For No.1HPfanLuvsHP's "Canon Family Genre" challenge. Please leave some feedback! Thanks :)
"Cissy! We're not allowed to run down there!"
Andromeda chased her baby sister down the sidewalk, shouting as she ran. "Cissy! Stop!"
Cissy wasn't actually a baby – she was just the youngest – so she always got away with things like this. She didn't even turn around as Andromeda continued after her.
"NARCISSA!"
Even her full name made no difference to the wobbly five-year-old.
"Please … stop!" Andromeda could barely breathe, but was pleasantly surprised when, finally, the younger girl skidded to a halt.
Andromeda caught up with her, still panting, and clapped a hand on her shoulder. She was about to deliver a fierce reprimand when she noticed Cissy's terror stricken expression. Following her gaze, her heart sunk.
"What are you doing here?"
The boy was older, crueler and notorious for violence. Andromeda had only ever caught glimpses of him, but she was sure that he would not take well to her and her sister in his area. Especially not with all of the rumours in town about her and her family.
"Oh – erm, I'm really sorry, she's just a kid and we were about to go back home and she just got away we were playing tag and –"
The boy was glaring, walking closer and closer.
"We're really sorry, we're just going home, like I said, so goodbye –"
He was towering over them. "You don't belong here."
"We know, that's why we're leaving I'm really, really sorry!"
Her voice was hysterical now, Cissy was whimpering behind her, and the boy was hulking – bigger than she'd imagined.
"Please … please, I'm really sorry!"
One of his meaty hands landed on her arm.
"D'you wanna know what happens to little freaks when they come over here? To little witches?"
Oh Merlin, how did he know? He grabbed her other arm and began shaking, hard.
"No! Please! I'm sorry!"
He threw her to the sidewalk. She felt tears stinging her eyes and held them back. She just managed to squirm to Cissy's side and lay in front of her.
"If your mum and dad can't teach you manners, I will!"
He looked like a rabid wolf – or what she imagined they would look like if she'd ever seen one. He was coming towards them again and she knew that he was going to hurt her and she was petrified.
"Cissy! You have to run away!" she hissed, and nudged her sister.
Narcissa only cried, clinging to Andromeda for all she was worth.
"I can't Annie, mummy will be so angry with us!"
"Shut up, freaks!"
Cissy wasn't doing a very good job of keeping her tears quiet.
"Please just let us go home!"
Why in Salazar's name was he coming closer again? All Andromeda could do was inch backwards, praying that it wouldn't be too bad and that he wouldn't touch Cissy.
He kicked Annie in the stomach. She yelped in pain and continued to cower.
"Did that hurt? Do you even feel pain?"
Yes. Yes I really do.
He stepped on her leg and pushed down, and she couldn't help it, she hollered, trying to writhe away, but unable to move. She wanted to vomit – stars were popping in the back of her eyes and all she could see was black for a moment.
"Try and run away now you freaky little –"
"I'd be careful who you call freaky."
Cissy and Andromeda simultaneously let out a cry of elation. Andromeda began to weep in relief. Bella Black – in all of her nine-year-old glory – was standing straight, tall, and just behind them.
"Oh it's you. I thought there was another freak to the bunch."
"Well, you were right." Bellatrix's words did not betray an ounce of fear, even faced against the larger boy. In fact, it was she who was now approaching dangerously, never breaking eye contact.
"Get away, or you'll be sorry!"
"Sorry? How sorry? As sorry as you're about to be?"
"What – you think you could…"
The boy suddenly looked puzzled. He held up his shirt and inspected it. When he laid it back on his stomach, a hole the size of a wand tip had burned right through it.
"What the –?"
"You forgot who you were messing with." Bella's voice sounded a bit amused, now, as the boy let out a cry of alarm and two more burn marks appeared in his jumper. "Like you just said – witches."
"What are you doing to me?"
