Andromeda hadn't felt this nervous since the seconds before the practical exams for her Ancient Rune mastery. Her palms were just as sweaty, and her nerves lay bare. Many things were still unsaid, the chasms not bridged, the grudges not buried. She had exchanged a few letters with her sisters since, but another meeting was inescapable.
Nymphadora had come by earlier to give her a few irony-laced tips on dealing with dark witches, ice queens, and overbearing Ministers for Magic. Andromeda had sent her on her way with a stinging charm to her behind.
Teddy wasn't much help, either. The level-headed lawyer had lost her cool somewhere between the black shirts that all looked the same to Andromeda.
"I can't visit filthy rich people looking like this," Teddy exclaimed, putting yet another pair of well-tailored slacks back into the closet. "What would the Minister for Magic say?"
"You're being ridiculous," Andromeda drawled from her place in front of the bathroom mirror, where she tried to apply dark brown eyeliner to accentuate her copper eyeshadow. "You've seen them before, and no one spared your suit a glance."
"Last time, they were all focussed on springing Bellatrix on you. Of course, no one gave a shit. This is different."
Andromeda flinched and drew a line across her temple. "Merlin fucking dammit," she cried and threw the pencil in the sink. Luckily, vanishing charms worked on make-up gone wrong without pulling the skin off her skull. She reapplied the eyeshadow and slipped into the figure-hugging black dress. She tamed her hair into gentle waves and then decided that enough was enough. Those were her sisters, not someone she wanted to bed.
Teddy's jaw almost dropped to the floor when she emerged from the bathroom. Andromeda smirked. She felt validated in looking good enough for those she wanted to bed. A shame she couldn't devour Teddy right now. She looked gorgeous in her underwear.
With a flick of her wand, Andromeda summoned one of those black shirts. With another two flicks, a pair of pants and a blazer flew onto the bed.
"This does not match, Andromeda."
Teddy's frown was almost comical.
"You have one more try. If you complain, you'll wear this."
Teddy grinned, summoned a dark green jumpsuit, and was dressed five minutes later. She styled her hair with a few flicks of her wand and a new potion for extra glossy hair. The straight blonde strands fell over her shoulders and down her back. Andromeda had to retract her previous assessment. Teddy looked even more ravishing dressed, the perfect amount of cleavage showing.
"You get more beautiful every day," Andromeda whispered into her ear, revelling in the goosebumps that formed on Teddy's neck. She kissed her there, sucking the skin into her mouth for just a moment.
Teddy playfully pushed her away. "Don't ruin my knickers."
Andromeda snickered. "You can always take them off."
"Move, Andromeda. According to you, we're late."
Andromeda laughed and grabbed her hand and soon felt the pull of apparition deep within her insides. It twisted them, and when they landed, her head spun. The nausea was immediately replaced by nervousness. She needed a glass of champagne—desperately.
The elf was as impolite as the last time they'd visited. She wondered how Narcissa had convinced Hermione to keep the creature in service. Nymphadora had told them all about S.P.E.W while laughing her arse off. On second thought, Andromeda did not want to know all the means Narcissa possessed. Certainly not after the last time they'd visited.
Moments later, they found themselves in the same sitting room again, clinking glasses. Andromeda wondered if she'd ever be able to visit this mansion without a desperate urge to get sloshed or run for the hills.
Teddy put her hand on her shoulder. "Hair falling out of updos. Rosy cheeks. Do you remember?"
Andromeda growled, which sent Teddy into a fit of laughter.
"Sometimes I regret marrying you," Andromeda snapped with humour in her voice, holding up her hand in front of her and moving her thumb over the platinum wedding ring.
Teddy put the back of her hand against the foot of Andromeda's glass and pushed it upwards. Once Andromeda had a sip in her mouth, Teddy whispered, "I'll show you later why you married me."
Andromeda almost spat the bubbly onto the floor. Teddy snickered. "For a Slytherin, you're way too trusting."
