callwrites - Tumblr blog

callwrites · 4 years ago

Photo

BENEATH THE WILLOW TREE: Chapter II

This is, at some level, a love story. But before Andromeda’s name was burned from the tapestry of her family tree, before she took Ted’s name and Ted’s ring, she was Andromeda Black; a girl caught between worlds. This is the story of how that came to be.

Chapter I.

read on a03 @Linquist

The feast was as delicious as ever, though the meal passed with a strange tension that could not totally be accounted for - either by Lucius’s scowl or Bellatrix’s complaints about the new Defense professor. Both Andromeda and Rodolphus struggled to find their footing; both were caught up in remembering his earlier conversation, with one of them pretending they hadn’t heard it.

“You’re not having dessert?” Rodolphus attempted to smile, seeing Andromeda refraining from the treacle tart she normally enjoyed.

“No, I’m headed to the greenhouses after this. I don’t want Professor Sprout to have to roll me out,” joked Andromeda weakly.

“You’re still doing that?” Bellatrix sighed.

“I told you last night I was,” said Andromeda a little defensively. “Professor Sprout got new Venomous Tentacula pods in last week and needs help repotting them - or else they’re liable to try to take a bite out of the third years tomorrow.”

“I think what Bellatrix means …” said Rodolphus with a sharp look at her older sister, “is that we’re just surprised you want to spend your first night back at the castle elbow-deep in manure.”

“You’re not going to be keeping that up after this year, will you?” Lucius asked skeptically.

“I was planning on it,” said Andromeda, trying to keep the sharpness out of her tone. “I like the greenhouses. And herbology is very helpful for potionwork.”

“And you’re very talented at both,” went on Rodolphus in a diplomatic tone. It irked Andromeda, despite the caring words she had overheard. “But surely you can learn what you need from books. You can afford to buy the ingredients for your potions … without dirt involved.”

“Especially with a professor like her ,” added Bellatrix. “I understand you enjoy your studies, but you need to think about the appearance of things.”

Lucius was smirking and it made Andromeda want to knock the platter of treacle tart into his face. But losing her cool benefited no one - especially when Bellatrix apparently already had her own doubts.

“Well, I’m confident that the appearance of things will improve after my O.W.L. results,” she managed to say, pushing back from the table. “With five prefects, I’m sure you’re well able to handle the first years and I’ll be back in time for curfew.”

“Andie,” Rodolphus murmured quietly, taking her hand as she stood.

“Good night,” she said a little coolly. She took a deep breath and softened her tone. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll show you that piece if you’re still up.”

“It’s a date,” he said with a smile.

“It’s a date,” she agreed, unable to keep back her own smile.

She ignored Lucius’s snort, returned Bellatrix’s good night, and left the Great Hall.

Outside of the feast, the entrance hall was empty. Dessert was still underway and spirits remained high. Andromeda met no resistance as she made her way to the enormous doors of the castle and pushed her way through. The grounds were almost too dark to see, but she knew her way to the greenhouses by heart.

In the distance, the windows of the caretaker’s hut glowed warmly and, not for the first time, Andromeda wondered about the strange man who lived there. He had once found her lost as a first year and kindly helped her find the Great Hall - Bellatrix had lectured her for close to half an hour after coldly dismissing him. Her mother had then written to inform her that she was not to speak to him.

There was no time to dwell. A light was on in greenhouse three, the door kept ajar by an empty pot. Andromeda stepped inside, shuffling in a bouncing bulb making a daring escape, and closed the door behind her.

“Evening, Black,” Professor Sprout said cheerfully. “How was the feast?”

“Good evening, professor,” Andromeda replied, taking the dragon-hide gloves that had been set aside for her. “It was delicious as usual. How was your summer?”

“Busy!” She grinned. “But come on, these tentacula won’t re-pot themselves.”

