ASTRA SPENT THE REST of the evening trying to convince Hermione that house-elves liked working, but to no use. At one point, she even invited Regulus to try and help her, but immediately sent him away as he agreed with Hermione and was now only talking about house-elf rights. She was only glad that he couldn't actually talk with Hermione.
The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; heavy clouds of pewter gray swirled overhead as Astra, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Luna, who had joined them at the Gryffindor table, examined their new course schedules at breakfast.
A few seats along, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of aging themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.
"Today's not bad...outside all morning," said Ron, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule. "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures...damn it, we're still with the Slytherins...."
"I don't know why we don't have any classes with the Ravenclaws," Astra said, looking at hers and Luna's schedules. It seemed like the teachers simply loved putting Gryffindors with Slytherins, even with their rivalry.
"Double Divination this afternoon," Harry groaned and Astra simply tutted. She didn't like Trelawney's methods, but at the same time, it didn't seem like the weird professor was a fraud; after all, she had made two real prophecies.
"You should have given it up like me, shouldn't you?" said Hermione briskly, buttering herself some toast. "Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy."
"Well I still do Arithmancy," argued Astra. She had passed with an O, and agreed to taking extra homework again this year instead of showing up to the class. "What electives did you take, Luna?"
"Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes," she responded dreamily and Astra nodded.
"You're eating again, I notice," said Ron, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too.
"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.
"I told you that they like it-"
"Well, R-, I meant your other source agreed with me," Hermione said with a smug smile, clearly taking that as a victory. Astra groaned and put her face on the table, while Harry looked at her curiously. What was this other source?
"Yeah...and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.
There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail. Astra smiled at the owls, wondering whether maybe one day she could fly in the morning deliveries; it would surely be fun, and amazing for pranks. However, she noticed Harry looking down glumly and knew immediately what he was talking about.
"He's in Brazil right now, don't worry," she said, talking about her dad. Harry was confused, how did she know where Sirius was?
"But-" he started, but Astra already got her books up and was heading out of the Hall.
She knew it was a bit suspicious, but Harry was clearly worried and it would be quite rude if she didn't comfort him. She headed through the sodden vegetable patch to greenhouse three, where Sprout was showing Bubotubers, horrendous plants that looked like giant slugs, but were quite useful.
"Bubotubers," Professor Sprout told them briskly. "They need squeezing. You will collect the pus-"
"The what?" said Seamus Finnigan, sounding revolted.
YOU ARE READING
Astra
FanfictionAstra Titania Black Astra has lived in an orphanage since her father was wrongfully imprisoned and her mother abandoned her. She used to be alone, but she didn't mind. That is until she makes true friends that she would die for and meets the people...
