Andromeda Black @not-the-galaxy - Tumblr Blog

dreamer. heart on her sleeve. half-used jars of ink. from dirt, a flower must grow. unshed tears. bottling everything up. THIS IS ME TRYING. fallen star. trust issues. hiding behind a forced smile.

Biography. Pinterest. Spotify.

#pinned post #[tag drop]#i've been having a hard time adjusting [family]#i had the shiniest wheels now they're rusting [about]#could've followed my fears all the way down [musings]#maybe i don't quite know what to say [quotes]#so I got wasted like all my potential [records]#it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]#at least i'm trying [visage]#it's hard to be anywhere these days when all i want is you [ted]#when i break it's in a million pieces [closet]

ofxnarcissas:

Narcissa was not entirely convinced that her sister would let her in, and she really did not blame her. She probably would have been exactly the same if she had been in her position. Of course, she would never be, or very unlikely be, considering that she had actually married a pureblood. But that did not mean that she could understand what was going on for her sister. Losing Lucius would devastate her, and it was the reason she was at Andromeda’s door in the first place. She only hoped that Andromeda would open the door.

The fact that Andromeda had come to the door was a big one, and the blonde was not surprised that she was seeking out to make sure she was actually Narcissa. She supposed she would not put it past any of the death eaters to worm their way in this way. And she was just glad that Andromeda had her guard up. She needed to protect herself, more now than ever.

“You told me…..” The blonde began, biting on her lip. “That Nym had said that they are not your daughter or your son.” She didn’t quite understand it, but she was proud of them for being so vocal about who they were as a person. “Nym would hate being referred to as as your daughter.” She mused, shaking her head. “I told you I was proud of them for being so self-assured at such a young age.”

.

Andromeda almost didn’t let her in. The hesitation was made clear since she paused against the doorway, steeling herself since she couldn’t trust her emotions to remain at bay. Hours of bottling up emotions and needing to remain strong for her child, not being able to find a release since Nym insisted on sharing a bed with her. It was all a disaster waiting to unleash.

She didn’t immediately say anything at first, opting to open the door to allow the space for Cissa to step in. There was mere seconds between her closing the door and practically throwing herself against Narcissa. No words, several shaky breaths, and a few tears.

It wasn’t nearly as catastrophic as she was expecting, but Andromeda refused to pull her head away from Narcissa’s shoulder. Words weren’t going to come anytime soon.

#Narcissa 01 #FB: Narcissa #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]#t: narcissa

laurentburke:

Laurent managed not to flinch as Andromeda flinched under his touch. He didn’t know if it was devastating or comforting to know that she was as uncomfortable as he was with the whole situation. He didn’t want her to suffer, but not suffering alone had a certain charm to it too that Laurent couldn’t deny.

We. It was a heavy word as Andromeda used it because Laurent knew she wasn’t just talking about herself and the child. This was a reminder of her family, her whole family. Ted might have been gone, but his presence was still incredibly strong in their lives. Laurent hated that he was a wrecking ball slamming into the middle of that.

“Less formal,” he agreed, figuring it was easier to focus on the small talk. Less personal was more safe, although that seemed tragic when he considered what they were supposed to be to each other. “It’s nice to have a casual night together just the two of us.” They were still in public, but it was less pressure this way. They weren’t quite so on display as a place like the Malfoys where they’d failed to measure up.

❂

The situation could have been worse, Andromeda acknowledged. Laurent seemed patient and she was certain there were many who would have neglected to extend that much respect. The odds could have been worse, with her having been paired with someone that took a more forceful approach on things. It would have been fitting given the poor opinion members of her family seemed to have of her. She forced the thought away though, allowing her focus to shift to Laurent.

“Less formal,” She repeated with a nod. That should have meant less stressful but she was still on edge. The whole ordeal was off-putting in itself with Andy well aware that the other options were even less desirable than the one she agreed to. Everything was done with Nym in mind, solely wanting what was best for her child. She could play along but that did little in easing the nerves that surrounded doing precisely the opposite of the example she wanted to set for Nymphadora.

