Andromeda burst out of her dormitory and stranded away, ignoring her sisters that were calling after her. Subconsciously, she grabbed Bellatrix's necklace around her throat and started toying with it. She was angry. She was furious. She… ran straight into Liantris.

'Ouch,' he said dispassionately.

Andromeda shoved the necklace back under her robes. She barely spared him a glance and made to continue on her way. Liantris blocked her.

'There, there, sweetheart,' he said. 'You should at least apologise to an old friend.'

'Let me through or I will reap you apart,' replied Andromeda coldly.

Liantris frowned. 'That's not very nice,' he said. 'What's up with you?'

'There's an idiot blocking my way.'

'Well, there's a fury blocking mine, yet you don't see me getting angry, do you?'

Andromeda was not amused. She attempted to bypass him but was blocked once more. She sent him a murderous glare and he responded with a severe one. He looked around and grabbed her arm.

'Come with me,' he whispered, and dragged her behind him.

She followed, partly because she had no other choice, partly because his behaviour intrigued her.

He lead her to an empty classroom slightly remote from the main hubs of student activity. He locked the door behind him and cast a silencing spell on it. Andromeda crossed her arms over her chest.

'Is this a kidnapping?' she snarled.

Liantris smiled. 'Hilarious, love, but no. There are a few things we need to talk about.'

'I'm not in the mood to talk.'

'Is it because of Bellatrix?'

Andromeda frowned. 'How do you know?'

Liantris smirked. 'What did she tell you?'

Andromeda hesitated. She clenched her teeth and looked away, thinking about her sister's announcement in the Slytherin dormitory. An announcement she had made to Andromeda and Narcissa exclusively and that Liantris should not have any idea about. And yet…

'She said she would be studying a few months in Albania right after graduating,' Andromeda grumbled. It hurt to even say it.

To her surprise, Liantris laughed.

'She is going with Rodolphus Lestrange, isn't she?' he said.

Andromeda felt her hair stand on end. 'How do you know?' she asked again.

Liantris chuckled. 'Knowing things is… my job.' Upon noticing the distrustful looks Andromeda sent his way, he lost his smile. 'Did Maggie not tell you which side we are on?'

'She did.'

'So why are you looking at me like that?'

'Because you won't give me a straight answer.'

Liantris passed a hand through his perfect blond curls. 'Fine,' he said. 'I'll give you a straight answer. I've been spying on your sister and her boyfriend –'

'He's not her boyfriend,' interrupted Andromeda.

Liantris smirked. 'Sure thing, sweetie. Anyway. I've been spying on Bellatrix and her boyfriend for a while now. That's how I know that they'll both be going to Albania, together with some others of their little group of friends, including Sophie, and for about nine months.'

Andromeda was not yet satisfied. 'How do you spy on them?' she asked.

Liantris smiled. 'I talk to people.'

'Who?'

'It depends. Rita Skeeter, Felix Rosier, Lucius Malfoy, your former friend Curtis, your neglected friend Hailey, and of course I couldn't do without Sophie...'

Andromeda frowned deeper. 'You just talk to them?'

Liantris let out a frustrated sigh. 'No, I torture them in the dungeons.'

Andromeda relaxed slightly. 'None of them actually work with you?'

'No,' he said. 'I'm alone.'

Andromeda nodded. 'So who do you do it for?' she asked.

Liantris smiled. 'You know the answer to that.'

'No I don't. Maggie talked about that group you're with, but I want to know who leads it. Who gives the orders.'

'Sorry, honey, I can't tell.'

Andromeda insisted some more but Liantris would not budge. In the end, she bit her lip. 'Fine,' she grumbled.

Liantris took a seat on the nearest chair. 'Any more questions?'

Andromeda hesitated. 'Do you spy on me too?' she asked.

Liantris chuckled. 'You are Bellatrix's sister,' he said. 'But don't worry,' he added. 'I do not report anything on you that isn't related to your sister and her… extracurricular activities.'

Andromeda took out a chair of her own and fell on it, legs crossed. 'How am I supposed not to worry, Liantris, when everything in my life is related to Bellatrix?'

