I'm so super sorry this took so long. I know I said in my first chapter that the updates wouldn't take very long, and I really didn't expect them to. But then school came along and had to screw everything up. I swear if school was a person I think I would strangle it. HAH!
Disclaimer: Is this really necessary? If it is, you can go all the way back to Chapter 1 and read the disclaimer on there if it makes you happy. It was rather witty, if I remember correctly.
Chapter 2: Of Letters and New Arrivals
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Dear Andromeda,
Just so you know, most of the family hates you. There are rumors flying all around our family, most of them started by Narcissa, about how you ran off with a Muggle born. James Potter told me Mudblood is a bad word, and I decided it was, so I'm not going to say it anymore. Mother isn't happy about me being friends with James, because he's a blood traitor, but ever since your little fiasco came up, she's been off my case. So thanks for stirring things up a bit.
You know, I'm glad you did what you did. I think our family is crazy. I feel bad for Reggie. He just soaks up everything they say and I'm afraid he'll end up like the rest of them are. I really wish he wouldn't. I'm also glad that you didn't make Slytherin, because now it won't come as such a shock when next year I don't make it. I know I won't. I won't be in Ravenclaw either, 'cause I'm not that smart, but probably Gryffindor. That's even worse than Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, though I still don't understand why.
I do wish you were going to be here for my birthday, but I suppose that's okay. I'm going to be ten this year! As long as I get an owl from you, I'll be fine. You know, you're the only one in this family I respect, except Uncle Alphard. But he's kind of kooky, isn't he?
With love, Sirius
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That was the first of the stream of letters I received that summer. Sirius' letters always made me laugh, dispite the circumstances. My mum, Uncle Alphard, Narcissa, Sirius and Bella continued to write to me, but I replied only to Uncle Alphard and Sirius, and one of Narcissa's. It was Narcissa's letter that told me I had made the right choice, regardless of the fact that she had tried to make it warm and understanding:
Dear Andromeda,
I understand what you must be going through. I know Mother and Father are slightly hard on you during the summers, but that was no reason to leave home. Father is furious, Andy, I just thought I would tell you. He says that you are a Black and that Black's shouldn't even fraternize with Mudbloods, let alone stay in their homes. We don't know for sure where you are, just that our letters will find you. I can't believe you left with a Mudblood, however handsome they have become. If you don't come back in the next two weeks, Andy, you are no longer a Black. I just thought I should be the one to tell you, considering I am your older sister.
Yours,
Narcissa Black
Ted, who was the only one I confided in about the letters, found them all very amusing, especially Sirius's, and the part where Narcissa called him a 'handsome Mudblood.' After a few weeks, the only owls that continued to arrive where the ones bearing the untidy, child-like scrawl of Sirius, seeing as Uncle Alphard, ever the rambling man, was off on another one of his mis-adventures.
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It was in the middle of June, I think, when Ted's parents received a letter from his Aunt Elaina, asking if Marrissa, his cousin, and Lori Moore, her best friend, could come and stay a few weeks, seeing as Lori had never seen the 'big city' of London. Ted's parents, being the gracious hosts they were, complied, and set a date for the girls to arrive. I found myself increasingly happy that Ted's house was so big, because if it had been any smaller, it would have been very crowded.
The day the girls were set to arrive it was pouring down rain, so, naturally, we were all outside. It was somewhat of a tradition for us; everytime it was raining at Hogwarts, we somehow made our way over outside, and Ted's house was no exception.
Soaked to the bone, and muddy from head to toe, we were just beginning to make our way back inside when a Muggle taxi cab pulled up to the sidewalk and the driver, opening an umbrella, stepped out. We watched as he opened the door in back, and when a black, leather, high-heeled boot stepped out, Hestia and I exchanged a look. Who wore leather while it was raining? That was just stupid.
Following the booted foot came a girl that made me want to look my mud-covered body up and down. She looked completely out of place with her long blonde hair and her perfect clothes. The way her nose turned upward at the sight of us made me feel like I wasn't going to like her. Behind her emerged a girl who, though just as pretty and put-together, had a kind look on her face and laughed when she saw us.
"Theodore!" The nice girl cried. I looked at Ted with my eyebrows raised, but he just grinned at me.
"Marrissa!" Apparently they did this everytime they saw each other. I bit back a laugh as I watched Lori raise her eyebrows at her friend, who was clearly ignoring her. I turned to my left and found Hestia glaring at Doc, who was staring shamelessly at Lori with his mouth open. She kicked him in the shin, but he just glanced at her and went on about his task, which made Hestia even angrier. Grabbing my arm she turned to Ted.
"Ted, we'll be right back to meet everyone, but right now Ann and I have to go get dried off and dressed." Ted looked put out.
"But I wanted Rissa to meet-" I threw him a furtive look when Hestia cut him off.
