Sirius Black sat in silence on the sofa in the sitting room and stared into the fire.

Ted Tonks placed a steaming mug of tea in front of his unexpected guest. Sirius didn’t acknowledge it, he didn’t even move. Ted stared down sympathetically at his wife’s cousin. The stubborn and excitable thirteen-year old, the boy who--with his Uncle Alfie--had attended Ted’s wedding despite his parents’ ordering him not to, was nowhere to be seen; he wasn’t even a memory. The long-haired twenty-year-old who was gazing unseeing into Ted’s fireplace was someone very different. This rather more mature Sirius was weighed down by worry. There was ice in the young man’s grey eyes, and no matter how long he looked, the flickering flames would not be enough to melt it.

‘Does Uncle Alfie know?’ Ted asked.

His attempt to get a response from his guest was only partly successful. Sirius gave the slightest of nods.

‘I like Alfie; how did he take the news?’ continued Ted, hoping for a better response.

Ted’s second attempt to get a verbal response from Sirius failed dismally; it was met with a noncommittal shrug. Not even mention of the only other Black who had attended Ted’s wedding could make Sirius speak. Ted wondered what dark thoughts had created the mental handcuffs which were restraining the normally ebullient young man.

Ted glanced at the clock above the fireplace. It was almost half-past eleven, his wife and daughter would be back by noon at the latest. Hopefully their arrival would be enough to help Sirius claw his way out from this pit of hopeless despair.

When Sirius had first arrived, Ted had thought the young man was weighed down with grief; now, he was certain that it wasn’t the unexpected bereavements, but he didn’t know what was making Sirius so uncharacteristically unsociable. Deciding that the best thing to do was to leave Sirius to his thoughts, Ted moved across to his armchair.

Lifting the Daily Prophet, which Sirius had silently thrust into his hands when he’d arrived, from the cushion, Ted sat. Taking a swig of tea from his mug, he looked at the Daily Prophet’s Obituary column, and reread the two entries which Sirius had pointed out. They were almost identical, both in what they said, and in what they didn’t say.

Cygnus Black, age fifty, died at his home in Sable Crescent, Shepherd’s Bush, on Wednesday 31 October in an unfortunate potions accident.

The youngest son of Pollux and Irma Black, Cygnus attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1940-48. In 1950, Cygnus married Druella Rosier. He is survived by his wife, and two daughters, Mrs Bellatrix Lestrange, and Mrs Narcissa Malfoy.

The obituary went on, but Ted had no desire to read further; his wife wasn’t even a footnote, she was unmentioned, unmentionable. To her mother and sisters, Andromeda didn’t exist. Ted knew, deep in his marriage-thickened gut, that he could never treat his beautiful little Nymphadora in such a callous fashion. He’d stand by Nymphadora no matter what; he was certain of it, even if she brought a ... a vampire ... home as a boyfriend. His wife’s family had treated her abominably. Andromeda called it “shunning,� but to Ted it was worse than that. It was a travesty, a desecration of the true family values of family, of the values with which he’d been brought up. Grumbling to himself, Ted turned to the second notice.

Orion Black, age fifty, died at Sable Crescent, Shepherd’s Bush, the home of his cousin Cygnus, on Wednesday 31 October in an unfortunate potions accident.

The only son of Arcturus and Melania Black, Orion attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1940-48. In 1950, he married Walburga Black. Orions was predeceased by his only son, Regulus, and is survived by his wife.

Ted looked over at his guest. Sirius’ dark hair was long enough to cover his collar, and he hadn’t shaved for a couple of days. Like Andromeda, he had been expunged even from the obituary notices. In the eyes of the rest of their family, Sirius, Andromeda and Alphard were not Blacks, they didn’t exist. Wondering what he could do to free his guest from the torture chamber of his own head, Ted let out a sigh, which turned into a gasp of amazement. Two silver deer, a stag and a doe, burst through the wall of his house. They halted in front of Sirius and began to talk.

‘He’s my friend, Lily,’ the stag said.

‘He’s mine, too! Why don’t you go and tell Peter and Remus the news?’ the doe replied.

Ted recognised the voices; they belonged to James and Lily Potter. Sirius had been the best man at their wedding a few months earlier. The glowing silver creatures were nuzzling each, other affectionately as they bickered. Their arrival had finally got a reaction from Sirius, his blank stare had been replaced by a bemused look.

