Written for:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Assignment #3, Magical Law and Government Task 7: Write about playing a game.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, The Insane Prompt Challenge: (relationship type) Siblings

Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges, Are You Crazy Enough To Do It Challenge prompt 103: (character) Astoria Greengrass

Word count: 544 words excluding Author's Note.

"Snap!" called Astoria triumphantly.

Daphne smiled and handed her younger sister three cards from the pile in front of her. "Oh, dear," she said, "I'm going to run out of cards soon."

Astoria grinned. "I knew I was going to win!" she said.

"It's not over yet," replied Daphne, flipping the next card and glancing quickly at the top of her pile. It didn't match.

"Do you have to go back to Hogwarts, Daph?" asked Astoria quietly. "I don't want to spend another whole year without you."

Daphne frowned. "It's not a whole year," she said, thinking of the best way to reassure her sister. "I'll be home at Christmas, and then Easter. And then next year you'll be able to come, too. Won't that be great?"

Astoria reached out to turn the next card. "Christmas is nearly three months away. And there's nothing to do here without you."

Daphne couldn't think of a response to this. She knew only too well how boring it could be. She'd gone through it herself, after all. "I'll write to you," she said.

"Every day?" asked Astoria.

"I'll probably be too busy to write every day," admitted Daphne. "But twice a week." She saw Astoria's face fall and quickly tried to think of something to prevent the younger girl from crying. "Do you want ice cream for dinner?" she asked, turning another card over.

Astoria smiled. "Yes!"

"Snap!" called Daphne, taking advantage of her sister's distraction to slam her hand down on the pile of cards.

"Not fair," protested Astoria half-heartedly, too excited at the prospect of ice-cream to be disappointed.

"Life isn't fair," said Daphne. "You can get up on your moral high horse if you like, but you're only going to end up losing. If you want to win, you need to be ruthless. And less easily distracted."

Astoria aimed a playful punch at her sister's arm. "I am not easily distracted!"

Daphne pulled hastily back to dodge her sister's blow and pulled her wand from her pocket. "Careful," she said, "otherwise I might have to jinx you."

"You're not allowed to use magic in the holidays," said Astoria, but all the same she watched the point of Daphne's wand closely.

Daphne twirled the wand around her fingers, watching Astoria's eyes dart about, trying to follow its tip. "The Ministry won't be able to follow up on it. They can detect underage magic but not the perpetrator."

"Per-pe-tray-tor," repeated Astoria slowly. "What does that mean?"

"It's like… someone who does something. Like if I stole your toys, say, I'd be the perpetrator of the crime."

Astoria nodded.

"So, they'd think Mum or Dad had done it and I had nothing to do with it," concluded Daphne with a smile.

"I'd tell them," said Astoria.

"The Ministry?"

"No, Mum and Dad. They wouldn't be happy with you."

"Little snitch," said Daphne affectionately. "Fine, I won't jinx you." She slipped her wand back into her pocket. "It's your turn."

Astoria flipped over the next card. "Will you ask Mum and Dad about the ice cream?"

"Of course I will," replied Daphne.

"Love you, Daph!" said Astoria, reaching across the pile of cards to give her sister a hug.

"Love you too," Daphne said, hugging her sister back.