idealism sits prison, chivalry fell on it's sword innocence died screaming, honey ask me i should know i slithered here from E D E N just to sit outsideyour door penned by mhairi
( cis woman | she/her | alva bratt ) —— isn’t that ANDROMEDA BLACK? yeah that is them, outside the three broomsticks! they used to be in SLYTHERIN but apparently they now work as a JUNIOR LIASION at the GOBLIN LIASION OFFICE. sybill once said that they reminded her of green silks and blue eyes; vines of ivy climbing crumbling stone; ink as black as sin; the smell of sulphur hanging heavy over a dark lake; cutting the strings on a puppet just to see the lifeless flop; pale face and fiery words which seems about right. anyway i’ve heard they’re still a bit SELFISH, STUBBORN and MANIPULATIVE, they’re NINETEEN now but some things never change! i wonder how being a PUREBLOOD is affecting them after hogwarts, especially now they’re an ASSOCIATE of the DEATH EATERS? i guess only time will tell…
CHARACTER INSPO: amy march (little women), elizabeth swan (potc), calpernia (dragon age: inqusition), kiera metz (witcher 3), morrigan (dragon age series), mrs white (clue), serana (skyrim), vivienne (dragon age: inquisition)
❝ things have to be calming down soon ? they’ve got to ❞ andromeda offered , words cutting through the silence but she remained seated where she had been the second she’d taken refuge in the abandoned shop . she wasn’t about to put her neck on the line . ❝ what’s even happening out there ? ❞
when everything happened hana had just arrived, there was a ringing in their ears but they worked past “what can i help you with?” they asked as a mediwix, who had been somewhere prior to the event “i just need you to calm down if you can, so i can help you,”
even from the first moment the chaos had hit andromeda’s focus had gone straight to her sisters , a seconds fleeting momentary panic for bella ( who was of course more than capable of handling herself ) and then the worry about cissa , she hadn’t been here with them today . what would she be hearing , was she okay ? and if in all that panic there was a moments worry for someone she swore she didn’t care about ? well andromeda was not in the right state of mind to be dwelling on that . ❝ i’m fine ! i’m fine and i’m calm . i need to get out of here , i need to find my sister ❞
gus was wearing a grin as he sat back on the bench, arm stretched out over the back, not a care in the world. “no, alright, so I was having lunch with the girls today, and you’re never going to believe what they told me.”
it's with a little laugh that andromeda takes a seat , lured in by the promise of information . ❝ and you’re offering up such interesting facts for free ? ❞ if this truly was without cost she’d be pleasantly surprised but she’d never been one to think she could get something for nothing . ❝ which girls ? what flock have you been gossiping with ? ❞
❝ here , my treat . just change the bloody song that’s playing on the juxebox or i might loose my mind . ❞
❝ take it you aren’t a fan of the gentle croonings of ❞ squinting as she looked to see just what was playing . ❝ the parisian potions ? tell me , are there any other wrong picks here ? ❞
❝ okay, i swear this is not what this looks like. ❞
❝ given that it looks like you’ve just sent a pile of ink bottles crashing into all that fresh parchment , i’d love to hear what’s actually happening ❞
𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 ℎ𝑖𝑠 eyes off the patterns of andromeda’s wallpaper to flash her a grin at the question . ❛ i already said — to keep my dearest cousin company while the adults talk . ❜ he sets down the book he’d been barely paying any mind before jumping down on andromeda’s side , waving her off in a similar fashion . ❛ no , no . at least , none that i know of . i’ve been playing the hear no evil game quite a bit since school ended , ❜ he states , bringing his hands up around his head to lean back on the comforter . his nose scrunches up in an exaggerated display of disbelief at her correction . ❛ and your mother lets you keep credit ? amazing . must be nice getting more than just black genes twice - fold . ❜ his hand come up to pat his chest at the rabble statement . ❛ i am , thanks for noticing . why ? were you looking to play matchmaker again ? ❜
❝ and you and i both know that’s not reason enough . the adults are using those big words you just don’t understand again , it’s okay to admit that you know . and who did i replace then ? or am i dearest and then you have your favourite and so on … ❞ but even as she spoke her attempt at sternness faltered , a smile creeping it’s way onto her face as her frown was eaten away like acid eating away at metal . ❝ a fun enough game to play until someone sneaks up on you , you’ll regret it sooner or later ❞ a sliver of advice for her ( barely ) younger cousin . ❝ i think if i’d gone for a guy who’s family was french she’d be a little more keen ❞ it was a daunting prospect , the idea of moving away , of starting over almost but it was a way she could be her own person and not just the middle of three . ❝ but we still love you and regulus , like pedigree dogs from lines that have been bred too much , it’s almost cute the way you both are , but not quite enough marriage material that i think i could be any help ❞
