Asteria's eyes twitched; she was feeling a weird sensation. It started at her fingertips.. they felt warm. A bit too warm for her liking.
It was strange since she hadn't felt anything in a long time.
The burning sensation slowly climbed up her fingers, through her wrists and arms, collecting all the way to her chest. She tried to clutch her aching heart, but she couldn't move.
She couldn't breathe either. Her nose didn't seem to do it's work. It was as if she was underwater all of a sudden.. voices muffled and surroundings dark.
Oh lord.. she thought. Not another one of those nightmares, please.
The magnified voices ringing in her ears terrified her. She could hear the quietest of breaths.. the rustle of a gentle breeze.. even the blood flowing through her own veins.
Suddenly, a blinding light tore through the darkness. She was grateful for a while, but it kept on brightening until it felt unbearable.
Her body was on fire. She needed to breathe.
And she did..
Ria sat up in her place, drenched in sweat, panting for air. Her vision was too bright for a few seconds, but then it settled. Her eyes roamed around the room.
The hospital wing..
She hid her face in the palm of her hands, almost wanting to cry. She couldn't stop shaking of fear.
"Miss. Edwards.." A sigh came from the entrance of the hospital wing. Dumbledore stood there, gently smiling at her. He wasn't alone; he came with Madam Pomfrey, Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape trailing behind him.
"I am glad to see you well and awake." They walked closer to her bed. "How are you feeling?" He asked.
"Warm.." she quietly answered. "It's too warm. Can I.." she croaked out. "Can I have some water, please?" She asked.
McGonagall almost immediately made her way to the water jug in the room and fetched a glass of it for her. Ria pushed the blanket off her body before gulping the drink. She needed to cool down.
McGonagall then placed her palm against her forehead. "She's burning with fever. Pomfrey?"
The matron nodded. "I'll take care of her, Professor." She made her way towards the cabinet of medicines.
"May I ask.. what was the last thing you remember?" This time, it was Severus who asked the question.
Ria thought back upon it, and a certain redhead came rushing to her mind.
"I was on my way back to the Dungeons. I stopped to talk to Sir Nicholas, and then through his ghost, I saw bright yellow eyes."
It wasn't a lie. She had just left some parts behind.
Severus nodded, exchanging looks with the Headmaster. Ria took this time to look around the room. There were students in other beds.. completely still.
"Why am I the only one awake?" She quickly asked, looking back at Professor Dumbledore.
The old wizard just softly smiled. "You were the first petrified student that we tried the Mandrake potion on, Miss. Edwards." He answered. "It will be soon enough that we heal the others too."
The girl nodded in relief. Soon, Pomfrey arrived with a goblet of some Potion. Ria made a bitter face at the medicine, but had to take it under the matron's scary gaze.
"Well.. now have some rest." Said Minerva. "We'll soon contact your mother and let her know that you are well."
Her eyes slightly widened. "You told Mum?" She asked in disbelief. "How could you, Minnie? You know she worries a bit too much, don't you?"
The witch pursed her lips. "What did you expect us to do then? Hide the fact that her daughter is lying still in the hospital wing, petrified?" She rhetorically asked. And Ria just quietly sipped her medicine when she did not find an answer.
"Not to worry, Miss. Edwards. I'm sure Mr. Diggory would be taking good care of his sister." Dumbledore assured her, and she nodded. The group of Professors left the hospital wing.
"Here.." Pomfrey extended another goblet in front of her, and yet again, Ria made a bitter face. "It's not medicine. It's just a potion to calm you down. You need a good sleep, dear."
When Ria had gulped down the sweet, soothing potion and gone to sleep, Madam Pomfrey hurriedly left the room to join the Professors. As soon as she saw them, the worry on her face returned.
"Well.. she doesn't seem injured in any way." She said to them.
"I don't understand, Headmaster.." Professor McGonagall admitted. "I mean— I know her mother has had a history with quick healing because of her magic, but healing from a literal petrification seems a bit far-fetched."
"True, Headmaster." Sprout nodded in agreement. "The Mandrake potion isn't even completely brewed yet."
