*Hoot* *HootHoot*

Andromeda looked up as an owl and entered through the kitchen window, after it successfully passed the wards.

Seeing that it was wearing the Hogwarts insignia, she curiously stood up to see what it had brought. Her correspondence with McGonagall was easily done through the Magi-mirror. So she didn't know what it could have been.

'Is Axel's reply here?' Thinking this, her actions hastened. Her sister still hadn't come back. Though there was indeed a message from her through the Magi-mirror.

It said: I'm alive. Don't bother me.

But, can a single text make her stop worrying? NO! This in fact confirmed that something was indeed wrong. Quickly checking the leather pouch tied to the owl, Andromeda frowned. It was a small transparent water bottle with a silvery mist floating inside.

"A memory?" She saw that there was a slip of paper with her name stuck on it, and the other one had Axel's name on it. Both were in her handwriting.

Axel sent her a memory?

This reminded her of the last memory she'd seen. It was of Axel being tortured by Cyrus Greengrass of all people.

Andromeda shuddered even now as she recalled it. She had cried for a whole day after seeing that.

A boy as young as 11 years old, having to go through THAT? Her husband was left a crying and begging mess after that torture, and an 11-year-old, whose magic isn't even strong enough to protect him and whose body isn't even strong enough to withstand it, had to go through it.

And surprisingly, unlike her husband, that boy is so strong that he was still fighting till the last minute. Even now, she couldn't tell how. After going through all that, when he woke up after two days and after releasing that he'd been crippled for life, all he did was nod his head calmly as if that's what he'd expected.

It was so absurd that she suspected whether this was an adult sitting in a child's body.

At that time, realizing that the boy must have suffered a lot to have matured this early, she had felt a strong desire to protect this boy and let him have a happy life. It was because she thought that even if she couldn't cure her husband, at least this child could still be saved.

Thus, she tried to help him, and tried making him feel happiness by taking him out to Diagon Alley. She had even introduced him to her family, in hopes that he'll have a good time. And in hopes that he could get along with Rose, someone his age.

And it did seem to have worked. She had seen the boy start to genuinely enjoy himself and smile more. But, after that, he'd gone to the washroom and Bella had gone out saying she had an urgent call on her Magi-mirror.And boy did she regret believing her sister and letting her go.

When Bella returned with the memory, Andromeda had instantly lost her temper at her. But Bella didn't seem to hear her as she just replied that it was consented before she disapparated off to Merlin's knows where. Axel had also left without saying anything.

Now, he's sent another memory. What could it be? Did he know what happened to Bella? Andromeda brought out one of their pensieves to check it out.

It was a small pensieve, imported from a developed magical country. It had a lot of advanced features like enhanced quality and sound amplification.

She quickly poured the misty liquid-like memory into the pensieve and peered into it.

Instantly, the world around her changed and she found herself in the Leaky Cauldron, in front of the men's bathroom.She saw Axel exiting the bathroom and Bellatrix standing right in front of him, waiting.

'This… is this Axel's memory? How did he extract it?' She thought but her thoughts were paused when she heard Bella say:

"Cyrus Greengrass... the name of the man you killed. Thought you should know."

??!!

Andromeda got a huge shock hearing those words. Cyrus Greengrass, the man who'd tortured Axel in the memory Bella had given her earlier. That man was indeed killed by Axel...

'So, he even had to kill someone while so young. Life is so unfair sometimes!' she thought but her thoughts paused again when she witnessed Bella blackmailing Axel for the memory.

"Andromeda wouldn't agree to this," she heard Axel say, trying to look calm.

"Yes, I don't agree!" Andromeda exclaimed. She didn't like where this was going.

But Bellatrix actually laughed, sounding genuinely amused.

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"I see. She did a very good job in manipulating you."

"No, I didn't! Not this time!" Shouted Andromeda. No one but Bella had known that she wasn't actually as kind-hearted as she pretended to be. But not this time!

Yes, in the beginning, she had just thought that she'll peer into his mind to see the memories, but after seeing him and getting to know him and his circumstances, she had decided against it.

This person had experienced what her husband had experienced and had even survived it. He deserved her respect and recognition for that. And after seeing him experiencing various basic joys of life for the first time, she even rejected the idea of peering through his mind even with his consent.

Because every time he had asked why she was doing all that for him, it had dug painfully at her conscience. She couldn't bear to break the trust that had been gained after seeing so much reluctance in those eyes.

Thus, ultimately, she had genuinely decided not to ask him about the memories. Sadly, the scene she was witnessing made her fears come true.

Hearing Bellatrix's words, Axel paused.

"What... are you talking about?"

Andromeda could hear the edge in his voice and see the last bit of hope in those cold eyes.

"It's funny really. How she's created a perfect image of herself in your mind so quickly. Let me enlighten you, you gullible kid: Andromeda is a Black! She's no kind woman!"

