"Mum, you wished to speak to me?" Seventeen-year-old Andromeda Black stepped into her mother's bed chamber. It was winter break of Andromeda's final school year, and the calendars read "December 24th."
"Yes, dear," began her mother, "You see, your sister Bellatrix is engaged now…"
"Yes, Mum, I know," said Andromeda, "But, what about her?"
"Well, dear, she has found a suitable husband," her mother started out slow, but increased the speed of her words as she spoke, "Your father and I wish you to do the same, and so we have picked you a husband."
"Mother!" Andromeda was taken aback. "When I wish to marry, I will surely let you know, but I am only seventeen years old!" Actually, part of that was a lie. Andromeda was ready to marry, but not some pureblooded punk her parents found "suitable." She'd fallen in love with a muggle she had met over the summer called Ted Tonks, but she hadn't told her parents.
"Dear, we wish you to be prepared for life early off," her mother continued, "Being married young is the simplest way of doing so, especially to the young man we've arranged. His family is most anxious to tie into the noble family of Black."
Andromeda sighed, knowing this conversation was going no where. "When must I meet the boy?"
"You'll met him tomorrow," Mrs. Black smiled, patting her daughter's head. "You'll love him, I promise."
The next morning, Andromeda aroused herself and, in her nightdress, went down to make breakfast. Perhaps waffles today, she thought, Ted showed me how to make them, so perhaps I'll try it. She was shocked when her mother, father, and sisters sat in the sitting room fully-clothed and with company. Company that was unwelcome in Andromeda's opinion.
The company was Lucius Malfoy, a Slytherin prefect from school who did nothing but get on Andromeda's last nerve (a nerve usually reserved for her cousin, Sirius,) and his parents. The trio's hair were as blonde as Bellatrix's was black, and that said something.
"Mum, what are they-.." Andromeda half-shrieked.
"I told you we would have company today!" her mother hissed. Bellatrix stifled a laugh.
"You mean…?!" She just couldn't put it into words.
"I simply cannot wait for you two to wed!" Bellatrix gushed in mock excitement, looking from Andromeda to Lucius and back again.
"Who two?!" Andromeda stammered, "Surely not us two!" She pointed frantically from herself to Lucius.
"Why, yes, Andromeda," Lucius smirked, "I'm your betrothed. Perhaps you should go back up the stairs and dress yourself. Don't you want to be presentable in the company of your future mother-in-law and father-in-law?"
Andromeda said nothing, too furious to speak rationally. Instead, she stormed back upstairs, dressed, and returned. Unlike if it had been one of her sisters, the whole process only took about ten minutes.
"I'm dressed. Pleased now, Malfoy?" Andromeda snarled.
"Hey, better change that attitude, dear," Lucius scoffed, "That'll be your name, as well." Reality sunk in. Her parents had really engaged her to the man, the boy, she attended school with and could stand the least of all students! Once Lucius and his parents (finally) left, Andromeda sat down wit her parents to have a serious conversation. So, of course, her sisters eavesdropped.
"Mum, you cannot honestly have betrothed me to that… that… that beast!" Andromeda cried shrilly. Tears made themselves present in her eyes.
"He's not a beast," her mother replied coldly, "He's a wealthy, handsome young man with pure blood streaming through his veins."
"How does that even matter?!" Andromeda sobbed, "I couldn't care less about his blood or his money!" At this, her mother choked on her next words and nearly fainted. Her father, having just taken a sip of coffee, promptly sprayed the room black.
"Andromeda Black, don't say such atrocious things to your mother!" her father demanded in such a booming voice even her nearby sisters trembled.
"They're not atrocious," Andromeda argued, "They're facts! I can't stand all of this… this… incest! For that's what it must be if everyone is as pureblooded as they claim!"
"Do not speak to your parents this way!" commanded Mr. Black, not drawing a wand, but instead, raising a hand.
"I'll speak anyway I please!" said Andromeda, but even she knew she had gone too far. For a moment, she didn't care. For a moment, it felt good to finally get her two cents in. For a moment, she was on top of the world, endorphins rising and her head spinning. And then, her moment crashed down by the swing of an arm and the piercing cry of pain; a cry that escaped through her own lips.
It took her a moment to understand. Her father, her loving, stern father, had struck her, even sent her flying across the room. All of this was done wandlessly. Perhaps he thought he would knock some sense into his girl. Perhaps he wasn't thinking, only acting. It didn't matter. Andromeda ran, ran as fast as possible, up the stairs and to her room while her parents stood frozen and speechless. If only seconds later, a small, delicate hand knocked lightly, affectionately, on her door. She slowed her sobs to a stop before answering the door. When it opened, her four-year-younger sister, Narcissa, stood before her.
"What do you want, Cissy?" Andromeda demanded through a shaking voice. Tears still hid in the corners of her eyes, and her make-up was stained across her pale face.
Narcissa's jaw fell open as words fought to come out, but them fight seemed to be lost as no words were spoken by the fair blonde girl. She seemed, for unknown reasons, to be on the verge of tears. Andromeda took the time to examine her sister, to look at her features for really the first time.
Wavey, light-blonde hair framed her pretty face. Her grays eyes pled for love and acceptance. Though only thirteen, Narcissa had taken to wearing make-up, and it could do nothing but make her even more beautiful. Maybe thought Narcissa was the most beautiful of all three of the sisters Black. Narcissa thought differently. She was always harsh when commenting on her own appearance, attitude, or grades. "It could be so much better!" she would say. Narcissa thought Andromeda and Bellatrix were much more beautiful than she.
Abruptly, Narcissa grew too frustrated to even bear it. She spun around on her heels and then dashed back to her bedchamber. Then, shouts from down the stairs distracted Andromeda, and so she could not pursue her young sister. She could not make out exactly what her parents and sister Bellatrix, for that was who the screaming came from, were saying exactly, but she heard the words, "Andromeda," "Love," "Pureblood," and "Disgrace" came up a fair few times. Andromeda cried silently, sitting on the steps and listening to the fight, trying to understand. It wasn't until ten minutes later when she realized an amazing fact.
Bellatrix and her mother were fighting for her.
