A/N: The time jumps are going to slow down for a chapter or two while we deal with some… events, but they will pick back up and get longer as we move forward.
Trigger warning: infidelity, dub/con, sex work, and non/con
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May 1980
"How could this happen?" The Dark Lord hissed, taking long strides around the circle of Death Eaters. "Bellatrix, you let four Order members get away and go into hiding because you decided to play with your food!"
Bellatrix cowered, her dark eyes deepening as she shot nervous glances up to her master's face, watching as his pupil narrowed into slits as his wrath intensified.
The Dark Lord grabbed her chin and forced her neck to curve. "Do you think I will not provide you entertainment once I have victory? But first—" his long fingers cut into her full cheeks, "I must have victory."
Bellatrix yelped as he tossed her face away, disgusted.
"And you call yourself loyal to me." He shook his head, moving around the circle. " "Don't look so pleased with yourself, Lucius," The Dark Lord snapped and Lucius' smirk fell. "Tell me, what is the use of having you spin your webs through the Ministry if you can bring me nothing of use on Dumbledore's Order?"
Lucius flinched and swallowed hard.
"I am done with you." His tone was like venom as he looked around his followers gathered before him. "Go."
The circle started to disband, some people stepping back from the Dark Lord quickly while others disappeared right where they stood.
"Except you, Lucius. You stay."
Bellatrix looked over at her brother-in-law, shocked that he was being asked to stay behind for a private hearing while she was being dismissed with the rest.
Lucius smirked at her and then fell on one knee. "My Lord." He bowed his head.
The last crack of apparition sounded and the Dark Lord finally turned towards Lucius. "I have something for you. Something… precious to me."
Lucius' pale eyes turned up, meeting the dark slits surrounded by crimson red. "T-thank you, I… I don't know what to say—"
"I give it to you for safe keeping. It is a dangerous weapon, one that I will instruct you to use. Other than that you must guard above all else."
The image of Narcissa flashed in his mind. Above all else... She was the most precious thing to him, and she was now carrying his child. Narcissa had taken him out to the menagerie, showed him how her flock of pure white peacocks were thriving and then opened the doors and let the birds out onto the grounds, telling him she didn't need to practice anymore.
It had been the happiest she had ever looked and Lucius wanted to keep that beaming smile on her face forever. Narcissa was giving him a child, now it would be his turn to protect it from the world. Make sure it didn't turn out wrong. Make sure his son, because it would be a son, grew up strong and powerful.
His heir was due in a month. And thankfully so because his wife's pregnancy was grating on him. He had volunteered for more missions from his Master just so he didn't have to listen to Narcissa yell at the elves for painting the nursery the wrong shade of sage green. He should have been at home with her tonight; she had been having pains lately.
But Lucius was no healer and couldn't do much of anything to help her other than ring for more tea which she couldn't keep down half of the time anyways. His job started once the child was born and even then it would be years before he could train his son to be a fitting heir for the Malfoy line. Make him powerful enough to protect the item the Dark Lord wished to bestow upon him.
Either way, he could not refuse the Dark Lord's offer.
"I will do as you command." Lucius bowed his head back down.
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May 1980
Ted gently closed the door behind him to Dora's room once she had fallen asleep. It had taken three chapters of Peter Pan to get her down and Ted couldn't remember a word of what he had read.
He was beyond exhausted having flown in from covering a match in Derry overnight and then spent the afternoon hunched over this typewriter in the busy office trying to finish the write-up so he could come home and all he wanted to do was fall face first into his pillow and not move until morning.
Andromeda was standing at the foot of the bed when he walked into their bedroom.
"What?" Ted asked, earthy eyes widening, his body tensing.
"Care to explain this?" She threw a copy of the Prophet onto the bed between them.
Ted had seen the headline and it was all anyone was talking about today in the office. He tried to ignore most of the chit chat, trying to focus on his work, but the panic and fear in people's hushed whispers were impossible to ignore. He glanced down at the paper, eyes turning dark as he read the large printed letters.
