Full House [Andromeda]

[Deleted]

Last night had proven to be quite interesting for Neville. Aurora Lestrange’s visit to his office and the talks that followed had led to quite a shift in things, and the aftershocks were still coming. True to his word, Neville had wasted no time, sending Percival to the castle during breakfast to drop a note on Andromeda Lestrange’s head, requesting that she come down to his office in Greenhouse One during her afternoon free period. He rarely sent the megabat to deliver letters inside the castle grounds—Percival was so large that he tended to scare owls off course and cause collisions. But he couldn’t be certain that the Gryffindor girl would be at breakfast, and his bat would find her wherever she was. And this would not wait—he would give Andromeda the same opportunity he’d given her sister, and Neville fully intended to do it quickly and quietly enough that Rabastan wouldn’t have the chance to intervene before his daughters were allowed to make up their own minds. If Andromeda chose to stay with her family, that was fine. But she needed to stay because it was her choice, not because her parents pulled her out of school and locked her up in their manor. Which he suspected they would do, as discreetly as they could, if he gave them the opportunity.

So here he was, standing near the front of Greenhouse One, while a pair seventh year NEWT students taught the second-year double class of Slytherin and Ravenclaw in Greenhouse Two. He knew by looking up Andromeda’s schedule that her free period was now, and as much as he hated missing out on his own classes, his students were quite capable of giving the Mandrake lecture without him. And if they weren’t, he’d find the whole class snoozing when he checked on them after. So he waited, for once not rooting around in the dirt with his plants. This would look suspicious to Andromeda, for whom he had been the Head of House up until this year, but just sending Percival to her in the first place was suspicious. Hopefully she wouldn’t think she was in trouble for anything, but it would be for the best if she took this seriously right from the start. It was going to be a lot to put on the girl. Neville did not particularly relish telling her that her father tortured her sister for information and that she might be in danger of the same.

@lestrange

[Deleted]

Andy was looking forward to her free period today. She was planning on snuggling up with a cup of tea in the Gryffindor common room and forgetting the world for a while. Before she had even left her last classroom, however, Professor Longbottoms owl, approached her with a letter. "Okay...."[/b] she took the letter and read it quickly. He wanted to meet with her down by the green houses. She shrugged, the tea could wait. She was a little concerned as to what he wanted to talk to her about though. She knew she wasn't in trouble or anything, but she also knew that he was kind of a big deal in the 'wizarding heroes' area, which meant he could be telling her that her life was threatened or some absurd thing like that. She rolled her eyes at the thought. Who would want to end her life, anyway?

She walked down to the green houses and saw the Professor standing there doing nothing.. That was a little strange. He was usually covered in dirt. She smiled and waved at him from a distance, which sort of made the rest of the walk awkward. When she reached him she stopped, tilting her head to the side, "So... what's up?" she asked. She didn't want to seem worried that it was something serious, so she decided to keep it light. She wasn't really one to say 'what's up' often, but she was trying really hard to seem casual.

[Deleted]

Andromeda waved at him from across the lawn, and Neville waved back, smiling in spite of the serious issue they were about to discuss. The younger Lestrange sister was a good kid and a Gryffindor to her very core. She had a blanket intolerance for bullying and, last he heard, a burning ambition to become an Auror. Again, he found himself amazed that someone like Rabastan had been able to raise such children. But his smile had faded back into a rather serious look before Andromeda got close enough to see his face. "So... what's up?" Deliberately casual. Not surprising, given the unusual situation all around. "Miss Lestrange, I am sorry for taking up your free time, but this just can't wait. Please step into the greenhouse." He gestured to the door, following the Gryffindor in. He pulled his wand, sealing the door and placing a Muffling Charm on the greenhouse. This needed to be kept quiet as long as possible.

