October in Hogwarts
Monday, 12th October 1970
Andromeda was in The Great Hall, having breakfast with her roommate and friend, Felicity.
“So, George has snogged Ruby in a broom closet, which I think it’s absolutely not romantic. I mean, seriously? Your first kiss with a girl, and you want it to be in the closet?” she explained, completely oblivious about her sausages she had grabbed a few minutes ago. “And now, George has to break up with Claire. Or at least, tell her that he has cheated on her.” She looked at her friend, who was staring blankly at the front. “Andy, are you listening to me?”
“Yeah, yeah. Sure.” she said, nervously, suddenly turning her head to Felicity. “I think George should better not tell Claire right now.”
“Why not?”
“Well, I’m not in the mood for another afternoon full of sobbing and whining in our bedroom.” Andromeda explained, rolling her eyes. “I hope he tells her on Christmas, so we won’t get annoyed.”
“Andy, that’s cruel!” Felicity said, staring at her sceptical.
Andromeda just shrugged.
“What can I say? I don’t really like her. She laughs when some of my potions blow up, you know.”
“Yeah, I know.” Felicity said, frowning. “She has changed a bit since first year. Maybe she has… I don’t know…”
“Become a wanker?”
“Andy, you’re sometimes too radical.” But she laughed.
Andromeda and Felicity were different. Not only physically - Andromeda had a brown curly hair that she hardly managed to comb at the morning, and her eyes were dark, as if they were two caves. Felicity had wavy hair, which was almost blond, and her eyes were like two emeralds, always shining like they had a million stars.
Their personalities were different, too. Andromeda was sarcastic, and had a cold mind which allowed her to make good decisions, but also think strategically when it was necessary, and exclusively for her own benefit.
On the other hand, Felicity was always smiling, and was really responsible (which led her to be the Head Girl of Slytherin). She was also smart, creating her own potions (and coming up with the best lie when her friends and her were in trouble when they were kids).
They have been friends since first year, when they had to share a room. It was recomforting having someone like Felicity. Always trying to cheer up, even when the moment seemed so bad that you could think you were stuck in a big hole, never able to get out.
“Hey, watch out!” Felicity exclaimed, looking up.
As usual, lots of owls stormed in The Great Hall early in the morning.
Felicity received a letter from her family, asking how everything was going. Andromeda also spotted Ted, Alice and Frank in their own tables, with their owls. They were enthusiastically opening the letters, and reading eagerly.
And worst of all: Narcissa received one, too.
The blond girl was sitting a few metres away from her older sister. Every day, the big, grey and elegant owl of the Black family was in front of her, with his lustrous and brilliant feathers and also with a piece of parchment tied in his little tiny leg.
Narcissa opened it, trying to be oblivious about the dark eyes that were staring at her. Her relationship with Andy was a bit odd, by now. Every day, she felt a pang of guilt when she opened the letter, quietly.
Andromeda was staring at her, thinking about the content of that letter, who wrote it…
“You still don’t have news, eh?” Felicity said, watching the emptiness in front of Andromeda’s plate.
“No I don’t.” She shrugged. “But I don’t care. Bellatrix is so annoying, and if my mom wrote to me, it would be something like: “Andromeda, don’t do this, do that…”” she imitated her, with a nasal voice.
“Sounds like a total nightmare.”
“She is, she really is.” Andromeda agreed, wishing that it wasn’t true. “Anyways, what does your family say?”
“Just want to check how I am going.” She shrugged. “ They’re proud I'm Head Girl.” she put the letter aside, with a poker face.
“What happens?” her friend asked, leaning a bit to her.
“Oh, nothing.” Felicity smiled again, a bit forced. “Hey, are you going to apply to be the Quidditch commentator?”
“Ugh, I don’t know.” Andromeda leaned her head on her hands. “I mean, I like it. Last year I did pretty well…”
“Everybody loves your sarcasm.” Felicity encouraged her, with a playful smile. “What did you say? “Madame Hooch, he looks like…””
“He looks like a mooncalf dancing on a broom.” And they both laughed, remembering the final match of last year.
Ten minutes later, they stood up and met with Alice, Frank and Ted.
“What do we have, first?” Alice asked, with a leather bag of books on her shoulder.
“The girls we have to go to Potions.” Felicity informed. Andromeda grunted. “Don’t be like that. And if you don’t like it, why did you choose it in the first place?”
“Because I didn’t want to choose Ancient Runes! You have to be mental, for doing that subject.”
When she said that, Ted brought a hand to his chest, and arched an eyebrow, as if he was saying Excuse me?
“Sorry, Ted.” Andromeda apologised. “You’re amazing, but I just don’t understand why you find stones so fascinating.”
“S’ok.” he replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “But it would have been funny to see you in divination with Alice and Felicity.”
“I use that hour for taking naps.” Felicity said, cheerfully, while they were walking through the corridors.
“And what do you exactly say to the teacher when she asks you what are you doing?” Frank said, incredulous.