Andromeda heard a strange noise, then, and peered more closely at him. Startled, she realised that the hairs on his arms were erupting into flames and singing off, one by one.
"OW!" he was slapping out the fires, yelping as his leg hairs began to do the same.
"Make it stop! Make it stop!"
Bella was standing just in front of him now, and she reached out and grabbed him by his hair.
"If you ever come near my sisters again, I will never stop hurting you."
He nodded, and, mirroring his action from moments earlier, she threw him to the ground. "Get out of here. And hope for your sake that you don't ever have to see me again."
He scampered away, looking like nothing more than a bumbling fool.
Andromeda did not know which was more frightening – being left alone with that awful boy, or Bellatrix's wrath towards him. Her older sister's fists were clenched, jaw set.
"I hate those filthy muggles. They're animals!"
Andromeda kept her mouth shut, not mentioning the kind muggle family she knew down the street.
"I wanted to set that nasty boy on fire! I would have if my magic was strong enough!"
"It's all right, Bella, he's gone."
"He shouldn't have been able to leave! He didn't deserve it!"
"You came in time, he's gone, everything is fine, now." She didn't know which sister she was trying to calm.
"I want to kill him!"
Andromeda froze. That was too extreme. Bella was scaring her.
"Bella?"
"WHAT?"
"Erm … I don't think I can walk." She was only attempting to distract her.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I think my leg might be broken."
Obviously that had been the wrong thing to say. Bella's hair seemed to crackle, her nostrils flared, and she stared after the spot where the boy had disappeared with such venom that Andromeda had the urge to find him and warn him.
Then Bella was just Bella again, reaching down to put her arm behind Andromeda's back.
"Help me, Ciss. You guys are stupid for coming out here. Wait 'til mum finds out about this."
Her superior, irritated tone was a welcome relief. Andromeda wanted to be off the subject of pain and killing. She wanted to run as far from it as she could.
"That's why it's so important to marry like mum and dad," Bella began, her teeth gritted. "Muggles are sick. They're not like us, Annie."
Andromeda just nodded, wishing her sister would quiet down. Of course she was going to marry like mum and dad. What would she want to marry a muggle for? She just wished Bella would stop talking about it with those flaring nostrils and wild eyes.
"'Course, Bella."
"Andromeda? Andromeda Black?"
The stately fifth year spun on her heel, eyebrows raised at the boy in front of her.
"Yes. And who might you be?"
"I'm Ted Tonks. And you dropped this."
Her essay on porlocks was in his hand.
"Where in Salazar's bloody name did you find that?"
"Erm … I was just on my way to Care of Magical Creatures and I saw it lying outside on the grounds."
"And what house are you in?"
"I'm in Hufflepuff, but I really don't see how –"
"What year?"
"Fifth. Now if you would just –"
"Fifth year Hufflepuff? Which means you had Care of Magical Creatures at 9:00 this morning?"
He sighed, looking exasperated. "Yes, it does."
"Which means it has taken you four hours to return it to me? What were you using it for in between then and now? Let me tell you something, Todd Tonks, I do not approve of cheaters. Now give it here."
She was startled to see his eyes flash in anger. He drew himself up to his full height (rather impressive, now that she noticed it) and shoved her essay at her.
"Let me tell you something Androllicka Black –"
"Andromeda!"
"I found your stupid essay on the way to my class and pulled it out of the mud. From there I went straight to the greenhouses, cleaned it off and pieced together your name. Then, during my free period, mind you, I asked everyone I could find if they happened to know an Andromeda Black. Despite multiple warnings against returning it to you at all - apparently several people were under the impression that you would be rude and impolite, can't imagine why – I finally figured out what house and year you were in, asked your stupid bleeding head of house (who, by the way insulted me, accused me of ulterior motives and almost wouldn't tell me) what class you would be in and spent the last twenty minutes waiting for your royal highness to get out of it so that I could return this. Ted Tonks is not a cheater. And you're welcome!"
