A/N: I've been really excited to write this chapter, and I'm even more excited to share it with you. It's time to bring back some familiar faces.

Andromeda closed her eyes, like she could somehow make the two of them disappear.

"Consorting with Filth in public now, Andromeda?" Bellatrix said as she eyed Sirius and Ted with particular distaste. "My how the mighty have fallen."

It wasn't anything Andromeda hadn't heard before, and she'd stopped caring what they thought of her. She just wished for a moment with Ted that wasn't marred by a pureblood fanatic.

"I'm not sure I would say she's all that mighty to begin with," Rodolphus drawled. This sound of his voice sent painful tremors down Andromeda's body. Ted's arm snaked around her under the table, like he could somehow shield her from Rodolphus.

Sirius had a more direct approach. "You want an understanding of the word Mighty, Lestrange?" he said, standing, "I would be more than happy to give it to you."

Bella's eyes narrowed as she hissed, "A day will come, my dear cousin, when you will wish you hadn't been so quick to abandon your own."

Sirius pulled his wand from his robes. "Why not make that day today?"

Rodolphus and Bella slowly pulled their wands from their robes as well, and Meda's breath caught. Bella gave her a sideways glance. "I'm not sure our dear Meda has the stomach for that."

"Like I said," Rodolphus drawled. He kept his wand trained on Sirius, but his gaze flicked to Andromeda. "Weak. Perhaps it's better she chose the mudbloods. We wouldn't want her infecting the rest of us." A cruel smile played on his lips. "A mistake I nearly made."

And just like that, Ted snapped. He whipped his wand out as he leaped to his feet. "Watch it, Snake!"

The smile slipped off Rodolphus' face, replaced by something much more sinister, before Rodolphus could say anything they were interrupted by a new arrival.

"Rolf, Bella," Rabastan Lestrange said as he clapped his brother on the shoulder. In his other hand he clutched an open bottle of butterbeer. His signature dazzling smile spread across his face. "What are you . . ." his voice trailed off as he realized who his brother was speaking too. His gaze immediately found Andromeda, and her heart stopped.

It was one thing to run into Bellatrix, her once beloved sister now turned bitter enemy. It was another to run into Rodolphus, the monster whose voice and touch still haunted her mind and body. But Rabastan was more than she could handle. More than ever Andromeda wanted to run and hide, but she dared not move.

"Bastan, sweetheart," A beautiful blond woman with light blue eyes latched herself onto Rabastan's arm. Andromeda recognized her as Delia Greengrass, a fellow Slytherin who'd graduated a couple years prior. "What are you . .." her voice trailed off as she also took in the scene before her. Sirius and Ted with their wands trained on Bella and Rodolphus, who also had their wands out. Her gaze followed Rabastan's who was trained solely on Andromeda, then she asked, "Who's this?

"You mean you don't know?" Rodolphus, chuckled before lowering his hand. "This was Rabastan's fiancé. Until she traded him for this mudblood filth."

Delia's eyes didn't widen as much as Andromeda expected. She must have heard some of this gossip already, but she only said coldly, "Her loss."

"Indeed," Rodolphus agreed, "turns out she's quite the whore."

Rabastan stiffened, but it was Ted who jammed his wand against Rodolphus' throat and whispered, "One more word, Lestrange. I dare you."

"You think you could take me?" Rodolphus replied haughtily, sounding rather confident for a man who'd already put his own wand away. "One word, and I could have writhing on the floor, just like before."

" I wouldn't try that, if I were you," Sirius said. "I didn't work out so well for you last time."

"Brave words, cousin," Bella sneered, "especially considering you're without your little posse."

"I wouldn't say that," Sirius said simply. Bella and Rodolphus immediately glanced around in surprise. The moment Rodolphus turned around, James punched him the face, hard enough to send Rodolphus' stumbling back. Bella raised her wand in retaliation, but Remus was already there, his wand pressed gently to her throat. He smiled politely and shook his head. Bella's eyes were like poison, but she slowly lowered her wand.

Andromeda hadn't even seen the Marauders approach, though she supposed they had a lot of practice sneaking around the castle and forbidden forest. She was also surprised James chose to punch Rodolphus rather than hex him, though she supposed a punch was sometimes more satisfying.

