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Nymphadora's Bedroom
Knock! Knock!
After giving the bedroom door a gentle knock, Rigel stepped inside.
Andromeda sat beside the bed, her gaze fixed on her daughter's unconscious face, tears still brimming in her eyes. She was quietly murmuring in guilt, "I'm sorry, Dora… It's all my fault…"
Rigel watched her in silence for a moment before softly calling out, "Aunty…"
Andromeda didn't look up, but she responded, her voice low and heavy with regret.
"I never imagined things would get this bad… I knew life would be tough with Ted gone, but I thought we'd manage. I was ready to work myself to the bone if it meant giving Dora a decent life. And I tried—I really did—but no one would give me a chance… no one would hire me just because I'm a filthy blood traitor…"
Her voice cracked as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
"And then Drek… that bloody monster… what he did to Dora just to get to me… If only I'd seen it coming…"
Truth be told, she had seen the signs—at least a little. After what happened a few nights ago, she'd had a gut feeling. But she brushed it off, thinking Drek had just been drunk, that he'd never go that far. She was wrong. He had gone that far—all just to get to her.
"Well… now you do," Rigel said plainly.
"And forgive me if this sounds a bit harsh, but you ought to be grateful the worst didn't happen. Just thinking about what could've gone down makes my skin crawl. She might've been left permanently scarred… or worse."
His tone darkened slightly. "With the way he was obsessed with you… I wouldn't put it past him to have tried something far more vile. And if not that, he could've killed her outright." He paused briefly, then added, "The only reason he didn't, I reckon, is 'cause he meant to use her as leverage—to break your spirit, force you into giving in. Lucky for us, things didn't go the way he'd planned. We managed to throw a spanner in the works and, well…" He trailed off, letting the unspoken ending hang in the air.
"It was all because of you…" Andromeda whispered.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Rigel blinked, caught off guard by her words. 'Don't tell me she's getting suspicious…?'
Unaware of Rigel's suspicions, Andromeda repeated, "It's all because of you…" then quickly realised her wording might've come out wrong. She hurried to clarify, "I mean… the only reason Dora's safe, and nothing happened to me either, is because of you. If you hadn't stepped in, I reckon I would've…"
She trailed off, but her meaning was clear. Without Rigel's help, without Kreacher's involvement, she would've caved to Drek's demands. She knew she would've. He had Dora as leverage… and if she had given in…
The very thought made her skin crawl. A shiver ran down her spine.
She shook her head, forcing the thought away. "And Dora's treatment too… You paid for that… I… I can't even put into words how grateful I am. I owe you so much, and I've no clue how I'll ever repay you…"
Rigel shrugged. "Actually, you do know how to repay me," he said, then added, "Just accept the offer I made you."
"That offer, huh?" Andromeda murmured, contemplating it.
Rigel nodded. "Aunty, I don't reckon you've got much choice left. You've no galleons in your vault to support her education… can't even afford the basics second-hand, let alone anything new or decent quality. Then there's healthcare; if anything happens to her, you won't have a penny for proper treatment. And if she asks for something, for instance, a pet or a decent broom, well, you're stuffed there too. The truth is, you haven't got the means to give her a proper life. And because of the whole Blood Traitor stigma, you haven't got a proper way to earn either, for you or your daughter. And I reckon she won't be spared the stigma either since she's your daughter… Unless she takes on some dangerous job as her profession, I daresay she'll be facing the same struggles you've had so far once she's grown."
Andromeda fell silent, "…"
Over the past month, the grim reality had sunk in more clearly than ever before. How dire things really were, and how much worse they could get. Therefore, she knew that Rigel was speaking truthfully.
Rigel went on, "On top of all that, you've got no real security. Drek William managed to snatch her right from under your nose—and Merlin only knows what he would've done to you both in your very own house had things gone any differently. This is serious. And don't forget that troll-faced woman at Gringotts—she would have certainly made things much more difficult for you if I hadn't been present at the bank at that time and stepped in."