"No," she whispered as she saw the last bit of hope die out from his eyes, his hurt emotions clearly visible on his face at this moment. The first time Andromeda got to see his true emotion turned out to be like this.

Bella was right. She was no kind woman when it comes to the well-being of her husband and daughter. But… not this time. Or was it? She herself didn't know anymore.

But Bellatrix wasn't done yet. Andromeda knew that once Bella decides to do something, she'll finish it without care. She just wants to get the memory. She wouldn't care about Axel. And though her fears came true, Bella turned out to be much more brutal than she had thought.

You think she did all this out of kindness? Wrong! Wake up, kid! Who are you to her?! A nobody!

Do you know how many have died for the sake of finding a cure for her husband?! How long has she known you for?! A day and a half. You tell me, kid, who's she gonna choose between her husband she's known for decades or you?

She's kind? My perfect pureblood arse! She did all this because she thought it was the easier method! Just throw some money and some kindness to a homeless kid and he'll give you anything you want and still thank you afterward. But looking at you, I can tell. You wouldn't have agreed, would you? So, for the sake of my sister, I'll do this and then we go our separate ways. Now, do you agree or do I need to force you?

Tears came out of Andromeda's eyes when she heard her sister's words. She saw how Axel's expressions changed with each sentence, as they were cutting deep into him, scarring him forever as his pain turned into apathy.

He actually agreed to Bellatrix's oh-so polite 'request' and even thanked her.

"I was getting too hopeful and positive about this world," he said self mockingly. "You reminded me once again that I should never trust anyone."

It broke her heart to hear him say that. She knew that he had changed...almost irreversibly.nShe could almost see the walls building up around him once again, shutting out everyone. This time, stronger than ever.

Then the scene in the memory changed to the time right after Bella had exited his mind. No one, not even Axel would notice anything about her, but Andromeda could.

She looked… shaken… almost as if denying reality.

'What happened?' Thought Andromeda.

She saw Bellatrix trying to stop him and then recoiling back when Axel glared at her. He refused to stay even a moment more and his final words... got ingrained in Andromeda's mind.

"Also, make sure to show the memory to your sister. Tell her that her husband was just a pussy who's suffered no hardships if he couldn't even take that much torture. She should stop hurting innocent people for such a weakling and find herself a real man," with those words, he left, while Bella stood there as if someone had petrified her.

The memory had ended, but Andromeda just stood there, too stunned to even speak.

Why was Bella looking so panicked after seeing his memory?

What did she see?

Was it the reason for her disappearance?

Are her efforts really so useless?

And... was Ted...NO!

The memory Axel thought would clarify everything had instead left Andromeda much more distressed and disconcerted than before, and his last words had left a lot to think about for her.

***

Early in the morning, Axel went to the Dueling Arena for the Dueling class.

He was surprised to see that most of the first years had picked dueling even though it was an extracurricular subject. That was clearly indicating its importance.

Alice Longbottom, the Professor AKA Neville's mom, was standing in the middle, of one of the dueling circuits. She was wearing a pair of jeans, a dueling robe, and a T-shirt underneath saying "Super Mom".

"Good Morning, sweety bun! How was your first night in the dormitory? Did you sleep well?" She asked Neville right in front of everyone.

"...Mum!" Embarrassment was understandably written all over Neville's beet-red face and for once, Axel was grateful he didn't have parents.

Professor Alice just laughed, finding her son's reaction cute. "Alright class, gather around," she said, clapping her hands together.

"So," she began. "Dueling. We all know what it is, but let's just recall it once again. Would anyone venture to explain?"

There were several people who raised their hands but Professor Alice chose a bushy-haired girl who seem much more eager.

"Yes, Miss?"

"Hermione Granger, ma'am," said the girl before she instantly began speaking.

"Dueling. In Wizarding Britain, it used to be a formal practice in wizarding culture in which two or more wizards or witches engaged in combat under the condition that only magical means could be used.

But, after Britain reconnected with the International Committee of Dueling in the past decade, the rules have changed since many Magical Communities depend heavily on body movements like the Greek warriors or the Japanese Ninjutsu users.

Now, the combatants face each other and bow, as a sign of respect, before they placed themselves in an accepted combative position and, at the count of three, attempt to disarm, stun, injure, defeat, or kill each other in order to force submission, through either physical and magical means." She finished.

In wonder, Professor Alice clapped for her.

"You have a very detailed knowledge, Miss Hermione. Does anyone else have anything to add?"

"Nothing? Then let's move on to demonstrations. Any volunteers?"

Apparently, that was enough wait for someone.

"Me, Professor!" shouted Draco Malfoy, before stepping up into the dueling circuit.

Turning around to face everyone, he loudly yelled.

"I challenge Axel Hunt to a Duel!"

***