Chapter Seventeen: Flying Away Forever
Disclaimer: Most everything in this fic belongs to J.K. Rowling!
The winter was bitterly cold that year.
Andromeda was worried about Derrick. He was so quiet all of a sudden, almost...haunted. She had caught him whispering something to Priscilla in the hall and overheard the word "Voldemort." What on earth could that mean? Was it someone's name?
When she confronted him about it, he snapped, "Lay off me, will you? You haven't got a clue."
She had yelled back at him, "I would if you would tell me!"
But it was no use. The darkness and cold made everyone depressed and restless. Even her meetings with Ted lost their warmth. They could only study while huddling round the fire. She would wrap her arms around him tightly, worrying. In his eyes she saw the same worry. Paper after paper came, with more strange things. Ministry officials stating outright that they wouldn't work with mudbloods and then firing them. And Bones still hadn't been found.
One night, after hours of tossing and turning in bed, Andromeda gave up the idea of sleeping and lay there thinking instead.
On the other side of the room she heard the floor tiles creak and the shuffling of clothes. Silently she turned over to see Priscilla Normad making her bed and stuffing clothes into a bag—at two in the morning! Finally, she wrapped herself in a cloak, looked all around the room, and snuck out.
Andromeda needed only a few seconds to think. She got up, put on her own clothes and cloak, and crept down the stairs to follow her.
"I must truly be insane," she thought. "But what if it has to do with Derrick?"
She followed Priscilla from afar out of the common room and up out of the dungeons.
"Lumos," she whispered to light her wand, just before stubbing her toe on a statue. Priscilla didn't seem to hear her grunt of pain, and they crept through the creepy halls.
As they reached the entranceway, Priscilla pulled open the great doors to go outside. Andromeda swore under her breath; Priscilla was the insane one!
Bracing herself for the chill, she heaved open the door. Priscilla still hadn't caught on that there was someone following her. She was running now, tearing off into the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
Andromeda followed Priscilla's footprints in the snow, and began running to stay warm. Pushing back tree branches and dodging tree stumps, she found a convenient hiding spot behind an old tree as they came to a clearing in the forest. Priscilla held out her hand, illuminated by a glowing ball of iridescent fire.
She whispered something, and out of the shadows skulked—Derrick!
Andromeda gasped as the two of them hugged. Unable to control herself, she stomped towards them.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"Andromeda!" Derrick exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I followed her." Andromeda pointed to Priscilla. "As it turns out, I had good reason to."
Priscilla drew the hood of her cloak tighter around her face and sputtered, "But—but—I was careful! I thought everyone was asleep!"
"I can't sleep these days," Andromeda told her.
They fell silent. Finally, Derrick said, "I should have told you. I was stupid to try to leave like this, without saying goodbye."
"Goodbye? Derrick, what are you on about? Where are you going?"
"We don't know," he said, voice cracking. "Well, first Persia—then, who knows? America, Canada, Australia?"
It was like some nightmarish fantasy Andromeda would never have believed possible. She couldn't be standing here, listening to this. She was having a dream. She had to be.
"It's true," Priscilla said. "Avery can tell you the whole story."
He reached out and took her limp, icy hand. "I've—that is, we've—been recruited. Priscilla and I."
A chill ran down her spine. She said a bit hysterically, "Recruited? Who recruited you? For what?"
Priscilla looked at her incredulously. "You don't know who. You must know who."
"No, I really don't know who! Tell me!"
Derrick looked down, unable to speak.
Priscilla answered, as if it was the plainest thing in the world, "Voldemort, of course."
Andromeda expected instant inspiration when she heard the answer. She expected to say, "Ah, I see it now!" But she was only more confused than before.
Better to sound ignorant than be left uniformed. "Who's he?"
"A wizard who's growing popular in Slytherin pureblood circles," whispered Derrick. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, you being a Black and all."
Priscilla continued, "He's trying to get allies. We're of age, and so close to being out of school..."
Derrick swallowed hard. "People—his friends—have already been sending both of us letters. Trying to get us to come to their meetings, rallies...we're scared."
Perhaps it was because it was two in the morning and she was slowly freezing, but Andromeda couldn't understand how no one knew about this. Especially how she didn't know about this.
"They haven't recruited me," she said. "I knew nothing about this."
Priscilla rolled her eyes, her old meanness replacing her fear for a moment. "Honestly, Andromeda, why would anyone want to recruit you? Everyone in Slytherin knows you're practically a blood traitor."
