Andromeda spends the final part of the ball pondering upon the wisdom of her appointed walk in the gardens with Miles Bletchley, and the potential problems that could arise from it. She may be worrying about nothing, but still... better safe than sorry. As she hears the clock strike one, she moves across to where Kingsley is standing and smiles at him.
"Auror Shacklebolt? May I have a moment of your time? I'm wondering if you would perhaps be willing to do me a favour?"
| | Andromeda Tonks (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.2){kind=small} andromedanoir) wrote in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?v=92.2){kind=small} after_survivor, |
August 7 2004, 12:55:32 UTC 7 years ago
August 7 2004, 12:56:34 UTC 7 years ago
"I've... well, I know it's a foolish thing to have done, but I've agreed to take a walk in the gardens with Miles Bletchley. Yes, I know." She sighs. "But he was on his best behaviour at the time, and I felt rather sorry for him. But snakes don't always change their scales, and I would rather take precautions against any unfortunate incidents.
"If you would be willing to take a walk into the gardens yourself, in about ten minutes time, and just head along the path to the gazebo...? I would be most grateful."
August 7 2004, 12:59:26 UTC 7 years ago
August 7 2004, 13:04:47 UTC 7 years ago
"So. Want to take me for a walk in the moonlight and get all romantic on me?"
August 7 2004, 13:10:22 UTC 7 years ago
Miles Bletchley {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"It's my heart's fondest desire, my dear lady."He offers her his arm.
August 7 2004, 13:13:00 UTC 7 years ago
Re: Miles Bletchley {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Andromeda takes his arm, curling her own around it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She starts along the path through the gardens, aiming more or less directly at the gazebo."So. You asked me earlier if I'd enjoyed the evening. Have you?"
August 7 2004, 13:28:20 UTC 7 years ago
Re: Miles Bletchley {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Miles grins at her."Well, I did had a few false starts," he begins reflectively. "Nearly got caught by some groundkeeper or something. And I hated having to watch you dance with Malfoy. But then again, I did get to eat a lot of his food and," he briefly produces a bottle from his jacket pocket that really shouldn't have been able to fit there "er, managed to 'acquire' some of his good brandy. I also got to dance and insult a fair number of people I don't like and hobnob with the rich and famous, and I don't think any of them will be the wiser for it. And now I get to go on a moonlight stroll with a beautiful woman."
He winks at her, his grin softening a bit.
"I'd say it's a keeper."
August 7 2004, 13:41:49 UTC 7 years ago
Re: Miles Bletchley {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Andromeda laughs up at him. "I'll say it quite definitely is. Nearly as memorable as the raid on the Ravenclaw common room."They reach the gazebo, and she slips inside and stares down at the slumbering figure sprawled across the seats. Miles Bletchley has turned over onto his back since she left him here some hours earlier, and is snoring very softly. He doesn't appear to have been sick again, she notes, which is a profound relief.
Her husband has followed her in, and now comes up behind her and envelops her in a hug. She turns to see his face, smiles at him, and buries her face in his chest. "It's good to see you. Even if we didn't get the chance to talk that much during the evening."
August 7 2004, 13:58:03 UTC 7 years ago
{Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Never let it be said that Ted Tonks doesn't know how to crash a party in style!"Glamour gone, Ted laughs, eyes sparkling, and pulls her more tightly against him.
"It's wonderful to see you too, love. And I think I can live without the talking tonight. This has been the most fun I've had in years! But you've got to tell me," he says, looking over at the inert Miles Bletchley, "is the kid really as awful as I played him as? I just went with every bad stereotype I could come up with, and no-one seemed to think it was odd. I was going to blame his behaviour on being drunk, but them some guy hit me with a sobering charm on the way in, so I had to wing it."
August 7 2004, 14:03:28 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Andromeda laughs. "I did think of hitting him with a sobering charm, but it was such a wonderful opportunity that I'm afraid I decided he deserved to just sleep it off. And yes, I'm afraid that he is pretty awful. An Algie Longbottom in the making, at a guess."But if you were hit by a sobering charm when you were already sober... oh dear. That can't have been much fun, even if the rest of it was."
August 7 2004, 14:32:34 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Beautiful and devious."It was a bit unpleasant, yeah, but the headache's mostly gone now. Funnily enough, I found that the careful administration of more alcohol relieved most off the symptoms."
He sighs and brings one hand up to cup her cheek.
"I hate to say it, love, but I should probably go. Don't want to get spotted and blow the whole thing. Somehow I don't think Lucius would find this quite as funny as we do."
August 7 2004, 14:44:19 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Andromeda suddenly stops laughing and looks serious. "I know. But there's a reason why I brought you over here rather than sent you directly off to the apparation barrier while I dealt with our overindulgent young friend, and it's not just because you give good hugs. Though you do." She looks up at him slyly, and tightens her arms around him. "There's a problem, one that I didn't know about at all last night when I suggested this, and some of which I didn't learn until earlier this evening."When I got back here last night the house was in uproar. It seemed that there'd been an accident in the stables. One of the guests got into the stall of a particularly highly-strung horse, and managed to get himself trampled to death. Except... when I was dancing with Kingsley Shacklebolt earlier, he strongly implied that the Aurors were treating it as a suspicious death, and told me that they'd put a custodia ward on the whole estate.
