The Approach of the Serpent

Disclaimer: The characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling and her assigns.

Caution: There is some light non-consensual physical contact in this chapter.

Alighting on a rock which rose above the waves, and holding on by a projecting fragment, as the monster floated near he gave him a death stroke. Bulfinch's Mythology, Book XV.

Andromeda went unfeelingly through the next week, certain that it wouldn't matter what she did. She was right. It was a complicated multiple choice exam for which she had studied her whole life. Her mother and father made all of the plans and steered her through things that required her participation. The day of her fate was fixed a month away, and she saw no way to avoid it. Bellatrix moved back into her family home in order to assist Druella with preparing the bride for her wedding. The mother and older sister enjoyed the opportunity to do all the little things that must be done, but the middle sister went numb at the thought of it all.

As she had foreseen, Andromeda stood for a fitting at Madame Malkin's, looking beautiful but wanting to cry. As a child, she had imagined nothing less than a tall, dark, brooding prince who would sweep her off her feet. That was definitely not going to happen. Rabastan was a bit on the tall side, and brooding, but the prince in her dreams was brooding about the love he had for her. She wasn't sure what the dull wizard thought about, but she hoped it wasn't her.

Her mother and sister looked ready to cry over her. Druella did actually start to tear up, she was smiling so much. Trixie was tearing up because her wedding had been more rushed than this one, and she didn't get quite so nice a trousseau. More than crying, however, Trixie was smiling, because she got the nicer of the two brothers and she knew what Andie was about to suffer. Suddenly Andie started to tear up, herself. The best part of her life was already over, and she was barely nineteen years old.

Druella was in her element. She ran Andie up and down Diagon Alley. After the wedding clothes were ordered, there was the wedding stationery. Andie looked at every sample in the engraver's book and finally selected the one she sensed Mother wanted. She received a half hug for her effort and then it was off to the caterer.

She thought she would be sick eating just one bite of so many cakes. Then there were countless hors d'oeuvres and biscuits. Whenever she looked up to beg for mercy, Mother handed her a glass with a splash of some different wine. Finally, Andie answered all the questions correctly and was given a reprieve, although a dubious one. They went to register for gifts.

It didn't matter that she and her fiancé were expected to live with his parents at least until the first baby was born. Registering was something a girl in her position did, so she endured the discussion between the sales clerk, her sister and her mother about the relative merits of Wedgewood versus Limoges. That question being answered, there was then discussion about silver, crystal, and a host of other things that would spend the next twenty years in packing crates in an attic.

Then it was back to Madame Malkin's for a final fitting of the dress robes for the engagement party that night. Andromeda looked in the mirror at herself in the pale green silk that would be set off by some heirloom pearls. Her hair would be piled up on her head by a house-elf. The neckline of the gown was cut just above the limit considered proper. It fit snugly around her bust and waist and then flowed down to her ankles. She had to agree that she would look good. As she twisted around to see every angle, she happened to look through the shop window and saw him standing outside. He simply looked at her, and their eyes met. His face was full of an intense desire that caused her hand to flutter over her chest. She turned and looked in the mirror, listening as Madam Malkin fussed over her.

She asked to put another dress on from before, and was told to go ahead. She didn't dare look out the window, but she could see Ted Tonks in the mirror as he gazed at her in her wedding garment. It was then that she realized why she wanted to put it back on. She would never forget his eyes in that moment as long as she lived. Suddenly the prince of her dreams didn't brood at all. He was an ordinary fellow with sandy-colored hair, but when he looked at her, she could see the adoration in his face. Her life wouldn't be over if she could have something like that for the rest of it.

"Are you done, yet?" asked Trixie. "I need to get home and change. Rudolphus is going to meet me, and we want some time together."

"Yes, of course," answered Andie, shivering at the thought of what her sister would do during that time. "I just wanted to see what it was like, again." I wanted to see what it was like if the right man admired me as a bride, she thought. Perhaps if I imagine it's him tonight, I can get through this horrible event.

"Trixie, be nice," Mother was saying under her breath. "I'm glad Andromeda wants to enjoy this moment. I've worried that somehow she will ruin everything."

