FicWad

Agena




JErosion




Prologue(revise)







She really wished Ted was home. But it had already been a year, and with things being what they were, she had come to except the fact that he wasn't coming home. Sometimes she wondered how many other witches and wizards still waited for loved ones that will never return. She had no illusions of what had happened. After all, he was a muggle-born. And he was everything that they hated most.




That all changed a month ago. It was on the cover of every newspaper, and on the lips of every wizard and witch in the country. After eleven hard years, the most feared wizard in recent memory, was gone. And the extraordinary thing was that he had been defeated by a child. But as extraordinary as that was, the world could not change over night. Times were still dangerous. Trials were still being held in the Ministry Dungeons. And nobody knew just how many of his followers still walked unnoticed and free.




So it was with great hesitance that she approached the front door of her home. Even with You-know-who's disappearance, she still felt cautions. Yet she also had to weigh in the facts that if the person or persons who had knocked on her door at this hour in the morning had malicious intentions, the wooded barrier would have done little to bar their entrance. And she wasn't willing to die without putting up a fight. be taken off guard. She made a quick check of herself in a mirror that was in the foyer. This wasn't out of vanity, but she just wanted to make sure she looking presentable. After all a few moments ago she was sleeping in her bed. Besides if some dark wizard was looking to end your life you may as well look your best. With little else to do, she held her wand out and moved to open the door.




It took a moment for her eye's to adjust to the early morning darkness. light. She was surprised to say the least. Out on her stoop, stood afamiliar figure. Although his hair was far more silvery than she remembered, but there was no mistaking those blue eyes or that long crooked nose.



"Professor?"




"It is always nice to know, that no matter how long ago they graduated, my former students still see me as their teacher." he said with a smile. However playful his statement was, the woman before him could tell something was wrong, as the warmth of his expression did not fully reach his eyes.




"um, Sir? Is there something wrong?"




"Indeed, there is Andromeda. I'm afraid I've come bearing terrible news. Although it may be for the best if I do not speak them while I stand at your doorstep."




"oh,... Please Professor come in." She stepped to side opening the door wider to allow her new guest to enter her home. He gave her a gentle nod as she past him, however she quickly discovered that he had not come alone. Standing behind him and looking extremely reluctant, was a rather pitiful looking house-elf. But the thing that really caught her attention wasn't so much the presence of the elf, but rather the carefully wrapped bundle in the the elf's arms. It's was a baby.




"Come along, Feezy."




"n-No, n-No Feezy mustn't, my m-mistress would be angry with Feezy if she n-knew." Yet despite the shaky words coming out of her mouth, the she shuffled forward, holding the child very close to her.




"Feezy!" Andromeda cried, closing the door shut. No it couldn't be. She dropped down to her knees to take a better look at the elf and the bundle she carried. Despite it's gaunt appearance, she began to see that it was indeed the elf she once knew from her childhood. Her snout like nose and huge bat like ears where common traits of the elves from the House of Black. However it seemed that the years had not been kind to the lthat had not been kind to her. She was missing a good chunk of her left ear, and she had numerous scars running along her face and arms. "Professor Dumbledore!? If this is Feezy, then this child.. it couldn't be! ”




"Yes, Andromeda." He nodded grimly.




"What happened to her!.. What did she do!"




Before her eyes, the man in front of her seemed to age a few more years.




"It will be on the front page of the /Daily Prophet/when it's delivered. But you may as well know before hand. It was the Longbottoms...."




Her hand came up to her face in horror.




"n-No, n-No my m-mistress wouldn't do anything bad." Feezy wailed.




“From her rantings, your sister refused to believe that her master could have been vanquished by a child, so she led a small group of Death Eaters to the Longbottom's home. She believed that they may have had information on his whereabouts."




"But why Professor?!Why? It's all over now, isn't it?"




"Yes, for now Ibelieve the wizarding world is safe. But I cannot say for certain that Voldemort is truly gone.




Andromeda shuddered slightly at the mention of the dark wizard's name. It's was horrible that such a thing could happen. Why? Why would she do something like that? Her eyes drifted to the baby that Feezy still held. Slowly she reached for the child, gesturing to the house elf to let take the child. At first the Feezy took a step back from her, but slowly she relented, allowing her mistress's sister to take her burden. Wrapped in a dark gray-green blanket the baby stirred for a moment before settling into the arms of Andromeda. Judging the lines of it's face the child was a girl, and from her size and weight she would have to say that she was around a year old. She smiled slightly, brushing aside some to the girl's dark hair away from her face. She was beautify. Then again all of the Black women were.




"Tell me Dumbledore, did they kill them?" She asked quietly, not taking her eye's off of the infant's face.




