Early one morning at the end of July, Andromeda was putting breakfast on the table when she heard a tap on the kitchen window and she looked to see Alice's owl sitting on the windowsill. With a gasp of delight, Andromeda rushed to the window and took the letter from the owl, thanking it before she ripped open the envelope.

Her slight cry of delight was heard by her husband, who had just come down the stairs with their youngest son in his arms. "What's that, Dromeda?" he asked her.

"A letter from Alice," she murmured, her face lighting up as a picture fell onto the envelope. "Oh, she's had her baby!"

"Has she?" Arthur smiled, glancing back as Percy appeared on the staircase.

"He looks sweet," Andromeda sighed. "I hope he takes after his mother."

Arthur chuckled at this and glanced at the picture. "Good for them," he said. "Good morning, Percy. Sleep well last night?" The boy nodded, rubbed his eyes, and walked to his seat at the table. Arthur turned back to his wife. "Do you know when you'll get to see Alice and her baby?"

"I don't," Andromeda answered, "but the important thing is that she stays safe, of course. I'll send her a note a little later so she knows we got the news. Weren't the other children awake, Arthur?"

"The twins are still asleep and the older two were taking their time to get dressed," the man answered. "They should be down soon."

And a little while later, Will and Charlie joined their parents in time for Arthur to tell them all goodbye and leave for the Ministry. "Mum," said Charlie, "may we go for a walk today?"

"We can't go out without two adults, love," his mother told him gently. "It's dangerous with the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters out there."

"But you're not scared," Will said.

"No, but I wouldn't want to bother them," Andromeda said with a smile. "Now eat up while I go check on the twins."

It was much later that afternoon when Andromeda had put the twins down for a nap and was feeding Tommy when she heard Narcissa's voice saying, "Andromeda? Andromeda?"

Andromeda's mouth fell open slightly and she quickly summoned her mirror, glancing toward the sleeping twins before throwing a blanket over herself and the baby. "Cissa?" she asked softly, levitating the mirror before herself so she didn't have to hold it.

The blonde woman was holding a tiny baby, and Andromeda gasped, "Oh, that's Draco, isn't it? How wonderful! How old is he now?"

"Nearly two months," Narcissa answered, seeming slightly nervous.

"Is something wrong?" Andromeda asked her sister immediately. "Is Bellatrix there with you?"

"Andy!" came Bellatrix's laughing voice as she appeared next to her sister in the frame. "So nice to see you again."

"I'm sure," Andromeda answered. "What do you want, Bella?"

The dark-haired witch pouted at her. "Rude," she said. "Can't a witch check up on her sister?"

"Like you did when Dora was born?" Andromeda scoffed. "The last time I saw you, you were hurrying my daughter away as you whispered in her ear that I had sent her to you. Every time I see you or talk to you, something terrible happens."

"Mean," Bellatrix sighed. "Well, it didn't work very well, because she's taken to screaming at both me and Rodolphus, and Ronan's scared of her again."

"Good," Andromeda smirked with a look of pride.

"Rodolphus is back to entirely disapproving of the situation," Bellatrix continued, tilting her head thoughtfully, "and of course, I haven't the faintest idea of how to make her behave."

"I told you in my letter when you first took her," Andromeda said, glaring at the witch. "You have to be kind and loving to her, and remember that not everything has to be a battle."

Narcissa sighed and shook her head. "Dora doesn't want to be here, but she's also been told that you don't want her, Dromeda," she said. "She feels like she doesn't belong anywhere."

Andromeda felt her magic crackle as a rage boiled up inside her. "You've hurt my daughter, Bellatrix—hurt her worse than if you had tortured her. I doubt you can repair the damage—you've always been better at breaking things than fixing them."

"I'm not giving her back," Bellatrix shrugged. "I'll figure something out."

"You won't," Andromeda said with a smirk. "She'll hate you like you hate our father."

"She won't," Bellatrix replied, rolling her eyes. "We kept him from hurting her."

"Much," Narcissa muttered.

