The night they were to go to the Burrow, Andromeda found her daughter and the two Lestranges gathered in the sitting room of her home, Teddy held in his mother's arms. "Ready?" she asked them with a small smirk.

"No," Rabastan glared, kicking at the floor. "Of course not."

"Yes," Dora sighed, slipping closer to her fiance. "Just stay close to me. Both of you boys."

"I'm not a boy," Rabastan scowled. "I'm a man."

"Act like it," Dora shrugged, and Andromeda sniggered before she could stop herself. Nymphadora looked at her mother in surprise, but Andromeda pretended like she hadn't made a sound at all.

As Nymphadora and Rodolphus led the way out of the house, Rabastan made a threatening gesture at the brown-haired witch who was now smirking at him. "You wouldn't," Andromeda whispered, slipping closer to him. "After all...I know personally that you're not a little boy."

He couldn't help his eyes widening at her words and she was suddenly right in front of him, pressing her lips to his quickly. "Behave for me at dinner, okay?" she murmured. "I would be...pleased if tonight went smoothly."

Rabastan reached out for her, but he had only held her for a few seconds when she pulled away from his kiss. "Come," she said. "We don't want to lag behind."

He gave a sound of frustration as he followed her, and she felt his hand on her hip. "We'll talk about this later," he murmured.

"Talk?" she smirked, and he groaned as they walked out of the house.

"I don't like you," he told her.

Andromeda gave him a scornful look, then held out her hand to her daughter. "Come along, then, you two." When they were all holding hands, Andromeda disapparated to the Burrow, her family in tow.

To their surprise, as they approached the inner wards, they could hear two of the younger Weasleys arguing about whether they should actually let the Lestranges into the house. "They don't know who's here, Ginny," the boy hissed. "They can't be trusted—there's no telling what they'll do!"

"Stand down," came the girl's stern reply. "I trust Tonks: she's my friend. Now get away from the door, or I'll hex you."

"You wouldn't—ah!" There was a crunch of a body falling against the door, and Andromeda raised an eyebrow, Nymphadora shaking her head slightly.

The door to the Burrow opened, and a red-haired girl stood there. Rodolphus glared at her. "Hi, Tonks," said the girl, nudging her brother's leg out of the way so she could open the door further. "Glad you could make it."

Nymphadora smiled at her. "Ginny, you look at least three years older than the last time I saw you."

"Well, I decided being the only underaged one in the house doesn't mean anything," Ginny replied, glancing at her brother and removing his silencing charm and her hex. "I don't stand for any nonsense anymore."

Ron scrambled to his feet, darting nervous glances at Andromeda and the two Lestranges. Rabastan sneered at him. "Never stay on the floor, Weasley. A fight isn't over til you're dead, you know."

Ginny motioned for him to hush. "You do not want Mum to hear you," she said sternly. "Now come along to the garden. I believe Tonks has sufficiently warned you of the other visitors."

Both men nodded, and Ron stared at his sister in wonder as she led the newcomers through the house and out into the garden. Andromeda could feel the hostile stares from three or four of the wizards and witches already seated on various chair in the backyard and cautiously fell into step next to Rabastan in case she needed to protect him.

Neville waved at her and Dora and Teddy, and Luna looked up at the Lestranges, focusing in on Rodolphus. "The shadow is gone," she told him, peering at him dreamily. "Do not fall back."

Rabastan looked slightly amused at his brother's news. "Do I still have those things flying around my head, girl?"

"Yes," she replied softly, "there are more of them now."

"Splendid," Rabastan said, rolling his eyes. "Why is it that they're attracted to me?"

The girl was interrupted from replying, and Rodolphus focused on the brown-haired girl that had stopped her. "You must be the Granger girl."

Ron bristled angrily, ready to shout at him if he so much as said one word wrong against Hermione. Andromeda narrowed her eyes at the boy: he would be trouble in the future, she knew. "I am," said the Mudblood, fidgeting with her sleeve as she tried to hide the scar on her arm.

Andromeda knew exactly where the girl had gotten that scar: Bellatrix's knife. She wondered very curiously what had happened during that torture session, and barely kept herself from delving into the girl's memory. Finally, they took seats near two of the older brothers, Percy and George, and Ginny sat down on the grass near Tonks, taking Teddy into her arms and grinning as he played with her dark red locks.

