JK Rowling owns the multi billion dollar buisness that is Harry Potter. I own my own people.
"I heard that her mother was never aiming for You Know Who and hit him by accident,"
"Do you think she told her the truth?"
Those whispers followed Astoria down to breakfast that morning and she smirked, trying to seem like it didn't bother her.
Bella had told her the whole terrifying truth, from the first moment she had her sister stolen, to the death of her mothers lord.
Astoria couldn't understand why it was so hard to believe that Bella had actually meant to kill Voldemort. He had threatened her daughter, wouldn't anyone have done the same?
"But no," she thought bitterly taking a seat at the Slytherin table, "because she was a death eater, she has to have other motives."
She looked up at the staff table and found the one she had been told so much about.
She knew Filia, or Hermione as she liked to be called, knew the truth of what happened that night. Knew what exactly happened. Why she wouldn't tell anyone though, was beyond Astoria's comprehension.
She gave her a smile and began to eat her breakfast before another boy sat down next to her.
"Hi," he said rather enthusiastically, his strong Irish accent shining through.
Astoria looked over at him and raised her eyebrows in a mocking way. His dark red hair looked managed, his black robes looked second hand, but not so bad that at first glance you noticed them right away, just if you looked close, like Astoria was doing right now, and his light green eyes seem to glisten. He looked her age.
"What?" she asked, his overly large smile faltering some, but he quickly gained it back.
"I just wanted to say hi, so, hi! I'm Fyro, by the way, Fyro O'Higgins, but I just have people call me Fy, it makes it easier. I just think it's so cool to finally be here, in Hogwarts, don't you? Not only that, but in England too! I mean I suppose you grew up here, but this is the first time I've ever been out of the country! I never left Ireland before, so being in England i pretty awesome, you know? I mean my mother and father both went here, you know to the school, and my grandparents, and their parents, and... Well actually a lot of my family has come here! But still isn't it cool! Oh god we are going to learn so much here, and I was surprised I was put in Slytherin. you now., because I always thought I was more brave then cunning, but nope! The hat said you had to be ambitious and cunning, and I guess I'm a lot more ambitious then I am at being brave, or cunning, but I guess when you think about it, it's all on the same team right? So anyway what's your name?"
Astoria blinked in confusion at the strange boy who didn't even seemed out of breath after that, and instead just continued to smile at her. Yes he was a pure blood, but he seemed to be rather lower class, not even worthy of sitting next to her much less allowing him the privilege of hearing her name.
But, she decided, it would be nice to know at least one person here who wasn't part of her family's social gatherings.
"Astoria Rodolphus Black-Lestrange, of the ancient and most noble house of Black."
"Wow that's a mouthful! I read about your mother I think, in our history of Magic book! Wasn't she the one who killed that You Know Who guy on accident?"
"It wasn't on accident," she grumbled, but he seemed to have ignored her last statement.
"So what class do you think we'll have first? I hope Transfiguration! I really wanna learn how to change things into other stuff, you know, like people into animals and stuff like that! I really think that's gonna be my strongest class!"
"I'm not sure how good I'll be at it, but Transfiguration is the one class I'm most anxious to get to."
She looked back up at the table and smiled at Hermione once more who was busy reading 'Transfiguration Today,' to really pay attention.
A loud flapping of Owls over heard diverted her attention and she quickly spotted Bellas gray owl Horus, flying towards her.
He dropped a letter in front of her, knocking over her orange juice as he landed and she gave him a quick pet and a piece of bacon before he flew off again, knocking over Fy's juice as well.
Astoria, recognizing her mothers neat, tiny writing on the envelope, opened it up at once and began to read.
"My Darling Astoria,
I am sure that that wretched woman, Mcgonnigall, made the announcement of Neville Longbottom becoming a professor last night, so I shall get to the point quickly.
I have told you already of how that filthy blood traitor was the one who put me in prison for over fourteen years. He hates me, as much as I hate, loathe, and despise every single ounce of him, he seems to multiply that feeling. I have faith, however, that he would not harm or belittle an innocent child.
The reason I am writing this letter however, and of course to see how you are doing and what house you were accepted into, is to let you know that if he does harm or belittle you in any way, shape or form, pick up your quill right there in class and tell me and send it as soon as you can. I swear on my life I will be there before the day is through. Though I can not promise you will have your Herbology teacher back after I am through with him.