Derrick jabbed her in the side. "Shut it, Normad."
Slowly the truth was dawning on her, and she was feeling worse and worse. "So why aren't you two joining him?"
Derrick's face fell. "I thought you knew me better, Andromeda. I'll proudly stand up for the pureblood cause, but not with this maniac. You know I've always had good foresight. I believe that if we don't join him, there'll be consequences. But we can't do the alternative either..."
"So we're running away," Priscilla finished. "We're getting out of Europe while we still can."
"Come with us," Derrick said suddenly. "It's only a matter of time before they come for your family. Voldemort won't kill your family if they oppose him, not yet. He needs the support of families like the Blacks to get power. But what about next year, or the year after that?"
"I—" Her voice came out in a whisper. "I can't leave. You know why."
"You're a Slytherin," said Priscilla. "Of course you can leave, if it's to save your own skin."
Derrick looked away, perfectly aware of what she was saying.
Andromeda told him, partly to convince herself, "I think you'd both be happier by yourselves, anyway. Aren't you two—er, together?"
Priscilla looked horrified. "Together with Avery as in romantically? Are you mad?"
"We just think alike, that's all," said Derrick. "And Normad has the way out."
She smirked. "It's lucky when you have a Persian friend whose father is Ali Bashir, the main exporter of magic carpets. One's picking us up. You can't Apparate out of Hogwarts, you know."
Derrick rubbed his hands together. "I hope it gets here soon, or we'll have to melt in Persia."
Andromeda could feel her eyes watering. "Stupid cold, making me cry. That's the only reason I'm crying, you know!"
Derrick pulled her into a hug. "I know, I know."
She held him for a minute, realizing for the first time how old they all seemed. Old at seventeen.
"I promise I'll write," she told him, wiping her eyes.
But Priscilla wouldn't have it. "That's not a good idea. Letters can be traced."
Andromeda was shocked to see that Derrick was nodding along with her.
"Oh," she said quietly, covering her heartbreak, "Tracing. I suppose war is coming after all."
"It's coming?" Priscilla repeated. "It's here already."
They fell silent and instead watched the starry sky. A few minutes later, a shadow flitted from up above them. Smoothly, an intricately designed magic carpet landed in front of them.
"Let's go," said Priscilla. She shook Andromeda's hand primly. "So long."
Derrick came closer for a private goodbye. "I'll miss you so much. I'll miss Ted, too. Say goodbye to him for me. In a few years, when things aren't so crazy, then you and Ted can come visit us. We'll see each other again, don't worry."
"I'll miss you too, Derrick." Choked up, she could only nod and kiss him on the cheek. "Go on." He got on the carpet and it took off into the night.
She didn't know how she got back to the common room, except the next morning she awoke in her bed to the screaming of her roommates. As Fenwick and the other teachers ran around trying to find the missing students, Andromeda was given a note that was left on Derrick's bed. It read:
A. I'm safe. I'm sorry I can't tell you where I went. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but it would have been too difficult. Love, your friend, D.
She put the note in her pocket and went to breakfast. What else could she do? She had to stop crying sometime. But, unexplainably, her feet carried her the opposite way—to another part of the dungeons, the Hufflepuff part.
There was Ted, standing by Violet's portrait with the same worried look he'd had since December. He ran over the minute he saw her. She didn't care who saw them. Not anymore.
"I heard about what happened," he said.
"News travels fast, doesn't it?"
"Of course, this is Hogwarts." He let her lean against him. "I'm sorry."
They found an empty classroom and she showed him the note, explaining everything that had happened the night before.
"At least he's safe," Ted said. "He's safe and he's not...one of them. He did the right thing."
"I'm only wondering when it will be our turn to have to escape. And if we'll be able to."
"You could have made your escape last night, and yet you didn't. Why?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
He kissed her, and she almost forgot all her problems. Until McGonagall showed up.
"Miss. Black! Mr. Tonks!"
They pulled their lips apart mid-kiss. The Gryffindor Head was blushing furiously.
"That kind of behavior is entirely inappropriate! What if someone had been walking by? Besides me, of course."
"Sorry," they both muttered.
"Well," she said, "Never mind about that. I'm glad I found you. The Headmaster wants to see you, Miss. Black. And you can come too, Mr. Tonks."
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! This story's almost finished...