Rabastan looked over at George, who addressed him, "Lestrange. Want a Canary Cream?" He held out the treat to the man and Andromeda almost held her breath in anticipation.

The dark-haired man held out his palm toward the treat, then withdrew his hand. "No thanks," he said, and Andromeda knew he must have realised it was more than just a treat. "Yellow is not really my colour, if you know what I mean."

"Ah," said George. "Perhaps something black or grey?"

"Got anything red to make me fit in?" Rabastan smirked, speaking in a low tone.

George thought for a moment, then replied, "Nosebleed Nougat?"

Rabastan laughed. "I'd like to keep my blood in my nose if it's all the same to you."

"Try this," Neville suggested, tossing another treat at the man.

Rabastan grinned, investigated it, then unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth. Nymphadora bit her lip slightly, and the Mudblood seemed a little worried about what would happen. Andromeda smirked as with a pop Rabastan became a large, sleek-looking dark grey dog.

Rodolphus stared at his brother in shock, but Nymphadora giggled, "He looks like a wolf."

"Not to worry," George said. "The Puppy Puff will only last for a minute."

"Not that one," Ginny grinned over Teddy's head. "I enhanced it to last at least five."

"You what?" George said in shock. "You tested it on him!?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, I tested a different one on myself first," she said. "It worked fine. Turns out I'm a grey wolf."

Nymphadora grinned at Neville and the girl. "May I try one?"

He tossed her one, and Dora quickly swallowed it, grinning for an instant before she disappeared into a snow white wolf with a grey dorsal stripe and grey on her ears. The darker wolf immediately lifted its nose and turned toward her, giving a small bark of greeting, the she-wolf turning to face him cautiously.

He bounded forward, sniffing her nose, and she nipped at him, growling fiercely. He jumped back and whined, pawing at his bitten nose. She half growled at him in amusement, then turned and bounded away toward the garden, the dark wolf right after her, yipping playfully.

Andromeda did not speak, wondering if she needed to go after the two, though after a moment, they both returned, laughing and looking a little awkward. "Um," said Dora, "never bite a garden gnome."

Rabastan let out a burst of laughter, and Dora grinned in embarrassment. "Did you really?" Ginny said in shock.

"Yeah," Dora said, looking sheepishly from Rabastan to the girl. "I actually tore it to shreds…."

"Zat is gross!" said another one of the girls, and both Lestranges looked up at the familiar accent.

Andromeda saw a look of anger cross Rodolphus' face, and a look of disdain come to Rabastan's dark features. "I took care of it," Rabastan told them. "We got carried away in the chase."

The door to the house opened, and Molly stood there in the doorway. "Set up the tables, Bill, Percy. Supper is nearly ready."

They all sat down at the tables when they were ready, Dora taking Teddy back from Ginny. Andromeda took her seat next to Nymphadora, Rabastan seated on her other side. As they began to eat, she listened to her daughter speak with the other young people about how the world had reacted to the news of Dora's engagement to Rodolphus.

Andromeda was well distracted by listening to their conversation and eating when she felt a warm hand on her leg. She half froze in her eating, realising what it meant. They were all seated close enough together that she and Rabastan were already shoulder to shoulder, though now it seemed that it wasn't enough for him.

A small smirk came to the man's face as he rested his hand on her thigh under the table, carrying on a conversation with George and Ginny about Dragon Breath Mints. She didn't know what to do, continuing to eat as his hand remained still. Her heart was pounding nervously and she could feel herself anticipating him doing much more to her than he currently was.

She found that she was right, as his hand moved whenever he wasn't speaking, Andromeda barely able to keep herself from reacting to his touch, and really, really wanted to hurt the man for what he was doing in so public an area. Finally, he withdrew his hand as Rodolphus got up from the table and walked back to the house without anyone else noticing.

Andromeda drew a deep breath and tried to calm herself, planning how she would hurt Rabastan when they arrived home. Only a few moments later, however, Molly realised that her own daughter had gone into the house before Rodolphus, and sent Nymphadora to find him. Her face flushed with anger and shame, Nymphadora stormed up to the house from the garden, Andromeda keeping Teddy for her.

