ONCE AGAIN, MCGONAGALL insisted that Astra take the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts. Though Astra continuously argued that she was going to go end up at Hogwarts again anyway, she knew that McGonagall was quietly worried about her social life. At these points, Astra wanted to tell her that she didn't only make friends with the house elves and the professors, but also the dead, but she knew that it wasn't time yet.
So, that was how Astra found herself at Platform 9 3/4, waving good-bye to Minnie. She decided that hopefully, Astra would be able to find a compartment to herself so she wouldn't have to talk with anyone. Luck wasn't fully on her side, however. The only compartment that wasn't completely full had one girl with long, wavy blond hair. She looked about small enough to be a first-year and had wide, glossy eyes. She was reading a magazine that Astra didn't know upside down and was wearing a strange variety of clothes. Her jewelry included a cork necklace and earrings that had Bertie-Botts Every Flavored Bean at the end of them.
"Um, hello. Is anyone else sitting here?" Astra asked as she opened the door, once again only holding a book, as she didn't need to bring her trunk on the train.
The girl looked up and had a soft smile across her face. "No, you can sit there if you like," she said and then turned back to her magazine. Astra smiled. The girl seemed quiet, and she most likely wouldn't have to make any conversation. She opened the book and started reading when the compartment door opened again. This time, a girl with fiery red hair poked her head in and Astra noticed a lot of similarities between the girl and the Weasley twins.
"Hello. Can I sit here?" she asked.
"Of course," Luna responded. Astra just gave a small nod and the two girls went back to their books. However, apparently, the red-headed girl wasn't going to let them sit in quiet.
"I'm Ginny Weasley," she started. Bingo, Astra knew that she looked similar to the twins. "What are your names?"
"I'm Luna Lovegood," said the blond-haired girl as she put her magazine down.
"Lovegood? Don't you live near Otter St. Catchpole?" Ginny asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, then you must live near the Burrow! I don't know how I haven't seen you before! We should spend some time together over the summer. Are you a first-year as well?" Luna gave a wide smile and nodded.
"And who are you?" asked Ginny looking at Astra.
"I'm Astra Black," Astra said, closing her book and staring at Ginny. She seemed mildly frightened and scooted a bit back in her seat, while Luna just looked at her with curiosity.
"Astra Black? You're the daughter of Sirius Black," said Luna casually. Astra was a bit surprised by her blatant honesty, but hid it and nodded.
"You know," she said while leaning in as if she was about to tell an important secret, "the whole killing muggles thing was just an act. Sirius Black was actually arrested for cooperating in the dark market of heliopaths and also stealing Aquavirius Maggots from the ministry." Astra was even more surprised by that announcement. Was this girl on drugs?
"Daddy wrote an article about it in the Quibbler when he was arrested. I think it's quite annoying that the Daily Prophet didn't tell the truth. But I suppose that the Aquavirius Maggots were supposed to be a secret and the Ministry wouldn't want anyone finding out."
Highly confused, Astra just nodded slowly and went back to her book. It seemed that this conversation had also worn out Ginny, who took out a book and started writing in it.
The rest of the train ride passed fairly quietly, except for a short break where Hermione Granger came into the compartment, asking Ginny whether she had seen Harry and Ron. Ginny left after that with Hermione, leaving Luna and Astra in peace to read again.
***
Eventually, they had made it to Hogwarts and Astra wished Luna good luck as she left to get onto a carriage. She had learned from Hagrid that the carriages were pulled by thestrals, but Astra couldn't see them. Sure, she could talk to the dead, but she had never actually seen someone die.
The sorting hat sang a new song, once again describing the different qualities of the houses. Astra clapped politely when Luna got sorted into Ravenclaw, thinking that it was the perfect house for the odd girl, and when Ginny got sorted into Gryffindor with the rest of her brothers. As the feast went on, Astra couldn't help but notice that Harry and Ron weren't at the table. There were rumors flying around about something about a flying car, but that would be ridiculous, right?
As Astra made her way to the Gryffindor common room through her usual secret passage, in hopes of avoiding others, James came and told her that Harry and Ron did, in fact, fly a car to Hogwarts because the Platform barrier had closed. When asked why it was closed, however, he didn't have an answer.
