astronomy • marlene mckinnon

seven

t.w. abusive parents

"I bet by the start of the sixth year," Astraea spoke up as the Hogwarts Express traveled among snow-covered fields under the clouded sky. "Don't know about Nott, but Izzy's pretty shy when it comes to her feelings about him."

"That shy?" Evan scoffed from where he was lying on the seat right in front of her. "Impossible. They're getting together by Easter break."

"Five galleons?"

"For what?" The door opened and Isabella Fawley walked in followed by Tiberius Nott.

"You don't need to know." Evan sat up straight to make space for Tiberius and then looked at Astraea. "Five galleons. You're on."

"What are you guys betting about?" Isabella spoke up impatiently.

"To whom Astraea's gonna get married," Evan smirked and the train compartment filled with laughter as Astraea scowled.

"Yeah? My next bet is when Evan's going to die." Astraea crossed his arms.

"I bet five galleons for ten seconds." Evan ran a hand through his hair as a lazy grin spread across his face. "Do it, Black, you have no idea how much I want this."

"Only if you stab me at the same time." Astraea raised an eyebrow.

"We have a deal."

"The amount of time you talk about your death is concerning." Isabella frowned.

"You get used to it." Tiberius shrugged and Evan grinned at him.

"Anyway," Tiberius continued. "Did you hear? Victoria Malfoy's going to get engaged to Cyrus Carrow."

"No way," Isabella gaped.

"Yes, way."

"Stupid and even more stupid. A perfect match, don't you all think?" Evan laughed. "They're gonna conquer worlds together."

"Yeah," Astraea nodded, zoning out of the conversation as her head zoomed with thoughts.

Out of all five years, she had attended Hogwarts, her parents had never asked her to come over for Christmas break and ever since Astraea had got the letter telling not only her but also Sirius and Regulus, she had told them it was Astraea's funeral so Walburga's pre-inviting everyone.

Astraea and Sirius had annoyed Regulus to death over the span of a week, only by arguing about whose funeral would happen.

As she got to know about Malfoy's engagement, a new thought came up in her mind, different from the ones running all week.

Maybe, Walburga had only invited the three siblings only because they needed to attend Malfoy's engagement. She was technically family since Lucius married Narcissa.

But then again, every pureblood was family indirectly.

Astraea had often wondered if all the incest and inbreeding have messed up everyone's brains. And then as she looked at her fucked up family, she realized that it indeed had messed it all up.

The thought of Malfoy and Carrow's engagement announcement was more comforting than the others and she let it make a home in her mind, pushing all the others away.

When the train started to slow down as it entered London, the four Slytherins said goodbye to each other and Astraea went to find Sirius.

As the train started to come to a stop, she reached the compartment where she had last seen Sirius and scowled when she heard a familiar laugh.