Oh dear, what is Dromeda up to? *pouts*
Dora
Narcissa Malfoy frowned to herself as she watched her sister Andromeda closely. The older witch had been acting a bit unusual the last few days, and Narcissa feared that the woman was planning something dangerous, or even foolish. She was about to say something to the witch when Andromeda turned to Teddy and said, "Teddy, dear, stay with Auntie Cissa for a bit while I have a chat with Mum, okay?"
Andromeda turned to leave the room, and Narcissa said, "Andromeda, what are you doing?"
"I just told you," Andromeda said to the woman. "I'll be back in a moment." She escaped the room, leaving her sister to worry about what she was up to.
Andromeda Tonks walked down the hall to her daughter's room, knowing that every step she took tied her still more closely to their prison. She knew Narcissa was worried about her, yet she couldn't let that stop her from doing as much as she could to protect and help her Nymphadora. Andromeda knocked softly on the door. "Dora?" she asked softly.
To her immediate fright and anger, she felt Rodolphus' magic in the new wards on the room. She reached out again to see if she could work out how to get past the wards to keep Rodolphus from hurting her, but she heard her daughter scream, "Mum, go away!"
Andromeda paused, her heart pounding in fright as Dora's cry died away, but didn't move from the door. "Dora," she whispered, her heart aching. I've got to be able to help her, she thought desperately.
"Let me in!" she called through the door, knocking sharply and ignoring the fact that she knew Rodolphus was there. She could imagine Dora suffering and knew exactly what the girl must have been feeling.
It was not until fifteen minutes later that the door burst open, Rodolphus grabbing Andromeda by the arm and flinging her into the wall, his wand in her back. "You do not meddle in my business, Andromeda," he hissed. "You are too intelligent not to know that I had warded the room and did not want you there!"
Andromeda growled angrily. "My daughter is my business!" she snapped. "And I'll do what I—ah!" She hissed in pain as a Crucio surged through her body. "You cannot control me!" she hissed through the pain, turning her head to look at him the best she could. "I am Andromeda Black Tonks, caged, but not controlled."
"We'll see about that," Rodolphus smirked, roughly shoving her against the wall once again before he walked down the hall and left the ward.
Andromeda couldn't help muttering a few unladylike words under her breath as she felt the part of her head that Rodolphus had knocked against the wall. She hated him. Taking a deep breath, she went straight back to her daughter's door and entered the room without knocking.
Dora yelled out in rage, reaching for her wand as she scooted back on her bed. "I swear it's the truth!" Dora cried, then curled up and began to cry all over again as she realised it was only her mother.
"Dora," Andromeda whispered, hurrying to the girl's side. "I came to try to help, but...I was too late."
"He—he punished me for what happened," Dora sobbed, hiding her face in the sheets. "Mum, leave me alone."
"I can't," Andromeda said quietly. "I am your mother: I am supposed to do everything I can to help you."
Nymphadora cringed away from the woman's touch as she cowered beneath the sheet. "You can't," she whispered. "Just go."
Andromeda looked to the girl's nightstand, but her wand wasn't there. "Where is your wand, Dora?" she asked the girl.
"Over there," Dora sniffed, nodding toward the other side of her bed. "He—I tried to fight him, but—I couldn't."
"Okay," Andromeda nodded, walking around the bed and picking up her daughter's wand. "Are you going to let me help you?"
"Mum, please," Dora whispered. "Just let me handle it."
"Dora, listen," Andromeda said half sternly, though she sat down next to the girl, a kind expression on her face. "I know it hurts, and it's shameful, and your mind and nerves are shredded because of what he's doing to you, but don't push me away. You can trust me, Nymphadora: I've been through this with Father and Bellatrix, and I know what it's like to suffer as you have. Having someone you can run to is a great comfort."
Dora went limp, laying back on her pillows as tears trickled down her cheeks. Andromeda very carefully healed the girl's bruises and scrapes, cleaning up the girl before she mended her robes. "It will never end," Dora whimpered, looking up at her mother. "I can never stop him."
Andromeda sighed softly, looking down at her daughter. "May I tell you what I told Bellatrix years ago?"
"What?" Dora sniffed, curling back beneath the sheets.
