A.N: For the Quidditch Leagues, my position is Beater 2 so I used the story of Thumbelina. My prompts used were: (word) Bleeding (word) Hate and (quote): "Revenge is not worthy of you. If you concentrate on revenge, you will keep those wounds fresh that would otherwise have healed." Adeline Yen Mah, Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society.
Cygnus Black the third longed for a son. He had hoped that when his wife, Druella, first became pregnant, she would provide him with a solid heir. When Bellatrix was born, however, he wasn't disappointed. There would be more opportunities for a son.
However, when Andromeda was born, he was beginning to have his doubts. After all, Druella was getting older now, and her biological clock was surely ticking.
When Narcissa graced the family, he gave up. Druella's body suffered a change after giving birth to her final daughter, and she could no longer produce children. So Cygnus had nothing to do but sit back, and acknowledge that he had to do best he could with the three daughters he had, even though they would all be married, and none of them would produce Blacks. He had to think about getting them betrothed to suitable families, and quickly.
Druella didn't approve of such measures when the girls were so young, but Cygnus didn't listen. He invited the Lestranges over first; they had two young sons. He hoped that they would choose two of his daughters to marry their sons, but Mrs Lestrange was only interested in Bellatrix. She disapproved of Andromeda's smiling features, and Narcissa's wispy blonde hair. They promised that their older son, Rodolphus, would marry Bellatrix when she came of age.
Cygnus brought over the Malfoys next, once again to Druella's distaste. Narcissa was only three at the time; far too young to be making such a rash decision. The Malfoys had a son who was Bellatrix's age, and he came with the family. Lucius instantly commenced playing with Narcissa, and it was decided that the youngest daughter would do well to marry Lucius.
Which only left Andromeda to be betrothed. It was unfortunate, but there wasn't really anyone else who was from an exquisite bloodline who was around the same age as Andromeda; and even the families Cygnus brought over weren't particularly interested.
Cygnus didn't understand. When Bellatrix turned sixteen, she was immediately wedded to Rodolphus. Andromeda stood there, looking a vision in silver bridesmaids robes, as a picture of immaculate beauty. Cygnus didn't openly have favourites; but he definitely thought that Andromeda was the most beautiful of all his daughters. Narcissa was too young to be admired, and Bellatrix was stunning in her own striking ways, but her permanent scowl took away a lot of her beauty. Andromeda, however, hardly ever scowled. She was friendly to everyone she met, and her soft, light brown hair hung in delicate ringlets around her heart-shaped face.
It seemed that a lot of people did notice Andromeda at Bellatrix's wedding, because Cygnus and Druella suddenly had a lot of families expressing their interest in her.
But Andromeda was older now. She had grown up to scoff at the thought of arranged marriages, and always thanked her lucky stars that she had not been betrothed to someone as a child.
It was all about to change, however.
oOo
It was the middle of the night when Walburga and Orion arrived at Cygnus and Druella's home. Druella had reluctantly slipped a sleeping drought into Andromeda's malt before she went to sleep, so she was dead to the world. It only took mere moments for Orion to scoop Andromeda into his arms, and they apparated back to Grimmauld Place.
When Druella and Cygnus returned to bed, Druella glared at him in the dark.
"Sweetheart, what is the matter? Andromeda will be married, and her blood will remain pure."
"You didn't have to arrange for her to be taken in the dead of the night. She will be terrified."
oOo
Andromeda awoke late the next day. She stretched in her nightdress, and opened her eyes.
Usually, when she woke up, the sun was gleaming through her net curtains. But today everything was dark; she could barely make out a hand in front of her face. She sat up hurriedly, squinting in the darkness, and then stood up. She had been kidnapped!? Where was she?
She rushed over to the window, which was hidden by heavy black curtains. She yanked them open, and recognised the cobbled, grey street of London outside. It was familiar; this was her Aunt and Uncles house.
"Aunty Walburga?" she cried out, and rushed towards her bedroom door. Immediately, her curvy, dark haired aunt threw the door open, and smiled down at her. Walburga didn't have a kind, motherly smile like most aunts had. It was cruel; a little too toothy and wide.
"Good morning, Andromeda," Walburga greeted stiffly. She was holding out an item of clothing; it looked like it had once been white, but it was now a faded, dirty grey colour. "Come downstairs; today is your wedding day."
Andromeda prayed she was dreaming. Surely her father wouldn't actually do what she thought he had done? "Aunty…?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. Of course. My dear brother won't have told you. You're going to marry Regulus, isn't that wonderful?" Her dark eyes were narrowed, the smile growing only wider.
"But Regulus is my cousin!"
"And Orion is mine," snapped Walburga, thrusting the item of clothing at Andromeda. "Now stop sulking and get dressed. You have to do what is good for your family and your bloodline. We will be waiting downstairs." She closed the door sharply.
Andromeda sank to her knees, clutching the grey dress in her arms. What was happening? No, how could this be happening? She knew that her father was trying to get her betrothed to someone, but she didn't think he would stoop to such levels.
She couldn't stay here. She couldn't marry her cousin – Regulus, who was currently only fifteen! She was sure he wouldn't have liked this either, but Regulus loved his mother, and always wanted to do good by her. Andromeda looked around the room hurriedly, and noticed a travelling cloak on the floor that she as probably dressed in when she was taken. After scrabbling in the pockets, she discovered her wand was still there. Clearly, her family didn't think she would have the guts to try and escape from them.
