Chapter 2
The next day was the first day of classes, and George watched her again. He watched eat silently as others laughed around her, a small smile playing at her lips as she listened to the conversations around her. When a fifth year boy started a conversation with her George strained to hear what she was saying, he was curious and unsuccessful.
When breakfast was over, he watched her in the corridors. He watched her as she absentmindedly walked and concentrated at a piece of parchment in front of her. When Draco came strutting down the hall, she didn't move out of his way and accidentally bumped into him.
"Watch it you filthy American," Draco spat.
"Oh shove it," she quickly retorted. Draco went to spit another insult at her but she simply waved him off and started walking again. She obviously didn't want any trouble, but she wasn't about to get insulted. George picked up his pace until he was right next to her. She didn't notice him until he cleared his throat. She looked up; distrustful hazel eyes bore into his brown eyes. That was when George first became mesmerized by their colors.
"Can I help you," she said expectantly as if waiting for another insult.
George cleared his throat again, "It's a good thing you told off that little bugger. Draco Malfoy is right git."
The girl laughed at him.
"I always like to break the ice with a joke," he said winking. "So what's your name?"
"I'm Astrid," she replied.
"Astrid, now that's uncommon," Astrid shot him a look that meant if you make fun of my name I will kill you, "I like it. Anyways, I'm George, George Weasley. Head Prankster of this establishment. If you have any questions, you can always ask my colleague, best friend, and twin."
"Oh, so you're a twin? Are you identical?"
"Yeah, but you can always tell us apart because I'm the better looking one." George winked at her again.
Astrid laughed again and shook her head. "Hey, I don't suppose you can help me? After all we are House-mates, right?"
George nodded his head.
"Alright, awesome. I need help with this." Astrid shoved the parchment that she had been studying into George's hands. After he looked at it for a couple of seconds he realized it was her schedule. He looked through it and muttered off her classes and started to smile. He handed it back to her silently. She raised her eyebrow expectantly, "Well?"
"Well, you are a very lucky girl, my dear Astrid. Do you want to know why?"
Astrid grinned, "Let me guess, we have all the same classes and you are going to be my very own tour guide?"
"Smart girl! And now that you mention it I guess I can be your tour guide also."
"You are an awesome person, George, now take me to my first class," and as she said it, the bell rang; the bell that meant anyone who arrives in their classroom now is late.
George looked up, "Shoot. Now we're late to potions, Snape is going to kill us."
Astrid looked at him quizzically, "Who's Snape?"
"You'll see," George grabbed Astrid's hand in his and they jogged to potions.
"Mr. Weasley, what a pleasure for you to join us and I see you have taken the liberty of escorting Ms. Lyte. You both are late, detention, tonight, with me at 8 o'clock sharp. Is that understood?" Professor Snape stood in front of his desk, in a black clock glaring at the two as they went to sit down.
"So, that's Snape," asked Astrid.
"Yupp."
"Awesome, I have an asshole for a potions teacher."
As the day wore on, Astrid had a fair grip on her teachers, her classes, and their locations. She ate lunch in the Great Hall with George and his friends. After lunch she had a free period and spent it walking around the lake with a couple of girls, both Gryffindors, who gossiped about everyone. Rebecca was a tall blonde-hair blue-eyed beauty and could get any guy she wanted. Her friend Melanie was shorter with dark hair and tanned skin.
As the trio walked around the lake Astrid became very familiar with everyone and their scandals. The two girls tried to worm some juicy information out of her but Astrid gave them very little information making her mysterious.
"So you're from the States, right," asked Rebecca.
"Yeah, I'm a Jersey girl, the only state where you don't pump your own gas."
"So what was New Jersey like," asked Melanie.
"It was rude, loud, and a lot of freaks running around. I was a perfect fit there, ha-ha."
Astrid wasn't watching where she was walking and tripped over a tree root, crashing right into a tall, dark, and handsome Durmstrang boy. As they toppled over Astrid landed right on top of him, her books everywhere. When she realized the looks of the boy she was on top of, and well, her position, she stood up, brushed herself off, and tried to control the heat rushing to her face.
She bent over to pick up her bag and her fallen books at the same time as the boy and banged her head against his. "Ow," she cried clutching her forehead and falling backwards.
"Are you okay," he said in a thick accent. "Are you hurt? Should I take you to the infirmary?"
"No, I'm okay," she said waving her other hand towards him, "I'm just a klutz; I'm fine though, seriously."
The boy handed Astrid her books, "Here you go."
"Thanks, um," she faltered for a moment, "What's your name?"
"My name is Xander. How rude of me, I hurt you and I don't even tell you my name."
"Oh, well, thank you Xander. And I'm Astrid. Sorry for falling into you."
