Birthday Bliss
October, 1973
Andromeda woke up early on the morning of the 8th of October, 1973. It was the day she had come of age.
'Andromeda I cannot believe you are seventeen! Of age' shrieked Narcissa, as the three sisters made their way down to breakfast.
She had received a bounty of lavish gifts from her family, including a beautiful dragonfly brooch from Narcissa, and a real silk dress from Bellatrix.
'Now that you are of age, dear sister, you really ought to start considering your prospects for marriage' said Bellatrix, smugly, as if she had an extensive knowledge on the topic.
'Bella I'm only a sixth year! I needn't worry about any of that now' replied Andromeda, her voice slightly shaky as the reality dawned on her. She was indeed seventeen, of age, therefore her parents would be considering suitors. She brushed the thought out of her mind. She wouldn't be expected to marry until after she had finished her NEWTs and left Hogwarts.
***
'So, party in the common room? Tonight?' said Prudence eagerly, as the two of them were sat in Charms together.
Andromeda chuckled, 'Prudence, do we have to?' she sighed.
'Yes we most certainly do have to!' said Prudence, looking scandalised. 'Goyle said he can get hold of some firewhisky' she whispered, giggling.
'Miss Selwyn, if you could please focus on the task...' squeaked Flitwick.
'Ok, I suppose we could have a party.' pondered Andromeda, 'But I'm not drinking'
'Ugh, you're no fun' sighed Prudence
'Prue, drinking wine at dinner parties is acceptable. Drinking sketchy firewhiskey from Goyle is not sophisticated'
The news of the Slytherin common room party had spread like fiendfyre, soon, the hallways were amidst with 'What're you wearing?' and 'I think I've got a bottle of witches brew somewhere...'.
Prudence was practically beaming. Narcissa was also very excited, but vowed not to touch a drink, especially not one from Goyle. Andromeda and Bellatrix had lectured their sister on the improperness of excessive drinking, especially since she was underage.
Andromeda didn't have much experience with alcohol, it was something that the Black family assured was not proper for a lady to indulge in. She had drank wine before at various family dinner parties, and had had a bit of Witches Brew at a common room party last year, but alcohol made you act differently, say things you perhaps wouldn't say out loud if you were sober... Andromeda was certainly not about to spill her deepest thoughts after a measurable dose of firewhisky.
Andromeda treated the common room party as no special event, changing from her school robes, of course, but not making an effort to look fancy. Prudence clearly had other ideas. She had pasted on makeup in an excessive quantity and was wearing a skimpy black dress which hugged tightly to her figure.
'It's just so... common' Esmerelda turned her nose up at Prudence's choice of clothing.
'Yeah Prue, I can almost see your bum!' squeaked Amaryllis.
Prudence sighed. 'Girls, do not fret! This is how to get the boys'
'Prudence really, you don't want them looking at you as if you're just a piece of-'
'It's just a dress ok!'
***
The common room had been decorated with a large banner displaying the words 'Happy Birthday Andromeda!' in neat calligraphy. Narcissa's artistic work, she had learned. Once the party was in full swing, Andromeda noticed the distribution of alcohol taking place. The possession and consumption of alcohol was against the rules at Hogwarts, therefore there would never be blatant flaunting of it, although it was easy enough to get away with drinking at common room parties. Goyle, true to his word, had somehow procured a large amount of firewhiskey, and was pouring people drinks and passing around bottles. A group of seventh years could also be spotted chugging down mead.
'ISN'T THIS GREAT!' shouted Prudence over the loud music. Fifth year Anthony Robinson had a record player and was using it to play songs from various wizarding bands and artists. Prudence was dancing shamelessly and holding a cup full of a strong smelling beverage Andromeda could only deduce was firewhiskey.
Bellatrix could be seen sitting cosied up to Rodolphus Lestrange, alongside other speculated Death Eaters such as Crabbe, the Carrow siblings and Rodolphus' brother, Rabastan Lestrange. Rodolphus had his arm clutched around Bellatrix, Andromeda spotted his hand holding her at the waist, gripping her tightly. Andromeda scanned her sisters face for any traces of discomfort, although Bellatrix displayed none.
She moved around the room in search for her sister, and found her, butterbeer in hand, in conversation with Lucius Malfoy. She was laughing avidly at what he was saying, and her cheeks had a slight pink tinge to them. Malfoy was a sleazy fifth year with platinum blonde hair which he slicked back with copious amounts of gel. His face wasn't unpleasant to look at, that much could not be denied, however he had such an apparent sneer so often present that it looked like he had a bad smell under his nose.
She decided against confronting her sister about this, and instead attempted to drive that, and Bellatrix and Lestrange, out of her mind. This was her party after all, she should be having fun, not worrying about things. Her mind was so preoccupied with unease, she needed a distraction.
Andromeda's eyes wandered over to Goyle's bottles of firewhiskey.
'I need a drink' she said to Goyle, curtly.
He sniggered. 'A daughter of the house of Black, wants to drink firewhiskey.'
She put her hands on her hips but smirked. 'Are you going to give me a drink or not Goyle'
'Since it's your birthday, take a whole bottle'
That was not a good idea. But that was such a good idea, oh god, it was an amazing idea! This is bad. Very bad. This is so good, this feels so good!
After consuming a dangerous quantity of firewhiskey, Andromeda found herself dancing aimlessly with Prudence, feeling exceptionally light and happy, and undeniably drunk.
