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It was a beautiful, mild evening in early summer. Ted was abroad on business for a few days and so, left to her own devices, Andromeda had lingered in the garden, watching the fish swimming around the pond as the last rays of sunlight bounced off the surface of the water. The knock was only a faint sound out there away from the house, not even enough to shatter the stillness but it still sent ice flowing through Andromeda's blood. Ted was not due back for another two days and Nymphadora had not expected to get time off duty till the weekend, but if someone was here then something had to have gone wrong…

Remus Lupin and Kingsley Shacklebolt were standing on her doorstep. Afterwards she realised that her first fear must have shown plainly on her face because Lupin hastily assured her that her daughter was going to be alright, although she was currently in St Mungo's. Shacklebolt explained in a deep, calming voice that they were there to escort her to the hospital, hopefully before Nymphadora woke up.

It was strange, Andromeda thought, to be standing in her hallway with two men that she had never spoken more than a few words too but who she felt she knew better than many of her neighbours. Andromeda had been told nothing of Order business but she knew that Kingsley had been arrested by the Muggle police on his first case as an auror, while the week before Remus had stopped Nymphadora from falling down a staircase after she tripped over Mundungus Fletcher, who had fallen asleep on a landing after a session of drinking fire whiskey with Sirius.There was always warmth inNymphadora's voice when she spoke of the other Order members and Andromeda found some reassurance in the idea that these older witches and wizards cared for her daughter in return and saw her as more than simply a pawn on the battle field. Later she remembered the way they had treated their colleague's mother, helping her get her cloak on and holding open the doors for her though they both looked strained and weary themselves and she realised she had been right; they did care.

The journey took longer than seemed possible and Andromeda was desperate by the time she finally reached her daughter's bedside. Nymphadora seemed paler than ever against the white pillows and the usually vibrant hair that frustrated her mother had faded to a worryingly tame brown, with just a few defiant streaks of pink remaining. Of course she had probably looked worse when she arrived because by now the healers would have dealt with all the superficial cuts and bruises, but she still looked frighteningly lifeless and vulnerable. She was not alone though. The man waiting protectively by her daughter's bedside, also looking very much the worse for wear, was a familiar face. Andromeda had met the infamous Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody on many occasions throughout her daughter's training and it was a relief to have someone she knew there while Ted suddenly seemed to be so far away. While she greeted him Nymphadora's eyes seemed to stir slightly at the sound of her mother's voice and Andromeda would have liked to believe that she looked slightly more peaceful when they closed again, although that could have merely been wishful thinking.

Shacklebolt announced that he had to get back to the Ministry and as he said his goodbyes she could not help but notice him sharing significant looks with the other two men. When the door closed behind Shacklebolt, Lupin politely pulled a chair up to the side of the bed and Andromeda sat down and looked up at him expectantly. However, he seemed to be struggling for words and instead Mad-Eye stepped forward while Lupin turned to stare out of the window, hiding his face. By then she already knew what she was about to hear.

Mad-Eye was brief but uncharacteristically sympathetic. Andromeda started slightly when he told her that Sirius had ran forward to duel her daughter's opponent. The thought that a single person could have taken so much from her was terrifying and she squeezed her daughters hand just to reassure herself that Nymphadora was still there with her. In a trembling voice she asked what had happened to the deatheaters. It had to have been deatheaters she reasoned, because the battered appearance of the Order members suggested there had been a proper battle, perhaps the first of this new war. Man-Eye informed her that the majority of the deatheaters had been apprehended and Lupin interjected that Lucius Malfoy had been among them, just in case she could bring herself to care about the fate of her brother in law. She asked about the deatheater her daughter had fought and Lupin does not look her in the eye.

'I'm afraid she escaped.'

'She escaped? Oh of course she escaped!'

Andromeda found herself laughing shrilly and uncontrollably. There was no need to ask who 'she' was because in a way she had known all along that it would be her sister. Memories flashed through her head; Sirius and Bella always squabbling long before they had ever heard of Lord Voldemort, back when they had still been a family. Her manic laughter turned to sobs and the two men slipped out of the room, leaving her to bury her head in the blanket covering her daughter's still body.

Sometime later, when she had managed to calm herself, Lupin returned and handed her a mug of tea. He explained that Mad-Eye had gone home to rest but he himself was lucky enough to have come out of the battle in a slightly better state. In fact he looked fairly dreadful but Andromeda appreciated the offer he was making and gestured to a chair on the other side of the bed, glad of even a stranger's comfort. It had been so long since she had tried to be strong without Ted by her side that she thought she might have forgotten how and tried to calculate how long it would take the owl to reach him and how quickly he would be able to get back to her side.

Nymphadora finally woke up a few hours before dawn, looking around in confusion as though she had expected to be in her own room and could not understand why people were suddenly standing over her fussing. Andromeda thanked Lupin gratefully and he recognised the polite dismissal immediately and quickly made his goodbyes before Nymphadora could start asking questions. Andromeda waited as he left, pretending not to notice the way her daughter's eyes followed him, and when the door closed she sat back down and took her daughter's hand again. It was her duty to break the news and once upon a time she had been very good at doing her duty. She was going to find the words and hide the terror she felt inside; this was only the beginning.

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