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A/N: Welcome! The title and parts of the story are inspired by the movie 'The Greatest Showman'. Check it out!
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Rewrite the Stars
September 1971
Andromeda loved early-morning walks - the quietness of the sleeping castle was a delightful contrast to the chatter and laughter of the students. Mostly, she cherished the sunrise, the first golden rays of sunshine that fought their way over the Scottish mountains.
As Andromeda made her way over the dew-dropped lawn, breathing in the clear, fresh air, she felt content. All the worries of the last few days were pushed from her mind forefront. Finally, she'd returned to Hogwarts after a long summer at home.
Her older sister Bellatrix had completed Hogwarts education last year and would soon marry Rodolphus Lestrange. Her parents had sat Andromeda down as well, wanting to discuss marriage possibilities. She'd refused. She didn't care for a 'good, pureblood husband'. She didn't even want to become a wife. She dreamed of her own life; to work, and maybe to become a healer.
But her world didn't allow girls to become what they wanted to be.
Hogwarts was an escape. At least for another year, she could plan a future for herself.
Sighing, she turned towards the Quidditch pitch - it was bathed in warm sunlight. Andromeda blinked, the sun near blinding her. Yet, she could see something… A figure, hanging from a distant goal post.
Andromeda broke into a run. Minutes later, she reached the pitch. She'd been right. A Hufflepuff boy hung from a hoop. She couldn't make out who it was since he was too high up, but she recognised the colour of his robes. Someone had transported him up to the highest goal and tied him there.
"Oh, Merlin," Andromeda cursed. "Accio broom."
A moment later, she took to the sky. Andromeda wasn't an experienced flyer – it wasn't proper for a pureblood girl to play Quidditch – but she knew how to fly well enough to not fall.
She recognised him as she got closer. Edward "Ted" Tonks. Bangs of light brown hair fell into his face; his eyes were closed, either sleeping or unconscious.
"Tonks. Hey, Tonks," Andromeda called out, reaching for the Hufflepuff.
Ted's eyes flew open, staring at her in panic. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
"Finite." Andromeda lifted the Silencio charm that someone had placed on the boy.
"Help me…" Edward pleaded, his voice husky. Then his eyes fell on the green of her tie, and his gaze darkened. "What are you doing here? Did you come to see what great prank your dorm pulled on me?"
Andromeda grimaced. "I might be a Slytherin, but that doesn't mean I approve of cruelty."
"In your eyes, I'm not even human. Since the Dark Lord - whatever his name is - has appeared, you all feel confirmed in your Muggleborn hatred. Better not touch me, Pureblood Princess, I might carry dangerous diseases."
Andromeda flinched away from the bitterness in his voice. He was right, of course. They were on the verge of a war, and You-Know-Who gained more power every day. Also, the quarrels between purebloods and Muggleborns were becoming more violent. Now, cruel 'pranks' like this seemed to be the order of the day.
"Do you want me to help you, or not?" Andromeda asked coolly.
Ted stared at her defiantly, but she could see he needed to be brought into the hospital wing. His lips were blue from cold. He must've been out here the whole night.
Without waiting for an answer, she positioned the broom closer to the goal, wrapped magical ropes around his body, and attached them to the broom so he couldn't fall.
"Ready?" she asked roughly.
Ted swallowed, looked down – if this didn't work, he'd fall, shatter, and die – then nodded. "Ready when you are."
January 1972
"How were your holidays?"
Startled, Andromeda looked up from the book she was reading. Ted had sat down next to her in the library. She quickly glanced around to make sure that no Slytherin was near enough to see.
"Awful," she replied honestly. "What do you think you're doing? They can't see us together."
"I don't care anymore," Ted said. "I don't care what they do to me when they find out that we're friends."
"We're not friends," she hissed, gathering her books.
He smirked, looking positively Slytherin for a moment. "Right. Friends don't kiss."
She leapt to her feet. "It was a mistake."
"Annie," he said, grabbing her hand.
"Don't call me that."
"Dromeda, then. Please." His green eyes bore into her, and she felt something in her chest constrict. But she couldn't allow herself to like him. The holiday home her family had shared over the summer had made that clear. There had been a huge fight because she refused to look at any marriage contracts before she'd completed her education.
