I'd like to dedicate this story to:

Budapest All Over Again, who has agreed to take over the 25 Days of Christmas Competition after I've left the website, with Cheeky Slytherin Lass, and whose birthday (I just spelled that "borthday" twice) is comeing up on January 8th.

Lady Pheonix Fire Rose, for being a wonderful friend and late night PM-chat buddy.

lizalovesdoggies, for writing me a goodbye present, THANK YOU!

and, last but not least, Cheeky Slytherin Lass, for taking on the challenge of taking over the Ultimate Doctor Who Episode Competition when I've left the website, I wish you luck!

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the note and the concepts.

To My Dearest Andromeda

I thought of thou in a dream last night
Thine eyes rivaled even the sky
Thy hair be the silk of kings and knights
Thy smile beautiful and blithe

Thou lay under a yonder tree
As the summer came wafting in
There is no word to describe thee
Only wish to see thou again

Remember always I am thine
Forever 'til my dying day
I hope that always thou are mine
Some day I'll take you away

Yours forever,

Ted

Andromeda breathed in deeply as she stared at the note, seeking comfort in the cheesy, mushy, romantic poem that had arrived by owl the day before. Turning her head to look into the mirror on the other side of the room, she didn't see beauty beyond words, as Ted had said, she saw a scared little girl with damp black hair and skin as white as her night gown. She had soaked herself in the bath for over an hour trying to get rid of the cold, contaminated feeling in her veins. Her mother had hosted a dinner in the honor of Cyngus Black's 39th Birthday, of course inviting the whole family and everyone of importance. Usually this wouldn't have been so bad, she got to talk to Uncle Alphard and cousin Azalea, who was just three years older than her and friendly enough if you stayed as far away from the subject of pure-blood views as possible. But tonight, after putting Narcissa and Bella to bed (much to the protests of the latter) and helping great-aunt Hesper to her room, her mother called Andromeda and directed her to a certain chair by the head of the table, and sitting at the head of the table was a man. The memory itself was enough to send chills up her spine…

"Lord Riddle, this is my oldest daughter, Andromeda," Mrs. Black said, smiling and gesturing to her daughter with a grey silk-covered arm. Lord Riddle inclined his head at her and took her hand in his, pressing his lips to her knuckles and smirking in a way that made Andromeda want to flinch away. Mrs. Black looked at her expectantly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Riddle." Andromeda said politely, while trying to fight of the urge to wipe her hand off with a napkin. Mrs. Black seemed to be satisfied with Andromeda and turned back to her conversation with Walburga. Andromeda just sat in her chair for the next few minutes, taking a sip of her drink every now and again, and trying not to look at the man beside her, there was something strange about Lord Riddle, something almost, not real. He was handsome upon first glance, much reminding Andromeda of Alanzo Zabini, the Hogwarts' Heartthrob, but when she looked closer she could see traces of red behind his eyes, his features were a bit waxy, carved, almost.

"My dear Andromeda," Lord Riddle said in a charming voice, but the rasping under tone made Andromeda want to shiver.

"Yes, sir?" she said turning her head a little bit to meet his eye.

"you look lovely, tonight." He said. This surprised Andromeda, sure she had dressed to impress on her mother's command, donning a deep-blue, knee-length silk dress with cap sleeves and twisting her hair up in an elegant knot of braids, but she hadn't expected Lord Riddle to complement her on it.

"Thank you, sir." She said, nodding.

"Do you go to Hogwarts?" he asked.

She nodded, "yes, sir,"

"Your house?" he enquired.

"Slytherin," she said, trying to keep all negative feelings she had for her house from showing in her voice.

"Good," he said, nodding approvingly.

"And what is it you plan to do now, Riddle?" Mr. Black asked, and he and Lord Riddle engaged in a serious discussion of Wizarding world politics. Andromeda went to take a sip of her drink, when she felt something brush her leg. Lord Riddle's pale hand was rested just above her knee, Andromeda's inside squirmed and she had a strong urge to flee from the table and lock herself in her room until everyone left. She closed her eyes, thinking repeatedly, ignore it, ignore it, ignore it. She reached again for her drink and sipped as much as she could without being obvious. The bittersweet mead burned as it ran down her throat, but the numbing sensation quieted her nerves. Lord Riddle's hand slid up a bit higher, resting on her mid-thigh. Andromeda sipped again. Lord Riddle's hand moved slowly up her leg, stopping and lingering every few inches. Andromeda could feel her face growing red under her make-up. She turned her head slightly and caught Lord Riddle's eye, an amused smirk spread across his face.

