"Knock, Knock." Lorie's voice rang though the room. "Everyone decent in there?"
It took a minute for Ted to register her meaning, but when Andromeda stirred next to him, he remembered.
Technically, it was the second night they'd spent together. But their first night had been so stiff and uncomfortable, it hardly counted. Last night had been heaven of earth, and the last thing he wanted was for it to stop, but based on the way sunlight was steaming in, it was already late morning. And they had a big day ahead of them.
Grumbling, he leaned over and kissed Andromeda's neck. She sighed, and squeezed his hand. It was small gesture, but enough. Yawning, they both stumbled out of bed. When it was less obvious they had just woken up, Ted shouted, "Come on in."
Despite his assurances, Lorie still peaked her head before opening it all the way, Following behind her was Jake, looking equally apprehensive. Upon seeing Ted and Andromeda standing up off the bed, and not even touching, he visibly relaxed. Ted rolled his eyes.
Behind them was Liv, looking every bit as sour as she did yesterday. She gave Ted a pointed look, like she wanted to continue their conversation from yesterday.
"I need to freshen up," Ted mumbled, before taking off to the small bathroom. A part of him felt guilty for leaving Andromeda alone with Liv, but Lorie and Jake would be there to act as buffers. And if Liv got really out of control, he would be back in a jiffy.
It would be nice to have a few minutes alone to just think. He hadn't had that much since Andromeda had shown up two days ago.
He and Andromeda were going to be together. It was something he still couldn't wrap his brain around. They'd danced around that truth for so long, and every time he thought they'd finally gotten over their last obstacle something else would come up that would keep them apart. What if that happened now?
"What did you think of your first time in a muggle inn?" Lorie asked.
"It's… nice, I just don't understand the point of that grey box."
Lorie laughed, and began explaining the concept of the television.
Ted smiled. He'd been right about Lorie taking care of Andromeda. That was what was different this time, wasn't it? It had always been a secret, but now there was hardly anyone left to keep it a secret from. Andromeda's parents would know soon enough, even if they didn't already.
"How does it work?" Andromeda asked.
"This little box controls it." Lorie answered.
"Muggles have the strangest imaginations," Andromeda said.
"Would you like to turn it on?" Lorie asked.
There would still be painful times ahead of them. Liv wouldn't be the only one to question his decision to be with Andromeda Black, and that would be nothing compared to the onslaught she would receive for being with a muggleborn. But if they stuck together, nothing could keep them apart.
They would work out this time, they had too, because he couldn't handle the alternative.
His musings were interrupted by Andromeda's scream.
Without thinking he bolted outside. Once again he expected Bellatrix, but it was just Meda and his friends.
"I'm sorry," Jake said, "It was an accident. I didn't mean too…"
Andromeda was sitting on the bed, shaking, the remote on the floor in front of her. Jake and Lorie stood by her, looking both confused and upset by their outburst. Liv, however, just looked sick.
"What is your problem?" she screeched, stalking forward. "You do know he's not a muggleborn, right?
"I didn't…" Andromeda was shaking too hard to speak. "I'm sorry. I wasn't..."
Ted rushed over to her, taking her hands in his.
"And even if he was, I've seen you put your perfect little purebred hands all over Ted. Or does it not count if you're shagging them?"
"Liv!" Ted roared. "That's enough."
Ted's outburst made Andromeda shake even more, and he cursed, internally. He pulled her close to him. Her shaking seemed to subside as her body slid next to his, but only slightly.
"Tell me what happened," he whispered gently, rubbing her arm.
"I know he wasn't, I mean, I know he isn't… it's just, when he reached for the remote it just reminded of when, of when…"
"I understand," Ted said, and he did. "You don't have to explain any more."
Andromeda let out one final shudder, and then seemed to relax. "I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Hey," keeping one arm around her, he gently stroked her hair. "What did I say about apologizing?"
She smiled. And for another moment, he forgot they weren't alone.
"Ted," Liv said in a slow, quiet voice, "May I speak to you outside?"
