Chapter 10:

This chapter is relatively short, but as always I'll be updating tomorrow. Sorry I wasn't as quick as I promised but it was Canada day today so I got a little wrapped up with parties and what not. Read and let me know what you think

The fickle fingers of fate:

July 10th 1971.

After making sure her parents had left for the day, Andromeda took a bag from under bed and began to fill it with her most treasured belongings. She was soon interrupted by her sixteen year old sister, Narcissa, Who burst into her bedroom as if it were her own.

"Andy, what are you doing?"

Andromeda looked at her little sister with sad eyes, knowing full well that this would most likely be that last time they ever saw each other. Though she and Bellatrix had always been nasty to the younger witch when they were little, things changed when Bellatrix got married and left home. The sisters had become closer, knowing that it would be in their best interest. Andromeda took a seat at the end of her bed.

"Come sit with me Cissy", she indicated for Narcissa to sit next to her. "Cissy, I've met someone, and we're going to be married."

"That's great Andy! You looked so serious I thought you were going to tell me you were dying!" The grin on Narcissa's face only made her feel worse.

"Cissy you don't understand, I have to leave before mother and father get back because—" She paused, "because he's muggle born." Narcissa stared at her in shock, with tears threatening to fall. Without a word Narcissa ran out of the room and into her own slamming the door. As soon as she was alone Andromeda put her face in her hands and began to sob, she knew it was going to be this way, but she told herself that it was for the best and her life was going to be much happier once she was out of this horrible place.

Thirty minutes went by before Andromeda finished packing her bags. She did so by hand so she could delay the inevitable. Once she was finished she sat at her oak desk, she wrote three letters: one for Cissy, one for Bella, and one to her parents. She was finishing up when a very angry Bellatrix stormed into her room.

"Is it true!?" She shrieked.

"Bella I-"Before she could finish her sentence Bellatrix crossed over to her and smacked her hard across the face, she landed on the floor with a thud.

"How dare you betray us like this! You filthy blood traitor!", Bellatrix aimed her wand at her, "Crucio!" She shrieked.

Andromeda felt like fire was burning through her body; it was the worst pain she had ever felt. Just then Narcissa ran back into the room and saw what Bella was doing.

"Bella Stop! She isn't worth it! Stop!" Narcissa was screaming as loud as she could, pleading for her sister to stop. At this Bellatrix stopped, she kicked Andromeda in the side.

"Well I hope that mud blood is worth it, because as far as I'm concerned you are no sister of mine!" She kicked her again before leaving.

(~/~)

My dearest Bella,

I am so sorry for hurting you. I know you will most likely never speak to me again after this but you need to know that I will always love you. My biggest regret in all of this is the pain that I will most likely cause and not taking you seriously when you said you wanted to run away with me. Up until this point you are the only person that I have ever loved, but now I have been given the chance to live a life away from all this anger and abuse. It Breaks my heart to say goodbye to you and to Cissy, but this is what is best for me.

With all my love,

Andromeda.

(~/~) May 5th 1998

Hermione woke up early that morning, because she knew that Narcissa wanted to see Bellatrix. The two witches had talked well into the night and had made the decision that neither of them should stay with Andromeda anymore. Hermione still didn't know where she would go, but she figured she could stay in the tent with Bellatrix until she found a more permanent situation. Narcissa was going to return to Black Manor and deal with Draco's legal issues and hopefully find out where Lucius was so she could hand him over to the ministry.

As Hermione began to stir she felt the pale arm, which was draped across her waist, tighten.

"Don't you dare move", the blonde managed to grumble out groggily.

Hermione let out a small chuckle, "why shouldn't I?"

"Because I am comfortable and if you move I won't be, then I will have to get up."

"Well seeing as you're already awake and we need to go see your menace of a sister, I don't think staying in bed is an option."

"Which menace are you referring to?" the blonde chuckled.

The two witches managed to get dressed and apparate to Bellatrix without waking Andromeda, so the day was already going well in their minds. Hermione and Narcissa arrived at the tent's location and right away Hermione knew something was wrong. The fire hand gone out and was no longer warm and the 'door' to the tent was drawn shut. Hermione ran into the tent without a word to Narcissa, when she got inside she found Bellatrix wrapped up in four blankets shivering on one of the bunks.

"Bella! Are you alright?"

"No I—I'm no-ot alrig-ht, you forgot abo-out m-me", Bellatrix was shivering uncontrollably.

Narcissa ran over to the young witch and her sister, "what's wrong with her?"

"There's no time to explain, I need you to go back to Andromeda's, and in the spare room you'll find my beaded bag. There's a list inside of it, I need you to get everything on that list and then come back here, as fast as you can." Narcissa nodded her head and with a 'pop' she was gone.

"Why wer-re you wi-th Andy?"

"It doesn't matter Bella, Now lay back down", Hermione laid down next to the older witch and draped her arm over her waist, she hoped that she could keep her warm until Narcissa came back.