Throughout the entire evening, Andromeda imagined that the man she was going to marry was Theodore Tonks. It worked when she was dressing, to imagine those brown eyes encouraging her and making her feel strong. It worked when she greeted all of her parents' guests and received their congratulations to think of the way he smiled just because he thought she was pretty. It almost worked when Rabastan put a possessive hand alongside her face and settled it on the neck that was too exposed because her hair was pulled up onto her head. It worked all through dinner and all through the speeches. She even managed it when her fiancé stood beside her and put some Lestrange family heirloom on her finger.

It worked until a late arrival came up to her in the drawing room after dinner. "My congratulations to the future bride. Miss Black, you are as charming as your sister, and I shall enjoy your friendship as much as hers." She couldn't understand how he made that greeting sound so sibilant, but it went down her back like a reptile. Despite that feeling, she was shocked to realize that she was also quite drawn to this man, who was as old as her parents but still somehow extremely attractive.

"I wonder..." he began with a smile that was all charm and no warmth. "I have found ways to make myself useful to many of the people in your family. I wonder what I can help you obtain." He looked from Rabastan to Andromeda. "Perhaps a bridegroom more to your liking?" All at once, unbidden, she pictured Ted Tonks as she had seen him through the window at Madame Malkin's. She had a suspicion that he did, too. "A Mudblood? Surely there's someone else? Someone more worthy of your family's stature?" The chains she had felt for weeks now clanked in her mind as she lost her composure. Suddenly she realized that she was the guest of honor at a party to celebrate a fate she didn't want.

She wasn't sure how she got away from him and could only hope that she had been gracious in doing so. As she made her way to the bathroom, she passed Narcissa, who was glowing on a love seat next to Lucius Malfoy. "I tell you, this wizard knows more dark curses than anyone I know, and he's only going into third year..." he was saying. Cousin Regulus happily nodded at every word.

She passed Mother, who was standing near Father, Aunt Walburga and Uncle Orion. "Andie's a good girl. She and Regulus will restore order to the family," came out in a whisper. It didn't really matter who was saying it to whom. They all agreed with that conclusion and were breathing a collective sigh of relief.

She went into the bathroom and splashed water on her face. After carefully blotting herself dry with a towel, she went and sat on the staircase, where she took deep breaths for several moments. It was hardly a dignified position to be in, but she needed a minute to think about a few things. What had Rabastan hissed in her ear before introducing her to that man, anyway? Were such things even possible? She hoped not from the sound of it.

The new question on her mind was why, if both wizards wanted essentially the same thing, did Ted Tonks's look of desire make her belly go all hot while Lestrange's look made her go cold with revulsion? Maybe Rabastan just made those comments as a way to retaliate. She had leaned away when he tried to kiss her after the toasts at dinner. She should apologize for embarrassing him.

"Hiya, Andie." She looked up and saw her cousin Sirius in the hallway. He and his brother had come back from Hogwarts that afternoon with Narcissa. The school year had ended in time for them to come to this party.

She smiled. "Hi, Sirius, what are you doing out here?"

"Oh, the grownups are too stiff, so I'm just hanging out. Do you like these parties?"

"It's what's expected of me. There's this one and then one next week at the Lestrange estate. What are you doing out here?"

"I'm trying to figure out how to get in touch with my friend James."

"Is his family here?"

"Are you kidding? Our parents consider his parents to be blood traitors."

"Oh." She thought for a moment. "Are they?"

"I guess so. James is, anyway. He's dead gone over a cute Muggle-born girl."

"If you think she's cute, why aren't you interested? Is it because she's a Muggle-born witch?"

He scoffed. "As if that was a good reason not to date someone."

Andromeda was curious. "It's not? Would you marry one?"

"If I loved her I would."

"But what about the children?"

"It's the 1970's, Andie. No one cares about that stuff any more."

"Our parents do. They act like Trixie is practically a Squib."

He gave her a disappointed frown, and they were quiet for a minute or two.

"So if it doesn't matter that she's a Muggle-born, why don't you chat up the cute witch?"

"James saw her first and he's my mate. Besides, I like to play the field."