A few moments later, Rabastan turned to Andromeda and said softly, "I'm going to the joke shop with George. I'll be home later."

"Fine," Andromeda said distantly, turning away from him. She skillfully kicked him in the shin just when he moved to get up and smirked at his expression of pain and his limp as he walked away. Others began to leave, and Andromeda sighed, cuddling Teddy close as she kept quiet, waiting for her daughter and Rodolphus.

"Um, Mrs. Tonks," came Bill's voice a little awkwardly, "Rodolphus and your daughter have already left...just so you know."

"Thank you," she replied, getting to her feet and lifting Teddy in her arms. "I'll—"

At that moment, Nymphadora's werewolf Patronus skidded to a halt in front of her, and she stared at it for a moment before it spoke. "Mother, we have visitors. Well, you do. You should get here as soon as possible."

Bill frowned in confusion, but Andromeda did not enlighten any of them. She strode to the edge of the apparition wards and immediately disapparated to her home.

The instant Andromeda walked into her home, she saw Narcissa seated on the couch, speaking to Rodolphus and Nymphadora as if they were allowable acquaintances. My sister, she thought in pain and relief, though she dreaded the conversations she knew she must eventually have with the witch.

Walking forward, Andromeda stood in the doorway until her daughter finally realised what the other two were looking at and stopped talking. Rodolphus took Dora by the arm and pulled her to her feet. "We'll leave you to talk," he said, taking Teddy from Andromeda before marching the young witch away up the stairs.

Andromeda stared at the blonde witch, not sure what to say as they just looked at each other for a few moments. Finally, Narcissa set down her glass and got to her feet. "Andromeda," she said, then hesitated. She sighed, then crossed the room and put her arms around the brown-haired witch.

"Cissa," Andromeda whispered, hugging her sister firmly. "Does Lucius know you're here?"

"...yes," came the response. Narcissa drew back and looked into her older sister's face. "I couldn't be here otherwise."

"So...what happened?" Andromeda asked hesitantly, looking at her sister worriedly.

Narcissa returned to her seat on the couch, Andromeda sitting down next to her. "No one outside our families—and the Lestranges—can know of our meeting," she said simply. "At least, for now."

Andromeda breathed a small sigh of relief. "I'm...hopeful we can at least try to bridge what I've done to you and the rest of our family."

The younger witch glanced to the pictures above the mantle and sighed at some of the old pictures Andromeda seemed to have taken from their childhood home. "Let us build a friendship to begin," Narcissa said, taking a deep breath. "It's been a long time."

Andromeda nodded, looking down at her hands. "Since I was pregnant with Nymphadora," she said softly. "Twenty six years ago."

"She's that old?" Narcissa said in surprise. "I wasn't keeping track." She sighed, reaching out and taking her glass up again. "Draco has just turned nineteen, and I'm glad to finally have him home to stay."

"Yes," Andromeda smiled slightly. "Has he found himself a wife yet?"

"He currently has his eye on a young witch," Narcissa answered with a frown. "I am not sure if I approve of her yet...her family is doubtful at best. There would be complications, and Lucius does not know of this at all."

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "I see," she mused. "Cissa's grown sneaky."

Narcissa glared at her sister. "It has been necessary in recent years, I assure you."

"Of course," Andromeda agreed immediately. "I just never saw you that way. It was always Bella and I that would do underhanded things like that."

"It's not—it's not like that," Narcissa sighed, shaking her head wearily. "If you knew who it was, you would understand why Draco is hesitant to spring the news on his father so soon."

"The Weasley girl?" Andromeda said in astonishment, keeping her voice hushed. "Really?!"

"You know too much," Narcissa told her. "You always knew too much."

Andromeda scowled. "It wasn't my fault I was born with special powers," she hissed. "And I would never use my knowledge against you, Narcissa."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow. "It didn't stop you from harming Bellatrix. Or making her a target for our father. Or from forcing her to marry Rodolphus—you knew—"

"I had to!" Andromeda cried out before she could stop herself. "Cissa, Father would have tortured me—there was nothing else to be done. I told you I knew I'd ruined her life, and Rodolphus' life, but I couldn't help it!"

