Andromeda avoided Barty for the rest of the week. At least, she tried too. It seemed like he was everywhere. He made a point of tracking her down in the common room, the library, and even the Great Hall. He seemed to only want to discuss trivial things, nothing about her love life, but he still made her uncomfortable.
She didn't know quite how to voice her concerns, however. Riding on the wave of triumph Ted's confrontation with Narcissa had brought, Lily had taken the muggleborn defenders to the next level. Constant meetings and rallys and parades down the corridors. Once again, she wanted Ted and Andromeda front and center, proof that purebloods and muggleborns could come together and fight against a common enemy. And there in their shadow was Barty.
Ted seemed to share his distrust, but they never spoke about it. In order for Andromeda to explain her discomfort, she would have to reveal that she was in contact with Rabastan. And she couldn't do that. Ever since they'd discovered she was pregnant things between them had been rocky, she feared a wave such as this would sink their boat entirely.
"Andromeda?" Lily asked, "Did you hear what I said?"
Andromeda nodded, even forcing a smile. "Of course." She actually had no idea what Lily had said, but she assumed it was something to do with "Stand there and look in love." That was usually Lily's instructions for her and Ted.
Lily stepped forward, preparing to begin her latest rally. Gideon stood beside her, his eyes glowing with pride. On her other side stood the Marauders. They looked more or less excited to be included, except Potter was still shooting sour looks at Gideon whenever he got the chance. In another life, Andromeda might have laughed at how familiar that image was. But her days of carefree laughter were behind her.
"Students of Hogwarts!" Lily had enchanted her voice so that it rang out on the yard. Spring was coming in full force, and plenty of students were within range of her voice. Some only glanced up with faint curiosity. Others looked wary. But more and more seemed to hungrily await her words. When Lily had first started these daily talks, Andromeda had been skeptical, but more and more people seemed to want to hear what Lily had to say.
"I know a heavy cloud hangs over us today. To know that the Death Eaters are willing to kill for their cause is one thing, but to know they are willing to kill a child..." she didn't finish that sentence, she just hung her head, as did several others, Andromeda included.
Several days ago, the Daily Prophet had reported that that the eight-year old son of the Dowson family had been kidnapped. The Dowson family had famously opposed a bill that would have forced squibs to live in exile among muggles. Supposedly, the kidnapping had been meant to blackmail the Dowson's into changing their political stance, but before they could, their son was returned to them. In a coffin.
"It is easy to think of the future that awaits us once we leave these protected halls, and sink into fear. I know I prefer to think of those that did this, and imagine bestowing every curse and torture that is in my power to bestow upon them."
Beside her, Ted stiffened. She knew he'd imagined that very scenario more than once, and especially today. She squeezed his hand, a gentle reminder he wasn't suffering alone.
"But the more I think about it, the more I realize neither response is right. Don't misunderstand me, I hope those who did this are brought to justice. But even if they are, that won't bring Nathaniel Dowson back." Lily sighed, before her eyes grew more earnest. "Nothing will Nathaniel Dowson back. But in moments like these, we have a choice. We can allow to them break us, to send us to the pits of hopelessness and despair, to fill us with insurmountable hatred. Or we can allow them to ignite us. We can hold tight to those we love, and remember that as long as we have something to love, we have something to fight for."
Perhaps out of habit, her eyes glanced to Ted and Andromeda, as did everyone else's. Despite her usual discomfort at being the center of attention, Andromeda felt lighter as she considered Lily's words. She'd always been a little wary of Lily. She was like a wildfire, and if you got to close she'd burn you. But fires didn't just bring pain, they brought warmth and life. There was so much more to Lily Evans than she realized, and she might just be what this school needed.
"Andromeda, Ted," Lily said, "Would you like to say a few words?"
Andromeda's mouth dropped, and she blushed. No, she really didn't. How could she possibly top what Lily had just said? But before she could protest Lily stepped behind her, and suddenly everyone's eyes were on her.
Andromeda swallowed, then said, "Growing up, I was often forced to endure crude remarks about muggles and muggleborns and blood traitors and anyone else who doesn't fit in the narrow world the Death Eaters envisioned. I never imagined it would come to this but, but I know what it's like to feel hopeless. To fear the darkness that surrounds you. And I'm still afraid, to be honest."