Andromeda crossed her arms and looked sideways at the young wizard in front of her. "At your age, just how much 'field' do you play?"

"Aw, come on, Andie, you know how it is, or do they do things differently in Slytherin?"

"Perhaps I don't want to know."

He shrugged. Older girls had strange ideas, sometimes. "Are you really going to marry that guy?"

"I'm officially engaged, now."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I thought you were different."

She sighed and nodded her head. "I thought I was different, too. It never comes out the way you expect, I guess. Look at Trixie."

He scoffed. "I'd rather not. She's gotten pretty strange, hasn't she?" He barked out a laugh at his own pun.

Andie was glad for a reason to giggle. "Oh, Sirius, be nice. It's been a difficult year for her."

Rabastan came and claimed her at that point, so she went back to the party and smiled at the guests. She said the correct things at the right times in the conversation and shook hands all around. She couldn't get away from the feeling of the one man. Whenever she turned he was looking at her. She felt a sort of desire emanating from him, but it was nothing physical. That man wanted nothing to do with her body, yet everything to do with her soul.

Theodore Tonks went through the same week in a tumult of emotions. Work was comfortably predictable, but he worried about Andromeda Black. There was another witch who thrust herself upon his attention, but he tried to ignore her.

"Teddy!" It was the voice that could drive a wizard to take his own life.

"What can I do for you, Dolores?"

Her eyes glittered with delight as she looked him up and down. "Well, I heard that you were the one who caused the committee to be broken up. I got demoted over it, you know."

He put his hand over his heart. "That was not my intention. I'm very sorry about that."

"After I had time to think about it, I realized you were right, just like you were right about the N.E.W.T.s. That survey was far too obvious."

"I'm glad you came to see it that way." He tried to keep a straight face.

"A-nyway, as luck would have it, I got transferred to the records department. Guess what I can do?"

"Do tell."

She held up a marriage license and giggled. "Wouldn't this be wonderful? What do you say if I fill it out with our names?"

He thought furiously and hoped the frown on his face looked serious rather than disgusted. "Or... suppose we leave it blank for now. You never know who might see it and do or say something we don't want. I can keep it for the time being."

"Oh, Teddy! You have far better ideas than I do. I can't wait...I'm going to start planning right now!" She handed him the heavily engraved document and skipped down the hallway. He could only be grateful that she hadn't pressed him for an actual affirmative answer, nor a date.

Ted took a deep breath and folded the marriage license. She had been holding onto it for a while. It would be valid starting in a few days. He would have to find some way to extricate himself from her plans, but without this document she couldn't do anything to him for the time being.

He checked his watch and whistled. He was running late, now, after this impromptu meeting with Umbridge. He was supposed to mingle with the afternoon crowds. Much as he would like to take a shower after the looks she had given him, he hastened to the Atrium and left by Floo to Diagon Alley instead.

Ted Tonks walked down the street that afternoon and wanted to hurt somebody. After the day in the ice cream parlor, he had tried to forget Andromeda Black. Today he was simply walking through the neighborhood, keeping an eye for things that might be useful for Dumbledore to know. He didn't expect to see her. Yet he couldn't keep himself from watching as she, her mother, and sister went to Madame Malkin's and a few moments later she was standing on the footstool and being fussed over by the seamstress.

As she turned back and forth to look in the mirror, he saw every side of her and loved each one. The feelings that pounded on the door of his heart burst out full force, and he simply looked at her with all of his emotions on his face. Then their eyes met, and it was all he could do not to rush into the shop, push all of the other women out of the way and carry her off. He wanted her. It was as simple and as complicated as that. He could see that she understood what he was thinking as she turned and watched him from the mirror. She spoke to Madame Malkin, who smiled and nodded. The young witch went into the dressing room and when she re-emerged, she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

It must be her wedding robe, he thought to himself. She was all white and lace, and her dark hair cascaded down in the midst of it. The older woman fussed about hem length and tightening the waist, but Andromeda looked for his reaction in the mirror, and he gave it. He held his hand to his heart and then out to her as though to offer it. She smiled shyly and then looked down. The spell was broken, and she answered some comment made by her sister. A few minutes later the three started to come out of the shop and Ted slid into a nearby alley. She looked around, he thought maybe to see if he was still there. It was a good sign.

