Andromeda was sitting in a taxi, crying silently as it drove along the
crowded road. She gazed out the window as the taxi passed the Christmas
tree that she had been at only hours earlier. Suddenly, she saw a familiar
person walking around the ice-skating rink.
"Stop!" Andromeda called to the driver. The taxi came to a halt. Andromeda handed the driver a galleon and got out of the taxi, leaving the driver very confused.
"Ramar!" Andromeda called out, walking over to her friend. "What are you doing here? The SSS is in session, isn't it?"
Ramar nodded. "I lost track of time." She said. "I was just on my way back. Are you going back the hotel?"
"No." Andromeda said. "I have to leave. Severus and I had a bit of a row."
"Really." Ramar said. "Might I ask why?"
"Yes." Andromeda said.
Ramar waited for Andromeda to explain, until she realized she had to ask. "Why?" she said, a bit irked.
"Well, it's a long story." Andromeda replied.
"Is their any way to avoid you telling it?" Ramar asked.
"Nope." Andromeda continued.
"Continue." Ramar said as she and Andromeda crossed a street.
"Well it all began when I started going to Hogwarts." Andromeda began. "My brother, James, and his friends were a year above me. And so was Severus. I don't really remember first meeting him, but I was in his potions class."
"Why were you a year ahead?" Ramar asked.
"I had a bit of a talent for potions." Andromeda said, a bit proud. "Of course now, I can't tell the difference between Wiggentree Bark and a muffin. Hey, watch it, buddy!"
A taxi almost ran them over as they crossed a street.
"Sorry- New York is rubbing off on me." Andromeda continued. "Anyway, We were made partners in class, and I rather fancied him."
Andromeda waited for a laugh or a comment, but none came.
"But he had his eye on my best friend and future sister in law," she said, "Lily Evans. And that really hurt because there was nothing I could do. As the years wore on, Severus and I became friends, as I did with James's friends, Sirius and Remus. I never got credit for being a Marauder, though, those sexist bastards."
Ramar was a bit confused now, but she let Andromeda continue.
"Despite my friendship with many Gryffindor, my relationship with Severus was most important to me." Andromeda said. "He wasn't nearly as edgy back then. Actually, you know those silly little contracts that people have that say something like 'If so-and-so doesn't get married by so-and-so are some age, they marry each other?"
"Yes." Ramar replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, we have one." Andromeda said, turning a bit pink. "It's a written document and everything. We agreed that if we both weren't married when we were 30, we'd marry each other."
"And how old are you?" Ramar asked.
"31." Andromeda replied. "But anyway, back to the story. When he graduated from Hogwarts, I seldom heard from him. When I graduated, I trained to be and became an Auror. That's when I found out Severus was a death eater. All my feelings I ever had for him vanished at that moment."
Andromeda stopped talking. She was picturing it all in her mind.
"And then?" Ramar asked.
"I became number two on Voldemort's hit list." Andromeda said. "I would always come home to a death eater waiting in my house to kill me. But then, one night, no one came. I was very, very confused, even a bit paranoid. So I went over to see my brother, James, his wife, Lily and their new son, Harry. And-..."
Andromeda paused again, this time in danger of crying.
"And Albus Dumbledore was there. He told me that Voldemort had killed James and Lily. But Harry, my godson, was still alive and well. But because I was next on Voldemort's hit list, Dumbledore and I thought it best for Harry that I go into hiding, and he stay with his other horrid relatives. So I faked my own death, and left, coming around Harry's new home every once in a while. "It was awful. I was never a proper godmother for Harry. I was always the spider on the windowsill; the cat on the fence; a glass on the shelf. I'll never be able to forgive myself for that. But when he was excepted to Hogwarts, I immediately applied for a job. Of course, I couldn't get one until Harry's 3rd year, but better late then never. "And that's when I ran into Severus again. I didn't recognize him at all, but when I did, the memories came flooding back, and so did the resentment. It wasn't until Dumbledore told me he trusted Severus that I realized he meant well. "But I wanted to start over with him. Just as friends. But today-..."
Andromeda sighed and a tear streamed down her cheek.
"Today what?" Ramar asked.
"TodayseverusfoundoutwhoIreallywasandgotmad. The End." Andromeda said quickly, trying to spare herself the embarrassment of crying again.
Ramar nodded.
"What do I do now?" Andromeda asked.
"I don't know," Ramar replied. "I've been on brain-screensaver from 'And Albus Dumbledore'."
"A lot of help YOU are." Andromeda said, making a face. Ramar shrugged.
~*~
Remus and Sirius had decided to go find Andromeda, and unfortunately found Gilderoy in the lobby. Sirius had decided to check the airports, while he so lovingly placed Gilderoy in Remus's care. Remus and Gilderoy were currently on another bus, and Gilderoy was bouncing up and down singing his favorite song.
"Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man..."
Remus heaved a sigh and checked his watch for the umpteenth time.
"Remus, do YOU know the muffin man?" Gilderoy asked.
