Here is the next chapter. It was advised to me that I Forgot to explain a few things so I hope I have done so in this chapter. Please enjoy it and read and review love Hannah xxx
Astrid put a timer on her floo meaning that it would not open for anyone except Pandora between 2 am and twelve pm. This way no one could disturb her mornings. Clarisse had tried again to go there in the morning but couldn't and was annoyed by it. Didn't Astrid see there would be plenty of time for lie ins once this wedding was over? She was meant to come over and try and find her wedding dress not that Clarisse had, had the sense to tell her this the night before. Astrid had been so tired she truly didn't see the point in it. She was regretting her choice now. Oh well never mind they'd just see her later on. Meanwhile Astrid was waking up a huge smile on her face. She was so happy to be a girl. Things really were simple when you weren't a boy or let's just say when you weren't Harry Potter anymore.
Emotional maturity was something she'd never had as Harry. Harry had never been taught or raised to understand emotions, how to express them or why others did express them in the way that they did. He had always failed to understand the things he felt and why he felt them. He would snap at anyone who ever asked him why he was feeling whatever way it was. He simply couldn't take it. As a consequence of the awful way he'd been raised he had no empathy or ability to empathise. He didn't care about others feelings or why they felt them. The world was not a kind place and it hadn't been kind to him. In all honesty what had they expected? When you're raised that badly it's more than obvious you're going to suffer in all you do. Even Dumbledore had been extremely naïve. He had believed that solely because he was the one to tell the Dursley's to treat him well and raise him as their own son that they would do it. When he found out they hadn't he didn't truly care. He said that it was their problem and not his.
Evaluating everything in her life Astrid decided on revenge first. "Dobby please take me to Number four Privet Drive in Little Whinging Surrey!" she requested as he took her hand and did so. She was wearing a casual dress and heels when she approached the door and knocked.
Petunia answered looking shocked at the sight of the stunning girl before her. "Mrs Dursley, would it be alright if I came in for a moment? I am afraid I have some bad news!" she said looking sympathetic as Petunia paled considerably and let her in. This could be about Marge or anyone. The girl did look beautiful after all.
"Yes you may dear. What is your name?" she asked as Astrid sat on the sofa facing her.
"My name is Astrid Black. I am very sorry to report the death of your nephew Harry Potter. It would seem the Wizarding world didn't even have the decency to let you know that. I am so very for your loss!" she said carefully as Petunia cried shocking her.
"I am sorry to say this Miss Black but that is a massive relief for me. You truly have no idea how happy that makes me feel. He was a dangerous boy and him living here or even living at all brought us all so much danger. Albus Dumbledore told us that while he was living here that monster Voldything would not be able to get him. He did then tell us while Harry was not here Voldything would be able to get us. I know that's not his real name obviously but it will have to do as I don't know it properly" she said her body sagging in relief and obvious joy as Astrid looked furious.
"Did you care nothing for your nephew?" she asked seriously.
"Unfortunately not. He was a freak like my sister. I begged her not to go. I begged her not marry James. I told her she would regret it and she refused to listen to me. She even stopped talking to me for saying that to her and then ended up dead. I knew he would be the same as her. I knew he would die too and I hated him for it. I knew if he selfishly died we'd be more vulnerable even though I did want him to die too. I couldn't care for someone as dangerous as him! I will not die because my foolish whore of a sister couldn't take the hint and leave the fucking Wizarding world like I asked her to. She got with and married that reckless fool James and then died for her actions. I hope she'd proud of herself burning in hell. It is where all the vilest people go. It is where I will go but I am ok with that. You see I did the wrong thing to save myself. I was selfish. She was an arrogant arse and deserved every stupid thing which happened to her. Had she only listened to me she'd still be alive and I could have loved my nephew alas she died and he was lumbered on us like a damn dead weight" she snapped through her tears.
"Was beating him and starving for fun?" Astrid snapped as she reeled.
"No we beat him so he'd be too scared to use his magic and henceforth live and save us from that Voldything. You know what I mean. We hoped it would make him weak and that by being weak and vulnerable he'd be less of danger to us. As you probably know freaks don't eat. We couldn't catch whatever venereal diseases he had from my sister and that creep she married. At least if he died because of us Voldything would never know and we might be safe. Now we will never be safe" she explained as an idea formed in Astrid's head making her smirk.