Andromeda dutifully lined up beside Sprout, who stood before a low table that boasted about a dozen young and teething venomous tentacula. With a practiced hand, Andromeda pulled one towards her, distracting it with a gloved finger while she grabbed the larger pot and soil.

“Our 6th years will be raising them and learning how to harvest them for ingredients,” she explained in her usual cheerful tone. “They’re not too deadly yet, but once they’re trying to strangle us we'll know they're ready to go.”

“I can see that,” Andromeda said bemusedly, using her elbow to knock away a vine that was reaching suspiciously towards her.

Professor Pomona Sprout had only been teaching at Hogwarts for a year. She had arrived, in a flurry of enthusiasm and rare plants, when the wizened old herbology professor retired with most of his remaining fingers. Bellatrix had immediately distrusted her, despite not having continued with herbology herself (she was of the opinion that a witch should not be elbow deep in dragon dung). But Professor Sprout had seen Andromeda’s deft hand and noticed her frequent after hours visits to the greenhouses. She began giving her ‘extra credit’ assignments and slowly introducing her to the N.E.W.T. level plants she kept in the corners of greenhouse three. When Andromeda showed a more careful hand than some of her seventh years, she began to invite her to assist with some of the prep work for those classes.

Bellatrix hardly approved and Andromeda was sure their mother would not either. Professor Sprout was pureblood, they were reasonably sure, but she hardly acted like it. She was a Hufflepuff, for one - a house known for blood traitors and muggleborns. She embodied everything that Druella Black would consider ‘inappropriate’ for pureblood behavior; from the way she dressed, to the way she talked, to the way she had kicked out Rabastan Lestrange on her very first day. He had called someone a mudblood and been immediately been given detention and sent to Slughorn. Despite Bellatrix's misgivings, she had chosen not to write to their mother about her concerns - so long, of course, as Andromeda remained appropriate boundaries.

The two never talked about personal things or politics. In fact, Sprout and Andromeda rarely talked at all. They settled into their routine, as usual, and enjoyed the companionable silence with the occasional crunching of dead rats fed to the hungry plants.

As they potted the last one, Andromeda patted it soothingly. It made a low contented growl while it gnawed sleepily on a rat. Sprout stepped away from the table with a satisfied sigh.

“That’ll do then, Black,” She said with a smile. “The 6th years will be able to analyze and feed them for the next few weeks before they’ll need to re-pot them again. You did good.”

“Thank you, professor,” Andromeda said softly, stepping out of the reach of the vines and taking off her gloves. “I appreciate you letting me help.”

“Made my job easier,” she said with her eye crinkling smile. “Are you still interested in taking on the wiggentree?”

Andromeda nodded and went to hang up the gloves. "I've been doing my reading and I'll get started next class. I'll need to get my prefect schedule before I can plan my greenhouse visits."

"Excellent, excellent," said Sprout from behind her, sounding satisfied. “You should start thinking about your N.E.W.T. special project.”

Andromeda turned around, eyebrows raised in surprise.

“It is early,” Sprout admitted. “But do some thinking. With your record, I could convince Dumbledore to bring in some rarer plants for you.”

“I don’t know if I will be continuing herbology,” confessed Andromeda, leaving Sprout looking surprised.

“Why not?” She asked, hands on her hips again. “You’ve the greenest thumb at Hogwarts, ‘sides me. And it seems you like the plants as much as they like you.”

Andromeda flushed and opened her mouth to answer, but found herself hesitating. She found she didn’t want to tell Sprout that her family didn’t think it was befitting for a daughter of Black. She didn’t want to put down the professor who had supported her or the subject she loved.

“Think about it,” said Sprout in a gentler tone. “I can recommend some books to you and you can do some research. You’re a talented witch, Black. You’ve got more options than you think you do.”

She nodded, face burning, and fled the greenhouse. Out on the grounds, a slight chill in the air stung her heated cheeks. In the distance, a lantern bobbed along the edge of the Forbidden forest; illuminating the caretaker on some errand. She didn’t think about her curiosity. She found she didn’t want to think at all actually. Sprout had meant her words kindly, but Andromeda found they festered uncomfortably in the back of her throat.