Andromeda looked down. Yeah… she couldn't forget that. Rigel hadn't just helped her with Drek—he'd stepped in when that troll-faced hag at Gringotts tried to humiliate her too. If he hadn't been there… things would've gone a lot worse. She would have been humiliated there…
Noticing the way her expression dropped, Rigel stepped forward and gently tilted her face up to meet his gaze. "Edward Tonks is dead, Aunty… and he's not coming back. The dead don't come back. It's time to move on. Marrying him saddled you with the label of a Blood Traitor. Sure, the House of Black started that mess after you ran away, and you've every right to hold it against us, but you are also to be blamed… why marry a Muggle-born when your family didn't want that? And was opposed to it! Didn't you think of the consequences? The stigma? And, frankly, even if we hadn't started all that, do you really reckon the other pure-blood families would've praised you for that? Would they have treated you any better? You would still be considered a blood traitor!"
He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing, "But that aside… now that Edward Tonks's gone, it's just you and your daughter. Let's be honest with each other… While your husband was alive, he didn't give you much of a life, did he? The princess of the House of Black, living in filth, scraping by in some rundown shack…"
Andromeda opened her mouth to argue, but no words came.
Rigel went on, voice soft but firm. "I'm not questioning your love for him. Maybe it was that love that helped you endure everything. But he's gone now. How long are you planning to cling to a ghost, Aunty? Is your love for a dead man really worth more than the safety and future of your daughter?"
Andromeda gave a faint shake of the head. Nothing's more important to her than the safety and future of her daughter… she has only become more aware of this tonight…
Rigel continued, "All I ask from you is loyalty and service in mind, body, soul, and freedom. In return, I'll set things right for you and your daughter. If you do what I say, as I say, not only will the stain of 'Blood Traitor' be wiped clean, but you won't have to worry about a thing. You and your daughter won't be scraping by on scraps. She'll be able to attend Hogwarts properly, with everything she needs—not borrowed, not second-hand, not cheap rubbish. No more fretting over healthcare or galleons running dry at the time of need. No need to haggle for the price of the smallest of things… No more having to worry about the future… no reason to take on dangerous jobs that could result in death. And as for security… if you're serving me, then it'd be my responsibility as your master to ensure you and your daughter are properly looked after and safe."
"A safe and comfortable life for me and my daughter…" Andromeda murmured, turning to gaze at her unconscious child with a guilt-ridden expression.
Rigel's voice dropped to a whisper. "I doubt you want to one day see your daughter's lifeless body lying like that."
Andromeda shook her head, eyes heavy with sorrow. "I don't want that…" The thought of a parent losing their child—that's the cruellest pain there is.
He turned her face to fully face him once again and peering into her eyes, continued, "You've been blaming yourself for what happened tonight. But now, the choice is yours. If you make the right decision, all your troubles could be over. If not… well, this is goodbye from me, and you'd be on your own. This is the third and final time I'm making this offer, Aunty. The terms are the same as before—you'd belong to me, follow my orders without question, and publicly admit that the Muggle-born wizard Edward Tonks used love potions and enchantments to make you fall in love with him and forced you into a marriage. I know it's a hard choice, but the House of Black won't welcome a Blood Traitor back without clearing that stain. This is the only way."
He paused, withdrawing his hand from her cheek, then asked, "So… what'll it be, Aunty? Your dignity, virtue, and your late husband's reputation, at the cost of a life filled with hardship, struggle, and no security, where your daughter may die any day, and a repeat of what happened tonight might happen again, but with worse consequences? Or servitude, obedience, and acceptance in exchange for safety, a better life, and a brighter future for yourself and your daughter? The decision is yours… and I need to know now… because as I said, this is the third, and the last time I am making this offer… What's it going to be?"
Andromeda bit her lip…
If it had been a few days ago that she had to make this choice, she'd have been torn to bits inside, struggling like mad.
But now… now, after everything that had happened in the past few hours, the torment had changed her.
Her visit to Gringotts.
That awful troll-faced woman who tried to threaten her and have her vault removed.
The immense wealth she saw in the vaults of the House of Black.
The moment she discovered Ted had lied to her, even about something as simple yet sacred as their wedding rings.
And finally, the nightmare of her daughter's kidnapping, the torture her daughter had to endure, and the guilt she felt for being the one responsible for it.
That guilt — it was unbearable. She kept wondering if all of it could've been avoided.
What if she'd just given Drek what he wanted in the first place?
