GOLDEN || T. NOTT ✓

ten | the sword

PAZ HADN'T SPOKE much to anyone other than Ginny, Luna and Neville since the dungeon incident.  Just as she did after Ginny got taken into the Chamber of Secrets their first year, Paz seemed to be stuck to her like glue the past week.  

Miraculously, Paz didn't receive a punishment for stunning a professor.  She and the others have no clue how she got away with it, but the word spread fast that she did it in the first place.  McGonagall has been a ball of stress dealing with Paz lately.

Halloween had just passed. Snape did not bother decorating for it, or celebrating it at all for that matter.   Neville had completely forgotten about Halloween, only remembering when Ginny mentioned it casually in a conversation.  

It was an exceptionally cold day as Paz made her way down to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures.  It was a fairly small class, as not many people usually chose to continue it after fifth year.  She had this class with the Hufflepuffs.  She smiles at the ones she is familiar with from the D.A., then usually waiting for Astoria to show up.  

She glanced around while waiting, noticing some Hagrid had a potted tree off to the side with Bowtruckle's on it.

"Hello Paz," Astoria says, Paz not noticing she had been standing next to her for a minute or so.

"Oh, hey Astoria."

"Bowtruckle's?"

"Yup.  They're cute, I'm kind of excited."

Astoria furrows her eyebrows together.  "They are cute, but they can also gauge you eyes out."

"Suppose so."

Astoria hums to herself and taps her foot, seeming to want to ask Paz something.

"Are you ever going to invite me to join Dumbledore's Army?" Astoria asks.  Paz practically breaks her neck turning to her, eyes bulging out of her head.  She looks around, double checking to make sure no one heard.

Paz lowers her voice to a whisper. "Excuse me?"

"Dumbledore's Army," Astoria whispers, "The club you run with Neville, Ginny and Luna.  I would like to join."

Paz looks at Astoria in confusion.  "You want to join? And help fight?"

Astoria tilts her head.

"Of course I do.  I've been quite offended the past few weeks that you hadn't asked."

"Oh," Paz mumbles.  "How do you know I even run it?"

"I have a hunch."

"Hmm," Paz hums.  Hagrid then walks out of his hut, quick to begin class and start explaining everything there is to know about Bowtruckle's.

-- -- -- -- --

Once class comes to an end, Astoria follows Paz back to the Slytherin house, asking her questions about the D.A. 

"When is your next meeting then?"

"Don't know."

"Can I join?"

Paz stops right outside the entrance to the Slytherin house and turns to face Astoria.

"Why the sudden interest?" Paz questions her.  Astoria looks slightly offended.  

"I never had a way out, until now.  Our fourth year Harry Potter would never let someone like me join the D.A., but I know you would," Astoria then takes a moment to think, "Last week 'Dumbledore's Army still recruiting' was on the walls all over Hogwarts as well, so in a way I suppose I was invited."