Disclaimer, I only own the OCs and un-cannon events.

It is only years later, when the dust has settled and the fear lessened with the final death of the Monster that plagued them for so long—because he couldn't be a man, not after what he had done, not after what he had become—and she finally has time to simply breathe without any panic rising in her chest—what if she failed? What if they died? She wanted to run away but she couldn't leave them! —that she allows herself to stop and look back at The Before, The Previous, the Life she had only disjointed memories of that warned her and told her what would befall onto her family if she failed.

She didn't know why she was chosen, doubted she would ever know, but for some reason someone—something—had chosen her for whatever reason they had.

She couldn't have been anyone first choice, she wasn't even her own first choice, and she especially wouldn't have chosen someone like her, the her from before and perhaps even the her from the now.

She wasn't anyone's story-book heroine, not by a long shot.

She had never been brave, she was coward and knew it. She wasn't generous, kindness wasn't something she felt came easily to her, and she just, well, she just didn't care about people, about strangers and their suffering.

She could never, would never, be a hero that stood up for strangers, that did all they could for the sake of the innocent—she was too selfish for that.

She wasn't naturally intelligent in her opinion, she couldn't come up with unbelievable plans that worked, and her dyslexia made things harder, made her work for each scrap of knowledge that she attempted to understand in her own way.

She did not surround herself with people, she didn't understand people at times, and she didn't want to be around lots of people most of time.

She wasn't the heroine, she wasn't the hero, she wasn't the warrior or soldier.

She was just her, weak and cowardly little her, and yet she had been chosen, and she liked to think that she had done the best with what was handed to her, what was thrown in her way, though she knew it was likely she was only kidding herself.

Andromeda Black was born the second daughter of Cygnus Black III and his wife, Druella Black nee Rosier, the younger sister of bold and fierce but fragile Bellatrix and the older sister to perfectly poised and strong Narcissa.

She was a disappointment to her father for being born another daughter instead of a son, a disappointment that would sour her parents' relationship enough it would be three years before Narcissa would be born.

However, that didn't stop her father from smugly showing her and Bellatrix off at family gatherings as he was the first of his generation to produce another generation of the House of Black—something that didn't endear them to their aunt, Walburga Black.

Andromeda's earliest memories of her aunt was of her dark scornful eyes focused on the Black sisters, of sneers that twisted her painted lips when one of their older relatives congratulated Cygnus on having such beautiful and smart daughters, and of the darkly gleeful smirk when she would glance at Narcissa with her ashy blonde hair and blue eyes—Rosier looks instead of Black—whose birth was perhaps the biggest disappointment to their father—not only was she another daughter, but she had inherited both the Rosier looks and magic instead of the Black's looks and magic.

Aunt Walburga was particularly contemptuous of Bellatrix, who from the virtue of being born the first of their generation, was considered the Heiress Black until Orion sired his own children—Walburga's children—to take their rightful title as great-grandchildren of Sirius Black II, the previous Lord Black before Lord Arcturus, his son.

Though as the years passed and Aunt Walburga's womb didn't quicken with a child, it seemed more doubtful that Sirius Black II's bloodline would continue to lead the family (something that turned Aunt Walburga bitter and cruel, according to Uncle Alphard, who would one-day remark that his elder sister hadn't always been such a bitch)—something that made Father smug and made Grandfather Pollux focus all his attention on Bellatrix, something that would lead to the downfall of her older sister.

Despite the fact there was less than a year between Bella and Andi, they had grown up rather apart as Andi was kept under the care of Mother—thus under her control for Andi's education and such—Bella was under the care of Father, and to a lesser degree, Grandfather, and subjected to a rigid and demanding schedule that they decided was fitting for the Heiress Black that filled almost all of her time—a schedule that Andi would later learn was more demanding than what the Blacks normally demanded of their Heir.

And when they did spend time together, Andi always felt that Bella was fragile in a way she couldn't explain in words and would simply pull Bella down to rest with her so her sister, her fragile elder sister, could have some true peace away from the demands of tutors, Father and Grandfather.

