It was a warm summer night and Asteria was laying in bed. She had not left the manor all summer. She didn't even seen Regulus at all.
Asteria had written to Lily about the arranged married she had been forced into to which the girl replied back with sympathy.
Her father had attempted to invite Evan Rosier over to see her but she refused to leave her room which ended up with her having nothing to eat for the rest of day.
The Hufflepuff girl gently drummed on her stomach as she lay quietly in her bed. Suddenly, there was a small tap at the window which made her eyebrows furrow.
She heard the tap again so she sat up, staring at the glass. The room was dark but she could make out a small pebble which hit the glass.
She got up and slowly creeped over, peering out to her garden. Standing in the manor's garden was Lily, Marlene, Dorcas and James.
Carefully, she pushed it open. "What are you doing?" She hissed down at them so her father didn't hear her. "What if my father sees you?"
"Let's just hope he has bad eye sight." Dorcas replied as she leaned on Marlene. "We're here for you obviously." Lily replied which made her roll her eyes.
"But I'm in my pyjamas." Asteria told them. "Who cares?" Marlene asked which made her huff before opening the window wider and jumping down to the roof underneath.
Carefully she slid down the roof until she jumped off onto the grass. She wore a Beatles band shirt and pyjamas shirt but it was still warm so she was fine.
"What are you waiting for?" Dorcas then asked before leading the group down a nearby dirt path behind the manor hidden by trees.
Lily, Dorcas and Marlene were walking so quickly that her and James got left behind. "How come you're tagging along?" She asked with a smirk. "I heard your name. Couldn't turn down an opportunity to see you." He replied with a wink which made her roll her eyes but smile.
"Hurry up slow pokes!" Dorcas shouted at the pair who quickened their steps to catch up.
The path led them to a group of hills covered in blades of grass. There were no cloud in the sky so they could see the moon and stars clearly.
The group had sat down, most of them laying on their backs looking up at the stars above. James was laying beside Asteria when their hands brushed against each other.
James then took her hand into his, their fingers interlocking. Luckily, the other girls didn't notice it and were too busy arguing wether the moon was made of cheese.
Asteria's face scrunched up when she felt a single raindrop land on her cheek. "I think it's raining." She announced as she sat up.
Suddenly, the sky began to cry and rained poured down on the students. "Crap. We should go back." They all nodded as they jumped up and hurried back to the path.
The trees around created a shelter, blocking the rain from soaking them anymore. Walking back, James noticed her shivering as she was soaked and there was a slight breeze.
James then pulled his coat off his arms and wrapped it over her shoulders. "I'm fine. It's your coat." She said as she tried to take it off but he held it down. "I'm not the one shivering."She rolled her eyes at the boy.
They soon the wall surrounding the garden manor. "Night." Marlene said with a grin. "Bye." Dorcas said with a grin. "See you back at school." Lily said before the girls walked away.
Asteria then lifted the coat off her shoulders and held out over their heads to shelter them from the rain with a smirk. James helped her hold it up as he bent down and pressed his lips against hers.
Asteria's hands relaxed so the coat fell onto the dirt path. "Crap. Sorry." She apologised as she bent down and picked it up. "It's alright." James chuckled before pressing a kiss on her forehead and watching her walk back.
As it was was no slippery, she didn't want to risk climbing up the roof so she opened the back door. She paused to turn around and smile at James one last time before closing the door.
But the smile soon fell from her face when she saw her father's stern face staring at her. "I- I just went out to see mum." She lied.
"Don't lie to me you selfish brat!" He shouted loudly. "I found you a respectful husband and you go around kissing blood-traitors!" He shouted.
The shouts woke up her step-mother who soon wandered down the stairs in her nightgown. "What's happening?" She asked.
Cepheus ignored his wife and continued shouting at his daughter. "How dare you do such a thing!" He screamed at her. "You will marry Rosier this summer before anyone finds out about this!" Asteria's eyes widened.
"I can't!" She shouted. "And why not?" Cepheus hissed back. "B-because I love him." She stuttered for an answer. "You stupid bitch." He hissed through gritted teeth.
He then grabbed the neck of her shirt and dragged her away from the door. Cepheus then lifted up his hand and pointed it at her. "Stupefy!" He shouted.
Asteria was thrown backwards, her body breaking through the closed door she was stood in front of.
This closed off room was the library of the manor. A room which hadn't been touched in years. Books were scattered across the floor and had collected dust. Cobwebs collected in the corners of the room and an armchair in the corner was faded.
-☘︎︎-
The young curly haired girl laid tucked in bed. It had only been a few weeks since her seventh birthday and she was wearing the new baby blue nightgown her mother had bought her.