Liantris frowned. 'That's not true.'

His lips quivered, as if he was just about to say something, but chose against it in the end.

'Anyway,' he said. 'I've got some good news for you.' Andromeda raised an eyebrow. 'I'm going with them.'

'What?'

Liantris smiled and for once, it was a soft smile that extended to his eyes.

'I admit, it's nice to see you care,' he said.

Andromeda rose from her chair. 'What do you mean you're going with them? I thought they were dangerous. I thought you guys were on opposite sides!'

Liantris shrugged. 'They are,' he said, 'we are. However, I cannot spy on them if they are too far away, see? And I am probably the most qualified for the job. At least according to Dum- to our group's leader.'

Andromeda bit her lip. 'I don't like this. What are you going to do there?'

Liantris leaned against the nearest table. 'Well, your sister says she's going for her studies? It's the same for me. There's a close knit magical community south of Tirana, the capital city; that's where they'll be going. I'll be in Tirana with a friend of my mother's, learning about wizarding diplomacy, making connections, and tracking their every movement. They do not know I'll be there, but should they discover it, my alibi keeps me safe.'

'I don't like this,' Andromeda insisted.

'I'll be fine. And Andromeda, I'm surprised. I thought you didn't know how dangerous things had become in the wizarding world. Maggie told me you thought she was exaggerating.'

Andromeda huffed. 'There are too many weird things happening,' she said.

Liantris nodded. 'Disappearances covered-up by the Daily Prophet, the spreading of extreme anti-muggle sentiments, divisions within the Ministry… and more importantly, whatever it is that your sister and her friends are going to Albania for.' Andromeda nodded thoughtfully. Liantris sent her a quizzical look. 'Meda,' he said. 'Have you heard from Sophie? She said she kept forgetting moments of her life. Sometimes entire days. She'd wake up and not know what she had done the day before.'

Andromeda grimaced. 'Well, she mentioned forgetting things, but we never got to sit down and talk about it.'

Liantris nodded. 'I see… In any case, I haven't been able to figure out what she'd been doing or what caused those memory losses. But I'm worried. She's been completely off-balance for many months now. I'm afraid she's going to snap soon, and it won't be pretty. Keep an eye out for her until she leaves, will you?'

Andromeda nodded. 'I will. And Liantris, when you're in Albania, if you can, please, don't let Bella drift too far. Please.'

Liantris frowned and was silent for many long seconds. After a while he sighed and said, 'I'll try, Meda, but no promises.' He looked at her and added. 'I'll try to send you letters as well.'

'Thank you, Liantris.'

He winked and spun on his heel. He stopped at the door.

'While we're at it, Meda,' he said. 'Try and spend some more time with Hailey, yeah? I know you're busy frolicking around with the Hufflepuff –' Andromeda groaned, '– but don't let your friends slip away so easily.'

On those words he exited the room. Andromeda followed suit and the first thing she did was walk to the boat house, call for Minky, and tell her to ask if Ted could come. The wait was too long for her taste, to the point where she had started toying with her necklace again, but when he did show up, Andromeda fell into his arms with a long sigh of relief.

'What is it?' Ted asked. 'Not that I'm complaining, but I thought meeting with each other during the day was too dangerous?'

'I don't care…,' replied Andromeda.

Ted grabbed her shoulders and extended his arms, breaking the hug to look at her face.

'You don't?' he asked.

Andromeda passed her hands behind his neck and stared into his eyes. 'Not right now.'

Ted's eyes fell to her lips, briefly, before going back to her eyes.

'Something happened,' he insisted.

Andromeda bit her lip, frustrated. 'Yes,' she said. 'And we have all day to talk about it. Okay?'

Ted hesitated, seemingly conflicted. After a few seconds he sighed and nodded.

'Okay,' he said.

And when she leaned in to kiss him, he kissed back.

oooOOOooo

July came too fast for Andromeda's taste. On her last day at Hogwarts her nervous fidgeting was so intense that even the ever-patient Ted lost his cool. At the boat house he grabbed Andromeda's wrists, away from the necklace she had been toying with, and refused to let go until she was looking at him straight in the eyes.

