Finding Andromeda
Originally written: 11.07.16 – Rewritten: 12-16.02.17

DISCLAIMER: See previous chapter.

Part V

"Who are you?"

A perplexed Sirius Black frowned down at the small figure in the doorway. Standing there, with her hands on her hips and attitude pouring out of her, was a small girl with shoulder length blue hair and a fringe. A small frown graced her delicate features and her stance screamed defensiveness.

Sirius hid an amused smile when he realised that the child was trying (and failing) to be intimidating. She looked to be only about seven or eight years old and she was wearing a top with a unicorn on it. Not even a real unicorn. A pink cartoon unicorn. Wholly unrealistic, he knew. Everything about her stated cuteness – from her blue hair and pink top to her adorable frown and pout. He stifled a laugh, faking it as a cough, as he stared at the child who had narrowed her eyes at him.

"Dora?" someone called from inside the depths of the house.

Sirius' smile faltered and he froze at the sound of the voice – her voice. He recognised it immediately. The tone was unmistakeable: uncompromisingly soft and still holding the aristocratic lilt that he himself had. He tried to swallow the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat.

"Dora?" she called again. "What are you doing? Who is it?"

And then suddenly, there she was, in front of him, standing in the doorway and moving the child out of the way. The tall woman moved the girl back and turned to look out of the entranceway, her dark brown eyes widening when she saw him.

For a split-second, the ex-Black looked hesitant, and Sirius held his breath as she stared at him blankly. Her mouth opened, as if to say something, but she promptly closed it. It seemed her words were stuck in her throat as she coughed lightly and, without moving her eyes from the man in front of her, spoke.

"Dora," she said, her voice hoarse. "Go inside, please."

The child – 'Dora' – frowned up at Andromeda but obeyed and disappeared back into the house. Slowly, almost cautiously, Andromeda stepped out of her doorway and floated elegantly down the stone steps. She stood there for a moment, her eyes never leaving Sirius, before she took another step towards him.

Sirius swallowed thickly and took a hesitant step forward also. He gave a tentative smile and was immensely relieved when she smiled back and threw herself at him, enshrouding him in a bone-crushingly tight hug. He released a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding and relaxed into the hug, wrapping his arms around the thin frame.

He held on tight, arms pulling her closer as he tried to convey all that he couldn't say in words; all of his emotions, and how much he had missed her. It seemed she was trying to reciprocate the message as she somehow managed to strengthen her grip on him. They stood like that for a long while, just embracing, before Andromeda spoke.

"Sirius, is it really you?" she asked, her question muffled slightly by his shoulder. She sounded incredulous, as if she couldn't let herself trust it could really be him.

Sirius nodded and, though his throat felt closed up, he forced himself to choke out a, "Yes."

It was another moment before the hug ended, Andromeda reluctantly pulling back. She didn't release him, however, and kept her hands clasped firmly on his biceps – as if afraid that he would disappear, should she let go.

Sirius watched as her dark eyes studied him, the expression on her face one of thinly veiled disbelief. Her eyes eventually landed on his face and she examined him with great care, smiling bashfully as she did so. Sirius noticed, with no small amount of shock, that his cousin had welled up. But she didn't allow her tears to fall.

Sirius' eyes traced over his cousin's visage, noting the obviously Black features – the high cheekbones and elegant eyebrows. To him, she hadn't changed. Not really. Her hair had greyed slightly and she had a few lines on her face – signs that she had smiled and laughed: evidence of a joyous life. He reckoned that to her, he probably looked much different to the last time they had seen each other.

Andromeda stepped back, her hands keeping their grip on his upper arms, and looked him up and down before her eyes met his again.

"You're so tall," she stated, emitting a watery laugh.

Sirius shrugged and grinned sheepishly, feeling oddly self-aware. He was unused to being called tall, especially since he was friends with Remus and James, both of whom were taller than him. Andromeda finally released him, her hands dropping to her sides, and her gaze moved past Sirius. Sirius noticed her shifted attention and turned to find Remus standing slightly behind him, smiling politely.

"Oh, er, this is Remus," he said, motioning the other man over to them. Remus complied and came to stand at his side. Sirius turned back to his cousin and smiled nervously. "He's my... We're... together," he said cautiously, wary of how she might react.

