Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 71: The Enemy of my Enemy

Pansy was not in a good mood this morning.

She woke up to find her friends had left the dormitory without her and when she arrived for breakfast at her usual 7:45 time, found that only Tracy was still eating while the others-Daphne and Astoria, sat chatting to Nott. Crabbe sat next to his other side, too heavy into his morning pudding to notice anything and Goyle was laughing to himself, fidgeting with something suspicious in his bag. Pansy didn't fixate on him long to find out what.

Draco was nowhere to be seen, but as was the case the first two days of class, it seemed that Draco had become too busy in the morning to give breakfast much thought. And Blaise was not much fun anymore, having spent most mornings with his nose in a copy of the daily prophet.

Like it mattered if he was up with the times. Hogwarts had a habit of spreading interesting political and social gossip like wild fire.

It's personally why Pansy hadn't wasted a galleon on a Daily Prophet subscription recently, nor that of Witch Weekly-though seeing that filthy American on the cover didn't help matters.

"You look tired, Pansy," Tracy said, as she caught sight of Pansy's attempt to sit down across from Daphne. A group of fourth year quidditch boys were pushing each other a little too aggressively this morning and it was becoming increasingly difficult for Pansy to pass by them without getting an elbow to the ribs.

"Will you lot quit it!" She snapped, right behind one of them who had done just that to her stomach. The four of them froze, knowing too well the owner of that voice, but after a glance behind them to see her anxious face, they turned back around and started up again as before.

Nott was snickering at her as she finally managed to swing her legs over the bench and sit down.

"What's so funny?" She snapped, but Nott's grin only flashed as he took one look her way.

"It's a bit early to be so hot and bothered, Pansy. What's got your kilt in a bunch?"

"Nothing that involves you or anyone else for that matter! Where's Draco? Shouldn't he be eating?"

"I'm not his keeper," was his only reply before turning to Daphne who was grinning up at him like a golden retriever to a sheep's gun. Utterly oblivious.

"He's in the library." Astoria, who had resumed sipping gently at her cup, acted as if she hadn't spoken.

When Pansy first saw Astoria back on the train, she was struck by how much the girl had visually changed over the summer. Pansy knew, similar to Daphne, that the Greengrass girls were pretty and would always be so. But it was unsettling how Astoria knew how she looked and took advantage of it at such a young age. At least Daphne was stupid enough to be unsure of her looks but one look at Astoria's shiny long hair, dark red lips and trimmed brows was enough for Pansy to sense a rhythm to the rhyme.

"And how exactly do you know that?"

The lack of concern that radiated off Astoria as Pansy stared her down was infuriating. Her light eyes meet Pansy's as she answered.

"He told me."

"Half the time I think I stare off into la la land with the amount of things this one picks up in a room," Daphne jokes, nodding to her sister as Tracey looked between Pansy and Astoria.

"Or maybe you just don't snoop like others," Pansy summarized, snagging some toast from the rack.

If the words hit their mark, Astoria didn't show it as she pushed away from the table, grabbing her bag and standing up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Pansy demanded, seeing Tracey drop her last of her toast as if to follow. Daphne froze from grabbing her bag as Astoria lowered her jaded eyes to Pansy. A faint slant in her brow was all that changed from her otherwise calmly composed face.