A/N: Hello Dear Readers! Welcome to Part II! I've missed you! I'm adding some dates at the beginning of the sections because this will jump through time as it goes on. I'm picking it up three months after we left them at the end of Part I.
Soundtrack: Tony Anderson's "Pandemic", "No Place on Earth", and "Kingdom of Heaven"
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November 16th, 1972
Andromeda was walking fast. It was dark and everything smelled like old leaves and wet earth. The trees were wider than she was long and stretched up until they blocked out the night sky. She wrapped her arms around herself and against the cold picking her way around the tangled roots sticking up out of the ground, waiting to trip her and bring her crashing into the frozen ground.
The Forbidden Forest. She hadn't spent much time here other than the clearing for Care of Magical Creatures and sometimes venturing a little further in for a private conversation with Ted. Ted... Where was he? Andromeda's amber eyes searched the darkened wood for him, for anyone, but she was alone.
Well, not entirely. She could still hear them behind her, crashing through the underbrush and shouting out in harsh voices. Glancing behind her, she saw the glimmer of a few lit wands and even a torch or two between the wide trunks. She needed to hurry.
Her legs were stiff and would not move as fast as she wanted them to. She wanted to run, to flee, to put as much distance between her and her pursuers as she could, but her body was not cooperating and she could not get it to work properly.
"WE KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!" Came the sing song voice of her older sister, Bellatrix. "WE'RE GOING TO GET YOU, LITTLE ANDROMEDA!"
Her breath came in short gasps, hovering in the air as she passed through it moving ever onwards. She looked back again and they seemed to be getting closer. Andromeda tried to run again, but her legs moved slow, like they were in water.
Then suddenly they were. She had run into a small pool deep in the forest and gasped loudly as she sunk waist deep in the icy cold water. It penetrated deep into her bones, making her body ache and shiver against the biting cold. She moved forward, she couldn't stop, not when they were this close and she couldn't stay here, she would surely freeze. Andromeda pushed large pieces of ice out of her way, trying to make it to the other side before they reached her.
She was going numb. She couldn't feel her legs or her feet anymore and her hands were turning from red to purple as she pushed the largest piece of ice yet from her path. She could hear her Father's deep booming voice, shouting, sounding like he had said something like "THIS WAY!" and she tried to move quicker, but the water and the cold were slowing her down to a streeler's pace.
She hadn't noticed she had slipped until she was sinking further into the bitter water. She had been moving almost blindly, not being able to feel the muddy bottom of the pool as she walked through it and must have missed a step. Andromeda was sinking further, deeper into the water. She heard Bella's cackling laugh as her head slipped under.
The cold was stabbing into her like a thousand knives, tearing past her skin and sucking the warmth from the marrow in her bones. The pool hadn't seemed that deep before but now the surface was floating farther and farther away from her. She sunk into the cold blackness; at least down here she was away from Bella and her Father.
She had no idea where Ted and prayed that he was okay, that if they were hunting him too that he would get away. She hadn't been able to save Howard and a different kind of cold gripped her heart when she thought about what they would do if they ever got their hands on Ted. The cold froze her limbs so that she could not fight against the water anymore and Andromeda sunk deeper into the black pool.
Something silvery white caught her eye and Andromeda twisted as best she could to see what was down here with her.
"You see," His voice was as clear as it had ever been and no bubbles issued forth when he spoke. "You belong down here, in the cold, in the dark." Lucius gave her a knowing smirk. His appearance had no sign that he was underwater, but was standing not three feet away from where Andromeda was floating. The freezing water did not impede his movements and if anything he was quicker down here as he reached for her, grabbing her in unforgiving hands. "With me!"
"Dromeda!" Ted's deep voice roused her and Andromeda's amber eyes opened with a flash. She fought against the hands on her and blankets over her. She was already screaming. "Dromeda, it's okay! You're safe!" Ted held onto her, trying to calm her thrashing body with a gentle pressure as he pressed his own into hers.
