Letters of an Uneasy Week
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It was the next morning and Aster didn't see many people in the Great Hall just yet, though Lance had joined her for a short minute to grab a piece of toast before going to the library. Later, there was the morning owl post, above everyone, there were fluttering owls. But there was one particular owl that seemed old and seemed to be looking around frantically for its person, then its eyes laid upon Aster, and made a quick dive for her. Picking up her plate and cup in time for impact, the owl landed right in front of her. She recognized the owl as Errol, the Weasley family's shared owl.
Errol dropped the letter on in front of her and shook his feathers. Aster smiled, thanked him, and scratched the bird's neck. He chirped back at her and flew off back outside. Aster looked at the letter and found that it was from Ron, she smiled and turned it over to open it. Pushing up her glasses before reading it:
Aster! It's Ron, it's been quiet here at the Burrow, so I decided to write to you! Mum won't stop cleaning and worrying about you, Percy, and the twins. How is school? Did Fred and George try out yet, I wouldn't be surprised if they got the role as beaters. Ginny's been asking if you were staying with us now, and I don't know what to tell her, but mum said that you were moving in! Is it true? That's great if you are! Also, has Fred asked you what we talked about? Oh, I hope they aren't causing too much trouble for you. Please write back soon! ~ Ron
Aster smiled at the letter and turned to the twins who were looming over a piece of parchment. They felt her eyes on her, looked up and smiled, she waved and turned back to her food. Aster couldn't get herself to admit that her stomach felt a bit off when she turned back around. But When she turned around, George nudged Fred, he knew how stupidly crazed he was for the girl, trying to find a reason to be around her. From try-outs to breakfast one morning and every moment walking in the halls, Fred seemed to have some reason to talk to her.
"I'm going to talk to her for a second," George said, getting up and not letting Fred get the choice to answer him. He swung a leg over the bench and looked at Aster then to the letter, then back to Aster again. She looked at the twin and smiled, then noticed that he wasn't smiling.
She grinned trying to get him to smile, one he did she nodded. "Oh, hey George."
"That's how you tell?" George asked scratching his head, Aster nodded proudly with herself.
"Don't tell Fred though, he doesn't need to know," she said. "Why did you come over here?"
"To talk about Fred actually," he grinned, mostly at his plan, but also at the look of confusion on Aster's face.
After George told her what Ron had already told her, she felt her heart pounding even louder in her ears. She knew George was looking for an answer to whether she felt the same, but Aster still couldn't get herself to say it. With much pressure and force, she told George her answer. He smiled wickedly and glanced at his brother then back to her, she felt a wave a relief to tell him for some reason. They promised to not tell the others until it was time and sealed the promise as usual.
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Hey Ron! It's been quite hectic I suppose here, Fred and George had played a 'few' pranks, I may or may not have joined one. And no, I haven't talked to Fred yet about it. I'm also not sure if I'm staying with you guys, but the sound of it, your mother had already made her choice. Tell Ginny that I say hello, along with your mother and father. I can't wait until next year when you join here. Please write soon! Can't wait to see you guys in the summer! ~ Aster
Aster went up to the owlery that afternoon to select a school's barn owl to send her letter. As she watched the owl fly off to the distance, she sighed and thought for a second.
Was the last two years in the wizarding world a permanent change in her life? Did she really want her life with the Weasleys? Of course, she did, she thought immediately after that thought, shaking her head astounded that she even thought about that question.
She walked down the step back into the corridors to find Lance walking past her. She called out and he turned around with a smile, "how was today?" She asked as they both headed to the Great Hall for dinner.
"Brilliant," he smiled, "I learned a how to use the Accio charm," he beamed with a twinkle in his eye, "how was yours?"
"Fun," Aster glowed, "oh, and you know the Weasley twins," Lance nodded wearily, "you know if they bother you, tell them that you're friends with me, they probably would take it easy on you," she said with a slight laugh.
"Easy?" Lance managed to get out, "what do you mean?"
"They wouldn't harm a friend of mine, trust me," Aster noted to Lance, he nodded wordlessly and turned forward with worry, "don't be worried, they just like to tease the first years."
In the Great Hall, students were filing in and going to their respective tables. She turned and clearly saw the Weasley twins enter and sit at the Gryffindor table, they saw her and waved sweetly, she waved back with a smile. Lance had a seat next to her and was shovelling food into his mouth as if he missed lunch, which Aster hoped wasn't the case.
