* / H A U N T I N G

i was as pure as a river; but now i think i'm possessed. andromeda tonks black

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lctcarrow‌:

“Hard isn’t it, to always be in the shadow of a better sibling. I couldn’t imagine having two of them. At least I tend to be the more relatable one.” Talking without considering was a trademark of Alecto’s personality. It was part of the reason why she liked her job, the opportunity to clean up, force someone to forget her mistakes and her missteps. 

“Both of us always make the right choices too late. Amycus was inducted before I was. Same age, but he held more value than I did. At least you know, no matter what you do, they still want you back. Could’ve fought against us, and there still would have been a place waiting for you.” 

In response to Alecto’s words, Andromeda’s spine stiffened. She had always felt like she was in Bellatrix and Narcissa’s shadows, but nobody had ever said it directly to her and especially not so bluntly. “I don’t mind it. We’ve all got our roles to play, and what kind of sister would I be if I didn’t enjoy watching them thrive?” The kind that leaves them in the first place, she supposed.

“It’s better late than never.” A hum of agreement sounded and Andromeda nodded along with what Alecto was saying. Though she wasn’t sympathetic of the path that the Carrow’s had gone down, she could relate to the bare bones of it. “I’m grateful for that. I wasn’t sure if that would be the case, but I’m glad to know it was. You don’t think Amycus would do the same for you?” 

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emmamorsmorde‌:

Emma saw it was Andromeda and she nodded, letting her wand hand fall and deciding to sit on one of the crates. “I’m so tired, Andromeda, I feel like I haven’t slept in weeks. I don’t know how much energy I have left in me to keep going. How are you doing? Would you like a drink?” she asked, passing one of the bottles to her. 

“You need to take care of yourself,” Andy reminded her, a maternal note having taken up residence in her tone. “Have you been eating? I know there’s.... a lot going on, but you can’t fight the fight if you’re not standing, right?” She decided to follow on Emma’s footsteps, taking a seat on one of the crates near by. “I’m okay. So far there’s nothing going on that I can’t handle. I’ll pass on the drink, though. I’m trying to keep my wits about me tonight.” 

[firelemonade]

harry potter characters: the black sisters + hsiao ron cheng illustration + halsey songs 

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lcvlydoe‌:

More than ever, Lily felt a surge of gratitude for Bathilda, for the fact not only the Potters home but hers as well were untraceable to anyone else. Everything around them was crumbling or burning, but Harry was safe somewhere. She would get back to him soon, Lily vowed that to herself before she even left him. By then, with any luck, he would be asleep again and none the wiser to the chaos happening all around them. It was dangerously foolish for her to be out in this, she knew. But she couldn’t help thinking she wasn’t safe anywhere, unless she truly never left home again, and her very personality was too stubborn and determined for that.

She spotted Andromeda and felt relief, even if the woman began to chide her the moment she was close enough. It was fair enough, Lily reminded herself. She shouldn’t be in this, should have remained with her son where it was safe, but she hadn’t. And there wasn’t any changing that now. “You shouldn’t be either. Neither should James, and yet.” She argued quietly. It would be so easy to say Ted would do the same as she was, but it wasn’t a fair hit. 

“– Maybe I shouldn’t be out here, but I am, and telling me otherwise won’t change that, Andy.”

Telling Lily to go home would be a waste of breath and Andromeda knew it. Gryffindors were all the same, weren’t they? So willing to throw themselves directly into the line of fire. It was a quality that Andy somehow found both endearing and infuriating, depending on the context. A sigh left her lips and she shook her head at Lily’s words. “No, I suppose we shouldn’t be, but things are different for us.” Their status as purebloods - not to mention their double agent acts- granted them a certain amount of safety compared to Lily, Mary and Ted. At that though, Andromeda wasn’t able to stop herself from looking around for her husband, hoping (perhaps naively) that he had the good sense to stay hidden away with Dora rather than joining in the chaos.

“At least put your hood up,” she suggested, the edge in her voice having softened considerably. “Lovely as it is, your hair isn’t exactly subtle.” The Death Eater’s were all on such a high from their apparent win that, so far, they had been ignorant to Lily’s presence. The excitement mixed with the fact that most of them had been drinking meant they weren’t quite as sharp as they usually were, but it wasn’t a chance Andy was eager to take.

[crackedfacade]

Hermione Granger

HERMIONE GRANGER: Do people ever underestimate you because of who you are? 

“Once or twice, I’m sure. I was never as outspoken as Bellatrix, or as poised as Narcissa.” People had underestimated Andromeda when she was younger, viewing her as a typical middle child who would blindly follow behind her family and do as she was supposed to. No one ever thought she would actually dare to speak out against her family, marry a muggleborn and build something on her own. But she had. “Though I’d hope they learn their lesson after the fact rather than repeating their same mistakes.” She did hope those same people are still repeating their mistakes though. Believing her act: a returning, apologetic daughter with her tail tucked between her legs, admitting to her past mistakes and making amends. 

