Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 ,13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are already available at Pat re on.
If you want to support me, read the next chapters of the story and more, I invite you to my
Patreo n .com(slash)BoobsHunter (Remove spaces)
Harry did remember that Daphne wanted ice cream. He stopped at a gas station on the way home, his heart still aching for Astoria after what she had gone through.
"Do you want anything?" he asked.
She shook her head, the movement slightly comical in the motorcycle helmet. Her eyes were still red, and she remained silent.
He found the freezer with the ice cream. He literally didn't have money for more than one carton, so he decided on cherry, Astoria's favorite flavor, suspecting that Daphne wouldn't mind too much. He handed it to his younger sister as they got back on the bike.
"Can you put this in the bag for me?" he asked.
She nodded but didn't smile. He felt her arms wrap around him as he started the bike and they rode the final stretch home. He parked in the garage and took her helmet.
"Astoria," he said. "I'm sorry."
She shrugged. Harry felt a sudden impulse. He hugged her tightly and held her long enough to show how much he cared. He kissed the top of her head and tried to look into her eyes. She turned away.
"Talk to me," he said. "What's going on? How can I help?"
She shook her head and picked up her bag, pausing only to take the ice cream and offer it to him on their way inside. Harry sighed and took it to the kitchen. Daphne was playing video games in the living room.
"You should have ice cream and change for me," she said, not taking her eyes off the TV.
"The change is like seventeen cents," Harry said. "The ice cream's in the freezer."
Daphne immediately got up, eager to satisfy her craving. Harry sighed and started to head to his room.
"Hey!" Daphne called. "I asked for cookies and cream!"
He came back downstairs but not to argue, despite the angry look on Daphne's face.
"How long has Astoria been bullied at school?" he asked.
"Oh," Daphne said. "She doesn't really eat ice cream anymore, by the way."
"This isn't a new situation, is it?"
Daphne shook her head. "I thought it had quieted down recently. She really struggled with it as a freshman and sophomore. Mom used to call the school almost weekly, trying to find out what could be done. They didn't care, which is why she transferred her from Hogwarts to here, but it didn't make much difference. At least no one in the dorms bullies her."
Harry sighed in frustration, feeling the cold anger rise again. Daphne put her hands on her hips.
"She didn't want you to know," Daphne said. "I think she's reached a point where she internalized the shame."
"That's messed up."
"I agree," Daphne said. She opened the cherry ice cream and began scooping some into a bowl. "I worry about her a lot. If you think of anything that might help, I'm all ears."
Harry nodded slowly. He started to turn toward the stairs.
"Hey," she said. "Bring this to her."
"I thought you said she doesn't really eat ice cream anymore?"
"It's still worth a try. After all, it's ice cream."
Harry chuckled and took the bowl. He went to Astoria's room, pausing for a second to listen but hearing nothing.
"Astoria?" he said. "I brought you some ice cream."
No response. He knocked again and then decided to try the door. It was open. Astoria was lying on her bed, watching something on her phone. He saw her stop watching when he entered and placed the bowl on her nightstand.
"Cherry," he said. "Your favorite, right?"
"Sometimes," she said quietly.
Harry knew better than to try to force her to open up, especially about something as painful as being bullied. Still, he had so many questions. He felt like he had failed as her brother, unable to help her, step in, and solve the problem, or if necessary, break a few heads.
"Astoria," he said. "Is there anything I can do?"
"No," she replied. "I don't think so."
"Just..." Harry felt the frustration welling up in his chest, hot and heavy. "I want you to know you can come to me, okay?"
"I know." She took a bite of the ice cream and gave him a heartbreaking smile. "It's not that bad. Just one more year."
He nodded, but he wasn't sure he agreed, based on what he had seen. It was likely that the bullying was also happening at school, not just in the brief glimpse he had of her leaving at the end of the day.
"It started when I was in first grade," she said. "Do you remember when I transferred from Hogwarts?"
"I remember," he said.
Even though he went to a different school, he saw Daphne go through it when she first reached ninth grade.
