Forbidden Fate

Forbidden Fate

Chapter One: Slytherin and Hufflepuff

To Andromeda,
Firstly we must congratulate you on becoming a Prefect. We know you will be a role model to younger Slytherins, including your sisters and their friends. However, we are concerned about your progress in a certain subject. Bella kindly wrote to inform us that you are only averaging an "A" in Potions. As a Black and a Prefect, we expect from you "O's" or at the very least "E's". Surely you will not be in NEWT-level if your grades do not improve. It is your OWL year. We have spoken with the Slytherin Head of House to arrange an appropriate tutor for you. Please do not be distressed. We have your future and best interests at heart,
Your concerned mother and father

"What a bunch of dragon dung," thought Andromeda Black furiously, alone in her he parchment, but, fearing it could be jinxed, was content to chuck it across the room. She felt like swearing, but a Black was never supposed to lose their temper. There came a knock at the door; she fled to pick up the letter, hiding it under her robes. In walked Priscilla Normad, wearing her customary scowl.

"Professor Fenwick wants to see you. And don't dawdle, he doesn't have all day."

Andromeda walked by without a word, sticking her chin up haughtily in the air. Her roommates would never have to know that 'acceptable' wasn't 'acceptable' for the Blacks and that she'd gone so low she needed a tutor. It was ridiculous of course--she was a Prefect, mostly a good student... and a Black. Black like the locks of her hair, and therefore better than everybody else.

Secretly, Andromeda hated her cold, snobby family--just as she hated the cold Slytherin common room. Dungeons weren't pleasant places, though that didn't seem to faze Fenwick. His office was in the darkest, dreariest corner of the dungeon. Andromeda shivered as she knocked on his door.

"Come in, Miss. Black."

Professor Fenwick was sitting at his desk, scribbling something. Most likely a detention sheet, Andromeda thought grimly.

"Sit down," he said, looking up. He was a heavyset man, with a balding head and thick eyebrows. Andromeda obeyed.

"I assume you know why you are here."

"My parents owled me. I know."

"Your Potions grades have always been, shall we say, normal--but as fine, upstanding members of the community, the Blacks--"

"You don't think I need tutoring, do you?" cut in Andromeda.

Fenwick raised his eyebrows. "The Blacks know what is best. Unfortunately, the availability of acceptable Potor Ravenclaw purebloods want to help me. That's unlikely."

For a moment Fenwick stared her down and Andromeda looked back placidly. She sat up straight with hands folded in the picture of prissiness. She knew she wasn't the only one with a hidden agenda.

"Miss. Black, it comes down to this: There is a brilliant potions student willing to tutor you, someone your family would highly disapprove of. However, I can make it so they'd never know. It's your choice."

Oh, the intrigue. Now she had a way to go against her family, an easy way at that. But could she? Sirius did it everyday. But he's a child. That's different. A small part of her said, "Be a good daughter." But that small, sane part was overridden by: Do I dare pass up this chance?

"I'll take it," she blurted, before she could come to her senses and change her mind. "Out of curiosity, who is it?"

"Edward Tonks, of Hufflepuff. A muggle-born." Fenwick smiled nastily.

"Wonderful. When do I meet him?"

"At--at the library, every Friday at six-o-clock." He looked shocked that she'd accepted so quickly.

"I would prefer it to be in an empty classroom, Professor. My sister--you know..."

"Ah. I see." He scribbled a note for her. "I'll contact Tonks tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Miss. Black."

"Goodnight, Professor." Andromeda got up, as if in a dream, and managed to leave the office still looking composed. Only when she was a hall and flight of stairs away did she gasp out loud.

"He's a mudblood! A mudblood is going to tutor me! A Hufflepuff no less; he probably doesn't even have the brains for Potions. Tonks...no, I wouldn't recognize his surname."

ways said, she whispered, "I'm going to besmirch my noble Black blood!"

And she didn't care. Not one bit.

~~~

"Are you mad? Are you completely, totally, madly insane?"

"Do I look insane?" Ted Tonks, Hufflepuff prefect, retorted.

His best friend gestured towards Ted's mop head of hair that always got into his eyes, his disheveled robes, and brightly mismatched socks.

"That really wasn't a good question, mate," answered Kirley McCormack.

"The hair works well enough for the Monkees," said Ted with a grin.

Kirley just shook his head. "I'll never understand what's so great about those Muggle bands of yours."

"Hey, if there was a wizarding band worth listening to, I'd be their biggest fan."

"Are you crazy?" Kirley nearly spat out the food he was chewing for dinner. "The Hobgoblins, Celestina Warbeck..."

"I get it, I get it," said Ted. They often had debates like these, usually when Ted was trying to change the subject. It never worked. Perhaps the "Are you crazy?" line was too repetitive, but for some reason his guitarist extraordinaire friend didn't want to talk about bands anymore.

"I still don't know why you're tutoring some bigoted Black."

Ted sighed. "Look--I'vdidn't grow up in the wizarding world, Ted," said Kirley gravely. "They've got a bad reputation, the Black family. It's never worth knowing any of 'em."

"Come on," Ted pleaded. "She agreed to it, didn't she? That must mean something."

"It means you have to watch your back. Just be careful, mate."

Ted rolled his eyes, knowing Kirley wouldn't see through his shaggy brown hair. He had been dreading this Friday ever since Professor Fenwick curtly told him that he had been chosen to tutor Andromeda Black. He really wanted to meet her, but all week he had to put up with his roommates' comments.

"I have to go," he told Kirley, getting up. "If she doesn't 'Avada Kedavra' me, I'll see you tomorrow."

Kirley jumped in shock, then gave a weak laugh when he saw Ted's grin. "So I'm overreacting. Sorry." He truly smiled now.

They clasped each other on the back and Ted numbly left the Great Hall. Where was he supposed to go now? Right--the room near that tapestry of the trolls doing ballet...

A/N: Please review! Thanks!