Andromeda's in a meadow, and she doesn't know why. A strand of hair falls over her eye, and she winces at it. It isn't the bleached hair she always sports, but her natural brown-black, nearly the same color's as Bellatrix. She blinks and her eyelashes (bleached and shortened) brush her cheeks like they used to. And it hurts, because she looks so much like Bellatrix now. A figure she knows as well as her own and her ex-sisters runs towards her then stop suddenly, running again when she sees the un-lidded eyes.
"Mum! I'm sorry- I just didn't know that's what your natural hair was. You told me you did something with it, but I didn't know you looked so much like her. Sorry. And oh yeah, sorry I'm dead."
"N-n-nymphadora?"
She scowls. "Don't call me that. I may be dead, and married but I'm still Tonks."
"I-I-I- How is this possible?"
"Oh, when the living need the dead, we show up in their dreams. And I mean really need. You were about to, well, commit suicide and you can't. I need you there for Teddy. Harry's parents came after the Graveyard Incident- that what Cedric and Lily and James call it, since the "Graveyard Tragedy" doesn't have the same ring to it. That's why Harry had so many "nightmares." Sides's, Mum, if you came here, Teddy, by right of next of kin that know about wizards, would go to the Malfoys. Narcissa, you know, being your sister."
All Andromeda could manage was, "But Narcissa's not my sister."
"Yeah, we dead don't care that you were blasted off. Blood says you and Narcissa and-" She winces. "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"She- I- Not my sister."
"Yeah, I can that, with you looking nearly identical 'cept the eyes. Sides, like I said, some Blacks are nice. Like Marius. And Alphred. And Sirius, but well, we all know that. And Cedrella. And Phineas- not the old Headmaster that gave me hell when I was Dumbledore's office- his son. And Isla. And yeah, Molly's mother, too. And some others, but they're snobby. On the Lightish Side, but like I said, dead snobby."
"Dora! Oh, Dora! Merlin, Dora-you're glowing. And your hair isn't changing. Why? Are you still a Metamorphmagus? Are you sick? Do you need any help?"
"Mum, I'm fine! And I can't get sick! And I'm not clumsy anymore-" She trips over a rock. "Okay, I lied. But I'm not a Metamorphmagus anymore. It's liberating. I don't need to tell the truth! I can pretend not be angry when I am! But if I want to, I can change! And only if I want! The other dead Metamorphmaguses, too. And, no, Mum, it's not the same. If it was the same, my hair would be bright pink. But the stupid Elders of the Dead took it away when I gave myself claw and scratched your Mum. She's a bitch. How did you live with her for nineteen years? I'll never know. But then again, it could be her name. Who names their kid Druella?"
Andromeda blinks back tears. "It could mean" Druid", or "dewy-eyed", and don't insult her if Narcissa Malfoy is my sister, Druella Rosier Black is your grandmother."
"Yeah, yeah. Doesn't make her less of a bitch. When I saw her, she insulted Dad for a while, then me, then you. Went off on a little temper tantrum when she was talking about you. 'Daughter of my womb, flesh of my flesh, such a disgrace, I will never get over this, my daughter of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black marrying a Mudblood.' Not sure who she was more angry at, me for being your 'Unnatural spawn, born of an unnatural mixture of mud and a pureblood, and a little freak' in the bargain, or you for doing what you did. Anyway, when she said something about a goat and me and a werewolf and you and a pig, I scratched her. It healed up, right away and didn't give a scar, so I don't know why she was so upset. So she went crying to the Elders of the Dead and they stripped my powers for a month."
Andromeda runs to her daughter. "Nym-Dora! Why did you go to her? Why? You knew it would end up in a fight. And who killed you? Are they still alive? Tell me, and I'll kill the Death Eater who did. I'll be given a free pass- I'm sure the glorious Narcissa Malfoy wouldn't like her precious Black name being tarnished further then it already is, by being related to Bellatrix. And Harry Potter would take me out, I think. He nearly killed Bellatrix in the Ministry Fight. So I won't go to Azkaban."
Tonks's body freezes under her mother's hug. "Er, I wanted a tea with her? The last and only time I saw her was in a picture you gave me when you went to her funeral."
Andromeda narrows her eyes. (Just like Bellatrix's, she thinks, more scared of the prospect that she's felt for years, like when Bellatrix escaped from Azkaban, or when Bella went to Azkaban, or during/right before/after the Second War, or during/ right before/ after the First War.) "Nymphadora. Who killed you?"
