Andromeda had never been this terrified in her life. She was walking towards the Slytherin table, to tell her sisters some news. She knew that Cissy would be furious at her, but she also hoped that she'd understand. 'Cissy will understand', she told herself.
Of course Cissy will understand. Why wouldn't she? She's in love, she knows what it feels like, Andromeda assured herself. But at the sight of her sister, she stopped. Was she really going to do this? Was she going to tell her something that could propably make the family throw her out.
"Is something bothering you Dromeda?" Narcissa asked as she noticed her sister standing behind her.
"N-No. I...I have some news. Great news, actually", she said.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Narcissa asked. Andromeda took a deep breath and sat next to her sister.
"As you know", she started, "this is my last year at Hogwarts. In a few days, we'll be going to home and I'm sure that mother and father will try to make me marry some stranger" Narcissa nodded at this. It was no secret that their parents were not pleased with Andromeda. After all, she had not managed to find herself a pureblood husband from Hogwarts like her sisters had. Even Narcissa, Andromeda's little sister, had a man in her sight.
"I'm not going to marry a stranger, Cissy. I'm already in love with someone else", Andromeda explained. A smile spread on Narcissa's face.
"That is great news, indeed", she said. Andromeda smiled a bit too.
"I don't think you understood me. I'm not going to marry a pureblood", she said. Narcissa's smile faded and she got paler. She seemed to be frozen.
"What do you mean you're not marrying a pureblood?" she asked quietly.
"Ted asked me to marry him and I said yes", Andromeda said. Narccisa still didn't move.
"Ted who?" she asked.
"Tonks. Ted Tonks", Andromeda admitted. Narcissa's eyes widened in horror.
"You're not serious", she hissed, "He's a...a...a mudblood, for Merlin's sake! You can't marry him! It's wrong!"
"No. It's the right thing to do. I love Ted and we're getting married, whether you like it or not", Andromeda felt defeated. She had thought that Narcissa would understand.
"What about mother and father? They will never let you marry scum like Tonks!" Narcissa sounded almost happy, as if Andromeda would be bound to stop acting so foolish now.
"I don't care. I'm marrying Ted", Andromeda said. Narcissa sat frozen in her seat again.
"Well then I am sorry", she said and stood up. Without another word, Narcissa walked to the other end of the table.
That was the last time Andromeda really talked to her sister. Once she got home and told her parents that she would elope with Ted, she was disowned. Her sisters seemed to hate her. But for some reason the memories of Narcissa and Bellatrix never left Andromeda. They were like ghosts in the darkest corner of her mind. Even after Bellatrix was sent to Azkaban and Narcissa married Lucius Malfoy. They were always the same age, haunting her.
One memory in particular. Even years after Andromeda left the Blacks, years after Nymphadora was born, she could still remember Narcissa. Her dear Cissy, saying that she was sorry.
And it wasn't only Andromeda that suffered. Not really. Narcissa remembered too. Andromeda had been her favourite sister. But as years went by, Andromeda turned in to a ghost in Narcissa's mind. She could see her so clearly, but still Andromeda was too far to reach. It was like trying to catch smoke.
Even Bellatrix was a little sad about her sister in some deep corner of her insane mind. But just like so many other things, Andromeda was something she didn't want to see or talk about.
After Ted died, Andromeda felt so alone. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, she would wake up, hoping that her sisters, Narcissa at least, wouldn't be a ghost. That she'd be there, and say that it was going to be alright. But Andromeda knew that it wasn't going to happen. Narcissa was already lost. She had been a ghost to her, for too long.
And soon Andromeda decided that in the end, it didn't matter how much she hoped for her sisters' or husband's or daughter's return. It never did. Because hoping would never bring them back to her.
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