I am back! I have been planning things and writing as well while I took a break from my own account, but now I am here, coming at you with Prisoner of Love! This is the story of Andromeda's being forced into a pureblood life that she was attempting to escape from.

I am hoping to be back up and running with my T/G series very, very soon as well, as I've taken an extremely long break from it. Currently, I am continuing to co-write with a friend over on our joint account (Bella and Dora), and that has been quite the adventure.

I have also been overseas to meet her in person, and did we ever have fun! *hysterical giggling*

Anyway, enough said, and here is Prisoner of Love for your entertainment.

Trixie Black Lestrange

The brown-haired witch bit her lip slightly as she left the wards of her home, disapparating to a now familiar place. She pulled her cloak more snugly around her as she hurried up the walk to the front door of the modest home, knocking on the door as she shivered, both in worry and cold. "Ted, I'm here!" she called softly, hearing her fiance's voice on the other side.

The door was soon unlocked, the young woman safely inside, the man pulling her hood back before kissing her lips quickly. "Dromeda," he murmured, hugging her for a moment. "But what is it? Why are you here? Come sit down."

Twenty-year-old Andromeda Black followed him to the couch, the witch smirking to herself as she sat down and curled into his side, her head against his shoulder. "Ted," she said softly, "Father is talking about finally giving me away next year."

"And?" Ted Tonks knew better than to assume that was all the young woman had to say. "What else?"

"I don't want any of them," Andromeda bit her lip again. "It—it's time that I can finally reveal our relationship to my family. Before we get any other pureblood families involved in this. It will be a great scandal, but it need not involve any but the House of Black."

He nodded, taking her hand in his as he wrapped his other arm around her. "When do you think will be the right time?" he asked.

Andromeda looked up into his eyes, then sighed, looking down at their clasped hands. "The sooner, the better," she said after a moment. "I—I do not want anything to interfere, and it is getting dangerous for me...there's a young man who has his eye on me, though as far as I know, he has not approached my father."

"Then I will prepare for you to come stay," Ted smiled into her eyes. "And you won't have to worry about any of them anymore."

"Oh, Edward," sighed the young woman, "it will be such a relief, though I will miss Bella and Narcissa."

He nodded silently, hugging her as he kissed her head. "Well, we'll have our own family," he told her with a small smile. "If you want."

Andromeda looked at him, conflicting emotions in her eyes before she nodded, leaning in to kiss him softly. "Of course," she whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too," he murmured back, then pulled her onto his lap only to have her pull away slightly. "Dromeda…?"

"I—I can't stay," she said quickly, her eyes begging him to understand. "Father wants me to attend him tonight—" she forced away a shudder and said, "I—I'm sorry. I'll return soon, Ted. I'll tell them one night when all of us are gathered for the evening meal."

"All right," Ted nodded. He knew Andromeda tried her best to please her father in whatever way he asked, and he wouldn't be upset at her for things she could not stop. The witch would soon be his own anyway. "I love you," he said, getting to his feet and catching her by the hand before she could let herself out of the flat.

She looked back at him, then wrapped one arm around his neck and kissed him fiercely as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, kissing her just as passionately. "Stop," he groaned, finally pulling away. "Why do you do that? You know it makes me—Dromeda, don't laugh."

Andromeda gave him an apologetic look, though there was a mischievous look in her eyes. "I love you, Ted," she whispered before turning and leaving his home. Only a few days, and she would call the same place her home.

Rabastan Lestrange looked at himself in his bedroom mirror and sighed, straightening the collar of his robes. He once would have protested being dragged to his sister-in-law's childhood home for dinner, but he had recently begun to think differently. He had never thought much of the Black sisters, though his brother's adoration for Bellatrix had been so obvious that a troll couldn't miss it. Rabastan had merely treated the girls with the proper respect, especially Bellatrix, who was entirely unpredictable and scared him slightly, though she seemed amused by him. He wasn't sure that was a good thing, but at least she didn't hate him, especially since they now lived under the same roof.

"Rab, are you ready?" Rodolphus called from the hall. "I mean, we know you're obsessing over your appearance, but it is rather useless, in light of our already close ties with Bella's family."

Rabastan's fingers twitched toward his wand, but he kept himself from attacking his brother. Bastard sounded like Bellatrix had put words in his mouth—and he could hear her laughing, too. He forced himself to calmly walk to the door and step into the hall to face the grinning couple.

"Rabastan," Bellatrix said gently, "Father would never approve a marriage of another of his daughters to the House of Lestrange. You know this."

"It won't stop me hoping," Rabastan answered, frowning at her. "There are things happening that you do not understand."

"That I do not understand?" Bellatrix placed her hand over her heart in shock. "Do tell!"

