Andromeda's Caper

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

Andromeda stood as straight as she could and sucked in the parts of her tummy that would allow themselves to be sucked. Then she slumped back down. It was no use. She was down to one robe that was cut fully enough to accommodate the changes to her body. Fortunately, it was a shade of green that looked good on her. The others simply wouldn't work. They were all tight across the back and under her arms. Within weeks they wouldn't handle the rising curve of her tummy. She had always known that being pregnant involved losing one's waistline, but what it did to a girl's upper body was in some ways worse. Her underthings were too tight, too. She lifted her chin as she looked again in the mirror. Ted didn't seem to mind this aspect of pregnancy at all. She wondered if all men were so easily impressed.

There was no help for it. She would have to go to Madam Malkin's, and today was the day for it. She had decided long before that she wouldn't tell Ted until it was over. If Uncle Alphard disagreed, she would have to put him in a Body Bind. There was no way to avoid this shopping trip, nor the meeting that she planned to include.

If it was exhilarating to think of this trip, it was also a bit frightening, to think of being out in the wide world after the safety of Uncle Alphard's cottage. At first, she had found the boundaries of her life stifling. There was nothing to do all day but wait for Ted to come home. Little by little, she had started developing some interests. She started reading some books in the sitting room and studying different potions and Herbology. Uncle had let her develop her own plot in the garden, and she was making some simple potions that added to their medicine cabinet.

The addition of Molly Weasley to her family circle was helpful, too. With another witch to talk things over, it didn't seem as though she was quite so lonely or closed off from the world. Andromeda had quickly learned what Molly could teach her, so most of the time they simply sat together and knitted, listening to their favorite singer, Celestina Warbeck. Andromeda had never had a good friend before and enjoyed the companionship of the other witch greatly.

Watching the adventures of young Bill was always fun. It was exciting to think that in just a few years, her own little one would be playing in the same way. Having someone to compare notes with regarding pregnancy was useful, too. Molly could tell her that the odd aches and pains she felt were normal. Best of all, she could tell her what to look for that wasn't normal.

After Ted kissed her good bye on this particular morning, Andromeda went to work. She carefully put her hair up and put on some light makeup. She straightened her robe as well as she could over her expanding body and went down to Alphard's study. "Uncle, I have to discuss something with you."

He looked up and saw her and nodded. "Today is the day you're going, then?"

Her eyebrows shot up. "How did you guess?"

"You had to go sometime, and I knew you would be going on a Thursday."

"It's the day I have to go."

"Yes, dear, I know."

"You won't keep me from going, will you?"

"Not in the least. I thought I would go with you and keep an eye out for trouble."

She sighed in relief. "Would you?"

He stood and put away his book. "Of course. I have one condition, though. If I tell you to, or if you think you're in the slightest danger, you need to Apparate, directly into that back corner of the garden I showed you."

She nodded, grateful for his help. "Yes, I will. Thank you so much!"

He looked her over and nodded. "You look lovely. I will enjoy having you on my arm, today. Do you have a plan?"

"Yes, and if it doesn't work, eventually I'll be twenty-one and it won't matter."

"Why don't you wait?"

"Would you, under the circumstances?"

"No, of course not."

They left the cottage securely charmed against intrusion and Disapparated. They arrived in a corner of Diagon Alley near Gringotts. After spending half an hour with one of the goblins there, Andromeda emerged and headed to where her uncle waited for her.

"All set?"

"Yes, they were reluctant to hold it for such a short time, but I convinced them."

"Are you sure you want to go through with the next step?"

"I have to do it."

"All right, then. You'd better hurry; it's almost eleven o'clock. I'll be in the place we discussed."

Andromeda walked into Madam Malkin's and was met by effusive greetings from the proprietress. She explained that she would be making purchases later in the day and needed to simply do some window shopping in the mean time. Madam was happy to leave her customer to it, since it was the day of the week she put out her new fashions.

Promptly at eleven o'clock, the floor of the shop resounded with the precise walk of Druella Black's high-heeled shoes. Andromeda stayed in a corner. She waited until Madam had greeted her and gone into the back for some samples.

"Hello, Mother."

Druella looked around and saw her middle daughter. "Andromeda! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to arrange a trade."

"A trade of what?"

"I have the emeralds; I want you to release my trust fund from Grandmother Rosier."

"Never!"

Andromeda brushed some lint from her robes. "The money will be mine in two years, anyway, but if you don't do this now, you'll never get the emeralds. What will Abraxas Malfoy say?"

"You wouldn't do that to your own sister."

"Trixie would."

"She goes by 'Bella,' now." Druella roused herself from her reflective tone of voice. "I could make you give me the necklace. Accio, emeralds!"

When nothing happened, Andromeda shrugged. "They're not here. Did you expect your own daughter to be so foolish?"

"We need those emeralds!" hissed the mother.

"I need the money!" her daughter responded.

Suddenly Druella realized her daughter was standing in the maternity section of the shop. "You...you're pregnant?"

A soft smile came over her daughter's features. "Yes."

"I won't have it."

Andromeda sighed heavily. "Mother, it doesn't matter what you do or don't want. The child is coming. Ted and I are quite happy with each other and with the child. Give me the money or don't give me the money. If you do, you'll have the emeralds today."