Andromeda sucked in a deep breath, gasping for the air she hadn't been able to breathe in the black pool. Her eyes focused on his, warm and soft, like melted chocolate with a worried brow hovering over them. "I've got you, baby," Ted said in a softer voice.
Andromeda dove into his embrace, holding onto his warm, solid body with every ounce of strength that she had. It was a dream. It was only a dream. She wasn't running anymore. Ted was here. They were safe. They were together.
"Teddy…" Andromeda choked out and swallowed the tightness in her throat. Too many times over the past three months she had woken like this. Still, every time, Ted had been there and held her until she drifted back to sleep or the sun crept into the window, banishing the dark nightmares of her past.
"I'm here," Ted's voice reverberated in his chest and Andromeda pressed herself into it. He stroked her hair and tightened his arms around her for a moment as he breathed in deeply, comforting her with his steady presence. "Was it him again?" He asked once her own breathing had returned to normal.
Andromeda gave a small nod and looked up at him. "Bella and my Father too," She added. She had never visited the Forbidden Forest or that black pool in her nightmares before, normally they were of the ocean or Black Mansion. The worst ones though were when she descended back down into Lucius' dungeons. Those ones always felt more real than any of the others.
"You know I'll never let anything happen to you," Ted said seriously and Andromeda looked into his deep eyes. "I know those are just dreams but… I'd die before I let them touch you."
Andromeda felt a surge of emotion tainted with fear rise in her. They might have gotten away from Lucius and the Prophet hadn't reported any more attacks lately, but Andromeda knew that the Death Eaters had not laid down their wands. She knew these people better than anyone and knew they were biding their time. Ted pulled her hand up and kissed it while Andromeda looked at the bands on each of their hands, a public display of their almost forbidden marriage. That band around his finger might as well have been a target for all it represented.
She knew, one day, they would come for him. And then for her.
"I don't want anyone else to die for me, especially not you." Andromeda said in a small voice. She could not picture Howard's face without it turning into the blank dead one she had seen in Knockturn Alley. She couldn't imagine seeing Ted like that. "One was bad enough."
"He's going to pay for that." Ted's tone had steel in it. She knew as much as she missed Howard, it was even worse for Ted.
Andromeda looked up and saw his eyes darken for a moment before they softened back on her and he kissed her. Life flooded back into her veins as Ted's lips tenderly moved with hers. She melted into his arms and Ted held her firmly before resting his forehead against hers and breathing out warm breath across her lips.
Andromeda opened her eyes to see pale shadows stretching across the small flat. The first ray of sun peeked through the window behind Ted and lit up his dusty blonde hair with a ring of light.
"Come on," Ted blinked slowly. "We should get ready for the trial."
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Three months. It took three months for Thaddeus Nott to go to trial after Andromeda and Kingsley had worked tirelessly to get him arrested. Howard's death had been labeled as an "accident". The Daily Prophet had loved reporting on the trial as it dragged on. Lucius, Rabastan and Rodolphus all had the same story of Howard as an aggressor and a scuffle between the two had just gone wrong. Lucius' reach was long and his grip strong and he had cultivated an impressive web of influence at the Ministry.
But Andromeda was not in it within it anymore. She had tossed her hair back and raised her chin and spoke clear words of truth to the Wizengamot. Kingsley had even pointed out if it was an accident, why was the Killing Curse used? But the lawyer Thaddeus had hired, a Rosier cousin he and Andromeda both shared, had torn her credibility apart; citing her running out on her engagement and disappearance as proof of a disoriented mental frame and history of deceit as a reason not to trust her easy words.
"I'll take Veritaserum, I don't care!" Andromeda shouted. "I don't have anything to hide!"
"Is that true?" Faustus Rosier chided. "There was a case against you not too long ago. Attacked a few Muggles, didn't you?"
"That has nothing to do with this!" Andromeda hissed.
"But you see," He addressed the panel of esteemed witches and wizards around them, "The type of… person we are being asked to trust here."
Andromeda narrowed her eyes at him. "It was self defensive! And I certainly never killed anyone!"
