Chapter 8 – New acquaintances
Narcissa was sitting on her bed, with her blanket pulled up to her chin, feebly leaning back against the thick pillows. She watched her sister as she was getting ready for the meeting with the film group. A frown was painted over her forehead as Andromeda carefully brushed her shoulder-long, brown hair.
"You seem to be making a great effort to look good tonight," she remarked grumpily.
Andromeda glanced at her in the mirror. A faint, red nuance appeared over her cheeks that only increased Narcissa's bad mood. "Well, we are not all born beauties, like you are."
"That has never bothered you before," Narcissa pointed out, suspiciously.
Andromeda shrugged. "I am not bothered." She adjusted the collar of her blouse and fastened a golden chain around her neck. The dress code said you were supposed to look like muggles and Andromeda fit the part well.
Narcissa watched her jealously. Then she sighed. "I wish I could come with you," she said.
"Don't be silly. You can't go anywhere with that fever. Besides, you have no real interest in muggle films, do you?"
"Perhaps not," muttered Narcissa. "But I would have liked to come anyway."
Andromeda's face softened. She walked up to her sister and placed a hand against her cheek. "You have nothing to worry about. I won't try to steal him from you. He is all yours, you can trust me."
Narcissa watched her cautiously. Then she sighed. "I know," she admitted, smiling despite herself.
They were interrupted as the bathroom door was flung open and Bellatrix emerged, looking thoughtful. "Has either of you seen my blue robe?" she asked them casually, like everything was normal and she hadn't spent the last weeks cowering in a corner like an injured animal.
Andromeda swallowed her surprise, happy that her sister was on speaking terms with them again. "Try a location charm. What do you need dress robes for anyway?"
"Well, I have to pack them, don't I?" said Bellatrix gently, like she had been addressing a small child.
Narcssa and Bellatrix glanced at each other in bewilderment. "Pack?" repeated Narcissa. "Why should you be packing? The semester's just begun."
"I'll be going away for a few days," answered Bellatrix matter-of-factly and picked up some clothes from the floor.
"Away!" Andromeda stared at her sister like she was mad. "We are not allowed to leave the school area."
"That's why I expect the two of you to cover up for me. Don't worry, I'll be back by Sunday."
"But... But where are you going?"
"France," replied Bellatrix, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"France?" Andromeda was stunned. "You are leaving the country? Are you out of your mind, Bella, you'll get expelled!"
"How terrible," snorted Bellatrix as she used her wand to open the lid of her suitcase and stuff some clothes into it. "I have more important things to deal with than silly classes with tedious teachers."
"But what are you going to do in France? You are not switching to Beauxbaton, are you?"
"If only," muttered her sister. "No, I am going to pay a call, that's all. To some old friends of mine."
"Have you been invited then?"
Bellatrix raised her head and laughed. She hadn't laughed for weeks and her sisters were astonished. "I am a Black, remember? We don't need invitations."
"How are you going there?" Narcissa asked. "Not on your broom, I hope?"
"No, no. I am going down to Hogsmeade where I can apparate." She slammed down the lid of her suitcase. Kissing Andromeda's cheek and wishing Narcissa a swift recovery, she swept away from the room, leaving her sisters in a state of incredulity.
"Well," said Andromeda weekly. "She gets a blow or two, but she always rises again, doesn't she?"
"She is our sister, isn't she?" Narcissa smiled.
"Andromeda! Andromeda! There you are!" She spotted Sirius by the end of the corridor and hurried to catch up with him. As always, he welcomed her with a grin. "I am so glad you came," he said. "You have some backbone, after all. But where is Narcissa?"
"She is sick," Andromeda informed him. "She couldn't come."
"Oh." Sirius made a face of sympathy, but Andromeda could tell that he was relieved. Well, it was not the time to start arguing again. "I heard Ted had talked to you," he said.
She nodded. "Is he the leader or something?"
"He is behind the group with his friend Rajan Patil. A smart lad actually," he said with appreciation. "You know he is prefect, don't you?
