/
Their first Healing class came the second week into term, and, after Snape's instruction, it had come to no surprise to Draco that Professor Tonks offered additional classes every week for those students interested in delving deeper into the subject; however, he had been surprised to discover just how eerily similar his disowned aunt's appearance was to that of her sister's— his mother's.
He'd seen Professor Tonks' in the Great Hall the night of the welcome feast, but from a distance, and his mind had been rather otherwise preoccupied.
Sitting in her classroom now, Draco did a double take each time she moved a mere inch. She was shorter than his mother and Aunt Bellatrix, and where his mother's hair was straight and blonde and Bellatrix's wild and dark, the professor's was wavy and light brown. But the family resemblance in their facial features was undeniable; there was no doubt she was the sister of Narcissa and Bellatrix Black. Draco also couldn't shake the feeling that each time he looked down at the grapefruit he and Theo were currently using for suturing practice— he felt as though his aunt's penetrating gaze was upon him, seeing through him.
"You're going to reduce this grapefruit to pulp if you keep jumping like that. Look, I'll admit, there's a strong family resemblance, but what did you expect… they're sisters. She wasn't disowned because she looked different…"
"How would you like it if your aunt—"
"Wouldn't know, haven't got one. Haven't got any living blood relations, really, except dear old dad. Although… I think I might have a great-great half uncle Boris… but father says we are not to talk about him. Anyway, Tonks here has got nothing on our Sissy," Theo said, lazily waving his wand. The lengthwise cut in the grapefruit vanished, leaving behind nothing more than a faint line where the "wound" had been.
In contrast, Draco's suturing attempts had been dismal and incomplete, the fruit's red flesh within always raw and exposed. He was beginning to believe he just wasn't cut out for healing, nor for repair work of any kind— his lack of progress with mending the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Hidden Things was proof enough of that.
Across the room, Draco noticed Granger and Potter equally as jumpy, as if preparing to hex the professor should she make any sudden movement. There was no doubt they also noticed the family resemblance. Draco smirked lopsidedly at Hermione's frown, their discomfort but a small consolation.
"I know we're not usually ones for silver linings, but this class is going to be useful— with war and whatnot, and your new responsibilities."
Draco glared at Theo, then glanced again toward Harry and Hermione, who were healing a grapefruit of their own, and more successfully, to his consternation. "Shut it—"
"You think Potter and Granger are paying us any attention? They're too busy plotting which hex they'll use first if dear disowned aunty suddenly decides she picked the wrong side after all."
Draco rolled his eyes and with an easy flick of his wand sliced through the grapefruit's rind again, the bitter juice leaking onto the table. He was better at destruction and pain, at tearing things apart.
It used to give him a sense of pride, of power… but now he wasn't so sure how he felt about it.
"You're going to sign up for those extra classes, right?" Theo asked, again mending the fruit with ease.
"As if I haven't got enough work already— and you called me a masochist."
"Merely taking advantage of an opportunity, y'know, the Slytherin way— or something like that. Plus, maybe aunty's extra classes will focus a bit on Legilimency and Occlumency."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say I'm as well acquainted with your aunt's work as I hope to be with Sissy's—"
"One more word, Nott, and you're going to end up looking like Weasley and Longbottom's grapefruit."
Theo grinned, despite the shockingly mangled appearance of said grapefruit a few tables over.
"No worries, your aunt will fix me right up… she's one of the country's most renowned Healers… and Legilimens. Probably Occlumens too, if I had to guess. If you'd actually taken your head out of your arse when I told you that at the welcome feast you would've known that already."
Draco was intrigued not only because of his suspicions about Snape's Legilimens status, but because he knew Voldemort was exceptionally skilled at Legilimency, and had no qualms about using it to find answers, to pray on the weaknesses of others.
Draco knew but a few things for sure about Andromeda Tonks, mostly through the disparaging remarks of others, as his mother hadn't spoken more than one sentence about her in his presence over the course of his entire life; Andromeda was a Healer at St. Mungo's, she had been disowned from her family— the Black family— long ago for marrying a half-blood, her daughter was Nymphadora Tonks, Auror and Order member, his aunt Bellatrix absolutely despised the lot of the Tonks family.
Maybe I should learn more, Draco considered.
The thought of protecting his mind was deeply alluring— he hadn't been able to protect himself from Voldemort's Crucio, nor from the Mark branded into his arm… but if there was a way to safeguard his mind, the essence of who he was, well, maybe he could feel more confident knowing he wasn't going to end up like the empty shell that his father had become.
Draco cringed at the memory of the vacancy in his father's eyes just before he'd been sent to Azkaban.
Maybe he could use Occlumency to protect his mother and home, and maybe… he could use it to survive. He'd both seen and heard of Voldemort's Legilimency power, and knew it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord used this power to look into his mind, to check on his progress— and to be sure his intentions aligned with his plans.
Draco knew Snape would likely oblige a request for Occlumency lessons, but he trusted the man about as much as he trusted Potter.
Can I trust her? He wondered.
"Those extra classes are sounding pretty good to you now, eh?" Theo smirked knowingly, much to Draco's irritation. "I know you must fancy the thought of sharing yet another lesson with Granger, too."
Draco opened his mouth to reply, but Professor Tonks addressed the class just as his lips parted.
