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"Mad-Eye cursed him and paralyzed him", Theo said calmly. |
"What do they even want with you?", Draco quickly asked, spinning her wand in his fingers. |
It was white. From a birch tree. It was a very gentle wand but it could wield powerful magic as it’s core was the heartstrings of a dragon. And it had a pretty price, Ollivander admitted himself it was a rare thing to make and even harder to sell. |
"Can you give it back?", Astoria quickly jumped on her feat and faced him. He was grinning. Of course, he would make a display of this. |
"Not until you answer my question. What does Igor Karkaroff want with you?" |
It sounded like mockery. But no one would defend her, that was obvious in Slytherin. When Draco Malfoy picked you as his prey, you were alone. A sharp brow arched on his forehead and Draco spinned the wand between his long fingers with a daring look. Then he stopped and gripped it in his hand. A push and it could break from the tension he used to press it. |
"I- , I think I reminded him of someone". |
"He’s gone mad" Theo concluded, yet no one agreed with him. |
"Are you hurt?", Draco asked and that seemed surprising not only to Astoria as a few people turned their eyes toward him. He always looked bored and unbothered by anything. There was no care in his voice. |
He threw her wand on the ground and stared at her. It was in his feet. Astoria refused to move and accept the humiliation, keeping eye contact with him. |
"You better go", she said in a low tone, "if I get it back I will curse you" |
"I’d like to see you try", he smirked. |
The embarrassment was inevitable. Astoria tried to remain calm as she pressed her lips in a tight line with anger. No one came to her aid. Draco punished her for her resistance to follow him like the rest. They all feared him, it was pointless to resist. |
Astoria let out a sight and knelt slowly to reach her wand. Draco stepped on it as he grabbed her by the tie and pulled her back up. His fingers were in a fist around it, testing her with his eyes |
"Why does Dumbledore keep you around?", he asked suddenly. |
It was the worst possible question. Astoria had wondered herself. Why her and not Harry who he clearly favored. So many sleepless nights haunted by that very same question, and yet – |
"I don’t know", she whimpered. |
"What did Karkaroff want with you?" |
"I don’t know". |
"Is there something you know? Is your head empty?", his voice grew louder with irritation. |
Her body twisted in resistance, but he refused her. Pulling her tie so quick, she almost fell over him. |
"That’s enough, Malfoy", a voice she barely recognized. Then her eyes wondered to see Blaise stare at his friend. |
To everyone’s surprise Draco listened and let her go. He reached down to take her wand and handed it back to her. Her fingers trembled but she quickly snatched it from him. |
Then anger came in. As if another held her wand, with a firm grip she pointed to the back of Draco Malfoy. And her lips moved, a horrible spell on them. One that carried the pain he caused her. One to double it and avenge her wounded pride. A hand reached and grabbed hers. Astoria froze before she could finish. |
It was Theo Nott who looked angry with her. He shook his head in disagreement and lowered her wand for her. |
Draco quickly turned on his heel to face her. It was easy to read the situation as regret was so obvious on her face. A mocking laugh filled the room. Blaise suddenly joined in a quiet chuckle and shook his shoulders. |
"You’re so easy to tease", Draco said with a shine in his eyes. |
The same night Astoria couldn’t sleep so she sneaked out of her bed. Harry was already waiting for her next to the window. He heard her footsteps and quickly turned to greet her with a smile. |
She didn’t respond, but awkwardly took her place next to him and stared at the window. |
"Wednesday’s tomorrow" she stated. |
"I though you’d want to talk" |
Harry sighted and turned to the window. They both remained silent for a while. Astoria bit her tongue as she feared if she spoke, the words will start falling out of her mouth and she would cry. She despised tears as they made her feel weak. |
"Did he hurt you?" Harry carefully whispered but didn’t look at her. |
"No", she said sharply, sighted and accepted that she can no longer stay quiet, "He mistook me for someone. I don’t know why, I just reminded him of someone else". |
"Do you know who?" |
"No, but he was afraid of him". |
"Could it be..."Harry started his sentence but quickly abandoned the thought. It wasn’t hard to figure out. |
"Don’t be ridiculous. I’m no Voldemort" Astoria snorted and her face twitched with disgust. |
"He was young, once", his voice sounded guilty as if he felt he offended her. |
"You said you saw him young. As Tom Riddle. Do we look alike?" |
