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Andromeda ran her thumb over the words, noting the fine texture of the expensive parchment. Even after the third time, she had a hard time understanding the words. Her brow furrowed and she felt a piercing headache coming on, as it so often did when she thought of the past. She pushed her glasses into her hair, closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her temple.
When she heard the door and her beloved entered the bedroom with her brilliant smile on her lips, her eyes lit up. She watched her partner with an attentive gaze as she got out of her work clothes and put on sweatpants and a tank top. She was never more beautiful than when she let her guard down, left the stern lawyer behind and became her playful, passionate lover. Teddy climbed onto the bed and greeted her with a soft kiss, her hand finding its way to her neck.
They parted after a few moments of tender kisses. Teddy reached for the envelope and examined the black wax seal curiously.
Their eyes met. "What in Merlin's name does Narcissa want from you?"
Andromeda crawled into her partner's outstretched arms and rested her head on her collarbone. "She wants to have dinner with us."
A chuckle fell from her lips when she saw Teddy's eyes widen and her eyebrows raise.
It had been a while since she'd seen her sister and the meeting had been exhausting and not something she was keen on repeating. While Narcissa had learned from past mistakes and paid her dues, the strain of their falling apart decades ago had been hanging too heavily over them. They had parted without the promise of another meeting.
Teddy put her index finger against her sternum, an incredulous expression on her face. "She's aware I'm a mudblood, right?"
A melodious laugh fell from Andromeda's lips and she grabbed Teddy's hand, kissing her knuckles and keeping their fingers intertwined. "She's been with Hermione Granger for years now, my love. Surely you've noticed."
Their relationship was a very public affair, as Hermione Granger was Minister of Magic and Narcissa was still fighting her reputation of being a dark witch. Since Nymphadora was friends with Hermione, she heard a few tidbits here and there. She wholeheartedly supported the couple and was happy for them but didn't want to get too involved in Narcissa's life.
Teddy chuckled. "I'm well aware, Dromeda, but I'm a special kind of mudblood," she retorted, "the one that stole you away from them."
"You didn't steal me," Andromeda said, her voice firm. She didn't like it when people assumed she had left her family behind just because of Teddy. Numerous reasons had moved her to take this step. She turned her head and caught her partner's lips in a deep kiss.
"Is our darling half-blood also invited?" Teddy asked between kisses and Andromeda shook her head, smiling against her lips.
"Just the two of us."
She had no desire for another stiff meeting with Narcissa but was curious to know what her little sister wanted. The letter was vague at best. At least this time she would have Teddy with her. Everything was easier with her by her side and she liked the Minister well enough. Under those circumstances, the meeting should be much more pleasant. Maybe this time they could overcome some of their differences.
She stretched and then stood up to write the answer. "You will join me, yes, love?"
Teddy looked at her in confusion. "As if I would let you go alone!"
Relieved, Andromeda sat down and penned her answer, agreeing to meet Narcissa in two weeks.
-§-§-§-
Andromeda had redone her hair for the third time, charming it into an elegant chignon. It was formal but not too formal and one of the few hairstyles she liked.
Teddy put her hands on her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "You look beautiful, Dromeda."
With her left hand, she caressed Teddy's fingers and looked at her through the reflection. "I'm glad you're coming. It can't hurt to have a lawyer close."
The low chuckle coming from Teddy calmed her rushing pulse. She got up and intertwined their fingers. "Ready?" she queried and when Teddy nodded, she apparated them to a posh looking townhouse in the middle of Muggle London.
Hands still laced together, they walked towards the gate that opened from them without any command. A neatly dressed house elf opened the door and eyed them suspiciously.
"Name?" he barked, his expression darkening, his big, bulgy eyes squinting at them.
"Andromeda Black and Theodora Tonks," Andromeda said, shooting the elf a hostile glance. She had never been fond of the creatures.
"Follow me," the elf replied with a growl and led them into the bright and modernly furnished townhouse. Andromeda wasn't surprised that the two witches lived a lavish life, but the vastness of the house surprised her and she gasped as she took it all in. An ebony staircase led to the upper floors, but they passed it and entered the equally contemporary decorated drawing-room. The elf took their coats from them and two glasses of champagne appeared before their noses.
Andromeda grabbed it, brought it to her lips and was inclined to down it in one go, but Teddy grabbed her wrist and shot her a gaze.
"Where are your manners, Miss Black?"
They clinked their glasses and Andromeda took a slow sip, hoping it would quell some of the tension she was feeling. Their drinks were half-drunk when Andromeda spotted Narcissa coming towards them, her pale cheeks flushed. Hermione walked behind her, her hair falling out of her updo.
Teddy leaned closer to Andromeda, put her hand on her shoulder and whispered in her ear, "I bet you five galleons they just shagged."
This time Andromeda downed her glass and banished the thought to the back of her mind, hoping she would never have to bring it out again, but Teddy's sniggering made her doubt she would ever let her forget.