(It's those memories, of Bella laying her curly dark head on Andi's lap, of the way her dark eyes would flutter shut while her lips continued to mouth her previous lesson to herself, that made it impossible for Andi to think about raising a wand against her sister.

How could she harm her sister when whenever she looked at her, she saw the child that curled up around her for a few precious moments of peaceful rest?

It was the curse of loving Bella, hating the monster she had been turned into but loving who she used to be.)

Things changed the same year that Cissy turned four, something that started the cracks in Bella and her sanity, and it was Aunt Walburga's triumph.

On November the third, in the year nineteen-sixty-seven, Sirius Orion Black III was born to a triumphant Walburga Black and a quietly pleased Orion Black—much to the disbelieving anger of Father—after twelve years of a childless marriage.

During the Winter Solstice, Sirius Black III was officially made the Heir of House Black which brought Walburga under the good graces of Grandfather and made him bestow his pride upon the new-born heir to Bella's increasing bewilderment, and let Aunt Walburga bask under the attention of relatives that had scorned her only a year ago—only Uncle Alphard and Great-Aunt Cassi treated her the same as before, not scornful but the same almost fond indifference that said they didn't care if Walburga ever had a child or not, Uncle Alphard and Aunt Cassi were also the only ones that didn't suddenly stop giving the affection freely to the Black sisters.

Her father, Cygnus, stewed in his rage, his disbelief, during that Solstice before exploding at Mother, blaming her for not giving him any sons—ignoring the fact even if he had a son, Sirius would have still been given the heirship because of his direct blood-connection to Lord Sirius II and Lord Arcturus—something that finally soured and doomed the romantic relationship between her parents.

(It was hard not to blame Sirius as his birth started the downfall of her little family, but she couldn't really blame him. Not when he was an innocent baby and not when he was older and calling her 'Andi' whenever he saw her and hugged her with such happiness—he was still family after all, and family was everything in the end, something that Aunt Cassi taught her.)

Bella, poor Bella, was confused and hurt by the sudden turn in their family, hurt by the lack of attention both Father and Grandfather paid her, the distance and lack of pride of her tutors, and the sudden gushing of Sirius, a baby who did nothing in her opinion.

Was it any wonder that Bella would attempt to regain that attention, that pride, in any way she could think of? She threw herself into her studies, more fiercely than ever before, and did her best to prove herself, to prove to everyone that she was better than Sirius, would always be better than him, and that she was worth attention and pride.

It of course all came to a head the summer before Bella's first year of Hogwarts, when Bella stole a family Grimoire and attempted to delve into magic much too powerful for her immature body and magic.

Family Magic, magic that set apart muggle-borns and those of wizarding blood, wasn't something one threw around without a care, it's not magic for the faint of heart and it was always more powerful than the magic taught at Hogwarts as it was connected to the very blood of the caster.

Family Magic was dangerous and deadly, something that had to be taught carefully, especially the Black Family Magic.

The Blacks had been around since before the time of the Romans, had been one of the first families to settle in England—only the Bones, Potters and Longbottoms beat them and they had ties to the Celts—and that meant their Family Magic more powerful than most.

Family Magic connected them, empowered them, tied them as a single family with common looks. Black Family Magic had been forged through battle and blood, it was the sweet taste of victory on your tongue, the sight of your enemies' broken forms, it's the taste of coppery blood and the thrill of battle in your blood, it's the pounding of your heart as your senses sing and you attack and defend and attack again.

It was not kind magic, it was not healing magic, it was magic for doing battle and dealing death, it was magic that children should never wield without an experienced user ready and waiting in case.

But Bella hadn't cared, had only thought about proving herself better, and like Icarus, she brought her own downfall and fell, fell in a way that no Black had done for over four hundred years.

Andromeda would always remember the sight of her sister, her beloved and misguided sister, shaking and shuddering on the floor as blood poured from her ears, eyes, nose and mouth as the magic took it's back-lash, it's price against the importune child that attempted to tame its most powerful spells, against her body and her mind.

Her poor sister was never the same after that, could never be the same when Father wasn't there to curb the after-effects, he wasn't there to heal the festering wounds left on her mind, he wasn't there as Mother and a Healer attempted to heal Bella as the Black Magic punished her foolish actions and could only treat her and not cure her.

