The dream rarely varied. Even now as the months spun into spring and summer, it was always the coldest part of winter, the darkest time of the year when she dreamed, with icy snow and frigid winds sweeping through the manor. Even though she somehow knew that she dreamed, she couldn’t stop the inevitable, moving through the manor halls against her will, to the stairs and down them -
She came awake with a harsh gasp, reaching to shove away whatever - whoever - was touching her, as she always did. She moved withouth conscious thought, scrambling to her feet and away as she drew in ragged breaths - one, two, three, four, I’m safe, she’s gone, I’m safe - and pushed the emotions down and away and down until they were a tight knot in the pit of her stomach, the one she lived with day in and day out, but manageable. The wild trembling ceased as her breathing calmed and she straightened up, unclenched the fists she didn’t realize she’d made, blinked back the tears that formed without her awareness. “I’m sorry, Profes -”
But it wasn’t Professor Sprout. When Andromeda’s eyes focused, it was Ted. And that was worse. She had told him that she had nightmares and trouble sleeping but she never wanted him to know the extent of it.Silence hung heavy in the air as she stared, mouth agape despite the lessons that had been hammered into her about being a lady; she wanted to find something to make it better, make it less horrific, keep him from worrying because he ahd enough to worry about without dealing with her on top of it but her mind couldn’t draw anything in. Finally she managed to say, voice astonishingly calm though very hoarse, “I’m fine.” Calm but expressionless, really, and she didn’t know if that was better but she had to try.
While Ted had expected Andromeda to startle awake under his touch, he hadn’t expected her to scramble away from him, shoving his arm away as she rose to her feet. Instinctively, Ted raised his hands and stepped away from her, quietly watching her trembling form as she blinked into focus and calmed her breathing. He remained still and silent, afraid to upset her further, though he could see his own hands were shaking slightly with the worry and fear he felt for her. He’d known of her nightmares but never once had he imagined them to be so terrifying that she awoke in tears and so obviously in distress. He wanted to step closer, wrap his arms around her and comfort her, but he knew that was the last thing she needed in her disorientation.
When her gaze finally seemed to focus on him, Ted stood frozen on the spot, unsure what to do. The silence was palpable between them, somehow making the few feet between them feel much, much further away. Her voice finally shattered the silence, and was surprisingly even given the state she’d been in just moments before. Surely she wasn’t so used to these nightmares that she recovered so quickly? “Dromeda..” Ted said, his voice hardly above a whisper, sadness and guilt coloring his tone. “I had no idea it was that bad.”
There was something in his answer that struck a chord in Andie, although she didn’t know enough to really know how he felt and she didn’t want to press her luck by asking him. And he seemed much more interested in discussing his band - Andie tried not to think about how cute he looked when he was happy or excited - and so she focused on that instead. “I can’t say that I’ve listened to very much folk rock,” she said, with a little smile. It wouldn’t be allowed in her house, that was certain. Her attention was diverted when he started playing and she nodded enthusiastically, surprised and impressed that he could play it by ear. “That was very good. I can’t play by ear - I have to look at the music or else I’m no good.”
She didn’t expect him to move but found that she liked it; her whole mood for this encounter had changed and she found she liked that too. “Oh, that would be interesting,” she said. The thought of playing music so outside her norm was an intriguing one. “We could swap for a little while. You might have to tell me how to play yours though. I’m not sure I could.”
Ted could felt his cheeks heat and he glanced away with a hesitant laugh. “Yeah, I wouldn’t say there’s a lot of it to listen to anyway. I’m not sure how we ended up in that particular genre.. or between genres, I suppose, but it just sounded right for us.” Desperate for a moment’s distraction, Ted reached to straighten a piece of sheet music that hardly needed straightening before letting his hand return to his lap. He allowed himself to steal another glance at Andromeda at her enthusiasm, his smile returning easily. “But you’re very good at reading music, clearly.” Ted added, gesturing to the piece he should have been studying meticulously. “Every musician has their strengths.”