"Sister!" Narcissa exclaimed cheerfully, a brilliant smile forming on her red lips. She hugged her tightly, but Andromeda only half-heartedly returned it, feeling uncomfortable with so much affection coming from her estranged sister.
"Hello, Cissy," she said and before she could dive into the exchange of pleasantries, her sister focused on Teddy, hugging her just as tightly.
Teddy grinned and patted her back a bit harder than necessary. "Good to see you, Narcissa. It's been decades," she said, not hiding the muggle lilt in her voice. Andromeda rolled her eyes but inwardly loved her a little bit more for it. She remembered the last time the two of them had seen each other. It had been the night she had grabbed Teddy's hand and ran. Her heart fluttered. For this woman, she would leave everything behind a thousand times over.
Warm hands grabbed her biceps and Hermione's warm amber eyes met hers, pulling her out of her daydream. With a smile, she kissed Hermione's cheek. "Good to see you, Minster."
"My pleasure, Andromeda," she answered.
After settling down on the comfortable settees, they exchanged a few pleasantries. For a moment, Teddy managed to entertain the room with hair-raising tidbits about her last case, but then a tense silence settled over them like a heavy blanket. None of them was willing to address the decade-old elephant in the room.
After two and a half glasses of champagne, Andromeda finally felt enough at ease to look at her sister without getting nervous. She still hadn't told her what this meeting was about and it made her antsy. She took a deep breath, opened her mouth and swallowed the words as the door closed with a bang, and a dark-haired witch rushed into the room.
The glass fell from her suddenly very limp fingers, bursting on the marble floor. The bubbly liquid splashed against her ankle, but she didn't look down, her gaze trained on the witch. Teddy held her thigh in an iron grip, but it didn't give her much comfort.
"My, you all look positively miserable," the witch spoke and chuckled. One hand rested comfortably on her hip and with the other, she snatched a glass of champagne out of the air and brought it to her dark red lips.
Andromeda let her gaze wander over her estranged sister and swallowed hard. She hadn't seen Bellatrix in thirty years and had never felt the desire to. Her thoughts drifted to the night she had confessed to Bellatrix that she loved Teddy. The vile insults that came from her sister's lips still reverberated in her mind and they still stung.
It took her a moment to gather herself and once she did, she got up and looked at Narcissa. "This is my cue to leave," she said without emotion in her voice, hurt that her sister had sprung this on her, the last bit of trust shattered.
She slipped free from Teddy's reassuring grip on her wrist. On her way out, she bumped against Bellatrix's shoulders and for a moment, their eyes met. There was warmth in her expression that hadn't been there decades ago, but she shook it off, feeling suffocated by the room and the people in it.
She ignored Teddy calling after her. Once outside, she sat on the stairs and lay her head in her hands and took a few calming breaths, hoping Teddy would come outside soon so they could go home.
-§-§-§-
Teddy shot Narcissa a stern gaze and pursed her lips. "Springing this on her shows how little you know and care about her. She hates being unprepared." She was often surprised at how ignorant the two sisters were towards her beloved.
Bellatrix strolled into the room, her perfectly tailored dress flowing in her stride and sat down next to Teddy and nudged her side. "I've told Cissy to be careful with Meda. She's a bit of a snowflake, isn't she?"
The fingers of Teddy's left hand twitched and she almost grabbed her wand and cast a nasty curse but then balled her hand into a fist instead. "Don't you dare insult her," she hissed darkly.
The witch next to her chuckled and reached for an appetiser, which she unceremoniously shoved into her mouth and chewed with a grin. She gave Teddy a meaningful look. "I say as I please, Tonks."
"Just keep your mouth shut if you don't have anything nice to say, Black!" Teddy said with ice in her voice and took a breath to say more, but Hermione cleared her throat.
"That's quite enough!" She said, her voice quiet but demanding and she immediately took control of the room. "We thought that Andromeda wouldn't come if we told her the truth, but I do think it's time for all of us to chat. It's not healthy to hold onto those grudges. We are family."
Teddy frowned, remembering all the nights she had held Andromeda while she'd cried for her sisters. "Maybe then the two of them shouldn't have shunned her for loving me. You can't mistreat her her whole adult life and then come crawling back without giving her time to adjust. That's not how it works."
Bellatrix smirked. "Well, well, look at you. Did you finally grow a pair?"
"Shut up, Bella," Hermione hissed and rolled her eyes before she focused her gaze on Teddy. "I agree, they should've handled this differently but they're idiots. I'm sorry Andromeda has to suffer from their lack of sensitivity."
Teddy spotted the slight smile on Narcissa's lips and the admiring gaze she gave Hermione. The blonde squeezed her partner's thigh. They made a lovely pair and Teddy thought that maybe there was hope after all. Perhaps things could still change.
Narcissa met Teddy's eyes, a soft expression on her face. "Is she still here?"
Teddy nodded, feeling her beloved's magic swirl all around her. It was somewhat distressed but nothing alarming; otherwise she wouldn't still be sitting and chatting.
"Can I go talk to her?"
The question coming from Bellatrix took Teddy by surprise and she was even more stunned by the hint of remorse she spotted in her features.
