Astoria stiffened unconsciously upon entering the Slytherin common room with Madam Cordelia Ogden, her closest friend aside from Daphne, her sister. She had to hold herself to a much higher standard than nearly all the other purebloods at Hogwarts, and it often was draining.
"Tell me more about the outcomes of the Cheshire race." Astoria asked Cordelia as they passed through the subtle wards protecting the Slytherin common room, thereby stopping any wizards or witches from trying to steal her attention. To interrupt an ongoing conversation was unbearably rude, especially to an Original.
Cordelia brightened, a great lover of horses of all types, she followed the Abraxan racing courts closely. "Sir Blackwell won, again." she said eagerly, "It's said that he could win the Avalon Cup this season, easily."
Astoria gave Cordelia a genuine smile as they crossed the mildly crowded common room to their favorite settee, "That's wonderful, my Fair Lady," she said, giving Cordelia's hand a small squeeze, "I'm sure your lord father is pleased?" Heir Ogden was Sir Blackwell's financial backer, providing his favorite jockey with the best training and facilities gold could buy.
The duo paused a moment, allowing for Astoria to acknowledge the various bows and curtseys given to her a signs of respect as an Original. Astoria's magic, naturally aligned to prevent conflict and settle disputes, flared beneath her shields. She inhaled deeply, getting a strong scent of cedar.
She had been seeing and sensing more and more discord and strife the past few weeks, which was stretching Astoria a little too thin. Several of the lower noble houses, not as rich as others and desperate for status, had started a new deplorable trend. Instead of addressing noble witches by their proper title, they had started the habit of using Lady, followed by the witch's first name.
It was an appalling trend, and Astoria hoped it would die down soon. The number of wizards, and some witches, being sent to the hospital wing was rising fast, and a large number of noble witches had been traumatized by the blatant disrespect. First names were only used by family members and the closest of friends, not school acquaintances and housemates.
Astoria put her arm on Cordelia's shoulder, "My magic has sensed some sort of discord, " she said, her magic already throbbing and ready to see the conflict resolved. Astoria looked upset that she had to cut their conversation short, but duties always came first.
Cordelia, Merlin and Morgana bless her, understood. "Go on and resolve the matter, Fair Lady. I'll be waiting on our settee to finish our conversation." the settee in mention was immediately cleared as Cordelia strolled gracefully over.
Astoria thought for a moment as her dear friend departed. Cedar- cedar was on the sigil of House Shafiq, but neither of the Shafiq's magic smelled of cedar. There was only one person who had magic the scent of cedar. Master Nott, an honourable man, and one of the few that could be counted as a near equal.
Seeing him in a secluded corner with Heir Malfoy, Master Vaisey, and Maestro Zabini, Astoria strode over. The common room was silent, everyone was curious to see what would happen. After six years all Slytherins knew what it meant when either Greengrass sister stopped suddenly and inhaled like that. The ability to smell the magic of other was a rare one, and one that almost exclusively ran in Original families.
Masters Nott and Vaisey and Maestro Zabini sprang up the moment they saw her coming and sank into deep bows. Heir Malfoy, Astoria noticed, only got up and bowed when it would have been improper not to.
"My Fair Lady Greengrass." The three, still in their deep bows said at once.
"My Lady." Heir Malfoy said a long moment later. Astoria narrowed her eyes; she wasn't one to lord her station over others- that was unbecoming- but disrespect and impropriety rankled her like nothing else.
"Master Nott, Master Vaisey, Maestro Zabini, Heir Malfoy." Astoria said in acknowledgement, releasing the wizards from their respectful bows.
"What brings you to this corner of the common room, my Fair Lady?" Master Nott asked, his dark eyes betraying his otherwise guarded face.
"My magic senses discord, conflict," Astoria replied, reaching up to adjust the fascinator perched on top of her curls, "and it smells strongly of cedar-" Master Nott tensed slightly and Astoria inhaled again, her senses picking up more scents, "Pine and rainwater."
"Heir Malfoy has been trying to convince us-" Maestro Zabini waved his arm in the direction of Masters Nott and Vaisey, "of a new idea, a change of custom to say, Fair Lady." Maestro Zabini's nose wrinkled in distaste, "Needless to say, none of us are too pleased by his idea."
Master Nott and Master Vaisey both wore dark looks, and Heir Malfoy seemed oblivious to the discord he was causing.
"I see." Astoria was pleased to see she didn't have to ask the matter, a few unfortunate times she had and had been scared as a result.
"Lady Astoria-" Heir Malfoy wasn't even able to finish his sentence before a curse flew out of Master Nott's wand, sending Heir Malfoy falling to the floor. The entire common room was deadly quiet. Astoria herself was in utter shock.