Death Eaters on the Move: the Dark Mark spotted over Belfast
Ted took a steadying breath, knowing a fight was coming. "I wasn't in Belfast. I was in—"
"I know where you were!"
"I'm fine, Dromeda." Ted took a step towards her, reaching his hands out and Andromeda jerked hers away, tossing her head to the side.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I just got back in."
"I don't care."
Ted was shocked by the soft quiver in her voice. Andromeda turned towards him again, her honey eyes laced with worry and pain.
"I read that this morning and… I didn't…"
Ted took a tentative step towards her again, gently letting his hands come to rest on her crossed arms. If she wanted to shake him off and turn away again, she could. But Andromeda didn't. She didn't lean into him and hold him like he wanted her to do, but she didn't pull away either. Softly, he began to rub his hands over her arms.
"Don't be mad at me, Andromeda."
She still wasn't looking at him. "Nymphadora kept asking when you would be home and I didn't know what to tell her."
His heart clenched in his chest. Andromeda sighed heavily, the hardness on her face slipping away as breath passed between her full lips.
Ted leaned down and kissed her. Andromeda stilled for a moment, then pressed her mouth against his, her arms uncrossing and hands coming to rest on his sides.
Ted gave her a few more soft kisses, hoping to calm her.
"You have come back to me so many times. How can you ever think I wouldn't do the same?"
"It's not that simple, Ted."
"It is," he answered, lowering his voice and speaking softly, trying to soothe her. "I love you. It is as simple as that."
She blinked, looking up at him through teary lashes. Her honey eyes shone up at him and it was her again, the real Andromeda.
"It's always been that simple."
"Nothing feels simple anymore. I haven't… I haven't felt this scared since…"
Andromeda looked down at her hand where her thin gold wedding band was and Ted knew she was thinking about the black pearl ring that used to sit there. She unconsciously touched her neck and Ted's smile faded.
Ted's warm hands took both of Andromeda's and held them. Her fingers slid against his, her thumb grazing over his palm, tired from gripping the broom for so long. He had forgotten his gloves in his rush to get back home.
"I guess I will just have to hold you all night to make it better." Ted pulled her arms around his body before slipping his own around her, holding Andromeda close to him. She gave a small sniffle and then a small laugh.
He grinned in return, face pressed against her soft waves. "So you're not mad at me anymore?"
Andromeda relaxed into his arms. "I wasn't mad at you. I just missed you, that's all."
He pressed his forehead against hers. "I missed you too, baby and I'm telling Barnabas no more traveling."
"But Ted," Andromeda looked up at him. "How are you going to be able to cover matches if you don't—"
"Doesn't matter," Ted said in a deep but soft voice. "What matters is I'm here with you and Dora. It's changing out there, Dromeda. Pretty soon they will be restricting travel anyways. Especially for… people like me."
It was a hard potion to swallow, but things had never really been fair for Muggleborns before and now, even more so. Barnabas had even had some pressure from the Ministry itself to not print every incident reported of Muggleborn attacks. They claimed it was for security and investigation purposes, but Ted knew it was a way to keep people in the dark about what was actually happening.
She held onto him a little tighter. "We're with you, Ted." He pulled his arms back and she looked up at him again with her liquid honey eyes. "Nymphadora and I, we'll never leave you. Even if we have to… go, we'll go together."
Something in Ted cracked. "I'm not going to make you run for me again."
"We're a family," Andromeda said. "No matter what."
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June 1980
Narcissa wrinkled her nose at her tea and sat it back down to run a small hand over her large stomach. She had invited the ladies of her social circle over, but now wanted nothing more for them to politely finish their tea and return to their homes so she could lay down.
She was exhausted. The pregnancy had not been an easy one and carrying Lucius' child had taken much from her. Still, she would not have chosen any other path. Narcissa wanted to have a baby, wanted to be a mother, wanted to do what she was supposed to and give her husband an heir. She brought her hand back up to rest on the top of her swollen stomach and hoped beyond hope that her baby was a boy.
Lucius had been thrilled at first when she told him that she was pregnant. He had scooped her up, almost crushing her against him as he held her telling her how happy he was with her. Narcissa had wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly back. They were happy together, how they should be.
