Symphony | Andromeda Black

Lacrimosa's Letter

Andromeda was still quite wary of Lacrimosa, but Glenda started sitting with her in class and at meals, especially now that her old friends left her alone. Andromeda was not entirely happy about these plans, but she went along with them.

"Why don't you sit with Theodora and the others anymore?" She hissed in Arithmancy.

Lacrimosa shrugged uncomfortably. "They don't like me anymore. I'm not sure they ever did."

"But why?" Andromeda was baffled. Last year, Theodora and the others had been sucking up to Lacrimosa so much they practically oozed. This year they sat as far away from her as they could, shooting glances and whispering.

"Because –" was all Lacrimosa managed, before a long ruler slapped the table in front of them, making them jump.

"My class is not a social event, Miss Black, Miss Rowle. Get back to work."

As Professor Julip turned his back, Andromeda stuck her tongue out at him.

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Glenda might have trusted Lacrimosa, but Glenda was a Hufflepuff, and so far, Glenda had had a pretty easy life. Andromeda, however, was a Slytherin, meaning she was naturally wary. As well as that, she'd learned from a young age that most people weren't to be trusted, and if there was one thing she wanted to protect, it was her sweet innocent Hufflepuff friend. So she watched Lacrimosa closely for the next few weeks, in case she was back to her old tricks and cooking up some kind of prank. She found herself almost hoping she would find something, because though she didn't like to admit it, she was a little jealous of her. Even though she didn't like herself for it, there was a small part of her who wanted to keep Glenda for herself.

But Lacrimosa was frustratingly innocent. She talked to barely anyone, the other girls in the dormitory keeping up their new tactic of ignoring her. When she went up to the Owlery alone, one Saturday when the older students were all gone to Hogsmeade, Andromeda was convinced she was up to no good. But when she went up there to catch her in the act of something, Lacrimosa was just sitting among the owls, and she was talking to them. When she saw Andromeda, she jumped and blushed.

Andromeda was irritated by her lack of progress. When Bellatrix came back from Hogsmeade, she complained to her, sitting on her sister's bed in the older girl's dormitory.

"Maybe she's just somebody who needs a friend," her sister said, and dumped a bag into her lap. Andromeda stared at her. "What's this?"

Bellatrix stood at the mirror, brushing out her thick dark hair. "Just some stuff," she said vaguely. "Share the sweets with Narcissa."

Andromeda opened the bag and found several bags and packets of sweets, along with a small thumb sized china doll she assumed was for Narcissa, who still loved them, and a large drawing pad.

"Your one must be full up by now, and anyway it's all held together by spellotape."

"But – but where did you get the money?"

"I saved up."

"How?"

They never got money, not even for birthdays or Christmas.

Bellatrix shrugged as she dragged the brush through tangles. "Maybe I've got a job."

"A job?" Andromeda echoed. "You're fifteen!"

"So? I can still work. And anyway, it's a special job. I won't tell you."

"Do Mother and Father know?"

"Father does," she said carefully.

Andromeda was still baffled, but more pacified. In their household, Druella's opinion didn't count if their father overruled her. Cygnus' decision was what mattered. "He lets you have a job?"