Other then that horrifying piece of news, how was the feast and train ride there? Made any new friends yet (of the appropriate blood type and social satire, I mean.) And more importantly, is there another Slytherin in the family, or have you decided to go another route? Also, have you seen her yet? What does she look like? How is she as a teacher? Please tell me everything about her.
I hope you enjoy yourself there,Astoria, I know those seven years at Hogwarts were the best of my life, and I want yours to be filled with just as much joy, happiness, and excitement as mine had. Please do not hesitate to write, as I know I will be writing you at least twice a week.
Love forever, mother."
Astoria felt tears well up in her eyes for some unknown reason as she read the letter again.
She missed her already, and she hasn't even been gone for more then a day.
She supposed this was normal, but it still didn't help her feel any less upset.
"You okay?" Fy asked, seeing her bite her bottom lip.
Astoria wiped her eyes and nodded, "I'll be fine. I just, you know, miss my mother."
"I'm sorry. What about your father? You miss him too?"
"My father's dead," she grumbled, stuffing the letter into her bag.
"I'm sorry," Fy said, hanging his head. "I didn't-"
"It happened before I was even born so," Astoria shrugged in indifference, "I never even got to see him much less get to know him so well that I actually miss miss him. My mother does though. She's the one who really misses him. "
Fy and Astoria didn't speak another word as they continued to eat their breakfast until Professor Snape came down from the staff table and began handing out the first year schedules, casting an extra long look at Astoria before continuing on.
"History of Magic first today," Fy read out loud. Astoria looked down at her own schedule "then Defense Against the Dark Arts, then lunch, then Herbology with the Ravenclaws after that, and the last class is of the day if Potions with Gryffindors. No Charms or Transfiguration until Wednesday," Fy stated a little disappointed, not catching the look of malice she had gotten when he mentioned Herbology.
"We have Herbology today, right after lunch? Great," she muttered, casting the darkest look she could muster towards Neville who was in conversation with Hermione. "Now we gotta handle keeping our food down while dealing with that disgusting blood traitor!"
Fy wrinkled his brow at her before looking up at the table. He didn't think the new Herbology teacher looked too bad. Truth be told, he looked rather friendly.
"I don't think he'll be so bad, Tory. He looks kind of nice"
"It's Astoria," she snapped, still glaring at the man who her mother had informed her of. The one who ruined her mothers life, who sent her to Azkiban for fourteen years, the one who made it impossible for her to go out and search for her sister. "And if you knew the things that man was capable of, you would think otherwise in a heart beat!"
Fy raised his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Relax, Astoria."
She didn't even turn to glare at Fy for saying her name like that but instead turned back to her plate to stab her defenseless eggs in anger that she wouldn't at least have a day to prepare her for what she knew would be hell from that bastard.
Pretty soon she saw that more then half of the students had gone off to their classes, so she grabbed her bag, Fy following her example, and the two Slytherins began walking towards, with excitement filling their hearts, there first class in the magical arts.
Two and a half hours later, they could not have been more grateful to get out of their first class in the magical arts.
"Dear god!" Fy groaned rubbing his eyes from sleepiness as Astoria let out a loud yawn. "And to think we have to put up with that as our first class every Tuesday and Thursday!"
Astoria nodded in agreement. "I know. It's way too unfair. Why not have an exciting class first? Instead of sitting through two and a half hours of a ghost droning on about Eric the Oddball after we just woke up."
Fy let out a laugh as the two began walking to Defense Against the Dark Arts, but his laughter soon died down as he looked at her kind of down trodden.
"Um, Astoria. If I was to tell you I might have lied about my heritage, would we still be cool?"
She turned and narrowed her eyes at him as the two stopped their tracks dead in the hall. "Why would you need to worry about that? You said your whole family went here."
He shrugged and let out a nervous laugh, not completely covering up his fear. "Oh they did! I just... uh, you know was wondering. I Just remembered about what you said about the new professor being a blood traitor, so I was just wondering if you were one of those like... pure blood supremacists or something."