There was a long silence before he spoke.




"No. The Longbottoms are still alive, but I fear that their injuries may extent far beyond the physical, it's still too early to tell."




"They... Didn't they have a son?”




"Yes, they did. Fortunately you sister and her followers did nothing to him. He is in the care of his grandmother right now, if I'm not mistaken."




“When did you find her?” Andromeda asked, nodding to child.




“It was late last night. After Aurors captured your sister and her accomplices, a raid was conducted on the Lestrange Manor. We found her as well as Feezy.”




"You know....," she said after a long pause, " I had no idea that they had achild, I know our relationship had become damaged because of my choices. But even with distance between us I still still sent word to her and Narcissa when Nymphadora had been born, and Narcissa owled me about her son. I thought she would tell me if she had a child."




"I must admit that Iam a little curious about that myself" a spark of curiosity touched his voice.




"What do you mean.?" Andromeda asked looking up from the child.




"When I asked Feezy what her name was, she became quite adamant that she must not tell anyone. Now I could have /taken /the information from her, but I thought it would be best if I brought both of them to you. Feezy of coarse was reluctant to come with me, she does recognizes that she can not care for the child by herself. And since the standings of Narcissa's family are still in question, not to mention my doubts of her willingness to assist me. I felt it would be best to bring them both to you."




They both turned to the elf, who was cowering and shaking her head.




“No. No. Please don't ask Feezy. It must remain quiet. It can't be spoken.”




“What must be asecret?”




Feezy continued to shake her head. She even brought her hands up to her face as though she was trying to hide.




“Feezy.”




“No. No. I mustn't tell mistress's secrets... I mustn't. No one is to know. She would be so angry with Feezy.”




Andromeda looked up to the professor and then back to the elf.




“You must tell me Feezy. What is this child's name?”




The elf's hand balled up into a little fist, like she made to hit herself. But she couldn't not stay quiet, as the enchantments that bound their race would not allow her to be.




“a-Agena Druella Riddle.”




It took her a moment to digest the names. She thought of the names scratched onto the old star charts she studied while in school. And Druella, that had been the name of their mother. But Riddle? It should be Lestrange, not Riddle. But that surname, did have some resonance, something half remembered. However she was unable to place where she had last heard or seen it. She looked to Dumbledore for answers but that a very serious look had taken his features.




“Tell me, Feezy,” he asked bending low in order to catch the elf's eyes. “Is your mistress, Bellatrix, the mother of this child?”




Large tears began to well up in the elf's eyes. She looked to Andromeda, perhaps hoping that she would not be given permission to divulge the information that the tall wizard was seeking. Slowly and painfully she confirmed his question by nodding.




“And was her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange, the father of this child?”




He received his answer when she started to use her tiny fist to punch herself in the temple. Andromeda brought this to a halt when he reached over and placed ahand to still her self-administered punishments. Even then she fell to her knees and began to sob quietly.




“hmm. How interesting.” he stated in a curious tone, as he straightened himself out. “I would have never have thought...”




“Professor?”




“It seems as though your sister has had an affair.”




Andromeda had to confess that she was now somewhat confused. How could this had happened? She was sure Bellatrix loved her husband. Being from a old pure-blood families, things like this were not suppose to happen. Yet if it was true then, she wasn't holding Rodolphus's daughter. It should be his child. Yet she couldn't help but feel is though she was missing something. Something that had everything to do with the name Riddle.




“Professor who is Riddle?”




He answered her question with another of his own. And to be honest she wasn't expecting the request he made of her.




“Andromeda. I need to know if you would be willing to take her in.”




In truth she didn't even give it a second thought. No matter what she had done Bellatrix was still her sister. And this child was family. And maybe if she was raised away from her and her other relatives some good may come of it. It was a same measure but maybe it might put to and end to some of the troubles that had plagued her family for centuries.




“Yes, I'll do it.”




A look of relief crossed his features. But she still didn't understand.




“Andromeda. Listen carefully. If what I am starting to suspect is true then this girl won't be like most witches. She will have talents and abilities far advance for her age. So I ask you to raise her well. Because if her father is Tom Riddle, then she may very well be the last living descendant of Salazar Slytherin.”




“/What!?/”, Andromeda cried. “How can that be!? How could you possibly know such a thing!?”




“Please Andromeda.” he said quietly, raising his hands to calm her. “I know this because, I have been fighting her father for over a decade.”




What color was in her face drained away. She looked to the sleeping child in her arms. How could it be? She wanted argue. It was something she couldn't except. Was this child truly the product of her sister and/He-who-must-not-be-named/?




“Mama?”




Andromeda jumped at the distant voice. It seemed that at some point in their conversation, they had woken her daughter up.