Andromeda nodded. She remembered what Ted had told her when they had met. "He made some implications... he said you are doing other things except watching films. What is that?"
"Oh." Sirius suddenly looked awkward. "I'll explain it to you," he answered. "When we have got more time on our hands."
They were interrupted as Sirius friends shouted for them to hurry. In one of the classrooms, chairs had been organised like in a real cinema. Sirius' mates from Gryffindor greeted Andromeda in a cheerful manner.
"Good to have you with us. It's always nice to see that there are some decent Slytherins out there at least," smiled James Potter.
Andromeda couldn't help feeling offended. "What is that supposed to mean?"
He looked taken aback. "Oh... nothing. I didn't mean to make it sound like that. It's just that... well..."
"You are so much nicer when you are keeping your mouth shut, Potter, that's all," said a girl who had just approached them. She was very pretty with striking red hair and green eyes. Andromeda recognized her.
Potter looked somewhat snubbed for a moment, but then his usual, confident smile returned. "Anything for you, my angel. Oh and by the way, have you met Sirius' lovely cousin Andromeda? This is Lily Evans, my date for tonight."
He tried to slip his arm around her shoulders, but the girl smoothly pulled away and glared at him. "How many times do I have to tell you, Potter; this is no date! I came here to watch a good film, not to waste my time on you." Then she turned on her heel and left them.
Andromeda could hardly contain a grin. Potter looked stunned that his irresistible charms had failed to sway the girl. Peter Pettigrew patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, Prongs, you'll get another chance."
"Yeah, when the oceans dry out and the sun rises in west most likely," mumbled Remus Lupin. "One of those crazy pureblood Slytherin girls would be easier to..." Then he recalled Andromeda's presence and blushed slightly. "Oh, I... I didn't..."
"What?" she asked coolly.
Sirius interjected. "Oh, come on Andromeda, look around you! No one from Slytherin is here except for you, what more proof do you need? Why can't you just admit that you are sharing the same house as a bunch of obsessed and blind fanatics?"
Andromeda turned her head and gave him a cold look. "Is it my sister you are referring to?"
Her cousin bit his lip and his face turned dark red. He gave Andromeda a hard look, but she faced him sternly until he was forced to glance away. The silence that followed was awkward. Andromeda noticed that Sirius' friends were looking at him with confusion. Apparently, he had yet to tell them about the fact that he was betrothed.
Fortunately, the tense atmosphere was broken when a boy entered the room, hidden behind a huge arrangement of flowers. Over the leaves, Andromeda spotted Ted Tonks' sweaty face. With huge effort, he put the flowers down on a desk in the classroom.
"Oi, Teddy, are you going to propose to someone?" asked Peter.
"I am afraid not," Ted said, wiping off his brow with his sleeve. "Perhaps someone is out to propose to me. I found these outside the door and I have no idea who they come from."
"Probably Hagrid," suggested Lupin. "I'd be careful, if I were you. It could be those horrible, human eating plants he keeps in his garden."
"No, I think not," Ted said, frowning as he examined the flowers. "I have never seen these before." The flowers were in the brightest red colour Andromeda had ever seen and had large leaves that flickered when Ted shook the trunk. Finally, he shrugged. "Maybe it was just a nice gesture. We'll leave them on the table."
Raising his head from the flowers, he noticed that Andromeda was present and brightened. "I am so glad you came," he said sincerely. "I was afraid I scared you off with our little... collision by the lake."
Andromeda laughed in embarrassment. "Not at all. I was happy to come."
Sirius was listening with great interest. "Pray, what sort of collision was this?" he asked them smoothly.
Andromeda glared at him. "Nothing for you to care about. Just a little... accident."
"This sounds very interesting..." Sirius said, but they were interrupted as Ted's friend, Rajan came to tell them that the film was ready to start.
Andromeda was fascinated by what she saw. Ted and his friend had brought what the muggles called a "tape". They made sure every candle light in the room was put out. Then they aimed their wands towards the thing, mumbling some incomprehensible spell. There was a flash of light shooting out of the device and in the next moment, moving pictures were displayed on the white wall.
