The Black Family Traitor
The Dark Lord won and the world descended into chaos. Not satisfied with murdering the Potters and their young son on All Hallow's Eve, he had marched on Hogwarts with a terrible army at his back. Dumbledore had died in the Entrance Hall, surrounded only by enemies, his life, many decided, given in vain.
The Death Eaters had mounted his head on a pike over the gates.
Andromeda sobbed into Ted's shoulder when he told her the news, having called for her the moment he'd entered their house. His expression had been ashen and his gaze full of grief, voice quiet as he explained just the bare necessities. He did not have to voice the words for her to know what he had left unsaid. She knew that at Voldemort's right hand would have stood Bellatrix, her older sister, and at his left, her younger sister's husband, with Narcissa lurking in the shadows.
She knew that her sisters hated her and she in turned hated the path they'd chosen to follow.
To them, she was the worst thing a Black could be — a traitor.
Ted held her close and let her cry. It was with a mother's instinct that she finally noticed Nymphadora standing at the top of their staircase, peering down into the hallway below.
Andromeda took a breath and wiped her tear-stained cheeks with the handkerchief she kept tucked into a pocket. She offered Ted a watery smile, and he returned it with a pained smile of his own that offered her his unwavering support and love.
"Nymphadora, darling, why are you awake?"
"Why were you crying, Mother?" As ever, her daughter was both perceptive and shrewd. Her hair, which usually cycled through a variety of colours and only settled when she was concentrating deeply on a task, had calmed to mirror the dark brown curls that were characteristic of the Black family's female descendants.
Andromeda took another deep breath. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has taken Hogwarts," she said. She did not believe in lying to children in order to shelter them from the world around them. That only led to a rude awakening, often of the dangerous kind.
Her daughter padded down the stairs, footsteps light. She was frowning, perhaps trying to understand the depth of Andromeda's words. Impossible, when Andromeda could hardly comprehend them herself.
"He has won," Ted summarised. "We are all in very grave danger; even graver than before."
Andromeda reached out and Ted clasped their hands together. Nymphadora completed the circle and they drew close, hugging in a manner that would have been ridiculed in Andromeda's childhood. She closed her eyes, breathing in the comforting scent of the man she loved and the daughter she cared for above all and letting their presence calm her.
The Dark Lord had won, but that did not mean the Light were beaten.
Andromeda was a Black, and above all else, that meant she was a fighter. As the world spun, so would they continue on.
Minerva McGonagall had a curse scar that curved down the left side of her face, bisecting her eyebrow and barely missing her eye. Despite the wound, which could only be a few days fresh, she stood tall before the gathered remains of the Order of the Phoenix.
"Hogwarts has fallen," she said. Her voice shook and a single tear escaped. Andromeda was stoic in her silence, but others were not. Molly Weasley wept freely in the gathered crowd, as did many other men and women.
"Hogwarts has fallen," Minerva repeated and this time her voice was clear. "But we have not. Nor shall we ever, not while there is a single one of us still breathing, still fighting for what is true and right. Albus gave his life for what he believed to be most precious of all — the future."
Minerva closed her eyes briefly and Andromeda felt her grief keenly.
"As I fled the school, I took the Quill of Acceptance and the Book of Admittance with me."
Gasps echoed around the room. It was all Andromeda could do not to drop her jaw.
"With these, the Death Eaters would have been able to find any child with even a drop of magical blood in their body. We believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named planned a systematic slaughter of all those whose blood was not pure."
"We'll not allow it!" Andromeda snapped, the words bursting free from her chest. Crying out was uncivilised, perhaps, but the sentiment was nonetheless vehement and true.
"Never!" Molly Weasley added, a cacophony of voices joining them.
Minerva inclined her head. "Thank you for your support. I can see that you agree that it is of utmost importance to locate and rescue these children before any indicative display of magic. But we must tread carefully. We cannot risk exposing our world to the Muggles and we cannot simply kidnap their children. Yet also we cannot allow them to remain unprotected and at risk. This will be a delicate and dangerous endeavour. Those of you with many responsibilities may quickly find themselves overwhelmed."
Andromeda got to her feet, even as many others milled about, contemplating their choices.
"I will do this," she said. "I have learnt all that my sisters have; I know the tactics they will use. Let me run this rescue effort for you, so that you may focus your efforts elsewhere. I swear I will devote myself to protecting each and every child to the best of my ability."
Minerva remained solemn and she took Andromeda's hand in her own. "You do not need to swear to that; I know you would help all those children in a heartbeat. Do you truly wish to do this? I will not stop you."
Andromeda smiled, fierce with determination. "It would be my pleasure."