"No problem," Xander offered a hand and helped Astrid up, "anything for a pretty girl like you," he said flashing Astrid a ridiculously perfect smile.
Astrid looked dazed and then the bell rung. My saving grace, she thought. "I really must be going." With that the three girls trotted back to the school, hoping to not be late.
"Oh. My. Gosh. He was perfect," gushed Rebecca.
"Gorgeous," followed Melanie.
"You should totally go on a date with him," Astrid shook her head. "What?" retorted Rebecca, "He is so into you, 'Anything for a pretty girl like you,'" imitated Rebecca in a less-than-perfect accent.
"Shut up. He's all perfect, and I'm all Jersey Girl-ish. Anyways here's my class, I have to go. Bye!"
Astrid walked into her Magical Beings class with two minutes to spare, she sat down at an empty desk, and a minute later George placed his stuff down next to her, "Hello, gorgeous."
Astrid smiled, "And here I was thinking I finally got a rid of you!"
George gasped, mocking repulsion, "Oh you hurt me now. By the way, smooth move with Mr. Tall-dark-and-handsome."
Astrid was about to respond to say it was an accident when the teacher cut her off, "Hello students. Welcome to Magical Beings, I am Professor Stiles. In this class we will learn about a variety of creatures. Some will be dangerous as a dragon, and some as docile a butterfly. Now, if any of you did what was expected of you, you should have read about our first section in the book. Black Delilah's. Now can any of you tell me about them?"
Astrid's head snapped towards the professor at the words Black Delilah, her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed. One girl in the front of the room raised her hand, "Aren't the powers of Black Delilah's not really known yet? All of the tests that the Ministry performs on them seem to fail, always."
"Yes, that's correct."
"My father told me that they are extremely dangerous and that the Ministry should exterminate them all. They're just pests like those bloody flesh-eating slugs," blurted a boy from across the room.
"Not all Black Delilah's are bad, you know," said Astrid, "It's not like they choose to be one. They get chosen after seeing something horrible like murder." The disgust for this boy was becoming clear on Astrid's face, "The only reason why they are deemed dangerous is because nobody knows what they can do it. It's only known that they have some control over the elements."
"And why are you so defensive of these monstrosities?" retorted the boy, "What are you, one of them?"
"Actually, no. One, I've always been intrigued by these creatures. And two, I had a friend who was one, and she was taken by the Ministry and killed. So, would you please shut your stupid, British-blabbering mouth?"
The entire class fell silent, stunned by Astrid's statement. Her eyes were blazing but she had covered her mouth with her hand, shocked at what she had said also. "I- I am so sorry you guys, I didn't mean to."
"Well," said the professor, "That concludes our lesson." With that the bell rang.
All through the next class and dinner Astrid was quiet. George wanted to know what she was thinking about but didn't want to bother her. When they were walking down to the dungeons George playfully bumped into her, "Hey, you okay? Are you ever going to talk again? You have so many American stories to tell me!"
Astrid smiled, and pushed him away, "I'm fine," George looked at her skeptically. Astrid looked him in the eye, "Promise." As they rounded the corner they stumbled upon Draco standing behind his fat goons, Crabbe and Goyle bullying a first year Hufflepuff.
"Oh hell no," Astrid handed George her bag, "Hold this, I have to go beat the shit out of a blonde prick."
"C'mon Astrid, as much as I would love to see Malfoy get his ass handed to him, I don't want to be late to potions." Astrid just ignored him and continued to walk towards the trio of Slytherin.
Astrid stepped between to the two boys and the Hufflepuff, "Excuse me," she said planting her feet and crossing her arms, "What do you think you're doing?"
Draco stepped forward, "They're just entertaining me. But watching them teach you a lesson would be a lot better," he said smirking.
"Give me one second," replied Astrid. She turned to the girl behind her, "Sweetheart, get out of here. Go back to your dorm." The girl nodded and ran past George.
Smirking, Crabbe and Goyle pulled out there wands and pointed them at Astrid. She held up one finger causing them to be confused. In their state of confusion, Astrid picked up her leg and kicked the wands out of their hands. Touching her foot down lightly she picked back up and hook kicked Crabbe in the face, sending him flying to the ground, and brought it back for a roundhouse kick the Goyle's gut.
With the two goons on the floor, Draco just stood there with his mouth open. "Bye Malfoy," Astrid blew him a kiss. She continued to walk forward towards the dungeon, only turning around to signal George to follow her, catching sight of the Hufflepuff trying to get out of view.
George jogged to catch up with her, "Wow! Where'd you learn to do that?"
"I took karate classes during the summer ever since I was five."
"That was brilliant, Astrid! But-"
"But what?"
"We're late." The two stood outside the dungeon doors. Astrid raised her eyebrows as if to say "here goes nothing".