andrmvda

[andrmvda]

it had been sticky hot all day, despite the valiant efforts of the one weak air conditioning unit in the pub. the late august air hung thick and heavy with a looming storm, plunging all of london into a simmering haze of sweat as it waited for the relief of rain. at least it meant the pub was relatively empty, andy reflected as she refilled the wine glasses of the single occupied table. it was nearing dusk outside, and usually at this time of evening customers would be pouring in for a couple pints after a busy work day. but now, with the pub mostly deserted, that meant that andy was left alone with her thoughts, idly penciling in the muggle crosswords she’d slowly been getting better at over the past couple years. 

she caught a glimpse of herself in the darkening window, slim and dark-eyed in her work dress and apron, flyaway strands from her ponytail sticking to the back of her neck. merlin, how she’d changed. 

it had been over three years now since she’d fled the wizarding world, trading andromeda in for the more mundane andy. her youngest cousin regulus would be starting his second – no, third – year at hogwarts in just under a week. andromeda hadn’t seen him since he was ten years old, high-voiced and fresh-faced, eager to begin at hogwarts. she wondered if he’d been sorted into slytherin, like the rest of their family, or gryffindor, like sirius. she hoped the latter. 

the sound of the pub door opening broke andromeda out of her reverie, and she slipped the thoughts of her family into a back pocket, shifting from andromeda to the muggle andy once more. it had become easier over time to play the part of a quiet muggle barmaid, to forget who she’d been, how far she’d fallen. andy scribbled in a quick crossword clue ( 42 down, trojan war epic – iliad ) before grabbing a menu and turning to face the customer who’d just walked in.

the menu clattered to the floor at the sight of ted tonks.

foolishly, she wondered – hoped – if maybe he might not recognize her; she was different, achingly so. older. but then again, so was he, and she’d recognized him, even after all this time. she hastily bent to collect the dropped menu, partially to hide that her cheeks had gone hot with humiliation. she was suddenly aware of the shadows under her eyes, of how long it had been since she’d ironed her dress. of all the former classmates who could have walked into her bar, it had to be him ? 

andromeda straightened again, lifting her chin and meeting his eyes, even though she wished she could sink into the floor and disappear. and yet, and yet, some part of her was glad to see him, because it meant that for the first time in a long time, even if just for a moment, andromeda was not alone. she cleared her throat. “ — how many in your party ? ”

[andrmvda]

Diana Silvers on The Hollywood Reporter