If Ted were honest, he’d admit how relieved he was that Andromeda actually seemed to like the idea of sharing sheet music. It wasn’t as though he would have been extremely hurt if she hadn’t cared to see any of his music, though he supposed his pride might have taken a bit of a hit. His offer, however, had an underlying assumption that she would have cared to see him again at all, and as such he’d nearly expected an outright rejection. Not only was Ted relieved, he was pleasantly surprised. “Yeah? I’ll be sure to bring you some songs then.” He said with a small smile before adding “I have a feeling you’ll play them just fine, though.”
Andie was more skilled at keeping a straight face, and hers lasted a little longer than Ted’s, but it was impossible to stay serious for too long right now. A little giggle escaped at the joke - it seemed like so long since she had laughed, the sound almost startled her - and her brows rose curiously. “The muggle way? I must admit, that would be a change of pace, if nothing else.” She held back her protest as he moved his arms, both because she trusted whatever he was going to do and because it did help warm her up a bit. “Friction can convert the - what?” Although she always considered herself a smart girl, something about the Muggle science that Ted liked to tell her always left her a little bit baffled.
“I didn’t know that,” she continued, “but I daresay I’m feeling the effect of it now. Wait, my head -” Another laugh burst out as he pulled the cloak of the hood up. That didn’t seem like it could really be true though. “I don’t see how that could possibly be right,” she said, taking a step away from him and planting her hands on her hips. “There’s a lot more space to lose heat from the rest of me, isn’t there?” Without waiting for an answer, she took another step away and spun in a circle, an impulsive, childish move - the sort of thing she hadn’t done in months. “This should work too, right? To warm me up?”
The sound of her laughter was music to his ears, her smile as bright as sunshine in the darkened space, and Ted felt his heart swell at the fact she was smiling and laughing with him. Knowing Andromeda as well as he did, Ted knew that it was a rare gift only shared with those closest to her, and it felt something like an honor to catch even a glimpse of her happiness and even more so to be the cause of it. His arms felt empty as she slipped from them, but he was laughing much too hard himself to stop her. “Actually, you make a very good point.” Ted added as his laughs faded, even if his smile did not. “It’s an old wives tale you lose more heat from your head, but really you lose heat evenly across any exposed skin.”
Watching her spin had Ted laughing once again, and he wondered at the last time he’d seen her so carefree and happy. “Of course!” He assured her, ducking under a low beam and reaching for her hand. “In fact, I think you ought to do it again.” With a grin he lifted her hand to spin her once, watching the way his cloak twirled around her with the motion. It was far from the gown she’d worn the night they had last danced together, but a stolen moment to hold her close was no less special than any other one, no matter what she was wearing.
Edgar Bones was the nosy sort. In unison with Ted, Edgar leaned forward to read the letter held out before them. His eyes widened, and he looked over at Ted just to make sure that he hadn’t made this all up, or something. There was a lot for him to ponder over. An arranged marriage? To Alice, of all people? Sometimes, Edgar forgot that Frank’s family was apart of the Sacred Twenty Eight, so much so that he hadn’t even conceived that Frank might be forced to marry someone beyond his choosing. “Your mother… has engaged you to Alice?” Well, that was certainly irony if Edgar had ever seen it.
@frank-ezra-longbottom
At the very least his friends seemed to be as baffled as he was and that meant that he wasn’t overreacting. “I don’t know how or why. My parents promised me that they would never force me to marry. Unless my mother is receiving pressure from the Bulstrode’s….” Frank muttered aloud, trying to grasp at any kind of explanation, “What should I do? Alice - she’s not going to be happy”
@t-edwardtonks
Ted was absolutely full of questions but couldn’t settle on which to ask first. This announcement came as such a shock, Ted was left speechless for a moment. At least until Frank expressed concern that Alice would be unhappy. “Why would she be unhappy?” He asked, though he supposed he could empathize with any displeasure at an arranged marriage even if you were fond of your betrothed. Having such an important decision made for you was a difficult pill to swallow no matter how sweet it might be. “I just mean- it’s you. So it’s not like she’ll be that unhappy, right?”
Who: Ted Tonks & Andromeda Black
When: March 17th, 1978. Just after nightfall.
