Andromeda didn't need to listen in to know what they'd all gathered here for. The wealthy pureblood families only ever had one topic of discussion.
As she scanned the room again she realized one of their number was missing, Rabastan was nowhere in sight.
"Nice of you to join us, now that we're ending." Bella shot a glare at Rodolphus and Lucius as they moved to join the throng.
"We'll make up for it," Rodolphus said, "by doubling our strikes against the Mudbloods." He smirked. "Does that sound fair?"
A few people laughed, but Bella's gaze only grew steelier. Whatever was going on here Bella was clearly at the head of it, and she wouldn't want anyone challenging her.
"Remember, my brothers and sisters, that is your calling," Whatever was going on here Bella was clearly at the head of it, and she wouldn't want anyone challenging her, especially not Rodolphus.
"Hogwarts, the school that our great founder, Salazar Slytherin, intended to be a place of magical learning, has become overrun with Mudbloods, Halfbloods, blood traitors and other kinds of scum." She lifted her chin even higher and she stared around at the throngs of people below her. "Now, in our darkest hour, those in power who should be protecting our sacred bloodlines have turned their back on us. We, and we alone, can keep our school from being overcome with Filth. It is our sacred duty, our greatest mandate." Her voice almost seemed to tremble with the weight of her conviction. Still, there was a soft smile on her lips as she said, "But be careful, the Mudblood's greatest hero is always watching."
A few people laughed nervously, but Andromeda couldn't tell if she was kidding or not. She must be referring to Dumbledore. He was after, the most powerful wizard in existence, and until they all graduated he controlled their magical future.
Bella lift her hand and said, "Tourjours Pure."
The crowd mimicked her gesture as a fervent chorus rang out, "Tourjous Pur."
Meda sucked in a breath. Tourjous Pur was her family's motto. It meant, "Always pure." She was surprised Bella was using it so liberally. She used throw a tizzy about the way other magical families, "pretended" to be Black.
The people in the room were beginning to leave. Their family motto must signal the end of the meeting, but since they all seemed to know that, they must have done this before.
"Rabastan declined to join us again?" Dolohov said to Rodolphus as the others slipped out around them.
"My brother's a little too—carefree—for this kind of thing."
Dolohov's frowned. "You're saying he's not committed to the cause?"
"I'm saying he doesn't like to get his hands dirty." Rodolphus' voice was polite enough, but there a dark glint in his eye, like he was warning Dolohov.
Dolohov got the message and left without another word about Rabastan.
Andromeda's hands were beginning to shake, and she forced herself to take a deep breath. It's not like any of this was new information to her. In fact, it wasn't anything that hadn't already been said in their common rooms at night. There was something different about this time though. Something dark and hungry in their eyes. And why were they so determined to meet in secret?
"Rodolphus, I need to speak with you for a moment."
Andromeda looked up sharply. The room had vacated, leaving only Bella and Rodolphus.
"Don't tell me," Rodolphus scoffed. "You have instructions?"
Bellatrix gave him a scathing look. "No, this concerns another matter entirely." Bella stalked forward, until she was only a few feet away from him. "My sister, Narcissa."
Andromeda gasped, and then clapped her hand over her mouth. She really need to get better control of her responses. Rodolphus's eyes flicked in her direction, like he'd heard something. Thankfully, Bella hadn't.
"I've heard rumors that the two of you are, seeing each other." Rodolphus' eyebrows flicked up in surprise and he returned his gaze to Bellatrix, but otherwise he gave no sign that he knew what she was talking about. Andromeda could tell he was mulling it over, deciding if it was worth it trying to hang on to his secret or not. Considering both she and Lucius could verify the rumors if need me she wouldn't recommend it.
"What of it?" Rodolphus must have come to the same conclusion Andromeda did.
"Do I really need to spell it out for you?" Bella replied scathingly. "Andromeda and Rabastan are engaged, which means Narcissa is your future sister-in-law. And unlike those revolting muggle pigs, our kind do not engage in incestuous relationships."
