Entry for "Astronomy" at "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)"

Write about someone falling from favour.

Entry for the "Scavenger Hunt" at "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments)"

15. Owl

Entry for the "Hogwarts Fair 2014 – Weasley Water Slide

I hope you all like it :)

Druella Black sat in the huge sitting room of the Black house, her fingers impatiently tapping the arms of the chair she occupied as she waited for her daughter, Andromeda. On the huge mahogany cupboard to her left sat her daughter's huge eagle owl, Chester, who looked quiete disgruntled, but Druella did not care.

"Mother – you wanted to see me?"

The door had opened and Andromeda entered, a small smile on her face as she greeted her mother, but Druella's face stayed stern, her lips a thin line.

"Sit," Druella ordered and the young woman obeyed, her face falling and she started to nervously chew on her lips, sensing that something was going on.

"You were always filling me with pride, just like your sisters. I always did find comfort from knowing that you three will help to continue our bloodline."

"I know..."

"Quiet."

Andromeda twitched at the tone of her mother, suddenly sounding slightly dangerous. Something was wrong, she realised and as Druella gestured towards Chester, she gulped and her heart started to race.

"He was wildly tapping against the window of your room, Andromeda. Carrying... this."

Druella pulled a envelope out of the pocket of her robe, holding the parchment only between two fingers. It was already ripped open and it was clear to Andromeda that her mother had read the letter inside.

Andromeda knew that this was not good. Her mother had always loved her, but she also knew that there were no compromises if it came to certain things.

"You are corresponding with this... this Mudblood! Yes, Bellatrix told me what he is! I can't believe that you are writing to someone like this – and the way you talked! Like the two of you could have something like a relationship, something like a future! What were you thinking?! Do you want to disgrace our family honour by being close to a Mudblood?!"

Hearing her mother ranting about Ted Tonks was making her feel somewhat queer, but she knew that this had had to happen sooner or later – yet she had not expected it to be so soon.

The two of them had secretly fallen in love shortly before she had, rather reluctantly, left Hogwarts to spend the Christmas holiday at home. Or more precise, they had finally found the guts to cross the lines between them, to confess the feelings that had slowly built up for over one year. Finally they knew the meaning behind the secret looks shared over cauldrons or plants, the 'accidental' touching of hands.

And when the had kissed, Andromeda had forgotten for a short time that Ted was a muggleborn, that her mother, her whole family would never allow her to be with him, but reality had come crashing down on her as soon as she had returned to Grimmauld Place.

She had given her best to keep her "in love moods" down, which was not that difficult as nobody ever paid greater attention if you behaved normal, and had secretly written Ted letters every day.

But now, her mothers words were hitting her in a unprepared state and she felt her mouth go dry.

"We... we love..."

"Love?!" Druella exclaimed and laughed. "This is ridiculous! You are a Black, you cannot seriously think about having a relationship with him! I forbid you to have any contact with him! Forget him, do you understand?!"

Andromeda's mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air on dry land and normally, she would have obeyed – it was not a good idea to disagree with her mother as her wrath was horrible.

But today was different.

Today she felt like doing what her mother told her would be the biggest mistake she could do.

"N-No."

"What did you say?!"

Andromeda's fingernails were digging into the leather of the armchair she was sitting in and it took her a lot of bravery to take a deep breath and open her mouth to say the right thing.

"No. I will not forget him. I don't care how pure or impure his blood is, I simply don't care what you or anybody in this family thinks because I love him! I would also love him if he was a muggle, if he was poor! All that matters is our love! It is not important to him what my heritage is, he loves me for being the woman I am!"

"He blinded you with his empty phrases about true love, don't you see that?! He wants our money, our name because he is a nothing but a filthy..." Druella exclaimed and Andromeda actually jumped to her feet, her fingers tightening around her wand in her pocket.

"It is you who is blinded by empty phrases, mother!" She spit out in disgust and Druella stood up as well, mother and daughter staring at each other in fury.

"What do you want to do now, Andromeda?! You would not dare to leave the house."

Andromeda had never been particularly impulsive in her life, it was a treat that every Black had to suppress to keep up this wonderful façade of the perfect, wealthy pure blood family, but now she decided her next step within a matter of seconds.

"You have no idea of what I dare to do, mother! I will leave, Ted and I will stay together, if you approve or not!"

At first her mother looked slightly shocked, and then as if she was not believing in Andromeda's words, but as her Hogwarts trunk came flying with only a short wand movement she seemed to realise that her daughter was actually serious.

"He has nothing to offer to you. You will be unlucky and then you will beg me for forgiveness!"

"Ted has more to offer than you ever will. I am leaving."

"If you go, you don't have to think about coming back, do you understand me?! If you go through the front door, you will no longer be a part of the Black family, Andromeda!"

Druella surely thought that this would stop her daughter in her tracks, she was convinced that Andromeda would prefer the comfortable, wealthy life as a member of this family over being with a teenage love that would fade away with the time, but in fact her words only convinced Andromeda more that her decision was right.

"Goodbye, mother," she simply said and clutched her wand tighter as she walked out of the sitting room with firm steps even though her legs were shaking, ignoring how her mother yelled after her. Adrenaline filled her veins and she remained totally calm as she left the house and disapparated without looking back.

Her feelings and the realisation about what she had just done did not hit her until she stood in front of the Tonks' house and knocked at the door.

Suddenly she could feel how the blockades inside of her broke and tears burned in her eyes while sobs started to rise in her chest as the door opened and Ted looked at her, a surprised expression on his face as his gaze wandered from her shaking form to her trunk and then back to her face.

"Andromeda, what..."

"I... I just ran away from home," she stuttered, trying hard not to start to cry.

"What?!" Ted exclaimed, staring at her in disbelief before he grabbed her, pulling her into his arms, knowing that this was probably the wrong moment to ask for any details.

"You stay here, of course, I am sure my parents won't mind! Do you want anything?" He asked as he guided her inside, his arms still slung around her to comfort her.

"Could I get a coffee please? Extra strong? With firewhiskey?"