Astoria's Guide to Slytherin Guys

Loyalty: the state or quality of being faithful to commitments or obligations. Slytherin men have it, contrary to popular opinion.

There was a terror in the air. It was thick, oppressing and dangerous. Astoria could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest, even as she kept her eyes down. She knew when it was best to fly under the watchful eyes of the Death Eaters, boarding the Express was that crucial time when she decided to lower her chin slightly. If they should notice her, life would be very difficult. Even impossible.

"Please, be careful, Tori." Her uncle had said with sincerity as he helped her to the door of King's Cross. His dark sunglasses hid most of his face and the fedora did the rest. "I still think you should've remained home."

"No, I'm going to school. I'm pureblooded, a descendant of the Graves and Greengrass clans. I will not—" Her uncle's arms wrapped around her shoulders. She went completely still. It was the first time in years she had received a hug, much less from a family member.

"You sound like your Mum. Be careful, Tori. We're always ready to help you, me and the mates. Don't do anything reckless."

Reckless. She was not reckless by nature. Slytherins were not reckless. They got shit done. End of story.

Even so, she noticed the Death Eaters, who seemed to be posing as Ministry agents, standing at the doors to the Express. Her parents were disloyal, thus she would be viewed as disloyal unless she could prove otherwise. This was the time of staying alive, of desperation.

You know what they say about desperate times…

Pulling her luggage toward the train, she heard a voice that she vaguely recognized. Eyes skittering toward the doors, a head of dirty blond hair had her scowling. That boy was thick. He was arguing with the stationed Death Eaters.

"I'm a student of Hogwarts!"

"Doesn't bloody matter, mudblood. You are not allowed aboard the train." A short, stubby man responded, shaking his head. "You must be registered with the Ministry."

She saw him take a step back. People were watching from all directions. She had never paid attention to Bran Wilson, but the complete horror on his face was obvious and made her lower her eyes to the floor. He was going to die here. Or he was going to Azkaban and then he was going to die. Either way, the prognosis was the same.

"The muggle-borns are forbidden from Hogwarts." A voice said behind her. She didn't move, nor turn her head. She knew exactly who it was. "Wilson was foolish for even trying."

"That's just his character." Astoria responded immediately, shaking her head. "Foolish abandon."

"You!" She jumped, facing the Death Eater that was smirking at her. "I would recognize you anywhere, Greengrass."

She didn't respond, finally lifting her eyes from where Wilson was still arguing.

"You have some nerve showing up here, little traitor."

"My parents are the traitors. Not me. I have not once defected from the cause." Astoria responded equally. She had to remain calm and composed. If they sensed the fear in her heart, everything would be over. She would be dead. "I am of noble birth and the highest blood quantum."

"The blood of traitors is not clean." The Death Eater responded, stepping forward. "I wonder what the Dark Lord would do with you."

Astoria had to think quickly. She had to 'prove' her 'loyalty.' With no other idea in mind, she turned toward Wilson. The Death Eaters froze. Most students were already on the train, taking refuge from the harsh reality on the platform. There were already two unconscious bodies on the other side. Most likely students like Wilson. Mudbloods with death wishes. Her wand whipped through the air, making the loudmouth idiot fall to the station floor. His eyes flew wide as she circled. "Must I prove my loyalty then?" She wondered aloud, fingering the end of her wand. "What if I make this mudblood disappear? One less to fret over…" Wilson scooted back on his hands and knees, terrified.

"Greengrass…" She heard Nott murmur in warning.

She flicked her wand, causing Wilson to fall flat on the floor. She moved to stand over him. With a smirk, she leaned down, placing a small amulet in his left hand. "Do you know how to survive in ice, Wilson? I told you that I can kill and skin a rabbit, if I need to. You look like a scared ickle bunny right now."

His eyes widened in fear when she turned back to the waiting Death Eaters. "My parents may have been disloyal but I loathe disloyalty. Shall I rid the Earth of one more mudblood?"

Those dark robed figures smirked.

Eyes were watching from the windows of the Hogwarts Express. Nott crossed his arms and allowed a cold smile on his face.

With a wave of her wand, Bran Wilson disappeared.

She stood in silence for a long moment. It had to have worked. There was no choice if it failed.

"The train is about to leave." The primary Death Eater said with a chuckle. "You are nearly as cruel as your father once was."