He was trying to keep control of his temper for Andromeda's sake, but Liv was making that extremely difficult.
"I'm a little busy," he said through tight lips. Andromeda, however, took his hand and gently removed it from her shoulder.
"It's all right." She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and then released it. "You should go with your friend."
Ted turned to her, unable to even form the question, but she understood.
"I'll be all right," she smiled again. "Now, Go."
He didn't want too, but something in Andromeda's tone told him she wasn't asking. And he knew Liv sure as hell wasn't. He kissed Andromeda on the forehead, lingering longer than was necessary, something Liv was quick to notice. Then he followed Liv outside.
She didn't look back until they were outdoors and the door was closed behind him.
Finally, she turned around. "Why her, Ted?"
She was shaking too, but not for the same reason Andromeda had been. Her's was a barely controlled fury.
Ted shook his head. "You don't know her."
"I know enough," she spat.
"No, you don't." His voice rose and he struggled to keep it under control. These walls were paper-thin. "You don't know a damn thing. If you knew what she'd done…"
"Oh, I know what she's done," Liv retorted.
Ted shook his head in disgust. How could she be so obstinate?
Thing was, he'd been the same way. It had been Andromeda who had forced him to open his eyes.
"She saved Teresa," he said finally.
Liv chuckled humouressly, like she couldn't believe Ted was serious. "If you're talking about that time with Lorie—"
"I'm not," he interrupted. "I'm talking about earlier. Before Christmas Holiday. We overheard some snakes planning to attack Teresa. She told Sirius and he made sure they were the ones who ended up in the hospital wing."
That was enough to stop her. Especially as she started to put the events in place. For a moment, he'd thought he'd gotten her, then she laughed humouressly again.
"She was just trying to impress you."
"She's been doing it for years, Liv." Ted had never told anyone this. Technically he'd been sworn to secrecy, by Andromeda, but he couldn't stop the words form tumbling out. "And she's saved some from a lot worse than a few minor jinxes, I can assure you." Images on himself, and Piper, flashed through his mind. "The reason her parents forced her engagement was because they were trying to get her to stop."
Liv opened her mouth, but nothing came out. This time, when she spoke, her haughty, disgusted air were gone.
"Even if this is true. It doesn't change the consequences of being with her, Ted. She'll go back to her family, she always does."
It was funny, because her thoughts echoed his from moments before exactly. But, and he remembered the trembling Andromeda he'd held in his arms moments before, he knew what the answer was.
"Not this time."
She stared at him with wide eyes. "How can you be so sure?"
He swallowed. "Because of what they did to her."
Something in the way he said it caught her attention. She was almost cautious as she asked, "What did they do?"
He looked at the ground so Liv couldn't see the tears in his eyes. He'd cried in front of Liv before, but he couldn't now. It would only perk her curiosity even more.
"Ted," she took a step closer, "you can tell me."
He wanted too, but he shook his head. "It's not my truth to tell."
"Maybe." She stepped closer. "But it's clearly more than you can handle." She placed a gentle hand on him. "And it's me."
He looked up, just as the tears began to fall down his face. If Liv was startled by the leaks from eyes, she didn't show it. She just stood there, her hand on top of his, waiting for him to speak.
His voice shook as he said, "They, I mean, Rodolphus, tried to, he tried to..."
He couldn't say it, but his crude gesture said more than words ever could. Liv gasped. Whatever she'd been expecting, it wasn't that.
"Oh my god." The news had clearly shook her, and when she glanced at Ted her eyes were filled with horror. Is that why she's so..."
He nodded. She glanced back at the door, behind which Andromeda stood. The horror was still etched on her face, but when she glanced back at him, her eyes were filled with that same, patient concern.
He took another deep breath, then said, "She was only with Rabastan because she was trying to keep me safe. She had to make them think our relationship was over, or they'd come after me. I'm the reason she was in that situation in the first place."
The tears were coming faster, but he didn't try to stop them. He couldn't.
"Ted," Liv said slowly, You realize it's crazy to blame yourself for what Rodolphus Lestrange did, right? Please tell me you realize it's crazy."