‘We’ve got some news, Sirius,’ the stag said.

‘And it’s good news, for once,’ the doe interrupted. ‘I’m...’

‘We’re...’ the stag interjected.

‘I’m the one doing all the work,’ the doe protested.

‘We’re pregnant,’ the stag announced.

‘You are not pregnant, you idiot,’ the doe said. ‘We’re going to have a baby, Sirius.’

‘Late July, or early August, according to the Healers,’ the stag said. ‘We thought we’d tell you first...’

‘Second! We’re in hospital, visiting Mum. We’ve just told her. We had to tell her first, Sirius, you know that. It’s such a shame James’ parents aren’t still with us.’

‘Well, they aren’t, nor is your dad, Lily. We’d better go; I need to tell Peter and Remus. See you around, Padfoot.’

Sirius laughed, and shook his head in mock despair. His eyes were clear and bright. ‘Life goes on,’ he said. ‘Lily is pregnant! It is good news, isn’t it?

‘If that’s what they want, and it seems obvious that it is, then yes,’ Ted told him firmly.

Sirius stared at the newspaper which was still clutched in Ted’s hand, and finally shook himself free of his self-imposed shackles. Ted had been expecting grief to finally surface, it didn’t.

‘It’s a good thing I wasn’t mentioned,’ Sirius said, nodding at the paper. His voice was hard and harsh. ‘They don’t even say when, and where, the funerals will take place! Did you notice that? It’s as if they’re worried that, if they make a public announcement, I would actually go!’

‘Of course you would go. He’s your father,’ said Ted. ‘You must...’

‘No!’ Sirius shook his head angrily. ‘I’ve been to too many funerals, Ted. In March I cried for James’ dad, and in June I cried for his mum. Then, only last month, I cried for Lily’s dad. And now her mum is in a Muggle hospital! I go to funerals and cry for good people, Ted, not for my family. I think I’ve figured out why! Love and loyalty mean more to me than blood, and that’s a good thing. Particularly as the only blood I have is bad. My father is dead, and I don’t care! Why waste feelings on people who don’t feel for you?’

Ted stared sadly into Sirius’ face. He was still trying to formulate a reply when the front door burst open and his daughter’s voice rang out.

‘Unca Cirrus,’ Nymphadora shouted the name from the hallway, although she couldn’t yet see him.

‘Sirius, I’m not a thin and wispy cloud,’ he called cheerfully.

Ted marvelled at the speed at which Sirius moods could change. His initial dour demeanour had been banished by the Patronuses, only to be replaced by a cold and empty anger. With the arrival of Ted’s daughter the anger had vanished, blown away like cigarette smoke in a storm. In the blink of an eye he had become the dopy, doting uncle Nymphadora loved.

The sitting room door burst open, and Ted’s gap-toothed six-year-old daughter burst into the room. She paid no attention to her father, or to Sirius’ words. Ted smiled at his daughter. Her hair, like her stained fingertips, was a deep purple colour. She sprinted into the room and jumped on Sirius, knocking his untouched cup of tea off the table in the process.

‘Oops,’ she said. It was her most used word.

Ted sighed; his little princess was almost as dainty as a hippopotamus. Pulling out his wand, he set to work cleaning up the mess. Nymphadora ignored him and concentrated on the now smiling man she was sitting on.

‘How on earth did you know I was here?’ Sirius asked. ‘Are you a witch?’

‘Of course I am, silly! But I know ’cos I saw the big black motorbike outside,’ Nymphadora said.

‘Aha! What a clever girl,’ Sirius told her. ‘But why are your fingertips purple. Did you make them turn that colour?’

‘No! It’s ’cos me an’ mummy’ve been picking blackberries,’ she announced proudly. ‘But I bet I could!’ She scrunched up her face in concentration, and stared at her hands. The purple crept slowly up her fingers and onto her hands. ‘See, mummy,’ she said proudly as Andromeda Tonks entered the room. ‘Don’t hafta wash my hands, ’cos I’ve made ‘em all purple.’

Andromeda shook her head. ‘That’s not how it works, my girl; off you go and wash those hands, right now,’ she said firmly before turning her attention to her cousin. ‘What brings you here, Sirius,’ she asked.