Sirius didn't know how she would respond to the news. He hadn't seen her in years, after all. For all he knew, her morals and views could have changed since they last met. The other Blacks hadn't been particularly happy when they discovered where his interests lay, and he wondered if any of their lessons still remained in her. He doubted they did, but he had learned to be cautious.

A look of shock flitted over her face for a millisecond before she nodded and her mouth curved into a supportive smile. She turned to Remus, studied him for a moment, and then held out her hand.

"Andromeda Tonks," she introduced politely.

Remus smiled and shook her hand. "Remus Lupin," he replied.

Andromeda gave Sirius one last brief inspection before she glanced at her house. "Well," she said. "You had better come inside."

With that, she turned and began walking back up the steps. Sirius and Remus followed behind and she led them through the large building. They followed her down a long hallway and Sirius glanced idly at the large picture frames and paintings hung on the walls.

As they wandered down the lengthy hallways, Sirius couldn't help but think that the house was quite lavish. It was just as big on the inside as it was on the outside, and as they passed various different rooms, Sirius found himself wondering how many rooms there were and how many were actually utilised.

Andromeda pushed a large wooden door open and the trio entered into an oversized kitchen. They paused for a moment while Andromeda asked a plump middle-aged woman to make a pot of tea. The ex-Black then led them through the kitchen to a set of glass double doors which she pushed open to reveal a large back garden – though, Sirius wasn't exactly sure it could be called a garden; it was more like a field surrounded by forestry and flowers.

Sirius stood at the door, taking in the landscape as Andromeda moved to sit down at a large glass table. She cleared her throat lightly, calling the two men's attentions, and gestured to the other seats at the table expectantly. Remus dutifully took the seat across from her and Sirius took the one nested between his partner and his cousin.

Silence reigned over the trio for a moment and Sirius relaxed as he looked around field-garden. The only noises present in their silence consisted of nature and the gentle breeze. The sun shone down on the garden, emphasising the colour in the flowers and making the Animagus feel calmer than he had been tens of minutes before.

The peace was broken when a loud shout sounded from the house and Dora, the child from earlier, came running out of the double doors, her arms full of toys and a large bag. The girl stopped abruptly just outside of the door and clamped her mouth shut as she looked between the two mysterious men. Slowly, she walked into the garden, watching Sirius and Remus carefully as she sat down on the grass and emptied her bag. Sirius watched her too, wondering who she was and why she looked so familiar.

"My daughter, Nymphadora," Andromeda explained; Sirius jumped at the sudden words and instantly realised why the child looked so known: she was a younger duplicate of his cousin. "Dora, would you come here please?"

The child jumped up immediately and quickly went to her mother's side.

"Dora," Andromeda said calmly. "This is my cousin: Sirius."

Dora frowned for a moment as she studied him before she nodded, smiled widely and stuck her hand out forcefully. "Nymphadora Tonks," she said. "But call me Dora."

"She's not overly fond of her name," Andromeda said quietly.

"Sirius Black," he replied, taking her hand and shaking it; he was surprised by her strong, almost violent, handshake. "You can call me Sirius," he said when she released his hand.

Dora nodded. "Sirius it is," she said happily before she looked at Remus and leaned across the table, sticking her hand out. "And you are?"

Remus smiled and shook her hand. "Remus Lupin."

Dora nodded again and took her hand back, her attention focusing on Sirius again. She tilted her head to the side questioningly and inspected him. "So," she said, elongating the 'O' as any seven/eight year old would. "Are you my uncle?"

"Er," Sirius shrugged. "Yes. Sort of."

She hummed thoughtfully before she grinned. "Okay," she accepted. "Do you want to play with me?"

"Maybe later, Dora," Andromeda answered. "Sirius and I have a lot to talk about."

Nymphadora nodded and moved around the table to stand at Remus' side. "Would you like to play with me? I have Lego."

Remus chuckled. "I love Lego," he admitted before Dora dragged him from his chair to the spot on the grass where she had lain out all of her toys.

Sirius and Andromeda watched the two for a moment before they turned to each other. He could definitely see the similarities between Andromeda and Nymphadora. They had the same thick hair, same nose and eye shape. The blue hair was quite an interesting colour for a child, he mused.