"You're a strong witch, Nymphadora," Andromeda murmured, reaching out and stroking the girl's white hair out of her face. "And even though Rodolphus seems to have taken a fancy to you, one day, he will no longer be able to do this. You have to focus on the things that make you happy, the things that are good. I used to tell Bella to think of what she could do that always angered Father, but I don't think you'd be like that. I guess what I mean is, take pleasure in the things that hurt Rodolphus, that make things difficult for him. You can't just act like the victim he wants you to be, Dora."
Andromeda sighed deeply. "He wants you to be the submissive toy that Bellatrix will never be," she finally said to her daughter. "He needs your weakness to make him feel powerful."
Nymphadora screwed her eyes shut and breathed, "I know. But I can't—Mum, he's awful."
"Shall I stay with you for a few minutes?" Andromeda asked her gently.
"Elara," Dora sniffed, reaching out a hand, her eyes still closed. "Rod warded her in so—so we didn't disturb her. Could you check on her for me? Then come sit beside me."
"All right," Andromeda agreed, and rose to do her daughter's bidding. After a moment, Andromeda returned to her daughter's side, cradling Elara in her arms. "Dora, if I may ask just one thing. It's got nothing to do with anything we just talked about."
"Go ahead," Dora mumbled.
Andromeda looked down at her granddaughter, then said carefully, "Next time you have training with Bella, I would like you to tell her that I want a word with her."
Nymphadora didn't speak for a moment, then said, "Mum, you're crazy."
Andromeda couldn't help laugh mirthlessly. "Yes, I am," she agreed. "Tell Bellatrix that Andromeda wishes to speak with her. And I don't want to tell you anything else because then Bellatrix will try to dig it out of you rather than talk to me."
Dora sighed, and Andromeda added, "I wouldn't want to deny her the chance to play with me. I'm sure she'd love that."
Nymphadora groaned, "Mum, you act so evil sometimes!"
"I was raised evil, Nymphadora," Andromeda said, her tone completely changing as she looked down at her daughter. "It is now second nature to me, when indeed it used to be natural."
"Mother, you worry me," Dora sighed. "Please just stay here for a few moments and be quiet."
Andromeda held back a laugh and sat there, watching over her daughter and granddaughter until she was able to give Elara to her mother and leave the room. She was going to talk to Bella; she was going to do what she had to, and no one would stop her.
About ten days later, Andromeda was awakened to Nymphadora running into her room and dumping Elara into her arms. "Been Summoned!" Dora breathed, her eyes worried. "Take care of her for me!"
"Dora, don't forget to tell Bella," Andromeda said urgently as she took Elara into her arms and shushed the child gently, inwardly groaning at having to get up and care for an upset infant so early. "Good luck."
Nymphadora didn't say a word as she rushed away, practically running down the hall to get through the ward before the burning of her Mark drove her crazy. She hurried down the hall, her wand out and her mask in place as she felt more at ease not showing her face, even though everyone knew who she was anyway.
As she joined some of the others in the main hall of Malfoy Manor, she could hear them talking among themselves, and jumped in shock as one of them purposely bumped into her. "Watch yourself, Selwyn," someone called, and Dora recognised Rabastan's voice. "Rodolphus won't take too kindly to anyone even thinking of stealing his toy."
"She is my toy!" came a yell and a Curse at the same time, Rabastan shielding his sister-in-law's spell just in time. "Aren't you, Nymphadora?"
"No," Dora answered evenly. "I believe I'm shared, in a way."
Some of the other Death Eaters laughed, but Bellatrix ignored them, lifting her head proudly as she called for their attention. "Good news!" she called, cackling with laughter before she silenced the entire room. "We've learned of a little pocket of rebels, and we are going to destroy them!"
Nymphadora couldn't help feeling a tiny glimmer of hope that perhaps some of her old allies were still alive and causing trouble, but in the next moment, she felt someone gripping her arm and heard Bellatrix hiss in delight, "You'll be assisting us with the wards of course, Nymphie." Bellatrix grinned, leaning close to the young witch. "Our specimen from the Order."
Dora didn't say a word, though she felt angry, and worried as she thought of whom she might put in danger. What if she accidentally turned in those that she'd fought with? What if she hurt Bill, or Charlie, and what would she do if they were captured, and endlessly tortured? She shivered with fright, and Bellatrix giggled, way too close to her ear.
"You'll be a good girl," Bella purred. "A very good girl. Because I know how to make Rod angry, and he can't touch me, dearie. Then of course, there's your brat. You'll do what I tell you, Nymphie."
