The Other Side: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter XXXIX

“Andromeda, do you have any way of knowing what’s going on?”

            Andromeda turned towards the three girls sitting at the kitchen table. Lexi’s hair was disheveled, her eyes wild with worry. Kendra had dark shadows under her eyes, and Jesse’s cheeks were caked with dried tears. “I’m afraid not, dear.”

            “I hate not knowing,” Kendra groaned, “Some of our people could already be dead, and we don’t know anything.”

            “There’s not room here for pessimism,” Andromeda scolded. “Watch what you say. You don’t want to jinx them.”

            “I just want to know if they’re all right,” Lexi whispered.

            Andromeda moved to the table and placed her hand lightly on Lexi’s shoulder. “I’m sure they’re fine. Now why don’t you three—”

            A crash louder than the screams of the portrait of Walburga Black sounded throughout the house. Automatically, Andromeda ducked down, pulling Lexi with her. She shouted “Get down!” at Kendra and Jesse, who were covering their ears and staring around wildly, and jumped up again, whipping her wand out.

            Keeping an eye on the staircase, Andromeda pointed her wand at the table and murmured, “Protego Totalum. Salvio Hexia—”

            “Check downstairs!” a booming voice ordered.

            Acting quickly, Andromeda repeated, “Protego Totalum! Salvio Hexia! Protego Totalum! Salvio Hexia!”

            “Andromeda, what are…” Jesse demanded, her words merging together so they became inaudible. Andromeda stepped back to admire her work, and saw three long wooden tables with chairs surrounding them, and absolutely nothing underneath.

            With a satisfied smile, she turned again just as three Death Eaters came racing down the narrow stone steps, one of them shockingly familiar.

            Memories of Ted came flooding back. Ted, whispering his love for her. Ted, telling her that it was okay if she didn’t want to marry him, if she wanted to stay with her family. Ted, holding her hand during their wedding.

            Ted, holding the hand of their baby girl the day she was born.

            Andromeda did recognize the man who stood before her. Nymphadora had been young, only eight years old. She’d been playing in the yard with Ted when he came. Ted sent her rushing inside moments before Andromeda heard the Killing Curse cast, saw the flash of green.

            Then he came inside, dragged Nymphadora, kicking and screaming, from her mother’s arms and murdered her.

            Andromeda glared at him now, almost twenty years later. “Antonin Dolohov.”

            Dolohov grinned maliciously. “Andromeda Black.”

            “Tonks,” Andromeda hissed, “Andromeda Tonks.”

            “Like it matters,” one of his companions growled, “Where are they, Tonks?”

            “Who?”

            “You know who,” Dolohov said, stepping towards her, “The Muggles. We know they’re here. This is the Refuge.”