That was an ironic statement, considering pureblood witches and wizards had been marrying their own cousins for centuries, something that was no longer acceptable in the muggle-world from what Ted had told her. But then, everybody had to draw the line somewhere.
"Their marriage is years away, and it's not like I was intending to marry your younger sister."
Not that I would have let you. Andromeda's own thought surprised her. It's not like she would've had the power to stop him, one way or another.
Bella smiled, but Andromeda could see her nostrils beginning to flare. They always did that when she was annoyed or angry. "Narcissa, as you may have noticed, to get distracted easily. It's important for her to engage in relationships that will mimic her future engagement."
Rodolphus stared at her sister, unblinking. He didn't look angry that Bella was telling him to give up Narcissa, more just angry that she was telling him what to do at all.
Finally, he smirked. "Like you do?"
He had a point. Bella wasn't known for her stable relationships. Even her relationship with Evan Rosier seemed more physical than anything else. She almost respected Rodolphus for pointing that out to her. Almost.
Bella was smirking too as she stepped closer, so she was barely as hairsbreadth away from him. "I'm not my sister." She stood there for a minute, completely calm even though her body was practically pressed up against his. She seemed to prove her point. Then she smirked again and slipped around him toward the door.
Her hand was on the handle when he said, "And I refuse to follow your—counsel?"
Bella froze in the act of opening the door. Counsel clearly wouldn't be how she'd out it.
"Need I spell that out for you too?" she said, not turning around.
Rodolphus' eyes flashed. "Are you threatening me?"
This time her sister did turn around. "Our work is far too important to risk discord among ourselves. Don't you think he would agree?"
Andromeda blinked. Who was this he they were talking about? Rabastan? One of their fathers?
But Bella didn't elaborate, and Rodolphus didn't respond. After giving him an uncharacteristically sweet smile, she closed the door behind her.
Andromeda waited, hardly daring to move, until she heard the door open and close again.
She'd told Bella about Narcissa, but she hadn't gotten to tell her everything. She hadn't even though Bella believed her. But she hadn't only believed Andromeda, she'd stood up to Rodolphus. Of course, there was a chance he could still try to see Narcissa behind Bella's back, but Meda doubted. No one told Bellatrix Black no.
She smiled softly. She'd used to rely on Bella for everything. If she ever broke one of her mother's antiques or someone picked on her in school, Bella had always been the first person she told. She was her big sister. Maybe, despite everything that had happened, that didn't have to change.
Except Piper wouldn't agree. Not after what Bella did to her. And neither would Ted.
Andromeda straightened suddenly. She didn't feel like staying in this room anymore, with nothing but old memories and unanswered questions to keep her company.
Of course, she didn't want to wander back into the party either, not when everyone was trying to justify the horrific deeds of a madman. Just thinking about Lord Voldemort made her shiver. Hopefully the ministry of magic would find a way to stamp him out soon.
Without meaning too she found herself in the library. She smiled. Books had always been her source of comfort. Things had changed for her though. her life was so much more complicated than it used to be, and she doubted they'd be able to help her the way they used too. Still it was nice to know they were there.
Her hand brushed over the old, dusty volumes. No one in her household cared for her books the way she did. She'd longed suspected her parents only had a library because it was the proper thing to do, and now that she spent so much time at school it had basically been vacated. Not that she minded, she'd always appreciated the solitude it offered her.
Not far away from her, someone coughed.
She nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around. Her surprise and discomfort at being disturbed in her precious sanctuary evaporated as quickly as it had come, replaced by a much more bizarre feeling as she saw who it was who disturbed her.
"Rabastan?" she said, unable to keep the incredulity out her voice. She never seen him in a library before, much less reading a book. He may have been a year older than her, but from what she'd gathered from these past few months of getting to know him, studying was not exactly his first choice of activities.
"Andromeda," Rabastan practically threw the book aside in his haste to stand up. He must not have been that absorbed in it after all.
"What are you doing here?" Andromeda asked, her confusion only growing. "Why aren't you out enjoying the party?"
"Umm..." It was a simple enough question, yet he didn't have a response.
"I wasn't feeling very… festive, I suppose."
