Mad World Mods (madworldmods) wrote in madworldrp, @ 2007-08-25 10:25:00 |
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Entry tags: | andromeda black, prompt, ted tonks |
Thread: Andromed & Ted (with others)
LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY insidiousgrim)
Characters: Andromeda & Ted (mostly) Mentions of James and Sirius, and perhaps cameos of them (and other characters?)
Setting: Diagon Alley
when: BACKDATED to August 22nd.
What: Filling the prompt; Ted and Andromeda find themselves "glued" together in Diagon Alley.
While James and Sirius were, in fact, shopping for their school supplies, they weren't going to pass up the chance to cause some mischief. It was the perfect time to test out a new charm, and sit back and watch the results. (Which, truth be told, even they couldn't predict what would happen, or how successful it would be.)
They needed a doorway, and decided that the one to Fortescue's seemed the perfect candidate. Waiting until it seemed to slow down, Sirius and James placed the strong charm upon the entry way to the store. The next two individuals who would pass through it would find themselves glued to one another. With any luck the glue charm will actually hold, and they won't be easily freed from it. If the charm works properly, the only anti-charm for this is to drink butterbeer, something about as random as could get. (Who in their right minds would think of drinking a butterbeer when they are attempting to break from an unwanted hex?)
After the charm was in place, they waited out of sight, wondering who would befall their trap.
There was, that day, a new book at Flourish & Blotts'; not a particularly popular one, as it was more or less dry mathematical theories, but Andromeda happened to be fond of this particular theorist and showed up precisely when the books went on sale.
Having bought her copy, however, she found herself somewhat reluctant to go home immediately. It was nice to be out and about, even if it was somewhat wet out. The family dynamic after Sirus's leaving had been...highly unpleasant. It shouldn't be that hard to find a nice place to sit and read...
She came to a stop; wasn't that...? Ah, it was. He did say he'd only been getting some of his books, the other day. Andromeda thought for a moment--after all, being friendly with a muggleborn directly afer...well...but she didn't really feel like being on her own, and Dyan hadn't been able to visit...and he'd been perfectly nice the last time, and during their patrols last year. "Tonks--Theodore," Andromeda corrected herself after the fact, waving slightly. "Finishing up?" It was the first time she'd ever initiated a conversation with the other student, and she felt both giddy and a little surprised at herself.
Ted finished purchasing his books, and had them all in a bag when he heard the voice. Straightening, he smiled as he looked over at Andromeda.
He was a little surprised that she'd initiated any conversation- he usually was the one to say hello first. Not that he'd minded. "Andromeda! Hello. Yes, I just finished up. How are you?"
"I'm...alright." It wasn't precisely public knowledge, at the moment, of Sirius's escape from the family--though she had very little doubt it would be, soon enough--and Andromeda didn't think she could handle any sort of questions about the matter, however relieved she was to have Sirius safely away at Jame's. "The new Phlexley book came out." She held said book up, by way of explanation. "So I can safely say that the next few days of my life shall be spent happily occupied." More or less.
She stood there awkwardly for a moment, trying to figure out what the next step in the plan had been, after calling his name. It shortly became quite obvious to her that there hadn't really been one. "How are your puppies?" It was a rather desperate topic, yes, but she recalled hearing about them, and if he liked them, surely that was alright?
Ted smiled as he glanced at the book. "Well, that's good to hear. It's not much longer until we're back at school, either." There was a slight pause. "Will you be coming back here this weekend? For that party thing?"
He noticed the slight awkwardness, but smiled brightly as she brought up the puppies. "Oh, they're doing great! They're such happy little things, and they really do like people and cuddling. I wish you could see them."
"Most likely; it sounds quite interesting, doesn't it? Will you be going?" If she didn't like it, after all, she could always leave. "And I can hardy wait to go back." She said the last most emphatically; there was only so much more she could take of the family dramatics that had followed Sirius's exit from the Black clan. Not that he had left her life, at least; Andromeda couldn't even consider that possibility.
"They sound nice." Andromeda did not, personally, like dogs. Even the younger versions of them. She was inclined to think it was her mother's descriptions in childhood that had brought the thing about, but honestly, she could not imagine wanting to be slobbered on.
