As It Was *Complete*

9. What's Going On?

The group, with Maddi and Blaise following them made their way to the edge of the village before stopping to rest...and make sure no one followed them. Draco kept a hold of Astra the whole road which earned them quite a few looks from passers-by. But he was just worried for the girl who seemed terrified.

Astra was still shaking.

"Hey babe, what is going on?" Maddi asked as she rubbed Astra's arm in comfort and bending down to catch her best friends eye.

"I am sorry," Astra said looking up at everyone.

"No need to apologise," Blaise assured her.

"So long as you are alright" Pansy added.

"Astra what on earth happened between you and Remus?" Maddi asked.

Astra sighed. "Well remember how, after the hospital, Remus allowed me to stay with him?" She said beginning to pace. She couldn't tell them everything but she could tell them a bit. Maddi nodded. "I stayed with him for a few weeks and then one night Sirius came to visit. They told me a bit about my background. Not much as they didn't know a lot themselves. Only what they were able to piece together over time."

"Ok," Maddi said.

"From what they gathered, my father was at school the same time that they were. My mother too more than likely. They basically remember James talking about him a few times. They didn't know his name as James used a nickname for him. Seems James Potter had a bit of a history with my father. From what I can gather, Harry's father was a bit of a bully. He would torment my father quite regularly at school. I was disgusted to hear this of course. And then, Remus and Sirius tried to justify his actions but I wouldn't hear it. He was a bully!"

Draco scoffed.

"OK," Maddi said trying to think. "So they knew that Harry's dad.... James Potter knew your father and used to bully him. But what did they mean when you said that you would not tell Harry? Tell Harry what?"

Oh, crap!

"Em...they made me promise not to tell Harry...well that his father was a bully. That he was anything other than the brave Order member who gave up his life for his family. They said it would upset him and that he was their main priority. Basically that was the only reason they took me in. To ensure that I didn't go mouthing off to Harry about his father," she looked at the group. "Not that I would have. They never actually cared about me at all. So I left. I met up with Professor McGonagall who had a letter from my late grandmother leaving me her house and money in her will."

"You had a grandmother?" Pansy asked.

"Apparently so. The lady I used to spend the summer with."

"Eileen is your grandmother," Maddi was getting excited now as Astra nodded. "Babe this is great. If we find out who Eileen is we can figure out who your parents are. Finally, give you some answers."

"Hang on," Theo stepped in. "So you have no idea who your parents are?" Astra shook her head. "You grew up in an orphanage?" Astra nodded.

"Apparently I was left at the orphanage when I was a baby. I grew up there until Professor McGonagall came to take me to Hogwarts. I spent my summers back in the orphanage for our first three years of school. Then it was closed down and I had nowhere to go. That is when Eileen – my grandmother as it turns out came to the school and offered to take care of me. She did so every summer until April there when she passed away. I had no idea we were related until McGonagall gave me a letter she wrote before she died. "

"So your parents just left you?" Blaise asked not quite believing that such things actually happened. He couldn't believe someone would give up a small child. Especially when that child turned into the fine young woman standing in front of him.