The Astronomy Tower
Andromeda's heart hung heavy with these new revelations of the horrible person she might be, but Moody was not a patient person. He wanted his role in this to be done so he could move on about his day and deal with his own problems.
"Just go in."
She stared at the old wooden door but did not move.
"Black, come on." Alastor crossed his arms. "Do you want to find out what's going on or are you content living without your memories? If you are then we can call this all off now."
"How do I even talk to her?" She whispered cautiously.
"With words. English preferably."
Andromeda sighed heavily, shaking the nerves out of her tense shoulders. "Thanks, Alastor."
She took a deep breath and placed her hand on the handle of the wooden door. With her heart thudding in her chest, she pushed the door open and stepped into the dark, musty room. As the door shut behind her, however, all her anxieties vanished like fog in the sunlight.
The astronomy tower was an enormous room, lined with windows and filled with books and instruments of every shape and size. The walls were covered in ancient runes and carvings, and the sun streaming through the windows glowed with a soft light that filled every corner of the room.
With the weight of her worries lifted from her shoulders, Andromeda felt a sense of peace and tranquillity settle over her. She breathed slowly and deeply, letting the calming atmosphere of the tower wash over her.
She turned slowly, taking in the sights and sounds of the room. As her eyes settled on a figure sitting quietly on a stool in the corner, her breath caught in her throat.
"Olivia?" Andromeda spoke softly, a sense of awe filling her voice as she took a step forward.
There was no call of response or indication the figure had even registered Andromeda's presence.
"Sorry for interrupting." Andromeda continued as she crept further into the room, approaching the girl hunched over a sketch pad in the corner. "I…I just…"
what? she just what? what was she supposed to say?
As she moved in, she grew close enough to see what had such a controlling grip on the girl's attention. Peering over her shoulder, Andromeda could see the soft charcoal drawings on the pages. Small sketches of various magical creatures, thestrals, erumpents, dragons, pixies, and even what looked like a zouwu.
"Magical in their own way." Olivia finally said, keeping her eyes on her work.
"I- um well yes." Those words seemed familiar but Andromeda couldn't place them. A feeling she knew she must get used to.
"What's up, Princess?" Olivia asked softly.
"I…Olivia…"
Andromeda's mind blanked and her tongue tied. This was an impossible situation and she was lost.
"I- I..." Andromeda floundered, struggling with what to say. Olivia remained still and silent, her back turned to Andromeda. The words that Andromeda had prepared in her mind before coming to the tower had deserted her, and she felt completely at a loss for what to say next. After a few moments of awkward silence, she finally spoke.
"Olivia, I..." she hesitated, not sure how to approach the situation or make amends for whatever had happened between them long ago. "I'm sorry."
"What sins do you have to forgive, Princess?"
"I…um…I hurt you."
"You could never hurt me."
Olivia's words took Andromeda by surprise, and she had to bite her lip to prevent herself from letting out a sigh of relief. The guilt she had felt moments earlier dissipated, and she felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. It appeared that Olivia was more forgiving than she thought, and she felt a surge of gratitude wash over her.
"Really?" she asked gently. "I didn't hurt you?"
"Never." Olivia replied confidently.
"But I thought...I thought…"
"I knew what I was getting into with you." Olivia pivoted swiftly on her stool to face Andromeda. To look at her face made the moment feel that much more real. "What's happened to you?"
Andromeda held her breath for a moment, looking back into those deep dark eyes she didn't recognize. She had hoped to see her again would connect the dots in her brain but she barely knew the person before her.
"I need your help."
A soft smirk spread across Olivia's face. "I gathered as much."
Andromeda stared at her blankly for a moment. Once known for her wit, she couldn't even formulate a basic sentence with this girl.
"Merlin…I'm sorry."
"You've said that already."
"I don't know what else to say."
Olivia set her sketchbook to the side and patted the space next to her, indicating Andromeda to sit.
Olivia's gesture surprised Andromeda, and she hesitated for a moment before accepting the invitation and sitting beside her. Her heart was racing and she felt like she wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear. Why was Olivia being so gracious to her? Why hadn't she turned her away and told her to never come back?
She was still unsure about what to say or do, but Olivia's easygoing nature was comforting. And the sketchbook laid out on Olivia's lap had sparked her curiosity. Olivia hadn't even flinched when Andromeda admitted she couldn't remember anything about their past, and yet there was a level of compassion in her eyes that left Andromeda feeling confused and torn.
"What are you working on?" she asked softly, gesturing towards Olivia's sketchbook.
"Oh just little bits and bobs," Olivia flicked onto the next blank page. "Given the circumstances…you probably won't remember this but…"
She gently placed the book on Andromeda's lap and handed her the charcoal. "You used to be quite the artist when we were together."
"I had lessons when. I was younger. But my mother-"
"But your mother forced you to take those lessons so you never really enjoyed doing it." Olivia cut her off with a sly smile. "Sometimes you just need the right setting to do it."
"I…I don't remember…"
"Muscle memory. Just give it a try." She nudged the sketchbook.
Andromeda nodded slowly, unsure of what to make of the girl's suggestion. Olivia's words made sense, but she wasn't confident that she would be able to create something beautiful. But, she was willing to try. Slowly, she lifted the charcoal to the paper, and closed her eyes. She let the image of a young Olivia and herself holding hands in front of Hogwarts castle fill her mind. With a deep breath, she began to sketch.
As the first lines appear on the page, she could feel the muscles and instincts of a different life kicking in. Even though she couldn't recall any specific memories, she knew that this was something that had come naturally to her once before. Olivia was right - maybe this was exactly what she needed.
As time slipped away, Andromeda gradually settled into a state of serene concentration as her fingers worked the charcoal across the page. She felt her anxiety and worries slip away with each stroke, and before she knew it, she had filled a whole page with a drawing of. The lines were soft and flowing, and her subject appeared as if alive on the page.
Andromeda let out a deep breath as she finally sat back and looked at the drawing in front of her. She knew that Olivia's words had inspired her, but she hadn't expected to produce something like this.
As she continued to sketch, she became absorbed in the task. She saw Olivia smiling at her from over her shoulder and felt the warmth of her presence.
"What's that?" Olivia asked, her voice breaking Andromeda's focus. She gently tapped the corner of the page, pointing out a small bundle of flowers.
Andromeda paused, examining it. All the small flowers huddled together in little bundles, she suspected it made a bigger picture but her mind had yet to find it. "Myosotis."
"Oh…forget-me-nots." Olivia sounded impressed, and Andromeda saw a flicker of recognition cross Olivia's face.
Olivia sat in silence for a moment, studying the drawing in front of her. Seeing the flowers sparked something in Olivia, but she didn't want to interrupt Andromeda to point it out. She sat, her eyes fixed on the drawing, waiting for Andromeda to discover what she was already seeing without her help.
Andromeda turned the sketchbook, craning her neck to see her stretches from a different angle.
As Olivia watched, she saw the flower bundles assemble themselves into the form of a teddy bear, its eyes made from forget-me-not flowers. She stared at Andromeda in silence, unsure of how to guide her friend to this revelation without breaking the spell of peaceful concentration that had taken over her. As if sensing the direction of Olivia's gaze, Andromeda looked over her shoulder and instantly saw what Olivia saw.
"Olivia, these flowers-"
"Are shaped like a teddy bear," Olivia finished, and Andromeda smiled at the understanding that passed between them.
"Why? What does that mean?" Andromeda flustered.
Olivia offered a gentle glance of sympathy. "It means your mother can't take away your memories…at least, not completely."