"You'll pay for this," Nymphadora breathed, and Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.
"I won't," the black-haired witch smirked. "I never do. Now, Nymphie—" Bellatrix had gripped her shoulder tightly and disapparated before she could make a sound.
When the two appeared, Bellatrix turned and hissed, "Rabastan!" as soon as the man appeared.
The man instantly came up to her, his wand pointed directly at Nymphadora. "Wards," he said quickly. "Dolohov, Avery, me, and Bellatrix will break the ward as Nymphadora unlocks it. Nymphie, you know this place."
Nymphadora looked out over the property, her heart nearly stopping. "No," she said, shaking her head. "Not familiar."
"Don't lie, Nymphie," Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "You're still terrible at Occlumency. Shell Cottage, hmm? Well. Care to tell us anything else?"
"Nothing you don't already know," Dora answered. "Like, I hate you."
Bellatrix cackled with laughter. "Set wards over the property!" she called out to the others. "Apparition wards, so they can't get away, and then we'll burn them through and through!"
Nymphadora's heart pounded in fright as she thought of Bill, her school friend, and Fleur, fellow Order member, burning to death with no chance for escape. "No!" Dora called out desperately. "Stop! I'll help!"
"I don't believe you," Bellatrix sighed, motioning the others to carry on as Rabastan, Dolohov, and Avery continued to watch the two witches. "Tell us the corners of the wards now."
"There," Dora pointed out frantically. "There, there, and right here..." She took a few steps away from Bellatrix, standing closer to the men. "I—I'll go up and enter the wards. You'll be able to destroy them as I enter. I—I'll tell them that I'm trying to warn them—" she choked on her horrible idea and turned away from them all, a sick feeling in her stomach.
"Very well," Rabastan said sharply. "Go get started."
"What he said," Bella grinned, half singing her words. "Go on, Nymphie."
Dora walked forward, unable to silence the voices in her head screaming at each other as she approached the modest little home by the sea. Forgive me, she thought hopelessly as she crossed the first boundaries and felt them crumble behind her, Death Eater wards taking their place. It was the apparition wards that she needed to be able to keep safe, and for that, she had no plan. The second layer of wards she passed, and they too crumbled.
She had no hope as she heard Fleur screaming out in French, probably forgetting Bill couldn't understand her. Nymphadora almost spat. She hated French. She approached the door, easily walking into the house, though she was immediately attacked by her old friend Bill. As glad as Dora was to see him alive and well, she was terrified as the anti-disapparition wards went back up on the house, this time controlled by the Death Eaters. Ripping off her mask as she blocked Bill's spells, she heard Fleur scream in horror.
"Nymphadora!"
Bill looked half pained, and Dora was confused before she realised he expected her to yell at Fleur for using her full name. "Never mind that!" Dora breathed in a panic. "I didn't bring them here. But they found out where you were—they were going to burn you out—" She gasped in fright as she heard apparitions into the rooms all around them.
"Dora," Bill said sternly, "what the hell has gotten into you?"
"What hasn't?" Dora answered, stepping back into a doorway and shivering. "I'm sorry, Bill."
"Nymphadora!" he yelled, jumping in front of Fleur as three Death Eaters joined them in the room. "Fleur, get out of here!"
Rabastan laughed delightedly, shouting something to the Veela in their shared language, though Fleur immediately shrieked back in the same language. Dora backed away from the fight, hearing Bill yell something about his daughter. He couldn't have had a daughter...she would be at least a year old, possibly... Dora darted up the stairs, hoping against hope that she could save at least the child.
"Tonks!"
Nymphadora jumped in shock, hearing the young witch's voice. She whirled to see Ginny Weasley cradling a silver-haired baby and breathed, "Ginny, you've got to get out of here. They're going to destroy the place."
Ginny was staring at her. "You're a Death Eater. They said you turned!"
"I protect my family," Nymphadora whispered. "Now get out of here!"
"I won't," Ginny snapped. "My brother is downstairs, as is Fleur!"
"There are at least ten Death Eaters here, Ginny," Dora breathed in a panic. "Please, let's go. I believe I can take you through the wards."
"I won't leave Bill!" she yelled.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs, and the door flew open, Fleur half falling into the room. "Ginny!" she cried. "We have to go!"
Ginny's left fist clenched. "What about Bill?"
"He—he'll be fine," Fleur said sharply.
"Come on!" Dora snapped, reaching out for Ginny.
