The Girl Who Asked Questions

or : “The Life Of Andromeda Tonks, Part One”

• andromeda black wasn’t really a difficult child, all things considered
• she never shouted
• her room was always clean
• she never run everywhere to make a mess like other children did
• she always obeyed her parents
• she loved her sister bella dearly
• the two were always playing together
• quiet games like dolls or brushing eachother’s hair
• they had barely one year of difference, and they were so alike people mistaked them as twins
• andromeda was always pleased when people said that, but bella got mad because she was the older sister who was always right and stronger than andromeda, merlin !
• the two often sat on bella’s bed to chat aout what they would be when they would grow up
• bella wanted to be a respected and powerful woman that everyone would look up to and always obey. she would have the most powerful friends
• andy wanted none of that
• she wanted a nice husband and children to love, and a house by the sea
• bella always laughed, saying her baby sister still believed in fairy tales
• and andromeda would laugh too, but her dream remained
• and they would keep talking like always, and andromeda would not talk about it again
• not until next time, because little andromeda didn’t like to keep her thoughts inside
• andromeda black wasn’t such a difficult child, but she asked questions
• why is the sky blue ?
• where did books come from ?
• how did people build houses ?
• and on the good days, she would get a patient explaination from her mother
• on the bad days, she would be asked to stay quiet because adults are busy
• but some of the questions qhe asked were less innocent
• why do mudbloods deserve to die ?
• do houseleves really enjoy being treated like slaves ?
• and she doesn’t mean it badly, she just wants to understand
• but of course her parents get upset
• her usual punishment is to get locked up in her bedroom for hours
• in these moments, she would sat on the bed, her hands on her knees, doing nothing but waiting in silence
• or sometimes she would stand in front of the door, starring at the doorhandle to see it opening when her parents would release her
• but she won’t ever complain
• because andromeda black wasn’t a difficult child

• the only time andromeda black threw a tantrum was when her sister narcissa was 3 months old
• she was always crying loudly, and andromeda got upset because if she had to stay quiet all the time, why could the baby scream and no one punished her ?
• why wasn’t she locked up in her room ?
• that was the only time andromeda threw a tantrum, and she remained locked up in her bedroom for three days
• she spent this entire time crying in silent
• because all the questions she knew she couldn’t ask were burning her throat
• and when the burn was too strong and the questions escaped, she would get punished like this
• it was all too much for her
• narcissa and andromeda relationship’s never got better over the years
• andromeda was always jealous of her little sister
• it seemed like she had everything easier
• she was allowed to be a little louder than her sister
• she was allowed to more toys
• she was allowed to more questions
• and of course that was what upseted andromeda the more
• it was unfair, and andromeda cared very deeply about things being fair
• the other thing she hated about narcissa was that she constantly stole bella’s attention
• the two of them would be talking about their future life, and then narcissa would come in the room and interrumpt them and bella would insist that she joined the game
• and andromeda would stay quiet in her corner of the room while narcissa was babbling about her future perfect house which was made of candies or whatever rubbish her 4-years-old mind could come up with
• andromeda fought about this with bella once
• she ended up crying loudly, which of course meant locked up too
• bella was so mad at her that she told her liked narcissa better because she never asked stupid questions
• andromeda was sad for days
• but despite narcissa, bella and andromeda were still closest than most of sisters
• which is why it was so hard for andromeda when bella went to hogwarts
• their age difference was small, but long enough to put them in two separated years
• bella swore she would write every week
• and she did
• every sunday, her beautiul owl would give the little andromeda news from her sister
• she always read them after breakfast in her room
• the letters were full of details about the castle, classes, the teachers, bella’s friends…
• andromeda knew almost evrything about her sister’s life
• the letters would always fininsh on “i can’t wait for you to join me”
• and andromeda would always wisper “me too”
• because life at home without bella was tasteless
• she was bored all the time
• the only person to talk to was narcissa, and andromeda was not desesperate enough to do that
• so she played alone in her bedroom, or tried to read the old books from her father’s office
• but the words always faded in front of her, and it was very long for her to read a single page
• but her father have told her that books have answers to many questions
• so she kept trying
• and she kept failing
• but she never gave up
• because she needed to be clever and know a lot of things to go to hogwarts with her sister
• and she needs to be with her sister
• so the day she finally receives her hogwarts acceptance letter is the most beautiful day of her entire life
• because in a few weeks bella and her will be together all the time again
• and she will get to see the wonderful school bella described to her with her own eyes
• andshe just can’t wait
• and now she can think of that when she has to sit in silence in her room
• and it gives her a bubble of hope