Andromeda shot Teddy her best glare, but while that stare still held some power with their grandson, it had long lost its effect on Teddy.
"I second that," a calm voice reached their ears. Narcissa stood in the doorway, a silver floor-length gown glittering in the dim light of the sitting room. She smiled cheekily. Hermione glanced over her lover's shoulder, a warm smile on her lips. Hermione kissed Narcissa on the corner of her mouth and then walked around her into the room to greet Andromeda. Andromeda didn't miss the look of love and desire Narcissa gave Hermione.
Hermione's palms were warm and dry when they grabbed Andromeda's bare upper arms. Hermione squeezed and drew her closer. "I'm glad to see you again. I know it was hard last time."
Their surprise reunion had ended with a screaming match before the dessert had been served. Not even Hermione's calmness and sense for politics had been enough to stop the accusations flying across the dinner table. The worst had been Bellatrix telling Andromeda she had been a coward for turning her back and running instead of fighting for change, like herself. That had been the moment Andromeda had grabbed Teddy's hand and apparated. Back at home, she had been eaten up by anger at not standing up for herself and defending her choice, and worst of all, that she hadn't defended Teddy. Andromeda was determined to make it to the end of this dinner and open her mouth, should Bellatrix cross the line.
Andromeda met Hermione's warm gaze. "I'm sorry we left like that. You put together such a lovely dinner, and I'm thankful that you continue to try to mend us." She couldn't help but smile. Hermione Granger was a Gryffindor through and through.
"No apology needed," Hermione said firmly, grabbing her hands. "We sprung this on you. I understand that you needed some space. What Bellatrix said was uncalled for. Narcissa told her off after you left."
Andromeda arched an eyebrow. Placid Narcissa scolding their older sisters was something she had to witness with her own eyes to believe. It made her realise that she knew nothing of the woman she had become. In her mind, her younger sister was still fifteen.
"Oh, believe me, I was shocked too," Hermione said with a chuckle. "She was livid. It means a lot to her that you accepted our invitation. I hope you can mend those bridges."
"Me too, Hermione," Andromeda said truthfully. The more she had thought about it, the more she had appreciated the opportunity to rekindle her relationship with her sisters. It was something she would never have done on her own.
Narcissa put her hands on Hermione's shoulders and massaged them while her gaze searched Andromeda's. "Stop gossiping, darling," she said in a low voice that made Hermione smile.
Hermione squeezed Andromeda's hands and then moved out of the way. Even though they had been alone for less than a minute, the silence felt heavy and uncomfortable. Andromeda started to squirm, frantically trying to find a light topic of conversation. Diving into their issues before the first course seemed dangerous.
"Thank you for your letters and the pictures," Narcissa said. "It was nice getting a glance into what you've been up to. I hope you don't mind that I showed them to Bellatrix. She has yet to understand that love is a powerful force."
Andromeda scoffed, took a step back, and crossed her arms. She looked at Teddy for a second, who was engrossed in conversation with Hermione. "Oh, she's aware, Narcissa. What she has to understand is that she was a coward and would never have accepted Teddy."
The irony of her calling her sister a coward while never being able to say those very words to Bellatrix did not escape Andromeda, and judging by the expression on Narcissa's face, the same was true of her.
Narcissa smiled. "Now, I said no gossip, so let's move on. Do you want a glass of white wine, or do you prefer a beer like a commoner?"
Andromeda laughed. "Why Cissy, was that a joke? When did you find a sense of humour?"
Narcissa's expression softened some more. She pulled Andromeda closer until Andromeda's shoulder collided with Narcissa's clavicle. "Love is a powerful force, sister," she whispered, her gaze travelling to Hermione. The smile on her dark lips was almost blinding.
Andromeda drew her into a hug—a genuine one that warmed her from head to toe. She closed her eyes and wondered if they had ever hugged this tightly. Most likely not. "I'm happy for you," Andromeda said. Narcissa tightened her embrace.
