December 19 1995
songs: lay all your love on me by ABBA
can't take my eyes off you by Frankie Valli
The kiss by Nicholas Hooper
Seven devils by Florence + the machine
📍Room of Requirement
OOTD:
The dance had been postponed and cancelled several times, students making complaints that they did not want to stay at school longer for a dance as small and unimportant compared to the Yule ball
It had been decided that the dance would take place on the eighteenth, leaving the nineteenth to pack and leave for the holidays.
Astrid put her earrings on as she ran after Harry and Ron, Hermione hurrying behind her friend in a silky blue dress that matched her Yule ball gown "is this Christmas at mine or yours?"
Ron groaned "I swear we discussed this last week"
"I've forgotten" Astrid slowed her pace, feeling her head grow heavy from her fresh stitches "mine or yours"
"Snuffles" Ron sighed "he's asked to host this year"
"Aw" Hermione frowned—rubbing her hands down her thighs "No offence but I don't quite like his house"
"I'll throw his mothers portrait into the rubbish if I can" Astrid rolled her eyes—interlocking her arm through Ron's as they entered the great hall, decorated nicely, not as lavishly as the Yule Ball—Astrid thought
The room consisted of silver and blue banners, floating paper snowflakes and a glittering ceiling. Every table held a glass vase of ornaments in different shades of blue and flutes holding non alcoholic champagne had snowflakes engraved into them
"Not bad" Hermione smiled—looking around
"Remember" Harry turned to them "we leave at half past nine for our meeting"
"Yes yes" Astrid blew a breath—skimming over the heads of people by the drinks table "where too?"
"To find Cho" Harry blushed "offer her a dance"
Astrid looked to Hermione who shrugged in defeat and went off to find them a table to sit at—looking back to Ron who looked around the room and whistled a low tune.
"In no way are you a gentleman" Astrid let go of Ron—crossing her arms over her chest "at least offer your date a dance before you go on to dance with other girls"
"Hermione doesn't mind" Harry looked over at their curly haired friend—bored out of her mind as she made airplanes out of the table napkins
"My Gods" Astrid shook her head
"What?" Harry held his hands out
"Nothing" Astrid turned him around "go" and pushed him forward
"If you don't mind" Ron looked down at Astrid "I think I should go ask Mione for a dance"
Astird raised an eyebrow
"It would be the courteous thing to do I mean" he pulled at his tie—looking past Astrid "and you can't dance either, movement won't be good for your head"
"Right right" Astrid turned away from him, grinning as she walked to the table, Ron at her tail "I understand all you're saying"
"You're okay with it then?" Ron asked
Astrid took her seat at the table—taking Hermione's drink from her hands and sipping it herself
"Would you like to dance?" Ron turned to Hermione without waiting any longer for Astrid's response "it's your favourite song"
Ron looked to Astrid for reassurance
"Hmm" she quickly nodded—pulling the fruit tray on the table towards her and plucking a blueberry into her mouth
"You don't mind" Hermione lit up—placing her clutch next to Astrid's
Astrid pointed to her injured head—waving the two off and turning side ways in her seat to watch them dance as she drank and ate—smiling to herself softly.
How Ron's face turned tomato red at his hand resting on Hermione's waist and her eyes downcast at the proximity between the two, this was a night Hermione would talk of for the rest of Christmas holidays, following Ron with longing glances she claimed were friendly worry.
"Not on the dance floor?" A familiar voice interrupted Astrid's thoughts of future marriages and children for her two friends, turning her attention to the boy who sat where Hermione had moments ago "how unusual"
He wore a classic black velvet suit with a perfectly straight black bow tie, hair gorgeously placed with a single loose strand hanging down to his forehead. Hands decorated in silver rings and an expensive watch.
"What do you want Malfoy?" Astrid squinted her eyes, the lights flickering every now and than
She wondered if he had come alone, or if this year he was accompanying the undeniably beautiful Astoria Greengrass.