But when Lucius saw Narcissa moving her personal items into one of the other rooms he nearly cursed the elf carrying her collection of perfumes.
"I need my rest, Lucius," Narcissa explained, petting his chest softly. "And it's not like our bed will be of much use to us until after—"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lucius' pale grey eyes cut into her.
"Just… that…" She stumbled over her words. "We can't… Until the baby is born we shouldn't—"
"You are my wife," Lucius snarled, grabbing onto her shoulders and forcing her backwards into their room.
Narcissa's legs hit the foot of the bed. "I am the mother of your child now." She did her best to keep her voice from shaking. "And my responsibility is to give you a healthy baby to carry on our name."
Lucius looked torn for a moment and Narcissa dropped her hands to the growing bump between them.
She had worked so hard for this baby, she wasn't going to risk anything when it came to it. Even if that meant spending months neglecting her other duties as a wife. She assured herself it would be worth it once the baby was born and the coldness that Lucius now regarded her with would fade again. He was just frustrated, that was all.
He would be happy once the baby came.
So Narcissa had taken comfort in her friends. Bianca Zabini held her own baby boy in her arms while her elf hovered next to her gingerly reaching up to straighten the swaddling he was wrapped in. Bianca slapped her hand away and raked her golden nails lightly over the baby's head.
Narcissa couldn't wait until it was her child in her arms. She let out a low breath as a wave of uncomfortableness passed over her again. They were growing, getting more intense as the afternoon went on.
"Are you alright?" Bianca asked.
Narcissa hissed as a shot of pain rang through her. She cried out and heard Bianca's elf gasp as a wave of liquid rushed over Narcissa's legs and soaked through her skirts.
The lower half of her body cramped tightly, aching and she wrapped her arms around her belly as the pain intensified.
"Narcissa!" Bianca exclaimed and handed her son to the elf to grab onto Narcissa's arm. "We need to get you to St. Mungo's!"
"No," she gasped. "Get… Lucius…"
"We can alert him, but we need to get you to a Healer."
"No…" Her face pulled in pain as another contraction hit. "I want him to be there. This is- AH! This is his child-"
"Where is he then?" Bianca snapped. Narcissa knew Bianca's relationship with her husband was very different from Narcissa and Lucius' relationship. Mauricio Zabini was almost twice as old as Bianca and they had little in common other than a shared bed and surname. She was independent and oftentimes appeared at social events without her husband, a fact that made Lucius sneer down his nose and comment snidely on her rebellious nature, but Narcissa found it strangely… familiar.
She was glad that Bianca was here to help her, but while Narcissa put off leaving, trying to wait for Lucius, Bianca was ordering the elves around to get her things ready and to alert Lucius that his wife was in labor.
Dotty appeared with a crack in front of them at the same time another wave of pain rolled through her.
"Well?" Bianca snapped.
Dotty pulled on one of her ears. "Dotty cannot find the Master."
"Can't… find him?" Narcissa said through gritted teeth. "What do you mean you can't find him?"
"He is not in his office or in the stables. He is not at his properties, the Ministry, or—"
Narcissa cried out and dug her nails into the arm of the chair. Her baby was coming and she wanted her husband to be there with her. Lucius knew how close she was and he might have left her on their wedding day, but he wouldn't have left her now. Her eyes flashed an icey blue that made Dotty stumble back into the curtains.
"Where IS he?!"
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June 1980
Lucius had gotten drunk for this. That was the only reason he was here, doing this. He'd talked himself out of it so many times, but finally, his darker desires crept forward. He didn't want her. Not really. Not anymore. She was unfinished business that was all. And Lucius was a shrewd businessman.
He poured more of the fire whisky into the cheap glass and brought it to his lips, savoring the burn as it slid down his throat.
This place was a shithole. How she lived here, he'd never know. He couldn't stand looking at the dingy walls; yellow and brown and grey. It was only one room! How could someone live in a house that was only one room? But this wasn't a house. This was her flat, with that thieving Mudblood.