"It is curious.." Dumbledore trailed off, looking in the direction of Asteria Edwards, but the door of the hospital wing was in his path.
"I don't know why, Headmaster.. but I feel like I was a bit late." Pomfrey admitted, her voice of concern and curiosity. "When I came in.. there was something in the room— I could feel it slowly fading away to nothing."
Severus raised a questioning eyebrow. "Could you elaborate? What was it?"
"I can't explain it, really," said Pomfrey. "But it was just a feeling.. like an aura surrounding her. And it faded away when she calmed down."
Snape nodded although he was disappointed with the answer. He looked at Dumbledore.
"Isn't it a bit early.. Headmaster?" He asked, his tone of nervousness.
"Is it.. Severus?" He asked back. Snape couldn't answer it. "It is magic, after all. It will bloom when it is most needed."
"For now, it is better to not make assumptions." He sighed, again, looking towards the door. "Only time will tell what is written in Asteria Edwards's fate."
"Ria, you fu—" Cedric bit back his tongue in front of his cousin, who was tightly hugging her friend. "Idiot! Who told you to go wandering around the castle all by yourself?!"
"Mr. Diggory." Madam Pomfrey sighed. "As much as I admire your concern for your family, this is a hospital wing. Keep it quiet."
He sighed, looking down. "Sorry, Madam Pomfrey."
She nodded, approving of his apology. And then he walked towards her cousin, who had just woken up from her sleep.
"You literally just entered the room.." said Ria, as let go of Sophie. "I would've appreciated a 'how are you feeling?'. Perhaps a 'are you well, my little sister?'.. instead of cursing me out at the first glance. I'm still weak, you know?" She faked a whimper.
Cedric did not find that funny.
"You are?" asked Sophie, tone of concern. "You should've told me, Ria! I practically threw myself at you! I should've held back—"
"Oh, shut up!" said Ria, waving her hand discreetly. "I love hugs like that. Especially from you." The girl smiled.
But then, she looked at her cousin's serious expressions. She blinked. "Ever heard of lighting up a situation with a joke?"
He shook his head. "I don't recall this being that kind of situation. There was a basilisk. You could've died, you careless child!" He whispered.
She gave him an offended look. "Why are you acting like it's my fault?!" She whispered back.
"You could've been more careful!"
"How was I supposed to be careful when the basilisk lived right fricking here?!"
"Shh!" The matron harshly interrupted their banter.
"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey." They replied in unison, and then looked at each other.
Ria pursed her lips, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright, couz." She said, almost sympathetically. "There's no shame in admitting that you were concerned about me."
Cedric smacked the back of her head, making Ria gasp at him, offended. "You fool, don't you go hitting me like that! I'm still we—"
But her sentence was cut off when she felt the wind being knocked out of her chest. Cedric had leapt towards her and taken her in a hug.
Sophie smiled at the sweet sight. She had seen Cedric desperately stay strong for the sake of Ria's mother, all these days. His stress had practically melted away at the sight of Ria in all her wellness.
Ria's eyes slightly tears up, but she blinked that feeling away as she tightly hugged him back. The thought of not being able to see Cedric ever again did scare her a lot.
"I don't need to ask you how you are.." he said, letting go of her. "I know you're okay." She smiled widely, giving him a small nod.
And although he was pretty sure how tough his little sister was, he couldn't help but ask again; "You're okay, right?"
Ria chuckled at his worried face, nodding a bit more clearly. "Don't you worry, I'm great."
He nodded, smiling. "Good to know." He sighed. "And please, the next time you go wandering around looking for a basilisk? Do tell me so I could knock some sense into you." He gently nudged her.
She rolled her eyes. "You'll need to have some sense in yourself before you knock some of it into me, you know?" She said cleverly.
He sighed. "Well, at least now I know you're Ria, and not some duplicate posing as her." The two laughed quietly, just glad to see each other again.
"Where're Blaise and Theodore?" Ria looked at Sophie. "Are they alright?"
She nodded. "Yeah.. They came by to see you, once or twice." She answered.
Ria nodded pleasantly. "You didn't tell Theodore about that thing.. did you?"