Not that Tonks wasn't nice or moderately sane. He was just an oddity. But she probably was, too, in her own way. And besides, he looked so happy to talk about the things--surely they weren't terrible.
"I just wanted to say hello, really." Because that wasn't an awkward statement. For Merlin's sake--why did she need to explain anything? She was a Black. Blacks didn't need to explain themselves. Still, since she'd started: "You always say hello to me."
Ted nodded. "I think I will. I wasn't sure, but Josh said he was, so I thought I might." He would have been perfectly content to stay home, but it was the end of summer.
"They are nice." He smiled again. "And why shouldn't I? I like talking to you." He glanced about. "I was thinking of going for some ice cream- would you care to join me? Er- whenever you finish here?"
He liked talking to her? The idea quite frankly boggled Andromeda's mind. Why on earth would he like talking to her? She was a Slytherin, a Black, and had been told by several different people how much she needed to loosen up. If anything, Muggleborn Ted Tonks should want to stay away from her. Even if she'd shown no signs of reacting like her sisters.
But then, he'd been perfectly happy to talk to her on patrols--and just about any time her saw her. It was odd. She wasn't Sirius; she was in Slytherin and she was Slytherin and she wasn't really that nice, even if she happened to be polite.
And then--ice cream? That was--so--It was one thing to be polite because they were prefects together. It made sense to get along when they'd patrolled together once a week for the previous year. This was another thing altogether--it was scarily like being friends, and Andromeda was quite certain that wasn't allowed. Was he not aware of whom her family as?
"Yes." Was she not aware of whom her family was? But--it was only ice cream. And he was nice. And everyone was so very upset about Sirius that surely, just this once, nothing too terrible would come from breaking the rules. Quietly. "I mean, I'd be happy to join you. I'm all finished, already."
She looked surprised, and Ted wasn't sure if he should have asked. But he was just trying to be friendly, after all. He shifted his things to one hand and then gave a slight bow, offering his arm.
"Well, shall we?" He took one more glance about- he didn't see anybody staring at them or anything. Not that he was expecting any random people to jump out at them or anything, but he wasn't sure just what might happen.
After a moment, Andromeda offered a small smile in return, amusement clear on her face at the slight bow--which she returned in kind, with a little curtsey, graceful and practiced. "Certaintly," She looped her arm delicately through his. It was a slight unbending, in terms of how wound she was; but it was still just as nice this time as it had been previously, his old-fashioned manners.
Ted led her out the door and down the street toward the ice cream shop. He couldn't help but blush faintly at her smile- she had a nice one, and he found himself half wishing for the chance to see it more often. Shaking that off, he looked back at her with a smile.
"Are you glad that the school year's here again?" he asked, slowing just a little as they approached the shop.
"Yes," Andromeda couldn't help the relief colouring her tone: it would be so very nice to get away from the increased tensions. "Although I'm a bit nervous, too. NEWTs." She wrinkled her nose a little at the idea, knowing already she would be half-mad by the time they actually took the tests.
"Me too," he said, pausing in his tracks to open the door. A quick glance inside told him that while the place was busy, it wasn't overly so, so hopefully they wouldn't catch too much trouble from anybody who might see her with him and think the worst. "But it shouldn't be too bad, I don't think? I mean, you're really smart, so I'm sure you'll do well."
That startled Andromeda--again. He seemed to say things that surprised her quite often, really. Telling herself she wasn't blushing at the compliment, Andromeda offered another shy smile. "I can only hope so. You'll do well, too, I'm certain." Allowing Ted to hold the door open for them, Andromeda passed through--and didn't notice anything particularly peculiar, her arm still in his. "You always worked hard, in the classes we shared."
Ted didn't notice anything either as he stepped inside after her. "I certainly hope so. Things don't come as easily to me as they do to some others. But...I suppose I do alright." He lifted a shoulder in a shrug and walked with her to the freezer. "Any ideas what kind you want?"
"But you work at them. It's...very admirable." She trailed off into silence, embaressed at herself. The next question, however, she could answer without hesitation. "Strawberry." Andromeda rarely, if ever, saw any reason to change what worked. And if it evoked teasing about being afraid to try something new, well, so what? She knew she liked strawberry, and so she would get it. It made perfect sense to her.
