Ethereal Catastrophe | Tom Riddle

chapter ten

Her past few letters had been filled with what Asteria thought was motherly affection. Sentences like, 'I forgot what it was like having you around, I miss it somewhat' or 'I am happy with your progress at Hogwarts, you will do spectacular' made Asteria feel warm. She had never felt warm, always dancing on daggers across thin ice when it came to her mother. One tap too hard and then you would fall into a flush of bitter wrath.

"Yes, I'm fine don't worry Tia. Truly," Asteria reassured as she pulled on a dress. But was she fine?

Tia sighed, "Well if ever you're not, tell me. Promise?"

"Of course," Asteria replied with a smile and a spritz of lavender water onto her neck. To which Tia replied with a sympathetic glance.

"Are you excited for the first quidditch match of the year? Slytherin versus Hufflepuff?" Tia smiled eagerly, painting yellow eyeshadow onto her lids.

"Isn't your boyfriend seeker?" Li chimed in from the bathroom.

"He's not my boyfriend but yes Abraxas is the seeker. It all he's been going on about, asking me to get the universe to send an extra bludger to the Hufflepuffs," Asteria chuckled. Asteria wasn't fond of quidditch but she admired Abarxas' passion when it came to the sport. During the summer she would watch his swiftness on the broom, the way he would find the snitch within minutes. He was brilliant. Sometimes she pitied him because his inevitable future was to become a big ministry boss even though his true desire was to become a professional quidditch player.

"Well I hope it redirects and hits him or one of the other Slytherins, I'll manifest it," Li said as she picked up a tigers eye stone from Asteria's bedside table.

"Li! They are her friends," Tia scolded.

"Try clear quarts. It works much better," Asteria responded, putting on her lip gloss.

"How about we try and manifest Clementine Diggory asking me to Hogsmeade, hm?" Tia teased. Asteria had seen the burgeoning crush on the Hufflepuff beater in Tia's brain and it was reciprocal in Clementine's mind however the both of them were too shy to initiate anything.

"Merlin, just ask her out! It's so obvious she likes you too," Li cried.

"No, she can ask I can't- It's- No-" Tia stuttered then giggled. Asteria saw the butterflies blooming within her mind when Tia spoke about Diggory when she imagined her long brown hair and freckled face. Tia was definitely a feeler rather than a thinker. Her heart would guide her way through life. She felt so deeply about situations that hadn't even happened yet- just as she was imagining her and Clementine sitting in The Three Broomsticks laughing and talking over a pint of butterbeer.

"Ask her at breakfast, it will put her in a good mood for the game. Give her some good luck," Asteria suggested though she already had a feeling Slytherin was going to win. Hufflepuff was just too kind and Slytherin was just too brutal.

"Yes, finally something Aurum and I agree on," Li said as she and Asteria smiled at each other.

"I'll say good luck but that is it. Now let's go, I'm starving," Tia said as she ushered Asteria and Li out of their bedroom quickly swerving away from the conversation.

The great hall was louder than usual, students banging their hands on the table, chanting songs, placing bets. Asteria gazed at the Slytherin table as she walked with Li and Tia, she saw the platinum-haired Malfoy standing with prevailing authority giving what seemed to be an extensive speech about how they're better than everyone else. She glanced around where Abraxas was standing to see if she could catch the eye of a certain brunette wizard however he was nowhere to be seen.