FIC: Autumn, 1981.

[annuscka]

Okay, so this sprung upon me. Seriously. But I tend to like those fics. (This isn't the one I've been sending and re-sending you, celta_diabolica - this is a whole other serving of Random!)

Words: 1773
Characters: Andromeda, Ted, Dora. Mentions of Sirius, the Malfoys, Lestranges and Dareios Yaxley.
Rating: PG-13

The autumn of 1981 was not a kind time. To anyone

Comments

[diabolica]

GAH! ... Just GAH!!!!]

This is sheer, utter brilliance and ILU for writing it. I heart your Andromeda and your Ted and Dora (!!) who is the most adorable child ever, and their strained relationship and all the ties she still has to her old world and the last paragraph probably most of all and the squee is just. Too. Hard. To. Contain!!!!

And I'll be back to leave you more coherent feedback when I don't have to dash off to work.

Brilliant, I tell you. &hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts&hearts

[annuscka]

=D Thank you, muchly! I should really credit you for this too, since it came to me after I'd been reading our old e-mails on Andy!

[diabolica]

*loves all over again*

I recognised so many of the little things we had talked about: Andromeda's complete disavowal of her family, her refusal to testify against Yaxley and how it affected her relationship with Ted. The love these two so obviously have for their daughter, Andromeda's homemaking tendencies (and her not-entirely-healthy need for control). And all those details--they're woven in so beautifully here.

Sirius. Her Sirius, her ally, her only ally - the only one that she’d got to keep. Seemingly the least Black of them all, with his unaristocratic laugh and Muggle clothes (“have seen enough robes from the last century to last me a lifetime, thanks”) and roaring horror of a motorbike, always such a welcome sight in her sleepy suburb (both to her and the her teenage neighbours, less so to their fathers).

That is a stunning bit of characterisation right there, love. I can picture Sirius showing up at Andromeda's, and all the Muggle neighbour girls suddenly, I dunno, turning up to borrow a cup of sugar for their mums. Ha!

[annuscka]

That is awesome, that it got through - I felt like it, but you know. Yes. Good to know :D

I have a deep and undying love for teenage!Sirius (see icon, ahem) - and him in any neighbourhood would just be so hilarious. Did you read the small Sirius and James story JKR wrote for Whatever Charity It Was, it was brilliant - I believe Sirius is compared to a long-haired rock star of the 70s there!

Excellent that you feel it was Malfoy-esque; I don't have your touch with them! And I cracked myself up with even the *idea* of Bella and Rodolphus sending anyone Christmas cards, lol - but it sort of drove the point home of how differently the couples handled the aftermath. I.e, which ones had some brain matter left...

DUDE, I think you just made my hair dye fail more awesome than it was in my head - of course it's a magical/genetic thing, not merely too little bleach/plain too much dark mass to be bleached. It would be ingrained in the genes, a magical ban on ever trying to leave. You rock. :D

Eeep!

[zauza]

Iz im awe!

There is little i can say that Diabolica hasn't already pointed out.

This is perfection.And i can easily picture Andy's look to Ted, on the day they found out that Sirius was indeed innocent!I can see her in all her Black glory with the 'i-knew-it look' Perhaps this could be a prompt for you. Yes? ~hopes~

[annuscka]

Thank you! *glomps*

Haha, I think they both were pretty amazed when Dora (likely) came home and told them that... So hope they got to meet before he died (and I do have a plot bunny for that.... aaargh.)

[paya27]

This is so darkly beautiful and so, so Black. I love how you managed to capture the whole family in such brief and poignant memories and impressions. Really wonderful work <3

[annuscka]

Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it - and soo thrilled people are reading this, since I'm used to being on the fringe of the fringe, fic-wise, haha! *DE/Black love*

Autumn, 1981

[catsintheattic]

Here via celta_diabolica's rec.

You tell a very convincing and poignant tale about the time of Voldemort's downfall from Andromeda's POV. Her relationship with Ted, her love for him, but also the still somehow existing love for her family and her anger at them at the same time - it's all there and paints a beautifully complex portrait of a woman who has crossed so many lines to live a new life.

I also loved the bits you showed us of Sirius, this paragraph in particular: Her Sirius, her ally, her only ally - the only one that she’d got to keep. Seemingly the least Black of them all, with his unaristocratic laugh and Muggle clothes (“have seen enough robes from the last century to last me a lifetime, thanks”) and roaring horror of a motorbike, always such a welcome sight in her sleepy suburb (both to her and the her teenage neighbours, less so to their fathers). And this sentence: But he was never one of them. She was, once - he never was, not even as a child. - it hints at a childhood so lonely and miserable and rebellious only Sirius could come

Re: Autumn, 1981

[annuscka]

Thank you!! I'm glad those things came through; I love writing Andromeda, she's so fascinating and yet human, which is refreshing for someone who spends too much thinking about the Lestranges!

:)