Rabastan walked past her without comment, Rodolphus chuckling and shaking his head at him. "He's always been a dreamer," Rabastan heard his brother say. "I suppose he has to learn things the hard way."

Well, my brother and I do have something in common, Rabastan thought in annoyance. Our opinions of each other.

The younger Lestrange was relieved when they all left for Black Manor, surprised that only Narcissa and her parents greeted them. Narcissa bit her lip at Bellatrix's demands to know why Andromeda wasn't there to see them and answered, "She will be joining us shortly."

Bellatrix pouted, ready to go find her sister and drag her out of her room, but Rodolphus slipped his arm around his wife. "Perhaps she takes longer than you do," he chuckled. "I'm sure she'll be here soon."

Rabastan couldn't help but wish that she would hurry up, as he was dying to see her. He didn't say much as the others talked, seeing Narcissa biting her lip nervously and refusing to look anyone in the eye. He sensed that something was upsetting her and was beginning to worry that it had something to do with Andromeda when the brown-haired witch softly walked into the room, her deep blue dress nearly skimming the floor.

He was breathless with admiration, unable to stop himself staring as he tried not to appear too awed by the young witch. Her dress was off the shoulder, her neckline much more daring than anything Rabastan had ever seen her wear. He cursed himself inwardly as he could imagine him kissing her soft skin, nibbling her neck—Rabastan couldn't look away from the witch, entranced and aroused.

"There you are," Bellatrix sneered at the witch, the sound of her voice grating on Rabastan's nerves. "I'd begun to wonder if you hadn't forgotten dinner."

"I—" the brown-haired witch swallowed hard, and Rabastan frowned, realising that she was clutching a bag to herself, her wand in her hand. "I won't be staying to dinner. I—I'm leaving to marry Ted Tonks."

"WHAT?!" Bellatrix screeched, jumping to her feet in rage. "You are doing no such thing!"

Narcissa stared at Andromeda, trying to appear shocked, though Rabastan did not notice, dumbstruck as he saw Andromeda lift her chin and glare back at Bellatrix defiantly.

She clutched her wand more tightly and hissed, "I love Ted, and I am going to be his wife! I am finished with this life I have always lived! Love matters to me more than blood, and it will all be worth it!"

To Rabastan's horror, Bellatrix whipped out her wand and attacked the younger witch, screaming at her middle sister in rage and horror. Andromeda moved just as fast, their wands dancing and spells flying rapidly as they duelled. "I will not be held back!" Andromeda yelled. "I have been used, I have been abused, and Ted loves me! There is nothing left for me in this place!"

With a final Shield Spell, Andromeda ran from the room, and everyone felt her leave through the wards, Bellatrix clenching both her fists as she stared at the doorway her sister had gone through. Pain was tearing through Rabastan's heart, making it difficult for him to breathe. Andromeda was gone. The beautiful witch that he constantly dreamed about, that he had decided he would have to be his own, had left him.

A Mudblood. Rabastan's blood boiled at the thought of some piece of filth touching the girl of his dreams. He would not let that happen, not for anything. Rodolphus was alternately glancing between his wife to make sure she didn't break down entirely, and his brother to make sure the young man didn't break under the horror and letdown of it all.

Before he knew what he was doing, Rabastan shot up from his chair, bolting across the room and past Bellatrix. "Rab, what are you doing?" Rodolphus said sharply. "It's too late!"

"I will bring her back!" Rabastan yelled, his heart pounding as he threw open the gates and hurried through, shining his magic around to pick up the residual magic from Andromeda's apparition. The instant he found it, he breathed a prayer to the gods and followed her trail.

He held his wand tightly, looking around before he hurried up the walk, blasting the door down to a cry from inside the house. There, sitting on the couch, Rabastan saw Andromeda and the Mudblood, both of them shocked at the sight of him. Andromeda was the first to react, leaping to her feet, traces of tears on her cheeks as she hissed, "What do you want? You should not be here!"

"You should not be here, Andromeda," he answered. "Come back home, and stop this madness."

"You broke my door," Ted said in annoyance. "You could have knocked, though I'm sure we would never have let you in."

"Black Manor is no longer my home," Andromeda said coldly, her wand in her hand. "Do leave, Rabastan. Stop obsessing over something you cannot have."

Rabastan stared at her. She did know how he felt—she did know. "Then you know I love you," he breathed. "Dromeda—"

"No!" Andromeda screeched, pulling her hand away from Ted's restraining grip as she cried, "No! I will not be forced into an unhappy marriage simply for the sake of pureblood relations! I am not a pawn! I am a woman, and I want to be cherished, and valued as I deserve!"

"You can find that with me," Rabastan insisted, going to say something more.

"I do not love you!" Andromeda cried, her eyes filling with tears. "Please just leave, Rabastan. I can't go back. You know I can't!"