Once their privacy was assured, Neville waved his wand again, and a house-elf in a Hogwarts tea towel appeared, bearing a tray laden with tea, butterbeer, and sandwiches. He set them on the nearest bench and bowed to Neville, who smiled. "Thank you very much, Torkle," he said. Torkle bowed again, before vanishing with a loud crack. The old house-elf had been a big help to the DA when he was young, and now he insisted on being the one to serve Neville. Neville, for his part, loved the little guy. Normally, he stayed to talk for a bit, but today there was no time for small talk. Neville picked up one of the hot mugs of butterbeer and looked at Andromeda. "Help yourself," he said, gesturing to the tray. If nothing else, she could get some good food out of this meeting.

But there would be no beating around the bush. Neville knew Andromeda better than he did Aurora, and he doubted he would need to be so delicate with her. "Miss Lestrange, are you aware of what happened between your sister and your father during your time away from Hogwarts?"

[Deleted]

Of course the professor went straight into apologies, he was very polite. Andy bowed a little to show her appreciation for his gesture and followed him into the greenhouse. She watched as Torkle, the house-elf brought food for them and Andy glanced at the food when it was gestured too, but she didn't make a motion toward it yet. She could tell that something serious was afoot, and she wasn't sure if food was something she wanted to deal with holding down at the moment. Receiving a letter to meet in private with a Professor was rarely an occasion to be celebrated with food. Granted, her and her head of house had only had good experiences so far... but she wasn't ready to push it.

"Thank you, I'll think about it." she said in terms of the food. She folded her arms gently across her chest as she knew he was bound to jump right into things. She cocked an eyebrow at him as he raised his question about her sister. She tried not to roll her eyes, but an annoyed sigh escaped her lips. "What, did she get a little slap on the hand and a golden star?" she said almost in a mutter. Her parents adored Aurora. So... why was the Professor speaking in such a tone?

She rolled her shoulders back, letting herself loosen up a little bit. "I'm sorry, Professor," she said, sincerely. He really didn't need to hear any of her sass. "I mean to say that I don't know what you are referring to," she spoke calmly.

[Deleted]

“What, did she get a little slap on the hand and a golden star?”

Oh dear. Outwardly, Neville merely raised one eyebrow at the Gryffindor. Inside, he was cringing. Saying it to him wasn’t as bad as saying it to Aurora, but he had a sneaking suspicion Andromeda would be feeling pretty scummy for saying that in a couple of minutes. Not that it was her fault or anything, but Gryffindors as a general rule hated feeling like bullies, and that was probably how she would feel once she learned the truth. Andromeda apologized quickly for her words though, and confirmed that she had no idea what had happened. Not surprising. Neville couldn’t see her keeping quiet if she had known. He downed a generous portion of butterbeer, before setting the half-empty mug on the end of the nearest table. “During your absence, your father heard rumors that Aurora had been seen in the company of James Potter.” Not from her, surely. But Neville still watched her for a reaction, curious as to whether she had had the rumors or not, or perhaps even knew them to be true.

He folded his hands behind his back, regarding Andromeda for a moment, before he continued. “Within traditional pureblood families, the family name is everything. Sons and daughters are raised from birth to further the bloodline and increase the influence of the house. Lives are planned out decades in advance. Your sister likely had a husband chosen for her before you were born. Anything—just the slightest deviation from this plan—is considered an extreme threat to the family, and is often dealt with accordingly. Your father drugged your sister with Veritaserum to discover the truth.” He wanted to underline this, because he wasn’t sure how much Andromeda had been taught about that, being as she was basically insurance in case something happened to her older sister, but her parents hadn’t intended on her birth at all. Aurora might be the favorite to her parents, but being favored wasn’t a good thing by default. Andromeda being a surprise might have saved her in more ways than she knew.

