Took a few names from the Black Family tree that's come out lately, but we're just going to ignore dates on it, okay? Also, please excuse typos and whatnot, I proofread, but it's 2 am.

Chapter 9- Endless Summer

That summer was a turning point. It was the last time we would feel like children. We were ready to grown up perhaps, but it was bittersweet. The things that stick in my mind are not the suppressed tension that hung in the air, but the sand between my toes and the chill of the ocean followed by drying off in the warm sun, the tang of salt I could smell in my sisters' hair and skin as we slept. It's frozen in my mind as beautiful, idyllic, sun-drenched, and in some ways perfect.

It was an unusually hot summer, so warm that a number of the families in my parents' circle left their country houses for rented villas on the coast. Mother didn't care for seaside holidays, the natural informality of sand and sun might cause her already unruly daughters to be even more unladylike, but when Uncle Orion and Auntie Walburga took Sirius and Regulus, Father insisted. Mother only complied because she didn't want to be left out of the parties of her socialite friends. She knew well enough that those who don't attend will almost certainly be gossiped about behind their backs.

We spent only a few days at the Manor in a whirl of house elf aided packing before we flooed to the rambling old house, euphemistically called a "cottage" though it had ten bedrooms.

The first thing I heard when I came out of the fire, besides Mother's refrain that my clumsiness was not becoming a lady, was a high-pitched, breathy voice. Eudoxia Wilkes was one of Mother's friends who lived at the seaside all year round. It was said that this was due to her "nerves" but I have always thought it was simply to see as little as possible of her husband and son, both rather thug-like with absolutely no visible redeeming qualities. She seemed like a woman who had found life deeply disappointing, but then determined to make the best of it. Unlike most of Mother's friends, we all liked her enormously. When Mother wasn't listening, she told us to run wild, to enjoy our childhood, and to not worry about acting like ladies.

"Why this can't be Andromeda!"

"Good afternoon Mrs. Wilkes," I said politely, which she put her hands on my shoulders and beamed at me.

"You must be breaking hearts all over Hogwarts."

I blushed, not sure what to say.

"How old are you now?" she went on.

"Nearly thirteen, Ma'am."

At this, Mother turned with a look of surprise. "Are you then?"

Bella made an unladylike sound and rolled her eyes, but mother was looking at me as though she had never seen me before, and then she shrugged with a vague "Hm."

Ignoring that exchange, Mrs. Wilkes grasped both of my hands. "Who would have thought you'd turn out beautiful?"

The comment surprised me. Narcissa was beautiful, and certainly in the last year Bella had grown into her looks, and was in her way as lovely as Narcissa. We shared classic aristocratic features, unchanged over the centuries by the careful practice of keeping the bloodline pure, and I shared Bella's coloring, that of the Blacks, rather than Narcissa's golden beauty that came from Mother's Rosier side. But while I could see how beautiful they were, I had never thought of myself in those terms, and I felt myself blush with confusion and no small amount of pride at her compliment.

But it was Bella who came into herself that summer, shedding any last traces of childhood. So gradually that we hardly noticed, and yet seemingly overnight she was possessed of that languid grace that she would carry her entire life. Her face lost any trace of childhood softness, aristocratic features suddenly more defined, cheekbones sharper. She was, at least for those golden weeks, even more beautiful than we have ever imagined, and we watched this transformation with a kind of awe.

It was a summer different than we had ever had, for usually we had reveled in our isolation for the school holidays, being with each other and including only possibly Sirius and Regulus in our world, now we found ourselves surrounded by friends for the summer, as it seemed all of the old families had homes nearby, or had let one for the summer.

The Lestranges were near us, and Rabastan seemed strangely lost, because his brother was gone. Rudolphus had graduated that year, and his parents had sent him to Europe, not unusual for the pureblood families. He wrote to Bella a few times, letters that she refused to show Narcissa and I. We teased her mercilessly that they must be love letters, and she would just laugh it off. I couldn't imagine Rudolphus being in love and actually saying it, but then I realized I didn't know him that well, and perhaps he had a hidden romantic side. I would realize many years later they were love letters of a sort, but not the kind most women dreamed of getting.

The Rosiers, at least the British branch of the family, were cousins on my mother's side, and so we had always played with them and Bella was friends with Elizabeth, as much as Bella had friends who were not Narcissa and I or Rudolphus. Elizabeth was considered the brightest of her siblings, for while her brothers were good-looking and amiable, they were not particularly talented. She was golden as all the Rosiers were, though not quite so pretty as Narcissa. Despite this, she was deeply insecure, and enough of a sycophant to withdraw whenever Bella got bored or annoyed with her. I knew well enough that it was merely convenient for Bella to have a "girlfriend" to cover for her, and even better if she was "family," even if distant family. That summer they came from their father's family home in Normandy to stay for nearly a month.