"Thank you," Faustus gave her a patronizing smile. "That will be all, Ms. Black, oh, I mean Tonks." His smirk turned nasty and all Andromeda could do was glower at him silently.
Ted, Imogen, and Kingsley were waiting for her by the door when they were released from the courtroom.
"You did everything you could," Imogen said quickly before Andromeda could even open her mouth. Witches and wizards filed out of the courtroom past them and Kingsley ushered them into the hallway and out of the way so they could talk.
"You told the truth, that's all you could do," Imogen went on. "Standing up against people like Nott and Malfoy? That's more than most people would do."
"You've done lots, Andromeda. Helping me with my cases; I would never have closed so many without your insight." Kingsley commented. "We knew this one would be hard to make stick since it's a high profile case and it's just your word against theirs."
"He didn't even let me get the whole story out," Andromeda said harshly. "Faustus was always a slick-"
"Now, now" A drawling voice came from the doorway of the courtroom and a feeling of cold shot down her spine. Andromeda had done her best to ignore Lucius and the Lestranges in their front row seats, but had felt his cold gaze on her the entire time she had given her testimony. It was hard enough to talk about that night and even worse when Lucius, Rabastan, and Rodolphus were only a few feet from her. "Slandering the opposition in plain view of the public is sure to be its own infraction. Am I not correct, Shaklebolt?" Lucius smiled smugly, leaning on a black walking stick with a silver snake head handle.
"It's… frowned upon-," Kingsley started.
"See?" Lucius smirked. "They would have to throw your entire statement out, if the wrong person were to catch you. But don't worry, little Andromeda, your secret is safe with me."
Andromeda could have shot daggers out of her eyes. Not that they ran in the same circles anymore, but she had been careful to avoid any place she thought she might run into Lucius or anyone from her Pureblood life, but the trial had roughly thrown her back in the arena with them and now the power she had enjoyed her whole life was turned against her.
"He's my cousin," She said snidely. "I'm allowed to call my cousin a-"
"But he's not anymore," Lucius cut her off. "None of them are your family anymore," His face twisted and she caught a glimpse of that sick expression he had worn in the stables. "Blood Traitor."
"Damn right they're not." Ted said in a dark voice and Andromeda felt him move beside her. He slipped his hand around hers and the warmth from it spread quickly up her arm and through her body. "I'm her family now."
Lucius sneered at Ted, grey eyes lingering on their clasped hands a little too long. Andromeda squeezed his hand back and Lucius scoffed, glaring at the two of them before turning and following the crowd out of the Department of Mysteries.
"Is he limping?" Imogen asked as they watched Lucius lean on his walking stick with each step.
"Sure is," Ted said brightly and kissed Andromeda on the top of her head.
Andromeda let out a low breath. "I need a drink."
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The Leaky Cauldron was busy, but they were able to find a table. Ted pulled out Andromeda's chair for her while she shed her long cloak and forced a smile on her face for him. He took his own seat, pulling off his thick hat and shaking his dusty blonde hair free, giving Andromeda another worried glance.
"We haven't had this much snow in years," Imogen huffed, rubbing her hands together for warmth. "Honestly I don't think I can remember a winter this cold!"
"Yes you can," Ted said. "Because we flew in it twice a week because Amos didn't believe a blizzard was a good excuse to cancel practice."
"Holy Helga, you're right!" Imogen said wide-eyed. "Goodness, I'd forgotten about that…"
"Who else wants a Butterbeer?" Kingsley asked. "I'm buying."
"Ooh yes please!" Imogen said brightly.
"Mate, you don't need to buy for us," Ted said, reaching for his wallet.
"Please," Kingsley held up a hand. "Let me buy my friends a drink after a rough day, okay?"
Ted sighed and nodded. "Okay. But I'm getting the next round."
Kingsley flashed him a bright grin and headed off to the bar.
Ted glanced over at Andromeda. She had been sullen and silent since they left the Ministry and he knew what thoughts were plaguing her.
