Sweets: The Tale of Astoria Greengrass

Resting Upon Laurels

Daphne was the first to rise after Astoria. Dressed in a neat uniform and green robes, not a curl out of place, she still looked like the pretty pureblood that she used to be. She smoothed her hair into place as she approached Rhys.

"Make me an omelette, will you?" Daphne demanded. The older house-elf just nodded and got to it as Daphne entered the breakfast nook and sat across from Astoria.

"Good morning, Daffy," Astoria said.

"Tori," Daphne replied with a nod. She looked to the door and gasped. "You can't leave those open- you might get a heatstroke!"

"I'll close them when it gets too hot," Astoria promised. "Besides, I'd get a chill if I closed them."

"Just wear your robe," Daphne chided, and with a flick of her wand, the doors shut. "I don't want you getting sicker."

"You think I don't know that?" Astoria said, raising her voice in irritation. "You think I want to be as sick as I was after last May? I don't- but I want to live as well, Daffy!"

Daphne shook her head condescendingly. "It would kill Mother if you were to be reckless, throwing away your chances like this."

"I just opened the doors to enjoy the sunshine, Daffy," Astoria deadpanned. "One open door is not going to kill me."

Daphne just sighed. She checked the watch she'd received for her seventeenth birthday last March, and sighed again. "That house-elf needs to hurry up. I've got to get to my job."

"Why go, Daffy?" Astoria asked, placing her hand over Daphne's wrist. "I know you're unhappy there, and I know they don't trust you because of Mother and Father. We've got plenty of gold in Gringotts!"

"You don't understand," Daphne said. "We've lost much more than gold, Tori. We've lost our reputation. We are no longer the noble House of Greengrass. We're the Greengrass family, a disgraced bunch with a father in prison, a mother almost there, and a sick, fragile daughter! Someone has to restore the family glory!"

"By working a desk job?"

The words had slipped out of Astoria's mouth before she'd realized what she was saying.

Daphne's chocolate brown eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth gracefully. "I- I resent that. I may need to start at the bottom, but I'll work my way to the top- you'll see."

"Can't we just let the past go?" Astoria asked, her own matching brown eyes pleading with Daphne. "We're never going to be the noble Greengrasses again-"

Daphne drew her wand, pointing it right between Astoria's eyes.

"Don't say that," she hissed. "Don't you dare say that."

Astoria gulped, and Daphne primly put her wand away in the special pocket for it in her green robes.

Rhys appeared with a crack.

"Rhys has Mistress Daphne's omelette," he squeaked. He placed the steaming plate in front of Daphne, and Disapparated.

"Pansy Parkinson's coming over for the lunch break," Daphne said. "Please make sure you're properly dressed by then- and do let Mother know so she can be appropriately dressed."

Astoria nodded. "I will."

"Good girl," Daphne said. She then dug into her breakfast. Astoria, having long-finished her and having moved on to her second cup of tea for the day, placed her hands around the mug, enjoying the warmth that came from the steaming tea.

Daphne finished up, and then hugged Astoria. "Be good, today."

Astoria snorted. "I am an angel."