"Sometimes, I can't blame her for hating you," Narcissa said quietly. "She had more than enough reason, even though I tried to convince her otherwise. And she didn't even know half of what you did."

"Cissa," Andromeda whispered, filled with hurt. "Don't. Please. I know I failed her, but I couldn't stop them—I couldn't keep both of us safe. And I had to protect my daughter—I had to keep her safe. I didn't mean to abandon you and Bella."

Tears came to the witch's eyes and she shook slightly, fighting back her emotions. She couldn't believe her sister's visit had taken such a turn—but she couldn't deny that she deserved the blame Narcissa placed on her. "I'm sorry," Andromeda whispered. "Sorry."

A warm arm slipped around Andromeda's shaking shoulders and Narcissa pressed a tissue into her hand. "I begged you not to leave," the blonde woman whispered. "I cried for weeks after you walked away from us. Lucius didn't know what to do with me because I couldn't think of you without crying. I know you had to protect your child, but there had to have been other ways."

"No," Andromeda wept. "I couldn't let her be used like I was. I couldn't, Cissa. I'd failed myself, and both of you. I wasn't about to let my daughter—my accidentally conceived daughter—suffer the same things I had."

"I told Bellatrix why you had really left, and she was furious," Narcissa sighed, hugging her sister close. "She wanted to kill Avery that night, but I kept her from leaving the house. You know, she told me that she understood why you would leave, but that she would never accept that you had actually left."

"She knew, then!" Andromeda cried. "She knew that Dora was a pureblood, and she still—!"

Narcissa gave the distraught witch a calculating look. "She would not even think about taking the Mark," the blonde witch told Andromeda. "She insulted the Dark Lord to his face in front of the Inner Circle after she'd cursed Avery with a spell from the Black grimoires—one she said she'd seen you do to Sirius! I don't know how you managed it, but there seemed to be no doubt in her mind that being a Death Eater was nothing she wanted. She was turned over to Bellatrix, and the Dark Lord told Bella not to be 'kind.' Bellatrix had been curious about the girl, and wanted to know if she would be compatible with her and the brothers, but her hopes were dashed in Nymphadora's defiance."

Andromeda shook her head. "I wouldn't have blamed her if she'd joined up," she whispered. "I half expected her to: she'd been really rebellious all through her teen years. She hated me for the longest time, even though her reasons would have meant nothing if she'd known the truth."

"She loves you, and the Mudblood," Narcissa said softly. "I could see that, and I've never even spoken to her."

"They don't know about Dora's true father," Andromeda breathed. "I couldn't bear to tell them. I just couldn't—Dora would hate me even more, and Ted—I couldn't lose him, Cissa. He kept me sane…." A sob escaped her, and Narcissa drew Andromeda to cry against her shoulder. "I didn't love him at first, but I grew to love him, and then it was all over. And now I'm alone—I don't know what to do. I know I'm losing it, Cissa."

"You and Bella are quite the pair," Narcissa nodded.

Andromeda gave a little half laugh, half sob. "We always were. But I hope I hold myself together better—and I'm not hopelessly obsessed with the Dark Arts and the Dark Lord."

Narcissa shuddered slightly. "Please, let's not talk about that. Dromeda, you're my sister, and I want to regain as much of our past friendship as we can."

"I—I do too," Andromeda sniffed. "I just can't help wishing that everything was different."

"Well, it's not," Narcissa said, reaching out and taking her sister's hand in hers. "But we can talk out what we need to, though I know it will hurt both of us. I love you, Andromeda." She withdrew her hands and got to her feet. "I think we've said enough for today," she said softly, seeing the hopeful look on her estranged sister's face. "You should come for tea on Thursday. No one else will be there, and we can have a time of peace together. I have something to show you, as well."

Andromeda got to her feet and walked forward. "Okay," she whispered, and the two witches embraced for a moment. "Thank you for being willing to talk, Cissa."

Narcissa sniffed slightly. "I—I've missed you," she murmured, then hurried from the house without another word.

The brown-haired witch turned and leaned weakly against the wall, tears trickling down her face. She had missed her sister too.

Andromeda was still sitting on the couch alone when Rabastan arrived back at the house, Andromeda waving the door open for him. "Dromeda?" he said softly, seeing the tears on her face. "What is it?"