His mask slipped, and Andromeda saw the sudden panic written across his face. Ted knew instantly that this was a job he should do himself.

‘What’s happened?’ Andromeda asked urgently.

‘Please take ’Dora to wash her hands,’ Ted told Sirius. ‘Don’t make too much of a mess in the bathroom, and when you’re done, you can take her outside to play for a while.’

‘Yes!’ Nymphadora said happily.

‘What’s happened, Ted?’ Andromeda asked. He looked into her eyes, and then across at his daughter, who was being carried out from the room by her uncle.

‘Sit down, ’Dromeda,’ Ted suggested. With a worried moan, his wife did as he asked. He waited until the sitting room door closed and he’d heard Sirius and ’Dora climbing the stairs before he said anything else. ‘It’s your dad, ‘Dromeda,’ he began gently. Kneeling down on the floor in front of her, he grabbed her hands in his.

‘What’s happened? Is he hurt?’

‘I’m sorry, ‘Dromeda, there’s no easy way to tell you this,’ Ted began. The colour fell from his wife’s face as realisation struck. There was really no need for him to continue, as she already knew, but he said the words anyway. ‘He’s dead, I’m so sorry.’

Upstairs there was the sound of splashing and laughter. In the sitting room there was only the crackling of the fire. Ted watched the tears silently rolling down his wife’s cheeks. Her hands were clasped tightly together on her lap, and she was making no attempt to free them from his grasp. She was quivering. He waited until the last moment, until the tears had almost reached her jaw, before taking one of his hands from around hers and gently brushing the tears away with the back of his forefinger.

‘How?’ she croaked.

‘Potions accident, according to the obituary,’ Ted said. ‘Sirius’ dad died at the same time, same cause.’

‘Those two!’ Through her tears, Andromeda gave him a watery smile. ‘Inseparable, even at the end.’ Freeing her hands she leaned forwards, pulled him into a hug, and buried her face into his shoulder. ‘Oh, Ted,’ she said. ‘I hoped...’

‘I know,’ he said. ‘You hoped, so did I. Perhaps, if You-Know-Who was finally defeated...’

‘But now he’s gone,’ she wailed. ‘Before today there was hope, but now there’s none. No chance of reconciliation. I haven’t seen him in seven years, and now I’ll never see him again. He’s a stupid, selfish man, and he threw me out the day we got engaged. I should hate him.’

‘But he’s your dad, ’Dromeda,’ Ted said gently. ‘He bought you your first broom, and taught you to fly it. He picked you up when you fell down. He was your dad.’

‘My daddy,’ Andromeda said sadly, and the tears flowed again.

Ted reached for his wand. ‘Accio,’ he said.

A box of tissues flew across the room. He caught them, and handed them to his wife. She nodded gratefully, dabbed at her tears, and tried to compose herself.

‘Cry all you want,’ Ted told her.

‘I can’t believe he’s gone,’ she said.

The door burst open, and their daughter ran into the room. ‘What’s the matter, Mummy?’ she asked.

‘Sorry,’ Sirius mouthed when he arrived behind her.

Andromeda simply began to cry again. Nymphadora Tonks threw her father an enquiring look.

‘Mummy’s Daddy has just died,’ Ted told her.

Nymphadora looked puzzled. ‘Mummy’s Daddy?’ she asked uncertainly. ‘Who’s Mummy’s Daddy?’ Her mother wailed.

‘My Daddy is your Granddad,’ said Ted. ‘Mummy’s Daddy is your other Granddad.’

‘Other Granddad?’ asked Nymphadora. ‘I haven’t got another Granddad.’

That comment was too much for Andromeda. She stood and fled from the room, sobbing uncontrollably.
Sirius stepped aside to allow her to leave. Ted heard her run upstairs, then the bathroom door slammed.

‘What’s the matter with her?’ Sirius asked.

‘Her father has just died,’ Ted reminded him.

‘So has mine,’ said Sirius, shrugging unconcernedly. ‘They both chucked us out, remember?’

‘Can you keep an eye on ’Dora?’ Ted asked. ‘I’ll go upstairs and make sure she’s okay. ’

‘Not okay!’ Nymphadora said wisely. ‘She’s crying. I’ll come with you, Daddy. Who is Mummy’s Daddy?’

