The Slytherin Common Room was busy; it was the end of the first week. The upper years were hogging the best seats, the first years were eyeing everyone warily, everything was normal and in balance.
Professor Slughorn suddenly strode in through the portrait, a rare occurrence for the lazy man, calling, "Miss Andromeda Black?"
Heads turned to stare at the Head Girl who rose, apparently unaware of the number of eyes on her. No one knew why she was called, she was the kindest of the Black sisters, never hurt anyone. Nobody saw her younger sister smile spitefully in a corner, out of sight.
"Yes Professor?" asked Andromeda once she reached her Head of House.
Slughorn looked slightly flustered, "You need to come to my office."
If Andromeda was worried by this statement she didn't show it. Her naturally pale face, so like her sister's, gave away nothing. The pupil and teacher made the walk to his office in silence. Slughorn opened the door silently and Andromeda glanced inside first before entering.
"Father," she stated, normally a greeting but from her it came out stiffly.
The dark, curly-haired man nodded at her, his eyes stern and unwelcoming.
"Professor Slughorn," Cygnus Black inquired, "May I leave and discuss some things with my daughter?" it sounded more like a command.
"Certainly, certainly, Andromeda doesn't have any homework does she?" stuttered Slughorn.
Andromeda stayed silent and her father nodded curtly, striding out the door with Andromeda following obediently behind him.
They came to a deserted hallway in the dungeons which Andromeda had never seen before. The stone wall was pale grey and cobwebby with age, the old fashioned torches lit up the corridor in an eerie, flickering light.
Her father stood over her, staring down at her with unfathomable dark grey eyes. Andromeda stayed silent, not speaking out of place, knowing her father would talk eventually.
"Is it true what Narcissa told me, Andromeda?" Cygnus demanded, "That you are acquainted with Mudbloods."
"It depends on what you mean by 'acquaintances', father." Andromeda said slowly, looking at a patch of wall over her father's shoulder, avoiding all eye-contact.
"Narcissa said you are friends." He spat, "Is that true?"
"No father, we are not friends. I told you last year I had to tutor him, Slughorn made me." She claimed.
Cygnus slapped her face hard and hissed, "Liar."
Andromeda stood straight and tall, refusing to cry or even let her eyes water. A bell rang overhead.
"We'll discuss this at Christmas," he said ominously, Andromeda nodded jerkily and left the corridor, not looking back.
Once she was sure she was out of sight she ran quickly to the library, she had a free period, flinging herself into a chair, shaking.