"Bellatrix Black Lestrange!" Andromeda gasped. "You were supposed to protect her!"

"He never got to her," Bellatrix said with a huff. "Rodolphus rescued her before he could really hurt her. Besides, that was two years ago, and we haven't had much of anything to do with Cygnus since. Whose side are you on, Narcissa?"

"This isn't about sides," snapped Andromeda, startling Tommy who let out a cry. "This is about the physical and mental well-being of my only daughter! I had hoped that if you were taking her to your home, you would love her and raise her as your own, but you've left her to be mistreated and abused—"

"I did not!" Bellatrix snapped. "I would never purposely put her in harm's way, Andromeda. I would never want her to experience what I have!"

"Neglect is as much an abusive behaviour as anything else," Andromeda retorted. "Not that I expect much better from you—though I had hopes at one point."

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, then said thoughtfully, "If we can agree on what to tell her, will you talk to her?"

Andromeda's heart skipped a beat, but she glared at her older sister and said, "I will not lie to my daughter to make your life easier, Bellatrix. I didn't send her away, and I will take her back in a heartbeat. Dora will always be my daughter."

"Just tell her that she's here to learn things that she wouldn't learn there," Bellatrix said coaxingly.

"Bella, no," Narcissa said in concern. "Dora's upset enough without further conflict."

"There's no need for conflict," Bella said shortly. "You can tell her I lied, that I did take her from you, Andromeda, but I'm not giving her back."

"I—no," Andromeda said firmly, even though she very much wanted to talk to her daughter.

"You can help her," Bellatrix insisted. "You would be able to calm—"

"You brought this on yourself," Andromeda interrupted coldly. "If you want me to talk to her, invite me over and we can have a chat with my daughter."

Bellatrix looked apprehensive. "Rodolphus won't like that."

Andromeda smiled at her sister, sparks burning in her eyes. "I have faith in you to do exactly what you want, regardless of what other people like or dislike," she said. "Don't let Rodolphus hurt her if she lashes out at Ronan." She adjusted the blanket over herself and her son, then added, "Go away so I can talk to Narcissa in peace."

"Ha," said Bellatrix, but removed herself from the frame and slammed the door after herself.

"Is she gone?" Andromeda demanded.

"Yes," Narcissa said anxiously. "Oh, Dromeda, it really is awful how Dora's been acting the last couple weeks. It reminds me of how Bella was when she was a little girl. We really don't know what to do, and I'm afraid they'll use Crucio to try to make her behave—and I'm sure that'll just make her worse."

"If you ever have Dora at your home by yourself," Andromeda said, "can you call me with her? Just in case Bella never tries to make that contact again? I don't want Dora to suffer any more than she has to."

"I don't know," Narcissa said nervously. "I didn't want to call you, but Bella insisted."

"Don't let her use you!" Andromeda said impatiently. "Tell her to invite me to tea or something if she wants to talk—it's not as if I'm officially disowned, you know."

Narcissa's mouth opened slightly, and she nodded. "You just found out?"

Andromeda tried not to glare at her little sister. "You knew all along?" she asked. "Is that the only reason that you still talk to me?"

"No, no," Narcissa protested. "It's just that...Bella's the one that gave us the mirrors, so I assumed it was okay. I didn't know you hadn't been disowned until I saw that you were still on the tapestry a couple weeks ago when we took Draco to meet Aunt Walburga."

"Sure," Andromeda said, though she believed Narcissa's words. "So, did Bella just want help with her little side project for the Dark Lord?"

"Andromeda, be careful," Narcissa breathed, glancing around even though she was alone.

"Oh, I wouldn't speak ill of the Dark Lord," Andromeda told the blonde witch. "Just of Bella's execution of his suggestions."

"Well, I should ask your advice while you're here," Narcissa said, trying to regain some kind of control over the situation. "Draco refuses to sleep through the night even though I've tried to establish a routine."

