Author's Note: I hope I captured the emotion well. As always, constructive criticism is appreciated! :)
Andromeda Tonks stood outside the doors of the Great Hall. She reached out a hand to the door and stopped. Was this what she wanted? To see her daughter one last time? Did she want to see the pale still body, or remember only the bright animated woman who had been her daughter for those few short years? "What do you think, Teddy?" She asked the baby balanced on her hip, there was no way she would have left him home alone. Teddy, of course, being but a few months old, did not respond. After staring at the door a moment longer she made up her mind and went in.
The bodies were still being laid out, and separated. Death eaters' bodies were being moved somewhere else, entirely, where she knew not. She inhaled sharply as she passed a body being carted off without ceremony. The long dark hair and the pale, cruel, face it framed were all too familiar. Bellatrix Lestrange. Her sister. The one she had tried so hard to forget. The one who she had wished a thousand times she did not know. And yet what was that feeling pulling at her? Could she truly being feeling a loss for sister? Sisters? Andromeda realized she did not yet know the fate of her other sister, Narcissa.
Andromeda jerked suddenly, as she realized she had been standing still. Slowly, determinedly, she set off again, looking every which way for one thing. And there it was the shock of bright pink hair that could only belong to one person. "Nymphadora." Andromeda sank to the floor at her daughter's side. "My Nymphadora." For once she allowed the tears to fall, free and fast. The world blurred and she felt someone taking Teddy from her and she let them, sobbing uncontrollably. Crying for herself, for her daughter, for her son-in-law, for her husband, for her sisters, and for little Teddy who would grow up without knowing his parents. After a time her tears subsided and she looked up to see who had Teddy. She gasped at what she saw. Narcissa was standing there, her arms wrapped gently around Teddy, her eyes flickering between the two. As panic rose in her chest Andromeda leaped up, and snatched Teddy from her sister. For a moment they stood staring at each other, Andromeda's head spinning, searching for any possible reason her sister was not on her way to Azkaban accompanied by Aurors and several Dementors.
"Andy?" Narcissa asked, almost timidly.
"Yes, Cissy?" She replied stiffly, looking around for any one who might realize Narcissa had been overlooked in the round up of the Death Eaters. Instead, her gaze fell upon Lucius and Draco who were watching them intently.
"I-I'm so sorry." Narcissa whispered, looking close to tears. "I'm so sorry."
"For what?" Andromeda knew her voice was cold and harsh, but could honestly care less. "Sorry that the Dark Lord was defeated?" Even after years, she could not help speak the name that had been hammered into her for seventeen years.
"No. Sorry that I believed Mother and Father. Sorry that I joined the Dark Lord. Sorry that I thought I was superior because I had a name that people knew, and a lot of gold. Sorry that this accursed war killed the niece I always thought inferior. Sorry that the war cost you so much, cost all of us so much. Sorry for everything." Burying her face in her hands, Narcissa wept.
Andromeda reached out a hand, and hesitated. She was not sure she was ready to forgive her. A flood of memories overcame her. Memories of the little girl she had picked up, when she had fallen. And whose scraped knees she had kissed better. Memories of the pleased eleven year old holding her Hogwarts letter. She reached out and wrapped her arm around Narcissa who leaned against her gratefully. Andromeda did not cry, she had cried enough. After several moments and when Narcissa's sobs had ceased, she asked, "What made you change your mind?"
"Draco." Narcissa admitted, "I knew if the Dark Lord won Draco would be killed. I could not allow that to happen. Besides, I could sense him swaying, feel his doubts. So, I...lied."
"Lied?" Andromeda frowned, in confusion, "To whom?"
"The Dark Lord." Narcissa's eyes were wide, as though she'd only just realized the danger of what she had done, "I told him Harry Potter was dead, when I knew he was still alive."
"All for the sake of your son?" Andromeda smiled, slightly. "That was brave."
Narcissa smiled back, hesitantly, before turning her attention to Teddy. "What's his name?"
"Teddy, he was named after his grandfather." Andromeda explained.
"Oh." Narcissa seemed wrong-footed, clearly uncomfortable with mentioning anything that might be painful.
Teddy's hair suddenly turned orange and Narcissa jumped back, startled. "He takes after his mother," Andromeda smiled, proud of the little metamorphagus.
"I see." Narcissa smiled, "Actually, I think that color suits him." She leaned forward and ruffled it affectionately.
Draco appeared, suddenly, at his mother's side. "Father said the new Minister needs to speak with us." He told her.
Narcissa nodded, and then turned back to Andromeda, "Will we see one another again?"
"Certainly." Andromeda did not want to loose her sister again. "Hello Draco."
Draco nodded, in recognition, "Hello, Aunt, er," He looked at his mother.
"Andromeda," She supplied.
Andromeda set her mug on the kitchen table, wondering what to do next. After speaking to Narcissa she had gone home, and taken as long as she could putting Teddy to bed. She had made herself two mugs of tea, and picked up several books, discarding each one as she found she could not bring herself to read them. She had given up on reading all together, when she had found a book inscribed in the front with "To Remus, Love Dora". She had fiddled, idly, with Ted's muggle radio, but had found nothing of interest to listen to. She had even tried the Wizarding Wireless, but had turned it off, when a somber report about the death toll had begun. Although she tried to deny it, Andromeda knew what was bothering her. Never, in all her life, had she been in a house so empty. Sure, she had been in the house with no one but Teddy when Nymphadora had rushed off after Remus, but then she had been awaiting her daughter's triumphant return, not sitting alone with the knowledge her daughter would never return. She sighed loudly, "I suppose I really should go to bed." She mused aloud. She shrugged, one more cup of tea can't hurt...
When Narcissa's owl flew in the next morning it found Andromeda asleep with her head on the table, and a smile on her face. In spite of everything, she couldn't help but feel a sort of deep rooted happiness that spread all the way from her heart to her smiling face. And all because she and Cissy had been reconciled.
---Please Review!