Everything Good Doesn't End Good
◇◇◇
"Expecto Patronum," Aster said a bit louder than the next, there wasn't much except a wisp of white. She shook her head and thought of something happier, she thought of her mother giving her her first violin, "Expecto Patronum," it faulted to a wisp of white once again. Harry noticed her trouble and made his way towards her.
"Aster," Harry walked beside her, "a Patronus is being with the Weasleys, having fun with their pranks and jokes, when you first asked Fred out, it's living with Lupin after school and working with the twins at their joke shop and playing your violin," he told her, Aster nodded and felt a smile on her face. "It's knowing that we can visit Sirius now, it's perfecting a new charm you've been working on or finishing a new book, getting a letter from Remus knowing he's okay and him sending a bit of chocolate," she nodded and held her wand up, "it's finally realizing that you have a family, that we're your family."
"Expecto Patronum," Aster confidently says as she flicked her wand and a wave of white flew out of it. A lengthy and short animal sprung out and started circling her and the twins. She thanked Harry and jumped in glee for creating it.
"Is that a Weasel?" Fred teased, crossing his arms across his chest looking at the shorter girl he admired, "guess we should be flattered."
"Don't be too flattered," she looked to her Patronus, "it's a Stoat," she smirked as the white animal trotted across the room, earning a congratulation from Harry.
"Same thing," he said ruffling Aster's hair.
But every good thing usually has a downside at some point. The room began to shake and all the white animals disappeared as the lights flickered. Fred gripped Aster's hand as they all gathered together, Harry grabbing a younger student as the wall burst open. Umbridge found them and everyone there thought the same thing when they set eyes on her: Detention.
But it wasn't a normal detention. Umbridge used a quill that writes in the user's blood, leaving an almost permanent scar on their hand.
"It's already fading off," George calmly said to the young student. After detention Aster and the twins found a first-year crying over his hurt hand.
"You can hardly see ours anymore," Fred added, showing him the light faded scar.
"Here," Aster said softly, taking his hand and grabbing her wand, "I can help sooth the pain." She waved her wand lightly over his hand and the redness passed over and the boy stopped sniffling. Harry passed them and paused when he saw the pink woman standing at the end of the corridor.
◇◇◇
"I will see you guys after school, right?" Aster asked before they set off on their broom.
"We promise," they smiled, holding out their pinkie for her to hold.
"I'll see you outside," she smiled as they started to fly up and head out to the Great Hall. Once they passed the corner, she turned around with the items in her hand and started running outside to where she said she'd meet them.
Loud explosions and roars could be heard outside as cheers and screaming sounded down the hall. Soon students came running out after the twins. Holding up the fireworks, the twins quickly take them from Aster's hand and fly out into the air. They throw the firework, creating a giant fiery W.
◇◇◇
"Luke," Aster greeted the next morning, "hows things?"
"Is it true?" They asked warily looking up at Aster as she sat down at the table, "you're related to Sirius Black?"
"How -how did you know that?" Aster harshly whispered, narrowing her eyes.
"People are talking about it in the halls," they told her whispering back. "It's also quite a topic in the Ravenclaw common room, Cho Chang was talking about it last night and this morning," they added as Aster looked around to find people glaring and staring at her.
"Why would it come up as a topic now," she muttered, shaking her head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone approaching her. It was two Ravenclaws and a Slytherin girl, a worried look on the two Ravenclaw faces as they approached.
"So you're related to Black?" The Slytherin asked as Aster stared at her as she half-smiled. "Oh be careful, she might kill us," she screeched in ignorance.
"Oh shut up you ignorant, deranged, nosy, little rat," she growled as she stood up and stepped towards the girls, the two Ravenclaws backing up a bit.
"Me? Deranged? Oh," she chuckled. "Seems that cruel and oversensitive runs in the family, sadly your stub of a father married a muggle lady, seemed that he didn't like being a pureblood, did he?" Aster huffed as she tried walking away from the girl, the other two dodging their way out of her reach. "You know you can't walk away from being a Black," the Slytherin called back to her, causing people to look at Aster, "you still have it running through your veins."
Aster turned around suddenly and marched towards the girl who wore a smug smile. "Just because you're so megalomanic, doesn't mean you can downgrade people constantly," Aster growled. "And what would you know about my father, I guess you're just jealous someone decided to marry him happily," Aster fired, "unlike you who would have to pay to marry someone just to keep their blood status up." She took a deep breath before turning away and walking out of the Great Hall.
The rest of the week, Aster had gotten detentions from McGonagall for jinxing students who called her crude names. By the end, people avoided her at all costs in the halls, except for Luke and Lance who stood by her and comforted her when it took a toll on her mind. But then Harry came to her for assistance.
"Sirius is in trouble," Harry said, taking Aster's arm worriedly. "He's in the Department of the Mysteries."
"But that place is hidden," she told him, "how do you know?"
"Trust me," he said, walking on the bridge.
"Harry, how are we going to get there?" Hermione asked him, "that's in London." Harry paused and looked at the others who were with them.
"We fly of course," a dreamy voice said behind them, Luna Lovegood looked at them with a smile.
"Ron, just get on," Aster said trying to help the red-head get on the Thestral. "You alright Neville?" She asked the nervous boy, he nodded and gulped.
"It's mental," Ron whimpered as he clutched onto its neck for support.
"Come on," Harry pushed them. "Everyone ready?" Everyone assured him with a yes and he told his bony horse where he wanted to go.