"Well, we really must be going. Thank you for inviting us, Druella, it is always a pleasure to come here," Andromeda's cousin, Forsythia, said, breaking the trance.

Andromeda shuttered to think of what might have happened if Forsythia was a quieter being. She looked into the mirror again, but found the black eyes of her sister staring back at her.

"Bella, what are you doing here?" Andromeda asked in a furious whisper, trying to hide the letter from Bellatrix's view.

"You were crying." Bella said simply, "does it have something to do with that man, Lord Riddle?" She asked casually, sitting down on the edge of her sister's bed. Andromeda's head shot up.

"How did you know about him?" Andromeda asked, crossing the room and sitting down next to her ten-year-old sister.

"Mother introduced me to him," Bella said, Andromeda's face paled. "She said he was a very important man and that we should always be loyal to him, he told me I would be very helpful to him when I get older and get into Slytherin."

"Mother's lying." Andromeda said, looking her sister in the eye, "they're all blinded by his power and praise to see him for what he really is, a snake and a bastard."

"Andromeda!" her sister gasped. "Don't say those things!"

"I say them because they're true." She replied harshly, "don't let him trick you, too."

"No, you're wrong, he's not tricking me, and you're the one who's been tricked. You'll regret this someday, you will, just like you'll regret dating that filthy mudblood! And tomorrow I'm going to tell mother!" And with that Bella hurried from the room, leaving a shocked and worried Andromeda behind.

"Oh, Bella," she whisper softly to herself. She quietly made her way over to her vanity and retrieved her wand from the bottom drawer. She then took out the bag that Ted had given her the past summer and put an undetectable extension charm on it. She started to gather things from her vanity that she thought she might need or wanted to keep. She knew she could do it all by magic, but for some reason she felt a special way about that room, and that it was better that she do it the muggle way. Andromeda reached for the black ivory mirror her cousin Azalea gave her, and was about to put it in the bag too when she caught sight of another pair of eyes peering into it. She turned around to see her youngest sister, Narcissa, looking at her with big, worried, grey eyes.

"How long have you been there?" Andromeda asked, going over to her and scooping her up in her arms.

"Are you leaving, Andy?" Narcissa asked, staring at Andromeda intently.

"Yes," Andromeda replied softly, Narcissa started to cry.

"Shhh, Shhh, Don't cry, Cissy."

"But why are you leaving?" Narcissa asked, distressed, "Don't you love us?"

"It's because I love you that I'm leaving." Andromeda said, Narcissa looked confused, "It's not something you need to understand now, Cissy." Narcissa was about to say something, but stopped when she saw her sister's pleading face.

"Will you sing to me before you leave?" Andromeda smiled.

"Sure," she consented, "but let me finish this first." She set Narcissa down again and pulled out her wand, giving it a wave and sighing as pretty much everything neatly stacked itself in the purse. She pulled on a robe, because she didn't feel safe walking around in just a nightgown with him in the house, and scooped Narcissa up again, walking as quietly as she could to Narcissa's bedroom. Narcissa's bedroom wasn't like a seven year old girl's bedroom was supposed to be like. Ted had a younger sister, who was weak and frail, suffering from a disease, but her bedroom was light lavender with pictures all over the wall that she drew and a still photo of her family and one of her ted. Narcissa's bedroom was plain and stiff, with white silk on the walls and a portrait of their great-great grandmother on the wall. Andromeda set Narcissa down in the bed and sat beside her.

"Sing the French one, please!" Narcissa begged.

"Close you eyes first." Narcissa nodded and quickly closed her eyes, laying her head back on the pillow as Andromeda sang a French lullaby she had heard one of the Ravenclaw 6th years singing in the halls once last year. As she sang out the last line she extinguished the flame in Narcissa's lamp and whispered "lumos" for some light. She kissed Narcissa's head and walked out of the room. Just as she was leaving she heard Narcissa whisper,

"I'll miss you, Andy." She bit her lip to keep from crying.

"I'll miss you, too, Cissy."