"Later, Ted. I really need to talk to Ann." He just nodded at us, bewildered, before turning back to his cousin, Lori, and the boys. Hestia turned on her heel, still dragging me by the arm, and made her way into the entrance hall. Releasing me, she pulled out her wand, and performing some handy little household spell (the kind that I didn't learn until I was pregnant) she had us instantly clean and dry, and had cleared the entrance hall of any trace of mud or water. I raised my eyebrows at her.
"What's going on, Hess?" Hestia gave me a pitiful look and shook her head.
"I just realized it yesterday, Ann. I meant to tell you but-"
"Hess, just tell me what's going on, you numbskull." Hestia gulped and her eyes widened slightly, making me realize how big of a deal this was. Hestia only gulped if she had an extremely large secret.
"Ann, I think I'm in love with my best friend." I gasped, and if I hadn't been leaning against the wall, I would have fallen. Hestia and Caradoc? We teased them about it alot, but I never expected it to really happen. It was crazy to think about. Hestia, who was always serious, and hard-working, and Caradoc, who was playful, and bounced from girl to girl?
"Are you serious, Hestia? Are you sure it's not just a little crush or something?" Hess gave me an indignant look.
"Do you really think I would joke about something like this, Ann? Do you think I wanted this to happen? I can't help who I fall in love with! It's not my fault!" She crumpled to the floor, sobbing, just as the door opened, emitting Ted, Caradoc, Benjy, Marrissa, and Lori into the entrance hall. Caradoc took one look at Hestia and, without waiting for an explanation, scooped her up and carried her up the stairs.
Ted looked at me, puzzled, but I just gave him a look that said 'I'll tell you later' and he understood. He led us out of the entrance hall and into the kitchen, where he fixed the girls up with a cup of tea before he and Benjy went to change their own clothes, leaving me alone with Marrissa and Lori.
Marrissa's face, however sweet it had been when she stepped out of the taxi cab, now looked at me with distrust written all over her face. Not sure what it was I had done, I just shot a weak smile across the table at her before taking a drink of my tea. We sat in stony silence for a while, before I decided to break the silence.
"So... Was the trip horrible like the weather?" Marrissa merely narrowed her eyes at me. Had she been like this with all the others? I would have to ask later.
"The trip was fine." Lori was looking from one of us to the other, surveying me with dislike but raising her eyebrows at her friend. Marrissa just sighed and shook her head at her. I was bewildered, and I knew I had to get out of there.
"Er... I think I'm going to go check on Hestia, see if she's okay. Be right back." I dashed out of the kitchen and up the stairs, but instead of heading to the room Hestia and I shared, where I knew Doc and Hess were, I headed to the boys room, and, as usual, walked in without knocking. Which I shouldn't have done.
"Oh! Oh my gosh! I'm leaving now!" I backed out of the door, my arm thrown over my eyes, listening to the racous laughter of the boys. Closing the door again, I leaned against it.
A few moments later, the door opened and I fell against Benjy, who had opened the door, still laughing like a madman.
"Oh, shut up, you moron. It wasn't that funny." Ted snorted, and I sent him a glare, which, as usual, didn't work. As a matter of fact, he ignored me.
"If you had seen the look on your face, you would have found it funny, let me tell you." I rolled my eyes at him.
"You just told me, moron." Benjy shook his head seriously.
"Andromeda Black, I thought I taught you better than that. You really should come up with some different insults." I laughed sarcastically as I sat down on the edge on Ted's bed.
"You didn't teach me anything, Mr. Benjy 'I'm a Ravenclaw Prefect' Fenwick." Benjy rolled his eyes at me, but I continued. "If anyone has taught me any insults it would be my mother, or maybe one of Doc's many ex-girlfriends." The whole room was suddenly filled with laughter. We always joked about who was the most foul mouthed of Caradoc's ex-girlfriends when he broke up with him. So far Morgan Ackerly was in the top spot, but with Elanor Branstone running a close second.
Ted turned suddnely to look at me. "Why'd you leave Rissa and Lori down there all by themselves?" I froze, and Ted raised his eyebrows at me. I knew I couldn't lie to him; he could always see right through me. I sighed.
"Well, I don't think your cousin likes me very much, and she was kind of scaring me." Ted looked wary.
"Not this again. I thought we were through with that." I looked at him suspicously, and it was his turn to sigh. He couldn't lie to me either, and he knew it. It was just one of those best friend things.
"What on earth are you talking about, Ted?"
"Well, see, the summer after 1st year, the only year atleast one of this lot hasn't stayed over here, I was telling Marrissa about you guys... And, well, she sort of told me that she thought everything about magic was crazy and that I was the only wizard she would ever trust, and I tried to convince her you lot weren't that bad, and I thought she believed me, but obviously she didn't, and now I'm rambling." I raised my eyebrows at him; he had said this all very fast as if it would be better if I heard it quickly. He shook his head.
"Sorry... Erm, maybe I should go talk to her." I shook my head quickly.