She made her way to the common room in a bit of a daze. The familiar path to the dungeon was one she could take in her sleep. Thankful she had the password as a prefect, she slipped into the Slytherin common room with ten minutes to spare.

Bellatrix sat in the armchair by the fire, feet tucked up beside her and looking very cozy. When she saw Andromeda enter, she checked her name off the list in her lap. Then her nose wrinkled as the smell of dragon dung manure hit her.

“Gross, Meda,” she complained and Andromeda grinned.

“Oh, come on, Bella,” she teased. “Why don’t we curl up and read together, just like old times?”

“Clean up and I’ll think about,” she sneered, but Andromeda heard the affection in her sister’s voice and recognized her struggle not to smile.

“Narcissa already headed to bed?” She asked and Bella nodded.

“She starts ancient runes tomorrow and was positively vibrating with excitement,” she explained, affection much more apparent now. “She said the sooner she went to bed, the sooner she could go to class.”

“Teacher's pet,” Andromeda smiled, happy for their youngest sister.

“At least she chose better than you did,” said Bellatrix pointedly.

“I took ancient runes too! And arithmancy.” She said, crossing her arms.

“Yes, and I also remember mother almost going into hysterics when she found out you also signed up for divination ,” said her oldest sister distastefully.

“You just don’t like that I spent all year predicting your demise,” she grinned.

“Yes, some seer you turned out to be,” said Bellatrix with a roll of her eyes, but she was smiling again. “Go wash off. You reek.”

Andromeda was smiling when she finally made her way towards the stairs, passing by the piano against the wall. A note sat on it, in Rodolphus’s neat handwriting.

Raincheck? It read.

She summoned a quill and scrawled a quick ‘it’s a date’ and left it there, before hurrying up the stairs. The smell was starting to get to her too.

Her housemates were up and swapping stories about their summers when she finally arrived. They paused long enough to greet her and wrinkle their noses at the smell. She waved off their invitation to join them, explaining she just wanted to go to bed as soon as she washed up.

Soon enough, she was pulling closed the curtains of her four poster and falling into bed beside an already sleeping Valerian. But she found she didn’t feel tired at all. Her thoughts were buzzing, unwilling to let her rest. She thought about the conversation she had overheard between Rodolphus and Bella. Why was Bella worried? Especially about what he thought of her?

She could understand why Rodolphus would have concerns, but he seemed as sure of her as ever. She had never stepped out of line, but for the once. And Rod had promised to keep her secret.

You’ve got more options than you think you do, she heard Sprout’s voice.

She rolled over, trying to drown it out, and punched her pillow. No, she didn’t. And she didn’t want them either. She’d be Bella and Cissa’s sister. Eventually, she would be Rodolphus’s wife.

She didn’t want any other options, she told herself. She didn’t.

#hp fic #tedromeda #tedromeda fic #harry potter fanfiction #fanfic #beneath the willow tree #my fics

10 notes · View notes

callwrites · 4 years ago

Photo

BENEATH THE WILLOW TREE: Chapter I

read on a03 @Linquist

Narcissa’s hand gripped Andromeda’s arm so tight she was sure it would leave a mark. On her other side, Bellatrix’s elbow dug into her ribs and she could vaguely hear Valerian growling lowly in distaste. But the discomfort only lasted a couple seconds before the pressure was replaced with the stifling heat of the platform.

“Merlin, I despise apparition,” gasped Narcissa, stepping away from Andromeda and the cat whose voice was slowly rising into a yowl.

“It isn’t so unpleasant when done by a wizard,” said Bellatrix stiffly, also instinctively stepping away from her sister and her distressed pet. Bellatrix’s own dark gray owl, Wenlock, eyed them all judgmentally; displeased but without a feather out of place. “Thank you, Winny,” she added as an afterthought.