That was the day that started Bella on her dark path, it was the day that Father became Cygnus, that was the day that sparked an ember of rebellion in her heart.

An ember that made it so much easier to look into his cheerful brown eyes, see his beaming smile, and say yes, to take his tanned rough hand in her own pale and soft one. Make it easier to pack her things with Bella seduced by Legacies and now a loyal follower to Voldemort, with Cissy's marriage to Lucius Malfoy all but done, and Cygnus began to speak of her own marriage when Andi had already chosen her husband, she had chosen Ted when she accepted his hand in their fifth year and she wasn't going to forsake him for Cygnus.

Sue and Joseph Tonks accepted her into their home easily, if a bit sadly, and Andromeda withstood the Howlers that Cygnus, Aunt Walburga, Grandfather and a short one from Mother sent in the Tonks' living room with a strong cup of tea held in her hands and her head held high.

Aunt Cassi would show up the next day with her long-time lover, Clementine, by her side to give Andi a new golden key for a new vault in Gringotts and options for Andi's future now that she had finished Hogwarts and left the Family for love—something Cassi understood as she had been willing to do the same for Clementine, thankfully her father had died before Cassi returned from war with her petite French lover.

("A Hufflepuff? Really, Andi? A Hufflepuff?" Cassi's voice had been high in disbelief making Aunt Clementine roll her pretty blue eyes.

"We are just happy that you are happy," Clementine told her with a warm hug that almost made Andi want to cry.)

It was Aunt Cassi that pointed Andromeda in the direction of her brother, Marius, who had been disowned as a Squib when he was eleven.

Something that Andi was thankful for as she had been worrying about what to do after Hogwarts, Ted had it easy as he had always known he wanted to be a Healer, but Andi hadn't known what to do though she had several examples to follow when it came to her extended family.

Great-Grandmother Violetta Black nee Bulstrode—a towering and imposing woman, she was the woman that Andi inherited her height from, a height that all those of Violetta's blood had inherited—had been a dueller in her younger days until Great-Grandfather made her stop, believing it had been her duelling that caused Marius to be born a Squib.

Grandmother Irma Black nee Crabbe—a petite woman with curly dark hair, Andi and Bella had inherited her curls—had been a dab hand with charms, often charming various objects to sell or gift to the family—Aunt Walburga had asked her mother for a charmed music-box to put Sirius asleep, Andi remembered, when the then toddler heir was being fussy.

Aunt Callidora Longbottom nee Black, Aunt Cassi's cousin and best friend, had been an auror before the birth of her daughter, Augusta, and never returned after the birth of her son, Julius.

Augusta had grown up into a strong woman, alumni of Gryffindor, and married her fourth-cousin Milton Longbottom to bring the two branches back into one. Augusta took control of the family while Milton pottered around with his plants, her son, Frank, was an auror like his grandmother and so was his wife, Alice.

Being an Auror wasn't in her future, Andi knew, as there would be a high chance that she would have to face Bella and she couldn't do that.

Cedrella Weasley nee Black, Callidora's disowned sister, ran her own owl-order potion business with her daughters-in-law—Cedrella had five sons, four of whom had married and started their own families. It was a Weasley family business that Andi didn't feel comfortable to intrude on.

Charis Crouch nee Black, their younger sister, had died and her son, Barty, was the current head of the DMLE—Department of Magical Law Enforcement—of Ministry and her daughter, Lysandra, restored books and translated books for a living.

Aunt Cassi was a Curse-Breaker and Ward-Mistress as well as being a veteran of the war against Grindelwald. Andi had no wish to end up like Aunt Cassi, beautiful despite her scars, and didn't have the passion that she did or Uncle Orion had for wards.

Uncle Alphard was a traveller as far as Andi could tell, he travelled around the world and explored places that peaked his interest.

Marius—Uncle Marius, she supposed—on the other hand ran his own importing and exporting business, something he began after the WW2, and ran to this day with his son, Alexander, in both the muggle and magical worlds.

Aunt Cassi had assured Andi that he would hire her, and that she would find a place in the company.