"Look," she said, her tone deathly, and while she was only eleven and he was two inches taller then her, the look in her eyes still made Fy flinch in terror. "I know a lot of 'pure bloods', say that there's no difference between half bloods, mud bloods, and us, but my mother raised me right. And I swear, Fy, if I find out you're anything less then pure blooded, and you tricked me into hanging out with you, even becoming friends, I will such wrath and pain upon you, you'd wish you never set foot in this castle. I am a Black, and I will not permit myself to hanging out with anybody less then the right blood type."
"Oh no, no!" he said in a hurry, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead, "I was just, you know... wondering. No harm meant. I'm a pure blood, honest!"
Astoria stared at him for a while before she finally turned away and continued to her next class. Fy let out a shaky breath before hurrying to catch up with him, hoping to god his mechanic father sent him no muggle packages that would reveal his secret that he was a half blood, and barley that. His mother was a muggle born, and his father was a muggle.
The first night in the common room, he had heard one of the older students complaining loudly that 'Slytherin House no longer had the prestige it once had by letting in so many blood traitors, half bloods, and', Fy went hurrying off to bed at this time, those 'mangy muggle borns, who didn't even deserve to see Hogwarts, let alone be in this house'. The applause that followed didn't help either. Lying in bed that night, he decided that his best bet to survive this house and make friends, was to just lie and say he was a pure blood, and hopefully, not to many people knew any Irish pure blooded families and he could pass off as one with out listing too many family members.
As the two went into their next class, Fy noticed Astoria become somewhat shaky.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," she breathed as they opened the door to the class, "It's just... I'm not really fond of the person teaching this class.
"Who?"
Astoria smiled a somewhat amused smile. "Albus Dumbledore."
Fy looked at her in confusion. Was her family so high up in the warding world that she knew almost all the teachers?
The two went into the class, and looked around in amusement. There were little silver and gold contraptions around the room, along with life size portraits of, Fy assumed, wizards and witches who were famous for something regarding to the Dark Arts, ranging from Merlin his wand held high to the sky, to a large burly man in steel armor and a large black cape carrying a huge ax in one massive hand, the other one carrying a large Goblin head, to a boy giving a shy smile, no older then seventeen with messy black hair, glasses, and a scar on his forehead, waving to the students.
"Oh no!" Astoria groaned, a red blush heavy in her face.
Fy turned to see what she was looking at, and his eyes widened.
A beautiful woman, perhaps forty, her black curly hair wild, her long black dress torn in some places, with pale skin and black eyes was standing there, her wand in one hand, looking as if she were looking down at the students, like she knew even in just a poster, that she was better then all who looked at her.
But it wasn't the woman's looks or glance that caused his eyes to widen. although her stare did make him all of a sudden wish his parents had a bit more money to spend on robes, it was the fact that she looked almost exactly like Astoria, had Astorias hair been a shade darker and thirty years older.
"Family member?" he asked looking at her.
Astoria nodded her head and looked down at the floor, a small sheepish smile shining through, "my mother."
Fy gaped at the picture once more before the two double doors opened, and in walked Albus Percivell Wulfrick Brian Dumbledore, smiling from ear to ear, his purple robes sweeping along the floor.
"Good morning, and welcome! To your very first Defense against the Dark Arts class! Please take your seats and let us begin that amazing adventure entitled learning!"
Astoria raced to the back of the room, in the one closest to the door and away from his desk, and Fy took the seat next to her.
Dumbledore beamed at the students and took out his wand.
"My name is Professor Dumbledore. I used to teach Transfiguration here over sixty years ago. I taught that for over forty years. I then became Headmaster of this school in the 60s, and remained that until it was time for retirement six years ago.
I spent nearly two years in the States, more specifically Florida, enjoying the beaches, and the sun this country seems rather reluctant to give us. Then, after trying to teach magic to my beloved cat Lemon Drop, I came back, wanting to have a job doing the thing I loved most once more. Of course, the headmasters job had been taken by the wonderful Professor Mcgonnigall, and my other job, Transfiguration, had been taken by the talented Professor Weasley. However, due to rather unfortunate circumstances involving a Basset Hound puppy, a rabbit, gun powder, and Filbuster Fireworks, the current Defense against the Dark Arts professor had to take mandatory retirement. So when Professor Mcgonnigall had asked if I wanted that job, I accepted immedently, and this is my fourth year teaching said job!
Now that that boring part of the job is over, why don't we start roll to know who is here, and who I am positive who has a great and well thought out excuse on how they could not make it to class."