For a moment, Teddy contemplated. It would be good for Andromeda to get closure, but she didn't trust either sister. She took a breath and kept her voice calm and level as she spoke. "If you hurt her, I'll tear you apart limb by limb, Black!"
Bellatrix nodded, a surprisingly demure expression settling on her face and she got up. Feeling less worried and very pleased with herself, Teddy leaned back and summoned a cucumber sandwich into her hand. Andromeda's magic would alarm her if something happened and the witch could very well defend herself. Only her sisters still underestimated her. Until something happened, she would stay put. She had already been caught in a Black sisters crossfire once and had no desire for a repeat.
-§-§-§-
Andromeda wanted to get out of there, but she feared she would splinch herself, as she was still feeling restless. Being this close to her sisters unnerved her. Part of her had always hoped to reconcile. They had loved each other dearly, all three of them, and their bond seemed unbreakable, but then life and choices came along and everything changed. It was that old familiarity and closeness that she missed to this day. Yet, the other part of her, the louder one, was done with them and had been for decades.
She took a breath and was about to head back inside to fetch her dawdling wife when the door opened. Relief flooded her. "Took you long enough," she said, her tone a bit more accusing than necessary, but she just wanted to go to bed, kiss Teddy, and forget the whole ordeal.
"Thirty years," an unexpected voice replied, and a shiver ran down Andromeda's spine. She straightened her back and met her sister's eyes.
"Bellatrix," she said, her voice low, barely louder than an exhale.
Bellatrix looked steadily at her, an unreadable expression on her face. She leaned back against the cobblestone wall and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I'm not who I was thirty years ago," she said. "I want to make things right with you."
Andromeda wished it were that easy. Bellatrix had hurt her deeply, more than once and worst of all, she had threatened her daughter.
"You put your wand against Nymphadora's throat," she forced out, the words almost choking her, feeling numb just thinking about it.
"She'd come too close to discovering my secret."
A hint of desperation was colouring Bellatrix's voice and Andromeda knew she was telling the truth. The Order members and her daughter had told her the story in vivid detail of how her sister had ultimately betrayed the Dark Lord. Despite Bellatrix's bravery and the gratitude she felt for her, it hadn't been enough to close the old wounds, to overcome her pride and reach out.
After a shuddering intake of air, she found her voice again. "You called the love of my life a filthy mudblood whore." It pained her to repeat those vile words and she remembered vividly how much it had hurt to hear her beloved sister speak them. It had been the moment she swore to herself she'd leave and never look back.
Bellatrix opened her mouth, but Andromeda waved her hand, shutting her up with a hex. "Save it! I know you meant those words, Bellatrix!"
Bellatrix had a pleading look on her face and after watching her for a moment, enjoying toying with her like this, Andromeda ended the spell.
The older witch tried to grab her arm but Andromeda took a step back. "Please, Andromeda, I can't change the past, but I want to make it up to you and Tonks." She paused and smiled a genuine smile. "She's become a feisty bitch in the last three decades and you know how much I enjoy people like that."
Her voice was sincere and it managed to melt some of the ice that shielded Andromeda's heart from her older sister's antics. Despite the bitterness within her, Andromeda had to smile. Teddy had indeed become much braver in the last decades, and the thought of Teddy standing up for her warmed Andromeda's heart.
"Allow us one dinner to prove ourselves to you, Andromeda," Bellatrix said, her voice as gentle as it had been decades ago.
Andromeda studied Bellatrix for a moment, weighed her options, unsure if it would hurt more to walk away for good or give in and take the leap of faith.
Bellatrix reached for her arm again and this time Andromeda let her. She smiled cheekily. "Come on, Meda. I'll even let you be a bitch to me. I remember how much you loved that."
Andromeda smiled in spite of herself. "I miss bitching with and about you two," she admitted. In her teens, they had gossiped for hours, and the thought of doing it again gave her a sense of belonging she hadn't felt in decades.
It was worth it, she decided. She owed it to herself to at least try to see who her sisters had become. One dinner wouldn't repair the damage, but it wouldn't cause more either. She could always leave and with Teddy by her side, everything was easier anyway. She lifted a finger, a glint entered her eyes and her smile widened. "You have one dinner, Bella, and if you mess this up, I'll have Teddy come after you!" She knew Teddy was no threat to a duelist like Bella, but it was tempting to engage in their banter again, and she smiled when Bellatrix jumped on it.
Her sister pushed her shoulder against hers and leaned closer to her. In a sarcastic voice, she said, "I'm shaking already, Meda".
Andromeda laughed and they went back inside. As they entered the drawing room, the conversation died down and all eyes turned to them. Teddy jumped up but stopped when Andromeda shook her head slightly.
She tentatively reached for Bellatrix's hand and smiled when she squeezed her fingers. "Let's eat, shall we?" asked Andromeda.
Her gaze moved from Narcissa to Bellatrix. They both smiled at her, and that brought hope to Andromeda's heart. It was time to close those old wounds.