"Did you ever love your nephew?" she asked as Vernon who had come in from using the loo scowled at her.
"Of course not. We are glad he's dead, one less scourge on the earth. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say! My only regret is that he did not die at my hands like he should have then that Voldything or whatever the hell it's called wouldn't have been able to kill us first. I mean seriously Voldything? Does he really think he's scary with a silly name like that? Either way now the king of the freaks died at someone else's hands we'll be next. Thanks a fucking bunch freak! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL" he shouted out into the air as Petunia nodded in agreement. Astrid slipped an old Black wand into her hand. It was one which didn't match her at all but it had been found in the house by Kreacher and would serve her needs here today well.
"I'm sorry but you are not sorry and you leave me no choice you vile heartless freaks, Crucio!" she called out torturing them both. She held the spell until they were positively mental and foaming at the mouth. Then she cast Morsemordre in the air making the dark mark appear there. She then snapped the wand she'd used in two pieces and called Dobby to take her home which he did. She knew the spell from the quidditch world cup last year. The Aurors arrived ten minutes later horrified at the sight of the Dursley family tortured to insanity. Dumbledore had been with them and when he arrived they were still mumbling.
"Harry Potter should have died by my hand. No more Voldything!" Vernon was shouting in his mental state. The death eaters had clearly gotten to him and he regretted it slightly. He left once more having seen who it was and not being interested in it. His main focus now was Astrid Black. He wouldn't allow he to become dark. Torturing the Dursley's had made her feel much better. She never would have killed them as she just wasn't that type of girl. A bit of torturing though was the least they deserved for the hell they had put Harry through his whole life. Now they were even. Once at home she threw the wand pieces into the fireplace and watched as the evidence burned and sizzled away so she could never be caught. She was stunned then as a highly confused Hedwig who had before run away after Harry's so called death came in and landed before her a frown on her face and made her cry heavily. How could she have forgotten her? She picked up the owl and snuggled her close to her face as Hedwig recognised this as something Harry used to do and let out an anguished sort of squawk to show her agony in him not being there anymore.
"Oh Hedwig I am so sorry. I promise to look after you always ok?" she said patting her feathers as Hedwig leaned into her touch.
"You are too recognisable as Harry's owl though so we're going to have to magically and permanently dye your feathers a different colour. Here point to the colour you like!" she said holding up a conjured board with colours on them. Hedwig frowned she didn't like it at all. She had always been snowy white. When she realised of course that this was being done for safety she leaned forward and tapped on the black colour with her claw. She would need to change her name too. Hedwig was told about what had really happened to Harry and danced on the spot hopping from foot to foot in joy when she realised who Astrid really was. She truly was the smartest bird out there. She seemed to instinctively know that any correspondences sent to Harry Potter wouldn't be delivered to Astrid. She would merely not take them. Using the complex spell she made Hedwig black in colour and changed her name to Minerva which she loved. She could feign innocence when it came to her teacher Professor McGonagall later on if anyone said anything to her about it. She wasn't sure though they might say nothing to her about it she'd have to see.
In his office Albus was disturbed indeed. If Harry had been the better guy and not died the Dursley's might not have suffered in the way they did. He really did hate how messy unnecessary crimes were for his plans. What's more they couldn't trace the wand or magic that had done the cursing of the Dursley's so the death eaters had been too smart for them. That was the problem with having someone like Tom Riddle as your master. Now with Harry recklessly dead everyone was now once more at risk without a saviour. Maybe he could once more become their saviour. I mean he'd done it before why not again? Maybe he could get that eternal glory he sought after all. Dolores Umbridge was teaching there this year and he sure as hell hoped she didn't give him too much of a headache. She loved pink anyway so how could someone that prissy looking cause any trouble. He was roused from his thoughts and regal owl dropped a golden letter at the desk in front of him which he opened.
Dear Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore,
You are cordially invited to celebrate in the wedding of Miss Astrid Ariel Black and Mr Blaise Leonardo Zabini at 2pm in the Zabini family estate in Tuscany. Please RSVP this invitation and expect your international portkey with our response should you wish to attend.
Kind regards,
Astrid and Blaise.