Andromeda found herself sucked into the film and enjoyed it, even if it was just black and white. She felt like she was in there herself, among the people on the wall. To her surprise, Ted Tonks came to sit next to her, grinning widely. "So do you like it?" he asked her.
"Very much," she said earnestly. "And I was impressed by your work."
"Oh." He blushed slightly and shrugged. "It's nothing special really. The spell is quite easy when you know it, though it was difficult to come up with, I can assure you."
She smiled and they went back to watching the film. They were deeply engrossed in the black and white pictures and no one was in any way prepared when a loud crash was suddenly heard and the force sent everyone off from their chairs to the floor.
What was that! Andromeda wanted to shout, but within a second, a cloud of thick, scenting, red smoke filled the classroom.
Andromeda managed to get to her feet, but stumbled as she bumped into someone. The smoke filled her eyes and made them watery, so she couldn't see. The taste and the sharp scent filled her mouth and her nostrils and made her cough. She felt like she was going to choke. Everywhere around her, she heard voices screaming and thumps as chairs and people fell over each other.
"What kind of joke is this!"
"My eyes hurt! I can't see!"
"Lily? Lily, where are you?"
Andromeda fumbled to find her wand inside the pocket of her trousers. But as she took it out, the smoke finally got to her head. She felt dizzy and tripped over something that sent her crashing on the floor.
"Lumos!" she heard someone shouting as she lost consciousness.
The drawing room at Chateaux Lestrange was comfortable and spacey. The house-elves had lit the fire place and candles were placed in the high windows. After the delicious dinner she had been served, Bellatrix gracefully settled herself in one of the velvet-clothed couches, balancing a glass of brandy on her lap. "Ah, you know boys, I think I could get used to this kind of life."
The Lestrange brothers, who were sitting in the arm chairs next to her, smiled widely. "You should," said Rabastan. "It is such a pleasure to have you in the house, my dear."
"I really hope I am not disturbing you out here..." said Bellatrix mischievously, knowing very well that the two brothers rarely had anything to be disturbed from.
"Certainly not, darling," Rudolphus smiled. "Nothing could be more important than being a good host to our exalted guest."
"Ah, you spoil me. It is just what I need." She sighed dramatically. "If you only knew how weary I am of that old dump they call Hogwarts."
"Oh, my poor beauty, I understand." Rudolphus blinked at her, which made his thick face look even worse. "Education is a waste of time to a lovely lady like you."
"Yes and it is those dreary Scottish moors," nodded Bellatrix. "All that cold is certainly not good for me. But it is hardly better any better in London. Why my ancestors choose to settle in Britain is beyond me. France is superior to England in every way. It's the beauty of the landscape, the warmth and the comfort..." She indicated the beautiful room around her. "And the people all have such a sense of style and charm and class. I really could get used to it."
Rabastan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Ah, but I thought you planned to stay in England, at a certain manor..." He watched her with curiosity.
Bellatrix did not let herself be taken off balance. "We all have our moments of confusion. I am passed it now, thank you dear Merlin."
They were interrupted as one of the house-elves entered the room and declared that his young masters' guest had arrived.
Rudolphus got up quickly, arranging his clothing. "Oh I forgot, we invited another visitor to come for drinks today. I hope you don't mind?"
"Of course not." As the house's lord, Rudolphus hurried to greet the guest. Apparently, it was someone of great importance. Bellatrix became curious and turned to Rabastan. "Who is this visitor?"
"A friend of ours..." Rabastan started. Then he shrugged. "Well, I guess you could call him that. We met him at the Hog's Head last year. You should listen to him. He has got the right idea about things."
When Rudolphus came back, he had a tall and slim, dark haired man with him. He indicated Bellatrix. "Allow me to introduce our lovely friend, Bellatrix Black, pureblood daughter of Cygnus Black."
