In Servitude to the Dark || Tom Riddle

𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨

September 2, 1993

When Aster got down to the Great Hall the next day - somehow making it out of bed in time despite her exhaustion - she found most of the Slytherin House looking at her critically. Thinking her 'Knot of Misery' was exposed, she quickly checked only to find it wasn't. It wasn't until she reached the Gryffindor table did she realize the case of the staring was because of her new wardrobe.

Aster had kept mostly to herself yesterday, so this was the first time, everyone got to see Aster Potter's clothes actually fitting her slender form. It gave her an air of tasteful pride and confidence instead of raggedy sloppiness. The lines of her classier school robes were straight, not being ruined by the bunching of cloth underneath from ill-fit clothes. Her pumps, with their tasteful heels lifting her up two inches, were well shined and not in tatters. She even realized she was walking more upright, rather than hunched down.

Deep down, almost subconsciously, she wondered if the extra sway her heels brought to her hips would please Marvolo.

"What on earth are you wearing!" Ron said loudly, one of the only people looking Aster up and down with distaste. "You look like you belong with the Slytherins with that getup."

"Oh, be quiet, Ron," Hermione scolded. "I for one think she looks amazing." Judging by the looks of some of the boys (and a few of the girls), she wasn't the only one.

Aster ignored their looks, not really concerned about that sort of thing. "I decided to treat myself this summer," Aster explained the unasked questions before sitting across from Hermione and next to Neville.

Unfortunately, Aster quickly lost her favor with Hermione when she told her of the special classes she was taking in place of Care and Divination. Ron was just mad that he lost his slacking partner.

"It's like you transfigured into a totally different person, mate," he complained, still shooting dark looks at Aster's well-tailored clothes.

"You can't transfigure personalities," Hermione corrected before turning to Aster. "If you only told me earlier this summer, I could have added those classes too." Aster couldn't even figure out how Hermione was taking the classes that she already was, let alone adding more onto her plate.

Maybe some of her classes are on the weekends too, she thought. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything before," Aster began. "But I thought you already knew since the instructions were in McGonagall's letter. And besides, I didn't even know if I'd be allowed to. As it is, I have to pay for my own Politic's tutor. The school wouldn't cover it."

Hermione nodded slowly to Aster's explanation. "Oh, I'm not mad," she said, making the group look at her in disbelief. "Fine. I'm not that mad. But you better save your notes for me. Especially Healing." She added in mock sternness.

"Only if you save your History notes for me," Aster shot back, and they both broke out in grins.

"You two are insane," Ron said, shaking his head. "Feels like I'm sitting with the Ravenclaws instead of Gryffindors."

Neville nodded mutely.

Aster's classes were an improvement from last year. She didn't know if it was because her core had grown or if it was because of her better grasp of theory, but Aster didn't have to cast a spell more than once or twice to master it. If her Charms class, the first class of the year, was any indication she would be having a lot of free time during class as she waited for the other students to master their spells. Next time, she'd think about bringing something else to do in class.

Potions was next, and it didn't go as well as she'd hoped.

Oh, she managed the potion just fine. But when she turned in, she was accused of cheating and the contents of her vial and cauldron were vanished without warning. For almost an entire minute, Aster just stood there stunned, as if Snape had vanished her thoughts instead of her potion. All the while the Slytherin half of the class laughed.