“Oh, you won’t believe it.” Alice said, rolling her eyes. “She convinced the teacher she was seeing the future while she was sleeping. When she wakes up, she starts acting like a lunatic, saying things like “Everything will fall. Dark times are coming, bla, bla, bla…””
The group of five bursted out laughing so hard that their stomachs hurted.
“Always works.” the green-eyed girl said, feeling very proud of herself.
Suddenly, Andromeda spotted a blonde girl walking hurriedly past them, holding a couple of books against her chest.
“Wait a minute.” the girl said, unwrapping Ted’s arm and starting to follow her sister.
It took her a minute to catch her. Everyone was walking just opposite her, and Narcissa was almost running in her blue shoes, hitting the heels hard against the floor.
“Hey, Cissy!” Andromeda called out, as she was reaching her.
She turned around, and forced a little smile.
“Hi, Andy.” she waved, slowing down. “Emm… Why are you here?
“Oh, I just saw you and I wondered…” Andromeda fidgeted with her hands, nervously. She hadn’t planned what to say, she only knew she wanted to talk to her. “Do you fancy going to the Three Broomsticks this weekend?” It was the first thing that popped up in her mind. “I know it’s early to ask, but, you know… You have friends, and I just wanted to…”
“Andy.” Narcissa cut her, visibly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, but I said to Lucius I would go with him.”
“Oh.” She felt as if a balloon had deflated in her chest. “It’s fine, don’t worry. It was just an idea, but if you’re busy…”
“I’m sorry.” Narcissa said, low voice. “Now, if you don’t mind, I have to get some things I’ve forgotten…”
“Yeah, of course.” Andromeda said, faking a smile.
Narcissa disappeared in the crowd, and Andromeda just stood there for a few seconds. Was she avoiding her? No, that couldn’t be possible. But why did she look so uncomfortable, while talking to her? Maybe their family was trying to manipulate her through the letters…
“Ms. Black, don’t you have any class?”
The girl spun around and saw Minerva McGonagall, with her arms crossed above her chest, and a severe look that would make even the darkest creatures shiver.
“Yes, I’m going now.” She managed to say, and went down the corridor, adjusting her black leather back in her shoulder.
She arrived at the dungeons five minutes later. Alice and Felicity shot her a look, as if saying Where were you?
“Ms Black, you arrived late. Any explanation?” professor Slughorn asked, arching his eyebrows.
“No, well…” she managed to mumble.
“One point from Slytherin. Now, sit down, please, and be quiet.” He turned around to the blackboard. “As I was explaining, Joberknoll’s feathers have multiple uses. For example…”
Andromeda took her seat quietly, next to Felicity, who, by her face, it was pretty obvious she couldn’t wait to ask her a few questions.
“What were you doing, eh?” the chestnut-haired girl whispered, coming a bit closer to her friend.
“It was just Narcissa.” Andromeda muttered, trying hard not to move too much her lips. “It has been a month, and we barely speak to each other, so I tried to invite her to Hogsmeade, but she’s busy.”
“Oh, don’t worry.” Felicity placed a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed it gently. “I’m sure she’s just stressed about OWLs. You know, having to pay attention in every class, taking notes…”
“Thank you, Feli.” the curly-haired girl thanked her.
“You’re welcome.” her friend said, mirroring her expression.
They remained like this a few seconds, until Andromeda noticed something weird was happening.
“Maybe we should start taking notes and paying attention, because all the class is silent and I think Slughorn is looking at us.”
“Ms Black and Ms Johnson, what was I saying?” Slughorn’s voice asked.
“Fuck.” Andromeda muttered under her breath.
They both looked at the professor, who was frowning, something weird in him, far from his cheerful smile, always pleased to teach.
Alice, in the front corner, started to gesticulate exaggeratedly. Her hands were moving in her sides, going up and down quickly. Oh, right! When Andromeda entered, he was explaining something about…
“You were talking about Jobberknolls.” Andromeda said, trying to sound convincing, and not as if she was trying to guess.
Slughorn looked pretty shocked by the response.
“Yes.” He nodded. “But please, be quiet.”
The both girls nodded, seeing Alice give them thumbs up, grinning, showing her perfect white teeth.
“Honestly, Felicity.” Andromeda started, when they were tidying up when the class finished. “We ought to stop talking in Potions. It’s the fifth time Slughorn orders us to shut up.”
“Yeah, girls. And that’s the last time I’m helping you.” Alice told them. “Claire Jones shot the weirdest look at me. It was pretty embarrassing.”
“Alice, I’m going to tell you something.” Felicity said, while they were walking to their next lesson. “If you have felt embarrassed because of doing signs to us, remember that Claire still thinks her boyfriend loves her, although George has snogged Ruby in a broom closet less than a week before.”
“Really?” Alice opened her eyes, surprised. “How did that happen?”
“Look.” Felicity began, ready to tell all the gossip. “It all started last Friday, when I went to the astronomy tower to collect a book I forgot, and I heard something…”