"Andromeda," Imogen leaned forward, "Do you remember that one winter? It was our… sixth year? Yeah, sixth year because it was Amos' last year as Captain." Imogen measured her life in Quidditch seasons. Ted hoped talking with Imogen would ease a bit of her gloomy discomfort. The two had become rather close over the past few months and he was grateful that Andromeda was able to build a small world of people around her again.
"Yeah, I do," Andromeda muttered. "It was awful."
Ted glanced over to her. They hadn't spent much time together that winter because he had been dating Thea Tephen and Andromeda had been… Shit. Lucius again.
"I'd never been happier to see spring in my life. It seemed like it would never end!"
"Kind of like this trial," Andromeda said glumly. Nott's trial had drug on for quite some time now and it hung over them like a dark cloud.
"They will deliberate tomorrow and we should have a verdict by Monday," Kingsley said as he sat four steaming mugs of Butterbeer down on the table. Imogen quickly grabbed hers and wrapped her small hands around it, trying to absorb its heat. Ted grabbed one and slid it down in front of Andromeda before taking one for himself too.
It was deliciously warm. He had not realized how deep the cold had seeped inside of him until the hot Butterbeer warmed him from the inside out.
"Dromeda," Ted said gently. "Don't you want any?" He asked. Her mug sat full while the other three were taking large gulps.
"Come on, Andromeda, don't let them get to you," Kingsley said in his deep, calm voice.
"They aren't getting to me," She snapped then realized that she wasn't fooling anyone. "Okay, so they're getting to me. But they are sitting up there, calling me a liar and making those snide little comments, like the one about me being a Tonks now." Ted sat his mug back down on the table. "Like being a Black was so great," She grumbled.
"I know it's hard, but don't stoop to their level," Imogen said with a sad smile to her new friend.
"I'm not that far above it," Andromeda muttered. Ted glanced sadly at her. Although she had left her old life behind, he knew that Andromeda still felt a measure of guilt for the things she had done and the things her family continued to do. She might be a Blood Traitor to them now, but she still shared their blood and as much as she might not want it to, that still meant something.
"You know what Howard would say?" Ted said, raising his Butterbeer up again. Andromeda lifted her eyes up to him. "They're all a bunch of dicks anyways."
Imogen and Kingsley burst out laughing and even Andromeda let out a small chuckle. They toasted their mugs together and Andromeda seemed to brighten up a little after that.
Ted did buy the next round, but felt his lightness of his wallet as he did so. His job at Quality Quidditch Supplies took care of their rent and necessities, but didn't leave much over for activities. Most of the time that was okay as Andromeda preferred to stay in anyways and Ted favorite activity was Andromeda. Her hand came to rest on his knee and suddenly his whole leg felt too hot and he couldn't stop the silly grin from spreading across his face.
"Would you want to go?" Kingsley asked.
"What? Oh, sorry," Ted said as he realized he hadn't been paying attention to what Kingsley was saying.
"Yeah I think I'd like to," Imogen answered.
"Andromeda?" Kingsley asked.
Ted looked over to her again and saw that she too was staring into the distance.
"Dromeda," He said, stretching his arm out around the back of her chair.
She jumped and turned back to the group. "What? What's happening?" She asked quickly.
"There's this meeting, next week," Kingsley began to explain again. They had all gotten used to Andromeda drifting off in her thoughts and Kingsley was especially patient when he had to repeat what he had said because Andromeda was worlds away. "People who want to stand up against some of the things that are going on. You know," He lowered his voice. "The Death Eaters."
Ted tensed and he felt Andromeda do the same. They had done their best to just try and live their lives but it was getting harder and harder to avoid the increasing talk and events caused by the followers of the Dark Lord. Andromeda had given a lot of information to Kingsley, but Ted knew that she had not named anyone as a Death Eater outright. That was a line that only invited trouble and she knew once she crossed it, they would be targets once more.
"Uh, Dromeda? What do you think?" Ted asked.
She shook her head. "I need a break from all this once the trial is over."