Ted nodded and looked at the choices. "I might go with chocolate today. Or chocolate and banana? No..Chocolate hazelnut. And a scoop of banana." He smiled a bit as a boy came by to take their orders. The boy scooped them out and went to hand them across, and Ted took hers, handing it to her before reaching across for his. Then he tried to unhook his arm from hers and frowned slightly when he couldn't.
"Erm. Andromeda?"
"Interesting combination." Andromeda accepted her ice cream without much trouble, but stopped the minute Ted started trying to pull away. And didn't. She frowned over at him in slight confusion before moving to take her own arm away--and discovering precisely what he had.
What in Merlin's name? "Why can't I let go?" It was only vaguely accusing, and mostly not directed at Ted, whom seemed just as confused as her. She tugged again, experimentally.
"I don't know," Ted replied, frowning once more as he tried to pull away again. "I just- we walked in. I didn't- I don't know why it's doing this." He moved his ice cream to his other hand, holding it away from her so it didn't drip, and looked back at her, confused.
It was only a lifetime of Sirius Black that gave Andromeda any inkling as to what was going on--namely, they were at the wrong end of a joke. Just to check, she attempted to pry her arm away again (to no avail) before realizing how odd it must look. She promptly looked up at the man whom had handed them the ice cream. He did, indeed, look rather bemused.
Appearances were everything, in her family. Andromeda had no issues with redjusting herself. They could try again when they were in a booth and out of the way. "How much does that come to?" At an attempt of distracting the man from the general oddness they'd been displaying (to anyone who couldn't have heard their discussion), Andromeda gave him one of Narcissa's charming smiles.
Ted looked over as the man gave the price, and he moved his ice cream back to his hand as he reached for his wallet to pull out enough money to cover both of their ice cream and paid before leading Andromeda toward a table. "Would you like to sit inside our outside?"
Well, as the man was still looking at them... "Outside, I think." Besides, if they sat in the corner, it'd be less noticeable...and, well, they'd just have to be discreet. Andromeda began racking her brain for every sticking charm she knew--honestly, Sirius would be more help at this, she never really considered a 'prank' application for any spell--but she didn't know them all and there were so many things it could be.
As soon as they'd found a table, she paused, before pulling out one of the chairs and waiting for Ted to get the other so they could sit--it wouldn't really work if she tried to sit without him, as she'd just haul him down...
When that was done, Andromeda dug out her wand, manuevered Ted to shield her actions from the street (and likely looking far too much like a couple for her liking) and pointed at their arms, trying out the general un-stick charm to begin with.
There was no apparent change in their status, as trying to move her arm upwards brought his with it. "For Merlin's sake," Andromeda frowned. "A pox on all pranksters!" For what else could it possibly be? No one else was affected...
But knowing that much was not precisely helpful, as it did not at all tell her how to become unstuck before someone who knew her found her stuck to Ted. Who was muggleborn. Which might be worse for him than it was for her...
"Okay," Ted replied, following her outside. He glanced around as they stepped through the door, and they made their way to a table. He sat down as she did, turning slightly with his back to the street.
Part of him wondered how good of an idea this might be, looking so cozy with her, but they were really, really stuck. And they needed to get out. He set his ice cream cup on the table and shifted slightly, reaching for his own wand when her first attempt didn't work.
"Do you really think it was a prank?" he asked, confused. Why would anybody target him? He never did anything to anybody. He just minded his own business!
"I can't see what else it would be. No one else looks like they're stuck--well, that couple, but as they're eating one another's faces, I doubt that's accidental--and we certaintly didn't do anything to induce it." Andromeda spat out another spell before drawing a breath (this time she managed to get some nice pink sparkles around their arms that faded after a second, but still found herself stuck), and then gestured to the couple she meant (Although there were quite a few, really).
Frowning heavilly, she turned her attention to Ted. "So something outside of us happened between hooking our arms--" She may have flushed a little, because a Black really shouldn't have done that to begin with, and now look!! "And getting our orders. We didn't eat anything beforehand so it wasn't that...I don't know what triggered it." Andromeda looked annoyed at admitting this--she hated not knowing. "I didn't realize it had happened until we tried to move, so it could have been any time between our meeting and the event..."
