An: Just a quick note. Where I use 'flooed' it means to use floo powder to get somewhere, not that they used brooms and I forgot that it should be flew. Oh, and this is Sirius' first year at Hogwarts. This will be the last update before Christmas, so have a good Christmas. Enjoy.
Chapter Eight – In Need of a Rescue
Standing in the entrance hall of her childhood home, luggage at her feet, Andromeda felt fully relaxed. Here she knew everything about the shortcuts and hiding places; about the number of stairs in each wing; about the best place to make an entrance. She loved this house, really loved it, in a way she had never felt about Hogwarts. Hogwarts changed; staircases moved, portraits were never in the same place twice, suits of armour clunked around.
"Andromeda, darling." Her mother's voice broke into her reverie. She had walked down the stairs and was holding her arms out in readiness for an embrace. As Andromeda hugged her mother, she was engulfed by a cloud of perfume. "I hope," Druella Black began, "That there will be no unpleasantness during this holiday."
"Of course not mother," Andromeda assured her. "I will not even speak to Mr Lestrange."
"You cannot publicly ignore him, " her mother said with a frown. "Merely avoid speaking with him alone."
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Her room was purple; a deep rich colour that she had not chosen. All furnishings and painting had been organised by her parents. It did not look bad; far from it. With fairytale, twisted sugar furniture, a four-poster bed and a window seat, it was a lovely room. She just wished she could put her mark on it.
She sat down on the bed, mentally deciding which dress to wear for the Winter Ball. The Winter Ball was held on the evening of Christmas Day, and was one of the most important events in society's year. Everyone who was anyone came, and many relationships were forged and destroyed on that one evening. It meant that Rabastan, no, Mr Lestrange would be there. She bit her lip, as she remembered the time in the woods. She was not sure if she could face him without either slapping him or crying.
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Christmas Day never failed to excite Andromeda. On that particular day, she always woke up with a smile on her face, anticipation making her tear off the bedclothes at a ridiculous time in the morning and running to the bottom of her bed. Their family's tradition was to leave all their presents in each other's bedrooms, so their parents did not have to either wake up early or face the mess that Christmas wrapping paper inevitably creates. As they had grown older, the girls had also realised it gave their parents a longer time to prepare before they flooed to their grandparents and the entire Black family descended.
She was tearing through her pile, when the sound of a beak on glass led her to cross to the window. Kneeling on the cushions, she pushed the curtains aside to see an owl sitting on the window ledge. She frowned, wondering who on earth was sending her an owl at six thirty in the morning, and opened the window. The owl hopped inside and she noticed the package hanging from its leg. She undid the string, and tore into the brown paper. Nestled within it was a plastic tiara and a note that read Because you think you're such a princess. Happy Christmas – Ted. She stared for a couple of seconds, then a smile swept across her face, culminating in a laugh. She ran to her mirror and tried it on. It was so tacky, it was good. She kept it on whilst she finished opening her presents.
"Happy Christmas!" Like her, Narcissa was still in her pyjamas, and had come to inspect Andromeda's haul of presents.
"Happy Christmas," Andromeda smiled.
"Oh, who bought you a tiara?" Narcissa asked, taking it from her sister's head. "It does not look like silver. Are you sure it – Oh." In an attempt to ascertain the tiara's strength, Narcissa had snapped it, one piece in either hand. "Dromeda I am so sorry."
"It's fine." Andromeda's voice was a lot calmer than she felt. She took the pieces from her sister. "Just…We'll keep this between us. Yes Cissy?"
Narcissa nodded violently. "Of course."
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After the Christmas meal, the tables were always moved to the sides and dancing begun. It was like a warm up for the Winter Ball. The older adults – Aplhard and Cassiopeia, Pollux and Irma, Charlus and Dorea – were jiving. It always made Andromeda smile, especially when it was obvious that Irma was leading Pollux and not the other way around.
"Hey."
Andromeda turned to see her messy haired cousin smiling at her. "Sirius. How are you?"
"I'm okay." He pulled a face. "Aunt Lucretia keeps asking me if I'm sure the sorting hat said Gryffindor."
Andromeda smiled, ruffling his hair. "They are concerned. You are the first Black to ever be sorted into Gryffindor. But you're still family."
He shrugged, then grinned. "I heard someone sent you a plastic tiara."