He stormed away, tripping slightly on his robe as he went. Andromeda didn't move for a long moment. She had never been spoken to light that before and certainly never by a Hufflepuff. Even as firm as his words had been, no one had ever done anything like that for her either.
Shaking off the encounter, Andromeda made her way to the front doors to take her essay to Professor Kettleburn. She would explain what had happened … whatever had happened … and go back to normal life. However, she was just about to push through the doors when she heard her name.
"Annie!"
Spinning around, she nodded to Bellatrix. "Hi Bells."
"Andromeda!"
"Calm down, what is it?"
Bellatrix looked beside herself with rage.
"I just heard the most disgusting rumour!"
"Oh yeah? What was that?"
"It's about you."
Andromeda sighed. People were constantly spreading rumours about all of them. "What about me?"
"There seem to be some misguided students under the foolish opinion that a Hufflepuff boy – Ted Tonks? yelled at you in the upstairs corridor and that you just let him walk away! And Annie – they say he's a mudblood."
She froze. Maybe Ted Tonks had shocked her with the way he spoke to her, but he had also worked for hours on getting her back her essay. For some reason, that was enough to want him safe from Bella's wrath.
"No. No, he didn't yell at me at all."
"What did happen then?"
"Erm … nothing, really. He just found an essay I had dropped. He handed it over and left."
Bellatrix didn't look too pleased about that either, but Andromeda hoped that he would be fine for a little while at least. She didn't like that Bellatrix knew who he was now. She realised that strangely, she would be sorry if the boy got hurt.
"All right. I knew it couldn't be true. The two imbecilic second years perpetuating the rumours are stunned behind a tapestry upstairs."
Bella let out the strange, tinkling laugh that she was perfecting.
Andromeda cringed. Two twelve year olds stunned because she had to lie to save the skin of a Muggle-born, Hufflepuff boy. She waited until Bellatrix was out of sight and then spun around to find them.
"I did yell at you."
Embarrassingly, she jumped nearly out of her skin.
"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you?" she gasped, resisting the urge to clutch her heart.
Ted Tonks stood before her, looking just as unassuming as ever. Except currently he seemed to be smirking.
"I wouldn't be laughing if I were you."
"Yes, well, you're not me and I find you very amusing."
"I find you very annoying."
"That much was obvious from the moment I met you."
"What is it you want?"
"An answer. Why did you lie for me?"
"I didn't lie. And if I had, I wouldn't have done it for you."
"You did. You told your sister that I didn't yell at you."
"You didn't. Not really."
"We weren't exactly having a friendly chat."
She heard someone rounding the corner and yanked him into a nearby empty classroom, slamming the door behind her.
"What the –?"
"Shut up." She pressed her ear to the door until the footsteps faded away.
"My, my. Are you afraid to be seen with me?"
"Of course I am. And you should be too."
"Oh yeah? Why is that?"
Andromeda glared at him. "Do you know anything about my sister?"
"Bellatrix? Seventh year, bit scary, not a fan of Hufflepuffs or Muggle-borns or boys who yell at her sister?"
"Yes. Do you have any idea what could happen to you if she catches wind of us speaking? Or even in the same vicinity?"
"Ah. So this is forbidden love."
Andromeda recoiled as if she'd been slapped. "NO! Absolutely not!"
"… It was a joke."
"It wasn't funny."
He was smirking again.
"Stop it! You're not taking this seriously enough. You have to know – Bella never forgets names. Or faces. Or supposed crimes against her, her family, or her new master, Lord Voldemort."
"The nutter obsessed with offing all the muggles?"
"Muggles, muggle-borns – doesn't make a difference to them."
"But you don't support that cause?"
Andromeda stared at him, somehow on the brink of admitting the most dangerous secret she had. And to Ted Tonks, of all people!
"I … I feel it best to remain neutral for the time being."
Ted beamed, and she knew he knew.
"They're wrong, you know."
He began walking out the door.