That question made Sophie smile mischievously. "No. But poor thing hasn't asked about it either. They wouldn't admit, but they really were upset seeing you like that, you know?"
"They were?" asked Ria with a subtle chuckle.
"Of course they were! Did you think they were hanging around just for that silly comic book?" she replied with a chuckle.
"Yeah?"
Sophie's smile dropped. "Seriously? You underestimate your company way too much, then."
Ria waved her comment off, flattered.
"And besides, I don't think Blaise is the type of boy to keep Theodore's company just for—"
"What are you two even talking about?" Cedric interrupted.
"Nothing." The girls replied in a heartbeat. And he frowned, feeling left out.
"It's fine. You aren't missing out on anything." His cousin assured him. "It's not like you'd get what we're talking about either. I've tried to tell you before but it just goes whoosh~ over your head every time." she said, her hand flying over his head.
"Fine." he answered sulkily.
"Anyway.. was Mum here?"
He nodded, a bit confused. "Yeah, she was.. how'd you know?"
She shrugged. "Not that hard to figure out once you know how much she worries." She answered. "Well, where's she now?"
"Last I heard from Dad was that she went to fight Dumbledore, after he let Potter and Weasley go to the Chamber of Secrets with Lockhart. Apparently, Ginny Weasley has been held hostage there."
And that was just the sentence that finally broke the peace of the hospital wing.
Asteria Edwards was panicking all by herself after Madam Pomfrey had kicked her cousin and her friend out of the room. Afterall, something about their conversation had been responsible for making Ria scream in panic, and indirectly disturb the other conscious patients.
In all honesty, she would have preferred to not know this at all. She felt miserable since she had seen yet another horrible vision.. like the one before when the Chamber of Secrets had opened.
Had Ginny been taken to the Chamber that day? Right after Ria was petrified? Those questions made her nervous. She hoped that wasn't true.
Oh Merlin, had she failed to protect her?!
There was no end to her thoughts until she found herself giving away to tiredness. God knew how she still felt sleepy after being in a deep slumber for so many weeks.
But then again, sleeping in the hospital wing felt way more relaxing than sleeping in her underwater dorm room.
Though her not-so-deep sleep was soon interrupted with some rushed footsteps and hushed whispers. And when she woke up to look around, she found a familiar face that made her leave her bed in an instance.
She ran towards him and leaping into his arms, almost knocking him down, but he held her tight. "Oh.. you're alright.. It's okay, you're alright." She kept assuring herself, while Harry couldn't help but chuckle at her worry.
"You're adorable when you're worried." His out-of-pocket comment made her smack his arm. "Ow, careful! I was just stabbed there!"
Ria looked at him with wide eyes. "You were WHAT—"
"Just joking—" he quickly covered her mouth, not wanting to be thrown out by Madam Pomfrey (yes, Sophie had mentioned it to him).
"See? I'm perfectly fine. Nothing wrong. I wasn't stabbed."
Lie.
She silently glared at him as he took his hand off her mouth. "Nothing to joke about." She grumbled, as they walked out of the hospital wing. "Where're Ginny and Ron? Are they alright?"
Harry nodded with a smile. Something about seeing her alright again brought him to content.
"They just left." He answered. "They aren't hurt either. Pomfrey thought it'd be better for Ginny to spend time with her brothers."
"She's— She's not—"
"She was taken today.. not the day you were petrified."
At his answer, Ria felt the reign of terror leave her mind. She breathed out in relief and hugged him again, gently this time. Harry was confused, but nonetheless wrapped his arms around her.
"Well.." he breathed in. "How're you feeling?"
"Okay.."
"Sure?" He asked again out of concern. "No problems.. nothing?"
She smiled, letting go of him. "Yup."
He returned the smile. "Great."
"Asteria?" A familiar voice made her look behind Harry.
"Ron?"
They weren't close, and their feud about Slytherin wasn't really resolved just yet, but seeing each other alright made them run towards each other and hug briefly.
"You're back— Does that mean Hermione's back too—" He craned his head to look inside, but Ria shaking her head made him look at her with scrunched eyebrows.