And as soon as they had vacated it, Lucius had bought it. He wasn't sure why. All he knew was that he wanted it. It had sat vacant, until now.
He looked around. It was mostly empty at this point, furniture sold off and cabinets stripped out of it. All that was left was the rickety chair he was sitting on, the broken table beside him, and a soiled mattress on the floor.
Had it been theirs? Is that where that animal had held her down, taken her? The image of the mattress swirled a little and Lucius took another drink. He wanted to be drunk right now. He didn't want to live in his head anymore. He just needed one night, one little night of escape.
He thought getting his wife pregnant would make him feel accomplished and successful. But as soon as she had conceived, all her attention had turned towards the baby. She was moody and tired all the time. It had gotten to the point where she even started arguing with him. Lucius had barely been able to control himself at times and only when his fingers were digging into her arms and Narcissa was whimpering that he was hurting her did he let go of her and allow her to retire to her "new rooms".
It had been months since she touched him. Lucius did not like being refused.
He loved Narcissa, he did. But sometimes it was hard remembering who she has been before she was his wife. She had been Andromeda's sister; her little sister, tagging along with her and planning the wedding. The two girls only shared a few similar traits, but it was enough that when he noticed them, it was like a slap to the face over and over and over.
Would he never be rid of Andromeda? Maybe after tonight. Maybe this would be enough to purge her from him once and for all.
The girl walked out of the small bathroom, stretching her arm up against the doorway. The candles were burning low and casting long shadows across the empty apartment. She took another step forward. She was naked, completely bare and exposed for him.
Her body was comparable to Andromeda's, curvy and full, but this girl was taller, even without heels on and while her hair was brown, it wasn't the shade of her ashen shade he still remembered so well.
Lucius swirled his glass. "Did they tell you what to say?"
The girl moved forward, throwing her hips from side to side. "Yes."
She stopped in front of him and Lucius let his eyes wander over her body. She was young, maybe only a year or two over age. She gave him a knowing smile and dipped her head down as she approached him in submission. So the agency had explained her role to her in detail. Good.
Lucius finished his drink. "Start."
She gave him a knowing smile and ran her hands over her body, playing with her breasts and pulling on her nipples, making them hard as she came to a stop in between his legs.
Lucius sat his glass down and reached forward, placing his hands on her hips. His arms were heavy with the weight of the liquor in them and he leaned forward to rest his head against her stomach.
The girl reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.
"Don't fucking do that." He jerked back, grabbing her wrist and pulling it away from him.
"Sorry," she muttered, looking a little scared. Lucius' insides curled excitedly at the flash of fear in her eyes. They were the wrong color, a plain brown instead of rich honey. Still, she would do.
He realized he was turning her wrist red and let go of it, looking up at the scared expression on her face.
"Kneel."
The girl dropped to her knees, sitting back on her heels and ran her hands up his thighs and back down. The chair creaked under him as he leaned back.
"Say it."
She adopted a look of contrition. "I am so sorry, Lucius. I didn't mean it, any of it. I never loved him. I loved you."
Lucius was breathing quickly. The girl's hands were moving back up, reaching for the button on his trousers.
"Do you regret leaving me?" he asked quietly, barely daring to say the words. He knew this wasn't Andromeda, he knew it, but still, the fear that she would laugh at him, sneer at him, and turn against him again was still there.
"I do," the girl nodded and reached inside his trousers, running her hand over his half hard cock. Lucius shivered at her touch. "I should never have gone. I miss you. I love you."
He grabbed her hair in his fist and threw her back on the dirty mattress. She groaned in pain and Lucius flicked his wand quickly, sending several silencing charms around the flat before turning back to her.
The girl was sitting up, looking upset at his rough treatment of her. Hmm. Maybe the agency didn't fill her in as much as he thought they did. Oh well. She would learn soon enough.
"That hurt," she said, rubbing the back of her head.
"Don't worry love," Lucius patted her cheek. "That won't be hurting you much longer." She looked up at him as he quickly shed his clothes. Lucius worked his hand over himself. "Not after what else I'm going to do to you."