She felt shaken and disturbed by this boy. However, she also wanted him to stay.
"What do you mean? Who is wrong?"
"Everyone. About you."
And then he was gone.
Andromeda had the presence of mind to wait for an appropriate amount of time before leaving the room. Even as she did, all she could think about was what he said. Who was wrong about her? The people who hated her because they thought she was a stuck up, Slytherin ice princess obsessed with blood purity? Or the ones who wanted her to be?
"Everyone."
Andromeda didn't know why or what bizarre power must have possessed her, but for a small instance, she hoped with everything she had that he was right.
"Ted! Ted!"
The door to the tiny London flat opened to a bleary eyed Ted Tonks.
"Dromeda. What is it? I thought you had work."
"I did – I do. I need to talk to you."
He stepped aside, beckoning. "Of course. Come on in."
She stood in the entrance to his flat, pacing and feeling like she must look deranged. Maybe she was.
"Merlin, Dromeda, what is it? Is everything all right? What's going on?"
If she wasn't so preoccupied, she would have noted how handsome he looked in his pajama bottoms and white T-shirt. However, she was much too anxious for anything of the sort.
"I … erm … well I have some news."
"All right … care to elaborate? Or sit down? Or have a spot of tea?"
"Don't mock me!"
He smiled and, looking hesitant, moved closer. He reached for her arms.
"I'm not mocking you, Dromeda. What's the matter?"
"You can't be angry."
"Oh no. You invited your parents over for dinner."
She laughed (only a bit hysterically) and shook her head. "No. Actually it's just that … Imightbehavingababy."
He froze, gaping at her.
"Umgeruhm…."
His reaction was less than encouraging.
"Not might. I am. It's sure."
"Ermuh…"
"I saw it. On a screen." Her eyes grew distant. "It's really in there."
He held up a finger and, understanding the feeling, she fell silent to let him have a moment. However, rather than standing there and continuing to ogle her like she assumed he meant to do, he turned on his heel and walked into the bedroom.
Maybe he just needed to be alone. Sighing, she fell into a heap on the couch. For some reason, her hand landed on her stomach. She left it there, and (who would have thought?) began speaking softly. "Hi, baby. Are you – "
CRASH
The door slammed, and Ted was back. "Erm … hello."
He strode over to her and tripped, falling onto … wait …
He glanced up at her from one knee.
"You didn't just trip, did you?"
He smiled and shook his head. Then he pulled out a box.
Her hands flew to her mouth.
"I've had this for weeks. And I guess this is my cue."
She smiled, ashamed as tears stung her eyes.
"Andromeda Black. I have loved you for the best four years of my life and I plan to love you for the rest of them. You are more beautiful than anyone in the entire world and the prospect of being the father of this baby – since it's half yours – makes me more terrified and excited and perfectly happy than I could say. And if you would be my wife, I –"
Andromeda fell to her knees and kissed him. "Yes. Yes I would love to."
Her tears kept splashing on his cheeks, but he held her face still and kissed her back, pulling her so tightly against his chest that she couldn't have felt unsafe if she'd tried.
"Dromeda … wait …"
She pulled away, afraid that he had come to his senses and realised that it would be madness to marry a girl such as herself.
"What? What is it?"
"Hey – hey, stop panicking," he said, smirking like he always did when he was reading her like a book.
"Just tell me what's wrong!"
He was chuckling and she wanted to hit him.
"No, in all seriousness, what about your family?"
Andromeda sighed and crossed her legs.
"What about them?"
"You could lose your family."
She leaned forward, grinning coquettishly and stared into his eyes. She moved a hand to grab his chin and hold it there.
"Love, how could I lose my family by marrying him?"
And now he was crying a little too, even if he never admitted it, and he pulled her into his lap and held her there and they wept a bit and giggled a bit because they were getting married. And of all the things Andromeda had expected of her future, she never could have imagined that someday this would be her family. Never could she have imagined that she could be this happy.