Over the course of a year, Andromeda and her many helpers had perfected their response to a new name being entered in the Book of Admittance. A spell alerted whoever was on call to the activity of the Quill of Acceptance and they notified the rest of the team assigned for that week. A scout would immediately Apparate ahead of the group to the child's location, hidden beneath the Cloak of Invisibility Moody had given them.
If there was danger, the scout would return to brief them. If there was not, they would send a Patronus to alert the others as to the situation they were entering. Then, Andromeda and her team would Apparate themselves to the location as well.
It was one such occasion that Andromeda herself was on call. She hurried to the book, currently stored in the study of Ted and her house. The Quill was poised above the open book and had written in elegant calligraphy 'Hermione Granger'.
She was almost certainly a Muggleborn with a name like that. Andromeda cast the alarm spell to alert this week's team and waited in her parlour for them. Next to the Floo was the only Apparition access point in the house and it was only accessible when she purposely opened it.
Dedalus Diggle was the first to arrive, fiddling with his top hat as he was wont. Arthur Weasley followed him in moments later, a frown creasing his brow. Lastly, Filius Flitwick walked in the door, wand already drawn.
"14 Hampstead Garden Suburb, North West London," Andromeda informed them.
With an elaborate bow, Dedalus swept Moody's invisibility cloak over his shoulders. After a moment, there was the distinctive crack of Disapparition.
"And now we wait," Arthur murmured.
Five minutes later, Dedalus had not yet returned. Andromeda was not pacing the room, but she felt she ought to.
Ten minutes passed, then fifteen. Andromeda exchanged a long look with Filius, then placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"Go get reinforcements," she instructed him. "Moody, if he's free, and Elphias Doge, if he's not already in his cups." She made a face. "Black, too. I know he's been… volatile these last few years, but I suspect we'll need the help. Meet us there."
Arthur paled and nodded sharply. "12 Grimmauld Place," he announced, throwing a handful of Floo Powder into the fire and disappearing into the roaring green flames moments after.
Andromeda drew her wand and shrugged her travelling cloak from her shoulders. Filius was prepared for a fight, his wand raised, grin sharp, and eyes bright.
"On three," he said. "One, two, three!"
With a crack, they both Apparated.
Andromeda threw herself to the side immediately upon arrival and not a second too soon. A sickly yellow spell splashed onto the house behind where she'd stood and the paint began to melt from the brick.
She jabbed her wand toward the masked Death Eater, shattering the bone white mask he wore. She bared her teeth in a vicious grin upon seeing Yaxley's shocked face.
"Scum!" she cried, a chain of curses spewing from her wand.
Disorientated, he blocked the Stunning Spell but fell to her Blasting Curse, his chest collapsing into a bloody mess of bones and perforated organs.
A shout drew her attention and she noted Filius had dispatched his opponent similarly — Rabastan Lestrange. She took a breath. Dedalus was nowhere to be seen.
They'd landed on a Muggle street lined with white-washed townhouses with curling black metal balustrades, London's skyscrapers a distant skyline. The front door to number 14 had been blown apart and a Dark Mark, snake curving obscenely from the skull's mouth, hung in the sky above.
There was a flash of light from the upper left window and the distinct sound of Dedalus casting spells in a panicked voice.
"Go!" Andromeda cried and Filius immediately dashed into the house. She turned to guard the entrance and moments later three more Death Eaters Apparated into the street.
She slashed her wand through the air, generating a shining silver shield. It deflected their spells but left Andromeda unable to attack, caught fending off their advances. She straightened her spine, determined to give Dedalus and Filius enough time to save Hermione Granger and her parents.
"It's the Blood Traitor Black!" one of the Death Eaters jeered.
"Black family traitor and proud," Andromeda returned. She withdrew a gleaming knife from its holster at her hip in case any of them thought approaching and attacking her in the 'Muggle' way was a good idea.
One of them charged and Andromeda dropped her shield, ducking below any opportunistic spell fire. She darted forward to slash the knife across her opponent's chest, slicing him from shoulder to hip, then swayed away, shield back in place moments later.
"Bitch!" The Death Eater staggered, dropping to his knees. He bled red, the same as any other human. His fellows pulled him back, activating a Portkey that undoubtedly returned him to his master's lair.
Three simultaneous cracks boded badly for Andromeda as three more Death Eaters Apparated into the scene. As always, Bellatrix did not bother with a mask, and she cackled upon seeing Andromeda.
"Sister! Isn't this just such a delight!" Bellatrix's eyes spun wildly in their sockets and her hair was untamed and unwashed. Her skin was sallow, her nails long, and to Andromeda, she looked like everything the Muggles might imagine a true witch to be.
