Astoria's Help
Fourth Year Ravenclaw Astoria Greengrass goes to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes to retrieve an item that is needed to help a struggling, desperate Malfoy achieve his mission. Set during Half-Blood Prince.
The flashes of pink, silver, bule, gold and red light that seeped out of the highly decorated, lit golden windows bathed the whole street in colour. Astoria was absolutely mesmerised as she entered the shop and with every deafening bang and strike of light, her heart pounded faster with more and more wonder. If someone told her this time last year, no, this time last week that she would willingly enter a joke shop, let alone be amazingly fascinated by it, she would have turned round and laughed in their face. Astoria had always thought that joke shops and the pranks they inspired were a childish waste of time. But then again Weasley's Wizard Wheezes wasn't your average joke shop; even in the wizarding world. Each wall was filled with blinding, flashing colour. It was unbelievably amazing; there was everything from Nose-Bleeding Nougats to Patented Daydream Charms, Extendable Ears to Future Mrs Weasley's? Love Potion. Everywhere she turned, Astoria was met with yet another brilliant product of the twins. As she scanned the shelves greedily, Astoria almost forgot why she had entered the shop in the first place. She took off at once; searching high and low for the one thing in this shop that she needed, the ever popular Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. She had promised Malfoy that she would retrieve the product for him, even after three years of solid hostility between the pair of them, Astoria had to admit that he had changed from the once pompous brat to the now terrified Death Eater that needed her help. It was after months of secret meetings in the Room of Requirement, during which Malfoy had opened up to her about being a Death Eater and had sought comfort and advice from her, that Draco confinded in her about his mission to murder Professor Dumbledore and how if he wouldn't the self-proclaimed Dark Lord would kill him as well as his mother and father. He had almost begged for her help, and even Astoria knew that he must have been serious if he acted that much out of character. After a quick scan around the shop, she found the powder on a shelf between Edible Dark Marks – They'll make anyone sick and Novelty Muggle Magic - How do they cope? A bit ironic really she thought looking at the two shelves before picking up her required item.
"I really hope you're not thinking of nicking that," she jumped as the voice sounded from behind her, "because if you were you'd be paying in a lot more than just galleons, my friend." Turning around she saw that it was one of the Weasley twins, his hair flaming more menacingly than usual as firework light reflected off of it. After searching the twins face for a moment she realised that it was George Weasley, she only knew who it was because they had both spent a lot of time together the previous year having been members of Dumbledore's Army.
It was only after he gave an indicating cough and raised his eyebrows that she realised he was talking to her, it took her even longer to notice she was holding a small pouch full of the shining velvety black powder to her dark blue cloak pocket, wow this looks bad. "Umm...I-I was just going to find you... ca-can you please tell me how much this would be?" she stuttered nervously as she handed the bulging draw sting pouch over. She hadn't even considered stealing the magical black substance, she was honestly only going to put it inside her cloak so that it did not spill as she made her way through the crowds of excited children and stressful parents to the ever growing queue of customers waiting to pay.
At that George Weasley did something Astoria would never have done after accusing someone of stealing, his frown softened out into a smirk and then turned into a laugh. He took a small weight out his pocket and did a scale like movement with his hands, "Don't be stupid Astoria, after last year I'd like to think we're friends and I for one know that friends don't steal something from the other's shop, and that'll be... I'd say about... one galleon, eight sickles," he placed the bag back into her hand and lowered his voice so nearby customers wouldn't hear, "but for an ex-DA member, such as yourself-"
"-you get a discount that makes the total price at only thirteen sickles." Added Fred with a wink as approached them from around the back of the colourful shelves, a smirk identical to his brother's plastered across his face.
With many 'thank you's and 'don't be stupid's, Astoria left the shop, fully paid, with the Darkness Powder and other useful purchases in her pocket. As she stepped out onto the grey, cheerless street of Diagon Alley she noticed that the sky had become considerably darker. She sped towards the Leaky Cauldron without speaking to anyone and quickly used the Floo Network to get back home.
Later that night as she lay in bed she hoped that going behind her friend's backs was worth it, after all it was Draco Malfoy who needed the Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder and she knew that he had been banned from the Weasley twin's joke shop for a reason. Astoria just wished that Draco Malfoy had not made the stupid oath to become a bloody Death Eater, look where it's gotten him, being blackmailed by Voldemort to kill his headmaster and having to ask a Fourth Year Ravenclaw for help. Astoria just hoped that her help in the future death of Albus Dumbledore would never be revealed after all she was a Ravenclaw and D.A girl, through and through.
After looking back over this oneshot I saw that in lots of places it didn't make sense so I have slightly edited it, if there are any mistakes or confusion over what is going on please tell me about it. I'm still not 100% happy with it though. Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its characters. :)