"She's certainly..." he trailed off and nodded his head dumbly, literally at a loss for words. He searched his brain for a way to describe Andromeda's daughter. From what he had seen so far, she had a lot of attitude for a child – he didn't know whether that was a good thing or not – and he surmised that she was quietly confident.

Andromeda smiled. "Yes, I know. Unique is the word we like to use," she informed, smiling at her playing child before she looked back at Sirius. "Nymphadora is a Metamorphmagus," she explained. "That is why her hair is blue at the moment. She saw it in a book and decided to make her hair that colour. It has been like that for three weeks now."

Sirius chuckled and nodded.

"I would introduce you to Ted," she continued. "But he went to the shops not so long ago. He should be back soon enough, though." She paused as he nodded his acknowledgement before she leaned back in her chair placidly. "Sirius, please don't think me rude, but I have to ask." Sirius nodded again. "Why are you here? How did you find me?"

Sirius felt his nerves rise up again, irrationally worried that she didn't really want to see him and had only invited them in to be polite. He looked over at Remus who offered an encouraging smile and a nod. Sirius nodded back and inhaled slowly, turning back to Andromeda. He was just about to speak when he was stopped by the woman from the kitchen announcing the tea.

The middle-aged woman stepped out of the house; with her she brought a large silver tray that held four posh-looking cups and a large matching teapot. As she placed the tray on the table, the cups clattered. She paid no mind to it and began pouring tea silently, leaving the fourth cup empty. Once she was done, she placed two of the cups in front of Sirius and Andromeda before she walked over to Remus with the third cup and handed it to him. Finished her task, she disappeared back into the house. Sirius took a sip before he set the cup down and finally answered Andromeda.

"Well," he began, "I, uh... I came here because I wanted to find you. I've been searching for a while, you see. But, well, you didn't make it easy," he admitted with a nervous laugh; she sent an unreadable smile, and he continued, "I'm an Auror. It's my job to find people, in a way. Plus, I had some help."

Andromeda regarded him thoughtfully. "I didn't think I would ever see you again," she finally admitted.

"Ditto," he agreed. "I've been trying to find you for years. I tried when I was sixteen, after I left. But, every time, I just came up empty. I only managed to find you now because Remus helped me."

The brunette smiled in Remus' direction before a small frown graced her features and she turned her brown eyes on Sirius again. "When you left?"

Sirius nodded. "Yeah. I left Grimmauld Place. It all started to go downhill the moment I was sorted into Gryffindor, but between fifth and sixth year, I just..." He shrugged as he tried to think of the right words. "Snapped. And I left, before they could kick me out – before they could break me. They disowned me shortly after, but it was my decision to leave, you know?"

Andromeda grinned proudly. "I didn't know if you would," she said truthfully. "I had hoped you would, but... I am sorry you couldn't find me back then. I didn't want them finding me again. I didn't want to bring trouble on Ted's family. They were Muggles; I couldn't do that to them." She looked up at the house. "This is Ted's parents' house. Ours now, I suppose." She turned back to Sirius. "I still cannot believe you are here," she murmured, looking at him in amazement. "Or that you are... you know," she said, gesturing towards Remus with her head.

Sirius laughed. "What? No signs?" he joked. Andromeda laughed melodically and sipped her tea. Sirius felt there was more to discuss; he wanted to know his cousin again, and everything that had happened in the past decade or so. "Andy... I've missed you. There's so much we need to talk about. So much time has passed."

She nodded understandingly. "How long are you here for?"

"I have to be back in London before 2PM on Monday. So, about two days."

Andromeda sighed and nodded, her face thoughtful. "Well," she said after a moment. "How about you stay for dinner tonight? I'm sure Dora would love to get to know you more, and I personally would love to spend more time with you. I want you to meet Ted, too. And tomorrow, if you are not busy, you could come over again if you'd like?"

Sirius stifled a grin and said, "If we're not intruding. I know we showed up unexpectedly."

"It's fine, Sirius. We had no plans."

Sirius beamed and nodded vigorously. "Okay, then. I would love to," he said happily. "Don't have to hide away with Remus if I'm here, right?"

"Of course not," she replied, smiling.

Sirius smiled and looked around the garden. "So, why did you move here?"