"Take Fleur too," Ginny commanded her. "The child will need her."
Nymphadora gripped each of them by the arm and disapparated. Almost immediately, the three tumbled to the grass outside the home, the baby waking and starting to scream. Death Eaters came running, and at the same moment, Nymphadora saw Ginny's wand in her face before a spell went off with a bang, and Dora knew no more.
"Nymphie!"
Someone far off seemed to be cackling her name, though Dora didn't want to wake up and acknowledge it. "Nymphie!" someone yelled very close to her ear. "You stupid—Nymphadora, wake up!"
Nymphadora tried to bat away whoever was yelling in her ear, but instead received a sharp slap to her face. "Stop it!" she yelled.
"Get up!"
Dora finally realised that it was Bellatrix who was trying to wake her up, the two in the entrance hall of Malfoy Manor. "Get off!" Dora snapped.
Bellatrix only sat up, grinning cheerfully. "Well, we got one rebel," she told the girl. "I suppose you were friends with the oldest Weasel? He's now dead. And being...experimented on."
"No!" Dora cried. "No!"
"Yes," Bella whispered, gently stroking the girl's hair out of her face. "Now. Why was it that a Stunning Spell managed to keep you down? Forget how to block, Nymphie?"
"It wasn't just a Stunner," Dora groaned as Bellatrix yanked her to sit up by her hair. "I swear it wasn't. I didn't—I wasn't thinking..."
"Obviously!" Bellatrix yelled. "Or we would have the other two, and their child!"
"I won't let them become like me!" Nymphadora screeched at Bellatrix. "I'd rather die!"
Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "We've been over this," she said to the girl. "Now, I'm sure you're hiding something."
Nymphadora groaned, wondering what on earth the Weasley girl had done to her. "No," she breathed. "Just—I was trying to get them out, and then Ginny had her wand, and she cursed me. I don't know what she did, but it—it isn't a normal spell."
"You're lying!" Bellatrix snapped.
"I'm not!" Dora yelled back, shocked as Bellatrix suddenly shoved her away, jumping to her feet and backing away.
"You—you're—Nymphie, what are you doing?" Bellatrix stared at her, and Dora looked down, feeling something strange to do with her arms.
"Oh no!" Dora cried, remembering that there were some of Fred and George's prank items that she could not use because she was a Metamorphmagus. "It's got to be a special sort of spell she created. Something like her brothers used to do. I think Mum would know how to fix it. She's done it before!"
Nymphadora stared as her legs and arms changed colours, the joints seeming to shift up and down her bones. Dora helplessly looked up at Bellatrix. "Now I definitely can't walk," she laughed weakly, half amused that Ginny would hex her with something that wouldn't hurt, but that would put her out of commission.
Bellatrix yelled in fury, motioning to someone else Dora couldn't quite see. "Take her to the prisoner's ward!"
"Wait," Dora almost giggled. "Bellatrix, Mum wants to see you."
"Don't be ridiculous," Bellatrix snapped. "That spell is getting to your brain."
"I mean it!" Dora scowled. "She told me a while ago that she needs to talk to you, though Merlin knows why..." Dora held back more laughter at the expression on Rabastan's face as he hauled her up, his wand in her side. "She was very earnest about it! Come see her! She'll be panicking about me anyway; you might as well."
Bellatrix watched her for a moment, then yelled in exasperation and hurried after her down the halls. Nymphadora kept her mouth shut, afraid she'd laugh at the insanity of it all if she tried to say anything.
It was only when Narcissa looked out into the hall and hurriedly called for Andromeda in her shock that Nymphadora began to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Andromeda came running from her room and yelled in horror, "What have you done to my daughter?!"
"Mum, it—it was Ginny," Nymphadora laughed, falling to the floor as Rabastan let go of her. "She hexed me—it's one of those things the twins used to do to me. You can set it right, can't you?"
Andromeda growled in fury, grabbing hold of her daughter, and pulling her into her room. Rabastan and Bellatrix stood back, watching in amusement as Andromeda grabbed Dora's wand and went to work sorting out the magic wreaking havoc on Dora's powers.
After several minutes, Dora lay in the bed, looking up at the ceiling with a look of peace on her face. Bellatrix stepped closer to the bed, motioning Rabastan to leave. "Now then," Bellatrix said, reaching out to touch Dora's blue and purple hair, "what did you mean about your mother wanting to talk to me?"