"Nothing" he drank from his own flute "I heard you hurt yourself pretty bad"
"You heard wrong" Astrid rolled her eyes, looking off in the distance to see if Theo and Blaise too had come to the small dance "I'm perfectly fine"
"Hmm" he nodded his head "good to hear"
"I'm sure it is" Astrid narrowed her eyes at him "what was it you needed"
"Nothing" he held his hands out "only came by to say hello"
"Go on then" Astrid sat up
"Pardon?"
"Say hello" she tapped her fingers on the table, watching him stare hard at her, looking her from the top of her head to the dress hanging from her shoulders
"Hello" Malfoy threw the greeting out like a curse, teeth gritted as he got up and took his leave without another word
He wasn't sure what possessed him to go over to her, perhaps it was worry for her injury, he needed to make sure she was in-fact okay and recovering well. Or maybe he couldn't get enough of her, he had not expected to see her out, wishing she had stayed in the hospital wing longer to rest. But here she was, before him and all alone, he couldn't hold back, couldn't go on like he had not seen her walk in with her friends, arm locked in Weasley's.
He had obviously not planned to approach her, he never did but often found himself gravitating towards her, being pulled towards her like a magnet. He couldn't stop his feet from moving and voice from leaving his throat.
He should have not expected her to ask him to sit with her either, should have not practiced asking for a dance. For now he felt so incredibly foolish, how witty and cold he had been for years and all of a sudden it all melted off of him and he was vulnerable. Her words held meaning and looks made him shudder. He could not be so weak, was she truly that pretty that he could not function? No, she was average at best.
He looked over her once more, standing as Granger and Weasley returned from the dance floor, the ABBA song coming to an end. She took her friends hand in her own as Weasley sat at the table, pulling her towards the drinks and food table.
Both of them giggling, leaning into one another as if to share laughs and secrets.
Astrid looked over at the spread of snacks, her mouth watering for the taste of red meat, raw meat even. She pressed her lips together, picking up a ham sandwich and placing it on the plate Hermione held up for them to share. Often she would crave meat and with such intensity she would have no choice but to creep to the kitchens at midnight, shoeless and hair a mess to please her wolflike desire.
Greyback had left his marks on Astrid, both physically and internally.
"How much time have we got?" Hermione asked, looking at Astrid's watch
Astrid sighed "half an hour"
"We should've just done the meeting tomorrow" Ron sat up—eyeing the girls shared plate before his hands found way to the treats
"Yes well, everyone said they needed time to pack and couldn't do it any other night" Astrid shrugged "I doubt anyone will want to even come tonight, with the last dance of the year and all"
"We will see" Hermione nibbled on a piece of cheese "Harry seems to be enjoying himself"
Astrid followed Hermione's line of vision "yeah" she sighed "I just hope he doesn't break her heart"
...
Astrid sat on the small wooden desk at the very front of the room of requirement, swinging her legs lazily and yawning as Harry leaned against her and Hermione sped about the room—setting things right.
"This is the last meeting then?" Ron asked—throwing all the pillows to one corner of the room to clear up space
Harry hummed in response—staring into his hands
"Do you think they will show?" Astrid roasted the rings on her fingers—watching her skin turn green from under—a sock she bought from a muggle shop "I know the twins said they were right behind—but it is a ball"
"I assume we can only hope they will" Hermione rested her hand on the door—slipping her heels off and stepping back immediately "I hear voices"
Astrid slid off the table, Harry behind her, both their wands outstretched—holding silence between them all to discover the voices and whom they belonged too
One by one, group by group, in came all the members of the D.A. Still dressed in their fanciest clothing, wearing grins and holding shoes in hand as they creeped inside quietly.
"This feels illegal" Dean laughed—pulling his coat off and hanging it on an empty chair
Neville laughed—unbuttoning the top buttons of his dress shirt "we look ridiculous"
"Are you all ready then?" Harry asked "our last meeting of the semester"
"Let us start" Astrid clapped her hands, slowly taking her own heels off, feeling light headed and unwell—still she pushed through it and joined Harry in teaching everyone the Patronus charm
"Demonstrate" Harry nudged her—everyone turning to watch what she could do
"First" Harry addressed them all "think of a happy memory"
Astird sucked in a breath, closing her eyes she thought of Cedric—but only a single spark came out. She didn't feel happy thinking of him like she used too—but she hoped one day when she thought of him, she'd be able to be happy again.