Rodolphus recovered from the punch and whipped out his wand, but now things had changed. They were outnumbered, even if Andromeda herself chose not to fight. She also glanced over at Olivia, who had been surprisingly quiet throughout this entire conversation. Her face remained passive, but Andromeda realized she had her wand pointed at Rodolphus under the table. She may have been like that the entire time.

Rodolphus and Bella exchanged dark glances, like they intended to fight anyway, until Rabastan grabbed Rodolphus' arm.

"Come on, Rolf," Rabastan said. "They'll be other days." Rodolphus shot his brother a murderous glare, before seeming to remember himself. Slowly he lowered his wand and backed away.

Bella reluctantly followed suit, but then she said, "Count your days, mudbloods and traitors, because they are numbered."

James looked like he wanted to punch her too, but before he could the four of them left.

"Well, that was fun," James said after a moment, then he gave Sirius a wink. "Enjoy the rest of your date." Then he and the other two Marauders slank away.

Ted and Sirius returned to their seats, and then Ted tentatively took her hand. "Andromeda?" he asked.

"You all right, cousin?" Sirius asked, sounding uncharacteristically unsure.

Andromeda smiled, but her eyes remained blank. "I'm fine."

"You know we'd never let him hurt you," Ted said. Andromeda knew they'd never let anyone hurt her without a fight, but in the end no one could keep her safe. Not even she herself. But she didn't want to think about that now.

We were going to drink, right?" Andromeda said. "Let's drink." She grabbed a bottle of firewhiskey and popped the cap off. Before anyone could stop her she began to drink. The liquid burned her throat, but she didn't stop. She didn't stop for the rest of the date.

Andromeda had never appreciated how bright Hogsmeade was. It was like a Fairy town, only fuzzier.

"Where are we going?" she asked Ted, giggling.

"Hogwarts," he said, sighing. "You need to lie down."

But Andromeda didn't want to lie down. She wanted to bury Ted in snow. He'd looked so funny buried in snow. She tore out of his grip and raced to a nearby snow mound.

"Andromeda!" Ted shouted, but she didn't stop. She collapsed onto the snow and began clumsily trying to make a snowball. A moment later Ted was by her side. She tried to throw her snowball in his face, but it exploded before it reached him.

She gasped, and her face fell. "Come on," he said, trying to gently but firmly tug her away. "We'll have a snowball fight later, I promise."

But she wanted one now, she reached for the snow, when another dizzy spell overtook her.

"Andromeda?" Ted said again, his voice rising in concern. "You alright?" she didn't respond. She just puked.

Ted didn't make any sounds of disgust, he just pulled her away from her own sick and let her gently rest against the snow. "Deep breaths," he said. She didn't do anything special with her breathing, but he still said, "Yes, that's it."

"Andromeda," another voice said. She knew that voice. It filled her with both regret and sadness and something else, but she couldn't remember. Remembering made her head hurt.

Ted glanced over in surprise as Rabastan Lestrange made his way over to them. He immediately glanced around for the others, but Rabastan appeared to be alone. Rabastan stiffened when he realized he was now alone with Ted and Andromeda. He seemed to reach instinctively for his wand, before remembering himself.

"What's wrong with her?" he finally asked.

Ted's eyes also narrowed. He kept one hand on Andromeda, while the other reached inside his robe just in case. "Nothing," he said coolly, "she's just a little tipsy." He tried to pull Andromeda away from Rabastan, but Andromeda didn't make that easy. Instead she glanced at Rabastan in confusion. There was something she wanted to ask him, but she couldn't remember what it was.

Andromeda stumbled, and Rabastan raced forward to help steady her.

Ted immediately hissed, "Keep your hands off her." If he hadn't been forced to use both hands to steady Andromeda, he probably would have hexed Rabastan.

Rabastan slowly let go of Andromeda, but he didn't leave. "She's not tipsy. She's drunk." He turned an accusing gaze on Ted. "Why did you let her drink so much?"

Ted's eyes flashed, before he laughed haughtily. "Andromeda's not a dog. No man, 'let's' her doing anything."

Andromeda frowned. She didn't want them to fight. She couldn't let anything happen to them, but she couldn't seem to articulate the words.