"I'm sorry, no." Remus said quickly.
"I don't want to be a wizard anymore." Gilderoy said suddenly.
"And what do you want to be, Gilderoy?" Remus asked, massaging his temples.
Gilderoy smiled a 400-watt grin and began explaining his life to Remus.
"I'm going to be a moose!" Gilderoy said.
"Chocolate or vanilla?" Remus asked, not being able to think of something else to say.
"No, a M-O-O-O-O-S!" Gilderoy replied.
"I see." Remus replied. "And you think Andromeda will be Ok with you being a moose?"
Gilderoy thought for a second. "Yes." He said. "If she loves me, it won't matter that I'm a moose."
"Ah." Remus said. "What noise does a moose make, anyway?" he said, just to strike up conversation.
"Quack." Gilderoy replied.
"No, that's the sound a confused moose makes, which in your case, is right." Remus said.
"Moooooooooooooooooooooose?" Gilderoy corrected. Remus just gave him a look. "Would you like to read the poem I wrote for Andromeda?"
Without waiting for an answer, Gilderoy handed Remus a piece of crumpled paper. Remus squinted to read the smudged crayon.
'NDRMDA S BYOOTFL. I LV HR SO MCH ND HR SKN S LK A FRIT.'
"What is that word?" Remus asked, pointing to 'Frit'.
"Ferret." Gilderoy said. Remus continued reading.
'HR HARE S LK A NST OF BTS. SO BTOOTFL S SHEE,
BT NT S BYOOTIFUL S GLDROY BYOOTIFUL LK A GRL HOO S PRTTEE
BT NT LK ME.'
The poem went on like that: calling Andromeda beautiful, but not as beautiful as Gilderoy.
"What do you think?" Gilderoy asked.
"I think you should buy a vowel." Remus replied.
"Aren't those those little rat things?" Gilderoy asked.
"That's a vole." Remus corrected.
"Do you think Sirius's found Andromeda yet?" Gilderoy asked.
"With any luck," Remus said, "Sirius has her back at the hotel already."
~*~
Sirius was in the airport trying to shove a galleon into the soda machine.
~*~
Severus had hijacked a helicopter and was weaving it through buildings, terrifying everyone. He was a bit disappointed, as the people who owned the helicopter just gave it to him. He didn't get to hex anyone. Damn. Every once in a while, he'd fly up REALLY close to the ground, and ask a passerby if they had seen Andromeda. Everyone he asked either screamed, called the police, or asked him if he was looking for a good time.
~*~
End chapter. Yip. Chapter-y goodness...
"Stop!" Andromeda called to the driver. The taxi came to a halt. Andromeda handed the driver a galleon and got out of the taxi, leaving the driver very confused.
"Ramar!" Andromeda called out, walking over to her friend. "What are you doing here? The SSS is in session, isn't it?"
Ramar nodded. "I lost track of time." She said. "I was just on my way back. Are you going back the hotel?"
"No." Andromeda said. "I have to leave. Severus and I had a bit of a row."
"Really." Ramar said. "Might I ask why?"
"Yes." Andromeda said.
Ramar waited for Andromeda to explain, until she realized she had to ask. "Why?" she said, a bit irked.
"Well, it's a long story." Andromeda replied.
"Is their any way to avoid you telling it?" Ramar asked.
"Nope." Andromeda continued.
"Continue." Ramar said as she and Andromeda crossed a street.
"Well it all began when I started going to Hogwarts." Andromeda began. "My brother, James, and his friends were a year above me. And so was Severus. I don't really remember first meeting him, but I was in his potions class."
"Why were you a year ahead?" Ramar asked.
"I had a bit of a talent for potions." Andromeda said, a bit proud. "Of course now, I can't tell the difference between Wiggentree Bark and a muffin. Hey, watch it, buddy!"
A taxi almost ran them over as they crossed a street.
"Sorry- New York is rubbing off on me." Andromeda continued. "Anyway, We were made partners in class, and I rather fancied him."
Andromeda waited for a laugh or a comment, but none came.
"But he had his eye on my best friend and future sister in law," she said, "Lily Evans. And that really hurt because there was nothing I could do. As the years wore on, Severus and I became friends, as I did with James's friends, Sirius and Remus. I never got credit for being a Marauder, though, those sexist bastards."
Ramar was a bit confused now, but she let Andromeda continue.
"Despite my friendship with many Gryffindor, my relationship with Severus was most important to me." Andromeda said. "He wasn't nearly as edgy back then. Actually, you know those silly little contracts that people have that say something like 'If so-and-so doesn't get married by so-and-so are some age, they marry each other?"
"Yes." Ramar replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, we have one." Andromeda said, turning a bit pink. "It's a written document and everything. We agreed that if we both weren't married when we were 30, we'd marry each other."
"And how old are you?" Ramar asked.