"Not particularly," Andromeda said. "Have you come to surrender?"
Bellatrix laughed again. "Never," she suddenly snarled, her gaze fierce. "Well, what are you waiting for? ATTACK!"
Andromeda dropped her shield and blasted the ground before her into pieces, spraying the Death Eaters with concrete and dirt. She dashed into the house, repairing the door behind her. It would not hold for long.
"Filius!" she called, barely keeping the worry from her voice.
"More time," his voice rang back, followed by the panicked shrieks of confused and terrified Muggles.
BOOM.
The ground beneath her feet shook and Andromeda clutched at the wooden railing of the staircase inside the house. She glanced toward the door. Through the cracks in the wood, she could see several Death Eaters blown off their feet.
That could only mean one thing… Sirius Black had arrived.
Andromeda cast another spell at the door, transfiguring it to stone. Then she burst into the front room of the house, vanished the windows, and rejoined the fray.
Sirius looked crazed, hooting with laughter and casting spells indiscriminately. He was holding off five Death Eaters at once without a single care for his own wellbeing.
"Bellatrix!" Andromeda called, for her sister was returning the mad duel with her own wild magic. The two of them were well matched, equally insane and powerful.
One Death Eater was blown into a fine mist, spraying them both pink. Bellatrix turned to face her and smiled as she licked her lips clean.
"Andy," she cooed. "You've unleashed dear Sirius now, haven't you? Can you contain him?"
Andromeda ignored the taunt and raised her wand, silver flames spewing from the tip. Bellatrix shrieked with delight and returned in kind. The fire flashed at the bottom of her robes, but the green liquid Bellatrix had conjured ate the flames and rotted everything it touched. Andromeda smothered the Withering Curse with dirt, Apparating behind Bellatrix and attacking her exposed back. Bellatrix dodged, rolling across the tarmac road.
"Missed me!" she cried.
Andromeda ducked as an explosive spell of Sirius' shattered every window in the street. Thin slivers of glass shredded her bare skin until she managed to call upon the wind and direct the glass at her sister.
"Naughty, naughty!" Bellatrix screamed, frothing at the mouth. "Very well… Avada Kedavra!"
Time seemed to stand still. Green light lanced toward her and Andromeda could not move, shocked, even now, that her sister would curse her with the intent to cause a death from which there was no escape.
Sirius barrelled into her and they sprawled in a heap upon the ground, the spell missing them both by mere inches.
"Look sharp," he said, grin wide, gaze indecipherable. He sprung to his feet with a whoop of joy and conjured ink black spears that impaled a Death Eater not fast enough to shield himself. He raced back into the battle, casting faster than spellfire.
Andromeda stood slowly, brushing the dirt from her robe. Bellatrix had a hand over her mouth, the beginnings of a wild grin peaking out.
"Missed me," Andromeda said flatly, arching a brow.
"Ha!" Bellatrix shrieked. She giggled. "Shall we have another go?"
Andromeda did not let her. She twisted on one foot, Apparating with intent again and again. She'd always been faster, more focused, more precise. Bellatrix's resulting screams were of frustration as she was unable to catch up. It was exhausting, unforgiving work, but Andromeda managed to cast the occasional spell in return, or catch an unwary Death Eater by surprise.
"Andy!" Sirius cried when she materialised once more, a stunner on her lips.
Moody had arrived on the scene, Arthur and Minerva too. They were locked in battle with Bellatrix, the rest of the Death Eaters dead, unconscious, or fled.
A little girl was bawling onto Dedalus' shoulder. He stood in the shelter of the house, horror on his face as he took in the scene before him.
"Parents didn't want her, not with all the trouble she'd bring," Dedalus said when she approached. "The Muggles know something's up, Andromeda. This isn't the first time this has happened."
Andromeda nodded but otherwise ignored him, taking the girl from his arms. The girl stopped crying, curious. She couldn't be more than two years old.
"Hey there, Hermione," Andromeda murmured. The girl looked up, brown eyes to match her brunette curls. Her lip wobbled, tears threatening once more.
There was a loud screech as Bellatrix admitted defeat, Disapparating back to her master. Andromeda covered Hermione's eyes, grateful to be reminded of the reason why they were even here in the first place.
"Let's get you home, shall we?" Andromeda said, turning her back on the chaos and the bloodshed. Distantly, she could hear Moody berating Sirius' wild spell casting and Dedalus fussing over the dead.
Hermione would be their future, one of many children rescued from certain death at the hands of the Dark Lord and his evil followers.
No matter how painful the day had been, nor how exhausted Andromeda was, she did not have a single regret.
Word Count: 2713
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