'Andromeda,' he said when she appeared more relaxed, 'better now?'

Andromeda exhaled. 'Yeah.'

Ted smiled softly and released her hands. He encircled her waist with his arms and planted a kiss on her forehead. Andromeda sighed and hugged him back.

'You want to put your thoughts into words?' Ted asked.

'I don't know if I can.'

'Need help?'

Andromeda chuckled. 'How would you help me?'

Ted took a step back and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. Andromeda smiled despite herself.

'Let's see…,' Ted said. 'How are you feeling about your sister's graduation?'

'Ted!'

'What? I'm just trying to help.'

Andromeda humph-ed and crossed her arms and looked away, determined not to answer, until she remembered that she had promised herself not to be like that anymore. Not with Ted. Not when they had sworn they would be honest and open with each other.

'I feel like when we exit the Hogwarts Express tomorrow, I'll lose her for good.'

Ted extended a comforting hand and Andromeda took it gladly. He squeezed a little and she found the strength to go on.

'It's like this entire year, she's been slipping away from me, but the moment Hogwarts is truly over for her and she sets out for Albania, I'll have lost my last chance of keeping her as mine.'

'And you don't want that.' Ted said, although it sounded like a question.

Andromeda hesitated. 'I don't know… I – I want to be free from her, Ted.'

'So, what bothers you?'

'I'm afraid of what she'll become without me to hold her back.'

Ted sighed and cupped Andromeda's face between his hands. 'Dromeda,' he said. 'you cannot continue to feel responsible for Bellatrix, who she is and what she'll become. You can't make her the person you want her to be the same way she couldn't make you the person she wanted you to be. And if you keep feeling like making her into a good person is your duty, you'll only hurt more.'

Andromeda sighed. Ted was right, she knew he was, but it did not make things any easier. Ted saw this and cupped her cheeks.

'Hey,' he said, 'I have a plan.'

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. 'A plan for what?'

Ted smiled his beautiful dimpled smile. 'For the summer,' he said. 'I spoke with Maggie, and we found a way to get your parents to let you go on vacation with us for a week. You'll just have to tell them you're going on a trip with Maggie and her pureblood friends, while in fact, you'll be going with her, and me, and our friends. Whaddaya say?'

Andromeda chuckled. 'First of all, going where?'

'Adrian and Amelia are planning the trip, so I don't know the details yet. I can only tell you we'll be going for a dip in the Mediterranean.'

'Oh,' said Andromeda.

'Yes,' Ted nodded.

Andromeda beamed and planted a long kiss on his lips. 'Then I guess I should come.'

oooOOOooo

On the way back home, inside the Hogwarts Express. Andromeda was sitting with her sisters and their friends in a compartment filled to the brick. There was laughter and chatter and snacks and drinks being thrown around. There was music, and everyone was gesticulating excitedly. Andromeda was crammed in a corner, fingers petting the pendant of her necklace, and eyes focused on Bellatrix, who was the loudest of them all. She wanted to memorize the way her sister was now, with her Hogwarts's robes on and some light left in her. She wanted to take a picture in her memory, so that whoever Bellatrix was after coming back from Albania, she would not replace the present Bellatrix in Andromeda's memories.

That is when Narcissa slithered into the seat next to her.

Andromeda smiled. 'Hey, you,' she said softly, happy to see her rid of Lucius's company for once.

Narcissa did not smile back, surprisingly. Instead, she looked at Andromeda, for what felt like a very long time. She simply stared.

'What is it?' asked Andromeda.

Narcissa continued to look, then turned away.

'Bella and her friends are leaving Hogwarts,' she said, 'and I just wanted to remind you that even if she's not here, you should only make friends with the right people. Otherwise it could hurt the family.'

Andromeda felt her insides tighten and a knot form in her throat. She put on her mask. Raised an eyebrow.

'Why are you saying this?' she asked.

Narcissa turned her big, blue eyes on her. They were shining with a profound distress that made Andromeda's will crumble.

'I just want things to stay as they are,' she said.

It sounded like a plea.

Man... I can't wait for you to read next week's chapters hihi