“Once Aurora was forced to confirm the truth of the rumors, your father used the Cruciatus Curse on her as punishment. And when she refused to stop seeing James, he continued to use it. If I could prove that he’d done it, I’d have sent the Aurors to his house by now.” Unfortunately, it had likely been too long. Priori Incantatem wouldn’t reveal all the way back to the curse’s use—and even if it could, Neville had no doubt that Rabastan had a wand the Ministry wasn’t aware of that he used for this sort of thing, just in case. He sighed and looked at Andromeda. “Before we go on, I just thought you might want to know what it means to be the favorite in a traditional family. You’re half bargaining chip. You’re loved, in the same way that a faithful animal is loved—as long as you behave and you’re useful, you will be treated well. Otherwise…well. Just keep in mind: you may resent your sister for being the family favorite, but she might just be jealous of you for not being the favorite.” There was more to discuss, but it was important to see how Andromeda reacted to learning of her older sister’s hardships.

Neville wanted to see where the sisters stood when things truly mattered.

[Deleted]

we go crashing down

and we come back every time

At the mention of James Potter, Andy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew him, sure, pretty closely actually. He was a good guy, but a total tool. She simply nodded at the mention of his and her sisters thing. Yeah, she knew about it, she wasn't blind. She paid attention to her sister often, even if she'd never admit it. She wanted to... make sure she was okay? She wasn't sure. This thing between her and Aurora... it had always been complicated and they never really communicated. But then it hit Andy, "Wait, my... my father found out? How?" her eyes widened, suddenly feeling a gust of fear for her sister. A Potter was the last person her dad would let Aurora speak with. Andy could tell this wasn't going to be good. No, this was going to be really bad.

She listened more intently from this point on. When he revealed that Aurora had been drugged to deliver the truth, Andys mouth dropped a little. She shouldn't be surprised that her father did that... but to Aurora? Andy expected that kind of stuff to happen to her. But, Andy hadn't done anything as bad as dating a Potter. The worst thing that Andys dad would know about was that she sometimes skipped class to play her violin instead... well, that's all he would have on her for now. She almost zoned out a little thinking about Jude, her muggleborn friend whom she had complicated feelings for, but she snapped out of it. This wasn't about her. This was about Aurora.

At the next part of the explanation, Andy felt like something was twisting in her stomach. A serious of rocks spinning around and scraping her insides little by little. She let her right hand fall right above her diaphragm and clutched it, willing the pain to stop. Her heart was throbbing in her throat. Had she really made that 'slap on the wrist' comment only a moment ago? She couldn't imagine how horrible that had sounded to the professor knowing what he knew. She reached her left hand out and clutched the table beside her for a moment before shaking her head and holding up her hand, "Stop, stop. I don't want to hear any more," she felt her voice shaking. What did this mean to Andy? She always thought that Aurora was just like her parents, she never acted any different until this year. How was she supposed to believe that Aurora actually wanted to be in Andys position? Andy was afraid to go home every second. She thought they would finally decide that she wasn't worth the space and kill her off. But what did this mean now? Would Andy be forced into the life they wanted for Aurora? Could they both get away? What was Aurora really like. "Oh God..." Andy shook her head and leaned on the table even more. What good would praying do her now? And why did her parents send them back to school?

"Why did you tell me this?" Andy finally asked.

@superluigi64

[Deleted]

Neville had expected—or maybe hoped—that Andromeda’s dismissive attitude was more because she didn’t expect her father to learn about things than any real disdain for her sister. He wasn’t disappointed. It pained him to have to tell her all this, mainly because (as with Aurora) he hadn’t wanted to speak ill of her parents. She had always made it clear she was made from a different mold than her family, but Neville still hated to give any child a reason to hate their parents. It wasn’t right…but then, Rabastan had earned any grudge his daughters might hold with him, at this point. The shock of everything that had happened was getting to the girl, and Neville quietly moved just close enough to lunge and grab her in case she fainted. It wouldn’t be the first time a student did so, when faced with an awful truth that tore at the heart. “Why did you tell me this?” Ah, stern stuff, this one. Well, she did want to be an Auror. Neville smiled sadly. “Two sisters who don’t talk, because each believes the other to dislike them for their choices in life. In reality, they’re not so different, and both like to help others. To go their whole lives and never understand that they could be closer…isn’t that too sad of an ending?”