"Class, that will be all for today. Please do not forget to sign up for the extra classes should you have interest. You can expect a scheduling update by tomorrow afternoon."
The classroom echoed with the sound of scraping chairs, chatter, and the thunks of rogue rolling grapefruits as Slytherins and Gryffindors headed for the door. Draco moved slowly, a plan now clear in his mind.
"Coming?" Theo asked expectantly.
Draco shook his head, and again, Theo grinned, again with irritating knowingness. "And you said you didn't want my help…" his voice trailed away as he headed toward the exit.
Draco made his way toward the front of the room, where Professor Tonks was stooping to collect the lingering grapefruits.
"Professor?"
He watched as his aunt, by blood alone, looked up to meet his gaze, her expression impassive. Whatever opinions she had about him, there was no way for Draco to know. He considered his own mother for a moment, contemplated the sort of tactics he'd successfully utilized when he'd wanted something from her.
Mum loathes indirectness, he thought, remembering how she'd made that abundantly clear on more than one occasion. His mother much preferred a more direct route.
'"Just tell me what you seek, dear,"' Draco remembered her saying to him throughout his childhood. "'Lest we both waste time.'"
They might look alike, but Tonks isn't your mum, a voice in his head argued.
But it was all he had to go on. He knew he needed her to like him, to try to persuade her to teach him Occlumency.
"Yes, Mister Malfoy? Do you have a question about the lesson?"
"No, I want to sign up for the extra classes."
Andromeda simply nodded and slid the parchment across her desk. He spotted Hermione's name immediately, along with Harry's.
How did Granger let Weasley weasel his way out of it? Draco wondered with mild amusement, noting Ron's name absent from the list.
Draco signed his name in silence, and looked up to find Tonks studying him unabashedly. He met her gaze with firmness.
"I also wanted to say— my mum's opinions, and Bellatrix's…" he paused, "…and my father's— they are not my own."
Her eyes betrayed no emotion, but Draco could have sworn he saw her eyebrows raise a fraction higher.
"Certainly not," she nodded. "We are each our own individuals, but I appreciate you making that clear."
Draco nodded in silence, and moved toward the door.
"Mister Malfoy—"
He paused and turned his head to meet her gaze again.
"I will not undermine the importance of family, but I hope we can agree we are not simply the sum of the properties of our blood… nor our blood relations. I look forward to seeing you in our next class."
/
"He came to me, Severus."
Andromeda's office at Hogwarts was small, but more spacious than the one she used as her own at St. Mungo's. She and Snape occupied two high-backed chairs by the fire, their hands warmed by the tea in their cups. The room smelled of Darjeeling.
"He continues to refuse my help," Snape described plainly.
Andromeda nodded, feeling an odd, involuntary swell of pride in her nephew.
"You must teach him," Snape continued, the reflection of the flames in the hearth bringing no warmth to his eyes.
"He signed up for my extra classes— of his own accord. The Nott boy, too."
Andromeda couldn't shake the feeling that there was something exceptionally familiar about Theodore Nott, as if she had met him before. It was certainly a feeling she couldn't shake, but reasoned it was likely a mere coincidence.
"It's a start," said Snape, ignoring her mention of Nott. "But I now of course refer to Occlumency."
"Occlumency? You still can't possibly—"
"Was I mistaken in thinking you are a master of the art?"
Andromeda was beginning to lose her patience. "Severus, it took me years—"
"The skill will only serve to better his chance— and Narcissa's chance— at survival. Of this I am sure. The Dark Lord is a ruthless, and powerful, Legilimens."
Andromeda internally winced at the pang of fear she felt in her heart at Snape's mention of her sister.
"He's too young."
It was a bit of a lie; it had taken her years to master Occlumency and certainly Legilimency, but, looking back, she'd begun her own practice in childhood, shielding her true thoughts— and the beginnings of her dissension— from her often cruel and always prejudiced family.
"It's true Draco is impulsive, and he can let his… emotions— get the better of him," Snape frowned. Andromeda tried not to grin in amusement at Snape's comical distaste for the subject of his student's emotions.
She remembered the vast, and changeable, array of emotions she'd noted in Draco's expression and body language throughout her class earlier that day; surprise, fear, determination, exasperation, envy, and a less-than-subtle preoccupancy with Mister Potter and Miss Granger.
"A commonality amongst most sixth and seventh-year students, I think," Andromeda added.
"Of this there is no doubt— but Draco has skill, and intelligence, and drive… when it suits him," Snape elaborated.
"Well, if you feel it's the only way… but I can't just offer Occlumency lessons to him out of the blue… won't that seem incredibly suspicious?"
"Obviously," said Snape, prolonging every syllable of the word. "Which is why you must lead him to it."
"If you would simply explain the task he's been given—"
"It would only serve to put you, Draco, and Narcissa in even more danger," Snape replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Andromeda took a long sip of her tea, swallowed, then sighed.
"You know, Severus, the road of deceit is a treacherous one. Not all of us can be— nor should we be— masters in the art of manipulation."
"Perhaps not," Snape uttered, his eyes never moving from the fire in the hearth, "but I will let you decide who among us is the master of self-delusion."
/
A/N: I hope you're enjoying Andromeda's character development- I wish there was more about her in canon. Thank you as always for reading and reviewing!