"This is Ted's family estate," Andromeda answered. "But also, I didn't think my family would come looking for me in a Muggle town. Especially since it is also a Muggle tourist destination. Quite a perfect hiding place, really."

A loud giggle drew their attentions and they found Nymphadora laughing outright at Remus' failed tower. Dora picked up the fallen Lego pieces and added them to her own tower as Remus began rebuilding. They watched as Andromeda's daughter and Sirius' partner built more things.

"Dora seems quite taken with Remus," Andromeda murmured after a moment.

"Yeah," Sirius nodded, watching the pair. "He has a way with kids. And animals. Always has."

He purposefully left out the reasons as to why Remus was so good with kids and animals. He didn't think it was quite the right time to tell his cousin that he had shacked up with a werewolf. While he had come to the conclusion that she was open-minded, he didn't know just how open-minded she was. He didn't know how she would react upon learning of Remus' affliction. He wanted her to get to know him first.

"He seems like a good man," she murmured.

"He is," Sirius assured.

"So," she said, calling his attention again. "We have a lot of catching up to do, cousin. Tell me about yourself. I want to know all about your life: your friends, your job, your hobbies. I want to know everything."

Sirius took another sip of tea and began talking. He talked about his life after he was sorted into Gryffindor, and after she left. He told her about James and Lily, and Peter and Mary. He told her stories of his youth – of pranks and detentions. He told her about his relationship with Remus – just the basics, not going into immense detail about it. In return, Andromeda told him about her life after leaving – about marrying Ted and falling pregnant, moving in with his Muggle parents and assimilating to the lifestyle. She spoke about the senior Tonks' passing and the house and fortune being left to them. She talked about her new friends (mostly Muggles) and family (her husband and daughter).

They talked comfortably and openly. It was as if nothing had changed, as if they hadn't spent years apart leading completely separate lives. Sirius was glad to discover that he no longer felt the urge to throw up. The nerves and anxieties and worrisome thoughts that had plagued his mind over the past weeks had completely disappeared, eased away by Andromeda's honest smile and calming tone.

"Dromeda?"

Sirius and Andromeda paused their conversation and looked at the double doors that separated the garden from the kitchen. In the doorway stood a short man with a kind face. He looked confused as his blue eyes moved from Remus to Sirius to Andromeda. He tilted his head questioningly, reminding Sirius of Dora's earlier behaviour.

"Ted!" Andromeda exclaimed happily. "Ted," she said more calmly, standing up as the man stepped out of the house and walked to stand at her side. "This is Sirius, my cousin," she introduced.

Sirius stood up and thrust his hand out to the man his cousin loved, wanting to make a good first impression. "Sirius Black," he reintroduced.

"Sirius, this is Ted, my husband of nearly eight years," she said unnecessarily.

"Edward Tonks," the man replied, giving Sirius' hand a firm shake. "But please, call me Ted." He released Sirius and slipped an arm around Andromeda's waist affectionately. Sirius absently noted the man was shorter than his cousin. "It's nice to finally meet you, Sirius. Andromeda has spoken a lot about you over the years. All good things," he assured; Sirius grinned and Ted turned to his wife. "And the man building Lego with our daughter?"

Remus took that as his cue and he stood up, walking over to stand at Sirius' side. He held his hand out and Ted took it, shaking it firmly.

"This is Remus Lupin," Andromeda replied. "Sirius'... partner."

Ted stared at them for a long moment, seemingly trying to process Andromeda's words, before he nodded slowly. "Ah," he said. "Right. Okay... Well, then. It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Remus."

Remus nodded and smiled politely. "Likewise," he replied, taking his hand back.

"Sirius and Remus are staying for dinner," Andromeda informed her husband. "We still have so much to talk about, and I want you and Dora to get to know Sirius some more. Also, Dora seems to have taken quite a shine to Remus."

As if to illustrate her point, Nymphadora came over and hugged her father briefly before she grabbed Remus' hand and dragged him back to their spot, pulling him back to the ground to continue playing Lego with her. Ted sat down at the table next to Andromeda and listened quietly as the two ex-Blacks returned to their conversation.