“Yes, thank you, Winny,” agreed Andromeda, offering a small smile to the little house elf who had been holding Bellatrix’s other hand.

Winny lit up at the praise, which did little to improve her features. The ancient house elf was more wrinkle than elf at this point, bent in on herself and leaning on an old chair leg that had been fashioned into a cane.

“Of course, mistresses,” squeaked the elf. “Winny hopes you have a wonderful year at school.”

“Narcissa, thank Winny.” Andromeda frowned at their youngest sister, but Narcissa was already tugging at the robe of her sleeve.

“Oh, please, Meda, can I please come to the prefects compartment?” She begged for possibly the millionth time that day. “I’ll be completely quiet, I won’t say a word.”

With a crack, Winny disapparated back to the estate; causing a fourth year nearby to almost jump out of their skin.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” said Andromeda with an unlady-like snort. “And Bellatrix already told you no. I know you just want to get a peep at Lucius.”

At this, Narcissa flushed bright red. “I-”

“And if Lucius ever took a real look at you, I’d skin him,” threatened Andromeda.

“She could do worse.” Bellatrix pointed out, fingering the lock on Wenlock’s cage.

“When she’s a third year, I’m not sure she could,” said Andromeda with the sigh of someone who had said this many, many times.

“I’m turning 14 in two months,” complained Narcissa.

“And if you like your boyfriend with his skin attached you won’t try flirting with him,” Andromeda replied in a sing-song voice. “Then I’d be out of a prefect partner.”

Narcissa scowled, but had to stifle her smile when Andromeda pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Now go, I can see Alecto and Amycus trying to wave you down. Poor Amycus’s heart would break clean in two if he knew who you really pined for.”

If possible, Narcissa flushed a deeper red. But a few train cars down, Alecto was waving for her friend and Narcissa reluctantly scampered off to join them.

“You’re too hard on her,” drawled Bellatrix. “You know Mum’s been encouraging her little crush all summer.”

“She’s too young, Bella,” sighed Andromeda. “Let her have silly crushes on boys her own age before you try to marry her off.”

The sisters made their way onto the train, Bellatrix waving her wand so their trunks and carriers lifted themselves up the steps and floated in front of them. “You know Mum will be depending on you to make sure she keeps the right company next year,” reminded Bellatrix for the thousandth time. “She won’t be happy to hear you chasing off appropriate suitors.”

“I know, Bella,” said Andromeda patiently. “But it isn’t like I chased her into a compartment of Gryffindors to talk about muggle studies. She’s with the Carrows.”

Bellatrix reached the prefect’s compartment first, which already contained several familiar faces. Narcissa’s beau in question sat by the window, conversing quietly with Evan Rosier, the 6th year prefect. Opposite, two Hufflepuff prefects and a Ravenclaw were talking in low voices. The Ravenclaw in particular cast a cold and appraising glance over at Bellatrix and Andromeda. She snorted, seeming to not like what she saw, and turned back to the Hufflepuff boy.

But standing in the center of the compartment was someone very familiar to them indeed, checking something off a sheet of parchment with an eagle feather quill.

“Rodolphus,” nodded Bellatrix.

“Bella,” he nodded back, then smiled slightly. “Andie.”

“Rod.” She smiled. “Settling into autocracy already?”

“It’s a natural gift,” said Rodolphus sagely, then glanced at Bellatrix who looked impatient. “After you two we’re just missing the Gryffindors and a couple of the Ravenclaws. We should be able to get started soon.”

Bellatrix sighed, waving their suitcases up over the seats. “Leave it to the Gryffindors.”

Andromeda took hold of Wenlock’s cage and Valerian’s carrier. She carefully stowed Wenlock off to the side of the compartment with some of the other owls, but kept Valerian at her feet. The cat had finally settled down after the traumatic apparition, but Valerian always was a nervous traveler.