"I didn't know too many people, considering how little we integrate with the magical society," Astoria muttered. "I was alone, trying to get to know people, but I never knew what to say. Even that wasn't so bad. It was lonely, but there are worse things than loneliness, you know? Most of the time, I like being alone. It was also when I still had braces. Do you remember how nerdy and silly I looked?"
Her words came out in a chaotic rush, and Harry realized it was the most she had spoken at once in a while. She stopped at the end and looked away.
"You looked cute, not nerdy or silly," he said, wrapping his arm around her.
"If you say so," she murmured.
He waited for her to continue, but she didn't.
"Keep talking," he said. "I want to hear everything."
"It's boring and stupid," she muttered. "You don't care."
"I care," he said. "And if you don't keep going, I'm going to steal your ice cream."
He pretended to reach over her to grab the bowl. She batted his hand away, a brief smile flashing across her face.
"I made an Instagram account, like everyone else," she muttered. "But no one followed me. Well, some did, but hardly anyone. None of the cool kids. Until..." She shrugged and looked away. "Daniel followed me. From another school. He had lots of friends, cool pictures, and he sAstoriaboarded. He started liking everything I posted, messaging me, asking how I was. Then he asked me if I would be his... girlfriend."
Harry felt another pang of brotherly jealousy but suppressed it with concern. He still had his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder and arm.
"I'm listening. What happened?"
"Nothing." She shook her head. "I never met him in person. He always had a reason why he couldn't. He said he lived far away and had to commute a long way to school. Then, when it was vacation and I asked Mom if she would drive me to meet him, he said he wasn't around. But I didn't care. It wasn't a big deal. He made me feel important and..."
Harry pulled her closer, suspecting he knew where this was heading.
"He wanted my pictures." Her voice was a whisper, but her eyes suddenly looked serious. "And videos. I never sent him nudes! There were a few in my underwear, but never anything more. I'm not a complete idiot. He also asked me to... do different things. He sent me a few gifts, but that was all towards the end, and..."
She looked hurt. Harry wanted to turn back time and protect her.
"It was all made up," she whispered. "When Daniel finally said he was coming to my school to meet me and asked me to wait for him, I waited. He never showed up, but Beth, Shayla, Dean, and the rest of the jerks did. They had a full-sized printout of 'Daniel' and mocked me, asking if I still wanted to kiss him like I said in my messages. I pushed Beth and knocked her into the mud and... that's when the real bullying started. After that."
Harry hugged Astoria tighter. She was stiff and resistant, but she began to relax as he gently stroked her hair and back.
"Astoria," he whispered. "You didn't do anything wrong. Those kids were awful. I can't imagine how much it must have hurt."
"I'm over it."
He heard her sobbing and felt the wet tears on his shirt where her face was pressed.
"Do you want to watch a movie tonight?" he suggested. "Your choice. We can sit on the couch. I'll even make popcorn."
"I don't know," she muttered. "Maybe later."
She pulled away from his embrace and lay down on the bed. Harry stayed with her for a few minutes before getting up and heading to the door.
"I love you, Astoria."
"I love you, Harry. I'm glad you're back."
Bellatrix was just coming home as Harry descended the stairs. She had two pizza boxes in hand, which she set down on the counter with a tired sigh.
"I hope you don't mind pizza for dinner, Harry," she said. "I'm exhausted."
"Pizza is perfect," he said. "Astoria and I were planning to sit on the couch and watch a movie."
Bellatrix kicked off her heels and looked at him. "Did you manage to pick her up this afternoon?"
"You could say that," he replied.
Bellatrix smiled wearily. She leaned against the kitchen island, her posture doing interesting things to her breasts and cleavage in the professional white blouse she wore.
"I wish she would tell me more about what's going on with her," Bellatrix said. "Astoria is so reserved and quiet. Daphne is the complete opposite."
"She's a tough nut to crack," Harry said. "She's being bullied."
Bellatrix sighed. "I had hoped that was over, but knowing her, she's enduring it with stoic calm."
"Have you talked to the school?"
"Many times, along with the parents of some of the kids I know are involved," Bellatrix said. "Astoria won't tell me anything specific anymore. Daphne even tried to help at one point, talking to siblings of the kids who attend Surrey High."