Bellatrix appraised the guest. It was impossible to tell how old he was. He could be anywhere between thirty and sixty. He was a handsome man, even if he looked a bit worn. His expression was resolute and determined in a way that told her that this was someone who was used to getting what he wanted. She had always believed that it was a desirable quality in a man.
But above all, she was taken by his dark, piercing eyes. He assessed her quietly, but boldly from top to toe. He seemed to find her attractive, like most men did, but it didn't seem to be her looks that interested him. It was something else. Bellatrix found that irking and yet intriguing.
The man slowly raised his eyes to her face. "Black?" he repeated. "Do you happen to have a brother named Regulus?"
"He is my cousin actually," Bellatrix answered in surprise. "Do you know him?" She found this difficult to believe. Regulus' parents would never let him socialize with someone who wasn't inspected and approved in the family circle.
The man shook his head. "No, I have never met him. But one of my acquaintances' sons is apparently good friends with him. His name is Evan Rosier."
Bellatrix nodded. "Ah, yes that's right. Evan is actually my cousin too, on my mother's side." She tried to look back at the stranger with the same unmoved confidence he seemed to possess. "And who might you be?"
"Oh forgive me," said Rudolphus quickly. "Bellatrix, this is Tom Riddle."
"I am no longer using that name," snapped the man. "Call me Voldemort. Lord Voldemort." The force behind his words was powerful and Rudolphus squirmed slightly.
Bellatrix frowned in confusion. "Lord? Over what?"
The man watched her closely. Then he allowed himself the faintest smile. "Over everything and everyone soon, I would hope."
"Andromeda? Andromeda, please wake up!"
Through a blur of pain and dizziness, Andromeda could hear her cousin's worried voice. He shook her gently and patted her cheeks. Andromeda squinted as she managed to open up her eyes. Two concerned faces were looking down on her. She recognised one of them as Sirius and after some thought; she decided that the other belonged to Ted Tonks.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"Yes," she managed to answer. "Yes, I think so."
Ted got to his feet and turned around to the others, who were scattered out behind them. Andromeda noticed that all hints of smoke had been cleared out of the room, but everyone still looked quite shaken. "She is all right," she heard Ted saying.
"Too bad," someone muttered.
"Perhaps we could start asking some questions now," said Remus Lupin knowingly.
"What questions?" Ted demanded in irritation. "You are imagining things that aren't..."
"Oh come on now, Tonks!" James Potter's voice sounded annoyed. "Who could it possibly have been except her? No one else comes from that sodding place she calls her house."
"You are an arrogant idiot, Potter," said Lily Evan's voice fervently. "What kind of right do you have to..."
The words and sentences reached Andromeda's ears, but she couldn't quite put them together inside her mind. Everything was still blurry. Sirius ignored the voices around him and put a cold cloth against her forehead. "Can you stand up?"
Andromeda nodded with hesitation. Sirius grabbed her under her arms and scooped her up, helping her to move over to a chair where she could sit down. Andromeda heard echoes inside her head and felt like a giant hammer was pounding against her brain.
"Well, should we start then?" asked Potter.
Sirius glanced around. "Shut up, James," he said and for once, there was a sharp tone in his voice. "She is in no condition to answer to any questions."
"Because she has nothing to say in her defence, is that what you are saying?"
His mocking voice annoyed Andromeda and despite her dizziness, she pushed away Sirius' hand as he tried to place the damp cloth against her forehead again. "What are you talking about? What questions do you need to ask?"
James gave Ted a commanding look and he uncomfortably cleared his throat. "The crash and the smoke... It was those red flowers. It seems like there was some explosion charm in the pot and it was set to donate at a certain hour..."
Andromeda stared at him in disbelief. "And you think I was the one who placed it outside the door," she realized, sensing that her cheeks had turned bright red.
"Who else would it be?" snorted James Potter. "Something like this has never happened before. And then suddenly a member of Slytherin comes along and joins our group and then suddenly all hell breaks loose."
