Snake Charmer

33

Asteria glared at Professor Umbridge. She hated this woman, and it was obvious that this woman was not fond of muggle Borns. She had already woken up in a sour mood and over the last few weeks it was obvious that Tom had been watching her more closely and she didn't like that either. 

Not to mention the fact that Daphne had started making her hang out with her whole friend group. It wasn't that they seemed like they were awful people. But it was clear that their parents' idealisms were drilled into them. 

"Miss Evans, is there a reason that you aren't taking notes?" Asteria didn't bother to hide her glare. The distain that she felt toward this woman was making it difficult to focus on anything else.

"It is useless information. These are things that no one will need to know." She seemed almost bored to be having a conversation with the older woman.  Umbridge was still smiling but she could see the tension in her shoulders as the old bitty inhaled. 

"And why is that?" Asteria smirked and rolled her eyes, and she placed her chin in her hand.

"Because a war is coming, and you are having them read instead of teaching them what they actually need to know. I am rather disappointed in Cornellious." Umbridge's face turned pinked as her breathing labored.

"You will not disrespect the minister in front of me! Dent-"

"I don't think so. You should ask The Minister if he remembers a Asteria Grindelwald. She was my mother." Asteria let the lie fall from her lips easily and Umbridge paled at the mention of Grindelwald. But Asteria just gave her an unimpressed look and collected her things before walking out of the class. There was no way she would be able to stay the whole lesson. Not without hexing the woman. 

"Hey Dumbledore!" She wasn't thinking when she turned toward the voice, and she defiantly wasn't thinking when she answered. Her face paled as Tom stood a few feet away from her. A smug smirk on his face. She hissed and rushed back toward him practically throwing him into the empty classroom before slamming the door behind herself. She swung around on him with her wand pointing directly at his chest.

"What the hell Riddle?!" A breathless smile overtook his face as he looked between her wand and her one cobalt, one silver eyes.

"How-" She groaned and put her wand away. Annoyance filled her chest and shook her head. 

"Spit it out already." She growled in her own frustration. 

"How have you stayed so young?" She arched an eyebrow at him.

"If you know I'm a Dumbledore then you know my papa is Grindelwald. He's a better wizard than your father." Tom gave her an amused look.

"At least now I know why you hate Mattheo and I for no reason. Were you the one that killed our mother." Asteria said nothing and just stared at him. Tom looked slightly impressed and then it was like a light switched on in his head. "You're the one that's been going after all the death eaters aren't you?" She shrugged as if she was uninterested in the conversation at all.

"Did your father tell you about me? Is that how you knew who I was?" She asked slowly. Tom shook his head.

"I have his journal and there a sketch of you inside. With a lot of notes about your habits and things that set you off. He's obsessed with you." Asteria let out a long sigh and shook her head.

"I'm sure it will earn you his respect if you turn me over to him." Tom's eyebrows drew together, and he went to take a step toward her. But stopped. 

"I have no interest in turning you over to my father. I'd like to pick your brain about what your father taught you." Asteria's eyebrows shot up at that.

"What for?" The hair on the back of her neck stood up. 

"Because I need to know if there is a way to get rid of the dark mark." Asteria averted her gaze from Tom. She shouldn't be getting involved with this and she wouldn't.

"There isn't." And with that she turned on her heels and left the room. Her heart pounding in her chest as she rushed down the corridor. She needed to see her father. 

She was out of breath as she stumbled into his office. She lifted her gaze, and her blood ran cold at the sight of Severus and her father together. She gave her father an accusing look and pointed toward Severus.

"What's Snivellious doing here?" Severus openly glared at her and Albus had to bite down on his tongue to keep from chuckling at his daughter.

"You are such a child." Severus snapped and turned away from her. But she snorted and moved toward the both of them.

"Severus was explaining what you said to Delores in her class today." Asteria dragged out a scoff and rolled her head toward Severus,

"And I thought that Peter was the rat." Severus's hand inched toward his wand and Asteria smirked.

"It is not my fault that you claimed yourself as a Grindelwald among your peers and a woman who works for the Ministry of Magic! Not that you seem to know the consequences of your actions. The Ministry has already been made aware and started questioning Grindelwald. He wishes to see you." Severus snapped at her. Asteria ground her teeth together and turned to her father.

Her papa wanted to see her. That could go one of two ways.

"Are you going to go with me?" Albus shook his head lightly and glanced at Severus.

"Severus will go with you. He will be able to get you out if there is something that goes wrong." Asteria made a face like she had a bad taste in her mouth. But she nodded regardless, there was no point in arguing with her father. It would get her nowhere. 

"I'll let the Remus, and the others know." She pulled her wand free and cast the patronus charm whispering the message to the phoenix and watched as it soared through the window.