As if to emphasize her point, she started to shake. Without hesitation Ted slipped his arm around her waist. That simple gesture steadied her enough to keep going. "But I don't regret leaving that world behind, and I'm not giving up the new world I found without a fight." She glanced at Ted, and felt that warmth spread through her. "I hope you all choose to fight with me."
Not one applauded. It was too somber an occasion for that, But Andromeda could feel something coming from the crowd around her, like that same warmth was being reflected back at her. It was as humbling as it was beautiful.
Lily gave her shoulder a squeeze as she stepped forward again, "We'll be holding a vigil for the Dowson family tonight, and we invite you to—"
"Do you all have any idea who you're fighting for?" A drawling voice cut through the crowd. Lily broke off in surprise as Narcissa sauntered forward. Her usual entourage was missing, though trailing a few paces behind her was Rita. She caught Andromeda's stunned gaze and gave her a knowing smirk. Andromeda's stomach dropped.
"Believe me, I know Andromeda, my sister, can be quite charming when she wants to be. She likes to play the good girl. That image is so important to her, she'd even use the death of this poor boy to enforce it. I don't know why she bothers. In a few months, it will be impossible to keep her true nature a secret anymore."
Then, where every assembled student could see, Narcissa mimed the shape of a large, round belly. Shocked murmurs rippled through the crowd. It wasn't a hard clue to figure out. Everyone knew what it meant. Sharp eyes darted in Andromeda's direction, or more specially, to her midsection, wondering if Narcissa could possible be telling the truth.
Andromeda's instinct was to reach for her belly, but she managed to keep her arms rooted stiffly at her side. She couldn't stop her face from turning beat red, however. Ted's hand around her waist tightened to almost painful proportions. She didn't dare look at him. It was taking every ounce of her self-control to keep herself together.
Narcissa sighed. "It's really quite tragic. My sister was once a brilliant Witch, but now her education will be cut short in order to accommodate her new full-time job as a teenage mother. But what do you expect? You can't get into bed with trash and not expect that you'll be smeared."
Now, she couldn't help it. She glanced at Ted. His skin was as red as hers, but he refused to meet her gaze. Anger flashed through his face as he glared at Narcissa, but she seemed oblivious.
"Is this true?" Lily whispered earnestly. "Are you pregnant?"
She didn't want to admit it, but what good was lying? Narcissa was right. In a few months she wouldn't be able to deny it.
She nodded, and Lily hissed in frustration before ushering Ted and Andromeda out of the spotlight.
"This is who you're celebrating," Narcissa said. "This man," she pointed to Ted, "ruined my sister's life. She was a virgin before she met him, you know, and due to past negative experiences, she wasn't keen on shagging. But did he care? Obviously not. And now she has to pay the price. And yet you want to parade them around like heroes."
At this pronouncement, Ted dropped his head, unable to handle the shocked and accusing glares now coming this way. Andromeda wanted to scream. Making love with Ted had been her moment of triumph, and now Narcissa was twisting it into some kind of nightmare. And how did she know what Andromeda had been through? The only people who knew were Ted, Rabastan, and Rodolphus himself. Had one of them told Narcissa? And if so, had she really chosen to use Andromeda's own trauma against her?
She'd known Narcissa was angry, but surely she wouldn't stoop that low.
"I know you don't like to admit it, but there's a reason the wizarding world and the muggle world are separate. Now, I'm not condoning what the Death Eaters are doing. In fact, I find it abhorrent, but this is not the solution either. Ted and Andromeda aren't heroes, they are a cautionary tale. About what happens when two things mix that shouldn't. If we had remembered that, Nathaniel Dowson would still be alive. Remember that at your vigil tonight."
With that final pronouncement, Narcissa ended her little show and made her way up to the castle. The crowd dispersed with her. Some shot Andromeda and Ted pitying looks, some disgusted, and a small portion even seemed entertained. They seemed to have forgotten Lily's words, and perhaps even Nathaniel Dowson himself.
As Narcissa walked past Andromeda begged her little sister to look at her. There had to be more to the story than this. Narcissa wouldn't do this to her. Not without a reason.
As if she could sense Andromeda's thoughts, Narcissa glanced back at her once beloved sister. There was no pain in her eyes. There wasn't even anger. Her eyes were cold, and the smile on her lips even colder.
She didn't think it was possible for Narcissa to shatter her heart again, but she was wrong. And this time hurt more than all the other times combined.