"She just wanted to talk to you," Dora sighed. "She wouldn't tell me what it was all about."
"I meant without Nymphadora," Andromeda said to Bellatrix, giving her daughter a stern look.
"Why would I even think of talking with you?" Bellatrix asked Andromeda, looking genuinely puzzled. "Dromeda hasn't exactly been a good girl for the last few decades."
Andromeda walked toward her older sister, quietly saying, "Perhaps Andromeda should fix that."
Bellatrix eyed her for a moment. "You cannot undo anything that has been done."
"Never," Andromeda agreed. "Shall we talk?"
"Come along," Bellatrix said, motioning Andromeda to follow her from the room. "We'll go to my playroom. Just in case you turn out to be wasting my time. I shall have fun either way."
Andromeda motioned Nymphadora to stay put as she followed Bellatrix from the room. Dora didn't say a word, knowing exactly why her mother didn't want her to leave the room: Rodolphus was visiting Elara at that very moment.
Bellatrix flounced to her chair, plopping herself down in it and hanging one leg over the arm of the chair before looking to her sister. "What is it that troubles you?" she asked her sister grandly.
"Bellatrix," Andromeda sighed, "I want an audience with the Dark Lord."
Bellatrix stared at her for a moment, then asked, "What?"
Andromeda took a deep breath, clasping her hands together in front of her. "I...need to do something other than sit in the prisoner's ward and change nappies."
The other witch smirked. "What would you do instead?"
"I—I want to join the Dark Lord," Andromeda said quietly. "I want to be a Death Eater."
"And they say I'm crazy," Bellatrix mused. "You know, it won't help you at all. In fact, it'll make you easier to control."
"I can't be controlled," Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Only contained. I told as much to your worthless husband."
"Oh, did you?" Bellatrix scowled, then grinned. "I heard it was quite delicious to punish Nymphie for what I did to Rodolphus. I assume you picked up the pieces?"
Andromeda's lips thinned slightly. "Don't I always?"
Bella shrugged. "Doesn't it upset you that he hurts Nymphie?"
"There isn't anything that I can do about it now, is there?" Andromeda said coldly. "I want to join the Dark Lord. If you could get me an audience with him, I'd be...almost grateful."
"Almost?" pouted Bellatrix, getting to her feet and walking toward her sister. "Dromeda, he can't be bothered about you and your little family of filth. You all belong to me."
"That is only half true," Andromeda told her. "As long as we are living beings, you can dictate what we choose, depending on whether you have good enough leverage. I want to join the Dark Lord. Think of it, Bella. You, me, and Dora. We can work together well; our magics—"
Bellatrix sighed dramatically. "Your daughter is pathetic and will never work well as a Death Eater, Andromeda. She is a pawn. She is used. She helped those two Order members escape today merely because one of them had a child. Nymphadora cannot be trusted."
Andromeda looked at her sister in slight surprise, but quickly shook it off. "I can ease Dora into doing things that she would normally refuse to do," she said earnestly to Bellatrix. "She will never be completely free like you are, or so willing to forget all rules of decency, like I can. But I can help bridge what she is missing, Bellatrix. You know her powers are needed, and even though she's done some things for you, she will break under the strain unless she has help, and then you won't have a Metamorphmagus until Teddy grows up."
The black-haired witch tilted her head slightly. "You would encourage Dora? I'm not sure I believe you."
"You don't," Andromeda told her. "Just remember: I was raised exactly like you were, and I have been reverting to it more and more since I arrived here. You would consider it nothing, but as I—shall we say—slip back into my old ways, wouldn't you rather have me help you with Dora? Let me—"
The door opened casually, and Bellatrix snapped, "Not now!"
"Mother?" came a very young voice.
"Delphi," Bellatrix breathed, turning toward her four year old daughter.
Andromeda looked at the child curiously, only seeing the innocent little girl that Delphi seemed to be. "This is your daughter?" she said thoughtfully. "The Dark Lord's child?"
Delphini walked to her mother, turning toward Andromeda. "I am Delphi," she said proudly. "Heir of the Dark Lord."
Andromeda couldn't help smiling at the level of pride in the child, and was reminded of years she'd spent with her own pureblood pride. "Hello, dear," she said to Delphi.
"You do not speak to her unless she asks you to!" Bellatrix shrieked at Andromeda, flinging uncontrolled magic at the witch. Delphi reached up, grasping her mother's left hand carefully.