"Not yet; they're working on making more Mandrake potion. But she'll be alright in no time, and everyone else too." She answered with assurance in her voice.
Ron gave her a tight smile, and slowly looked away when the guilt had finally started hitting him.
She was most definitely not the Slytherin heir. He knew that now.
"Asteria.." he started slowly. "I've been an arse—"
"I agree." She nodded.
"What?"
"I said I agree, Ronald Weasley." She nodded again, with a small amused smile. "You've been an arse. So please—" she tilted an ear towards him. "I'm eager to hear that apology of yours."
Ron rolled his eyes playfully while Asteria glanced at Harry. He mocked the words 'petty and proud' wordlessly, making her gently push him.
That phrase was surely going to become an inside joke.
"I'm really sorry." He said, "I shouldn't have assumed.. you know.. things about you. You're not mad, are you?"
"Of course, I was." She answered in a heartbeat. "But not anymore."
"I'm glad we can still be friends.."
Ria looked at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Who told you that?"
Ron's eyes quickly widened. "Oh Merlin, Ria please—"
"I'm joking— I'm joking! Calm down!" She chuckled. "I forgive you, Ron."
Her and Harry laughed silently at him, and after a while he joined in too. But at the end of the day, they were just glad that everything was going back to normal.
"Ria!" A rushed voice took their attention, and a familiar face came running towards the trio. "You're alright! Godric, you're alright!"
Ria let out an 'oomph' as her mother took her in a tight hug, slightly lifting her in the process.
Another couple of footsteps followed her lead, and Amos appeared after some seconds. He was breathing heavily. "How on earth do you still run that fast?"
Though his uneasiness disappeared when he saw his niece. He straightened up, watching as his sister cried into her daughter's shoulder.
"Mum.. I'm alright." Ria smiled, gently patting her mother's head.
Isabella sniffed, frowning as she looked at her. "I'm sorry. I was scared." She said, watching Ria with content as she wiped her tears off.
"It's okay." The girl clucked her tongue. "Now keep your chin up. You are Isabella Diggory!" She said, grabbing her mother's shoulders and giving her an encouraging shake. She chuckled at that, nodding afterwards.
She then looked at her uncle and walked towards him, while Isabella turned towards the boys.
"I heard what happened.." She talked to Ron first. "How is your sister?"
"She's good." He answered. "Just a bit scared, that's all. But she's tough."
She smiled. "That's great." She then looked at Harry. "And you two.. You two are really, really brave, for what you did today."
A light blush climbed their cheeks at that compliment.
Harry took a deep breath. This was his chance.
"Ms. Diggory.." he softly called out. "I've heard— erm— I've heard that.. you knew my Mum and Dad."
Isabella's heart skipped a beat.
"Is it true that you were friends?" Harry didn't know what he was going to accomplish by asking this question. But he needed it; a little flicker of familiarity, if he could find any.
She sighed, finally nodded. "I should've told you earlier, but I didn't know how to. I know, that wasn't very mature of me." She scoffed a chuckle.
"It's okay. Feels nice to know." said Harry, his smile widening a little.
"Well.." she put her hand on his shoulder. "If you ever need anything— and by that I mean literally anything— please don't hesitate to ask us, yeah?"
"And I know the Dursleys are the worst of people." She said. Harry sniggered, and Isabella found his approval in it. "So if you ever need to get away, no matter for how long.. I'm just a call away."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Ms. Diggory."
"Call me Isabella."
"Oh— okay.. Isabella."
The woman patted his cheek fondly, with a hearty grin which Ria swore she rarely saw on her mother.
"What— What're you even talking about—"
"Yeah, I mean— it's good to see you back— but I don't remember coming to visit—"
"Me neither—"
Ria and Sophie had their lips pressed in a line while they watched the two Slytherin boys blabber and deny their visit to the hospital wing. The girls made eye contact in between the boys' poorly crafted lies and red-tinted ears. They sniggered a bit when they caught them glaring at Sophie for selling them out.
"Oh, there's no point in lying." said Ria, recollecting her voice. "I might have been still, but I could see and hear you when I was petrified."