Andromeda took a deep breath and began to question her sister and tried to give the best advice that she could, but after a few minutes, the twins stirred. "Regis," Andromeda said softly, reaching out and rubbing the back of the twin nearest to her. "Good afternoon."

The little boy stretched tiredly and reached out to her so that she glanced at her youngest son in the crib, then took Regis onto her lap, holding him close and kissing his black-haired head. "Mum," he said, holding onto her and laying his head against the front of her dress.

Narcissa looked surprised at the appearance of the child, but mouthed, "He's adorable."

"This is Regis, one of the twins," Andromeda said simply. "Silas seems to be asleep still. They are two years old now."

"Already?" Narcissa breathed. "Your children have grown up so fast!"

"Your son will be grown before you know it," Andromeda said as Regis turned toward the sound of the other woman's voice.

"Who's that?" Regis asked, looking into the mirror.

"That's your Aunt Cissa," Andromeda told him.

"I didn't realise they were already two years old," Narcissa murmured. "You've got your house well protected, don't you? Father said something the other day about your sons having the Black blood."

Andromeda's heart pounded at these words. "I received a warning from Sirius that his own brother had told him that I was not disowned so that my father could have a powerful heir through me," she said quietly. "We have placed several wards on the house, including a blood ward, and I hope that the children—the boys—are safe."

Narcissa got a strange look on her face. "I thought you were having a girl, but you had another boy."

"I wanted a girl," Andromeda said darkly, "but Merlin knows it might disappear again if I did."

"Well, are you going to try again?" Narcissa asked hesitantly.

"I don't know," sighed Andromeda. "Arthur thinks we should stop now that we've got seven children, but I really want a little girl to actually raise myself."

Narcissa nodded, then said, "I've got potions to make sure you conceive whichever you want. I'll send them over with instructions in a few days."

Andromeda's mouth opened, but she closed it and nodded. "Thank you," she whispered. "I just hope it works, and that I can keep her."

"Thanks for your help," Narcissa said. "I'll do my best to help Dora, and I'll probably talk to you in a few weeks."

Andromeda hung up the call, and Regis asked, "Dora? Charlie's Dora?"

"Her other sister has Dora," Andromeda said softly. "Bella has Dora."

Silas was also waking up from his nap, and called out for his twin, confused about where he was and what was going on. Andromeda motioned him closer and spent a few minutes cuddling her twin sons. Life was unpredictable, and she would enjoy every moment she could with her children.

"Andromeda," Arthur sighed, shaking his head at her, and she continued to look at him steadily. "Dromeda, it's like last time: I warned you that it was very unlikely we would have a daughter. I don't want you to have to go through that turmoil again."

"You're just going to say I told you so and refuse?" Andromeda asked, raising an eyebrow.

Arthur Weasley hesitated, watching his wife for a few moments before he said, "I wouldn't say I told you so, but I saw how upset you were when Tommy was born. I don't want you to suffer through that again."

Andromeda narrowed her eyes. "You left the choice of children up to me."

"And for your sake, I'm saying that I think we shouldn't have anymore," he said, his face softening slightly. "Andromeda, you scared me a lot when Tommy was born. You were so upset, and I didn't know what you were going to do."

"It'll be a girl this time," Andromeda insisted. "Arthur, I know it."

"How do you know it?" Arthur asked her, frowning.

"Cissa sent me a potion," the witch barely breathed. "It'll help us conceive either a boy or a girl, whatever we want. She used it with Draco."

Arthur looked even more alarmed. "How do you know she's not trying to harm you?" he asked. "What if she's being used to get to you?"

Andromeda wanted to shout at her husband. "She isn't," groaned Andromeda. "Narcissa wouldn't do something so open if she were trying to or being used to attack us."

"I don't like it," Arthur said firmly. "I really don't think we should try for any more children."

Andromeda pouted slightly, but nodded, then turned and walked away. She wasn't born to the House of Black for nothing, and there were always ways of getting what she really wanted.

On December 23rd as Andromeda was preparing the Burrow for a large Christmas gathering the next afternoon, her husband approached her and handed her a small package. "Early Christmas present," he said simply.