"Try again" Harry whispered "you can do this"
Astrid nodded, closing her eyes, she thought of her brother, she thought of Harry, Ron and Hermione. She thought of growing up with Ron—camping outside the Burrow and collecting fireflies all night
"Expecto Patronum" she shouted—opening her eyes in time to see the looks of amazement on everyone's faces at the sight of her patronus gliding around the room
"That" Harry looked impressed himself—grinning proudly "that is a patronus"
Astrid watched the large dragon disappear, looking to her brother now and approaching him to see if he too could produce a Patronus of his own, curious to see what his would be.
"Do you think mine will be as cool as yours?" Lorenzo questioned—both him and Nicholas attempting the spell
"I'm sure it will" Astrid smiled "fathers is a fox, mothers is a bear"
"A bear?" Lorenzo laughed
Astird nodded "and Elio's was a Harpy eagle, I think at least"
"And ced?" Lorenzo questioned excitedly
Astrid held a tight smile
"Let me guess—a badger?"
Astird laughed "they are fierce and brave"
Lorenzo flicked his wand over and over again
"But I don't know what his Patronus was" Astrid watched both boys—straightening their arms and showing them how to wave their wands "he must've told me, I'm sure"
"Don't worry birdy" Lorenzo smiled "it'll come to you"
"Yours I'm sure will be some kind of bird" Astrid wiped away the sadness in her—kneeling by the boys and deciding to stick to them for the rest of class
"And me?" Nick questioned "what about me?"
"Hmm" Astrid tapped her chin "for you an animal that is brave yet gentle—perhaps a dog—a moose or a horse, could be anything really"
"I hope I get something cool like you Birdy—maybe a lion" Lorenzo looked over at his friend—both grinning in uncontrollable happiness "what do you want Nicky?"
"I want a dragon like Strid" Nick looked over at the girl—cheeks pink "a big, fire breathing dragon"
"Keep trying then" Astrid stood—holding her wand out "think of a really happy memory, allow it to fill you up and say the words clearly"
By their twelfth attempt Nick finally casted a patronus, misty and faint the two boys jumped up and down in excitement—still able to make out what animal came from the tip of his wand.
"A salamander?" He looked to Astrid—disappointment at the tip of his pinched nose
"Not just any" Astrid clapped—incredibly impressed "a rare fire-dwelling Salamander"
Nick screamed "FIRE DWELLING"
"Mhm, they're typically on fire" Astrid laughed "with practice you'll be able to get more than a misty fog"
"Your turn" Nick pushed Lorenzo forward—cheering him on as friends did
Astrid looked around the room, watching Harry stand with Cho—making her nervous. She looked to the board, the picture of Cedric watching over all of them and felt guilt like no other. Was it cruelty towards his memory for her to say nothing to Cho and Harry? Was she betraying Cedric by letting her best friend flirt with the love of his life?
She promised she would protect Cho—what if Harry broke her heart?
"Birdy" Lorenzo pulled the girls hand "I think I've got it this time"
"Go on then" Astrid nodded her head—looking at his wand and the mist that shot out of it, fading before it could take form
"Alright!" Harry clapped his hands "that's all for tonight!"
"Aw man" Lorenzo's shoulders dropped—looking to his feet in disappointment
"There's always next time" Astrid patted his back—dismissing both boys and joining Hermione in tidying the room for their next meeting when school was back on
The girls picked up the pillows and stacked them in neat piles—Ron pushing the dummy's to one side of the room and Harry still standing and talking with Cho
The three waited by the doors, watching the twins leave last, holding a mysterious box.