Neville didn’t have siblings, but he often wondered if the way he and Ginny interacted was like having a little sister. And he’d had to watch his daughter grow distant from his sons by choice, and then wish she had not done so. Maybe here, now, the Lestrange girls could fix this. Of course, that wasn’t the most pressing issue right now. “But there’s a more immediate reason why I tell you this. Aurora will not go home again. That is a decision she made for herself. I gave her the means to make sure Rabastan couldn’t track her down or compel her. I wanted to make sure to give you the option too.” With that, he pulled out a piece of parchment, identical to the one he’d given Aurora only last night, and laid it on the table beside Andromeda. “This is a form that gives the Ministry authority to sever your blood ties to your family. Any magical links between you and your family members will be dissolved. You’ll never inherit a thing from them, but you’ll never have to worry about them trying to use that link.” He pulled out a second form and looked it over. He’d read it already, but he skimmed it for a moment to make sure it still matched what he remembered. Satisfied, he nodded to himself.

Neville looked at the Gryffindor again. “Your sister will be living with me for now. It’s not easy to make it on your own out there if you want to continue your education at the same time. So I told her I would help her as long as she needed. A home, money, freedom of choice, until she can provide for herself and live the life she wants. I will not just watch Aurora struggle on her own. She deserves better than that. And so do you.” He placed the parchment down beside the first—it was an adoption form, allowing an underage student to choose a new guardian, and it was already signed by Hermione Weasley, giving it Ministry authority, and Neville himself, signed as the new guardian. “You needed to know all of this, because very soon, your sister’s paperwork will reach the Ministry. And your father will find out quickly after that. I wanted to make sure that if you wanted to leave, you had the chance to make that choice yourself, before Rabastan comes to remove you from Hogwarts again and takes that choice away. If you want to stay with your family, that’s fine. I won’t try to convince you otherwise. But if you want to leave, like your sister, then I’ll help.”

Neville walked back over to pick up his butterbeer and down some more of the warm, delicious liquid. Then he looked at Andromeda and smiled. “If you think it would be unacceptable to live with me, that’s fine. And if you have someone in mind that you think will take you in, and you'd rather live with them, that’s fine too. But you need a foster, you’re underage. So if you want to leave your parents, sign the form. We can always sign guardianship over to another of your choosing later. But I will tell you the same thing I told your sister: you are not your last name, and you are not responsible for things your relatives have done. I will not tolerate anyone treating you as though you are.”

“And I’ll claim you if you decide to stay with me.” The words were said without an ounce of doubt or hesitation.

@lestrange

[Deleted]

we go crashing down

and we come back every time

Andy stood up a little straighter as he explained his reasons for telling her all of these horrible things. Andy didn't doubt that they were true, she knew her parents well. They had used physical punishment on Andy before, but never an unforgivable curse. Andy wouldn't imagine how Aurora must be feeling right now. Now, the Professor claimed that her and Aurora weren't so different. She just shook her head at that comment, not sure what to say. She didn't owe him any sort of explanation, and he knew that. He had kids, he probably understood a little what Aurora and Andys relationship was like. Even if it was a little bit darker than his own childrens.

Andy perked up as he said there was a more immediate reason for the information. That's when she got a lot of explanation all at once. It was possible to cut their father out of their lives? That idea seemed too good to be true, and a bit unreal. Now Andy was being offered the same thing.

She leaned forward and gently lifted the paper the Professor had placed on the table. She lifted it to survey the words upon it. So, he could sever the family link in a way. This moment was starting to feel surreal. The possibility of this being real was slim in Andys mind. But the evidence was right in front of her and Neville would never lie to her. She knew that.

Aurora was moving in with the Longbottoms? The idea didn't sound completely crazy, but did Andy really want to live with Aurora right now? Did she want to be forced to talk to her about... about everything? She was feeling more confused than ever as she contemplated the offer. Andy didn't have much time to dwell on that though. Professor Longbottom brought up a good point. As soon as her father found out about Aurora leaving, he would come for Andy. That thought made her heart start pounding against her chest, "I can't go back there," she stated firmly, "Not when there is another option."