Two green eyes captivated her in that moment as his gaze ran through her features. Hundreds of stupid thoughts came over her. Was her hair alright, did he like it in a braid or let loose? Maybe she should’ve put on some makeup. Or at least use magic to freshen up. |
Then came anxiety and her teeth sinked in her mouth as she bit the inside of her cheeks to remain expressionless. |
The sudden image of Voldemort came on her mind to distract her. More like Tom Riddle – when he was still human. In second year Harry had described him to her after seeing a glimpse of the boy in the Chamber of Secrets. Tom had curly black hair and hers was ashy-blonde, an almost grey color. Her face was roundish, and even though she had cheekbones, she was sure they weren’t as sharp as Tom’s. Harry had told her his face was bony like a skeleton’s. |
There should be no suspicion of a resemblance but the color green she wore everyday still haunted her. Nightmares came with unidentified screams in them. |
"No", Harry finally concluded as he smiled to her. His green eyes glimmering under the moonlight. A release in Astoria’s chest. |
"Then someone else", Astoria quickly turned her face. "I know he was a Death Eater, maybe someone in the ranks he knew from the war". |
"How do you know he’s a Death Eater?", he blinked in surprise. |
"Used to be a Death Eater", Astoria quickly corrected him, "Malfoy said it to Goyle." |
"Is there any progress in speaking with them?" |
"No, I did warn you, they don’t like me and they rarely share with me", she stopped for a second to reconsider, and then added, "Maybe Theodore Nott. I don’t know if he likes me, but I think he doesn’t like Draco". |
"My enemy’s enemy is my friend", Harry said firmly. |
Silence remained. There were things left unsaid, yet they refused to leave them like that. So they waited for each other. Astoria bit her lip, trying not to think about it. The awful conclusion that she herself made. Maybe she also was a child of war. But not like Harry. Maybe she was just unwanted, inconvenient as magic pregnancies weakened witches. After all, she was a Slytherin. |
"I guess you would be right", Astoria finally spoke, "All Slytherin children are in a way related to Death Eaters". |
She was afraid if she blinked tears would fall. Her whole body was tense, trying to contain her emotions. Cursed magic boiling inside. |
"You don’t know that", Harry said and held her hand. |
As if the world bloomed in spring. Astoria turned to face him. Different emotions now filled her head, her cheeks grew red and she found herself lost for words. |
"Don’t make conclusions based on nothing. But even if it is true, what does it matter? You’re not a Death Eater and you’re not like the rest of them", Harry smiled warmly. |
"I try not to be", Astoria confessed. |
"I know you in your core. You are good". |
Her body leaned closer to his by instinct. Their faces were inches from each other, and Harry pulled back. Their hands were still tangled with one another, but Astoria removed hers first before he could take the chance away from her. |
"I have no other useful information to you. Maybe give me some time" |
"Right", Harry coughed, "Maybe not tomorrow, but let’s schedule for next Wednesday then" |
"Agreed", Astoria waited a bit, then added hesitantly "What about the ball?" |
Harry blinked with surprise. He looked confused. |
Instant regret came over her. It was too soon to ask but she couldn’t hold it in anymore. There was no one else to go with. No one liked her in Slytherin and besides they all seemed to be already obvious as pairs. Except her. |
"The Yule Ball, are you going?" |
"Probably, I’m not sure if I can find a partner", Harry confessed. |
"Why?", Astoria’s question came to him fast and direct, as he noticed her impatience. She also knew she slipped. |
"I think I know who to ask, but it’s hard. She is always with other people and is from a different house, I see her rarely". |
Her heart skipped. |
"I don’t know with who to go either", she said but felt embarrassed and tried to change the subject quickly, "I think it’s going to be an important event for whoever the champion is". |
"Yes", Harry agreed, yet though to himself that it didn’t make much sense to him what she meant. |
They parted ways. Harry felt awkward as he had to admit to himself that being Astoria’s friend came harder to him then with Ron or Hermione for example. It was easy with them. Touching them was also easy, and with Astoria it always felt like crossing a line. As if it was wrong. |
He also worried she might be right. If she was related to a Death Eater and didn’t knew, that put her in danger as well as himself. They could use her to get to him, he thought. It was necessary to consider this. |