Another flicker of fear across her face and Lucius struck her. The girl cried out, holding her cheek and he grabbed her arms and flipped her over, shoving her down into the mattress. Lucius breathed in heavily. She smelled like cheap perfume and smoke. He grazed his teeth over her shoulder and up to her neck.
"You thought you got away from me, didn't you?" he growled and she whimpered as he pushed his weight on top of her, shoving his knee in between hers. "You thought you could leave me? ME?" The girl shook under him, starting to twist and struggle. "You stupid fucking whore."
Lucius reached down, ripping her legs apart roughly. The girl cried out. It was all part of the act, he told himself. She had agreed to this. She wanted this. Just like Andromeda had. Only this time, he wasn't going to let her get away.
"Wait," the girl said in a strained voice. "This isn't—"
"Shut up," Lucius hissed. "I paid for you. I paid for this." He thrust himself inside her. She felt different than Narcissa, a bit looser and the wetness there was artificial.
She was crying, real tears leaked out of her eyes. Lucius pressed her bruised face into a stain on the mattress, knotting his fingers in her hair as he roughly pushed himself in her.
"Stop!"
"That's it love," he breathed out heavily into her ear. "I want to hear you cry. I want to hear you beg me. I want to hear you scream."
Lucius focused on the feeling of her body under his, the way her legs twisted and shook, how she clawed at the mattress, tearing it as her cries grew louder and louder.
He was huffing when he grabbed her throat, squeezing until she choked and gagged, gasping for air he wasn't letting through. He slowed his movements, pulling her up so he could see her face as it turned red and her eyes opened wider and wider as he savored the feeling of her body weakening under him.
Her lids were fluttering, almost closing and her lips were turning purple hanging open and hoping for the air only he could decide to give her.
Lucius loosened his grip and she coughed violently, squeezing him tightly inside her and making him groan.
He let her fall and rest against the mattress as he slowly rocked himself in and out of her, holding her hips to keep her in place, but the girl had lost her fight. He had broken her.
Lucius leaned down over her back. "Tell me you love me."
She took in a shuddering breath, tears dripping from her eyes onto the dirty mattress.
He grabbed her by the hair again and yanked her head back. She cried out, her voice quivering with fear. He let her sob for a moment while he picked up pace, starting up again so he could come. Forcing her head back down and lifting her hips to give himself a better angle, Lucius thrust himself fully inside her as harshly as he could.
"Tell me you love me or I will fucking kill you."
She screamed, twisting under him, but unable to shake him off. He enjoyed the short fight she put up and enjoyed it even more when she softened under him, weakly whimpering, "I love you."
Lucius roared, sliding himself as deeply as he could in Andromeda or… the girl, whoever she was, and gave her everything he had been holding back for so many years.
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October 1981
Kingsley sat across the kitchen table from Ted and Andromeda. There were papers laid out in front of them and a map with long lines drawn across it.
"There aren't many places we can send you to. It's going to have to be overseas. There is already too much unrest in France and Germany as it is to try and keep you close."
Andromeda held Ted's hand in her lap and squeezed it a little tighter. They had stayed as long as they could, it wasn't getting any better, only worse. If Ted was just a Muggleborn they might be able to get another year in, but it would still be risky. But Ted wasn't just a Muggleborn. He was a Muggleborn who had run off with a prominent Pureblood's fiancée.
It was only a matter of time before they came.
She turned to look at Ted. His face was set, jaw clenched, and sandy blond hair falling into his eyes as he stared down at the map and pulled it across the table towards him.
"Well, I have always wanted to see Brazil," Ted muttered.
"Brazil it is then." Kingsley nodded and scribbled down a few things on a piece of parchment.
Andromeda exhaled sharply. Just like that, they were on the run and about to flee the country. Again.
"Are you okay, Dromeda?" Ted asked, deep eyes full of concern.
"I'll be fine," she said softly. "This just… brings back memories."
Ted pulled her hand up and kissed the back of it.
"We can arrange for you to travel in two days. Will that be enough time?" Kingsley asked, no trace of the bright friendly smile while he was doing Order work.