"This door," Harry told the group as he turned the corner and threw the door open with a spell. The room revealed a line of shelves with glowing orbs, much like crystal balls in the Divination classroom. "He should be here," Harry panted looking around, his wand glowing with light.
"Harry, he isn't here," Hermione told him
Harry looked distracted as he picked up an orb of what seemed like white light. But he didn't have much time until they all heard sudden whips and crackles of people apparating into the room.
"Well well well," a chill voice called.
They were surrounded by Death Eaters. One being Lucius Malfoy asking something from Harry. The prophecy. Then the skeletal woman behind him spoke up.
"How are mum and dad, Neville?" Lestrange asked, sending a chill down Aster's spine.
"Better now that they're about to be avenged," he said quickly before Aster grabbed his arm to calm him down.
"A Black," her attention was pulled to Aster who stared down the woman with hatred. "Should have killed him when I had the chance, I knew we couldn't trust your father," she laughed, causing Aster to grip her wand tightly. "Wimp," she spat as Lucius quieted her.
"Hermione," Aster called, then shooting a spell at the Death Eater behind her. She grabbed the girls hand and lead her down the aisle, looking for the others.
"Petrificus Totalus," a boy's voice called, they ran towards it and found Neville running past them.
"Neville," Hermione called as they chase after him, he turned around and shot a spell behind them, getting the Death Eater that was chasing them. "Thanks," she breathed, catching her breath before they ran down another aisle and running into the others.
They looked around and saw one bolting towards them, but not before Ginny shot a spell to knock them back profusely. However, it caused a chain reaction and the orbs started falling off the shelves. The group turned around and bolted to other direction to get out of the way, covering their heads as the orbs got closer. Then they jumped out through a door.
Once they regained posture and stood up, they saw a veil. "Do you hear that?" Harry asked the others, "it's speaking."
"Harry, no one's talking," Hermione said, making Aster shake her head.
"I hear it too," Aster said with Luna agreeing. They looked at the curtain like object and looked like they were being hypnotized and felt the urge to touch it. Then banging on the door interrupted them.
"Everyone, get behind me," Harry ordered with his wand up. Everyone grouped behind him and pointed their wands at the door. Suddenly, it was second or two later and everyone except Harry was struggling against the hands of a Death Eater.
"Give it to me," Lucius ordered with his hand out. Harry seemed tempted but earned the pleads from his friends not to.
Aster looked across the room and saw Neville with Lestrange, a knife against his throat like she saw in the memory. Aster gasped as the man behind her dug his claw-like nails tighter into her neck. Then, as Harry was handing him the prophecy, all the captors were knocked back by a stream of white. The Order appeared with their wands ready to fight.
Aster grabbed her wand once again, tighter than ever as everyone started shouting incantations and spells. She found herself fighting alongside Tonks and Lupin, assisting them when they ended up surrounded by two Death Eaters and one who seemed to have the qualities of a werewolf.
"Impedimenta," she roared at one, causing him to stop his motions. "Levicorpus," Another one shot into the air, smashing his head into the wall. "Protego," she called seeing one of the Death Eaters sending a spell, "Expelliarmus." As she quickly shot the spells, she earned approved and stunned looks from Tonks and Lupin.
Aster met Harry and Sirius at the veil. Not in time to save him. Aster stopped and felt her heartbreak and sink into her stomach as she watched Sirius give Harry a ghostly smile as he fell into the veil. Harry gave a terrible, heartbreaking, scream as Lupin held him. Harry managed to break out of Lupin's grip and run after Lestrange. Aster watched him as she fell to her knees with a cry. It seemed to her that family seemed to die around her.
◇◇◇
"Aster," Harry's voice spoke from behind her as she sat in the owlery.
She turned around and smiled with a small wave, "Hey Harry." Her voice sounded sad and disappointed. She looked down at her plush dog and note Sirius wrote to her as Harry sat down on the window sill next to her.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help him," Harry said quietly, Aster looked at him with a confused look.
"Harry this isn't your fault," Aster softly told him. "It's that evil witch's fault."
"I couldn't even kill her," Harry shook her head as he looked out to the field.
"Harry," she called his attention onto her. "Bellatrix Lestrange, she's a horrible person," Aster told him, "she, she's the one who killed my father." She told him causing him to look down at the dog and away from her eye. "When I saw her I wanted to kill her but I didn't because I wanted her to suffer," Aster looked at the plush toy and held it tighter. "I wanted her to be in pain like the people she tortured." She paused and looked at Harry, "but Harry, sometimes it's better not to kill someone, but rather have them live and suffer through life."
Harry nodded and watched her face. She looked at the dog with tear-filled eyes then looked back at Harry. She felt a tear fall from her face, hesitantly, Harry hugged her tightly.
"I didn't even know him well enough," she shakily sighed. "I don't even know what his favourite colour is," she laughed.
"He loved the colour purple," Harry chuckled as she wrapped her arms around him. Aster laughed as she parted the hug and wiped her eyes.
She silently handed him the note she got from Sirius on Christmas and let him read it.
Aster,
I didn't know what to get you honestly. So I got you something that would remind you of me. I've always thought about you and Harry when I was sent away. So I've taken it upon my self to be the best uncle you've had starting with this plush black dog. I want you to know in the summer holidays and after school ends for you and Harry, you are always welcome to stay here with me. Of course, when you're not with Moony, or if you just want to visit. Remember I'm always here and do love you.
Your uncle,
Sirius
♤♤♤