Burning Bridges
Challenge Seventeen: Messages From The Heart
Title: Burning Bridges
Author: stavvers
Wizard/Witch: Ted Tonks/Andromeda Black
Rating/Warnings: G/PG
Genre: Romance/Whimsy
Word count: Exactly 750
Prompt: #36-Don't marry her!
Summary: Ted receives a Howler from someone rather unhappy about his engagement to Andromeda
Mrs Tonks marched up to her son’s bedroom, holding the object between her fingers as though it might explode. Quite frankly, she fully expected it would; it looked like a bright red letter, but its edges were steaming.
“Oh!” she exclaimed, blushing. Ted’s girlfriend was there; luckily it looked like they had been doing something entirely innocent. In fact, the girlfriend was tidying his room-admittedly in a way Mrs Tonks had never seen before, as she was expertly flicking her wand and everything was moving perfectly into place.
“Sorry, Mum,” Ted blushed, “Andromeda just showed up. I was going to tell you, but- ”
“Never mind that,” Mrs Tonks said hastily, “this arrived for you. I’m not sure what it was, but... oh, can you just take it, please?”
After handing over the letter, she ran off as quickly as possible. If that thing blew up, she didn’t want to be anywhere near it.
“I bet that’s from my mum, she didn’t take the news of our engagement too well,” Andromeda grinned, glancing at the Howler. “You’d better open it quickly. I don’t know why she’s writing to you, though, it’s the first time she’s acknowledged that you exist!”
“Which reminds me,” Ted said, “we really should have told my mum. Especially if you’re sta-”
The Howler hissed furiously, and Ted knew that he had to open it immediately.
MUDBLOOD, DON’T YOU DARE MARRY MY DAUGHTER, SHE HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OF HER. YOU’VE BEEN USING UNDERHAND MUDBLOOD METHODS TO TEMPT HER AWAY AND I WON’T STAND FOR IT. DON’T MARRY HER, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE DIRE. WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS. I HOPE YOU ROT, DIRTY MUDBLOOD. SEND MY DAUGHTER BACK IMMEDIATELY.
DRUELLA BLACK
P.S ANDROMEDA, I KNOW YOU’RE THERE. COME BACK, OR RISK BEING BLASTED FROM THE FAMILY TREE. WE WILL FORGIVE YOU FOR YOUR DALLIANCE.
AUNTIE WALBURGA.
The letter exploded rather dramatically, and downstairs Mrs Tonks watched the light-fitting shudder and plaster fall from the ceiling. Within the blast radius, Andromeda and Ted stared at the spot where the Howler had been, both quietly taking in the meaning of the note.
Andromeda was first to break the silence with a loud shriek of laughter. Ted looked at her with a pale face and wide eyes.
“What’s so funny, Dromeda? Didn’t they just... threaten us?”
The dark-haired witch took in the look of utter concern on her fiance’s face, and gently bought her hand to his cheek.
“Do you really think I’d put you in any danger? You heard what Auntie Walburga said, their idea of ‘dire consequences’ is blasting me off their bloody family tree. All talk and no trousers, they want to scare you off. You’re just another Mudblood to them.” She flinched visibly at the word “mudblood”. “They’ll forget all about you, and me, and we can begin our happy life together.”
Ted looked unconvinced, so Andromeda continued. “Ted, I love you, and I... I don’t think I could cope if anything bad happened to you. So I wouldn’t do this unless I was sure nothing would happen to you... or to me. To us.”
She smiled hopefully, gazing into Ted’s eyes, and sighed with relief when he returned the grin.
“D’you... d’you think we should reply?”
Andromeda’s eyes now twinkled with mischief, and she grabbed a quill and parchment. She scrawled a quick reply:
Dear Mum and Auntie Walburga,
Piss off, and sod your family tree! I’m happy, and I love Ted.
A.
Ted chuckled heartily at the message, feeling safe now. Andromeda’s wicked sense of humour about her mad family was something which delighted Ted, and he found it beautiful. He couldn’t resist but to kiss the back of her neck as she stooped to secure the little note to the leg of his owl, Ringo.
“You’re brilliant, you are,” he whispered. “I don’t know how I managed to bag a girl like you.”
“Because you’re brilliant, too,” Andromeda replied. She turned her head towards him, and planted a small kiss on his lips.
They stood at the window watching Ringo fly off, burning Andromeda’s last bridge. Ted felt her give a barely perceptible shudder.
“You OK?”
“Definitely,” she replied, smiling broadly. “I can’t wait to start building our own life together.”
“Me neither.” He gave a start, as if remembering something important. “We’d better tell my mum that we’ve got engaged.”
“Mmm. How do you think she’ll take it?”
Ted gave out another loud chuckle. “Better than yours did.”
Author's Notes: I suppose this is where Tonks gets it from!
Proof-reader: ellenbombellen