Hmm.. its late, I should be either studying or asleep, but this popped into my head and I decided to write it.. a pre-Hogwarts Sirius has a talk with his favourite cousin, Andromeda.

Disclaimer: yeah yeah, you know the drill

An eleven year old Sirius Black was skulking in the shadows of his home, number twelve Grimmauld Place. His younger brother, Regulus was fast asleep, and Sirius knew he should be too, but rules had never bothered Sirius before. His trio of female cousins were staying with them, and while the eldest, Bellatrix, and the youngest, Narcissa, were probably also sleeping, Sirius knew the middle sister, Andromeda, was not. She had snuck into the drawing room on the second floor, the one they rarely used, and was crying quietly, curled up on a chair in the far corner of the room.

Sirius crept silently round the door, and over to his cousin; he was very fond of Andromeda. Bellatrix doted on Sirius in a protégée sort of way, and Narcissa was more concerned with her appearance than anything, but Andromeda had always been the cheeky, curious one.

Now she seemed distraught, and Sirius wanted to know why.

"Andromeda," he whispered, so as not to startle her. She jumped anyway, her tear stained face turning to look at him. Relief showed upon catching sight of him. "Oh, Sirius, it's just you," she said, making an attempt at a watery smile. "You'll get in trouble if you're found out of bed." She tapped him lightly on the nose.

Sirius was thoroughly unperturbed. "So will you," he returned, sitting on the arm of the chair. "Why are you crying? I heard Uncle Cygnus shouting earlier … is that why you're upset? What did he say? I never liked him," Sirius finished defiantly, his chin held high.

Andromeda gave a half hiccough, half giggle. "Nothing for you to worry about pet," she said, ruffling his hair fondly. "Go back to bed now."

Sirius shifted position. "Bella snores," he replied stoutly. "I can hear her from my room. I can't sleep. So you might as well tell me what's going on," he added cheekily.

Andromeda sighed, lips twitching. "I have this … friend," she started slowly, meeting Sirius's gaze. "A Ravenclaw. His name is Ted Tonks."

Sirius frowned, allowing his mind sift through the volumes of wizarding family names that had been forcibly burned into his brain. "Tonks … Tonks … is he foreign?" Sirius asked.

Andromeda shook her head. "He's a Muggleborn, Sirius darling," she said gently.

Sirius widened his eyes in shock; no wonder Uncle Cygnus had been so angry. "A Muggleborn, Andy?" He realised he was whispering. "But they're so … not like us!"

Andromeda shook her head in sadness. "You say that only because you do not know any better," she said, her eyes filling with tears once more. "Because it's all you've ever been told by everyone you love."

Sirius looked at her witheringly.

"Alright," she conceded. "Perhaps 'love' is too strong a word for Aunt Walberga and Uncle Orion. But you trust them don't you?"

Sirius considered her words. He did trust his parents, he supposed. Why would he not? Their parental instinct left a great deal to be desired for, but they were still his own flesh and blood, and they were his parents, why would they lie? He had never believe that Muggleborns were as bad as his parents had made them out to be, nor that Purebloods were the only people worth knowing, but still, he knew he would be in Slytherin, and he doubted he would find any Muggleborns in there.

He realised Andromeda was still awaiting an answer. He nodded. "Yeah … I don't think they'd lie to me. Would … would they?" he added, uncertain for the first time.

Andromeda sighed. "You've never been outside this world. All you've ever known are Purebloods. I'm sure you hung onto Aunt Walburga's every word when you were younger, but you know how unfit a mother she is, and you need to start opening your mind to the idea that Muggleborns could be just like you and I. Think about it. How would they steal magic? Magic cannot be stolen, unless by magic, so how would they steal it?" she shook her head desolately. "Things like hair colour can skip a generation or two. Illnesses can lie dormant for years, being passed on to your children. Why can't magic?"

For the first time in his life, Sirius found himself speechless. It was so easy to dismiss everything Andromeda had told him. His parents would never love him, but at least they would be proud of him when he was Sorted into Slytherin.

But … would it be so bad to talk to some Muggleborns?

"This … Ted Tonks … what's he like?" he asked Andromeda curiously, sitting up straighter.