She looked up at him, then took the package, wondering if this was why he'd been acting strange recently. Opening the box, she withdrew an item and drew a breath at the sight of the baby dress.

"I know you're pregnant, Andromeda," he told her quietly. "There's no need to hide it from me. Did you think I'd be angry?"

"I—" Andromeda could not think of what to say except to be relieved that she no longer had to hide how sick she had been the last couple days. "I wasn't sure what you would say," she mumbled as he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her.

"I also know that you tricked me," he said evenly, and she didn't move, waiting for his actual reaction. "I know that I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was." He drew back and looked into her eyes. "I don't know what you did to me or gave me, but I knew the next morning exactly what you'd been up to."

Andromeda bit her lip, then said, "I didn't give you any potions or do any spells; I just mixed some wine into your glass at dinner one night when I knew it was time."

He shook his head and said, "You shouldn't have had to do that."

"What else was I supposed to do?" Andromeda sighed. "I wanted a little girl, and I'm pregnant with a little girl, Arthur. It worked."

"Well, good," he said with a sigh, kissing her head as he held her close. "I just wish that I'd done it knowingly."

"But you wouldn't have," Andromeda muttered against his shirt.

"I would have if you'd told me that you'd have another baby one way or another," Arthur answered. "But it's already done. I know you haven't been feeling well for a couple days, so I wanted you to know that I know so I can help you with the children and other things."

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I just wanted—I had to have another little girl."

"I know," he said, hugging her carefully. "I'll be glad to have a little girl again. I just want to make sure that you're okay, Andromeda."

Andromeda took a deep breath and said, "I've been feeling sick the last few days, like you said, but other than that, I'm okay. I'm excited, Arthur. I want the family to feel complete again."

Arthur hesitated, then said, "This child is not a replacement for Dora. No two children are alike."

"I know," she answered. "It just makes sense in my head."

Arthur sighed. "Andromeda, you worry me," he told her. "What if her birth doesn't make you feel complete again?"

Andromeda glanced up and whispered, "Dora will always be missed, but I think this will help. And the boys could stand to have a little sister to protect."

"So when are you due?" Arthur asked his wife.

"August," Andromeda sighed. "I'm not too far along, only about six weeks. I have seen the Healer and everything is fine: I have my potions."

"So when are you going to announce it?" Arthur asked his wife, gently touching her stomach after looking at her for permission.

"I don't know," she murmured. "I wanted to take some time for just us since it's probably going to be the last baby. No one needs to know yet."

"And I doubt they'll be surprised," Arthur chuckled, shaking his head. "But we can keep it to ourselves for a while."

"Thank you for not being angry," Andromeda sighed, hugging him suddenly. "I didn't want to upset you, but—I couldn't not do it."

"I love you," he said softly into her hair. "We'll celebrate every child we have, Dromeda. Even if we end up with ten of them."

She laughed and seemed to relax in his arms, closing her eyes as relief that he knew about the baby washed over her.

The Christmas Eve party started at three the following afternoon, but guests began to arrive up to an hour beforehand. This included Sirius, who was with James and Lily and their baby boy. Andromeda's children flocked around Sirius, and James said, "Well, I guess we know where you've spent your time, Padfoot."

Sirius merely smirked, but greeted Will, Charlie, Percy, Silas, and Regis. "How's the baby?" Sirius asked Andromeda, who was holding a nearly ten-month-old Tommy on her hip.

"Growing rather quickly now," Andromeda said ruefully. "He's going to be tall like his father, I think."

They all gathered in the sitting room, and the children went back to their playing after greeting the guests. "Dumbledore said he'd drop by if he had the time," James was saying to Arthur, and Andromeda made a sound of impatience.

James looked up, but Lily didn't look away from their son, and Sirius spoke before his friend could. "I don't think Andromeda would appreciate that," Sirius chuckled. "She didn't invite him."