He was stunned. Why would someone so light be marrying someone so dark? It truly didn't make any sense. Obviously some extremely dark magic was at play. He would indeed go and would stop the wedding from commencing when he did. He couldn't have known that they would have thought he'd try something hence his invitation being later than the others. All or most of the Hogwarts staff had said they'd go too. This dark bitch couldn't be allowed any happiness. Hermione stepped through the floo into her office as she requested of him.
"Welcome Miss Granger. I realise you're not of age to join the order yet but never the less I have a task for you. Miss Astrid Black has struck a light family with her dark magic and is intending to marry Blaise Zabini but that's ok I'll put a stop to it. Firstly I need you to show me your memory of the night you were attacked please!" he said as she blushed and allowed him to remove it. He placed his face into his pensive and emerged moments later.
"I can see here she is indeed dark but you were going for your wand and I need to know why?" he asked seriously.
"Yes well before she over reacted I was planning on giving her a vow that I was being honest when I spoke about you. I wanted her to know that I was being truthful when I said that you should get anything you ask no matter what it is! I realise now of course that attempting to give her a vow in that moment would have appeared wrong and for that I am sorry but there was no need for her to try and attack me" she said honestly or as honestly as she could and he bought it straight away. When the memory was returned to her he'd altered it so she was seen as trying to attack Hermione but the part where Hermione produced her wand was still there. He wanted anyone who saw it to be able to see she could defend herself even if it really didn't look as though she could. She was stunned at that but kept her mouth closed about it as she knew ultimately she'd tried to attack Astrid for essentially bad mouthing or putting restrictions on what the leader of the light could or couldn't do. He was the only one who would ever decide on that himself.
"Now then Hermione what I need you to do is keep an eye on Miss Black. I have a feeling she may not be going into Gryffindor with you and may indeed go to Slytherin. She is Black member and although not as reckless as Sirius was it is hardly likely that she'll come to good Gryffindor like she should. Sirius only went to Gryffindor because he begged the hat to put him there in order to stand out from his family!" he said but interrupted.
He did not! I saw in his mind that he was perfect for Gryffindor and was far too concerned of what his mother would think of him should not end up in Slytherin. As you well know Headmaster it is not my job to care about these things, it is my job to sort them where they are best suited and he was best suited for Gryffindor. Peter on the other hand had been a huge hatstall and I am sorry he was in Gryffindor now because he was quite clearly not brave enough poor boy. The sorting hat chimed in from his shelf as Albus eyed it and scowled.
"Either way the point I was making is that Astrid Black will probably be in Slytherin and I will need you to watch and keep tabs on her. If Ronald Weasley must join you from time to time I will tell him I have given you this task for the order although you are not yet old enough to be a member. Ronald however can be messy and has a mouth on him to match so I will need to get him to give me a vow he will not tell anyone what you two will be doing. I could never ask you to do it alone when you and he go so well together. Will I be hearing wedding bells soon?" he asked as she blushed bright red.
"I don't know sir you'd have to ask Ron that one. I will do it sir. Anything to stop her affecting others with her purely dark nature. What would you have me do if I should see her planning anything dark or catch her doing something dark?" she asked as he thought about it.
"Well I would say you use this spare wand I have and curse her with it. It has no magical signature and so cannot be tied back to you. After you have used it ask a Hogwarts house elf to give it back to me so you are not caught with it. She will not be pleased I have put an end to her wedding. No more light people for her corrupt!" he said as Hermione frowned.
"I'm a liar sir! I can't lie anymore. I was going to make the vow but I did also really wish to curse her to kingdom come for badmouthing you. I'm so sorry I lied sir!" she said a tear slipping from her eyes.
"Miss Granger the harsh truth about our world is that you don't really get anywhere on honesty alone. I forgive you. To be honest had you cursed her I would be so proud. I am honoured you think so highly of me. Will you accept this mission I am giving you?" he asked as she once more preened. He had said after all he forgave her lie. To be honest he didn't care about it. She was grieving and was allowed to lie anytime she wanted for that fact alone.
"Yes sir. I won't let you down I promise. I would suggest some controlling potions too but it's just a suggestion" she said making sure he knew she would never tell him what to do ever. He was the one in control of everything and he needed to always be reminded of it.
"Thank you Miss Granger. I will take that under advisement. Thank you now go home and have a lovely evening. I will see you back at school in one week!" he said as she left. It was all coming together now.