Andromeda looked at him, he mouth breaking into a smile. "You want to know?" she asked, sounding delighted. Sirius could tell that her sisters had wanted to know nothing. He nodded.

Andromeda beamed. "He's amazing," she said sincerely. "Honest, smart, funny, caring … I've never met anyone like him, Sirius. He's a good person. Mother and father and Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion will tell you differently but please, believe me. They're wrong, about this whole thing."

"Andromeda … Cassiopeia … Black … how dare you poison your cousin's mind simply because you are too stupid to fall for the tricks of a filthy Mudblood?"

Sirius froze. He had his back to the door, but the look on Andromeda's face as she gazed over his shoulder said enough. He turned to find himself staring into the eyes of his dangerously still Aunt Druella. She was breathing heavily, face carefully expressionless.

"Mother," said Andromeda warily, standing up and placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder. Sirius knew he should shake it off or his Aunt would tell his own mother and then there'd be trouble … but he didn't.

"Sirius, get over here now," hissed his Aunt.

"No," said Sirius, raising his chin defiantly. Aunt Druella's eyes narrowed and she took a step towards them. Andromeda gave Sirius a gentle push. "Go on," she whispered in his ear. "Go to bed. Save yourself," she added wryly. Sirius shook his head and planted his feet firmly on the ground.

"Sirius, vacate the room or I will be forced to tell your mother about this," Druella said angrily, her voice losing its soft quality.

"Go ahead," Sirius said loudly. "She'll probably ask you who 'Sirius' is anyway."

Behind him, Andromeda groaned. Druella's eyes flashed; with lightning speed, she whipped out her wand and before Sirius knew it, he was being pulled uncontrollably towards the door, as though an invisible hook had grabbed him around his middle. Ignoring his spluttering protests, Druella forced him from the room with an expression reminiscent of a wounded Hippogriff.

The door slammed shut behind Sirius, and despite knowing he should go to bed, he pressed his ear as hard as he could against the wooden panels, straining to hear. He needn't have bothered. Druella's voice carried clearly through the air, and soon Sirius found himself wishing he couldn't hear what his Aunt was saying.

"… staining the family name, associating with filthy mudbloods, have you any idea …"

"… simply cannot overlook this any longer, Andromeda, your father and I have allowed you plenty of time to see the error of your ways but this cannot continue …"

"… the shame! The shame you have brought on us! I can promise you now, girl, if you continue like this, we will throw you from this house, your home, your birthright and your family, and cease to acknowledge your existence!"

Sirius was shivering. How could his aunt say such things? About her own daughter? Just because of the choice of friend she had made …

"… don't even know him! He's nicer to me than you've ever been, he treats me with respect, not just as a means with which to carry on the 'family name', the all important family name, the family who thinks they're better than everyone else just because they were lucky enough to be born a pureblood! Well I'm done, mother! I don't want a part in this family any more! Throw me out, throw me the bloody hell out, see if I give a damn!"

Andromeda was screaming so loud now Sirius was sure the rest of the house was awake. She burst from the room, tears pouring down her angry face, hair streaming behind her as she strode down the hall.

"Don't listen to them, Sirius!" she shouted over her shoulder. "Don't let them poison your mind!"

"Shut up, you stupid girl!" bellowed her mother, eyes blazing as she ran out of the room.

"I mean it, Sirius!" screamed Andromeda. "There's nothing wrong with Muggleborns! You know it, in your heart!"

"Sirius Orion Black, get to your room this INSTANT!" Druella's towering figure obscuring his vision of Andromeda was enough to send Sirius darting up the stairs, up and up and up until he reached his bedroom on the top floor. There he collapsed onto his bed, panting, heart racing.

His dreams that night were filled with dark, hooded figures, who he thought to be Muggleborns. They were surrounding him, enclosing him, trapping him, and his parents were laughing at him … and then Andromeda appeared, and with a flick of her wand, cast the hoods off the figures, and Sirius saw that they were happy, smiling people, full of laughter … and why wouldn't they be? Why shouldn't they be? Magic was a gift, was it not, to be enjoyed by whomever it was bestowed upon?

When he awoke the next morning, Andromeda was gone, and his parents and aunt and uncle acted as though she had simply never existed.

Shameless self promoting now.. check out my other fics if you're bored and restless like I am at the moment, and be nice and review, good or bad ;)