𝑬𝑼𝑷𝑯𝑶𝑹𝑰𝑨|| 𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑

~29~

It was finally Spring meaning that the days had gotten warmer. Asteria had woken up one morning for a short stroll. But it wasn't just any day. It was the 3rd of March, Asteria's 16th birthday.

She had not gotten a letter from her father but she wasn't surprised as he usually never bothered with her. Along with no letters, she had gotten no presents however she didn't mind too much.

As she walked along the edge of the forest, she noticed a lavender plant that had bloomed beautifully. Carefully, she pulled a stem of the flower off and continued on her walk spinning the flower between her fingers.

As it was the weekend, she had no classes to worry about so she could walk around for however long she wanted. However, she decided to knock on Hagrid's door.

The door to the hut swung open and a cheerful man greeted her. "Happy birthday!" He shouted loudly. "How did you know?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows. "It's marked on my calendar." He replied proudly as he pointed at his calendar which had the day 3rd of March circled.

"I made you something last night." He exclaimed before hurrying with a cake which was messily iced and her name spelled incorrectly on the top. "Thanks, Hagrid." The Hufflepuff replied as she took the cake and used a knife to cut off a slice.

"And this." He held out a parchment that had Buckbeak drew on the front and although it wasn't a masterpiece, Asteria loved it. "He wouldn't keep still." The half-man half-giant told the girl.

"I know it's not a lot but..." He said which made her scoff. "This is the best present I've ever gotten." She replied with a smile. She neatly folded up the drawing before putting it into her pocket.

"Do you wanna feed Buckbeak? It seems like he's become attached to you and will hardly take the food from me." Hagrid told the students, his hand resting on his leather belt.

Asteria nodded before he handed her 3 dead pheasants and sent her on her way to the back of the hut. The hippogriff instantly jumped up when he saw the girl and hurried over to her.

"Are you hungry?" She asked the creature as she scratches the top of his head before she threw one of the birds up into the air. She then threw another one up in the air which he jumped up to catch. However, as he landed, he caught the girl's arm.

Asteria froze still and her eyes widened when she heard a loud crunch. She quickly cupped the limp arm up. Not wanting to worry the groundskeeper, she said goodbye through the open window and hurried to the hospital wing.

When she walked in holding onto her arms, Madam Pomfrey let out a sigh. "How did you do it this time?" She asked the girl as she sat down, cringing slightly at the bruising already forming. "He jumped up to catch a pheasant." The Hufflepuff replied.

"This is not a very good way to spend your birthday." Madam Pomfrey said as she handed her a potion for pain and used her wand to instantly fix the wand. Although it was fixed, she needed to keep it still so she had to wear a cast.

A red-headed girl overheard the matron as she helped her in the hospital wing when she didn't have class. "How come I didn't know it was your birthday?" Lily asked when Madam Pomfrey walked away.

"Because I didn't tell you," Asteria replied with a shrug which made her roll her eyes. "You should of." The Gryffindor replied. "Wait here." She then ordered the girl.

Asteria let out a sigh as Lily hurried out of the hospital wing. She sat at the end of the hospital wing inspecting the cast on her arm and tapping her feet on the stone tile floor.

Lily came running back in, her face red from running. "Here," She held out a book with a worn-down cover. At the top was the title 'Emma'. Asteria took the book and inspected the cover.

"Who's Jane Austen?" She asked with furrowed eyebrows which made Lily gasp. "Only the best writer there has ever been!" She exclaimed. "I couldn't take it. It's yours." The Hufflepuff replied as she held the book out again but she shook her head.

"I've finished reading it and clearly you need to if you've never read a story by Jane Austen," Lily replied as she pushed the book back to her chest. "Umm.. thanks then," Asteria replied awkwardly before getting up and leaving the hospital wing.