The house was quiet. Only the faint crackling of the fire was heard as Andromeda sat in her beloved Ted’s armchair. She jumped at the sudden, but loud, crack of thunder that rumbled through the house followed quickly by a flash of lightning that lit up the room. She hadn’t been expecting a storm, but it seemed only fitting. She looked up from the fire and turned her gaze to the front window. The rain began to pelt against the window. At least the world was still able to cry. She thought she would cry forever after the loss of her daughter, but her grandson needed her, so she soldiered on. Then her friends were shortly killed in an attack on the ministry. Then, her husband was taken from her while he tried to rescue muggle-borns that were held captive, and the tears never came, she only knew anger.
The only thing that she felt was anger. A slow simmering anger that never cooled. Even looking into Teddy’s innocent tawny eyes didn’t cool the anger, it just strengthened her resolve to keep him alive, at all costs.
The front door slammed open. Andromeda surged to her feet; her wand drawn.
“Confringo” flew from her lips as she didn’t wait to attack.
“Protego!” was yelled as the intruder ducked to avoid the golden blast of magic, “Andy! It’s me!” was yelled out as the man moved back outside, covered by the outer wall of the house.
“George?” she called out hesitantly but didn’t lower her wand. She would not be caught unaware again.
She saw the red hair first as George Weasley peeked his head inside. His eyes, which used to be full of mischief, were now dull and serious. His missing ear was no longer the only scar that he held.
“Am I good to come in now?”
Andromeda rolled her eyes, “Yes, get in here” she said once she finally lowered her wand.
“Did you want some tea?” she asked moving towards the Kitchen.
“No time. We’ve found him.”
“What? Where? When?” she asked.
“We’ve been on the trail for a few months now. Didn’t want to give you false hope but it looks like they are at the Lestrange Manor” George explained.
“How are we going to get him out though…surely it would be under the Fidelius charm.”
George rolled his eyes, “You know the purebloods, never thinking about House Elves as more than servants. One of them helped get Kingsley undercover with Polyjuice. Come on, we’ve got to pack up Teddy and move him to another safe house. Angelina offered to watch over him.”
“I could kiss you right now!” Andromeda said as her excitement at the news got the best of her. All her emotions bubbled over, and she could barely contain them. It had been over a year now since Harry was last spotted.
“Nobody’s stopping you,” George said with a flirty grin.
“I think Angelina might have a bit of an issue with that,” Andromeda chuckled, and the pair walked down the hall toward Teddy’s bedroom.
The toddler was asleep in his bed, peaceful, unaware of the danger they faced. She quietly packed up all the clothes that he would need as well as a couple of toys that he liked. She gently picked up the sleeping tot and held him close to her chest.
*
Andromeda stood next to George and kept her gaze locked on the foreboding manor in the distance. The storm had not passed but Andromeda hoped it would work in their favor. Hopefully, the thunder covered any noise they made during the rescue.
Andromeda heard a branch snap behind them, she spun around wand raised and a curse ready on her lips that died and quick death when she caught sight of Kingsley. She allowed George to take the lead and ask the standard questions to ensure he was who he looked like and then they planned.
“We must hurry. You-know-who is scheduled to arrive in the next couple of days. Most of the manor is busy with preparations but if we don’t move quickly, we will lose our chance. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think our chances of rescue improve once you-know-who is on the scene,” Kingsley explained.
“Let’s go,” Andromeda said impatiently.
Kingsley nodded and took a quick shot of Polyjuice. Within seconds his skin started to bubble, and his features changed. Long blonde locks grew from his previously blonde head. His once dark skin lightened into a ghostly pale white. Before she knew it, Lucius Malfoy stood before them.
“That is so unsettling,” George muttered, and Andromeda couldn’t help but agree.
“Come on, Mooky is waiting at the back entrance to let us in,” said Kingsley.
The trio rounded the side of the manor and Andromeda let out a hiss when the thorns from the nearby vines caught her sleeve and cut into her arm.
George stayed outside hidden in the bush under a Disillusionment Charm to keep an eye so that nobody would sneak up on them through the back. He had the golden galleon ready to notify the duo inside if they were in danger.
Once inside Kingsley led Andromeda through the halls lit with chandeliers every couple of feet. The stained-glass windows made the hallways have an ominous red glow.
“This way,” Kingsley whispered once they came to the end of the hallway. He pulled open the door to the left and Andromeda gulped at the dark staircase. That could lead nowhere good. It was another few minutes before they reached the bottom and found themselves in a damp, dank cellar.
“Let’s split up. I’m not sure which cell he’s in. Message me if you find him and I’ll do the same,” Kingsley said with a flip of his golden galleon.
Andromeda nodded and made her way down the path to the left, while Kingsley went to the right. As she passed by the occasional cell Andromeda was elated to see that there was only one occupied cell. She approached the bars, as she assumed that it was Harry, but once she got the door unlocked and entered the dirty cell, she found that the room’s only occupant was a tortured woman who had finally succumbed to her injuries.
“I’m so sorry,” Andromeda whispered, tears pooled in her eyes. She took a deep, shaky, breath and forced herself to continue her search.
At the end of the hallway, Andromeda finally found Harry. To her dismay, he looked near death. He was hung from the ceiling by wrist shackles about a foot in the air, blood slowly running down his forearms. Beneath his feet was a glowing red floor and Andromeda could feel the heat from where she stood.
“Oh, Harry,” she whispered.
Andromeda wasted no time and quickly shot off a quick message through the galleon and approached the injured teen. She hesitantly reached out a hand and rested it on Harry’s cheek. As soon as her hand made contact Harry jerked away, eyes wild, and he grunted in pain.
“Shh, Harry, it’s okay. We’re here. We’re going to get you out of here,” Andromeda soothed the scared teen.
“An…’dromeda?” he groaned; his voice raspy from disuse.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Kingsley soon appeared and together they managed to get Harry down from his chains. She sank to the floor and held Harry’s limp body close to hers while Kingsley scouted ahead to make sure that nobody had heard their rescue.
“It’s going to be okay, Harry…I promise,” she murmured and pressed a kiss to Harry’s sweaty forehead. He felt hot to the touch and Andromeda wasn’t sure if it was due to the hot coals he had been suspended over or if he was running a fever. All she knew was that they needed to get out of here, and fast.
“Come on, looks like we’re in the clear,” Kingsley hissed once he reappeared. The duo wrapped Harry’s arms around their shoulders and together they navigated their way out of the manor as quickly as possible. They met up with George outside and once they were a safe distance away, they port-keyed off towards a safe house.
Kingsley was finally able to stop his undercover mission and with Harry safe with Andromeda hope for a better future finally started to grow.