"Oh my –" Andromeda rolled her eyes. "Cissy cannot keep her mouth shut."
"So," Sirius began, nudging his cousin. "who was it? There's no way any pureblood bought you plastic. Was it Ted?"
"How do you know Ted?" she asked incredulously.
"I know everyone." There was an unmistakeable note of pride in his voice.
"She laughed, ruffling his hair again. "No. Everyone knows you. You must get at least one howler every week."
He laughed easily. "Yeah, well, it happens. But seriously, is it from Ted?"
She shrugged, her eyes following her grandparents as they danced. "Yes. So?"
"Dromeda's in love with a Muggleborn," he singsonged.
She grabbed him by the shoulders. "Never say that," she hissed. "It is bad enough that I am friends with him. Do you know what my parents will say if they even know that? I do not need you spreading false rumours, not after what happened with Mr Lestrange. I have no intention of being blasted from our family."
He looked shocked for a moment, and then hugged her. "I don't want you to get blasted. I'll keep my big mouth shut."
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The Winter Ball had been going so well. She had been polite when Mr Lestrange had been mentioned, she had danced with eligible first borns, and she had been perfectly lovely to the host. Yes, the Winter Ball had been going well, until she heard a familiar voice.
"Andy. How are you?"
She turned, bracing herself to look at Rabastan Lestrange, forcing herself not to flinch when he placed a kiss on her knuckles. "I am well, Mr Lestrange, though I would ask you to call me Andromeda. Andy is not a name I favour."
His eyes flicked up and down, taking in her dark blue evening dress and the diamond that winked at her throat. She forced herself not to shudder. "But Andy suits you so well."
She half curtsied, her gaze skittering away from him. "It is not a name I like."
"On the contrary," he murmured, taking another step towards her. "I think you like it too much." He considered her, as she backed away from him slightly. "Dance with me."
She smiled coldly and politely. "I do not think it would be appropriate." She wished she did not have to talk to him, wished that there was someone, anyone, near by to whom she could transfer her attention.
He moved closer to her yet again. "One dance. What harm could it do?"
"Plenty, I believe." She tried to move away again, but found herself against a wall.
"One dance." He was too near; too close to her. "I do no think the chandelier will fall down."
"No…I" She was stammering, praying her would leave her alone.
"I'm afraid she cannot dance with you Rabastan." It was Titus, smart in his suit and smiling insincerely. "She promised the waltz to me." Andromeda took his outstretched hand and gratefully followed him to the dance floor.
As they began to move around the floor, Titus lowered his voice. "Are you alright? You're shaking."
Andromeda shook her head, smiling at her mother who was watching from the side. "I'm fine," she murmured. "Really."
"Well, promise me something," Titus replied, leading her around a corner. "Only dance with me. For the rest of the night."
"I'll look positively taken," she told him with a slight frown. There was a lull in their conversation as he spun her, but when they were back in hold, she continued, "Mother will think you are going to propose."
"Who says I'm not?" he teased. "I mean, Holly's not here. Please. At least it will mean Rabastan won't bother you again."
She sighed, as the tune came to an end and they applauded the musicians. "Fine."
As they walked from the floor, an elderly woman approached them. Andromeda knew she was a Mulciber, but she was not sure which branch. "Oh Miss Black."
"Hello." Andromeda's smile was warm. It paid to be nice to the older relatives, especially those whose families had unengaged sons.
"I heard about your engagement to Mr Lestrange, and I wanted to congratulate you."
Andromeda stared at her in shock. Surely that was one rumour that would not be circulating? Her gaze flickered to Titus, who shrugged, then realisation spread across his face.
"This is Andromeda Black, Mrs Mulciber," he said loudly. If the woman had bad eyesight, it was fairly likely she was deaf as well. "It is her sister, Bellatrix, who is engaged to Rodolphus Lestrange."
"Oh my word." The woman looked shocked. "I am so sorry my dear, no offence meant of course."
Andromeda smiled wanly. It was true she looked like her sister, and usually it did not bother her. "My sister is over there, if you wanted to pass your congratulations onto the right person."
As the old woman wandered off, Titus grinned at Andromeda. "See, this is why you need me around."
She laughed and smoothed her dress. "Yes. To save me from the hoards of old women that think I'm Bella."
"No." He smiled, leading her to join the next dance. "It's in case Rodolphus gets confused as well."