*Looks extremely guilty* Hi everyone. I understand it's been almost a month and a half since I've updated this, and I'm soo sorry about it! I literally wrote most of this chapter today, so if there are any mistakes, feel free to point them out, I have not really had time to proofread it as much as I'd like to.
Anyway, this chapter is, again, a bit of a filler. However, I've written a bit of the next chapter already, and I can tell you it's anything BUT a filler, action from the beginning :)
Chapter Dedication: yellow 14, Lady Eleanor Boleyn, PrimiGrl, Leanora, BellaPur, and Flutterbudget. I can honestly tell you that you guys are the reason I update this story.
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter franchise. I just enjoy playing around with her characters a bit.
"Andromeda wake up!" Grace yelled waking Andromeda up.
"Sh, could you be quieter Grace?" Andromeda groaned into her pillow.
"No!" Grace cried, "It's your birthday!"
Andromeda opened her eyes and looked at the calendar Annabelle had put up. The 17th of November was glowing a blue-ish color.
"Exactly, could you be quieter?" Andromeda retorted rolling back over.
"Listen to the birthday lady or whatever and shut up Warrington," Flora grumbled loudly.
"Fine! I'll go get someone who will help me," Grace cried leaving the room with a slam. A few seconds later Andromeda felt someone come up besides her.
"Happy birthday Meda," Narcissa yelled and Andromeda's eyes popped open.
"Cissy, what are you doing in here?" Andromeda groaned, finally awake.
"Wishing you a happy birthday of course!" Narcissa squealed, "I have the perfect present for you! I know it's your 18th so we're not supposed to do as many presents anymore, but because you're still at Hogwarts I know most people got you a small something."
"Thank you Narcissa, now, go get dressed," Andromeda told her younger sister who was practically bouncing where she stood.
"Yes Meda," Narcissa replied bounding out of the room.
"Well, we're up now Warrington, you happy?" Flora moaned.
"Yes Flora, for your information, I am," Grace smiled.
"Well, we better get a move on, classes start in one half hour," Annabelle informed them, climbing out of bed.
"Hurry up! We have to get to breakfast!" Grace cried.
"We're coming," Andromeda sighed putting on her robes for the day and trudging downstairs with Grace and Annabelle.
"Happy Birthday dear cousin," Evan said once she got into the Great Hall. He pressed a small gift into her hand.
"Thank you Evan," she replied, going to look at it.
"Not here," Evan told her and she nodded.
"Hello Andromeda, happy birthday," Lucius said.
"Yeah, happy birthday," Marcus added, standing beside Lucius.
"Thank you Lucius, and Marcus."
"We got you a tiny something, open it with Evan's," Lucius also pressed something tiny in her hand.
"Thank you boys," she told them both.
"Meda come sit beside me!" Narcissa yelled.
"I'm coming Cissy," Andromeda replied going to sit with her sister.
"I am going to give you my gift later, when it is just the two of us."
"Thank you Cissy," Andromeda smiled.
Just as she began to eat, the owls began flying overhead, and Andromeda quickly recognized Bellatrix's, Rabastan's, Uncle Alphard's and the family owl.
"Ooooh! I see Rabastan's owl!" Narcissa squealed.
Andromeda sighed as the four owls sat down in front of her. She went to Bellatrix's first, giving it the crust of her toast before it flew off.
"Well?" Narcissa asked.
"Hush Cissy, don't be so impatient."
Andromeda opened the letter first, which turned out not to be as long as she expected.
Meda,
Hello from the Lovely House of Lestrange. Who came up with that? At least the Noble and Ancient House of Black sounds noble and ancient, lovely sounds like something a Mudblood would come up with. Anyway, being married is not much different then not being married, except that I have to report my doings to Rodolphus instead of Mother and Father. However, I have found that Rodolphus is much more lenient than Mother and Father, as long as I do not act inappropriately during my travels. Perhaps I will be able to come to Hogsmeade during your next weekend visit, I have some news for you (No, I am not giving the 'Lovely House of Lestrange' a heir). If your next Hogsmeade visit is after your Winter Break, then I shall tell you then, since Rodolphus, Rabastan and I will be coming to Black Manor for the annual Yule Soiree (yes, I am not sure if you've heard, Mother and Father have decided to host it this year, after it was so disastrously at the Wilkes Mansion last year). On a different topic, I understand that you are turning eighteen, so I hadn't need to get you a gift, but gifts are always lovely, and I still expect one from you on my birthday (and all of my birthdays to come).
With love,
Bella
"What did she say?" Narcissa asked.