"Don't call me that!"Tonks snaps back reflexively.
"Nymphadora-" Tonks winces at the name, more so then she used to. "That is your name. At least for once in your life-"
"Death-"
"Trying not to remember that for a reason-"
"Get used to it-"
"NYMPHADORA ANDROMEDA TONKS-LUPIN!"
"Er, yes Mum?"
"Be quiet. As I was saying. Nymphadora is a perfectly lovely name, and means Gift of the Nymphs. Anyone should be proud of having that name."
"Stop it! Just stop it! You know why I hate that name! And I hate it more now! Of all the bullshit pureblood customs to stick to, you stick the one to give long, stupid, ridiculous names! And you know why I hate it more?" Tonks' voice rises to a shriek. "YOUR MAD SISTER NOT ONLY KILLED ME BUT SHE MADE FUN OF MY NAME AND CARVED IT INTO MY ARM NEXT TO BLOOD TRAITOR!"
"No. No. Bella-Bellatrix. No. She wouldn't hurt me that way. She-She-She loved me. She wouldn't. Nymphadora, you're lying! She wouldn't! She wouldn't kill her own niece!"
"She did, Mum. And Dear Old Aunt Bellatrix Lestrange isn't the person you think she is. I saw her! I fought her! She killed me! And you still think she's the same old person who you played with when you were young! And when was she your sister?"
"When she first killed!"
"She said she was fourteen when she first killed! I was there! Remember the Diagon Alley meeting? She said she first killed when she was fourteen! Was she your sister when you were twelve and Narcissa ten? Tell me! Was she! You said she wasn't your sister when she first killed! But McGonagall said you had a very good relationship until Narcissa graduated and yo married Dad and ran away! Well, which was it? Twelve or nineteen? Tell me! And she killed Dad and your daughter, me and still you think she's still that same big sister that was nice to you! Well tell me, Mum. Was she?"
"She killed Ted?"
"Yes, Mum, she killed Dad! Your husband, the love of your life, your soul mate!"
"No! She wouldn't! She couldn't! She wouldn't-couldn't be taht evil, killing you but keeping me alive!"
"She did! And are you going to not believe me? Well, I'll show yo!"
The scene misted away.
She is Nymphadora and she is scared. "Remus!" she calls. "Remus! Where are you? Remus? Remus! Remus!" But no one hears her in the clash and bangs of the battle around her. "Remus!" The sound is torn from her throat in some sort of primal terror, her hair turning ice-blond from fear. She falls over a body, the mouth open and the eyes wide and staring. She knows that body. "REMUS! NO! REMUS! You promised me yo would be alive! You promised. For Teddy and me, you said. You promised!"
"Well, well. Look who it is. Little Nymphadora, all grown-up and mourning. Is this your first mourn, Mudblood and Blood-Traitor get? Do you know how it feels now, having something that's yours stolen from you?"
Nymphadora knows that sound. She's heard it before, several times. "Bellatrix Lestrange."
The woman cackles, delighted. "Well, well, Mummy taught you the names of your superiors. Yes, pig. I am Bellatrix Lestrange, the Dark Lord's most loyal and faithful."
Nymphadora scowls, turning into her mother. Light brown hair, lightly lidded grey ice eyes, tall, slim, the near-twin of the woman in front of her. "I am Nymphadora Andromeda Tonks Lupin, and I have seen you four times and fought with you three. I remember the time in Diagon Alley, and that you seemed to love my mother, as the pain in your eyes was obvious."
She ignores the pain in Bellatrix's face at her appearance, her middle, first last name, and the fact of Bellatrix once loving her mother.
"Well, if we want to be all namey, I am Bellatrix Druella Black Lestrange, pureblooded daughter of Druella Rosier Black and Cygnus Black."
"Like my mother?"
"Andromeda was a stupid whore who was never Narcissa's nor my sister!"
"Don't you insult my mother! Stupefy!"
"Is that all you can do? My, my, Aurors are failing and getting to be less of a challenge now. Avada Kedavra! "
Nymphadora ducks and weaves, none of her clumsiness showing in battle. Both women ignore the winces they each have when they say the spells and the spells nearly hit. Nymphadora, because this woman looked so much like Andromeda, her mother and are you supposed to be trying to Stun or kill your mother? Bellatrix, for Nymphadora wore the face of Andromeda, her favorite sister.
Bellatrix broke. "Enough of this. Crucio!"