"No," she said, putting all her Pureblood arrogance and hatred into her words. "I could never be friends with Mudblood scum like you."
She could see how her words hit home, and he released her as if burnt.
"Please don't. Don't do that," Ted pleaded, and something in her soul twisted so terribly, it gutted her. She could see more words on his lips, and she knew she couldn't allow them to be spoken, or all her resolve would crumble.
"Don't ever talk to me again," she snapped, drawing her wand. "Silencio."
Ted opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Ever since he had to spend that night on the goalpost, silenced, unable to call for help or use magic, he loathed that spell. Andromeda knew that. And it broke something between them that she'd use it on him.
"Stay away," she repeated, practically running out of the library.
May 1972
"What's going on, Dromeda?" Ted asked, as soon as he'd entered the empty classroom. Andromeda spun around and ran into his arms, burying her head in his shoulder. Racking sobs shook her, and Ted automatically tightened his embrace.
"Andromeda?"
"They have found a hus- husband," she sobbed. "I'll have to marry the day I leave Hogwarts. I'll be chained up forever."
He swallowed audibly. "Who?"
"Does it matter?"
"Probably not. But I want to know," he replied.
She stepped away from him, wiping away her tears. "Avery."
Ted furrowed his brow. "But he's in third year."
She shook her head. "Not him. His father. His wife died two years ago, and… and…" Sobs choked her, and she turned her back on him.
"But he's like forty!" Ted protested. "He's a known Death Eater."
"My family doesn't care," Andromeda replied. Suddenly, she straightened her shoulders. "I'll kill myself before I let that happen."
"No!" Ted grabbed her hand, turning her around. "There's another way." He looked up at her between his lashes. "You know I love you; that's not a secret. I know you love me, too; so don't keep saying our hands are tied. You claim fate is pulling you away, out of reach from me. But…" He placed her hand on his chest. "But you're here in my heart. So who can stop me if I decide that you're my destiny?"
She looked at him sadly. "You think it's easy. You think I don't want to run to you. But I can't have you. We're able to exist only within these walls. Outside, we're bound to break. My hands are tied." She stepped back, but he stopped her.
"Rubbish. I won't accept that." He looked deep into her eyes, then kissed her hand, and she gasped.
"What…?"
He kneeled down in front of her. "Marry me?"
July 1972
"You are what?" Andromeda's father screamed at her.
"I'm married," she replied, standing rigorously straight and refusing to cave under her father's furious gaze. "I married Edward Tonks."
"That's impossible," her mother threw in. "You cannot marry without our consent."
"You'll find that, in Scotland, I can."
"Without witnesses, this marriage has never happened. Nobody knows about it." Her father approached her. "You'll sever all ties to this Mudblood at once!"
"No, I won't," she said, her voice firm. "And I can't. I'm pregnant."
Her father laughed drily. "That's ridiculous. If he's the father then call me Godric Gryffindor." He put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "It's a lie, dear. She just wants to scare us. She'd never let a filthy Muggle –"
"It's not a lie." Andromeda looked him squarely in the eye.
Her mother stepped away from under her father's hand, reaching for her. "Dear, you can't –"
"We'll disown you," her father interrupted, his voice like ice.
Andromeda forced herself not to flinch. She'd been expecting this, after all. "I don't care."
"Nonsense. How'll you survive out there? Alone? Without money? Without our support?" Her father laughed. "You'll crawl back to us within a month."
"I'm not alone," she said, turned around, and left the house without listening to her father yelling orders.
And there was Ted waiting for her. She took his hand, smiled, and Apparated without another look back.
*Written for the QLFC, Season 6, Round Ten.*
Position: Chaser 3
Position Prompt: Write about a fight within the family (such as over marriage, finance, property, etc.)
Optional Prompts: (dialogue) "That's ridiculous. If he's the father than call me Godric Gryffindor." (pairing) Andromeda Black/ Ted Tonks, image (man kissing woman's hand)
Title: Rewrite the Stars
Word Count: 1489
Beta(s): Lynne, Aya, Bailey
*Written for THC, Year 3, Round 6*
House: Ravenclaw
Year: 1
Category: Standard
Prompts: [Spell] Silencio
W/C: 1489
Beta(s): 2D