Andromeda looked in the mirror, she was wearing a pale green dress and a small feathery black coat over it. She hadn't put her shoes on yet. Her hair was up in braids and she had white bird barrettes on either side of her head. She wore black gloves.

"'Meda what are you doing without your shoes on!" Narcissa said walking into the room. She wore a dress and her hair similar to Andromeda, except she had white daffodil barrettes in her hair.

"It's almost time for the ball," She said, getting Andromeda's shoes.

"Here, put them on," She said, handing them to her.

Andromeda put the shoes on.

"How do I look?" She asked, turning to face Narcissa.

"Beautiful as always,"


Andromeda fiddled with her gloves, as the music played in the ballroom.

Narcissa came to see her.

"What are you worried about?"

"I just stopped being friends with Shafiq, and I am afraid that she will be here,"

"Don't worry, I told Mother not to invite them,"

"Thank you,"

"What are you chatterboxes talking about?" Bellatrix said.

She wore the same dress as the other two, and currently trying to cover herself with her small black feathery coat.

"You're so beautiful, Bella! You should wear colors more often!" Narcissa said.

"Sure," Bellatrix said, and rolled her eyes, "I'm going to go dance with Lestrange,"

After she left Narcissa said:

"Which do you think she'll dance with?"

"I have no idea," Andromeda responded.

"Will you dance with anyone?"

"Maybe if someone asks,"

Lucius Malfoy came to see the girls and held out his hand for Narcissa and asked her to dance.

Narcissa smiled at Andromeda and then went to dance.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Andromeda?" a voice said behind her. She turned around and it was her uncle Alphard.

"Yes,"

"Are you going to play the flute or piano for us tonight?"

"The flute, I practiced a new piece,"

"Were you practicing that piece, when the Tonks boy walked in?" He asked.

"Yes, I was,"

There was a pause.

"About your letter, Andromeda," he said, "I don't see why you can't still be friends with Inaya and Gwendolyn. You and the girls have been friends for such a long time,"

She looked at him.

"They kept something a secret from me for a very long time, and their friends with the muggle-born who might know my secret. Being friends with muggle-bones, and half-bloods is one thing, behind someone's back is even worse,"

"You said you bought presents for them?"

"Yes, I did. I also said that I didn't know what to do with them," she said.

"I think maybe you should save them,"

"Why?"

"You might regret throwing them away later," He said with a twinkle in his eye.

Bellatrix pushed Rabastan towards Andromeda, and Alphard left to go to another side of the room.

"Do you want to dance with me?" He asked.

"Did Bellatrix make you ask me?"

"Yes, of course," he paused, his hand still out for her to take, "Do you want to dance?"

A waiter tripped and Bellatrix cackled. She put her wand behind her back.

"Okay," she said, then took his hand cautiously.

He brought her to the middle of the ballroom, and they danced.

"Do you like dancing?" He asked.

"Yes," she said, then asked, "Are we supposed to talk while dancing?"

"We can," He looked a little confused.

She gave no response.

"You dance well," He said.

"Thank you, I took lessons when I was younger,"

They were quiet.

"Do you like the ball?" He kept trying to make conversation.

"Yes, do you?"

"I do,"

There was an awkward silence.

"How are you feeling today?" She asked, suddenly. They kept dancing.

"I'm feeling good,"

They didn't talk the rest of the dance.

The song ended and he walked away quickly. Andromeda walked to where Narcissa was.

"How was dancing with Rabastan?" Narcissa said, smiling.

"It was all right,"

They looked out at the dancers, Bellatrix was dancing with someone they didn't recognise. She had undone her hair and now it was whipping every which way while she danced.

"Father and Mother are not going to like that," Andromeda said.

"She's going to be in a lot of trouble, especially since this ball is for her to find a good match," Narcissa said, looking at her sister dancing.

"It is?"

"It is."

"How do you know?"

Narcissa went and whispered into her ear, putting a hand to the side of her face. She whispered:

"Mother told me. She didn't want me to outshine her today, that's why I dressed down. She needs to find someone to marry,"

Narcissa went back to where she was before.

"We're wearing almost the same thing 'Cissy,"

"I know," She said with a mischievous smile.

"You are the worst, 'Cissy,"

"I know,"

There was the sound of someone hitting their glass with a spoon, it was Cygnus Black.

"Everyone," his glass was almost empty, but it was filled to the brim at some point in the night, "My daughter, Andromeda, will now play the flute for us,"

She walked up to the front of the room where her father was, and took her flute from its case. She looked at the sheet music and thought of the emotions.

Not too much emotion, she heard a voice in her head say.

She looked at the notes and took a deep breath and played. All eyes were on her and she missed a note but it wasn't noticed, except by her family who had heard her practice all week and knew it by heart.

She heard Bellatrix cackle and she made a mistake again.

Soon the piece was done and she had finished.

It didn't sound like the night Tonks had said she had played beautifully though.

The guests applauded and she bowed.

Soon after the guest left.


Andromeda couldn't sleep. Her performance at the ball had been terrible. She'd failed. It wasn't perfect. It shouldn't be affiliated with the house of Black. She shouldn't be affiliated with the house of Black. She didn't belong.

Andromeda heard yelling downstairs: it was her parents and Bellatrix.

She crept and stayed at the top of the stairs to listen.

"You were acting unseemly at the ball! Jinxing waiters, laughing loudly, changing your hair mid dance!" Druella Black shrieked.

"Why does it matter? Andromeda embarrassed the family with her flute playing and she's not getting punished! Why must I always be the one punished!"

"Don't talk back to your mother, Bellatrix," Their father said sitting in the corner.

"Why does it suddenly matter?"

"The ball was to find you a FIANCÉ!"

Bellatrix looked absolutely murderous.

"I DON'T WANT TO GET MARRIED!"

"Go to your room, Bellatrix, now!" Her father screamed.

Bellatrix reluctantly went to her room. She passed Andromeda, gave her a dirty look but didn't say anything.

Druella made eye contact with Andromeda at the top of the stairs, Andromeda was in her nightgown and slippers.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Druella said coldly.

Andromeda kept her mouth shut, but still looked her mother in the eyes.

"Go," she said frigidly.

Andromeda went back to her room.

The night was cold and dark at 100 Rillon Manor.


See, it's a pun- 100 Rillon Manor-Cent (100 in french is cent) Rillon-Cendrillon-Cendrillon is Cinderella in english!

R&R