"You go on" Harry waved the three off
"Oh" Astrid stopped mid way to the common room—turning on her heels "I forgot Ced's photo"
"Should I come with you?" Hermione asked
Astrid looked Ron and her over, thinking of the perfect opportunity to give them some time together after their dance "no, no I'll be fine—Harry's there too right"
Hermione nodded her head, walking closer to Ron, hands brushing
She smiled at the sight and made her way back to the room of requirement, shoes in hand so she could go on without being discovered by any Professors or students
Astrid stopped by the doors, seeing Harry and Cho inch closer together, stood right infront of the photo she had wanted to retrieve.
She stepped back, hand over mouth when they began to kiss, more than a peck, a passionate long kiss.
"What happened?" Ron asked—looking at her empty hands
"Oh, I saw a professor so I decided I'll just get it tomorrow" Astrid sat on the ground by the fireplace—legs crossed and shoes sat by her side
"that was eventful" Hermione looked to Ron who sat next to her and than at Astrid who picked at her nails—still thinking of Harry and Cho
How could they kiss in front of his photo?
Why did it bother her that they were talking?
"What's up with you?" Astrid looked up to Ron addressing Harry—coming in so quietly she didn't notice him step behind her to sit by her side
"Is it Cho?" Hermione finally asked—tired of the secretive grins shared between both boys—massaging her feet as she eyed him "did she say something?"
"Well" Harry cleared his throat "she—-she er—
"Did she kiss you?" Hermione asked
Ron sat up so fast he tipped over his box of Bertie Botts every flavour beans "well"
Harry looked each of them in the eyes before nodding his head
Astrid shook her head at both boys stupidity, keeping her eyes on her hands rather than joining in the conversation at hand—this could have been Harry's first kiss for all she knew—but she cared little.
"Well" Ron grinned—eager to hear more "how was it?"
Harry shrugged—thought for a moment and finally answered "wet"
Ron furrowed his eyebrows, making a noise from his throat that hinted at disgust
"Because she was crying" Harry explained with a heavy sigh
"Oh" Ron scratched his neck awkwardly "that bad at kissing are you?"
Astrid snorted
"Huh" Harry looked up "maybe I am"
"Of course you're not" Hermione said absently, causing Astrid's eyebrow to raise in confusion, had she been working to get the wrong people together? Was it Harry she was pining after? Was she as daft as Harry to not see something that should've been so obvious
"What?" She asked "you kiss often?"
"Yeah" Ron moved further from Hermione—voice sharp "how'd you know?"
"Because Cho spends half her time crying these days"
Astrid nodded her head, feeling somewhat of a ting of relief at Hermione's words, she had been stupid to not consider what her friend had.
She had heard Cho crying in the loo days ago and than saw her weeping into her porridge at breakfast only the other morning
"You'd think a bit of kissing would cheer her up" Ron grinned at Harry—both breaking into laughter
"Repulsive" Astrid threw a jelly bean at him "you two ought to be more respectful, you've got a sister and two girl best friends for Godric sake"
"Girls" Ron whispered under his breath "more like ogres"
Astird threw three more jellybeans at the freckled boys head—each time a little more aggressively "what was that?"
"Why would kissing make someone cry?" Harry ignored the other two—talking to Hermione instead
"Were your lips chapped or breath rank?" Astrid asked
"He's not you" Ron threw the toothpaste jelly bean back at Astrid
"I had mistaken him for you" Astrid chucked it back "smelly boy"
Hermione rolled her eyes "Don't you see, she's obviously sad because of Cedric's death and she feels guilty for kissing Harry at the same time confused about her feelings for both boys and she's afraid she's going to be kicked off the Quidditch team for flying so terribly"
Astrid nodded her head sympathetically, catching the cushion Ron threw at her "it must be difficult, working through her own feelings and than wondering what people will think of her for moving on too fast and at the same not being able to move on"
"One person can't feel all that—they'd explode" Ron frowned at Hermione
"Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon, doesn't mean we all do" Hermione quipped rather fast
Astrid's jaw dropped open—stunned by her nasty tone and look of displeasure
Harry looked to Ron—both of them grinning and holding back their laughter in fear of angering Hermione anymore than she already seemed to be
But the curly haired girl dropped her head and laughed—her sweet melodious laugh echoing in the common room
Astrid laughed next-nudging Harry who too burst in laughter—Ron grinning wide at their laughing faces before laughing himself
...
