So, I'm basically way beyond totally sorry for how long this took to post. There's a combination of reasons as to why, including school, distractions, and just... blah. But, I hope you will all forgive me and tell me what you think? I really like this chapter! Of course... I'm biased, but whatever. Enjoy!

Chapter 9- Explanations

I had an incredible difficulty sleeping that night. In fact, that was an understatement, I didn't sleep at all that night. My mind had been reeling from the time we'd left the book-store. Why had Mum gotten so mad at what that man had said? What was a Mudblood, and why was it such a bad thing to Mum and Dad, but not to those other people? The biggest question that bothered me was why Mum and her sister hadn't seen each other in years. What could have possibly been so horrible as to separate them for so long?

I looked over at the door to my room as it opened at 8 o'clock in the morning. "Dora?" Dad asked. "Are you awake yet?"

"Yes," I replied, sitting up in bed.

"Your mother and I have decided it's time we talk to you about something, may we come in?" he asked, when I nodded he walked inside, with Mum behind him. Both of them looked like they hadn't gotten much sleep either.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" I asked, pulling my knees up to my chest to make more room for the two of them to sit.

Mum exchanged a look with Dad, she looked anxious. Her eyebrows were knitted together in a way they rarely were. She suddenly looked so old. It was truly frightening to see her like this.

"Nymphadora, I'm going to tell you a story. I'd like you to be quiet while I'm telling you, for it is quite a difficult story for me to tell," Mum said finally, looking at me with an expression on her face I'd only seen a handful of times, particularly when she was angry, or extremely sad. I couldn't accurately describe the look, but it made me uncomfortable. "Do you understand?"

I nodded. "But why haven't you told me before now?" I asked, curiously. It didn't make sense. Why keep something from me until I was twelve? Surely I'd have understood before then.

"Because we weren't sure you were old enough, or mature enough to understand exactly what happened," Dad said, looking thoughtful.

"Oh," I nodded, still not sure what Dad meant, I was plenty mature! I wasn't going to dispute the matter, however. "Go ahead then, I'll be quiet,"

"All right, well it all really started when I was thirteen, in my third year at Hogwarts. As you know, I'm pure-blooded, meaning for generations my entire family has been magical. We were all extremely proud of it too, we considered ourselves better than everyone else." she began, grasping Dad's hand, probably for support. "Until I went to Hogwarts, I saw absolutely nothing wrong with this. In my mind we were rightly superior,"

"'Dromeda?" Dad interrupted, the thoughtful look still on his face.

"Yes?" she asked, looking over at him. Her face was void of all expression, but her eyes flickered with something strange, a combination or irritation, pain and relief, all at the same time.

"Well, I was thinking, don't you have that old pensieve in the attic, the one that your Uncle gave you before he died?" he asked. "Wouldn't that make the story a bit... easier to tell?"

"Ted! You're a genius!" Mum exclaimed, and jumped up, presumably moving toward the attic, leaving me sitting in my pajamas, even more confused than I'd been moments before. She'd made it halfway down the hall to the attic when she ran back to my room. "Should we all go to the attic, rather than dragging it down?"

"I think that would probably be best," Dad nodded, standing with a strained grin on his face. I didn't understand why this was so hard for the two of them. I came to the decision that this story must be something that was a big deal. I shrugged, knowing that the sooner I followed, the sooner I'd find out the answers to my questions. I slid out of my bed, feeling the rush of cold that always came as soon as you left the comfort of your warm blankets.

"Come on, you two!" Mum called as she headed down the hallway to the rarely used staircase that led to the small attic. Dad exchanged a quick glance with me, and followed her. I quickly pulled on my fleece bathrobe and chased Dad down the hall, grabbing his hand as the two of us ventured together after Mum.

I looked around the dusty, dark room as I entered behind Dad. I hadn't been up here since I was five or six, playing hide-and-seek with my cousins. Mum had gotten angry, saying that there were too many magical objects in here, that if my cousins were to stumble into the room the repercussions would be 'bad'. Now I understood just how bad they would be, as I noticed all the magical objects that I now somewhat recognized, after a year at Hogwarts.

