STRANGE LOVE | O. WOOD ✔

[36] PADFOOT'S DEATH

"Shove a candle up your ass Jack! This woman is crazy!" Astrid shrieked that afternoon when they strolled through the Great Hall to find their usual seats at the Gryffindor table, right next to Harry and his friends. "McGonagall should be made Headmistress! We barely even do any defending against the dark arts in Umbridge's class!"

"Okay gee, just because you like a guy who works with dragons, doesn't mean you can go all dragon on me. I barely know what type of dragons there are." He moaned, grabbing Ginny's half eaten soup and sniffing it before shoving it away. "Smells meaty." He shrugged.

"Then eat bread and die while you're at it." Astrid said, grabbing a pie Ron had thrusted her way.

"Trust me, I plan on it."

"Oh yeah, great going by the way! Teaching Sal how to use foul language! And now, I'm no longer Astrid, I'm you dumb fuck. So thanks." Hermione's pie spluttered out her mouth. "Who's gross now?"

"You taught Salazar how to use such language?" Hermione stared at Jack, utterly appalled.

"It's quite funny actually, he legit takes about a minute to piece the phrases correct. I laugh at him all the time and let's just say, he's not a fan."

"I'm glad you're finding it funny Astrid but that portrait of Salazar Slytherin is a vital part of our history and how life was back then. You can't just modernize him." Hermione was red in the face and Astrid said nothing as she marched off, most probably to cool herself down in the library.

"I shouldn't have said that." Astrid sighed. "Hopefully she'll come around." They ate their meal in utter gloom and sadness. Astrid felt horrible.

*

Astrid found herself in Draco Malfoy's grip that night. Her cousin was no longer that childish boy she knew, he had a crazed look in his eyes and he looked utterly happy when Umbridge hummed happily to herself, flinging Harry into a chair. Astrid was surprised that the chair didn't break due to the force used.

She tried pulling her hand out of his death grip but this made him tighten the grip even more. Astrid yelped in surprise. Her dark eyes traveled to Jack, and she mouthed the words, “I am so sorry Jack.” Jack only sighed and looked at Ginny, who was held by Crabbe.

"Padfoot!" Astrid heard Harry yell suddenly. She hadn't noticed that Snape had entered, she hadn't even noticed the funny looking candy in Ron's pocket. "He's got Padfoot! At the place where it's all hidden!" She saw him gulp. "He's got Padfoot!"

Umbridge looked at Snape suspiciously. "What's he raving about? What's Padfoot?"

And in that moment, Astrid wanted to beg Snape not to tell Umbridge the truth. To not tell Umbridge who Padfoot is. Astrid closed her eyes, sure she'd hear Snape telling Umbridge that Padfoot isn't really called Padfoot but is called Sirius Black and is hiding.

"No idea." She heard Snape say and Astrid released a sigh of relief. They made eye contact before he disappeared out her door. Astrid thanked him with her eyes.

"Alright, since you won't tell me willingly, I'll just have to force it out of you myself." Umbridge drew out her wand. "Nothing little Crucio can't fix."

"The Minister had never said you could use spells on students!" Astrid yelled, panicking. Her uncle James had said Harry was in danger, this could be the start and he could possibly die or go insane from all the pain. Astrid felt as though she didn't do her job as protector well.

"What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him!" She smiled and raised her wand, ready to cast the spell. Astrid could see her mouth open.

"If you don't tell her Harry, I will!" Hermione suddenly yelled out. She hadn't spoken to Astrid the last few hours, obviously still mad about the whole Salazar thing. But it wasn't like it was Astrid's fault, Jack was to blame. She'd never teach Salazar such vulgar language.

Umbridge lowered her wand. "Tell me? Tell me what?" She demanded but Harry kept quiet. She raised her wand again.

"You're absolutely right! Dumbledore had left us a secret weapon! If only you'd let Harry and I go, we'd show you where it is!" Hermione sniffed and soon, the three left the room. It was pain strikingly quiet.

"Blimey am I hungry!" Ron suddenly said and Astrid eyed him. He pointed to his pocket.

"Looks like you've got some treats in your pocket, care to share?" Just like Ron had hoped Crabbe and Goyle greedily lunged for his pocket and tore the sweets out. They asked Draco if he wanted one.

"I'm fine."

"Come on Draco, just have one! Have the orange one with the little yellow flecks, it's delicious!" Astrid pushed. It was most definitely not. Draco spat it out the moment it touched his tongue but that damage had been already made. His face was suddenly covered in boils and Astrid rammed her foot down hard on his and he howled pain before he let her go.

After freeing everyone, they raced out the office and out the castle. They met up with Hermione and Harry.

"But how are we going to get there mate?" Ron asked, it seemed as though they were discussing something.

"You can go back you know." Astrid pointed out to Jack, who shook his head.

"I'm part of the DA, and we members must stick together."

"Spoken like a true DA member." Astrid smiled and Ginny came over to them.

"We're going to fly to the Ministry. We're using transportation that the Ministry won't detect. That means no Apparating. We're using Thestrals, problem is, only Luna can see them."

"I see them too." Jack shrugged. "I'll help you guys on." And soon, they were flying towards what could possibly be the last day Harry Potter lived and the last day Astrid saw all her friends. Or Astrid herself lived.

*

After they had found out that Sirius wasn't actually here and that Voldemort had tricked them, Harry retrieved his prophecy. They were joined by Death Eaters then, meaning Lucius was amongst them and Astrid wasn't sure whether to hug him or scowl at him. She did neither, as she didn't get the chance to.

She hexed and stunned and jinxed Death Eaters left, right and left again. She helped Neville with one and the Death Eater's spell managed to hit Astrid in the chest and she felt her chest tighten with pain. Her white shirt soaked with blood. They managed to slip away into a room with a type of structure in the middle.

"Astrid! Astrid! Are you alright?!" Ginny asked when she sat on the floor, her hand still clutching her bleeding chest. Astrid feared she might bleed out and just die there.

"I don't know with what spell I was hit!" Astrid groaned. She saw swirls of black and went tackling Ginny to the ground just in time as the Death Eaters swooped in again.

"The prophecy Potter and you all will live." Lucius sounded almost persuasive. Astrid, through now slightly blurred vision, saw Harry look at the prophecy and then at her. Astrid weakly shook her head and felt herself being dragged up. She saw that everyone had been captured.

Harry said something but Astrid couldn't hear it over the beating of her own heart. Was this how she ended? The girl who was taught to be strong no matter what by Lily Potter herself and she was dying?

Astrid felt herself fall. Falling on the hard ground, her chest still burning and bleeding. Astrid would be lying to herself if she told herself she wasn't scared. She was scared beyond belief.

Would she ever get the chance to ever tell Charlie that she liked him? Maybe she should've told him in the letter, ignored Salazar because he was just a portrait, why should she listen to a portrait?

Through blurry vision, she saw what looked like Bellatrix dueling both Harry and Sirius. A jet of green light hit Sirius in the chest and Astrid lay there, dying, watching her father disappear beyond the veil and somewhere, she heard Fleur or Colette yell, “'e iz not gone! We can just pull 'im out!” And the world went dark.