Demon with wings (a Hazbin Hotel and Helluva boss fanfic)

Part 3

3 years later...
August 13th, 1924
        ***

"Happy birthday Astrid!"
Astrid opened her eyes to see Alastor crouching in front of the couch, where she slept. She smiled to herself and sat up, rubbing her eyes. "My little fawn, 8 years old already!" He pat her head and went over to the kitchen. Astrid stretched and looked over near her feet, where the small dark grey cat with a white face and paws, was nowhere to be found.

The living room had changed very little since that night about 3 years ago. There was now a desk with Radio equipment under the window, and a few photos decorated the wall. Pictures of Socks, pictures of the plays she'd been in, pictures of her and Alastor over the years. "I'm making pancakes!" He said cheerfully when Astrid looked over the back of the sofa. "By the way, you never told me what you wanted for your birthday." He was now attempting to make a show out of stirring and almost dropping the bowl. "I wasn't sure you would like what I wanted." She replied, standing up and going to join him beside the counter.

"I'm sure it's not that bad." He chuckled, as Astrid grabbed milk out of the icebox. "I want to learn magic." She rushed out. Alastor stopped stirring. He was silent for a few seconds and Astrid feared she had stepped a little too far. Finally he replied, "I'm surprised it took you this long to ask. I remember when my mother taught me magic, I was maybe about 6 or 7."
Her face lit up. "You mean it? I can actually practice?"

"Of course, but I will warn you it's a big commitment." She nodded and he continued. "I got introduced to magic by my mother when she performed a small ceremony called 'corde et animo' it means heart and mind."
Astrid tilted her head to the side slightly. "Why is it called that?"
"It essentially binds two people through a magical connection. Me and my mother's connection was broken when your parents had actually sentenced her to be hung."
Astrid took a step back, "I'm sorry" she muttered apologetically. Alastor turned around. "Oh don't worry, I don't blame you of course, it had to be some time shortly after you were born."
This didn't make Astrid feel any better about it. "I still have mind magic. If you would like you can be the heart part of the connection." He said this slowly. Astrid was sure he wouldn't want her to do it if she wasn't entirely sure, but she thought it over. What kind of connection would it be? Would the ceremony hurt? What did having magical abilities feel like? "Alright. I want to do it." He made a somewhat sad smile and they went back to making breakfast.

About halfway through, they heard a loud banging on the front door, Astrid twirled over, humming "The night time" from Sally, and cautiously opened the door just in time to see Socks being thrown into the apartment. She rushed to make sure her cat was ok and cheerfully faced her neighbor. "Good morning Husker." She looked up at the round, unfit man who lived in the apartment across from her and Alastor. "Don't 'good morning husker' me. I thought I reminded you to keep your damn cat out of my apartment." His mustache was untrimmed and messy along with his beard and he had to take a second to get the hair out of his mouth.

Husker was a somewhat short man who might've been handsome and fit at one point, but the years of gambling and drinking really wore off on him. Astrid simply smiled and tried to keep her voice pleasant. "Well we let him wander around the apartment building to stretch his legs, we never tell him to go into your apartment, and I'm no expert but maybe it would help if you actually remembered to close your front door before you left at night."
"Don't go turning this around on me you little-"
"Hello Husk, complaining about our cat again?" Alastor asked, coming up to the front door. "I'll report you one of these days." Husker grumbled, walking away with a green bottle clutched in his hand. Alastor shook his head and smiled. "I don't think reporting us will do much, we aren't breaking any rules." But Husker had already slammed his door shut and wasn't listening. Astrid walked over to stroke socks and feed him.

         The ceremony had to be started at midnight and would last about 30 minutes. Alastor had a altar on the floor of his room and that's where it was held. He placed 5 different colored candles and each point in a star that had been chalked onto the ground. He then drew strange runes around the circle. He turned to her, "I'm asking one last time, are you completely sure that you want to do this?"
She stopped for a moment. "Does it hurt?" She asked finally. "No, the weirdest feeling is most likely just when you start to feel like you might explode but you won't." After a quick glance at the horror on her face he added, "like I said, it doesn't hurt it just feels weird." She relaxed a little and a beep from the clock on the bedside table told them it had just struck midnight.

What happened next, Astrid couldn't remember, only that when it was done, she felt a strange buzzing in her chest. Alastor kept asking over and over if she was ok and then, at last, her training had started.