"It makes sense, doesn't it?" She half-turned, tugging his arm without meaning to and then looking annoyed again. "If we're stuck. I suppose someone could have meant to hit someone else..." Andromeda shrugged. "That's really not important. What's important is: why aren't any of the basic charms working?" To prove her point, Andromeda tried another, and looked thoroughly angered when it didn't work.
Ted couldn't help but laugh a little as she motioned to the other couple. "Yeah, I don't think theirs was an accident." He bit his lower lip as he tried a charm of his own, shaking his head when it didn't work.
"No, we walked. Entered the shop, and ordered our ice cream. I don't think it was anything we said, either..."
He leaned over as she tugged on his arm, and he gave a small sigh. "I have no idea why they wouldn't. Or how to stop this..." He bit his lip again when she frowned, and he rather hoped she wasn't angry with him. "I'm sorry- I...Maybe I shouldn't have- erm-"
"You're right. We didn't say anything in particular..." Andromeda bit her lower lip, imitating him without quite meaning to.
"No!" Realizing that Ted thought she was annoyed at him, Andromeda looked horrified for a split second. He was so--nice. Despite her name and her house and her distance. So many people minded all those things, and she found she would prefer to keep that odd occurance, even if it was only until school was over and all her contact with muggleborn Ted was ended. "I mean...I'm upset at this." She pointed at their arms, trying to avoid moving him again. "Not you. You didn't have anything to do with it. And..."
Andromeda trailed off for a moment, and then continued, thoroughly embaressed but willing to speak if it would make that hurt expression go away. "And I liked it. Your manners. I...yeah."
And then, hurrying away from that topic as though it was burning her (which it was), Andromeda tried another spell. It failed. "...Maybe...Flourish and Blotts??" They could always try to find a spell that would work.
Ted blushed faintly at it- really, the manners were just how he'd been raised. He didn't really know how else to act. He smiled, and glanced down before looking back at her. "I..yeah. Thank you. I- well, I can't think of any other way I'd treat you."
He lifted his other shoulder in a shrug and reached for the spoon of his ice cream, taking a bite. Hey, he had it, so he might as well enjoy it before it melted, right?
"Flourish and Blotts sounds like a good idea, I think. But maybe we should finish our ice cream really quickly, first?"
Andromeda blinked; she'd entirely forgotten what they'd come here to do, honestly. And--he just threw her off, sometimes. He couldn't think of any other way to treat her? That was...oddly sweet. And so confusing.
"Oh. Right." She retreived her spoon and took a very small bite, unable to really concentrate or relax when she was so frazzled about being stuck. But he had paid for them, and it would be rude if she didn't...
"It'll be okay," Ted said, noticing how uneasy she seemed. "I promise- we'll figure this out soon." He wasn't entirely sure how it would be okay, but it had to be. Really.
Andromeda could not help but stare, for a moment; such openly comforting words. Was that how his family spoke to one another? Calm and comforting and genuine. How very odd. Amongst the cousins, perhaps, but never her mother saying those words to her...
"Alright." And she believed him? Really. What was getting into her? Promises were dangerous things. And yet-- "Okay."
Ted smiled a little nervously and quickly finished his ice cream, picking up a napkin to wipe his face before looking back to her. "Ready when you are."
"Ready." Andromeda had a bit of a melted mush left, but she really couldn't concentrate on just that... "Let's go."
Ted stood as she did, taking their trash to the rubbish bin as they started down the sidewalk. Another glance around them told him that there wasn't anybody around them that might give them any trouble.
No one they could see, anyway. Andromeda finished her own scanning of the area, then glanced sideways at Ted. She wasn't...too upset. As upset as she could be, anyway. What did that say about her? That she'd have been more upset were she stuck to one of her own housemates, of the purest blood about?
"You don't have anywhere you need to go, do you?"
"No, I didn't really have any plans for today," he replied, giving her a small smile as they continued down the sidewalk. "Did you?"