Where: Greenhouse No. 6
One of the many downsides of spring looming ever closer was the lengthening of the days. There was a time when Ted Tonks would have been grateful for just a few more minutes of sunlight and the warm breeze that meant he could leave his scarf and gloves back in his dorm. This year, however, Ted prayed that winter might last a lifetime. Anything to prolong the summer and the goodbyes it would bring. Every moment the sun lingered above the horizon meant a moment stolen from his meetings with Andromeda, meetings that relied on the secrecy and cover of darkness. Ted had paced the Hufflepuff Common Room countless times, waiting for the last of the sunlight to fade before slipping out to the greenhouses to meet her there.
He’d known she would have been waiting on him for a while now, and Ted felt terrible for making her wait so long, but he hadn’t expected to slip through the doorway only to find her sound asleep at the work bench, her head resting on her folded arms and her dark hair splayed around her. Ted stood for a moment, frozen aside from a small, sad smile tugging at his lips as he debated how best to wake her so she could return to her dorm- at least, until he heard her whimper. It was a soft sort of cry and Ted took a half-step forward, dismaying at the sort of dreams that might be plaguing her and recalling how she had mentioned them before.
Before Ted could best decide how to wake her, however, her dream seemed to grow worse as Andromeda thrashed against the workbench, her hands pushing aside potted plants and sending them smashing against the floor. Ted was at her side in an instant, his hands gently shaking her shoulders “Dromeda… Dromeda, wake up… It’s just a dream.”
It was absolutely ridiculous but she felt hyper-aware of him and his proximity and presence next to her. Andie rarely let anyone get this close - outside of her sisters, she preferred not to allow people to touch her but this was … different. She couldn’t say why it was different, but it was. Her wandering thoughts focused a bit on his words, and she glanced at him from the corner of her eye with a frown. If he was just going to make light of it … but he seemed serious enough. And really, it shouldn’t matter if he did well or not. She had helped him, of course, but she’d barely done anything really. It was up to him if he succeeded. “That should be enough time to master it, if you apply yourself.”
She sounded like her parents, and that thought was enough to sour her mood, although it didn’t stay for long. Ted was interesting. He had a point too; the other things he played sounded far more interesting than the classical pieces. Andie herself was guilty of sneaking pop songs into her music bag for when she was at school alone and could experiment. “What sort of music does the band play? I like -” She stopped, cheeks turning pink before she finished in a quieter voice. “I have some of Rachel Platten’s music on me, actually. But I practice my rehearsal pieces first. And you’ll do well if you just practice. You’re good enough to do it. You just need motivation.”
If you apply yourself. Ted nodded seriously, turning away to let his gaze wander the lines of sheet music, a small frown tugging at the corners of his lips. Oh the things he could accomplish if only he would apply himself. How many times had his father said those same words to him before launching into some lengthy lecture about one thing or another that Ted found next to no interest in? Sure, if he worked hard enough he could be halfway decent at any number of things, but why was it he was always supposed to apply himself to things he didn’t particularly want to? “I will.” He said, his polite and serious tone a well-practiced mask that hid his melancholy thoughts.
Andromeda’s interest in his band’s music caught his attention, however, and Ted turned back to look at her curiously, a small smile returning at the slight pink color gracing her cheeks that hadn’t been there a moment ago. “I don’t know what you’d call it really, sort of a folk rock sound?” Ted said scratching at the back of his neck and thinking it sounded lame when he put it like that, especially when Andromeda seemed to like completely different music. “Rachel Platten? She’s the one with the song that goes like- hang on-” Ted said, glancing down at his hands as they hovered over the keys for a moment before hesitantly working through something that sounded like the chorus of a song he’d heard on the radio, in shopping malls and grocery stores countless times. “or something like that, right?”
In a moment of bravery, or maybe stupidity, Ted shifted on the bench to face Andromeda a bit better. “Maybe I can borrow some of your music sometime?” He asked, before quickly adding. “After my recital, of course. And I’d be happy to share some of our songs. The band’s songs that is. If you’d like that.”
