"Why must there be so many spreadsheets!" whined Inaya, Mason patted her on the head.

"I wish more people took Arithmancy in 5th year, so we had less challenging projects."

"It's kinda fun, though, plus according to our predictions Andromeda and Ted might become friends." Mason said pointing at the graphs.

"Or they could never talk to each other ever, that outcome's just as likely."

"I'm trying to focus on the positives, Naya." he said, softly.

"We're in the library on a Saturday night! Gwen's probably rolling down a hill, while Andromeda sits on a rock scared of stains or something."

"Is that really what she's like?" asked Mason while chuckling.

Inaya stared at him, she didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry, that I can't- that I haven't told Andromeda that we're friends... She's been my friend since forever... I don't know what I'll do without her... or what she'll do without me."

"I wish we could've been born in a different time-or that there wasn't a war brewing right now... I know that after graduation everyone I know will fight in the war... most of the people in school now are probably going to die young-or feel guilty about surviving or not fighting."

Inaya hugged Mason.


At breakfast on Sunday, Andromeda and Ted both received letters.

"Thank you, Aster." she said, giving her a treat before she flew away. She decided to save the letter for later, she didn't want anyone to see what was inside.

"Stop using my owl." Bellatrix said.

"Do you want me to use a school owl?"

Bellatrix didn't respond.

At the Hufflepuff table Ted immediately opened his letter from Jim, and read:

Dear Tedward,

Nothing's really happened here either. I can't believe you couldn't stand a day without me there! Hungry tried to eat my fingers, but I got bandaged up by the school nurse, she's pretty nice. There was this other girl there, Melissa or something who almost fainted for a second time that day when she saw my blood. It's going to be a bit hard to write for a while, and I'm sorry if there's any blood on here. Hungry arrived before school started so no one really saw me get attacked by an owl. I hope you make it on your sports team if that's whatever Quidditch is?
Good luck with school!

Love,
Jim

P.S: Tell Edith and Mason I say "Hi" too.

There was blood on the envelope but otherwise the letter was fine. Ted hadn't noticed it, but Edith had. She asked if poor Jim was alright, and Ted laughed and told her what had happened to him.


Andromeda ate her food at a normal pace, if slightly quicker than usual. She needed to know what her uncle's advice was. When she was finished she left the table, not before saying "goodbye" to her family and having them say it.

She sat by a window, in a little alcove in a hall near the Great Hall. No one was there, they were still eating. She opened the letter:

Dear Andromeda,

Don't worry, your letters keep me company. You have no reason to be afraid of me. I'm glad you like my story, I really hoped that you would.

About what was worrying you, the boy has probably forgotten or doesn't remember what he has seen. I'd say keep distance between yourself and him, just in case.

I hope that you succeed in what you want,
-A.P.B

She sighed in relief, of course Ted had forgotten. He's a muggle-born, after all, she thought, it's a miracle he remembers anything at all.

She took the letter and put it in her bag, and went to her class feeling lighter than before.


Ted was confused when he saw Andromeda leave the hall in such a hurry. He didn't go after her, that never seemed to work out. He remembered the last time he'd talked to her in second year, the last time he thought they could be friends:

"That was a hard song, and it was so weird."

"You just don't know what it's about, Ted."

"Well, what is it about?"

They were the last people in the choir room, and were cleaning up. She looked up at him, broom and dustpan still in her hands. She didn't know how to use them so he'd taught her a few weeks back.

"It's a love story, between two people who knew each other but drifted apart."

"Why did they drift apart?"

"It's just what happens."

"That won't happen to us, right? We'll always be friends?"

"I don't know if we're even friends now. I don't know anything about you."

There was a small pause.

"My name is Ted Tonks, I'm in Hufflepuff, and I want to be your friend." He said, putting out his hand for her to shake.

"I already knew that, Ted." she said, a smile on her lips.

"Yellow's my favorite color, did you know that?"

"No, so, like-"

"My house colors."

"I was going to say hair," she said, pointing at it.

"Oh," his cheeks turned faintly pink, "What's your favorite color?"

"Purple."

He then burst out laughing.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"I just remembered what you said about my favorite color and my hair, and…"

"You imagined me with purple hair, how is that funny?"

"Well imagine you with purple hair!"

She thought about it then she laughed, she laughed like he'd never seen her before so he laughed too. He laughed so hard he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes for a second and saw that she had purple hair, must've been a trick of the light. When he opened them again she had a solemn expression.
She ran out of the room, bumping into someone outside the door.

"Wait! Why are you running away? What happened?"

He still didn't understand why she had done that, they'd been on friendly terms for weeks. He thought they were becoming friends in the neutral ground of the choir room, away from her family and everyone else. Apparently they weren't, because whatever friendship he thought they had had ended that second. Had he done something wrong? Was she so embarrassed at laughing at a muggle-born's joke? Is that why she ran away?


Andromeda remembered that day in the choir room as well, the day when she almost revealed her secret. She'd just imagined it as he said and her hair had changed accordingly. She changed it back, and ran out as soon as she realised it, bumping into Oz Sherman on her way out. She couldn't let anyone know. She couldn't let anyone know her secret. She couldn't let anyone know that she was a metamorphmagus.

She'd been extra guarded ever since that day.

R&R