Even Lucius Malfoy, though he ran with a much older crowd, would occasionally grace us with his presence, bringing whatever mates were taking his interest at the time. Only once did he make the mistake of bringing a 'young lady friend' to one of our parents' cocktail parties. The poor girl left in tears with little tentacles all over her face, and although no one was sure who would use such a curse, Bella was wearing an expression both innocent and smug. Although Lucius never showed anything other than a brotherly interest in Narcissa until she was sixteen, he also never let any of us see him with another woman again. Whoever he dated until Narcissa was old enough to merit his interest, he learned to keep it secret from Bella and I.

To my absolute joy and pure terror, the Averys were also staying nearby, so that Will and sometimes his older brother Richard just easily became part of our group. Our "relationship" (or so it was in my mind) had progressed to the point that, if asked, he could probably remember my name. Naturally, by that time I was designing a monogram for Andromeda Violetta Avery, which I thought had a lovely ring to it. It took Bella about an hour of watching me act completely mute in his presence to figure out what was going on, and she made a point that night of giving me valuable sisterly advice: Men were stupid. I couldn't expect Will to just get it, I was going to have to flirt.

I admitted I had no idea how one flirted.

That kicked off a hilarious evening of Bella "teaching" me how to flirt, covering all the basics of giggling, hair tossing, walking sexy, and "come hither" looks, for most of which Narcissa was collapsed in a heap on the bed with hysterical laughter and I could barely breathe enough to "practice."

When Bella had collapsed on the floor from laughing at my attempts, I had moodily declared that I was destined to spend life alone, living off the charity of my sisters. Bella sat up, wrapped her arms around her knees, and cocked her head, studying me with frank interest that almost made me want to hide.

"You know we're all in fun, Andy. You're beautiful. Just be Andy." She kissed my forehead, more a blessing than a sign of affection, and wandered over to the window. "So it begins."

Much to Mother's disgust, for she was worried about our complexions, we grew deeply tanned, and spent most of our days outdoors swimming or basking in the sun. She didn't really try to stop us, and at that time it didn't occur to us to wonder why. The adults were a separate world that summer, always locked behind closed doors in important conversations. The things that were changing that summer would affect us all, but we were still unaware, and during that time ignorance was indeed bliss.

Richard and Will had spent previous summers on the coast and undertook to teach us to swim, which Bella mastered as quickly and easily as she did everything. She went out farther than anyone into the crashing waves, and when Rabastan called for her to come back she gave him a smirk and called him a nancy boy before going out even farther. I mastered swimming as quickly as Bella did, but given that Will was the one trying to teach me, I wasn't above thrashing about like I was drowning, under Bella's amused but approving gaze. Narcissa didn't care much for the activity, especially since once the boys found out she had an irrational fear of sharks, they took to diving under and grabbing her legs when she didn't expect it. She didn't find it particularly amusing but the rest of us did.

We would come out of the water and lie around on the sand, looking like normal children, in sandy bathing suits with our hair drying in wild curls, rather than the young ladies and gentlemen we were meant to be. Reggie had a great love of building sandcastles, and one day we indulged him and erected a massive one under Richard's direction. Reg had been very much left out that summer, because Richard, at the superior age of fifteen, hardly wanted an eleven-year-old around. Sirius had been strangely absent, but as we were finished Reg's castle, trying to finish it before the tide came in, he wandered onto the beach to join us.

"Well, look who's decided to grace us with his presence," Bella said dryly. In truth, she was upset that he hadn't been around. "Where have you been?"

"He's been slumming it with his Gryffindor buddies," replied Rabastan, sneering. "He's been using the floo at that little café down the beach to go Potter's all summer, while your Aunt and Uncle assume he's with us."

I don't know how Rabastan knew this, but apparently Sirius was surprised he did too. The two of them had not warmed since their fight the previous fall, but rather had settled into a kind of mutual loathing and disgust, perhaps knowing they were evenly matched enough that any fight would probably turn out badly for the both of them.

I felt almost disloyal to Sirius, because I had actually formed something of a rapport with Rabastan that summer. Away from Hogwarts and his little band of admiring girls, he was much quieter and lost some of the swagger, and it became obvious that we actually had a good deal in common. It wasn't the kind of crush I had on Will, but more a camaraderie, his relationship with Rudolphus was not so different from mine with Bella, and he seemed so adrift that summer on his own.

Now though, he looked pleased at having caught Sirius. Sirius just gave him a dull look and muttered "Rack off Lestrange."