[crackedfacade]

lctcarrow‌:

Alecto loved watching the flames dance, the way they completely destroyed whatever they set their eyes on. Oh how she envied their power. Not that it mattered greatly now. This was a victory, she felt that in her soul, finally everything she had worked for was beginning to pay off. There was no need for purebloods to be ashamed, to hide. Finally, they were in control, 

Lifting a bottle of firewisky to her lips she took a long drink, before jumping to her feet to meet the lone person in front of the raging fire. “Is this your doing?” She asked, throwing a lazy arm around their shoulders, “Honestly I would have gone for something bigger. But I can’t fault the act. Tonight has been a long time coming!” 

Alecto’s arm felt heavy on Andromeda’s shoulders and she had to resist the urge to shy away from the contact, shrinking in on herself and pulling away. Instead she tilted her head to look at the blonde and forced an easy smile onto her lips before shaking her head. “Unfortunately not. It’s my sister’s actually,” she tilted her head in the direction of Bellatrix who had already moved on from the burning fire to the next thing that had caught her attention. “Though I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if we wanted to make some adjustments.”

Andromeda was there strictly for the sake of appearances, nursing the same drink for an extended amount of time and not being able to bring herself to light any fires or break any windows herself. She nodded, smile widening to a grin. “It has, hasn’t it? Feels good to finally be here,” she commented, lifting her glass to her lips to swallow back the sick feeling that accompanied her words.

[crackedfacade]

emmamorsmorde‌:

No Heroes Allowed | Open

Emma hadn’t been able to get the sick feeling out of her stomach since she heard the news of his death and by now it had already been hours. Her “friends” took her out celebrating, several apparated to her to tell her personally and she matched their enthusiasm even though they kept insisting on more and more from her and soon their party was turning violent. They were acting like they had won the entirety of the war, many of them now were just going into places of business and taking whatever they wanted and walking out and no one stopped them- in fact not many shop owners seemed to even be at work today. Lots of things were broken already. Some things broken from carelessness and others broken to prove a point. They won’t be stopped. As if to bait them into fight back- but she hasn’t seen anyone push back yet. Which added to her uneasy feeling. 

Now though, she was finally alone. She had offered to get some more liqueur for their nonstop party and opted to go to a place of business she knew wouldn’t be open today. Her plan was to break in, take a bunch of stuff and leave money the following day for the owners. She had no choice but to participate but she still felt awful when she broke the widow shop and the glass shattered around her. She was finally able to think though and she walked in the store, looking for a couple of cases she can bring back to her crew. 

  Dumbledore was dead? He had been defeated? Now honestly, Emma had never much cared particularly for the headmaster. A lot of people in the order idolized him and she felt that they talked about him like he could do no wrong as if he was what the muggles considered a god but just because she didn’t think as highly as him (he was too soft, too easy going when they were in the middle of the war) and now it made things worse. She knew that everyone in the order would basically be mourning the loss of a father figure today and she felt uneasy about that as well. Would the double agents she vouched for be able to pass this? Will she get back and will she have to watch the dark lord  torture and kill Andromeda before her eyes because she can tell she’s been crying? 

Emma’s thoughts were interrupted when she heard footsteps behind her and she quickly turned around, holding up her wand, she had been drinking and dancing and hadn’t eaten since last night so this other person would be in a better position then her but she steadied herself and tried not to let it show. 

“Hello?” she whispered. 

The news of Dumbledore’s death left Andromeda with a heavy feeling in her bones. Her stomach was in knots and she was barely able to keep her fingers from shaking. What she wanted to do was lock herself away in her bedroom at the manor and grieve. She and Dumbledore may not have been close like some of the other Order members, but Andromeda had both respected and admired him. She had thought he was their best shot at turning things around and coming out on the winning side. And now that he was gone she couldn’t help the sinking feeling inside of her or her mind telling her that this new life she had been faking, might become more long-term than she had hoped. 

Of course she couldn’t do that. Not when keeping up appearances was so important. Andromeda was, after all, still on the outer edges of the pureblood community, her past sin neither forgotten nor forgiven by many. So she had held her head high and gone out, watching the celebration going on and trying to part-take as little as possible while still being convincing. She had had a drink or two and watched while her peers set fires to the buildings around her and danced through the smoke. 

Needing a few moments away from the chaos, Andromeda had wandered farther from the center of town where most of the celebrating had been taking place. She’d been looking for a moment of peace to gather herself and re-group before continuing the charade, but instead she had found Emma, a slight wobble in her steps but her wand held out and ready.

“It’s just me,” Andromeda said, eyeing her wand with a quirked eyebrow. “You look like you’re having fun.” 

