As It Was *Complete*

26. Foolish

"Well, this day just got a whole lot better," Sirius smirked. "I have my niece back, she knows the truth and I have no more secrets from her. We are well on our way to being a proper family and I, for one, am beyond delighted. I mean I even witnessed Severus smiling, as traumatising as it was."

Snape scoffed and Remus laughed.

"I am just glad that I will now see Astra's smile in the corridor, instead of her ignoring me." Remus smiled affectionately.

"I am sorry. I just...I was -"

"You had every right to ignore me," he said again wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

There was a noise from the bottom of the stairs at that moment. Astra listened waiting to hear if she heard footsteps or even locking or something. But nothing came. She shrugged it off.

"It's so bizarre how much my life has changed in just a few short months. It's amazing! After the war I really thought I was going to have to go to a shelter for homeless witches. I was so scared. And now look at me."

"You have two uncles who are going to spoil you rotten," Sirius smirked.

"A family," Snape said.

"I am blessed."

"Well, I don't know about that," Sirius chuckled. "I mean Snape is your father after all."

Again there was a noise that Astra couldn't place. "I think I am pretty lucky with that," she shrugged and Snape blushed. Who knew he was able to produce colour in his pale cheeks?

"So what is this I hear about you on a date with a certain cousin of mine?" Sirius wiggled his eyebrows.

Now Astra blushed. "We have been partnered for this new scheme the Ministry have thought up. I think they assume we cannot find partners of our own."

Remus laughed. "You two were perfectly matched you know. You answered almost every question the same. What you want in terms of career and family. Your beliefs and feelings. It was really remarkable."

Astra bit her lip. "But he is not interested. He made fun of me yesterday with his girlfriend and -"

"That girl he had a shouting match with this morning?" Snape asked. Astra nodded. "Is that what she said to you?"

"That he made fun of me with my friends and none of them defended me much. That even I deserved better basically."

"Maybe you should talk to him," Remus offered. "Miss Sophie may have blemished the truth to hurt Draco's chances."

"Draco does not want a chance with me. He has made that much very clear. I think from now on, I will ignore the dates. Stick it out for a month or two like the Ministry want and them tell them that he and I don't work."

"You don't want to try?" Sirius asked.

"Why would I want to try with someone who puts me down and is a bully?"

"Are you sure you are your mother's daughter?" Remus chuckled. "That is exactly what she did."

"And look how well that turned out for all parties," she reminded the three men. "Draco deserves to be happy. He deserves someone who he will be proud to have on his arm. Someone who would make a good Pure Blood wife for his family. I do not fit the role. I am awkward, opinionated, I am stubborn and sarcastic. He needs someone who will basically be a submissive. He is gorgeous. He will find someone no problem. He also reminded me that most men would be put off as I have no dowry and grew up an orphan."

"What does being an orphan have to do with it?" Sirius asked. "And who says you don't have a dowry?"

"Well, I mean...I didn't inherit a lot of money from my grandmother and -"