Ted wrapped his arm around her and gave her a small squeeze of support. She looked back over where she had been staring before and Ted followed her gaze. She was looking over towards the bar where Tom levitated a tall stack of glasses to land with a loud clunk next to a help wanted sign.
"I also need another Butterbeer," She announced before setting off towards the weathered bartender. Ted watched her as she leaned against the bar and spoke with him. He saw her hold up four fingers and when he brought the Butterbeers back over to her, Andromeda leaned in and nodded toward something behind him.
"Well, think about it, Ted," Kingsley said as he drained the last bit of his Butterbeer. "I think it might be something you'd be interested in."
"What? Oh, yeah, sure," Ted said and turned his attention back to Andromeda and her strange conversation with Tom, but she was already headed back with four more mugs.
"Okay, but this is the last one," Imogen smiled as she pulled another mug towards her.
They enjoyed the Butterbeer, warmth, and company before saying goodnight. Ted forgot about Andromeda's encounter at the bar over the weekend and Monday morning brought the news that Thaddeus Nott only received three months in Azkaban for Howard's murder. He would be out by spring.
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November 19th, 1972
Andromeda sat on a rickety chair that she was pretty sure was only held together by several different spells as Tom, the barkeeper of the Leaky Cauldron, sat behind his equally shabby desk across from her.
"Do you have any experience serving patrons and customers?" He asked, eyeing her carefully.
They were tucked in his office, if you could call the small, cramped room an office. His desk had an old ledger with orders scrawled in it in messy writing, so yes, she supposed it was technically an office.
"Uhm, yes," She said, shifting in the chair slightly and hoping it wouldn't break under her. "I worked briefly in a café."
Tom's dark eyes peered into her and he seemed to be waiting for more of an answer. When she didn't provide one he cleared his throat. "Where you attacked the customers," He commented, making a note on some parchment.
"I was cleared of all charges." Andromeda snapped. If he was going to judge her based on that then she didn't have to pretend to be nice anymore.
Tom looked up at her and then began to laugh. "We could use a strong attitude like that around here," He leaned back in his creaking chair. "Sometimes the patrons get downright nasty. You ever have any dealings with Goblins?"
Andromeda smirked. "Oh, I know all about Goblins."
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December 11th, 1972
Ted was waxing a shipment of new broomsticks when the bell to the shop rang. The young man who entered had shockingly bright red hair and a childlike grin on his face. His cloak had a few patches and frayed hems, but his bright eyes and red cheeks distracted from it so that Ted found himself staring at this clearly overly exuberant man.
"I promise, it will only be a moment. I just want to see if they have any- Oh! Hi there!" The man spotted Ted and made straight for him on long, gangly legs. It wasn't until the man was almost in front of Ted that he noticed who he had been talking to; a short, pretty woman with her own pile of red hair tied up on top of her head who was, above everything else, heavily pregnant.
"Do you have any Cannon scarves or anything like that? I got tickets to the match next week. Won them in a bet, if you can believe it!" He laughed.
Ted could believe it based off of the excitement the man was exuding. The woman didn't seem near as pleased as he did and crossed her arms over her chest, glancing around at the shop as if it had done something wrong to her.
"Uh, yeah," Ted answered. "Over there by the back shelf. We don't get many Cannon fans in here."
"Oh, their time will come," The man said seriously. "Molly! This way!" He waived over the woman and they made their way to the back of the store. Ted watched them a little while longer and noticed that when the man was turned and absorbed in the bright orange Chudley Cannon merchandise, his wife's expression softened as she watched him.
"Arthur, really, that's enough," She chided and pulled a pair of socks from his hands and pushed them back on the shelf.
"Well, I want to get something for Bill and little Chucky will be here any day," He leaned down to rub Molly's belly and Ted felt something strange pulling on his heartstrings as he watched them.
"I've told you, we'll not be calling him Chucky! Charles is a fine name itself!" Molly said firmly and grabbed the items Arthur had collected in her arms, waddling back up to the counter.
Ted tried to hide his grin at their antics and began ringing up their items.
"Who are you supporting next Saturday?" Arthur asked him, leaning on the counter.