Sirius glanced around the oversized wooden table in the large dining room, smiling at the family that sat around it. At the head of the table sat Ted, Andromeda on his right and Sirius on his left. Next to Andromeda sat Nymphadora (on a plump cushion that helped the petite girl eat comfortably) and next to Sirius sat Remus.

The group sat at the same end of the long table, leaving the other end unused and bare. Sirius thought that the table was too big – especially considering there was only three of them in the immediate family (Andromeda, Ted and Nymphadora) – but he supposed it possibly seemed larger because his and Remus' kitchen table was small enough that they could knock knees under it.

As the Tonks got to know Remus more, Sirius watched placidly and his mind wandered back to the last time he had seen his cousin: The day she had told him she was leaving. Back then, he hadn't understood that she meant she wouldn't be coming back.

Young Sirius Black lay on his bed, stupendously bored. He had been forced by his parents (who had threatened to go and collect him personally, should he disobey them) to leave Hogwarts School of Warmth and Happiness and spend his second year Christmas at Grimmauld Place, only to be punished.

It was utterly unfair, he thought. He didn't even know what he was being punished for! The second he had walked through the door, his mother had locked him away in his room with no explanation as to what he had done wrong.

He supposed that, to his parents, there were many feasible reasons for his entrapment and lonely punishment. Perhaps it was his talk about his Gryffindor friends – the two Half-bloods and a 'blood traitor' – and House Pride. Or maybe it was his original refusal to return to the dark, cold family home. He supposed it could even be his pranks and exceedingly defiant behaviour. Whatever their reasons for his confinement, it didn't seem to matter anymore. His mother punished him because she could. And his father did nothing because he didn't want to.

It didn't matter if he kept silent about his friends or complied with their demands. His mother would still find some reason to punish him. So, with that in mind, he decided to rebel. If they were going to punish him regardless, then he may as well be himself.

Sirius frowned darkly up at the ceiling, wondering what time it was. His windows weren't covered, but it wouldn't matter if they were or if they were wide open on a sunny day – Grimmauld Place always seemed depressing and dark.

A sudden crackle made Sirius sit up, still frowning. Andromeda Black suddenly appeared before his eyes, stood in the centre of his room. He grinned widely and hopped off the bed, lunging at her and wrapping his arms around her thin waist tightly.

As he hugged his favourite cousin and she hugged back gently, Sirius idly wondered what he would do when he was seventeen and old enough to use magic. He would Apparate anywhere and everywhere that wasn't Grimmauld Place, he knew. He would visit his friends or go into Muggle London, or just go outside. As long as it was far away from his mother and the house he had spent his childhood in.

Andromeda gave him one last squeeze before she pushed him away gently and sat on floor. Sirius sat down next to her and watched as she dug around her cloak pocket.

"I heard they weren't feeding you," she whispered, hand deep in her pocket.

"How did you hear that?" he asked. "They are feeding me," he added. "Just... Well, it's mainly bread and water: the basics. When they let me eat with them, I have to watch them eat nice food while I eat this white slosh that tastes like nothing. I think it's the House-Elves' food."

Andromeda stared for a moment before she shook her head sadly. "That's not right," she murmured to herself. "Regulus wrote me," she answered his previous question, her voice still hushed. "He said he couldn't get into the room."

Sirius nodded and glanced at the door, glad his brother still had his back – even if Regulus was a Slytherin. His eyes returned to his cousin as she removed a rather large box from her cloak. He wondered briefly how she had managed to fit it in her pocket before his stomach rumbled and those thoughts disappeared. He watched intently as she opened the box to reveal an assortment of food and sweets.

"Here. I brought them for you, silly," she said softly when Sirius just looked at the food hungrily and made no move to take it.

She shoved the box into his hands and he started eating the contents ravenously. He had spent the last few days locked in his room – cut off from all civilisation with only Kreacher to converse with, not that he had but he was so desperate for conversation that he had considered it – and had only been served three times a day with basic food rations.

Andromeda rummaged around her pocket again and swiftly produced a small silver flask. It reminded Sirius of his father's – long, silver and burdened with the family crest – and he suspected hers was his uncle Cygnus'. The brunette's eyes flittered around the room before she spotted two small plastic dinosaurs (a present from Peter) and grinned.

"Perfect," she said before she Accio'd them.

