Chapter Text
- Chapter Eight -
Relationships of Business and Pleasure
Unlike Andromeda’s own ancestral home, the Lestrange manor did not require Glamour Charms to keep it in good order. A few generations younger than the House of Black, they had not yet squandered enough investments nor refused to have an occupation for enough years to have fallen to the same precarious financial status. In that regard, Cygnus Black had chosen well for his eldest daughter.
As Rabastan led their way along the side of the house to the gardens, Andromeda could hear the rather disgruntled tones of Rodolphus Lestrange drifting towards them. They stepped over the remnants of a game of croquet, where the gnomes were still lying discarded, a few now stirring and regaining consciousness after having been batted through the various posts scattered throughout the lawn.
Rodolphus cursed from somewhere just above them as they reached the terrace.
‘Try again.’ his wife commanded, reclined in her lounge chair, her sunglasses quite unnecessary for such a grey day, her bathing suit displaying her pale skin for all to see. ‘No, not the bishop. The knight. Honestly, Dolly, it’s like playing with a troll.’
At this, Rodolphus got to his feet and strode off, swearing. Rabastan snickered, guiding Andromeda up the steps.
Bellatrix turned away from her chess set at the sound of their arrival, her lips curling into a smile.
‘Oh, good, Dromeda, you are here at last.’ She beckoned her sister over with a lazily raised hand. ‘Switch in with Dolly. I want to finish my play.’
Obliging her older sister, Andromeda took the seat Rodolphus has just vacated and considered the state of the board he had left her in. Most of his pieces were already cowering at the side of the board, one by one having been brutally attacked by Bellatrix’s own pieces. Indeed, Bellatrix was only two plays away from winning.
Rabastan draped himself around her shoulders.
‘Dear me, is this the product of my brother concentrating?’ he asked, his arms encircling her throat as he leant forwards. ‘I shudder to think what he plays like without your instruction, Bella.’
Bellatrix smirked, moving her rook forwards.
‘Well, then, what do you advise?’ Andromeda asked, moving her king one square away from the encircling pieces. ‘I do not think there is any saving this match.’
‘No, indeed.’ Bellatrix watched Rabastan adjust his weight on Andromeda’s shoulders, moving her rook again. ‘Checkmate.’
Andromeda set about resetting the chess pieces, Rodophus’ pieces looking very much worse for wear, having lost an innumerable amount matches already that day.
‘Fetch us some refreshments, Rabbie.’ Bellatrix said, waving her hand in the direction of the door. ‘And go see to Dolly. He needs attention or he’ll be sulking until past dinner.’
Rabastan let out a noise of long suffering, running his hands along Andromeda as he extricated himself. She kept her hands steady as she placed more pieces on the board.
‘Salazar, how he drools over you like a dog.’ Bellatrix observed, leaning back in her lounge chair. ‘I don’t know how you stand it.’
‘We have an understanding.’
‘And what does he understand exactly?’ Bellatrix asked, her face all amusement. ‘That he is pleasure and the others are business?’
‘I do not have relationships for pleasure. Rabastan knows that much.’
Bellatrix tittered. ‘I wouldn’t be so sure of that.’
This got Andromeda to look up from the chess board. Bellatrix’s smile was maddeningly gleeful.
‘Why?’
‘He is thinking of marriage. I heard him speak of it to Dolly.’
Andromeda made a noise of disparagement.
‘He was thinking of you as he said it.’
‘Coincidence.’ Andromeda dismissed. ‘Even men are capable of two thoughts at once.’
‘I never met a man capable of such a thing.’
‘Not even your Mr Riddle?’ Andromeda allowed herself her first smile since arriving. ‘I am all amazement.’
Bellatrix’s smirk soured slightly. ‘I do not require a wand to hurt you, sister.’
‘Yes, I have many years of experience to attest to that.’ Her heart did not even have one irregular beat to it. ‘There, the board is set.’
‘Well, go on then.’
They played in silence for a time.
Perhaps Rabastan had been more possessive than usual. She could not be sure, for possession had always been his way. The second son, set to inherit whatever his parents decided to throw in his direction, he had treated every woman he had been with as his birth right, his just rewards for the injustice of his situation.
But he was no different than any of the others. Except perhaps Tonks. Tonks, who had held her hand and –
‘Stop it.’ Andromeda said, closing her thoughts sharply.
Bellatrix smirked widely. Andromeda could almost see how her dark eyes glittered through her sunglasses.
‘You ought to tell Rufus you use Legilimency to win. His ego might not feel nearly as bruised.’
At that Bellatrix scoffed. ‘I don’t need Leglimency to win at chess.’
This much was true for Bellatrix had only ever once lost a chess match and no one had ever beaten her again in the ten years since.
‘Perhaps I should learn.’ Andromeda mused.
Bellatrix took the opportunity to take her last pawn.
‘Your trouble, my dear, is that you never play to win,’ Bellatrix said. ‘You only ever play to survive.’
Andromeda did not answer her, keeping her attention on the chessboard. Her odds in playing against Bellatrix were always poor from the outset but she might yet be able to play for a little longer if she could just get her queen out from her current barricade of Bellatrix’s pieces.
‘Aren’t you going to tell me who he is?’ Bellatrix asked her sweetly.
She continued to study the chessboard. With Bellatrix’s pieces more focused on Andromeda’s queen, the king was relatively exposed. If she moved her remaining bishop, she might distract her sister temporarily from her queen.
‘Shall I guess?’
Andromeda sighed, moving her bishop. ‘If you must. Check.’
‘You are no fun.’ Bellatrix looked contrastingly delighted at her choice in strategy, her hand twitching as she selected a piece to chase after Andromeda’s bishop. ‘Does father know?’