He began to read through the names and paused when he read Astorias. He looked up and began to scan the class before his eyes landed on Astoria, who looked down quite embarrassed, praying he wouldn't embarrass her.
Dumbledore, sensing her feelings merly smiled at her.
"How is your mother doing, Miss Lesgrange?"
"She's fine," she muttered.
Dumbledore smiled before continuing roll, and Astoria let out a sigh of relief.
"Defense against the Dark Arts," Dumbledore began after finishing roll, "is a very important branch of magic to master, like all the other classes and branches of magic," he added with a smile, "but this class will save you when you are in danger, and is very important to pay close attention, as I'm sure you all will.
Some wizards," he motioned to the posters and portraits around the room, "have mastered it better then others. Your very first assignment, is to do an three foot essay, due the end of the year," he added smiling when he heard the groans, "on a famous Witch or Wizard in history who has done something good for defending us against the dark arts. You may choose anyone from Merlin."
He pointed to the large poster of the ancient wizard, "who as we all know, was famous for many things which included creating and discovering a large number of defensive spells, potions, and artifacts. Or Jame Pruitt."
He pointed to a young wizard in a brilliant white and gold robe who stood in the center of a small group of wizards in white robes stood around him, all with rather serious looks on their faces "a young wizard priest who in the second century discovered a large colony of Vampires who planned on forming a mass attack, and took them all out in a single spell with little harm to himself or his comrades. Or you may want to do something a little more recent such as," he pointed to the picture of the boy in the glasses and black hair. "Harry Potter, the first and only survivor of the killing curse, who defeated Voldemort four times and was thought to be the only one responsible for killing Voldemort."
There was a loud grumble among the students as Dumbledore said the name most feared to say. Astoria whoever, grew up hearing her mother talk about him on a regular basis, was not phased.
"But," a witch named Maggie Porter said, "I thought that the witch who destroyed you know who was Bellatrix the strange or something like that."
Astoria was about to correct her before another boy called Anthony Peters popped up, "No she did it on accident, she doesn't count. I read about that story."
"Her name was Bellatrix Lestrange, pronounced 'Luh-Strawnge', and no, it wasn't on accident," Astoria snapped.
"No," Anthony said rolling his eyes, "She was a death eater, and a pure blood. She would never kill the guy she worshipped on purpose."
"What does her having noble blood have to do with anything?" Astoria asked, crossing her arms.
Several of her classmates mumbled in agreement.
"Everyone knows all pure bloods are fanatical racists and insane since they inbreed so much. And the way history tells it, she was off the wall, and she and him were sleeping together so that's another reason she wouldn't have killed him."
"She never cheated on her husband, and she's not crazy, you disgusting mud blood! You don't even deserve to be in this house, you horrid piece of filth!"
Three or four students clapped in agreement, and the one other Slytherin muggle born stood up on anger, ready to lay into Astoria as well. Fy sat there in silence.
Dumbledore raised his hands to silence the class. He looked rather disappointed.
"Everyone please settle down," he spoke kindly, but the whole class quieted up at once. "Now. Miss Lestrange, please do not use that word in my presence, or make any negative comments in regards to a witch or wizards blood type."
"But he!" she began in anger, and Dumbledore raised his hands again and she stopped talking.
"Mr. Peters, I would also like to remind you that even on the other side of the spectrum; hateful and stereotypical comments will not be tolerated. Do I make myself clear?"
He mumbled "yes," and turned towards Astoria and stuck out his tongue at her. She relaid it back before they both turned to Dumbledore. Fy gently rubbed her shoulders to comfort her, and was surprised as she was when she didn't throw it off.
"Now, I'm going to make this clear, due to the current situation in which we have found ourselves. I do not know what History books or magazines you all have read, but I can assure you with a hundred and thirty seven percent certainty that Bellatrix Lestrange did not kill Voldemort on accident, and she completely and intentionally ended his life."
Astoria would have gave him a grin had it not been for the fact that she was seething.
"Why though? No books really ever tell us why she decided to turn on her master. That's why so many people believe it was an accident."
Dumbledore opened his mouth and then shut it. Hermione had never told anyone that Bellatrix was her mother, and he wasn't sure if Astoria knew or not.