The older Black transfigured the toys into two relatively large cups and poured purple liquid from the flask into them. Sirius ate and watched in wonder. His cousin made it look so simple. He hadn't gotten around to doing that in Transfiguration yet; he was looking forward to learning it.

Andromeda handed him one of the cups which he took gratefully, gulping it down quickly. He handed her back the empty cup and she refilled it. He took another drink before he returned to his flavoursome meal. The witch watched silently as he ate fast and drank as if he had been lost in the forest for weeks. Her eyes were sad but she said nothing, smiling whenever he looked at her. She drank her drink slowly, taking her time to observe.

Sirius noticed her watching and offered some of the food. She declined wordlessly, with a light shake of her head, and smiled. He returned the smile and continued consuming the food and drink. He looked into the purple liquid, momentarily wondering what it was that he was ingesting before he decided he didn't care. Everything Andromeda had brought him was delicious and sweet.

Sooner than he would have liked, he finished the small banquet and handed the empty carton back to his cousin, thanking her as he did so. Andromeda took the box, stuffed it in her pocket, and poured the remnants of the flask into his cup before she put that back in her pocket too. After a silent moment, she stood up.

"Sirius," she began, her voice sounding somewhat guilty – almost sorrowful. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

Sirius stood up hurriedly and threw his arms around her, upset that the only human contact he had had for days was about to leave him. She hugged him back, her arms just as tight around him, and muttered apologies into his crown. They stood like that for a moment before he pulled back and smiled up at her innocently.

"It's okay," he assured, hopeful grey eyes staring up at her. "I'll see you soon. Probably at the Annual Black Christmas ball."

Brown eyes stared at him for a long moment, seemingly debating something, before she kneeled down and held his gaze.

"Do not change," she said, sounding unlike he had ever heard her before – serious and imploring. "Promise me, Sirius. Promise me that you will not turn into them. Promise me that you won't listen to them. Whatever they say about me... Just know that it is not true. This family, they are wrong. They are poisonous, and everything they say is false, do you understand? Just... Just know that this family and their opinions, they do not have to be yours. Trust yourself, Sirius. Trust yourself to keep making your own decisions. Promise me that you will not judge people based on what they are or what their blood status is – that you will stick to your morals. Do not let these people change you and beat you down. Please, promise me that you will not turn into them."

Sirius frowned, utterly bewildered by this sudden harangue from his cousin, but nodded. "Okay," he said. "I won't. I promise," he vowed, unsure why she was telling him all of this but feeling the truth of her words sink in and connect with something in his core.

In his short time at Hogwarts, Sirius had already learned that his parents' teachings were wrong and prejudiced, stated with a biased purpose and intent on preaching bitter hatred. Meeting the people he had met, he couldn't imagine judging someone because of their blood status or personal decisions/lifestyles.

He knew for a fact that Muggle-borns were not unworthy scourges; Lily Evans was one of the smartest people he knew, getting some of the highest grades in the year. And two of his friends were Half-bloods – Purgatory, one of them was a 'Dark Creature' (not that Remus had told them yet; they had planned to confront him during Christmas break but, with Sirius being forced to go home, they had pushed it until January).

Sirius had to bite his tongue at his parents' revolting diatribes on 'Dark Creatures' and their 'repulsive mannerisms'. He knew that if he said anything, he wouldn't be able to stop. Remus was one of the lightest, kindest, cleanest people he knew, and he believed in equal rights – for everyone. His parents vehemently disagreed.

"I promise," he repeated with conviction.

Andromeda nodded and stood up straight. "You are important, Sirius. Do not forget that the right people do care for you. Know that someone in this family does love you." She sighed and stepped away. "I am sorry, but I really do have to go."

He nodded and watched as she took another step back. She observed him for another moment before she nodded and Disapparated, disappearing from his life. Sirius moved over to his bed and lay down again. He spent the rest of his holiday thinking about his friends and Andromeda's parting words.

As Sirius looked at his beautifully aged cousin, he realised that he didn't want to lose her again. He didn't want her to disappear from his life again. Andromeda Tonks (née Black) may have been the only biological family member to have ever have told him that he was loved, and he didn't want to lose the only living family member that he could stand to be around.

"Sirius?" Andromeda spoke, gaining his attention. "Are you okay?"