Disclaimer: Most everything in this fic belongs to J.K. Rowling!
The winter was bitterly cold that year.
Andromeda was worried about Derrick. He was so quiet all of a sudden, almost...haunted. She had caught him whispering something to Priscilla in the hall and overheard the word "Voldemort." What on earth could that mean? Was it someone's name?
When she confronted him about it, he snapped, "Lay off me, will you? You haven't got a clue."
She had yelled back at him, "I would if you would tell me!"
But it was no use. The darkness and cold made everyone depressed and restless. Even her meetings with Ted lost their warmth. They could only study while huddling round the fire. She would wrap her arms around him tightly, worrying. In his eyes she saw the same worry. Paper after paper came, with more strange things. Ministry officials stating outright that they wouldn't work with mudbloods and then firing them. And Bones still hadn't been found.
One night, after hours of tossing and turning in bed, Andromeda gave up the idea of sleeping and lay there thinking instead.
On the other side of the room she heard the floor tiles creak and the shuffling of clothes. Silently she turned over to see Priscilla Normad making her bed and stuffing clothes into a bag—at two in the morning! Finally, she wrapped herself in a cloak, looked all around the room, and snuck out.
Andromeda needed only a few seconds to think. She got up, put on her own clothes and cloak, and crept down the stairs to follow her.
"I must truly be insane," she thought. "But what if it has to do with Derrick?"
She followed Priscilla from afar out of the common room and up out of the dungeons.
"Lumos," she whispered to light her wand, just before stubbing her toe on a statue. Priscilla didn't seem to hear her grunt of pain, and they crept through the creepy halls.
As they reached the entranceway, Priscilla pulled open the great doors to go outside. Andromeda swore under her breath; Priscilla was the insane one!
Bracing herself for the chill, she heaved open the door. Priscilla still hadn't caught on that there was someone following her. She was running now, tearing off into the direction of the Forbidden Forest.
Andromeda followed Priscilla's footprints in the snow, and began running to stay warm. Pushing back tree branches and dodging tree stumps, she found a convenient hiding spot behind an old tree as they came to a clearing in the forest. Priscilla held out her hand, illuminated by a glowing ball of iridescent fire.
She whispered something, and out of the shadows skulked—Derrick!
Andromeda gasped as the two of them hugged. Unable to control herself, she stomped towards them.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"Andromeda!" Derrick exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"I followed her." Andromeda pointed to Priscilla. "As it turns out, I had good reason to."
Priscilla drew the hood of her cloak tighter around her face and sputtered, "But—but—I was careful! I thought everyone was asleep!"
"I can't sleep these days," Andromeda told her.
They fell silent. Finally, Derrick said, "I should have told you. I was stupid to try to leave like this, without saying goodbye."
"Goodbye? Derrick, what are you on about? Where are you going?"
"We don't know," he said, voice cracking. "Well, first Persia—then, who knows? America, Canada, Australia?"
It was like some nightmarish fantasy Andromeda would never have believed possible. She couldn't be standing here, listening to this. She was having a dream. She had to be.
"It's true," Priscilla said. "Avery can tell you the whole story."
He reached out and took her limp, icy hand. "I've—that is, we've—been recruited. Priscilla and I."
A chill ran down her spine. She said a bit hysterically, "Recruited? Who recruited you? For what?"
Priscilla looked at her incredulously. "You don't know who. You must know who."
"No, I really don't know who! Tell me!"
Derrick looked down, unable to speak.
Priscilla answered, as if it was the plainest thing in the world, "Voldemort, of course."
Andromeda expected instant inspiration when she heard the answer. She expected to say, "Ah, I see it now!" But she was only more confused than before.
Better to sound ignorant than be left uniformed. "Who's he?"
"A wizard who's growing popular in Slytherin pureblood circles," whispered Derrick. "I'm surprised you haven't heard of him, you being a Black and all."
Priscilla continued, "He's trying to get allies. We're of age, and so close to being out of school..."
Derrick swallowed hard. "People—his friends—have already been sending both of us letters. Trying to get us to come to their meetings, rallies...we're scared."
Perhaps it was because it was two in the morning and she was slowly freezing, but Andromeda couldn't understand how no one knew about this. Especially how she didn't know about this.
"They haven't recruited me," she said. "I knew nothing about this."
Priscilla rolled her eyes, her old meanness replacing her fear for a moment. "Honestly, Andromeda, why would anyone want to recruit you? Everyone in Slytherin knows you're practically a blood traitor."