"Cissa was here," she whispered. "Just go away. I need to be alone."

To her shock, the man obeyed, and she forced herself to calm down enough to walk upstairs and check on Teddy before she went to her room. She saw Rodolphus and Nymphadora talking about her and Narcissa and rushed off to her room before she could hear something she would regret.

Andromeda pulled on a pale green nightgown and climbed into bed, but she couldn't get comfortable, tears leaking out of her eyes and running down into the pillows. She sat up, shivering a little as the blanket slipped from her shoulders, barely able to keep herself together as she sniffed and stared at the wall in the darkness.

Finally, the witch slid from the bed, shivering as she walked softly from her room down the hall. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand on another door and allowed her magic to override the wards. She entered the room and approached the bed as the figure sat up, staring at her in shock and half anger.

"Andromeda?" came Rabastan's confused voice. "What are you doing here?"

She stood near the foot of his bed, watching him wordlessly as tears spilled down her cheeks. He pushed the blankets away from himself, and she realised that he was hardly wearing a thing, though as he walked toward her, she only watched his face. "Rabastan," she sobbed brokenly, and he slipped his arms around her, holding her firmly to himself as she cried desperately, forlornly.

He cradled her in his arms, his face pressed against her hair as he held her close. She cried against his bare shoulder, her arms wrapped around him, her hands clenched in fists behind his back. Her entire body was trembling with the force of her emotion, and Rabastan finally murmured, "Did she hurt you, Dromeda?"

Andromeda couldn't speak, couldn't get any sound to come out except for her sobs. She buried her face in his neck and refused to speak as she continued to cry. She felt him move her toward the bed and allowed him to sit down and pull her to sit sideways on his lap. His arms held her securely as she wept against his shoulder.

She clung to him as he held her tightly, understanding that she needed to feel that he was there for her, that she was safe in his arms. He kissed her head reassuringly, frowning slightly at whatever had caused Andromeda to be so torn apart emotionally. "You're shivering," he said softly, and was going to Summon the blanket for her when she sat up and shook her head.

"Hold me," she wept, staring into his dark eyes.

He didn't know what she meant until she had slipped beneath the covers and held out her hand to him. Rabastan immediately slipped beneath the covers and put his arms around the crying witch again. Andromeda clung to him, feeling reassured in his arms, in the warmth of their bodies beneath the blankets.

Rabastan felt her move halfway on top of him, her head resting on his chest as she dashed away some of her tears. "Andromeda, I'd try to help you if I could," he said softly, rubbing her back reassuringly.

Andromeda merely held to him more tightly, one hand resting on his bare chest as she closed her eyes, trying to calm herself. He sighed and pulled the blanket up further so that they were cozy warm. "Thank—you," Andromeda sniffed, gasping for breath though her sobs had died down. Her body was still shaking, but she was much quieter.

"Of course, Andromeda," he murmured, hugging her gently. He kissed her head again, and was surprised when she spoke.

"Cissa and I are talking now," she sniffed. "It's just...there's so many memories, and I miss her and Bella, and I've made such a terrible mess of everything and the lives of everyone I love—I just couldn't handle all of it today."

Rabastan stroked her hair and back thoughtfully, then said, "You've done better than you give yourself credit for. I only wish that your past hadn't scarred you so much...though I do like you the way you are."

Andromeda closed her eyes, sniffing a little. "But you...you can help me in the present," she said. "You just proved it."

"Well, I can try," the man told her. "You scared me, Dromeda. You're always so strong, and I never expected to see you that upset when it wasn't my fault."

A small laugh escaped the witch, and she sighed deeply, snuggling closer to the man. "Thanks," she murmured. "Just don't ever touch me in public again—or I will have to hurt you."

Rabastan chuckled softly and squeezed her again. "Okay. Now shhh, Andromeda. You need to go to sleep."

"Fine," she muttered, then yawned. He kissed her head, hugging her carefully before relaxing back into the pillows. Andromeda sighed, closing her eyes again and relaxed into sleep.

I really need to move this story line along now that I've reunited Narcissa with Andromeda. Sort of.

Trixie Black Lestrange