"I'm going to ask you again and this time I want you to answer me honestly!"
"I t-told you I d-don't know a-anything"
"Crucio!"
Andromeda watched the scene, concealed by the darkness, as her youngest sister was tortured by her eldest sister. She knew what it felt like to undergo that terrible jolt of agony and suicidal dread that she cried for Cissy more than she'd cried for herself. Her tears were partially from the knowledge that it was her fault this was happening and yet she couldn't move from fear.
"One more time, what has she told you about this mudblood?! Where does she go with him?! What does he know about us?!"
"I don't-"
"Crucio!"
After finally regaining the ability to move Andromeda left the Slytherin common room unnoticed, defending Cissy would only anger Bellatrix even more and she always took out her anger on the younger, more vulnerable of the Black sisters.
The library, where Andromeda spent most of her time outside lessons, was quieter than usual. Her favourite elements of the library were the paintings of various magical authors at the end of the bookcases; many of them were friendly and gave her tips when she was writing essays about their books. Her favourite was Newt Scamander; who had got her Outstandings on all her essays for Care of Magical Creatures since she was a third year and it was the same humble wizard she went to talk to now.
"Good afternoon, Mr Scamander"
"Aha! Good to see you my dear, how was your Muggle Studies lesson this morning?"
"Wonderful as usual Newt, Which reminds me I forgot to ask about Primary Schools, I'll ask Mrs Caphelia tomorrow".
"I'm afraid that could be a problem, Miss Black. Tonight all of us paintings are being taken down and stowed away"
"Really? Why?" she was genuinely upset at the news.
"The head of Hufflepuff house has accused the Ravenclaws of cheating; it appears a small handful of fourth years smuggled Phyllida Spore into a Herbology exam. Which reminds me, a Hufflepuff girl with blonde hair has been looking for you, she might have left now but she said she would be near the restricted section".
"I'll go there right away, thank you Mr Scamander. I guess this is goodbye" she let out a few tears despite herself but regained control before approaching who she thought and feared would be Nelly.
She wondered what Ted saw in her when she reached the entrance to the restricted section, because Nelly was in fact a beautiful girl. Her nose was a bit small and some would say that she was a bit too tall for a fifth year, but nevertheless it made Andromeda feel once again like she didn't belong. She was about to reluctantly tap Nelly on the shoulder but before she could the girl from Hufflepuff interrupted her.
"I bet he told you about Primary School, didn't he?"
"I'm sorry?"
"You heard me. He told you about us growing up together as Muggles, how we got our letters for Hogwarts together, how we've always known each other but we've just been best friends".
"He did, yes".
"I bet he didn't tell you about the time he got bullied by some older kids for making a tree root trip one of them up and how I got a branch to fall on their heads. How we won the talent competition when we were nine because he was too nervous to perform the magic trick so I did it for him. When I got two buses to his parents' house every night to tell him about the dragons of Romania and the gnomes at Ottery St Catchpole where I lived. He probably didn't tell you about our first trip to Diagon Alley; we have exactly the same wand, elm and unicorn hair. What about the sorting ceremony? When we both got sorted into Hufflepuff but he spent the whole feast looking at you at the Slytherin table! Or in our second year when he and Professor Dumbledore rescued me from one of your sister's pranks!"
"He never said he was there" Andromeda whispered.
"Its not just me who watches over him, he's my protector too, he doesn't even know how much he protects me but he always has done!" she was crying now and for the first time in the time she'd known her she looked weak and, for once, human.
"What do you mean?" she asked Nelly.
"Expecto Patronum!" A burst of white light erupted from the end of Nelly's wand; Andromeda now noticed that it was in fact identical to Ted's. The blinding light took the form of a great bear that stood on its hind legs as if determined not to let anything harm the blonde girl. The bear patrolled the perimeter around Nelly with eyes that were familiarly welcoming and friendly.
"A bear?"
"A Teddy, the Teddy who'll always protect me" and now both girls, the blonde in yellow and the brunette in green, were crying a river between them, and the great bear ceased to exist almost immediately.
"I- I had no idea you liked him so much"
"That's an understatement. I love him, and I know he loves you instead but I learned the Patronus Charm a year ago and it's always been him and I know that it always will be". Andromeda's anger at Nelly evaporated as her story progressed and she now knew that it was appropriate to move closer to her.
"I'm so sorry, Nelly. If he knew all this-"
"Then he would look at me in the longing way I've looked at him all this time and use that charming voice of his to tell me how sorry he is but that he's fallen in love with someone else. Don't apologise, Black, I came to terms with this a long time ago".
"Then why have you tried to send me away?"
"Because not only did he have to fall in love with a Slytherin whose family are all You-Know-Who supporting Death Eaters, but he also had to fall in love with someone who looks at him the same way I do; someone who is much more worth loving than I am".
"But-"
"You're not your sister, Black. You take Muggle studies, you're clearly in love with a Muggle-born and you're friends with paintings! Although I have to admit that Scamander guy is a hoot-and-a-half!" Their crying ceased and the two girls began laughing. As much as she was glad to have found someone like Ted for her to love, she was even happier to find a friend like Nelly who, despite their conflicts and differences, finally made her feel like she belonged.