The Hufflepuff

Ted Tonks got into the classroom just in time. Once again, he’d managed to get lost in the maze that was Hogwarts. It didn’t matter how long he’d been a student here. Ever since first year, Ted had fallen prey to what the other houses called “The curse of the Hufflepuffs�: a knack for having a bad sense of direction. This was definitely not how he wanted to start the day! He hurried into a chair as Professor Flitwick said, “Nice of you to join us, Mr. Tonks…�

“Sorry, Professor,� he mumbled.

Flitwick peered up at him from his spectacles. “It was your time that you wasted, not mine. I would expect better from a seventh year.�

The Slytherins snickered at this. Actually, it was all of them except for one, a girl with dark-brown hair that fell down her shoulders in curls. He tried to remember if he knew her name, then it came to him- Andromeda Black. They locked eyes for a moment, and she gave Ted a quick look of sympathy. It made him think, maybe not all Slytherins are cold-hearted. Something about her seemed to set her apart from the rest.

Flitwick climbed up the pile of books he used in order for the class to see him, and their lesson began. “Today, we’ll review the spell we practiced in our last lesson, Hairus Elongus,� Professor Flitwick announced. “This time, however, you’ll not be using partners. You’ll be performing it on yourself instead. Don’t forget about the reverse spell. Best of luck to you all!�

The class immediately went to work. Hairus Elongus was meant to give more hair to the witch or wizard it was being cast upon. To turn their hair back to its original state, they had to use the reverse spell, Hairus Shortus. Ted was shocked when he gave himself a fantastic beard on his first attempt. He’d been unsuccessful with it in the last Charms class, so he couldn’t help but smile proudly into the mirror he was holding. In fact, he wouldn’t mind having a beard like this when he was older. Soon, the room was full of people with longer hair. Some couldn’t keep it from growing, resulting in a tangle of hairs on the classroom floor. Ted concentrated and let his beard stop at a nice length. For once, he didn’t see why the others were having trouble. He noticed that Andromeda Black hadn’t been able to lengthen her hair yet. She groaned in frustration. By the time class was over, she still hadn’t made any progress. Professor Flitwick took her aside, and Ted decided to eavesdrop as he put his book into his school bag.

“Miss Black, you don’t usually have this much difficulty with Charms, and usually, I wouldn’t worry. But I’ve heard rumors that the Hair-Lengthening Charm will be on your N.E.W.T. exams this coming June. Could you possibly find a peer to help you master it?�

Andromeda replied with a nod. “I’ll do that right away, Professor. You know how much I want to pass, to make my parents happy.�

Before he knew what he was doing, Ted blurted out, “I can teach her!� Call him strange, but he felt powerless in the sight of the girl who had inexplicably captured his attention. Andromeda and Flitwick turned to stare at him.

“I don’t know why you listened in on our conversation, Mr. Tonks,� said Professor Flitwick, “but you did show impressive skill today. What do you think, Miss Black? It’s up to you.�

Andromeda hesitated for a minute, furrowing her eyebrows. Ted understood why. Slytherins typically didn’t get along with anybody outside their own house.

“All right,� she finally replied. “When and where do you want to meet, Tonks?�

“Let’s say seven o’clock p.m. in a room on the fourth floor, tomorrow?�

She agreed, and they left the classroom to go to dinner in the Great Hall. Ted had been taken aback when she called him by his last name. But what did you expect, he thought to himself as he ate. It’s not like you’re going to marry the girl. He had no idea of the journey that lay ahead of them…

---

The Slytherin

Andromeda Black wasn’t sure why she allowed Ted Tonks to give her a Charms lesson. Yes, she’d accepted his assistance grudgingly, but she was open to new experiences. Even if he turned out to be Muggle-born. Most of the Hufflepuffs were. She shuddered at what her family would think of that. Personally, she couldn’t see why they hated them so much. As far as she knew, Tonks wasn’t any different from her, a pure-blood. She never said any of this aloud, of course.

At seven o’clock, she made her way from the dungeons to the fourth floor with her boyfriend, Rupert Thompson. From the corner of her eye, she saw the Tonks boy waiting down the hall.

“I’ll meet you back in the common room later,� she told Rupert. They kissed goodbye, and she walked over to Tonks. He nodded to an empty room on the left-hand side, which they entered. The room had gray walls and housed only a few chairs.

