"Andromeda!" they both jumped as someone raced into view.
"Sirius?" Andromeda said. "How did you know we were here?"
All things considered Ted was grateful they'd decided to re-robe, and he was sure Sirius would have been too.
"Not important, " Sirius said, still panting heavily. "Listen, you've got to get down here. It's Narcissa. She's lost it. And Lily's going to have her head."
Andromeda's eyes widened. Ted wasn't surprised Narcissa and Lily were going at it, but he was surprised Sirius seemed concerned about Narcissa's welfare. He figured Sirius hated her more than he did, which was saying something. Andromeda, however, didn't ask any more questions as she peeled herself away from the tree and raced after Sirius.
When they reached the castle, they found a crowd of people gathered near the Whomping Willow tree, which was moving. Never a good sign. Most people were too transfixed to notice him and Andromeda as they pushed their way through the crowd.
Finally they reached the outskirts of the crowd, and gasped. Several students had been tied to the branches of the Whomping Willow, which was throwing them around in a desperate attempt to try and smash them without smashing itself. An impossible attempt, but apparently one too complicated for a tree to figure out. That didn't mean damage couldn't be done to the trees por victims. They all looked young, by the way. He thought he even recognized some of them as the new first years. What a way to be welcomed to Hogwarts.
"Get them down!" Lily shouted, her wand raised.
"And risk ruining my robes?" Narcissa replied back coolly. "I think not."
"Release them," Lily said. "Or I swear I'll…"
"You have no proof it was me," Narcissa said, before she smiled slowly. "If you did, I'd be in detention already."
That sounded like an admittance of guilt to Ted. People only cared about proof when they were guilty, but that reasoning wouldn't fly with the Hogwarts Board of Governors, especially since Narcissa's mother was one of the members.
There were several other prefects and concerned citizens trying to help them down, but they couldn't get close enough to help. And without knowing what magic Narcissa had used to attach them to the branches, they were basically helpless.
Sirius had left them and gone to rejoin his friends. They seemed to be locked in a deep discussion. James kept trying to make a mad dive for the Whomping Willow, but Sirius and Remus held him back.
Andromeda, however, slowly walked toward her sister. Narcissa stiffened as her elder sister approached, while the gaggle of sixth year Slytherins around her narrowed their eyes.
"Narcissa, please, don't do this," Andromeda started.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Narcissa almost pulled off her indifferent glare, but at the last second she looked away, unable to look Andromeda in the eye. "I'm not doing anything."
"You want to punish someone, punish me," Andromeda said, her voice breaking. "But leave them alone."
"Why should I?" Narcissa spat back, seeming to forget her "not guilty" claim. "You seem incapable of leaving them alone, so I thought I should see what all the fuss was about."
Something like anger flashed through Andromeda's eyes. "You think such behavior dignifies the house of Black?" Her voice rose, loud enough for almost everyone to hear. "You make us seem like common criminals."
"Don't you dare!" Narcissa leaped up. "Don't you dare speak of dignity, not with who you're shacking up with."
"Actually," A smooth voice, interjected. "Our dearly departed Andromeda makes a good point."
Narcissa and Andromeda abruptly fell silent, while everyone turned to see who the newcomer was. Ted raised an eyebrow as Regulus Black, Andromeda's other cousin, sauntered into view. Ted had never had much interaction with Regulus. He tended to keep to the shadows, mostly to avoid his elder brother, Sirius, who had made it his personal mission to make Regulus' life of living hell.
Speaking of which, Sirius was eying his younger brother with an avid expression, like he was just waiting for a moment to strike.
Once she recovered from her surprise, Narcissa's nostrils flared. "Don't tell you've gone rotten too?"
"Heavens, no," Regulus said, his nose crinkling. "But there are better ways to put the mudbloods in their place than this. Not to mention all this ruckus is ruining what could be a perfect Saturday afternoon."
"Better ways?" Narcissa seethed, disbelieving.
"Take a look at my brother," Regulus said, indicating to Sirius. Sirius stiffened at Regulus' reference. "He's everything a Black isn't. Brash, rough, common. His kind may scream louder than the rest, but they'll get what's coming to him. And schemes such as this, they only feed his into his delusions of grandeur and self-importance."
Sirius nostrils flared, and he lifted his wand, probably to hex Regulus, when someone else stepped out of the crowd.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ted was surprised to recognize Barty Crouch, the man who had "saved" Andromeda. He lifted a rock into an air and shot it toward the Whomping Willow. Ted didn't see what happened, but the Whomping Willow suddenly froze.
Lily Evans didn't waste a second, and neither did the other Gryffindors and muggleborn defenders around her. A few moments later, the three first years had been returned to the ground.
Narcissa's face curled, but Regulus said, "Chin up, dear cousin. Their time will come. The seas of change are upon us." After leaving her with that oddly chilling phrase, he turned to the rest of the students. "The show is over, you might as well return to your mundane Saturday activities."
Damn. Ted Thought Narcissa and Bella had been stuck up, but Regulus took the cake. And he did it in a way not even Lily Evans could give him detention for. That didn't stop Sirius from striding towards his younger brother.
"You think you're something, little man?" Sirius seethed. "I'll show what's coming to you." Regulus flinched away from Sirius' raised wand, but before Sirius could rain hexes down on him, Barty Crouch jammed his wand into Sirius' throat.
"Careful, Black," Crouch said, "Or I will take preventive measures against you."
Sirius' eyes flashed and for a second, Ted thought he was going to attack Crouch. A dumb move, as Crouch was a Prefect, and rumor was his father had taught him a lot of advanced "defensive" magic. He wasn't a student you wanted to mess with.
"Let's get out of here," Sirius muttered, while the other Marauders followed after him.
"It's alright, Sirius," Regulus said after him. "I'm sure you'll get to play hero next time."
James turned like he was going to hex Regulus anyway, Crouch's threat be damned, bit Sirius pulled him away.
A smart smile played over Regulus' lips, and then he and Crouch disappeared toward the lake. Crouch made sure to give Andromeda a comforting smile before he left, which left an odd taste in Ted's mouth. Narcissa shot Andromeda another glare, but didn't say a word as she and her posse disappeared toward the castle. Most of the students had left, except for Lily.
"Andromeda," she said, waltzing up to them. "Thank you, for standing up to your sister. I know that can't have been easy."
Andromeda snorted. "A lot of good it did."
"It still meant something," Lily said, clapping her shoulder. "Those first years heard what you said, about wanting to take their place. That'll go a long way in making them feel safe at Hogwarts again." She gave Andromeda another warm smile, passed one on to Ted, and then disappeared.
Once they were alone, Ted asked. "Are you alright?"
"No," Meda said, sniffing. Ted stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, letting her fall into him.
"I don't know how to do this," She said. "What Lily wants…. I can't… I can't do it."
He pressed his lips to the top of her head, the only thing he knew to do. Once again he had no idea what to say to make her feel better, and he was getting really tired of that feeling.