While they waited, Rodolphus sat down beside her and nudged her side. She smiled at him and received one in return, causing the shadows under his eyes to soften. He was far more handsome when he smiled, though in fairness he never looked bad. His dark hair somehow always looked soft and perfectly smooth. His features had grown more defined over the summer, she realized; his jaw sharper, his cheekbones more pronounced. Normally she never noticed the minute changes that happened over time. She saw him too often. But this summer, she’d only had a couple weeks with him at their family estates in France. He’d even lost the last of the tan he had gained from their walks on the coast. But his eyes were the same: hazel and kind whenever they settled on her.

Across the compartment, Bellatrix raised an eyebrow at her and mouthed the words ‘too young’.

Andromeda rolled her eyes. This was different. Narcissa was only thirteen and Andromeda hardly believed she was in love with Rodolphus. He was her friend, her person. He had been so since they were children when she would follow him through their families’ formal parties, clutching at the back of his robes. Sure, they both knew where it was going; precisely where their parents had encouraged it to go practically since birth. But Andromeda counted herself lucky.

Her future was known, secure with a man who knew her well and treated her kindly. She shuddered to imagine being in Bellatrix’s shoes, knowing her distaste for the ‘afternoon teas’ she had been forced to sit through all summer as parade after parade of mothers and their sons visited the manor.

The last two prefects arrived, rowdy Gryffindors who were playfully shoving each other as they walked in. They settled with only a hard stare from Bellatrix, a skill which Andromeda had always envied.

Rodolphus cleared his throat. “Good morning, prefects. Welcome back. I am Rodolphus Lestrange, I’ll be your Head Boy for this year.”

“Bellatrix Black,” Bellatrix put in, glancing around dismissively at the gathered prefects. “Head Girl.”

Rodolphus launched into a basic explanation of prefect duties and Andromeda allowed her mind to wander as Bellatrix took over the explanation on patrols and how they would get their schedules. She knew the duties well enough, both in following Bellatrix around on enough patrols and from her mother’s instructions. Prefect wasn’t an extracurricular option for the Black girls. If there was a measurement of excellence, they would achieve it.

Outside the train window, they had finally left the urban setting of London behind. Her thoughts were already flying ahead to Hogwarts, causing butterflies to erupt in her stomach. Perhaps butterflies was not the right word. These felt much heavier and nauseating than butterflies; slugs perhaps. Fifth year was the start of O.W.L.s. Another measurement where nothing less than perfection would be tolerated. The thought alone had Andromeda wringing her hands in her lap.

Bellatrix was wrapping up her explanation of patrol schedules and Rodolphus tapped twice on her knee. She tapped back. It had been their ritual since they were children, not allowed to speak out of turn. Tapping first was a question. Tapping twice back meant ‘I’m okay’.

But apparently Rodolphus was also making sure she was listening, because he didn’t then wrap up the meeting to let them patrol the train or return to their compartments.

“Dumbledore asked me to address a couple things,” said Rodolphus, clearing his throat. “After the events of this summer, he wants everyone to feel assured we are taking student safety seriously.”

“Oh, I bet you care about every student’s safety, Lestrange.” The surly Ravenclaw from earlier snorted.

“Something to add, Meadowes?” Rodolphus asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Nothing at all,” she said and crossed her arms.

“For that reason, there will be a few changes this year.” Rodolphus went on as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “Patrols will be done in pairs, no exceptions. If you need to reschedule, you will have to trade patrol partners with someone. If you have a conflict, you’ll need to let Bellatrix or I know a week in advance.”

“That’s unreasonable!” Cried a Gryffindor. “We have quidditch practice and assignments!”

“You’re a prefect,” Rodolphus said coldly. “At this point, you are expected to know how to balance your responsibilities.”

“Prefects will also be required to patrol during Hogsmeade.” added Bellatrix, seeming displeased with the safety measures. “We’ll sort out a schedule once we are notified of this year’s Hogsmeade weekends. There will also be a curfew of 9pm. Students will need to check in with a prefect when they return to the common room at night to ensure everyone is accounted for.”