“First, thanks for giving me permission to help,� Tonks began. “I know it was unexpected. We hadn’t even spoken to each other until yesterday. But you know how Hufflepuffs are, always going out of our way to be nice! I’ve got a habit of treating strangers like friends.�

Andromeda shrugged. “I don’t mind, really. I’m just grateful that someone offered to tutor me.� Tonks blushed a little. “It would be completely embarrassing if this spell was on our N.E.W.T. exams and I failed at it.�

“Can’t argue with you there,� said Tonks approvingly. “Now, I thought that we should return to doing partner work. We can go back and forth, practicing the spell on one another. That way, I’ll benefit from this just as much as you.�

“Makes perfect sense,� Andromeda agreed. “You can go first.�

Tonks aimed his wand at her. “Ready?�

“Ready.�

“Hairus Elongus!� In amazement, Andromeda watched her hair flow down to the floor, covering her shoes. Tonks stopped the growth, and he seemed quite pleased with his work.

“Wow. You would give Rapunzel a run for her money with that hair,� he informed her.

“Who?� Andromeda had never heard of anyone called Rapunzel before.

“Oh. I should’ve realized that you don’t know about her. She’s a character from Muggle fairytales, and she’s got extremely long hair.�

Andromeda pressed a finger to her chin. “So you are a Muggle-born. I wondered.�

“Yeah, I am,� Tonks admitted sheepishly. “Is that a problem?�

“Not at all,� she said, half-lying. She hoped that her face wasn’t betraying her. Mum and Dad would die of shame if they knew who she was spending time with... “Reverse the Charm, if you please.�

“Hairus Shortus,� he said confidently. Andromeda’s hair shrunk back to her usual shoulder length within seconds. Pure-blood or not, magic never ceased to astound her.

Squirming to try it out, she eagerly declared, “It’s my turn. Hairus Shortus!� A second later, she realized the mistake that she’d made. Tonks’ hair receded into his skull, quickly turning him into a bald teenager.

“No! Stop! Stop it NOW!� Tonks commanded, flustered.

“How?� she asked in a panic.

Suddenly, Tonks took her by the hand, lowering her wand and preventing himself from losing any more hair. Goose bumps crawled up her arms. Automatically, she knew, that wasn’t supposed to happen.

Tonks’ forehead sparkled with sweat. “Sorry. Had to do that,� he said breathlessly.

Andromeda argued sourly, “You could’ve just told me to put my wand down.� What’s Tonks playing at, acting nervous around me, when he saw me kiss Rupert earlier?

“We can call it a day if I disturbed you that much,� Tonks muttered sullenly.

“Tonks, that’s honestly the best idea I’ve heard from you,� she replied with a sneer.

His hand was still on top of hers. Slowly, but surely, he moved it back to his side. “I’ll just go, then.� He ran silently out of the room.

Andromeda sat down. The nerve of that boy! It only took her a moment to see how ridiculous she was being. I shouldn’t even think about this, she reminded herself. I shouldn’t be thinking about him. Just forget what he did today.

But, for whatever reason, she couldn’t.

---

Accidentally in Love

Ted tried to study on a comfy seat in the Hufflepuff common room, but he became too distracted. I’m such an idiot, he thought glumly. What was he going to say when he saw Andromeda tomorrow? All I was trying to do was stop you from leaving me with no hair? Yes. That was the truth, wasn’t it? He just couldn’t mention what he felt when their hands met. Something like an electric shock had run through Ted’s body, and he instantly saw what a beauty Andromeda was. Her deep blue eyes were what struck him the most. Not to mention, he saw how different she was from the other Slytherins. Any other person in her house would’ve rejected his offer to give them a lesson, just because he was the only wizard in his family. What’s more, she didn’t let go of my hand, he also reminded himself. On the other hand, she was angry about it seconds later. He sighed. Women. They were so hard to understand sometimes. And of course, there was… the boyfriend . It was only natural that a girl like her would already have one.

When their next Charms class was dismissed, Andromeda walked over to Ted. “Hi, Tonks. I hadn’t meant to be cross with you the other day, but what happened was-� she paused-“unexpected.� She looked somewhat nervous at the mention of their past moment. Could there be a double meaning in that, he wondered.

Ted told her simply, “I get it. I would’ve freaked out if it was me, too.�

“Would you still be willing to give me some help with the Hair-Lengthening Charm?�

His mind went racing. She’s no good for you, Ted. You need to stay away from this girl. There’s a reason Slytherins and Hufflepuffs don’t mix. Let’s not forget Rupert, either. Stop daydreaming about what you can’t have! The sensible answer would’ve been no, he knew.

His mouth spoke otherwise. “Definitely. We can try to use that same room again later this week, if it’s not occupied.�

“Good! See you then.� She turned and headed towards her next class while Ted just stood there.