"See anything today?" It was Kingsley, coming from the other end of the alley.

"No, I have to admit I was a bit distracted."

"We all have days like that."

"Hey, can you tell me anything about Rabastan Lestrange?"

"He was a few years ahead of me, but I'll tell you what I know."

An hour later, Ted wished he hadn't asked. From what Kingsley had observed and heard at school, Lestrange made up for a lack in intelligence by acts of cruelty. He was not popular with the girls once Vivian Rosier came back from Hogsmeade in tears one Saturday. He came from a family that was magical for several generations, but he had no refinement or strength of character that Ted could see. The thought of Andromeda being tied to something like that all her life was distressing. He had to get her away. The only thing that came to mind was Dumbledore. Maybe the Headmaster of Hogwarts could help him find a way.

When he went to the next meeting with Dumbledore, Tonks was encouraged to keep his eyes open and look for ways to help Andromeda, but he was told the group at large could do nothing for the situation. Preventing Voldemort from gaining further ground with the Wizarding community was more important for the greater good. Ted looked so forlorn that Kingsley told him he could assist with the surveillance of a party at the Lestrange home the following weekend. They were hoping to get an accurate count of Voldemort's followers.

They arrived at the Lestrange estate when the party was in full swing. They wore their own dress robes so that if anyone saw them they would blend in. Kingsley had given Ted strong instructions that he was supposed to keep to the shadows where he was expected to blend in and not be seen. It was torture, to stand in the garden quietly, knowing that Andromeda was in there somewhere. His every instinct told him to go into the party where all the lights were and look for her. It wouldn't do either of them any good.

One of the French doors opened and a couple emerged from the house. The wizard held the witch's arm and dragged her out into the middle of the roses. "When I kiss you, I'm going to kiss you. When I touch you, you're going to enjoy it. You are not going to flinch away as though you are frightened or hate me. Do you understand? I was very embarrassed, just now."

"Y-yes, Rabastan. I'm very sorry. I'll try..."

"No, witch, you won't try. You will do as I say unless you want to be under an Imperius."

Ted gasped at the same time as Andromeda. "You don't have to. I'll be good. Truly." There was a sound of fabric giving way.

"You know, I'm not sure I can trust you."

The big wizard took out his wand as Ted slowly walked toward the pair. As Lestrange started to utter his spell, Ted sent a silent body bind his way and he slowly fell over. Andromeda looked to see who was there and gaped in shock, but then smiled.

"Come with me." He held out his hand and she put her own in it. He wanted to kiss it, to hold it to his heart, to tell its owner how he felt, but it wasn't the right time. He simply started to lead her toward their hiding place.

"My luggage..." He sighed and walked back over to Lestrange, whom he nudged into the light. Then he stared at him as hard as he could and concentrated. A moment later, he looked up at Andromeda.

"Well? Do I look right?"

"It's uncanny," she said. He had managed to morph into someone who, in the dark of night, would look very much like Rabastan Lestrange. His clothes weren't the same, but close enough to fool a person who didn't look carefully.

They walked up toward the house and he told her what to do. As they reached the patio, she summoned a house-elf. Using a voice as much like Trixie's as she could, she said, "Pack my suitcase and bring it to this wizard." The elf disappeared with a crack.

He spoke into her ear. "Now, walk down that path. Do you remember Kingsley Shacklebolt? He's there in the grove of trees." She was most of the way through the garden when the elf returned with the suitcase. He took it and restrained himself from saying "Thank you." He then walked quickly through the garden himself.

He heard a voice saying, "I just saw Rabastan on the patio. Maybe he's heading toward the garden," and quickened his pace.

"Do you have everything, then?" It was Dumbledore's voice.

Ted looked at Andromeda. She nodded and said, "Yes, I believe I do."

"Here then," said the older wizard. He handed them a small planter. "Just stay where this takes you. I'll be there soon after. Three... Two... One..."

Ted tightened his grip on both the suitcase and the planter and hoped Andromeda was holding on, too.

Thank you for reading! This has been beta-read by Trickie Woo.