Astrid woke in a fright, she had thought her incomplete night terrors were the worst, not knowing what would happen next, not being able to warn the ones she loved and protect them.
But the night terrors had become frequent and she could no longer sleep, knowing what was to come and pollute her sweet dreams. She did not even think she could see Arthur Weasley's face again without feeling impending doom.
She wiped her face, moist with sweat and stood up, pulling her robe on—walking over to her desk she pulled a parchment out and quickly wrote a short message to Edmus, telling him to stay on guard tonight—incase it was the night.
He had been kind enough to send the girl his work schedule—so she knew what nights he and Arthur would be working.
Every morning he would write to let her know the night went successfully and all was well—still she decided not to wait for his letter.
She felt anxiety like no other and wrote to ease her mind, telling him she felt worse tonight than any other, asking him to be hyper aware and sent it off with her owl immediately.
Astrid stayed in the common room a little while longer after her trip to the Owlery—filling a paper cup with water.
She heard the stairs creak and voices grow louder, standing up straight with her water, hand to her side where her wand would have been if she brought it with her.
"Oh good" Ron straightened up—Harry's arm draped around his shoulder "come help"
Astrid groaned—putting her water cup down and taking hold of Harry's other side "why do I always meet one of you down here in the middle of the night"
"Don't know" Harry let out—breathy and strained
"What happened?" Astrid asked, pushing the boys hair back as she sat him down on a bench, kneeling before him—Ron running to get McGonagall
"Hurt" Harry twitched
"Scar?"
"Yes" Harry clutched onto the bench tightly
Astrid furrowed her eyebrows, she whispered something and pressed her hands to his scaling hot face—her skin cool against his
"Thanks" Harry whispered "thank you"
"What is the matter!" McGonagall approached the two, Astrid's hand tucked into his neck, cooling him down with a simple wandless spell, dropping her own body temperature for her hands to be ice cold
"Ron's dad" Harry tried to sit up right—Astrid helping him "he's been attacked"
Astrid's hands dropped "what" she stared at him "you've seen it too?" She looked to Ron—reminding him she was not insane for her visions if Harry had seen them too
"To the headmaster" McGonagall helped the two get Harry up, guiding them with the light from her wand, Astrid and Ron trying to keep up without dragging Harry around like a rag doll
Dumbledore sat at his desk, wearing a violet coloured robe and sleeping hat, moons embroidered in gold on his lavish gown, his long white hair braided out of his face.
Astrid scanned the dark room—looking to the phoenix perched on a wooden stand and than at the desk the man sat at—helping Ron sit Harry down on one of the chairs.
She looked to the papers on his desk as she lowered Harry down—his hand around her bicep and Ron's shoulder.
Many of the letters he buried under his high pile of work were her own, pleads for help and descriptions of her recent visions, all to which he had either not responded to or shrugged off as a silly dream her own anxiety had influenced
She let out an annoyed breath and turned away from the others, slowly walking around his office, inspecting the sleeping portraits and books lining his messy shelves.
"I was the snake" Harry's voice drifted around the room with much complication—stuck gnawing at his throat
"And you miss Clearwater" the man finally addressed the girl—after ignoring her for months
"What does it matter" Astrid coldly answered back "not like my visions are real, not to be trusted, that's what you said right? When I came in telling you the same story Harry is now"
"There is no time for petty arguments" the man narrowed his eyes at Astrid
"I started off seeing it all from Arthur's point of view, the building, the door he entered, the room and than I was there, like a fly on a wall while he was getting attacked, I was standing there, further away, but still there, in between the snake and him, I saw the snake attack and watched him fall"
"What room" Dumbledore stood at once, making Harry jump at the sudden movement "what did you see?"