Time went by so fast that he blinked and there he was again, alone in a nearly-empty room with Andromeda. After he practiced the Charm and reversed it, she asked curiously, “I’ve never really spoken to a Muggle-born before. When was the first time you noticed that you weren’t ‘normal’? That must be an interesting story.�

“Believe me, it is,� Ted said with a happy nod. “Our family was sitting down for dinner, and Mum had made these terrible brussel sprouts. I said how much I hated them. She said that I couldn’t do anything until I finished eating them. I was so angry. All of a sudden, the brussel sprouts flew into the air. They landed on our dog’s head!�

Andromeda laughed at this, a melodic sound that Ted couldn’t get enough of.

“You bet it was hilarious to see, Miss Black. Mum didn’t think it was funny, though.� He chuckled at the memory. “It wasn’t until I was eleven that I found out about my magic. One day, a teacher from Hogwarts came to tell me in person. Dumbledore, actually. It didn’t seem real at first. I still go back to living like a Muggle every summer. But I love magic so much, and I would never go back to that life-�

“Did you just use ‘Miss’ before my name?� she interrupted.

Ted coiled his hands up in embarrassment. “Oh. I suppose I did. I’m just not the kind of person who likes to only use last names when I talk to someone.�

Andromeda seemed to catch on to his humiliation. “No, you don’t understand,� she said apologetically. “I’m not upset. I liked that. It’s very… charming of you.� She grinned at him widely. “Not even Rupert would call me that.�

Ted grinned back at her. “You’re welcome. Anyways, on with the practicing. I know you can get it right if you keep at it.�

His new Slytherin friend pointed her wand to him. “Hairus Elongus!� Having said the correct words this time, Ted didn’t need to fear for his hair. Andromeda’s streak of bad luck broke, and his hair grew down to his elbows, where she lowered her wand to stop it from growing more.

“Wonderful!� Ted cheered. “Now finish the job.�

“Hairus Shortus.� His hair returned to its normal cut. Andromeda couldn’t suppress her elation. “I did it, Tonks! I really did it.� Then she did the last thing he’d expected: she ran up to Ted and gave him a tight hug. “Thank you! I was beginning to think I’d never be able to do that Charm.�

Andromeda felt warm in his arms, and her hair came down into his face. He had the strongest urge to touch it, but that was a boundary he wouldn’t dare to cross. She must have hugged him without meaning to, because she backed away as quickly as she could, looking as pale as a ghost.

“I… I have to go,� she stuttered hastily. Without another word, she left.

Well, that was odd. She did the same thing I did before, Ted realized. But that doesn’t mean anything. Or does it?

“Every time she comes my way
She knows just what
To do and say;
Those little smiles she throws away,
They turn my stomach.�

Frightened

Andromeda walked around in a daze for a week after hugging Ted Tonks. One thought burned in her head: What’s wrong with me? How could I betray my family like that? At the same time, though, Andromeda suppressed her outrage that it should matter whether or not she was friends with a Muggle-born. She enjoyed being around Ted. Nobody would change her mind about that. She’d even returned the Charms favor by helping him out during Transfiguration the previous day. She kept trying to snap herself out of the coma, but even her sister Narcissa, a third year, took notice.

“You don’t look like yourself, Dromeda,� Cissy observed one day during lunch in the Great Hall. “Your face is all flushed. And you’ve barely touched your food.�

Andromeda put a hand on her arm. “Thanks for the concern, but I’m fine, really. Just a little stressed because N.E.W.T.S. will be here in a month. Trust me, be thankful for the amount of homework you have now. When you’re a N.E.W.T. student, you’ll ask yourself, ‘Why can’t I be back in third year, when school was so much easier?’�

Narcissa looked at her sister like she was insane. “Are you kidding? I have three essays and one dream journal due in two days. You call that a small load?�

The elder Black chuckled. “I’m only trying to make you feel better, Cissy.�

“You still didn’t reply to what I said about you,� Cissy teased. “I think it has to do with a boy…�

A rebellious smile escaped from Andromeda’s lips when she realized that she didn’t care if Narcissa was talking about Rupert or Ted. She stuck her tongue out at her sister. Cissy returned the gesture and went to go sit with other friends.

Later that day, Andromeda sat with Rupert in the Slytherin common room, which was packed with students who were studying together.

Out of the blue, he asked, “So, how’s Tonks doing?�

“Oh, Ted’s doing just fine,� she said calmly. “He was such a big help, working with me when he barely knew me.�

He eyed her suspiciously. “Since when did you start using his first name?�

“Since we became friends.�

“Why would you want to be friends with a Mudblood?� he snapped.

