Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the world in which this story takes place. All credit goes to J.K. Rowling.
Falling Star:
The Untold Story of Astoria Greengrass
By: Astoria Greengrass
Prologue
September 1, 1993
"Daphne, I don't want-!"
"Shut up! You'd better be happy that I'm not making you sit alone, because trust me I would if Mum didn't pester me for half an hour and threaten me with having to spend the entire summer holidays locked up with you!"
Thirteen-year-old Daphne Greengrass grabbed her little sister's arm and dragged her into the small train compartment. Astoria's stomach clenched and fluttered with nervousness and her feet dragged. The door slid shut ominously, followed by a few sniggers. Astoria struggled briefly, trying to twist out of the cage made up of her sister's well manicured talons before a voice interrupted the scuffling.
"Who the hell is this little prat?" someone snarled in snippy, girlish pitch. Astoria turned to look at the person who had spoken. The third year girl was glaring up at her from her seat with hard little eyes through a short bob of inky hair. Her mouth was curled up in a sneer that made her face scrunch slightly, like a pug.
Daphne's crystal blue eyes rolled skyward before she jerked on Astoria's arm and pushed her down onto an empty space near the door. Astoria jumped up defiantly, scowling, but Daphne's hand shot out and shoved her back so that she hit her head against the doorframe. She gave a short "Ow!" before a chorus of mean laughter filled the compartment.
"This is just my baby sister Astoria," Daphne leered through her giggles, "she's an ickle firstie." Astoria glared, her dark brown eyes boring into Daphne's. Her thin little fists clenched in anger, but she tried to force it down. She held her composure for about thirty more seconds before she lost it.
"I am not a baby! Stop talking to me like you're an adult because you're nothing but a prissy cow!"
No one laughed at this. In the right corner closest to the window a pale boy sitting next to the pug-faced girl smirked. He turned to Daphne lazily.
"You'd better teach your sister to mind her tongue, Greengrass, or she might end up in Gryffindor with Potty and the Weasels."
Cackling bounced off the compartment walls, the loudest coming from the pug-faced girl who was doubled over, her head leaning onto the pale boy's shoulder. Astoria felt a surge of rage burn through her like branding iron. Her eyes narrowed.
Daphne's laughter eventually died, but only after her eyes were leaking with tears. She swept some of her honey tresses over her shoulder haughtily. "Then she's doomed! That's just too bad! Mum will disinherit her. I personally don't care, that would mean more for me. She doesn't have enough brains to end up in Slytherin anyway. Maybe Hufflepuff will take her!"
Astoria snapped.
"It's a wonder you ended up in Slytherin, Daphne. Mum wasn't very happy with your marks last year. Exactly how many P's did you get again?"
Daphne's pretty face turned dangerous. Astoria smirked and tucked some of her long brown hair behind her ear. The pale boy bit his lip, the corners of his mouth tilting upward.
"What is she talking about?" asked the pug-faced girl, looking at Daphne quizzically. God, Astoria thought, what a thickhead. Maybe Hufflepuff would take her.
"Nothing…!" said Daphne shrilly. "Nothing, Pansy, she's just being stupid."
Astoria snorted. "That doesn't mean much coming from you." At this some snickers broke through. The pale boy smirked even wider. Daphne opened her mouth, then closed it again. She sat back down and stared at Astoria poisonously. Pansy stuck her nose up in the air, making her little black bob flip. She turned to look at the pale boy and her mouth turned into a sickeningly sweet smile that made Astoria's stomach turn. Her head inclined toward his, almost ingratiatingly. He looked straight ahead at the wall.
"So how was your summer Draco?" asked Pansy. Astoria noticed that her voice was very different from when she had been sneering earlier. Astoria rolled her eyes. She looked out the window, letting her thoughts drift. The scenery rushed past behind the panes and Pansy's chatter dulled to a background noise. The boy named Draco let her go on and on, but whenever he did speak his drawling voice scraped over Astoria's nerves like a piece of burning metal. It ignited the rage she had felt earlier and she felt her blood turn icy in her veins.
He had insulted her and made her look foolish in front of everyone. Astoria suddenly noticed how very like Daphne he was with his sleek blonde hair and light, condescending eyes. Although he's even fairer than she is, Astoria thought.
Pansy was still talking to him when his pale eyes flicked from the wall to look at Astoria. She noticed that his eyes were grey, like water under ice, yet they seemed to burn her. She thought she saw the corner of his mouth twitch slightly as if in the beginnings of a smile. Then he sneered and made a quiet, disparaging noise. Astoria felt her face flush in fury. She glared at him then turned away to face the door. She fumed silently, her face still impassive, and refused to look at him until the scarlet train stopped on the dark platform that led up to the school.