“We should have done this sooner,” She admitted, unable to look Laurent in the eye when speaking. It wasn’t exactly a secret that she would have preferred ignoring the situation altogether over dedicating time to small talk and trying to make things work.

#laurent 01 #t: laurent #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]#02.14.81

regulus-lionhearted-black:

Regulus started from his deep thought, blinking wide eyed in the direction of Andromeda which more than admitted his guilt. "Sorry,” He apologised, trying to remeber what they had been talking about before he had become so distracted. Memoey failed him and Regulus sighed. “You know, you’d think being a man of leisure, I’d have had plenty of time perfecting becoming the perfection conversationalist but it seems that I just end up getting lost in thought. Perhaps I should consider a career. I think I’d make a rather spectacular politician, although I doubt that Nypmphadora would find me any less dull and tedious.” He put on a smile and hoped that his comment would hit the right mark, not deviating too greatly and having at least a sprinkling of humour.

“No need to apologize,” Andromeda hummed. She didn’t mind minimal conversation, able to appreciate shared silence. It was being left alone with her thoughts that was becoming problematic since they were growing more depressing the longer she was stuck with her mother. “Oh I doubt it,” Andy admitted with a laugh. “We already know they have decided Sirius is the most exciting one of the family. Everyone else pales in comparison, myself included.”

#t: regulus #regulus 01

ofxalectox

Where: Tonks’ Residence

When: 2nd November 1980

Who: Narcissa and Andromeda ( @not-the-galaxy )

It had taken a lot of self-control to not go to Andromeda the moment that the Daily Prophet had landed on the table. Narcissa was a huge family person. Family had always been such a driver for her, and her sister was still so embedded in her heart. Bellatrix might have been able to carve her out, but Narcissa hadn’t. She loved her sisters, and had not stopped loving Andromeda. And so, the moment she read about Ted, she wanted to go to her sister. But she’d not. She knew people would be watching, and she had to be careful. She had her own little family to think of.

But, she had to make sure her sister was okay. And so, after settling her young son off to sleep, she’d gone to the Tonks’. Lucius knew where she was going. She never kept anything from him. She was actually surprised that she’d even been able to get to Andromeda’s house. But she was happy, because hopefuly that meant she could comfort her. She might not fully understand what had drawn Andromeda to Ted, and away from the Blacks. But she knew she would be devastated if anything happened to Lucius, so she could understand.

The blonde knocked on the door, hoping that Andromeda would answer. “Meda…. it’s me. It’s…..Rissa. please let me in.”

not-the-galaxy

The plan was... She didn’t have a plan. In truth, Andromeda had panicked and double checked all the wards on the cottage were still in tact. They remained untouched and that was one of the things that left her feeling insane enough to not fully mourn the loss of Ted. Sure, protective wards weren’t exactly a strength of hers but that didn’t change the fact that everything would have come down if Ted were deceased. A thought she wanted very little to do with but something that still lingered in the back of her mind.

Nym insisted on sleeping in bed with her since the moment Ted failed to come home. It was something Andromeda could appreciate but she hadn’t slept in what felt like days. The routine had become singing her child to sleep then remaining in the bedroom, trying to come up with next steps. It was clear the family was a target. That much was a given with Ted missing. It left her fearful of what was bound to come next, questioning precisely what it meant for Nym. They hadn’t left the house since the day Frank showed up to deliver the news. It felt safest, but even that wasn’t beginning to feel safe anymore.

Andromeda jumped at the sound of the door, silently casting a spell on the bedroom to alert her if Nym woke up. She exited the bedroom with her wand brandished in her left hand and hesitated at the door. Her voice shook when she spoke, internally cringing at her phrasing but knowing it was integral to confirming her sister’s identity. “The last thing I told you about my daughter and your response. Then I’ll open.”