“Professors are able to give permission slips for studying or detentions,” said Rodolphus. “But they will need to be given a day in advance. 7th year prefects will be given a list of their house after the sorting and will be in charge of their students this evening, but we will be sending out a schedule sometime tomorrow.”

“Isn’t this a lot to ask of prefects?” Abigail Clearwater, the 6th year Slytherin prefect, asked with uncertainty.

“I'm certainly glad.” A Hufflepuff girl said nervously. “One of the girls in my dorm was at Diagon during the attack this summer.”

The Hufflepuff next to her patted her hand comfortingly, but Bellatrix went on as if she hadn’t spoken.

“If anyone doesn’t feel up to the task,” she frowned, “they may turn in their badge with either Lestrange or myself. It hardly seems to me like the Headmaster has picked the best this year,” said her sister derisively, finally looking at the two Hufflepuffs. Andromeda was pretty sure they were both muggleborns and the girl flinched under Bellatrix’s cold stare.

“That will be all then,” Rodolphus finished with a clap of his hands. “Collect your schedules and you are free to go. It will include your patrols for the train ride.”

Bellatrix had the schedules for the girls, so Andromeda held back while the other prefects flocked around the head boy and girl. When all the others had collected theirs and departed, only Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Andromeda, and Lucius were left in the compartment.

Bellatrix tossed the last schedule at Andromeda and collapsed onto the seat opposite her.

“I still can’t believe we have to go so far out our way for the safety of a bunch of mudbloods and blood traitors,” Lucius Malfoy grumbled.

“It wasn’t only muggleborns at Diagon Alley this summer,” Andromeda pointed out. “Azalia Greengrass was in St. Mungo’s for three days after the attack.”

“But Hogwarts is not Diagon Alley,” argued Lucius, lip curling. “And certainly no one is going to be attacking one of us here.”

“Merlin only knows with Dumbledore,” sighed Bellatrix. “He allowed three mudbloods to become prefect this year.”

“It will be good for us to maintain appearances,” Rodolphus frowned. “Discretion will be wise given recent events.”

The other three exchanged a look and, not for the first time, Andromeda felt like she was out of place among them. They had always spent so much time together, both before and at Hogwarts. During breaks they had practically been inseparable. But this past summer, she had hardly seen Lucius and Rodolphus. Even Bellatrix had rarely stayed at their summer estate for long. It had begun to feel like they were all part of a club to which she didn’t belong, which she knew wasn’t far from the truth.

“I’m going to go find Camelia and Alder,” she mumbled, taking hold of Valerian’s carrier and shuffling to her feet. “I’ll see you all at the feast.”

“Hold on a second, Andromeda,” called Rodolphus. “I’ll come with you, I have my patrol anyways.”

Her heart was still sinking somewhat, even as he got to his feet to follow her into the corridor. But she kept her expression even as he slid the door closed behind them and placed a hand on her back.

“Haven’t gotten to see you in weeks,” he said as they walked and it sounded apologetic. “I’m sorry for how chaotic things have been.”

“I understand,” Andromeda said with a small smile. “I know your father has you readying for the estate.”

He flushed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. He often seemed uncomfortable whenever the subject of his duties came up and it only had seemed to grow worse in recent months. “Yes, well, I’d much rather have spent the summer with you . The rest of the summer was … uneventful?” He asked and it was Andromeda’s turn to flush.

“Yes,” she said, a little harsher then she intended. “I mean … I mostly just spent it on the estate,” she said more quietly. “I learned a few new pieces on the piano.”

“I didn’t mean … I just….” he broke off, flushing again. “Well, I’d love to hear them sometime.”

“Sounds like a date,” smiled Andromeda as she spotted Camelia and Alder in the compartment next to them, already drowning in sweets. She leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I’ll see you at the feast?”

“It’s a date,” he repeated with a strained smile and let his hand fall away as she slipped into the compartment and closed the door behind her.

