Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
"My Lord, she'll be here. This I swear." Druella Black spoke confidently.
The Dark Lord, Druella, Cygnus, and Rabastan were all gathered in a small back room at Gaunt Manor. Just outside the doors were the inner circle Death Eaters.
"They're getting impatient, Druella. I've no time for this. Their meeting was supposed to have started a half an hour ago."
"My Lord, they can't necessarily say anything to You about it." Cygnus smiled as the Dark Lord turned to face him. He chuckled darkly and took his seat at the front of the table.
"I'm sorry I'm late." A hidden door opened to reveal Andromeda in a white wedding dress with a bouquet of flowers in her left hand. The dress had lace from her waist up, as well as down her arms, most likely to cover her Dark Mark. Her train was ridiculously long, and her hair done in ringlets. "It was quite the hassle leaving the church without anyone noticing."
The Dark Lord took in her appearance and smirked. Andromeda smoothed down her skirts and sat left of Rabastan. She turned her head to see the Death Eaters surrounding a table in another. Mouth agape, she faced the Dark Lord, pointing towards the window.
"You can see out. They can't see in." He spoke simply.
"Really?" Rabastan questioned, amazed. "What spell is that?"
"Tint. It's a muggle invention." He smirked as Rabastan tilted his head confused.
"Dearest Andromeda, please," The Dark Lord raised his hands, indicating to the people surrounding the table, "Do enlighten us. What's with the sudden date of the wedding?"
"I- Well, My Lord," Andromeda nodded her head in his direction, "Rabastan," She gulped and locked her eyes with her parents. "I'm with child."
Her mother's eyes widened, and she placed a hand over her mouth. Cygnus rubbed his temples soothingly and sat back in his chair. Rabastan was hyperventilating and trembling terribly. The Dark Lord seemed unsurprised, but sat in his chair with a smug expression clear on his grey face. Andromeda was attempting to calm Rabastan by rubbing his left shoulder.
"Figured. Congratulations are in order, I believe. I do, however, still expect meetings with you. From what I understand, there is no news?"
Giving Rabastan one last pat on the back, she faced Him. "Sirius knows of some raid Bellatrix is to do this coming Wednesday. In my opinion, You should send more Death Eaters or cancel it all together. Also," She paused to take a breath, "Dumbledore has his suspicions of me. As does Moody. I think he may know about me, My Lord."
"Of course he does." He muttered to himself. "They shan't do you harm, Andromeda. They physically can't."
"Stand. Come over here. If they are so under the impression that you are indeed a Death Eater, please give me your left arm."
"My Lord?" Andromeda frowned, but nonetheless, raised her left arm.
"I meant to give this to you when I first gave you your marks." He reached into his cloak to pull out a flask filled to it's brim with a blue substance. "This will cover your Dark Mark. It won't remove it, but it's so people can see your forearm without alerting the authorities." He chuckled at his own joke and placed the flask in her hand. "It may burn the first few times you use it. Now, I'd love to stay and chat," He said with sarcasm laced through his voice, "But I've got a meeting to attend to at the moment."
He opened the door and closed it behind him. They could see each Death Eater rise when he walked in. Bellatrix was practically on top of Rodolphus, trying to be the first one up. Andromeda chuckled a bit at Rodolphus's reaction, but turned to face her parents, who were looking more solemn than ever before.
"How long have you got until your wedding?" Rabastan asked, tracing invisible shapes on the tabletop.
"About a half an hour." She answered, staring at his hands.
"Andromeda," Her father started, and she turned up her head immediately to face him, "We would like to come."
Andromeda smiled sadly at him. "Father, you know you could never come to my wedding. Or you mother." She replied, nodding her head in her mother's direction.
"We'd really like to see you. We've got a batch of Polyjuice on us. Please." He begged.
Andromeda frowned. "I-," She thought for a moment. She loved her parents dearly. Of course she would want them at her wedding. If only she could walk down the aisle on the arm of her father. That's what she desired more than anything. "Just bring enough for the entire ceremony. You don't want to change into your big bad scary selves during our vows." She managed a smile. Rabastan chuckled.
"Can I come?" He asked quietly.
"Rabastan, you don't want to sit through that." Cygnus spoke for Andromeda.
"You don't want to put yourself in the midst of that kind of torture." Druella finished for him. Rabastan nodded.
"I figured."
"You know this wedding is completely Muggle. Hopefully, there is some sort of loophole so that in that Wizarding World, I'm a free woman." She spoke hopefully, flopping down in her seat again.
"Completely Muggle?" Druella frowned.
She nodded, "Ted and I are the only magical ones. If he could even be called magical," She mumbled. "The vows make no sense. We had rehearsal yesterday. It didn't go very well. He caught his mother's dress on fire..." Andromeda chuckled as the rest of them joined in.
It was silent for a moment. They knew what was to come. Her wedding was soon, and Andromeda would have to leave.
"Well, I better get going. Goodbye." She hugged Rabastan tightly and rubbed his back.
"You are a beautiful bride. This isn't fair." He whispered into her shoulder.
