Chapter 4. Glutton for Punishment
As lunch neared Astrid dismissed her class, the fifth-year pupils filtered out into the corridors, Draco Malfoy sneered down his nose at the young Professor as he strolled past her desk and out the door.
"Five o'clock Mr Malfoy, I don't accept tardiness," Astrid called after the boy. Harry, Ron & Hermione hung back a few minutes as their class mates emptied the room, and then approached their professor.
"How did I do?" Astrid asked, leaning back in her chair and gritting her teeth she pushed her fingers through her hair, rubbing her scalp.
"Bloody brilliant! Massive improvement on Professor Binns," Ron exclaimed.
"It was an interesting lesson Professor, I feel a took a lot from it," Hermione smiled politely. Harry shuffled his feet awkwardly, he looked as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't quite get the words out.
"Are you okay Mr Potter?" Astrid asked with a hint of worry.
"Fine Professor, it's just that," Harry looked around awkwardly, "Did Mad Eye not tell you?" Astrid furrowed her brows, tell me what? She thought to herself.
"He's told me lots of things, anything of particular importance on your mind?" Astrid asked, leaning forward in her chair and leaning her slender elbows on the mahogany desk.
"About Malfoy," Harry almost whispered as he glanced at the doorway, presumably for any sign of the blonde-haired boy. Ron & Hermione eyed each other nervously. Astrid shook her head no, he'd only stressed concern about Severus. Then her mind flashed to what her father had said 'whose children sit in your classes', a funny feeling grew in the pit of her stomach, she suddenly felt anxiety run over her.
"His father, he's a Death Eater," Harry explained. Astrid felt sick to her stomach.
"He supports you know who," Hermione chipped in as if Astrid didn't know what a Death Eater was, all her father's favourite stories were of catching Death Eaters, his scariest ones were about what the Death Eaters did to people, people like her.
"He can't be, he was in Dumbledores office on Friday," Astrid whispered.
"He was there, that night in the grave yard," Harry spat out, suddenly the boy was pale, his eyes almost looked dead, Hermione put a supportive hand on his arm as Harry spoke: "Lucius Malfoy watched as Voldemort used the cruciatus curse on me," Harry swallowed hard, Astrid had been told about the horrors of that night, of Voldemort's return, but Harry had actually witnessed it, lived it. She wanted to pull him into a tight hug and tell him everything was going to be okay, but she couldn't.
"Why is he on school grounds, why is Dumbledore allowing this?" Astrid asked, her voice dripping with disgust.
"The Ministry don't believe Harry," Hermione explained. "They don't believe that night ever happened, therefore Mr Malfoy is innocent in their eyes,"
"They call him the boy who lies," Ron spat sadly,
"But Dumbledore believes you, he knows its true why is he allowing this?" Astrid jumped up from her chair suddenly, she felt disgusted, betrayed. She could only imagine how Harry felt knowing a Death Eater was walking the school grounds freely.
"Dumbledore has no say over the governors of the school, they are appointed by the Ministry," Hermione whispered sadly. Astrid held a hand to her stomach, nausea ached in her stomach as she listened to what the trio had to say.
"I am so sorry Harry," Astrid breathed, "You shouldn't have to walk these halls and worry for your life I am so sorry,"
"Thanks Professor, but I can take care of myself," Harry forced a smile, "I just wanted to check if you knew, because of Draco's detention," It suddenly dawned on Astrid that she given the son of a Death Eater detention on the first day.
"And I'll put money on it that he complains to Daddy about it," Ron spat. Astrid rubbed her face and let out a deep breath, she hadn't even realised she was holding it.
"Thank you for letting me know, my father obviously overlooked this for some reason, or maybe he wasn't aware. Thank you again for bringing this to my attention, you all run off to lunch now," Astrid smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around her torso, crossing them over her chest, a chill ran down her back as she rubbed her arms.
"Take care Professor," Harry said as he followed Hermione and Ron out of the room.
Astrid skipped lunch, the nausea in her stomach was too much to eat. The sickly feeling inside her carried on throughout the rest of her classes until five o clock was just mere minutes away. She had been thinking about what she was going to say to the boy, she certainly wasn't going to give him a dressing down, she thought a discussion about respect and a written apology would be more suitable. In Astrid's mind it would also be the more tactful approach to not infuriate Mr Malfoy.