"Why not?" James said in surprise. "Surely—"

"How many years have I been here and still refused to entertain him in my home?" Andromeda mused. "Nearly nine years, isn't it?"

"Because you'd rather entertain You-Know-Who," James muttered.

"James, that's quite uncalled for," Arthur sighed.

"I'd as soon have one as the other," Andromeda replied. "If you're going to attempt to insult me, Potter, you ought to speak up."

Sirius glanced between the two and said, "Hey, let's not talk about that. It's Christmas Eve, and time to celebrate."

James rolled his eyes. "Celebrate what? Andromeda's neutrality?" he said with a smirk that made him resemble Sirius somewhat.

"Well, I don't see why you expect any different," Lily spoke up firmly. "She's protecting her children, and it's not as if she's a Gryffindor like the rest of us."

Sirius glanced at his cousin, then said, "You've got that right."

Andromeda shot Sirius a withering look, then turned to Percy to answer a question before she had to get up to answer the door again. "Leave my wife alone," she heard Arthur saying to Sirius and James as she walked to the door. "She's got her beliefs, just like we all do, but she's a wonderful wife and mother, and I wouldn't change her for anything."

She could imagine Sirius denying that he'd said anything—and he hadn't—but she knew that he wasn't about to blame everything on his best friend. James Potter hadn't grown up all that much since he'd been at Hogwarts, and it seemed that his Mudblood wife understood far more about certain things than he did.

Andromeda opened the door and gasped, "Alice!"

Standing there on the doorstep were Frank and Alice Longbottom, their son held carefully in his mother's arms. "Hi," Alice said breathlessly, blushing slightly. "Oh, Tommy's grown so much!"

"Oh, and Neville's already so big!" Andromeda said, thrilled at the sight of her friend. "Come in, come in."

"We can't stay long," Frank said warningly, and the two followed Andromeda into the next room.

The young men were glad to see each other, Sirius and Frank shaking hands as Lily and James chorused their greetings. "He's nearly five months old," Alice was saying to Andromeda as she sat down next to her, Will coming over to greet the witch.

"You're eight years old?" Alice said to Will. "You'll be off to Hogwarts in a couple years, won't you?"

"Yes," Will grinned. "I can't wait."

Andromeda and Alice swapped babies, each grinning and talking to the child in her arms. "He's lovely," Andromeda decided after observing the little boy. "You've done well."

Alice beamed. "I love him so much," she said, the words tumbling out of her mouth. "I never realised—I mean, I've always heard—but actually being a mother. It's amazing." She sighed happily and Frank smiled slightly.

"She's a good mother," he said. "Even my mother says so."

Sirius and James laughed at this, and Alice glanced at Lily and her son. "How's little Harry?"

Lily's face split into a grin. "He's doing so good! He's sleeping through the night finally and it's helped us a lot."

"Has he done first magic?" Alice asked. "When are babies supposed to do first magic?" She glanced at Andromeda.

"Not yet," James said with a grin, "but I'm sure he'll be doing it soon."

"It could be any time," Andromeda said, looking at the two younger babies. "So far my children have ranged from birth to two years. Tommy hasn't shown magic yet, and he's almost ten months old."

"From birth?" said James in surprise. "I didn't know that was possible."

"The Metamorphagus children are usually born with an unusual shade of hair," Andromeda explained. "Then it's immediately obvious that they have working magic."

"That must be nice," Lily said.

Andromeda smiled slightly. "It's fun until they start turning into each other, or trying to become inanimate objects."

Sirius chuckled, and Alice grinned at Silas and Regis, who were innocently throwing toy wands at each other. "What's the worst thing they've ever done?" Lily asked.

"Well, Dora tried to breathe fire once, and we ended up in St Mungo's," Andromeda answered. "The boys...I've tried to keep a much closer eye on them, so they really haven't had the chance yet, but they're almost three years old, so I'm sure they'll be experimenting more and more soon enough."

"Oh dear," said Alice as Charlie came up to her and grabbed her arm.

"Can you play with us?" he asked her.