Harry had more questions, but Astoria came down the stairs before he could ask any of them. He thought about what she had told him and his mind unwillingly connected the remote and the vibrator to the supposed gifts from Daniel. Astoria said there were no nudes in her tormentor's possession, but that phrasing still left a lot of room for interpretation. Did she receive the Master Pulse as a gift? Did she use it, filming herself clothed but sexually engaged?
He felt guilty for letting the thought arouse him. Astoria was smiling, though her eyes were slightly red. She walked up and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hi Mom," she said. "Pizza for dinner? Did you get the one with broccoli?"
"Yes, I got the broccoli one," Bellatrix said, smiling. "You should offer some to Harry."
"Do I want to try that?" he asked, smiling back.
"Trust me," Astoria said. "You'll like it."
It was a surprisingly cheerful and hopeful mood despite the heavy afternoon of bullying revelations. Daphne even came down for a bit, hovering on the fringes with a slice of pepperoni pizza while everyone else talked about their day.
"Isn't it bad luck to argue with priests?" Daphne asked after he gave them a brief version of the drama he went through parking his bike.
"That's a superstition," Harry replied.
"Maybe next time, focus on positive solutions?" Bellatrix suggested. "Sweetie, you could have just moved the bike."
"People park there all the time," Harry said. "At least they used to."
Astoria ran upstairs to get something. Harry followed, wanting to talk to her about watching a movie while the living room TV was still available. Her door was slightly ajar, and he didn't think to push it all the way open.
"How about pizza and *The Princess Diaries*...?"
To his surprise and some awe, he found himself staring at Astoria's bare breasts. She was apparently in the middle of changing into her pajamas. Her breasts were small, but only in comparison to Daphne and their mother. They were full B-cups, pale with pink and perky nipples. She was wearing glasses, panties, and nothing else, with a look of surprise that matched his own. He felt a strange but irresistible stir within him and knew he would never forget this image.
"Sorry!" He turned and jumped back into the hallway, closing the door.
"It's okay," Astoria said. "I'll be down in a minute."
Harry hurried downstairs. Bellatrix was in the kitchen, looking at something on her phone. Daphne was nowhere to be seen, likely out for the night.
"Everything okay, Harry?" Bellatrix asked. "Your face is flushed."
"I'm fine," he said, trying and failing to shake the image of Astoria's bare breasts from his mind.
"I think Daphne mentioned a party tonight. I doubt she'll be back before midnight." Bellatrix yawned. "I'm exhausted. I have the day off tomorrow and plan to do nothing but lounge around the house."
"Sounds like fun," he said. He took a deep breath, trying to suppress an unnecessary and unwelcome erection.
His mother went upstairs, and a few minutes later, Astoria came down. Looking at her, with her firm breasts still vividly etched in his mind, was like looking at the sun—best done through quick glances and from an angle. She was wearing a loose t-shirt, boyish shorts, and pink socks, with her red hair cascading loosely over her shoulders.
"I like The Princess Diaries," she said after a pause.
"I thought so," Harry replied. "I'll put it on. Can you bring me a slice of pizza?"
"Sure."
He set up the TV and took one side of the couch. Astoria returned to the living room with pizza for both of them and drinks. She smiled mischievously as she handed him the pizza.
"Here you go," she said. "Let me know what you think." He took a sip, tasting the soda and something else. "Did you spike this?"
"It's Sprite mixed with Mom's wine," Astoria whispered.
"Astoria," he said, smiling despite some reservations. "You're eighteen. I doubt Mom would approve of your drinking. And even less of you sneaking it."
"She doesn't need to know everything," Astoria said.
He met her gaze and once again felt like he was looking at the sun. Her expression was so mischievous and playful, her pale skin and freckled cheeks flushed with excitement.
"I'm your big brother," he said. "I may have some legitimate reservations, but I won't report you. "I knew you wouldn't.
Chapters 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 ,13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are already available at Pat re on.
If you want to support me, read the next chapters of the story and more, I invite you to my
Patreo n .com(slash)BoobsHunter (Remove spaces)