#//idk how i missed this my bad #02.11.80 #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]#t: narcissa #narcissa 01 #fb: narcissa

aliceinaurorland:

It was really not an event if Alice and Frank did not end up being separated by the end of it. And the Lunar New Year Celebration was nothing different. She’d come with her husband, and enjoyed mooching around Hogsmeade. But just after they’d released the lanterns, they’d managed to get split up. It wasn’t too bad. They knew enough people that she wasn’t worried. But it would have been nice to actually spend an entire event together. Maybe they’d need to plan the next event they went to with more ease.

As Alice was walking around, she spotted a familiar face. A familiar, unchaperoned face, and well, Alice was intrigued. She was surprised they’d let her go out alone, and she was happy for the other woman. It must suck to be locked up like that. She hadn’t intended on making the other woman feel lovely. “It is beautiful….” She murmured with a little smile. It was beautiful. “You have good taste Nym. I love Lunar New Year.”

“Yeah. Taking Draco without them knowing probably would not be a good move.” And Alice had a feeling she was going to be in enough trouble, so didn’t need to take the baby to make it even worse. “Are you having a good time Andy?”

❂

“Isn’t it?” Nym giggled, hair temporarily shifting from a brown that was similar to Andromeda’s to a vibrant pink. “I think I made mum sad but she won’t say it.” Leave it to a familiar face to bring out Nym’s honest opinion. “I’m not sad,” Andromeda attempted to smile but the look didn’t meet her eyes, making her quick to shift her attention to Alice. She was certain Nym could see right through her attempts at seeming unaffected by everything.

“Are too — she won’t smile, Auntie Liss. I shouldn’t have mentioned dad,” That statement earned a cough from Andromeda and a rapid shake of her head. “No, I didn’t say that and certainly don’t want you thinking that, Nym. I miss him just as much as you do.” She threw a glance in Alice’s direction in an attempt at asking for a change in topic, relieved Draco was brought up.

“Not at all. Adorable little bugger but not worth the risk of getting chewed out by Lucius,” Frankly, Lucius was the least of her concerns but the threat of him speaking for longer than a simple exchange was one she’d happily avoid. “It would be better if Ted was here,” She spoke lowly yet just loud enough to earn a look of approval and nod from Nym. “But yes, certainly worth having given into this one’s incessant nagging.” Andy gently tugged Nym back toward her, truly ecstatic to have a night out as just the two of them.

#alice 01 #t: alice #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

marxmckinnon:

Marlene was almost glad when she saw that it was Andromeda. In a lot of ways, she felt like she could be more open and honest with Andromeda than she could with other people. Ted had gone missing too, the same time that Marz had. But she doubted that Andromeda had the guilt that Marlene had–Ted’s disappearance wasn’t her fault.

Looking at the card, a true smile formed on Marlene’s lips. “Please thank them for me,” she replied, her voice soft. “And thank you. You are too kind to me.” She didn’t deserve it. Sighing, Marlene shrugged her shoulders. “He should be here,” she whispered. It felt wrong talking about her brother in public.

❂

“I will, they will be thrilled to hear you liked it,” She sighed. “I would have brought Nym but their excitement would have been more of a red flag than just my being here.” A silly thought perhaps, but Andromeda was alarmed the family hadn’t done more in discouraging her from consorting with Marlene or James. As rare as the moments were, she was certain she would get an earful if someone let slip precisely where she was.

"They all should be,” Andy whispered in response. The thought was far too traitorous to be spoken in anything above a hushed tone, accompanied by her placing a subtle hand over her mouth in case it turned into her mother somehow having managed to have someone dog her steps. “But they aren’t, so this is the closest we’ll be able to get for the time being.”