Luckily, she was able to make it to her dorms quickly, as she heard a loud eruption of noise coming from the common room that she could only expect marked Harry and Ron's arrival. Meanwhile, she started talking with Regulus, who had just come back from his daily visit of Sirius in Azkaban. Over time, she had learned that even if it was James who was closer to Sirius during their Hogwarts years and after, it hurt him too much to see Sirius in Azkaban. Besides, he also had to look over Harry and Astra, and sometimes Remus, and he couldn't bear to see Sirius in the desolate prison. Regulus, with Sirius gone, felt even more inclined to look over Astra, even if James and Lily were her godparents. So, he split his time between them and also was the usual spy whenever there was anything suspicious going on.
Midway through their conversation, Astra heard footsteps coming towards the door and immediately fell silent and turned around in her bed, feigning sleep. It turned out that Hermione had been done with the festivities and had returned to her dorm. She looked around, apparently wondering whether Astra had actually been talking to anyone, but when she saw Astra 'asleep', she turned around and got ready for bed.
***
The next day, when opening Astra's copy of the Daily Prophet (which she had chosen to subscribe to since the beginning of the summer) included headlines of FLYING FORD ANGELIA, which she knew was the work of Harry and Ron.
There was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers. Astra didn't get a letter, as usual, as her only correspondents either lived at the school or could pop around all over the world, but she enjoyed the usual flurry of owls covering the Great Hall that didn't happen over the summer.
Her thoughts were interrupted when a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.
"-STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE-"
Yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. Astra swiveled around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.
"-LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED-ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED - YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."
A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again. Once again, Astra's thoughts were interrupted, but not from a screaming howler, but as Professor McGonagall passed out their course schedules. Astra gave her a wide smile, and she could have sworn that Minnie had given her one in return. She scanned the parchment and headed off to the greenhouses for Herbology.
***
She was one of the first at the greenhouses and waited patiently outside, as others came and joined her, for Professor Sprout. Accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart, Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages and Astra spotted the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings. She rolled her eyes, wondering how the Willow could have gotten so hurt. It seemed more dangerous than in danger.
Gilderoy Lockhart was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming. Astra thought he just looked annoying and obnoxious.
"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels..."
"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.
There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before - greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Astra caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. As Astra walked in to the new greenhouse, she overheard Lockhart's booming voice.
"Harry! I've been wanting a word - you don't mind if he's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"
Judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face. Astra scoffed, but simply went to an empty pod as she waited for Pom-Pom's instructions. As Harry walked back in, she started.
"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"
To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air.
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"
Hermione's hand narrowly missed Harry's glasses as it shot up again.
"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said promptly.
"Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."
She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish-green in color, were growing there in rows. Astra recognized them, as Pom-Pom had told, and showed her a few of the plants she would be working with that year over the summer.
"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.
There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.
"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right - earmuffs on ."
Astra snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.
Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs. Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Pom-Pom dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.
"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up. Four to a tray - there is a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there - and be careful of the Venemous Tentacula, it's teething."
She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.
Astra moved over to a tray where two Hufflepuff girls were working, one that she recognized as Susan Bones, the girl who had been in her boat in first year. After a moment, Neville had joined them as well. It seemed that Susan wasn't over her internal judgement of Astra, as she whispered something to the other Hufflepuff that made the girl's eyes widened. Neville smiled and stood next to Astra, having gotten used to the girl as she had helped him quite a bit in charms.
"Hello! My name's Neville, Neville Longbottom. What are yours?"
"I'm Susan Bones."
"And I'm Hannah Abbott." They turned to Astra who let out a small sigh.
"I'm Astra Black, but I suppose you already know that as you were whispering about it just a second ago." After that, Professor Sprout told the class to put on their earmuffs and they started to work on the mandrakes.
Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth. Neville was actually the first one to do it, followed quickly by Astra, who, once again, proved her natural talent for just about anything. Astra smiled, happy that Neville was somewhat confident in something. She would be lying if she said that Neville was extremely talented in Charms or Transfiguration, but he did seem quite good at Herbology, and she made a note in her mind to tell him that.