Andromeda thought back to the last time a friend tried to help them escape. Would they lose Kingsley like they had lost Howard?
Ted answered for her. "Yeah, that's plenty of time."
"Pack only essentials, you'll have to move frequently and jump around from place to place. We can't leave a trail straight to you in Brazil."
"Where are we going first?" Ted asked.
Kingsley's eyes were dark as he looked between him and Andromeda. "Iceland."
"Iceland?" Andromeda's voice rose. "That's in the opposite direction!"
"It's too risky to travel in Europe. We think You-Know-Who is going to make his move soon. If he takes the Ministry he can put out warrants for people who they want extradited. I hate to say it, but you'll both be on that list."
"Why? We're not part of the Order." Ted's brows furrowed.
"While He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named might not come after you personally, that doesn't mean his lieutenants haven't had you marked for a while now."
"Bellatrix," Andromeda said. It wouldn't be the first time her sister had come after her.
"And Lucius," Ted added, eyes darkening. "All right, two days. Where do we need to be?"
"An Order member will come to collect you, most likely myself, but if not me then maybe someone like Frank Longbottom. He's an excellent dueller; you'll be safe with him. We will move you to a safe house for a while—"
"How long is a while?" Andromeda asked and although Kingsley looked at her, he didn't answer.
"Once it's safe to move you across the border we will make arrangements. It'll probably be brooms based on where you're going. Once you're in Iceland you'll meet with a contact of ours there who will smuggle you into Canada. You'll have new identities provided. The name Tonks has to stay here."
"No." Andromeda said firmly. "No. I am a Tonks. I bled for this name. I'm not giving it up."
Ted's heart swelled with love for her. She would never understand what words like that meant to him.
"It's not common enough of a name to be able to keep using. And you think they won't come looking?" Kingsley tried to reason with her. "They'll be busy with us for a while, but eventually, one of them will hear about a Tonks down in Brazil somewhere and decide it's worth a trip."
"He's right," Ted said. "I loved you when you were a Black, I love you now that you're a Tonks, and I'll love you when you're… whatever you are next. It's just a name, Dromeda."
She looked deeply into his eyes then nodded.
Kingsley continued. "Once our contact delivers you in Canada, you'll be on your own for the most part. We don't have much influence in the MACUSA so my best advice is to keep your heads down and travel fast. Don't stay in one place too long and unless it is dire, don't send an owl. They're too easily traced."
Ted listened intently to Kingsley as he went on, giving a few more tips and details of what they might expect. He held onto Andromeda's hand and felt it turn colder. After almost half an hour Kingsley rolled up the map and gathered the papers before quickly saying goodbye and rushing out the door.
Ted watched him until he made it to the end of the lane and disapperated. Then he closed the door, locked it magically and manually, and turned to see Andromeda staring at Dora's closed bedroom door.
"She's not going to get to go to Hogwarts," Andromeda said softly, arms wrapped around her middle.
"I know, but this way she will at least get to go to school. Who knows what would happen if we stayed here?" Ted pulled her into his chest.
Andromeda felt his warmth around her and melted into him. "I know, you're right, but still…"
Ted pressed his cheek into the top of her head. "We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out because we'll be together."
"I know," she sniffed. "It's late, let's get to bed. We can tell Nymphadora in the morning." Andromeda pulled Ted towards their bedroom. They got ready then laid down in silence, both lost in thought for a while.
"Tomorrow I'll start packing," Andromeda said tonelessly.
"I'll go into town, get us some supplies." Ted stared up into the blackness.
"Nymphadora's going to be heartbroken," Andromeda said, biting back tears.
"She'll like Brazil. So will we." Ted offered and pulled Andromeda into his arms again.
The next morning Ted sat at the table, drinking a cup of tea while Dora ate a bowl of cereal and Andromeda did her best not to burn the eggs when an owl flew in the open window and dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of Ted.
It wasn't true. It was a mistake. He sat down his cup and picked up the paper, unrolling it as he read the headline. There, in black and white ink, were the words,
HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED DEFEATED!
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A/N: Welcome baby Draco!