Andy was given a moment to her own thoughts as the Professor drank some butterbeer. She couldn't really see herself ever eating again at the beginning of this conversation. But the thought of escape... that suddenly made her feel more energetic, and even a little hungry. Hungry for freedom.

She felt an overwhelming gratitude for his choice of words, saying he wouldn't tolerate anyone treating her as only her last name. She knew someone else like that. Nevilles very own son Philip had shown her that some people can be caring no matter where you come from. That was something she didn't often see.

That freedom was right in front of her, being offered out right. So then why was she still hesitating? "Can... I'll sign it. But can I have a day to decide whom I want to be my guardian?" she asked, her eyes lifting from the paper for a moment. He was making a gracious offer, and there was a confidence in his voice that she trusted but... she needed to think about it. She needed to breathe for a moment. She needed to play her music in order to put this all together.


@superluigi64

[Deleted]

Well, it certainly seemed as though Aurora and Andromeda agreed on the idea of leaving their birth parents. Ever since Neville had told her what happened, she’d been acting like her entire world had been flipped on its head and she was still trying to get oriented. But her words were clear of hesitation when she said she couldn’t go back. That alone meant that the most important part of all this, ensuring the safety of the children, was a success. Neville was already considering what this meant for himself and for Harry. He knew that Rabastan would make it out to be a revenge scheme on his part, looking to ‘pollute’ the bloodline that destroyed his own parents with…what was it?...oh yeah, ‘pro-Muggle tendencies.’ And, as sad as it was, Neville knew that some Pureblood families would be pressured by the idea that Neville had Ministry backing and was taking children away to brainwash them into accepting the new regime. And they would respond by taking up arms with the other side, those who had been neutral so far at least. But that was their decision to make. Rita Skeeter, or whoever had taken her place as the go-to celebrity basher, he hadn't kept up, would stir this kettle for every drop of potion she could get out of it, and that wouldn’t help, either.

Neville waited patiently, quietly; Andromeda had just taken an emotional sledgehammer right to the face, after all, and he’d never known it to be easy to handle life-changing decisions during such times. She didn’t have time to process it all, either, but the least he could do is wait as long as possible before interrupting her train of thought. Finally, she asked for a day to consider her options for guardian. Neville had already told her that he would sign over her guardianship to another at her request, but he couldn’t blame her if she was a little wary of the offer. He smiled at her. “Of course. But don’t mail that parchment to them, make them come in person. With Hermione’s signature, it’s already binding, so if you signed it and then the wrong person signed it…well, you can imagine, I’m sure.” He glanced at his watch, noting that the third-year class would be leaving Greenhouse Two in the next few minutes. If possible, he hoped Andromeda would go back to the castle with them. Not that he was in a hurry to get rid of the girl, but if she didn’t walk back with them, he would have to escort her, and Neville had the feeling Andromeda would not appreciate his presence hovering over her at the moment, necessary or otherwise.

He finished the butterbeer and put the empty mug quietly on the table, eyes on Andromeda, his smile faded somewhat. “If any student or teacher tells you that your father has arrived and is looking for you, please keep in mind that your Head of House must be informed of any visitors to the castle, they must greet that visitor, and they may choose to remain present throughout the meeting if they believe it necessary. If you tell Professor Grey that I don’t want you left alone or allowed to leave the castle with your father, he’ll follow my lead.” International or not, when an Auror was thrust into a situation with little information, their instinct was to side with a fellow Auror over someone else, with obvious exceptions of close family, friends, and so on. Walton might question Neville to his face later, but he wouldn’t question the instructions until they spoke. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that. Neville tilted his head, considering the girl. “I know this is a lot for you to take in all at once. If I had the option to move more slowly, I would have. This decision shouldn’t have to be rushed the way it is. I’m…sorry, that I wasn’t able to give you more time.”

Sorry that I wasn’t there sooner.