"Mum, who is she?" Delphi asked curiously.
"This—this is Andromeda, petal," Bellatrix said gently, moving her hand to her daughter's shoulder as she watched her sister pull herself to her knees. "She...she was my sister, a long time ago."
"What happened?" Delphi asked.
"She ran away from us," Bellatrix answered, her eyes wide as she looked down into her daughter's face. "She left us for filth!"
Andromeda did not get to her feet, but remained kneeling, fascinated by the little girl, who was watching her closely. She did not dare to speak to the child, but said quietly, "I have nothing further to say, Bellatrix."
Delphi looked confused. "Not like Cissa?" she asked her mother.
Andromeda felt pained to see Bellatrix close her eyes for a moment before saying, "Cissa betrayed your father, Delphi. She lied to him. Andromeda—she's a different sister. Andromeda ran away with a Mudblood. This is Nymphie's mother."
"Dromeda," Delphi's voice rang out across the hall, the woman immediately looking straight at the child.
"Yes, Delphi?" Andromeda asked breathlessly.
Bellatrix allowed her daughter to lead her right up to Andromeda, then girl reaching out and touching the kneeling witch's face. "You're pretty," Delphi said thoughtfully. "You were naughty to run away."
Andromeda didn't break eye contact with the girl, though she wondered very much how powerful the little girl was. "I...regret it, most days," she told the girl. "I know I was."
"Mother says if you're bad, and you knew it," Delphi said seriously, "then you should be punished."
"She was punished, dear," Bellatrix smiled coldly. "We destroyed her."
"Why is she here?" Delphi asked her mother.
"She wanted to talk," Bellatrix rolled her eyes. "She wants to be a Death Eater. Thinks I should tell your father she wants to see him."
Delphi looked back at Andromeda. "Does she want to be good now?"
Bellatrix burst into giggles. "She says she does."
Delphi nodded. "Good. Then she can serve Father." The little girl patted Andromeda on the head. "Be good for Mum now," she told her. "That's what Father always says."
"Of course," Andromeda replied, feeling very strange for addressing a child so powerful and yet so innocent. She could not wrap her mind around how weird the entire situation was.
"Go," Bellatrix told her sister, waving her to go away. "I'm going to see the Dark Lord this evening...I might mention you to him."
Andromeda stopped at the door. "What about the ward? I can't get back through."
Bellatrix smirked. "Rodolphus is still there. Have him do it. You might have to wait for him a few minutes, though. Consider it a chance to prove yourself. Don't get caught, Dromeda."
Andromeda smirked at her sister, then left the room. Malfoy Manor had definitely changed since the last time she'd seen it, but it still wasn't that difficult to feel the different magics and find her way to the entrance of the prisoners' ward. She sighed after a moment, reaching out and touching the ward, even though she felt it reject her.
Within a minute, Rodolphus walked through the ward, his wand pointed directly at her. "What is it with you?" he sighed. "Everything was peaceful, and then when you arrived, Elara woke, and Dora started yelling."
"Well, take me through the ward," Andromeda sighed. "I can help with at least one of those two, if you like."
"By all means," Rodolphus rolled his eyes, half dragging her through the ward. "Go shut your daughter up. Elara was perfectly fine until she started yelling."
Andromeda sighed and hurried off to her daughter, realising that Dora was staring at her ceiling, her fists clenched, her hair white. "Dora, what happened?" she asked quietly.
Dora whimpered and closed her eyes. "I—I forgot that I got Bill killed."
"Well, you saved the other two," Andromeda answered encouragingly. "And the baby. Bellatrix knows you lied about not trying to help them escape, by the way. She was ranting about how you can't be trusted."
"Good!" Dora snapped.
"Shh," Andromeda said gently. "All things considered, you've done well today. And try not to make too much noise, because Rodolphus is trying to get Elara to sleep."
"He can't have her!" Dora cried.
"Dora, hush," Andromeda said firmly, but gently. "He's in a decent mood right now, didn't even really yell at me for interrupting him when I knocked on the wards. Leave him alone: he's not about to harm anyone right now."
"I don't believe it," Dora grumbled.
Andromeda just sighed. "Look, Dora: Rod—"
The door to the room opened a crack and Narcissa looked into the room. "The elves brought dinner. Would you like to eat with us?"