She never would have thought that underneath the Quidditch stands could be such a romantic place and yet, with Ted kissing her here, it was completely transformed. If anyone had told her even a few weeks ago that she would come to adore this spot, she would have thought them mad. But it was forever altered now, thanks to this meeting. Despite their circumstances, she couldn’t imagine being any happier than she was at this very moment, with Ted holding her and their easy conversation. It had always been so easy to talk to him, and sometimes she almost forgot that he had been her friend - her best friend - for so long before she realized she was in love with him. But moments like this made it easy to remember - and painful, because it was so easy to imagine a future made up of teasing interactions that came so naturally.
But the melancholy thoughts slipped away, gone underneath the sheer pleasure of teasing him and listening to his plans. She had years ahead of her to be sad and only months to be happy. “Oh, yes, very practical,” she murmured, lips quirking into a smile that she tried to mask under a more thoughtful expression, as if she were weighing his words. “But I much prefer you holding me as well, for as long as we can manage. And I’m sure someone as clever as you can come up with something more creative, hmm?” Raising an eyebrow, she tilted her head and waited for his next suggestion.
“Oh yeah, of course. I can think of loads of creative ideas.” Ted assured her, nodding and doing his best to match her thoughtful expression which quickly broke into a wide grin once more. The truth was, as he tried to think of some other clever response, his mind only circled back to how perfect this moment was and how happy he felt; happier than he had been for a long time now. “But if you’re disenchanted with the idea of using magic,” Ted said, amused with his own pun and finally settling on an idea “we could always try the muggle way.”
Ted unwound his arms from Andromeda’s waist, his hands moving to rub her back and arms quickly, but gently. “Did you know, friction can convert the energy of motion into heat?” He asked, smiling at the memory of how his many random facts had caught her attention over the years. For some reason, she had found them interesting or perhaps just amusing. Either way, Ted figured it had been too long since he’d last shared a bit of muggle science with her in the hopes that she might reward him with a smile or laugh. “But a good half of that will be lost with your head uncovered like that.” Ted added in false seriousness, as one of his hands reached for the hood of his cloak still wrapped around her shoulders and pulled it over her head playfully.
Pinky considered her response. On one hand, if Addie knew that Pinky had come searching for her, maybe that would mean they would get to spend time together more quickly. However, on the other hand, maybe Addie would find it strange that Pinky came all the way down here just to find her. It was a debate she had been having with herself since she had started this journey earlier, and she certainly had not come to an answer.
“It’s fine.” She said, waving her hand. “I’ll find her myself tomorrow.” She made a mental note to start her search a bit earlier in the day. Her eyes flickered towards the exit, and her legs began to move her that way. Before she left all of the way, she turned back to Ted. “Thank you, again.” She waved one more time, before slipping back out into the basement.
Her eyes beginning to light up as she took a step towards the figure she began to raise an eyebrow at the quivering first year. Seemed her reputation did precede her, and she was unashamed about that fact. And she had been about to teach that certain first year a lesson, before the appearance of one of her favourite mudbloods. “How fortunate for her.” She replied sweetly as she turned her attentions upon the senior of the pair. “Well I was going to teach this young little bird a lesson, but perhaps I can expand my talents upon the pair of you. Considering I know that Bella has asked me to keep out a certain eye when it comes to you, Tonks.”
Ted could feel the first year trembling and he gave her shoulder a small squeeze of reassurance as Alecto stalked closer, her attentions turning to him instead. He wondered for a moment if he should call her bluff. Alecto would hardly attack a pair of students in a well-travelled corridor of the castle when there was still a team of Aurors stationed at the castle. Then again, he hardly wanted to goad her into proving him wrong. The mention of Bellatrix did well enough to shake Ted’s confidence and he feared that Alecto had been keeping an eye on him. “And which eye is that, exactly?” He asked, a note of sarcasm to his tone even if he felt as though his heart was in his throat. Surely she hadn’t followed him down to the greenhouses?
He nodded, going into one of his drawers to pull out one of the textbooks that he had inside. Wigworthy began flipping through it, “Probability? Hmm,” He hummed, skimming through the pages before finding the right one. Truthfully the man always felt a little bad that the boy was stuck with him. Especially as Ted got older, Wigworthy swore he got worse at teaching him. He knew what he was doing, but the information wasn’t exactly as fresh in his mind as he would like. Which was why he tried to be able to pull different sources of information in case the boy got stuck. “Do you understand the question at all, or is it just a specific step that you’re getting stuck on?”