"Starting without me, I see," Bellatrix drawled. Before Andromeda could react, a warm body pressed against her back. She pushed herself away from Narcissa and shook off Bellatrix's arms.
"Get off me, you cow."
"As you wish," Bellatrix said. "I don't know what filth those hands have touched anyway."
Andromeda didn't know what possessed her, but her wand was against Bellatrix's throat within a heartbeat.
Bellatrix didn't even flinch. She shoved the wand away and smirked. "Get that fucking stick out of your tight arse, Meda. Since when can't you take a joke?"
Andromeda's hand twitched. Teddy grabbed her arm, running her fingers down along Andromeda's skin until her fingers were wrapped around Andromeda's wand. "Take a breath, my love."
"Listen to your wife, you hothead!"
"Don't call me names," Andromeda hissed.
"Enough!" Hermione said. The dinner hadn't even begun, and the Minister looked exasperated. Andromeda was confident that political discussions didn't fluster her this quickly. Narcissa grabbed Hermione's hand, which made the witch relax. Hermione fixed Bellatrix with a stern glance. "Don't be a bitch!"
Bellatrix huffed out a breath and opened her mouth, undoubtedly to retaliate with more crude language, but a wordless hex shut her up. She yelped, rubbing her backside. "Fuck you, Cissy."
The tension was thick, making Andromeda more uncomfortable with each passing second. Andromeda's eyes wandered from Bellatrix to Narcissa.
"Thank you for hosting, Cissy. I'm looking forward to dinner," she said, in a desperate attempt to diffuse the tension, hoping to move the party along. Maybe once they all had food in their stomachs, the conversation would become easier.
Bellatrix laughed. "Yes, thank you, Cissy. It's such a delight seeing Meda again."
Andromeda tried to free her wand hand, but Teddy was stronger, holding her wrist in a grip that would leave marks. Despite her urge to hex her, Andromeda was grateful. If the dinner was anything like last time, she had at least three more hours of bickering to endure and would need her energy to defend herself against harsher insults.
"Shut up, Black," Teddy growled, which made Bellatrix laugh harder
"You all need to loosen up. You're dreadful company," Bellatrix quipped, flopping down on the settee. She put her feet on the coffee table. Andromeda didn't miss Narcissa's groan. Without a care in the world, Bellatrix summoned a crystal carafe filled with an amber liquid and a glass. She poured herself a generous amount and downed it in one go.
"Have you lost your mind?" Narcissa screeched. "We haven't even had appetisers yet!"
"Calm down, Mother," Bellatrix quipped, letting her head drop back to look at her. Her dark curls spilled over the backrest.
Andromeda couldn't help but laugh. Narcissa sounded exactly like Druella Black in her prime, and Bellatrix looked exactly like a defiant teenager.
Bellatrix got up and sauntered over to Andromeda. "She sounds precisely like Mother when you rile her up real good. You gotta try it one day."
"Oh, haha, Bellatrix," Narcissa said, cheeks gaining colour. Despite her obvious discomfort, the sight was endearing to Andromeda. It reminded her of days long past.
"Are they always like that?" Teddy asked drily, looking at Hermione.
"Yes," Hermione said with a frown.
"I married the right one then." She nudged Andromeda in the ribs and then put her arm around her waist, drawing her closer. Andromeda leaned into the touch, storing her wand in the holster on her thigh.
"You couldn't handle one like me if you tried, Tonks," Bellatrix said matter-of-factly, twirling her wand between her fingers.
Teddy laughed. "Whatever helps you sleep, Black."
Bellatrix nodded approvingly. "Ballsy bitch," she said, to which Teddy laughed. Then she approached Andromeda. "May I have a word before we eat?"
Teddy squeezed the flesh on Andromeda's side and kissed her shoulder. "I'll be right here," she said. Her words were a balm to Andromeda's fluttering nerves.
"No fighting!" Narcissa called after them, voice tight.
Bellatrix laughed. "Exactly like Druella, Cissy."