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Cho / Fred

CHO CHANG: Do you often show your emotions?

Andromeda had been raised to always be in control of things. She was never supposed to let her emotions get the best of her, whether they be positive or negative emotions. No squeals of joy during the happy occasions and certainly no screams of tears in during the sad. “When it’s appropriate.” It had taken her a long time to become comfortable with expressing herself freely; she had had to actively work at it. And now that she was back rubbing elbows in the pureblood community, she had put that mask of composure back on. “There’s a time and place for everything, though.”

FRED WEASLEY: Could you go on if anyone from your family were to die?

What a loaded question that was. If news reached her that something had happened to Ted and Dora, would she? If tomorrow morning she woke up and they had been found and killed, would she ever be able to be okay? No, she didn’t think she would. She couldn’t say that though, of course. And so she forced herself instead to think of the family she had been born into: her parents, her cousins, her sisters. For years now she had been as good as dead to them and while at times, especially in the beginning, she had felt like the world was going to swallow her whole in her grief... she had been okay. “If I had to,” she nodded. She had done it once before, she supposed she could do it again --- she was going to have to.  “As painful as grief can be, I could find a way.”

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lcvlydoe‌:

The village was on fire– if not hers then the next one over. Lily was quite certain of that, even before looking out the window. Riots were everywhere and it was clear they wouldn’t be over anytime soon. She had hoped it was a cruel rumor, a mistake. Dumbledore being dead would mean nothing good, but the look on Bathilda’s face gave way to any of that hope. She had the enchantments checked three extra times to ensure Harry would be safe with the woman before leaving.

She shouldn’t be out in this, some reason spoke, but Lily knew she had to. Plenty others of the Order would be, somewhere; and besides she really needed to see it for herself. Reaching the flames Lily jolted to a halt, fingers wrapped firmly around her wand in her pocket, ready if a moment’s notice came too soon.

Despite the chaos going on around them, Lily’s red hair stuck out like a sore thumb and Andromeda noticed it almost immediately. She wasn’t able to stop her tongue from clicking, a tsk sound passing through as she crossed over to the younger woman with a mixture of concern and irritation. Andromeda understood --- the situation was upsetting, and she could understand the urge to be there and do something. But more than that, Andy couldn’t help but be irritated that the woman would put herself -- and her son, more so -- in such danger by being out in plain sight.

“Are you insane?” Andromeda hissed as she got closer, brown eyes scanning the area wildly for anyone who might recognize them. Voldemort had eyes everywhere after all. “You shouldn’t be out here.”

[sentencestarters-and-asks]

An incredibly detailed list of questions, through the many characters of Harry Potter:

Harry Potter: How important do you think your life is?

Ron Weasley: Is there someone who you would go to the ends of the earth for?

Hermione Granger: Do people ever underestimate you because of who you are? 

Neville Longbottom: What’s one thing you doubt about yourself?

Ginny Weasley: Have you ever been forced to do something you never would do otherwise?

Draco Malfoy: Have you ever felt pressured by your expectations?

Luna Lovegood: Do people generally consider you strange? 

Cho Chang: Do you often show your emotions?

Fred Weasley: Could you go on if anyone from you family were to die?

George Weasley: Are you a generally optimistic person?

Lavender Brown: Have you ever been madly in love?

Seamus Finnegan: Are you prone to accidents, in any way?

Cedric Diggory: Would you put your life on the line for honour?

Rubeus Hagrid: Has anyone ever framed you because of who you are?

Albus Dumbledore: Have you ever done something unforgivable?

Severus Snape: Do you have any long-lasting wishes or regrets?

Minerva McGonagall:

Sybill Trelawney: Have your accomplishments and abilities ever been questioned?

Dolores Umbridge: Would you deny the truth in order to maintain safety?

Horace Slughorn: Is there something in your memory that you never want to tell?

Remus Lupin: What’s the most you would do for a friend?

Sirius Black: Do you prefer friends to family?

Molly Weasley: Do you ever feel responsible for someone that isn’t part of your immediate family?

Fleur Delacour: Do you like to make the best of a bad situation?

Alistair Moody: Are you judged mainly on your appearance?

Nymphadora Tonks: Are there any talents you have that people love?

Kingsley Shacklebolt: Would you consider yourself a good choice for a position of power?

Mundungus Fletcher: Do you believe in profit over importance?

Peter Pettigrew: Have you ever had betrayed a friend for a reason? 

Bellatrix Lestrange: Would you turn against your family?

Lucius Malfoy: Do you use your job as an influence against anyone?

Fenrir Greyback: Do you ever feel hatred against those different from you?

Barty Crouch, Jr: Have you parents ever been forced to punish you by obligation?

Lord Voldemort: Would you want to be immortal?

James Potter: What’s the most you would do for a friend?

Lily Potter: Would ever you sacrifice yourself to save someone else?