Bye James."

James fought to urge to laugh at the huffy, put-upon, childlike expression on Sirius' face. "G'bye mate, see ya on the train."

"Yeah." Sirius mumbled, glumly leaving to follow his cousin, slouched and dragging his feet, looking very much as if he were being ordered to the gallows. "You're an evil woman." Sirius grumbled.

"Aw, Siri, you know I take that as a compliment!" Andromeda replied, airily, leading the way back through the crowd.

"You're so mean!" Sirius complained, stopping abruptly, desperately stalling for time, as his family came into view a few feet away.

"And?" Andromeda responded, unconcernedly.

"And sometimes I think you're worse than Bellatrix!" He snapped, bitterly.

Andromeda's back stiffened and she froze in mid step. "Care to repeat that?"

"Yes, I don't care! Sometimes you're worse than Bellatrix!"

Andromeda whirled around to face him, eyes flashing.

"Or just as bad, if not worse!"

Andromeda glowered at him, nostrils flaring. "You're an idiot. I'm nothing like her." She hissed. "Nothing!"

Sirius was unperturbed, already angry at being ordered about in front of his new friend, and indignant about having to actually bid farewell to a group of people he hated and who hated him. Sirius had never been good at keeping his emotions in check and holding his tongue, which was partly the reason why his ears were still ringing from his mother's response to his cheekiness that morning. Already irritated, having a bad day, Sirius knew that the only thing that could make him feel better would be to make someone else miserable. Andromeda just happened to be the most readily available target.

"I'm not an idiot!" Sirius retorted. "You are!" Sirius crossed his arms over his chest. "I think you're just upset because you know I'm right! You know that you're more like Bella than you want to admit to yourself!"

"I am NOT!" Andromeda screeched, attracted the attention of several people around her. "You're wrong!"

"No I'm not!"

"Maybe it would be better if you kept your nose out of affairs you haven't the slightest clue about!" Andromeda fumed, getting into his face.

Sirius was not about to back off. "I have plenty of clues about this! You are like Bella! You're just as big a bully! You like to order me around like you're the boss of me, when you're not! You're not, Andromeda!"

"Sirius, now would be the time to shut your bloody mouth." Andromeda stated, her tone dangerously even, her hands clenching into fists.

Sirius was unperturbed by then signs that he had crossed a line he would not be able to retreat back from. "NO! You listen to me. I'm sick of you always bossing me around, dictating to me, forcing me to do whatever you want! You're just as bad as her—no, worse, because I actually trusted you!"

"Sirius, I am giving you one more chance to hold your bloody tongue!" Andromeda snarled, her fingers closing around her wand.

"I will when you admit that I'm right!"

Andromeda raised her wand until it was level with Sirius' eyes. Sirius glared insolently back, unflinching. He saw that urge in her eyes that she really wanted to hex him, throw him back and onto the train tracks, probably. Sirius held his breath, wanting to believe that she wouldn't attempt such a dangerous, reckless act, but the anger and sheer hatred in her face made him wary. He honestly could not tell if she would actually go for it or not, and instantly regretted having pushed her so far. She was, after all, the only halfway decent member of his family, the only one he really liked. Time felt like it stood still for several seconds, until Andromeda she seemed to think better of her notion to cause Sirius intense bodily harm. Slowly, she lowered her wand, and Sirius noticed that her hand was shaking.

Andromeda glowered at him, shoving her wand into the pocket of her robes, catching and holding his glare, her gaze murderous, before turning on her heel and storming off. Sirius exhaled in relief. He watched her go with a mixture of guilt and a sense of bitter vindication, which left him feeling as if he had just ran a race. Slowly, with mild trepidation, he followed Andromeda's wake, a few paces behind her.

Surprisingly, he caught up with her within seconds, for she had been detained. Andromeda stood, her eyes still blazing angrily, just to the side of the family, halted by the rather physically intimidating Lucius Malfoy. He had stepped into her path and grabbed her by the arm, smiling smugly down at her.

"Why, fancy meeting you here, Andromeda." Lucius remarked in his oily voice.

"Yes, we are both attending the same school and you ran into me at the platform for the only transportation to school. Fancy that. What an unusual circumstance in which to see a schoolmate." She responded scathingly.

"Yes, the world is full of varied surprises…some of them are even fortunate."

Andromeda frowned. "Yes…well…I should be going…"

"Ah, you need to get the rest of your belongings in order I suppose?"

"Yes." She responded curtly.

"Quite right. Well we shall save you a seat in our compartment, that way you'll be able to reside with the right sort, not have to deal with—"

Andromeda was now looking at him in disbelief, as if shocked he could not take the hint. "Look." Andromeda said firmly, cutting him off. "I do not have time for this right now. I will see you later." With that, she wrenched her arm from his grip and pushed past him, over to her family, leaving him standing there, bewildered.

"Was that the Malfoy boy I just saw you talking to?" Cassiopeia asked, approvingly.

"Unfortunately, yes." Andromeda responded darkly.

"It's very soothing to see that you have found yourself a decent young suitor."

"Suitor?" Andromeda, echoed, blanching.

"Yes, your mother and father are very excited for your choice from what they've said."

"My choice? Malfoy?" Andromeda repeated, her head feeling as if it was spinning.

"I always knew you were a smart girl, Andromeda. And the prettiest of your sisters, as I'm sure you'll never tire of hearing."

"Oh—what?"

However, Cassiopeia was no longer listening, as she had just spotted Sirius. "There you are, Boy. Always wandering off…I reckon we haven't used enough force to keep you in line. It seemed to work for the Malfoy boy…"

"Oh, yes, mum, more beatings. That's just what I need." Sirius responded sarcastically. "If I had more beatings I would be a better person, I'm sure."

"Yes, you would undoubtedly." His mother agreed, evidently taking his words literally. "As you'll undoubtedly get into trouble at school, I wonder do they still have the old classic punishments? Whipping, being chained upside by your ankles, general beatings?"

"Not with Dumbledore as Headmaster." Andromeda replied. "He would never allow a student to be beaten as punishment." She scowled at Sirius. "Even when they deserve it."

Cassiopeia gave a sour expression. "People are way too soft these days. Especially this Dumbledore." She shook her head. "Beatings always straighten 'em out in the end…it's the only thing you can do really, with some of the bad 'uns, like this boy here." She gestured to Sirius, glaring at him.

Sirius rolled his eyes and heaved a great sigh. Oh yes, boy am I glad I let Andromeda coerce me into coming to see the family off.