Chapter 5: Muggles (1997)
"This is bullshit!" Torrance was pacing the floor in an empty classroom. Astoria sat on the teacher's desk, watching him go left and right in front of her. "Utter and unequivocal ballocks!"
"You mustn't talk too loudly," she warned. "Just try to keep your head down for a little while longer…"
"But it's not right! None of it is! You don't see anything wrong with me, Astoria! There is nothing about me that is grotesque or animal like, besides the fact that we are all homo sapiens, technically homo sapiens sapiens, which evolved from apes. If that is what Professor Carrow is referring to, then she is correct. But other than that, she is dead wrong!"
"Whatever the case, Tor, you have to just let her teach. She knows what she's doing."
"I can't believe you're believing this bollocks!"
"I didn't say I believed it! I have no idea what your life is like."
"You're right about that! I hear many a casual conversation about how 36 Muggles were tortured and killed for the hell of it. Do you realize how difficult that is for me to hear daily? Afraid that the next time I see it in the paper, I'll see my parents' names in the dead count."
For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to say to her best friends. "Don't let it get to you."
Torrance stopped pacing and looked dead in her eyes, dark brown piercing through her sea foam green like daggers. "Don't let it get to me?" he repeated. She regretted saying it, but stood her ground while he ranted. "I don't think you understand, Astoria. This is very serious. Known Death Eaters are teaching here. Professor Snape hired these prejudice assholes to teach us things that are not true about people like me. Calling us Mudbloods in a classroom setting! Making us use Unforgivable Curses on each other! These are the people giving Slytherin a bad name and we are letting it happen!"
His wand flew sparks to the chalkboard, exploding half of it away.
Astoria felt like she was somehow kicked out of a trans. She hugged her best friend tightly. "I'm sorry for being so ignorant. It's how I was brought up. You talk so low of your family all the time, I only assumed that none of this bothered you, but that was me being stupid. I'm sorry."
This was the first time Astoria ever saw Torrance cry, and it broke her heart.
She gave him a tight squeeze and said, "I can save you. My family, they can vouch for you. Like I did last year."
He placed his chin on top of her head and whispered, "I believe it's more than that, I'm afraid."
It felt as if both of their hearts sunk at the same time as they gripped each other tighter, knowing what this meant for Torrance.
Astoria started to cry. She knew she was being selfish, but she didn't care. "I don't want you to leave," she sobbed, scrunching her eyes tightly closed. "You can't. You're my best friend."
"You have other friends…"
She heaved another sob. "No, I don't. You know that."
They stood there in comfortable silence. Astoria never paid attention to the war that was going on because her family graciously fell below the radar. But now, she was fully aware that she was part of this war, that she was technically breaking the new laws of the Muggleborn Registration Commission. She did have an opinion, now that it was so relevant in her life. More fat tears ran down her face just as fast as the snow falling outside.
"I'll go far away and write when I can," Torrance said with finality. He kissed the top of her head, and they finally broke apart. "I love you, you know that."
Astoria gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I love you, Torrance."
Torrance looked around at the damage he caused to the classroom. "Wow, that is some manly rage," he commented. Astoria went to take out her wand and help clean up, but he stopped her. "You know I like it this way. Very Picasso. Very 'fuck you' to the man. Besides, I'd rather give Carrow a reason to call us animals."
They both chuckled as they walked out of the classroom hand in hand.