Ethereal Catastrophe | Tom Riddle

chapter four

"Asteria stop looking so detached," Augustus Aurum whispered harshly to her as they walked the bustling stands of the Quidditch Trillenium Stadium. The 368th quidditch world cup was close to commencing, Augustus was invited by the minister to sit in his personal box. Asteria was never particularly fond of quidditch, she was just there because she wanted to spend time with her father. Augustus would always be doing something else when Asteria came home from Beauxbatons in half terms so she thought this would be an ideal place to bond without the distraction of her mother. She missed her father dearly and longed to spend time with him but due to his busy schedule of whatever he does they didn't.

"I'm sorry," Asteria never apologised to anyone apart from her parents. She'd always felt like the disappointment. Not being able to transform into a harpy, not being a boy to carry on the 'Aurum' name, not being exceptional in combat magic, she felt like she owed them something. So she worked hard. Top of all of her classes apart from Defence Against the Dark Arts. Becoming an extraordinary veela. Connecting to the universe to expand her seer and divination magic.

But that never seemed to be enough.

She would do anything to please them. Even go on one of her mother's toxic diets that would mentally and physically drain her. But if it made them happy, it was okay.

"I want smiles, Asteria. A lot of important people are here." Augustus says grabbing her wrist and pulling her through the crowds.

"I thought-"

"You thought that it was just us?" He asks rhetorically, "This is business Asteria, you are just a mere accessory."

Referring to Asteria as an 'accessory' should have made her heart burst into millions of fragments. The fact that he didn't even see her as a person, just an item to show off. She should be outraged, such a strong girl belittled to something so insignificant. If it was anyone else she probably would.

But she didn't.

He found her beautiful.

An odd way to say it- yes but it meant that she was valuable enough to him that he wanted to show her off. That he was somewhat proud of her to show her to these ministry officials, the minister himself.

"Did you wear your bracelet, some of them might want a reading?" He asked.

"I didn't think-"

"You didn't think that you'd need it? You stupid girl," Augustus hisses and non-verbally cast a spell that made her mind feel like it was being burnt, "Luckily, I brought mine so you will have to use that."

As he took his bracelet off and handed it to Asteria who had water pooling in her eyes as he released the spell. She wasn't upset because he hissed at her, or even that he used a very unpleasant spell on her. She was upset because she was disappointed in herself. How stupid could she be? This is why her father doesn't spend time with her. She was so foolish it was laughable.

He looked at her in disgust as he rested his hand on her cheek and muttered, "So, so weak."

Tears pricked Asterias eye's as she awoke in her dorm room. Shortly after her and Abraxas' rendezvous, she went back to her room to find her dorm mates asleep. She took the time to look at Tia's arm to see if there was still a scar, to which there was, Asteria wondered if Li knew so she peered into her mind whilst she was asleep. To find that she didn't and that Tia was using a disillusionment charm to cover it. She also took the time to find out Li's likes and dislikes, thus more about the Ravenclaw to make herself seem more likeable.