Sirius drew away from his thoughts and noticed that the food had been served. He looked across the table at his cousin, seeing the subtle concern on her face, and realised that he must have been daydreaming for a while. Quickly, he grinned and nodded.

"I'm fine," he assured. "Good, actually."

Andromeda contemplated him before she smiled and the group began eating their food.

The evening passed pleasantly and Sirius discovered that children had boundless energy and an unquenchable thirst for attention and knowledge. Over the meal and until her bedtime, Nymphadora didn't stop talking. She asked a continuous stream of Would You Rather questions and quizzed him on debate topics – most of which she disagreed with him over; Sirius had more fun than he cared to admit while arguing with a seven year old over whether it was better to put water on the toothbrush before or after the toothpaste.

After Dora had gone to bed, Sirius and Remus stayed a little longer for a drink and some dessert. The four adults talked amicably and over the course of the evening Sirius and Andromeda reconnected. Ted and Remus also discovered that they had a lot in common – both enjoying art, literature and, apparently, they were both massive Star Trek fans.

Soon enough, before any of them realised, it had reached 10PM; as much as Sirius wanted to spend more time with his reconnected family, he knew that he and Remus had to leave. He was beginning to feel tired (with the stress and events of the day, not to mention their early start) and he reckoned that they had taken up enough of the Tonks' time already – especially considering they would be back the next day to take up more of their time.

Ted offered to drive them to their Hotel and pick them up the next day. Sirius had tried to tell his cousin-in-law that it was okay and that he and Remus could just get a taxi but Ted insisted and Sirius had graciously accepted.

As they stepped out of the massive house, Sirius paused at the door. Ted and Remus, in silent acknowledgment, left the ex-Blacks to say their goodbyes in private and made their way to the car, in deep discussion about their favourite Star Trek episodes.

Sirius stood on the outside step, watching his cousin carefully as she stood inside the doorway, watching him just as closely. He took a subtle deep breath and swayed, not wanting to leave. He had the somewhat irrational fear that if he left, she would disappear from his life again. He felt a little less self-conscious when he realised that Andromeda seemed just as reluctant for him to leave. She had offered for them to stay the night in one of the guest bedrooms but he couldn't – not when they had paid for the Hotel and all of their stuff was there.

Andromeda stepped out of the house and flung her arms around Sirius, pulling him into a tight embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and held on just as firmly.

"I am so sorry I left, Sirius," she muttered into his shoulder. "I had to. I didn't want to leave you alone, but I had to leave."

"It's fine," Sirius assured quietly. "I understand. It doesn't matter now. I've found you now."

For a long while, they just stood in the embrace. It was silent except for the background chatter of their significant others discussing the fictional Sci-Fi show.

"You remember that I love you, right?" Andromeda asked, breaking their silence.

Sirius grinned and nodded. "I never forgot."

When they finally pulled apart, Sirius saw a glistening trail down Andromeda's cheek. She ignored it, pretending it didn't exist, and he elected to do the same. He thought about wiping the tears away but decided not to as his cousin was clearly purposely overlooking it.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she demanded.

Sirius nodded faintly. "Yes," he agreed. "And hopefully a lot more in the future."

"Definitely," she promised, dragging him in for another quick hug. "Right." She pulled away. "You should go. I don't want him talking about that stuff all night. He talks about that Muggle show enough as it is," she joked.

Sirius chuckled, knowing he had the same problem. "I understand."

"We'll talk more tomorrow," she said.

He stood and observed her for another second, memorising her face just in case his irrational fears of losing her came true, before he nodded to himself, turned away and walked down the steps and path. He paused a little ways down the walkway and turned. He gave a wave and she waved back, not-so-subtly swiping at her cheek – wiping away a tear that she didn't try to hide or ignore.

"Tomorrow," she called after him.

"Tomorrow," he confirmed before he turned and walked the rest of the way to the car.

He climbed into the backseat silently and half-listened to Ted and Remus talk about the recent Star Trek film as he mindlessly watched the dark scenery pass by. His thoughts wandered to the next day's possibilities and, as he sat in the back of the car, he thought about how happy he was to have found her again, and how determined he was to never lose his family again.

The End.

Thank you for reading and for your extreme patience! Hope you enjoyed it! =)