"So, it would have let you in easily enough... but getting out's a bit more tricky." She sighs. "Just before we left the ballroom I asked Kingsley if he'd do me a favour and walk out this way himself about ten minutes after we did. He thinks he's coming to save me from being ravaged by the letcherous Miles, but I'm rather hoping that we can persuade him to let you through the wards discreetly."
August 7 2004, 15:01:14 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Really?" he asks incredulously, good mood fading. "God. And it was suspicious? You wouldn't know someone had been killed by the way everyone's carrying on. Though a couple of things I overheard make sense now. Getting trampled would be a horrible way to go. Who found the body?"August 7 2004, 15:12:09 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"It was rather awful, really. He was found by Draco's fiancée and her mother. They'd gone down to the stables to see the horse that Draco had bought Pansy as a betrothal present, and there was an odd smell and the horses were rather restive, and then they saw..."She shudders. "It must have been horrible. I saw a few horrific sights when I was a child, hunting. The damage a horse can do if it falls and accidentally rolls on its rider is considerable. But probably not anything like as bad as this. I can't imagine what impression a sight like that would make on a sixteen year old girl.
"I think they're mostly carrying on with the ball because they desperately want to distract Pansy and Draco from the awfulness of it all. And the other guests, of course."
August 7 2004, 15:24:16 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Ted wrinkles his nose in distaste at the very thought of it, and frowns when his wife speaks of the hunting accidents."Merlin, that's awful. No-one should have to see that, especially on what's supposed to be a happy day.
"'Miles' had a dance with Pansy, you know. She seemed fairly together then, so maybe the 'carry on regardless' approach is the best one. She's really quick of the mark too. It was all I could do not to laugh a couple of times."
August 7 2004, 15:30:59 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"I'm sure." Andromeda gives a fleeting smile. "Especially if you were trying to be provocative at the time, in the way only you know how. But I'm glad that you liked her. I do too. And Draco as well. They're... well, they've not been brought up to question what their upbringing has taught them, but they're good kids."She straightens, and pushes away from him a little, but her look is regretful. "Kingsley will be here in a minute, I think. Do you have Narcissa's key?"
August 7 2004, 15:38:39 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Oh hell, I almost forgot."Ted lets her go regretfully to fumble in his pockets for several seconds. A number of items and a handful of mixed-currency change make an appearance, including a second bottle of alcohol, before he produces a tiny golden key. He places it in her hand.
"I went by there this morning. I should have enough for everything now."
August 7 2004, 15:45:04 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Thanks," she whispers, slipping the key back on to the chain around her neck and hiding it beneath her robes once again, before drawing him back into the hug. "My hero. Doing good deeds and braving impossible odds to do them."She turns as she hears the scrunch of shoes on the gravel path outside.
"I guess that will be Kingsley. Explanation time. And for heavens sake, don't tell him you've been swiping Lucius's best brandy."
August 7 2004, 15:49:14 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Kingsley walks down the path and stops in surprise when he sees that Ted Tonks is the gentleman with Andromeda."Ted? What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
August 7 2004, 16:00:51 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Hullo Kingsley. Er, Andromeda left a couple of things at home last night, and I'm here playing delivery boy." Ted smiles sheepishly. "Didn't realise I wouldn't be able to get out on my own."August 7 2004, 16:04:13 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
"Neither did I, until you told me about the custodia charm earlier," Andromeda adds."Can you help us?" She glances anxiously at Kingsley. "I'm pretty sure that Lucius wouldn't be at all happy to learn that Ted is here. He's said as much, in the past."
August 7 2004, 16:06:56 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Kingsley ruefully shakes his head. "No, he wouldn't, but I imagine he's busy with his guests so he'll never know. There's an entry point just beyond the stables - less obvious than out the front door. I'll take you out that way."August 7 2004, 16:12:52 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Ted sighs in relief."Thanks, Kingsley. That'd be brilliant."
August 7 2004, 17:09:51 UTC 7 years ago
Re: {Private to Andromeda & Shacklebolt}
Andromeda flashes Kingsley a grateful smile, and follows with Ted as he leads the way down to the stables. She shudders a little at the sight of their destination; she's not been down here since she learned of the accident. Or murder. Whatever it is."See you soon," she whispers to Ted before Kingsley escorts him through the barrier, giving him a quick kiss that threatens to become a longer one when he kisses her back. "I'll owl you."
Ted Disapparates home and she is left with a numbing sense of loss. Mustering her spirits as best she can, she turns to Kingsley and says, "Miles was a useful escort out to where I'd arranged to meet Ted, but he really is somewhat the worse for drink. Shall we leave him there to sleep it off? I'll have a word with the house elves when we get back to the house, and make sure they see to him in the morning."
She takes his arm, and they walk slowly back to the house where the ball is gradually winding down.