We had all forgotten the sand castle now, and Bella was not going to let it go.

"I'll never see where you get your vulgar taste in friends, Sirius."

"It's really none of your damn business, Bella," he shot back at her.

"It is when it reflects on the family," she replied, and then smiled nastily. "And I'll bet Auntie and Uncle will think it's their business too."

"You wouldn't…" he said softly.

"No?"

I certainly thought she would, and I wondered why he was pushing it.

"You wouldn't, because I'd tell them about you."

She looked genuinely confused for a moment. "Tell them what about me?"

"The…extra studying you brought along this summer."

In a flash, Bella's wand was in her hand, and dangerously close to his throat. I hadn't even seen where she had taken it from. My own was inside, for we weren't allowed to use magic in the summer anyway. I wondered, for a split second, why she felt like she should be armed in the middle of summer on a beach with friends. The scene was frozen for a moment, Bella and Sirius both looking murderous.

"Don't even think about it Sirius," she said, voice low.

"Go ahead Bella. Do it," he challenged.

"Bella, let up," I said, afraid she might really hurt him. "You know what Mother and Father will do if you get caught doing magic over the summer."

She still didn't move.

"Come on Bella, call off," Richard finally echoed.

She seemed to remember the rest of us, and slowly, she let her wand fall a few inches. While she hesitated uncertainly, Narcissa took the wand from her delicately. Sirius gave her one more nasty look and then turned and went back to the house, kicking up sand as he went.

She stood very still for a moment, and then shook her head as though to clear it, and then turned and headed for the house as well.

"Well," said Will in the awkward silence. "Let's…um….let's finish the moat before the tide comes in."

We all fell on the suggestion gratefully, glad for anything to break the tension, but I helped for only a few minutes before I went to find Bella, taking her wand from where Narcissa had placed it by her sandals.

She was in our bedroom, the curtains drawn, lying flat on the bed with her chin resting on her hands. I closed the door softly and then held out the wand to her. She sighed, and then took it.

"Thanks."

"Bella…"

"I know Andy. I just…I get so mad at him. He's…why does he act like that?"

"They're…James and them I mean…they're just his friends Bella."

"Why does he need them?"

"Everyone needs friends Bella."

She turned and looked at me, surprised, as though she couldn't quite process that, but she didn't say anything.

"Go talk to him. Apologize."

She was silent for awhile, and then she got up heavily, combed her fingers through my hair as she passed, and said "You're so bossy, Andy."

I don't know what happened between the two of them, but she came to dinner that evening with red eyes, and after that they were normal. Sirius started spending his time with us, and we let the incident fall away.

My birthday fell on a Friday, and I awoke with a feeling of anticipation. I was thirteen, and thirteen felt like a great milestone, although I couldn't really say why. I was quite convinced that I was now entirely grown-up.

The day passed pleasantly enough, but I was delighted after dinner when Bella admitted that there was a surprise. Some of the older teenagers had been wanting to have a bonfire on the beach, and had decided that lacking a better reason to do so, they were doing it in honor of my birthday. I was both flattered and embarrassed because no one had ever made such a big deal about me before. As the sun set she insisted we wear something pretty, and I borrowed a set of light, diaphanous summer robes from her. She was downstairs looking for Narcissa and I was changing when suddenly an owl tapped on the window, carrying a rather large package for an owl. I let it in, and it must have been a pre-paid owl for it flew off before I could even stop it.

He didn't.

How did he even know where I was?

I locked the door, and then circled it warily. It bothered me that I was not surprised, and in fact all day, I had been wondering. He remembered my birthday even when my parents didn't.

I picked it up, a book by its weight. It was, when I pulled off the paper, a heavy leather-bound book, and I stared at the title, not sure whether to laugh or be annoyed- Arithmancy for Beginners.

That prat. That arrogant, cheeky little…

There was no card, but he had scribbled a note on the inside cover.

Dear Andy,

You said you hadn't decided what classes to take next term, but I thought you might want to do a little advance studying, just in case you think you might be able to keep up with me in Arithmancy. In fact, I dare you.

Happy Birthday!

Cheers,

Ted

I smiled despite myself, and then tucked it away in my suitcase wrapped in some robes that I thought were too heavy for summer. When Bella came in, she only laughed and said I looked a little flushed.

It was a perfect night. I was the toast of the evening for finally having given them a reason to have a real party, and there was the fun and carelessness that was a group of teenagers with no adults and a warm summer night. The boys built up a roaring bonfire on the beach, everyone looking beautiful in the firelight, and sparks shooting skyward.