"All's fair in love and war. Unfortunately, this happens to be under both circumstances." She smirked and he gave her one last peck on the cheek. He placed a hand gently on her stomach and smiled. His smile made Andromeda's heart sink to the pit of her stomach. She still wasn't sure of the father of her child.
Andromeda smiled at them and walked through the door she entered from.
"Excuse me, Ma'am?" The door to the church's cry room opened a crack to reveal an elderly woman with a widows peak. "There's a man and a woman here to see you before the ceremony." She opened the door completely and let two strangers into the room. The man had a strange French mustache and a stupid look plastered on his face. The woman was very plump and was missing two thirds of her teeth.
Andromeda chuckled nervously. "Uh-hello. I'm sorry, but I don't believe you were invited. Are you from Ted's side? I don't remember him inviting you two. Did you not RSVP by the given date? You'll have to pay for your meal, if you please. I don't-"
"Andromeda," The sound of her mother's voice cut her off. She glanced up quickly to see the plump woman speaking. "It's us." She said pointing to the man.
"Mother," She nodded to the woman," Father..." Andromeda threw her head back and laughed. She clutched her stomach and leaned against the large mirror. Her parents glanced at each other, looking concerned.
"Merlin. What two whack jobs did you take hairs from?" She managed between giggles.
"Shhh!"
"Oh, that just made my day so much better. Thank you." Andromeda wiped away a fake tear but kept her voice down to a whisper.
"It's not funny." Her mother's voice sounded angry as she sat on a chair in the corner.
"Who'd you take it from anyway?" Andromeda asked curiously.
"We figured if we used somebody around here, someone might recognize us." Cygnus muttered, as his new mustache moved funnily with his bumper lips.
"We went to France to find Muggles, yes. Be grateful." Her mother said sharply as she leaned back against the chair. "I had to change this woman's clothes. They were wretched." She shook her head.
"I've got teeth though." Cygnus smiled.
"You two are incredible. I can't believe you would do this for me." She shook her head in amazement.
"We love you." Druella smiled scarily.
"Mother, you've got Azkaban teeth. Don't open your mouth!" Andromeda laughed.
After laughing for a few moments, Andromeda grabbed a flask from the table. Pulling up the lace on her left arm, she popped the cork off the flask. She poured the blue on her fingers, rubbed it together, and applied it gently to her Dark Mark.
Andromeda placed the cork back in and gasped. She clutched her arm and fell to her knees, whimpering. Her eyes watered as she placed a hand in her mouth to bite. It felt as if the fires of Satin were licking their way up her entire arm, leaving only destruction in it's path.
"No use in crying, Andromeda. Only the weak cry. And you are not weak; you are of pureblood heritage, and a member of the House of Black." Druella spoke as she towered over her middle daughter.
"The pain. Mother, you've no idea." Andromeda placed a hand on the table and pulled herself up, knees knocking.
"Oh believe me, you'veno idea. I gave birth to three children. All completely natural. I wish you luck, my dear." She patted her stomach as Andromeda gave her a look of annoyance.
"Get out, you two."
"Please rise at the arrival of our bride." Spoke the minister.
"Is that Sirius?" Druella said appalled, pointing to the best man.
"I believe so." Cygnus tilted his head.
"We should keep this from Orion, especially Walburga." Druella turned to see her daughter, with her veil covering her face.
The beginning chords began to play, and the crowd rose, facing the back of the church. Cygnus could do nothing but frown. She had walked down the aisle alone, unaccompanied by himself. He had already walked down Bellatrix down the aisle, and he would do the same to Narcissa in only a few months time. Andromeda would be his only child he didn't walk down the aisle. It wasn't that he was unhealthy or incapable of doing such a thing. On the contrary, he'd never felt so great in his entire life. Under the circumstances, though, him and his wife weren't even supposed to be here. Hence, the disguises.
Cygnus had been in such a daze, he hadn't realized Andromeda had reached the altar of the church. Druella nudged Cygnus's ribs and pointed towards Andromeda's red headed Maid of Honor, Lily Evans.
Druella gasped and her mouth was agape.
"Shut your mouth. Remember, no teeth." He smiled as they laughed quietly together.
"We are gathered here today to join two people together; Theodore Fritz Tonks and Andromeda Elladora Black." Cygnus and Druella tensed.
"Theodore, would you start your vows?" The minister spoke kindly.
"With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your cu- wine! Wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine." He stuttered a bit. Tonks placed the ring on Andromeda's left hand, and they stepped three steps closer to the altar.
"With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine." She said clearly, never once making eye contact with the man in front of her. She placed the ring on his hand, and they gripped each other's hands.
"What kind of vows were those?" Druella muttered to her husband. Cygnus chuckled and itched his mustache.
"You may kiss the bride."
A/N I haven't been to a wedding in a while, so I was a little shaky. If anyone knows where I got the vows from, they'll get a virtual cookie! Sorry there wasn't a lot of Bellatrix, she probably won't be in for another couple of chapters. This chapter was actually kind of long, I surprised myself with it. I tried to make it even longer, but... Oh well... It might have turned out to be the longest chapter yet, I'll have to check later... Thank you for reading thus far, so REVIEW!