‘He was called Cygnus, darlin’, but he didn’t like me, so he didn’t visit us.’

‘That’s silly, he could’ve visited Mummy ’n’ me,’ she said.

‘Yes, he could. But he didn’t.’ Ted used the chair arms to push himself to his feet, and tried to figure out how he could leave his daughter downstairs with Sirius. He didn’t need to find an excuse, as a silver wolf bounded into the room.

‘Lily and James have told me their news,’ the wolf said carefully.

‘Nice doggy, lovely doggy,’ ’Dora said, trying to stroke the glowing creature.

‘It’s a wolf, my darlin’,’ Ted told her.

‘Yeah,’ Sirius agreed.

‘Nice wolf,’ she said firmly.

‘And I’ve told them your news,’ the wolf continued. ‘I know that you told Peter not to tell anyone what happened, where you were. He did, because that’s what friends are for. He told me where you’d vanished to, and why. Please pass on my condolences to your cousin and her husband. I know that you and your father ... well, you weren’t close ... but he was your father, and that must count for something.’

‘No,’ Sirius shook his head.

‘I ... I don’t want to ask this, Padfoot,’ the wolf sighed. ‘But people on our side want to know what they were up to. You have to admit that the “died in a potion accident� story sounds a bit suspicious. Were they concocting something for Lord Voldemort? Can you try to find out? If you can’t, it doesn’t matter. Take care of yourself. Bye.’

The wolf vanished.

‘Wolf’s gone,’ ‘Dora confirmed unnecessarily. ‘Bring it back, Uncle Cirrus.’

‘I can’t, ’Dora,’ Sirius said.

‘Where’d it go?’ she asked.

As Sirius tried to explain, Ted took the opportunity to go and check on his wife. He ran up the stairs, and knocked gently on the bathroom door. ‘It’s me,’ he said quietly. ‘Is there anything I can do for you?’

The door opened, ‘Hold me,’ she demanded. Ted did so.

‘Always and forever,’ he whispered as they embraced at the top of the stairs. ‘I can’t bring him back, ’Dromeda. All I can do is support you, I will always do that. I love you.’

She squeezed him so tightly that he could hardly breathe. ‘I know,’ she mumbled into his shoulder. ‘Thank you. What are we going to do? I’d like to go to the funeral, Ted. I know I won’t be welcome, but I want to pay my respects. Thanks for reminding me of the good things he did when I was little. Thanks for, for...’

‘You’re my missus,’ he reminded her, smiling. ‘I’m only doing my job. All that love honour and cherish stuff; I meant it, you know, even though I can’t remember the exact words.’

She gave him a half-hearted smile. ‘Stupid Hufflepuff!’ she said fondly.

‘Pretty little Slytherin,’ he told her, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand.

There was a sudden tap at the landing window. They parted, and Ted drew the curtains. There were two owls on the window ledge. Opening the window, he allowed them into the house. One flew down the stairs; the other bypassed him and landed on the banister in front of Andromeda. She gasped.

‘The Black family crest,’ she said. With shaking hands she took the envelope from the owl, which flapped and screeched.

‘Hang on,’ said Ted. He thrust his hand into the pocket of his cardigan, and pulled out a fluff-covered owl treat. All owls were very good at looking aloof, but this one managed disdainful. It glared, and coughed up an owl pellet.

‘Charming,’ said Ted. ‘If you don’t want this, I’ll give it to your friend downstairs.’

The owl changed its mind, and opened its beak.

‘Dunno why you’re so fussy about a bit of fluff,’ Ted told it, kicking the owl pellet with his toe. ‘You can just spit it out later, like these bones and fur and feathers.’ He turned his attention to his wife. ‘Who’s it from?’

‘Uncle Alfie,’ she said. ‘He wants me to visit him, at seven o’clock tonight; I’m to wear black.’

‘Just you?’ asked Ted.

‘Us, if possible, but he says no one under the age of seventeen. So you’ll have to stay here with ’Dora.’

‘I’ll go down the road to the phone box and call Mum and Dad. I’m sure they’ll look after her for a couple of hours.’