everything had gotten out of hand. she didn’t know where half of her friends went, the other half she didn’t even know. it was late now, a bottle of wine in her hands as she sat down on one of the steps outside to grab a smoke and to try and keep it together otherwise she would be reminded of what was about to happen in her upcoming future and cry. alcohol and being a person that thought too deeply about everything doesn’t mix well. she had seen rikard once, and the one time that she did see him he was talking to someone else, and she couldn’t even find lucius but she knew that was probably for the better. she doesn’t even realize there’s a tear rolling down her cheek until it hits the top of her hand. “oh fuck,” she says, wiping her eyes, feeling like the world was spinning a little too fast for her taste. maybe if she went to her room no one would notice.
it’d been much too stuffy inside , too many bodies crammed into the place , even a hall made for dances couldn’t contain everyone and so andie had taken her second escape of the night . this one alone to an old haunt of her , packet of cigarettes in hand and she clambered onto a garden wall , just in sight of the doors . ❝ cissy ? ❞ andromeda called out from the darkness of her perch as she saw her younger sister teeter ever so slightly on the step , not quite sure when or where she’d came from . ❝ are you okay ? ❞ not even waiting for a response before she was scrambling down from the wall to sit beside her sister . ❝ here ❞ she said with a pat on her own lap as she took a seat , gesturing for her sister to rest her head there so andie could play with her hair to soothe her just as they did as children . ❝ if you want to talk about it cis , i’m always going to be here to listen ❞ except she wouldn’t , she wouldn’t always be here . not when she was married . no then she’d be off in some other country , only an owl away … but still . away .
❝ enlighten me on where you got the idea what i want any of that. you act as if i don’t know my place, like i don’t understand the names people like you call me. not even you matter. you’ll just be another name forgotten when our time is done. — but thank you for your sad attempt at acting as if you don’t care when here you are berating me and wasting our time. if he didn’t matter, you wouldn’t have done what you did. you didn’t even give him a threat — just a surprise attack done by someone he doesn’t know. if this is all truly personal, andromeda, you’d do it yourself. ❞
❝ it’s human nature , to aspire to be more than you are . to attempt to climb the greasy pole . but the sooner you accept that all you’ll ever be up to is sliding back down to the mud you came from , the better . and maybe my name won’t go down in the history books but i’ll leave my mark in my own way ; my name , my legacy will live on in ways you couldn’t dream of . he didn’t matter , he annoyed me . that’s what mattered . you’d think all of that would just prove my point . he wasn’t worth the warning , he wasn’t worth me getting my hands dirty . i’d much rather have someone else deal with problems like him , problems like you ❞
a breathless laugh is all he can muster at her snipe , even as he forces his body to turn to the side to let his eyes greedily take on the sight of her body . a hand traces along its contours and finding some sort of euphoria with each dip . ❝ is that what i said ? so you’ve already gotten fatigued of me and what’s another person to join us ? ❞ a crude joke , but one he hadn’t meant for there’s a certain possession that ted could not quite understand just yet . but the feeling is only egged on by the way andromeda is watching him - she speaks and even before ted can make another word , their lips are joined once more . its lazy but gentle , even when ted makes the effort to pull her towards him . his back is met with the sheets as he forces her leg to latch onto him . ❝ careful , ‘dromeda . ❞ he manages after a breath , lips swollen with her force alone . ❝ i have some regard to consider that you are being friendly towards me . ❞ and who would have ever thought the bickering pair would ever bask in a silence that was not filled with threats ? but even with the latest news of her engagement and how he worked to keep her unaware that he knew , ted always found himself here . he’d promised sloane to stay away from the crowds of purebloods and ted can only imagine how infuriated molly would be if she caught wind . but for now , he’d fold into this moment of time hidden in the four walls of andromeda black’s bedroom even if this was just a dream that was meant to be forgotten .
