CHAPTER THREE

— Gone —

Astoria could not interpret was she was feeling. Was it happiness? Or was it anxiety? Half of her was filled with happiness and excitement. This was her opportunity. Her opportunity to have an adventure. Her opportunity to put herself into danger. Her opportunity to escape from her boring old normal life. But yet, the other side of her makes her uncertain, worried about what was happening. Why did Umbridge mention her house, her ancestors, her fountain? Whatever was going on Astoria was determined to find out.

The past few minutes, Astoria was walking around with her parents, who were greeting every person they see, which started getting very awkward. She finally decided it was enough walking around so she came to the decision to just sit on a couch by the corner for the rest of the evening and think about what just happened with Umbridge and the locket. After what seemed like forever, Astoria looked at her parents, they were still busy socializing with their colleagues. She sighed and finally her eyes landed upon a plate of pizza.

Pizza wasn't normally served in formal events, so Astoria taken by surprise walked over to the table and served herself a slice. Just as she walked back towards her couch she noticed Mrs Caraway suspiciously eyeing her. She tried her best to ignore it and brought the pizza up to her lips, she could already feel like she could taste it, her hungry stomach grumbled, she opened her mouth, just about to take a bit she noticed Mrs Caraway still staring at her with an evil smirk as if her evil master plan was just about to be completed.

Astoria quickly took the pizza out of her mouth. It was uneasy for her to do so because Pizza was her favourite food and she hasn't had it in ages. Her lips became dry, her stomach growled needing for the pizza. But Astoria knew what a risk it was, what if it were poisoned? Mrs Caraway was up to something and she knew it. After a long moment of consideration, she finally builded up her courage and decided to talk to her.

"Hey...um..I'm sorry about earlier when I said the Umbridge thingy" Astoria said in her most apologetic tone of voice. She didn't really know what to say, and that was all she could think of when it comes to her mind.

"Hello Astoria, it's fine actually, doesn't really matter" Mrs Caraway replied

"Why were you staring at me? Did you poison the pizza?" Astoria asked without thinking, the words just slipped out of her mouth. She gasped, stunned she did not know what to do next.

"What are you talking about? What are you trying to accuse me of?" Mrs Caraway said in response in her sweetest smile as if she were a princess.

Astoria decided why not just ask her right to her face? After all, if she were demonic Umbridge she wouldn't be able to harm her anywhere near there. "Why did you stare at me when I was going to eat that pizza" Astoria asked again, this time in a strict demanding voice.

Mrs Caraway sighed. "Well, I just wanted to know whether or not you liked the pizza. I made the chefs cook it especially for you because your parents told me you loved them." Mrs Caraway said once again in her sweetest tone of voice.

But Astoria knew she was lying, she could tell one when she sees it. "TELL ME THE TRUTH!" This time she yelled. The entire dinner fell silent, she could feel hundreds upon thousands of eyes staring at her. And then she looked at her parents. Disappointment was written all over their face. Astoria avoided them all and stared blankly at the floorboard. After 5 seconds everyone went back their conversations. Mr and Mrs Carter started heading towards Astoria.

"Mrs Caraway, We're terribly sorry about that." Mr Carter said apologetically.

"Oh! It's fine! You could've just told me your daughter had some mental problems, you don't need to be ashamed of it!" Mrs Caraway said in return, she then looked at Astoria, giggled and walked away. Astorias mouth fell open, MENTAL PROBLEMS? Who did she think she was?

Mr and Mrs Carter was just about to say 'no, she doesn't have mental problems' but Mrs Caraway left before the words could come out of their mouthes. Mr Carter turned to Astoria "We need to talk" he said calmly but his anger held back building up inside of him.

Her parents pulled her into an empty room down the hallway.

"What was that about?" His parents shouted.

"Nothing.." Astoria said quietly

"Do you realize how embarrassing that made us look? You're our daughter! At least make it look like you are and act like a proper lady!" Her mum roared.

"Well I'm sorry if I'm not the daughter you want me to be." Astoria replied, this time quite mad. She was sick of her parents asking her to be a princess, to be perfect in everything, because she's not. Flaws make a person who they are and her parents just cant accept it sometimes.

"No talking back!" Her father demanded.

Astoria rolled her eyes and sighed. Her parents noticing became angrier.

"THE PRIME MINISTER WAS THERE! THIS WAS THE MOST FORMAL DINNER YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO, WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SHOUT AT MRS CARAWAY FOR THE TRUTH OF WHAT? DO YOU REALISE WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT YOU HAVE MADE TO US? NOW EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE THINKING WE HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO HAS ANGER AND MENTAL ISSUES." Mr Carter yelled.

Astoria just nodded, she decided that this was the best. Her parents kept yelling at her for around 10 minuted, Astoria just stared at the floor waiting for them to shut up, and did not say a single word or shared her opinion because 'no talking back'. They finally left and told Astoria to stay in the room for the rest of the evening.

Astoria felt regret and she was no happier about her actions than her parents were. What if she was really going crazy though? What if Mrs Caraway was really just Mrs Caraway not Umbridge? What if she was just so sick of her regular life she started imagining such visual and real things? She took out the glowing red anti possession charm necklace, unfolded it from the sheets that covered most of the light. It was beautiful, the colour of crimson. She could feel the charm heating up in her palm, but she did not let it go. She couldn't. It felt like it were right to be holding it, it felt like it could guide her. She clutched it in her palm, the crimson brightness was still shining through, the heat piercing into her veins. But she could not feel it.

But, the first thing that came to Astoria's mind was to call her best friend Lily and tell her everything. It was strange, was this what the charm wanted her to do? Or was it her brain? She could not tell which, it seemed very natural.

Her phone case had a picture of the tenth doctor, whispering 'RUN.'. Tenth was Astorias favourite Doctor. He put the most emotion into the character, he was funny, cheeky, smart and very sexy. She opened her contact list, and scanned for Lilys name. Clicked it and it began to dial.

Ring...ring...ring...ring.. Lily did not pick up the phone. Astoria dialed again . Ring...ring..ring... "Hey toria !" Finally Lily answered. Toria was Astorias nickname, Astoria did not like being called it at all, but when Lily says it she has a way and makes it sound much better.

"Why didn't you pick up earlier?" Astoria questioned

"I was at the pool, sorry." Lily replied.

"Well, I called to just tell you the strangest things happened today." Astoria said eagerly, but then she heard the backgroud noise in Lilys background which sounded a lot like growling tigers. "What's the background noise? Are those tigers?" Astoria questioned again.

"Uh yeah, I'm at the zoo."

"Weren't you just at the pool a minute ago?"

The phone fell silent, the line went dead. Astoria breathed heavily. What was going on? Everything around her did not seem real. The grandfather clock kept ticking, tick-tock tick-tock as if it were saying "Time is passing child, treasure the time" It had already been half an hour, 12 O'clock , Astoria decided to peek outside and see what was going on. She slowly and gently opened the door which let out a screech. She peered outside. Everyone was gone, just like the way it had been when she arrived with her parents, but they didn't remember any of it.

Astoria walked around the lobby and the dining room. No one had left purposely because the food was still uneaten, and the shoes were still by the cabinet. Astoria walked outside of the hotel, exploring with wonder, excitement, curiosity but she was also terrified, her family was gone, the people who meant most to her in the world, was gone. And just by the corner of the street, next to a street lamp was a blue police box.