Sweets: The Tale of Astoria Greengrass

See How High She Flies

The school year seemed to go by surprisingly fast. Slytherin was losing badly to the other Houses in Quidditch and in points. Astoria found she hated taking points, for the teachers were all too quick to take the most points they could from Slytherin. She understood why they would be against Slytherin, but it wasn't changing anything. They were growing more bitter and angry at the world around them. Alice especially seemed to be getting angry, like a hawk forced into a cage.

"I'm not even from this world, yet people treat me like I'm a future Death Eater!" she snarled one evening. "That makes no bloody sense! I'm a mudblood for crying out loud!"

"I know it's not fair, I know," Astoria said soothingly.

"No, you don't!" Alice shouted. "You don't! You've always fit in in this world! You're the child of these monsters-"

"What do you want me to say then?" Astoria whimpered. "What is it you want to hear?"

"I don't know, maybe I don't want to hear you speak at all!" Alice shouted.

"Fine," Astoria said, biting her lip to keep from crying. "I'm sorry I can't help you!'

Now their relationship was on the rocks. A fight every other week, a tense apology that Astoria always gave because she was afraid of losing her closest friend. They'd never fought like this before, but it seemed that the cage of Slytherin had broken her.

Romilda Vane seemed fond of tormenting them about it. Between her and Celia-Laura, Astoria felt like a mouse trying to escape from a cat.

At least, Luca, Rolf, and Luna were alright. Luca refused to get between her and Alice's fights, although he did tend to side with her. Rolf and Luna were getting closer with her, although Luna had other friends, such as Ginny Weasley, that she hung around more. That was fine by Astoria. She liked hearing Rolf's stories about staying with his famous grandparents in Dorset, and he liked hearing about her muggle objects collection.

Academics, however, were at their highest. In Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Muggle Studies, she was top of her class. Her enthusiasm seemed to endear her to the teachers, and with her friends not being around all that much, she had lots of time to study. It was her best shot at starting over for her family. If she could be the one that no one could possibly turn away, then Astoria was willing to be that. She was also doing alright in Apparition, hadn't splinched yet.

Her baking was also improving. She'd bought several sweets from Honeydukes, and was working on her own recreations and ways to use the sweets for new treats altogether. The house-elves were happy to accommodate her. Very few tried her sweets, but Astoria was determined.

Surely sweets could pull the house together.

When Christmas holidays rolled around, Astoria was a bit relieved, although she dreaded returning to the aristocrats and the flailing for social standing and wealth. At least everyone would leave her alone.

When she arrived on Platform 9 and 3/4, Daphne was waiting for her with Tracey Davis at her side. Daphne wore her neat robes for her promotion as a Wand Clerk, and was overall polished. Tracey wore bright pink once more, and seemed to have a glow about her.

"Hello, Tori," Daphne said. She used her wand to Levitate the trunk.

"Did you hear?" Tracey asked. She held up her ring finger, a new ring on it. "Blaise and I are now married! Isn't that wonderful?"

"It is," Astoria said, mostly faking it. She thought Blaise was a nasty snob that took after his suspicious mother.

"Pansy and Daphne and Millie are all so happy for me," Tracey continued. "We went to Paris and it was so romantic! Elopement was so worth it!"

"I will keep that in mind," Astoria said.

"And anyway, Draco's been asking about you," Tracey continued. "Pansy doesn't like that much for some reason, but he really wanted to congratulate you on becoming a Prefect!"

"How does he know about that?" Astoria asked.

"I might've mentioned it to everyone in a fit of excitement," Daphne confessed. "After all, if McGonagall thinks you trustworthy, maybe the family reputation isn't completely ruined after all!"

Is that all anyone cares about? Astoria wondered. Just the family reputation?

"Well, I suppose we'd better get home, wouldn't you say, Astoria?"' Daphne said. "I'll be late to the luncheon with Pansy if we don't get home in the next ten minutes.

Astoria took her sister's hand, and her sister took her trunk. They then Disapparated. This time, Astoria didn't feel queasy. While Daphne was at her luncheon, Astoria made Wishing Apple cookies. She felt just a little more at home.

The next morning, Astoria watered her plants, said hello to Queenie, and got dressed. She was surprised when she came down the stairs to see Daphne with the other Slytherin girls again.