‘Has Uncle Alfie invited you over to his place tonight?’ Sirius called from the bottom of the stairs.

---

Ted Tonks kissed his wife on the cheek, and then hugged her. They were still in each other’s arms when the clock began to strike seven. Andromeda disentangled herself from his arms, took some Floo powder from the jar, and threw it onto the fire.

‘Vorontsov Road,’ she said clearly as she stepped into the flames and vanished.

Ted stepped forwards, picked up a pinch of Floo powder, and followed her into the flames. He stepped out into a wood-panelled room illuminated by a sparkling chandelier in time to see his wife embracing a short and rather stout man in his fifties. The man’s long dark hair, which had receded into a pronounced widow’s peak, was tied back in a ponytail; his well-trimmed beard was sprinkled with grey. He wore a black Muggle three-piece suit, a white shirt, and a black tie embroidered with the Black family crest.

‘Hello, Alfie,’ said Ted as he stepped out from the fire. The man released Andromeda, and moved to shake Ted’s hand. Looked Ted up and down, Alphard Black nodded approvingly at the black suit and tie the younger man wore

‘Ted,’ Andromeda’s Uncle Alfie said. He nodded politely at his niece and her husband. ‘Sad times, indeed, my most heartfelt condolences to you both.’

Andromeda, who wore a black dress and jacket, stifled a sob and nodded. Ted strode across to his wife and put a consoling arm around her shoulder.

Alfie Black pulled a gold pocket watch from the pocket of his waistcoat. ‘Where is that boy?’ he asked. ‘He’s late!’

Ted was wondering whether to tell the older man that there was a real possibility that Sirius simply wouldn’t show up. Fortunately, before he admitted to that possibility, he heard a distinctive roar coming from the road.

‘Sounds like he’s here,’ Ted observed.

‘That motorbike!’ said Andromeda, shaking her head despairingly. ‘This obsession with Muggle machinery is your fault, Uncle Alfie.’

‘Hardly, my dear,’ Alfie told her. ‘There is a huge difference between my Aston Martin DB three and Sirius’ Triumph Bonneville.’

‘You own a DB three?’ asked Ted, astonished. ‘Why has no one ever told me that, before?’

‘Alas, my parents could never understand my fascination with Muggle machinery,’ Alfie admitted. ‘It really is quite remarkable what they can achieve without magic.’

‘I know,’ said Ted, grinning.

‘Of course you do,’ said Alfie. ‘You are, after all, the reason why Andromeda isn’t at Grimmauld Place for the other ceremony.’

‘The other ceremony? Why are we here, Uncle Alfie?’ Andromeda asked.

The doorbell rang. ‘I’ll tell you all in a moment.’ Alfie scurried out from the room, and answered the door.

‘Really, Sirius!’ Ted heard the older man say. ‘You could have made an effort.’

‘I’m wearing black,’ Sirius protested as he followed his uncle into the room. He was wearing black jeans and his leather motorcycle jacket. ‘And that’s all you said. Potion accident! That’s what the paper said. What do you think really happened to Dad and Uncle Cygnus?’

‘It’s probably true. They were always blowing each other up, or poisoning each other,’ said Alfie. ‘They’ve been experimenting ever since they were eleven. They were potions partners all the way through Hogwarts, you know. And they’ve written stuff for the Potions Society since. Thick as thieves they were, partners in crime. My little brother and his cousin were best friends, too. Best man at each other’s weddings. And the trouble they got into at school!

‘My Dad?’ asked Sirius and Andromeda simultaneously.

Alphard Black laughed. ‘They were little boys, once, you know. They were two years below me at Hogwarts. I could tell you some stories, and I will. There is food, and some of my finest elf-made wine, in the dining room. But first, we must have the ceremony.’

‘Ceremony?’ Ted asked.

‘As the husband of a Black, you may observe, but you cannot take part,’ said Alfie. ‘You two have never attended a ceremony, and you must, because you need to know what to do when I die. You have both, of course, been taught the spell, Flagrate.’

‘My father taught it to me when I was twelve,’ said Andromeda.

‘So did mine,’ said Sirius in surprise. ‘He was furious with me because I’d been sorted into Gryffindor, but even so he taught it to me in the summer before I started my second year, and he taught me how to condense it, and throw it into the air.’