"I'm sorry, dear," Alice began, but Andromeda said gently, "We're having adult time, Charlie. It's not like having her over for tea."

Charlie frowned and walked away, Will jumping up and going outside after him. Frank frowned after the boys and asked, "Is he okay?"

Arthur shook his head slightly. "He's never been the same since his twin was taken," he said. "We don't quite know how to help him."

"Dora's seven," Alice breathed. "She's been gone three years."

Andromeda felt a sudden wave of sorrow, thinking of her daughter, and looked down at the little boy in her arms. A hand touched her back, and she knew her husband was at her side. "Charlie thinks we should have done something," Arthur said quietly. "He doesn't know how far Bellatrix will go to accomplish her goals."

"If there weren't such corruption at the Ministry, we could have raided Lestrange Manor years ago," Frank said in annoyance.

"Again, I would not want to risk Dora," Andromeda repeated, looking up at the young Auror. "Besides, Bellatrix has her own young son, and what's to happen to him if his parents go to Azkaban?"

"One way or another, I'll put them in Azkaban," said Frank, and Alice nodded in agreement, looking over at her friend.

"I've got to check on dinner," Andromeda said, and got to her feet, Alice jumping up and following her from the room. "How are you?" Andromeda asked the younger witch immediately.

"So tired and always running out of ideas to keep Neville happy," Alice smiled. "But it's worth it. And how are you?"

Andromeda hesitated, then said, "Don't tell anyone, but I'm pregnant...with a little girl."

Alice's mouth fell open and she clapped her hand over it. "Oh that's wonderful!" she gasped in a whisper. "Congratulations, Andromeda!"

"Thanks," Andromeda said, her cheeks flushing slightly. "We're going to keep it quiet for a while, but I suppose I should tell you in person while I can."

"Have you got a name?" Alice asked.

"No, no, Arthur only learned about it yesterday," said Andromeda, motioning her friend to put Tommy down and take Neville back so she could have her hands free.

"Was he excited?"

Andromeda bit her lip. "I think so," she said. "He's worried that I'll be upset if it's a boy again, but I know it's not. This is probably our last baby."

"Six children?" Alice asked, wrinkling her brow in concentration.

"Eight," Andromeda laughed. "Unless it's twins."

"Merlin, I hope not for your sake," Alice laughed. "Then you might as well have another and make ten."

"Oh no," Andromeda said. "I hate being so sick, but I really don't think it's twins because I had it so much worse with both Dora and Charlie and the other twins."

Alice nodded, taking a deep breath and saying, "I had to pester Frank for weeks before he agreed to come here. I can't imagine being stuck in my house for the rest of my life, and yet this war is not even close to being over. It's only gotten worse."

Andromeda sighed. "I know," she said. "The Prewett brothers were brutally murdered a few days ago, and a few others that I don't remember were targeted over the last couple weeks. The Ministry can't handle the Death Eaters, and the Order's useless."

Alice bit her lip. "I don't want to see our world with You-Know-Who in charge," she said.

"Well, I do believe we're seeing that already," Andromeda replied, stirring something on the stove. "The Dark Lord has his influences in the Ministry, and even though the Minister isn't directly controlled by him, there are a lot of things slipping by that shouldn't be. Information is being leaked about wards and all sorts of things that the Death Eaters shouldn't have access to."

"I just wonder what will happen to us if the Ministry completely falls," Alice murmured.

"I'm going to protect my children," Andromeda said simply. "No matter what. That's my calling as their mother."

Alice glanced at her friend, sensing that her statement could mean far more than just keeping the children safe. She nodded and declined to answer as Percy came into the room, asking his mother if Tommy could rejoin the others.

Andromeda glanced at Percy and gave permission, then waved her wand and began to set the table. Alice looked around and began to inquire about the changes that had been made to the Burrow to accommodate the ever-growing Weasley family, and Andromeda smiled and began to talk eagerly about her ideas for the nursery for her coming baby girl.

Don't give him the football.

Trixie Black Lestrange