Astra

VI - The Halloween Feast

ASTRA NATURALLY BLENDED into the backgrounds. That's why it was easy for her to hear what Harry and Ron were talking about. They were spending a lot of time discussing what could be under the trapdoor, which Astra knew already, but decided it wouldn't be great to tell them. They were highly irresponsible and irrational. Who knows what kind of problems could happen with them having that information. Hermione, on the other hand, seemed to be avoiding the boys, which made sense to Astra. 

Astra continued her normal routine of learning, studying, reading, talking to ghosts, her godparents and uncle, visiting the kitchens, and spending time with Minnie. However, she did add to her time looking at the Mauraders' Map, watching Quirrel. He also seemed to have a boring life but spent a lot of time wandering around the third-floor corridor. Luckily, he never went in, otherwise, Astra would have to report it.

Throughout the first few weeks of school, however, Astra was a topic that came up in many conversations. It didn't help that she was very good at sneaking around quietly, so she could basically hear what everyone was saying about her. Some talked about her standing up to Snape, and seemed like she had redeemed herself in their eyes (from what, she didn't know because she never really did anything wrong in the first place). Some, mostly girls, seemed envious for her beauty that came with being a Black. Some, (really, just Hermione) got jealous because of how she was naturally great at everything, going from transfiguration to flying. Whatever it was, Astra Black was the talk of the school, yet no one actually talked to her. It seemed that admiring the girl from a distance would work in everyone's opinion. Not that she minded. Astra was still fine with being alone, though the words that came from the sorting hat made her think. 

"Yet, you seem to think you work better alone. That won't do, that won't do. You will need to work with your friends to achieve greatness!"

The Sorting Hat seemed to think that putting her into Gryffindor would make Astra more friendly and open to others helping her, but would that really work? Hermione, as far as Astra knew, hated her and always seemed jealous. Lavender and Parvati were always giggling around somewhere, and they were definitely against letting a Black join their friend group. Seamus and Dean hung out a lot together, but they talked way too much about sports for her opinion. Sure, Astra loved Quidditch, but she really didn't want to spend the whole day talking about it. Nor did she want to listen to Dean explain different football teams. Neville seemed like a nice kid, if only he wasn't deathly afraid of Astra. She didn't blame him, Regulus had told her that her cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange (used to be Black) had tortured his parents into insanity. She guessed it would make sense for the boy to hate her family, along with her. Harry and Ron, they were a whole other story. James and Lily obviously expected Astra and Harry to become the best of friends, but Astra wasn't too sure. He seemed alright, but he was always with Ron, and Ron, as a Weasley, was deeply prejudiced against Blacks. Almost as much as with the Malfoys. It was an unspoken rule that apparently pureblood lines that often went into Slytherin (such as the Blacks and Malfoys) did not get along with the Weasleys. So, Astra wasn't really welcome there either. The students in other houses were a bit different but didn't work that well. Anyone in Slytherin considered her a blood traitor or were forced by Malfoy to consider her a blood traitor. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were a bit nicer to her but had already created their friend groups, and Astra just wasn't welcome. So, Astra was still alone. Mostly.

The Weasley twins were the only students who seemed to sort of welcome her into the Gryffindor house (even with being Weasleys). Though, their past few days had been spent looking for the Mauraders' Map. Astra had half the mind to let them know that she had it, but then she would have to explain why she knew about it, why she was supposed to have it, and why she knew that, and she wouldn't be able to do that.