Marius Black reminded her more of her Aunt Cassi than of her Grandfather, something that relieved her.

His dark hair was cut short, allowing one to see the hearing-aid in his left ear, and his dark eyes were firm but kind, surrounded by crow's feet. His skin was tanned—much like Aunt Cassi's—that told Andromeda that her Great-Uncle spent a fair amount the time under the sun, his hands were rough and his handshake was firm. Overall Andromeda decided she liked him and her first conversation with him cemented that.

("So," he began as he gestured for Andromeda to take a seat across from him. "You're Pollux's granddaughter."

"I doubt Grandfather will claim me such anymore," Andromeda said with an almost bitter tilt of her lips.

"No, he won't," Marius agreed easily. "Not the most tolerant bastard, but unfortunately, he is still family—despite what he likes to think," he regarded her for a long moment. "You can have a job here.")

Marius was married to a muggle ex-nurse, Vivian, who had tended to him during the war— "Cassi has always claimed that it's because of her that we met," Marius had told her, "and unfortunately, she's right. Her talisman protected me when most of the other men with me died though I still got knocked around enough to end up under Viv's care."—and had three children—Victoria, Alexander and Gloria, all three squibs like their father.

Alexander worked with Marius at Black Imports though he spent part of the year in Japan where they had opened another branch of Black Imports, a branch he was mostly in charge of.

Alexander had married a Japanese witch, Ayame Hamasaki, to secure that branch and had two children, Akira and Hanako who had inherited their mother's magical abilities instead of being a squib like their father.

Akira Black was the year behind Cissy, he had been Sorted into Hufflepuff which meant that Ted knew more about her new cousin that Andi did, and was best friends with his cousin, Jacob 'Junior' Kowalski, who was in the same year and House as Akira.

Junior was the son of Gloria and her wizard husband, Newton Jacob 'Jake' Kowalski, and their only son and the eldest of three children.

Jake Kowalski was a half-blood, son of muggle and a witch that moved from America so they could marry, and was the second son that ran their late-father's bakery here in Britain—where Gloria also worked and where they met each other—while his older brother lived in America and ran their father's original bakery there.

(Their mother, Queenie Kowalski, moved between America and England regularly though her primary home was in Dorset with her sister, Tina, and her brother-in-law, Newt Scamander. The Newton Scamander! Andromeda almost wanted to ask if Gloria could get her old textbook signed by him, but restrained herself.)

Victoria, Marius' eldest, was a doctor and married another doctor, a muggle Benjamin Adair, and had one child, a daughter called Beatrix, and another child on the way—Beatrix was a squib and it was likely her sibling would be as well, they would be Marius' only squib grandchildren.

Marius had told her all this as he gave her a tour of his business—two large warehouses, one for muggle goods and the other for magical goods (both warded and expanded by Cassi originally and now maintained by the number of muggle-born and half-bloods that Marius employed), a main office building (that had a basement office for checking over magical goods that they were importing and exporting as they didn't deal with cursed items), and of course the docks that held their ships (Aries, Mars and Neptune being the ships that were docked).

His cane had thumped the ground heavily as he admitted he wasn't sure what to do with her and told her that for the first few months she would be rotating between different jobs until they found one that fit her though she wouldn't be any time on the ships as Marius didn't think she was sailor material—Andromeda was thankful for that because she wasn't keen on the ships in the first place.

Andromeda knew the only reason Marius had even hired her was because of Cassi and the fact that Andromeda was family. It hurt her pride that she wasn't being hired for her own merits and she resolved that she would work hard and prove to him that he hadn't made a mistake hiring her.

While Andromeda had been sorting things out with Marius, Ted had started his internship at St Mungos—he was one step closer to being a true Healer—and the rest of the world kept moving.

Bella ended up marrying Rodolphus Lestrange, one of the Legacies that had seduced Bella for their Dark Lord, and making her new House infamous with her actions as a Death Eater—Andromeda had come to dread the Daily Prophet as Death Eater actions was reported more and more.