[Deleted]

we go crashing down

and we come back every time

Andy didn't want to imagine what would happen if she had made a mistake and had the wrong person sign that paper. She shuddered a little at the thought. She nodded in understanding but didn't look up at the professor. "Yeah, okay...' she lifted the paper and placed it gently in the bag she had over her shoulder, closing it firmly and patting it once or twice absentmindedly. Now, what was she supposed to do? Who was she supposed to talk to? She was on her own now. At least, that's how she felt. Even though there was a perfectly kind person offering her companionship and help, no. She was on her own like always.

"Oh..." Andy felt her head starting to spin at the thought of telling Professor Grey all of that. She didn't want to talk to him right now. She didn't want to talk to any more adults, actually. She needed a break from all of this. She nodded her head and let out a few breaths she didn't realize she had been holding. She didn't respond in any other way though, other than to let him know that she understood. Her words were slipping out of her mind and into nowhere.

Andy stood there for a short moment, unsure of what to say now. When the professor spoke again, she finally looked up at him. Her eyes started to well up with tears as the sincerity of his words poured into her. Her entire life she had never felt that she had met someone who she could trust... was that happening now? Was she actually forming an ally with someone? She took a step forward and opened her mouth, only to close it.

Then she tried again, "It's not... it's not a rush. I understand," and she did. She actually did. "I'll see you tomorrow, sir. Same time?" She took a deep breath and shook her head, letting the tears retreat.

@superluigi64

[Deleted]

He couldn’t help but feel for the girl. The cautious hope made him think that Andromeda had perhaps attempted to leave her family in the past and failed—an all too likely situation. It was difficult to escape from an old, influential family, even one like the Lestranges that were generally avoided by almost everyone. You needed help from someone they couldn’t get to through politics or blackmail. Fortunately, Neville was one such example. While he stood at her side, even Rabastan would submit, though not willingly or happily. The very least he could do was provide the Gryffindor girl with a path away from her family and stand as gatekeeper while she walked that path.

Andromeda assured him that it wasn’t a rush, which Neville felt was kind to an extreme, but at least she understood the reason for the urgency. Then she requested to see him tomorrow, silently asking permission to leave. It was…against the rules, but Neville felt as though they could be bent in this situation. Or rather, he had an inkling that Andromeda was barely holding herself together and had no desire to break down in front of him. “Tomorrow then. But go straight back to the castle from here.” He would simply have Percival follow her until she reached the front doors. She got her privacy, and he kept eyes and ears on her. “The Gryffindor common room fireplace has a lesser connection to the Floo Network. You can use powder to talk to someone from there, but you can’t travel through it. Good luck, Miss Lestrange.”

- The Next Day -

Hopefully he hadn’t missed Andromeda. Neville had gone home last night, to speak to Hannah and tell her what was going on, the emergency decisions he’d had to make. But he’d also gone to just enjoy some time with his wife. He’d just returned from the Cauldron after a late lunch, the great bat riding on his shoulders once more, and looked around. The place looked undisturbed since he’d last been here—which he highly doubted. His office in the back of the greenhouse had probably been searched three times since he’d left, though they would have turned nothing up. Most likely, several students had been here as well. He stretched, feeling the light pressure of Percival pushing off him into the air. He looked around, then grabbed a small pair of shears off a nearby table. Might as well prune the flutterby bush while he waited.

[Deleted]

we go crashing down

and we come back every time

Andy had been up all night thinking about Professor Longbottoms offer. After their initial meeting she had gone to the Room of Requirement for some crazy emotional violin playing. She had broken one of the strings as she attacked the instrument, trying to find a sound that would tell her what to do in this situation. As much as the music helped, there was something else that really helped her make the final decision.

Philip.

She had been playing her violin and he had snuck in when he heard the sound. He was the only person who knew how to get into her particular room for practicing the violin. Just when she needed him he had suddenly appeared there, holding her. Andy wasn't really one for hugging, and neither was Phil, which was why she knew the experience was an important one for them. After a long talk, he had been the one to convince her that becoming a part of the Longbottom family was the best possible thing for her.