Having no other clothes, Andromeda was forced to dress in the wedding gown. She wrapped her travelling cloak around her tightly, and stepped out onto the window ledge. She turned on the spot, and apparated right before she could fall off the ledge.
oOo
She couldn't go back home, so Andromeda had apparated to Hogsmeade, and entered the Hogs Head, keeping her hood over her head in case anyone could recognise her. It wasn't such a strange thing to do in the Hogs Head – most of the patrons sitting around the bar had hoods or scarves wrapped around their faces. Andromeda sucked her finger – she had splinched a hangnail, and it was bleeding profusely – and wandered up to the bearded barman.
She ordered a butterbeer and sat down quietly in a corner, thinking of what to do. Every time she thought of going home her eyes stung. Was she going to be disowned now, like Sirius had?
Her mind wandered to Sirius. He had run away, and now no one knew where he was living. He would take her in, she was sure. He would agree with her that she couldn't marry Regulus. He would understand.
But Andromeda had no idea where he could be.
She sat in the Hogs Head until it was almost closing, and then the barman told her she had to leave. The thought of not knowing where she could go next was too much for Andromeda, and she dissolved into tears. The bearded man helped her too her feet, and kindly took her into the back room, where she explained everything that had happened. He told her his name, and made her some coffee.
"I can't let you stay with me, but I know someone who would surely take you in," Aberforth told her. "She comes by every evening at about this time, to pick up a parcel for her son."
Andromeda thanked Aberforth for his custom, and waited with him until the woman in question arrived. She couldn't deny she was a little surprised at the bony, hard faced woman, when she arrived at the Hogs Head.
Her name was Augusta, and she was very formidable looking. Her stare could rival the hard-faced one of her Aunty Walburga, except Walburga wouldn't be seen dead carrying a bright red snakeskin handbag, and wearing what looked like a stuffed vulture on her head. She stuck a thin hand to Andromeda after Aberforth had explained the problem. "Augusta Longbottom," she greeted. She raised the hand up to Andromeda's face and patted her cheeks and hair fondly. "Yes, yes. You have the Black nose, I see."
"Mrs Longbottom, you won't tell them you know where I am, will you?" Andromeda begged.
"Of course not. I've never agreed with those floozies. Come on then, you must stay with me."
oOo
Living with Mrs Longbottom wasn't really as bad as Andromeda initially thought. Augusta was strict, and made her do chores all day, something that she wasn't used to, as they had house elves at home. But Andromeda didn't really mind; she enjoyed having something to fill her day with, and knew that she needed to earn her keep somehow.
But Andromeda could tell that Augusta had something else in mind. Her son, Frank, had recently graduated from Hogwarts and didn't live with his mother anymore; he was staying in his own flat in London. Augusta talked about Frank all the time, and at first Andromeda thought that it was just because she was so fond of her son – which was perfectly natural, of course – but then she started to invite him over all the time.
"Put something pretty on, Andromeda, Frank will be here soon! No, not that old thing – here, you should wear this," and Augusta presented Andromeda with some beautiful robes which seemed far too dressy to be wearing for a simple meal. But she had dressed in them nonetheless, and presented herself to Frank appropriately.
Halfway through the first time that they dined with Frank, Andromeda realised that Augusta had another motive. She was telling Andromeda in great detail about how much Frank had achieved in such a short amount of time, and then she was telling Frank how pretty Andromeda was, and did he agree? When Frank went home, Augusta came and sat on the end of Andromeda's bed.
"What did you think of my Frank then, Andromeda?"
"He's lovely. You must be very proud of him."
"Oh, I am. You know, you would suit each other."
Realisation hit Andromeda like a brick to the head. Surely Augusta wasn't trying to set her up with Frank? She liked him enough, but she didn't like him enough to marry him. And she didn't even know him, yet! What was with all these people trying to marry her off?
As she drifted off to sleep, Andromeda struggled to mask all the hatred that was piling up inside her. She hated her mother and father for starting this whole thing. She hated Walburga and Orion for kidnapping her. She hated Sirius for not being around, and not telling her where he had gone. And now she hated Augusta Longbottom and her wretched son, for once again trying to get her married. If she had been like her older sister; she would have done something regretful to get revenge on them all. But revenge wasn't worthy of Andromeda.
Andromeda woke up early the next morning. Augusta liked to sleep in, so she didn't hear the tell-tale sound of Andromeda apparating away in her bedroom.
oOo
This time when she opened her eyes, she was in Diagon Alley. It was all too easy to melt into tears this time; she was so scared. She wanted to be home, in her bed, or back at Hogwarts, where she didn't have to deal with all this marriage and pure blood stuff. Andromeda found herself crouching in the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron, sobbing into her knees and not caring about the people that walked past.
No one stopped to speak to her, or ask her if she was alright. No one, that was, until he walked past her.
"'Dromeda?"
Andromeda looked up, her dark eyes sparkling with tears. The man that loomed above her was Edward, Edward Tonks. She knew him from Hogwarts. Ted stuck his hand out and pulled her to her feet, and looked at her questioningly.
To her, he was like a knight in shining armour. She knew he would help her. She told him everything, from start to finish, and Ted wrapped his cloak around her shoulders, and took her to safety.