Chapter Three: End of An Era
It was the morning of June 16, 1978. This morning was special to both Andromeda and Ted because it was the day their friends would graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "It's the end of an era." said Ted over breakfast. "The end of what era Daddy?" asked five-year-old Nymphodora. "The end of the marauder era at Hogwarts. The era that your cousin Sirius started." "Sirius? Will I get to see him?" Dora asked excitedly. "I believe so but I think it would be a good idea if you finish your breakfast. Less chatter." said Andromeda noticing her daughter's almost untouched breakfast. "But Mummy, I want to see Sirius." whined Dora. "You won't see him any faster by not eating your breakfast." her father pointed out. Looking defeated, Dora finished her breakfast. "Dora, would you like to help me pack a few things?" she asked of her daughter. "Yes Mummy, I'll help you!" Dora said enthusiastically. In her haste, she knocked over her chair with a crash. "For goodness sakes!" said Andromeda helping right her daughter's chair. Dora followed her mother out of the room and upstairs to her bedroom to pack a few things. When the two returned, Ted reached into a tin and threw the Floo powder into the fireplace. "Hogwarts entrance hall." Andromeda shouted. She and Ted with Dora hanging off Ted's arm, jumped into the flames and felt the familiar spinning sensation. The spinning stopped and Ted helped his wife and Dora out of the grate. They had arrived in the entrance hall of Hogwarts. They walked across the flag stone floor towards the hum of voices that was coming from the Great hall. The three entered the Hall. It was, as Andromeda had expected, very crowded. They wove their way through the crowd looking for a place to sit when Andromeda heard a familiar voice call: "dromeda! Over here!" They hurried over to the source of the voice. "Lily!" said Andromeda rushing to hug her friend whom she hadn't seen in almost 5 years. She suddenly stopped shrieking when she saw Nymphodora. "and is this your daughter that Sirius told everyone about?" asked Lily with interest. "Yes, this is our daughter Nymphodora." said Andromeda giving Dora a little push towards Lily. "Dora, this is Lily. She's a very good friend from school." said Andromeda. "That's a pretty name." said Dora. "I wish Mummy had named me something like that." "I'm sure your mother had a reason for naming you dear." said Lily. "I still don't like it." Dora pouted. Lily had turned away from the conversation and yelled across the hall: "Sirius, James get yourselves over here right now!" Two dark-haired youths in their late teens hurried over at Lily's command. "Whatever you say Lily-flower." said the shorter one. "James, I think that was brilliant! But I think you could have..." The rest of his sentence was cut off as Dora launched herself at him. "Sirius!" "Nymph! I didn't expect you to actually come." "Not come." Dora said indignantly. "Well, I thought your parents wouldn't take you because of your partowers" so that is why ow figured you wouldn't be here. But then again I thought perhaps you'd come just to see me?" he said the last words more like a question than a statement. "I wouldn't miss this for the world." said Doa. "Good," said Sirius leaning down to her level and giving her a hug. Then he turned to Andromeda and asked: "How are you doing dromeda.?" "Fine, we're fine." she said. said Sirius embracing her. "Long time no see!" "It's been too long." said Andromeda softly. "Lily practically yelled that you had a kid. I couldn't help hearing." "It's alright. It seems that everyone knows about our daughter's partowers"" Andromeda said a hint of sarcasm coming into her voice. "What powers?" asked Sirius looking at Nymphodora keenly. Her hair keeps changing. I towards it was pink when she was bern. Then it changed to blind-every." sc Ted. "It took dromeda here an hour to notice that our daughter is a metamorphmagus." "Sounds just like you." laughed Sirius. "Oh thanks." said Andromeda sarcastically. "We're sorry dear." said Ted. "We just like to poke fun once in a while." "It's alright. I rather enjoy it sometimes." laughed Andromeda. "So you've finally cracked and won Lily's heart?" asked Ted of James. "Yes I have." said James proudly. He putting a protective arm around Lily's shoulder. "You could get to the stage... The ceremony is about to start." observed Ted. He was right; the hall was beginning to quiet down. "See you all later." said Sirius giving Andromeda and Ted a wink. He then hurried off with James to the front of the hall where all the graduates were standing in a line. The ceremony started with a speech from Dumbledore. Andromeda stopped listening after a while. As charismatic as Dumbledore could be, all Andromeda wanted to do was wait until her cousin, James Potter, Peter Petigrew and Remus Lupin got their diplomas and be done with it. Andromeda looked behind her and saw Lily in the next row of benches. She looked very proud of James. "and now," Dumbledore said causing Andromeda to sit up a little straighter. "I would like to introduce 4 members of this graduating class that gave the teachers more headaches than anyone else put together." At this there was laughter. One going to make a speech. Please welcome Mr. Remus Lupin to the podium." There was rapturous applause as Remus stepped across the stage to the podium. "Hello all." said Remus a bit nervously. There were a smattering of "hellos" "I just wanted to say that I have had the time of my life very I just want to thank Professor Dumbledore for letting me go to this school! Thank you!" Everyone clapped and cheered as Remus ascended the steps of the stage after being handed it diploma along with James and Sirius. They were all grinning in Andromeda's opinion like idiots. James went straight for Lily. Andromeda watched as Lily snaked her arms around James' neck and they shared a deep kiss. "I cannot believe it took them seven years to figure this out." Andromeda that in an undertone to Sirius. "feast Yeah, well when you're as thick as James is..." said Sirius his voice trailing off. "Is there going to be a feast?" asked Ted of Remus since he was only one not talking or entangled with someone in the case of James. "I believe so." said Remus looking around. It seemed as if the benches had been levitated to the middle of the room and tables had been conjured to seat all the guests. Andromeda, Ted, the Marauders and Lily sat at one of the tables and dug into the food that had just appeared on the golden plates. "I propose a toast!" declared Sirius loudly. "to Lily and James and Ted and Andromeda. May they live happily healthily and love each other forever!" Everyone at the table said "Hear hear." and cheered. Ted linked his arm with his wife and James did the same with Lily. Nymphodora yawned widely. "I'm tired." she complained. Ted took Andromeda's arm and led her towards the fireplace. "Home!" Andromeda shouted over her daughter's shrieking. They felt the familiar spinning sensation and the absence of voices as Ted helped Andromeda out of the grate in the living room.
A/N: This story will never be updated but I thought I'd post what I had written. I'll be doing this for all my other works I wish to adopt.