Build- A- Bear Challenge
Choosing Your Sound/ Scent (Optional) (Write a fic that includes that sound/ scent)
Magical Cookies
If there was one thing that Andromeda liked to do most at her home, it would be baking gingerbread cookies. They reminded her of her sisters and how they would steal gingerbread cookies from Muggle children from the next town over. Though Andromeda never approved of stealing, she enjoyed the holidays with her sisters, seeming carefree when the world was turning into chaos around them, day by day.
Gingerbread cookies warmed Andromeda's heart. Even now, with Nymphadora and Ted gone, Andromeda could feel herself smile. Teddy had stopped crying when Andromeda had the first batch of cookies ready, smelling the crisp cookies. Already, Teddy loved the smell of gingerbread, just like his grandmother.
Andromeda smiled. Another thing to love about gingerbread, she thought sadly. Gingerbread was bringing yet another wonderful memory. One day, Teddy would bake gingerbread cookies for his children and that would be passed on from generation to generation. The pureblood witch was worried when both Nymphadora and Ted had not liked the gingerbread cookies. Now though, Teddy was going to continue to spread joy through gingerbread cookies.
"Want a gingerbread cookie Teddy?" Andromeda asked the two year- old. Teddy smiled tried to grab the cookie shaped as a gingerbread man that Andromeda was holding. With a smile, Andromeda blew on the cookie first to not have it become so hot, then gave it to the little baby. With a wide smile, Teddy grabbed the cookie, looked at it, then changed his hair to match the gingerbread man's color.
Andromeda couldn't help, but feel happy. The little part of Nymphadora that Teddy had gained from her, her Metamorphmagus powers. While Nymphadora had liked purple hair the most, Teddy seemed to like bright blue.
Teddy started to munch on the delicious cookie while Andromeda decided to also take a cookie.
When she bit into the cookies she didn't taste sweets or spices, she tasted happiness and memories. The taste drifted her back to a time long ago where everything was better. She let the cookie take her to a time where everything was perfect.
Andromeda opened her eyes and saw the halls of the Black's home. She went to a mirror and saw her ten year- old self, the year before everything went downhill.
"Come on Andi! Let's go play in the snow!" An eight year- old Bellatrix was smiling at her. Beautiful black hair went down her back while dark brown eyes sparkled with mischief. She was ready to play in the snow, whether or not her parents liked it. She wore boy's pants, little brown snow boots, and a black cloak with tan fur lining.
"Don't be such a worry- wart Bellatrix!" Andromeda heard herself say back. Andromeda stopped to look at herself in the mirror once more. There were no wrinkles, her brown eyes were filled with excitement and joy while her brown hair flowed freely.
"Come on! Let's build a snowman!" Bellatrix giggled. Andromeda heard the door slamming and hurried to get outside as well.
As she ran to the snow- covered grounds, Andromeda heard her parents screaming and telling her to stop that nonsense. Andromeda didn't care. She was playing with her sister!
"Hurry and make those snowballs!" Andromeda heard Bellatrix's voice on the other side of the door. Before Andromeda could stop, she opened the door to be greeted by an array of snowballs.
"Gotcha Andi!" Bellatrix and a nine year- old Narcissa shouted together, laughing at the snow- covered Andi.
"I'll get you for that!"
Andromeda, Narcissa, and Bellatrix played in the snow, sledding, snowball fighting, snowmen building, and snow angel making!
Andromeda smiled at the memory. She then heard a rattling to see what had disturbed her wonderful memory.
Andromeda's fireplace glowed and the witch smiled. It was always so nice to have some company over, especially on gingerbread day!
"Hello Andi!" Johnny Dunbar shouted. Andromeda smiled at the old nickname. Johnny had been a Hufflepuff and was actually the father of Fay Dunbar, a Gryffindor in the Trio's year.
"Why did you come here you rascal?" Andromeda teased.
"Just came here to chat with an old friend. You good?" Johnny asked. Andromeda nodded slowly, unsure about her answer.
"How are you Johnny?" Andromeda asked. She held out a gingerbread cookie and he took it, munching and moaning at the delicious taste.
"Been better," Johnny said once he finished the cookie. "Fay's been a nightmare. She's complaining about not being able to find any jobs in London so she's going to go to France to see if she can find any jobs. Jenessa is trying to get through Hogwarts, but it's hard for her."
With that said, the two grown- ups fell into silence. The reminder of those that they had lost was buried deep into their memories. Andromeda lost her daughter, husband, and son- in- law. Johnny lost his son, wife, and sister. Andromeda was now widowed and left to take care of her grandson while Johnny was a single father with no son, but at least had two daughters.
"I'm sorry that Fay is leaving," Andromeda said.
"It's OK," Johnny said. "I can understand. Once the First Wizarding War was over, I begged Mary- An to just move out, but she didn't listen, wanting the kids to attend Hogwarts." He chuckled sadly, remembering his beautiful Gryffindor wife. He still couldn't believe that a beautiful, brave Gryffindor had wanted to marry a shy, goofy Hufflepuff.
"Yeah… I remember trying to get Ted to leave or just do something! I couldn't stand to be here. I knew that Voldemort wasn't truly defeated, I just gave up so easily." Andromeda sighed in sadness, remembering those stupid moments. Now, it seemed so stupid to be fighting over something like that now.
The two magicals sat in silence. They weren't uncomfortable though. Their friendship was so deep that silence was all the comfort they needed, no words of reassurance, no hugs of comfort. No. They knew each other too well. After attending the funerals of their friends, they became close.
"Let us toast to those who have fallen and we will always remember," Andromeda said, picking up a gingerbread cookie. The smell was no longer strong, but it didn't matter.
Whenever Andromeda smelled gingerbread, she smelled something else. She smelled: Hope, friendship, happiness, memories, and love.
The gingerbread cookie was a symbol in Andromeda's life that she carried close to her heart. The memories and feelings that the gingerbread cookies held was a miracle on its own that no magic could ever hope to fulfill in Andromeda's heart.
Though so many had died during the First and Second Wizarding War, Andromeda knew she could always just take a whiff of gingerbread cookies and she would never have to feel hopeless, ever.