‘That I am no fun? Yes, I assume so.’ Andromeda inched her bishop around the other side of Bellatrix’s king. ‘Check.’
‘He was holding your hand rather lovingly, wasn’t he?’
Andromeda scoffed. ‘I did not think you qualified to spot such a thing.’
‘Am I not allowed to be delighted for my sister?’ Bellatrix tittered, her hand twitching again as she hovered over her pieces, deliberating between two possible moves. ‘You have two men vying for you. I may yet see you saved from spinsterhood.’
The sound of the Lestrange brothers returning to the terrace, armed with wine, spared Andromeda from having to respond. Bellatrix stopped humouring Andromeda’s diversion and took her queen.
‘Checkmate.’
Andromeda had only intended to stay for dinner, but Rabastan had made his intentions quite clear during the meal, placing his hand on her thigh beneath the table as they ate. Though Rabastan behaved quite as he always did in these more carnal encounters, she had been unable to forget Bellatrix’s statement that he was considering marriage. It had gnawed at her and she had struggled to relax, making things more uncomfortable than usual, so as she materialised on Morgana Way, further away from her house than she had intended to Apparate, she was hobbling slightly.
A pang of hunger hit as she moved forwards. She was always careful to eat very little in company, particularly in the company of men. But after a long day, the few mouthfuls she had eaten were laughably little.
She spied a man walking towards her from the opposite end of the street, his broad shoulders vaguely outlined by the dim streetlamps and laughter floating over from The Three Broomstick on the light breeze. Pausing to rest against a nearby streetlamp, Andromeda watched the man drawing nearer. Her left hand reassured her that her wand was still in her right pocket.
‘Ms Black!’ the man called out and raised a hand to wave.
Her body unclenched, recognising Tonks.
‘Good evening, Superintendent.’ she greeted as he reached her.
Tonks was smiling at her under the light of the streetlamp, balancing a misshapen parcel in one hand, the other hand now casually in his pocket. She hastened to let go of the streetlamp to match his easy posture with a confidently upright one of her own, though it took a great effort to ignore her discomfort at doing so.
‘I’m here on official business.’ he told her seriously, nodding his head at the parcel.
‘Oh?’
‘By order of Madame Rosmerta, I am sent to deliver you your dinner, along with her sincerest apologies for not bringing it herself.’
She covered her mouth with a gloved hand to dampen her own smile as he bowed, holding out the parcel to her.
‘That is very kind of her – and of you.’ Andromeda carefully accepted the parcel from him. ‘I haven’t eaten properly all day. Thank you.’
‘Rumour has it, she’s got her hands full with a band of unruly Aurors,’ Tonks winked conspiratorially and Andromeda’s heart did a traitorous flutter. ‘But I wouldn’t know anything about that.’
‘Of course not. You were just out to clear your head.’
Tonks laughed. ‘Exactly.’
Andromeda adjusted her grip on the parcel, this close proximity to Tonks bringing her a good dosing of that familiar mix of cinnamon and mahogany. It filled her nostrils and began to spread warmth through her chest as it followed her breath down into her lungs. His smile tickled at her own to fully reveal itself.
‘Would you like to come inside?’ she found herself asking as she fought to keep her expression vaguely neutral.
‘If I’m not intruding –’
‘Not at all.’ The smile she gave him was more controlled, a fittingly polite measure of joy. ‘I much prefer company to eating alone.’
‘Then, it would be my pleasure, Ms Black.’
He started to move in the direction of her front door but then paused, his eyes on her as she stepped carefully forwards. Something in his expression told her she had not concealed her wince at moving as well as she had thought.
‘Here, hold on to me.’ he said, coming back to her and holding out his arm. ‘And I’ll carry your food.’
Her insides felt quite raw and any movement in her legs seemed to jostle that which was already causing her discomfort. But she did not accept Tonks’ arm, walking determinately forwards.
‘We’ll use the back door.’ Andromeda told him as he shook his head in an exasperated fashion. ‘I’m afraid some of my walls have eyes. I’d rather they didn’t see you.’
‘Eyes?’ he repeated, hastening to follow her to the small gate at the side of the house.
She did not answer, rebalancing the food parcel to only be in one hand so she could try and open the gate with the other, distracted by the stiff lock.
‘I’ll do it.’ Tonks brushed gently passed her to open the gate. He held it open for her. ‘After you.’
Her smile was genuine as she nodded her head. ‘Thank you.’
‘So, eyes in your walls.’ Tonks pressed, closing the gate behind them. ‘Are we talking literally or –’
‘The house is still mostly decorated to the tastes of my grandparents.’ Andromeda returned to carrying the parcel with both hands, leading the way along the side of the house. ‘They had a great many family portraits, many of which helpfully correspond to portraits at the Abbey.’
Tonks made an odd noise that she could not quite discern.
‘So, they spy on you?’
‘It is – er – unconventional for an unmarried woman in my circle to live alone. My father had to take certain precautions.’
‘Against what?’ Tonks scoffed as they reached her back door.
Andromeda turned to him, smiling at his rather outraged expression. He held out his hands so that she could return him the parcel while she opened the door.
‘I can only assume,’ she began slowly, her eyes dancing with laughter, unlocking the front door with her wand, ‘he was worried about the young men coming to my door in the middle of the night to compromise my virtue.’
The kitchen light flicked on as the door sprung open, illuminating the faint blush creeping into Tonks’ cheeks. His grin as he brushed past her was, however, contrastingly confident. He set the food parcel down on the nearest counter and watched her close the door.
‘Would he consider this compromising your virtue?’
‘I suppose that would depend on what this is.’