Rabastan watched her for a moment, the nodded. "I know you can't," he said softly, then with a lightning motion, cast a single spell.

Andromeda stared for less than a second before screaming in horror as Ted Tonks was struck full in the chest with a Killing Curse. "No!" she screeched in agony, unable to believe she had just seen. "Ted!" The witch fell to her knees beside the Mudblood, brushing his hair out of his face and begging him to respond before she fell onto his chest, sobbing desperately.

"You can't go back," Rabastan said quietly, shivering slightly at the power of the curse, "but you will go with me."

"I will NEVER—!" she screamed in rage, but she shrieked in pain as he Cursed her, making her writhe on the floor against Ted's body, curling in on herself.

"You will," Rabastan hissed, trembling as he wondered what on earth he was doing. "You are too perfect for him, Andromeda."

"Stop!" Andromeda cried, tears streaming down her face, and closed her eyes as Rabastan summoned her wand. "Please," she choked. "Just kill me, too. Just kill me!"

Rabastan walked over to her, looking at the brokenhearted young witch. "I love you," Rabastan said softly, gently stroking the witch's damp hair out of her face.

She jerked away violently at his touch. "I hate you," she breathed through her tears, staring at him in fear.

"I know," Rabastan admitted. "I just...I can't let you make this mistake. Now come along quietly."

"No!" Andromeda yelled, her right hand out suddenly, and Rabastan barely shielded her wandless magic in time.

"Crucio," Rabastan sighed, and Andromeda yelled out, clawing at the floor in her pain as she shuddered under the spell. "Dromeda," he said softly, "please, just come with me."

"I hate you!" Andromeda screamed. "I will always hate you!"

Rabastan's heart was breaking at the witch's words, but he refused to give her up so easily. "Then I will have you in spite of that," he said, and stepping forward, he dug his left hand into her hair and dragged her to her feet. "If you try to get away, I will have no choice but to Curse you," he warned her.

Andromeda looked down at the body and sobbed, "Ted, oh, I'm sorry—what have I done to you? I—I love you!"

Rabastan was surprised at the level of emotion in her concerning the Mudblood, though he waved his wand at the body, burning it up and leaving no trace. Andromeda sobbed in horror, Rabastan cradling her with one arm, his wand in her ribs. "Now," he said softly in her ear, "there is nothing left for you here."

Her sobs made her reply unintelligible, and Rabastan couldn't resist pressing his lips to the smooth, white skin of her neck. "You don't know how I love you," he breathed, and she writhed against him, struggling to get away. He could feel terror and fury coming off her in waves, and wondered why she was afraid.

As soon as they were outside, Rabastan held tightly to her and disapparated to Black Manor. He moved the instant they appeared, catching the witch off balance and dragging her up to the gates. "Rab, please," Andromeda cried. "Please just let me go. Don't—"

He did not reply, nudging her to move before him as they entered Black Manor. He dragged her through the halls, straight back to the sitting room that she'd run from, throwing her onto her knees before them all. She was shuddering with sobs, her head bowed, her hair covering her face as she rocked back and forth, her arms wrapped around herself forlornly.

"I have brought her back," Rabastan said, looking up at the girl's father, his hand resting on Andromeda's shoulder in case he needed to bring her under his control again.

Bellatrix was striding across the room toward them, but Andromeda did not look up, though her sister shrieked, "How dare you?! What are you even good for anymore?"

Rabastan looked into his sister-in-law's eyes, then looked up at Cygnus Black. "I killed the Mudblood," he said boldly, Narcissa gasping in horror as Bellatrix's eyes widened in delight. "And burnt the evidence. I have brought her here to decide what to do with her."

Cygnus stepped forward, reaching out and lifting the girl's gaze to his. "Why?"

"I—I loved him," Andromeda choked, crying out as the man's Curse tore through her already pain racked body. "Father, please!" she cried, fighting the pain of the Curse. "He—he loved me, a real love that no one else has ever shown me! He cared for me as a person, instead of as a conquest, or a trophy!"

"Stop," Rabastan frowned at the man, who raised an eyebrow at the boy, his eyes suddenly lit with anger.

"She is my daughter," Cygnus hissed. "You will not tell me what to do!"

"She is no one's daughter," Bellatrix glared at them. "She should be disowned and cast out, Father.

Andromeda bowed her head again, her tears renewing at her sister's words, and Rabastan squeezed her shoulder, trying to be reassuring. The witch shuddered at the motion, and Rodolphus looked at his brother nervously, trying to tell him not to do anything rash.

"No one will want to marry you now," Cygnus hissed at the sobbing witch. "All of us know that this will not remain a secret. You bring great shame on us, Andromeda, after everything that you have done for us. You are truly a greater shame than Bellatrix."