Never before feeling such a sense of betrayal, Astoria took a step backwards. What had gotten into Heir Malfoy's mind? To address a lady, especially a noble, and most certainly an Original in such a base manner was appalling. Astoria felt filthy, and had the strong urge to take a shower so she could feel clean again. Never before had a wizard dared to address her in such a crass manner, like she was some common woman who deserved only the barest of courtesies.
She stood in shock, utterly vulnerable to the world. She was a virtuous witch; Astoria cherished the many traditions and rules of propriety, and followed them to the letter. She was not a lady of a house, and the only others who (wrongfully) used that title were prostitutes and whores. Astoria would never dream of degrading herself in such a manner.
Several other pureblood sicons had risen and come quickly over. Astoria forced her senses outward, not even realizing she had forced them so deeply within herself. She looked up to see that Master Nott was wearing a livid expression.
"Tell me you didn't just say that." He said, his tone promising a world of pain if Heir Malfoy said yes. Laying petrified on the floor, Heir Malfoy could do nothing more than blink.
"You heard him right." Heir Shafiq said curtly, wand grasped tightly in his dark fingers, "He dared to address the Fair Lady Greengrass, an Original, by her first name! And using the most pathetic attempt at an honorific that I've ever heard."
Astoria stood in still shocked silence, nearly screaming in fright when she felt Cordelia's hand tentatively touch her shoulder. "Do you want to leave?" her dear friend asked, hesitance clear in her tone.
Wrapping her arms further around herself, Astoria shook her head. "I need to watch, dear one." she said softly, using one of the many endearments she and Cordelia shared, "If we retreat, I'll be seen as weak. A woman of House Greengrass must always be strong-" her voice hitched slightly- "no matter what the situation."
Master Nott reversed the petrification, allowing Heir Malfoy freedom of movement once more. The various sicons moved around Heir Malfoy, making escape impossible. "What do you have to say for yourself?" Master Nott asked, staring at Heir Malfoy like he wanted to do nothing more than rip him limb from limb.
"What have I done wrong?" Heir Malfoy asked, his voice high with fear, clearly uncomfortable with all the angry purebloods surrounding him. "I used proper honorifics."
Master Nott snorted derisively, as several of the others chuckled darkly. "Really?" Master Nott asked, looking down at Heir Malfoy.
"I think our Erede needs a few lessons in Honorifics." Maestro Zabini said, his eyes sweeping over the young men around him and stopping at the one on the floor. "The Fair Lady you so grievously insulted is a third daughter of the main line of House Greengrass." The Italian said slowly and clearly, as if explaining something to a very small child, "As such, her title is Madam or Fair Lady."
Master Nott jumped in, "Under no such circumstances are you to use her first name with her title. The Fair Lady is the only one who decides who can use her first name freely. The title Lady is reserved for the bonded of the Lord-"
The rest of Master Nott's explanation was cut off by the door to the common room slamming against the wall with a loud bang. Madame Daphne Greengrass rushed into the common room with a basket half-full of herbs on her arm. Heiress Tracey Davis rushed in after her, a similar basket on her arm.
Daphne ignored all the purebloods in the room bowing or curtseying to her, she only had eyes for her younger sister. Her basket was hurriedly set on a side table as she rushed over and enveloped her sister in a hug. "What's wrong, dearest?" she asked, laying her hand gently on Astoria's cheek, "I could feel your magic broadcasting your pain all the way in the forest."
Astoria looked at her sister, her eyes wet. "Malfoy." Astoria whispered, knowing that if she said anymore she would break down into wracking sobs. She clung to Daphne tighter, not caring about what the others around them would say.
Unseen by Astoria, Daphne's eyes hardened. Astoria was never this emotional, not in public. She lived by the rules of propriety, and her lack of title regarding Heir Malfoy was worrying. Something had gone seriously wrong. Daphne looked to Madame Ogden, who was standing close by, her eyes flickering between her sister and the ring of pureblood sicons in the corner.
"Heir Malfoy," Madame Ogden took a deep sigh, looking faintly ill, "attempted to address the Fair Lady Greengrass." She paused again, this time looking quite nervous.
Taking advantage of Madame Ogden's silence, Miss Avonmora Gamp scampered over. Daphne hide the urge to sigh; the Gamp's were a once proud family that had fallen into a small bit of ruin generations ago, they had lost quite a bit of money and their titles because of some buried scandal. They were shameless social climbers.
Daphne, her arms still around Astoria, looked at Miss Gamp with thinly veiled loathing, "Yes?"