"Oh, uhm, Wimbourne, I suppose."
"You suppose?" Arthur gasped. "Mate, this is one of the most important matches of the season!"
"Yeah," Ted scratched the back of his head and felt a small tug of pain in his arm as a reminder of his own stunted Quidditch career. "Someone needs to go on to upset the Arrows so I guess I don't really care who does it."
Arthur laughed loudly and Ted heard Molly sigh. Apparently she was used to hearing him strike up Quidditch conversations with strangers.
"You got that right!" Arthur smacked his hand on the counter. "So who's your team anyways?"
"Don't really have one." Ted answered honestly. He still loved Quidditch, but found it hard to be as excited after losing the Arrows to Lucius. But time was healing his wounds, even if his arm never really would. Andromeda had made it usable again, but she was not a Healer.
"Oh come on, you have to support someone, working in a place like this! Don't try and tell me you aren't a fan." Arthur went on, unashamed. "What about your family, who do they support?"
Ted looked up at him and couldn't help but return the smile Arthur was wearing broadly on his face just a little. "My family are Muggles, they don't know anything about Quidditch."
Arthur's face fell open in surprise.
"Oh dear Godric," Molly threw her hands up in exasperation.
"Muggles?" Arthur was leaning for far over the counter now that Ted had to take a step back. "Why that's fascinating! Completely fascinating!"
Ted gave a small laugh in relief. He never knew how wizards would take it when he told them he was Muggleborn.
"Look, we've got to get back home, Molly's been on her feet all day, but would you mind if I stopped in and picked your brain a bit? See, I recently started at the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office and I would love to ask you some questions about how a few certain items work!"
"Uh, yeah, sure," Ted shrugged.
"Thank you!" Arthur laid a few coins out on the counter for their Cannon's gear and shook Ted's hand with a promise to return the following week before Molly pulled him out of the store by his cloak.
And return he did. Arthur started to become a regular in the shop, stopping in as often as he could. Ted kept his personal life mostly to himself and instead they talked about Quidditch, Arthur's second son who was due to be here any day, and of course, Muggles. Ted found that he quite liked Arthur's easy company and the fact that Arthur and Kingsley knew each other from work as well made it easy when they stopped in to the Leaky Cauldron one evening for a drink.
They found a table and Arthur quickly dived into a particular humorous story about collapsible ladders and how they confiscated almost twenty before realizing that they were supposed to fold up. Ted had tears in his eyes by the time Andromeda walked over in her little apron. She could have worn a dragon dung sack and he would have still found her irresistible, but the fact that the apron fit snugly around her waist made him salivate.
Andromeda gave him a small wink before returning to the bar to collect their order for them. Ted grinned, watching her make her way through the crowded bar.
"I know who that is," Arthur said in a suddenly serious voice. "That's one of the Black girls."
Ted's head shot back to Arthur, dark eyes watching him warily.
"You know her?" Kingsley asked, scooting his chair in closer.
"I knew her Sister, Bellatrix." Arthur's voice had lost all of its warmth. "She used to give Molly trouble back in school." He glanced back at Andromeda who was filling up the third mug of Butterbeer. "What she's doing working here, I don't know," Arthur shook his head slightly in disbelief. "Not like she'd ever need to work…"
"Her husband must be a real tosser then," Ted joked and Kingsley chuckled.
"Bet so. Most Purebloods are." Arthur mumbled, not picking up on the silent glance that Ted and Kingsley shared. "Still, I don't know a Pureblood who would let their wife-" He stopped talking as Andromeda set the drinks down at the table.
"Thanks, babe," Ted wrapped an arm around her waist and Andromeda leaned down and gave him a quick kiss.
Ted looked over at Arthur who was staring, gap-mouthed at the two of them. Kinglsey let out a deep rumbling laugh before taking a sip of his Butterbeer.
"Dromeda, this is Arthur. Arthur, meet Andromda. My wife."
Arthur's eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared back at Ted and Andromeda. Finally he shook his head and wiped his hand on his cloak before holding it out to her. "Arthur Weasley, pleased to meet you."