Now, a day later, she was heading back to the Greenhouses, papers in hand with her signature on the bottom. She entered silently, though the paper may have been crackling due to the fact that her hands were shaking, "Professor?"  Then she saw him, not far off, cutting a very strange looking plant. She stepped a little closer to him, "Professor I..."

She felt her eyes start to water and her heart start to pound. Great, she was going to get emotional again. She held out the papers to him and bit her lip, looking up into his eyes, "I want to come with you," she said softly.

@superluigi64

[Deleted]

Flutterby bushes were simple to work on, if not easy. The leaves waved perpetually, as though in a light breeze, which made for a simple, pretty effect. To prune them meant doing through and finding the leaves that weren’t moving. Then you just felt your way down the stem until it began vibrating under your touch, where you would cut to remove the dead part of the plant. Simple in theory, but deceptively difficult to put into practice. Sprout had once told him that anyone who could successfully prune a Flutterby bush deserved to be in NEWT-level Herbology, regardless of their OWL scores. He worked carefully at the bush, clipping away leaves, stems, and twigs, while he arranged his own thoughts. He had an appointment set up with an old friend who had the permits to cast high-level Expansion Charms next week, so he could have rooms added to the flat above the Leaky Cauldron that was home to him. Hannah knew what was coming. He’d be able to get new bedrooms set up while he was moving the Christmas trees from Longbottom Hill to the Cauldron. It would be a busy day, but then the next time he came home, it would be with his children, to a wife who had had time to prepare herself for this most strange situation, with two weeks ahead of him to ignore all the political crap hovering over his beloved school.

Above, Percival chirped an alert out, and Neville nodded. He continued to work on the bush, even as Andromeda entered the greenhouse, calling for him. When she approached, Neville stepped away from the bush, tossing the clippers onto the table. He turned to her as she approached, holding out the parchment he’d given her yesterday, shaking just a little. “I want to come with you.” The professor smiled, reaching out to take the parchment. He pulled his wand from his sleeve, rolling and sealing the parchment with a tap, then reached into the neckline of his robes and extracted a gleaming Galleon on a chain around his neck. He pressed the Galleon to the parchment and muttered quietly under his breath, enchanting the parchment, wiping it clean. Only someone who knew how to undo the charm and had one of the DA coins would be able to read it. As usual, Hermione never left anything to chance. He whistled, and the great bat dropped from the ceiling, gliding over to a low branch, where it hung upside down, watching Neville with its bright brown eyes. He tied the parchment to the bat’s leg and scratched behind its ears for a moment. “Take it straight to Hermione, if you please,” he said quietly.

Percival spread his massive wings and dropped. He was too close to the ground for this under normal circumstances, but a blast of wind from Neville’s wand caught the bat, and Percival rode the updraft all the way to the enchanted window pane, flying through it and taking off into the sky. Neville smiled. The bat was faster and more agile than any owl. Andromeda would officially be his ward before the Ministry closed today. Speaking of…he turned back to the young Gryffindor, figuring she had had enough time to get control of her emotions and—if needed—wipe away any tears. Neville waved his wand, summoning a pair of squishy purple armchairs from his office in the castle, and gestured for her to sit in one. He sat down in the other and smiled. “I don’t expect this would be an easy decision even if it hadn’t been urgent. There’s an awful lot to consider, and you really didn’t have a lot of time to figure out what was behind the door before you opened it. So, if you have any questions, now or later, I’d be happy to answer them.” He probably should have offered this yesterday, but Andromeda was already trying to process everything with her sister…well. Better late than never.

[Deleted]

we go crashing down

and we come back every time

Andy stopped shaking as he took the paper out of her hands, feeling better now that it was all done with. She couldn't believe what it meant, giving him that signed piece of parchment. She would never go home again. There were so many material things that she had left at her parents home, but she didn't care. She didn't care about any of that stuff.