"31." Andromeda replied. "But anyway, back to the story. When he graduated from Hogwarts, I seldom heard from him. When I graduated, I trained to be and became an Auror. That's when I found out Severus was a death eater. All my feelings I ever had for him vanished at that moment."
Andromeda stopped talking. She was picturing it all in her mind.
"And then?" Ramar asked.
"I became number two on Voldemort's hit list." Andromeda said. "I would always come home to a death eater waiting in my house to kill me. But then, one night, no one came. I was very, very confused, even a bit paranoid. So I went over to see my brother, James, his wife, Lily and their new son, Harry. And-..."
Andromeda paused again, this time in danger of crying.
"And Albus Dumbledore was there. He told me that Voldemort had killed James and Lily. But Harry, my godson, was still alive and well. But because I was next on Voldemort's hit list, Dumbledore and I thought it best for Harry that I go into hiding, and he stay with his other horrid relatives. So I faked my own death, and left, coming around Harry's new home every once in a while. "It was awful. I was never a proper godmother for Harry. I was always the spider on the windowsill; the cat on the fence; a glass on the shelf. I'll never be able to forgive myself for that. But when he was excepted to Hogwarts, I immediately applied for a job. Of course, I couldn't get one until Harry's 3rd year, but better late then never. "And that's when I ran into Severus again. I didn't recognize him at all, but when I did, the memories came flooding back, and so did the resentment. It wasn't until Dumbledore told me he trusted Severus that I realized he meant well. "But I wanted to start over with him. Just as friends. But today-..."
Andromeda sighed and a tear streamed down her cheek.
"Today what?" Ramar asked.
"TodayseverusfoundoutwhoIreallywasandgotmad. The End." Andromeda said quickly, trying to spare herself the embarrassment of crying again.
Ramar nodded.
"What do I do now?" Andromeda asked.
"I don't know," Ramar replied. "I've been on brain-screensaver from 'And Albus Dumbledore'."
"A lot of help YOU are." Andromeda said, making a face. Ramar shrugged.
~*~
Remus and Sirius had decided to go find Andromeda, and unfortunately found Gilderoy in the lobby. Sirius had decided to check the airports, while he so lovingly placed Gilderoy in Remus's care. Remus and Gilderoy were currently on another bus, and Gilderoy was bouncing up and down singing his favorite song.
"Do you know the muffin man, the muffin man, the muffin man..."
Remus heaved a sigh and checked his watch for the umpteenth time.
"Remus, do YOU know the muffin man?" Gilderoy asked.
"I'm sorry, no." Remus said quickly.
"I don't want to be a wizard anymore." Gilderoy said suddenly.
"And what do you want to be, Gilderoy?" Remus asked, massaging his temples.
Gilderoy smiled a 400-watt grin and began explaining his life to Remus.
"I'm going to be a moose!" Gilderoy said.
"Chocolate or vanilla?" Remus asked, not being able to think of something else to say.
"No, a M-O-O-O-O-S!" Gilderoy replied.
"I see." Remus replied. "And you think Andromeda will be Ok with you being a moose?"
Gilderoy thought for a second. "Yes." He said. "If she loves me, it won't matter that I'm a moose."
"Ah." Remus said. "What noise does a moose make, anyway?" he said, just to strike up conversation.
"Quack." Gilderoy replied.
"No, that's the sound a confused moose makes, which in your case, is right." Remus said.
"Moooooooooooooooooooooose?" Gilderoy corrected. Remus just gave him a look. "Would you like to read the poem I wrote for Andromeda?"
Without waiting for an answer, Gilderoy handed Remus a piece of crumpled paper. Remus squinted to read the smudged crayon.
'NDRMDA S BYOOTFL. I LV HR SO MCH ND HR SKN S LK A FRIT.'
"What is that word?" Remus asked, pointing to 'Frit'.
"Ferret." Gilderoy said. Remus continued reading.
'HR HARE S LK A NST OF BTS. SO BTOOTFL S SHEE,
BT NT S BYOOTIFUL S GLDROY BYOOTIFUL LK A GRL HOO S PRTTEE
BT NT LK ME.'
The poem went on like that: calling Andromeda beautiful, but not as beautiful as Gilderoy.
"What do you think?" Gilderoy asked.
"I think you should buy a vowel." Remus replied.
"Aren't those those little rat things?" Gilderoy asked.
"That's a vole." Remus corrected.
"Do you think Sirius's found Andromeda yet?" Gilderoy asked.
"With any luck," Remus said, "Sirius has her back at the hotel already."
~*~
Sirius was in the airport trying to shove a galleon into the soda machine.
~*~
Severus had hijacked a helicopter and was weaving it through buildings, terrifying everyone. He was a bit disappointed, as the people who owned the helicopter just gave it to him. He didn't get to hex anyone. Damn. Every once in a while, he'd fly up REALLY close to the ground, and ask a passerby if they had seen Andromeda. Everyone he asked either screamed, called the police, or asked him if he was looking for a good time.
~*~
End chapter. Yip. Chapter-y goodness...