Suddenly, yelling filled the colossal manor. The young Asteria closed her eyes tightly, pressing her pillow over her ears the block out the arguing between her mother and father but it didn't stop.
The girl then pushed her covers off with her feet before swinging her legs off, her feet not able to reach the floor yet. Then she pushed herself off before creeping over to the door, cringing at each creak of wood which was drowned out by shouting.
She then held onto the doorframe as she peered down at the grand entrance where her parents argued. Her dark eyes then watched her father walk away into the library with his mother ,still shouting, storming after him.
Curious, she crept down the stairs, holding onto the banister as she stepped down each step one by one until she reached the cold floor of the entrance room.
The door to the library was open so Asteria stood at it, staying silent and expecting one of her parents to notice her but they didn't. "You need to spend time with your own daughter!" The curly haired woman shouted at her husband. "That is your responsibility, as the man I bring in the money!" He shouted back, his face going red with anger.
"You are no man!" Rosalind yelled back. It seemed like questioning Cepheus masculinity angered him greatly because he lifted up his hand and struck his wife, the harsh sound of skin on skin filling the manor.
Asteria felt a sudden feeling of rage inside of her tiny body. She then glanced over at her mother's unattended wand on the table beside her. She had heard from Bellatrix Black at a pureblood ball that they used them to harm people.
And although she knew no spells and had never even picked up a wand before, she gripped it in her hands and pointed up at her father. But as it wasn't her wand and she had never preformed magic before, she wasn't in control.
A sudden flash of light shot out of the end of the chestnut wood wand. At this moment, Rosalind noticed the girl and looked at her with her haunting green eyes, an image she would remember for years later.
"Asteria, no!" Her mother shouted as her eyes went wide and glassy. This caught her off guard and look over at her other, subsequently ending with the wand pointed at her.
A bright flash of light filled the library, blinding them all. It wasn't until the light faded and the ringing in Asteria's ears stopped that she noticed her mother's lifeless body on the floor.
Several books off the shelves had flown off, some striking the floor with such force that a dent was created. "What have you done?" Cepheus asked with wide eyes of shock as Asteria ran over to her mother, shaking her to wake up.
"No, she's okay. She's just sleeping!" Asteria shouted, her voice breaking due to the tears which fell down her face and landed on the satin sleeves of her mother's dress. But no matter how much she shook her, she did not wake up. "She's dead Asteria." Cepheus told her in a stern and firm voice. "You killed her."
-☘︎︎-
Asteria's eyes filled up with tears as she watched her father approach her. "You deserve this." He hissed before pointing his wand at her again. "Crucio!"
Asteria let out a loud scream, her skin feeling like it was burning off. It was the worst pain she had ever felt in her life.
She felt weak, like the life was draining out of her. Although it only lasted a few minutes, it felt like it lasted an eternity.
She was so weak that her eyes closed so she didn't see him leave the library however she did hear the slam of the door closing.
She was exhausted. She could barely lift her head up. Her skin was stinging, pale and all the warmth had disappeared from it.
Asteria was sobbing loudly, her throat becoming dry and sore from screaming. She was wailing so she didn't hear the door open again.
But when she opened her eyes, she saw a small elf. It was the house elf which worked for her family however she had never seen them before.
"Please, sit up Mistress Asteria." The small creature begged as they tried to push her to sit up. Asteria tired to get up but she couldn't move. "I heard it all." The elf sighed. "Where can I take you?"
"P-Potter manor." She stuttered weakly. That was the first place that came to her mind at the moment of time.
The elf then held onto her arm before apparting to the front door of the Potter Manor. The elf knocked on the door as Asteria's head spun.
The door opened to reveal James in the doorway. "Hel-" He stopped when he saw the frail and weak looking girl. "What happened?" He asked with urgency as he held out his arms to stabiles her.
"They used the cruciatus curse on her. I heard everything. It's was horrible." The elf explained. "Thank you."
James said as he carefully picked up the girl and carried her to the couch in the living room.
It was late so only James was awake. He didn't want to wake up his mum so he attempted to care for her himself but she didn't get better.
She was still weak and exhausted. He finally gave in and shouted up the stairs. "Mum! Please come down!" He shouted, choking slightly as he attempted to hold back the tears in his eyes.
Euphemia heard her son's calls and hurried down the stairs to see Hufflepuff girl. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?" She asked her son as she hurried over to her.
"Watch her." She ordered as see rushed into the kitchen, coming back with a small vile of medicine. Carefully, she lifted up her head and poured the medicine into her mouth.