“Your beau let you go?” Camelia asked with a raised eyebrow as Andromeda let Valerian out in the much calmer compartment. The fluffy white cat purred as she stretched and nosed around for Alder’s familiar offered hand.

“He’s not my beau,” Andromeda said airily, but she was smiling. “And he didn’t ‘let’ me do anything. I was on my way and he walked with me.”

“I don’t know how you like him,” Alder shuddered. “He gives me the creeps.”

“How was your summer?” Andromeda asked, ignoring his comment. “Did you get my gifts?”

“Nearly had to face my little sisters in hand to hand combat for the last of the macarons,” joked Camelia. “But nothing exciting. Mum wanted me to start looking at internships, but I persuaded her that it wouldn’t make sense until I had my O.W.L.s.”

“It’s been miserable since I wrote,” Alder said glumly. “You remember my cousin Molly?” The two girls nodded, remembering the red-haired girl who had graduated last year. The two never spoke, hardly acknowledging each other. “She eloped with that Weasley bloke and Mum has been wailing ever since. I mean it was hardly any secret that that side of the family were blood traitors, so I don’t know why she is making such a big deal of it now. You’d think Molly’d broken off an engagement to Salazar Slytherin and eloped with a muggle the way she’s carrying on.”

“I can’t imagine what Aunt Walburga would do if I’d done the same,” Andromeda joked weakly and both of her friends winced.

Valerian was pawing at the seat beside her, so Andromeda swept aside Bertie Bott’s containers and pumpkin pasty wrappers to make room for the cat. Feeling Andromeda pat the empty space, she dutifully hopped up, circled a few times, and then curled up purring.

Andromeda remembered Molly from the few encounters they’d had. She hadn’t seemed too bad, if a bit strange - especially her interest in that odd Arthur Weasley fellow. But Bellatrix had hated her and frequently returned from prefect meetings raging that Dumbledore had allowed two of the biggest blood traitors at Hogwarts to be prefect. While Andromeda understood to keep her distance, she had never quite grasped what had been so particularly offensive to her sister.

But Andromeda’s words left a moment of discomfort in the compartment. Both friends understood that any pressures from their families had nothing on what it meant to be a Black. Druella had been displeased with even Andromeda’s choice of friends - despite them both being Sacred Twenty-Eight. But they were Ravenclaws and not of the same ‘class’ as the Blacks, Lestranges, and Malfoys. Andromeda was sure it was only Bellatrix’s assurances of Andromeda’s otherwise spotless behavior that kept her parents from cutting off the friendships.

“Ah, well, why would you elope when you’re likely to get drowned in galleons for your wedding,” Camelia teased, perhaps a little too late to feel totally natural. “Is it a Lestrange honeymoon tradition to shower your new spouse in jewels, or do you think that will just be because you're you?”

“Shut up,” Andromeda said with a roll of her eyes, but she was smiling.

They settled into a more relaxed conversation about how they had spent the couple weeks since their last letters, before focusing on the sweets that still had yet to be tackled. Andromeda’s turn for prefect rounds finally came in the last hour of the train ride, so she left Valerian in the care of her friends - who were crinkling up wrappers and tossing them for the blind cat to hear and give chase.

The train corridor was darker now, the yellow lights flickering as the shadowy silhouettes of the Scottish mountainside flashed past. Dusk had settled too much for Andromeda to make out details as she walked farther down the train. She periodically glanced into compartments, occasionally waving to familiar faces, and once breaking up a fight between two second years with a threat of telling McGonagall once they arrived. After so many hours on the train, most had settled, already changed into their robes, and were unlikely to wander far. Her patrol was uneventful, therefore, and her evening quiet.

She made it to the back of the train, alerted two seventh years that the loo was not the most subtle of places to snog, and began the process of wandering back towards the front. She’d have to make a write up of her patrol, but both the second years and the seventh years had cleared out and calmed down without any trouble. She didn’t feel the need to report them to lose house points when they hadn’t even arrived yet. A first year nervously tugged at her robes and asked where they would need to go when they arrived, but once she had sent them back to their compartment with answers and a chocolate frog, nothing much else occurred.