What if she hadn't clung so stubbornly to dignity and pride?
Would her daughter have been spared?
And with those thoughts came an awful, soul-wrenching clarity.
She realised she wasn't horrified by Rigel's offer anymore.
The guilt that festered in her heart had dulled the sting of such a deal.
Her own sense of virtue had already been so thoroughly eroded by regret, by helplessness, that now, the idea of surrendering to someone else's will didn't feel like degradation. It felt like redemption.
She wasn't doing it for herself. She was doing it for her daughter.
What good were dignity and virtue if they couldn't protect her child? If they endangered her child?
Andromeda didn't want her daughter to grow up poor anymore. She had seen both sides of life — the luxury and strength of being a princess of the House of Black… and the hungry, hand-me-down-laden reality of being Ted Tonks's wife.
She had foolishly discarded her life as a princess out of love.
But that love was of no use now.
She didn't want Nymphadora to struggle for acceptance, to be spat on as the daughter of a Blood Traitor, to be denied a future before she even had a chance to chase it.
She had lived that humiliation.
She had endured it.
She did not want her daughter to endure the same.
And when she weighed it all — her pride, her so-called dignity, her stubborn love and loyalty for a man who had lied to her when it suited him — the scales tipped.
He had lied to her. He had protected his ego, his convenience, over their bond and her understanding.
And now, for the sake of her daughter, she would lie too. About him. About herself. About everything, if need be.
So with all that pressing down on her — the guilt, the bitterness, the fierce, protective love — she slowly reached out both hands, gently took Rigel's, and kissed the back of it.
"I accept your offer," she said softly.
A simple sentence, but it carried the weight of her freedom as an individual, her submission to Rigel, and her acceptance of her status as a servant.
Faced with two evils, she had chosen the lesser one.
Compared to Drek — who tortured and almost killed her daughter over his obsession with her — Rigel felt like mercy. No, more than that. Calling him the "lesser evil" didn't sit right.
He wasn't evil at all.
He had helped rescue her daughter. He had shouldered the burden of killing Drek. He had covered Dora's medical costs. And now, he was offering safety, stability, and a future — not just for her child, but for her too.
Maybe he wasn't a hero in the fairytale sense, as he didn't do all of this with a selfless heart. But he wasn't a villain, either. To her, he wasn't a villain… A selfish and arrogant person indeed, but not outright evil. That much she knew; she believed.
And for someone she owed so much to… wasn't it only natural that she make a few sacrifices?
Wasn't that, in the end, what love looked like?
Not love for a man long buried, but love for the child still standing — still breathing — still waiting for a future only her mother could give.
And so Andromeda stepped into the fire, not as a fallen woman… but as a mother choosing the only path left to protect her child.
Rigel warned her firmly, "Let me be clear—there are no take-backs."
Andromeda gave a slight nod. "I'll accept whatever comes, for my daughter's sake…"
"Very well then," Rigel said, satisfied with her answer. He smiled and praised her, "A wise decision, Aunty." Then he called out, "Kreacher."
With a pop, the house-elf appeared and gave a deep bow. "Master Rigel called for Kreacher?"
"Bear witness to our Unbreakable Vow," Rigel declared as the magic began to swirl.
After all, to make an Unbreakable Vow, there is a need for a witness, and who better to play that role than Kreacher?
"As you wish, Master Rigel…" Kreacher nodded, though his gaze held a hint of scorn for Andromeda.
…
Some time later, inside the master bedroom of the Tonks' house
"So this is the little love nest you and your late husband shared…" Rigel murmured, casting a glance around the modest room. Earlier, when they came to rescue Nymphadora, he hadn't really paid much attention to the place—only now did he take a proper look.
Since Kreacher had properly cleared the room, removing the dead body of Drek William along with cleaning away the blood, the room was now fit for a night's stay…
The room itself was rather simple—just a double bed, with some warm handcrafted decorations that gave the room a cosy, love-nest feel.
Though several framed paintings hanging on the walls caught Rigel's eye.
"These paintings… did you paint them yourself?" he asked, curious.
Andromeda nodded softly. "Yeah… It's a bit of a hobby of mine."