Aunt Dorea lost both her husband, Charlus Potter, and son, Leo Potter, to dragon pox—the Potters' had always had a weakness to that pox despite their attempts to combat all strains of the virus—and her daughter-in-law, Arielle Potter, had taken both Dorea and her daughter, Colette, back to France with her— "It's probably for the best," Aunt Cassi sighed, "Dory is too grief-stricken to stay in that house."

In September of that year, Sirius went to Hogwarts and was Sorted into Gryffindor—Andi could clearly imagine Aunt Walburga's reaction to that, and worried about Sirius as Orion was no longer there to keep Walburga in check—and Andromeda made sure to send him a letter of congratulations and a Gryffindor scarf from Madam Malkin's.

Sirius began to regularly exchange letters with her, telling her hesitantly in the beginning and more eagerly as time went on and Andromeda expressed a genuine interest.

It was through this letters that Andi got to know Sirius' friends; there was arrogant and spoiled James Potter— "He is a bit of a prat," Sirius admitted, "but a good friend." —and then bookish and quiet Remus Lupin— "His mother keeps getting ill," Sirius told her, "she's a muggle so she can't take potions and Remus goes to tend to her monthly."—and then there was shy and somewhat meek Peter Pettigrew— "He really admires James," Sirius wrote, "which only makes James more of a prat."

She learned of sourly dour Severus Snape, their biggest rival— "Malfoy's already got his claws in him, we both know what that means for his future."—and of fierce and fiercely brilliant Lily Evans— "James says he going to marry her one day," Sirius told her, "Evans told him it would a cold day in hell before she married an arrogant toe-rag like him."—and finally of calm and patient Kingsley Shacklebolt, their dorm mate— "It's like nothing rattles him, it's weird," was Sirius opinion after detailing all the ways he and the others had attempted to break his calm that week and failed.

December brought the birth of Victor Adair, who indeed turned out to be a squib like his sister, and a family gathering of the disowned Blacks with the addition of the Tonks—Sue and Joseph—and Aunt Cassi— "I have better things to do then spend Christmas listing to Wally wail," Cassi had told Andromeda shortly when she had wondered out-loud why her Aunt was spending Christmas with them and not the other side of the family like she had in the past, "and at least I can spent the whole holiday with Clem here," she added with a smile to her strawberry-blonde lover.

It was the first time that Andromeda met the rest of Marius' family outside of Alexander.

Gloria Kowalski nee Black was rather petite—considering her Grandmother had been Violetta Black nee Bulstrode as most of her line had inherited Violetta's rather towering height—and plump woman that work her dark hair in a thick and messy plait while she wore a cheerful smile when she hugged them and welcomed them to the family, pushing a plate of chocolate cake in their hands before she bustled off to fuss over her eldest.

Junior—who had definitely inherited Violetta Black nee Bulstrode's height—took the fuss with good humour as his youngest sister, Kristina, hung from his back with her legs lock around his middle, and his other sister, Cynthia, watched with amusement from where she was sitting with her father, a dark blonde and thickset man.

Junior, Cynthia and Katrina all shared the Black dark eyes and dark hair with their mother, though Junior and Katrina were the only two of the three Kowalski children to inherit Violetta Black's height and Junior was the only one to inherit their father's thickset frame. All three was pleasantly plump, something Andromeda put down to both Jake and Gloria's cooking and baking—not that Andromeda faulted them, she could happily gain a few pounds eating Gloria's chocolate cake—without being overweight and Andi was pretty sure most of Junior's bulk was more from muscle—he played Beater for Hufflepuff—than actual fat.

Victoria Adair nee Black kept her dark hair short and inherited her mother's blue eyes, she was a tall and slender woman that cradled her son close as she sat on the sofa and kept a close eye on her three-year-old daughter, who sat by her mother's feet and flicked through her thin book—a book which had more pictures than writing—while her husband, Benjamin, who was just as slender as his wife and had light brown hair, drew Ted into a discussion of magical healing verses muggle healing.

Vivian Black, her hair more grey than golden blonde of her youth, had drawn Sue into their own discussion, her heavily grey blonde head was bend close to Sus' light brunette head while Joseph sat with Aunt Cassi and Uncle Marius, his blonde hair standing out against Cassi and Marius' dark locks, the three of them having tumblers in their hands as they talked.