Andromeda raised an eyebrow. Some would say Rabastan Lestrange defined festive, at least the pureblood version of one. She decided to let it slide, however.
"So, you gravitated toward my library?" She hadn't meant to sound so... surprised, but to her relief Rabastan started to laugh.
"Honestly, I was hoping I'd find you here." This wasn't the first time Rabastan had said something flirtatious to her, but it was different this time. He even looked like he was blushing.
Andromeda wouldn't exactly call herself a people person, but she'd thought she had a decent understanding of people. Recently though nobody seemed to be doing what she expected them too.
"Me?" She repeated, "Why?"
Rabastan met her gaze briefly, then looked away. Whatever his reason he didn't seem anxious to share it.
Finally, he said, "I wasn't feeling comfortable out there. With all of them."
Andromeda's eyebrows lifted even further. "Oh?" She didn't feel comfortable either, but she'd been spending the last few months carrying on a secret romance with a muggleborn. She doubted Rabastan could claim the same.
He still seemed hesitant to tell her, but her unmoving gaze finally got the better of him. "There just seems to be only one topic of conversation."
Andromeda had noticed this very thing, she just didn't think anyone but her was bothered by it.
"You'd think with the way they were talking, we're all about to be murdered in a sleep by a horde of ravenous Mudbloods," he said, with sarcasm.
Andromeda was sure her eyebrows had no traveled so far up her forward that they had disappeared entirely.
Rabastan must have realized he'd said something entirely uncharacteristic, as he glanced over her. He sounded almost fearful as he quickly stammered, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not a blood traitor."
Andromeda couldn't stop herself from staring. She never would've imagined Rabastan saying something like this.
She didn't say anything, but Rabastan must have taken her silence as a good sign, as he continued.
"Whether we like it or not though, the Mudbloods are part of our world. Pretending otherwise isn't helping either of us. "He stopped suddenly, glancing at Andromeda with an anxious expression. Clearly, he was worried he said too much.
She almost smiled at the thought.
"I know exactly what you mean."
Rabastan seem to breathe a sigh of relief, and when he continued, his force was firmer. "I'm not saying we should marry them or get them into the ministry or anything, but it seems like we're so focused on fighting against them, we forget what we're fighting for." There was something in his eyes as he stared out in front of him. Something sad, and deep. "There's got to be more to life than parentage and blood."
He was still staring straight ahead, giving her a chance to study him without him noticing.
Despite popular belief, not all Slytherins were blood-crazed psychopaths, but the Lestrange family was almost as ancient and powerful as her own. Rabastan would face the same consequences she would if anyone found about his beliefs.
"You better not let Rodolphus hear you say that," she didn't mean that lightly, considering what she'd heard Rodolphus say earlier.
But Rabastan was still chuckling as he said, "Or your sister?"
"You mean Narcissa?" Andromeda answered somberly. "Yes, that would be catastrophic."
Rabastan snorted.
"I'm serious," Andromeda somehow managed to keep a straight face despite the grin that was threatening to break through. "Everybody frets about Bellatrix's wrath but it's Narcissa you should fear. She throws a hissy fit that could send giants scurrying."
Neither of them could control their laughter at that one.
"I never thought you were a witty one," Rabastan said, a warm smile spreading across his face as his laughter faded.
Andromeda hadn't either. But she knew someone who was, and he must have rubbed off on her.
And just like that, her laughter died as Ted's face filled her mind.
Rabastan stood up suddenly. "We should return before we're missed." He held out a hand to her.
She stared at it, unmoving. When Rodolphus had said Rabastan was carefree, she had assumed Rabastan was too caught up in being, well, Rabastan, to fret over muggleborns. She'd never imagined he was resistant, even opposed to their violent ways.
Never imagined he was like her.
He was still there, waiting, and when she reached up to take his hand, he smiled broadly. Her heart fluttered just a little bit.
But as they started out the door, Rabastan's warm hand seemed to turn ice-cold as a guilty pang ran through her. Ted. Even though she wasn't technically doing anything wrong, she felt like she was betraying him. And that feeling was worse than anything Bellatrix or Rodolphus could inflict upon her.