Andromeda paused halfway to shaking his hand. "Weasley?" She asked, blinking in surprise.
"That's right," Arthur said, sounding a little nervous and glanced quickly to Ted, as if making sure he had understood the situation correctly.
Andromeda lips twisted in a small smirk and she reached the rest of the way to shake his hand. "Hello, Arthur. Always a pleasure to meet another Blood Traitor."
The tension hung between them for a moment before Arthur raised his eyebrows quickly followed by another wide smile and genial laugh.
They stayed in the pub for quite some time and it was near closing when Andromeda finally came and took a seat at the table next to Ted, resting her head on his shoulder and sighing tiredly.
Arthur's eyes darted between her and Ted with a look of surprise at their affection for one another. "I had no idea that you had-"
"Run off and married a Muggleborn?" Andromeda finished for him. "Yeah, I did."
Arthur was looking at her with something akin to pride. "Well I couldn't be happier for you." He raised his glass and drank deeply.
"Thanks." Andromeda finished off Ted's Butterbeer for him while he chuckled and hugged her shoulders.
"Not sure if you're parents ever told you, but you do know we're cousins, right?" Arthur asked.
Ted knew all the Pureblood families were related somehow, but was surprised to find that someone like Arthur could be related to a family like the Blacks. He was nothing like any of the other Purebloods Ted had ever met.
"Distant." Andromeda answered. Ted fought the smile that threatened to break onto his face. She might have left her family behind, but she had taken the haughty attitude with her.
"Still counts!" Arthur grinned and emptied his drink.
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January 13th, 1973
"A bottle of your finest elf wine," The croaky voice of a goblin sounded from the other side of the bar. "And don't try and pass off the cheap stuff on me, I know quality when I taste it," The goblin went on, tapping his crooked nose with a long nail.
The corner of Andromeda's mouth twitched. She had studied goblins her whole life, but only interacted with them a few times. They were coarse and cruel, but somehow Andromeda did not mind it. In fact she found their harsh attitudes refreshing sometimes. Goblins were goblins and they didn't care what anyone thought of them.
She turned and reached up to the highest shelf, grabbing a dusty bottle of dark red wine and setting it on the bar. "Does this meet your standards?" She asked.
The goblin grabbed it quickly and looked it over, brushing a bit of the dust off the read the label more clearly. His dark eyebrows raised, clearly impressed by its vintage. "Yes… Yes this will work nicely," He muttered and pulled out a few golden galleons.
Andromeda scooped them up. "Celebrating?" She asked. Normally she didn't try and make small talk with the patrons. She was polite enough, but Andromeda was not someone who could be described as friendly.
The goblin looked up at her with black eyes. She knew most witches and wizards avoided goblins even though they shared their world with them. "Yes." He answered curtly.
Andromeda flicked her wand and lit some candles at a large round table. "There you go then," She said and with another wave of her wand goblets appeared in front of each of the chairs. The goblin stared at the table she had set for him and then back at her as if he was unsure what to do with her display of camaraderie.
"Thank you," He said in his croaky voice.
"Well, it is the anniversary of the Hog's Battle," She offered with a shrug. Andromeda had read almost every book written on the Goblin Rebellion of 1612. The Hog's Battle was an important victory for the goblins and had secured Hogsmeade for them where they used it as their launching point for the rest of the war.
The goblin blinked his black eyes a few times at her in surprise. "Yes. Yes it is." He said in a softly shocked voice. "Do you know the rebellion?" He leaned forward a little, his interest outweighing any natural hesitancy he had.
"I know everything about it," Andromeda answered quickly. How interesting it would be to talk to a goblin about the Goblin Rebellion? All the books she had read were written by humans of course and most painted the goblins as bloodthirsty and power hungry.
"Doubt it," He remarked in a snarky voice. Andromeda pulled back a little. "Wizards only tell their side," He went on. "It wasn't courage and strength that won the war, it was cunning and trickery."