She watched as the owl flew off with the paper, sealing her fate for good. Suddenly it was like she could breathe. She wiped the tears that she hadn't noticed were stinging her cheeks until just now as the Professor turned away. Her eyes were most likely still puffy and red, but that didn't matter. Nothing really mattered.

Except that she was free.

As the Professor summoned the chairs she immediately collapsed into the one closest to her, almost as if her bones and muscles had given way at that exact moment. She leaned forward, elbows resting on her knees, as she listened to him.

She did have some questions... but she wasn't sure where to start. She waiting a moment before speaking, "well..." she started, thinking about where would be the best place to start. "My sister she," yes, she had to start with Aurora, "will she be- I mean- do we have to..." she sighed and paused again. "I don't know if it'd be good to us to suddenly have to spend every waking moment together, I mean. Or sleeping ones for that matter," she felt stupid asking this stuff.

@superluigi64

[Deleted]

Andromeda looked as though she’d just won a hard battle and was coming down from the adrenaline rush. Which, Neville supposed, she had. He chose to ignore the redness around her eyes, mainly because she seemed the type to not want to discuss her emotions, but partly because he could not even begin to interpret the reason without her help. This situation was too complex, with too much shocking things happening, and any or all of them could have affected her like this. If she felt the need to talk, she would. Hopefully. Hannah might get her to open up a bit more than Neville could, if she were inclined to do so. Neville listened to the sixth year trip over her question, smiling. Of course…one could hardly expect to be given their ideal living conditions in this situation, he supposed.

Luckily, however, there were perks to being the Deputy Headmaster, the former General of the DA, and Mr. Hannah Abbott. Neville waved her question off. “There’s no need to worry about that, you will each have your own room. I will also not require the two of you to interact more than you want, or even be in one another’s company if that makes you uncomfortable. Outside of mealtime, anyway. When Hannah cooks, everyone sits at the table together.” It was the one thing Neville always insisted on. His wife cooked for hundreds of people a day, so when he and the children were at home, he cooked as much as he could, everyone spent some time working down in the pub with her, and when she did cook, she got to sit down and enjoy her meal with those who appreciated it most. But he wouldn't force Aurora or Andromeda to work in the pub, surrounded by people they might worry would be hostile to them. Just the idea that they might could fray the nerves, and that was not Neville's intention. “There’s not much in terms of chores. Mainly, you’ll be keeping your own room clean, and occasionally helping out with other small things. Everything else is usually voluntary. However, if you haven’t had much experience in cooking or cleaning, I would advise you to spend some time working with my wife at the Cauldron. You’ll need those skills in the future.”

The Herbology teacher steepled his fingers in front of him, looking at Andromeda. “I want to make something clear. I think you should make an effort to get closer to your sister. Maybe not big huge steps at first. Starting small is fine. But I am not going to force you two to do that. Even if it were in my nature to impose my will like that, I won’t pretend to understand your relationship.” Neville leaned forward now, elbows on his knees, chin resting on his interlocked fingers. He doubted this girl knew Alice or Henry very well, but she was in the same house and year as Philip, so she might have an idea of how he was raised based on his attitude and work ethic. “My kids did not grow up like you, I suspect. Their work as children was not to learn decorum and poise and noble manners, but to learn to scrub and clean and carry and not to spill. They never had the best money could buy, though I could have afforded it. But they did have freedom. They were allowed to dream, to have their own wants and opinions. And they were allowed to come to me, to tell me, and not be told they were wrong. Sometimes I didn’t agree. Sometimes I would encourage them to reconsider. But when it came to what they wanted to be, or what they thought about something, or how they wanted to deal with things, I never forced them to do what I believed they should. The choice was theirs.”

“And your choices will be yours. You and your sister will have responsibilities, like anyone else, but you will not have to conform and think the way I do or the way Philip does just to fit in. And you will not have to hide what you think from me. I don’t expect everyone to always agree with me, that’s absurd. If you think something is wrong, I want you to feel free to say so. And if you have questions—never be afraid to ask.”