Ted followed Professor Wigworthy into his office and plopped down into his usual chair. He’d spent enough time in this office over the years that it felt familiar to him. Despite the fact that Professor Wigworthy was not an expert on all muggle subject matter, he’d done well to assist Ted with his coursework and had perhaps taught him a much more valuable lesson as well. It was refreshing that his Professor never pretended to know all of the answers and instead assisted Ted in researching his questions to find solutions together. “It’s these word problems.” Ted sighed. “I get how to set up the equations when I can figure out what it is they are asking me. At least, I think I do.”
Who: Ted Tonks & Others
When: The First Wizarding War
Where: St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries
What: After Frank and Alice Longbottom’s Torture.
TW: Grief and Torture (mentions)
A rumble of laughter and cheers rolled through the room as the delicate sound of silverware tapping champagne glasses resulted in a kiss between the bride and the groom. Ted couldn’t help glancing over to Andromeda at his side, smiling at the memory of their own wedding and the reminder of how truly lucky he was. She looked stunning, though she always did, and he couldn’t help reaching for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. Ted had always found these sort of society events to be something stressful in his younger years, scared to death of revealing the secret of his magic, or committing some other misstep under his parents’ scrutiny. In more recent years, however, Ted had found them somewhat fun. Any chance to spend an evening with Andromeda, in public no less, was something of a dream he never believed would have come true. The only thing missing in this moment was Dora, safely tucked away with the Weasleys for the evening as a muggle society wedding was no place for a rambunctious metamorphmagus. She would no doubt be worn out by the late hour Ted and Andromeda returned to the Borrow for their daughter. He could almost see the way she’d likely be curled up on the worn couch, one of Molly’s knitted blankets keeping her warm, and how he would be hesitant to wake her. But Ted hadn’t returned to the Borrow that night as planned.
Just as the second course was cleared from the table, Ted felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned, half-expecting a member of the waitstaff simply had a question for him, and was instead shocked to see his Uncle Dom in the midst of the dining room. Instantly, Ted rose to his feet, hardly aware of the clattering on the table, the sudden hush befalling those around him, or the curious stares that were attracted by the man in the long trench coat who had somehow slipped into the reception uninvited. Ted only spared a glance toward Andromeda to be sure that she had stood as well before promptly following Dom out into the hall. “What is it? What’s wrong?” He asked the moment they were out of earshot from any of the other wedding guests, his heart in his throat. Surely it wasn’t Dora? “I’ve been sending you owls for hours, I didn’t know you had plans tonight. Not until I wrote the Weasleys and they mentioned keeping Dora for as long as you needed. I didn’t mean to barge in, but I figured you should know.” Ted had followed Dom out onto the gravel drive and around to the side of the estate as he spoke in hushed, hurried riddles about finding Frank and Alice too late, unsure of the extent of damage that had been done, and something about St. Mungo’s. Ted didn’t even remember much of apparating, or his walk through the sterile halls of the hospital as thoughts of the worst spun through his mind.
A familiar, sick sense of dread settled like a pit in his stomach and memories of so many other casualties in this war replayed like a broken record. There had been too many panicked visits to St. Mungo’s, too many sleepless nights at the news someone had gone missing, too many owls sent in the earliest hours of the morning, and too many funerals for friends gone too soon. Ted ought to be used to it by now, with the amount of tragedy he had already witnessed, but somehow he figured it was something no one should ever get used to. Halting outside of a closed door, Dom had turned to Ted, eyes glistening as they looked him over. “There’s nothing more I can say to prepare you.” Dom’s tone was apologetic, and Ted took in a sharp, shuddering breath in a poor attempt to brace himself for what he was about to see.
The room was dark, as any examinations of the patients inside had long since passed, and they had been left to rest. A shadowed figure sitting up in the hospital bed, however, did not seem to be resting at all. “Alice?” Ted whispered softly, sinking into the chair that had been left at her bedside. Now closer, he could see her features more clearly, though she hadn’t turned to look at him only staring straight ahead, unblinking. “Alice... “ He whispered again, straining to see the scratches and bruises that might have littered her skin in the darkness. This time, she turned, though Ted wasn’t quite sure she was actually looking at him. “It’s just me…Ted… “ He said softly, glancing over toward Frank’s sleeping form in the bed next to hers, not wanting to startle either of them after their ordeal.
