Father's Little Deatheater

Back to School

1st September 1992

Mother and Father see us off at the Station and before we head into the train, I see Dobby in one of the compartment windows gesturing for me to come see him. I tell Draco I will join him soon in their compartment, and I head to see what Dobby wanted. I shut the door as I enter and pull down the blinds so no one can see in. "Mistress Dobby has blocked off the entrance to the platform so Harry Potter can not get through," he tells me jumping up on the seat. "Great job, Dobby. Keep up the good work, you better get going, keep me updated though." I tell him, then he apperates away with a click of his fingers. I pull up the blinds and exit the empty compartment and make my way to the back of the train to the Slytherin compartment to hang out with my brother.

The Slytherins talk the whole train ride, joking around and telling each other about their holidays. I keep my head down though just drawing in my book. "What do you keep drawing in that book Astra?" Theo asks me, slightly confused that I haven't been talking with them. "None of your business Theo.." I retort. Suddenly my book is snatched out of my hands by Pansy. "Hey, pug-face give that back! "Pansy doesn't listen and she flips through the pages, looking at my drawings. "Oooh, she's drawing her stupid friends, look there's even one of those blood traitor Weasel twins." She shows the others, looking extremely proud of herself. Draco stands up and snatches it out of her hands and gives it back to me. "What's your problem Pansy, why do you hate my sister?!" Draco yells at her. Pansy looks shocked that Draco of all people has actually yelled at her. She looks down at her feet before speaking "I don't hate her, I just hate the fact that all the boys like her and not me..!" She blabs out just as loudly as Draco yelled at her. "She's nice, and you're a bitch Pansy." Theo speaks up. "If you stopped throwing yourself at Draco so much, you might realise we could all be friends." Blaise adds, looking at me and smiling. "I don't hate you either Pansy, I'm sorry you feel jealous, I definitely don't feel pretty. I never have." I tell everyone tucking the black side of my hair behind my ear. "She hates her hair." Draco tells the others so I don't have to. "But you can change it to any colour you want, cant you?" Pansy asked, "Yeah, I can but it's hard work sometimes trying to keep the concentration, as it can change when my emotions get wild and it goes back to normal when I'm sleeping." I tell them looking down at my hair once again. "Well, it's up to you Astra." Draco tells my placing a hand on my shoulder. 

 I stay silent for a few moments, deciding what to do, I close my eyes and imagine myself with long silver blonde hair. "What are your thoughts on this look?" I say the the others as I open my eyes and see them all staring. "Looks amazing," Theo speaks up. "I think it suits you very well," Blaise compliments. I can't help but smile. "We can help you find a way to keep it permanent if you want?" Draco adds and all the other boys nod. "What about 'Colovaria' the colour change charm?" Pansy asks, surprisingly helping me. "Wow never even thought about that spell, thanks Pansy, its a good idea." "I think you might have to use it every morning though, I can help you if you want each morning?" Pansy asks nicely. "Thanks a lot Pansy, you might be a good friend after all." We both smile and high five each other. 

 "Remember the both of us now have our own dormitory now Astra," Draco adds. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that." I chuckle back. "What, you're leaving me with Millicent and Daphne? They're so annoying.." Pansy moans. "You can come stay in my dorm whenever you want Pansy," I offer her. "Thanks Asteria, you might not be so bad after all," she responds. "See told ya," the boys say in unison. 

"Want to try the spell on Pansy, to see if it works before you use it on yourself?" Draco jokes, "Hey, why me?!" Pansy says, slightly shoving Draco. We all laugh out loud and I just close my eyes, picturing this new hair and friend group might be my path to feel better about myself.

When we arrive at Hogsmeade station I exit the train with my new friends and head down the path to the carriages, I jump in a carriage with Draco, Theo, Pansy and Blaise and I pull out my wand and cast Lumos to illuminate my drawing book so I can begin draw the amazing creature pulling the cart. "What are you drawing now," Theo asks me, when I'm almost finished. "What does it look like it's the creature pulling the cart," I tell him, "Umm Asteria, there is nothing pulling the cart at all." Pansy questions me. "What, its always been this creature here," I show them my finished drawing. "That's a Thestral, apparently you can only see them if you have seen someone die," Blaise tells us. My mind goes back to the moment when father killed Nova, I can hear her cries of pain then a sudden flash of green light. "Who have you seen die," Pansy blurts out, breaking me out of my awful memories. "Father killed her cat last year, right in front of her." Draco tells them . "I'm so sorry Astra," my friends all say in unison. "It's okay guys, I'm good, thanks for caring." I tell them as I put away my book in my robes. "Always," Draco says placing his hand on my shoulder. "Same were always here for you now Astra," Theo says, as the others nod in agreement. 

We all walk through the Great Hall doors together and sit down at the Slytherin table for the start of a new year. Dumbledore says his usual welcoming speech after the new students have been sorted into their houses. Then the dinner appears and we all begin eating, I glance around the hall and I don't see Harry and Ron anywhere. Maybe Dobby succeeded at keeping him away from Hogwarts this year I think to myself.