"Ah… but these paintings don't seem to be moving… did you not brew magic on them?" asked Rigel curiously.
"It would be a bit weird to have moving paintings in the bedroom…" answered Andromeda a bit awkwardly.
"Ah… I see…" Rigel nodded. After all, moving paintings do have a bit of consciousness… so it'd feel as though they are watching her and Ted all the time. Andromeda probably didn't like that feeling.
"Well, I won't pry into what sort of things you two got up to in here."
Not that it was much of a secret since it was pretty clear what kind of things would go down in the bedroom of a married couple.
Settling onto the bed, he added, "Let's get on with our business, shall we?"
Andromeda hesitated, her eyes drifting around the room. "I…"
Even though she'd agreed to it all, she wasn't quite ready, mentally, that is, especially not in this room. This was the very room where she and Ted had shared so many private, tender moments.
And now, this same place was about to witness her with someone else—with her own nephew, no less.
Noticing her hesitation, Rigel's tone hardened slightly. "You made an Unbreakable Vow, Aunt Andromeda. If you don't go through with it… You'll die. You do know that, right?" He let the words hang for a moment before adding, "And what d'you reckon would happen to little Dora then?"
"I… I know…" Andromeda whispered, her fingers trembling as she clutched the hem of her robes, slowly beginning to lift them. But the weight of the moment still made things difficult. Struggling, she tried to reason, "Does it… does it have to be now? And at this place?" Then added softly, "Can we not wait… until things have settled… until Dor–…"
Rigel cut her off, "Aunty… you have to prove to me with your actions that you are going to do everything I say and ask of you… And I can't think of any better way for you to prove that… There really isn't any better way… so…"
"W-We… well…" Andromeda mumbled awkwardly as she grasped what Rigel was implying… but still hesitant, still hoping to delay it for a while, she said, "B-But you're just a child… aren't you a bit too young to be doing something like this? Is your body even capable of something like that?"
"Oh, right… that is a bit of a problem, isn't it?" Rigel murmured, pretending to consider her point. After all, he did appear far too young for anything of the sort. How old was he physically? Six? Soon to be Seven? Still too young for what he wants to do… At such a young age, his physiology shouldn't even be capable of something like that…
"Yes, exactly, you're too young for this. Why don't we wait until you're older… a little older?" she suggested quickly, trying to push the matter off into the future with a hopeful expression.
"No need for that," Rigel replied calmly, rising from the bed and stepping toward her. "I can sort the 'child' bit right now."
With each step he took, his form began to shift, his body stretching, growing taller, his features sharpened, muscles squirmed as they began to bulge, and skeletal structure grew, and even his clothes adjusted to match the change. He transformed gradually: from a child, to a boy just entering puberty, then to a boy in his mid-teens with growing muscles, and further still with every stride.
By the time he stood before her, he was well into adulthood, at least two heads taller than her, and Andromeda found herself looking up just to meet his towering gaze.
"Problem solved, yeah?" he asked with a small, sly smirk as he looked down on the beautiful woman before him with long brown curls.
"Ah, this…" Andromeda murmured, wide-eyed and intimidated by such a tall man standing in front of her.
She had indeed seen Rigel take a different form at Diagon Alley, but hadn't paid much attention to it at the time… only now that she watched him change did she understand the implications of Rigel's change from a small child half her height to an adult towering over her.
She wasn't unfamiliar with this sort of change, as she had seen her very own daughter do the same on numerous occasions, and couldn't help but question, "You are also…?"
"A Metamorphmagus? Indeed. Just like your little Dora," Rigel nodded. "Which means the issue of me being a child is now sorted, isn't it?"
He raised his big hand to gently cup her cheek, almost covering her face entirely with it as his black eyes locked in with her brown ones, and he asked with a smirk, "Then shall we begin, aunty?"
"W-Wait…" Andromeda still tried to stop him, but this time, Rigel didn't hold back. He pressed her firmly against the wall and used his left hand to close her escape route while brushing her lips with the thumb of his right hand and spoke in a deep voice, "No more excuses in front of your master… understood, my dear aunt?"
And without waiting for a response, he leaned down on the woman and claimed her lips despite her resistance, "Mmmmfff…"
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A/N:
That's it for this chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading this one!
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