"I agree wholeheartedly." Andromeda nodded and the goblin almost lost his grip on the bottle of elf wine. His mouth dropped open revealing wickedly sharp teeth as he stared at her unbelievingly. Andromeda looked up as a few more goblins entered the pub.
"What's your name?" The goblin asked her, breaking his silence.
"Andromeda Tonks." She stood up a little straighter.
"Tonks… Tonks…" The goblin marinated her name in his mouth. "I did business with a Tonks once." He finally said.
"Gorshank!" One of the other goblins called across the room. "We're thirsty!" He smiled wickedly and the goblins laughed as they took their seats.
Andromeda knew what he was talking about. Ted had borrowed money from the goblins when they had plans to leave the country. When he had returned it in full only a week later Ted had told her that the goblin, this Gorshank, had been very impressed.
"That would be by husband Ted." She explained. "He spoke highly of you. How about a plate of eel tails?" Andromeda offered. "On the house."
Gorshank smiled again, baring those pointed teeth. "Extra vinegar?"
"Why of course," Andromeda tilted her head. "Who would have them otherwise?"
.
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March 2nd, 1973
Ted climbed the stairs to their small flat. He had stayed late at work because Arthur had dropped in again and they had gotten to talking, discussing Quidditch tactics, maneuvers, and strategies. The season was ending soon and somehow the Chudley Cannons had made it to the finals against the Appleby Arrows, surprising everyone in the wizarding community except Arthur.
"I told you, didn't I?" He smiled so wide that Ted could have counted all of his teeth if he tried. "I told you the Cannons' time would come!"
"Should have put some gold on them," Ted joked. "We could both use it."
"Godric knows that's right," Arthur breathed out heavily. "I never thought two small boys could eat so much!"
Ted laughed. Arthur brought his sons with him sometimes when he came to visit and Ted loved watching Bill try to roll a Quaffle around the store while Charlie chewed on a hole in his Dad's gloves.
"Laugh now, wait until you have one!" Arthur warned.
Ted opened the door and was greeted with his favorite sight in the whole world. Andromeda was asleep in their bed; her hair spilled out on the white pillow and her face turned to the side as her chest barely rose from under the blanket with small breaths that passed through her lips every few seconds.
He kicked off his shoes as quietly as he could and shed his clothes, hanging them on the back of a chair before climbing into the bed next to her. She stirred a little and took a deeper breath as he wrapped his arm around her middle, pulling her close to his chest and buried his face in her hair, breathing in her delicate floral scent.
"Mmm Teddy…" She mumbled, half asleep as she snuggled herself against him.
"Sorry I'm late," He murmured, wrapping her up in his arms.
Andromeda slowly blinked her eyes open. "You'll have to make it up to me," She said softly, running her soft hand over the side of his neck and into his hair.
"How should I do that?" Ted asked in a low voice, his heart beating a little faster as she moved her body against him and slid her leg up his to rest around his waist.
"You know what I want," Andromeda breathed out against his lips.
Ted slid his hand under her shirt and over the curve of her body. He pushed her back into the mattress and lifted himself to rest on top of her, rubbing his hand over her thigh. "It's been a long day, baby, you might have to show me," He teased as he ran his nose along hers.
Andromeda arched her hips against his and pulled his face down to hers, pressing him against her soft lips. Ted groaned as he felt the heat from her center against him and tasted the sweet honey of her mouth. She shifted under him, bringing up her other leg to wrap around him, moving her hips back and forth sending waves of bliss up his spine with each movement.
"Something like that," She whispered in his ear.
Everything they had gone through, everything they had fought against, it was all worth it. They had fought for their lives and now, they could live them.
Together.
.
.
.
A/N: I know the world is crazy right now and I figured we could all use a break and what better way than to enjoy some sweet Tedromeda bits? I've written some parts that I will be using in later chapters and trying to fill it all in and tie it together. Guys, I'm not sure I'm ever going to be ready to let this one end, haha…
Please let me know what you think of Part II so far and review! Thank you all so much for staying with me this long! I set up a few things in this chapter so hopefully you still found it entertaining enough.