"She said that she is doing well as a married woman," Andromeda summarized. Her eyes wandered to the gift in the gold wrapping, and she tucked it away to open later. It is always impolite to open gifts at the table, unless you are specifically told to do so. Andromeda turned to the next owl in line, which happened to be Rabastan's. She sent this one off without any toast, and opening the letter, which was much shorter than Bellatrix's.
Dearest Andromeda,
I hope you are having a splendid time at Hogwarts. I am terribly sorry I have not been able to write more often, you will find next June that a lot of offers come your way when you leave school. However, I wanted to wish you a happy birthday, and tell you that I will see you in December when you come home from school.
Sincerely,
Rabastan
Andromeda looked at the package that Rabastan had sent, definitely smaller than the one Bellatrix had sent, and tucked it with Bellatrix's.
"Meda, why don't you open the other two letters in the afternoon? I am almost positive class is going to start soon," Narcissa told her sister.
Andromeda nodded and took the packages from the remaining owls, then sending them away. She put the packages away, then got up, and walked to Charms with Annabelle and Grace.
Slowly the day passed, and soon it was the hour break Andromeda had between Defense Against the Dark Arts and Herbology. She pulled the packages out of her robes, and opened the next letter, clearly from Uncle Alphard.
Andromeda,
It seems that life in my little cottage without you or Sirius stopping in has become extremely lonely. Therefore, I have gotten a Kneazle/Cat mix named Duff. Taking your advice, I decided that getting a Kneazle was too much of a hassle, and decided to settle by getting one mixed with a Muggle cat. However, if anyone besides Sirius asks, he is a tame Kneazle. Would you please pass the news to your cousin Sirius? I'm sure he will enjoy meeting Duff over the holidays, since the little kitten is just as rambunctious as Sirius. Also to pass to Sirius, your Aunt Walburga is no longer debating whether to blast him off the family tree, since she has decided he will go spread the family's secrets. She has decided to take away most of his few privileges though. His visits to me though are still safe, for now. On a different subject, I hope you will enjoy the little present I have sent you for your eighteenth birthday. I will see you when you come in for Winter Break.
Sincerely,
Uncle Alphard
Andromeda looked at the nice package her Uncle had sent, but decided to wait until after she opened the rest of the letters to open the gifts. Finally she turned to the last letter and opened it.
Andromeda Elladora,
Happy Eighteenth Birthday. We hope you are still in the top of your class at school, and that you are behaving yourself. Your engagement with Rabastan still holds, and will be announced officially at the annual Yule Soiree, which we are holding in our manor this year, so you and Narcissa shall be on your absolute best behavior. The day after you return home, you shall go shopping at Madame Blishwick's with Narcissa for appropriate robes. Please continue behaving appropriately, and be sure to keep an eye on your sister.
Mother and Father.
Her parents had sent a tiny package, probably something that would benefit them too, knowing her Mother and Father. Andromeda also knew that her Mother had written the letter, and just shown it to her Father, for him to approve. Reaching back into her pocket, she pulled out the six tiny packages, since she had forgotten about Evan's, and Lucius and Marcus'. She grabbed the one with the light green wrapping paper first that she knew came from Bellatrix. When the wrapping paper was off, she found it had was an old picture of her, Bellatrix and Narcissa, from their trip to the Spanish shore with the Rosiers. There was a little inscription on the frame that said Forever. Bellatrix had also included a little note.
So you don't go insane when you get married.
-Bella
Andromeda opened the frame and put the note in the back, then displayed the picture on the tiny table beside her bed.
Next, she opened the one from Evan, along with the one from Lucius and Marcus. Evan's held a coupon to Madam Blishwick's, for which Andromeda was extremely grateful. Lucius and Marcus' had another coupon to Madam Blishwick's. She put them both away in her trunk where she could keep them until she went home and could use them.
After that, she opened the tiny gift from Rabastan. It was the engagement ring, with a little note.
Andromeda,
I understand this is not the ideal present, but I did not want you to disprove of the ring when I give it to you officially. Please send it back with the owl, I have given it strict instructions not to leave Hogwarts until you give him a package. By the way, the owl is named Aquilon.
Yours truly,
Rabastan
The ring was obviously goblin-made, and henceforth was extremely beautiful. Andromeda couldn't think how anyone would not like this ring. As not to keep the owl waiting, she called it back, and wrote a quick note to Rabastan.
Rabastan,
The ring you have sent is beautiful. I am eagerly waiting to see you at the Yule Soiree.
Sincerely,
Andromeda
She sealed it and sent it with Aquilon, then went to open Uncle Alphard's gift when she realized it was time for class. Andromeda put all the unopened gifts in her trunk to open later and headed to Herbology.
After all her classes, Andromeda began walking back to her dormitory when Sirius yelled for her.