Nymphadora nodded without waiting for her mother's reply, and Andromeda didn't comment. She needed something to take her mind off of all the strange things that had been happening recently.
Andromeda was relieved when, a few days later, Dolohov showed up to take her to the Dark Lord. "Very well," she said, and got to her feet.
Nymphadora was almost immediately in a panic. "Mum, why? What's going on? I haven't done anything wrong!"
"Are you sure, Nymphie?" Dolohov chuckled.
"Shall we not keep the Dark Lord waiting?" Andromeda asked sweetly. Still laughing, the man led her from the ward. She wondered where he was taking her, as she did not recognise the area of the manor they were in as a particularly useful part. She was shocked when he suddenly pulled her through a door, Andromeda finding herself in a tiny room
Not again! her mind yelled, though Andromeda was seriously annoyed that the man would try such a thing. He approached her, his wand out, and she looked him square in the eye. "You dare divert from the Dark Lord's instructions?" she hissed.
"Bellatrix said about an hour," he chuckled. "I thought we could have a bit of fun in that time."
Andromeda realised that somehow, she still remembered the terror of such things. "But—a closet?" she complained as he caught her by the wrists, pinning them above her head. "Really, Antonin?"
The man didn't reply, but Andromeda found her fear growing as he bound her in place with his magic, his hands free to touch her. She writhed against him slightly, the man groaning softly with desire. "No one can touch Nymphie," he murmured against her neck, "for fear Rodolphus or Bellatrix will go after them. But you—no one cares about you, Andromeda. You're free game."
"Yeah?" Andromeda muttered before spluttering as he kissed her forcefully. Her instincts then kicked in as his hands settled on her hips, pulling her closer to him. "Let go of me!" she raged, kicking out at the same time she let her magic explode outward.
To her great thrill, not only did she completely disintegrate the closet door, but she also knocked Dolohov away from her, back against the wall. She raised her hand, going to perform wandless magic to keep him down, but he was too quick for her inexperienced hands. She ducked out of the closet, dancing away from it down the hall as she dodged his spells.
It did not take long for him to hit her with a binding spell, the man's face lit with rage. "Stupid woman," he sneered. "Now you'll know what it is like to be Nymphadora."
"I'll never know that," she spat at him from her place on the floor. "Now let me go!"
"Will you behave?" he laughed. "Isn't that what Rod says to Dora? They're the brunt of every Inner Circle joke, you know. I could tell you lots of them."
"I'm not interested," Andromeda snapped. "Why don't you let me go?"
"Will you behave?" he smirked.
She was silent for a moment, then said, "No," and smirked.
Laughing, he took the spell off her and she got to her feet, brushing her hands off. "Come on," she said. "Find a better place next time."
"Don't like small spaces?" he teased, but she didn't answer as she felt his wandtip in her back. "There are plenty of empty rooms, Andromeda."
"Oh, I know," she answered, her heart pounding in fear.
"No one will find you; no one can help," he whispered, the witch shivering as she felt his breath on her neck.
"Don't do it," Andromeda warned him, trembling slightly in fright. "You'll regret it."
He turned her aside again, motioning her toward a door near the end of the hall they were walking. "There," he said, his wand in her side as he murmured against her neck, "I'll take you there."
Andromeda marched down the hall ahead of him, opening the door and going into the room. She stared in horror at the chains, benches, and other horrible things that only made her wonder how many other people had suffered in that room. She ducked out of the way as she heard him at the door and figured that she would only get one chance to stop him. She waited until he had stepped into the room before she jumped him, wrestling him for the wand.
She clung to him tightly so he couldn't throw her down and curse her as she clutched his hand and his wand, doing her best to take the wand from him and not break it. Andromeda knew he was furious, though she didn't care as the wand went off with a bang and sparks rained down on them. He would not hurt her: she refused to be abused again. She yelled out in desperation, kicking and squirming madly, and amazingly enough one of her heels found its mark.
His grip slackened on the wand just enough for her to wrest it away from him and drive it into a weak point in his side. "Crucio!" she screamed. "Crucio!"
The man dropped to the floor, writhing in agony, but it wasn't for a few moments until Andromeda stepped back from him, trembling, this time with the power of her spells. He would be all right, but he would need help. He would also not be taking her to the Dark Lord.
Andromeda quickly Disillusioned herself, trying to remember other concealment spells, though she finally had to hurry along as she was before Dolohov woke up. She pocketed his wand, ready at any moment to retrieve and use it, though she knew that it was useless to run. She had an appointment.