"I can only hope. He trained me." She smirked, tossing her thin hair over her shoulder. She walked back toward Nott, grabbing her luggage and starting for the door. The Death Eaters said nothing, accepting her intentions and loyalty. After all, she had just killed a fellow classmate. No other show of loyalty had been attempted by others.

Nott followed after her.

They found a compartment toward the end of the train, amongst Slytherins. As she passed other compartments, she felt eyes glaring. Let them glare. She had no other choice if she wanted to live. A crime of necessity.

"Malfoy." Nott muttered in acknowledgement, eyeing the blond in the corner. His silver eyes shifted toward Greengrass before he shrugged in apathy and returned his gaze toward the passing countryside.

She noticed that Nott led her toward where Zabini was sitting just on the other side of Malfoy. Parkinson was staring at the hallway, shaking her head every so often as if deep in thought.

"A portkey?" Astoria turned to Malfoy, who had not removed his stare from the window. "To where?"

"Antarctica. My father was proficient at making others disappear." She replied, eyeing Nott. "A trait he passed to me."

"Couldn't kill him yourself, so you left it to nature?" The blond retorted with a snort.

"Nature should've never produced such monstrosities as mudbloods in the first place." Nott said in a very calm voice before Astoria could answer.

Malfoy shrugged.

The train ride was quiet, nearly drenched in silence that seeped like blood into every facet of the compartment. Nott observed her from time to time. Zabini seemed to be watching Malfoy with a keen eye. There was nothing to say. There was nothing that anyone could do to escape the darkness that was creeping in. She felt oppression swallowing them whole.

"You didn't send him to Antarctica." A voice muttered in her ear when they nearly reached Hogwarts. "I don't know where, but you didn't kill him."

Her eyes went wide and Nott leaned back. Fearful, she looked around to notice that no one else was listening. No one had heard his statement. "I haven't the foggiest what you're talking about." She hissed.

There was a light chuckle when she felt warm air brush against her ear. Her eyes stared at the opposite side of the compartment, just over Malfoy's head, which was leaning against the window. "Clever…" Nott whispered. "Very cunning of you, Greengrass."

"You saved me from death, Nott. Why would you do that?" It was an attempt to distract him, to sidetrack him.

"Why…because you may become quite useful to me." He responded, leaning closer. She saw Zabini smirking to himself. He was listening. A master of appearances. Parkinson wasn't paying a lick of attention. There was no doubt there. Malfoy… was in his own world. "I'm a Death Eater, Greengrass. You are sitting with three Death Eaters. Act accordingly." It was a threat, rumbling though his chest. Astoria stiffened.

"I'll act how I see fit." She bit out.

"Don't we all?"

"I—"

"We all have our own reasons for our actions. You are no different. Just remember that you owe your safety to us." Astoria stared in shock. He must've been kidding. They each knew what she had done. That she had saved that mudblood. They didn't know that she had sent him to the old Greengrass Manor, where the band was still residing. Even so, they were keeping their mouths shut. In their silence, they were saving her in turn. "There's loyalty and then there's loyalty… There will be a time when we must be loyal to each other only. I…will not tolerate disloyalty. None of us will."

Malfoy continued to stare out of the window. Zabini nodded his head with resolute fervor. Parkinson let out a puff of air.

Astoria realized it then. There was no longer just Death Eaters and mudbloods, Harry Potter and the Dark Lord. There were just them and the world. Circumstances called for them to become a self-sufficient island unto themselves. Loyal to those that were loyal. Honor among colleagues and friends. Devotion to the cause, the cause of survival. And they were regarded with fear. Others entered their group, but none were completely faithful to their ideals. Anything to survive. Nott, Zabini, Parkinson, Malfoy, Greengrass, Georgia Yaxley, David Johnson…Others. Many others with green and silver about their necks. This collection did not include buffoons like Crabbe and Goyle, who merely followed like clods without thought. No, the Slytherins that Astoria became entangled with were the greatest of conmen and frauds.

The elite students. Blood purity unmatched. Determination to outlast the war.

They tortured without regret. They laughed at others pain.

The means.

The means…Desperate measures kept them alive.

Side note: Loyalty is not just an ideal among Slytherin males. You live and die by your loyalty.


A/N: Hurrah, plot twist. Blackmail is always nice. Anyway, at first, I had her actually "killing" Bran, but I decided that it went against her character. She's too strong to kill for a cause like that. Regardless, I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. I can't thank everyone enough for the reviews, favorites and alerts. It makes my day a little brighter with every word I recieve. All the best until next time!

Disclaimer: JKR owns it all.