she lets his hand roam her body feeling an almost electric sort of rush with each caress , all the while she gently traced the curve of his lips with a feather light touch . taking in his features almost as if she were trying to commit his face to memory , as if she were trying to be sure she wouldn’t forget this night . ❝ fatigued of you ? i wouldn’t say that , i reckon we’ve another few goes of this before you run out of tricks that interest me . by you ? well that’s a different question entirely — isn’t it ? ❞ then it was her turn to laugh now , as he pulls her on top of him , legs tangled up together and they finally pull away from the kiss . ❝ worried i’m going to hurt you ? ❞ an almost innocent look on her face before she leaned back in , pressing several scattered kisses along his jawline — even as he spoke .
❝ i wouldn’t call this friendly ted . i don’t exactly let my friends fuck me , do you ? and i certainly don’t do this — ❞ hand dipping down between them , between his legs and taking hold . ❝ — do i ? ❞ a wicked smirk on her lips as she toyed with him before leaning back down to kiss up the other side of his jaw , towards his ear . ❝ does this feel good , ted ? ❞ lingering on him for just a moment longer before she clambered off of the bed and onto her feet . picking up her robe to ward off the chill as she cast her eyes back on him . ❝ it’s time i should be getting back downstairs ❞
❝ a headache - ❞ annette repeats after andromeda curiously , more relieved to be absolved from the mindless chatter she had to engage in to pass the time in the other’s disappearance . for all she knows , it’s a little white lie with the slightly smudged makeup as an accomplice . ❝ fortunately for you and unfortunate for me , there really has not been much to miss . ❞ a small scowl as annette regards a passing guest who definitely appeared to have enough thrill for the both of them . ❝ oh , andie . when did we become such spoilsports ? you’re engaged at least and i - well , a working adult . ❞
❝ i think i just had a little too much to drink ? some of the wines and brandies my parents have stashed about the place , i think most of them are older than they are ❞ she’d only been two glasses in , much too sober to be using that kind of excuse ( and too sober to blame the alcohol for her actions but one problem at a time ) . ❝ party not amounting to much ? ❞ a small hum as she looked about the crowds , andie didn’t want her sisters night to be ruined in any possible way . ❝ or just not the way you wanted … ❞ coming with a laugh as she finished her assessment . lots of people making merry , even if the night wasn’t going annette’s way at least it should be going cissa’s . ❝ you’re making me feel old annie ! a few drinks and i’m off for a lie down — i’m not even twenty yet , not for another week ❞
❝ unless you’re looking for another drink from me , just like last time . ❞ it’s the first time he’s gotten to acknowledge out loud what had happened between the two of them . and the way she’s working him has him slightly persuaded that andromeda was in fact coming around for another round . ❝ a bed for both the weary and the wicked , i am afraid . you’ve just got to figure out which one you are . ❞ the latter half of the sentence falling shorter than the former , especially when he’s forced his gaze back up to her face . cheeks are only flustered to a shade darker when his mind characteristically trails off to the improper .
the purpose behind every movement of hers is stilled with his question which only causes him to be a bit regretful of even changing the subject . but it’s all part of a scheme , one that falls into his lap without even trying . ❝ … a known issue .❞ he repeats after her with a draw , falling back into the cushioned seat with a hearty laugh . ❝ so instead of heeding their caution , you’ve just walked right towards the danger ? ❞ he’s never known her to be so careless , and even then ted thinks the same still . the andromeda black he knew always weighed her options . the show of her hands and her eyes , they were meant to lure him and oh , he’d willingly fall right into the trap . ❝ you’d be better telling them that the only unfortunate and small encounter you’ve had with me is delaying the inevitable for so long . ❞
❝ i never asked for the drink to be sent my way , and i didn’t ask for the company either … but i suppose history could always repeat itself ❞ it was a night she wanted to ignore , lest it be repeated but the more she thought on the former the more a wish for the latter became stronger . what she knew , and she was coming to believe he didn’t , about their potions exam only strengthening that . ❝ i’m not quite sure , which would you rather i be ? i suppose i’ll only find out when i lay my head down up there , won’t i ? ❞ a twinkle in her eye as she notices the hint of red colouring his cheeks slightly now , a little better at keeping the crimson from her own face .