As it grew dark, we sat on the sand, the group of people I consideredclosest to meback then. My sisters, and the men both of them would eventually marry, for Rudolphus had returned from Europe for a few days. My cousins, Sirius was again all laughter, even among Slytherins. Friends, although we might have been simply thrown together by our parents, that night I felt actually close to them. We told long stories and sang songs. One of the older boys had brought firewhiskey, and I felt positively wicked and very grown-up trying it, even though it stung my throat and made my eyes water, and I had no more than a sip.

Will was sitting next to me, and I thrilled when he did the casual "yawning-and-stretching" and put him arm around my shoulder. Bella winked at me, and then turned to the others.

"Shall I see all your fortunes from the flames?" she said mysteriously.

"You said divination is rubbish," Sirius said. "And you're rubbish at it, what's more."

"Oh shut up Gryffindor, it works on magical nights,"

"Do then Bella, tell my future," Reg insisted.

She did, and then everyone else's, making up funny stories of how they would be Ministers of Magic or Quidditch stars, marry into royalty, and have ten children. She was again charming that night, but for once I felt just as beautiful and as captivating with Will sitting next to me.

"You're insane Bella," Rudolphus said fondly as she finished up telling Richard he'd invent a new kind of sneakoscope and be fantastically rich.

She smiled at him, and then looked back at the flames. "Who knows about the future? But…I can tell you one thing. The world is going to change. Soon."

"Change for the better," said Lucius softly.

There was a long silence, but then Bella jumped up. "What's all this seriousness, it's Andy's birthday!"

There was nobody to tell us to come in, and so we stayed late, until Narcissa fell asleep on the sand and Bella carried her inside. It seemed like some of the older teenagers might stay all night, and finally as the fire began to burn down to a dim warmth I could barely keep my eyes open. I didn't want to night to end, but my head was drooping on Will's shoulder.

"Hey Avery," said Rudolphus, shaking me out of a half-doze. "Andromeda looks tired. Why don't you walk her back to the house? It's late you know, and ladies shouldn't walk alone."

"Oh…um…yeah," he hopped up and held out a hand to me. At that moment, I thought Rudolphus was by far the most brilliant and wonderful man I had ever known for that suggestion. I took his hand and he helped me up, but then didn't release my hand. We walked back towards the house, now dark except a few lights burning. We were silent, both searching for something to say, and then we both started talking at once, and then giggled nervously.

"No, go ahead," I insisted.

"Oh well, I was just going to say…I'm glad we got to…you know…I mean, I'm glad we were…um staying by you guys this summer…it's been, really fun. I mean, you know…I like…doing things with you."

To the mind of a thirteen-year-old, that actually sounds romantic. I blushed deeply enough that I was sure he could see it even in the faint moonlight. "Oh, me too."

We had stopped at the edge of the deck where it led down to the beach.

"I better get back, I mean, Rich will want to go home," he said, hesitantly.

"Right, okay," I agreed.

"So, um, happy birthday…"

"Thanks…"

He took a step closer to me, his hand resting at my waist with a kind of determination. My first kiss was as awkward, and sweet, and inexperienced, and absolutely perfect as only a first kiss can be. I had no idea what to do, but it didn't seem to matter, I still felt as though I would never be as happy as I was that night.

When Bella came back hours later, she took one look at my face and laughed out loud.

At the end of the summer the Lestranges decided to give an extravagant masked ball at their villa before returning to the London, and since it fell after my thirteenth birthday, Mother decided it would be only proper that I attend. Remembering only too well Bella's pink nightmare of the previous year, I expected a similar fate. Fortunately, mother didn't find any robes in pink in the style she thought I ought to wear, and so I found myself attired in light blue. Mother was firm in her belief that young girls should wear only white or pastels, but unfortunately I shared Bella's dark coloring, and looked no better in it than she had in her pink. Still, she insisted I was getting off easy.

With all of mother's attention focused on dressing me, Bella was left to her own devices, and chose according to her own taste. I expected something wild and entirely inappropriate, but she surprised me, and Mother, by choosing with surprisingly good taste. Her robes were emerald with silver accents, and managed not only to flatter her coloring, but to declare her house loyalties. She was both fascinated and delighted by the idea that we got to wear masks, with the old-fashioned drama of it, even if there was no real mystery we could pretend at it.

Narcissa was wildly jealous, now that she didn't even have me to keep her company. She sat on the bed in our room as we got ready, making sure we saw her sulking but unable to stay away from preparations for a party.

Bella was playing with her hair, first putting in up, and then deciding that we were right, it suited her better falling down her back loose. She was doing mine, pulling the sides back so as to not hide my mask, which was silver, when the door opened. Sirius, in evening clothes, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He hated these things, hated the dress clothes and the regalia of an old pureblood family, but he wore it well, whether her knew it or not. He raised his eyebrows at Bella.