There was good in her, that was undeniable. But there was also something else and she seemed blind to it. It was hard to notice too, he sometimes thought it was his prejudice or maybe just overthinking. Thinking too often about her lead to that. |
Ron confirmed it to him, however. One day he mentioned how odd it was she always walked alone. How odd it was that she would move quickly and with precision one time and then trip in her feet or seem lost in her movements. There was something misleading in her. |
Slytherin’s nature, Ron had said. |
All three schools gathered in the Great Hall. For the last two weeks students tried to add their names to the Goblet of Fire. It was said that he, who wins the Tournament, is promised eternal glory. That was a tempting offer. |
Some underage students tried as well. Each failed. Predictably, Dumbledore had protected the goblet with a dozen charms so by the end no rules were breached and all attempts at mischief ended in failure. Surprisingly, this wasn’t a win for the Weasley’s twins Fred and George. |
"Thank you all for gathering tonight. It is time to announce the champions and may the Tournament for the Triwizarding Cup begin!", Dumbledore appeared and with him fireworks filled the room. |
Enchantments danced around the great hall and light shined with explosions around every corner. The goblet was in front of him and next to him positioned themselves the other Headmasters. Astoria met Igor Karkaroff’s gaze. He smiled at her but there was nothing pleasant in that smile and her heart sank in her stomach. |
Suddenly a voice in her head told her to leave. To get up and to run. Yet her body seemed uncapable of obeying this command as she stood frozen in its seat. Theo gave her a weird look as he noticed her expression. She tried to smile awkwardly to excuse her behavior, but she felt like she might vomit. |
The blue flame erupted and started flickering, burning and roaring, until a list of paper appeared. Dumbledore grabbed it. |
"Champion from Beauxbatons will be Fleur Delacour", his voice roared and the room exploded with applause from the table where most of the other girls were seated. |
A beautiful blonde which stood up and took an elegant bow. She waved gracefully around as she walked between the tables, everything about her seemed perfect. That meant she is surly dangerous, Astoria concluded. |
The flame grew higher and another name appeared. Victor Krum. There was no surprise there, even though he surely already had earned eternal glory as the best seeker in the world. Drumstrang was on it’s feet. Men roared with happiness and rushed to Victor. He was smiling, which was a rare sight. And he is handsome, Astoria admitted to herself as she watched him pass her and go to his Headmaster. |
She tried not to stare at them. She turned, facing Draco, who was sitting against her. He was also cheering, too busy to notice her glare. |
"And now, for Hogwarts’s champion – ", Dumbledore begin, yet he was interrupted. |
The flame exploded before he could even finish his sentence. A name appeared and he grabbed it from the air. |
"Cedric Diggory", prod. Dumbledore announced and the room shook with applause. |
"A Hufflepuff", Draco scoffed and rolled his eyes. |
"I was sure it was going to be a Slytherin", Theo added, yet he seemed happy and clapped with the rest. |
Then Igor Karkaroff stepped forward. Dumbledor turned to him with surprise but he didn’t seem afraid in any way. Mad-Eye Moody also made a step forward, facing Igor. Astoria froze with fear. |
"I want to wish the champions strengths and a will of steel as they will have to face many challenges to prove their name is truly destined for glory", he begin his speech and most started clapping and nodding with support, even the headmasters. |
Dumbledor was however still. |
"I do imagine this young boy", Igor said as he pointed to Cedric Diggory, "will have to bear on his shoulders a heavy burden, knowing this legacy is passed down to him from the Elroy family". |
Most looked confused from his words, having no idea what he was talking about. Alastor Moody came forward him, his wand in his hand, yet he still wasn’t pointing it towards the wizard. It was Dumbledor’s hand that stopped him to getting closer. A move that seemed unexpected by everyone. |
Igor Karkaroff seized the opportunity and continued. |
"Many of you don’t know of this family’s history as it is old and mostly gone. But every successful wizard who bears the family distinguishing features is proud to take part and win the Triwizarding Cup every time. In fact the last time Hogwarts had a winner was Nicola Elroy, The last flame by the time you, Albus, were in school. Correct?" |
Dumbledore remained quiet and without expression. Somehow he didn’t look bothered by this. Or so he made it seem. |
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