"Only you," Jake said, "Only you could get detention the first day back."

"What started the fight again?" Lorie asked.

Ted didn't respond right away. He also avoided eye contact, especially with her. "I told you, she called me a mudblood."

"We get called mudblood five times a day," Jake said. "You've never reacted like this before, not unless it involved…" he didn't finish that sentence, but instead cast his gaze toward Andromeda. She blushed, understanding his implication.

Ted, however, just shrugged. "This whole… Voldemort, Death Eater, Pureblood uprising thing has me on edge." That seemed plausible enough to Andromeda, but it was clear to her Ted was hiding something. The others seemed aware as well, but unless Ted opened up to them, there wasn't much they could do.

Andromeda knew her sister well enough to know she could press someone's buttons when she wanted too, especially someone like Ted who already ran a little hot. What she didn't understand was how Ted had found himself around Narcissa in the first place. Had he sought her out? She doubted it, as he'd generally avoided her family even before they started dating.

While she found this concerning, she was even more concerned about what further damage could be done when Narcissa and Ted were forced to spend hours alone together in detention, to both of them. She thought about asking Teresa if she herself could supervise, but she feared that would only make things worse.

The best she could do was trust Teresa knew what she was doing, and try to be there for Ted afterward. And hope Narcissa's friends would be there for her.

"What is with you and letters?" Olivia asked. "Does your uncle really write you that much?" Andromeda stared at her in confusion, before realizing an owl had dropped a letter in front of her. What's more the name on the front was clearly visible.

"Who's R?" Lorie asked. Andromeda quickly snatched the letter away, but it was too late. Suspicion was already creeping on Olivia and Jake's face. Ted just looked shocked, but he quickly turned his gaze to her, waiting for her to offer an explanation.

The problem was, she didn't have any. And she couldn't think of anyone in her life with the name, "R." Except, "It's from Regulus," she said quickly.

They all made a point of glancing over at the Slytherin table, where Regulus was currently sitting and chatting with Barty Crouch. Then they glanced back at her with raised eyebrows.

Andromeda blushed, but quickly added, "He's keep apprised on Bellatrix's engagement with Rodolphus. But he can't tell me in person because officially none of my family are allowed to associate with me." That wasn't even a flat out lie, not really. Rabastan had been keeping her appraised on her sister's relationship, among other things.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Ted asked quietly. Something darker lurked in his eyes, though whether it was concern or lingering suspicion, she wasn't sure.

"She's my sister," Andromeda said. "I need to know that he's not hurting her the way he hurt… the way he hurt Narcissa."

She almost said me, but changed her mind at the last minute. She didn't want to discuss this with Ted's friends, however close they might be now. Ted, however, knew exactly what she meant.

"Bellatrix can take care of herself." He didn't say it unkindly, but she almost flinched anyway.

"Umm…" Lorie began quietly. "What did he… what did he do to Narcissa?" Ted didn't answer, instead glancing back at her. She sighed. She knew Narcissa would kill her if she said anything, but Narcissa already wanted to kill her, so what difference would it make?

"They were together, last year, and he…" she choked a little on the words, "he hurt her." She didn't elaborate, but she didn't need too.

"I'm sorry," Lorie said, reaching out and taking her hand. She felt Ted place a back on her shoulder as well. Without realizing it, tears had sprung into her eyes. She wiped them away, confusion mixing with her sudden burst of emotion. Narcissa had been away from Rodolphus for almost a year now, and based on what she'd seen of Lucius and Narcissa, he treated her like a perfect angel.

"For what it's worth, Ted's right," Olivia said quietly. "I don't think there's a man, or woman, on this Earth that could hurt Bellatrix, unless she wanted them too."

Andromeda agreed, but for some reason, the tears were still threatening to spill out on her cheek. She needed some air.

She kissed Ted on the cheek and said, "I'll see you after detention," and then made her way out of the Great Hall. She could feel his concerned stare on her all the way out, but she didn't look back.

People eyes her curiously as she made her way to the Entrance Hall, but she ignored them. It wasn't until she slipped outside and felt the freezing winter air on her face that she realized they might have a point.

"Incidio," she said, and a flame erupted on the end of her wand. Without fuel it wouldn't last long, but perhaps long enough for her to find the clarity she sought. She still wasn't sure why that conversation was so upsetting to her. Of course, any conversation involving Rodolphus and Bellatrix was upsetting to her. But this felt like something else, something deeper.

Maybe it was the reminder that as much as she'd tried, she hadn't let go of her family, not completely.

On top of that was the guilt that she'd lied to Ted, again. She told herself she had no choice. Rabastan was taking a huge risk talking to her, and if anyone found out… she didn't even want to contemplate what fate would befall him. Except, that wasn't the only reason. Remembering the looks of suspicion on her friends faces, and the nearly betrayed look on Ted's… she had so many more reasons to keep this correspondence a secret.

Speaking of, she'd never gotten around to opening his letter. With a quick glance to make sure no one was around— unnecessary, as it was basically a blizzard outside— she opened the letter. She expected more of his fancy nonsense, with hidden clues only she could understand. Instead all she got was:

"I need to speak with you. Urgently. Meet me in the prefect tower tonight at Midnight."

She read the words again, looking for any more information, but there wasn't any. What could he possibly mean? This didn't have something to do with her and Ted, did it? Or did it have something to do with Ted and Narcissa's fight? It seemed strange to her that word could have traveled so quickly, but who knew how many students had connections to the Lestranges, or even the Death Eaters themselves. Meeting Rabastan would be risky, but he knew that. He wouldn't ask her unless it was necessary. Of that she was certain.

She crumpled the letter up and tossed it into the flame. She wished her own problems could be burned away as easily as that letter.