Fortunate Heir

1. Tales of Hogwarts

"Sit like a lady!" The voice of Marlene Greengrass echoed around the empty dining room.
Marlene's current subject- Astoria- shifted in her seat.
Being the younger of the Greengrass sisters wasn't all it was made out to be.
"You're attending Hogwarts. You are representing the family name, you must act like those with power. Prim and proper!" Marlene began. "Don't associate with any blood traitors, half bloods and especially those heathens."
Astoria sat up straighter in her chair. Her mother seemed to have this idea that she would besmirch the family name somehow. What her mother said was right though. Despite being a seemingly unruly child, she never would choose to associate with anything below the pureblood category. And besides she'd tell herself I'm nothing like Daphne. The older Greengrass sister was her parents epitome of the perfect daughter. Bright, pretty, reserved... or so they seemed to think. In front of her parents Daphne was the perfect girl; prim, proper. But Astoria knew that there was a wilder side. She'd never seen it, but her sisters stories of Hogwarts told of adventure and sly mischief makers.
"Blank face." Marlene called. Wiping her face clean of emotion Astoria continued through her thoughtful spiel.
"Polite smile." A fake, closed lip smile graced Astoria's face.
"Now, clasp your-" A knock on the door paused Marlene mid command.
"Mother?" Daphne's disembodied voice entered the room. "Mrs Lyria is here. Irida let her into the first lounge."
Astoria began to slouch in her seat. "May I leave mother?"
"Yes, you may. But I will be checking your mannerisms for the next few weeks. They should be constant at all times. You're going to Hogwarts remember."
Standing swiftly, Astoria headed for the door, head held high.
Closing the door behind her, Astoria let out a withheld breath.
"I remember when mum got me to do those mannerism checks," Daphne stood, back against the opposing. "I passed though."
Astoria smiled half heartedly following Daphne as she began her way down the hall, towards the foyer.
"And you were perfect." Astoria deadpanned.
"Of course I was." The bitterness in her sister's voice seemed lost on Daphne.
"Is it really all that important though?" Astoria's grumble was met with a light laugh from her sister.
"Not really..." Daphne trailed off as they entered the foyer. Then she was gone, darting up the stairs.
Astoria blinked. "Hey! Wait!" She sprinted after the older girl. Huffing and puffing her way up the central staircase as Daphne ran ahead laughing.
"We're going to get in trouble!" Astoria shrieked. "Daphne wait!"
Daphne slowed at the end of the hallway, before the closed library doors.
Astoria came to a jog as she met her sister's slumped form.
"Daphne, mum doesn't like us running, we'd have gotten in trouble if she caught us."
"But she didn't, because I'm a skilled Slytherin." A huge grin spread across Daphne's red face.
"You haven't even started your second year. Your not skilled like..." A silence settled between the two girls. Astoria hadn't finished her sentence but Daphne understood perfectly.
"I know... But maybe one day. That would make mum and dad so proud..." Daphne's face scrunched to the side in thought. "We've been practicing at Hogwarts though. Bringing down Potter and his friends, I mean." Daphne leaned against the wall, Astoria mirroring her stance against the oak panelled wall.
"Like?" Astoria's question seemed to shake Daphne out of her thoughts.
"Like what?"
"Tell me about a time you stopped Potter and his friends."
Another smile shone on Daphne's face.
"Walk with me and I'll tell you." Standing up straight Astoria followed her sister back down the hall, away from the library. Past the main staircase and further on. Turning left at the opposite end of the hall, down another corridor, then through the third door down, into Daphne's room.
"I didn't say you could come in!" Daphne snapped.
"You said 'follow'." Astoria stood in her place.
"You still have to knock! This isn't your room."  Sisters! Astoria thought.
"You should have specified-"
"Just knock. It's curtesy and I have something to tell you."
Sighing deeply Astoria back tracked her way back out of her sister's room, before knocking lightly on the outside door frame.
"Hey!" Daphne beamed at Astoria.
"Can I come in?"
"Sure thing. Thanks for knocking. I have something to tell you."
Astoria smiled slightly. Like you gave me a choice...
"You asked for an example right?" Astoria thought she knew what was coming, skipping over to sink into her sister's bed.
"Yeah. Have you got one?"
"There are so many stories. But I'll tell you the two biggest. The first one involves a blood traitor, named Longbottom. A short, dumpy Gryffindore...