𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧 | 𝐭.𝐦.𝐫

𝟎𝟖

How kind of him to offer information so...freely.

So those were the happenings while she was busy. She still wouldn't trade that night up, though.

"Pardon me, but did you say Halloween?" Her brows bunched up together in confusion. "As in Halloween Feast."

"Yes, Potter. There were pumpkins and bats all over and everything."

"Why on Danu's green earth would we be celebrating Halloween?" Aster paused from walking and so did the two boys. "What are we, muggles?"

Nott choked on the blueberry muffin he bought. Aster cleared his airways with a flick of a finger. The boy's eyes widened considerably bigger. Zabini, funnily enough, had his mouth gaping like a fish.

Nott gathered himself together and with a thoughtful smile said, "You are absolutely brilliant."

"Yeah, I know. Back to the topic. Were there no Samhain celebrations at all?"

"I hate to break it to you, Potter, but this is Dumbledore's Hogwarts. All muggle-ified and washed clean of our true culture," Zabini grumbled.

Aster shook her head confusedly. "But I thought—back home—"

Nott spoke up again, "You know, I never thought you'd be one for our kind of stuff. Girl-Who-Lived and all, you know."

She didn't hold back a scoff. "Please, as if I'd let something like that mean anything."

She also didn't miss the interested shine in both boys' eyes.

Deeper their conversation went as did they in the dungeons until they finally reached their common room. Slytherins spread all over their common room, lounging on sofas and settees. Almost by habit, they gathered in their circles, mostly by yearmates at their designated spaces as the food from the Hall earlier popped onto a long table like a buffet service.

Immediately bets were set on what could have happened this time, the most popular being a dragon finding its way onto the grounds and rampaging in the Forbidden Forest. Well, if they put it that way.

Counters were raised right away, of course, like why was there not a bigger alarm but just sent them to their common rooms?

"You all know how Dumbledore is. That rotten sod prizes his reputation and does nothing wrong." A ring of laughter went around.

Tables were limited to set her plate on, so Aster went on her way to her dorm but was stopped abruptly by a call and wave from Zabini, gesturing for her to sit across from Nott at one of the chess tables.

Aster made her way to them, noting that the board was freshly set and her chair championed the white pieces.

This wasn't an invitation to eat together but a challenge. She sat down and put her plate to the side.

"How about a round?" Nott smiled cheekily, which she knew was rare but such was the joy of chess for him.

The game began the moment she took her seat.

By the rules, Aster made the first move. "Pawn to D4." The marble piece moved by itself.

Curiosity nagged at her while she watched Nott's pawn move to D5. And she took the bait.

"Pawn to C4. Earlier, when you said that you didn't expect the Girl-Who-Lived to stand for our traditions, what made you think that?"

A satisfied look crossed Nott's face.

"Do you know what the Dark Lord fought for, Potter? Pawn to C4." The piece took out its sword and slashed through Aster's pawn, taking its place.

All her information about the Dark Lord had been through her Grandfather, who did not care much for him, Miss Cecily, who was not involved in the war, and any newer books that mentioned anything about it which weren't of help compared to those from the Dark faction itself.