Andromeda stood up and shot him an angry glare. “Don’t you dare call him that! He’s shown himself to be very good with magic, and he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.�

An awkward pause filled their conversation. Did I just defend a Muggle-born? Finding that she wasn’t sorry about it, Andromeda felt a defiant rush of pride.

“Don’t think that I’m the jealous type,� Rupert said with an impatient wave of his hand, “but he’s obviously smitten with you.�

“Really?� It didn’t seem so bad to know that Ted was looking out for her, yet Rupert had every right to be envious.

He stood up to meet her height. “You heard me. And I’m starting to think that maybe you’re in love with him, too!�

Andromeda’s mouth opened in protest. “What? Now that’s just ridiculous, Rupert.�

“Is it? Then tell me I’m wrong.� His girlfriend didn’t respond to that interrogation. “Aha. I knew something was up with you two.�

She poked him threateningly. “Listen here, mister! You can’t go making unfounded accusations. Read my lips: Ted is my friend. That’s it.�

“What if I don’t want you to be friends with him?�

“You don’t control my life!� Andromeda shouted.

“You’re right,� Rupert agreed hotly. “I don’t control your life. But I do control this relationship. Since you won’t stop associating with Mudbloods, I’ll just have to end it.�

She glowered at him, feeling tears begin to roll down her cheeks. “What a childish thing for you to do, Rupert Thompson! I don’t see any difference between you and Ted. I’m still that girl you met on the first day at Hogwarts.�

“No you’re not! That girl cared about her bloodline and hated everyone who wasn’t half-blood or pure-blood,� he argued. “I can’t have a girlfriend who goes all soft on me!� He strolled away to the boy’s dormitory, leaving Andromeda by herself. She ran upstairs to the girl’s dorm and fell onto her bed with her arms crossed, pouting.

This was all Ted’s fault. Stupid, Muggle-born Ted Tonks, with his kindness, humor, and that wonderful smile… Oh no. Andromeda slapped herself on the forehead.

Against her best wishes, Rupert had been right. Something had to be done about this.

“Now when I caught myself,
I had to stop myself
From saying something that
I should’ve never thought.�


Just Another Day

Ted was hard at work studying for his N.E.W.T. exams in the common room when a second year Hufflepuff boy came up to him.

“Ted Tonks, right?� Ted nodded. “There’s a Slytherin girl outside our entrance who wants to talk to you. Andromeda Black, I think she said her name was.�

Ted’s face lit up. She came to see me? A girl actually came to see me? Wow. This was a first.

The girl he met outside the common room looked incredibly upset. He’d never seen her this way before, almost… vulnerable. Before then, she’d always carried an air of confidence wherever she went. Something must have happened with her and Rupert, he thought. I have to remember not to look too excited…

“I hope you’re happy,� Andromeda spat. “Rupert broke up with me.�

Ted frowned in a confused manner. “I’m sorry to hear. But where do I come into this?�

She scoffed. “Like you don’t know!�

He still didn’t comprehend her words. “No, I don’t know.�

“He did it because of you. Because he hates anyone who makes friends with a Muggle-born.�

Ted felt a surge of anger rise inside him. “What is it with Slytherins and hating my bloodline? I have magic, just like you do.�

“Maybe Rupert has a point,� she replied without emotion. “Maybe our friendship isn’t good for me, and you’re contaminating my outlook on things. Those lessons were fun and all, but honestly, he’s not wrong. I don’t know what got into me when I said yes to your teaching offer.� Andromeda turned to leave.

“Hang on for a moment!� Ted pleaded. “What did I do-�

“Just go away. I never want to see your filthy face again.� Each word she used was injected with venom. After saying this, she kicked her heels and walked off.

All of a sudden, studying sounded like the worst thing in the world. Ted headed to the boy’s dorm. Good thing none of my roommates are here. He tried to hold back tears. That didn’t last long.


“It’s just another day, nothing in my way;
I don’t wanna go, I don’t wanna stay,
So there’s nothing left to say.�


Days, then weeks, went by. They might as well have been an eternity for Andromeda. Her Hogwarts days were winding down, but that wasn’t the only reason for the slowing of time. Stupid Ted Tonks kept popping up into her dreams. And his image seemed to follow her everywhere. She knew she’d been vicious to the sweet boy. Still, there was nothing she could do about her family rules. People like Ted weren’t meant to have a place in her heart. But it was there.

