When Ted Tonks woke, it was still dark outside, though he was very aware of someone standing over him. Seeing Ted open his eyes, the figure leant forward.

"I have been trying to wake you for ages! My skin will have to be scrubbed raw to remove the stench of Mudblood!" she snarled, looking repulsed.

"Andromeda?" Ted asked, bewildered. He shakily sat up, head spinning.

"Have you not guessed yet?" she said triumphantly. She pulled out her wand and prodded his chubby stomach. "Well?"

"An - Andromeda?" he stuttered.

"Not Andromeda, no ... " Arms folded, she arched an eyebrow and waited. Ted looked up at her head held high, her jaw … the strong jaw …

It was only when the realisation of what she had said, and the horror-struck look on his face, did she cackle with glee. Ted stared into the cruel face. "B - B - Bellatrix Black?!" He scrambled backwards, but went a little too far; he promptly rolled off the bed and landed with a dull thud. Getting to his feet, he frantically looked for his wand.

"Looking for this?" came Bellatrix's mocking baby voice. "Has Teddy lost his wand?"

He looked up to see her examining his wand. He cleared his throat, "What are you going to do with that?"

She looked at him, a sadistic smile curving her thin lips. "I could do plenty, but I shall gain much more enjoyment from watching my Andromeda dispose of you when she finds out what has happened."

"What - what did happen? ... "

There was a pregnant pause. She smirked and raised an eyebrow. Ted tried to think of the last few hours. As it slowly, painstakingly slowly, dawned on him he looked up at her accusingly. "You spiked my drink!"

She feigned surprise. "What a clever boy, did the Mudblood work that all out by himself?"

"You mean we - you - we didn't – you ... ?" Ted's words trailed off weakly as her grin widened. He recoiled in disgust. Bellatrix opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the retching of Ted as he vomited down the side of the bed. She ignored it.

"Well," she said, wrinkling her nose, "I must take my leave and tell dear sister what her pet Mudblood has been doing."

Ted staggered forward and clutched her wrist. "You wouldn't – it's not fair, I – you wouldn't tell her?!"

"Tell her? I'm not going through all this –" she shuddered "– for nothing! Of course I shall tell her! I am the Dark Lord's most loyal – most faithful –"

"Who? The Dark Lord? Wait - you mean that Voldemort? So that's what he's calling himself now, eh?" In a split second, he was in excruciating pain. Bellatrix had evidently used the Cruciatus curse. The pain ended soon and Ted was left whimpering on the floor.

"You are not worthy to even speak his name!" she whispered, her eyes narrowed. "There will be a time when everyone will worship him as I do, and I - I shall be there beside him! I alone shall be his most faithful!"

Ted said nothing, but stared at the fanatical woman standing before him.

"You're mad," he whispered.

"You're mad if you think my sister will forgive you after this! And I shall be there to pick up the pieces!"

She cackled insanely.

"Please don't tell her! I didn't know what I was doing," Ted said hoarsely, and then frowned. "You saw to that – you made sure I couldn't!"

"That's not the story Andromeda will hear! Let's see," said Bellatrix, tracing a finger slowly over her thin lips, "I shall say that the filthy Mudblood, that's you," – she pointed his own wand at him and started to pace the room "– sent me a letter ... apparently from - from my Rodolphus! To trick me. Yes, asking me to meet him for dinner, but ..." She put the back of her hand to her forehead, feigning distress. "Oh, it was just so traumatic! I couldn't possibly go on ..."

She looked down at Ted and grinned from behind her hand. "I'll put a sob in about here, what do you think?"

"You can't, you can't tell her," he said quietly. "I don't even remember what happened!"

"You remembering isn't a necessity," she said lazily. "I shall fill in the details."

There was a moment when neither spoke; they simply glared at each other until Bellatrix tossed him his wand. "Here, you may be needing this. My sister has quite the fiery temper, you know."

She turned and walked to the doorway and called over her shoulder, "She is a Black after all."

And within a second, Bellatrix Black had disapparated.

For a while, Ted sat there, staring, horrified, at the space where Bellatrix had disappeared. He slowly got up and walked downstairs, trembling. Taking a seat at an old desk, he picked up an old looking quill and began writing hurriedly on a spare piece of parchment.

Dear Andromeda,

I don't really know what to write.

Firstly, I want you to remember that I would never hurt you on purpose.

It's just that your sister, Bellatrix, will be coming to you soon with a story. Whatever she says is not be true, I promise. I hope you'll give me the chance to tell my side.

Love always,

Ted.

He reread the letter quickly, before grabbing the barn owl, who was perching peacefully asleep, and attatched the letter to it's leg.

"Right, Barney, I need you to take this to Dromeda," he said quietly, stroking it's head. "Quick as you can."

The owl nipped his finger with affection and, practically being thrown out of the window in Ted's haste, took flight out of the open window.

xox

St Mungos …

" ... And luckily for me, your mother understood."

Ted tenderly squeezed Andromeda's hand.

She nodded her head, but still looked stony faced as she said, "My elder sister caught up with me at the Leaky Cauldron later that day. She came with the story that Ted had tricked her, but obviously I knew it was all a lie. Ever since we were young she has always been prone to deceit; one became rather immune to it after a while." She fell quiet, staring at her the rings on her and Ted's entwined hands.

"And your mother, being the woman she is," said Ted, grinning at his wife, "got Bellatrix back good and proper!"

"What did you do?" asked Tonks eagerly.

Andromeda smiled wickedly, betraying her Black family heritage.

"Go on, Dromeda, tell Dora what happened," said Ted.

"Very well, very well." Andromeda thought for a moment. "As I said, I went to the Leaky Cauldron after receiving an owl from Bellatrix, requesting we meet there at once. I had, of course, already received Ted's letter and was therefore undoubtedly prepared ... "