Most of her hour patrolling was up when she finally reached the front of the train. She was considering making for the trolley and fetching a glass of pumpkin juice when she realized the door to the prefect compartment was slightly ajar and familiar, frustrated voices were drifting out.

“-know Cissy and Meda aren’t fighters,” Bellatrix snapped. “It is okay, since it is clear they’re both going to make good matches, but you know it is even more important that he does not doubt her loyalty.”

“I understand that!” Rodolphus answered sharply. “He has no reason to. Unless you’re suggesting something?”

“Don’t start that with me!” She hissed and Andromeda pressed herself against the wall between the prefect compartment and the end of the train car. It sounded like they were the only two left in there. “Andromeda has always kept herself in line. But that doesn’t explain why he expressed his concern for my sister’s loyalties. He certainly didn’t mean Narcissa. She’s a child.”

Andromeda’s heartrate picked up. She had a good idea of who Bellatrix and Rodolphus were talking about. Their father had sung his praises enough times over the dinner table. Until this summer, Andromeda hadn’t even truly thought he was real. She had thought him just a rumor that people like Cygnus and Druella Black wanted to believe in. But then her sister and Rodolphus turned 17 that summer. Pollux Rodolphus had brought them both to a ‘meeting’ and that was when things had really begun to change.

Summers before had always been spent with each other, their summer estates close enough that their families were always together. If it wasn’t all of them, it was Rodolphus and Andromeda. But that summer they both disappeared for weeks at a time. Rod would return looking exhausted, Bella almost manic . But why would he be saying anything to Bella about her ? Unless Rod had told him … but he wouldn’t. He promised.

“There’s nothing he would have to be concerned about,” Rodolphus said firmly, but Andromeda didn’t think it sounded convincing. “And you know our families are just waiting until I’ve graduated to make the formal announcement. Once we’re married, he’ll welcome her.” He said this with more confidence.

At these words, Andromeda shivered. She was not sure she wanted to be welcomed by him, regardless of how her father seemed to like his ideas. The reverent way her relatives spoke of him, like he was some kind of deity frightened Andromeda. She was perfectly content keeping her distance. Even Bellatrix’s involvement seemed too close.

“You had better convince him,” Bellatrix threatened, but she too sounded afraid. “I am not losing my sister, Rodolphus.”

“You won’t,” he promised fervently. “I’ll take care of her, I always have.”

Andromeda softened slightly. Then someone cleared their throat on the other side of the prefect cart door - causing Andromeda to jump and something to knock over within the prefect cart.

The sour-looking Ravenclaw prefect, the one Rodolphus called Meadowes, stood watching her from where she had emerged from the front of the train. She raised an eyebrow as she took a slow lick on the blood-red lollipop in her hand. Andromeda froze where she stood, having clearly been eavesdropping.

Meadowes was a small thing - almost a foot shorter than Andromeda, who wasn’t that tall to begin with. But the tight coils of her hair added several inches and her attitude made Andromeda feel strangely small; irritating her somewhat. She raised her chin defiantly, waiting for Meadowes to oust her. They stared off for a moment, until the Ravenclaw girl snorted and banged open the sliding doors to thrust a fairly crumpled report into Rodolphus’s hands.

“Here you are, Head Boy,” she drawled as Andromeda walked in casually behind her. “Caught that rat brother of yours trying to turn a first year’s scarf into a snake. Have fun with that one.”

She turned on her heel and bumped into Andromeda, taking on a look of theatrical surprise that only Andromeda could see. “Oh, didn’t see you there,” smirked Meadowes as walked past.

#hp fic #hp #harry potter fanfiction #tedromeda #tedromeda fic #my fics #beneath the willow tree

1 note · View note