Torture. That’s what Dom had said. Any physical wounds inflicted had been seen to already, it was those that remained unseen that worried healers most. Dom spoke softly over Ted’s shoulder, a reassuring hand keeping him grounded, Ted’s breathing as steady as he could manage. Frank and Alice had experienced a tremendous amount of trauma, it was only natural they should experience some kind of shock in the aftermath. The healers were doing their best, they would know more in the days to come. Ted couldn’t be sure when the tears had started and he shifted in his seat to hide them from Alice, sniffing sharply as he tried to blink them away. “And the kids?” He asked in a desperate hope that the same fate had not befallen them as well. “Safe. They’re with Frank’s mother.” Another shuddering breath as Ted swiped at his eyes, unable to voice his relief.
The moments ticked by in silence, Dom’s hand still resting on his shoulder as Andromeda clutched his free hand. “What do I do?” He whispered, feeling useless and as though he might be sick. “Just talk to them. Let them know you’re here.” And so he did. He spent hours that night in the hospital reassuring first Alice and then Frank when he awoke that he was there, that their kids were safe, and that they were going to be alright. He reminded them that they weren’t alone, reaching out to straighten a blanket or pat a shoulder, ignoring their unfocused stares, only stopping when they drifted off to sleep once again.
Ted hadn’t wanted to leave the hospital, but as they next day came and went, Dom had convinced him to go home to his family, change clothes, eat something, and return after he’d had a chance to rest. The shower had done him some good, allowed him to cry the last of his tears and drain himself of some of his overwhelming grief. A change of clothes was welcome, as he felt much more himself than he did in his stiff tuxedo. While he couldn’t bring himself to eat anything, simply sitting at the kitchen table with his family safe beside him was no small comfort.
He clutched Andromeda and Nymphadora a bit tighter than usual before leaving for the hospital again, something that would become part of his daily routine in the months to come, and the weeks after that. Years would go by and Ted would continue his weekly visits, sure to stop by on every holiday. Sometimes he would bring Andromeda and Dora, other times he might visit with Susan and Amelia. Still other times he would visit with the Longbottoms or the Weasleys, but most often he visited by himself. It was easier that way, not to surround himself with everyone’s grief and instead focus on visiting with his friends. It felt lighter that way, and perhaps not as sad. He would update them on the latest news, tell them about a book he had finished or a movie he’d seen. He would chat about the kids growing up, their Hogwarts houses, and how they were doing in school. He reminded them that they were loved, and that their loved ones were safe, and that they were not forgotten even if it seemed as though they had forgotten him. No matter what he talked about, however, he always began in the same way. Checking to make sure they were comfortable, squeezing Alice’s hands and patting Frank’s back before easing into the visitor’s chair. “It’s just me, Ted.”
“Hey!” Irma called out to the student leaving her desk, her frustration levels rising. “You only needed to return the book, not the love note inside.”
Ted stopped in his tracks, the heat of a blush creeping up his neck. He hadn’t realized that Andromeda had missed the note he’d tucked into the pages for her nearly a week ago. “I’m so sorry, that- that’s embarrassing.” Ted admitted, turning back for the note.
It had been quite a bit of time since she had last played with some prey. Her eyes catching sight upon a lone first year within the corridor, Alecto’s eyes lit up as she stalked towards them, a coy smirk upon her lips as she tilted her head to ask sweetly, “Didn’t your older years teach you to never be alone, little firstie?”
Ted had noticed Alecto descending on one of his housemates from across the corridor and spared little more than a second glance before he moved to intervene. “She’s not alone.” He said, his hand resting on the first year’s shoulder as he stood behind the young muggleborn student, letting her know that a friend was near. “What can we do for you, Alecto?” He asked through gritted teeth.