"You should be looking after more," Rabastan said. He looked like he had more to say, but Ted cut him off.

"Maybe if you looked after your brother more," he hissed, finally wrenching Andromeda away from Rabastan. "She wouldn't have felt the need to drink so much."

The color drained from Rabastan's face, and he took a step back from them. Somehow, he knew Ted wasn't talking about today, although he could have been. He was talking about the night before their wedding. Andromeda knew this too, but she didn't want too. That's why she drank, so she could forget. She forced her mind back into the warm fuzziness, and pushed reality away.

"Here." Rabastan pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Ted. "It'll help with the Nausea." Ted stared at him in surprise, but Rabastan didn't wait around. As he left a frown crept on Andromeda's face. She still wanted to ask him something. Something she'd been wanting to know since their last time together all those months ago. Something she feared she only had the courage to ask now, while her mind was lost in Whiskey. But as he walked away the words wouldn't come, and then he was gone.

With the help of Rabastan's medicine, they managed to make it up to the castle. "Where are we going?" Andromeda asked as Ted led her toward the kitchens.

"My room," Ted said. "You can rest there until you feel better, then I'll take you back to your room."

Andromeda giggled, and Ted shot her a surprised look, but they didn't speak again as they made their way to the Hufflepuff common room. Ted slipped out a vial of Polyjuice potion. Andromeda vaguely remembered Sirius giving it to him back at the Three Broomsticks, and saying something about not leaving her alone with the snakes in this condition.

Either way, Ted was sneaking her into his bedroom, and the thought made her giggle again. "Easy does it," Ted said as he gently slipped the liquid into her mouth. Andromeda lapped it up eagerly, then gagged and sputtered as the wretched taste hit her mouth. If it hadn't been for Rabastan's medicine she would have puked it all back up.

She moaned and clung to Ted as the potion worked. When it was done, she'd transformed into Jake. Ted then led her through the common room without a word. The few students gathered there glanced at them curiously, but none of them made a move to stop them.

When they reached Ted's room, they discovered it was also empty. Jake was with Lorie, she remembered, and she assumed the other seventh years Hufflepuff boys were still at Hogsmeade. They had the place to themselves.

She immediately turned and tried to kiss Ted, but he held her off. "Easy, tiger," he said. Gently holding her away. She remembered she was still disguised as Jake, and laughed at her own foolishness. Of course he didn't want her like this. She would have to wait until the potion wore off. She sulked when she remembered Polyjuice potions usually lasted one hour.

However, Ted had barely gotten her settled when she felt her hair growing and her body reshaping. She was back. She didn't waste a second. She wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of her. At first she caught him by surprise, and he was powerless against her.

It was only when she tried to clumsily slip out of her robe that he stopped her.

"No," he said. "Not like this."

"Make love me, Ted," she said, before she pulled him back down to her. This time she wrapped her legs around him, trying to keep him in place.

"This can't be happening," he groaned, but then as carefully as he could he detangled himself from her. This time he moved off the bed, out of her reach.

"What's the matter?" she asked as she slowly sat up. "Don't you want me?"

He didn't answer, but the desperate hunger in his eyes betrayed him. It was the same way he looked at her the first time they'd kissed, like he'd give anything just for one more moment with her.

And yet still, he shook his head. "We can't, Andromeda. Not when you're like this. It isn't right."

For a moment the fuzziness cleared, and she had a moment of clarity. "Please," she said. "Before the fear comes back."

He sighed, but his voice was gentle as he said, "This won't make it better, Andromeda, Please, trust me."

The thing was, she did trust him. More than anything else, but that didn't stop tears from springing into her eyes as she said, "I don't want to be afraid. I want you. I want this." Her voice broke. "It's not fair."

"I know," he knelt down next to her and carefully took her hand. "I know, but we're going to get through it. We'll find a way."

She nodded, and whatever rush of energy she had disappeared. Ted helped ease her back into the bed, and even smoothed her hair out of her face. Then he traced his hands across her cheek. Even if her state, the tenderness of the gesture filled her with warmth.

"Stay with me?" she asked.

He smiled, and then bent down and kissed her forehead. "Always."

And she smiled, any doubts finally forced out of her heart and mind.