#marlene 01 #t: marlene #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

maybememoriesx

#so I got wasted like all my potential [records]

pctterrjcmes

𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 // 𝟑𝟏 𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲, 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟏 ── 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐝𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐬

james’s cloak used to mean mischief. it brought fun and mayhem and on many occasions back in a different lifetime, it brought a means for four little boys to sneak into this very shop. and one day when harry was old enough and this very cloak was passed along to him, that was what it was supposed to mean for his son as well. it was never supposed to be his substitute for a blanket because james was equally too afraid to leave him for long periods of time and of letting him be so freely out in public.

now he hoped at least one day harry would be at hogwarts bragging to his own friends about how he had already been to honeydukes under an invisibility cloak. if james decided not to be utterly selfish and homeschool him for a few more years with harry by his side.

there was absolutely zero sense in bringing a six month old into a sweets shop; james knew this. if the looks he had been given that time he had tried to give harry a taste of ice cream were anything to go by it meant he wouldn’t even be able to try anything in here, but his child had been alive a whole six months and hadn’t james at least earned the right to celebrate that for his own sake?

merlin, he was going to be even worse than his parents when it came to the spoiling, wasn’t he?

this was just another one of those times james realized how much he needed lily. he can’t do this alone- he doesn’t want to do this alone. he misses her so much it hurts but he isn’t allowed to grieve her anymore. she was only allowed to be a mistake from his past that he doesn’t talk about now that he’s realized ‘the error of his ways’. he could at least admit he didn’t know how to celebrate his son without going completely overboard, right?

‘how young is too young for a licorice wand?” he turned to the figure next to him physically, although his gaze remained downward where harry laid in his arms, invisibility cloak now swapped for a blanket james’s own mother had made him back when he was a small child. “i know babies aren’t supposed to eat sugar but is a bite on rare occasion as a treat really going to hurt him?’

not-the-galaxy

The slightest of smiles crept over Andromeda’s features upon spotting James. While they weren’t close, there was no denying they were on drastically similar paths. Mistakes made, no hope of the spouse possibly being alive and well, and needing to keep up the front of seeing the error in their ways and seeking forgiveness for their poor choice in an other half. Any other time, and the train of thought would have been gag worthy. It was Andromeda’s reality though, serving as a path she took for the betterment of her child.

Do what you want to me but don’t you dare lay a hand on Nymphadora. The words had come back to haunt her, stifling any hope at properly mourning her husband but it was that or running the risk of family she barely trusted doing something dastardly to the one person that mattered most in her life. Of course, ignoring that Ted was still constantly at the back of her mind.

“Not the best person to answer that,” Andromeda laughed. She shifted a moment to see if there were any listening ears before continuing softly. “Seeing how Ted was sneaking Nym bits of sugar quills the moment their first tooth poked out. They turned out okay minus the massive sweet-tooth but we never sorted if that was me or him to blame for their inheriting that trait.”

She paused a moment to throw a look in James’ direction, studying him several seconds before saying anything else. “I wouldn’t go for licorice if you haven’t introduced solids. May do better to sneak a few licks of a lolly or take the route Ted had in introducing sweets. Just don’t blame me if it turns into almost a decade later and Harry running rampant in the candy store.” Andy glanced back over in the direction Nym had taken off in, relieved the limit of remaining where they could be seen by her hadn’t been something the seven year old decided to challenge.

#t: james #james 01 #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

Regarding Nymphadora:

Nymphadora primarily uses they/them pronouns, having told both parents they aren’t a boy or a girl and would like to be called Nym. Andromeda supports them and has been doing her best to ensure Nym has gender neutral clothes, not making a big deal out of the days her child dresses in gendered outfits. She is quick to correct people if they get rude, and Nym has enough confidence to correct people before their mother gets the chance to say anything.

Andromeda wanted a strong, independent child and fostered Nym’s curiosity instead of shutting it down. This has proven slightly disastrous since Druella was expecting a well behaved granddaughter and got greeted with a self-assured grandchild instead. While Nym has yet to say anything that could lead to getting Andromeda into trouble, their outbursts are something Druella repeatedly claims she can’t handle.