Despite everything, he almost laughed at her candor. Almost.
"I realize it's crazy," he said shortly, "but… that doesn't mean... I just can't stop thinking about it. You didn't see her when she showed up on my doorstep. She looked so, broken. I just, I can't believe I let that happen to her."
And now he was shaking. At least, until Liv squeezed his hand.
"You didn't."
Ted knew she was right. It was exactly what he'd told Andromeda. But it turns out guilt wasn't something you could just logic away. "I should have tried harder to keep, then maybe she wouldn't—"
"Ted, stop."
He did, if only because he still couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud.
Liv just stood there with him, holding his hand, until his shakes and tears subsisded. Then she made sure he was looking at her as she said, "I'm not going to pretend that I love your relationship, because I don't." She sighed. "But I know you love her. And maybe she loves you too, I don't know." Ted made a face at her, but she ignored it. "I just can't imagine this ending in anyway other than pain, for both of you." She paused again, glancing away as she gathered her words. When she continued her voice was clear, " But I realize it's not my choice, any more than Andromeda's choices are yours. You are both responsible for your own path. And if this is truly the path you've both chosen, then I'll do what I can to help you."
He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. It was more than he could have hoped for, from her. And he knew he better than to expect anything else. But, as his best friend, maybe that was all that was fair to expect of her.
He smiled, letting he know her offer was accepted. She smiled too, and relaxed right along with him.
Then something occurred to him. "Don't tell the others, what I told you."
"I won't." He had no doubt she would keep her words.
She released his hand, but she was still smiling as she said, "Come on, we'd better figure out a way out of this mess."
Ted wasn't sure what he expected when they walked back inside, probably more stiff silences. But to his surprise, all three of them were laughing together.
"And then," Jake had stopped laughing long enough to speak, "As soon as Flitwick's back was turned, he unfolded his arms and," Jake cupped his hands and placed them in front of his chest. Lorie and Andromeda roared with laughter.
Liv smiled, while Ted's face turned bright red. Jake was recounting a rather unfortunate incident from their first year. Ted had unwittingly made a couple of walnuts swell to twice their normal size, meaning they had looked like a pair of women's breasts, causing both Jake and him to die of laughter. When Flitwick had come to investigate, Ted had decided to hide them under his shirt, right where Jake had just indicated. The result had been catastrophic.
"Jake," Ted threw a pillow at him. "You promised you would never repeat that story."
"She's got a right to know what's getting into," Jake winked at Andromeda. She turned to Ted and gave him a heart-warming smile. That smile melted away any residual anger he had about Jake telling the story.
"So, what's next?" Liv asked, once their laughter had died down.
"Well," Lorie started, "We were thinking—"
But they never got to hear what Lorie was thinking, because a loud snap resounded from the middle of the room.
Everyone, except for Andromeda, jumped in shock. Standing in front of them was a house-elf, though she was unlike the house-elves he'd seen at Hogwarts. Instead of a cleanly pressed tea towel she wore a dirty pillowcase. The house-elves at Hogwarts always looked bright and cheery, but this one was trembling, her eyes wide as she glanced at the people around her. When her eyes found Andromeda, she bowed deeply.
"Mistress, I had to tell you. They didn't know I was listening. They don't know I'm here."
"Who? Star? Who doesn't know you are here?"
The house-elf, Star, started to tremble more. "Please, mistress, you can't tell them I came. If they ever found out—"
"I would never," Andromeda reached out and gently took the arms of the house-elf, steadying her.
"Tell me what happened, Star," her voice was gentle, but firm. Ted didn't know much about house-elves, but he knew enough to know they weren't allowed to refuse a direct order from their mistresses, which was what Andromeda was.
"They are coming," she whispered.
Ted felt like he'd been suddenly drenched in ice. Andromeda glanced up at him, her eyes wide.
"Who's coming, Star?" she asked, though they both knew the answer.
"Mistress Bellatrix," Star whispered, though she might as well have shouted it with the way Ted and Andromeda both flinched. "And the Masters Lestrange."