Akira Black was as slender as his petite mother and as tall as his towering father which made him look almost too thin—something Gloria obviously thought as she kept a sharp eye on his plate and kept filling it up which only made Akira sigh and smile at his aunt before he ate more with fondly resigned look on his slender face as Aunt Clementine asked about his studies.

His sister, Hanako who took after their mother in her looks, sat near where her parents stood while reading a book. Ayame, petite and beautiful, stood beside her husband with one slender hand hooked around his elbow while Alexander politely inquired how Andi was settling in at Black Imports—in looks, Alexander looked the most like his father though his eyes were a blue hazel that his daughter shared with him.

It was far from the formal Christmases of her childhood, they were crowded into Marius and Vivian's only slightly expanded living room which made the room very warm, the tree wasn't overly decorated in ornaments that had been in the family for centuries and most of the actual decorations seemed to be made by creative little hands of children.

It was one of the best Christmases that Andi had ever had, only dampened by the returned gifts and cards she had sent Cissy and Mother but she had been expecting that really.

It was that summer that Andromeda and Ted finally married.

Sirius had been spirited to the ceremony by a grinning Alphard Black only to be caught in a hug by Gloria Kowalski to Sirius' bewilderment as she clucked her tongue at his skinny frame— "You're much too thin!" Gloria exclaimed as she leaned back slightly to take a good look at Sirius, "lucky me and Jake prepared lots of food, right honey?" she turned a beaming smile on to her husband who simply welcomed Sirius to the family as Uncle Alphard laughed at Sirius' face.

Beatrix Adair was the flower-girl, the three-year-old had gripped her basket tightly and had carefully threw the petals as she walked down the aisle making Victoria hide a smile in Victor's thickly growing hair as her son cuddled into her and Benjamin carefully take pictures of Beatrix—" Look at that cute little frown on her face," Vivian cooed to Marius as Beatrix passed.

Hanako, Cynthia and Kristina agreed to be bridesmaids though Kristina had grumbled about being in a dress—the first dress that Andi had ever seen her young cousin in, "and the last," Kristina swore as Gloria fussed with Kristina's short hair when they were getting ready.

Edgar Bones stood as Ted's best-man, smiling and keeping a close eye on where his pregnant wife, Julia, sat near Joseph and Sus making the witch roll her eyes as she fanned herself.

She would always look back on that day fondly, it would also be the photos of that time that would firm her resolve—there was no way Sirius, who looked so happy surrounded by family, could ever betray family and James Potter was family.

That September, Hanako and Cynthia both joined their brothers at Hogwarts and were promptly Sorted into Ravenclaw together.

July would bring the graduation of Narcissa, Akira and Junior. Narcissa immediately married Lucius Malfoy, Akira decided to become an Auror and Junior opened his own branch of Kowalski's bakery in Diagon Alley—making Gloria worry about it being attacked by Death Eaters, only for it to be hers and Jake's bakery that was targeted and Jake was killed as he was buying time for both Gloria and Kristina to escape.

(Andromeda could remember the horror she felt when she opened to the door to a sobbing and bloody Gloria with a wide-eyed and trembling Kristina clasped tightly to her side.

It had been Akira that had to hold his larger cousins back from going off on a hunt for the Death Eaters that killed his father, it had been Andi's kitchen that Gloria took over to work through her grief, it had been Cassi that Kristina had turned to and asked to teach her how to duel and it had been Queenie Kowalski that had got Junior to reopen his bakery several months later.)

The next year would bring the birth of Nymphadora Andromeda Tonks, who shocked her mother into a fit of giggles when she turned her baby-fine hair a violent yellow colour almost as soon as Nymphadora was placed in Andi's arms.

("Polly will have a fit when he hears about this," Marius commented when he met his newest 'niece' who had promptly turned her hair the same shade deep red of his shirt.

"I know," Cassi had replied gleefully as she stroked the deep red baby-fine locks.)

Nymphadora's birth was a brief source of joy before the war got worse and the newspapers reported darker and darker news.