it’s with eyes that are almost hungry , near ravenous , that she sits there watching him . gaze on his lips as he spoke before flickering back up to his eyes . ❝ you never did learn to just keep your head down , always had something to say ❞ it had driven her mad their entire time in NEWT potions together but now she’d almost admit that she missed the push and pull . ❝ so you’re dangerous now are you , ted ? tell me : what will you do to me now you’ve got me in your clutches ? are you going to make me scream ? ❞ it was half a purr , leaning closer in as she spoke but still keeping her hands to herself . maybe coming here to just see how he’d react to seeing her again was failing badly , but she still wanted to see if he’d make that move . biting her lip as she watched him , waiting . ❝ and how much longer are you going to delay ? ❞
❝ oh , there you are ! you had me looking for a moment there , thinking you must have slipped away for the night . ❞ and sure , when annette gives her friend a quick glance over , she notices that something is off . but it’s not enough to even warrant a second thought or question .
❝ i — i had a headache , i had to go lie down for a half hour ❞ it’d been longer than that for sure … andromeda liked to think herself a very good liar so then why did her words stick to the roof of her mouth now ? and why did the sound so absurdly hollow to even her own ears ? ❝ i didn’t miss much , did i ? ❞
“bottoms up,” he had said to the person who asked to do a shot with evan, he wasn’t expecting it, not even recognizing the person before taking it back and feeling the burn in his throat before shaking his head. he had certainly stooped to a new low, and he felt incredibly out of place here with all of these children, it felt like. “no, you didn’t see that mind your business.” evan says to someone who is now walking up to him, he briefly smiles before shaking his head.
❝ so if i said i had a bottle of something stronger behind my back you’re telling me you’d just leave me to drink it on my own ? some cousin you are evan ❞ andromeda laughed as she approached her cousin . ❝ who would i even snitch to ? it’s not like you’re not old enough , not like we both are . besides , i felt like i haven’t seen you all night ! have a drink with me ❞ hadn’t seen him all night . it wasn’t like andromeda had been away off upstairs most of the night already .
there is something incredibly serene about the weightlessness of the moment as he falls back unto the bed . his chest raises with each breath , every huff and beat of his heart as the fog ted’s mind had been just minutes ago faded with their sweat-induced session . this was to be labeled as another accident , ready to cause a fatality if they were to be caught and there was very little thinking involved when they’d decided to slip away from the party just on the other side of the black estate . maybe it had been the adrenaline that made it all that more fun … ❝ a silencing charm was a nice idea , i think . ❞ a laugh as his hand moves to draw a finger towards his lips to wipe any evidence of her left on him .
❛ we’ve got to stop meeting like this ❜ the words had been on her lips before she could stop herself when she’d spotted him earlier , sliding him a drink with a wink . and now look where they where . detangling from each other but still caught up in the sheets of her bed . what was it she’d heard said ? once is a mistake , twice is a coincidence , three times is a pattern … so what does that make the fourth ? because the longer she lay here , the longer they lay here , and the more she fought the want to just curl into his side , the more inevitable a fourth , fifth , sixth and more sounded . ❝ you think ? ❞ a little sniff of a laugh at the sheer arrogance of that . bringing him up here was dangerous enough without adding in the risk of being overheard . ❝ you’re saying you’d have preferred an interruption , interesting ❞ careful eyes watching him , taking in every inch of him as andromeda watched him try and get rid of the evidence of their actions . ❝ you missed a spot ❞ not even waiting for him to get rid of the last of the traces of her lipstick before she’s back on him . neither of them would be forgetting this night anytime soon .