The chit was nearly bouncing with excitement, and Daphne fought the urge to scowl. Whereas Daphne abhorred scandal and gossip, Miss Gamp lived for it. "Heir Malfoy called your sister Lady." she said, obviously withholding more information for shock value. Daphne's eyes widened in shock, "and he used her first name."
It took every single bit of willpower Daphne had to not kill Heir Malfoy slowly and painfully. To use a noble title in such a manner was appalling, and to her younger sister...Daphne was nearly homicidal. Her sweet, virtuous sister lived by their traditions; to use her first name without permission, and to address her like some common whore, was the worst possible thing anyone could do.
"Thank you, Miss Gamp." Daphne said with forced kindness, and tried not to shudder as the vapid girl scurried off. Daphne looked down at her sister, still clinging to her for dear life, "Dear one," she said softly, gently touching the back of her neck, "it seems I have an issue I must address."
Astoria looked up, her eyes no longer wet, but now wide and fearful. Merlin and Morgana how Daphne hated seeing her sister like this. Astoria was laughter and sunshine, not fear and nervousness.
"I'm not going to let such a grievance against you stand." She said, gently but firmly, slowly pulling her arms away from her sister, "No one insults my sister, nor our House in such a manner and gets away with it."
Astoria nodded, still quiet in her shock, and went to stand by Madame Ogden. The two intertwined arms immediately. Daphne noticed that Heiress Davis, her closest friend aside from Astoria, went to stand beside the duo.
As Daphne got closer to the circle of sicons, she felt the magic of a privacy charm; whatever vengeance the wizards were enacting on the Malfoy heir clearly weren't for young ears, or polite society.
"You're not worth the air she breathes, you miserable wretch." Daphne heard Master Nott's sneering tone immediately. Jets of light, most clearly dark magic, were going toward a prone figure on the floor.
"Do be careful gentlemen," Daphne said airily as she got close enough to see the bruised and bloody figure of Heir Malfoy laying on the floor, "the elves do hate cleaning blood off the stone. They do such a good job of cleaning our quarters that I'd hate to see them forced to do more work."
All magic ceased as each young man bowed deeply in her direction. "Fair Lady Greengrass." Heir Shafiq said graciously, "You honor us with your presence."
Daphne's lips quirked up in a smirk, "The honor is mine. I am glad to see that Heir Malfoy is already being reminded the proper titles to use in addressing a lady."
Heir Malfoy moaned on the floor as Master Nott chuckled darkly, "Would you like to do some reminding of your own?" he asked, "His grievance was against your house, and your lady sister."
Daphne chuckled, just as darkly as Master Nott, "Too much talk would arise, so I regretfully must decline your offer. I would like to speak to him first, before you all begin again."
Master Nott nodded, and he and the others stepped back, allowing Daphne clear access to Heir Malfoy. Daphne stepped closer, drawing up the skirts of her robes slightly to avoid the blood, and looked down on the Malfoy Heir.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked coldly, gazing at the blonde man on the floor with obvious disgust.
There was a moment of silence as Heir Malfoy found the strength to speak. "I don't know what I did wrong." he bemoaned, "I addressed your sister with honorifics and yet I'm being cursed for it."
Daphne cleared away the blood on the floor with a flick of her wand, kneeling next to Heir Malfoy she prodded his ribs with her wand, causing him to cry out in pain as the broken bones were agitated.
"My sister is not some common whore, wrongly using the titles Magic has decreed. She is a sweet, virtuous witch, worth more than you can ever hope for in a bonded partner." Daphne hissed, seething at Malfoy's foolishness.
"I understand that your family was herding sheep in France and sleeping in caves when Magic gifted itself to my ancestors and made us protectors of her creatures and land. That though, does not excuse your crass and ridiculous behavior. You're nouveau riche, dirt beneath my slippers when it all comes to it. Have some respect for your betters." Daphne rose gracefully and turned, intent on writing several letters to various people that might just change the fate of the Malfoy family.
Daphne was almost back to her beloved sister when she heard Malfoy's hiss.
"Stuck up bitch."
She turned back to the ring of now livid men. "Master Nott?" she asked sweetly, causing her tall yearmate to turn quickly around. He looked at her, waiting for her word, "Feel free to do your worst. All I ask is that you don't kill him, far too much paperwork for Professor Snape."
"As you wish, Fair Lady." Master Nott said with an all too dark grin.
Daphne turned, and didn't look back. Taking Astoria's arm, they, along with Heiress Davis and Madame Ogden, retreated to Daphne's suite of rooms. She had letters to write and a sister to comfort, not to mention herbs to sort for the meeting with the London vampire clan.
Daphne heard though, that Heir Malfoy had to be transferred to St. Mungo's. Shame the man had no respect, because one does not insult a lady and get away lightly.