Alexandra Weasley: Book 5

7

Alex and Hermione woke up early the next morning for their trip to see Andromeda. It was awkward saying good morning to Tonks, knowing they were going to see her mother without telling her. They waited until she left for work before using the floo to visit Andromeda.

Andromeda looked very different to her teen years, was the first thing Alex realised. Her face was sharper and more worn and there was a weariness to her movements. Younger Andromeda had been more overwhelming. She'd been less experienced in life- lighter. Still, she was beautiful.

When her eyes landed on Alex, she gasped and stepped forward. "You're Alexandra." She stated.

"I go by Alex." Alex corrected.

"Oh, you're all grown!" She said.

"It happens." Hermione squeezed Alex's arm, and Alex apologised. "This is Hermione, my friend."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs Tonks."

"Pleasure's all mine." She said looking between the two girls with glassy eyes. "Hello Molly. Won't you come in?"

"I've got a couple errands to run. Mind if I come back in a few hours?" Andromeda nodded, stiffly.

"Sure, of course." Molly turned to her daughter.

"Be good, girls. Okay?" Alex nodded.

"When am I not?" Alex said and Molly kissed her head and gently pat Hermione's shoulder before disappearing with a loud crack.

"Follow me." Andromeda led them out to a beautiful patio, and begun serving them tea. "You look like her a little, did you know?"

"I've seen pictures, but I don't see it." Alex shrugged.

"Where did you get pictures?"

"From the yearbook." Alex answered. "Plus, I saw a few memories in the room of requirement."

"You know about that place, then?" Andromeda grinned and it seemed to shave years off her face. "What do you mean you've seen memories?"

"Well, I suppose I was thinking about her, and happened to be walking by. I didn't actually ask for it like you're supposed to but the door appeared and there was a memory of you two together. Two, actually. Once when she was complaining about Bellatrix asking if it would be okay if she could be her new stepmother." Andromeda broke into peals of laughter.

"Oh, I remember those days." She said. "Bella was obsessed with you know who, and Morgana bore the worst. Bella would talk about how they'd be family one day, and a lot of other stuff. I used to tease her, tell her I'd be her aunt." Alex smiled and looked at Hermione. "What was the other memory?" Alex's mood dropped.

"Oh, um..."

"That bad, huh?" Hermione saw Alex couldn't talk, so she took over.

"It was a fight between the two of you. When you told Morgana you were in love with a muggleborn."

"Tha was a terrible fight." Andromeda agreed. "We didn't speak for over a week, but then she came to me, and we talked. She apologised and told me I was in danger. She'd overheard Bellatrix talking about me, that Bella knew I was pregnant and had already written to my parents. The moment I went home, I'd be carted off into a loveless marriage with a death eater. I was terrified, and if it weren't for your mother- sorry, Morgana, I'd be trapped or possibly dead. My daughter, Dora, definitely wouldn't be alive."

"What did she do?" Alex asked.

"Come July, when the school closed, she made plans to spend the first few weeks of summer with a friend. That was a cover. And together, she, Ted and I made a run for it. We apparated about five times before eventually she brought us here. She'd given us some money, enough to get by for a little while, and didn't leave until we had a roof over our heads. It wasn't a pretty place, but it was all we could afford, so she set out using her magic until it was habitable. Ted found a local job to support us and Morgana made sure we were safe and protected. She cast so many protective charms that even a finger cut was all but impossible." Alex smiled. "She didn't stop looking out for us after she left. We'd get anonymous posts through muggle mail, of money and gifts for Dora every year on her birthday. She was there when Dora was born and I named her her godmother."

"Does Tonks know?" Alex asked. "About her?"

"Not really. Not the details. She met her, though she might've been too young to remember. Morgana came to me six months into her pregnancy. After her father found out, she left and came straight here. I hid her for the duration."

"Mum told me I was born here." Andromeda nodded.

"Yeah. You were supposed to stay here with me. Dumbledore convinced Morg that it'd be too dangerous."

"Oh." Alex didn't know what to say.

"Stay here. I'll get some pictures." Andromeda said. "There was more to her than just the yearbook." She stood and left and Alex turned to Hermione.

"Kind of a plot twist, don't you think?" Alex tried and Hermione laughed.

"See. You were so focused on that one argument. Turns out, it wasn't even the whole story."

"Thanks for coming with me."

"You've thanked me twenty three times now."

"I have not."

"I've been counting." Hermione continued. Alex nudged her.

"At least you get to be away from Harry and Ron."

"You know, I actually like spending time with them. That's why we're friends."

"But not always." Hermione shook her head but didn't answer as Andromeda returned.

"Here." She handed them a book and the girls looked through some of the pictures.

A/N- favourite line is "You were supposed to stay here with me. Dumbledore convinced Morg that it'd be too dangerous." Andy's pretty bitter about the whole thing. About losing the last link she had to her best friend because stupid Dumbledore convinced Morgana it would be safer if Alex went to Molly instead.

Okay, I'm aware I might have incensed the hate Dumbledore squad, oop.