"Would you kill for love?" He sneered coldly.
"Love has destroyed me into the woman who stands before you. Broken, tethered, and utterly infatuated with a man who suffers the same fate as I." She said with a sorrowful chuckle.
•
The story of a naiv...
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1997
Weeks had passed since Christmas eve and the air was thick in Slytherin house. It was apparent to the entire house that something was brewing between Astoria and Draco. They would get stared at if they studied in the library together, or if they were seen leaving the grounds in private. It did not bother Astoria that people knew about her and Draco she just did not enjoy being known as the whore who "stole" him away from Pansy Parkinson. There was much more to their story than that but it was not for anyone else's ears but theirs.
Astoria found herself hours into research at the library trying to crack the code of the magic behind the rune. She felt herself wanting to throw books at the walls because after hours of reading she felt hopeless.
"There is nothing in this musty old book!" Astoria slammed it shut and tossed it aside.
"Stop being pessimistic. There has to be some shred of information in this bloody library." Draco said lowly paging through his own book.
Astoria was coming to the realization that if they were going to get anywhere with this plan then they were going to need more depth reading material. She was going to need to poke around the restricted section, but it was not permitted to students without a note from instructors.
"We need to get into the restricted section. There has to be some sort of dark magic reading material locked in there." Astoria murmured.
"I have tried picking that lock and charming it open, it does not budge. You will need to get a note from one of these dim-witted professors."
Astoria pondered about whom she could ask. She thought of Snape, but it was too risky. If Snape discovered her and Draco were trying to research on how to reverse the magic of her rune, it might get back to her Master. Astoria thought of Professor Trelawney. Astoria enjoyed Divination but Sybill always seemed to keep her distance from Astoria. Astoria now realizes she probably sensed the darkness that lurked around her aura. Then Astoria realized the one professor who favored Slytherin's and was a Slytherin himself...
"Slughorn. We can ask Slughorn!" Astoria said proudly.
"That loony one will sign anything." Draco scoffed.
The next day during potions class Astoria stayed after to talk with Professor Slughorn about that day's lesson. She put on her cheeriest smile and laughed at all his jokes, and when he seemed to be happy with the conversation, she would ask for the note.
"Professor, if I may. I was hoping to read a tad more on the potion concoction of Skele-Gro, but I have searched the entire library selection and I have come up short. Could you perhaps sign this to allow me access to the restricted section?" Astoria asked as politely as she could.
Slughorn took the parchment and grabbed his dingy quill.
"My-my Miss Greengrass I had no idea you held such an interest in potions. Since you are an exceptional student of mine, I would be delighted for you to enhance your knowledge." Slughorn said boldly, signed the parchment and handed it to Astoria.