"Remember when Dad said 'don't engage'?" Astrid asked herself as she scribbled down her lesson plans for the following day. Five had come and gone and it was nearing quarter past the hour when the door to her classroom opened and then shut. Astrid didn't dare take her eyes from her parchment as she finished writing her sentence.
"You're late, I thought I told you I didn't accept tardiness?" Astrid sighed, setting down her quill. She glanced over to the door, expecting the young Malfoy, but being delivered the sight of the senior Malfoy. Astrids heart jumped into her throat instantly, it felt as if her soul had left her being for a second as she swallowed hard.
"Mr Malfoy," Astrid addressed the man, trying her best to stay strong, her voice had a slight quiver that she hoped the dark wizard hadn't picked up on.
"Miss Moody is it?" He asked, the man positioned his snake headed cane in front of him, both hands firmly pressed down on it.
"Professor Moody," Astrid corrected, "where's Draco?" she asked raising her brows expectantly. A small smile played on Lucius' lips as he approached the Professor, his cane clacking on the ground as he swaggered over. The man stopped just in front of the girl's desk where he looked down at her with a repulsed look.
"Draco won't be attending detention I'm afraid," he said matter-o-factly. Astrid crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair, she narrowed her eyes on the man, forgetting for a moment just who she was facing up against.
"And why is that pray tell?"
"We both know this detention is not about Draco," Lucius sneered, causing visible confusion to fill Astrids face.
"What would it be about then?" Astrid asked, cocking a single eyebrow.
"You're picking on him, bullying him – an innocent student," As the words left Lucius' mouth Astrid jumped up from her chair and placed both hands on the desk, leaning forward.
"Bullying him?" She snorted, she ran her tongue along her teeth as she paused, "Your son disrespected me in my own classroom,"
"Telling a young woman that she is beautiful is disrespectful now, is it?" Lucius asked, the corners of his lips turning up slightly with a smirk.
"It was inappropriate," Astrid informed the man, pulling away from the desk and standing up straight, "It was his way of asserting control in my classroom by belittling me, I won't stand for it,"
"Let's not beat around the bush, you gave him detention because you feel insulted by my… objections… to your appointment here," Lucius spoke smugly, he really thought it was all about him. Astrid scoffed in response, rounding the desk to face the man. Lucius' eyes followed her as she walked, she stepped lightly as if she was made of feathers, her dress swaying as she practically floated around the desk. Lucius noticed how the dress clung to her waist and hips.
"It didn't even click that he was your son when I gave him detention, to think I am punishing the boy because of his parentage is ridiculous. I gave him it because he was acting like a condescending pig, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree clearly," Astrid deeply regretted that last time, cursing herself mentally, she was meant to be keeping on the down low, not provoking Death Eaters.
Lucius's mouth twitched at the girls' words, followed by him snatching the young Professor by the wrist and yanking her forward to him with a yelp. He raised his cane to press under the girl's chin, angling her face up to meet his. Their height difference was obvious now, there was at least a foot difference between the two, Astrid was literally out of her depth with this one.
"You must be very brave, or very foolish, to think you can speak to me like that," Lucius scorned. "I expect more… tact from the daughter of such a famous Auror," Astrid attempted to pull her wrist from his grip but his long fingers tightened around her, she gasped. "Yes, I didn't make the connection before, but it's so obvious you are the daughter of Alastor Moody. Did he not tell you stories about me?" Lucius finally released his hold of Astrids wrist, she pulled it into herself, rubbing it softly with her other hand. Lucius however kept his cane firmly placed under her delicate chin, the metal was cold against her sun kissed skin, causing little goosebumps to rise up and down her back. With his free hand Lucius reached up and tucked a blonde wavy lock behind Astrids ear, his thumb grazing her cheekbone softly. Astrid had had enough and pulled herself away, backing up three paces. She instinctively felt for her wand in the pocket of her dress, readying herself just in case.
"My father never spoke of you, clearly you weren't worth a mention," Astrid spoke. Lucius stared the girl down, eventually taking slow strides towards her, it really was a menacing sight, dressed in his black robes, with his snake headed cane tapping on the floor. With every stride he took towards her, Astrid took a step back until her shoulders blades made impact with the stone wall behind her. Lucius was looming over her now, practically pressing her into the cold stone. Astrid glanced to her right, the door to her classroom was just a mere few feet away. She wondered if she would even make it if she ran for it.
