Andromeda poured herself a glass of wine. It was starting to become a habit of hers, and she worried a little about it. Was it really healthy to collect herself with alcohol?
Her shaky hands spilled the wine all over the table cloth. She tried to clean it by magic, but it was just impossible. It was like her wand was in mourning too. Andromeda was starting to become a squib, and she didn't like it.

Despite the fact that her one white table cloth was now deep red, Andromeda still needed that glass of wine. So carefully, she grabbed a firm grip on the bottle and slowly poured the wine in the glass.
And for the second time this morning, she spilled wine all over her table. Only this time, it wasn't her fault. She had only much concentration to do one thing at a time, so the knock from the front door wasn't very much helpful.

She moved towards the door, her expression darkening every second. Was it Harry again? Molly, Augusta? Why couldn't people understand she'd rather be alone?
Slowly, Andromeda unlocked the many door latches they installed in order to keep themselves safe. Ironically, home was the last place her family got hurt.
She quickly lectured herself. She couldn't think about that right now. It wasn't an option to break down in front of other people.

The door opened with a great amount of creaking and scratching, which muffled Andromeda's surprised gasp. She recognised the small, lean figure standing in front of her. The woman's long blond hair danced on her back as she lowered her hood, revealing the piercing blue eyes Andromeda knew so well.
"You!" She stumbled back a few steps, gripping her chest.

The woman tried to smile, speaking silently.
"Good morning, Andromeda."
She couldn't believe her eyes. Was the wine getting to her? It couldn't be...no, the woman in the doorway couldn't be Narcissa. They haven't spoken for almost 30 years.

-

"You can't be serious! Planning to marry a..a mudblood!"
Bellatrix jumped from her bed, her eyes twice the normal size in shock.
"Don't use that word! And why wouldn't I? How are we any better than muggle borns?"
Her elder sister practically screamed at her.

"HOW? The noble and most ancient house of Black, 'Tojours pur'?
Narcissa, who was unusually quiet, finally joined in.
"You can't do it. You'll get...Disowned."

She whispered the last word, as if it was a particularly horrible swear.
"You think I care? Mother and father never really loved any of us, anyway."
Bellatrix tried to fight her, but Andromeda stopped her.

"No they didn't, Bella! They are content to have pretty girls, all sorted in the most noble house of Salazar Slytherin, yes. But they don't love us. Don't you remember the disappointment in father's eyes when Cissy was born? He was so mad that Aunt Walburga was the one that was going to carry on the family name to her sons, he didn't even care he just had a child."
Narcissa turned over to Bellatrix, who for a while couldn't find an argument on that case.

"Is that true, Bella? Do they really regret me being a girl?"
"Well, it's only natural. Imagine if you were the only one left to carry on the family name. You'd be disappointed if you were beaten to it by your own sister, too."
Cissy seemed to fake calm, but Andromeda saw through her mask. She knew her, Cissy was a part of her. Her pain was Dromeda's pain.
"I'm sorry, Cissy. It's not your fault, you know. It's not natural. Parents should love their children, no matter if they are fitted to their standards."

She slowly nodded, tears streaking over her face.
"And you..You are going to tell them?"
Andromeda shook her head in agreement, which made Belatrix' eyes grow absurdly big.

"Dromeda! If you choose to marry that filthy mudblood, then swear to God, the two of us are disowning you too, isn't that right, Cissy?"
Her eyes found Cissy, waiting for her to confirm. Andromeda watched with anger as her little sister was being pushed into something she didn't want to purely out of fear.
Silently as ever, her mouth formed the word that changed all of their lives.
"Right."

-

In less than two months, Andromeda married Ted. After the big fight she had with her parents, which even involved some curses being thrown in her way, she hadn't had any contact with her family.
Until today. The person who stood in front of her has indeed changed over the years, but it was the same frightened little girl who was forced into doing something she didn't want that stood in front of her, thirty years later.

Andromeda slowly spoke, her voice just a little bit louder than a whisper.
"Nar...Narcissa?"
The woman nodded with worry in her eyes.
"May I come in?"

Andromeda wasn't sure how to respond. She hasn't seen her sister for years. How should she act towards her? How could she know this wasn't some sort of trap?
On the other side of the door, Narcissa was having her own inner battle.
She came here asking for forgiveness. But, did she deserve it? After all, how would she feel after decades of being left out of her own family? Then, if she did get forgiveness, what was next? She had no idea what they would talk about

It seemed Andromeda was the first to decide, as she almost closed the door. Narcissa let out a sigh, but she calmed her with her hand.
"Let me just tidy up a bit."
She rushed to the table, removing the cloth and throwing it in the closest cupboard. The wine found its place in the pantry, and the last thing to do was gathering herself. She quickly washed her face and brushed her hair.

Andromeda came back to the kitchen, only to see Narcissa sitting at the table.
She curled her lips into an apologetic smile.
"I wasn't meaning to come in, but then this witch apparated in your front yard. She kind of looked at me with horror and quickly disapparated, so I decided maybe it would be the best if I come in."
Narcissa may haven't recognised her, but Andromeda knew who it was. It couldn't be Molly, she was with Teddy at the Burrow, and Narcissa knew the little Granger girl. That left only Augusta. Andromeda rolled her eyes and pulled her wand out, hoping she could cast a patronus.

