CHAPTER ONE
agreement

23rd December, 1973

It was December, school break and Christmas was in two days. And Asteria had a plan. A plan that would finally give her peace. That would free her from the awful, torturous house known as the Noble House of Black.

She had overheard Andromeda talking to Edward Tonks at Hogwarts and seen her letters from him, where she talked about running away. Asteria planned to confront Andromeda about it and ask to go with her.

She didn't want to leave her two other sisters, Bellatrix and Narcissa behind but, Bellatrix was now married and clearly believed her familys rules and believes. And Narcissa believed it to. Even if she didn't as much as Bellatrix did. They both still did. Asteria couldn't stay in this house anymore. She couldn't. She needed out, even if it meant leaving Bellatrix and Narcissa behind.

"Ria, are you even listening?" Sirius Black's voice snapped her out of the thoughts of her plan. Asteria looked away from the tree covered in snow where her sisters were and back to Sirius. Bellatrix had come back for Christmas and was talking to Narcissa. Asteria wanted to talk to Bellatrix because she hadn't seen her sister in a while but Sirius had dragged her off.

"Sorry, no. What were you saying?" Asteria knew Sirius was rambling about something but she didn't think it was important so... she had stopped listening. "Rude, and I was saying that you should meet my friends when we go back to school."

Asteria was about to answer but completely closed her mouth when Sirius started talking again.

"I know your mother doesn't like the people I hang out with because... they're aren't pure blood nor Slytherins but, they're good people, Asteria! And I think you would like them! You and Remus would bond over your books, you and James- well actually you don't have anything in common with James, but! You would be good friends and Peter is a great person to be friends with too. And I don't really hang out with Lily, Marlene and Mary that much but I think you would like them. You would get along with Marlene the most, maybe. I know you only basically have like..
two friends and that's Dorcas Meadows and Emmeline Vance but, please?"

Asteria thought on it. She always wanted to meet Sirius friends. She'd see him around them all the time, she would hear how they were always getting in trouble. And many others. Asteria had only ever seen Lily Evans, Marlene Mckinnon and Mary MacDonald through passing. She had never actually met them.

"I'll think about it, Sirius." And yes, she said that ever year Sirius asked and backed out every time. But it was the truth this time.

____

Asteria sat in silence at the dinner table after being called in by her mother. It was always like this. Deadly silent, nothing being said unless it was her father and uncle talking about her father's business. Or their parents bringing up their grades and asking about them.

It's not that they cared. They only wanted to know if they were perfect, top of their classes. Everytime, Asteria just wanted to it end quickly. She just wanted it to end so she could talk to Andromeda.

She heard her family talking. Something about Sirius, at least that's what she think it was. She looked over to were Sirius was sitting to see he wasn't there anymore. She hadn't even heard him get up and leave.

"I still don't get it Orion. He's a Black. He should be a Slytherin. It's a disappointment, honestly. You're lucky Regulus is one. Now, that's a true Black. Just like my daughters." Asteria hated the way he spoke. She hated the way most of her family viewed Sirius.

"I know, Cygnus. I've been more than disappointed. Anger, more like. Ever since he started Hogwarts. It doesn't help that he's friends with filthy mud-bloods and James Potter. He's ruining our reputation."

Asteria was tired. She was tried of Orion treating Sirius horribly. "You people are unbelievable." Asteria mumbled, looking down. Walburga looked at Asteria. "What did you say, Asteria?" Walburga had heard her. Most at the table had.

Asteria looked at her aunt, then to her uncle. "You people are unbelievable. You treat Sirius horribly, your own son. You treat him like he's some mistake. And why? Just because he got put into Gryfindor and because the people he's friends with? It's- It's stupid!" Asteria had raised her voice. She shouldn't have.

She should have kept her mouth shut. But asteria was sick of it. She was sick of the way they talked. "Asteria!" Her mother yelled, "That is no way to talk to your family. Go to your room, I don't want to see you for the rest of the evening."

Asteria knew this would happen. She looked to her sisters to see if they would say something, they didn't. She wasn't surprised about it either. All she got was a synthetic look from Narcissa and Andromeda.

She let out a scoff before getting up from her chair and walking towards the stairs.

____

Asteria found herself at the door for her sister, Andromeda. It was later in the night. She knew everyone was in their rooms so she wouldn't be caught sneaking around. "Andy?" The younger girl spoke up, knocking on the door.

She heard a quick 'hold on,' inside the room before the door was open. "Asteria? What are you doing here? You should be asleep." Andromeda looked down at her sister due to Asteria being shorter. "Can I talk to you?" She asked, what she wasn't basically an answer.

Andromeda didn't stay anything but nodded, she opened the door wider and moved aside. Asteria quickly walked in and the door was shut. She looked to Andromeda's hand to see she was holding a letter. "What do you need?"

"I know you're running away. I heard you talking with Edward Tonks at Hogwarts. I've seen your letters from him." The girl blurted it out. Andromeda looked shocked at her words. "I have absolutely no idea on what you're talking about." She was lying. She was trying to act like she wasn't going to run away.

"Don't lie, please. Listen, I'm not gonna tell anyone. I just- I wanted to ask if I could come with." It went silent at that. Andromeda staring at her sister in disbelief, who's eye were practically begging.

Asteria hated the silence. She just wanted an answer from Andromeda. She never really liked silence. Even when she would rather be alone, she hated if it was silent. "What? Asteria, you can't be serious. It's already going to be hard enough for me to sneak out. And now you want want me to sneak you out too?"

Of course she didn't expect Andromeda to agree right away. But it sounded like Andromeda wasn't going to agree at all.

"Andromeda please. I can't stay in this house any longer. And you know as soon as you leave it'll only get worse. I'm tired of feeling trapped. That's the whole reason you are leaving. So you can finally be free and be with Edward. Please, Andromeda. I won't be a bother."

Asteria couldn't stay. She couldn't bear being in the house any longer. And if Andromeda didn't want to take her, she could figure something else out. She could always ask to stay with Dorcas who would most likely agree. Dorcas knew how the Black family was.

"You wouldn't be a bother, Asteria. And I'm sure you would like Ted. He probably wouldn't care if I brought you, it's just..." Her words trailed off, Asteria could se that Andromeda was thinking on it. Or at least trying to decide what to say.

"Are you sure you can leave it all behind? You are ready to leave Narcissa, Bellatrix, and Regulus behind? Because as soon as we run, they will all disown us. Asteria, I need you to be sure. I've already come to terms with that. But can you?"

Andromeda didn't want to take Asteria if she wasn't ready. She didn't want to have Asteria be hated by the people she grew up with when she hadn't come to terms to that.

But Asteria had. She came to terms with that as soon as the idea of asking Andromeda came into her head. She knew what would happen. She knew that if she passed Narcissa or Regulus in the hallways at Hogwarts the only look she would get was disgust or hatred.

"Yes. I know what will happen Andy. Please, I can't stay here any longer."

Andromeda sighed before nodding. "Okay. Go pack some clothes. Only things you'll need. We'll leave during the Christmas Eve party."

authors note! -
OHHHH chapter one... next chapter will probably be moments between Asteria and Regulus, bellatrix and narcissa to explain the relationship she had with them.