Dom waved to the chair in indication that he had nothing really going on. He had switched to the night rounds the day before and had asked for a set of fresh eyes to review the materials in the makeshift lab which left him pretty much free for the entirety of the afternoon, “If you’ve got time you can stay a minute” he offered, “I’ve got something to drink around here somewhere. Hot chocolate I think….”
Ted took the seat Dom indicated for him, setting the present down on his desk as he did so. “I’ve got time.” He said easily, though he figured he wouldn’t stay too long. “You look tired, Uncle Dom. Sounds like you need some coffee, not hot chocolate.” His tone was a joking one, but Ted couldn’t help noticing how tired he looked. Though perhaps that was just the life of an Auror, as Mr. Bones had been looking fairly worn out in recent months as well.
Pressing a gentle kiss to Gabrielle’s lips, Edgar rose from the Ravenclaw table. Lunch was over and done, and afternoon classes would be starting soon. Normally, he would walk with Gabrielle to class as soon as they both had finished eating. Today, however, he was doing something a little different. He had spotted Ted and Frank over by the Hufflepuff table, talking about something among themselves. Feeling like he hadn’t spoken with them in awhile, he decided he would go and do so now. With a pep in his step, he marched over, waving a hand as he got close.
“Hey lads!” It was then that he realized they weren’t smiling. Confusion settled on his face as he looked between the both of them. “…what’s going on with you two?”
@frank-ezra-longbottom·
The baffled look on Ted’s face surely mirrored his own. “I - “ he began in answer to his companion’s question when Edgar appeared at their side. His eyes darted to the letter in his hand once more before looking back to his friends. He wasn’t really sure of what to say. Surely they understood that he held no true opposition to being married to Alice. In all of their years of friendship he had never said out loud what he felt for her, but he had done absolutely nothing to try and hide it either. If it wasn’t for the shock of being forced to do so there wouldn’t even have been a problem to begin with. “My mother arranged a marriage for me. You’ll never guess the bride” he said, extending the letter back towards them so that they could read it for themselves.
@t-edwardtonks
Ted Tonks was not the nosy sort. He didn’t go digging around in other people’s business or bombarding them with unwarranted questions about their personal lives. He knew what it was to have a secret, or what it was like to want to keep something to yourself. So he never pushed his friends or peers to share anything with him that might make them uncomfortable. Now, this by no means meant that Ted was not a curious person by nature. The instant Frank slid the letter his way, Ted was quick to lean in closer, scanning it until he found a familiar name. He blinked once, twice, shook his head and blinked again just to make sure he was seeing things properly. And even when he was sure that it had been Alice’s name neatly printed on the parchment, Ted found words even more of a struggle. “You- wait- I mean- how did this happen?”
“I’ve got a bit of time now” Frank supplied, “and I have a lot of questions. Start at the beginning?” He was almost certain that whatever had been going on with Ted and Edgar was far more interesting than anything that he had going on in his life right now. His focus had already on post-Hogwarts and he had more or less devoted everything to studying. It had even been a little bit since he had had the chance to pick up his camera for more than a couple of landscape photos.
“Right, the beginning.” Ted agreed, as it was usually the best place to start. “I don’t suppose you remember Christmas, do you? And that whole disaster?” He asked, referencing how Bellatrix had caught Ted with Andromeda outside of the ball and effectively ended their secret relationship. “Well-“ He glanced around the corridor to make sure no one was listening. “Andromeda and I are seeing each other again.”
“Of course” she continued their jest, “only the best for the proposal that I turned down”. Amara knew that her decision was the right one no matter how tempting it was to accept. Knowing that she was right though didn’t keep it from feeling as bittersweet as it did and she would continue to use her rather strange sense of humor to keep it closer to the sweet side than the bitter. , “If you need anything Ted, anything at all, I’m still here for you”
“That’s right.” Ted realized with a bit of a laugh. She had turned him down. The proposal had been a long-running joke between them, but it had been true enough nevertheless. “I suppose a dance should do well to ease the sting of rejection.” He teased back, his hand lifting to cover his heart as if deeply wounded. And though his heart did ache, it wasn’t because she would not marry him. It was because he feared she would be unhappy. “And I’m still here for you, Amara.” He said, returning her promise. “Anytime, anywhere.”