In the Great Hall, she kept resisting the urge to look over at the Hufflepuff table, until one day, she sensed a pair of eyes watching her. Ted. Andromeda couldn’t fight it any longer. She glanced at the other side of the Great Hall. Those eyes… They pierced all the way into hers. Oops. Can’t let him know that I’m watching him. Andromeda went back to eating. I really hurt Ted’s feelings, she thought sadly.

I’ll make it up to him tomorrow.



When Worlds Collide

Ted boarded the train to leave Hogwarts for the last time, but he wasn’t in the mood to see anybody. He sat alone in a compartment, wondering where the future might lead him now that his school days were over, wondering why he’d bothered to tutor Andromeda Black in the first place. Love can either make you crazy or make you regretful, and Ted was both. A moment after the Hogwarts Express took off, he noticed that someone was peering into the glass door of his compartment. His stomach dropped a mile. Not her. Anyone but her.

“I know you probably don’t want to talk to me,� Andromeda said warily, opening the door, “and I know the horrible things that I said, but can I come in to apologize?�

Ted thought it over. There she goes, reeling you in again. A strong young man wouldn’t let her come in. But I’ve never been that kind of guy, have I?

“Sure,� Ted eventually replied. What did he have to lose but his sanity?

She sat down in the seat across from him. Andromeda sighed, and then she began her apology. “I didn’t mean any of what I said. You have to understand that I come from ‘The noble house of Black’. We’ve been pure-bloods for centuries. My mum and dad raised me to think that Muggles and Muggle-borns were useless, but deep in my guts, I always knew it was wrong.�

Ted knew she wasn’t kidding. She seemed truly upset by her family values. “When I met you,� she continued, “it became clearer to me that the family ways were outrageous.�

Andromeda moved to sit right beside him. Ted’s heart was now beating out of control. This isn’t happening!

“You’re probably the kindest person I’ve met in a long time,� she went on earnestly. “But, going back to my family, talking to Muggle-borns in a friendly way would give them the grounds to punish me. I had to make sure that my younger sister Narcissa hadn’t noticed us together, and lucky for me, she didn’t. I’ve been completely petrified because I’m doing just what the Black family doesn’t want me to do: making friends with a Muggle-born. That’s why I was so terrible to you. I’m risking everything just by being here.�

Ted was glad that Andromeda had the courage to explain herself. He’d started to assume that she hated him specifically. He was still getting used to life in the Wizarding world, and he’d never heard much about the prejudice some pure-blood families carried. All he’d known was that the Slytherins would pass by and call him “Mudblood�, for no reason. Every time, it had struck him as utterly stupid.

“I guess you’d be in loads of trouble if your parents knew that we were friends,� he realized out loud.

Andromeda took his hand. “Yeah. I would.� Now it was Ted’s turn to feel goose bumps.

She leaned in to kiss him gently. Ted gave her a questioning look. “Are you sure?�

She answered with another kiss. He pressed his lips back on hers this time, lacing his fingers through her raven hair. When they broke apart, they just smiled at each other. Andromeda laid her head on his shoulder, he put his arm around her, and they stayed like that for the rest of their final train ride home. Ted couldn’t believe this beautiful girl was his. He thought Andromeda Black was insane to choose him. For now, though, he would just go with it.

“So where you gonna go;
Who you gonna call,
When you know it's time to play the game?
What's your mystery?
Who's it gonna be,
When you know it's time to play her game?�
-Kevin Max

A Simple Answer

Months, then a year, came and went. Andromeda never thought twice about choosing Ted Tonks. He was caring to everyone, he treated her like a princess, and that was that. She’d told her family about him once the two became serious, but she’d left out the one important detail of his parentage. When they asked about Ted’s bloodline, she said that he was a pure-blood. Andromeda planned on getting away with the lie for a bit, delaying the Black family’s punishment for however long this secret could continue.

Her face lit up when Ted knocked on her door one December afternoon. She unlocked it to let in her handsome boyfriend.

Ted beamed back at her and said, “How’s my Dromeda doing on this fine day?�

“She’s spectacular, especially now that you’re here,� Andromeda replied, blushing. Ted had always been the only guy who could make her go red in the face, just by using those adorable greetings.

He kissed her on the cheek. “Ready to go?�

She nodded, grabbing her coat from the closet. “You still haven’t told me where we’re going, Ted Tonks!� she joked in a serious voice, slipping her hand into his.

Ted chuckled. “Now, now, I can’t tell you that, or it wouldn’t be a surprise…� He led her outdoors, where they stood in front of a random flower pot. Andromeda knew right away that this wasn’t randomly placed.