"When you next see him, be sure to ask old May Eye about me," Lucius whispered, leaning down to Astrids ear. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, causing her tiny blonde baby hairs to stand on end. She swallowed hard. Lucius pulled back from the girl slowly, his lips hovering near her cheek, his nose almost touching her temple. Astrid gripped the wand in her pocket with a shaking hand. "I'll be seeing you around Miss Moody," The man smirked, and just like that with a swoosh of his cape he turned sharply on his heel, motioning with his hand the door to Professor Moody's classroom swung open and he disappeared through the open archway. As soon as she could no longer hear the click-clacking of his cane Astrid released the breath she had been holding. She held her hand to her heart to feel its thundering beats. Her legs grew weak and she slid down the wall into a sitting position, her knees pulled up to her chest. A single tear dropped down her freckled cheek.
Astrid stayed in her classroom with the door securely locked for hours after her encounter with Mr Malfoy, she sat for a while and mulled over their encounter, cursing herself for clashing with the man, for all she knew he could be planning to Avada Kedavra her in her sleep that night. Too anxious to return to her chambers she wrote a letter to her father explaining her confrontation with the Death Eater, she knew what his response would be, to leave Hogwarts immediately, which she would obviously refuse to do. This was her chance to be a proper order member by protecting and looking out for Harry and his friends, she would refuse to leave him in the hands of you know who's servants.
She finished her letter and blew delicately on the ink, drying it, before folding it into her pocket. She took a deep breath for bravery as she emerged from her classroom. The corridors were eerie at night, dimly lit by the odd wall sconce, not even moonlight shone through the pitch-black windows. Astrid scurried down the hallowed halls of Hogwarts in search of her chambers, but the unfamiliar darkness had got her all turned around and she could no longer find her way.
"Trust my sense of fucking direction," Astrid sighed frustratingly, as she came to a cross roads of corridors.
"I hope you do not use that kind of language around the students Professor," a deep monotonous voice sounded, making Astrid practically jump out of her skin.
"Professor Snape," Astrid breathed, placing her hand over her thumping heart, any more scares and it would likely give out.
"Lost are we?" He asked with very little emotion or care.
"Yes, I seem to have got a bit... turned around," Astrid admitted.
"Follow me," Severus uttered. He started off down a corridor, taking long deliberate strides. Astrid quickened her pace to catch up with the potion's professor, eventually matching his pace by his side. They walked in silence for a moment before Severus Snape cut through the awkward atmosphere with his words.
"Your absence at dinner was noted," he said simply.
"I wasn't hungry," Astrid lied, fiddling nervously with her hands behind her back.
"You did not heed my advice,"
"I didn't know the Draco boy was his son," Astrid admitted, she probably sounded like a fool who didn't do her homework, she cursed her father for not forewarning her, surely, he knew?
"He is not a man you want to be on the bad side of Miss Moody," Snape said simply.
"You would know, wouldn't you?" Astrid mumbled, Snape halted immediately and turned to the girl with an unsavoury look plastered on his face.
"You have no idea of what you speak, you are toeing a line and I can only help you so much, I thought your father would have prepped you more than this," Snape
"Help me? How have you helped me Severus? You could have told me 'By the way Astrid, Draco Malfoy's father is a Death Eater and wanders Hogwarts at his own pleasure, be careful," Astrid burst with frustration.
"I didn't expect you to be such a glutton for punishment, dishing out detentions on the first day,"
"I think you underestimated my character Professor,"
"And you underestimate Lucius Malfoy's," Snape sneered. Astrid bit her lip angrily trying to think of a response, and upon failing to she stormed off down the corridor. Severus stared after the girl, in two minds whether to go after her or not, gritting his teeth he decided against it, spinning on his heels he headed towards the dungeons. By sheer good luck Astrid found her chambers, she pulled her now crumpled letter addressed to her father from her pocket and tossed it into the fire. That night the young woman curled up into her bed, hugging her body tightly she hoped she would wake to see a beautiful sunrise and not a flash of green.