By the end of the class, Astra, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. However, she did seem a bit more graceful while walking back to the castle for a quick wash. She, as usual, used a quick passageway that she had found behind a portrait of a lady in a purple dress and easily made it first to Transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but Astra still managed to do well. They were supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, and Astra managed to do it on her second try, earning 10 points for Gryffindor. She could only grimace as she saw Ron get engulfed in thick gray smoke as he tried to transfigure his beetle.
***
Astra inwardly groaned as she saw that the next class after lunch was going to be with Professor Lockhart.
She only groaned more when she saw the display that he had put up about a new first-year, Collin Creevey wanting Harry's photo. Even though she didn't hear the whole conversation, it was obvious by the look on his face that he was highly embarrassed and did not want to sign a photo.
Even though Astra was usually the first person in class due to her vast knowledge of the castle, she purposefully waited until the last minute to get into the class to avoid Lockhart's ramblings. She had heard enough of that as he had moved into the castle about a month before school had started. She also realized that she needed to make a move on creating a nickname for him. Not like Minnie or Pom-Pom, but like Snivellous, so she would always have something to call the teachers who annoyed her.
When Astra took her seat, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.
"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"
He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. Astra rolled her eyes.
"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about - just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in-"
When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!"
Astra looked down at his paper and read:
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:
54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?
Astra, annoyed as she looked through the pages of useless questions, moved her quiz aside and instead started on her transfiguration homework. It only took Lockhart 2 minutes to realize that what Astra was working on was not, in fact, his quiz.
"Miss Black, what are you doing?"
"Something useful," she responded, not taking her eye out of her transfiguration book.
Astra looked bored and Lockhart looked slightly annoyed but he kept it hidden behind his wide smile. Most of the rest of the class looked up in anticipation, hoping for another scene like the year before, while some of the giggling girls were whispering about how Astra was being so rude.
"But I don't see your quiz on your desk?"
"I said something useful." There were small gasps from some of the girls and the others were trying to hide their laughter.
"Well, it is useful. This is your Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum!"
Finally setting her transfiguration book down, she started to talk. "That's where you're wrong. This," she said while pointing to the actual books," is the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum. This," she said while holding up the quiz "is an All About Me quiz that is unnecessary. I don't see how knowing what your favorite color is is going to help us when fighting the dark arts. However, once you actually bring something of the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum, then I'll pay attention and stop doing my Transfiguration homework. Professor..."
At that moment, James popped up from where he was sitting at the back of the question with Lily and Regulus and yelled, "Dumbhart!", receiving a jab in the rib from Lily. "That's stupid. Do Gilderboy!"
Astra rolled her eyes and stifled a laugh, "Professor Gilderboy," agreeing with Lily that Dumbhart sounded stupid.
"Excuse me?"
"Excuse you, sir."
He cleared his throat and sat back at his desk while Astra returned to working on her transfiguration homework. After a few seconds of looking back at Lockhart and Astra, the rest of the class went back to their quiz.
Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.
"Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti . And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"
He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart with rapt attention and gave a start when he mentioned her name. Astra didn't take her head out of her Transfiguration book.
"... but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact" - he flipped her paper over - "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger? Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so - to business-"
He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it. Astra still didn't look up from her book.
"Now, be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm." Astra rolled her eyes. "I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."
As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.
"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."
Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror. Astra stifled a laugh herself.
"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.
"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous , are they?" Seamus choked.
"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"
The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.
"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.
It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the wastebasket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.
Astra finally looked up from her book as she heard the class go crazy.
"Come on now - round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted.
He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi! "
Astra rolled her eyes, as it was a fake spell. It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way. The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were almost at the door and Astra, still sitting quietly in her seat, and said, "Well, I'll ask you four to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.
"Can you believe him?" roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.
"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.
"Hands-on ? "said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. "Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing--"
"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books - look at all those amazing things he's done--"
"He says he's done," Ron muttered.
"Quite true on that, Ron. Immobulus!" Astra yelled. "You guys should really learn that spell. Maybe next time I'll use it against dragons," she said sarcastically. She grabbed her book bag and jammed her Transfiguration book in it and was gone before any of the trio could say anything else.
"I think we should take her advice. We need to learn that spell, Hermione," said Ron in a pleading voice.