“We’re taking a Portkey,� Ted confirmed, “and you’ll ask no questions until we get there.�

She put a hand to her mouth, mocking indignation. “Well, look who turned all bossy! What have you done to my boyfriend?�

He kept silent, grinning as he brought their hands to the Portkey. Andromeda felt nauseous while they spun to their destination. Portkey was her least favorite way of traveling, but she wasn’t going to complain to Ted. The trip would end in seconds, anyways, so she could deal with a moment of discomfort.

She found herself overlooking the ocean, standing on a beautiful white cliff that was covered in grass. In her wildest dreams, she never imagined that she would get to see this view. True, she could’ve Apparated there in an instant, but her job ensured that she was constantly busy. It barely gave her time to think, save for during the holidays, which were coming to a close.

“We’re on the cliffs of Dover!� she told Ted excitedly. “I’ve always wanted to come here.� A knot suddenly grew inside her when she realized what was about to happen.

“I remembered you telling me that at least once before,� Ted said, squeezing her hand, “and I always wanted to be the one to take you there. More than one year ago, you made a choice, Andromeda Mira Black. For the life of me, I still don’t know why you did it. You chose me, despite your family tradition of being with pure-bloods. Not to mention the fact that I’m a total klutz, and I’m pretty shy-�

Andromeda never liked when Ted put himself down, so she interrupted by playing with his hair. “Really, Ted, stop that negative talk,� she insisted. “You’re wonderful just the way you are.�

He lifted her chin. “I love to hear you say that. Nothing compares to the love you’ve shown me, putting yourself in danger along the way. It’s a shame that I’ve only got one thing to repay you with… Now, close your eyes.�

She did as she was told, feeling him move away from her.

“Okay,� Ted announced, “you can open them.� With his wand, he had written four heart-stopping words in mid-air, glowing red. She glanced downwards to see him kneeling in front of her with a ring in his hand.

He asked, “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?�

For most young women being proposed to, this wouldn’t take much consideration. Andromeda didn’t have that luxury. There was more at stake here: her family. For twenty years, they had taken care of her when she was ill, celebrated holidays and birthdays with her, comforted her when she was sad. Regardless of their dark magic, they were still family. Betraying them would mean the ultimate heartbreak. But their hatred of Muggles and Muggle-borns sickened her to no end. She had two choices: go with some ancient rule that she didn’t believe in, or marry the man that she loved. When she thought of it that way, her answer was simple.

Knowing the consequences, knowing that her life would change drastically, she enthusiastically said, “Yes.�

Ted stood and picked her up like she was the lightest weight in the world. He placed the ring on her finger; then she seized his face and pressed her lips on his.

After she let go, he brought her back to the ground. “And now for the hard part,� Ted pronounced with a grimace. “You’ve got to give the news to your Mum, Dad, and sisters…�

“Tell me about it. This won’t be fun,� Andromeda sullenly replied.

He assured her, “Well, no matter what, we’ll get through it together.�

Andromeda went home and prepared for what would probably be the worst day of her life. She was sure of one thing, though: Ted Tonks could soften the blow.

“There's so many wars we fought;
There's so many things we're not;
But with what we have,
I promise you that
We're marching on.�

---

Carrying Her Weight

Ted sat in his living room, waiting for Andromeda. Today, his fiancé was telling her family about their engagement. Then she would drop the bomb: Their lovely, pure-blood daughter was marrying a Muggle-born! It seemed foolish to expect a miracle. Her parents would never accept him, and he didn’t think they would forgive Andromeda for saying yes. But was it so bad to still hope for the best? He’d told her to come over afterwards and tell him their reaction, whatever it would be. Ted kept looking out his window to watch for her arrival. Before long, she Apparated there, standing motionless in the snow. Something was unquestionably wrong. He put on his coat and went outside to meet her. Andromeda’s face was blank, and it was plain that she’d been weeping.

“They disowned me, Ted. I’m not allowed to see them anymore. No owls, no visits. Nothing.�

He opened his arms, and she walked into them. He didn’t try to speak yet, holding her tightly. Ever since she’d told him about the Black family prejudice against his “kind�, Ted knew he wouldn’t like them. To make her as miserable and fragile as she appeared now? That was outright despicable.

“I’m so tired of everyone judging you before they even get to know you,� Andromeda cried into his shoulder. “First Rupert, then my own family! They were just awful talking about you. You don’t deserve it.�

“Neither do you,� Ted argued quietly.

She pulled away to grin meekly at him. “Thank you, sweetheart. I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t know you were worth it.�

Even in the worst of times, Ted’s future wife was one strong, caring person. “I think I just fell more in love with you,� he said.