She found a place to hide for a few minutes, then moved, hurrying toward the main hall and creeping toward the door carefully. She could hear them talking, hear Bellatrix mocking her, and hear the Dark Lord answering her. Andromeda shivered, but walked into the hall as her sister hissed, "She does not mean it! She won't come!"
"My Lord," Andromeda breathed, walking forward, though she instantly stopped and knelt to the floor when he looked to her.
"Ah, dear Bella," sighed Lord Voldemort. "You see? Patience is key."
"So she is here," Bellatrix scoffed. "She is nothing."
Nothing? Andromeda's rage threatened to escape from its confines, and she took a deep breath to calm herself, still not recovered from her ordeal with her would-be escort. "I am here, My Lord," she said quietly, though a shiver ran through her body.
The Dark Lord approached her, slowly circling her until he stood directly behind her. Andromeda did not move. "Andromeda," he said thoughtfully, "your escort...did you ask him to wait outside?"
"His body lies in need of healing in another room," she answered bitterly. "He attacked me, saying he'd come to get me an hour early. I would have none of that, My Lord, unless it were your will. I stopped him. And here." Andromeda reached into her pocket and pulled out Dolohov's wand.
Bellatrix drew a sharp breath. "What—?"
Andromeda didn't look up, willing herself not to get emotional. "We had a fight. I won. I took the liberty of escorting myself here. I do apologise for the time it will take to clean him up."
Bella's eyes widened, though the Dark Lord laughed. "Well, well," he said. "Your request, I hear, was that you could join me, Andromeda? Yet if what you say is true, you have greatly injured one of mine."
"Acting of his own accord and not on orders," Andromeda answered firmly. "There is usually conflict between Death Eaters anyway, if I may be so bold. My Lord, I want to take the Mark. I want to join you."
"To keep an eye on Dora," Bellatrix spat, crossing her arms. "It's pathetic."
"Bella, you yourself said that she could convince Dora to do things that you never could," the man said in amusement.
"Even if it is beneficial, I don't like it," Bellatrix pouted as he finished circling Andromeda, summoning Dolohov's wand to his hand.
The Dark Lord reached out, lifting Andromeda's face thoughtfully. "She is so like you, Bellatrix."
Bellatrix merely scoffed at his words. "I am nothing like her, My Lord."
He grinned in amusement, then raised Andromeda to her feet. "You understand, that as one of mine, you would do whatever I ask?" he told her. "You join willingly, it seems. Even if I told that you must be the one to punish your own daughter?"
"I—I—My Lord, I will," Andromeda breathed, shivering as she could feel the power emanating from him. "I want to be part of this—I will not willingly let the Order escape."
"As Nymphadora did?" Voldemort chuckled. "Of course not. I will expect much more of you, Andromeda. Much more than your daughter could ever give."
"My Lord," Andromeda almost groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "Anything. I have nothing to hold me back. I would do anything you asked."
"Two of you," the Dark Lord said thoughtfully, a small laugh escaping him at the expression on Bellatrix's face. "Though, why would you ever offer to serve me if you were so against it?"
"I see the uselessness in fighting against you," she breathed. "I know power—I can help Dora acclimate to such unusual things if I am in the position to do so. I want to protect her as much as I can, but I know I can only do that if she does what she is told. I am the only one that can convince her it is all right for her to torture, and kill, and do whatever she has to. She's very stubborn. And—I want to prove myself."
Bellatrix cackled with laughter, but her master silenced her. "You will be tried," he told Andromeda. "More than once. If you prove yourself, I will consider it. Bellatrix, take her back to the prisoner's ward."
"Thank you, My Lord," Andromeda breathed before Bellatrix grabbed her arm and marched her from the room.
"You'll regret this," Bellatrix sneered. "When you're humiliated before everyone you used to know."
"Perhaps," Andromeda answered. "Just let me say this. There is only one Bellatrix, and that's you. I...well, I can pretend, but I will always be Andromeda Black Tonks."
Bellatrix cackled with laughter. "Toy," she translated as she marched her sister up to the wards. "Now be good," she giggled, taking the witch through the wards, before waving and hurrying away. "Byebye, Dromeda!" she called over her shoulder.
Andromeda did not reply, staring out past the ward with a vacant expression on her face.
