A/N: Very old oneshot I'm finally getting around to publishing! I wrote this before I read the seventh book (which further proves how old this is...I had to have written this in like 2007, since I was finished with the Deathly Hallows like two days after it was released). Therefore, this is mostly definitely AU, given what the seventh book tells us about the characterization/fate of Andromeda Tonks. I hope you enjoy!
The mythical Andromeda was placed in the sky by the goddess Athena after she was rescued from the sea monster by the hero Perseus. Her chains were broken and she was free.
Andromeda Tonks, nee Black, always thought it was an appropriate myth to be her namesake. With the help of Ted, she broke the chains binding her to her family and their manic obsession with the purity of blood. She had defeated those who wanted to imprison her, but now she found herself back where she started. On her knees, powerless, at the feet of her older sister, who was pointing a wand at her heart, with a manic gleam in her eyes.
"Well, well little Andy, back where we started? I remember this moment, twenty five years ago. Nothing's changed," A few things had changed, Andromeda knew. They were both older, obviously, moving a bit slower than they had when they were seventeen. Bellatrix had been beautiful, but now her glossy hair was frizzy and wild, her porcelain skin more gray, her beautiful eyes dimmed by madness. Back then, Andromeda had her wand, and had been able to escape, but this time her wand lay several feet away, snapped in half by Bellatrix's boot. There would be no escape this time.
"Are you going to do it, Bella?" She said quietly. "Because I'd rather get it over with now." Fat chance. Bellatrix liked to play with her prey.
"What? No master plan, Andy? You're not going to pull out your wand and start cursing everything in sight? You're not going to run?" She laughed. "Oh right, I've already destroyed your wand. And where would you run? You've got nothing left." She started to pace in front of her sister. "Oh little Andy, right back at the beginning. You gave yourself twenty five years of borrowed time but I've caught up to you. What was the use? What have you done?"
"What have I done?" Andromeda's voice was low and tight with emotion. "What have I done? I've lived for twenty five years in love and happiness and freedom. I had a beautiful daughter, a husband who I will always love. I lived, Bellatrix. What have you done? You've wasted away, existed purely for your Dark Lord. Was it worth it?" Bellatrix froze at her words.
"Shut up." She hissed, though in her heart she knew that Andromeda was right. While her sister lived in the light and freedom, she had dwelt in darkness and prison. Andromeda's next words were spoken so softly Bellatrix nearly missed them.
"I have never been the one in chains."
More powerful than any spell Andromeda could have spoken in her last moments.
Bellatrix froze for a moment, unsure of her action. She did what had become natural to her. She hissed the spell, the green light flashed, and Andromeda crumpled at her feet. She was paralyzed, staring at her younger sister's now dead body.
"Lestrange! Let's go!" Her fellow death eaters called to her. She followed, trembling with a mixture of anger, grief, and fear. She only looked back once. At the sight of the slight smile beneath her sister's sightless gray eyes, so like her own, she turned on her heel and ran from the house at full speed, fleeing from that which she knew was true.
Death was painless, Andromeda found. One moment she was staring at her sister's furious eyes, knowing she had triumphed, and the next she was lying on her back. She felt grass tickling her face and neck. Sunlight warmed her face. Oxygen flooded into her lungs and she opened her eyes to see a brilliantly blue sky. A familiar hand grasped hers, pulling her up.
"Welcome to Heaven," A voice said. She turned to it. A twenty year old Ted was looking at her with a smile on his face. She smiled, and kissed him. Their lips melded together as if they were made for each other and Andromeda knew that this was true bliss.
Her life had been worth it.