𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕊𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕡

14- Trapped By a Ring

"I know a boy just like you
He's a snake just like you"

Andromeda woke up thinking about how other people would handle her situation. This led her through many different rabbit holes that had as many different solutions, but none that currently solved her own predicament.

The night before, Druella had let her know they were going to the Carrows for a banquet. Meda had only been to the Carrows a few times before, which made her question the motives behind this decision. At the end of the day though, Andromeda went to bed quietly because that was better than getting a slap to the face.

Her being unable to ask questions about the situation at hand created mountains of anxiety that Andromeda had to climb just to get out of bed. Pulling back the quilt as the sun rose in the morning took away her security blanket. After all, her parents didn't much come into her room.

That statement rose the next red flag.

As Andromeda finished the second hour of questioning the way the world spun round, a crisp knock cut through the air. The hair on the back of her neck stood up when she rose from bed, and it wasn't just because she was cold.

The knock told her a number of things. It wasn't either of her sisters knocking at her door, and Andromeda would bet her wand on it not being her father, which left a house elf or her mother.

Andromeda had a sinking feeling that it wouldn't be a house elf asking if she would like ice in her glass of water. For one, it was a little early for the elves to start making their rounds. And two, Meda had another sinking feeling the banquet wasn't any ordinary banquet at the Carrow household.

The more she thought about it, the odder it got. The Carrows hadn't invited the Blacks to one of their banquets before. This happened to be because Cygnus did not get along with Mr. Carrow, their minds just weren't in the same place when it came to money and power.

Andromeda would've come up with a few scenarios that could've helped her later that day, but the person behind the crisp knock was not very patient.

Druella entered the room with the air of confidence that Meda could've only dreamed of having. Her black heels clicked on the ground as she walked right past her daughter, not even stopping to acknowledge the tired eyes or forlorn expression, on her way to the closet. The doors flew open without her even lifting a wand, and her eyes scanned the options Andromeda's closet showed her.

"It's quite embarrassing that Narcissa has a better collection of clothing than you do," Druella spoke monotonously. "This will have to do though."

She held up a pastel blue dress that fell until her knees. Lace covered the entire dress, even having the long sleeves being made of it. Andromeda didn't mind the choice, and grabbed it delicately from her mother so she could grab shoes. Once a pair of pearly white Mary Jane's were decided upon, Druella left the room as quickly as she entered.

Not knowing how much time she had until they left for the Carrows, Andromeda pulled on the dress, thanking Merlin that there was no zipper in the back. Next, she buckled her shoes and looked to the vanity to tame her hair.

With a mixture of pins and gel, Meda got her hair to stay in a half-up half-down situation. A perfect amount of poof was present, and she truly couldn't be more proud of herself.