("Feels almost like the 40s, doesn't it?" Clementine would comment mildly to Cassi as they weaved tight Wards over their families' homes.

"Bah," Cassi would grimace. "If only we could fight like it was the 40s, at least with Grindelwald we were allowed to fight back.")

Sue and Joseph would move into their house—a wedding gift from Aunt Cassi and Uncle Alphard—when Death Eaters attacked too close to where the elder Tonks coupled lived for anyone's comfort and would spent their early retirement doting on Nymphadora as they tried to ignore the building tension in their more magically aware and inclined family members.

Gloria began to make rounds around the family with her baked goods—always starting and finishing at the Tonks house as she disliked cooking in the kitchen she used to share with Jake—with Kristina clasped close to her side so she could reassure herself that the family was safe as well as making sure they were well-fed while Junior quietly began looking for another home for his mother and younger sister.

Aunts Cassi and Clementine made protection talismans for the whole family to wear, Aunt Cassi sternly warning them not to remove them, and Ted grew thinner and his blue eyes were more haunted each time he returned home as attacks became more frequent and deadlier.

Ayame had asked Alexander if they should depart for Japan, to stay there until the War was over and even suggested that Hanako could change schools, but Alexander grimly refused, he would not run or leave his family in danger.

Ayame's fears only heightened when Akira ended up in St Mungos after a raid, he could leave within a couple of days but had a curse-scar cutting through his left eye, up his forehead and down his cheek just missing his lips that would never fade.

It was that attack that made Alexander put his foot down and demand that Akira quit being an auror, grudgingly, Akira agreed and began to work at Black Imports several days after that.

Sirius ran away from home during his fifth year after Walburga tried to threaten him into taking the Dark Mark and ended up at the Potters—he only regretted not being able to convince Regulus to come with him.

Andromeda read Sirius' letters with quiet dread at the thought of her young cousin being the 'good' son and doing what Sirius could never do. Regulus was too young, too quiet, she didn't want to lose another person like she lost Bella—Cissy was bad enough with her marriage to Lucius Malfoy.

Nymphadora demanded to be called Dora almost the moment she learnt to talk 'properly' for a toddler—honestly, what was wrong with the name Nymphadora?

Before she knew it, Sirius and his friend graduated and joined the fight, joining the Order with Ted's friend Edgar Bones.

Aunt Lucretia would show up unexpectedly almost a year after that with teary eyes as she croaked that Gideon and Fabian was dead before falling into Andromeda's arms with a sob—Uncle Ignatius had gone off to hunt down the Death Eaters in rage.

Junior and Akira returned Uncle Ignatius to Andromeda's house, all three of them lightly covered in blood with grimly satisfied smiles on their faces.

Sirius would turn up drunk in the New Year as he sobbed about Regulus being dead, that he must have turned scared when he realised what the Death Eaters were really like—and they killed him, Andy! Killed my brother! I'm going to kill them!

Bella became more infamous, her face plastered across the Prophet as her Monster Lord's most loyal.

Aunt Callidora Longbottom nee Black was killed when Death Eaters attempted to attack Frank Longbottom and a pregnant Alice Longbottom while they were visiting her—she took six Death Eaters with her with Frank and Alice taking another four. Aunt Cassi was livid and went on a vengeful hunt with Clementine at her side.

The beginning of July brought news that Andromeda was pregnant again—Dora was joyful, Andromeda was scared and Ted was between the two—and end of the same month brought the news of the births of Neville Frank Longbottom and Harry James Potter—Sirius was jumping for joy at being made Godfather of the newest Potter.

The beginning of March brought the birth of Calypso Tonks, a Metamorphmagus like her big sister, and Andromeda could almost forget the war as she devoted herself to her youngest daughter.

Before Andromeda knew it, Halloween was upon them and then November came with it's bittersweet news.

AN: Originally, I wasn't going to post this for a while but I've decided to post it now if only to stop me from rewriting it once again. I won't be updating quickly on this as I'm just recovering from a bout of sickness, depression and writer's block and I'm writing this as I go despite having it mostly planned in my head.

I hope you like this chapter and this new series.