"Did you eat lunch?" Aster asked, furrowing her eyebrows questioningly. He shook his head and she sighed, "Lance, that's not healthy," she said like a stern mother or older sister, "why didn't you eat?"
"I was in the library," Lance innocently said with a mouthful of food, "so many things about magic I want to learn, I almost missed Transfiguration class because of reading."
"You are sleeping, right?" Aster asked, becoming more worried, he looked at her kindly. "Lance, I may have known for a few days but you need sleep," she begged, "you're coming straight to the common room with me after dinner," she announced to him.
"But," he was confused and was wondering why she was caring so much, "I don't understand."
And Aster was sure to make sure that he went to the common room with her that evening. As he already had a book about magic, he was at least satisfied with that and went happily with her down the halls. In the common room waited Errol who perked up as he saw Aster enter the room. She thanked the bird and smoothed out his feathers before he stumbled to go outside.
Aster sat on one of the couches and watched as Lance did the same, the book on his lap and began to read it. She opened the letter and read what Ron had sent her.
Mum said that you should come for Christmas! I really hope you do, it would be amazing, Ginny and Charlie would be happy to see you as well. You know what, I'll send an owl to Fred and George to make sure you join us this holiday. Dad has actually been quite busy with ministry work and such, he usually is back by now, hopefully, it's going okay there. Oh, I almost forgot, mum bought a block of chocolate from Honeydukes, it's about the size of my head! Reckon I won't finish it for a while. Please come for the Holidays! ~Ron
Aster smiled at the note and made a mental note to get Ron a gift at some point, which she may have already, she wasn't quite sure about. She had grown closer to the family but a recurring thought came into her mind: was she replacing her old family? Even if her mother had wanted her to move on, she felt guilty that she found a place where they accepted and welcomed her so quickly.
Aster heard a small yawn a few minutes later once she started doing her homework that was assigned by Snape, the only teacher who gave homework that day, mostly because the Weasley twins were laughing too loudly, and Aster happened to be sitting at the same bench as them.
"Tired?" She asked the young boy who looked at her with tired eyes, "why not head to bed?" He nodded silently and swooped down on the couch, the book falling to the floor. She sighed and silently got up, picking up the book and putting it in his bag, she lifted him up and spotted a fellow second-year boy, Cedric heading into the boy's dormitory. "Hey Cedric, can you help out?" Aster quietly asked as she held the sleeping boy into her arms, to her surprise he was quite light for his age.
Cedric turned to her and smiled, "of course, Aster, right?" he asked seeing if he got her name right, she nodded with a smile, "yeah, you're in my year," he smiled, proud of himself for being able to remember the fact. "What can I help you with?"
"Can you bring my friend, Lance, to his bed? He fell asleep on the couch and I don't want him getting a neck ache in the morning," Aster said, her arms beginning to ache from holding the boy for so long.
"Yeah, of course," Cedric smiled, one that would make any girl in their year swoon, but had no effect on Aster, however, she heard girls talking about him in the common room at some point giggling if he dared talk to them. "Up we go," he muttered to Lance as they walked away.
"Thank you," she called out before the barrel door closed behind him, she grabbed his bag and took it with her as she entered the girls' dormitory, ready to sleep.
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"Aster," a voice called from behind her once again as she ate her breakfast a few days after. She turned around with a tired look on her face, "wow you look like hell," he said again with a smile, letting her note that it was George.
"Hey George," she sighed as she turned back around and placed her head on her hand, her glasses beginning to fall off, "oh, and good morning to you," she greeted with a smile.
"Did you sleep?" He asked with slight concern for his friend, he sat next to her and leaned his head on his hand.
"Yeah, I did," she said gloomily, looking down at her cereal, she didn't feel hungry anymore suddenly. "I don't know what happened."
"Do you need to go to Madam Pomfrey?" George asked even more concerned, "I'm sure she'll know what's up," he said as he started to get up, but she placed a hand on his arm to stop him.
"I don't really think it would work," a quiet voice said from Aster, even more, quiet than usual, "maybe I just need a laugh," she looked up at him, a red mark at where she had been leaning her hand, with hopefulness in her eyes, "make me laugh," she said like an order.