Derrick jabbed her in the side. "Shut it, Normad."
Slowly the truth was dawning on her, and she was feeling worse and worse. "So why aren't you two joining him?"
Derrick's face fell. "I thought you knew me better, Andromeda. I'll proudly stand up for the pureblood cause, but not with this maniac. You know I've always had good foresight. I believe that if we don't join him, there'll be consequences. But we can't do the alternative either..."
"So we're running away," Priscilla finished. "We're getting out of Europe while we still can."
"Come with us," Derrick said suddenly. "It's only a matter of time before they come for your family. Voldemort won't kill your family if they oppose him, not yet. He needs the support of families like the Blacks to get power. But what about next year, or the year after that?"
"I—" Her voice came out in a whisper. "I can't leave. You know why."
"You're a Slytherin," said Priscilla. "Of course you can leave, if it's to save your own skin."
Derrick looked away, perfectly aware of what she was saying.
Andromeda told him, partly to convince herself, "I think you'd both be happier by yourselves, anyway. Aren't you two—er, together?"
Priscilla looked horrified. "Together with Avery as in romantically? Are you mad?"
"We just think alike, that's all," said Derrick. "And Normad has the way out."
She smirked. "It's lucky when you have a Persian friend whose father is Ali Bashir, the main exporter of magic carpets. One's picking us up. You can't Apparate out of Hogwarts, you know."
Derrick rubbed his hands together. "I hope it gets here soon, or we'll have to melt in Persia."
Andromeda could feel her eyes watering. "Stupid cold, making me cry. That's the only reason I'm crying, you know!"
Derrick pulled her into a hug. "I know, I know."
She held him for a minute, realizing for the first time how old they all seemed. Old at seventeen.
"I promise I'll write," she told him, wiping her eyes.
But Priscilla wouldn't have it. "That's not a good idea. Letters can be traced."
Andromeda was shocked to see that Derrick was nodding along with her.
"Oh," she said quietly, covering her heartbreak, "Tracing. I suppose war is coming after all."
"It's coming?" Priscilla repeated. "It's here already."
They fell silent and instead watched the starry sky. A few minutes later, a shadow flitted from up above them. Smoothly, an intricately designed magic carpet landed in front of them.
"Let's go," said Priscilla. She shook Andromeda's hand primly. "So long."
Derrick came closer for a private goodbye. "I'll miss you so much. I'll miss Ted, too. Say goodbye to him for me. In a few years, when things aren't so crazy, then you and Ted can come visit us. We'll see each other again, don't worry."
"I'll miss you too, Derrick." Choked up, she could only nod and kiss him on the cheek. "Go on." He got on the carpet and it took off into the night.
She didn't know how she got back to the common room, except the next morning she awoke in her bed to the screaming of her roommates. As Fenwick and the other teachers ran around trying to find the missing students, Andromeda was given a note that was left on Derrick's bed. It read:
A. I'm safe. I'm sorry I can't tell you where I went. I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but it would have been too difficult. Love, your friend, D.
She put the note in her pocket and went to breakfast. What else could she do? She had to stop crying sometime. But, unexplainably, her feet carried her the opposite way—to another part of the dungeons, the Hufflepuff part.
There was Ted, standing by Violet's portrait with the same worried look he'd had since December. He ran over the minute he saw her. She didn't care who saw them. Not anymore.
"I heard about what happened," he said.
"News travels fast, doesn't it?"
"Of course, this is Hogwarts." He let her lean against him. "I'm sorry."
They found an empty classroom and she showed him the note, explaining everything that had happened the night before.
"At least he's safe," Ted said. "He's safe and he's not...one of them. He did the right thing."
"I'm only wondering when it will be our turn to have to escape. And if we'll be able to."
"You could have made your escape last night, and yet you didn't. Why?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
He kissed her, and she almost forgot all her problems. Until McGonagall showed up.
"Miss. Black! Mr. Tonks!"
They pulled their lips apart mid-kiss. The Gryffindor Head was blushing furiously.
"That kind of behavior is entirely inappropriate! What if someone had been walking by? Besides me, of course."
"Sorry," they both muttered.
"Well," she said, "Never mind about that. I'm glad I found you. The Headmaster wants to see you, Miss. Black. And you can come too, Mr. Tonks."
A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! This story's almost finished...