"The department of mysteries" Astrid spoke quietly—thinking back to her dream "I remember seeing it on one occasion—Elio and I visited father at work, we snuck off and got in trouble, I'm sure of it, it has to be that floor"
Dumbledore turned to his portraits, sending a few out to seek help for Arthur.
"He is of the dark" Astrid muttered, her head paining her terribly as another vision made way to her "he is he and their blood is of one—his soul no more than the dark lords, two moths to a flame"
"Who" McGonagall worriedly looked to the girl
"Speak no more" Dumbledore hissed—grabbing Astrid by her shoulders and trying to shake her out of the vision she was having
"Tis power and glory he seeks, justice and peace the boy of a worthy name restores, says Albus Dumbledore. The boy of the name—
Astrid gasped "you are the butcher and he a pig for slaughter" Dumbledore gripping onto her tightly. She stared at the man in shock—eyes burning.
"Not a word" Dumbledore threatened "not now"
Astrid pulled out of his grip—leaning against the door behind her—not pulling her eyes off of the pale headmaster. Her fingers in between her teeth—muttering to herself.
"What's wrong?" Ron placed a gentle hand on Astrid's shoulder
"Nothing" she shook her head
"I should've believed you" Ron sighed
Astrid stared at him, she had told him something she was terrified too, told all three of her friends, told Dumbledore and Edmus. Only one had believed her.
"I thought you did" Astrid whispered—she did not hide her disappointment—sitting down on the extra chairs McGonagall had conjured for them, leaving Ron by the doors, frowning to himself
She had a gift, one no one trusted because they thought her unstable, not in the right mind to successfully interpret visions
A wasted gift
"Dumbledore" one of the men from the portraits returned, panting
Astrid stood immediately
"He is critical, that new Sinclair boy reached Arthur and saved him—he's taken him to St Mungos to be treated. Says he was injured badly but he came in time before anything irreversible could happen"
"He still looks bad" the women appeared coughing "all bloody but the boy says he could live"
Astrid let out a breath—some what relieved
"Thank you" Dumbledore nodded his head at them—looking to McGonagall "Minerva I need you to go and wake the other Weasley children"
Everything happened in a blink of the eye, one moment everyone had their hands around the portkey—Astrid stood by Dumbledore's side—deciding it best to stay back so she could return with Hermione. The next moment Harry had lost it—his hands wrapped around Astrid's neck—holding her up against a wall as he squeezed the life out of her.
"POWER" he hissed—his nails digging into her neck "SO MUCH REJECTED POWER"
"Let go!" Dumbledore hissed, holding a hand out to the Weasley's to not go close "put her down"
Astrid gasped—clawing at Harry's hands—her eyes watering and feet kicking "Ha-Harry"
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW" he squeezed harder "UNVEIL IT ALL OR YOU WILL SUFFER A WORSE FATE THAN YOUR AUNT"
Astrid tried hitting—her hands trying to wrench his away from her throat without hurting him—without using magic to harm him in freeing her from his grip. She felt faint, like she would black out any moment, her head banging against the stone wall, so hard she was sure her skull was moments away from shattering.
Harry's eyes went pitch black "join me, I see in you what no one else does, powers they will never understand. I see you girl, I see—
"Move" Ron pushed Dumbledore's hand away from holding them back—pulling Harry back by his shoulder and smashing his fist to Harry's face
Astrid fell to the floor, gasping and gagging as air gushed down her throat to her lungs, Ginny falling to her side, rubbing her back and pulling Astrid to rest against her.
"You're okay" Ginny sat with her
Astrid wrapped a hand around her neck—looking to Harry and Ron—continuing to gasp.
"I-I" Harry sat up—blood running into his mouth from his nose as Ron helped him up "Strid I—
"It's okay" Astrid closed her eyes—trying to stabilize her breathing—she opened them and smiled at Harry best she could "it's okay"
Ginny helped the girl to her feet—fetching her water and sitting her back down before she returned to the Portkey.
Astrid watched them leave—if Arthur Weasley did not live to see another day—Astrid knew quite well, it would entirely be her fault.