"NO! Don't do that, Ted, because then she'll feel like I've come and tattled on her and she'll hate me even more for that! And she'll feel as if you're taking my side over her's, and she'll be angry at you. It's better this way. I can deal with being treated like that, it's how I grew up." Ted sighed.
"No, Andy. I'm not going to let her treat my friends like dirt. I know how that feels. That's how Malfoy and all those other gits used to treat me, and Lestrange still does, regardless of the fact that I'm a year older than him." I grinned despite myself.
"I'll bet you 20 Galleons that Bellatrix grows up to marry Rodolphous Lestrange." Ted looked alarmed.
"She's 7 years younger than him! Surely not." Benjy chortled, and Ted turned to look at him.
"Do you honestly think that the Blacks and the Lestranges care about age? All they care about is that the people their kids are marrying are pureblood. Which means that if Ann isn't off that famous family tree I've heard about by now, she certainly will be when you two get married." We both turned around to look at him, suprised.
"What on earth are you on about, Benjy?" I had my eyebrows raised at him and Ted was looking him over as if he had caught a sudden disease. Maybe he had. I don't know.
"You two just don't see it yet. You'll find out." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Since when are you a Seer?" He just laughed and walked out the door, Ted and I on his heels.
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I bit my lip as I watched Ted tap Marrissa on the shoulder in the kitchen moments later. I really wished he wouldn't do that, because I felt that if he did, it would only make Marrissa's attitude toward me worse. I shot a glance at Lori, who was singing a different tune now that she could actually see the boys. I grinned at Benjy, who was paying her no attention whatsoever. I knew that even if he hadn't seen what a snob she was earlier, he wouldn't give in to her. He was deeply and madly in love with Marlene McKinnon, another Ravenclaw 7th year. She just didn't know that yet.
Benjy shot an awkward glance at me.
"D'you think we should go check on Hestia and Doc?" I shook my head teasingly.
"Definitely not. What if they're snogging or something?" Benjy laughed, not knowing the truth in my words, and I wasn't about to tell him. Hess had confided in me, and I knew she didn't want me to tell anyone until she told Caradoc. But Lori suddenly looked even more alert.
"Caradoc and Hestia? Are they dating?" We turned to look at her, suprised. Benjy frowned at her.
"No, we just tease them about it alot. Why?" I realized he must be getting some kind of vibe of off Doc and Hess that I had missed. Lori shook her head.
"No real reason. I was just wondering." This girl obviously didn't realize I had grown up in a house built on lies, and I could recognize one the moment I heard it.
"Benjy, will you come help me look for that... err... err... jacket I left in you guy's room the other night?" Benjy looked confused.
"What j- Ow! Oh, THAT jacket!" I nodded at him, pleased my foot had come in contact with his leg and not the table.
"Yes, that jacket. Now come on!" He jumped up and limped towards the entrance, but once we were on the other side of the door he whirled around towards me, bending over to rub his shin. He glowered at me.
"What was that for, Ann?" I rolled my eyes at him.
"What jacket?" I mimicked. "Wasn't it obvious I was looking for a reason to get out of there and talk to you?" He shook his head.
"No, not really. You're an incredible liar." I narrowed my eyes.
"Gee, thanks. That makes me feel loads better. Now, let's go somewhere where we can talk." He nodded, but still had a bewildered look on his face as he led me towards the sitting room. He collapsed on the couch, and I settled into the armchair across from him.
"So. Have I been living under a rock these past few weeks?" Benjy raised his eyebrows at me.
"What are you on about, Ann?" I rolled my eyes again, and he added, "That's a bad habit, you know. One day your eyes are going to get stuck that way." I sighed.
"Okay, mother. Now what's going on between Doc and Hestia?" Benjy shrugged at me, visibly relieved that was all I wanted.
"I'm not exactly sure. I just know I've been getting strange vibes from them about that kind of stuff, like the other day when I was talking about Kyra, you know, Doc's ex-girlfriend? Yeah, well, Hestia came up with something about an essay she had to do and left the room before any of us could remember it was the summer holidays. And then when I asked Ted where Doc was the other day, he said probably off snogging Hess somewhere, right as Doc walked in. It took us awhile to convince him off the fact that we were talking about him. He almost hypervenelated." He paused, looking amused, before starting in again. "Maybed they really do like each other." I nodded.
"I hope they do, because then we would have done all this teasing for nothing." We both laughed and rose to return to the kitchen when I heard a large 'pop' emit from the other side of the room. Whirling around, we came face to face with...
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Mwarharharharhar. I know I'm evil. Not only do I take so long to update but then I give you a cliffhanger. I apologise, but I just couldn't help it. If I had gone any further I wouldn't have been abled to stop, and you would have probably taken days to read it all. It's going to be a few days before the next update is out, but I'll try my hardest, I promise. I'm just going to have lots of homework these next couple of days, and I have a Survey of Fine Arts test Friday, so please, no rotten cyber tomatoes. And PLEASE, no flames. I have yet to receive one on either story, and I am SOOO happy.
Luv,
me.