#could've followed my fears all the way down [musings]#i had the shiniest wheels now they're rusting [about]#//i had more of these than anticipated so whoops

laurentburke:

Laurent knew he needed to start looking for like he was interested in this relationship. They’d had a few social outings and talked on occasion, but aside from the engagement itself, he and Andromeda hadn’t put in much time. They needed to start. First things first, it would look better for them both at a time when that was the goal. Second and perhaps more importantly, this would be their life. Whether or not they liked it, they were going to be stuck together.

He’d dressed nicely and was running a little behind where he wanted to be, so Laurent flushed slightly as he walked in and found Andromeda already there. He was supposed to taking charge probably, but when she was so capable, he wasn’t going to argument.

As she leaned in to kiss her cheek, Laurent put a hand on her arm. That felt normal. “You look lovely, Andromeda,” he said. And that was true. She looked beautiful. “I hope I didn’t leave you waiting long.” Although she’d already been sitting, Laurent moved behind her chair to push it in after she’d sat down again before circling the table to his own.

✵

Arriving early was a habit, with Andromeda regularly adding fifteen to thirty minutes to spare with travel time. It was a little easier for the evening since she didn’t need to trick her kid into leaving “early.” Ten minutes early had been deemed reasonable since it wasn’t early enough to grow tired of her surroundings (just enough time to peruse other shops in search of something for Nymphadora) and not close enough to the time they set to not want to leave her parents’ home at all.

She nearly shied away when Laurent touched her. The response came out in a brief moment of hesitation where she didn’t immediately say anything. Breathe. The thought served as a reminder that they were supposed to be trying to make things work. It wouldn’t do any good to flinch back or seem scared of touch when she was the one that initiated it. “Thank you,” She exhaled and leaned into his touch, willingly taking the lead to return to their table.

“And hardly,” She added with a shake of her head then sat. “I tend to arrive a little early since Nym has a habit of dragging their feet. We used to have to say we were leaving half an hour early to arrive on time.” She had almost referenced Ted after that and thought better of it, opting to change the subject instead. “Not my first choice in a location, but I think it’s a little better than having opted for one of the high end restaurants.” More intimate and few familiar faces. Acknowledging that came as a relief since it meant being able to risk being more open in speaking. Anywhere else would have meant too many eyes on them and she planned to relish in having time that didn’t involve her mother breathing down her neck.

#t: laurent #laurent 01 #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

Andromeda & @laurentburke Madam Pudifoots, Valentine’s Day Evening

The date, if it could even be classified as that, was an unexpected out for Andromeda. It had come at the cost of needing to look the part, meaning she was dressed nicely and had taken the time to do her hair and makeup. It felt ridiculous to play into expectations but the praise for attempting to make things work was better than being chewed apart for not trying hard enough. Not that she had wanted to try as it was. The betrothal was a topic she didn’t like thinking about since it meant acknowledging being used as a pawn for the family’s own interests.

She had opted for an understated gown. Nothing showy or form fitting and red in color. It was more than she would have done for Valentine’s Day with Edward but those thoughts were pushed aside before they so much as came to the front of her mind. There was no room for doubt for the evening and she knew not to expect anything from it. She had her mind set on nothing coming out of it and had a child back home that would have her head if she did anything to disrespect Ted’s legacy. That made playing the role of future wife-to-be all the harder.

“Laurent,” She stood from the table she reserved and approached when she spotted him at the door, quickly leaning in to kiss his cheek in greeting and stepping back. “You look absolutely dashing.”

