Chapter Three:
"Miss Andromeda Black," said Professor Vector. "Please explain where vanished objects go."
She sat up and said carefully, "Into non being. Which, is to say, everything."
"Well done," Professor Vector congratulated, and then launched into his full lecture about vanished objects and vanishing spells.
Her mind wandered.
"Andromeda, look," whispered Arthur, who was sitting in front of her. He leaned back with his elbows on her desk.
"What?" she asked softly.
"I'm sorry about if I upset you yesterday," he whispered. "Can I talk to you after class?"
Andromeda looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Why?"
"It's nothing important, I promise we won't chew you out. Molly wants to talk to you. She asked me to apologize and talk. It won't be...it'll just be a friendly conversation, I promise."
She allowed for a slight smile. "A friendly conversation with you guys is dangerous, Mr. Weasley."
"And since Arthur Weasley and Andromeda Black weren't paying attention, they can stay after class," called Professor Vector.
The Slytherins all turned, their eyes sharp. Lucius glared. She knew she was blushing and she looked down, tense with anger. Ted Tonks and Alice Prewitt, sitting together, both smothered laughs.
The class dragged, and afterwards, Arthur and Andromeda waited behind.
"You two are an unusual couple to be talking in class. Tell me. Why do you think my class is a place for your personal conversations?" demanded Professor Vector, sitting behind his desk.
Andromeda looked away. She knew her face was red and she couldn't trust herself to speak.
"I'm very sorry, Professor. I was actually discussing with Andromeda about how we should try and get along better. She doesn't like me enough to though, so it doesn't matter," Arthur replied with a shrug.
Andromeda shrugged too. "Well, Professor Vector, sir, basically, that's what it was. He said something yesterday that insulted me and he wanted to apologize."
"Were you going to accept his apology?"
Andromeda shrugged again. "I don't know. Maybe."
The professor was now bug eyed. "I've never heard of anyone like you, Miss Black. You're different from your sisters. I've never heard of purebloods wanting to get along with Mr. Weasley."
She cleared her throat and stepped away. "Do you mind if we go now, Professor?"
"Not at all. You're dismissed."
She left quickly. So much for her stress going away - at Professor Vector's statement, it crashed back down upon her. She was unusual. She was different. She wasn't sure she liked it.
"Andromeda!" Arthur ran over to her. "So, I was going to say -"
Andromeda suddenly caught sight of her sister, Bellatrix walking towards her. "No, blood traitor," she said with as much loathing and distaste she could put into words. "I don't want to hear what you have to say." She whipped around and rushed away.
Bellatrix grabbed her arm and walked with her.
"What is it, Bella?" asked Andromeda, feeling awful at the shocked and almost sad look on Arthur's face.
Bellatrix shoved a first year Hufflepuff out of her way and the young girl yelped in shock. There were a couple whispers that Bella ignored, but Andromeda looked back sorrowfully at the frightened 11 year olds.
"You? Arthur Weasley? Seriously?" Bellatrix growled coldly. "These mudbloods and blood traitors need to stop bothering you. I've arranged for you to get a temporary boyfriend. Only for a couple weeks."
"Really?" Andromeda asked, trying to mask her deep disgust. "Who?"
"Evan Rosier," Bellatrix replied coolly. "Hang out with him a bit. Kiss a few times. Maybe spend the night with him."
Aghast, Andromeda cried, "NO!"
Bellatrix glared at her. "You listen, Meda. Else you want the mudbloods and blood traitors to keep groveling after you. And that would not make Papa too happy, Meda."
She knew she had to listen, though she greatly did not want to. "Bella...I don't know how to have a boyfriend. I've never had one before."
"Oh, come on! Even Narcissa has has a boyfriend before," she was glaring at her sister with a mean, cruel glare. "Now, go talk to your new boyfriend. He seems quite interested in you."
Bella gave her a hard shove in the direction of some Slytherins. Among them happened to be the person she really did not want to see. Cautiously, she walked over to Evan Rosier.
He immediately slunk his arm around her waist and slammed her body against his, pressing his lips to hers and forcing his tongue inside her mouth. She began to fight, but then remembered what Bellatrix had said and just held still.
"Hey, girlfriend," he drawled. "You wanna skip class?"
"No. I'll see you at lunch," she said coolly, turning and ducking away quickly.
Arthur caught her arm as they started into the classroom and pulled her aside, hiding behind the corner and ducking into a different room. "Sorry, I was just...curious."
"You were curious?!" she hissed.
"Well, what happened with Rosier, Andromeda?" he growled.
"Why do you care?" she asked, distressed.
"Because Ted was just yelling at me for no apparent reason at all!" Arthur hissed, struggling to lower his voice.
Andromeda froze. "Why was Ted yelling at you?"
"Nothing. Never mind."
"Arthur," Andromeda asked quietly. "Why was Ted yelling?"
He threw up his arms in anger. "I don't know, honestly, Andromeda. He's been acting strange lately. So've you. I've never talked to you in my life, neither has Molly, and now they all want to talk to you!"
"Not in front of Slytherins. If you want to talk to me, you won't do like you did in class and in the hallway, or my sisters will kill me and dance on my grave. So stop talking to me, tell Ted to stop getting you to talk to me, and if you want to talk, we can figure out something later!" she said, her voice raising. She turned and stormed away.
She walked into the classroom, a few minutes late. Everyone gawked at her as she slammed her stuff against her desk and sat down, sure her face was red with embarrassment and anger.