Druella thought fast and made her decision. The child was a misfortune, but at least would not show up on the family tree. The fact of the child was of great value. Bella was still waiting, and the Malfoys were getting antsy. "All right, I'll release the trust fund. You have to promise me to stay out of sight. I don't want anyone to know about your unfortunate condition. When the child is born, you will let me know."

"Done."

"Tell me what to do."

Andromeda and Druella went to Gringotts together. Under the daughter's watchful eye, the mother signed the paperwork releasing the trust fund that had been established for Andromeda Black although she was not yet twenty-one. Once the goblins confirmed that the money would be transferred to her own vault immediately, Andromeda requested that a certain bag be given to her mother. Druella was so delighted to have retrieved the heirloom necklace that she didn't go back to the dressmaker's shop.

Andromeda crossed Madam Malkin's threshold again, this time with galleons in her pocket. She spent some time picking and choosing her new garments carefully, knowing that her opportunities to come for the next ones would be rare. Madam promised to have everything ready in an hour, and Andromeda left for a sandwich shop. Uncle Alphard met her there.

"Well?"

"The emeralds were critical, but I don't think they were the deciding factor."

"Oh?"

"Somehow, I think it was the baby."

"The baby is proof that it's possible for the girls in your family to have children. Rumor has it the Malfoys aren't sure they want Cissy."

A lead weight fell onto Andromeda's spirits. "Oh, I should have realized."

"You thought she was interested for the child's sake?" Alphard reached for his niece's hand.

She shook her head. "I knew better, really I did."

She had eaten part of her sandwich and was looking mournfully at the rest of it.

"You need to eat."

"I know, but it isn't sitting right. I never expected to have such a difficult stomach over being pregnant."

He smiled, but someone came into the restaurant, and his smile stiffened. "I'm going to stand and walk in front of you. You are going to Apparate to exactly the place we discussed. I'll pick up your things and bring them home. Do you understand?"

Andromeda nodded, her eyes suddenly wide and fearful. She thought of nothing but doing exactly what Uncle Alphard said. To do otherwise would put her child, herself, and her uncle in danger. When Alphard said, "Now, girl," she stood and Disapparated on the spot. As she turned, she caught a glimpse of her older sister.

Bellatrix Lestrange walked toward her uncle. "She was here with you, wasn't she?"

"She may have been, whoever you mean. I've been known to frequent this establishment with females over the years, and it appears a great many witches come without me."

The witch's eyes narrowed and her voice went up in pitch. "I meant my sister, you old fool! You know we're looking for her."

The uncle casually looked around. "I don't see either of your sisters here now, Trixie. You must have been misinformed."

"It's Bella, now!" She all but stamped her foot. "And I want you to tell me where Andromeda is."

"I really couldn't say with any certainty where Andromeda is, my dear. You really don't care about her anyway, do you?"

"I could care less about the little slut, but she's a bad mark on the family and must be eliminated."

"Do you hear what you're saying? Would you actually kill over it? Are you capable of spilling human blood? Of spilling pure blood?"

Bellatrix thought for a moment and just looked at him. He patted her hand and said, "Yes, dear, it's been charming to see you again, but I really must be going." Alphard Black passed out of the sandwich shop and down the road. Bellatrix was too bemused to see where he went.

Alphard retired for the night as the dessert was cleared up. Ted looked carefully at his wife. "So you went to town today?"

"You knew?"

"I expected you to, sooner or later. I spoke with Alphard about it."

"I can't believe you already knew. It was making me sick to do this behind your back. I waited as long as I could, but I really couldn't wait any longer. I was down to just the one robe, and..."

"Do you know how dangerous that was?"

She nodded. "I felt so exposed the whole time I was there. I won't be going anywhere again very soon." She had a thought. "Why don't they come after you at the Ministry?"

"I morph my face when traveling in between. It's always a little different, so they don't recognize me. I don't know why they don't actually come into the Ministry. Perhaps so far they still fear the authorities. A time may come, however, when they won't. We'll have to make different plans, then." He looked her up and down. "How much did I spend on the new clothes?"

She smiled proudly. "Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"I traded the emeralds for the trust fund my grandmother left me."

"You shouldn't have had to do that."

"Well, actually, the emeralds weren't mine and the trust fund is, so I felt it was an appropriate trade. I have all the jewels that were supposed to be mine, at least so far as I know, and now I can dress properly without spending your hard-earned money. It's the real reason I went."

"Our expenses are few enough here, Andromeda. I suspect we could have easily covered the cost."

"There will be plenty of costs when the baby comes. He or she will need furniture and clothes, too. Not to mention, how am I supposed to deliver this baby if I don't leave the house?

"I'm going to talk to Dumbledore about it."

"What will he do?"

"He will know how to handle things, I hope." He stood and helped her out of her chair. "Bennie, you will be clearing up tonight, won't you?"

"Yes, Master Ted."

"Very good, thank you."

Andromeda looked at her husband through her eyelashes. "What will we be doing?"

"We will be looking through your new clothes, of course," He ran his hand along her tummy and added, "and enjoying them after we douse the lights."

A/N: Thanks to Trickie Woo for beta reading!