House: Ravenclaw
Word Count: 656
Category: Drabble
Prompt(s): [Event] Somebody coming home after an extended time away
Year: Head
She walked anxiously down the familiar cobblestone path, her gaze darting across the pristine garden. Merlin, this place really hadn't changed one bit in her absence. The statues were still just as clean and beautiful, the flowers planted in perfect rows - undoubtedly at her mother's request. Decades had passed since Andromeda had been home, and yet it still looked just like when she'd lived in it. She'd expected some sign of age - be it from moss on the statues, or weeds in the garden - and yet there was none.
Andromeda's footsteps were muffled as she began up the marble stairs, her eyes darting across the stairs, searching for the chunk of marble they'd dislodged during a particularly competitive snowball fight. She sighed when she couldn't find it - that figured, her mother must have fixed it after she'd been disowned. However, that seemed to be the only thing that had changed. She took a deep breath, trying to quell her nerves as she knocked on the elegant front door. Footsteps could be heard on the other side of it, growing louder as whomever was on the other side drew closer and closer.
The door was quickly flung open, a smiling Narcissa standing in the doorway - her eyes welling up with tears. Andromeda paused in surprise for a moment. Even though she'd known her sister to have been living there since the end of the war, a part of her didn't expect to actually see her. Merlin, she still couldn't believe Narcissa was actually there; it had been so long since she'd left after all. Part of the surprise was rooted in the fact that Cissa had even wanted to meet in the first place - that she'd even written a letter.
A week ago, when the invitation had first arrived, she didn't know if she'd even accept - but the urge to see her sister again after so long and rebuild their broken relationship was stronger than her doubt. So, there she stood, on the marble stairs, finally home after all this time. She was still unsure if she should move into the house, and as if to answer her question Narcissa stepped to the side, gesturing for Andromeda to enter.
"Please," she said softly, "it's your home too, you know."
"Of course," Andromeda smiled, shaking herself out of her shocked stupor - entering the manor she'd loved roaming around as a child. Narcissa began leading her towards the kitchen, stopping once she reached the tea kettle that rested on the stove.
"Would you like some tea?" called Narcissa over her shoulder, eyes curiously searching Andromeda's face. She nodded slightly with a small smile, watching as her sister turned towards the stove and began to boil the water.
"I hope you're fine with Earl Grey," Narcissa said, reaching into the cabinets. "It's all we have at the moment."
"Earl Grey sounds lovely," Andromeda assured, realizing that she wasn't the only one of them full of nerves. They sat in a comfortable silence as the water boiled, moving to the parlor once their tea was ready.
"I missed you," Narcissa stated, taking a small sip of her tea.
"I missed you too," Andromeda replied, leaving her teacup on its plate.
"I'm so sorry," she winced slightly at the words, surely Cissa would have waited longer to apologize. She had always been the stubborn one.
"I know," Andromeda assured her, "I forgave you a long time ago."
Narcissa let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing slightly. Andromeda took a sip of tea, smiling at the room around her. She hadn't thought she would ever see this place again, but now that she was back she realized just how good it felt to be home. Because even though she'd made herself a home with Ted and created a life for herself there with him - this place would always be her home.
No matter if she wanted it to be or not.