Blaise and Theodore slowly glanced at each other, then looked back at her.
"Are you— um—" Blaise cleared his throat. "Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"
Ria and Sophie looked at each other again, cracking up at their attempts to just deny the fact that they had visited Ria in the hospital wing. They tried, they really did. But they couldn't stop laughing, almost rolling across the seat of the compartment.
And yes, they were on their way home early since their exams were cancelled. It was divine intervention.
"What?" Theodore bellowed.
"What?" Ria asked back at his question. "It's so funny to see you explain like that! Just admit you were there, okay? There's no point in lying. You won't lose your pride.. or your manliness.. whatever you're trying to preserve, I promise."
The brunette boy pouted, crossing his arms as if he did not care. Ria squinted her eyes playfully, lips upturned in a smile.
"Hey.. Theo." She called. And he looked at her. "Do you wanna know more about Spider-Man?"
"Yes!" The squeal did not sound like it came from a boy. All three of them looked at him.
"Why.." Blaise wondered. "Why do I hang out with you?"
Theodore cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Um— how would I know?"
"So.. do you?" Ria asked again.
He just nodded this time, trying to mask his curiosity. Finally, the torture was going to be over.
"Actually.. I don't have to tell you." She said. "I have many comic books. I can lend them to you.."
"Really?" His face adorned with a smile.
Ria nodded. Here came the hard part..
"I can." She repeated. "But I won't."
Both Theodore's and Blaise's expressions changed. "Oh, come on!" said Zabini. "Just give him that.. whatever it was. I can't stand this idiot's whining anymore!"
"No one asked you to stay around." Nott replied, his teeth gritting. He turned towards Asteria. "What's your problem? Why would you—"
"You won't like it." She stated.
Theodore raised an eyebrow, ridiculed. "You can't say that!" He defended himself. "You don't know that! Don't make assumptions!"
"So, if I lend it to you, can you promise that you will read it, no matter what?"
"Why do I have to promise you?" He asked, getting even more confused by the second. "Of course, I am going to read it anyway."
"No, you won't."
"Yes, I will—"
"It's a Muggle comic."
Then came the silence Ria had expected. Theodore's mouth was slightly open, but then it slowly closed. It was disappointment, she assumed.
Knew it.
The silence eventually grew awkward, and Ria sighed, getting up from her seat. She looked at Sophie. "I was going to meet someone, actually.. You wanna come along?"
She shook her head. "Go ahead. I'll have to find Hannah." She said, referring to her Hufflepuff roommate. "Pickett's with her." Yup, she had failed to save Pickett from her roommate's sharp gaze.
She nodded, then looked at the two boys before leaving the compartment. "See ya.. I guess."
"..and when father returned home, everything inside was ruined. All the magical artefacts, even the household items. As if someone had taken their anger out on our Manor. It was like a storm had wreaked havoc.."
She heard Malfoy's voice as she passed his compartment. This peaked her interest, just slightly. She slowed down.
"Of course, my parents would not tell me this.. so I ordered my new House-elf to tell me. That filthy, smelly creature hasn't been told by father to not tell certain things to me."
"He told me there was an attacker. And they left a note. The name was addressed as 'Inferno'. It said 'a punishment for what you did'.."
"Oh Goodness.. It's a good thing your parents weren't home.."
Malfoy scoffed. "I wished they were.. Especially my father. If he was.. the attacker would have been dead, that instance.. whoever that Inferno was.."
Ria shook her head and continued walking. She was getting distracted. Right now, all she had to do was find her.. Ginny Weasley.
After what seemed like hours of searching, Asteria finally found the girl she was looking for. She sat there with her knees tucked under her chin, alone in the compartment, close to the window which she stared out of.
She softly knocked on the door, trying not to surprise her. Ginny turned to look at her, and then nodded when she saw Ria.
The girl slid the door open and took the seat in front of her. They gently smiled at each other, meeting each other for the first time since that day. Ria didn't know why Ginny had avoided her for so many days.
"How're you feeling, Gin?" She gently asked.
There was no proper response, only a short hum and what seemed like a half nod.