"Over here, Nymphadora," Mum called, from where she was standing over a small, stone basin with blue shimmery liquid in it. There was a large plank of wood attached to the thin tower the basin sat on, probably to hold it up. Even with what I assumed what a brace, it looked as though it was going to collapse any second. I really hoped I didn't have to touch it, for fear I'd break it. Seeing my hesitance, Mum gave me an exasperatedly frustrated look and grabbed my arm, dragging me to where she was standing.

"What is that?" I whispered, a little afraid of whatever was about to occur. I'd leave the courage to the Gryffindors.

"This is a pensive. It holds memories, so you can go back and look at them... I've been looking at this one a lot for the past several years... well, just see for yourself," she explained, taking my arm, while Dad grabbed the hand on the side Mum wasn't on, and we looked down into the liquid. For a moment I wondered what was supposed to happen, then I found myself falling into what was quickly transforming into a large manor home. Both of my parents each took one of my hands, and we began to walk towards the home.

"Where are we?" I whispered, worried that whoever lived here would hear me, and come and yell at us.

Mum sighed, and glanced down at me. "This is where I lived until I was seventeen, and don't worry, no one can see or hear us,"

"Oh," I nodded, beyond relieved that no one could see or hear us, though I was still confused as to what we were doing here. I hadn't noticed before but there were two girls sitting on the front lawn of the house, one with wildly curly light brown hair, the other with the same hairstyle, but it was black.

"Who are they?" I asked, slightly louder than I had been talking up until that point, but still quietly.

Mum looked at me again, "You tell me,"

"I don't know! I've never seen them before in my life!" I responded, irritated. I didn't know them! I really didn't!

"Oh really? Look a bit closer, love," she encouraged.

I sighed and walked closer to the girls until I stood in-between them, just a little behind them. "M-mum? I...is that you?" I asked incredulously, turning to look at her. She simply nodded, and the other her, and the other girl began speaking.

"But, Andy, I just don't understand... he's... he's a Mudblood. Mum and Dad would be furious if they knew you'd even spoken to him. You... I... I just don't understand!"

Andy sighed. "And I wouldn't expect you to understand, Bella. I've always been different. Always. Why does this come as a surprise? Besides, you won't tell them. You promised, Bella. We're sisters, if I can't trust you to keep a promise, who can I trust?"

"Even if your future happiness depends on it?" Bella asked, looked afronted.

"Bella! You can't tell. My future happiness depends on you not telling!" Andy replied, with tears swimming in her eyes. I wanted to run up and hug her, but I knew I couldn't, especially with the tight grip both of my parents had on me. With a sigh Anny looked up at Bella. "I...I love him,"

"No. You don't. You think you do, but you don't! You're seventeen! How could you possibly understand love?" Bella retorted, hissing angrily.

"I know enough. You're the one who doesn't know anything about love. You're in an arranged marriage. You hated Rodolphus in school..."

"I don't hate him now."

"But you don't love him, either!"

"So what?"

"Marriage should be about love! Not just money, or convenience!"

"In that case I might just tell them,"

"No! You promised, Bella! Sisters don't break promises."

"Sisters also don't run off, disgracing their families,"

Tears swelled in my eyes as I saw the hurt look on younger-mum's face. She seemed to be at a loss for words. There was silence for a moment, and I felt mum's grip on my shoulder tighten, I glanced up at her to see if she was okay. Tears streamed silently down her face, but I knew she would be okay. She was my mum. She was strong. I looked back at Bella and Andy.

"I... I didn't know you felt that way..." Andy replied, her voice thick with emotion.

"We all do, to some point," Bella said softly.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really, honestly Anny? Do you think we wouldn't feel that way?"

"So... you're saying they already know?" Andy asked, quietly, looking at Bella with a new ferocity in her eyes, as if she had decided something.

"Well, they know you've seen him before. They don't know you still are," Bella admitted, shrugging.

"But they'll find out eventually," Andy nodded, wiping away tears that were bunching in her eyes.

"Yes. I suppose they will," Bella nodded, a little more timidly than she had been speaking up until that point.

"So, I'm going to tell them," Andy decided, standing up, and brushing off her dress, before walking toward the large home.

"But... but you can't! I don't want to lose you, Andy!"

With a small, dark laugh, Andy looked at Bella. "You already have,"

I was about to ask Mum what she had meant, when the scene changed.