George didn't know what to do so he pulled out his wand and tried to cast a charm for cheeriness. Aster smiled but she didn't feel the cheer she was hoping for. "Come on," George grabbed her arm and pulled her along, grabbing a piece of toast before leaving the Great Hall to the hospital wing.
"Oh dear," Madam Pomfrey sighed, she silently took George out of earshot of Aster and spoke to him in a rather hushed tone. She could only hear mentions of depression and other various mental illnesses being tossed around. George looked at Aster, who sat on one of the neat, white beds, dangling her feet off the side. George and Madam Pomfrey walked back to Aster, Pomfrey had a bar of dark chocolate in her hand this time.
"Here, eat this," Pomfrey kindly said, shoving the bar of chocolate in her hand. "You'll feel better by tomorrow at the least," she said before shooing them off.
"What did she tell you?" Aster quietly asked George who was leading her to their first class, which was potions.
"Nothing to worry about," he smiled then looked at her hand, which still held the untouched chocolate, an unusual thing for her to not eat any, "eat up, you haven't eaten breakfast yet."
The two entered the dungeons and entered their first class, where Lucy and Fred had already sat on their usual bench. George threw Fred a look of worry, then it occurred to Aster that Fred hadn't been at breakfast, or at least when she was there, it also occurred that it was one of the rare moments when Fred and George weren't together. Aster waved at her friends, who in turn, gave a warm smile and wave.
Fred and George continued a quiet conversation, leaving Aster with Lucy, who talked about something she had heard in the Ravenclaw tower. During her rant, Aster found herself zoning out, not going unnoticed by George who tapped her foot beneath the table, causing her to look at him, a bit startled. He tilted his head forward as if to tell her to eat some more chocolate, she nodded and took out some quick and stuffed it into her mouth, knowing that Snape wouldn't tolerate eating in his class.
After class, Fred and George, more specifically George, stood firmly by Aster's side throughout the day, quickly going to the class and waited for Aster to exit the class so they could walk together. Fred hadn't noticed how close George had been the entire day until George himself brought it up after Aster sat at the Hufflepuff table with Lance at dinner.
"Oh," Fred said, a smile finally faltering as his brother told him what was up with Aster, "I wish I had known, I could've helped," he gloomily said, leaning his head on his hand, staring at the girl who pushed up her glasses as she played with her food.
"It's okay, brother," George tried comforting him, "Madam Pomfrey said that there's a chance of her feeling better tomorrow, but if there isn't a change, then we help her more."
"Yeah," Fred said with a small smile, still watching her as Aster didn't even touch her food, "but if she doesn't eat, I'm going to talk to her," he told his brother who nodded and patted his back.
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The next morning, Fred and George quickly walked down the halls towards the Great Hall to find Aster sitting at the Hufflepuff table, alone and head drooping over her bowl. They sat, one on each side, and smiled at her. She looked at each with a small smile, but they could tell that she wasn't better.
"Morning boys, did you sleep well?" Aster asked as she usually did, the two nodded with a smile not failing to be bright.
"Yep," Fred gleamed, "did you?" He asked more quietly and tame.
"Yeah," she said before pulling something out of her pocket, it was a bar of chocolate, already some taken off it. "I already went to Madam Pomfrey," she noted to George, "she gave me more chocolate and sent me off to breakfast."
"Have you eaten anything?" Fred asked she took a bite of a square piece of chocolate, "other than chocolate," she shook her head and looked down. She slumped her shoulders and wiped her eyes like there was something in them, "hey," Fred whispered as he put his arms around her.
"I feel like I'm overreacting," she said in the softest voice, she leant into him and could smell the cotton from his sweater. "I'm not sure what to do anymore," she said worriedly as she pushed up her glasses.
"You aren't overreacting," George assured her, "and you're going to be okay," he told her in a low voice, "why don't Fred and I join you the entire day," he suggested, looking to his brother, who nodded in agreement.
"You'd miss your classes," she sighed, she felt an unnecessary amount of urge to cry, but stopped herself from doing so, "and miss what you have for homework and, and," she tried to find a reason for them to stay in their classes before they gave her a look, "and you aren't going to give me a choice," she drifted off and looked away from Fred to George.
