Sweets: The Tale of Astoria Greengrass

In This Kingdom

Astoria stopped at her mother's door the next day. Daphne had announced to her that Pansy, Draco, Millicent, Tracey, Blaise, and Theodore were coming over for lunch to discuss the wedding and plan. Unfortunately, Daphne had to go to work before she could inform Queenie of the guests.

Astoria gently knocked at the door.

"Come in."

Queenie's voice was crisp, cool, welcoming, and very pleasing to the ear. Astoria knew that meant that her mother was at least in better spirits than she had been ever since the Battle of Hogwarts.

Astoria gently pushed open the door. Queenie Greengrass stood over her vanity, primping her short platinum-blonde waves. She was dressed in a long red dress that brought out her eyes and her red lipstick. Astoria recognized it as Queenie's favorite from her socialite years.

Astoria approached. "Daphne has invited over Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy, Millicent Bulstrode, Tracey Davis, Blaise Zabini, and Theodore Nott for lunch. They will be planning Draco and Pansy's wedding."

"Oh, dear Draco and Pansy!" Queenie clasped her hands together. "How wonderful! Congratulations to them! I only hope good luck on the couple! I will leave you to your fun!"

"Thank you, Mother," Astoria said, and she turned to leave.

"Oh, Astoria?"

She stopped and turned back around.

"How has your condition progressed?" Queenie asked, a hint of concern in the brown eyes that Astoria had inherited from her.

"I've been fine," Astoria assured her. "Just a little cough and some chills. Nothing to worry about."

"Well, I do worry," Queenie admitted. "Please don't overdo it today."

"I won't," Astoria promised.

Before they could speak again, Astoria walked out of the room. She walked into her own bedroom, and saw her owl perched on the window sill.

"Hello, Jupiter," Astoria said as she stroked the owl's impressive brown feathers. She put out feed and water and took the letter from his talons. It was from her best friend, Alice Tolipan.

Wotcher, Tori,

How are you? I feel like it's been forever since I've seen you! I've been having so much fun in Ireland- there are so many strange sights and the weather's been beautiful! I'm sorry you couldn't come. Must not be fun being locked up in the manor. I'll tell you all about it when I get back!

Lots of love,

Ali

Astoria smiled and put the letter in a box with all the other letters she'd received from Alice over the years. Alice was a muggle-born, the only one to be Sorted in Slytherin in their year. Astoria, with her fascination with muggles, did befriend her, mostly out of curiosity.

It turned out to be the sort of friendship that would last a lifetime. Alice always seemed to understand her, and they could almost read each other's mind. Astoria was happy to support and stand up for her, and Alice was happy to support her when her illness was at its worst. Alice also enjoyed being Astoria's guinea pig for her baking.

Thinking of her baking, Astoria headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Rhys had already set out all the ingredients she needed for her rainbow cupcakes that glowed and changed colors. She smiled and began.

When Daphne and her crowd arrived, Astoria had just sat down after setting the table with all the delightful foods and having gotten properly dressed for the meeting. She'd wrapped her favorite turquoise wrap around her shoulders, having felt more chilly than usual, even with a long forest green dress underneath.

No one even looked her way as the group sat down except for Draco, who managed a small smile in her direction, causing her own plastered false one to turn into a genuine grin. She observed the crowd with interest.

Blaise, a black man with warm golden robes, had grown to be quite handsome indeed, taking in looks from his mother- truly gorgeous. Millicent was still the tallest of them all, but had grown at least pretty, although not so much in comparison to Daphne and Pansy. Her short hair seemed to have done wonders for her. Tracey still wore lots of pink and had a ring on her finger- one that matched Blaise's. Theodore had dark hair and seemed rather dapper in his dark blue robes.

All of them had grown up quite nicely, in Astoria's opinion as far as looks went, although she found most of their personalities to be despicable.

Astoria found herself bored by the conversation- Pansy was the only one making decisions, Draco just sat there and stirred his tea with magic, not paying any attention at all to his fiancée's decisions. Tracey, Daphne, and Millicent practically fawned over Pansy, flattering her endlessly. Blaise often and loudly offered his opinions with rambling conversation to accompany them, while Theodore said nothing while working on some necklace underneath the table.

Astoria now remembered why she didn't have her sister or mother's zeal for the pureblood circle's social events. They were dull, shallow, and never went anywhere. It was always a climb for the top that never ended, even when they had found the moon. That sort of life never appealed to her. Life was too short to spend groveling and flattering and lying about everything one truly thought.

Draco finally looked to her, almost guilty, then back to his tea, then back to her.

"How are you, Astoria?" Draco asked.

"Fine," she answered, surprised. "How are you?"

"I've been better."

"He will be once we get married," Pansy said cheerfully. There was a malevolent gleam in her eyes as she looked to Astoria. Astoria just took a cupcake and said nothing. She already felt all alone- now she was sure she was being isolated.

She stood. "Daphne, would you mind? I'm getting really cold down here."

"Go ahead," Daphne said with a shooing gesture.

Astoria headed outside, and sat on a garden bench, turning her face to the sunlight.