"That is a tale reserved for only the parties involved. Now," he turned back and walked to his desk. "You may find out all your information from this lovely little place called a library, or your History of Magic text books. I encourage you to take this assignment very seriously, seeing as how it counts for thirty five percent of your final exam, and remember, no one may have the same witch or wizard.
But for now, please begin by pulling out, 'Defense Against the Dark Arts Made Easyish,' and we'll start on chapter one, "Dark Creatures and Objects You'll Need to Defend Yourself Against."
Astoria pulled out her book and opened it to the first page and began pretending to follow along, her mind a hundred miles away in a large house on 43rd Avenue, where the woman who had done so much for this world, was still thought of as a monster.
Two hours later, the first year Slytherins filed out of the room, all buzzing with talk from there last class as they walked to lunch.
"I'm gonna do Merlin. you know, the most famous of all the wizards, and some say the most powerful," Fy told Astoria, trying to get her mind off of today.
She barely heard him as they continued to walk to the Great Hall.
He tried once more to get her spirits up. "You know I heard that there are still living descendants of him. But they all turned out like, evil and psychotic."
"That," Astoria said dryly not turning to him, "Would be the Black family. My mothers ancestry and pretty much the only pure blood family left in England."
Fy looked down in embarrassment as he muttered a sorry as they entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Slytherin table.
"So Herboligy with the Ravenclaws next," he said taking a spoonful of potatoes, eyeing her carefully, and sure enough, her eyes narrowed and she clutched her fork so hard her knuckles turned red.
"Great," she muttered, stabbing her steak and kidney pie. "I have to deal with the guy I'd rather spit on then look at!"
Fy shook his head as he took a swig of Pumpkin juice, "I still think he looks nice."
"You don't get it, Fy! He hates me, he hates my mother more then Voldemort," she ignored the flinching, "hated Potter! He is going to make my life miserable, all because his parents were liars! He sent her to jail the first time, and then tried to get her thrown back in Azkiban when she had killed the man who made thousands of lives miserable!"
"Whoa. Are you for real?"
Astoria nodded. "He's nothing but a miserable coward."
"If you don't mind me asking , Astoria, "why was your mom in jail the first time?"
Astoria shrugged and looked down at her plate, "It's a long story."
"We got an hour to eat, and I don't think you're in any mood to get to our next class in a hurry . I got time. I just don't want you to, you know, feel like you don't have anyone."
Astoria shook her head, "are you this sentimental and friendly to every person you meet?"
"Kind of."
"Well stop it. It's getting annoying. You're starting to sound like that sparkly vampire in those idiotic books that muggle girls have become obsessed with."
Fy shrugged before taking another drink of pumpkin juice.
"So when do you think we'll start flying lessons?"
Astoria shook her head at his sad attempt to change subjects so suddenly.
"I hear we don't start until another week. That'll be fun, won't it? I mean, I've flown a few times, but still! It will be cool to do, don't you think?"
Astoria shook her head, "my mother has never been good at flying, and I'm afraid I inhabited her rather mediocre flying abilities."
Fy laughed and then continued to eat his lunch, while Astoria didn't eat a single thing.
The more minutes passed, the more angrier she became, until at last, it was time for her and Fy to leave the table to set off towards the Green Houses, and she was seething.
They saw the other students entering the first Greenhouse, and Astoria could see him through the window, and her hand began shaking.
"You alright?" Fy asked, looking between Astoria and the Green House, not wanting to be late for their first Herboligy class.
Astoria turned towards him, and he took a step back, cowering under her gaze.
"I'll be fine," she turned back towards the green house, "just as soon as that pitiful excuse for a wizard is where he belongs."
"And um," he swallowed his fear, "where would that be?"
She smiled, and Fy was astounded that even at only eleven, a girl could look so cunning and evil.
"You really want to know?"
Fy shook his head, and Astoria, giving a quick smile before turning back towards the Green house, her heart beating a thousand beats per second, to finally meet the man who had caused her mothers life misery.
A/N Alright, I didn't think about including Dumbledore in the original story, otherwise I would have left him Head Master, but, as I was writing this, I figured, he has to be there, he has to impact the lives of these characters in some way. And no, the entire story will not be all about Astoria. It's just, this chapter was used to introduce her and her sidekick. I guarantee you they'll be a hell of a lot of Neville, Hermione, and Bella coming you way.
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