"We'll be right back," Fred comforted before taking his brother to go see McGonagall about his day. The Professor looked at them and noticed their looks of desperation, she smiled and gave them permission for their plan, as they cheered and left for the Great Hall once again. McGonagall smiled at them, noting to herself to keep an eye on them when she had Transfiguration with Aster.
While they were gone, Aster had gotten a letter from Ron once again.
Mum said she sent an owl to Dumbledore, you need to have permission just so you know in case you didn't, about you joining us here for the summer, and you know what he said? He agreed that it would be great! Once Ginny heard the news, she jumped off the couch and nearly hit her head on the table! This means you have to live with us! Actually, when Bill and Charlie were told this, they got so excited, I think they grew to like you even if you met them for a few days. Oh, and I got you a gift, can't wait for you to see it! ~Ron
This letter lifted her spirits lightly, but not enough for her to smile and be her normal self. She read the letter again and again, even when Fred and George joined her once again, she was staring at the page blankly. She didn't even notice that she fazed out.
"Family seems to have grown on you," Fred grinned, "I see why though, you're one that people seem to like once they get to know you," he added with a smile. "Mum won't stop sending owls about you," he mused.
"Yeah," Aster said trying to lighten her voice, "maybe we should get to class," Aster tried saying without her voice faltering as she swung her bag over her shoulder.
Fred gave Geroge a look of apprehension who he returned with a mirroring look, they followed her to Charms class. Professor Flitwick gave the boys a knowing smile, as McGonagall had told each of her and their teachers what the twins were up to today. Aster had grown fond of the teacher and looked forward to his class each day, however, she wasn't too excited today as she wasn't wearing her smile, and Flitwick noticed this right away.
"Good morning Ms Fiore," Flitwick said practically beaming like usual, "and company," he grinned as he added their presence, "we're learning about the duplication charm," he giggled, "quite a coincidence today," he smiled at the two twins.
Aster smiled with him as she looked at the twins, "yeah, I guess they pulled that charm on themselves," she commented quietly so that only Flitwick had heard to which he laughed and motioned her to sit.
As the class went on, a few looks were sent towards the three in confusion, but all went on with the lesson as Professor Flitwick had not mentioned anything. Aster had an amusing class as she successfully duplicated the cup she had in front of her. Aster laughed sometimes, but after the laugh, there would be an airy sigh as she looked down then back to the Professor who gave more directions. Fred and George would sometimes make a mistake on purpose, causing a fire or them getting something shot in their face. But even if others had laughed, Aster would only smile, the soft smile she wore and stare at them dreamily.
Transfiguration was next with McGonagall, and through this class, Aster found it difficult to stay awake. She kept blinking her eyes and tried to turn her cup into a spider, but somehow the golden cup ended up having eight legs instead of two handles on each side. The cup wobbled from side to side and fell, causing it to have trouble getting up. Fred snickered at the cup, causing Aster to look up at him and smile. Fred tapped the cup-spider mix and it turned back into a full cup. McGonagall had watched the three carefully and was astounded that there was no loud tricks or fireworks, but quite whispers and every time she looked up she would see one of the twins smiling at Aster or saying something to her while putting a comforting arm around her.
After class the three had gone to Potions, a class they already shared along with Lucy. They arrived early then expected by how slow they were walking in the corridors. Fred and Geroge sat across the table where they usually sit and made conversation with her casually about the season of Quidditch.
Once Lucy joined, the conversation became more rapid and quite overwhelming to Aster but she didn't say anything to disturb the conversation, as Lucy was a fan of the sport as well. Once Professor Snape had started class, Aster dawned her gaze on Snape, dozing off and tried to keep her eyes open.
Professor Snape noticed Aster's state and, as he was told by McGonagall about what was going on with her, gave her a serious look. "Weasleys," Snape said in his normal, cold, voice, "please bring your friend, Aster to the hospital wing," he ordered, the twins nodded and said goodbye to Lucy, who held a concerned look, before guiding Aster outside of the room.
Aster's eyes closed with no protest from Aster herself, "Fred, I think you should pick her up," George suggested to his brother, "she may have fallen asleep," he said before her body went limp and a small, deep, noise came from her.
"Right," his brother agreed before swooping her in his arms, one of her arms swinging freely on one side. "I'm starting to get worried for her," Fred said to his brother, who had put her arm over her chest so it wasn't swinging around, "don't you think that it got worse?"