Ginny had a lump forming at the back of her throat, because of guilt. She didn't want to speak. If she did, she'd end up crying. And she didn't want to..
She didn't want to cause any more trouble for Ria. She felt Ria was too kind, even after what she had done.
But she had to apologise..
She opened her mouth to utter one, but all that left was choking sobs. Asteria was quick to sit beside her, give her a shoulder while she cried.
"It's okay.. Ginny.. It's alright.. I didn't hold a grudge, I promise." Ria kept assuring the crying girl, but she just shook her head.
"You could've.. you could've died.."
"But I didn't." She replied, trying to cheer her up. "I'm fine. You're fine. Everyone's fine! No one was hurt! And you weren't doing it because you wanted to, right?"
She knew the story..
Harry had told her the day she had healed from the petrification. He had told her everything; what they had done to find out what the beast was.. what the beast was.. about the diary.. the day Ginny was kidnapped.. who was behind it.. and everything else.
"He was controlling you.." she said softly, avoiding his name for the sake of Ginny. "And I know you tried to fight back, but He was inevitably stronger. It wasn't your fault.."
Ginny hesitantly nodded, and Ria took her in a side hug.
"But.. but you got involved.. It was my fault.."
Ria quietly 'tsk'ed. "Gin.. I told you. It was him, not you."
"Uh-huh.." she shook her head. "Do you remember what happened that day? The day you were petrified?" And Ria nodded in response.
Of course, how could she forget?
"Hey.. hey— are you alright?" asked Ginny, worried.
Ria's chest heaved as she looked at her. She quickly got up and ushered Ginny away.
"What— What are you—"
"Shh.. We gotta hide.. It's bad— It's really bad—"
"Ria—"
"Ginny please.." whispered Ria as they hid behind a pillar. "Please— I need you to trust me! I've got a bad feeling about this.."
"You.. You don't know, do you?" Her hesitant question made Asteria slowly look at her.
"I don't know what?"
"He— He said he could feel you." She whispered, eyes blurring with tears. "He could feel your magic.."
"Ginny.." Ria gulped. "Who are you talking about?"
"I don't.. I don't want to.." Her body began shaking. "I don't want to hurt you.."
"...why would you hurt me?"
"He'll make me.." Ginny's words quivered, tears streaming down her face. "Please.. please, stay away from me. I don't want to hurt you.."
Ria shook her head furiously, images of an unconscious Ginny and a giant snake running through her head again. She shut her eyes, clutching her head.
No way. She couldn't be a..
"Asteria Edwards." A hoarse voice called out, and Ria looked up to see a ghost hovering beside them. "Ginevra Weasley. Is everything quite alright?"
"Sir Nicholas.. greetings." Ria grumbled out as she tried to shake her headache away. "No worries, Sir, it's nothi—"
She stopped in the midst, her heart thumping against her chest, blood rushing to her ears. She found herself unable to move.
Hey.. she called out to the voice in her head. If that's you warning me.. thank you.
"Ginny.. get behind me." she whispered without looking at the girl. "Whatever happens, don't come out, alright?"
"No, no!" The ghost of Nearly Headless Nick laughed. "I am no threat to you! I swear!"
"Ria—"
"Just do what I say." She said, pushing her behind her, shielding her from whatever danger that was coming their way.
"It won't harm me.."
An invisible shiver crept up Ria's skin. She slowly looked at Ginny. "What.."
"I'm sorry.." she cried. "I'm sorry— it's too late.."
When Ria looked back at her front, she saw a pair of bright yellow eyes staring at her through the ghostly body of Sir Nicholas.
"He said he could feel me.." Ria recalled the words. "What— What did you mean by that? If you don't mind.."
Ginny wiped her tears away. "Before I came to you.. He said that, and He showed me a face. And told me to bring that girl to Him."
"My face?" She asked, a bit hesitant.
"I thought it was your face." She answered, feeling guilt eat her up again. "Now that I look back at it.. the girl was someone completely different. I just thought I saw you, I don't know why.."
"But I didn't want to harm you.." She added. "So I tried to warn you.. But it was too late."
"I was already petrified." Ria nodded in understanding.