Andromeda swore she could hear Cissy growl and repressed the chuckle.
Bellatrix grabbed Andromeda's hand and led her through the maze that was the townhouse into the library. It was vast, and Andromeda couldn't shake the thought that the Minister had had a hand in that.
Bellatrix searched her gaze. "It was a joke."
Andromeda looked at her, confused. On her own, she'd never figure out which of the many insults Bellatrix had spat had not been meant seriously. "What was?"
"About the filth on your hands. It was supposed to be a joke."
Andromeda crossed her arms in front of her chest and tskd. "You insult before you think. Always have." She pressed her index finger against her sister's forehead. "Use that big head of yours before you speak."
To her surprise, Bellatrix nodded, looking contemplative. She fiddled with a few books in the bookcase, pulling them out and putting them back. Andromeda let her. Bellatrix had always had too much energy and needed to shed it somehow. Confronting her when she was buzzing with it was dangerous. Andromeda had learned the hard way when Bellatrix had broken her nose in a burst of accidental magic.
Finally, she turned to face Andromeda again. "I'm sorry I made you leave last time."
She sounded sincere, but Andromeda was fed up with the games. With difficulty she quelled the urge to snap at her. "Don't talk about it, show me. I'm sick of your petty insults. Get your shit together!" she said.
Bellatrix had the decency to look taken aback. In her youth, Andromeda had never dared to talk harshly to Bellatrix.
Seeing the surprise across her older sister's face made Andromeda smirk. "Cat got your tongue, sis?"
Bellatrix looked at her with a gleam in her eyes. "Did you rub off on Tonks, or did Tonks rub off on you?"
"I'd like to think we grew together," Andromeda said, somewhat wistfully.
"Spare me the details," Bellatrix said and rolled her eyes.
Andromeda smacked her on the back. "Think before you speak!"
"Yes, mother," Bellatrix mocked, only to be smacked again.
Andromeda glared. "Save that for Narcissa, you cow!" She turned to leave, her stomach grumbling. If she couldn't eat soon, she'd have to blast something to pieces to get rid of the anger. She wondered if she had been this angry in her teenage years. She was convinced her sisters had always been such nuisances and had not only recently turned into them.
Bellatrix grabbed Andromeda by her upper arm, digging her sharp nails into her flesh. "Listen, Meda. I love you, and what I've seen from this feisty wife of yours, I think I'll like her. I'm sorry I fucked it up. I know that this was my only chance. I know—"
"Shut up, Bellatrix. I'm here, aren't I?"
Bellatrix briefly met her eyes and then clasped her hand. "Thank you."
Andromeda patted it. "Just don't insult me, and we'll be fine."
When they returned, Narcissa rushed towards them, seeming relieved when she saw no tears in neither fabric nor flesh.
"The two of you will give me an ulcer," she exclaimed. "Let's eat something so that I can drink wine." The tone was dramatic, almost desperate.
Hermione laughed. "Don't fret, darling. Your finest white is waiting for you in the cooler."
The two walked towards the dining room, Bellatrix trailing after them.
Teddy's warm hand found Andromeda's. She hugged her from behind and put her chin on her shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of her neck like a cat. Her hair tickled Andromeda's ear.
"You okay?" Teddy asked.
Andromeda turned and pulled her into a deep kiss. When they parted, she gave her a reassuring smile. "I am. I think this time it will work. And if it escalates again, we'll try a third time. I love them too much to give in."
Teddy caressed her cheek. "I know, my love. Come, let's go eat something. I think being hangry is a Black trait."
Andromeda chuckled. "I love you, my heart."
Teddy's gaze was filled with love. "I love you, Dromeda."
Andromeda sat down next to Teddy. Bellatrix sat opposite them.
Conversation flowed surprisingly easily, circling Hogwarts anecdotes, child-rearing anecdotes, and a few tidbits of their shared childhood, which intrigued both Hermione and Teddy. Bellatrix couldn't help it and made fun of Andromeda and Narcissa. Occasionally, she also picked on Teddy and Hermione. The first time, everyone feared it would turn into a fight, but it was soon clear that Bellatrix was only joking.