"What is it?" she asked Sirius, who was surprisingly without his friends.
"Happy Birthday," he said.
"Thanks Sirius."
"I'm sorry I couldn't get you a gift, I'm not allowed to Hogsmeade yet, and Mother and Father won't send me something, but I helped Uncle Alphard pick your gift, he finally owled me!"
"That's good to hear Sirius. Uncle Alphard told me to tell you that he got a Kneazle/Cat mix named Duff, that Aunt Walburga is no longer debating whether to blast you off the tree, and that your visits to him are still safe."
"Yes!" Sirius cried happily, "Thank you Andie!"
"You are welcome Sirius."
"Alright, I'm going with James to look for the Giant Squid again, bye!" Sirius said giving Andromeda a quick hug before running off.
Andromeda walked off to her dormitory and found Flora sitting in there.
"Hello Flora," she said.
"Hello," Flora grumbled.
"Is everything alright Flora?"
"My idiotic sister has decided to fool with Malcolm Yaxley."
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"Of course there is Andromeda," Flora sneered, "Now she will be permitted to hang around with the older Slytherins, and she is only a fourth-year. I was planning on never having to be with my sister at school."
"I'm very sorry about that Flora, if you would excuse me," Andromeda said slipping out of the room, with Flora's bad mood trapped in it, and going down a level to the sixth-year girl's dormitory to see if Narcissa was there.
"Meda!" Narcissa squealed excitedly. She was the only one in her room.
"Where is everyone else from your dormitory?" Andromeda asked.
"They are getting extra Potions help from Professor Slughorn. However, I am not in need of his help, so I am in here. Would you like to open your gift?"
"Of course Cissy," Andromeda replied sitting down on Narcissa's bed as she went through her trunk.
"Here you go," Narcissa said, handing Andromeda a gift wrapped in silver paper. Andromeda gingerly opened it, to find a card on top.
Andromeda,
Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoy my gift, I spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect gift, and I think this is satisfactory.
With much love,
Narcissa
"The card is splendid Cissy," Andromeda told her sister.
"Open the actual gift!" Narcissa squealed and Andromeda removed the card to find a very pretty tea set.
"Thank you Cissy, it's wonderful," Andromeda told her sister.
"This way you have a fancy tea set to use when you marry Rabastan."
Andromeda couldn't help but think that both her sisters were afraid of losing her when she got married, and were giving her things to remind her of them.
"Well thank you Cissy, I'm going to but it away in my trunk right now."
"Do not let it break Meda!" Narcissa yelled after her as Andromeda went up to her dormitory and put the tea set away safely. She also noticed that Flora had left the room, so she stayed and opened Uncle Alphard's gift. When she tore open the paper, there was a book staring back at her. Enchanted Encounters by FiFi LaFolle. She quickly skimmed the back cover, decided it did not look horrendous, and put it in her trunk to read at a later date. Finally, Andromeda opened the gift from her parents. It contained a tiny picture of the family, for her seventeenth birthday locket. She took the locket off her neck, and slipped the picture in before putting it back. Opening the locket, she smiled at the faces of the five Blacks staring back at her. Andromeda closed the locket and cleaned up all the wrapping paper, and was about to head to dinner before a tiny little owl flew in her window and landing on her bed with a tiny clunk.
Andromeda looked at it, a bit confused by who's owl it was. She decided the only way to find out was to open the card that the owl had attached to it's leg.
Dearest Dromeda,
Happy birthday to a girl who is witty, intelligent, and completely beautiful. I hope you use your gift well, and that you have a great day. If you're confused by what it is, meet me at the Astronomy Tower tonight at 11. I've already checked, there are no classes, and the Gryffindors are patrolling tonight, so I happen to know they won't be checking the Astronomy Tower. If you come, I have another little surprise for you. Happy birthday again.
Love,
Ted Tonks
Andromeda was shocked to say the least to see such a nice card from Ted Tonks of all people. She was also surprised to have gotten a gift from him, since she knows they never really became that close, despite going out to lunch together. Inside the envelope was a tiny coupon to a place she had never heard of, with a currency she had never used before. Ted Tonks was right, she was completely and utterly confused, and was going to the Astronomy Tower at 11 to find out what this little slip of paper was.
There you go :) Chapter 10! (Wow, chapter 10 already?)
Like I said, a bit of a filler, but, for whoever it was who loved the letters, there are a TON of letters in this chapter!
If anyone has any ideas, or things they'd like to see, PM me, or put it in a review. The story is definitely picking up steam soon, no more Andromeda skirting around Ted business.
PLEASE REVIEW! I love hearing from you guys so much!
Until next time (which will hopefully be sooner rather than later),
-dancergirl7