"It was only Augusta Longbottom. She probably thought you're here to attack me or something in that direction."
She raised her look, trying to see through Cissy's expression. She couldn't be sure her sister wasn't here to attack her.

Narcissa reassured her with a smile.
"I won't do no harm, believe me. I've done enough already."
"Well...I guess." was the most she could say know.
"So...maybe you should put your wand out?"

Narcissa was looking at her sister with a small amount of fear in her eyes.
"Oh, just let me send a message to Augusta, so she knows I'm alright.
She gave her best trying to think of a happy memory, she really did. But she just wasn't able to be happy now. She tried to remember the day she had Dora. But instead of the little pink-haired baby, she saw the lying body she was called to a week ago.

She tried to remember her wedding day, but the only thing she saw were the hooded faces torturing her and Ted.
The blond was looking at her with worry. Did it only appear like that, or was her sister really unable to do magic anymore?
"I can do it if you are having trouble." She gently suggested.

"You can't, it will only scare her if she sees an unknown patronus speaking with a voice she doesn't know. Besides, can you even cast message patronuses?"
She shook her head 'no'. As much as she know, that was something only the members of the Order of the phoenix knew how to do. But Lucius never told her he saw Andromeda in a battle...
"You know what, I think I'll just floo her."
She took a handful of the green powder and threw it in the fire.
"Augusta Longbottom!"

A few seconds later, face of an elderly woman appeared in the fire.
"Dromeda! Thank heavens you're alright! Are you alright?"
Her face turned in the fire for a second.

"Kingsley, she's alright, no need to send Savage and Proudfoot there! I'm sorry I raised such a mess, I thought I saw someone who looked awfully like..."
She stopped talking when she noticed Narcissa sitting at the table. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her in anger.
"Leave now, or I'll have the Minister send aurors here, I swear to God I will!"
Andromeda rolled her eyes before speaking to Augusta.

"Calm down. She isn't going to hurt me, she's just visiting. I'll be fine."
"Of course, and then that the two of you can resurrect Bellatrix and have a nice little family reunion!"
Sarcasm was all over her voice, but Andromeda didn't notice it.

"Don't you dare mentioning that name! Not today, Augusta! I thought you had more decency than that, I really did, after all you've been through."
"Dromeda..."
"Please go. Tell Kingsley I don't need help. And besides, you and Molly along with Harry should learn I can take care of myself. I'm not an infant, Augusta."
Augusta could recognise a lost battle. She sighed before disappearing from the fire.
"I'll see you in the afternoon then."

Andromeda turned her back to the fireplace and sat opposite to Narcissa.
Somehow, mentioning Bellatrix made the air even more awkward.
Narcissa was the first to speak.
"So...a nice place you have here."

"Thank you. Although I'm sure it cannot be compared to the grand Malfoy manor and all..."
Her sister shifted in the chair.
"Well...it's not really ours anymore. The aurors broke in a few days ago, said they need to search it for some items...and, to cut a long story short, the house isn't really there anymore."

Her sister looked at her with confusion.
"What do you mean, 'The house isn't there'? They took the house?"
"Sort of. It was full of dark magic; the house itself had curses built in...they said it was a danger to people, so they just decided to bring it down. So we're staying in the house in London for the time being."
Andromeda just couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for them.

So, their house was brought down, but so what? They probably had half a dozen more they could retreat to.
She and Ted didn't have anything but their small, humble house for all of their life together. She had to change the topic; this one was turning into yet another walk up the memory lane.
"So...how's your son? Draco, isn't it?"

Narcissa nodded carefully.
"Yes, Draco. Well, he's still a little shocked from after the battle...he lost a friend, you know."
Andromeda shook her head 'yes', already regretting for starting this conversation.
"I heard about your daughter...I'm truly sorry. Actually, that's why I came here, to see how you are and all."
"You know what Cissy, maybe you should save that for someone who believes it."
"And you don't?"

"Honestly, no. You were there! No one forced you, and still, you were there, on hisside!"
The blond let out a sigh, clutching the cloth of her cloak.
"No one...no one forced me? What, you think I willingly let them change my house in the headquarters? You think I wanted my son in the battle?"
Andromeda rose, suddenly feeling anger. It was good in a way. It was the first time in a week that she felt alive.

"And you think I wanted my daughter? At least I tried to talk her out of it. I don't suppose you went out of your way to keep your son at home, did you?"
Narcissa looked down, trying her best to get the tears out of her eyes.
"I...he was safer there! " Andromeda snorted at the thought "He was! For all I knew, Potter was supposed to die that night, so Draco would be among the...winning side, he'd be safe. And he would be taken care of, Lucius and me were there, and...and Bella..."

"Haven't I mentioned I do not want that name mentioned in my house already? Or do I have to make myself clearer?"
She reached for her wand, she knew the anger would make her able to do magic.
"Dromeda, your own sister? You wouldn't-"

She unknowingly repeated the same thing their late sister told Narcissa two years ago.
"There is nothing I wouldn't do anymore!" She growled as a handful of red sparks came out of her wand.
Narcissa took a step back, obviously distressed.
"Maybe it's best if I leave."

"Maybe it is." Andromeda glared at her sister, her wand still on ready.
"We should talk. I...I realise you need time, so...when you want to contact me, just send an owl. It'll find me."

Andromeda nodded to her sister. If she was to be asked, the time when she'd like to make contact wasn't about to come soon.