"Nothing but getting my book," She informed him dryly, a small frown her response to his smile. "Though if I'm very late my parents will begin to worry. And that would hardly be good news." For him. Probably.
His smile faded at her frown, and he nodded. "Right, yes. That's understandable. I-we'll figure it out. I'll try not to keep you too long." He would, if he could help it.
"It's hardly your fault." Andromeda took an apologetic tone again, trying to smile--he did seem to jump to her moods, didn't he?--and pushed away thooughts of her family. "Surely this can't go on that long."
"I hope not. I mean- not that I don't like spending time with you, but this is a bit...Inconvenient." He bit his lower lip, and it wasn't long before they reached the bookshop again. "What sort of book should we look for?"
"I'm glad, then, that I'm at least acceptable company. It seems better than being stuck to someone you didn't like at all, doesn't it?" Andromeda gave a small, genuine smile before turning to the bookshop, businesslike. "Anything to do with sticking charms, I suppose. Or anything to do with 'ideas for magical pranks'..."
"Better than acceptable," Ted admitted with a small smile of his own before blushing faintly and looking at a nearby bookshelf. "I suppose that section over there might work?" He gestured with his free hand.
"You're quite 'better than acceptable' yourself." Andromeda could not help but laugh a little--it was interesting to be thought of as 'good company' by someone with every reason to detest her--as she nodded in approval of the section he indicated. "That should do nicely. ...We're going to have a bit of a hard time opening the books." She trailed off, looking at her hand firmly attatched to his arm, and wrinkled her nose. How aggravating!
"We'll manage, I'm sure." Ah, Ted. The eternal optimist. He smiled a little at her laugh and walked with her over to the bookshelves. He slowed in front of the shelf and tilted his head to read the titles.
"One can only hope." While Andromeda was not an optimist by nature or nurture, it was somewhat easier to believe that a good outcome was possible, when he was being so...cheery.
Runing a finger down the first shelf of titles, Andromeda stopped at a promising-looking one and pulled it out. It took a moment to open it without dropping, but she managed to do so, and began to scan the pages.
Ted found another and balanced the top edge of the book on the shelf as he flipped it open, checking the table of contents. "I'm not even entirely sure of what I'm looking for," he said softly.
"Neither am I." For a girl not overly disposed to moping, Andromeda sounded quite gloomy. "There are so many variations on the basic charm that this could take ages. It'd be mostly luck to find the right thing. But even knowing what it's not should help, shouldn't it?"
That was grasping at straws, and even she knew it.
"Probably," Ted agreed, nodding. "I just- bugger all, I wish I knew who did it..." He gave a small sigh and flipped through a few more pages.
"Why?" Andromeda looked up at him, rather startled. "I mean...you don't seem like the sort to hex someone for revenge."
She, however, would have no problems on that front.
But that didn't really need to be said, did it? It wasn't precisely something one threw into conversation.
"Well, no, but-" Wait. Revenge? He blinked, and snapped the book in his hand shut before reaching for another one. "I don't know."
"Why else would you want to know whom it was?" Andromeda looked honestly confused, putting her book back with some care and helping Ted to hold his open rather than grab a new one. "To scold them?"
Because she would probably do that too...
"To get them to undo this?" Ted lifted his free shoulder in a shrug. He wasn't really sure. "Then again, I guess they likely wouldn't just undo this, would they..."
"I'm certain we could talk them into doing so," Andromeda said calmly, not thinking of how like Bella she sounded, even if much milder and more composed.
"Perhaps," Ted agreed, nodding once. "Are you having any luck with any of your books? I'm still not really finding anything..."
"Nothing!" Andromeda put her current one back in the shelf--a bit harder han was entirely necessary. "There--there has to be something..."
"You'd think that there would be, but I have no idea where to even begin to look..." He hated not knowing, and he gave a soft sigh. "Bugger. I really am sorry about this..."
"It's not your fault," Andromeda told him again, biting her lip. "So stop apologizing. We'll figure it out. Somehow. It's...well, we'll just figure it out."
It felt odd, to be the voice of optimisim. But if he couldn't, then...she'd have to.
"Right. Yes. We'll figure it out." He frowned slightly as he reached for another book. What to do, what to do?