"Kill me," Andromeda choked. "Please, make it stop!"

"Let me take her," Rabastan said, and Cygnus stared at the boy incredulously.

"You can't seriously want her now!" Bellatrix yelled at Rabastan. "She is a disgrace!"

"No more than you!" Rabastan snapped at the older witch, seeing his brother shake his head in despair. "Let me take her and marry her, sir. She has so much potential—let me make her become what she ought to be. She will become my wife, and stand by my side in the world."

Andromeda was shuddering with sobs again, choking on her tears. "No," she moaned. "No...no…I can't—I'd rather die."

Cygnus looked at her thoughtfully, Rodolphus' eyes widened in horror as he looked from his brother to the girl he was holding at wand point. "You would take her to be your wife?" Cygnus smirked at the younger Lestrange. "How old are you, boy?"

"I am eighteen," Rabastan answered defiantly. "Not too young to know exactly what I want."

"I see," Cygnus nodded, an evil grin crossing his features. "Then take her. Take her to your home, and do as you please with her. As far as I am concerned, she is no daughter of mine, and I want nothing further to do with her."

Andromeda's entire body was trembling with sobs as she looked up to her father. "Please," she begged him desperately. "Please! Even if you keep me here for the rest of my life, don't give me to him. He—he's awful!"

Cygnus touched her face thoughtfully, and Rabastan watched nervously as Andromeda's breath caught in her throat. "He reminds you of me, doesn't he?" Cygnus sighed. "Do you hate me that much too, Andromeda?"

"I did everything you wanted," Andromeda whispered. "I obeyed your every word, fulfilled every wish—you can stop this."

"I can," Cygnus nodded. "But I won't." He nodded to Rabastan and the other two Lestranges. "Take her out of my house."

"No!" Andromeda screamed as Rodolphus walked forward, assisting his brother in dragging her from the room. "Father, no! I was the perfect daughter! I've never done anything to—" Her pleas were cut off in an awful shriek of despair and agony as Rodolphus lit into her with a Curse.

Rabastan shoved his brother off her, shuddering as he felt the spell slightly before Rodolphus glared at him. "Don't hurt her," he said. "Let's just get her home." The two forced her to her feet, Bellatrix walking behind them as they led her from the house, then disapparated through the wards.

Rodolphus frowned at his brother when they appeared outside their own gates, and Rabastan said, "I think we'll have to keep her locked inside for a bit. So I won't take her in through the wards yet." Rodolphus agreed, roughly dragging the sobbing witch forward to the gates as Bellatrix flung them wide open.

"Welcome home, Dromeda," she sneered at her sister before storming ahead of the three into the mansion.

"No," Andromeda sobbed, pulling back as Rabastan went to lead her through the wards.

"Bitch," Rodolphus hissed, slapping her across the face, and Andromeda cried out, staring at him in shock.

"I said don't hurt her!" Rabastan yelled at his brother, this time cursing him away from the broken witch.

Rodolphus scowled at his brother. "You have no experience with these things," he snapped. "She won't listen to you! You've got to be more forceful!"

Rabastan glared at his brother, shielding his prize from the man. "She will not suffer at your hands, Rodolphus!" he retorted. "Stop it!"

"Well, if you think you've got it," Rodolphus sneered, "then you can take care of her yourself." He stormed on to catch up with Bellatrix.

"Andromeda," Rabastan breathed. "Are you okay?" He reached out to clear the blood from her face, and she cringed away from him. "Let me help you," he insisted. "He wasn't supposed to hit you."

"No!" she cried, struggling against him, and Rabastan reluctantly had to resort to another curse. "You would be just like him!" she sobbed, writhing in pain. "Stop pretending! Just hurt me like you want to!"

He sighed, shaking his head as he said, "I am not like that, Andromeda. I am different from him, but I will do what I have to to keep you."

Andromeda seemed to melt against him in despair, and he placed a spell on her to help him bear her weight as he took her to her new room. "This—this—" she breathed, looking around the large room. "—is yours?"

"No," Rabastan admitted. "This is yours until we are married, Dromeda. It will give you time and space to yourself."

Andromeda sank down onto the bed and watched him through her tangled hair. "Now what?" she glared at him, wrapping her arms around herself.

He was silent for a moment, then said, "Rest. Cry. Do what you must. Bathrooms are down the hall, though you will not be able to leave this room unless that is your sole purpose." She nodded numbly, still glaring at him through her tears. "I didn't want us to be like this," he told her. "It's far too much like Bella and Rod for my liking."

She clenched both of her fists, closing her eyes tightly. "Go away."

Rabastan watched her for a second, then turned and left the room, wondering what on earth he was going to do with his captive bride.