Andromeda put her arms back around Ted, clinging to him. He knew it wasn’t only out of love, but because he was the only family she had now. Ted couldn’t fathom how she was still standing. After all, most people don’t lose their entire family at once… especially not while their relatives are still alive.

“Do you want to spend the night here?� he offered. “I figured you didn’t want to be alone after what happened today.�

She nodded gratefully, and he led her to his front door.

“It’s much warmer inside. You’ll have to sleep in the living room, but the sofa is comfortable.�

Ted took Andromeda to his sofa. She collapsed onto it, trembling.

“Please stay with me,� she begged in her weakest voice.

What else was Ted going to do but console his fiancé? He grabbed a blanket and lied down next to her. Ted draped them both with the blanket, protectively crossing his arms over Andromeda’s shoulders. This is how it will be when we’re married, he thought. I’ll get to comfort her every day, whenever she needs it . It relieved him to see her calm down. Occasionally, she woke up and started to shake again, letting out a few sobs. He just held her closer. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll always be here.�

“You may need me there to carry all your weight;
But you’re no burden, I assure.�

As you can imagine, a bittersweet aroma trailed the preparations for the wedding of Andromeda and Ted Tonks. Andromeda felt a giant opening in her heart where her family should be. It’s not like her engagement had been on a whim. She’d thought over her future with Ted a million times before he even proposed, and she’d known that whichever side she chose, guilt would plague her until the day she died. Standing up for what she believed in had given her so much power, even if it had been at the cost of her family. Weren’t they supposed to be happy for her? Weren’t they supposed to stand by her decision, even if they hated it? Isn’t that what family does? Her parents had warned her not to go over to “the wrong side�, but she never dreamed that they would actually shun her. Narcissa, and Bellatrix, whom she used to admire as a little girl, wouldn’t speak to her anymore, either. Their words still rang in her ears for days afterwards…

“We’ve told you countless times how terrible Muggles are! Now you want to marry the son of Muggles?

“I can’t imagine why you’re putting yourself through this, Dromeda. Why can’t you just find a pure-blood to marry?�

“He acquired his power by sheer chance. He doesn’t have any magical blood running through his veins. �

“He’s got nothing but dirty blood in him. If you were a sensible witch, you’d see that.�

They’d ensured that she lost contact with every single Black. For getting married, of all things! Some family she had.

Ted’s family was more than accommodating through it all. They paid for her dress, and Mr. Tonks even volunteered to walk her down the aisle himself. She let him do so, very appreciatively. Her in-laws were everything her own family should’ve been: gracious, loving, and accepting. They didn’t mind her coming to visit them by Floo powder (though it gave them a good scare the first time she did it!) or using magic inside their home. Ever since Violet and Reginald Tonks were told that they had a wizard for a son, nothing seemed to shock them anymore.

On the big day, Violet assisted Andromeda with putting on her beautiful white gown. “For the longest time,� her soon-to-be mother-in-law admitted, “Ted was so upset that people in your world would ignore him because his father and I don’t have magic. Then you came along. I can’t tell you how thankful we are that you gave him a chance.�

Andromeda tried not to cry, taking Violet’s hand. “I can’t tell you how glad I am that I’m doing this. Ted’s made me almost a completely different person. Because of him, I can see past bloodline, into the actual people themselves.� She sighed deeply. “I just wish my parents and sisters could do the same.�

Finally, she stepped into the sanctuary for the ceremony, accompanied by Reginald. From both sides of the aisle, she found confirmation that none of the Blacks were here. Well, all but one. Her cousin Sirius came because, as the first relative she had told about Ted, they were very close. She trusted him alone since he’d been an outcast of the family from the moment he was sorted into Gryffindor. Sirius would never shut her out, that mischievous rebel of a boy! He had come with James Potter and his parents, whom she’d met at work. All the sadness melted away when Sirius smirked at her lovingly, shaking his shaggy mane of hair. Andromeda also saw some other friends from work: Nancy Finnegan, Vikki Brown, and Arabella Figg (a Squib, but still very involved with the Wizarding world). Her eyes spotted Violet Tonks in the front, where she should be, as the mother of the groom. Andromeda was instantly overwhelmed by how much she was still loved, despite losing the people who’d given birth to her. It caused her to burst into the first genuine smile she’d worn in a long time. Standing at the altar was Ted, handsome as ever. Being married to him would surely mean that she wouldn’t experience any more days of unhappiness, and she felt determined to care for him just as much as he would care for her, fulfilling a cardinal rule of marriage.

