The smell of roasting coffee beans permeated the air in the cafe that Andromeda had arranged to meet Bellatrix in. The shop was dimly lit, sparsely occupied, and it served the strongest, most bitter tea imaginable, which was precisely how Andromeda took hers.
She was seated in a booth in the far corner of the shop, cupping her almost-boiling English Breakfast in both hands, keeping her eyes quietly focussed on the window overlooking the street, anxious for any sign of her elder sister, or worse, any sign of someone else coming into the shop. If she'd had it her way, Andromeda would be meeting Bellatrix in the Lestrange estate, but her sister would not allow for that, vaguely mentioning something about keeping her location as private as possible. Andromeda understood. It was instinctive for people to seek to hunt you down when you dwelled with monsters, and that was exactly what Bellatrix was bringing upon herself.
Andromeda spotted her eldest sister soon enough. She was difficult to miss, with her black robes billowing furiously in the summer breeze. Andromeda rose automatically as her sister stepped into the cafe. There were some things that remained ingrained into your being after you spent the better half of your life in etiquette classes to live up to the family name. Social graces were a requirement, as were repeating all the pretty words they taught you to recite. Andromeda reached out to embrace her sister, kissing her once on each cheek. Bellatrix reciprocated, smiling slightly before seating herself in the booth.
"I feel like it's been years since we last met, Andromeda." Bellatrix said. For a split second, her expression was nostalgic, almost gentle as she regarded Andromeda. Andromeda softened slightly, but Bellatrix's approachability was gone as soon as it had come. "You said you had matters to discuss," she said expectantly, clasping both hands in front of her on the table.
Andromeda had rehearsed this conversation a hundred times before, yet she still struggled to coax the words out of her mouth.
"Bella," she said, at last. "I'm engaged."
Bellatrix sat in silence for a while. "Andromeda, you are betrothed to Rabastan Lestrange." she eventually murmured, her mouth tightening into a thin line and her tone reflecting one that someone would use whilst talking to a particularly obstinate child. Andromeda cringed inwardly as she sensed the calm fondness that her sister had regarded her with mere minutes ago dissipating into frustration.
"Bella, I am engaged to Ted Tonks."
Bellatrix became deathly quiet. Her reaction showed that evidently, she knew exactly who Ted Tonks was.
"Is it now your desire to breed with animals, sister?" she said, her voice monotonous and cold.
"I didn't expect you to understand." Andromeda muttered.
"There is nothing to be understood. Should you wish to compromise your name, your blood and everything our family has worked to build, then I have nothing more to say to you." Bellatrix spat. "I serve a master who will not tolerate my blood being defiled by you and your Mudblood filth, and neither will I."
"Sister, please-" Andromeda began, although deep in her heart she had already acknowledged that the cause she was trying to fight had been lost a long, long time ago.
"If you refuse to hold any respect for the Black name, then don't you dare call me sister."Bellatrix hissed, stalking towards the door.
Andromeda did nothing but watch as the look of utter disgust on Bellatrix's face as she walked swiftly out of the cafe. She took the now-cold cup of tea back in her hands. She had prepared herself for this. She knew that this would happen. Still, the tears that rolled down her cheeks could not be stopped.
Cold, like she would be at the end of it all.
Cold, like she would be, after -Two more to go.