Andromeda gritted her teeth tightly together. She wanted to pull out her wand and turn Potter into the little toad he really was. "Did it ever occur to you that I was inside this room as well," she asked him resolutely. "I got the damn smoke over me as well!"
"That's what I told you," snapped Lily to Potter.
"She probably did it so we wouldn't suspect her," said Peter Pettigrew.
"A perfect way to avoid suspicions," Remus Lupin agreed.
"Stop it." Sirius sounded angry. "Andromeda has nothing to do with this."
"She is the only one from Slytherin in here," James said, like that explained everything. "What does she expect us to believe?"
"I don't care what you believe." Despite her dizziness, Andromeda stood up. "I was going to defend myself, but I just realized that it is not worth wasting my breath." She turned on her heel and marched out of the room.
She had not come far, before she realized that she was being followed. She thought it was Sirius and hurried her steps. She didn't want to talk to him now. But her follower was fast and she was still dazed. His footsteps came closer and she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Andromeda."
The voice was gentle and appealing. Andromeda stopped in surprise. It wasn't her cousin's familiar voice. As she turned around, she realized that it was Ted Tonks who had come after her. He was looking uncomfortable and guilty, but more than anything, he looked sad.
"Please wait," he said. "I am very sorry about what happened. Potter and the others... What they said was very hurtful. I am sure they didn't mean it."
"Really? It sure seemed like they did," muttered Andromeda. Her head was spinning and she groped through the air to find something to use for support. Ted hurriedly offered her his arm and she found herself forced to take it whether she wanted to or not.
"I am sorry," he repeated. "I am sure that once they have calmed down they will realize that you had nothing to do with it."
Andromeda smiled with a hint of bitterness. "I don't know. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. When you are from Slytherin, you can't expect anyone to believe you."
"I believe you," said Ted. His voice was quiet but firm and when Andromeda looked into his blue eyes, she saw no hesitation in them. "You really didn't deserve to hear that," he added seriously.
Suddenly, Andromeda became aware of how close they were standing. She felt the heat of his breath and the warmth and strength from the arm she was holding on to. The look in his eyes was intense and suddenly, her cheeks became red. "You don't have to apologise," she mumbled. "It wasn't your fault. Anyway, I don't care about what they think."
"But of course you do," said Ted softly. "You just can't let them know."
The sympathy in his voice made her smile. "Well, I am grateful that you trust me. I should probably get back to my house..."
Ted shook his head. "You shouldn't go by yourself. You still look dizzy. I can take you if you don't mind?"
"Okay," Andromeda answered, feeling slightly confused. She certainly wasn't used to that sort of politeness from boys. They would give it to Bella and Narcissa, but not to her.
They started walking quietly along the corridor, Andromeda still holding on to Ted's arm. She glanced at him and noticed that he was looking thoughtful. "Do you have any idea who could have sent those flowers?" she asked him.
"No," he answered after a moment's hesitation. "But I am quite sure that I know why they did it."
"And why is that?"
"They don't like what we are doing," he shrugged. "They want to scare us and hopefully make sure that we won't continue."
"Well, what exactly is it that you do?"
"Andromeda..." Ted sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I am not sure that you would understand. And I feel I am not the right person to tell you."
"You don't trust me then?"
"Yes, I do," he assured her. "But I haven't just myself to think about."
Andromeda said nothing more and they continued quietly until they had reached the stairs that led to Slytherin's student home. Andromeda thanked Ted for his help.
"It was nothing," he said. "Will you be all right now?"
"Of course."
"Good... good." He was suddenly looking uncomfortable again. "Am I right to assume you won't come to the film group again?"
Andromeda smiled wryly. "It doesn't sound very tempting," she admitted.
"Is there some other way that I could make it up to you then?"
His eyes were large and their colour was a mix somewhere between the sky and a fresh lawn. Once again, Andromeda was seized by a mad impulse. There was something about him that provoked those sort of reactions. "Yes... Maybe there is..."
Come on, she told herself. Just do it. What have you got to loose?
"Have you made any plans for the next Hogsmeade weekend?" she asked him.