‘So did my Dad!’ Andromeda said. ‘He told me it was important.’

‘It’s a Black tradition,’ Alfie explained. You will need your wands, and fond memories.’

‘Fond memories!’ Sirius snorted in disbelief.

‘You must have one, Sirius. Find it!’ For a moment the jovial Alphard was replaced by a proud and imperious Black. ‘You may think that you are not a Black, that you are an outcast, no longer a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.’ Ted could hear the capitals in the man’s words. ‘This is not true. You will always be a Black, Sirius, as will you, Andromeda. You must learn the ceremony, and remember it. And you must promise to perform it when I die. Now, follow me!’

Alphard Black turned on his heels and pulled open a curtain to reveal a set of double doors which opened out into his garden. He led them to the edge of his lawn. Ordering Ted to stay on the path, he took two steps forwards onto the grass, and beckoned Andromeda and Sirius to his side.

Ted watched his wife step up to stand alongside her uncle, Sirius stepped forwards to stand on Alfie’s right. As he watched, Ted wondered what was about to happen. He thought about asking if it was dangerous, but decided to simply hold his tongue and watch. Nevertheless, he pulled his wand from his pocket as a precaution.

‘Watch, learn and do not forget,’ Alfie ordered, raising his wand. ‘Together, we will all say: we are the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black.’

‘We are the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black,’ the trio said. Ted could hear the contempt in Sirius’ voice. At least his wife was humouring the old man, he thought.

‘I am Alphard Black; I am the orange heart of the Water Snake. I remember my brother, Cygnus, the swan, and my cousin, Orion, the hunter. They were Blacks, they came from the night, from the darkness, and into the darkness they have returned. We are Blacks. We are stardust, we came from the stars, and to the stars we will return,’ Alfie’s words rang out into the still night air. ‘Now you, Andromeda,’ he added quietly.

‘I am Andromeda Tonks, once Black; I am the chained woman. I remember my father, Cygnus, the swan, and my uncle, Orion, the hunter. They were Blacks, they came from the night, from the darkness, and into the darkness they have returned. We are Blacks. We are stardust, we came from the stars, and to the stars we will return,’ Andromeda’s voice was clear and strong, but Ted’s ear picked up a momentary faltering as she spoke her father’s name.

‘I am Sirius Black; I am the dog star in the greater dog. I remember my father, Orion, the hunter, and my uncle, Cygnus, the swan. They were Blacks, they came from the night, from the darkness, and into the darkness they have returned. We are Blacks. We are stardust, we came from the stars, and to the stars we will return.’ Sirius did his best, but Ted heard the disdain in the young man’s voice.

‘Cygnus and Orion were born within week of each other,’ Alfie said. ‘In their first year at Hogwarts I teased them about their friendship; they told me that it would last the rest of their lives. It did. I remember childhood laughter, and warm summer days. I remember playing with two little boys in the mud. Thank you, my friends. Cygnus!’ Alfie wrote the name in the air with flaming letters. The word glowed brightly for a few moments, then they condensed into a tiny ball of flame which Alfie flicked skywards. It shot up into the night, another star among many, and flew towards the constellation whose name Alphard’s brother had borne. ‘And Orion!’ Alphard repeated the process, and another glowing ball of light shot into the air.

They’re sending them home, Ted thought.

‘Cygnus was my father,’ Andromeda said. ‘He taught me to fly, but more importantly, he taught me to climb back onto my broom when I’d fallen off. Thanks, Dad. Orion was my Uncle. Once, while my mother was out, he taught me how to bake a chocolate cake. And more importantly, he took the blame for the mess. Thanks, Uncle ’rion.’ She, too, wrote the names and sent them home.

Sirius took a deep breath. There was silence, and Ted worried that the younger man would be unable to find anything to say. ‘Quidditch!’ was the word Sirius finally used to break his silence. ‘When I was eight, my dad and my Uncle Cygnus took me to see my first ever game of Quidditch. The Harpies were playing the Tornadoes. It took them nine hours to catch the Snitch. It was midnight when I got home! My mother was angry but with them, not with me. Thank you.’

Ted could hear Sirius sobbing as he, too, cast the spells and sent his kinsmen back to the stars. At last, he thought. Bottling it up wouldn’t do the lad any good.