#02.14.81 #t: laurent #laurent 01 #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

regulus-lionhearted-black

OPEN in Diagon Alley

The world wasn't what Regulus had imagined when he had first signed up for the Dark Lord's cause. Time had prepared him for that. He had perhaps been mistaken, or the Dark Lord had perhaps betrayed their original virtues. Yet, this world was not bad for him. In fact, one might say he more than benefited from the way society had been reordered. Once everything had been made right, did he want things to return? Grey eyes scanned the denizens of Diagon Alley from his perch, hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee, trying to figure out just what he believed and just what the world might feel.

not-the-galaxy

"Thank merlin I had the foresight to not drag Nym with us,” Andromeda laughed softly from beside Regulus. “I would have set myself up for a week of hearing precisely how you’re the boring uncle and I’m a boring mother.” She could respect sitting in silence but things had hit the point where she was concerned Regulus may have gotten too lost in thought. It wasn’t something she would acknowledge outright since she was just as guilty of getting wrapped up in her thoughts.

#t: regulus #regulus 01 #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

sweetpotatohead

#210607

"they told me all of my cages were mental, so i got wasted like all my potential."

#so I got wasted like all my potential [records]

marxmckinnon

Date: January 25th Location: Leaky Cauldron Open

How did that Muggle song go? It's my party and I'll cry if I want to? It may have been Marlene's birthday but she hadn't been in the mood to celebrate. It was hard to want to celebrate anything when Marz wasn't there to celebrate. Marlene's birthday had always been a big deal, birthdays in the McKinnon family were big deals. Marz would always want to go out drinking and partying, and they were always one of the few times that the McKinnon siblings would ignore any drama or problems to drink together and enjoy themselves.

But now he wasn't here. He wasn't here and everything felt wrong. Marlene had just thrown together a small little thing at the Leaky Cauldron, she hadn't wanted anything more. If it were up to her, she wouldn't even be celebrating.

"Oh, um, thank you," Marlene said distractedly when someone came up to her. She hadn't even really heard what they had said, she just...assumed they were wishing her a happy birthday.

not-the-galaxy

Andromeda quietly took the seat across from Marlene, gently pushing a card and messily frosted cupcake toward her. A sun and several flowers were doodled on the front with a carefully scrawled ‘Happy birtday Marlene!’ written on the inside of it. Andromeda had no plans of making a big deal out of things but Nymphadora had insisted on making a card and requesting that Andromeda bake cupcakes.

“From Nym,” She offered a weak smile. “I have more cupcakes at home if you want them but figured something small was appropriate.” She fell quiet a moment then let her voice drop down to just above a whisper. “How are you feeling?”

#t: marlene #marlene 01 #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]

Andromeda & Open February 6, 1981 - Hogsmeade, Lunar New Year Celebration

Andromeda felt like a kid again, having snuck out from the family’s watchful eyes to take Nym to the Lantern Festival in Hogsmeade. It was just the two of them, smiling and behaving as though they hadn’t a care in the world for the first time in weeks. She wouldn’t have changed it for anything. At least, that had been the thought on her mind up until the time to release lanterns came about. “I hope daddy comes back,” served as the unexpected quote of the evening, with Nymphadora glued right to Andromeda’s side when they whispered and released the lantern. Andromeda’s voice cracked when she answered, “me too,” and there would be no more trying to mask her emotions for the evening.

Things had taken a solemn turn and she was all too ready to bring Nym back home and face the consequences of having left without stating where they were going. “How does a hot chocolate and -” The rest of her thought trailed off and she instinctively moved closer to Nymphadora, grabbing hold of the seven year old’s shoulder. As if on instinct, Nym shifted to give a small curtsy. “Beautiful night, isn’t it?” Nym quickly filled the silence between their mother and the adult that joined them, mimicking Andromeda’s awkward smile.

“Nym saw the ad in the Daily Prophet,” Andromeda murmured, figuring things would take the route of questioning one of the first public appearances she had given without a chaperone in close proximity. “I talked them out of bringing Draco without permission, but there was no way 'we aren’t going’ would have been accepted as an answer.”

#ihq open #it's hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound [threads]