Forbidden Fate

Chapter Eight: A Close Call

It was the beginning of April and nearly everyone in school but the fifth years were spending time outside for fresh air and sunshine. Even the Room of Requirement was becoming cramped and stuffy for Andromeda and Ted, no matter how many bright windows they put in. It never seemed the same as the actual outdoors.

So Ted wasn't pleased to be wandering the halls on a Saturday afternoon by himself.

"Bloody prefect duties," he thought. "Why on earth did Sprout pick me? I wouldn't have signed up for this."

He headed towards the dungeons, hoping to catch a glimpse of Andromeda while steering clear of the other Slytherins. Almost to the end of the hall, he heard voices from inside one of the classrooms and went to investigate.

He stopped immediately when he heard Andromeda's name, standing a little ways down from the open door.

"--Andromeda has been acting strange lately, hasn't she? You don't know what's going on?" It was a boy's voice, suspicious and hesitant.

"Since my dear sister never talks to me, I don't know a thing."

Ted almost jumped in recognition--that cold voice belonged to none other then Bellatrix Black! Normally it wasn't in Ted's nature to eavesdrop. But where Andromeda and Bellatrix were concerned, he felt he had the obligation to.

"So...why did you want to see me? She doesn't tell me anything either."

"How strange, Derrick. I thought you were her best friend."

"So what are you implying? That I'm not a good friend?"

"No. I'm implying she isn't. Though I hate to say it of my own sister, you may be better off not being friends. Her stories...don't add up."

"What do you mean?"

Bellatrix gave a harsh laugh. "Have you been paying any attention at all these last few months? She says she's being tutored by a fellow Slytherin. If that's true, then he must be an imaginary one. I've talked to everyone. No one's tutoring her."

"Are you sure? I don't think Andromeda would lie--"

"You're so naïve, Derrick. She does it all the time, and my poor parents simply ignore it. Not this time though..."

"Are you going to tell them?"

"Not until I get some proof. That wouldn't take long...if you helped me."

There was silence. Finally he replied, "All right. I'll do it. But only if it will help Andromeda."

Bellatrix's voice practically dripped with contempt. "Oh, it'll help her. Don't worry about that."

Ted made his escape down the hall, because it sounded like they would be leaving any minute. He ran into the boy's bathroom, panting and thinking. He didn't believe a bit of what Bellatrix said; Derrick--whoever he was--must be a fool to. He was astonished at how she could so casually try to ruin her own sister's life. He had to tell Andromeda. If they were really going to check her, she needed a new cover story.

He went back down to the dungeons to see Fenwick an hour later. Their study meetings would have to be changed--with the first new one tonight.

~~~

Ted rushed Andromeda inside the Room of Requirement as soon as he saw her.

"Quick! You weren't followed, were you?"

"Ted," she said in bemusement, "I'm the paranoid one, remember? What's so urgent that you had to see me tonight, anyway?"

"You may not like hearing this, but you have to believe me. Even if she is your sister..."

"What did Bellatrix do now?" demanded Andromeda. "And how could you seriously think I'd take her word over yours?"

He told her what he had heard. When he finished, he added, "And who's this Derrick?"

Her fists clenched. "My friend. Or at least I thought he was."

Ted shrugged, trying not to feel jealous. "Talk it over with him. He didn't seem too thrilled that Bellatrix was coming to him for help."

"But he wants to know the truth as much as she does. And he'll do anything to get it."
"That's why you have to be more careful! Don't do anything stupid--"

"Like running up to Bella and yelling at her for sneaking around my back?"

"Exactly!" Ted said in relief.

"Then that's what I'll do."

He opened his mouth to argue, then, seeing the murderous look on Andromeda's face, decided it was best not to. He sighed.

"I hope you know what you're doing."

~~~

The next morning Andromeda sought out Bellatrix in the common room. She sauntered straight over to her sister and smirked, just because she knew it would get on her nerves. Bella gave her a blank, careful look.

"You should have been a Gryffindor, Bella."

"What?" Her sister's eyes flashed. "What do you mean by that?"

"You're just so brave," said Andromeda innocently. "If you wanted to know something, say, who was tutoring me, you'd come right up and ask. You'd never spy on me, or try to wheedle information out of my friends. Would you?"

Bella's eyes narrowed; she knew she was trapped. "Andromeda, people go to extreme lengths when they're desperate! I knew you yourself would never tell me...I had no choice."

"Rubbish! You only wanted something to pin on me for Mother and Father! You--"

But she stopped at the sight of Derrick, who had just come down the stairs.

"Traitor!" she yelled. He blinked and stepped back, then shot a terrified look at Bellatrix.

"I didn't tell her," Bella said loftily. "The real question now is--who did?"

Who did? How would she explain that? As Andromeda struggled with what to say now that the topic had reached very dangerous grounds, Derrick gave a deep sigh.

"Sorry, Andromeda. The game is up. I never should have told you about what Bella said. I didn't think you'd be so touchy!"

For a second all Andromeda could think was, "What the--?" Then Derrick nodded his head ever so slightly, saying plainly with his eyes, "Trust me. Play along."

Calling up all her fury, she said, "So touchy! Excuse me, but you're the one who almost ruined everything with your idiocy. And you almost told her the truth!"

Bella perked up now, looking exited. "What's this? Tell me, Derrick. You know you want to. Tell me everything."

"Very well," he said in defeat. "You should know who your sister is going out with. We thought this tutoring thing would be the perfect ruse to hide our secret. I suppose it looked too suspicious. Then when you began asking me all those questions..."

It was a good thing Bellatrix was staring at Derrick; otherwise she would have seen Andromeda wearing the same confused look as her own. Slowly she understood.

"Do you mean...that you are the Slytherin tutoring her?"

"That's right," said Derrick. "Though, needless to say, we do a bit more than tutoring together."

Andromeda was practically shaking with relief, even while rolling her eyes. They were actually going to pull it off!

Bella was hysterical. "So--so after all this time, when I thought she was socializing with a--a Gryffindor--or worse--"

"Hufflepuff," Andromeda corrected inside her head.

"--she was just--just snogging you!"

They both nodded and tried to look guilty. It wasn't difficult. After Bellatrix stormed off in a huff, Derrick led Andromeda into a corner so they could talk.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "She came to me, I swear it. I won't ask how you found out, or who your real tutor is. I don't want to know. All I know is that he's very lucky."

"Derrick," she whispered back, "Don't apologize. I should be thanking you, for what you did back there. So...thanks. Thank you so much"

He shrugged. "I made a huge mistake. Therefore, it was my responsibility to fix it. That story was the first one that came to my mind."

And she had no idea what that meant.