A/n: YAY!!!! A new chapter! I'm so sorry that it took so long to update but school is taking a lot of me. I hope you enjoy it.
This is dedicated to all my fans. I would've never gotten this far without the winks, hints, and nudges from some of you. Thanks.
Chapter Twenty-four:
"They found the body torn up in the boy's locker room…"
"Luke O'Halloran…"
"Orion Wolfson is missing. Dumbledore is combing the forest himself…"
"Wild animal loose…"
The voices of her dorm mates moved in and out of Andromeda's head, filtered through the sheet of sleep that blanketed her small worn out body. Her head was plastered to an ebony desk, a halo of papers around it. She had stayed up into the early hours of the night filling out some forms so she could be an exchange student to America. All Andromeda had left to do was send an owl to her house with a consent form.
Doodled around the edges of a scrap parchment beneath her hand were little hearts with the initials "JP" in them. As she slept the moment when James kissed her played through her head over and over again, always shadowed by the angry eyes of her cousin watching them with contempt.
Andromeda used to find it endearing when Sirius acted like he was her father but now it was suffocating. She had no room to grow and explore. She was trapped in the world created by an eight year old and held on to by Sirius. If she couldn't break free she'd never have a chance to grow up.
"They found Orion's body!"
Andromeda sat straight up in her chair staring around the dormitory in confusion. A seventh year girl stood in the doorway breathing heavily. A look of panic was painted in red across her face. "Dumbledore has locked the school down and all outside classes will be held inside. There's a list of the classrooms on the bulletin board in the common room." She ran off to pass the news to the dormitory down the hall.
"Thank Merlin it was a Ravenclaw," said Muriel tying her hair up decoratively. "Pity it wasn't one of those stupid Gryffindors. Especially Lily Evans. Stupid mudblood. Thinks she's better than everyone else. Always acting all high and mighty."
Her friend, Carla, nodded in agreement slipping a necklace over her blonde hair. She looked over at Andromeda and smiled smugly. "Sleep well, Andromeda?" Carla asked running a comb through her hair.
"Huh?" Andromeda asked, rubbing her eyes. "Whose body was found?" She pulled away a piece of parchment that had stuck to her face.
Muriel looked away from the mirror, her hair finished. "Some stupid Ravenclaws were attacked in the boy's locker rooms. They found one all tore up and the other hidden in the forest. Apparently there's some wild animal loose. All outdoor classes have been moved indoors till it's caught."
"How awful," Andromeda gasped.
Carla and Muriel just shrugged like it was nothing. "Shit happens," Carla stated, checking her make-up in the mirror. "Death is just a normal part of life."
Andromeda knew it was pointless to try and get these girls to sympathise. They weren't necessarily shallow, they just had their priorities straight. What was the point of getting al weepy and sad about something you couldn't change. Of course Andromeda suspected that if either of them were to drop dead the other would have a major breakdown.
She looked down at the desk in front and sighed when she saw the mess of papers everywhere. Slowly she began to put them into neat piles, tucking the consent form into her robe pocket.
"You may want to get a move on," Muriel said at the door, swinging her bag onto her shoulder. "We have charms in ten minutes."
Andromeda looked over at the Grandfather clock in the corner. Shit they were right. She began to shove parchments and books into her bag while straightening out her clothes.
Before leaving the room she stopped in front of the mirror. Her hair was sticking up in a few places and there was black bags beneath her eyes.
"That's why you should always get a good nights sleep," her reflection said kindly. It has been sickeningly cheerful after Narcissa had washed it. Personally Andromeda preferred when it was grumpy. It was always entertaining to see it piss the other girls off. "Now get a move on. Wouldn't want to be late for class."
Andromeda glared at herself. Her stomach began to growl loudly. "No time for breakfast," she told it in an apologetic voice. "Sorry."
The halls were quiet as Andromeda ran down them. Kids were huddled outside doors talking in low whispers, swapping the gruesome nature of the killings. Most of the Ravenclaws were silent, some of their eyes red and puffy.
She made it to the charms classroom just as the bell began to toll. "Right on time, Andromeda," Remus Lupin, checking her name off a clipboard.
Andromeda slipped into a seat near the front of the class wondering what Remus was doing here. His face was grim.
Professor Flitwick was standing in front of the class looking very sad. Without his pile of books he was very short. "I suppose you've all heard about the attacks," he said looking up into their faces. "Because the students were in Ravenclaw I have the sad duty to talk with their families. While I'm away Remus Lupin will take my place. I expect you all to treat him with the respect that you'd give a teacher. Given the circumstances I'm giving you guys a free day to catch up in other classes or just sit around and talk. "
The students high-fived each other under their desks.
"I'll see you all next week. Good day." Flitwick waddled out of the room and shut the door softly behind him.
Everyone began to talk at once. Andromeda just let her head fall onto her desk. Her stomach grumbled loudly.
"Hungry?" Remus asked slipping into the seat next to her.
She looked up at him through the mess of her hair. "I slept in and had ten minutes to get ready and get here. You don't happen to have any food on you?"
"Sorry." Remus said, pulling out his empty pockets. "Why'd you sleep in so late?" He pushed back her unruly hair smiling. When he smiled she noticed a small scar on his chin. She made a note to ask him about that later.
"I had a lot of paperwork to do. I got accepted for the exchange program to America." She smiled happily despite the hunger pains shooting though her body.
"That's great." Remus gave her a small hug. "You deserve it after all those tests and essays you did."
"Yeah." Andromeda felt even more tired remembering all the work she had done just to get to this point. She hadn't got any sleep for three days straight. "Don't remind me."
Remus laughed, his brown eyes twinkling. "That's one of the reasons I never tried to go the States to learn folk magic. I would probably crack under all the pressure."
Andromeda giggled dumping out her book bag. Loose parchment and books fell out onto her desk. She began to put it back into her bag in a more organised fashion. "Want to go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend? I need to pick up a few supplies before I go."
"Sure." Remus picked up a few loose parchments and stacked them neatly. "But it will just be me an you. James has quidditch practice and Sirius… well let's just say he's not in the best mood to go shopping." He looked over at Andromeda.
She rolled her eyes, putting her newly organised bag beneath her chair. "I don't know what the big deal it. Really I don't. Sirius just seems to be overreacting." As she talked she ran her fingers through her hair trying to bring some more order back into her world.
"He's just worried. You're growing up so fast and he's finding it hard to accept. He doesn't want to see you get hurt. He would probably get pissed at any guy you got involved with." The noise level of the room began to rise. Remus turned around and told everyone to keep it down. They stuck their tongues out at his turned back.
"Nothing is even going on between me and James. All we did was kiss and he ran away afterwards. Merlin, guys are so weird." She contemplated becoming a lesbian but decided against it remembering the way James had kissed her.
"Yeah," Remus agreed, snorting with laughter. "We are." A paper aeroplane flew passed his head but he let it go.
"Is he really pissed?" Andromeda asked hoping the answer was no.
"He's upset but I had a talk with him. Give him a chance to get used to the fact that you are blossoming into a fine young woman." Remus pinched her cheek playfully.
Andromeda giggled feeling her face turn red. "Do you think James really likes me?"
"Yes, I think he does," Remus reassured her. "Now if you'll excuse me I think a few students are just begging for a detention." He stood up and walked towards a group of guys who were spelling things to go up girls skirts.
Andromeda smiled at the thought of James actually liking her. She could still feel his lips caressing hers, his hand travelling to the small of her back.
Her stomach began to growl loudly ruining the moment.
"Damn stomach," she groaned looking up at the clock. There was still three hours till lunch.
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