“Ready to become a Tonks?� Reginald asked in a whisper.

His new daughter-in-law said, without skipping a beat, “I’ve never been more ready for anything in my whole life.�

“You're in my heart;
The only light that shines
there in the dark.
'Cause I wanted to fly,
so you gave me your wings;
And time held its breath so I could see,
and you set me free.�

Not long after they became husband and wife, Andromeda complained of feeling ill every morning, along with the obsessive need to eat peanuts. It scared her to death. What could this mean?

She told Ted this as they were getting ready for the beginning of another day. In reply, he said sympathetically, “Well, that’s not good…� Then his face erupted into a big grin, and he laughed hysterically.

“What?!� she demanded, placing her hands on her hips. “This is serious! I need to go to St. Mungo’s. Something’s wrong with me!�

Ted put an arm around her shoulder. “I know you’ve been surrounded by magic your whole life, but this is too funny… Dromeda, I think you’re pregnant!�

Andromeda could’ve kicked herself. She’d known that it was possible, yet it sounded so Muggle-ish, for some reason. Living in a magical world sometimes made her forget that things like becoming a mother were universal. Now that she knew for sure, she couldn’t stop herself from bouncing up and down with Ted, their arms enveloped around each other.

A visit to a Muggle doctor confirmed the wonderful news. Andromeda had to be convinced by Ted, more than once, that a stethoscope wouldn’t hurt her, much to the bewilderment of the doctor. He must’ve thought that she was psychotic. But she had been willing to see how the Muggles treated pregnancy, and when the time came, she found that their hospitals were very clean and comfortable.

It was on a beautiful April day that the newest Tonks was born; a girl. Andromeda gazed down at the baby in her arms, while Ted sat on the side of her bed.

“Aw. Her eyes are brown, like yours!� She had to blink a second later, amazed at what she was seeing. “No, wait... they’re green.� She’d only heard of this condition, but she knew it, just the same. Her daughter was a Metamorphagus! She could alter the color of her eyes, the shade of her hair, even the shape of her entire face. The changes would be very random until she learned to control it when she was older.

Ted chortled. “Wow. Isn’t that a sight? Never thought I would meet a Metamorphagus. How cool is that?� Astonishment suddenly came over his face. “Dromeda, we haven’t talked about a name yet. We’ve been so busy with work and such that we haven’t gotten around to it!�

She knew he was right. How could they have not given this any thought before? “Well,� she decided, “her middle name could be Violet, in honor of your mum.�

Her husband beamed in appreciation. “She’d love that. Matter of fact, she and Dad will be here soon. Now, what about our daughter’s first name? What do you think of ‘Leanne’?�

Scrunching her nose, Andromeda told him, “That’s a beautiful name, but I don’t think it fits her, Ted. Someone with her abilities should have a more unique name. How about… ‘Dora’?�

“I like it,� Ted agreed. “Maybe it would be even more unique if we added something before it, though. Have you ever read Greek mythology?�

She nodded skeptically, wondering where he was going with this.

“Remember the nymphs, those beautiful creatures that look like women? What if we took ‘Nymph’ and combined it with ‘Dora’?�

Andromeda warmed up to the idea within a minute. Definitely unique, but it was still missing something. “Hmm… Let’s put an ‘a’ in the middle of them. Nymphadora.�

Ted tried out their daughter’s full name to see how it sounded: “Nymphadora Violet Tonks.� They glanced at each other cheerfully and linked their fingers together. The baby changed her hair color to Andromeda’s dark shade of brown.

“She likes it!� her mother cheered. “Feels like the name was made for her.� Then she realized with a pang: “Uh oh. We’ve got to get out of here before the doctor sees her using her powers… They’ll think she’s ill.�

Ted appeared to feel the same twinge of fear. The midwife had already seen Nymphadora change, and he’d had to cast a Memory Charm on her to prevent any questions. “I’ll ask a nurse if we can check you out now,� he assured her, leaving immediately for the door.

Andromeda had to giggle a bit, pondering the clash of worlds that was taking place. She looked into her daughter’s eyes and said, “Nymphadora, you’re going to be quite the troublemaker, aren’t you?�

In a twist of irony, Nymphadora Tonks would grow to despise her first name, preferring to just be called “Tonks�, or “Dora�, to Ted and Andromeda. Regardless, Dora brought so much fun to their lives. And she did seem to cause mischief wherever she went, mostly the kind involving her terrible coordination. With her, the Tonks family had twenty-five years of joy.

Then came Lord Voldemort, and an era that would shake the foundation of their bliss.