"A bit," George said with his eyebrows furrowing at the girl who looked limp in his brother's arms, "hopefully she gets some rest," he looked at his brother, "I guess she just needs some care."
Aster felt awake, she couldn't hear properly, but she could smell the faint scent of paint and candy, specifically a caramel and chocolate mix. She held a faint smile on her face as she fell into a deep sleep. Fred had a worried smile as he looked down at the girl, her glasses seemed to be falling off her face as he kept walking.
The boys finally reached the hospital wing, where they were met with Madam Pomfrey rushing to their side. "Oh," she muttered, "should've known this would happen," she said in her old, feeble, voice. Madam Pomfrey gestured them to place her on one of the beds that wore white sheets that seemed new and out of the laundry. After much protest, the boys stayed and sat next to the sleeping girl.
A five minutes later, Aster slowly opened her eyes, she saw the blurred outline of her glasses and slide them on to see Fred and George standing beside her. "What?" her voice said in her normal voice, "I thought we were in the dungeons," she sounded confused as she noticed that she was in a big room that she recognized as the hospital wing.
"You passed out during class," George told her, "Snape had us bring you here, don't worry, we have your stuff," he said showing her bag in view.
"You've been out for about 10 or 15 minutes only," Fred added making her turn her attention to the mirror image of the boy she was just looking at.
"Wait," Aster quickly swung her legs off the side of the bed and stood up, "we have classes," she said, now at her normal voice and energy than before.
Fred and Geroge looked at her before Madam Pomfrey rushed over to Aster two bars of chocolate. "Oh you're up, feeling better I reckon," Aster nodded and smiled, "okay, take this for the next two day," she kindly said, placing a few bars of chocolate in her hand.
"Of course, thank you," Aster bowed her head slightly then turned to the two boys and motioned them to follow her.
Throughout the day, Aster seemed to be back to normal, and to Fred's relief, she was okay after eating dinner at the Great Hall and relaxing in the common room. But after, again, many protests from the twins, she was able to sit in the common room.
"Hey Aster," Lance greeted smiling, "how were classes?" He asked as he sat next to her on the couch in front of the fire.
"Good, I didn't see you at dinner today," Aster said sternly, "did you eat anything?" She asked, completely ignoring Lance's question.
"Yeah, the house elves gave me some food before I got in here," he said showing her the cloth that held a few biscuits and pieces of pastries.
"And homework?" Aster prodded.
"I did it all," he said proudly, "and yours?"
"I did it as well," she said smiling at the boy, "what books have you been reading now?"
"Hogwarts A History," he smiled as he went on to tell her some of the things about the castle that few who had read it knew, and Aster wasn't one of those few.
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"What exactly are we doing?" George asked as she pulled them off to a different corridor the next day. Not getting an answer after a few minutes, she slowed her pace and stopped at a corner. She peered over and saw Filch entering his office closet and closing the door loudly behind him.
"I've got a plan," Aster briefly said guiding them down the halls.
Aster opened her bag and took out a bunch of small plastic cups, "I'll show you a Muggle prank with some magic," she muttered to the twins before walking over to the door. As she placed each cup down she used the Aguamenti spell to fill it, then as she started stacking the water cups and spreading them farther near the door. Taking a step back, she looked at her masterpiece she turned back around and walked to join the twins. "Fred do you have a firecracker?" Aster asked the tall boy who looked at her confused, he nodded and took out the small ball-like object. "Throw it," Aster ordered pointing to the ceiling.
He smiled as he threw it, it popped with a bang and sparkles of red and yellow shot out, and not much later Filch's door swung open and he ran into the stacks of water cups, knowing them all over and spilling water down the front of his pants and shirt. He looked beyond angry and ran towards Aster and the boys, slipping as he went down the hall.
"Wicked," the two mused before pulling a laughing Aster away from the scene, not wanting to get caught by Filch, who was already advancing close towards them.
Laughter echoed down the hall, causing people to turn their heads to the three and then noticing Filch, who looked as if he had an accident in his pants, they fell into laughter. Aster saw Lucy walking down the halls and waved as she went by, Lucy looked confused, but upon seeing Filch she made a face of understanding. So, Lucy pulled out her wand and used a spell to turn the floor Filch was running on into ice so that her friends could get away.
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