"But the Basilisk didn't try to take you to the Chamber.. like He wanted. Maybe it knew that you weren't the right girl."
A misunderstanding.. That was all it was.
"Well.. doesn't matter." said Asteria. "All that matters is we made it out alive."
The conversation lingered in the back of her mind even hours later, when she had reached the station. Ria stared at her mother as she walked towards her. Both of them had similar, glowing smiles on their faces.
"Are you going to cry again?" She asked hugging her mother.
Isabella gently smacked her head. "Don't taunt your mother, Missy."
"Apologies, Madre." Ria flashed her a cheeky smile, making her playfully roll her eyes.
She then looked at Tina and Sophie. "Hello, Mrs. Scamander."
"Hello, dear." She smiled at her, and then looked down at her granddaughter. "Now, don't think we didn't take notice of what you did, Sophie Cordelia Scamander."
Sophie pressed her lips in a line, exchanging a look with the Edwards. "I promise, I took care of him." She justified herself.
"Maybe you did." She added. "But it still wasn't very responsible of you.. taking Pickett with you without saying anything."
"Sorry, Grandma!" Sophie said in a hurry. "But did you bring what I asked you to?"
"What you asked me to.." she trailed off, but then noticed the box she had asked Isabella to hold. "Oh, yes.. here." She took the box and handed it to her granddaughter.
Sophie grinned, her excitement barely holding in as she turned to Asteria. "So.. Ria." She said. "You know.. this year we didn't get to celebrate your birthday because.. well, you were petrified. And because of that, I didn't get to give my first ever gift to you!" said Sophie, holding the box out to her. "Go on! Open it."
Ria looked at her face, then the box (with some small holes) with curiosity. She opened the lid, and two marble-like eyes stared back at her. Ria gasped, looking down at the tabby fluffball.
"Ta-dah!" Sophie bellowed. "She's yours now."
"She's adorable! Oh my God—" Ria squealed, holding the little kitten in her hands. "Mum— look at her!"
"I know right?" said Isabella, admiring the lovely kitten.
"Sophie!" The girl went ahead and hugged her tightly, but making sure the kitten stayed out of the way. "Thank you! Thank you so much.."
"So.. what are you naming her?" She asked enthusiastically.
And Ria stated the first name that popped in her head. "Cassie!" She booped the tabby's nose, grinning widely when she tried to lick her finger.
Talks and laughs were being exchanged for a while, when the pair of mother-daughter spotted some people. Ria spotted Theodore Nott, and Isabella spotted Lucius Malfoy.
But unlike Theodore, who was trying to avoid Ria, Lucius was walking towards them.
"Er— Mum. I'll be back, yeah? I have to meet a friend." She said, holding Sophie's hand and dragging her with her.
"Be quick!"
"Yup!"
"Isabella." Lucius said coldly as he stood in front of her and Tina Scamander.
"Lucius." She replied in the same tone, but with a hint of wit.
He was quiet for a moment, as if waiting for her to start the conversation. But as seconds passed, the small smirk on her lips irked him more and more.
"It was you.. wasn't it?" He asked.
The woman raised an eyebrow, her smirk growing ever so slightly. "Me?"
"I know it was you who did it." He stated, his grip tightening over his wand as he was losing his cool.
"Did what?" She asked. "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Don't lie to me, you insolent freak!" He said exasperatedly.
She raised an eyebrow. "You sure throw that word around carelessly, knowing quite well who you bowed in front of, Malfoy."
"Lucius." A blonde woman was quick to be by his side, holding him from taking his wand out. While Isabella was as composed as ever.
"Narcissa. Long time no see." She nodded towards her, and she nodded back politely.
"You know what you did.." said Lucius, taking a shaky breath. "The artefacts that you broke were passed down from my ancestors. They were irreplaceable. I could drag you to the Ministry for property damage, you know?"
"Oh.. just the way I could drag you for threatening lives at Hogwarts, you mean?" She questioned, annoying Lucius furthermore.
"You know what I advise?" said Isabella. "If you want to keep that precious pride of yours, don't start a game you can't win." She smiled at him, and then took a step closer. "And don't you dare threaten my daughter's life again, or else the next thing that breaks won't be those precious artefacts of yours."
