Lifeline

10. Only Child... (Pt. 1)

**Malfoy Manner, December 19th, 1975**

Astra Malfoy did not wake up in her bed that night, though she had fallen asleep there. She was woken up harshly after being dropped carelessly on the forest floor. She gasped awake, giving a cry of pain. The fact that she was not only not in bed, but not in her room, was the first thing she noticed. Her 'bedroom' was in the basement, and it was cold and damp down there, not that her parents cared enough to do anything. So she slept with a cloak on under her blanket to keep warm, a fact for which she was grateful now.

For a five year old, Astra was extremely intelligent. She was observant, and she wasn't as disruptive. Though that last part was more because of her parents. Since she was a toddler, she had been punished for being disruptive. She had blue-grey eyes that were similar, though not identical to her father's. Her hair was fair and blonde, though even as young as she was, it had grown into a slightly darker blonde. Her eyes were wide and bold, and her heart shaped face resembled that of the fea folk, though this was not a good thing in her parents eyes.

It wasn't hard to figure out she was in the woods outside the Manner, that was evident from what the ground felt like when she had been dropped. It was dark here. She hated the dark, not knowing what was there... She wanted to call for her parents, but she bit her tongue. They got mad when she called for them, said she should be able to deal with things herself.

"Astra?" She heard her mother's voice. Any other child would have found that comforting in this situation, but something in her tone made Astra more afraid.

"Lomos," she heard her father say. From his wand, the forest was lit up as light overpowered the darkness. She saw her parents there in black robes, their faces cold and neutral. She looked around, and saw on her other side was the bad man, who her parents referred to as 'the Dark Lord', standing there in front of fifty other people in black robes. She didn't like the bad man. He was always mean, and her parents were always mean too when he was there.

"Astra," her mother said, her voice uncaring. Astra turned to face her. "I want you to know that this is unfortunate for your father and I as well. We are losing our heir, after all. But you must never try to return to us. The Dark Lord does not wish you here, and therefore you must be gotten rid of." Her mother's cold face made Astra scared. She didn't understand most of what her mother just said, but she didn't like it. She looked at her father, but he looked just as cold as Narcissa.

"Goodbye, Astra. It has been a very educational experience for your mother and I, and we now know what to expect for our new heir, when we get one. However, assuming that the Dark Lord is right, and I can't see how he could ever be wrong, then we made a mistake creating you at all. Lucky for you, you are biologically our descendent, so inspite if your disgrace, we are allowing you to live. I expect you to be grateful for our leniency if you grow up." With those words, Lucius Malfoy took his wife's hand, and they stood aside, leaving Astra in an open space with Voldemort and fifty death eaters. Voldemort grinned wickedly.

"Farewell, Astra Malfoy. Or rather, filthy squib!" He spat the last bit, hatred burning in his eyes. Then he raised his wand, and the fifty death eaters followed his example. Thin white strings of magic shot out, melting together in front of Astra to create a portal. She was sucked through, and it closed behind her.

***

Astra let out a yelp as she fell onto the cold hard ground for the second time that night, the air quickly getting knocked out of her. She gasped air back into her lungs, eyes wide and frantic as she looked around. She was scared.

She was still in woods, though clearly not the same ones she had been in moments ago. It was greener here, with trees covered in moss. And it was wet, like it had just rained. Through the gaps in the clouds above, it could be seen that the moon was in the middle of the sky. It was the dead of night here, whereas back home, it had been dawn.

"Mother!" She screamed. She didn't care if she got in trouble anymore. "Father!" More desperate now. She just wanted to go home.

Home. She thought, remembering what her parents had said. She hasn't understood most of it, but... had they been saying goodbye? Home... a cold chill of pure fear ran through her. Did she even have one anymore?

Snap!

Astra gasped, whirling around, and coming face to face with a unfamiliar man with a threatening scowl on his face. From head to toe, he wore only leather, his feet clad in combat boots. His black shirt, under the leather vest, was a T-shirt, showing off his muscular arms, biker gloves covering his hands. He was bald and built like a professional boxer. He may have not gotten outside much, as he was slightly pale, with tattoes of runes scattered over his body in every place where skin was visable. He had a weapons belt, and in his hand, he held an elegant one-sided blade, a sword, with glowing blue runes on it.

Astra saw all this in seconds, and immediately all her instincts screamed, run.

She turned and bolted, but he was fast on her heels, and in seconds, he grabbed her by the hair, and she cried out in pain.

"How'd you get away, huh?" He spoke in a gruff voice, and brought the hilt of the blade down on her head, knocking her or cold.

***

Ow.

Astra grunted as she slowly blinked her eyes open. As soon as she tried to move, she gasped. She glanced to the side, and was just as terrified as she had been when she was knocked out. She was on her knees with her hands tightly bound in thick rope behind her back, in a line with nine other kids. She was on the end, the nine others lined up on her left. Looking ahead, she saw next to the man who had knocked her out, a tall slim man with similar dress, and fair hair. In one hand, he held a beautiful chalice with what looked like gold on it. For a moment, she looked on in fascination. Then the man took a blade, and sliced his arm, letting his blood poor into it, and she gasped in horror, looking away and shutting her eyes tight. The man looked at her. He rolled his eyes.

"If this works," he said, striding up to her, "you'll need to get used to blood." He was right in front of her now. She looked up at him, eyes wide with fear. He grabbed her face, forcing her mouth open. She tried to pull away, but then the chalice was at her lips, and the blood was forcefully poured down her throat as she gasped, choking it down...

There will be a second part to this chapter, but it was getting a bit lengthy. What do you think will happen to Astra? Or maybe Draco's sister is dead? Sorry. I can't tell you. You'll find put eventually though!

Bye guys! <3