I always wanted my life to be so meticulously planned, but that all went down the drain the second I met you. Until then, everything was going the way it should. I was Sorted into Slytherin, my marks were excellent, I got along with my sisters and my parents, I was destined for great things. I knew what Bellatrix wanted for her life, but I found it easier to ignore it, ignore what she was doing. I didn't hate Muggle-borns – I didn't see what was wrong with them, but I thought my family must have some Wrong of me, I know. Very Slytherin of me. The worst of me.

And then I met you. You, with your untidy hair and robes and your big laugh and smile and untied shoelaces and silly little Charms. To think it was Bella who brought us together, really! That corridor, fifth year, the scene I stumbled upon … you, a terrified little second-year under one of Bella's curses, and Bella herself. How clearly I remember it, even now.

I feel ashamed that had it not been one of the more horrible curses, I might not have done anything at all. But it was, and it was a twelve-year old, and I was a Prefect and you were there, shouting at Bella, shouting at her to take the curse off, and she was laughing, but I had never seen anyone stand up to Bella before. You didn't seem to care! It was invigorating and inspiring. I clenched my fists, drew myself up, cried, "Stop it, Bella! Now!"

And then everything went so quickly – my screams, her screams, what are you doing? Do you not see what this is? It's a Mudblood. It deserves this.

Nobody deserves this.

Are you betraying us? Are you betraying the name of Black? How dare you!

No – but it's – it's not right, Bella!

A flash of light, a stinging in my face – and then a teacher appeared, Bella vanished, the second-year was taken away and I was sitting on the floor, knees too weak to stand, feeling blood trickle down my cheek. Your robes were torn and your hair an even bigger mess. I didn't know who you were, past the fact that you were a fifth-year like me and you were in Hufflepuff, but the way you were looking at me, with such pride and admiration …

Here. Take this. A proferred handkerchief. I don't know any Healing spells. I'll take you to the hospital wing.

It hadn't been necessary, Bella had been too flustered to cause a lot of damage and I'd fixed the cut myself. But you stayed around, made sure I was all right, helped me to my feet, held out your hand.

I'm Ted. Ted Tonks. You're Andromeda Black, aren't you? Your sister's mental. I mean – sorry –

I was so shocked that anyone would talk about Bella like that that I laughed. And I saw it. Bella was mental, she was a nut, had a screw loose, all the terms you would later use.

We're not so bad, you said, grinning. I don't see why she wants to get rid of us all. Nothing different about us, really.

I remember I felt ashamed that I didn't know you were Muggle-born, even though I'd only just met you. We must have shared classes, but I didn't remember. I was too haughty for my own good.

You saved me from myself and from my family.

Bellatrix left that year, and I was free to be your friend. I liked your companionship. I had only a few friends in Slytherin, and they were cold and arrogant; you had many friends, admirers, in Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and they welcomed me, even though I was Bellatrix and Narcissa Black's sister. If Narcissa knew how close I was with the people our family hated, she never said anything.

I didn't fall in love with you; I loved you more and more overtime. As a friend, then as something more, when I realised that I missed you when you weren't around, even if I was surrounded by others. You made me feel safe and happy and comfortable, something I never was at home. It was madness. You were Ted Tonks, Muggle-born, loud and funny and messy. I was Andromeda Black, pure-blood, haughty, proper, uptight. Somehow, it worked, and I never wanted to leave you.

When, on the day before we left Hogwarts for good, you asked me to marry you, I said yes without even thinking of the fact that my family would disown me. I didn't think of the fact that Aunt Walburga would blast me off the family tree for sure. I didn't think of the fact that I would be setting a 'bad' example to my younger cousin Sirius, who, as the first Gryffindor in the family, was well on his way to becoming even more of a black sheep than I. I just wanted you.

So I got you. We eloped, and I was cut off from the family; I didn't see them again. I had you – you were my family. Shortly after we married, I became pregnant, and our little family grew. I had a part of you. Our little Nymphadora; a special name for such a special child. I was so happy, even with the war raging around us. I was a mother and a wife and so in love and I didn't care about my sisters or my parents. I tried not to care that it was my sister, and my brother-in-laws, who were out there killing people. I had you; I was safe from it all. I could have a normal life. I became a Healer to help people like you had helped me. We had a normal house, not a great mansion like the one I had grown up in. Nymphadora grew up happy and loved. I loved you more and more each day.

I remind myself of all this because I never want to forget how happy I was. I love you so much still, even though you cannot know it, you and our little girl. I wish you could meet your grandson. He is so like you already, so charming and carefree.

It breaks my heart that my storybook tale has such an ending, that I would lose you in such a brutal and heartless way, but you gave me a heart to break. I miss you. I miss laughing at your ridiculous jokes and hearing you telling me to stop worrying about Nymphadora. My lifelines, both of you. I have another, now, my little Teddy, and I am lucky to have him, but I want you.

I don't think I would have changed a thing, though. I can't imagine what my life would have been had I swallowed all my family's nonsense, gone on to marry some pure-blood snob … it wouldn't have been a life.

I love you. I miss you. I want to shut myself in our bedroom and cry and think of you forever more, but then I remember the way you looked at me the day we met, with pride and admiration because I was strong, and I know I have to carry on.

What's this? Two updates in one day? Madness!

So I reaaaaaally like Andromeda and Ted's story - or what I imagine it to be, anyway. And it's just heartbreaking how Andromeda was left with just baby Teddy .. :( I hope I did it justice. We know a bit less about Ted, but I'll do my best with him, as soon as possible ... as always, hope you like!