Nymphadora is unable to duck this one. White-hot knives stab into all areas and infuse her blood with blue-white fires. Pain is all she know, but she sealed her mouth and throat shut, so Bellatrix would not have the pleasure of hearing her scream and beg for mercy. But a grain of defiance rises in her. Why should she seal herself shut? She is half Black and has the pride of her mother. She unseals and does not cry out once.
"CRUCIO! CRUCIO, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"
The force of the spell knocks out some of her teeth. Nymphadora spits them out at Bellatrix's feet, a bloody saliva-filled mess.
"You'll have to do better then that, Aunty Bellatrix."
"Cruci-"
"Expelli-"
"Avada-"
"Impendia!" The force of the curse lifts Bellatrix off her feet and slams her into a wall.
"You little bitch!" Bellatrix spits at Nymphadora's feet. "You will regret that very soon! I was just planning to crucio you into insanity like the Longbottoms, but now I will kill you! What a Black wants, she gets! And I want you dead! "
"Isn't my mother a Black? Well, technically ,there are no Blacks left since you killed the last one...but if you mean Black as a maiden name, my mother's a Black, which means I'm half Black, sadly, and both me and my mother want me to be alive, so one point five is bigger then one. So, yeah, I guess I live."
"Your mother never was and never will be a Black, and neither will you! And Narcissa is a Black and both she and I want you dead! And two is bigger then zero! Which is what your dear mother will be left with! No husband and no daughter!"
"Three things to say. One, isn't my mother your sister? Two, I have a son. With Lupin, the werewolf lying dead there. So my mother won't be alone. Three- why aren't we dueling?"
"Oh, so you want me to duel you?" Bellatrix cackles high and mad. Skips in a circle, leaving Nymphadora utterly confused.
"Yes. Expelli-"
"Avada Kedavra!" The last thing Nymphadora sees is not the husband she tries to, but a flinch and a tear. The last sensation is pain as her body goes to her natural form, short, grey ice eyes, heart-shaped face, and deep, unending emotional pain.
Andromeda takes a deep breath. In. Out. "Dora. Dora. I'm so sorry. I didn't know-"
Her daughter smiles sadly at her. "No. You never do. Would you like to see her? Bellatrix, I mean?"
"Where is she? How will we get there? Apperat- no that makes you feel sick. Broom? Thestral?"
"Mist."
"Excuse me?"
"In dreams when one scene mists into another? We can do that. Hold my arm tight." The scene, indeed did mist away and reform, into a valley. It was cold and damp and dark and gray.
On the dead grass was a rumpled figure. Andromeda could see messy black hair. And she knew who it was. Trying to keep a tight rain on her emotions, she merely said flatly, "Bellatrix."
The pile stirs and the view split in two like holding a bit of parchment in the middle of your face. Each had the same sene, but differently. In one scene, both Andromeda and Nymphadora glowed with a steady, bright white light. Bellatrix lifts her head and her face was twisted and ugly. A black aura touched with grey spread around her. In the other, Bellatrix looked the same, like she was alive.
"What?" Both Bellatrix's demand in unison. "I was resting..." then they say Andromeda and Nymphadora.
"You!" They screech. The right index fingers stab at Andromeda. The Bellatrixes fly at her and overlap into the normal Bellatrix and the view turns regular with no glow. Bellatrix's hands tighten around Andromeda's neck.
"You! You Blood-Traitor, you-"
"Yes, me. I'm glad we established that." Nymphadora chuckles behind one hand.
"Yes, it is me. Andromeda Elladora Black Tonks. I am happy that you aren't as mad as you look."
"You!"
"Is that all you can say? 'You!' Mother taught us better, as I am sure you remember? This is my daughter Nymphadora, have you ever met her?"
"Er, Mum, best not bring me into this. This looks like a family reunion."
"You/We are/aren't family!" Both say at the same time.
"Bellatrix, I haven't seen you for so long! This is how you greet me? Your sister?"
"You aren't my sister!"
"Ah, I've made you say something other then 'You!' Mother would be so proud."
The hands continue to strangle Andromeda, or at least they try to. The hands pass right through.
"Anyway, it looks like I've used up my welcome. Come Nymphadora, let's get away from her. Mad people are not good people."
As they mist away they hear, "I'M NOT MAD!" Mother and daughter share a laugh at that.
"Dora, can we visit dear old Mother tomorrow?"
"Sure, Mum. Tomorrow."