She smiled at the pair, before backing away. Lucius clenched his jaw, giving her one last glare before walking away. His wife followed behind.
A moment of silence passed.
"Isabella.." said Mrs. Scamander.
"Yes?"
"What did you do?" She asked, out of pure concern.
"Absolutely nothing, Tina." she batted her eyelashes innocently. And Tina sighed, but did not question further.
Isabella's eyes roamed around for Ria and Sophie, but instead, they found someone else. She smirked. "Hey, Tina. Do you mind coming with me? There's someone I want to meet."
"Theo!"
The boy in question bit his tongue, resisting the urge to turn around at the familiar voice. Though, his father did turn.
"Oh.. Hello, Mr. Nott." said Ria confidently, unlike the last time she had met him. "We met at Madam Malkin's. Asteria Edwards." He nodded, then looked at Sophie.
"It's Sophie Scamander. Nice to meet you."
He nodded again, then looked at his son. "Are they your friends?"
"Yes." Ria answered. And instead of being mad, he looked slightly impressed.
The Edwards girl, and a Scamander..
"What is it?" Theodore asked, wanting the conversation to be over.
Please don't mention the Muggle comic.. Please don't mention the Muggle comic.. Please don't mention th—
"You left your Potions essay with me." She responded, holding out a roll of parchment.
Theodore's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What essay?
"Here." She said, forcefully handing him the essay. "That's all. Have a great summer! See ya!" The two girls rushed away without another word.
"So.. you did manage to befriend her." said his father, looking down at him.
Theodore looked down, nodding. "Yes, father."
He gave him a hum of approval, before turning in his spot and continuing to walk. Theo followed him, falling behind a little.
He opened the roll, but closed it twice as quickly. He checked if his father was looking at him. He wasn't..
He opened the roll again, and a vibrant red and blue cover stared back at him.
The Amazing Spider-Man #1
He rolled the parchment close and took a deep breath. His lips threatened to break into a smile, but he made sure to keep his excitement in check.
The two girls looked around as they did not find their guardians at the place they had left them. Though they did when they passed through the wall and onto the King's Cross station; they found them talking with a big old man with a moustache, and a grumpy face. Oh, Harry was right next to him.
"I knew it was you.." they heard the man grumble as they closed in on the group.
Isabella's smile widened, though it was pretty fake. "Oh! Good to know you recognise me.." she said merrily. "So there's no need for me to remind you, is it, Vernon?"
The man straightened. "Those— Those threats won't work on me, Diggory!" He whisper-yelled.
She tilted her head cluelessly. "Now now.. when on earth did I threaten you, Vernon?" She clicked her tongue. "All I said was that I hope you're taking good care of your nephew.."
Ria pulled Harry aside from the conversation. His face lit up as he noticed her. "So that's your uncle, huh?" She asked, eyeing the man who had a hard time keeping eye contact with her mother.
Harry nodded with a sigh. "Yes.. but no worries." He quickly added. "He's just as heartwarming as your uncle, if not more." Sarcasm dripped off his voice, and Ria nodded to keep up with him.
"Oh.. that's really nice to hear." The two sniggered.
"Well.." Ria dropped her tone. "Mum's told you already, but feel free to drop by our house any time."
She dug a piece of paper out of her pocket. She had intended to give it to Theodore, but had kept it to herself once she remembered he didn't have a telephone at his house.
"Here." She handed it to him. "One call, and your rescue team is on the way." She said with a playful, but sincere tone. It made Harry chuckle.
"Thank you." He said, unexpectedly taking her in a hug.
They had been doing that a lot; hugging. Harry loved their hugs, and so did she.
"..for everything."
"You're welcome." She said as they parted.
"Come on, boy." Said the grumpy uncle in a tone of rush. "I'm getting late."
"Yes." He said, walking behind the Dursley. "See you, Ria."
She waved back at him. "See you.."
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[word count: 5948]
a/n: anddd we're done with CoS (is it just me or that went quick?)
anyway I feel so good being back to updating regularly :3