Both adults turned to see the young Nymphadora Tonks, shuffle her way into the room. Her sleepy gaze shifted from her mother, to Dumbledore, to the still mopping Feezy, and then finally to the infant that her mother held. She brought a hand up and ran it though her blondish hair, which was currently sticking in every possible direction. Surprise filled her face as she looked at the new people that were in their house.




“What's going on?” the young girl asked, she took a couple of steps forward and then somehow managed to trip. This was rather odd since there was nothing in front of her to lose her footing on. Unfortunately the impact of her falling face first on the wooden floor was loud enough that Agena's eyes suddenly shot open and she instantly began to cry.




Andromeda winced, and then sighed. Her house was now filled with the sounds of a mumbling house elf, an upset infant and the cries of her own daughter, who was now sporting a bloody nose. She really wished Ted was here.




It took a good while to sort them all out. Feezy was the easiest, just give them a purpose or a task and house-elves couldn't be happier. And the simple task of preparing breakfast was more than enough to calm her. And Dumbledore was a great help with Nymphadora, a small wave of his wand and her nose bleed stopped. After a small twirl his wand emitted the yellowy light of a cheering charm over her. And her tears slowly came to astop.




Her young niece took alittle more effort. But once the other two had quieted down, she became more manageable. Maybe that was due to the features that she and Bellatrix, or the occasional appearances of Feezy. Slowly she calmed down, but she did not go to sleep.




Eventually things became settled enough that Andromeda was able to slip away leave Agena in the company of both the elf and her daughter.




“Professor?”




They were approaching her front door. As much as he would like to, he couldn't stay any longer. In fact he had already overstayed himself.




“...Is it true?What you said?”




“With what Feezy said, it is very possible. Are you sure that you will be able to handle her.”




“Certainly,” she nodded. “If I can handle Nymphadora's tendency to run headfirst into walls I'm sure I will be able handle the child of my sister....




“You know, Ted and I talked about having another child.” she cast a fond look back towards the kitchen.




“Then treat as though she is yours and give her everything that her parents would not.”




“What do you mean?”




“From my investigations, I have learned a good deal about the boy who would become Voldemort.” He paused long enough to allow her to recover from her flinch of the dark wizard's name. “The circumstances of his birth are questionable. I do not know the full details myself but I do know enough to say that his father, who was amuggle, abandoned his mother while she was still pregnant. And his mother died shortly after giving birth to him. She only lived long enough to name him.




“Eventually he discovered the truth, that his father did not love his mother, nor did he even care at all for his yet to be born son. And his mother, heartbroken, did not have the will to live even for his sake. And by that she doomed him to spend his childhood in a muggle orphanage. There the other children feared and hated him. All he had ever known was a sense of abandonment, and that fueled a hatred within him that turned him into a monster.




“As for Agena's mother...” he trailed off not really needing to continue. Andromeda knew too well of her sister's faults. Bellatrix lacked compassion. Many purebloods did.




“I will do all Ican professor.”




She opened the door for him, but he paused before exiting.




“You won't mind if I stop by from time to time, to look in on her?”




“Not at all professor.”




He gave her a one last smile and stepped out. A moment later he vanished from her sight without so much as a sound.




She had a new responsibility now. Certain things would have to change. Agena Druella Riddle. That was a place to start. In their world a name can mean everything. It could elevate a person to greatness or damn them for eternity. And people had long memories, and there will always be those who would blame the innocent for the crimes of their parents. Riddle, the enigma that became he-who-must-not-be-name. How many others would make that connection? Though it was a safer than her mother's married name. Given what Dumbledore told her, the name Lestrange was as good as a curse. Even her maiden name of Black, was now associated with murder and betrayal.




She frowned, no matter what evidence said, she couldn't believe that Sirius could do what they said he did. He was so different than the others in her family. Maybe it was time to pay a visit to her Great-Uncle Arcturus. He was one of the more level headed members of there family. Aside from Narcissa he was the only other member of her clan that would talk with her. And he might be able to give her a few kernels of advice.




Her mind was about to drift further down memory lane, when there came another commotion from the kitchen. It sounded several plates had been smashed, and that was followed by the cries of Nymphadora. Which in turn was quickly followed by cries of her new ward.




She sighed. She really wished Ted was home.










Author's Note(revise): A few lines changed here and there, as well as a few spelling fixes. There was also a name change. I ran across the Black Family Tree not too long ago. Druella Rosier was Bellatrix's and Andromeda's mother. Their father was named Cygnus Black. Arcturus is Sirius's grandfather.




Is it better? Is it worst? Do I need to hurry up and write Chapter 5 and work also on my other fics?