She had sipped it at first, been initially repulsed by its strong taste, but glanced at Bellatrix, in Lestrange's clutches. She took a swig and gulped it down. She glanced over at her other sister, and seethed with rage as Malfoy put an arm around her. She chugged from the bottle once more. This cycle, and perhaps the habit of lifting the bottle to her lips, had deemed a deadly combination and had resulted in her becoming very drunk.
Dancing with Prudence had suddenly seemed like a very good idea. Talking to various and multiple people enticed her too. This new side of Andromeda was fun, outgoing and carefree. She saw Bellatrix glare at her disapprovingly as she danced and laughed with Prudence. Was her drunken state that obvious? I don't care. She thought, a wave of recklessness overcoming her.
It wasn't until she had averted her attention away from Bellatrix, that she noticed Prudence was no longer beside her. 'Prue?' she said, scanning the room until she spotted her friend, locked in a tight embrace with Yaxley. They were kissing so vigorously it looked as though they were trying to eat each other, hands were going everywhere, Yaxley's in particular were becoming suspiciously close to Prudence's breasts.
Deciding to not bother her friend, as she seemed quite occupied, Andromeda decided that some fresh air would do her good, and slinked out of the common room. Once in the hallway of the dungeon, she realised just how drunk she really was, she stumbled across the flagstones and stayed close to the wall to avoid toppling over. She regained some composure, but getting up the stairs was still a great challenge. Once she had made it outside she breathed in the fresh air she smiled to herself. She sat down on the grass and gazed out to the night sky. She was fully aware that she was breaking curfew, but she didn't care. That was the wondrous thing that the alcohol had done to her. All thoughts of Narcissa, or Bellatrix, or Ted Ton-'
'Andromeda?' came a voice from nearby.
She turned around swiftly, nearly losing her balance in the process. There, approaching her in the darkness, was none other than Ted Tonks.
'What are you doing out here?' she said incredulously, as he flung himself down and sat next to her.
'I should ask what you're doing out here' he chuckled. 'And why you reek of firewhiskey'
'Party... common room...' she mumbled, being drunk, stringing together a sentence seemed to be a difficult feat.
'You're not drunk are you?' asked Ted, laughing.
'No!' said Andromeda, arching her brow. Although she knew it was not convincing, she had been failing dismally at concealing the fact that she was drunk.
'So, what's the occasion?'
'Well if you must know, it's my birthday' she wasn't sure why she was telling Ted this, she supposed it was more difficult to give a snarky retort when drunk.
'Oh I see. Happy birthday' he said
She murmured thanks and continued looking up at the sky. Trying not to notice how Ted's gaze was unwavering from her. In an irrational drunken spur of impulse, she jerked her head to face him. He looked startled, but retained his gaze. The eye contact was fierce, challenging, as if each were bidding the other to look away. Andromeda stared intently into those deep brown eyes and wondered. Wondered what Ted was thinking right now. What Ted ever thought, what his life was like. And what he was doing staring at her with that look behind those eyes. Andromeda struggled to deduce the meaning behind his eyes. Curiosity... Desire... Perhaps a longing to know more about her peculiar life...
Snap out of it. A stern voice In her head told her. She broke the eye contact and gasped as she turned away sharply.
Ted sighed and looked up to the sky. 'Stars are out tonight' he said softly.
'My family are all named after stars' she said.
'But you, Andromeda, you are a whole galaxy'
These words sparked something within her, a feeling filled with excitement and warmth, as much as she knew she shouldn't she wanted to stay out there and talk to Ted. As shameful as it was to admit, there was a part of her that knew she liked talking to him.
She knew she wouldn't have allowed herself had she been sober, although the alcohol had given her nerve, or perhaps foolishness, so she stayed outside and talked to Ted. She wasn't sure how long they'd been there, it just felt so natural, so refreshing. The conversation flowed seamlessly, Andromeda didn't feel judged, didn't feel compelled to say the right thing, or the acceptable thing. For the first time in her life she could just talk.
When she'd sobered up a bit, the reality hit her, she suddenly worried that her friends and sisters would question where she'd got to, and what she could have possibly been doing gone for so long.
'I ought to be- I really should be getting back' she said, getting up hastily, nearly loosing her balance again.
'Woah, easy there, you sure you can make it back alright?' said Ted
She frowned at him, but allowed a smirk to creep onto her lips.
'Let me walk to you your common room, at least' he said, holding out a hand.
It was only because she knew that she'd need the support standing up straight that she took his hand and allowed him to guide her back inside the castle and down to the dungeons.
'Well' he said, once they reached the entrance. 'Goodnight, Andromeda'
'Goodnight' she said, and he left.
She crept back into the now almost deserted common room, the music had been turned off and there was only a few people left either asleep on sofas or engaged in quiet sleepy conversation. She quietly made her way to her dormitory, where all of the four poster curtains were drawn, besides one, Prudence's. Andromeda sighed to herself, she had a pretty good speculation of the reason Prudence wasn't in her bed.
She changed, brushed her teeth and climbed gratefully into her warm inviting bed, burying herself underneath the duvet. She felt strange, as the effects of the alcohol were wearing off, and the memories of the time she had spent outside with Ted were still fresh in her mind, the situation confused her. She couldn't grasp what the feeling was, the feeling she had felt when she was with Ted, the feeling that lingered as she remembered their eye contact, the look in Ted's eyes that she had failed to understand...