𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕡

37- Letters to Mentors

"Counting down the seconds
Always second guessing
I'm dreaming of a place to start again"

Role models were a fickle thing in Andromeda's life before she traveled away from home and into the clutches of the castle. When she was little, still sucking on her thumb, she adored her mother, yet that was shortly lived as she grew to realise what she was actually like. The house elves were more friends than role models, not that Meda didn't take anything away from their work ethic.

Andromeda flat out refused to call Bellatrix anything remotely close to a role model. Although, they had been so close as children, and it pained Meda to think anything bad towards her sister, she had to admit that she wasn't a good person.

If she had seen her Uncle Alphard more often, then Meda reckoned it'd have been him. Of course, Alphard had still had a huge impact on her life, showing her kindness at a young age. However, she couldn't look up to him much if she couldn't see him at all.

Within the cold walls of the castle, Andromeda met some interesting people, such a long list that it was difficult to keep track. One of her favorite people, who also happened to be one of the first she met, was called Quinn McKinnon.

The first role model that Andromeda could name with absolute certainty, Quinn was an important character. They had only known each other for the year their education had overlapped at Hogwarts, but now, a sixth-year close to another summer, Meda was determined to regain contact.

This is how she found herself knocking on Slughorn's office door.

It was late, on a day she didn't have classes, or rather, a day she had classes yet chose to skip them as she hadn't had the will power to get out of bed. She really didn't know why she couldn't have waited until morning to speak with Slughorn, but it felt very important to her that she got into touch with Quinn.

None of this was really thought that well out. Would Quinn even want to write with the first-year from so many years ago? Quinn might've had a large impact on Andy's life, but that didn't mean it went both ways.

Before she could ditch Slughorn's office, he answered the door with a yawn, his eyes lighting up when he saw her standing there.

"Miss Black! A pleasure, of course!" Slughorn spoke, yawning again. "What can I do for you, m'dear?"

"Sorry for bothering you so late, Professor. I was just wondering if you could put me in touch with someone," Andromeda said, trying her best to dig deep into the manners instilled in her. "She was the head girl here when I was a first-year."

Slughorn stood in thought for a moment.

"Ah, Quinn McKinnon! A shoe-in for head girl if I do say so myself!" Slughorn chuckled at his own genius. "She writes for the Daily Prophet now, the section for advocacy and wizard rights. I should have her contact information in here somewhere-"

Slughorn trailed off and led Andy into his office. She admired his neat desk as he searched through the drawers of parchment, visually pleased when he found what he needed. Recording quickly with a quill, he rewrote her information and handed it to Andy with a smile.

"There it is, Miss Black! Everything your owl should need to reach Miss McKinnon," Slughorn said, as they walked to the door. "Now, do get some shut eye!"