#ted1

Where: Banchory Bogg

Who: @tonkstedtalk​

The thing was, Clem finally decided as she lurked suspiciously outside the entrance of Banchory Bogg, there was no real way to know what someone might help you with until you asked. The only thing she could do was try to avoid the creeps; easier said than done late at night. As soon as someone came along who didn’t instantly make her feel icky, she pounced upon them, more concerned with not missing her opportunity than potentially scaring someone herself. “What are your thoughts on breaking and entering?” 

Molly whirled around the kitchen, checking the status of her baking, putting the kettle on, and essentially doing anything to keep her mind off the growing tension outside the walls of The Burrow. “I appreciate you coming over like this, dear. I— well I haven’t much left the house these days but I wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything— you or your family.”

Florence had been floating through her days for the better part of a week when she ran into Ted. She smiled brightly at the sight of him, “Teddy!” She exclaimed. “Where have you been hiding?” She teased.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood straight, something was off. Andromeda could feel it in the air, call it Auror instinct or Deja Vu, it didn’t really matter. All she knew was that something had her on edge the baby had been asleep for hours and Dora was still tucked safely in her bed. Pulling her wand out Andromeda turned the corner into the kitchen her breathe held in her chest. 

Her Husband smiled back at her and Andromeda's face shifted from fear to joy to rage within a second. Tucking her wand back into her pocket she crossed her arms looking Ted up and down.

“Dora is asleep,” She said her tone harsh. He was alive she could breathe again. She had her husband back and Dora would have her father.  Her Ted was okay. “Apologize quietly.”

“For my own sake, anything but taffeta.” Her mumble sounded annoyed underneath her breath, rising from the love-seat positioned out front of the dressing rooms. There was not another word from Andy as she sauntered away from the stuffy shop for a breath of air. It’d be at least a few before her mother decided on a dress, anyway. And an hour more for the jewelry, she snorted as she rounded a corner, soft laughter passing her lips at her one-woman comedy act. It would’ve been a lot funnier if the joke hadn’t been cut short by running face first into somebody’s chest. She must’ve looked mental, and sounded even crazier.

“Whoaa-kay.”

The time had come, Cygnus had decided, for something to be done about the mudblood. He had been patient and had bid his time. He had been at Hogwarts for about a month now, and he had learned quite a lot. He found out, unfortunately, that Bellatrix could make mistakes. However, he also learned of her true power, and it had opened a pathway the likes of which he had never seen before. She was doing well. He’d discovered that Narcissa had tangled herself with the likes of the Bones boy, Edgar. However, he had learned of her devotion to her family, and was confident her in her engagement to the Malfoy boy. Andromeda, however, had been a bit more disappointing. Perhaps he should have expected as much, but he never would have imagined that she would have fallen so low as to consorting -- even if it was feigned as she said -- with a mudblood. 

After some investigating, he had come to believe that Andromeda’s attachment to the mudblood Hufflepuff was more than she had let on. It was time to fix that problem. He had chosen to focus himself on the matters nearby, so that he did not have to think about what waited for him beyond the castle walls. For now, his brother-in-law would have to be in charge of the family affairs. Druella, his beautifully cold and wondrously terrifying wife. What would he do without her? How could he raise his girls without her? His little sister, Walburga, who had always tried her best. She was gone too. The Black family had been attacked, splintered, and Cygnus was heartbroken over it, despite the face he kept on. He would have to face these demons when the week ended, and he knew he would rise to the challenge. But, he still had a few more days. A few more days to keep his focus on his girls, and only his girls. He had decided to dive head forward into that. 

So, that was how Cygnus found himself standing in the shadows of the second floor corridor. Ted Tonks, the cursed mudblood, would be on prefect rounds tonight, and would be coming down this corridor any minute. He’d gotten the information from Narcissa the night before, and the time had come to put things into play. He held a cigar between his fingers, and occupied himself by watching the smoke rise. It was about a quarter of an hour before he heard anything, but eventually, he heard footsteps rounding the corner. He straightened up, eyes squinting to see if it was his intended target.

Yep. Those were the yellow robes of a Hufflepuff. Now adequately satisfied that he had found his mark, Cygnus stepped suddenly out of the darkness. The flickering lights of the torches around them gave his face an eerie sort of glow, which he was more than aware of. He put his cigar out on the wall, leaving a small black spot of ash, and then he vanished it with a wave of his wand. This took all of twenty seconds, after which, he finally settled his most intense, most severe gaze on the boy in front of him.

“Edward Tonks.” He drawled flatly, a smile pulling at his lips. “It’s time you and I talk, don’t you think?”