They had just put their dessert spoons down when Bellatrix stood up for a toast.
She opened and closed her a few times, then she put her hands on the table and closed her eyes. "I'm in love," she rushed out.
"Are you shitting us?" Narcissa spluttered after a moment of stunned silence.
Surprised by her choice of words and uninhibited by the generous amount of white wine in her system, Andromeda burst into laughter. Teddy warningly grabbed her arm, but she ignored it. Until she spotted Bellatrix's face. The laughter died in her throat. Bellatrix looked hurt. Genuinely hurt.
"I mean it!" Bellatrix almost screamed. "I met her a few months ago."
"Her?" Andromeda raised an eyebrow.
"That isn't the best part," Bellatrix said, looking uncharacteristically shy. "She's a muggle-born."
The glass fell from Narcissa's hand, the expression on her face priceless. Even Hermione seemed to be gasping for air.
"Oh, this is getting better and better," Teddy said in a voice that was meant for Andromeda's ears only.
"Don't be a cow, Cissy," Bellatrix said, voice thick. "I also did my learning."
Andromeda whooped and raised her glass. "To you, for making generations of Blacks turn in their graves."
Bellatrix gave a watery laugh. Andromeda got up and pulled her sister into an embrace. Whenever they were this close, she realised how fragile the witch was. Bellatrix made up for that with her big mouth and magical vigour.
"Of course, it's you hugging me. I've treated you like shit for loving Tonks, and you hug me."
"I've been trying to instill this lesson into you forever: Loving is never wrong."
Bellatrix hugged her tightly around her waist, making her gasp for air. "Stop it, Meda, or you'll make me cry."
Andromeda tried to lift her chin to see the tears because not once had she seen her cry, but Bellatrix wouldn't let her, pressing her face into her chest. Narcissa laced her arms around them, and when Andromeda looked at her, tears were running down her cheeks. She chuckled.
Narcissa wiped her cheeks and sniffled. "What did you expect? Thirty years didn't turn me into a completely different person. I'd like to believe the same can be said for you."
"Of course, Cissy, she's still a hugger and too soft." The fabric of Andromeda's dress muffled Bellatrix's voice.
"And you're still a complainer," Narcissa retorted.
They let go after a while, all of them teary-eyed.
"I think we needed that," Andromeda said, wiping the stray tear. She reached out and trailed her thumb over the wet tracks on Bellatrix's cheek and then cupped her face. "You deserve happiness, Bella."
Teddy stepped next to her and put a hand on Bellatrix's shoulder, giving it a hearty squeeze. "What the wife said, Black."
And then something happened that Andromeda had never deemed possible. Bellatrix drew Teddy into a hug. Her wife squeaked but then wrapped her arms around Bellatrix's shoulders. "Thank you, Tonks."
"Well," Hermione said once she had caught Andromeda's gaze. "I think this dinner was a success."
Andromeda nodded and looked at her wife and sister again. Things would work out. She was sure of it.
They settled in the cosy sitting room for a nightcap and chatted until late into the night. They set a date for their next dinner.
Teddy apparated them home. Once they were settled into their cosy sheets, Andromeda turned to Teddy and grasped her hands tightly. Tears sprang to her eyes. "I have my sisters back," she said, the reality of it hitting her full force.
"I'm so happy for you, my love," Teddy said, pressing her soft lips to Andromeda's forehead. Her arms laced around her and pulled her closer until Andromeda could settle her head on her chest.
Teddy quickly fell asleep, and while Andromeda listened to her beloved's heartbeat, she smiled. Finally, after three decades of fighting and hardship, she had her family back. Andromeda was looking forward to telling Nymphadora and seeing her reaction upon learning her aunt was dating a muggle-born, and she was looking forward to meeting the woman that had stolen her sister's heart.