"That's far better than the pink," he finally allowed. He turned to me, and the smiled. "Ah well, it's not your color, but you wear it well, Andy."

"Gee, thanks Sirius."

He chuckled, and then leaned against the doorway casually, having no idea what an appealing picture he presented when he relaxed.

"Well, we better be going ladies. After all, Miss Andromeda, I believe you have a young gentleman waiting for you."

Narcissa heaved a melodramatic sigh and flopped back on the bed. "I want to die, just simply die! Your lives are so exciting, and mine is so boring."

"Oh Cissy stop!" Bella grabbed her face and kissed both of her cheeks, and then I kissed the top of her head and tip of her nose.

"Next year, Sweetie."

After an hour of the ball, my cheeks hurt from smiling, my ribs ached from the tight bodice of my dress, I was getting a headache from the lights and overpowering perfume of some of the women, and the mask was becoming scratchy and stifling. All in all, I was deciding there was nothing mysterious or exciting about the balls and parties we had been so excited to grow up and join. They were just another social obligation where we had to be ladylike and wear uncomfortable clothes. I danced with Sirius (who was actually quite a good dancer) and Rabastan and Rudolphus, and then finally with Will. There had been a few more shy kisses, and it was generally accepted we were…something, but all I didn't want anything more at that point than to dance with him, until his father called him away for a moment. I was actually glad to have a moment.

Making sure Mother wasn't looking, I stepped out on the terrace for fresh air, and to clear my head. I felt dizzy and was beginning to suspect there was something more than punch in the punch Sirius had offered me. The air outside was blessedly cool, and I sat down on a stone bench gratefully, leaning my head against the railing and daydreaming about Will.

When I heard footsteps, I assumed it was Mother coming to catch me not being properly social, and so I jumped up and ducked around the corner of the house, onto the soft, sandy ground that led to the beach on the other side of the house. After a few moments, I peeked cautiously around and saw that it wasn't Mother, but a man I didn't even know, pacing restlessly. If I came out, it would be obvious I had been hiding, and I realized I would have to wait until he left. I sat down on the steps and slid my feet out of my uncomfortable shoes.

I heard the clatter of running steps, and then Bella's voice calling for me. Her steps came to an abrupt stop, and then she said breathlessly "Oh, I'm sorry Sir, I was looking for-"

"Someone called Andy, by your shouting," the man finished for her in a smooth voice. I stood up and cautiously looked around the edge of the house again.

"Yes, my sister. I thought she'd be out here," she explained.

The man said nothing to this. He was standing in profile to me, and with very fair skin and dark hair he was strikingly good-looking, and yet there was something inexplicably cold about him. Bella was staring at him as though she'd never seen a man before, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted, her mask dangling from her hand forgotten.

"And who might you be?" he asked, his voice soft and refined, educated.

"I'm Bellatrix Black."

"Cygnus Black's daughter?"

"Yes, Sir."

He nodded slightly.

"Who are you?" she asked, with a boldness that was characteristic for her, but seemed dangerous with this man.

"My friends, and associates, call me Lord Voldemort."

The wizarding world had no use for "muggle" titles of nobility. In the wizarding world, you needed only the right name to indicate your status. Being called Andromeda Black brought me far more respect than being called "Lady" would have in the magical world. Bella raised a mocking brow, and from where I stood I wanted to scream at her to be careful.

"Lord?" she repeated, derision in her voice.

He took a slight step toward her. "Don't cheek me, little girl."

I couldn't see his face from where I stood, but Bella saw something there that frightened her, for she took a step back and cast her eyes down, submission looking unfamiliar on her.

"I'm sorry, Sir."

"That's better." He began to pace slightly before her. "How old are you, Bellatrix Black?"

"Fourteen, Sir."

"Only fourteen. Merely a child. And yet..." He paused in his pacing, quite near her, and drew an elegant finger down her cheek. It was not a gesture of affection or desire, but more one of aesthetic appreciation. "What an enchanting child."

Bella stood as though enchanted, until his hand fell to his side.

"You'd better go in. It is unwise to linger in the dark with strangers in such uncertain times," he said, with what almost sounded like a note of amusement. Bella stared at him for a moment longer, and then turned to go. "Oh, Bellatrix?"

She turned back, dark eyes intent on him, and he held out her small mask.

"You forgot this." She reached out to take it, but he drew it back slightly, out of her reach. "Allow me."

"Thank you, Sir," she said softly, turning so he could tie the mask for her.

In the years to come, I would realize the perfect prophetic irony of that moment.